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HISTORY         ?^ 


ENTRE  AND  CLINTON 

COUNTIES, 


PET^^IS^SYLV^N^I^. 


JOH^   BLAIR   LINN.    I^^i-i^l'f 


ILLUSTRATES. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
LOUIS    H.   EVERTS. 

18  8  3. 

PRESS    OF    J.    B.    LIPPINCOrr    &   CO,    PHILADELPHIA 


'1 A^' 


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PREFACE. 


I  ASSUMED  the  responsibility  of  editing  a  history  of  Centre  and  Clinton  Counties,  in  defer- 
ence to  the  request  of  Maj.  Louis  H.  Everts,  a  gallant  officer  of  the  volunteer  army  of  the 
United  States.  I  did  it  because  ever  since  the  internecine  strife  has  ceased,  jMaj.  Everts  has 
'  thrown  his  energy,  time,  and  means  into  the  publication  of  books  illustrative  of  the  history  of 
J -^our  State  and  country,  and  I  was  satisfied  that  he  would  spare  neither  .labor  nor  expen.se  in 
making  a  complete  history  of  the  counties  I  have  undertaken  to  descrilie.  j\Iy  acknowledg- 
ments are  therefore  made  first  to  him,  for  his  liberality  in  the  illustrations,  and  the  carle  hfmu-he 
he  gave  me  to  make  a  liistory  of  Centre  and  Clinton  Counties  all  it  ought  to  l)c.  If  there  is 
anv  failure,  it  is  on  the  part  of  the  editor. 

I  have  also  numerous  friends  to  whom  I  should  make  acknowledgments  for  favors  and 

r  communications,  particularly  James  Gilliland,  Esq.,  of  Washington,  D.  C,  I>.  S.  ]\Iaynard,  E-q., 
of  New  Jersey,  whose  zeal  and  accuracy  in  historical  researcii  cannot  be  surpassed.  At  hoii^e, 
Hon.  A.  G.  Curtin  was  of  invaluable  assistance  to  me,  and  for  local  history  I  am  under  obliga- 
tion especially  to  Capt.  Christian  Dale,  Samuel  Potter,  Peter  Wilson,  Capt.  Jared  B.  Fislitr, 
Professor  Henry  Meyer,  now  a  representative  in  the  Pennsylvania  Legislature,  Dr.  Williiuii  I. 
Wilson,  J.  Dunlop  Shugert,  Rev.  Frederick  Kurtz,  and  Hon.  L.  A.  Mackey,  H.  L.  Dieffenb.-itii, 
and  several  other  gentlemen  of  Lock  Haven.  I  am  indebted  also  to  the  various  newspapcis  of 
both  counti&s  for  the  many  items  of  interest  culled  from  their  columns,  and  to  all  who  have  in 
any  way  contributed  to  make  tliis  work  a  success  I  make  my  most  humble  acknowledgments:  _ 

John  Bl.\ir  Linx. 
Bellefonte,  Pa.,  Jnn.  1,  1883.  _     ■ 


5 


i 


CONTENTS. 


CIIAPTEB  P 

I. — Indian  Occnpation 

II— Biilil  Eagle  and  Logan  Chiefs 

HI— Indian  Patlis— Territoiial  Description- Streams  and 

Localities 

IV.— Tlio  Discovery  of  Penn's  Valley- Surveys  of  1770 — 
Manor  of  Succoth — Manor  of  Nottingham— Snr- 

vevs  1769 

v.— The  First  Settler :... 

VI.— Norlhumlerhmd  County  Oiganizod— Assessment  in 
Bald  Eagle  Township— Early  Settlements— Potter 

Township  Assessment  and  the  Associators 

VII.— Bald  Eagle  and  Pelin's  Valley  in  1775 

VIII.— Inhabitants  of  Potter  Township  in  177U— Residents 
of  Bald  Eagle  and  Potter— Events  of  the  Bevolu- 

tion— Indian  Massacre 

IX.— Events  of  1779-84— The  first  Iron  Company— Snr- 

veys  and  Retnrn  of  the  Inhabitants 

X.— Election  Districts  and  Lists  of  Settlers 

XI.— Erection  of  Mifflin  Count.v— Lists  of  Inhabilants— 

Gen.  James  Putter's  Death  and  Will 

XII.— Centre  Furnace— Howell's  Map  of  1792— Rock  Iron- 
works—Haines  and  Upper  Bald  Eagle  in  1793 

-94 

XIII.— Schedule  of  General  Election,  Oct.  19,  1794— Turner 
Iron-Works- Miles'  Rangers— Miles  Township— 

Post-Offlces— Forges 

XIV.— Political— Alien  and  Sedition  Laws— Additional  Resi- 
dents and  Officers,  1701-lSOU 

XV.— Population  in  1800— Erection  of  Centre  County  and 

Boundary  Lines 

XVI.— Organization  of  the  County— Court  Proceedings— 
Roads— Township  Assessments— Upper  Bald  Eiigle 
and  Spring  Townships — Lower  Bald  Eagle  Town- 
ship  

XVII.— Residents  of  Centre,  Haines,  and  Miles  Townships... 
XVHI.— Residents  of  Putton,  Potter,  Ferguson,  and  Half- 
Moon  Townships 

XIX.— The  First  Murder  in  the  County— United  Brethren 
in  Christ— Spring  Township— Taxable  and  Elec- 
tion Returns 

XX. — Tavern  Licenses  and  Roads — Political 

XXI.— Roan  Diary— School  of  1809— Howard  and  Walker 
Townships  Erected — Lists  of  Inhabitants— Eagle 

Works  Erected— Newhy's  Case 

XXII.— Centre  County  in  the  War  of  1812— Death  of  Sil- 

hamer 

XXIII.— Centre  Bank  of  Pennsylvania— The  American  Pa 

triot 

XXIV.— Rush  Township  Erected— Boggs  Township  Erected 
—List  of  Inhabitants— The  Independent  Repub- 
lican— Lamar  Township  and  Early  Settlers 

XXV.-^Political— Missionary— The  Bellefonte  Patriot- 
Judge  Walker— James  Monk  tried  for  Murder — 
List  of  Witnesses  in  Monk's  Trial— Revolutionary 

Soldiers— Stage-Routes 

XXVI.— Logan  Township  Erected— Ta.xable  Inhabitants  in 
1819— Henry  Dale's  House  Robbed— Election  Re- 
turns—Politics—Robbery at  Potter's  Mills 

XXVII.— Census— Locusts— Rains— Diseases— Politics— Cam- 
paign of  ISKS 

XXVIII.— Political— Logan  Branch  Woolen-Factory— Agricul- 
tural Societies — Crops — Domestic  Manufactures — 
Volunteer    Companies  —  Hotel-Keepers  —  Centre 

County  in  1825 

XXIX.— Iron-Works  in  Centre  County  in  182G— Canal  Im- 
provements— Political — Centre  Democrat  and 
Centre  Berichter  Established— Election  Returns, 

1826- Merchants  of  1827 

XXX.— The  Jackson  Campaign— Ritner  Campaign,  1829— 

Census — Temperance  Society — Political 

XXXI. — Temperance  Societies  Formed — United  States  Bank 


XXXII 

XXXIII 
XXXIV. 
XXXV. 

XXXVL 

XXXVII. 

XXXVIII 

XXXIX 


Contest— Death  of  Gen.  Bcnner— Election  Re- 
turns,  1832 

, — Union  Meetings— Encanijmients — Rain  of  Fire — Re- 
newal of  the  Deposits — Common  Schools — Educa- 
tional  

— Politics— Iron- Works  in  Operation  in  1830— Military 

Encampments — Buckshot  War — Political 

-Erection  of  Clinton  County — Opposition  to  Election 

of  Dr.  Strohecker 

Census  of  1810- The  Uanison  Campaign- The 
Democratic  Whig — The  Tariff  Issue — Temperance 


83 


—Politics— Ofticial  Return,  1844— Railroad  Meeting— 
Me.\ican  War  Soldiers— Gen.  Irvin  Nominated  for 

Governor— Official  Returns  in  1347-48 80 

—Incidents— The    Grand    Hunt— Census    of    1850— 

Teachers'  Institute 89 

—Union  Township  Erected— Post-Office— Railroads- 

Log-Floating — Temperance  Meetings 91 

, — Snow-Storm — American  Party — Democratic  Watch- 
man    Established— Jug     Law— Farmers'     High 

School 94 

XL.— Banking  Firm— Bellefonte  Gas  Company— Belle- 
fonte Cemetery — Lock  Haven  and  Tyrone  Railroad 

— Political — Republican  Mass-meeting 97 

XLI.— Encampment— Farmers'  Mutual  Insurance  Com- 
pany—Snow Shoo  Railroad— Bellefonte  Fenciblcs 

—Central  Press— D^alh  of  Judge  Burnside 99 

XLII  — A.  0.  Curtin  Nominated  fur  Governor— Election  Re- 
lurns— I'opulation   of    Centre   County    in    1800- 

Robberies 101 

XLllI.— Events  preceding  the  War  of  1801-05- Enthusiastic 

Meeting  of  the  People 104 

XLIV.— The  Bellefonte  Fencibles— Eagle  Guards— Cameron 
Infantry  and  Three  Months'  Service— Hess'  Com- 
pany captured — Muster-Rolls  of  Officers  and  Men 
of  Capts.  J.  B.  Mitchell,  A.  B.  Snyder,  Robert  Mc- 
Farlane,  and  J.  II.  Stover's  Companies — Killing  of 
Augustus  H.  Poorman  by  Edward  Lipton  and  Wil- 
liam Hays,  on  Nittany  Mountain IOC 

XLV.— Three  Years'  Companies— Centre  Guards  (Fifth  Re- 
serves)— The  Independent  Cavalry 108 

XL'^'r.— Penn's  Valley  Infantry— Company  E,  Forty-ninth 
Pennsylvania — Company  G,  Fifty-first  Pennsyl- 
vania—Capt.  J.  Miles  Green's  Company 110 

XLVII— Furty-fllth  Pennsylvania  Regiment— Field  and  Staff 

from  Centre  County— Companies  A,  D,  and  E 113 

XLVIII.— Officers  and  Privates  from  Rush  Township  in  Com- 
pany D,  Fifty-third  Regiment— tympany  I — 
Company  F,  Filty-ninth  (Second  Cavalry) — Com- 
pany E,  Seventh  Cavalry,  Capt.  I.  B.  Schaeffer— 
Company  E,  Ninety-third  Infantry,  and  Company 

B,  One  Hundred  and  Forty-flaii  Pennsylvania 117 

XLIX.— Miscellaneous  List  of  Soldieis  enlisted  from  Centre 
County — Unknown  Companies  and  Regiments — 
One  Hundred  and  Sixtieth— Company  II,  Fifty- 
sixth  Pennsylvania IIS 

L.— One  Hundred  and  Forty  eighth  Regiment 122 

H.— One  Hundred  and   Forty-eighth  Regiment— Field, 

Staff,  Line,  and  Privates 123 

LII  —Historical  Sketch  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty- 
eighth  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Volunteers 131 

LIII— Nine  Months' Troops— Centre  County  Militia— The 
Draft— Rolls  of  DiB'ereut  Companies— Colored  Sol- 
diers from  Centre  County IK 

LIV.— First  National  Bank— Centre  Reiwrter— Philips- 
burg  Journal  —  Bellefonte  Republican  —  Belle- 
fonte National  —  Central  Press  —  Undine  Fire 
Company— Census  of  1870— Election  Returns  of 
1872— Great  Storm  of  1874— Centre  County  Vet- 
eran Club— Official  Tote  of  1870- Eiots  of  July  21, 


CONTENTS. 


LVII. 
LVIII. 


LXt. 
LXII. 


LXXIII. 
LXXIV. 


1877— OfBciiil  Vote  of  1S80— Census  Enumerators 
—Election  Returns  of  1S82 

-History  of  German  Keforuied  Cliurcli 

-Eiliiciitional  Interests  of  Centre  County  —  First 
Solluols — 01(1  Teachers — County  Superiutendents 
— Tlie  County  Normal  School 

-Roll  of  Attorneys 

-Civil  List — Members  of  Congress,  Senators,  Judges, 
etc 

-Inttrnal  Improvements— Roads— State  Roads— Tlio 
TurnpikeEra— Canals— Railroads— Plank-Roads. 

-Pliysicians- Centre  County  Medical  Society 

-Biographical  and  Genealogical 

-Bellefonte  Borough  —  Tost-Office  —  Presliyterian 
Church — Bellefonte  Academy — Borough  Incorpo- 
ration— Bellefonte  Water-Works— Early  Merch- 
ants and  Business  Men— Bellefonte  in  1824— Board 
of  Health  — Paper-Making.— PuUic  Schools- 
Churches—  Seminary— Cemetery— Fire  Dopart- 
ment— Societies— Fenciblcs  of  1880- Mills  and 
Manufactures— Oldest  Business  Men  in  1882— 
Hotels  in  18S2— Biographical 

-Benner  Township — First  Surveys — Early  Reminis- 
cences —  Roopshurg  —  Churches— Tax-Payers  in 
1854— Civil  List— Benner  Grange,  No.  107 

-Boggb  Township — Early  Surveys — Early  Incidents 

—  First  Church  —  Early  Settlers  — Industries- 
Churches— Schools— Civil  List— Biographical 

-Burnside  Township — Surveys  and  Land  Suits — Set- 
tlers and  Residents — Slessiah  Church — Township 
Organization 

-College  Township— Schools— Villages— Churches— 
I'ennsylvauia  State  College — Township  Organi- 

-Cuitin  Township— Organization-Early  Settlers- 
Churches — Roads — Schools — Lumber  Business  iu 
1880— Civil  List 

-Ferguson  Township  —  Early  Settlers  —  Surveys- 
Schools  —  Churches  —  Societies—  Mills — Soldiers' 
Club  — Rocli  Spring— Miniiig  Company —  Civil 
List 

-GreggTownship-Eaily  Surveys-Settlements,  early 
and  later  —  Early  Schools  —  Churches — Buri.il- 
Places— Spring  Mills— Physicians— Societies— Ac- 
ademy— Farmers'  Mills — Penn  Hall — Township 
Organization— Tax -Payers  in  1827— Civil  Li^it 

-Haines  Township— Early  Surveys— Early  Seltlei-s- 
Burial-Places  —  Schools  —  Aaronshurg — Inhabit- 
ants of  Aaronsburg  in  1802  and  1810— First  Store- 
keeper—Notices  of  some  of  the  Residents— 
Churches— Academy— Woodward— Civil  List 

-Half-Moon  Township— Land  Titles— Early  Settlers 
—Tax-Payers  in  1810— Old  Citizens-Churches- 
Grangers— Scliools— Villages— Ore— Civil  List 

-Harris  Townsbiii— Surveys,  Settlers,  etc  -Villages- 
Grangers — Academy— Churches — Schools— Bu  rial- 
Places— Taverns— iSwnship  Organization— Tax- 
Payers  iu  ISaO- Civil  List 

-Howard  Townshii>— Early  Surveys  and  Settlei-s- 
Civil  List — Borough  Incorporation — Fron-Works.. 

-Huston  Township— Surveys — Township  Organiza- 
tion—Tax-Payers in  1810— Civil  List— Early  Set- 
tlors—Schools— IMigious— Furnaces 

-Liberty  Township — Early  Surveys  and  Settlers — 
Township  Organization  —  Schools  —  Churches — 
Burial-Places—Eagleville— Societies 

-Marion  Township  —  Settlements  and  Settlors  — 
Churches— Cemeteries  —  Schools  —  Walker  Post- 
Offlce— Seminary— Irun-Mines--Early  Taverns- 
Early  Physiciana- Township  Organization- Tax- 
payers in  1841- Civil  List— Grange 

-Miles  Township— Surveys— General  Sketch— Roads 

—  Mills—  First  Stores  —  Towns  —  Post-Offices  — 
Schools— Societies— Pliysicians— Military  Organi- 
zation— Religious — List  of  Old  Residents— Burial- 
Grouuds— Miscellaneous 


LXXIX 
LXXX. 


LXXXIII. 
LXXXIV. 


LXXX  VIII. 
LXXXIX. 


-Milesburg  Borough  —  Post-Office  —  Revolutionary 
Soldiers— Giaveyard— Churches— Manufactures— 
Societies— Borough  Incorporation 3G7 

-Patton  Township —  Early  Settlers  —  Churches— 
Mining— Civil  List 371 

-Penn  Townshif) — Early  Settlers — Churches — Organ- 
ization—Tax-Payers  in  184j  —  Tnrnpikes  — Vil- 
lages—Churches— Burial-Places— Societies 376 

-Pbilipsburg  Borough— Founders  of  the  Town— Post- 
Office— Schools  —  Churches  —  Bnrial-Places  —  Fi-' 
nancial — Manufactures — Water  Company — Socie- 
ties—  Press  of  Pliilipsburg — Military  —  Borough 
Incorporation 382 

-Potter  Township  — First  Surveys  and  Settlors  — 
Churches— Schools— Physicians—  Banking  —  So- 
cieties—Villages-^Mills— Civil  List  401 

-Rush    Township— Early    Surveys— Tax-Payers    iu 

1830— Early  Settlers 410 

-Snow  Shoe  Township— First  Survey— First  Settlers 
—Roads— Schools— Township  Oi-ganizatiou-Tax- 
Payers  in  18il—Villages —Churches— Miuiug- 
Lumbering 420 

-Spring  Township — Early  Surveys — Revolutionary 
Soldiers— Notes  of  Residents- Churches— Indus- 
tries—Villages— Grange 431 

-Taylor  Township  —  Surveys  —  Pioneer  Settlers — 
Roads— ludustrios—Schools— Religious  —  Burial- 
Places- Tax-Payers  iu  1849— Civil  List 439 

-Union  Township— Early  Settlers— Tax-Payers  in 
1851  — Schools  — Churches— Township  Organiza- 
tion      443 

-Unionville   Borough  —  lucorporation—Schools—Re- 

li;;iuu3— Grangers— Temperance 451 

-Walker    Township  —  Early     Settlers  —  Villages— 

Chnrches— Bnrial-Places 456 

-Worth  Township  — Surveys— Early  Selllers  — Pio- 
neer Roads— Mills-Schools— Keligions-Burial- 
Places— Villages  and  Merchants— JIanufactures 
—Tax-Payers  in  1849— Township  Organization 459 


XCI.— Notices  of  Paths  and  Indian  Chiefs— Territorial  His- 
tory—Officers' Survey— First  Settlers 407 

XCir.-Fithian's  Journal,  1775 471 

XCIII.— Committee  of  Safety— Kevoluliouary  Soldiers 473 

XCIV.— Indian  TiouUles— Great  Runaway— Return  of  the 

Inhabitants— Laud  Titles— Residents  in  178> 475 

XCV.— Officers  of  Bald  Eagle  in  1785— James  Harris'  Jour- 
nal-Assessment of  Pine  Creek  in  1780— Bald  Eagle 
in  1787— Residents  in  Nippenose  iu  1787- Lower 
Bald  Eagle,  1788-92- Additional  Residents,  etc....     478 
XCVI.— Residents  of  Bald  Eagle  iu  1793,  Manied  and  Single 

—Assessment  of  Pine  Creek,  1700 480 

XCVII.— Geological  and  Topographical— The  Auroral  and 
Matinul  Rocks— Auroral  Masnesian  Limestone— 
Matinal  Shales— Levant  Gray  Sandstone— Levant 

Red  Sandstone— Levant  White  Sandstone 481 

XCVIII.— Region  of  the  Seven  Mountains- Seven  Mountains..  483 
XCIX.— Nittany  and  Bald  Eagle  Mountains- Short  Moun- 
tain— Brush  Mountain — Plateau  of  Nittany  Moun- 
tain-Pleasant Valley-Little  Valle.v— Nittany 
Mountain- Anticlinal  Belt— Nittany  Valley.  An- 
ticlinal Axis — Nippenose  or  Oval  Limestone  Val- 
ley— Antes  Gap — Sugar  Valley 483 

C— Brush  Valley— Penu's  Valley —George's  Valley— Nit- 
tany Valley— Sections  opposile  Mill  Hall  Gap- 
Sections  near  Jacksonville-Section  of  the  Valley 

at  Bellefonte  Gap 487 

CI.— Organization— Civil  List— Stale  Sei.at.irs-R.'presen- 
tatives— Delegates  to  Coiistitulinnal  C.Miveulicui, 
1873— President  Judges- Additional  Law  Jiulges 
-Associate  Judges— Shcriffs-Distiiet  Attorneys 
—County  Comniifsioners— County  Treasuiers— 
Register,    Recorder,    etc.- Prollionotalies- Coro- 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

ners— Deimty  Surveyors  of  Clinton  County — 
County  Auditors — Notaries — Sealers  of  Weights 
and  Measures— A uclioueenf — Justices  of  the  Peace 
fur  Clinton  County  by  Townships — Vote  for  Gov- 
ernor, 1841-1882 489 

Cir.— Clinton  County  in  tlie  Kehcllion— Eleventh  Kegi- 
ment— Thirty-sixth  Regiment  (Seventh  Reserves) 
—First  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  {Forty-fourth  Regi- 
ment) —  Fifty-second  Regiment  —  Fifty-eighth 
t  Regiment— Eightieth  Regiment  (Seventh  Cavalry) 
—  Ninety-third  Regiment  —  One  Hundred  and 
Tliirtyscventh  Regiment— Two  Hundred  and  Sev- 
enth Regiment 494 

cm.— History  of  Township  Schools  of  Clinton  County 512 

CIV. — Statistics,  Agricultural  Society,  etc. — Censn*'  ot  ISoO, 
1860, 1870,  1880— Post-OfBces  in  Clinton  County  in 
1882,  taken  from  Official  Report  of  Post.Oflice 
Department 518 

CV.— City  of  Lock  Haven— Distances— Allilude—Latitude 
and  Longitude— Pioneer  Land  Locators — Pioneer 
Setllei-s— Jane  Reed  and  the  Indians— Pioneer 
Weddings— Mike  Swartz  and  the  Bear— A  Rev- 
erend Patriot— Lost  Treasure  Found— Reed's  Fort 
—Pioneer  Beginnings  in  Old  Town— Public  Im- 
provements— Canal  Riots — Capt.  Samuel  H.  Wil- 
Bou— .Terry  Church's  Purchase- Rise  and  Growth 
of  Lock  Haven- Jerry  Church's  Folly- Lock 
Haven,  Origin  of  Name  and  Original  Survey — 
Lock  Haven  in  18;JS— Business  and  Prices  in  1S41 
—Additions  to  the  Original  Lock  Haven— West- 
ern, Northwestern,  Fearon  and  alackey's,Quiggle's, 
Eastern,  Price's,  Irwin's,  Gill's,  Shaw,  Blanchard 
&  Co.'s,  Myers',  James  Jcfferis',  and  Ball's  Addi- 
tions— Court-Houses,  Jails,  Markets,  and  Public 
Buildings— Barker's  Tavern  Court-House- The 
JerryChnrchCourt  House— The  New  Court-House 
and  other  Public  Buildings— Hotels  of  Lock  Haven 
— Civil  Orgnnizatinn — Press  of  Lock  Haven — Lock 
Havj;n  Fire  Department  —  Industries  of  Lock 
Haven— Bar  of  Lock  Haven- Societies  and  Cor- 
porations— Lock  Haven  Gas-Works — Lock  Haven 
Bridge  Company — Banks  of  Lock  Haven — Lock 
Haven  Library  Company — Lock  Haven  Water- 
Works —  West  Branch  Boom  Company  —  Great 
Island  Presbyterian  Church— Trinity  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church— Baptist  Church— First  German 
Evangelical  Lnthcian  Cliurch— St.  Paul's  Prot- 

•  estant  Episcopal  church— Church  of  Christ  (Di.s- 

ciples)— Firet  Church  of  Ihe  Evangelical  Associa- 
tlon- St.  John's  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church— 
Imumnuel's  German  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church 
—St.  Agnes'  Geluian  Roman  Catholic  Church— 
St.  Luke's  Reformed  Chuich— Roman  Catholic 
Chnrch— African  Methodist  Ep'scopal  Church- 
Highland  Cemetery  — Educatioiuil— Albert  N. 
Ranb— Lock  Haven,  Paist  and  Present- Police 
Department— Medical  Profession— Hon.  Charles 
A.  Mayer— Hon.  William  Dunn— Justin  J.  Pie—  . 
T.  C.  Hippie,  Esq.- Cliarles  Kreamer— Hon.  S. 
Woods  Caldwell— H.  L.  Iliffenbach— Col.  Phaon 

Jarrett 519 

CVI.— Allison  Townshili— Early  Settlers— Fleuiingtou— 
Reformed  Cemetery — Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
—Disciples'  Church— Good  Templars— Business 
Indnsli-ierf — James  Welsh — William  Karskaddon 
— Adam  Gast — Great    Island    Cemetery — Lewis 

andConly 505 

CVII.— Bald  Eagle  Township- Pioneer  Settlement— Mill 
Hall  Borough— Pioneer  ludustri.-s  of  Mill  Hall- 
Borough  Officers— Industries  of  1882— Blethodist 
Episcopal  Church— Bald  Eagleand  Nillany  Valley 
Presbyterian  Church— Christi  in  Church— Soci- 
eties and  Postmiisters 5G9 

CVIII.— Beech  Creek  Towubliip  and  Borough— Geogi  aidi- 
ical— Soil— Creeks— Miner.ils- Settlements— Mur- 
der of  Reuben    Giles— The  Hollands  Mjstery— 


CXIU. 

CXIV. 


CXV. 
ex  VI. 


cxx. 

ex  XI. 


PAOI! 

The  Great  Ring  Hunt- Other  Hunting  .Scones- 
Pioneer  Schools,  Pioneer  Elections,  Pioneer  and 
Later  Mills,  etc. — Beech  Creek  Borough — Borough 
Officers — Methodist  E|ii8copal  CInircIi — Presbyte- 
rian Church — Cemeteries — Schools — Order* — Pro- 
fessions and  Business  Industries  in  1882 .57(1 

— Castanea  Township 58:', 

-Chapman  Township— Young  Woman's  Creek— Pio- 
neer Hunting  Scenes-Pioneer  Settlers,  how  Ihcy 
lived  and  how  they  built — Villages — VonugWo- 
manstown — Hyner — Biographical:  Hon.  Amos 
C.  Noyes,  Charles  K.  Noyes,  Robert  Biidgens, 
Esq.,  John  Scott  Bailey,  W.  T.  McCloekey 583 

-Renovo  Borough- Philadelphia  and  Erie  Railroad- 
Laying  Out  the  Town — Early  Stores  and  Indus- 
tries— Borough  Incorporation — Officials — Presby- 
terian Church— St.  Joseph's  Catholic  Church — 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church— Trinity  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church — English  Lutheran  Chnrch — 
Societies^Soldiers  of  the  Union  Army- Renovo 
Record rSi 

-Colebrook  Township — Pioneer  Settlers — Manufac- 
tures     COl 

-Cr.awford  Township GW 

-Dunstable  Township— Village  of  Liberty— The  Quig- 

ley  Family— The  Baird  Family— Biographical GOii 

-Gallanher  Township C09 

-Greene  Township — Ligmsville  Borough — Borough 
Officers- Sugar  Valley  Mutual  Fire  Insurance 
Company— St.  Paul's  Chnrch,  Lutheran  and  Re- 
formed— Salem  Evangelical  Association  Church — 
Biographical Gil 

-Grngan  Township— Incidents  of  Pioneer  Sotllers- 
Grngan  Family— Schools— ClaHin  Family— Settle- 
ments and  Improvements C20 

-Keating  Townshi|is  (East  and  West)— Original  Sur- 
veys—Pioneer Schools— Pioneer  Taverns— Flood 
— Pioneer  Busine-s  Experiences — Flood  of  1865 — 
Relics.  Mining,  etc.— Business  of  Keating 025 

-Lamar  Township — Water.  Minerals,  etc. — Pioneer 
Settlors,  Early  Schools,  etc.— Industries,  Villages, 
etc. — Prominent  ^fen  of  Lamar — Lutheran  Chnrch 
— Reformed  Church — Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
—Cemetery— Business  Industries— Cedar  Hill 
Cemetery — Soldiers'  Monument — Bioi:raphical r.29 

-Leidy  Townslii|i— Hammersley's    Fork    Post-Office 

and  Cemetery 0^5 

-Logan  Township— Pioneer  Settlers— Villages  and 
Churches— Reformed  and  Lutheran  Chnrch— 
Evangelical  Association  Church — Booneville — Ln- 
theran  Church— Evangelical  Association  Church 
— Gieenville— Lutheran  and  Reformed  Church— 
The  Evangelical  Association  Church— Post-Offlce 
— Judge  I.  Frantz C42 

—Noyes  Township — Descriptive — Sliueralsand  Indus- 
tries—Pioneer Settlers,  where  they  lived  and  mills 
biiilt— Pioneer  Schoids,  Meetings,  etc.— Hunting 
Panthei^- Shintown  Settlement— Pioneer  Land- 
warraiits- Cooks  Run  Settlement— Post-Offices 
and  Stores-Pioneer  T.iwnsliips- WestlJorl G46 

-Pino  Creek  Township— Description,  Warrants, 
Biiilges,  Roads,  etc.— Pioneer  Settlers,  Schools, 
Pieachers,  etc.— Big  Runaway,  Indi.iu  Massacre, 
Hamilton's  and  others'  Escape— Declaration  of 
Pine  Creek  Independence- Pioneer  Farming — 
Pioneer  Mills.  Wells,  etc.- Villages— Alexander 
Hamilton— Phelps'  Mills— The  C.uderepcrt  Boad 
—The  White  Family— Biographical G52 

-Poiter  Township  —  Desciiptive  —  Pioi.eel-s  aud 
Schools— Porter  Township  in  the  War  of  1861-05 
—Owners  of  the  McKibbeu  Tract— Industiies— 
Churches- Mining— From  18011  to  1S20— Incidents 
— Clintoudalo— Yankeetown OiD 

-Wayne  Townshili— Descriptive-Pioneer  Settlers- 
Pioneer  Schouls  and  Teachers— Iteligions— West 
Branch    CampMce'ing  Associution- JlcElhattan 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER                                                                                                                       PAGE 

PAGE 

Gap— Koads—Eelics— National  Transit  Pipe-Line 

port  Village- Woodward  in  the  War  of  18C1-G5— 

Station— James  Cliatham 663 

Indian  Relics— MineralBof  Wood  ward— MelliOdist 

.     CXXVI.— Woodward    Township— Descriptive— Pioneers    and 

Episcopal    Clinrch   Cemetery — William   Ricliie- 

Pioneer  Beginnings — Dunnsburg  Village — Lock- 

BIOOI^J^I^illOJLIlj. 


Achenljacli,  George  A GIT 

Alexander,  Hon.  Cj-rus  T 246 

Alexander,  Joseph 440 

Alexander,  James 174 

Alexander,  Josiah 174 

Alexander,  William 174 

Alexander,  William 174 

Alexander,  William  K 382 

Allison,  William 175 

Allison,  Matthew 174 

Anspach,  John 174 

Antes,  Philip 176 

Bailey,  John  S 590 

Bailey,  Kichard  176 

Baird,  David 608 

Barnhart,  Henry 176 

Barnbart,  Jacob 17G 

Barnhart,  Mrs.  Mary 176 

Bayard,  A.  W 170 

Bear,  George 177 

Beaver,  James  Addanis 177 

Benner,  Gen.  Philip 178 

Benner,  John 179 

Berry,  Jacob 179 

Bierly,  Anthony 179 

Bierly,  Anthony,  Jr 179 

Bierly,  John 179 

Bierly,  Nicholas 180 

Blakcly,  Eliziibeth ISO 

Blarichai'd,  John 162 

Bo;il,  David ISO 

Boggs,  Andrew 180 

Boggs,  Jndge  Robert 180 

Boggs,  John  181 

Boggs,  William 181 

Bollander,  Steplien 181 

Bower,  CM 252 

Brew,  Thaddeus 181 

Brady, '.Nilliam  Perry 181 

Bridgnns,  Robert 590 

Brisben,  William 181 

Brockerhoff.  Henry 247 

Brown,  Tliomas,  Sr C.iS 

Brnggcr,  Samuel 4.'-.0 

Bruugart,  George 181 

Brnngait,  Jacob 182 

Brurigart,  Martin 1S2 

Bryson,  Robert  C 182 

Buchanan,  George 182 

Buchtel,  John 182 

Burcliheld,  William 183 

Burnside,  Hon.  Thomas 1S3 

Burnside,  James 1S4 

Bnsh,  D.  G 248 

Caldwell,  Jane 184 

Caldwell,  S.  Woods 6C:! 

Caldwell.  Thomas 184 

Callahan,  Charles  B 185 

Cambridge,  Constans 185 

Campbell,  Cleary 185 

Campbell,  David 185 

Campbell,  James  W 185 

Canfleld,  IraD 186 

Chambers,  Elijah 186 

Chambers,  James  A 186 

Conser,  John  S 18G 


Conser,  Levi 618 

Cook,  Martha  Walker 186 

Cook,  William 180 

Cooper,  Samuel  M 186 

Cornian,  George  J 186 

Cnrtin,  Constans 187 

Curtin,  Roland 187 

Cnrtin,  Roland,  Jr 187 

Curtin,  Hon.  A.  G 187 

Dale,  Christian 188 

Dale,  Henry 188 

Dartt,  R.  L 263 

David,  Daniel 188 

De  Haas,  John  Philip 188 

Dieffenbach,  H.  L 664 

Dobbins,  Daniel 189 

Dougherty,  James 189 

Downing,  Thomas 189 

Dubb-s  Oswald 189 

Duncan,  James 301 

Dnnlop.  James 180 

Dnnlop,  John 190 

Dunn,  William 659 

Earlle,  Valenline 190 

Ferguson,  Thomas 101 

Fisher,  J.  B 29G 

Fisher,  Peter  S 191 

Foster,  Charles  R 397 

Frank,  George 192 

Frantz,  Isaac G45 

Furey,  John '. 192 

Furey,  William,  Sr 192 

Cast,  Christian 192 

Cast,  J.Nicholas 192 

Gill,  William 192 

Glenn,  John 193 

Graham,  George 192 

Granily.  Francis 192 

Gramly,  John _. 193 

Granily,  Adam '. 193 

Gray,  Peter,  Sr 193 

Gray,  Peter  B 193 

Gray,  John  L 193 

Gray,  John 193 

Green,  Joseph,  Sr 190 

Green,  Joseph,  Jr 196 

Green,  S.  Miles 196 

Gregg,  Hon.  Andrew 193 

Gregg,  Gen.  John  Irviii 195 

Gricst,  A.J 451 

Grove,  Daniel  C 349 

Hale,  James  T 199 

Hale,  John  M 396 

Hale,  R.  0 394 

Hall,  John 108 

Harloff,  Godfrey 198 

Harper,  George 198 

Iliir.dd,  Neil 198 

Harris,  James ; 198 

Harris,  James  D 199 

Harris,  Joseph  200 

HaiTis,  William 200 

Harris,  William 200 

Hasson,Jolin 200 

Haslings,  Thomas 200 

Hayes,  Thomas  U 202 


CONTENTS. 


PAQE 

Hazel,  Jacob,  Sr 200 

Hazel,  Bernard , 200 

Henderson,  Jonatban  K 200 

Hilbish,  D.  J 3CG 

Hinton,  William 200 

Hippie,  T.C 560 

Holmes,  Robert 201 

Holt,  David  W 397 

Homan,  George 201   [ 

Houser,  Jacob 201 

Hoy,  Adam 201    | 

Hoy,  Charles 201 

Hoy,  George 202 

Humes,  Hamilton 202 

Humes,  Edward  C 202 

Huston,  Charles 202 

Irvin,  John 20t 

Irvin,  Vrnliam 204 

Irvin,  Gen.  James 205 

Jack,  Andrew 205 

Jarrett,  Fhaon 504 

Keller,  D.  C 415 

Kelly,James  K 206   ' 

Kimport,  Daniel 206  i 

Kooken,  John  K 206 

Kreamer,  Andrew 206   ' 

Kreamer,  Charles 503 

Kreamer,  Jacob 206 

Kreighbaum,  William 206 

Kryder,  John 206 

Kurtz,  Frederick 413 

Kurtz,  Ludwig 207 

Lamb,  David 207   ; 

Lauth,  Bernard 329  ] 

Linn,  James 207   l 

Linn,  Hon.  John  Blair 254a  | 

liinn,  Samuel 162 

Livingston,  Daniel - 208 

Livingston,  George 208   i 

Long,  John  Jacob 209  I 

Loraine,  Henry 394 

Lowrey,  John  G 209 

Ly  tie,  Isaac 209 

Lucas,  Charles 209 

Mayer,  Charles  A 559 

McAllister,  H.  N 210   ' 

McAllister,  Hugh  Nelson 210   ; 

McCaman,  John 211   I 

McCloskey,  Joseph 211 

McCloskey,  W.  T 593 

McCormick,  C.  S 561 

McCormick,  Robert , 561 

McCoy,  J.  M 267 

McEwen,  Henry 211 

McKee,  James 211 

McKinney,  Isaac 211 

McKinney,  David 212 

McKinney,  John 212 

Meek,  John  B 213 

Meek,  P.  Gray 247 

Meek,  E.  H 213   1 

Meyer,  Henry 214 

Meyer,  Henry 214 

Miles,  James 214   ; 

Mallory,  Isaac 212   j 

Malone,  Richard 212 

Martin,  James 213 

Mayes,  Thomas 213 

Miles,  John 214 

Miles,  Joseph 215 

Miles,  Richard 215 

Miller,  A.  V 438  j 

Miller,  Isaac 215 

Mllliken,  James 251 

Milliken,  Thompson 215 

Mitchell,  John 215   ' 


PAOE 

Montgomery,  John 216 

Molz,  John  0 307 

Munson,  Chester 399 

Musser,  John 210 

Musser,  P.  T 307 

Noyes,  A.  C 588 

Noyes,  Charles  K 589 

Nultall,  John 4(10 

Packer,  James 217 

Packer,  William  F 217 

Patton,  John 219 

Pearce,  Marmaduke 219 

Petrikin,  William 219 

Petrikin,  Henry 220 

Petrikin,  James  N 220 

Pettit,  William 220 

Pie,  .Tustin  J 300 

Potter,  Fergus 220 

Potter,  James 220 

Potter,  Gen.  James 402 

Potter,  William 221 

Potter,  Mrs,  Lucy 221 

Pruner,  David  1 222 

Pruner,  Edmund  J •.••■    254 

Qu.ay,  Joseph  F 635 

Rankin,  William 222 

Rankin,  John 222 

Raub,  A.  N 5.57 

Ream,  John  F 22.i 

Reber,  Abraham 223 

Keber,  Jiicob 223 

Reynolds,  John 223 

Reynolds,  William  F 240 

Rhone,  Leonard 414 

Rhone,  Michael 223 

Rich,  Benjamin 451 

Rishel,  John 224 

Royer,  Christopher 224 

Royer,  John  S 224 

Ruhl,  John 224 

Sankey,  Thomas 224 

Sankey,  William 224 

Scbaeffer,  John  A 224 

Schacffer,  Nicholas 224 

Schall,  John 225 

Sechler,  Hammon 254B 

Schaffer,  John  U ; COO 

Shannon,  John 225 

Shoemaker,  John  K 225 

Shugert,  J.  Dunlop 254a 

Shugert,  Joseph  B 225 

Smith,  William 225 

Smyth,  William 225 

Snook,  Joseph v 619 

Spangler,  Christopher 220 

Steiner,J.F 399 

Stewart,  Dr.  M ••  ■■•    *■!! 

Sussman,  Abraham •" 226 

Swanzey,  William 226 

Thomas,  William  A 253 

Thompson,  .Tohn 317 

Thompson,  John 227 

Thompson,  Moses 277 

Tipton,  A.  S 282 

Tonner,John '227 

Tonner,  John 227 

Treziyulny,  Charles 22S 

Valentine,  Bond 228 

Wagner,  William,  Sr 228 

Walbon,  Henry 228 

Walbon,  Michael 228 

Walker,  John 228 

Waltsmith,  Christian 228 

Weaver,  .lohn 228 

Weaver,  J.  F 207 

Wilson,  Peter 296 


CONTENTS. 


Williiime,  Benjamin 229 

Williams,  James 229 

Williams,  Joseph 229 

Williams,  Joshua 229 

Wilson,  P.  B 229 

Wilson,  Samuel 229 

Wilson,  William  P 229 

Wolf,  Anthony 230 


PAGE 

Wolf,  Hon.  S.  S 230 

Wolf,  Franks 230 

Wolf,  Jacob 230 

Wolf,  D.  M 297 

Wolf,  William «2 

Wolfart,  John 230 

Wolfavt,  Philip 230 

Young,  Robert 231 


irji_.TJSTi?.j^Tioisrs. 


Achenbadi,  George  A facing    017 

Alexander,  C.  T between  240,  247 

Alexander,  Joseph facing    449 

Alexander,  William  K 382 

Allison,  William facing    175 

Bailey,  John  S "        591 

Baird,  David "        008 

Beaver,  Gen.  James  A "        123 

Bhinchurd,  Edmund "        244 

Blanchard,  John "        1G2 

Bo«er,C.M "        252 

Bridgeus,  Robert "        690 

Brockerhoff  House,  Allegheny  Street between  234,  235 

Brockerboff  Block,  BishopStreet "       234,235 

Brockerhoff,  Henry ".....facing    246 

Brockerhoff  House,  Bellsfonte between  232,  233 

Brown,  Thomas,  Sr facing    058 

Brugger,  Samuel "        450 

Burnside,  Thomas 183 

Bush  Arcade between  238,239 

BuBh,D.  G facing  248 

Bush  House "       238 

Caldwell,  S.  Woods "      5G3 

Central  Normal  School ?. "      555 

Conser,  Levi "      618 

Cou It-House,  Bellefonte "        95 

Court-House,  Lock  Haven "      529 

Curtin,  A.  G "      101 

Dartt,  B.  L between  242,243 

Dieffenbach,  H.  L "        504,565 

Duncan,  James 302 

Dunlop,  James 190 

Dunn,  William between  558,  569 

Fisher,  J.  B "        290,  297 

Foster,  Charles  R "        390,397 

Frantz,  Isaac facing  045 

Gregg,  Hon.  Andrew 194 

Gregg,  Gen.  John  Irvin facing    195 

Grenoble,  I.  J.,  Residence  of "        293 

Griest,  A.  J between  450,451 

Grove,  Daniel  C facing    349 

Harris,  James 199 

Hale,  James  T 199 

Hale,  John  M , between  396,  397 

Hale,  R  C "        396,397 

Hayes,  Tliomas  R facing    253 

IliUrish,  D.J "        306 

Hippie,  T.  C between  560,  561 

H.dt,  David  W "        390,397 

Hoy,  Ad.im facing    201 

Humes,  Edward  C "        202 

Huston,  Charles 202 

Irvin,  Gen.  James facing    205 

Jarrett,  Phaon between  564,  605 

Keller,  D.  C 415 

Kreanier,  Charles... facing  502 

Kijrtz,  Frederick   "      413 

Laulh,  Bernard «*      329 

Loraine,  Henry "      394 

liinn,  Samuel «       163 

Linn,  John  Blair "    254a 

Map  of  Indian  Land  Improvements,  Dunstable  Township "       600 

Map  showing  Line  between  Centre  and  Union  Counties "        61 


PAGE 

Map,  Outline,  Centre  County facing     1 

Map,  Outline,  Clinton  County "      467 

Map  of  Original  Survey  of  Aaronsburg "      301 

Map  of  Original  Survey  of  Bellefonte "       231 

Map  of  Original  Survey  of  Burnside  Township between  268,  269 

Map  of  Original  Survey  of  Chapman  Township,  in  1794.       "      582,  683 

Map  of  the  Original  Plan  of  Lock  Haven facing  526 

Map  of  Original  Surveys  in  Liberty  Township ■'      336 

Map  of  the  Neighborhood  of  Lock  Haven  prior  to  1839 *'       519 

Map  of  Reed  and  Ford  Surveys,  Bald  Eagle  Township "      600 

Map  of  Sugar  Valley  Surveys,  Logan  Township '*      642 

Map  of  Territory  of  Centre  and  Clinton  Counties  in  1792 "        24 

McAllister,  Hugh  Nelson •'      210 

McCloskey,  W.  T "      593 

McCormick,  C.  S , between  560,561 

McCormick,  Robert facing    561 

McCoy,  J.  M "        266 

Mayer,  Charles  A between  558,  569 

Medal  of  John  Lucas ; 52 

Meeic,  P.  Gray facing    247 

Miller,  A.  V "        438 

Milliken,  James "        261 

Motz,  John  C "        306 

Munson,  Chester between  .398,  399 

Musser,  P.  T facing    307 

Noyes,  A.  C "        58S 

Noyes,  Charles  B "        589 

Nuttall,  John "        400 

Officere'  Survey  of  1769,  Centre  County between  8,  9 

Officers'  Survey  Clinton  County between  408,  409 

Packer,  William  F facing  217 

Pie,  Justin  J "       600 

Pruner,E.  J "       254 

Raub,  Albert  N "       657 

Residence  of  David  Baird "      607 

Residence  and  stock  farm  of  George  R.  Boak between  270,  271 

Residence  and  store  of  George  R.  Boak facing  269 

Residence  of  the  late  Henry  Brockerhoff between  232,  233 

Rcsidencoof  D.  G.  Bush "        238,239 

Residence  of  John  T.  Fowler "        442,  443 

Residence  of  M.  Stewart "        270,  271 

Residence  and  business  house  of  Strause,  Lehman  &  Co facing  390 

Residence  of  Isaac  Thomas "      241 

Residence  of  the  late  Reuben  B.  Valentine "      243 

Residence  of  W.  H.  Wigton "       384 

Residence  of  H.  M.  Webster "      587 

Reynolds,  W.  F between  246,  247 

Rich,  Benjamin "         450,461 

Rhone,  Leonard facing    414 

Stewart,  Dr.  M "        431 

Steiner,  J.  F between  398,399 

Suook,  Joseph facing    619 

Sandy  Ridge  Fire-Brick  Works "        418 

Sliaffer,  John  U : "        600 

Thompson,  John "        317 

Thompson,  Moses "        277 

Thomas,  W.  A between  252,253 

Tipton,  A.  S facing    282 

Weaver,  J.  F "        207 

Wilson,  Peter "        296 

Wolf,  D.  M "        297 

Wolf,  William "        412 


HISTORY 


OF 


CENTRE  AND  CLINTON  COUNTIES, 


CEKTBE    COUNTY. 


CHAPTER    I. 


INDIAN    OCCUPATION. 


The  Shawanese  Indians  were  the  earliest  aborig- 
inal inhabitants  of  the  territory  of  Clinton  and  Centre 
Counties  of  whom  we  have  any  reliable  information. 
The  Muncy  tribe,  one  of  the  Delaware  tribes,  had 
preceded  them,  but  as  early  as  1728  had  removed 
farther  westward  to  the  head-waters  of  the  Allegheny. 
According  to  Reichel,'  the  Shawanese  were  a  tribe 
of  Southern  Indians  who  were  expelled  from  their 
seats  by  the  Spaniards  of  Florida  and  migrated  north- 
ward. 

In  1698  sixty  families  of  them,  the  first  to  come  to 
Pennsylvania,  settled  at  Conestoga,  with  the  knowl- 
edge of  Markham,  the  Deputy  Governor,  and  the 
consent  of  the  Conestogas  ;  the  Governor  holding  the 
Conestogas  responsible  for  the  good  behavior  of  the 
Shawanese.  From  Conestoga  they  moved  up  the 
river,  and  built  a  town  at  "  Pextaug"  (Harrisburg 
now),  and  in  April,  1701,  William  Penn  ratified  a 
treaty  of  friendship  with  the  king  of  the  Conestogas, 
and  with  the  king  of  the  Shawanese  inhabiting  at  the 
liead  of  the  Potomac. 

The  Delawares  and  Shawanese  were  under  the 
dominion  of  the  Iroquois,  better  known  as  the  "Six 
Nations,"  who  had  their  council-house  at  Onondaga 
(now  Syracuse,  N.  Y.).  The  executive  deputy  of  the 
Grand  Council  of  the  Six  Nations  was  Shikellimy 
(father  of  the  celebrated  Logan),  and  although  the 
Delawares  and  Shawanese  had  their  own  kings,  he 
was  their  real  ruler  as  the  representative  of  the  Six 


•  Memorials  of  tlie  Moravian  Cliiircli,  Tol.  i.  page  103,  by  tlio  late  Rev. 
■\Villiani  C.  Beicbcl.   From  wliich  we  quote  largely,  than  whom  there  ia 
no  better  authority  upon  the  history  of  the  aborigines  of  Peunsylvania. 
1 


Nations.  In  1728  he  was  appointed  to  reside  among 
the  Shawanese,  and  in  that  year  came  down  and  took 
up  his  residence  at  an  old  Muncy  town,  the  site  of 
which  is  about  three  miles  above  Lewisburg,  in  Union 
County,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  river,  where  he  was 
visited  by  Conrad  Weiser  in  March,  1733,  and  accom- 
panied the  latter  on  his  journey  to  Onondaga.  Slii- 
■  kellimy  subsequently  removed  his  post  to  Sliamokin 
(Sunbury  now),  where  he  died  Dec.  14,  1748,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  son,  Tachnachdoarus,  better  known 
as  John  Shikellimy. 

The  Shawanese  villages  extended  as  far  north  on 
the  North  Branch  as  where  Pittston  now  stands,  and 
as  early  as  1732  a  part  of  them  drifted  off  to  the  Ohio 
country,  and  the  Six  Nations  were  asked  by  Governor 
Gordon  to  compel  them  to  return.  In  1739,  Richard 
Penn  treats  with  deputies  of  the  Shawanese,  who 
"  were  scattered  far  abroad  from  the  Great  Island  to 
the  Allegheny."  By  the  Great  Island  is  here  meant 
Duncan's  Island,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Juniata.  In  a 
message  from  the  Six  Nations  to  the  Governor,  in 
1743,  they  say  they  had  given  the  river  Juniata  "  to  our 
cousins  the  Delawares  and  our  brethren  the  Shawa- 
nese for  a  hunting-ground,  and  we  ourselves  hunt 
there  sometimes,"  and  requested  the  Governor  "  to 
take  the  Dutchman  [meaning  John  Harris,  who  was 
clearing  fields  at  the  mouth  of  the  Juniata]  by  the 
arm  and  to  throw  him  over  the  big  mountains  within 
his  own  borders."  They  also  desired  tiiat  he  would 
remove  by  force  all  those  who  live  on  the  Juniata. 
In  April,  1749,  they  again  complain  to  Conrad 
Weiser,  at  Shamokin,  that  some  of  the  white  people 
had  settled  almost  at  the  head  of  the  Juniata,  that 
this  country  is  their  only  hunting-ground,  because 
"  further  to  the  north  there  was  nothing  but  spruce- 
woods,  and  the  ground  was  covered  with  palm-brusli ; 
not  a  single  deer  could  be  found  or  killed  there." 

1 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


The  proprietaries  of  Pennsylvania  always  recog- 
nized the  Six  Nations  as  the  owners  of  the  soil  of  the 
province,  and  made  tlieir  treaties  of  purchase 
1754.  with  them.  In  July,  1754,  during  the  confer- 
ence which  resulted  in  the  deed  of  the  6th  of 
that  month,  which,  in  the  description  of  the  land  pur- 
chased, really  embraced  the  greater  part  of  the  terri- 
tory of  Centre  County,  Weiser  and  the  Indians  had  be- 
fore them  Lewis  Evans'  map,  which  they  had  all  along 
consulted  in  their  debates.  They  thought,  therefore, 
that  the  waters  of  the  Juniata  (which  were  intended  to 
be  ijicluded  in  the  purchase)  ran  a  good  way  northward 
of  the  mouth  of  the  Kaarondinhah  (Penn's  Creek). 
Accordingly  they  agreed  upon  the  course  in  the  deed, 
northwest  and  by  west  from  a  mile  above  the  mouth 
of  the  creek,  as  including  and  conveying  all  the 
waters  of  the  Juniata.  But  when  they  found  out 
that  the  line  as  run  by  the  compass  would  include 
the  waters  of  the  West  Branch,  they  were  very  much 
dissatisfied.  The  massacre  by  the  Indians  of  all  the 
settlers  on  Penn's  Creek,  in  October,  1755,  followed, 
and  tlie  serious  consequences  likely  to  result  to  Brit- 
ish interests  from  insisting  on  the  written  boundary 
occasioned  an  application  to  the  proprietaries  by  the 
government  to  limit  the  bounds  of  the  purchase.  Ac- 
cordingly a  commission  was  sent  over  directing  a 
treaty  to  be.  held  for  that  purpose,  which,  after  great 
exertions  to  bring  about  an  accommodation  with  the 
Delawares  and  Shawancse,  was  accomplished  at  Eas- 
ton  on  the  23d  of  October,  1758.  By  this  treaty  the 
northern  limit  of  the  purchase  was  defined  by  stop- 
ping the  northwest  course  from  the  mouth  of  Penn's 
Creek  at  Buffalo  Creek,  and  thence  running  due  west 
to  the  Allegheny  hills,  whence  the  west  line  deflected 
southerly  along  the  Alleglieny  hills  to  the  soutli  limit 
of  the  province. 

At  the  treaty  held  at  Albany  in  1754,  above  re- 
ferred to,  the  Six  Nations  in  their  council  placed 
John  Shikellimy  in  charge  of  all  the  lands  on  the 
North  Branch  and  those  north  of  the  West  Branch, 
and  on  the  24th  of  December,  1754,  he  in  person  com- 
plains to  Governor  Morris  of  the  encroachment  of 
the  Connecticut  people  upon  the  Wyoming  lands. 
These  encroachments  were  the  result  of  a  purchase 
by  John  Lydius,  of  Albany,  N.  Y.,  by  deed  of  11th 
of  July,  1754,  on  behalf  of  the  "  Susquehanna  Land 
Company,"  from  some  of  the  chiefs  of  the  Six  Na- 
tions, of  tiiat  portion  of  our  State  supposed  and 
claimed  to  be  within  the  charter  bounds  of  the  colony 
of  Connecticut.  The  southern  limit  of  their  claim 
ran  through  Centre  County  a  few  miles  north  of  Belle- 
fonte,  and  included  nearly  the  one-half  of  the  present 
territory  of  Centre  and  all  of  that  of  Clinton  County. 

In  1754,  Tanacharis,  a  Seneca  chief,  otherwise 
called  Half-King,  as  representative  of  the  Six  Nations, 
.had  charge  of  the  lands  south  of  the  West  Branch, 
with  his  post  at  Aughwick,  on  the  present  site  of 
Shirleysburg,  in  Huntingdon  County.  He  died 
shortly  after  Conrad  Weiser's  council  with  the  In- 


dians there  in  September,  1754,  and  was  succeeded 
by  Scarrooyady,  an  Oneida  chief. 

The  Indians,  true  to  their  compact,  withdrew  grad- 
ually north  of  the  limits  of  the  purchase,  1754,  and 
John  Shikellimy  speaks  of  the  numbers  coming  to 
the  West  Branch  and  its  tributaries,  and  complains 
as  early  as  June,  1755,  of  the  encroachments  of  white 
settlers  north  of  the  limits,  which  indicates  early  in- 
road of  settlers  into  the  southerly  limits  of  Centre 
County.  The  defeat  of  Gen.  Braddock  almost  com- 
pleted the  removal  from  Aughwick,  and  on  Septem- 
ber, 1755,  Scarroyady  is  at  Shamokin  with  twenty  of 
his  men,  "got  this  far,"  and  with  Shikellimy's  three 
sons  was  organizing  a  company  against  the  French. 

In  October  of  this  year  a  force  of  French  and  In- 
dians computed  at  about  fifteen  hundred  made  their 
appearance  near  the  mouth  of  the  Bald  Eagle  fron\ 
Fort  Duquesne,  intent  on  making  the  Susquelianna 
the  line  of  the  French  possessions.  It  was  one  of 
the  advance  parties  of  this  expedition  that  swept  all 
the  settlers  from  Penn's  Creek  on  the  16th  of  Octo- 
ber. Logan,  who  was  friendly  to  the  English,  sent 
word  of  this  invasion,  and  thereupon  posts  were 
established  at  Fort  Lytleton,  now  in  Fulton  County, 
Fort  Shirley,  at  Aughwick,  Fort  Granville,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Kishacoquillas,  now  in  Mifflin  County, 
and  one  called  Pomfret  Castle,  on  tlie  present  borders 
of  Juniata  and  Snyder  Counties,  near  Richfield.  An 
advance  body  of  Indians  in  the  French  interest  had 
reached  George  Gabriel's,  where  Selinsgrove  now 
stands,  and  proposed  building  a  fort  at  Shamokin, 
where  in  the  following  year,  although  the  land  was 
not  yet  purchased  of  the  Indians,  at  the  request  of 
the  friendly  Iroquois,  Governor  Morris  directed  Fort 
Augusta  to  be  erected. 

On  the  West  Branch  a  part  of  Shawancse  and  such 
of  the  Delawares  as  remained,  influenced  by  Logan, 
John  Tachnachdoarus,  his  father,  and  Andrew  Mon- 
tour, remained  true  to  the  English,  and  offered  to  col- 
lect their  people  at  Shamokin  and  make  it  a  post 
against  the  French.  From  that  post  they  constantly 
transmitted  the  Governor  such  information  as  they 
received  affecting  the  interests  of  the  province.  In 
November  they  sent  word  that  two  messengers  had 
come  from  the  Ohio  to  the  Indian  town  at  the  Big 
Island  (mouth  of  Bald  Eagle),  and  seeing  an  Eng- 
lishman that  by  accident  happened  to  be  there  they, 
said,  "  Kill  him."  "  No,"  said  the  Indians  of  the  Big 
Island,  "  we  will  not  kill  him  or  suffer  him  to  be 
killed.  We  have  lived  in  peace  many  years  with  the 
English  here;  if  you  are  so  bloodthirsty  go  some- 
where else  for  blood :  we  will  have  no  blood  spilt 
here."     The  messengers  were  hostile  Delawares. 

Logan  and  his  two  brothers,  with  all  friendly  to 
the  English,  were  compelled  to  retire  up  the  North 
Branch  to  Wyoming  in  the  fall  of  1755,  and 
the  whole  West  Branch  country  as  far  down     1755, 
as  Sunbury  was  under  the  full  control  of  the 
French  and  their  Indian  allies,  the  Delawares,  and  as 


BALD   EAGLE   AND   LOGAN   CIIIKFS. 


far  up  the  North  Branch  as  Nescopeck  there  were  no  1 
friendly  Indians,  except  Paxinos,  a  Shawanese  chief, 
who  resided  on  the  west  of  this  river,  a  few  miles  from 
Wyoming. 

The  scouts  who,  on  the  3d  of  June,  1756,  precetled 
Col.  William  Clapham's  regiment  (ordered  to  build 

Fort  Augusta  and  occupy  the  confluence  of 
1756.     the  two  rivers),  report  McKee's  house  burned, 

George  Gabriel's  at  the  mouth  of  Penn's  Creek, 
where  Selinsgrove  now  stands,  destroyed,  and  Sha- 
mokin  uninhabited,  the  houses  being  burned  to  the 
ground.  Col.  Clapham  built  the  fort  in  July  and  Au- 
gust, and  the  succeeding  winter  Maj.  James  Burd  was 
in  command,  having  arrived  on  the  8th  of  December. 
He  represents  the  winter  to  liave  been  exceedingly 
severe,  the  West  Branch  frozen  over,  and  the  path  up 
it  so  blocked  with  snow  that  the  Indians  he  tried  to 
send  through  to  Chinklacamoose  (Clearfield)  on  the 
1st  of  February,  1757,  had  to  return.  On  the  evening 
of  the  7th  of  April,  after  dark,  he  started  Capt.  Wil- 
liam Patterson,  with  ten  men,  up  the  West  Branch 
in  search  of  intelligence.  He  returned  on  the  25th 
from  Chinklacamoose,  having  seen  no  French  or  In- 
dians on  their  march  ;  also  that  the  great  path  from 
Buchaloon's  (on  Lake  Erie)  passed  by  Chinklacamoose, 
and  forked  on  the  south  side  of  the  river  forty  miles 
this  side  of  that  place,  one  path  taking  to  Fort  Au- 
gusta, the  other  to  Cumberland  County ;  that  the 
houses  at  Chinklacamoose  were  all  burned,  and  that 
no  Indians  had  apparently  lived  there  for  a  long  time ; 
that  he  and  his  party  lived  on  walnuts  three  days, 
they  could  find  no  game  to  kill,  and  had  returned 
down  the  river  upon  rafts. 

The  next  light  that  gleams  upon  the  topography  of 
our  region  is  from  the  journals  of  the  heralds  of  the 

cross.  In  the  summer  of  1758,  C.  Frederick 
1758,     Post  undertook  a  perilous  mission  on  behalf  of 

the  proprietary  government  to  the  Delawares 
of  Ohio.  He  took  the  path  along  the  east  or  left  bank 
of  the  West  Branch,  and  crossed  the  river  at  the  Great 
Island  on  the  29th  of  July.  Here  he  says,  "My  com- 
panions were  very  fearful,  and  we  slept  away  from  the 
road  without  a  fire,  but  we  could  not  sleep  for  bugs  or 
mosquitoes."  On  the  next  day  he  forded  Beech  Creek 
on  the  left  bank  of  it,  came  to  the  forks  of  the  path ; 
one  branch  led  southwest  along  the  Bald  Eagle,  past 
the  nest  to  Frankstown  (near  Hollidaysburg),  the  other 
due  west  to  Chinklacamoose.  Post  took  the  latter;  it 
led  over  the  Moshannon,  which  he  crossed  on  the  1st  of 
August.  Next  day  he  arrived  at  the  village  of  Chink- 
lacamoose, in  "the  Clearfields."  Here  he  saw  three 
hoops  on  a  bush,  to  one  there  remained  long  white 
hair.  On  his  return  on  the  18th  of  September  he  came 
to  Great  Island,  "  where  we  had  nothing  to  live  on,  and 
had  to  lie  by  to  hunt."  Here  he  met  twenty  warriors 
returning  from  the  inhabitants,  with  five  prisoners 
and  one  scalp  ;  six  of  his  warriors  were  Delawares, 
the  rest  Mingoes  (i.e.,  Iroquois). 

As  indicated  bv  Post's  Journal,  the  paths  through 
(  '    " 


Centre  and  Clinton  Counties  were  really  only  war- 
paths for  incursions  of  the  hostile  Delawares  and 
Shawanese  in  1758,  and  this  condition  of  things  re- 
mained so  for  some  years.  In  June,  17G.'?,  .lohn 
Shikellimy,  Nutinuis,  and  a  few  other  friendly  In- 
dians occupied  the  Great  Island,  but  the  great  con- 
spiracy of  Pontiac,  which  carried  desolation  around 
the  whole  frontier,  drove  them  all  to  Fort  Aiigusia. 
On  the  25th  of  August,  Capts.  Patterson  and  Bedford 
arrived  at  Fort  Augusta  with  one  hundred  and  four- 
teen men  on  their  way  up  the  West  Branch  to  destroy 
the  Indian  towns,  but  on  the  Muncy  Hill  they  fell  in 
with  a  strong  party  of  Indians,  and  had  a  severe  en- 
gagement, and  after  the  loss  of  some  men  they  fell 
back  upon  Fort  Augusta.  On  the  llth  of  September, 
Col.  John  Armstrong,  who  reached  the  Great  Island 
from  Cumberland  County  with  a  large  party  of  vol- 
unteers, burned  two  hundred  acres  of  corn,  and  de- 
stroyed, as  the  account  has  it,  a  prodigious  number  of 
Indian  houses  along  the  river  down  as  far  as  where 
Lewisburg  now  stands,  whence  he  turned  off  to  go 
the  nearest  way  to  Carlisle.  In  the  following  year 
— Nov.  14,  1764, — on  the  banks  of  the  Muskingum, 
Col.  Bouquet  compelled  the  Indians  to  give  up  their 
white  prisoners  and  sue  for  peace,  ending  all  the 
troubles  with  the  Delawares  and  Shawanese  until  the 
drums  of  the  Revolution  began  to  echo  along  the 
shores  of  the  West  Branch, 


CHAPTER    IL 

BALD  EAGLE  AND  LOGAX  CHIEFS. 

Of  the  chief  named  Bald  Eagle,  I  have  been  able 
to  ascertain  nothing  reliable  except  the  manner  and 
date  of  his  death.  The  adventures  of  Capt.  Samuel 
Brady,  as  related  by  Peter  Grove,  published  in  Jfr. 
Meginness'  "  West  Branch  Valley,"  were  conjured  by 
•the  active  brain  of  R.  B.  McCabe,  and  nothing  relia- 
bly historical  can  be  gleaned  from  them  except  the 
names  of  Peter  Vincent,  Capt.  Forster,  and  the  other 
scouts.  The  Indians  JlcCabe  named  himself.  And, 
as  remarked  by  Isaac  Craig,  it  is  a  great  pity  JlcCabe, 
in  his  "  Kiskiminetas  Papers"  (Hazard,  Pennsy/cania 
Register,  vol.  ix.  184),  connected  so  much  fiction  with 
Brady. 

In  No.  VII.  Hazard,  308,  McCabe  states  that  Bald 
Eagle  (from  whom  the  creek  and  ridges  in  Centre 
County  were  called,  and  the  "  Bald  Eagle's  Nest"  from 
his  camp)  was  of  the  party  with  Cornplanter  who 
killed  James  Brady.  (James  Brady  was  killed  above 
the  Loyalsock,  Aug.  8,  1778,  and  his  death  was 
avenged  by  the  death  of  Bald  Eagle,  at  the  hands  of 
Capt.  Sam  Brady,  some  years  after  on  the  Allegheny.) 

Withers,  in  his  "  Border  Warfare,"  page  105,  gives 
the  correct  account  of  the  death  of  "  Bald  Eagle,"' 
deriving  it  from  affidavits  made  at  the  time  and  loaned 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


him  by  Maj.  Isaac  Craig.  The  date,  according  to  in- 
formation given  by  Isaac  Craig  (letter  March  13, 
1882,  Allegheny,  Pa.),  "as  in  the  autumn  of  1773. 

Withers  says,  In  one  of  Bald  Eagle's  visits  to  the 
Monongahcla  he  was  murdered  by  Jacob  Scott,  Wil- 
liam Hacker,  and  Elijah  Runner,  at  Hacker's,  on  the 
Jlouongahela,  and  his  body  placed  in  the  stern  of  his 
canoe  with  a  piece  of  johnny-cake  in  his  mouth. 
The  canoe  floated  down  the  river  to  the  Province 
]dace,  below  Georges  Creek  (now  New  Geneva,  Fay- 
ette Co.),  where  Mrs.  Province,  observing  that 
something  was  wrong,  had  it  brought  to  shore,  and 
the  friendly  old  chief  was  buried  on  the  Province 
farm.  (Craig's  letter,  .si/;^™.)  Bald  Eagle  was  a  Del- 
aware chief,  and  spoke  the  Englisli  language  well. 
His  death  inflamed  his  tribe  with  ungovernable  rage, 
and  is  said  to  have  caused  tlie  war  upon  the  Kenhawa, 
followed  by  Dunmore's  expedition  in  1774. 

Logan,  who  has  left  the  impress  of  his  name  on 
many  localities  in  this  and  other  counties,  was  a  son 
of  Shikellimy,  wlio  was  the  governing  chief  of  the 
Delawares  and  Sbawanese,  set  over  tliem  by  the 
Six  Nations  about  the  year  1728.  Sliikelliniy  lived 
at  Muncy  old  town,  about  three  miles  above  Lewis- 
burg,  on  the  river,  where  Conrad  Weiser  visited  him 
in  1737.  He  had  his  post  at  Sliamokin  (Sunbury 
now),  and  died  there  Dec.  17,  1748. 

His  son  Logan  he  named  for  James  Logan,  William 
Penn's  secretary  for  the  province.  Logan  was  a  resi- 
dent of  Kishacoquillas  valley  as  early  as  1766,  wlien 
the  surveyors  came  into  that  valley,  and  the  names  of 
the  localities  he  frequented  and  paths  and  streams  in 
Centre  County  were  well  known  and  attached  by  the 
surveyors  of  1769, — Logan's  Camp  (Blue  Spring,  the 
farm  of  J.  D.  Shugert),  Logan's  Gap  (that  through 
Nittany  Mountain  at  Hecla),  Logan's  Branch  (empty- 
ing into  Spring  Creek  at  Bellefonte). 

The  late  Edward  Bell,  Esq.  (Jones'  "Juniata  Val- 
ley," ]iage  116),  says  he  left  Kishacoquillas  valley  in 
1771,  which  corresponds  pretty  well  with  Heckewel- 
der's  statement  that  he  was  introduced  to  him  as 
Bhikellimy's  son  in  1772,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Big 
Beaver,  when  Logan  told  him  he  meant  to  settle  on 
the  Ohio  below  Big  Beaver.  It  also  is  consistent  with 
the  anecdote  related  by  Mrs.  John  Norris:  When  my 
sister,  afterwanls  Mrs.  James  Potter  (iTudge  Potter), 
was  just  beginning  to  learn  to  walk  (Mary  Potter, 
ilaugliter  of  Judge  William  Brown,  of  Reedsvi lie,  born 
June  15,  1770),  my  mother  happened  to  express  a  rc- 
g  ct  that  she  could  not  get  a  pair  of  shoes  to  give 
jnore  firmness  to  her  little  step.  Logan  stood  by  but 
said  nothing.  He  soon  alter  asked  Mrs.  Brown  to 
let  the  little  girl  go  up  and  spend  the  day  at  his  cabin. 
The  cautious  heart  of  the  mother  was  alarmed  at  the 
proposition,  but  she  knew  the  delicacy  of  an  Indian's 
feelings,  and  she  knew  Logan  too,  and  with  secret  re- 
luctance, but  apparent  cheeriulncss,  she  complied  with 
liis  request.  The  hours  of  the  day  wore  very  slowly 
a  vay  and  it  was  nearly  night  and  her  little  one  had  not 


returned.  But  just  as  the  sun  was  going  down  the 
trusty  chief  was  seen  coming  down  the  path  with  his 
charge,  and  in  a  moment  more  the  little  one  was 
trotted  into  her  mother's  arms,  proudly  exhibiting  a 
beautiful  pair  of  moccasins  on  her  little  feet,  the  pro- 
duct of  Log.an's  skill. 

Judge  Brown  said  Logan  soon  after  went  to  the 
Allegheny,  and  I  saw  Jiim  no  more.  Heckewelder 
says,  I  called  at  Logan  settlement  in  April,  1773,  and 
was  received  with  great  civility.  In  May,  1774,  his 
family  was  murdered  by  some  marauding  whites,  led 
by  a  man  named  Daniel  Greathouse,  and  he  himself 
came  to  an  untimely  end.  Heckewelder  says  he  be- 
came addicted  to  drinking,  and  was  murdered  be- 
tween Detroit  and  his  own  home  at  Miami.  He  was 
at  the  time  sitting  with  liis  blanket  over  his  head, 
before  a  camp-fire,  his  elbows  resting  on  his  knees, 
when  an  Indian  who  had  taken  some  offense  stole 
behind  him  and  buried  liis  tomahawk  in  his  brains. 
In  October,  1781,  while  a  prisoner  on  my  way  to  De- 
troit, I  was  shown  the  spot  where  this  is  said  to  have 
liappened. 

Loudon,  in  his  Collections,  says  Logan  could  speak 
tolerable  English,  was  a  remarkably  tall  man,  over 
six  feet  high,  and  well  proportioned,  of  brave,  open, 
and  manly  countenance,  as  straight  as  an  arrow,  and 
apparently  afraid  of  no  one.  Some  one,  quoted  by 
Mr.  Jones,  page  114,  "  Juniata  Valley,"  in  describing 
him  to  Mr.  Maguire,  says  he  saw  Logan  at  Standing 
Stone  (Huntingdon),  and  that  he  was  a  fine-looking, 
muscular  fellow,  weighing  about  two  hundred  pounds, 
had  a  full  chest,  and  prominent  and  expansive  fea- 
tures. His  complexion  was  not  so  dark  as  that  of 
the  Juniata  Indians,  and  liis  whole  action  showed  liis 
intercourse  with  the  whites. 


CHAPTER    III. 


IXDI.^N    PATHS— TERRITORIAL    DESCRIPTION- 
STREAMS    AND    LOCALITIES. 

The  most  traveled  path  was  that  from  tlie  Great 
Island  on  the  northwest  side  of  Muncy  Mountain, 
.•^nd  alongside  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  near  and  on  the 
site  in  most  placesof  the  present  road,  crossing  Bullet's 
Run  where  the  road  crosses.  At  Milesburg  it  parted, 
one  path  going  southerly  through  the  Gap  to  near 
Bufl'alo  Run,  then  running  southwest  along  the  base 
of  the  mountain,  passed  through  the  George  Gabriel 
tract,  now  Mrs.  John  B.  Linn's,  by  the  "  Bufl^alo  Lick," 
where  it  is  still  distinctly  visible,  the  woods  being  in 
their  pristine  condition  ;  thence  it  enters  James  Re- 
side's  tract,  about  forty  perches  southwest  of  the  lane, 
and  then  passing  by  Eckley,  at  the  Gap,  it  skirted  the 
valley  surveys  (the  path  from  the  end  of  Nittany 
Mountain  entering  it  at  Kephart's) ;  thence  it  passed 
through  Matternville,  and  so  on  southwestwardly  to 


INDIAN    PATHS— TERRITORIAL   DESCRIPTION. 


5 


Fraukstown.  It  is  called  in  applications  "  the  Indian 
or  traders'  jiath  through  the  long  limestone  valley 
(Vom  Bald  Eagle's  Nest  to  Frankstown,"  and  is  laid 
down  upon  Scull's  map  of  April  4,  1770. 

Another  path  diverged  from  the  warriors'  path 
through  the  Gap  at  Mill  Hall,  and  passing  up  Fish- 
ing Creek,  crossed  Nittany  at  Hcela  by  Logan's 
Gap  to  the  head  of  Pcnn's  Creek,  whence  it  ran  west- 
ward through  the  "  Manor"  and  by  the  end  of  Nit- 
tany Mountain. 

Another  well-defined  path  ran  frojn  the  main  path 
near  Oak  Hall  northwesterly  by  Dale's  mill,  and 
along  tlie  present  road  between  Benner  and  Patton 
townships,  crossing  Muncy  Mountain  at  Kephart's 
Gap. 

Another,  leaving  the  Nest,  passing  through  the  gap 
made  by  Spring  Creek,  followed  the  run  on  the  James 
Armor's  place,  crossed  the  turnpike  a  few  rods  north 
of  Sheriff  Waddle's  present  residence,  passing  on  to 
McBride's  Gap. 

The  path  from  the  mouth  of  Beech  Creek  due  west 
to  Chinklacamoose, '  leading  over  the  Moshannon, 
has  been  alluded  to  in  Post's  Journal,  and  was  the  one 
Inllowed  by  the  Moravian  Indians  in  1772. 

George  McCormick,  in  an  old  deposition,  speaks  of 
tlie  path  coming  from  Bald  Eagle  to  his  house  (Spring 
Mills) ;  here  one  fork,  called  Logan  path,  took  off  to 
KishacoquiUas  {Mifflin  County),  the  other,  passing 
my  place,  went  to  Buffalo  valley. 

Territorial  Description.— The  first  purchase  by 
the  proprietaries  of  lands  from  the  Indians  which 
embraced  any  of  the  territory  of  Centre  County  was 
that  of  July  6,  1754.  The  northern  line  of  this  pur- 
chase, according  to  the  deed,  was  to  run  from  a  point 
on  the  river  one  mile  above  the  mouth  of  Penn's 
Creek,  thence  northwest  by  west  as  far  as  the  prov- 
ince of  Pennsylvania  extended,  to  its  western  lines 
or  boundaries.  It  is  evident  from  the  deed  itself, 
independent  of  the  subsequent  assertions  of  the  In- 
dians, that  they  only  meant  to  include  the  head- 
waters of  the  Juniata;  that  the  point  to  which  this 
course  would  take  the  line  was  greatly  mistaken, 
for  the  line  would  not  strike  the  ivestera  boundary  of 
the  province,  but  would  cross  the  West  Branch  near 
the  mouth  of  the  Sinnemahoning  Creek,  and  inter- 
sect the  northern  boundary  a  little  west  of  Cone- 
wango  Creek,  in  (now)  Warren  County. 

By  the  written  terms  of  this  purchase,  the  lands 
Avhere  the  Shawanese  resided  and  the  hunting-grounds 
of  the  Delawares  were  included.  These  Indians  told 
Conrad  Weiser  at  Aughwick,  in  September,  1754,  that 
they  did  not  understand  the  points  of  the  compass,  and 
if  the  line  was  so  run  as  to  include  the  West  Branch 
of  the  Susquehanna  they  would  never  agree  to  it.  The 
history  of  this  eventful  period  is  written  in  the  blood  of 


1  Chinllttcamoose,  cormptcd  from  Achtscliingicliiinme,  signifying  "  (' 
nlmoH  Joins,"  in  alluiiiun  to  the  Horscslioe  Bend  in  th*>  stvi'am,  whose 
cxtreniitii-B  nlniost  unite.  The  viUngo  stood  on  the  site  of  Clearfield 
town.— Jicic/icI,  2rantiactioiti  of  the  Moraviun  HUt.  Soc,  page  19. 


the  whites  who  settled  along  Penn's  Creek,  who  were 
murdered  in  October,  175.'5;  and,  as  is  well  stated  by 
JudgeCliarlcsSmitli,  in  a  valuable  notcon  land  titles,^ 
many  of  the  Indian  tribes,  seeing  their  lands  gone, 
joined  the  French,  and  in  the  following  year  fatally 
evinced  their  resentment  at  Braddock's  Field.  The 
settlers  were  driven  into  the  interior,  their  improve- 
ments were  laid  waste,  and  desolation  marked  the 
path  of  the  warriors. 

A  satisfactory  arrangement  of  this  dispute  was 
made  in  the  treaty  executed  at  Easton  on  the  23(1  of 
October,  1758,  confining  the  northern  bounds  of  the 
purchase  to  a  west  line  from  Buffalo  Creek,  in  Union 
County  now,  to  the  east  side  of  the  Allegheny  hills. 
Cumberland  County  had  been  erected  Jan.  27,  1750, 
its  jurisdiction  extending  over  all  lands  lying  west- 
ward of  the  Susquehanna  River,  and  northward  and 
westward  of  York  County;  accordingly,  from  1758  to 
1771  all  that  part  of  Centre  County,  as  now  consti- 
tuted, south  of  a  west  line  crossing  Nittany  Jlountain 
north  of  Rebersburg,  and  passing  through  Milesburg 
at  the  mouth  of  Spring  Creek,  and  running  to  the 
east  corner  of  Rush  townsliij),  and  thence  southwest- 
wardly,  including  Huston,  Worth,  and  Taylor  town- 
ships, was  in  Cumberland  County, — that  is  to  say, 
all  of  Penn's  valley  and  the  western  end  of  Nittany 
valley, — and  therefore  during  that  period  surveys  were 
made  by  the  deputy  surveyor  of  Cumberland  County 
and  returned  for  that  county. 

Th«  act  of  March  9,  1771  (1  Smith's  Laws,  .3.30), 
erecting  Bedford  County  out  of  part  of  Cumberland, 
bounded  Bedford  County  northeasterly  by  a  line  run- 
ning I'rom  the  mouth  of  Shaver's  Creek  (at  Peters- 
burg, Huntingdon  Co.)  nortln?ast  to  the  line  of  Berks 
County.  This  line  crossed  Tiissey's  Mountain  at 
Pine  Grove,  and  running  near  where  Boalsburg  now 
is.  followed  Nittany  Mountain  to  the  northern  limit 
of  the  purchase-line  of  1758,  north  of  Hublersburg. 
Consequently,  Ferguson,  part  of  Harris,  the  whole  of 
Benner  and  Spring,  part  of  Walker,  and  all  the  town- 
ships westward  of  this  line- were  in  Bedford  County 
(the  remainder  east  of  that  line  being  in  Cumberlantl  I 
until  the  erection  of  Northumberland  County  out  of 
parts  of  Bedford,  Berks,  Cumberland,  etc.,  on  the  21st 
ofMarch,  1772(1  Smith's  Laws, page  367).  The  south- 
ern line  of  Northumberland  as  thus  erected,  run- 
ning from  Mateer's  Spring,  at  the  head  of  Mahan- 
tango  Creek,  in  West  Perry  township,  Snyder  County, 
west  by  north  to  the  top  of  Tussey's  Mountain  (in 
Harris  township),  thence  southwesterly  along  thj 
summit  of  that  mountain  to  the  Little  Juniata, 
brought  all  of  the  Centre  County  territory  within 
the  jurisdiction  of  Northumberland  except  the  small 
portion  of  Harris  township  covered  by  the  Bear 
Meadows  and  Seven  Mountains,  which  remained  in 
Cumberland  County. 

An  act  passed  the  same  day,  defining  the  bounda- 


2  Laws  of  rennsjivaula,  vol.  ii.  p.  120  (1810). 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ries  of  Bedford  County,  being  contradictory  and  in- 
consistent with  tlie  above  boundaries,  on  the  30th  of 
September,  1779  (Smith's  Laws,  vol.  i.  page  473), 
an  act  was  passed  designating  the  boundary  of  Bed- 
ford County,  which  brought  the  northern  line  thereof 
up  to  a  point  three  miles  northeast  from  the  extreme 
southern  point,  whence  it  ran  "  along  the  ridge  divid- 
ing the  waters  falling  into  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek  from 
the  waters  of  the  Little  Juniata"  (from  a  point  on 
Tussey's  Mountain,  ^bove  mentioned,  north  42J 
degrees  west  to  the  present  corner  of  Half-Moon  and 
Patton),  to  the  Chestnut  Kidge  boundary  between 
present  Ferguson  and  Half-Moon  and  Patton,  thence 
along  the  Chestnut  Ridge  to  tlie  head  of  the  southwest 
branch  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  from  thence  a  straight 
line  to  the  head  of  Moshannon  Creek,  thus  bringing 
the  larger  portion  of  the  present  township  of  Ferguson, 
the  southern  portion  of  Half-Moon,  and  portions  of 
Taylor  and  the  lower  end  of  Eush  within  Bedford 
County. 

The  next  change  of  county  jurisdiction  over  part 
of  our  territory  was  made  by  the  act  of  the  25th  of 
September,  1787  (2  Smitli's  Laws,  p.  418),  erecting 
Huntingdon  County.  This  made  Moshannon  Creek 
the  division  line  between  Northumberland  County 
and  .Huntingdon,  and,  following  the  former  boun- 
daries from  the  head  of  that  creek,  placed  those  parts 
of  Ferguson  and  Half-Moon  townships  above  de- 
scribed in  Huntingdon  County. 

On  the  li)tli  of  September,  1780  (2  Smith's  Laws, 
page  493),  the  county  of  Mifflin  was  erected  out  of 
Cumberland  and  Northumberland.  The  division 
.  line  provided  in  the  act  followed  the  line  of  Hun- 
tingdon to  the  summit  of  Tussey's  Mountain  ;  tlien'ce 
by  that  of  Huntingdon  and  Northumberland  to  the 
head  of  the  Moshannon  (leaving  the  parts  above 
stated  of  Ferguson  and  Half-Moon,  etc.,  in  Hunting- 
don County) ;  thence  down  the  Moshannon,  and 
down  the  river,  so  as  to  include  the  whole  of  Upper 
Bald  Eagle  township,  to  the  mouth  of  Beech  Creek; 
thence  to  Logan's  Gap  in  Nitt;iuy  Mountain  (now 
called  Hecla  Gap) ;  thence  to  the  head  of  Penn's 
Creek ;  thence  down  the  said  creek  to  Sinking  Creek, 
leaving  George  McCormick  (now  Spring  Mills)  in 
Northumberland  County ;  thence  to  the  top  of  Jack's 
Mountain,  at  the  line  between  Northumberland  and 
Cumberland. 

The  territory  of  the  following  townships  and  parts 
of  townships  was  therefore  in  Mifflin  County  from 
Sept.  19,  1789,  to  Feb.  13,  1800,  when  Centre  County 
was  erected:  Liberty,  Curtin,  Burnside,  the  western 
portions  of  Marion,  Walker,  and  Gregg,  all  that  of 
all  townships  in  Centre  County  westward  of  them, 
except  the  parts  of  Ferguson  and  Half-Moon,  etc., 
before  indicated,  while  no  portion  of  the  present  ter- 
ritory of  Clinton  came  within  the  jurisdiction  of 
Mifflin  County.  The  eastern  portion  of  the  territory 
of  Gregg  township,  all  of  the  territory  of  Penn, 
Haines,  and  Miles  were  in  Northumberland  County. 


On  the  13th  of  April,  1795  (3  Smith's  Laws,  page 
220),  Lycoming  was  erected  out  of  Northumberland, 
the  south  line  to  run  from  the  Mifflin  County  line  on 
the  summit  of  Nittany  Mountain.  The  effect  of 
this  was  to  place  a  small  portion  of  the  present  terri- 
tory of  Marion,  and  a  large  portion  of  Walker,  from 
Hecla  Gap  eastward,  within  Lycoming  County. 

Streams  and  Localities.— Bald  Eagle  was  called 
by  the  Delawares  Wapalanewach  Schiec-hanne,' — i.e., 
the  stream  of  the  Bald  Eagle's  Nest.  Bald  Eagle's 
Nest,  at  the  confluence  of  Spring  Creek  and  Bald 
Eagle,  was  the  residence  of  a  noted  Indian  chief.  On 
Scull's  map  of  1770  it  is  designated  simply  as  "  the 
Nest."  On  Lukens'  survey  of  1769  he  marks  it  with 
a  few  huts,  about  forty  rods  from  the  junction  of  the 
streams  southwestward,  designating  it  as  "  BaldEagle's 
Nest  or  old  town."  The  creek  had  its  name  as  early 
as  17G6. 

Beech  Creek,  emptying  into  Bald  Eagle  at  the  pres- 
ent railroad  station  of  that  name,  was  called  by  the 
Delawares  Schauwemfnsch-hanne,  that  is,  Beech 
Stream.  It  had  its  translated  name  as  early  as  17G8. 
Buffalo  Run  dates  back  its  name  to  1769,  derived 
from  a  buffalo  lick  on  the  farm  now  belonging  to 
Mrs.  John  B.  Linn,  called  in  George  Gabriel's  appli- 
cation of  April  1,  1769,  "  Old  Buffalo  Lick." 

Dewitt's  Run,  emptying  into  the  Bald  Eagle  at 
Unionville,  had  its  name  as  early  as  1773,  from  Abra- 
ham Dewitt,  a  settler  on  the  run. 

Elk  Creek,  in  Penn  and  Miles  townships,  was  so 
named  by  Samuel  Maclay,  deputy  surveyor  under  his 
brother  William,  in  1766. 

Fishing  Creek  was  called  in  the  Delaware  language 
Namees-hanne,  that  is,  Fish  Stream. 

Marsh  Creek  was  a  name  applied  to  it  by  Charles 
Lukens  in  1769. 

Little  Moshannon  in  Delaware,  Tankimoos-haune, 
—Little  Elk  Stream. 

Moshannon  (boundary  between  Centre  and  Clear- 
field), corrupted  from  Mooshanne,  that  is,  Elk  Stream. 
Mudlick  Run,  above  Julian,  had  its  name  from  the 
lick  on  John  Mattern's  place  before  the  year  1784. 

Muncy  Mountain,  originally  applied  to  the  moun- 
tain commencing  at  Montgomery  Station,  in  Lycoming 
County,  and  ending  at  Tyrone.  From  Mins-ink, 
where  there  are  Minsies. 

Nippenose,  corrupted  from  Nipeno-wi,  signifying 
like  the  summer,  a  name  indicating  a  warm  and 
genial  situation, — Ni-pen,  summer. 

Nittany  Mountain,  applied  to  the  range  commen- 
cing at  Dale's  Mills,  in  College  township,  and  extend- 
ing down  into  Buffalo  valley.  Union  County,  within 
six  miles  of  the  river;  so  called  as  early  as  1768. 

Penn's  Creek,  called  in  the  deed  of  July  6,  1754, 
Eaarondinhah ;  in  that  of  1758,  John  Penn's  Creek. 


1  For  tlio  Del.iwn 
Hie  late  Rov.  Winii 
actiuus  of  the  Mon 


,ncl  their  interpret.itii 


;  indebted  to 


1  C.  Reicliers  research 
iau  llistorical  Society 


*B,  published  la  the  *'  Tr; 


THE  DISCOVERY  OF   PENN   VALLEY. 


It  was  called  by  the  settlers  about  its  mouth,  between 
175-1-69,  and  marked  on  Scull's  map  of  1759,  Big  Ma- 
hanoy,  corrupted  from  Mahoni,  a  lick.  It  is  styled 
Mahanoy  in  deeds  as  late  as  1772.  It  has  its  source 
in  the  cave  four  miles  northwesterly  of  Spring  Mills, 
and  empties  into  the  Susquehanna  at  Seliusgrove,  in 
Snyder  County. 

Poe  Creek  derived  its  name  from  Capt.  James  Poe, 
son-in-law  of  Gen.  James  Potter. 

Pine  Creek,  emptying  into  the  river  two  miles  above 
Jersey  Shore,  is  called  in  the  Indian  deed  of  1768 
Tiadaghton.  The  Delaware  name  was  Cuwenhanne, 
Pine  Stream, — a  stream  flowing  through  pine  lands. 
It  was  the  northwestern  boundary  of  the  purchase  of 
1768.  Pine  Creek,  in  Haines,  was  so  named  by  Sam- 
uel Maclay  when  he  surveyed  Haines'  land  in  1766. 

Sinnemahoning,  corrupted  from  Achsinni-mahoni, 
— Stony  Lick.  Sinking  Creek,  in  Potter  township,  had 
its  name  as  early  as  1766.  Spring  Creek,  emptying 
into  Bald  Eagle  at  Milesburg,  w^as  so  called  as  early 
as  1769. 

Tussey's  Mountain,  so  called  from  a  family  of  that 
name,  early  settlers  of  Huntingdon  County,  com- 
mences about  two  miles  west  of  Potter's  Mills,  forms 
the  southern  boundary  of  Ferguson  township,  crosses 
the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  east  of  Spruce  Creek, 
where  it  is  tunneled,  running  southward.  The 
mountains,  in  maps  of  1826  called  "  Seven  Moun- 
tains," in  earlier  maps  are  shown  as  continuations  of 
Tussey,  and  were  so  regarded  and  spoken  of  in  acts 
of  Assembly  of  an  early  date  respecting  the  county 
boundaries. 

Wallis  Run,  which  enters  the  Bald  Eagle  at  Snow- 
shoe  Intersection,  was  so  called  as  early  as  1769  from 
Samuel  Wallis,  of  Muncy,  who  owned  applications 
at  the  mouth  and  along  the  run. 

Scull's  map  of  April  4,  1770,  indicates  the  position 
of  "the  Nest,"  Great  Plains  (east  of  the  fort).  Big 
Spring  (now  Spring  Mills),  and  the  Indian  path  up 
the  Buffalo  Run  to  Frankstown. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

THE    DISCOVERY    OF    PENN   VALLEY— SURVEYS    OF 
1776— MANOR  OF  NOTTINGHAM— SURVEYS,  1769. 

Penn's  Valley. — Among  the  Potter  papers  I  found, 
Oct.  3,  1882,  a  paper  in  the  hapdwriting  of  William 

H.  Patterson,  without  date,  but,  from  its  refer- 
1764.     ence  to  Chief  Justice  Tilghman,  must  have 

been  written  prior  to  1826,  which  gives  the 
then  tradition  of  the  first  entry  of  the  white  man  into 
Penn's  valley.  W.  H.  Patterson  was  one  of  Judge 
Potter's  first  clerks  at  Potter's  Mills. 

Alluding  to  a  notice  which  Mr.  Chief  Justice  Tilgh- 
man, as  president  of  the  Agricultural  Society,  takes  of 
the  valley,  and  prefacing  the  remark  that  a  narrative 


of  the  events  which  led  to  the  discovery  of  Penn'* 
valley  would  bo  interesting,  he  says,  "Capt.  James 
Potter  was  a  man  of  strong  and  penetrating  mind,  and 
one  to  whom  early  habits  rendered  a  life  of  peril,  toil, 
and  enterprise  familiar.  Nature  had  given  him  a 
powerful  and  athletic  frame  of  body,  with  a  mind 
which  might  well  give  tone  to  an  herculean  frame.  As 
an  officer  of  the  British  Provincial  army,  engaged  in 
the  defense  of  the  frontier,  he  conceived  the  natural 
idea  that,  inclosed  by  the  range  of  mountains  which 
on  every  side  met  his  view  on  his  return  from  Kittan- 
ning,  there  must  be  a  fine  country.  After  being  or- 
dered to  Fort  Augusta,  his  idea  of  a  fine  country  to  be 
discovered  again  returned  to  him.  Having  obtained 
leave  of  absence,  he  set  off  with  one  attendant  in 
the  summer  of  the  year  1764.  Passing  up  the  West 
Branch,  he  reached  the  mouth  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  a 
distance  of  seventy-five  miles.  Then  passing  up  Bald 
Eagle  Creek  to  the  place  where  Spring  Creek  enters  it, 
a  distance  of  thirty  miles,  they  took  to  the  mountains, 
and,  having  reached  the  top  of  Nittany  Mountain, 
Capt.  Potter,  seeing  the  prairies  and  noble  forest  be- 
neath him,  cried  out  to  his  attendant,  '  By  heavens, 
Thompson,  I  have  discovered  an  empire  !'  Imme- 
diately descending  into  the  plain  they  came  to  a 
spring,  at  a  place  which  was  in  after-days  of  some 
distinction,  now  known  by  the  appellation  of  '  Old 
Fort,'  owned  by  Capt.  Potter's  grandson. 

"  Here  the  adventurers  found  themselves  out  of  pro- 
visions, and  for  two  days  and  as  many  nights  the  flesh 
scraped  from  a  dried  beaver's  skin  was  their  only  sub- 
sistence. With  starvation  staring  them  in  the  face, 
Capt.  Potter  determined  on  striking  through  the 
mountains  for  Fort  Augusta,  and  by  good  fortune 
happened  on  a  creek,  to  which  they  gave  the  name  of 
John  Penn's  Creek,  little  dreaming  it  was  the  same 
creek  which  entered  the  Susquehanna  at  the  Isle  of 
Que,  known  as  Penn's  Creek.  Pursuing  the  stream, 
they  arrived  where  provisions  could  be  had,  and 
finally  reached  Fort  Augusta.  Capt.  Potter  and  his 
companion  communicated  their  discovery,  and  it  so 
happened  that  an  Indian,  Job  Chillow.ay,  was  at  the 
fort  on  their  arrival.  Learning  that  they  had  been 
in  the  valley,  and  determining  that  if  it  must  be  lost 
to  the  Indians  he  at  least  would  profit  by  their  loss, 
he  goes  to  Col.  Hunter  and  sells  to  him  the  right  of 
discovery.  Col.  Hunter  makes  speed  to  Philadelphia 
and  sells  his  right  to  Reuben  Haines.  In  the  mean 
time  Capt.  Potter  hurries  to  Philadelphia  to  make 
application  and  procure  warrants." 

On  this  we  remark  that  it  is  true  that  Capt.  Potter 
was  on  the  2d  of  October,  1764,  in  command  of  three 
companies  on  the  northern  frontiers  (Pa.  Archives, 
2d  series,  vol.  ii.  p.  61-5),  and  possibly  Thompson  w.as 
the  Thomas  Thompson  alluded  to  in  Fithian's  Jour- 
nal, page  17,  post.  But  we  are  satisfied  the  discovery 
was  in  1759,  just  after  the  purch.ise  of  1758,  when 
Potter  W.1S  at  Bedford  (Ibid.,  p.  558),  and  had  been 
just  promoted  captaiu  of  William  Thompson's  com- 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


pany  (Capt.  Thompson  having  resigned),  and  that 
Capt.  Thompson  was  his  companion.  The  tradition 
is  that  Haines  and  Potter  compromised,  Haines  taking 
the  eastern  end  of  Penn's  valley  up  to  Spring  Mills, 
and  Potter  from  there  up.  Certain  it  is  that  one  of 
Potter's  first  warrants,  of  Aug.  1,  1766,  was  laid  on 
the  farm  late  Gen.  George  Buchanan's,  just  south  of 
Penn  Hall. 

That  the  discovery  was  made  in  1759,  or  at  least 
before  1764,  is  decided  by  the  fact  that  the  warrant  of 
reservation  of  the  manor  of  Nottingham,  west  of  the 
fort,  is  dated  Dec.  16,  1763,  and  is  accurately  de- 
scribed as  near  the  Indian  path  from  the  head  of 
Penn's  Creek  to  old  Frankstown. 

Surveys  of  1766. — All  of  Penn's  valley  was  within 
the  purchase  line  of  1758,  but  it  was  not  until  after 
Col.  Henry  Bouquet  had  dictated  his  own  terms  of 
peace  to  the  subdued  Delawares  and  Shawanese,  on 
the  banks  of  the  Muskingum,  on  the  14th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1764,  and  Lieutenant-Governor  John  Penn's 
proclamation  thereof,  Dec.  5,  1764,  that  settlements 
and  improvements  were  resumed  west  of  the  Susque- 
hanna. 

On  the  5th  of  August,  1765,  the  land-office  was 
opened  for  settled  lands  only  on  the  west  side  of  the 
river,  and  on  the  5th  of  August,  1766,  it  was  opened 
for  lands  on  the  west  side,  on  the  same  terms  as  for 
those  on  the  east  side.  No  more  than  three  hundred 
acres  could  be  applied  for  by  any  one  without  a 
special  order,  but  this  restriction  was  evaded  by  ap- 
plications in  the  names  of  friends  or  employees,  who 
by  deed-poll  subsequently  conveyed  their  right  to 
the  person  paying  the  purchase-money.  Baynton, 
Wharton,  and  Morris,  for  instance,  used  the  names  of 
their  sailors,  stevedores,  and  clerks. 

Their  instructions  required  the  deputy  surveyors  to 
survey  for  the  use  of  the  honorable  the  proprietaries 
one-tenth  of  all  the  land  surveyed,  or  five  hundred 
out  of  every  five  thousand  acres.  These  proprietary 
lands  were  selected  and  surveyed  first.  Accordingly 
the  first  legal  survey  in  Penn's  valley  was  the  "  Manor 
of  Succoth,"  made  under  the  direction  of  William 
Maclay,"  deputy  surveyor,  on  the  22d  day  of  Septem- 
ber, 1766,  described  as  on  the  head  of  Penn's  Creek, 
above  the  great  spring  and  northwest  thereof. 

Manor  of  Succoth.— This  survey  calls  for  an  elm 
which  stood  N.  37°  W.  60  perches  from  the  mouth  of 
Sinking  Creek  (branch  of  Penn's) ;  thence  N.  70  E. 
97  perches  to  W.  O.  ;  thence  N.  53  E.  3G9  perches  to 
a  B.  0.;  thence  S.  59J  W.  672  perches  to  a  poplar; 
thence  S.  48  E.  230  perches  to  a  W.  O. ;  thence  N.  63 
E.  168  perches  to  a  walnut ;  thence  S.  37°  E.  92  perches 
ta  a  W.  O. ;  thence  N.  63  E.  115  perches  to  the  elm  ; 
and  contained  eight  hundred  and  twenty  acres  and 
allowance.  The  Penns  (of  whom  John  lived  until 
Feb.  9,  1795,  when   he  died  at  the  country-seat  of 

1  Willi.im  Mnclay,  flisl  protlioiiolnry  of  Northumbcrlaud  County,  in 
1772,  iiud  United  States  senator,  ITSO-Ul. 


Andrew  Allen,  in  Berks  County)  held  the  manor  until 
in  January,  1791,  when  they  had  it  divided  into  three 
purparts.  No.  1,  the  western  purpart,  they  sold  to 
George  Riddles  (Gen.  Potter's  son-in-law)  and  George 
Woods.  It  contained  two  hundred  and  nine  acres  et 
al.  No.  2,  adjoining  No.  1,  they  sold  May  18,  1791, 
to  John  Harper.  No.  3  was  sold  by  the  Penns  to 
Archibald  Allison,  and  embraces  the  property  still 
owned  by  his  descendants. 

Manor  of  Nottingham. — This  was  surveyed  under 
Mr.  Maclay's  directions,  Sept.  23  and  24,  1766,  for  the 
proprietaries.  He  began  at  a  white-oak  which  stook 
on  the  west  line  of  what  is  now  Samuel  Vantries'  farm, 
1881  (near  the  Potter  and  Harris  township  line),  and 
ran  south  41  east  254}  perches  to  a  white-oak  (along 
Vantries  and  Gingrich  farms) ;  thence  north  49  east  851 
perches  to  a  white-oak  (about  200  perches  easterly  of 
old  Fort  Hotel,  1881) ;  thence  north  41  west  168;  thence 
south  551  west  867  perches  back  to  the  beginning. 
This  manor  contained  1035  acres,  and  was  held  by  the 
Penns  until  1794,  when  they  divided  it  into  three 
parts,  marked  a  white-oak  for  northwest  corner  and 
odd  purpart:  No.  1,  on  the  west  (next  Vantries  and 
Gingrich's),  June  24, 1794,  to  Jacob  Straub,  340  acres 
64  perches;  No.  2,  Feb.  7, 1794,  to  Michael,  Jack,  and 
William  Young,  344  acres  148  perches;  and  No.  3 
(next  to  OBenkirk's,  1881),  April  16,  1794,  to  Ger- 
ardus  Wyncoop.  In  1794  the  Sunbury  road  to 
Huntingdon  ran  along  the  southern  boundary  of  the 
manor.  The  manor  in  1766  is  described  as  being 
"  near  the  Indian  path  leading  from  the  head  of  Penn's 
Creek  to  Frankstown."  This  manor  is  wholly  within 
Potter  township,  commencing  near  the  school-house 
west  of  the  Fort  Hotel,  bounded  on  the  south  by  the 
public  road  to  Boalsburg,  and  embraces  Dr.  W.  I. 
Wilson's  second  farm,  Maj.  William  F.  Reynolds,  and 
all  the  farms  thence  up  to  and  including  George 
Boal's,  Leonard  Rhone's,  and  E.  Keller's.  The  south- 
west white-oak  is  still  standing. 

The  last  survey  made  under  the  purchase  of  1754, 
confirmed  in  1758,  was  the  "  Matthew  Troy,"  surveyed 
Sept.  28,  1768,  by  Samuel  Maclay,  patented  March 
9,  1793,  to  Henry  Falls  and  Fergus  Potter,  embracing 
now  the  Joshua  Potter  farm.  Leech's,  etc.,  and  Harris 
township. 

There  is  a  rude  map  annexed  to  the  Indian  deed  of 
Oct.  23,  1758,  intended  to  represent  the  waters  in  the 
line  from  Buffalo  Creek  (Union  County)  to  the  Alle- 
gheny Mountains,  which  line  is  represented  as  pass- 
ing very  near  the  junction  of  Spring  Creek  with  Bald 
Eagle.  According  to  Charles  Smith,  Esq.  (Smith's 
Laws,  vol.  ii.  p.  122),  the  true  line,  relying  on  the 
correctness  of  Howell's  map,  would  pass  Bellefonte 
at  the  mouth  of  Logan's  Branch  of  Spring  Creek. 
So  careful,  however,  were  the  proprietors  at  this 
period  of  offending  the  Indians  by  making  surveys 
beyond  the  line,  that  the  most  positive  instructions 
were  given  the  deputy  surveyors  on  this  head,  and  as 
the  line  was  not  run,  nor  its  exact  position  known, 


Original  Survey  of  Lands  along  Bald  Eagle  Creek, 

— BY — 
In  1769. 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


pany  (Capt.  Thompson  having  resigned),  and  that 
Capt.  Thompson  was  his  companion.  The  tradition 
is  that  Haines  and  Potter  compromised,  Haines  taking 
the  eastern  end  of  Penn's  valley  up  to  Spring  Mills, 
and  Potter  from  there  up.  Certain  it  is  that  one  of 
Potter's  first  warrants,  of  Aug.  1,  1766,  was  laid  on 
the  farm  late  Gen.  George  Buchanan's,  just  south  of 
Penn  Hall. 

That  the  discovery  was  made  in  1759,  or  at  least 
before  1764,  is  decided  by  the  fact  that  the  warrant  of 
reservation  of  the  manor  of  Nottingham,  west  of  the 
fort,  is  dated  Dec.  16,  1763,  and  is  accurately  de- 
scribed as  near  the  Indian  path  from  the  head  of 
Penn's  Creek  to  old  Frankstown. 

Surveys  of  1766. — All  of  Penn's  valley  was  within 
the  purchase  line  of  1758,  but  it  was  not  until  after 
Col.  Henry  Bouquet  had  dictated  his  own  terms  of 
peace  to  the  subdued  Delawares  and  Shawanese,  on 
the  banks  of  the  Muskingum,  on  the  14th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1764,  and  Lieutenant-Governor  John  Penn's 
proclamation  thereof,  Dec.  5,  1764,  that  settlements 
and  improvements  were  resumed  west  of  the  Susque- 
hanna. 

On  the  5th  of  August,  1765,  the  land-office  was 
opened  for  settled  lands  only  on  the  west  side  of  the 
river,  and  on  the  5th  of  August,  1766,  it  was  opened 
for  lands  on  the  west  side,  on  the  same  terms  as  for 
those  on  the  east  side.  No  more  than  three  hundred 
acres  could  be  applied  for  by  any  one  without  a 
special  order,  but  this  restriction  was  evaded  by  ap- 
plications in  the  names  of  friends  or  employees,  who 
by  deed-poll  subsequently  conveyed  their  right  to 
the  person  paying  the  purchase-money.  Baynton, 
Wharton,  and  Morris,  for  instance,  used  the  names  of 
their  sailors,  stevedores,  and  clerks. 

Their  instructions  required  the  deputy  surveyors  to 
survey  for  the  use  of  the  honorable  the  proprietaries 
one-tenth  of  all  the  land  surveyed,  or  five  hundred 
out  of  every  five  thousand  acres.  These  proprietary 
lands  were  selected  and  surveyed  first.  Accordingly 
the  first  legal  survey  in  Penn's  valley  was  the  "  Manor 
of  Succoth,"  made  under  the  direction  of  William 
Maclay,"  deputy  surveyor,  on  the  22d  day  of  Septem- 
ber, 1766,  described  as  on  the  head  of  Penn's  Creek, 
above  the  great  spring  and  northwest  thereof. 

Manor  of  Succoth.— This  survey  calls  for  an  elm 
which  stood  N.  37°  W.  50  perches  from  the  mouth  of 
Sinking  Creek  (branch  of  Penn's) ;  thence  N.  70  E. 
97  perches  to  W.  O.  ;  thence  N.  53  E.  369  perches  to 
a  B.  0.;  thence  S.  59J  W.  672  perches  to  a  poplar; 
thence  S.  48  E.  230  perches  to  a  W.  0. ;  thence  N.  63 
E.  168  perches  to  a  walnut ;  thence  S.  37°  E.  92  perches 
tD  a  W.  O. ;  thence  N.  53  E.  115  perches  to  the  elm  ; 
and  contained  eight  hundred  and  twenty  acres  and 
allowance.  The  Penns  (of  whom  John  lived  until 
Feb.  9,  1795,  when   he  died  at  the  country-seat  of 

1  William  Maclay,  flist  piotlioiiolaiy  of  Northumberlnnd  Couuty,  in 
1772,  uud  United  Statea  senator,  17S9-UI. 


Andrew  Allen,  in  Berks  County)  held  the  manor  until 
in  January,  1791,  when  they  had  it  divided  into  three 
purparts.  No.  1,  the  western  purpart,  they  sold  to 
George  Riddles  (Gen.  Potter's  son-in-law)  and  George 
Woods.  It  contained  two  hundred  and  nine  acres  et 
al.  No.  2,  adjoining  No.  1,  they  sold  Jlay  18,  1791, 
to  John  Harper.  No.  3  was  sold  by  the  Penns  to 
Archibald  Allison,  and  embraces  the  property  still 
owned  by  his  descendants. 

Manor  of  Nottingham. — This  was  surveyed  under 
Mr.  Maclay's  directions,  Sept.  23  and  24, 1766,  for  the 
proprietaries.  He  began  at  a  white-oak  which  stook 
on  the  west  line  of  what  is  now  Samuel  Vantries'  farm, 
1881  (near  the  Potter  and  Harris  township  line),  and 
ran  south  41  east  2545-  perches  to  a  white-oak  (along 
Vantries  and  Gingrich  farms) ;  thence  north  49  east  851 
perches  to  a  white-oak  (about  200  perches  easterly  of 
oldFortHotel,  1881) ;  thence  north  41  westloS;  thence 
south  552  west  857  perches  back  to  the  beginning. 
This  manor  contained  1035  acres,  and  was  held  by  the 
Penns  until  1794,  when  they  divided  it  into  three 
parts,  marked  a  white-oak  for  northwest  corner  and 
odd  purpart:  No.  1,  on  the  west  (ne.xt  Vantries  and 
Gingrich's),  June  24, 1794,  to  Jacob  Straub,  340  acres 
64  perches ;  No.  2,  Feb.  7, 1794,  to  Michael,  Jack,  and 
William  Young,  344  acres  148  perches;  and  No.  3 
(ne.xt  to  OBenkirk's,  1881),  April  16,  1794,  to  Ger- 
ardus  Wyncoop.  In  1794  the  Sunbury  road  to 
Huntingdon  ran  along  the  southern  boundary  of  the 
manor.  The  manor  in  1766  is  described  as  being 
"  near  the  Indian  path  leading  from  the  head  of  Penn's 
Creek  to  Frankstown."  This  manor  is  wholly  within 
Potter  township,  commencing  near  the  school-house 
west  of  the  Fort  Hotel,  bounded  on  the  south  by  the 
public  road  to  Boalsburg,  and  embraces  Dr.  W.  I. 
Wilson's  second  farm,  Maj.  Williain  F.  Reynolds,  and 
all  the  farms  thence  up  to  and  including  George 
Boal's,  Leonard  Rhone's,  and  E.  Keller's.  The  south- 
west white-oak  is  still  standing. 

The  last  survey  made  under  the  purchase  of  1754, 
confirmed  in  1758,  was  the  "  Matthew  Troy,"  surveyed 
Sept.  28,  1768,  by  Samuel  Maclay,  patented  March 
9,  1793,  to  Henry  Falls  and  Fergus  Potter,  embracing 
now  the  Joshua  Potter  farm,  Leech's,  etc.,  and  Harris 
township. 

There  is  a  rude  map  annexed  to  the  Indian  deed  of 
Oct.  23,  1758,  intended  to  represent  the  waters  in  the 
line  from  Buffalo  Creek  (Union  County)  to  the  Alle- 
gheny Mountains,  which  line  is  represented  as  pass- 
ing very  near  the  juixction  of  Spring  Creek  with  Bald 
Eagle.  According  to  Charles  Smith,  Esq.  (Smith's 
Laws,  vol.  ii.  p.  122),  the  true  line,  relying  on  the 
correctness  of  Howell's  map,  would  pass  Bellefonte 
at  the  mouth  of  Logan's  Branch  of  Spring  Creek. 
So  careful,  however,  were  the  proprietors  at  this 
period  of  offending  the  Indians  by  making  surveys 
beyond  the  line,  that  the  most  positive  instructions 
were  given  the  deputy  surveyors  on  this  head,  and  as 
the  line  was  not  run,  nor  its  exact  position  known, 


s   P 


■^'//rt/:/^ 


Original  Survey  of  Lands  along  Bald  Eagle  Creek, 


SURVEYS  OF   nC9. 


the  end  of  Nittany  appears  to  have  been  assumed  as 
a  station,  and  a  west  line  from  thence  presumed  to 
be  the  purcliase  line.  The  error  was  on  the  safest 
side,  although  it  is  now  known  the  end  of  Nittany 
is  several  miles  within  the  deed  of  confirmation  and 
surrender.  In  many  instances  applications,  where  it 
was  probable  they  called  for  lands  near  the  line,  were 
retained  in  the  oifice  and  indorsed,  "  quaere,  if  in  the 
purchase." 

In  a  suit  between  Abraham  McKinney  and  Jacob 
Houser,  in  the  Circuit  Court  of  Mifflin  County,  Hon. 
William  Maclay's  deposition  was  taken.  May  1,  1800, 
at  Harrisburg.  He  states  the  Michael  Troy  order, 
No.  2000,  was  executed  by  my  brother,  Samuel  Ma- 
clay,  under  my  directions,  about  the  28th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1768,  and  was  upon  what  I  considered  as  the  line 
of  the  old  purchase.  I  was  employed  by  the  pro- 
prietaries to  pay  810,000,  the  price  of  the  purchase 
made  about  that  time,  to  Sir  William  Johnson,  who 
acted  as  agent  for  the  Six  Nations.  The  Hues  of  the 
former  purchase  never  were  exactly  run.  A  doubt 
had  been  entertained  for  some  time.  But  the  only 
object  attended  to,  with  respect  to  the  line,  was  to 
avoid  giving  any  offense  to  the  Indians.  They  ap- 
peared content  with  that  boundarj',  and  the  making 
of  this  new  purchase  (1768)  extinguished  all  conver- 
sation upon  the  subject.  At  the  time  that  Troy's 
survey  was  made  I  considered  the  end  of  Nittany 
Mountain  as  a  landmark  in  that  line,  and  that  the 
line  should  proceed  west  from  it." 

Surveys  of  1769. — The  officers'  surveys  within  the 

limits  of  Centre  County  are  as  follows :'  Southwest 

corner  of  Lieut.  Thomas  Wiggins,  which  em- 

1769.     braced  the  mouth  of  Beech  Creek,  next  west 

of  wliich  was  the  "  Capt.  William  Piper." 

Capt.  William  Piper's  tract,  553  acres,  was  patented 
May  26,  1774,  to  John  P.  de  Haas,  and  whicli  the  lat- 
ter named  "  Henrietta."  Capt.  William  Piper  lived 
during  the  Revolution  near  Watsontown,  Pa.  His 
only  daughter  married  James  Irvin,  of  Mercersburg, 
Pa.  The  Piper  tract  ran  up  the  creek  302  perches, 
where  it  joined  the  Capt.  Conrad  Bucher  tract. 

Leaving  ihe  officers'  surveys  and  going  up  Beech 
Creek,  Lukens  or  his  assistants  surveyed  the  "Grace 
Riche"  warrantee  Aug.  1,  1769,  containing  319  acres, 
patented  July  9, 1782.  Grace  Riche  and  Capts.  Piper 
and  Bucher  had  a  common  corner,  a  hickory.  The 
original  survey  shows  an  island  in  the  creek  at  the 
southeast  corner  of  Grace  Riche.  From  the  hickory 
common  corner  the  survey  ran  N.  30  W.  120  to  a 
W.  O. ;  thence  N.  140  to  a  locust;  thence  N.  75°  E. 
194  to  W.  O. ;  thence  S.  15  E.  218  through  the  island 
to  a  W.  0.  The  town  of  Beech  Creek  is  upon  the 
Grace  Riche.  North  of  the  Grace  Riche,  and  in- 
cluding Beech  Creek,  is  the  Sarah  Robinson,  486.49. 
Surveyed  Nov.  1,  1769,  northwesterly  and  including 


1  For  the  commeDcement  and  description  of  ofBcera'  survey  up  to  the 
Capt.  Piper,  see  general  history  of  Cliutou  County. 


Beech  Creek,  the  Jeremiah  Sheridan,  328i,  returned 
as  surveyed  by  Charles  Lukens,  Nov.  4, 17C9.  East  of 
Grace  Riche  is  the  John  Robinson  warrantee.  West 
of  Riche  the  Thomas  Wilson  warrantee  warrant, 
April  27,  1793,  surveyed  Sept.  17,  1794,  patented  May 
30,  1795.  Across  the  creek  from  Capt.  Piper's  loca- 
tion, and  south  of  it,  Lukens  surveyed  the  Margaret 
Bradford  application,  on  top  of  part  of  which  lies  the 
William  Scott,  308  acres,  surveyed  June  25,  1787. 
The  John  Potter  and  Jeremiah  Jackson  warrants  of 
July  31, 1793,  .surveyed  Nov.  21, 1793,  hitch  on  to  the 
southwest  white-oak  of  Margaret  Bradford. 

Resuming  the  description  of  the  officers'  surveys: 
The  Capt.  Conrad  Bucher  tract  lies  on  the  north  side 
of  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  and  includes  the  mouth  of  Beech 
Creek.  The  survey  ran  from  the  Piper  241  perches 
up  Bald  Eagle,  cro.ssing  the  mouth  of  Beech  Creek,  to 
a  white-walnut.  From  the  white-walnut  its  western 
line  ran  north  40  west,  crossing  Marsh  Creek  to  a  W. 
O.  The  Bucher  contained  570  acres,  and  was  pur- 
chased by  Maj.  de  Haas,  who  had  it  patented  to  him- 
self. May  31,  1774.  De  Haas'  heirs  sold  to  C.  Bechtol, 
April  15,  1793. 

West  of  the  Bucher  was  the  Capt.  Nicholas  Hou- 
saker  tract.  The  proper  spelling  of  the  name  was 
Haussegger.  (I  use  the  names  as  Lukens  spells  them 
in  his  returns.)  Haussegger  became  colonel  of  the 
German  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Continental  Line, 
but  deserted  to  the  British  in  July,  1778.  Commenc- 
ing at  the  white- walnut,  the  Housaker  ran  206  perches 
up  Bald  Eagle  Creek ;  thence  north  40  W.  3G6  ;  thence 
N.  59  E.  77i  to  a  W.  0. ;  thence  N.  26  E.  188,  cross- 
ing Marsh 'Creek,  to  a  W.  O.  The  Thomas  King,  a 
survey  of  Oct.  14,  1771,  made  by  C.  Lukens,  on  Marsh 
Creek,  patented  to  Joseph  Ligget,  June  1,  1855,  ad- 
joins on  the  north  Housaker.  The  Housaker  was 
patented  to  Thomas  Willing,  March  17,  1774,  who 
sold  to  Gen.  de  Haas.  The  latter's  heirs  sold  to 
George  Ligget,  Oct.  15,  1795,  as  containing  553  acres. 
Next  west  of  Housaker  is  the  Capt.  Samuel  Hunter, 
patented  to  him  March  7,  1774.  It  ran  up  the  creek 
251  perches;  west  line  N.  40  W.  370,  no  calls;  thence 
N.  59  E.  137,  to  a  chestnut-oak  ;  N.  31  W.  30  to  a  B. 
O. ;  N.  59  E.  to  line  of  Housaker.  The  Charles  Bruce 
and  Joseph  Roberts  warrants  of  March  16,  1794,  re- 
surveyed  Nov.  13  an€  14,  1794,  are  located  immedi- 
ately north  of  Capt.  Hunter,  the  Charles  Bruce  attach- 
ing to  the  B.  0.  Samuel  Hunter  was  afterwards  the 
celebrated  Col.  Samuel  Hunter,  of  Sunbury,  who  wa.s 
lieutenant  of  Northumberland  County  during  the  Rev- 
olution, who  lived  upon  the  site  of  Fort  Augusta,  at 
Sunbury,  and  died  April  10,  1784,  and  the  land  de- 
scended to  his  daughters,  Mary,  who  married  Samuel 
Scott,  and  Nancy,  who  married  her  cousin,  Alexander 
Hunter. 

West  of  Capt.  Hunter  was  the  Ensign  James  Fos- 
ter tract,  218  acres,  patented  May  31,  1774,  to  Maj. 
J.  P.  de  Haas.  It  ran  up  the  creek  93  perches,  post 
corner;  west  line,  north  40  west  396  to  a  white-oak. 


10 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


West  of  Foster  was  the  Lieut.  John  Nice  tract,  307 
acres.  It  ran  up  the  creek  130  perches  to  a  white- 
walnut;  thence  nortli  40  west  404  to  a  white-oak; 
north  35  east  to  a  hickory  ;  north  59  east  85  to  a  white- 
oak  of  Foster.  It  was  patented  June  7, 1774,  to  Jacob 
Kern,  who  sold  to  Gen.  de  Haas.  Gen.  de  Haas' 
heirs  sold  the  southern  half  to  John  Schenck,  May 
28,  1807. 

Next  west  was  the  Lieut.  Charles  Stewart  tract, 
running  up  the  creek  128J  perches  to  a  hickory  from 
the  white-walnut.  West  line,  north  40  west  358  from 
hickory.  The  farms  of  the  Fletchers,  in  Liberty  town- 
ship, are  on  this  tract. 

The  next  officer  tract  west  is  the  Ensign  Augustus 
Stein  tract,  patented  March  17, 1774,  to  Jesse  Lukens. 
Jesse  Lukens  sold  to  Gen.  de  Haas;  It  ran  up  the 
creek  140  perches  from  the  hickory  of  Stewart  to  a 
lin  of  Lieut.  Thomas  Askey.  Gen.  de  Haas'  heirs 
sold  this  tract  to  Michael  Schenck,  May  17,  1796, 
and  on  it  are  the  farms  of  E.  Schenck's  heirs,  etc.,  in 
Howard  township. 

The  Lieut.  Thomas  Askey  tract  was  No.  20,  and 
the  uppermost  of  the  officer  survey.  It  began  at  the 
lin  of  Ensign  Stein;  thence  north  40  west  292  per 
ches  to  a  post;  thence  south  55J  west  116  perches  to  a 
white-oak  ;  thence  south  77  west  144 perches  to  a  white- 
oak  still  standing  north  of  Howard  (on  land  of  Piper's 
heirs  or  Governor  Packer's).  From  this  white-oak  the 
course  and  distance  was  south  18  east  152  perches  to 
a  hickory  on  the  bank  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek ;  thence 
down  the  creek  to  the  place  of  beginning.  It  con- 
tained 288J  acres,  and  was  patented  March  18,  1774. 
Lieut.  Thomas  Askey  (or  Erskine,  as  he  wrote  it  him- 
self) died  seized  of  this  land  at  his  death.  Roland 
Cartier  got  a  portion  of  it.  The  school-house  is  in  it, 
and  D.  Schenck's  heirs  now  own  a  part  of  it.  Nelson 
Askey  now  (1882)  still  owns  a  part  of  this  military 
fief  of  his  ancestor.  Lieut.  Thomas  Erskine  was  the 
only  one  of  the  officers  except  Lieut.  James  Hayes 
who  complied  with  one  of  the  original  stipulations  of 
the  grant  from  the  proprietors,  which  was  a  settle- 
ment on  the  land  to  protect  the  frontier. 

North  of  Lieut.  Askey  the  Joseph  Taylor  warrant 
of  June  16,  1794,  is  located;  north  of  the  Taylor  the 
William  Parker. warrant  of  Nov.  26,  1793,  and  north 
of  Parker  the  Joseph  Kelso  watrant,  March  16,  1794, 
and  northeast  of  the  Parker  the  Paul  Custer  warrant 
of  June  16,  1794, — Sarah  Custer,  Samuel  Custer. 
Samuel  Custer  corners  on  the  Charles  Brace  chestnut- 
oak  of  the  same  batch  of  warrants,  the  latter  adjoin- 
ing the  Capt.  Samuel  Hauter. 

The  officers'  surveys  all  lie  north  of  Bald  Eagle 
Creek.  South  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  and  immediately 
south  of  the  Askey,  the  creek  intervening,  Charles 
Lukens  surveyed  in  1770  the  Winston  Dallam  appli- 
cation of  April  3,  1769.  The  village  of  Howard  is  in 
the  southwest  corner.  Gen.  de  Haas  owned  it,  and  his 
heirs  sold  to  Henry  Fletcher,  May  24,  1800,  the  east- 
ern portion.  The  William  Austin  warrant  of  March  7, 


1774,  was  located  east  of  the  Dallam,  and  the  Howard 
Iron-Works  are  erected  upon  it,  and  the  James  Jones, 
a  survey  of  Aug.  12,  1775.  East  of  Jones,  attaches 
the  Rudolph  Fletcher  warrant  of  Oct.  22,  1824,  and 
east  of  the  Fletcher  the  Peter  Lyttle,  Christopher 
Smith  surveys,  19th  November,  1793,  line  the  south 
bank  of  the  creek  ;  south  of  which  lies  the  Joseph 
Hiester  warrant,  31st  July,  1793,  and  east,  lining  the 
creek,  the  John  Potter  warrant  of  July  31,  1793,  and 
the  Jeremiah  Jackson,  of  March  31,  1793. 

In  November,  1769,  Charles  Lukens  surveyed  for 
Samuel  Wallis  the  Joseph  Wilson,  Sr.,  tract,  locating 
it  on  the  west  white-oak  and  hickory  of  Lieut.  Askey. 
Wallis  sold  to  James  Packer,  of  Uchland  township, 
Chester  County,  grandfather  of  Governor  Packer, 
who  sold  to  Job  Packer,  of  Kenuet,  in  1790.  This 
land,  or  the  greater  portion  of  it,  is  still  owned  by 
Governor  Packer's  children,  John  A.  Woodward,  a 
son-in-law,  living  on  it  in  1882.  The  Joseph  Wilson 
was  located  on  both  sides  of  the  creek  ;  and  west  was 
the  John  Wilson,  surveyed  also,  November  9th,  for 
Samuel  Wallis  ;  on  this  the  elder  Gunsaulus  located, 
and  a  heavy  suit  arose.  The  George  Knight  adjoined 
the  John  Wilson,  also  a  Wallis  tract  of  the  applica- 
tions of  April  3,  1769,  patented  to  Samuel  Wallis, 
Oct.  27,  1783. 

North  of  the  George  Knight,  John  Wilson  and 
Joseph  Wilson,  Sr.,  attach  the  Joseph  Gresbury, 
Arthur  Ford,  Stanwick  Ford,  and  John  Reed  sur- 
veys of  October,  1793,  on  warrants  all  dated  July  1, 
1784;  north  of  the  latter  the  Welch  and  Norris  war- 
rants of  March  1,  1830,  were  located,  to  which  attach 
westerly  and  northerly  the  John  A.  Godfrey,  Martha 
Godfrey,  et  al.,  warrants  of  March  16,  1794,  known 
as  the  "Cuitin  lands,"  which  John  T.  Fowler  pur- 
chased and  operated  upon  in  1880. 

West  of  George  Knight  was  the  James  Morton 
application  (3d  April,  1769),  north  of  the  creek,  and 
south  of  and  lining  the  creek  the  Michael  Knight, 
surveyed  in  November,  1769,  and  patented  to  Wallis, 
at  the  western  end  of  which  is  the  Mount  Eagle  post- 
office,  or  town  called  Mechanicsville,  located  probably 
on  the  William  Grossman  warrant,  13th  May,  1793. 

West  of  the  James  Morton,  and  including  the 
mouth  of  Bullet's  Run,  in  Howard  township,  Lukens 
surveyed  the  Thomas  Poultney  (Order  No.  2,  3d 
April,  1769),  July  21,  1769.  Thomas  Poultney  sold  to 
Jacob  Leathers  by  deed  dated  May  10, 1793.  Leathers' 
dscendants  still  own  this  land,  or  the  greater  portion 
of  it. 

North  of  Leathers  was  what  was  known  as  Robert 
Richie's  land,  and  on  Bullet's  Run,  both  sides,  was 
the  William  Ramsay  warrant  of  July  6,  1784. 

West  of  the  Thomas  Poultney  was  the  Thomas 
Smith  survey,  19th  July,  1769,  lying  south  of  the 
creek.  South  of  the  Smith,  the  Mary  Blaine  warrant 
of  July  1,  1784,  belonging  to  Col.  Ephraim  Blaine. 

West  of  the  Thomas  Smith,  and  lying  on  both 
sides  of  the  creek,  was  the  Philip  Gower  tract,  sur- 


SURVEYS   OF   1769. 


11 


veyed  July  19,  1769.  Philip  Antes  bought  it  of 
Wallis  in  1787,  and  erected  a  mill  there,  and  it  is  the 
present  site  of  Curtin  Station,  Eagle  Works,  Roland 
post-ofRce.  South  of  Philip  Gover,  Richard  Miles 
laid  a  warrant  July  26,  1797,  south  of  the  creek, 
and  between  the  Mary  Blaine  and  Thomas  Smith 
and  Ephraim  Gover.  Moses  Boggs  and  Roland 
Curtin  bought  it  in  1819;  the  works  and  village  m.ay 
be  partly  in  it.  Ephraim  Gover  was  surveyed  July  24, 
1769,  for  Samuel  Wallis,  west  of  Philip  Gover.  On 
this  Col.  John  Holt  first  settled,  his  cabin  being  near 
the  run  and  east  line  of  Gover,  while  Widow  Magee'a 
cabin,  a  tenant  of  Wallis,  was  near  the  island,  at  the 
western  side  of  the  tract.  A  lawsuit  arose  between 
Holt  and  Wallis,  which  gave  occasion  to  the  deposi- 
tion of  Mrs.  Boggs,  referred  to  hereafter.  The  old 
Barnhart  homestead  is  located  on  the  Ephraim 
Gover. 

West  of  Ephraim  Gover,  the  Charles  Worthington 
application  was  surveyed  by  Lukens  for  Samuel 
Wallis,  July  18, 1769,  de.scribed  as  one  mile  below  the 
Nest.  Wallis  sold  to  Richard  Malone,  who  located 
there  as  early  as  1787.  His  granddaughter,  Mrs. 
James  Single,  still  resides  on  a  portion  of  the  war- 
rant, south  of  the  creek.  The  Upper  Eagle  Works 
are  also  situated  on  it. 

The  next  survey  west  of  the  Worthington  was  on  the 
Joseph  Poultney  application.  No.  29,  of  3d  of  April, 
1769,  surveyed  Oct.  28,  17G9,  described  as  on  the 
north  side  of  the  Bald  Eagle,  opposite  "The  Nest," 
near  the  fording,  and  including  Poultney  improve- 
ment. It  commenced  at  a  W.  O.  below  the  present 
iron  bridge,  and  ran  N.  30  W.  112  to  a  W.  O.,  N.  60 
E.  68  to  a  small  W.  O.,  S.  20  E.  36  to  a  rock-oak, 
N.  60  E.  174  to  a  W.  O.  of  Joseph  Hopkins;  thence 
N.  80  E.  150  to  iron-wood  of  Charles  Worthington ; 
then  S.  10  E.  160  to  a  white-w.alnut  on  the  bank  of 
the  creek,  distance  up  the  creek  three  hundred  and 
thirty-five  perches.  This  was  the  tract  upon  which 
Andrew  Boggs,  the  first  settler,  located.  Wagner's 
mill  and  Central  City  are  upon  it.  It  was  sold  by 
Poultney  to  and  patented  by  Matthias  Slough,  Jan. 
19,  1773.  His  assignee's  deed  to  Col.  Samuel  Miles 
is  dated  March  12,  1792. 

Next  west  of  the  Joseph  Poultney  came  the  Chris- 
topher Spayd.  Central  City  is  located  on  the  eastern 
end  of  the  Sp.ayd.  Frederick  Leathers  bought  the 
Spayd,  May  16,  1791.  Then  west  of  the  Spayd  came 
the  "  Skepwith  Coal,"  and  the  "  John  Worthington" 
west  of  the  Coal,  both  belonging  to  Samuel  Wallis. 
The  southern  portion  of  the  Coal  ran  nearly  to  Wallis' 
Run,  the  northern  portion  running  over  a  mile  up  the 
run,  the  Worthington  embracing  what  is  now  "  Snow- 
shoe  Intersection,"  and  running  nearly  two  miles 
west  of  it. 

The  Peter  Graybill  tract,  on  which  Milesburg,  south 
of  the  creek,  and  the  William  A.  Thomas  farm  are 
located,  and  embracing  Spring  Creek,  eighty-six  rods 
above  its  mouth,  was  surveyed  on  the  18th  of  July, 


17C9.  The  title  to  Graybill  application  and  survey 
became  vested  in  Matthias  Slough,  whose  assignees 
sold  to  Col.  Samuel  Miles,  March  17,  1792.  The 
Christopher  Reigert,  next  on  Spring  Creek,  em- 
bracing Linn  &  McCoy's  iron-works  (1881),  is  re- 
turned as  surveyed  July  14,  1769.  The  Reigert, 
from  the  draught,  appears  to  have  been  laid  west  of  the 
creek;  and  March  14,  1775,  some  one  of  Lukens'  as- 
sistant surveyors  laid  the  Richard  Gr.aham,  partly  on 
top  of  the  Reigert  tract,  and  embracing  both  sides  ot 
the  creek  ;  and  then  Capt.  William  Gray,  June  14, 
1775,  laid  the  John  Little,  partly  on  top  of  Richard 
Graham,  all  which  titles,  after  contest.  Col.  Miles  had 
to  buy,  or  did  buy  to  save  trouble.  In  1854,  when 
H.  P.  Treziyulny  became  county  surveyor,  the  land 
down  about  there  not  having  been  taken  up  often 
enough,  he  had  J.  J.  Lingle  take  it  up  again. 

The  Griffith  Gibbon,  on  the  southern  and  western 
portions  of  which  the  greater  part  of  the  borough  of 
Bellefonte  stands,  was  surveyed  July  20th.  The  two 
white-oaks  at  the  northern  end  stood  on  opposite 
banks  of  the  creek,  nearly  northward  of  the  toll-gate 
(1881),  and  the  two  western  white-oaks  stood,  one 
north  of  Spring  Creek,  from  which  the  line  ran  N. 
30  E.  86,  crossing  Spring  Creek  just  at  the  mouth  of 
Logan's  Branch,  and  along  the  branch  to  the  other 
AV.  O. 

The  James  Sharron  and  William  Sharron,  which 
adjoin  Grifiith  Gibbon  on  the  west,  were  surveyed  at 
the  same  time,  though  resurveyed  by  James  Harris, 
"according  to  the  old  lines,"  in  December,  1802. 
The  James  Sharron  includes  Buffalo  Run  up  to 
Charles  Witmer's  farm,  1881,  and  the  William  Shar- 
ron includes  Spring  Creek  up  to  Roopsburg.  The 
application  of  James  Sharron  describes  the  land  as 
lying  "  on  the  south  side  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  includ- 
ing a  large  spring  at  the  mouth  of  the  branch  that 
comes  out  of  the  Nittany  hills,  and  the  William  Shar- 
ron application  of  the  same  day,  April  3,  1769,  calls 
for  land  adjoining  James  Sharron. 

According  to  a  memorandum  in  Samuel  Wallis'  hand- 
writing, found  among  Judge  Huston's  papers,  dated 
Aug.  29, 1783 :  "  James  Sharron  lives  in  Shearman's 
Valley  [Perry  County  now],  near  Hurley's  Gap,  and 
he,  Sharron,  had  sold  the  tracts  to  William  Lamb, 
who  lives  in  Juniata,  opposite  John  Harris,  Esq. 
[John  Harris,  Esq.,  lived  on  the  site  of  Mifflin,  Ju- 
niata Co. I;  that  Lamb  had  sold  the  two  tracts 
to  Thomas  Gordon,  who  now  lives  upon  the  Bald 
Eagle  Creek,  with  a  certain  Jonas  Davis  [Davis 
lived  adjoining  Richard  Malone]  ;  that  Liinib  settled 
upon  the  land  previous  to  his  selling  to  Gordon,  and 
lived  about  two  years  upon  it.  There  was  a  dispute 
arose  about  locations,  and  July  11,  17S9,  Samuel 
Wallis  made  the  following  affidavit,  which  is  at- 
tached to  a  draft  of  all  the  lands  surveyed  in  1769 
along  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  from  and  including  the 
Joseph  Wilson  warrantee,  on  which  the  old  Packer 
farm  is  located,  near  Howard  borough,  up  to  the 


12 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


mouth  of  Spring  Creek,  at  Milesburg.  This  draft 
has  'Bald  Eagle  Nest  or  old  town'  marked  on  it 
as  standing,  three  huts  or  cabins,  about  where  Mill 
Street  and  Market  Street  in  Milesburg  intersect. 

"Samuel  Wallis,  on  his  solemn  affirmation,  accord- 
ing to  law,  did  depose  and  say  that  in  the  summer  of 
1769  he  went  up  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  in  company 
with  Charles  Lukens,  the  then  deputy  surveyor  of  that 
district,  and  among  other  business  attended  at  mak- 
ing all  the  different  surveys  which  are  connected  in 
this  general  draught;  that  a  great  number  of  people 
attended  at  the  same  time  in  order  to  get  land  sur- 
veyed, among  whom  was  a  certain  Bsnjamin  Brown, 
who  showed  an  order  in  his  own  name,  bearing  date 
April  3,  1769,  No.  158,  and  claimed  the  land  which 
is  included  in  Thomas  Poultney's  survey  [this  was  at 
the  mouth  of  Bullet's  Run],  alleging  that  his  order 
was  close  located  on  that  particular  place,  that 
Poultney's  order  did  not  describe  it ;  he  uniformly 
insisted  on  having  his  order  executed  on  that  place, 
and  did  not  set  up  a  claim  in  any  other  place  at  that 
time  ;  that  the  tracts  on  the  lower  end  of  the  draught 
in  the  names  of  George  Knight,  John  Wilson,  and 
Joseph  Wilson  were  all  surveyed  at  the  same  time,  at 
the  instance  of  this  affirmant,  who  was  then  inter- 
ested in  the  fight  to  them,  but  has  since  sold  and 
conveyed  his  right,  etc." 

Lieut.  Robert  King,  of  the  Twelfth  Pennsyl- 
vania, who  moved  to  Waterford,  in  Erie  County, 
writes  to  Charles  Huston,  Esq.,  March  24,  1800, 
dating  his  letter  at  "  King's  Garden,"  to  be  put 
in  the  post-office  at  Pittsburgh  :  "You  mention  that 
Mr.  Thomas  Grant  is  concerned  in  the  sute  you  are 
to  soport  ags.  Gonsaulus.  I  should  be  one  of  the  most 
ungrateful  wretches  on  earth  if  I  did  not  do  every- 
thing that  is  in  ray  power  to  serve  Mr.  Grant,  as  I 
know  him  to  be  my  pirticular  friend.  All  I  can  rec- 
ollect concerning  the  business,  I  wa^  along  with 
Messrs.  Lukens,  I  think  in  the  year  1769-1770,  and 
perhaps  1771.  I  well  recollect  that  Mr.  Samuel  Harris, 
of  Loyalsock,  attended  the  surveyors  at  some  of  these 
times,  and  got  a  number  of  surveys  made  for  Samuel 
Wallis,  dec'd,  particularly  on  the  waters  of  Marsh 
Creek,  on  the  north  side  of  the  Bald  Eagle.  I  am 
not  certain  whether  they  joined  the  officers'  surveys 
or  not,  as  I  did  not  carry  the  chain  the  whole  of  the 
time.  I  was  hunter  for  the  surveyors,  but  if  I  recol- 
lect aright,  there  is  a  certain  William  Gill,  who  Mr. 
Grant  knows,  that  lives  on  the  waters  of  Penn's 
Creek,  that  was  along,  and  employed  as  a  chain- 
carrier.  The  tract  of  land,  including  Marsh  Creek  on 
north  side  of  Bald  Eagle's,  and  adjoining  the  officers' 
survey,  was  surveyed  on  an  application  of  my  own. 
Mr.  Wallis  had  some  surveyed  above  mine  on  Marsh 
Creek,  one  particularly  in  the  name  of  Robert  Gorrel, 
etc." 


CHAPTER    V. 

THE    FIRST   SETTLER. 

"An  axo  rang  shandy  amid  rliose  forost-sliailes, 
Wliiuli  from  crcHtioii's  'lawn  towards  tlie  skk'S  had  towered 
In  uiisliorii  be;iuty;  tli.-re  with  vigorous  arm 
Wronglit  a  bold  emigrant." 

The  first  emigrant  to  Centre  County  was  Andrew 
Boggs.  His  settlement  was  upon  the  Joseph  Poult- 
ney  warrantee.  Poultney,  in  his  application, 
No.  29,  April  3,  1769,  describes  the  land  he  1769. 
applies  for  as  on  the  north  side  of  Bald  Eagle 
Creek,  near  the  fording,  including  his  improvement, 
marked  on  a  white-oak  "  J.  P."  Poultney's  improve- 
ment amounted  to  nothing  more  than  marking  his 
claim,  and  he  sold  his  right  to  Matthias  Slough,  a  land 
speculator  of  Lancaster. 

Andrew  Boggs  settled  upon  that  part  of  the  Poult- 
ney now  owned  by  John  M.  Wagoner,  and  his  house 
stood  on  the  creek  bank  just  east  of  the  road  where  it 
turns  northerly,  where  remains  of  it  are  visible.  The 
present  old  log  house  west  of  the  road  is  not  the 
original  Andrew  Boggs  house.  The  site  is  in  the 
neighborhood  of  a  hundred  rods  from  the  mouth  of 
Spring  Creek,  on  the  north  side  of  Bald  Eagle. 

The  deposition  of  Margery  Boggs,  widow  of  An- 
drew Boggs,  was  liaken  Nov.  15,  1806,  before  William 
Petrikin,  E-sq.,  at  the  late  dwelling-house  of  Robert 
Boggs,  Esq.,  deceased,  in  the  presence  of  James 
Harris  and  John  Diinlop,  who  were  present  for  Wal- 
lis' heirs  and  John  Holt,  in  an  ejectment  to  April 
term,  1800,  in  MiiHin  County,  between  Wallis'  heirs 
and  John  Holt. 

Mrs.  Boggs  states  they  came  the  year  the  office  was 
opened :  "  I  believe  it  was  in  1769."  She  was  asked 
whether  she  ever  noticed  a  tree  on  this  place  where 
you  now  live  marked  "J.  P."  She  answered,  "No, 
I  never  saw  the  tree;  but  Joseph  Poultney  told  me 
that  he  had  drawn  this  place  at  the  lottery,  and  that 
he  had  put  his  name  on  a  tree,  pointing  there  with 
his  finger  to  where  the  tree  stood,  and  where  there 
was  then  a  hog-pen,  but  the  tree  was  cut  down.  He 
told  me  at  the  same  time  if  he  could  be  any  use  to 
me  in  helping  me  to  the  place  he  would  do  it." 

She  then  goes  on  to  state  her  knowledge  of  Chris- 
topher Cottenton,  who,  she  says,  lived  on  the  same 
tract  "where  John  Holt  no>y  lives"  (1806),  but  in  a 
house  above  his  (towards  Milesburg).  "  I  was  many 
a  time  at  Cottenton's  house;  his  wife  died  there,  and 
I  was  there  often  during  her  sickness,  when  she  died, 
and  when  she  was  buried.  I  do  not  know  how  much 
clear  land  he  had,  but  myself  and  two  or  three  neigh- 
bor women  went  there  one  day  and  asked  his  wife 
where  he  was ;  she  said  he  was  down  on  the  bottom 
clearing  some  land.  The  bottom  lies  below  where 
John  Holt  now  lives.  On  the  island  he  had  cleared 
land  and  raised  hemp,  the  largest  stock  I  ever  saw, 
and  had  it  snugly  put  up  when  we  were  driven  away. 
He  was  a  very  industrious  man,  in  good  circumstances, 


THE   FIRST   SETTLER— N0RTHU3IBERLAND   COUNTY   ORGANIZED. 


13 


and  liad  a  parcel  of  good  working  boys.  He  re- 
mained until  he  was  driven  away  by  the  Indians;  he 
went  away  before  us,  but  tliey  were  all  gone  away 
before  us  excejit  three  families.  He  told  my  husband 
often  he  was  to  buy  the  land  of  Wallis.  He  had 
horses,  cows,  and  oxen,  farming  utensils.  He  lived 
on  the  place  three  years  or  more,  and,  as  I  heard,  died 
on  the  road.  John  Kerr  lived  near  Cottenton's.  I 
cannot  recollect  when  Cottenton  and  Kerr  came,  or 
which  was  first,  but  Kerr  was  gone  before  Cottenton 
was  driven  away.  None  of  Cottenton's  heirs  ever  re- 
turned to  look  after  the  place.  John  Kerr  had  no 
character  for  sobriety,  industry,  or  anything.  I  have 
seen  him  walk  arm  and  arm  with  the  Indians,  drunk 
frequently;  he  was  always  with  the  Indians  if  they 
had  any  liquor  among  them.  He  had  neither  horse 
nor  cow  nor  anything  I  recollect  of  but  his  wife  and 
children;  his  wife  was  a  smart,  active  woman.  He 
went  off,  I  guess,  of  his  own  accord  ;  there  was  nobody 
driven  off  by  the  Indians  for  a  great  while  after  that. 
Kerr  went  to  the  Big  Island,  and  lived  on  Capt.  Parr's 
land  there;  after  he  was  there  awhile  he  enlisted  and 
went  off,  and  I  believe  he  never  came  back  again. 

"John  Turner  came  to  Cottenton's  place  after  the 
war.  John  Turner  had  lived  before  the  war,  and  be- 
fore he  was  driven  away  by  the  Indians,  where  Joe 
Boggs  lived,  on  top  of  the  hill  on  the  tract  Richard 
Malone  bought  of  Samuel  Wallis." 

Cross-examined  by  John  Holt. 

Do  you  remember  to  see  my  father  and  Capt.  Cal- 
lender  out  here? 

I  remember  to  see  Capt.  Callender  here  and  several 
men  with  him,  but  do  not  know  whether  your  father 
was  one  or  not.  I  remember  to  sec  your  father  here 
with  yourself;  you  was  then  a  little  boy. 

Do  you  remember  that  I  came  out  here  after  the 
war  and  shot  a  turkey? 

I  do;  you  came  out  on  the  27tli  of  March,  the  year 
after  Turner  came. 

Was  it  the  same  house  Cottenton  lived  in  before 
the  war  that  I  came  to  when  I  moved  up  after  the 
war? 

It  was  the  very  same  house  that  Turner  lived  in  ; 
but  you  never  lived  in  that  house,  except  a  little  while 
before  your  wife  came  out;  there  was  no  other  house 
then  in  the  place  but  one. 

The  following  is  from*i  letter  of  John  O.  Henning, 
of  Hudson,  Wis.,  dated  Feb.  25,  1880: 

"  I  have  it  by  tradition  that  my  great-grandfather, 
Boggs,  settled  in  the  Bald  Eagle  Valley  previous  to 
the  Revolution.  My  grandfather,  Robert  Boggs,  was 
born  a  short  distance  below  Milesburg,  and  my 
mother  and  myself  were  born  on  the  same  farm. 
There  was  an  old  hollow  buttonwood-tree  near  the 
Bald  Eagle  Creek,  on  the  Boggs  farm,  called  the 
Eagle's  Nest,  from  the  fact  that  the  old  Indian  chief. 
Bald  Eagle,  had  occupied  it  for  his  wigwam.  The 
story  of  my  grandfather  shooting  an  Indian  who  at- 
tempted to  decoy  him  into  ambush,  by  imitating  a 


wild  turkey,  may  still  be  remembered  by  some  of  your 
oldest  citizens." 

Rev.  John  Harris  Boggs,  of  Boone,  Boone  Co.,  Iowa 
(Sept.  18,  1882),  says  his  grandfather,  Andrew  Boggs, 
and  the  first  settlers  crossed  Muncy,  Nittany,  and  the 
Seven  Mountains  to  a  mill  on  the  Juniata  for  flour,  and 
carried  their  wheat  to  market  at  Northumberland  in 
canoes,  returning  home  with  their  year's  supply  of 
necessaries,  encamping  on  the  bank  of  the  river  or 
creek  every  night. 

The  Indian  Logan  lived  at  Hecla  Gap,  and  my 
grandfather  had  gone  to  Philadelphia  to  recruit  his 
stock  of  goods,  and  my  grandmother  was  alone  with 
the  children.  Logan's  wife  took  a  sack  of  corn  on 
her  pony  to  the  mill  on  the  Juniata,  had  it  ground, 
and  on  her  return,  thinking  that  Mrs.  Boggs  might 
possibly  be  out  of  meal,  instead  of  going  home  came 
around  by  the  end  of  the  mountain  (Lemont),  crossed 
into  Bald  Eagle  valley  and  down  to  Boggs',  and,  not 
finding  her  at  home,  told  her  little  girl  to  get  some- 
thing to  put  some  meal  in,  and  thereupon  emptied 
out  about  one-half  the  meal  for  them,  threw  the  sack 
upon  the  pony,  recrossed  Muncy  Mountain  to  her 
home.  This  was  the  woman  who  was  afterwards  so 
cruelly  murdered,  in  April,  1774,  near  the  mouth  of 
Big  Yellow  Creek,  not  far  from  Wheeling,  W.  Y?., 
by  Greathouse  and  his  party. 

Jonas  Davis  settled  near  to  Andrew  Boggs.  He 
was  a  quiet,  orderly  man,  and  his  wife  a  religious 
woman.  But  he  had  a  brother  who  was  a  ruffian, 
strong,  very  quarrelsome,  and  abusive,  so  much  so  that 
other  settlers  were  under  the  necessity  of  carrying 
arms  to  protect  themselves  from  his  abuse.  He  would 
visit  his  brother  on  Sunday,  and  in  order  to  vex 
Jonas'  wile,  would  compel  him  to  take  his  axe  and 
fell  trees.  When  Andrew  Boggs,  who  was  a  powerful 
man,  would  get  out  of  patience,  he  caught  Davis  and 
gave  him  a  ilogging,  which  would  keep  him  in  order 
for  some  time,  and  when  necessary  would  repeat  the 
operation. 


CHAPTER    VL 

KORTIIUMBERLAXD  COUNTY  ORG.ANIZED— .'VSSES.S- 
MENT  IN  B.\LD  EAGl.E  TOWNSHIP  — E.\RLY 
SETTLEMENTS— POTTER  TOWNSHIP  ASSESSMENT 
AND  THE  ASSOCIATORS. 

At  the  first  court  held  for  Northumberland  County, 
at  Fort  Augusta,  April  9,  1772,  William  Plunket  pre- 
siding, with  James  Potter  and  John  Lowdon, 
justices,  Bald  Eagle  township  was  erected  : 

Beginning  at  tiie  Forks  of  Penn's  Creek,  thence  by  a 
north  line  to  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna, 
thence  up  the  same  to  where  the  county  line  crosses 
it,  thence  by  the  county  line  south  to  the  head  of 
Little  Juniata,  thence  down  the  same  to  the  end  of 
Tussey's  Mountain,  thence  along  the  top  of  the  same 
easterly  to  the  place  of  beginning. 


1772. 


14 


HISTORY   OF   CENTEE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


A  north  line  from  the  Forks  (now  Coburn  Station 
on  the  Lewisburg  and  Tyrone  Kail  road)  would  ap- 
parently cross  Bald  Eagle  Creek  at  its  mouth,  and 
therefore  all  the  present  territory  of  Centre  was  then 
in  Bald  Eagle  township,  except  Haines  township  and 
the  greater  part  of  Miles,  which  were  then  in  Buffalo 
township,  and  a  portion  of  tlie  Seven  Mountain-, 
which  was  in  old  Penn's  township,  Northumberland 
County.  The  only  officer  whose  name  is  preserved  is 
that  of  Samuel  Horn,  constable. 

Indians  were  still  in  the  neighborhood,  and  occupy- 
ing the  opposite  bank  of  Bald  Eagle  from  Andrew 
Boggs'  house.  When  infuriated  by  whiskey  and  any 
opposition  they  were  to  be  feared.  Mrs.  Boggs  re- 
lated that  when  her  husband  was  away  on  one  occa- 
sion, the  squaws  came  to  her  and  told  her  the  men 
were  having  a  carouse  and  they  meant  to  hide  them- 
selves, and  cautioned  her  to  leave  her  doors  open  that 
night  in  case  they  came  to  search  for  them.  She  did 
so,  and  long  after  nightfall  the  drunken  band  entered 
the  house,  searched  it  for  their  wives,  and  not  finding 
them  went  off  without  molesting  her  or  the  family. 

The  year  1772  is  noted  by  the  passage  of  the  Mo- 
ravian Christian  Indians  through  the  territory  em- 
braced in  our  history.  They  had  settled.  May  9, 1765, 
in  what  is  now  Bradford  County,  two  miles  below 
AVyalusing,  and  laid  out  a  town  named  Friedens- 
hiitten.  In  1768  their  lands  were  sold  from  them  by 
the  Six  Nations,  and  although  the  proprietaries  forbid 
any  surveys  to  be  made  near  them,  the  disturbances 
consequent  upon  the  Connecticut  claim  intervened, 
and  having  an  invitation  from  the  Delawares  of  Ohio 
to  settle  among  them,  it  was  deemed  best  by  the 
Moravian  teachers  that  they  should  accept  it. 

On  the  11th  of  June,  1772,  two  hundred  and  forty- 
four  individuals,  of  all  ages,  with  cattle  and  horses, 
started  from  the  North  Branch  across  the  Allegheny 
Mountains,  by  way  of  Bald  Eagle,  for  the  Ohio.  They 
set  out  in  two  bodies,  the  one  by  land  under  John 
Ettweiu,  and  the  other  by  water  under  John  Roth.^ 
The  land  travelers  had  seventy  head  of  oxen  and 
many  horses,  and  after  enduring  incredible  hardships 
reached  the  Great  Island  on  the  29th  of  June. 

The  river  party,  with  the  bell  of  their  church  on  a 
canoe  in  the  van  of  the  fleet,  passed  down  by  Sun- 
bury  and  up  the  West  Branch  to  the  island,  which 
they  reached  before  the  land  travelers.  From  this 
point  they  proceeded  together  by  land. 

Loskiel,  the  annalist  of  Moravian  missions,  gives 
the  following  notice  of  the. journey  (Day's  Hist.  Col. 
Bradford  County,  page  140).  In  the  absence  of  the 
original  journal,  we  quote  irom  Day  : 

"  AVheu  they  arrived  at  the  mountains  they  met 
with  great  difficulties  in  crossing  them,  for,  not  having 
horses  enough  to  carry  all  the  baggage,  most  of  them 


1  Bishop  de  Schwcinitz,  Life  and  Times  of  David  Zcisbergcr,  pnge  3~C, 
Tlie  good  bishop  promised  the  editor  u  tratislalioii  of  tliat  portion  ol 
Ettweiii'8  journal  relating  their  passage  through  the  Biild  Eagle  country, 
but  after  patient  search  could  not  find  the  original. 


were  obliged  to  carry  some  part.  During  a  consider- 
able part  of  the  journey  the  rattlesnakes  kept  them 
in  constant  alarm,  as  they  lay  in  great  numbers  either 
in  or  near  the  road.  These  venomous  creatures  de- 
stroyed several  of  the  horses,  but  the  oxen  were  saved 
by  driving  them  in  the  rear.  The  most  troublesome 
plague  in  the  woods  was  a  kind  of  insect  called  by  the 
Indians  '  punks'  (gnats),  or  living  ashes,  from  their 
being  so  small  as  they  are  hardly  visible,  and  their 
bites  as  painful  as  red-hot  ashes." 

As  soon  as  the  evening  fires  were  kindled  the  cattle, 
in  order  to  get  rid  of  these  insects,  ran  furiously 
towards  the  fire,  crowding  into  the  smoke,  by  wliicli 
the  travelers  were  much  disturbed  in  their  sleep  and 
at  their  meals.  These  tormenting  creatures  are  met 
with  in  a  tract  of  country  which  the  Indians  call  "  a 
place  avoided  by  all  men."  Some  persons  died  during 
the  journey,  among  them  a  poor  cripple  ten  or  eleven 
years  old,  who  was  carried  by  his  mother  in  a  basket 
on  her  back.  James  Gilliland,  in  his  "Sketches  of 
the  Snow-shoe  Region,"  1881,  says  one  of  the  party 
was  buried  at  Moravian  Run,  where  the  Indian  path 
crosses,  about  a  mile  west  of  Big  Moshannon  Creek, 
and  from  this  the  name  was  given  the  run. 

Reichel,  who  had  the  original  journal  before  him, 
in  1872,  quotes  the  entry :  "  July  14,  1772,  we  came 
to  Clearfield  Creek,  so  called  by  the  Indians  because 
on  its  banks  there  are  acres  of  lands  that  resemble 
clearings,  the  buffalo  that  resort  hither  having  de- 
stroyed every  vestige  of  undergrowth,  and  left  the 
face  of  the  country  as  bare  as  though  it  had  been 
cleared  by  tlie  grub-axe  of  the  pioneer." 

The  earliest  assessment  of  Bald  Eagle  township 
that  can  be  found  is  that  of  1773-74,  just  before  Pot- 
ter was  erected.  It  seems  by  a  memorandum  • 
made  by  Daniel  Montgomery,  in  1781,  that  1774. 
the  assessment  list  was  carried  away  to  Pax- 
ton  in  1778  and  was  lost.  The  following  names  are 
found  on  a  list  entitled  of  "  1774:" 


Ac 


Antes,  Henry.. 


300 


iks,  Sa 

Bi.ggs,  Andrew SOU 

BiiKlUwell,  I'.ol.ert 300 

Ciinipliell,  el.-aiv lUU 

far-iin,  A.hiiii „.  200 

Dav  s,  Dauii-1 00 

lie«iir,   AI.i^iImim   (li-ii.u.t  of  Jului 

Fii-ii.iij;;,  K..|  I son 

Ikwitt  ^^^ilI.,^l  i SUO 

11.  liiiMH,  Ai..U;.« 3»0 

Fliiniiig,  ,lMliu,fe.| 1004 

Heuiing,  Itolieit,  »r 

Fleming,  Kobert,  Jr 

Hall,  Juhii 

Hotr,  Gershuni 

Home,  Sanjliel 200 

Long,  t'ouk>ou 

Love,  Itobert 160 

JlcKiiinev,  David 300 

McSlichael,  .lames 150 

Manning,  John 


\\  i 


POTTER  TOWNSHIP  ASSESSMENT. 


15 


Tl)e  officers  of  the  Bald  Eagle  township  for  the  year 
1773  were  Samuel  Horn,  constable;  Andrew  Boggs 
and  William  McElhatton,  supervisors;  John  Flem- 
ing and  Cleary  Campbell,  overseers  of  the  poor.  April 
3,  1773,  is  the  date  of  the  deed  of  the  Great  Spring 
tract  (Spring  Mills)  from  Reuben  Haines  to  George 
McCormick,  the  first  settler  of  Gregg  township,  the 
ancestor  of  the  Allisons.  Haines'  deed  to  John  Wat- 
sou  is  dated  the  same  day,  for  the  Ludwick  Sheets 
warrantee,  which  lies  on  the  turnpike  north  and 
south,  half-way  between  Spring  Mills  and  Millheim, 
and  John  Watson  was  the  first  settler  in  what  is  now 
Penn  township.  Samuel  Hoy,  who  settled  east  of 
him,  W.1S  the  next  settler  In  1774. 

In  a  trial  between  Col.  Samuel  Miles,  plaintiff,  and 
James  Potter  and  John  Barber,  Esq.,  had  Nov.  30, 
1810,  George  McCormick  and  other  old  settlers  were 
witnesses.     George  McCormick  testified  : 

"  I  was  first  in  Pcnn's  valloy  in  1773,  mid  lived  here  in  1774.  (Capt. 
James  Putter's  nppliealion  def^uiilied  liis  land  as  ineluding  tlie  forks  of 
tlie  road  in  Bald  Eaglo  township.)  I  know  the  land  upon  which  Mr. 
Barber  lives.  I  liavo  lived  about  two  miles  from  it.  The  forks  of  the 
road  were  oil  tlie  tract  in  dispute.  There  are  no  forks  fioni  the  Bald 
Eagle  but  the  one.  I  was  shown  a  corner  tree,  said  to  be  a  corner  of 
the  tract,  just  in  the  folks,  and  some  time  after  I  was  called  upon  b3'  Gen. 
Potter  to  cany  cliiiin  when  the  lines  were  run,  and  going  around  it  in- 
cluded a  jiart  of  George  Woods'  improvement;  we  went  close  to  his 
dwelling  house,  but  left  it  out;  when  we  came  to  his  improvement  we 
were  at  the  place  of  I'eginning.  George  Woods  came  in  in  1775,  and  his 
bouse  was  two  or  three  hundred  perclies  below  the  forks,  and  purchased 
of  Potter  tlnit  jear,  and  liad  twenty  acres  cleared  before  driven  off  by 
tlie  Indians.  He  put  up  a  cabin  and  a  cabin  larn.  We  built  forts  in 
1777.  I  abandoned  the  country  in  n*.  J'led  in  the  winter  of  deep  snow; 
was  away  thiee  years  and  ten  months.  I'led  about  the  12tli  of  April. 
Tlie  settlers  returned  generally  in  17S4.  Woods  did  not  return  until 
17S5  orl7sn.  Gen.  Poller  lived  first  on  the  north  side  of  the  Plains, 
lie  claimed  the  tract  adjoining  Barber's,  and  sold  one  hundred  acres  of 
it  to  Geoige  Woods.  Woods  held  a  piece  in  his  own  right,  and  I  jmr- 
cliased  it  of  him.  Woods'  house  was  about  thirty  perches  from  the  land 
I  bought.  Then  came  a  piece  of  land  I  don't  know  who  owned  ^Mr. 
Kerr  here  teslifies  that  this  tract  was  the  .Mexander  Long,  and  still  in 
Gen.  Potter's  family),  then  my  land  I  bought  of  Haines  (the  Great 
Spring  tract). 

'*  I  was  acquainted  up  and  down  the  valley,  and  knew  no  place  called 
'  the  Forks'  but  this;  one  road  went  up  and  down  the  valley  and  one  to 
SIcGrew's  mills.  Barber  settled  on  the  land  after  we  returned  from  tlio 
war.  McGrew's  mill  was  begun  the  year  after  I  came  to  the  valley.  A 
path  came  over  at  Logan's  Gap;  cannot  say  whether  there  was  a  path 
into  tlie  head  of  Brush  valley  or  not.  There  was  a  path  around  the 
head  of  Nittany  Mountain,  and  one  went  to  Junkin's  cabin  and  over  to 
Stone  valley.  There  Wiis  a  path  from  where  I  lived  across  George's  val- 
ley to  Kishacoquillas.  McGrew  broiiffit  his  family  in,  I  think,  in  1773. 
Woods'  cabin  was  on  the  north  side  of  Sinking  Creek,  fifteen  or  si.vtcen 
perches  from  the  creek.  He  has  since  built  on  the  other  side.  He  re- 
moved to  the  south  side  on  a  purchase  he  made  from  Gen.  Potter.  I 
lived  on  the  land  I  bought  of  Haines,  .and  understood  by  the 'Plains' 
that  part  of  Penn's  valley  which  had  neither  timber  or  water.  Wilcot 
was  the  only  settler  in  Penn's  valley  in  177:i.  He  lived  where  Earlys- 
lown  now  is.  In  1774  I  came,  and  there  were  only  four  settlers  before 
me,— Potter,  McGiew,  J.  McMullan,  and  Hubler.  Four  came  the  same 
day  with  me.  Gen.  Potter  surveyed  a  road  from  Haines'  road  to  where 
he  lived,  old  foit,  and  soon  after  Gen.  Potter  went  with  the  first  militia. 

"  The  path  came  from  Bald  Eagle ;  one  fork,  called  Logan's  fork,  took 
off  where  I  lived,  and  went  to  Kishacoquillas;  this  ten  miles  from  the 
Great  Plains.  Tlie  other  fork  from  niy  place  went  to  Buffalo  valhy. 
There  was  another  fork  in  the  plains,  one  branch  of  which  led  to  Stand- 
ing Stone,  ten  or  twelve  miles  from  the  forks  which  led  to  McGrew's 
mills.  The  forks  to  Standing  Stone  were  above  the  Great  niains.  Don't 
lemi-mber  of  any  fork  leading  to  Brush  valley.  I  knew  Mr.  Maclay  and 
Potter;  at  great  vaiiance  before  the  war,  not  so  much  after.  The  plains 
came  nigh  to  Sinking  Creek." 


Christopher  Henney  testified : 

'*  I  b.jught  the  John  Smith  survey  from  John  Nolley,  who  lioughl  It 
from  Gen.  Potter.  I  have  lived  on  It  (ISIO)  fifteen  or  sixl'en  yean. 
Nelley  lived  there  five  years,  and  McGrew  had  lived  there  before  lli« 
war.    (The  John  Smilli  adjoins  Centre  Hill,  aud  perhaps  includes  ilj." 

At  May  sessions  of  Northumberland  County,  Pot- 
ter township  was  erected  out  of  Penn's,  Buffalo,  and 
Bald  Eagle,  bounded  eastward  by  a  north-northwest 
line  from  the  top. of  Jack's  Mountain,  by  the  four- 
mile  tree  on  Reuben  Haines'  road,  in  the  Narrows,  to 
the  top  of  Nittany  Mountain  ;  thence  along  the  top 
to  the  end  thereof  at  Spring  Creek,  on  the  old  path  ; 
thence  south-southeast  to  the  top  of  Tussey's  Moun- 
tain ;  thence  along  the  county  line  to  the  toj)  of  Jack's 
Mountain,  and  along  the  same  to  the  beginning. 
Potter  therefore  included  Brush  valley  and  Penn's 
valley  as  far  west  as  Lemorit,  and  a  portion  of  Hart- 
ley township,  in  Union  County.' 

POTTER   TOWNSHIP   ASSESSMENT,  1771. 

Horses.  Cattle. 

Alender,  .Joseph 1  1 

Brown,  Thomas 1  1 

Davis,  Maurice 1 

Davis,  Jonathan 1 

Hoy,  Samuel 2  :i 

Livingston,  John 1  1 

McCoiinell,.rolin 1  1 

McCormick,  George 1  1 

McGrew,  Joseph 1  1        and  grist- and  saw-mill. 

McMillan,  Jo.seph 'J  1 

McXitt,  Janic-B 1  1 

McNitt,  John 1  1        one  negro. 

McNilt.  lli.l.iit 

McNitt,  William 1  1        one  servunt. 

Poller,  Janie.s :i  4        three  seivanla. 

Thomiison,  William 1  1        maiked  new  settler. 

The  first  constable  of  the  township  was  John  Mc- 
Mullan, who  was  continued  in  1775. 

The  above  assessment  indicated  the  date  of  the 
erection  of  the  first  mill  and  saw-mill  in  the 
valley.  McGrew  mill  was  on  the  site  of  what  1775, 
is  known  as  the  Red  Mill,  in  Potter  town- 
ship, now  (1882)  owned  by  George  M.  Hortcr.  The 
four  McNitts  were  among  the  early  settlers  of  Armagh 
township,  Mifllin  County,  as  was  William  Thompson, 
which  would  indicate  that  the  lines  of  Potter  included, 
or  was  then  supposed  to  include,  the  east  end  of 
Kishacoquillas  valley.  There  is  a  confusion  in  the 
legislative  description  of  county  boundaries  appar- 
ently which  I  am  unable  to  explain.  The  list  al.*o 
fixes  the  date  of  Capt.  (afterwards  Gen.)  Potter's  re- 
moval from  Buffalo  valley  to  Penn^5  valley.  A  frag- 
ment of  "a  list  of  Capt.  James  Potter's  vendue, 
April  7,  1774,"  on  which  the  purchasers  are  Old 
Bufl'alo   valley  names,  corroborates  the  assessment. 

May  20th,  James  Potter  was  returned  elected  ad- 
ditional member  of  Assembly,  aud  took  his  seat. 

June  8th,  Daniel  Long,  a  blacksmith,  purchtised  of 
Reuben  Haines  the  Valentine  Epler  warrantee  tract 

r  As  the  line  of  Centre  County  in  ISOO,  as  described  in  the  act  erecting 
the  county,  was  to  follow  the  eastward  lines  of  Miles  aud  Haines,  there 
must  have  been  some  lilteration  of  the  east  line  of  Haines  [to  which 
name  Potter,  in  Northumberland  County,  was  changed],  changing  it 
from  a  northu  est  line  to  a  northeast  line,  before  1800.  Howell's  map  of 
1702  6' ill  shows  the  couisc  of  the  cost  line  of  Potter  to  be  northwest. 


16 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


in  Gregg  township,  wliere  H.  J.  Herring,  Esq.,  J. 
Condo,  etc  ,  now  live,  and  on  which  the  Lutheran 
Church  now  stands,  east  of  Peun  Hall.  333  acres 
were  in  the  tract.  Long  sold  to  Adam  Reed  in  1794. 
Reed  was  also  a  blacksmith. 

June  17th,  John  Livingston  bought  of  Haines  996 
acres,  comprising  the  John  Schyner,  George  Beckell, 
Jacob  Miller,  Warnick  Miller,  and  Philip  Young 
warrantees,  along  the  north  side  of  Penn's  Creek,  ex- 
tending from  a  point  about  130  rods  above  the  forks, 
west  532  rods  to  a  white-walnut,  and  from  the  white- 
walnut  416  perches  northerly  to  a  white-oak,  now  oc- 
cupied by  Harters,  Stovers,  Fiedlers,  etc.,  in  Penn 
township. 

July  18th,  Congress  recommended  the  colonies  to 
embody  all  able-bodied  men  between  the  ages  of  six- 
teen and  sixty  into  regular  companies  of  militia. 
The  Committee  of  Safety  of  Pennsylvania  adopted  a 
name  already  assumed  by  popular  organization  for 
the  defense  of  American  liberty,  "  A.ssociators,"  ap- 
proved, August  19th,  rules  for  their  government. 
By  this  name  the  militia  of  Pennsylvania  was  known 
during  the  campaigns  of  1776-77,  and  the  field  or- 
ganizations as  battalions.  On  September  12th  the 
captains  and  officers  of  the  Upper  Division,  as  it  was 
called,  of  the  county  met  at  Ludwig  Derr's  (site  of 
Lewisburg),  and  elected  James  Potter,  colonel,  Rob- 
ert Moodey,  lieutenant-colonel,  John  Kelley,  first 
major,  John  Brady,  second  major.  Of  the  Ninth  Com- 
pany in  this  division  John  McMillan  was  captain, 
John  McConnell,  first  lieutenant,  John  McCormick, 
second  lieutenant,  Charles  Wilson,  ensign,  and  forty- 
three  privates.  This  represented  the  military  strength 
of  Penn's  valley  in  1775. 


CHAPTER    VIL 

BALD    EAGLE   AND    PENN'S    VALLEY   IN    1775. 

The  following  extracts  are  from  the  journal  of  Rev. 
Philip  V.  Fithian,  who  visited  Bald  Eagle  and  Penn's 
valley  in  1775  as  a  supply : 

BALD  EAGLE  KEST. 
"Jiilii  .11,17"o.— Mr.  Andrew  Buggs  lives  here,  twenty-fivo  miles  from 
Esq,  Fleriiiuir's.  Weiliitud  on  fiali-suckurs  and  cluibliB  iiiid  on  venison.  ^ 
It  is  u  level,  licli,  pleasant  spot,  the  broad  creek  running  hy  the  door. 
Many  of  tlie  trees  on  lliis  road  are  cut  by  the  Indians  into  strange  fig- 
ures,—diamonds,  .lealli  heads,  crowned  heads,  initial  letters,  whole  names, 
dates  of  .vcars,  and  I  lazes.  Soon  alter  we  had  dined  two  Indian  boys 
holted  in  (they  never  knoek  or  speak  at  the  door)  with  seven  lalge  ji.-h, 
one  would  weigli  two  pounds.  In  return  Mrs.  Bciggs  gave  them  bread 
and  a  piece  of  our  venison.  Down  they  sat  in  llie  ashes  before  the  fire, 
stirred  np  t!ic  coals  and  laid  on  their  flesh.  When  it  was  roasted  they 
eat  il  in  great  mouthfuls,  and  devoured  it  with  the  greatest  rapacity. 
When  thi-y  were  fone  Gillespie  threw  himself  on  a  blanket  and  is  now 
asleep;  I  sat  me  down  on  a  three-legged  stool  to  write.  This  house 
looks  and  smells  like  n  shambles;  raw  flesh  and  blood,  flsh  and  deer, 
flesh  and  blood  in  eveiy  part,  mangled  wasting  flesh  on  every  shelf. 


1  Andrew  Boggs  died  previous  to  1770,    (See   hiographical  sketch. 


Hounds  licking  up  the  blood  from  the  floor;  an  open-hearted  l{\ndlady  ; 
naked  Indians  and  children;  ten  hundred  thousand  flies;  oh  I  I  fear 
there  are  as  many  fleas.  Seize  me  sdou,  kind  sleep,  lock  me  in  thy  sweet 
embrace.  Sleep  to-night  is  gone.  Four  Indians  came  droving  in,  each 
with  a  large  knife  and  tomahawk.  Bless  me,  too,  they  are  strapping 
fellows.  All  standing  dumb  before  us,  Gillespie  chatters  to  them,  I 
am  glad  to  keep  bent  at  my  writing.  For  all  this  settlement  I  would 
not  live  here  for  two  such  settlements ;  not  for  five  hundred  a  year. 

"  Tuesday,  August  Isf. — At  prayers  this  morning  we  had  these  Indians. 
They  sat  motionless  during  the  exercise.  One  ii-revcrent  hunter  too,  a 
white  man,  lay  all  the  time  during  prayers  on  a  deer-skin  on  the  floor. 
We  liad  a  room  fell  of  one  and  another  and  all  were  quiet.  Mr.  Boggs 
tells  nio  he  knows  of  no  families  westward  of  this,  and  but  one  higher 
upon  this  creek.  Some  of  the  Indians  here  have  the  outside  rim  of 
their  cars  slitted  and  it  hang;?  dangling  strangely.  Some  have  rings  and 
others  drops  of  silver  in  their  noses  and  ears,  ruffled  shirts,  but  many 
of  these  very  greasy.  On  the  trees  near  their  camps  are  painted  in  red 
and  black  colors  wild  and  ferocious  animals  in  furious  gestures.  It  is 
only  eight  miles  distance  to  the  foot  of  the  Allegheny ;  but  it  rises  grad- 
ually,— in  the  neighborhood  (if  I  may  be  allowed  to  call  it  so).  On  the 
banks  of  the  creek  is  a  large  quantity  of  spruce-pine,  bal-k  black  and 
fine.  It  is  a  straight  tall  tree;  the  leaves  are  thinner,  longer,  and  of  a 
deeper  green  than  other  pine.  It  makcsan  excellentingredieut  in  table 
beer. 

\"  At  ten  I  tojk  my  leave,  crossed  a  gap  -  of  Muncy  ridge,  and  rode  eigh- 
teen miles  {hrongh  wild  barren  woods  without  any  trace  of  an  habita- 
tion or  road  other  than  the  blind,  unfrequented  path  which  I  tracked  at 
times  with  much  difficulty.  Two  or  three  forsaken  Indian  camps  in- 
deed I  saw  on  the  creek  bank,  and  a  little  before  sunset  I  arrived  at 
Capt,  James  Potter's,  at  the  head  of  Penn's  valley.  This  ride  I  found 
very  uncomfortable :  my  horse  lame  with  Iiut  one  shoe,  a  stony  road,  I 
lost  my  way  in  the  gap  of  the  mountains,  more  tlnin  ten  miles  of  the 
way  I  must  go  and  my  poor  horse  without  water,  I  let  him  feed,  how- 
ever, in  the  woods,  where  there  is  plenty  of  good  wild  grass,  I  fed  my- 
self on  huckleberries.  In  these  woods  are  very  heanliful  flowers,  and  a. 
great  quantity,  especially  a  large  orange-colored  lily,  spotted  with  black 
spots,  I  saw  here  the  first  sloe ;  it  grows  on  a  small  bush  like  the  hazle, 
ripens  in  the  winter,  and  is  now  like  a  heart  cherry.  In  these  woods 
aie  great  identy  <if  wild  cherries  growing  on  low  spray  bushes,  which 
are  just  now  ripening, 

"  ]yi:ditesday,  August  2d. — An  elegant  supper,  a  neat  house,  all  expres- 
sions of  welcome,  not  a  flea,  not  a  chinch,  as  1  know  of,  within  eighteen 
miles,  so  that  this  morning,  by  God's  mercy,  I  rise,  iu  part  recruited 
from  the  ruins  of  many  days'  distress.  Capt,  Potter  took  nie  walking 
over  his  farm.  He  owns  here  many  thousand  acres  of  fine  land.  Some, 
indeed,  I  saw,  is  a  most  fertile  walnut  hottom.  One  great  inconvenience, 
however,  attends  the  place,  the  want  of  water.  Some  few  springs  there 
are  of  good  water  and  in  jdenty.  But  there  ought  to  be  manj'  unfailing 
brooks,  Oats  and  flax  here  are  not  yet  i  ipe,  aud  tliei  e  is  now  the  greatest 
hurry  in  getting  in  the  wheat  and  rye.  Afternoon  I  rode  down  the  val- 
ley five  miles  to  a  smith's;  3  he  would  not  charge  me  anything  for  shoeing 
my  hoi^e.  The  people  seem  to  he  kind  and  extremely  civil.  Indians 
are  here  too.  It  was  evening  before  the  captain  and  I  returned,  AVe 
must  pass  by  their  camp.  Ten  sturdy,  able-limbed  fellows  were  sitting 
and  lying  around  a  large  fire,  hallooing,  and  in  frantic  screams  not  less 
fearful  thiur  infuriated  demons,  howling  until  we  were  out  of  hearing, 

"  Tliursdarj,  August  3d.—l  miss  here  the  shady,  |>leasaijt  banks  of  the 
Susquehanna,  It  is  forty-two  milfc  to  Northumberland  and  Sunbnry  ; 
eight  miles  to  the  nearest  place  where  Penn's  Creek  is  navigjible  with 
canoes,  almost  surrounded  with  hills  and  mountains ;  only  a  few,  and 
some  of  these  few  temporary,  springs.  The  low  bottoms  now  have  scarce 
water  snlficieiit  to  moisten  a  hog,  which  iu  winter  are  continually  flooded. 
Capt,  Potter  has  tasted  iu  t.iue  past  some  streams  of  the  I'ietian  spring. 
He  has  a  uuniher  of  books;  .lustice  Blackstone's  celebrated  conmien- 
taries,  Pope's  woiks,  Harvey's  Meditations,  many  theological  tracts; 
over  these  I  am  rambling  to-day  with  a  very  bad  headache  and  oppres- 
sion in  my  breast,  the  eflects  of  a  deep-rooted  cold  which  I  have  taken 
some  nights  past  when  I  wee  fighting  with  the  fleas, 

*^  Friday,  AwjuKtith. — The  wciither  has  been  for  some  time  past  cloudy, 
agneish,  and  uielancholy,    I  am  less  pleased  with  the  valley,  pcrliai)S 


-  Gap  between  Milcshnrg  and  Bellefonte,  His  route  was  through  Kit- 
tany  valley,  crossing  Nittany  Mountain,  through  McBiide's  Gap,  tho 
only  traveled  path  Ihen ;  tho  distance  to  Gen.  Potter's,  as  estimated  by 
Mr,  Fithian,  would  be  pretty  nearly  correct, 

3  Daniel  long,  east  of  Penn  Hall. 


INHABITANTS   OF   POTTER   TOWNSHIP   IN    1770. 


17 


till 


that  accouut  or  the  want  of  company,  not  a  house  ia  tlio 
lilos. 


Aitliin 


"Saturday,  Augnnt5th. — Cloudy  and  dull.  It  (s  muster-dny,  tho  captain 
goea  off  early.  1  am  not  pleased  with  the  captain's  plan  of  farming.  He 
has  too  extreme  a  scope  of  business.  Four  men  servants,  two  hoys,  more 
than  two  hundred  acres  of  land  cleared,  much  more  now  cutting  do*vn  ; 
two  ploughs  going  in  a  tough  rye  stubhle,  one  pair  of  oxen  in  one  and 
two  horses  on  tho  other  ;  both  too  weak.  A  large  field  of  oats  is  ripe, 
ijome  flax  too  ripe,  and  not  yet  pulled.  But  it  is  difficult  to  be  nice  in  so 
roughacounlry. 

**  Sunday,  Aitgitsi  Gift. — Penn's  Valley.  J  rise  early,  before  any  in  the 
family,  except  a  negro  girl.  Just  at  my  bed-head  a  window,  under  which 
stands  a  table.  Hero  I  laid  down  my  clean  linen,  finished  last  night  by 
Mrs.  Potter.  The  night  had  buen  very  stormy;  when  I  awoke  I  found 
a  largo  dog  had  jumped  in  through  an  open  light  of  the  window,  and 
had  softly  bedded  himBelf,dripping  with  water  and  mud,  among  my  clean- 
washed  clothes.  At  fii-st  I  felt  enraged.  I  bore  it,  however,  with  a  Sab- 
bath day's  moderation.  We  have  this  morning  a  most  violent  storm. 
At  one  I  began  service  in  Cajit.  Potter's  house  ;  only  eight  men,  and  not 
one  woman,  beside  the  family,  present.  I  preached  two  sermons,  with 
only  ten  minutes'  intermission.  A  most  turbulent  and  boisterous  day. 
I  hojte  my  words  were  not  wliolly  without  effect.  My  little  audience 
heard  with  eagerness.  Capt.  Potter  tells  mo  there  are  only  twenty- 
eight  families  in  the  valley.  Of  these  twenty-two  are  subscribers,  and 
they  have  raided  £40  in  subscriptions  as  a  fund  to  pay  snjipliea.  I  am 
the  second  preacher  who  has  been  in  the  valley.  Mr.  Linn  i  was  hero 
two  Sabbaths  past  first  of  all,  and  I,  by  regular  appointment,  next.  It 
rained  without  intermission  all  day. 

*' Moiidoy,  AiiguBt  1th.— I    must  stay  another  day  i 


morrow  I  am  to  have  company  c 
captain's  sister,  invited  me  to  ride 
valley  to  one  Mr.  McCormick.  [d 
I  like  this  part  of  the  valley  bett 
turns.  It  is,  however,  still  enconi 
people  while  wo  wei 


er  breakfast 
McCormick,  i 


Th( 


e  valley.  To- 
iss  Potter,  the 
lode  down  the 
Spring  Mills.] 
i  a  brisk  creek,  good  bot- 


passed  with 


On 


of  the 
brought  in  a  fine  dofr.  They  have  plenty 
uf  venison  ;  I  see  no  otln-r  meat.  I  write  these  lines  seated  on  a  Jog, 
with  my  paper  on  tlie  back  of  my  pockot-book,  under  a  large  spruce- 
tree  cluse-  upon  the  banks  of  Penn's  Creek,  which  runs  on  the  north 
B  de  and  at  the  very  foot  of  Kgg  Hill,  which  appears  to  me  to  bo  a  tall 
p'ne-covcred  mountain.  The  creek  runs  foaming  by  me,  enlarged  by 
yesterday's  great  flood.  Kear  Mr.  McCormick'a  is  a  fine  spring.  It  is 
bottomless,  and  lises  about  fifteen  feet  square  from  under  a  great  bill 
in  a' large  body,  I  think  full  sufficient  in  steady  course  to  turn  a  grist- 
mill. 

"*  No,  madam,  I  must  dry  the  butler  first.'  Mrs.  Potter's  girl  was 
liringing  in  a  plate  of  butter.  It  mined,  and  butter  will  retain  the  drops 
upon  its  BUI  face.  Innocent  miss,  therefore,  witli  great  care  for  neatness, 
was  holding  the  butter  close  loa  large  file.  'What  are  .\ou  at  there?' 
says  Mrs.  P.dter  to  Peggy.  'I  am  drying  the  butter,  madam.'  In 
this  valley  are  large  open  plains,  cleared  either  by  the  Indians  or 
accidental  fire.  Hundreds  of  acres  are  covered  «iih  fine  grass,  mixed 
with  small  weeds  and  a  great  variety  of  flowere.  Some  conjecture  that 
hot  blasting  fumes  which  arise  from  acres  of  brimstime  have  destroyed 
the  timber,  and  they  have  found  in  places  fine  unmixed  brimstone  that 
will  burn  quite  away  without  leaving  any  dross. 

"  Taraday,  Avgiittt  8(A.— Capt.  Potter  paid  me  for  my  supjdy  £l  5s.  Mr. 
Thompson  came,  atid  we  set  out. 

"  Crossing  the  Sevtni  Mountains.— The  first  mountain  we  had  tu  climb  by 
far  exceeded  all  1  have  yet  gone  over.  It  is  a  h-ng  sreep.  The  ascents, 
however,  were  trfling,  for  the  road  lies  alongside  of  the  mountain  and 
winds  gradually  upwards,  but  the  rocks,  vast  stones  uf  every  size  and 
shape,  make  it  not  only  troublesome  but  dangerous  to  goover  Ihem.  On 
thetopof  thid— oh,  niurther!— atmther  still  higher.  One  who  like  me 
lias  been  little  used  to  go  over  such  higli  hills  can  have  by  baredescription 
no  conception,  not  even  an  idea,  of  the  rough  lomanlic  prospect  here,— 
a  long  view  more  than  forty  mile*  over  the  tops  of  pine  ridges  through 
the  long  watm  valleys.  The  highest  tops  of  very  tall  trees  are  appar- 
kvo  hundred  or  three  hundred  feet  below  us,  and  within  gunshot 
js.  I  was  afiaid  my  hoi-se  would  miss  a  step  (which  wuuld  bo  of 
er  consequence  than  me  walking  a  minuet)  and  blunder,  for  in  such 
3  we  should  surely  have  trundled  d..wn  the  hill  like  Sisyphus'  always 
tiding  stone.  On  we  rode  over  the  other  mountain,  and  the  other 
I  the  other,  eighteen  miles.    On  the  summits  of  these  hills  is  yet  a 


ently  t 


1  He  refers  here,  no  doubt,  to  his  classmate,  NVilliani  L 
tor  at  Big  Spring,  now  Newville,  Cumbeiland  Co.,  Pa.  U 
father  of  James  Linn,  D.D.,  was  not  licensed  until  .he  ye 


nn,  D.D.,  pa; 
v.  JuhnLim 

r  1770. 


great  jilcnty  of  largo  eweet  litickloborries.    My  advice  to  all  who  ia 
future  pass  over  these— and  I  give  it  na  a  friend  to  them,  soul  and  body 


urney  armed  with  i 
Being  feeble,  falJci 


.re  of  ]m- 
Innerif,  they  may,  like  the 
in  high  places  and  «wi-»r. 
iry  riflge  of  our  desired 
to  it  ten  mile«  from  the 
Sai<l  Thompson  to  her. 


nply  that  tin 


— is  to  enter  upon  tht 
tience  and  perseveraii 
Israelites  long  ago,  commit  sin  in  these  .\meri 

"At  last  wo  came   in   view  from  a  lofty 
Kishacoqnilhis  valley.     We  stumbled  down  i 
east  end,  to  one  Fleming's.    Wo  met  a  woma 
'  How  are  your  family,  Margaret?'    'Thank  ,v<>u.  To 
are  all  on  their  feet,  thank  God.'    Tlie  woman  meant  i 
were  all  in  health. 

^^Wedneadny,  Aut/tutt  0th. — To-day  I  visited  Ksq.  Brown. 2  I  sbonli] 
make  his  house  my  home  by  appointment  of  Presl-yrery,  The  Ksq.llvps 
in  a  pleasant  spot  on  the  creek,  and  veij  near  tho  mountain.  There  irt 
a  gap,  too,  through  which  runs  tho  creek  and  tho  public  road  to  thu 
Juniata.  He  has  a  grist-mill,  saw-mill,  and  a  large  farm.  I  have  heard 
no  news  since  I  left  Chillisqnaque.  The  Esq.  tells  me  that  a  ship  has 
been  brought  into  Philadelphia  loaded  with  powder  and  arms  which 
was  destined  to  the  southward  for  the  negroes;  that  there  ia  nothing 
material  since  the  skirDiiah  at  Bunker  Hill." 

Here  we  close  our  extracts  from  tliis  interesting 
journal.  The  reader  may  be  interested  in  hearing  of 
the  subsequent  liistory  of  the  preacher.  He  joined 
the  Revolutionary  army  as  chaplain  to  a  New  Jersey 
battalion,  and  died  of  dysentery  at  Fort  Washington, 
now  in  the  limits  of  New  York  City,  Oct.  8,  177G. 

Thomas  Thompson,  his  companion  over  the  Seven 
Mountains,  died  in  Potter  township  in  1795.  His 
children  were  Robert  Thompson,  Prudence,  Cath- 
erine, and  Henrv. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

INHABITANTS  OF  POTTER  TOWNSHIP  IN  I77fi— 
RESIDENTS  OF  BALD  EAGLE  AND  POTTER- 
EVENTS  OF  THE  REVOLUTION— INDIAN  MAS- 
SACRE. 

From  a  petition  of  date  Sept.  20,  1776,  on  file  in 
the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth,  it 
will  appear  that  the  following  were  inhabi- 
tants of  Potter  township  at  that  time.  The  1776. 
application  is  for  arms  and  ammunition  for 
themselves,  and  for  powder  and  lead  for  the  Indian.-*, 
to  enable  them  to  get  a  living,  so  that  they  would  not 
go  to  the  enemy  for  a  supply: 


Allender,  Joseph. 
Arthur,  Richard. 
Arthni-,  Thomas. 
IJeil,  Henry. 
Brogle,  Fideller. 
Burk,  Thomas. 
Caldwell,  Charles 
Carr,  Thoma-'.    ' 
Conely.Tim. 
Cool,  Samuel. 
Davis,  Jonathan. 


Huston,  John. 
Houston,  Willi. 
Livingston,  Da' 


Da 


,  Mav 


Hall,  John. 
Harper,  Adiim. 
Hubler,  Jacob. 
IInd,John. 
Hughs,  John. 


Livingston,  Danit-l. 
Livingston,  John. 
Long,  Daniel. 
Long,  Michael. 
McCormick,  George. 
McCormick,  John. 
McCormick,  Kubert. 
McCormick,  Samuel. 
McDuw.-II,  James. 
McGrew,  Joseph. 
SIcMillen,  John. 
McMilten,  Thomas. 
McVicknr,  Duncan. 
Miles,  Enos. 


2  Judge  William  Brown  lived  at  what  was  long  kuon^  ; 
Mills,  now  ReedBVille,  Mffliii  Co. 


18 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Miles,  John. 
Mnore,  Hngli. 
Mnrphj',  Slicliael. 
OiT,  John. 
Peterson,  Garret. 
Reed,  John. 
Reynolds,  Adam, 
Richart,  Joseph. 
SanUey,  Richard. 
Stover,  Adam. 


Stover,  Jacob, 
Thompson,  Tsaiab. 
Thompson,  Thomas. 
Thompson,  William,  Si 
Thompson,  Will 
Watson,  .John. 
Willcott,  John. 
Willson,  Charles 
Willson,  Williai 
Woods,  George. 


Jr. 


At  a  meeting  of  the  county  Committee  of  Safety  of 
Nortlnimberland,  held  Feb.  8,  1776,  at  Richard  Ma- 
lone's,  who  lived  near  the  mouth  of  Chillisquaque 
Creek,  Potter  township  was  represented  by  John  Liv- 
ingston, Maurice  Davis,  and  John  Hall. 

The  officers  of  Potter  township  in  1776  were:  Con- 
stable, John  McConnel ;  supervisors,  Joseph  McGrew 
and  George  McCormick ;  overseers,  George  Woods 
and  Adam  Harper. 

July  15th,  the  convention  which  framed  the  first 
Constitution  of  Pennsylvania  met  at  Philadelphia, 
completing  its  labors  on  the  28th  of  September.  The 
members  representing  Northumberland  County  were 
AVilliam  Cooke,  of  Northumberland  (town);  James 
Potter,  of  Potter  township  ;  Robert  Martin,  of  North- 
umberland (town) ;  Matthew  Brown,  of  White  Deer, 
now  Union  County;  Walter  Clark,  of  White  Deer, 
now  Kelly  township,  Union  County;  John  Kelly,  of 
same;  James  Crawford,  subsequently  of  Wayne  town- 
ship, Clinton  County;  and  John  Weitzell,  of  Sunbury. 

September  3d,  the  convention  appointed  Henry 
Antes  and  James  Potter  justices  of  the  courts.  Buf- 
falo, White  Deer,  and  Potter  townships  were  in  the 
Third  Election  District  of  Northumberland  County, 
and  the  first  election  under  the  Constitution  for  this 
district  was  held  at  Fought's  mill  (near  Mifflinburg, 
Union  Co.),  November  3d. 

In   February,   1777,   John    Livingston    and   John 
McMillan  represented  Potter  township  in  the  Com- 
mittee of  Safety.     Joseph  McGrew  was  con- 
1777.     stable  of  the  township,  and  on  the  9th  of  June, 
John  Livingston  was  appointed  one  of  the 
justices  of  the  courts  of  Northumberland  County. 

On  the  5th  of  April,  Gen.  James  Potter  was  com- 
missioned a  brigadier-general  of  militia,  and  as  early 
as  the  19th  of  .Tune  he  was  in  active  service  near 
Philadelphia.  The  following  is  an  extract  from  a 
letter  to  him  at  camp,  dated  at  Fort  Augusta  (Sun- 
bury),  Sept.  26,  1777,  from  Col.  Samuel  Hunter:  "I 
received  an  express  from  Col.  Crookson  Long,  at  Bald 
Eagle,  that  he  had  discovered  a  party  of  Indian  war- 
riors about  forty  miles  above  the  Great  Island,  and 
upon  making  this  known  the  inhabitants  thereabouts 
fled  from  their  places,  which  induced  me  to  order  up 
the  first  class  of  militia  to  the  Great  Island,  to  en- 
courage the  people  thereabouts.  Two  of  the  inhab- 
itants are  missing,  supposed  to  be  captured." 
,  Col.  John  Kelly,  of  Buffalo  valley,  was  in  Octo- 
ber sent  up  to  the  Great  Island  in  command  of  fifty 
men,  and  had  with  him  Job  Chilloway,  the  friendly 
Indian,  and  found  the  inhabitants,  to  the  number  of 


five  hundred  men,  women,  and  children,  with  the 
families  of  some  friendly  Indians,  assembled  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Bald  Eagle,  at  Antes'  Mill  (opposite 
Jersey  Shore),  and  at  Lycoming  Creek. 

Gen.  Potter  spent  the  summer  and  winter  with  the 
army,  commanding  his  brigade,  at  Germantown,  and 
occupying  the  picket  lines  of  Washington's  army 
while  encamped  during  the  winter  at  Valley  Forge. 

In  the  suit  of  Miles  vs.  Barber,  Nov.  30,  1810,  Rob- 
ert McKim  testified :  "  I  came  to  Penn's  valley  in 

1777.  George  Woods  then  lived  in  a  cabin,  described 
by  George  McCormick  {ante,  1773-74),  within  the  lines 
of  Potter's  survey,  the  house  and  improvement  on  the 
north  side.  Another  man  was  with  me.  We  could 
not  come  through  Kishacoquillas.  My  brother-in-law 
and  Mr.  McGrew's  brother  met  us  in  the  Narrows,  and 
came  back  with  us  to  the  Great  Plains.  Some  of  the 
women  took  a  path  and  went  by  Woods'.  We  took 
off  at  that  fork  and  drove  up  near  to  McGrew's  Mills. 
There  were  perhaps  twenty  settlers  in  1777,  and  our 
first  tax  was  in  1785.     I  removed  in  the  spring  of 

1778,  came  back  in  the  fall,  and  wintered  in  the 
valley.  I  returned  in  1784,  brought  my  family  in 
1785.  George  Woods  came  back  in  1784.  Can't  tell 
when  Barber  settled,  but  it  was  before  1790.  Barber 
built  the  house  where  Alexander  lives,  front  of 
Gregg's  house,  and  the  tavern  at  Potter's  Mills.  I 
was  at  Woods'  in  1784,  when  he  lived  on  the  north 
side  of  the  creek.  There  was  a  settlement  in  Brush 
valley  before  I  came.  They  came  to  mill.  There 
was  a  road  from  Penn's  valley  around  the  end  of 
Nittany  Mountain.    A  path  came  over  at  Connelly's.'' 

According  to  a  statement  of  Rev.  J.  H.  Boggs,  an- 
other alarm  was  given  early  in  1778.  The  date  is 
fixed  by  the  letter  of  Arthur  Buchanan,  referred  to 
below.     He  says, — 

"My  f.ilher  (Judge  Boggs)  st.arted  over  the  nionntiin  fur  aid  to  pro- 
tect them.  He  was  aw.iy  three  days.  •  Allcr  ho  left  my  graiidniotlier 
took  her  little  children  upon  Muncy  Mountain,  and  remained  there  until 
ho  returned  with  a  parly  of  militia.  As  the  latter  came  along  the  foot 
of  the  mountain  tliey  heard  the  cliildreu  crying  for  bread.  The  militia 
were  tiien  divided  among  tlie  settlers,  and  coiifideuce  was  partially  re- 
stored, when  one  niglit,  while  the  men  were  lying  around  the  fire,  my 
grandmotlier  in  a  small  bedroom  adjoining, she  heard  sometbiiigat  hi'r 
window  which  warned  her  of  danger.  She  awoke  tlio  men,  who  imme- 
diately rushed  out,  but  the  Indians  fled.  It  appeared  lliey  went  imme- 
diately to  tlie  house  of  Jonas  Davis,  and  one  of  them  opened  the  door 
and  stepped  boMly  in.  One  of  the  men  hearing  him  enter  sprang  to 
the  door,  hut  before  the  olhei  s  had  time  to  act,  the  Indian  escaped  from 
him,  and  then  discharged  the  gun  at  the  door.  The  ball  passed  through 
and  killed  the  soldier,  who  was  on  the  next  day  taken  np  tomygranU- 
motlier's  and  buried. 

"The  same  party  of  Indians,  as  was  supposed,  passed  over  into  Nittany 
valley,  and  killed  Abraham  Standford  and  part  of  his  family.  One  of 
the  boys  they  took  with  them,  but  after  some  years  he  escaped  and  re- 
turned to  the  setllements.  In  184U  I  became  acquainted  with  two  of 
that  boy's  children  iu  Clariou  County,  Pa.  After  the  runiiway.  Judge 
Boggs,  who  was  a  boy  of  seventeen  or  eighteen,  made  several  visits  to 
the  house  to  see  after  the  stock,  which  was  not  mohstcd  by  the  Indians. 
On  one  occasion  he  came  suddenly  upon  an  Indian,  who  recognized  him 
and  assured  him  of  friendship  on  account  of  his  father  (then  dead),  who 
had  been  a  'big  medicine-man'  and  a  great  friend  of  the  Indians. 
They  traveled  together  that  day,  slept  in  an  empty  cabin  at  night,  and 
parted  the  ne.vt  morning,  taking  different  paths.  The  Indian  went  a 
few  miles  fuither,  and  surprised  and  murderetl  a  whole  family  which 
had  retuiiiod,  supposing  the  danger  ha  i  passed." 


RESIDENTS   OF   BALD   EAGLE   AND   POTTER—INDIAN   MASSACRE. 


19 


The  following  assessment  of  Bald  Eagle  township 
is  dated  May  1, 1778,  and  is  published  in  full  in  order 

to  show  the  residents  immediately  preced- 
1778.     ing   the   "Great   Runaway."      A    very   few, 

such  as  Henry  Antes,  Isaac  Bodine,  etc., 
are  not  within  the  limits  of  the  territory  embraced 
in  our  history : 

Alexander,  Jimies.  Fleming,  Robert,  Jr. 

Anderson,  John.  Hail,  John. 

Antes,  Henry.  Horn,  Samuel. 

Bennett,  William,  Sr.  Huff,  Gerehoni. 

Bennett,  William,  Jr.  King,  Roheit. 

Boggs,  Widow, 1  Liltle,  John. 

Bodine,  Isaac.  Love,  Robert. 

Bradley,  Dominick.  MeCoruiick,  Alexander. 

Campbell,  Cleary.  McKibben,  James. 

Campbell,  William,  Sr.  Manning,  John. 

Campbell,  William,  Jr.  Matlock,  Daniel. 

Carson,  Adam.  fliichael,  Mary. 

Collinglon,  Christopher.  Miller,  Henry. 

Cuthbert,  James.  Miller,  Warnock. 

Davis,  Daniel.  Murray,  James. 

Davis,  Jonas.  Tarsons,  Thomas. 

Davis,  Joseph.  Stephens,  Levi.2 

Devore,  Daniel.  Saltzman,  Widow. 

Dickson,  John.  Seaton,  James. 

Duckpan,  James.  *  Sutton,  Israel. 

Evans,  Thomas.  Whitman,  John. 

Fleming,  Robert  (Creek).  Wilson,  Thomas. 

Fleming,  Robert  (Poinl).  Wilson,  William. 
Fleming,  Joseph. 

Siitcile  Men. 

Delong,  David.3  McMichael,  James. 

Fleming,  Joseph.  Mallock,  Richard. 

Fulwizer,  Henry.  Reed,  Alexander. 

Horn,  Andrew.  Reed,  John. 
Layton,  Andrew. 

Robert  Love,  Collecinr. 

The  following  names,  being  additional  residents  of 
Potter  township  in  1778,  were  taken  from  an  assess- 
ment of  that  year  and  compared  with  that  of  1774: 

Acres.    Improved.    Ilorses.    Cattle. 

Arthur,  Thacher ...  1  1 

Hall,  John luo  25  2  2 

Harper,  Adam,  Sr 100  7  2  2 

Harper,  Adam,  Jr 

Hubler,  Jacob IIIO  8  2  2 

Hughes,  .John 60  4  1  1 

Huston.  John 60  7  1  1 

Kasweih-r,  George 200  8  ...  4 

King,  William lUO  C  4  2 

Long,  Daniel 200  10  1  2 

McCauslin,  James 60  ...  1  1 

McConnel,  Robert 50  4  2  2 

McCormick,  Robert ItIO  10  2  1 

McOrew,  Robert 20  2  2 

McMillan,  John 100  40  1  1 

McVickar,  Duncan ,.,  1  1 

Miles,  Andrew 

Miles,  Enos 100  0  12 

Miles,  James  {and  one  slave) 50  3  2  2 

Miles,  Richard 100  G 

Orr,  Jolin .,,  1  1 

J'etPl-8,  Garret .-.  2  1 

I'iatt,  Abraham 36  8  .,.  1 

Reynolds,  Adam .,,  1  I 

Richardson,  Joseph 50  5  1 

Robinson,  Anthony 100  2  11 

Staudford,  Jacob ...  1  1 

Stewart,  Samuel 60  15 

Stover,  Jacob,  Sr 

Stover,  Jacob,  Jr 300  6  2  1 

Thompson,  Thomas ...  1  2 

■Wat80n,John 100  20  2  1 

Willcot,  John ...  2  4 

■Wilson,  William 100  20  1  1 

Woods,  George 70 10 1 2_ 

•  This  no  doubt  was  the  widow  of  Andrew,  the  first  settler,  and  indi- 
cates his  death  occurring  before  this  date. 

2  Judge  Huston  states  that  Levi  Stephens  was  a  chaplain  of  Bouquet's 
command,  and  assisted  in  making  the  officers'  surveys. 

3  Lived  where  the  village  of  Howard  now  stands. 


Kvane,  Benjamin. 
Long,  I*anl. 
Black,  Conrad. 
McCashliii,  Juhn. 
McCormick,  John. 
McCormick,  Samuel. 


McMillan,  Thomas. 
Milligan,  William. 
Reynolds.  Adam. 
Stover,  Adam. 
Stover,  Juho. 


The  names  of  Samuel  Hoy  and  of  the  McNitts, 
with  Joseph  McMullen,  disappear  from  this  assess- 
ment. In  1778,  John  Watson  was  constable  of  Pot- 
ter; John  McConnel  and  Jacob  Stover,  supervisors; 
Joseph  Alender  and  Adam  Harper,  overseers  of  the 
poor.  After  this  year  there  is  no  record  of  township 
officers  until  1785.  The  county  taxes,  amounting  to 
five  hundred  and  thirty-two  pounds,  for  the  year  1778 
were  wholly  exonerated  Dec.  21,  1782. 

May  9,  1778,  Arthur  Buchanan,  who  resided  where 
Lewistown  now  stands,  writes:  I  this  moment  re- 
ceived by  Robert  Moore  an  express,  a  letter  from 
Capt.  Bell,  stationed  at  Bald  Eagle,  which  informs 
me  tliat  Simon  Vaugh,  one  of  his  company,  was 
killed  on  the  8th  inst.  at  the  house  of  Jonas  Davis,* 
on  Bald  Eagle  Creek.  Robert  Moore  was  sent  of  ex- 
press to  inform  me  of  wliat  had  happened.  As  Moore 
came  through  Penn's  valley  he  stopped  at  the  house 
of  Jacob  Standford  to  feed  his  horse,  where  he  found 
Standford  killed,  and  seeing  no  one  about  the  house 
he  rode  off. 

Again,  on  the  11th  of  May,  Mr.  Buchanan  writes 
that  he  had  just  received  intelligence  by  express  from 
Maj.  Miles,  in  Penn's  valley,  that  on  last  Friday 
Jacob  Standford,  his  wife,  and  daughter  were  killed 
and  scalped,  and  his  son,  a  lad  often  or  eleven  years, 
is  yet  missing,  and  tliat  the  savages  ravage  all  parts 
of  our  frontiers  in  a  very  public  manner. 

Jacob  Standford  resided  within  the  present  bounds 
of  Potter  township,  about  three  miles  west  of  Old 
Fort,  near  the  path  lliat  came  through  the  McBride's 
Gap.  The  bodies  are  buried  in  a  cornerof  oneof  the 
fields  on  Ephraim  Keller's  farm,  on  the  northwest 
corner  of  the  manor,  a  little  north  of  Leonard  Rhone's. 
Henr}'  Dale  (grandfather  of  Capt.  Cliristian),  who 
lielped  bury  them,  said  four  of  the  family  were 
killed.  The  nearest  neighbor  to  the  Standfords  was 
John  Willcott  (Earlytown),  and  the  bod}-  of  the 
daughter  who  was  killed  was  found  on  the  path  to 
Willcott's,  to  which  place  she  was  trying  to  make 
her  way. 

The  writer  of  an  obituary  of  Robert  Moore  in  The 
Centre  Democrat  of  May  7,  18S1,  giving  a  statement 
apparently  received  from  Robert  Moore,  says  he  was 
returning  from  the  Great  Ishtnd  to  Brown  Fort,  now 
Brown's  Mills  (Reedsville),  Mifflin  Co.,  when  he 
stopped  at  the  cabin  of  Abraham  Standford,  a  Ger- 
man, who  lived  on  the  farm  now  owned  (1831)  by 
Peter  Ruble,  in  Potter  township.  On  entering  the 
cabin  he  discovered  that  none  of  the  familv  were  in 


*  Jonas  Davis  lived  on  south  side  of  the  creek,  east  of  Ri:bard  Ma- 
one's  old  place. 


20 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  house,  but  going  around  the  cabin  towards  the 
spring  he  saw  the  body  of  Mrs.  Standford,  scalped, 
and  blood  yet  oozing  from  the  wounds.  At  a  few 
rods'  distance  lay  the  bodies  of  two  children.  Life 
was  hardly  extinct  in  the  body  of  Mrs.  Standford. 
The  writer  then  goes  on  to  say  that  Mr.  Moore's 
horses  having  strayed  among  the  Seven  Mountains, 
the  latter  went  in  search  of  them,  and  discovered  the 
body  of  an  Indian,  with  his  rifle  and  accoutrements, 
by  a  large  pine  log,  under  leaves,  in  a  state  of  preser- 
vation; that  after  peace  was  restored  Mr.  Moore  in- 
quired of  an  Indian  chief  called  Capt.  Hunt,  who 
was  with  the  party,  who  told  hini  that  after  the 
murder  of  the  Standford  family  they  held  a  council 
and  determined  upon  an  attack  upon  tlie  inhabitants 
of  Kishacoquillas  valley,  and  had  arrived  at  the 
gorge  west  of  where  William  Thompson  once  lived, 
in  the  east  end  of  the  valley,  near  where  the  old  Lew- 
istown  road  entered  ;  that  accidentally  the  gun  of  one 
of  their  chiefs  exploded,  killing  the  owner.  This  was 
deemed  an  ill  omen,  a  council  was  called",  and  the 
expedition  abandoned,  and  so  great  was  their  alarm 
that,  after  covering  the  chief  hastily  with  leaves,  they 
retired. 

Col.  Hunter,  in  a  letter  dated  at  Fort  Augusta,  May 
14th,  says  an  express  has  come  in  from  Penn  valley, 
informing  me  that  the  Indians  had  killed  and  scalped 
Jacob  Standford,  his  wife,  and  two  children,  being  all 
that  was  of  the  family.  Immediately  after  receiving 
the  news  I  ordered  the  seventh  class  of  Col.  John 
Kelly's  battalion  to  march  into  Penn's  valley,  where 
the  sixth  class  of  that  battalion  was  before. 

Col.  James  Potter,  who  had  obtained  leave  of  ab- 
sence from  the  main  army,  on  account  of  the  sickness 
of  his  wife,  on  the  9th  of  January,  intending  to  re- 
turn in  the  latter  part  of  April,  on  account  of  the 
troubles  on  the  frontiers  remained  in  Penn's  valley. 
On  the  17th  of  May  he  writes  from  the  "  Upper  Fort, 
Penn's  valley  :"'  Our  savage  enemy  continue  to  mur- 
der, scalp,  and  capture.  If  there  is  not  something 
done  the  country  will  be  entirely  given  up  to  the 
savages.  We  have  two  forts  in  this  valley,  and  are 
determined  to  stand  as  long  as  we  are  supported. 
The  bearer,  Maj.  Miles,  goes  to  apply  for  men  to  re- 
lieve Capt.  Bell,  etc.  On  the  31st  of  May,  it  appears 
by  Col.  Hunter's  letter  that  all  the  inhabitants  of 
Penn's  valley  were  gathered  at  one  place  in  Potter 
township,  and  a  panic  generally  pervading  the 
county.  June  17th,  Gen.  Potter  writes  that  Capt. 
Pealer's  men  in  Nittany  valley  had  discovered  the 
tracks  of  about  thirty  Indians  leading  down  Logan's 
Gap,  and  a  woman  and  two  children  were  missing  at 
the  head  of  Kishacoquillas  valley,  and  one  man 
wounded. 

The  great  runaway  of  July  7,  1778,  drove  most  of 
the  inhabitants  over  the  mountains  to  Cumberland 


1  TIio  lower  fart  M-as  on  the  present  furin  of  John  Boweraox,  ne-ir 
llublei'a  Uuli,  in  Ilaiucs  lowiistili. 


County,  but  they  for  the  most  part  soon  returned, 
and  contemporary  documents,  such  as  the  following, 
show  they  maintained  their  settlements  during  the 
winter  of  1778  : 

"  Penn's  Vallet,  Deer.  24, 1778. 
"  One  red  Strea  Steer,  white  on  his  Belly,  apprised  by  us  at  twenty-two 
pounds,  ten  shillings,  and  one  white  steer  Strea,  apprised  at  iirteen 
pounds.  Both  of  these  steers  at  James  Potter's,  and  apprised  by  us. 
"JouN  Livingston, 
"James  Adams." 
I  "  On  the  rjth  of  July,  Col.  Brodhead's  regiment,  on  its  way  to  Fort 
Pitt,  was  ordered  to  the  West  Branch  ;  part  of  Col.  Hartley's  regiment 
was  on  its  way  to  Sunbury,  and  the  militia  were  ordered  up  from  Lan- 
caster and  Berks,  and  the  people  came  back  to  reap  their  crops.  July 
24th,  Col.  Brodhead,  then  at  Muncy,  detached  a  captain  and  twenty-four 
men  into  Penn's  valley  to  protect  the  reapers  at  Gen.  Potter's  place. 
Gen.  Potter  writes  from  Penn's  valley,  on  the  25th,  that  "the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  v.alley  are  returned,  and  were  cutting  their  grain.  He  left 
Sunbury  last  Sunday  afternoon,  and  the  people  were  returning  to  all 
parts  of  the  county.  Yesterday  two  men  of  Capt.  Finley's  company,  of 
Col.  Brodhead's  regiment,  went  out  from  this  place  on  the  plains  a  little 
below  mj'  fields,  and  met  a  party  of  Indians,  five  in  number,  whom  they 
engaged.  One  of  the  8oldiei"s,  Thomas  A'an  Dorau,  was  shot  dead;  the 
other,  Jacob  Shedacre,  ran  about  four  hundred  yards,  and  was  pursued 
by  one  of  the  Indians.  They  attacked  each  other  with  their  knives,  and 
our  excellent  soldier  killed  his  antagonist.  His  fate  was  hard,  for 
another  Indian  came  up  and  shot  him.  He  and  the  Indian  lay  within 
a  perch  of  each  other.  These  two  soldiers  served  with  Col.  Morgan  in 
the  last  campaign.  James  Alexander,  wlio  in  after-years  farmed  the 
Old  Fort  farms,  casually  kicked  up  a  liunting-knife,  so  rusted  as  to  indi- 
cate that  it  might  have  belonged  either  to  the  Indian  or  the  soldier 
killed.  Two  stones  were  put  up  to  mark  the  spot  on  William  Henning'a 
place,  one  mile  east  of  Old  Fort  Hotel."    They  are  still  there  (1882). 


CHAPTER   IX. 


EVENTS  1779-34— THE  FIRST    IRON  COMPANY— SUR- 
VEYS AND  RETURN  OF  THE  INHABITANTS. 

GE^'^.  Potter  writes  to  President  Reed  : 

"  Penn's  Vailey,  May  ID,  1779. 
"  Capt.  Carberry  (of  Hartley's  regiment)  left  last  Sabbath  with  ten  of 
his  horsemen,  leaving  his  lieutenant  and  seven  horsemen.    He  is  gone 
to  ButTalo  valley.    In  a  few  days  I  expect  the  lieutenant  to 
follow  him.    We  will  then  be  left  in  this  valley  with  one  lieu-    1779. 
tenant  and  fifteen  men  in  three  forts  as  a  guard,  and  on  the 
4tli  of  June  their  time  will  expire,  and  then  most  probably  we  in  this 
valley  will  have  to  fly.    There  are  no  inhabitants  but  in  Peun's  valley, 
an<i  they  in  forts." 

The  departure  of  Hartley's  regiment  from  the  West 
Branch  valley  to  join  Gen.  Sullivan's  expedition  was 
followed  by  the  temporary  abandonment  of  the  settle- 
ments in  Penn's  valley,  in  July,  1779,  and  Armagh 
township  (then  in  Cumberland)  became  the  frontier. 
Gen.  Potter  retired  to  his  farm  on  Middle  Creek  (now 
in  Snyder  County).  He  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
Supreme  Executive  Council  in  1780,  and  in  May, 
1781,  dates  his  letters  from  Middle  Creek,  and  in 
1781  and  1782  is  upon  the  assessment  list  of  Penn 
township  (now  in  Snyder  County).  In  September, 
1781,  he  marched  a  body  of  one  hundred  and  seventy 
men  on  a  tour  about  the  frontiers.  On  the  14th  of 
November,  1781,  he  was  elected  vice-president  of  the 
State,  and  served  as  such  until  November,  1782. 


EVENTS  1779-84— THE   FIRST  IRON   COMPANY— SURVEYS. 


21 


A  letter  from  William  Brown,  Esq.,  shows  the  fact 
that  Armagh  township  was  still  the  frontier  in  April, 
1782,  and  the  assessment  books  of  1782  show  there 
were  no  inhabitants  taxed  in  Bald  Eagle,  Potter, 
Muncy,  or  White  Deer  townships  in  that  year,  Col. 
Hunter's  letter  of  the  8th  of  April,  1782,  showing 
that  the  inhabitants  refused  to  return  to  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Muncy,  though  he  endeavored  to  get 
them  to  do  so. 

As  appears  by  George  McCormick's  testimony,  the 
country  was  entirely  abandoned  in  tlie  hard  winter  of 
1779-80  and  spring  of  1780,  and  its  history  is  a  blank 
until  1784. 

July  26,  1784,  Benjamin  Davis,  Maj.  Lawrence 
Keene,  and  Joseph  J.  Wallis  entered  into  an  agree- 
ment to  take  up  a  large  body  of  lands.  The 
1784.  cost  of  the  lands  were  to  be  defrayed  by  Ben- 
jamin Davis,  the  locating  and  surveying  by 
Messrs.  Keene  and  Wallis,  Davis'  interest  to  be  one- 
half,  and  Keene's  andWallis'  one-quarter  each.  Joseph 
J.  Wallis  was  deputy  surveyor.  The  agreement  cov- 
ered twenty-four  tracts  which  had  been  applied  for 
before,  and  warrants  issued  for  July  1,  1784.  The 
twenty-four  tracts  were  surveyed,  or  at  least  returned 
as  surveyed,  the  22d  to  29th  of  November,  1784.  The 
leading  warrant,  Benjamin  Davis,  commenced  at  the 
S.  E.  white-oak  corner  of  the  George  Gabriel  warrant, 
in  Benner  township,  where  the  line  ran  S.  30  E.  497 
perches  to  a  pine ;  thence  the  lineof  the  warrants  ran  S. 
35  E.  191  to  the  Rock  Iron-Works' land.  Gen.  Ben ner's; 
thence  southwestwardly  6  miles  and  177  perches, 
through  what  is  known  as  the  Barrens,  to  near  the 
Pennsylvania  Furnace  Company's  lands  to  a  peak  defi- 
nitely ending  with  the  James  Newport  warrant,  which 
adjoined  the  Robert  Gover.  The  west  line  of  James 
Newport  was  north  30  W.  265  to  a  pine.  Its  north- 
western limit  included  the  Thomas  West,  Jr.,  war- 
rant, and  then  the  line  ran  eastwardly  along  the 
southern  lines  of  what  are  known  as  the  Buffalo  Run 
surveys,  made  by  Thomas  Smith,  Esq.,  in  1770,  to  the 
Gabriel  white-oak.  From  the  pine  of  the  Benjamin 
Davis  (late  the  Judge  Marshall  farm)  the  line  ran  N. 
55  E.,  including  the  Christopher  Gettig,  Richard 
Rundel,  Thomas  Murgatroid,  and  Robert  Barnhill 
warrants.  The  southern  portions  of  Gettig,  Rundel, 
and  Murgatroid  warrants  interfered  with  Gen.  Ben- 
ner's  land,  Thomas  Evans,  and  Robert  Boggs.  In  a 
contest  with  Benner  and  others.  Col.  Miles  failed  to 
establish  his  title  for  the  southern  portions  of  these 
three  warrants,  and  the  Barnhill  warrant  seems  to 
have  been  abandoned,  as  subsequent  warrants  of 
quite  a  late  date  have  been  laid  there. 

Gen.  John  Patton  bought  Joseph  Wallis'  interest 
as  early  as  May  8,  1790,  and  subsequently  Benjamin 
Davis'  interest,  and,  in  connection  with  Col.  Samuel 
Miles,  these  tracts  with  other  lands  were  held  as  ap- 
pendant to  Centre  Furnace  and  the  Milesburg  Iron- 
Works. 

Samuel  Hunter,  member  of  the  Council  of  Censors, 


having  died,  Gen.  James  Potter  was  elected  in  his 

place,  and  took  his  seat  July  7,  1784. 

The  journal  of  James  Harris  lias  the  following 
reference  to  surveys  on  the  Moshannon,  partly  in 
Centre  County.  Mr.  Brown's  tracts  are  tlie  .John 
Anderson,  Gilbert  Vaugh,  John  Vaugh,  Jonathan 
Wales,  and  John  Roll,  which  stretch  from  a  birch 
on  east  side  of  Moshannon,  ten  miles  or  so  above 
Osceola,  and  extending  below  and  east  of  Houtz- 
dale.  John  Reed's  survey  embraced  Thomas  P.  Cope, 
Tiiomns  Billington,  the  Harrison,  on  one  of  which 
the  John  Harrison  Osceola  is  built,  and  the  Edmund 
Fletcher : 

"  The  19th  of  Octoliei-,  17S4,  left  Esq.  Brown  goiog  to  get  land  sur- 
veyed over  Alleghany  mountain.  Our  company  as  follows;  WillLim 
Brown,  Esq.,  J.  liarris,  G.  Meek,  David  Milligan,  Andrew  Small,  Daniel 
Beats,  and  Thoa.  Pearce.  At  J.  Reeds  we  were  joined  by  John  Reed,  D. 
Alexander  and  R.  Alexander;  the  company,  except  Esq.  Brown  and 
myself,  proceeded  through  Standingstone  Valley,  Mr.  Brown  and  myself 
by  Stone  town  on  the  2ath.  Proceeded  to  Esq.  Canan's,  where  I  left  Jlr. 
Brown  and  Joined  the  company  atPonnells  SlilU,  from  thence  marched 
about  three  miles  and  encamped  on  the  waters  of  Spruce  Creek  ;  on  the 
2l6t  advanced  about  four  mites  to  one  Stewarts  at  Warrior  Marks,  and 
waited  till  the  moruing  of  the  22d  and  were  joined  by  Mr.  Brown  and 
Mr.  Canan  ;  the  day  proved  rainy  and  unfit  for  crossing  the  mountain. 
2.'iU  leftAVanior  Harks  and  crossed  over  to  Moshannon,  encamped  on 
this  branch,  Sunday  the  2'lth  Mr.  Brown's  horse  left  him  and  took  the 
back  track,  the  25th  Mr.  Canan  made  a  large  survey  fur  Mr.  Brown  con- 
taining 2150  acres,  including  extensive  beaver-damson  both  branches 
of  Moshannon  dam  in  pursuance  of  five  warninte  400  on  each,  on  the 
26th  he  [jerformed  a  large  survey  fur  J.  Eeed  in  pursuance  of  six  war- 
rants of  400  on  each,  including  the  fork  adjoining  and  below  Mr.  Brown's 
survey,  the  27th  left  the  forks  of  Qlusliannon  and  proceeding  nearly  a 
due  west  course  about  8  miles  struck  the  Clearfield  Creek,  just  at  tlie 
head  of  the  narrows :  were  met  by  Mr.  MiUerand  two  young  men  named 
Blitchell ;  here  an  extensive  rich  bottom,  a  fine  pleasant  creek  alwut  30 
or  40  yards  wide,  the  upland  not  rich  but  in  some  places  well  timbered. 
The  28th  five  men  by  the  name  of  Wickerts  came  to  our  camp  said  they 
claimed  by  improvement  a  great  deal  of  land  up  this  creek,  say  they  will 
not  sulTor  it  to  be  surveyed.  Mr.  Canan  performs  two  surveys  fur  the 
southeast  side  of  the  Creek  for  Reed,  Alexander  A  Co.,  tlie  second  in- 
cludes the  mouth  of  a  large  rnn,  and  extends  about  one  mile  up  it. 
There  is  said  to  be  good  land  for  three  or  four  miles  up  this  mn.  Jas. 
Alexander's,  including  the  mouth  of  this  run,  is  in  the  name  of  John 
Gill. 

"  KB— On  the  28th  George  Meek  killed  one  large  buck,  pretty  fat  not 
unwelcome  news  to  the  company. 

"The  29th  Mr.  Canan  began  a  survey  on  the  north  west  side  above 
the  narrows,  was  obliged  to  quit  on  account  of  rains.  On  the  30th  Mr. 
Canan  performed  one  of  the  surveys  on  the  west  side  of  Clearfield  ex- 
tending it  as  high  up  as  the  Bickert's  claim.  The  30th  we  decampe<l 
and  marched  up  the  creek  as  far  as  the  mouth  of  the  Piney  run.  The 
31st  moved  up  to  the  forks  of  Beaver  creek  and  C'learfield,  leaving  Mr. 
Canan,  John  Reed,  Wm.  Miller,  4c.,  to  perform  their  surveys. 

"  The  1st  of  November  began  a  survey  at  the  month  of  Ueaver  Creek, 
including  the  same  on  the  evening  of  our  return  fell  in  with  the  fallen 
timber  (blowed  down  by  the  hurricane  in  June)  were  benighted  and  met 
with  much  difflculty,  got  home  about  midnight. 

"2d,  Rainy  in  the  forenoon,  surveyed  some  in  the  afterpart. 

"3d,  Surveying. 

"4th,  Rainy  all  day. 

"6tli,  Surveying;  am  much  afflicted  with  the  rheumatism.  George 
Meek  kills  one  other  buck.  (Mr.  Brown  went  down  on  the  sixth  to  the 
other  company.) 

"7tli,  Rheumatism  continues;  we  lay  on  Clearfield  three  days. 

"8tli,  We  decamped,  and  moved  up  Beaver  Creek  to  a  large  beaver 
dam,  and  encamped  on  the  northwest  side  below  where  our  surveyed  line 
crossed. 

"9th,  David  Milligan  and  .Andrew  Small  returned  down  to  pilot  up 
the  other  party,  the  day  proved  rainy  and  uncomfortable. 

"  lOth,  The  day  is  dark  and  cloudy ;  a  branch  fills  in  above  this  bea. 
ver  dam  on  which  is  much  good  meadow  laud,  the  upland  adjacent  U 


22 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


also  good.    Mr.  Brown,  Mr.  Canan,  &c.,  returns  to  camp.    Mr.  Caaan 
aud  Dan.  Beats  take  faick. 

"  11th,  Kainy  in  the  moruing:,  in  the  afternoon  surveying. 

"  12th,  Surveying  our  old  beaver-dams;  the  day  is  dark,  cloudy,  and 


near  our  old  encampment  in  Jun 
nd  encamp  c 


"13th,  We  decamp  and  move  up 
last  on  Beaver  Creek,  the  weather  rainy. 

"  I4th,  We  left  the  Bejiver-creek  and  encamp  on  the  Chest  creek  above 
the  Kittaning  path  at  a  former  encampment  in  June,  the  weather  niiny. 

"15th,  Dan  Beiits  returns  home  by  the  Kittaning  path;  we  left  the 
Chest  and  proceed  southwest  in  search  of  our  land  on  Blacklick;  at 
about  four  miles  we  cross  a  large  run  supposed  a  branch  of  the  Chest ; 
eight  or  ten  miles  we  came  upon  the  head  branches  of  a  run  supposed  to 
be  that  on  which  our  land  lies.    Weather  dark  and  rainy. 

"IGth.  Mr.  Brown  and  self  go  down  the  run  to  examine  how  the  land 
lies,  intending  to  return  in  about  ono  and  a  half  hour,  but,  the  weather 
being  dark,  and  inadvertantly  keeping  too  far  from  the  main  run,  and 
following  a  large  drove  of  elks,  we  came  upon  a  creek  of  which  our  run 
i^  a  branch,  we  got  lost  without  gun,  compass,  sunshine,  or  fireworks. 
We  traveled  all  day  without  fifteen  minutes  intermission  until  about 
one  hour  before  night,  when  luckily  we  came  within  liearing  of  our 
horse  bells,  and  from  thence  to  our  camp. 

"  17th,  We  are  surveying,  perform  one  survey.  Cloudy  all  day  until 
an  hour  before  sundown  when  the  sun  appeared  the  first  time  for  eight 
or  nine  days. 

"  ISth,  This  morning  a  snow  of  three  or  four  inches  deep  covers  the 
ground  ;  in  the  afternoon  finish  a  survey. 

"  19th,  We  intended  to  march  ;  proved  rainy  and  snowy  all  day  ;  we 
stay  in  camp  until  the  next  morning. 

"  20th,  We  decamp,  finding  that  this  is  not  the  land  we  had  located  on 
Black  Lick;  this  being  as  we  suppose  a  branch  of  Conemack,  and  sur- 
veying northwest  fall  upon  Black  Lick  near  our  old  encampment  in 
June  last,  distance  about  five  or  six  miles.    Weather  rainy  in  the  afler- 

"  21st,  Mr.  Brown,  Mr.  Canan  and  myself  go  in  search  of  the  land  lo- 
cated by  the  same  route  we  discovered  it  in  summer,  we  walk  up  the 
creek  about  two  miles  then  leaving  it  to  the  eastward  come  upon  our 
land  and  the  spruce  marked  I  H  wliich  is  nut  on  a  branch  of  Black  Lick 
but  as  we  suppose  a  branch  of  Conemack.  Geo  Meek  and  David  Alex- 
ander go  over  the  hills  to  Lick  creek. 

"22d,  Mr.  Canan  and  a  party  go  out  to  survey  whilst  the  rest  of  the 
company,  viz :  Tho  Pierce  and  myself  move  the  camp  and  baggage  to  our 
land;  they  miss  the  camp  and  return,  they  left  in  the  morning  and  stay 
tliereall  night  uuconifortably.  George  Meek  and  David  Alexander  join 
Pierce  and  I  and  on  our  marcli  we  encamp  at  the  I II  Spruce. 

"23d,  In  the  morning  we  were  joined  by  the  surveying  part}'.  Mr. 
Canan  sick.    I  go  and  finish  Ihe  surveying  un  Black  Lick. 

"  NB — On  the  23d  in  finishing  the  survey  much  good  land  was  left  out 
on  the  west  and  south  on  the  waters  of  Conemack. 

"24th,  Steer  homeward,  cross  the  heads  of  Chest  creek  encamp  on 
Clearfield  creek  about  4  milesabove  the  Kittanoing  path ;  we  hear  2  shots 
one  at  dark  and  another  after  midnight, 

"25th,  Geo  Meek  and  D.  Milliken  go  down  to  the  path  and  return  ;  we 
then  all  move  over  the  mountain  by  the  path  arrive  at  John  Framan's  in 
Frankstown  settlement. 

'*  2Gth,  A  snow  of  3  or  4  inches  deep  appears  on  the  ground  in  the 
morning  and  continues  raining  and  snowing  most  part  of  the  day ;  we 
travel  on  all  day ;  the  company  part  at  Ed  Beaty's  at  Waterstreet.  Mr. 
Brown  and  I  go  home  with  Esq.  Canan. 

"  27th,  Mr.  Brown  goes  fur  bis  horse  to  the  Warrior  Marks  and  returns 
to  Mr.  Canan's.  I  drink  cyder  with  Mr.  Canan  at  Mr.  Mitchell's  aud 
Mr.  Dean's  his  father-in-law. 

"28th,  Sunday  we  go  to  the  stone  T.  with  Mr.  Canan,  hear  Mr.  Stevens 
a  new  Irishman  preach,  and  we  ride  down  to  John  Fees;  meet  with  F 
Maybary  an  old  acquaintance. 

"  2Dtli,  We  stop  at  J.  McCays  in  Kishacoquillis  Valley  and  make  a  sur- 
vey and  then  proceed  down  the  valley  to  Mr.  Brown's. 

"3Utli,  I  arrive  at  homo  on  Juniata." 

The  following  assessment  of  Bald  Eagle  township, 
dated  Dec.  4,  1784,  indicates  who  returned  to  their 
settlements  during  the  summer  of  that  year  and  orig- 
inal settlers  of  that  year.  Robert  Fleming  was  as- 
sessor, Robert  Love  and  Cleary  Campbell,  assist- 
ants. 


Arthure,  John. 
Balto,  Adam. 
Bennett,  William. 

Boggs,  Margery. 

Bowen,  Danforth. 

Campbell,  Cloary. 

Carson,  John. 

Clark,  Frank. 

Clark,  John. 

Davis,  Jonas. 

Delong,  David. 

Dewitt,  Harnett. 

Fleming,  Ezekiel. 

Fleming,  John,  Sr. 

Fleming,  John,  Jr. 

Fleming,  Robert. 

Ghormley,  Joseph. 

Gordon,  Thomas  (lived  with  Jonas 

Davis,  at  the  Nest,  in  1796). 
Horn,  Samuel. 


Horn.Williiim. 

Johuston,  Richard. 

King,  Joseph. 

Limber,  C-ornelius. 

Love,  Robert. 

McGrady,  William. 

Mahan,  William. 

Millegan,  John. 

Murdoch,  Alexander. 

Beligh,  David. 

Richey,  Robert. 

Richards,  Casper. 

Richards,  Frederick. 

Smith,  Abraham. 

Stewart,    Charles    (only    recent! 

Turner,  John. 
Wilcot,  Paul. 
Wilcot,  Silas. 

Whitman,   Jacob    (taxed   with 
mill). 


Balto,  John. 
Bowen,  Danforth. 
Campbell,  William. 
Carsou,  James. 
Delong,  Jonathan. 

Gilmore,  Richard. 


Toung  J/eji's  Karnes : 

Horn,  Andrew. 
Mahon,  Alexander. 
Murray,  William. 
Religh,  David. 
Riclmrds,  Frederick. 
Richards,  Matthias. 
Rodgers,  Thomas. 


In  1784  we  note  the  settlement  of  Abraham  Elder 
in  the  new  territory  of  Half-Moon,  then  in  Bedford 
County. 

In  the  territory  west  of  Beech  Creek  and  north  of 
Nittany  Mountain,  circling  around  the  end  of  Nit- 
tany  west  of  Potter,  we  find  the  following  additional 
residents  on  the  assessment  for  1785 : 


AUender,  Joseph. 

Arthurs,  Thomas. 

Askey  {or  Erskine),  Capt.  Thomas. 

Evans,  David. 

Gonsaulus,  Richard. 

Hamilton,  Archibald. 

Hamilton,  James. 


Holt,  John. 
McConnel,  Hugh. 
Malone,  Francis. 
Malonc,  Richard. 
Reed,  John. 
Swansey,  William. 
Williams,  Capt.  Jushua. 


Hamilton,  John. 

Richard  Malone  bought  the  Charles  Worthington 
tract  (below  the  present,  1882,  Thomas  farm,  in  Boggs 
township),  on  both  sides  of  the  creek,  in  1785,  of 
Samuel  Wallis,  for  thirty  shillings  per  acre.  He 
built  on  the  part  south  of  the  creek. 


CHAPTER    X, 


ELECTION   DISTRICTS,   AND   LISTS   OF   SETTLERS. 

The  act  of  Sept.  13,  1785,  fixed  the  place  of  hold- 
ing elections  for  Potter  township,  with  those 
of  Buff'alo   and  White   Deer,  at   Foutz  mill,     1785. 
late  Rockey's,  a  little  east  of  Mifflinburg,  in 
Buffalo  valley  ;  those  of  Muncy  and  Bald  Eagle  at 
Amariah    Sutton's,   in  Muncy  township. 

In  Bald  Eagle  township  in  1786  we  note 
the  following  additional  settlers  and  improve-    1786. 
ments : 


ELECTION   DISTRICTS  AND   LISTS   OF   SETTLERS. 


23 


UcGee,  Jolm  (on  the  Margaret 
Bradforil  tract  of  Wullis",  in 
Liberty  townsliip).  * 

McCracken,  William. 

Mason,  John. 

Michael,  John. 

Quickley,  Michael. 

Ramsey,  James  S. 

Kichards,  FieUerick.^ 

Skidmore,  Josljua. 

Spear,  Alexander. 

Terwiliger,  John. 

Westbrooke,  James. 

Westbrooke,  Eichard. 


Antes,  Henry  (grist-mill). 
Bennett,  James  (giist-mill). 
Crawford,  Robert. 
Davis,  William. 
Donelly,  John. 
Hannah,  David, 
llolt,  Jacob. 
Hamilton,  Hugh, 
fielford,  Cliristopher. 
Gunsalus,  Derick. 
King,  Joseph. 
Knapp,  Ebenezer. 
Limber,  Joseph. 
Lucas,  Benedict. 
McCormick,  John  (marked  as  non- 
resident ou  ta.x-list). 

The  assessment  is  dated  May  17,  1786,  from  which 
the  above  extracts  are  taken. 

In  September,  1786,  the  place  for  Potter  was 
changed  to  George  McCormick's  (Spring  Mills). 
The  act  erecting  Mifflin  County  (1789)  provided  that 
all  that  part  of  Northumberland  contained  within 
the  bounds  of  Mifflin, — i.e.,  that  part  of  the  county 
west  of  Spring  Mills, — should  be  erected  into  an 
election  district,  and  hold  their  elections  at  Enoch 
Hastings',  and  then  the  act  of  the  9th  of  April,  1791, 
changed  the  place  of  election  for  the  part  in  North- 
umberland County  from  George  McCormick's  to 
Aaron  Levy's  house  in  Aaronsburg. 

At  May  sessions,  1786,  Bald  Eagle  township,  which 
extended  along  the  south  bank  of  the  river  from 
opposite  the  mouth  of  Lycoming  Creek  (Williams- 
port  City  bounds)  westerly  and  northwesterly  about 
seventy  miles,  was  triparted  by  the  Court  of  Quarter 
Sessions  of  Northumberland  County.  The  most 
westerly  portion  from  the  mouth  of  Beech  Creek  was 
called  Upper  Bald  Eagle,  and  embraced  all  of  Centre 
County  (now)  except  Harris,  Potter,  Gregg,  Penn, 
Haines,  and  Miles  townships.  The  middle  portion 
embraced  Beech  Creek  township,  Bald  Eagle,  Lamar, 
Potter,  etc.,  and  was  called  Lower  Bald  Eagle  ;  and  the 
portion  easterly  of  the  mouth  of  the  Bald  Eagle  and 
southerly  embraced  Sugar  valley,  and  was  called 
Nippenose. 

There  are  no  assessments  of  Potter,  after  the  return 
of  the  inhabitants,  to  be  found  earlier  than  1786, 
which  is  published  in  full  below : 


Andrews,  Miilcolm. 
Ayres,  Abraliam. 
liunn,  Frcdeilck. 
Cannon,  James. 

Henney,  Adam. 
Henney,  Christopher, 
llennoy,  Hieronymus, 
Hess,  Matthias. 

CamaLan,  William. 
CImmbers,  Thomas. 

Habler,    Jacob    (grist-    and    saw- 
mill). 

Cnnscr,  Henry. 

Hubler,  John. 

Elsey,  Peter. 
Krtle.  Valentine. 

Johnston,  Alexander. 
Johnston,  James. 

Garret,  Jolm. 
Geiswet,  George. 

Jordan,   Benjamin   (taxed  with  a 
negro). 

Gibson,  James. 

King,  Francis. 

Glasgow,  Samuel. 
Green,  Thomas. 

King,    William    (taxed    with    a 
slave). 

Hall,  John. 

Lamb,  William  tgrist-mill). 

Harper,  Adam. 

Long,  Daniel. 

Hastings,  John. 

Long,  Michael. 

1  He  is  taxed  with  a  grist- 

and  saw-mill.    These  were  erected  at  the 

Livingijton,  Daniel. 
Livingston,  David. 
McCashon,  James. 
McConnell,  John. 
McCormick,  George. 
McCormick,  John. 
McKim,  Robert. 
McVickar,  Duncan. 
Miller,  Henry. 
Mitchell,  John. 
Morrow,  Andrew. 
Motz,  John. 
Motz,  Michael. 
Neely,  John. 
Pennington,  Robert. 
Piatt,  Abraham. 
Pontius,  George. 
Reynolds,  Adams. 
Reinhart,  George. 
Reinhart,  Joseph. 
Robertson,  Anthony. 


Roll,  John. 
"Rwn,  Joseph. 
Sandford,  Abraham. 
Shingle,  Philip. 


Stov, 


,  Ada 


Stover,  Frederick. 
Stover,  Jacob. 


810 


,  Join 


Thompson,  Thomas. 
Thompson,  Robert. 
Ulse,  Jacob. 
Vanhorne,  Joseph. 
Van  Ostrand,  George. 
Van  Ostrand,  John. 
Watt,  John. 
Watson,  John. 
Weaver,  David. 
Wilson,  William. 
Wolfe,  George. 
Woods,  George. 


Gen.  James  Potter  is  marked  as  a  non-resident,  he 
having  his  residence  in  White  Deer  township,  now 
Union  County.  Abraham  Piatt,  John  Hall,  and 
George  Woods  were  the  assessors. 

In   1787  we   gather  from  the  assessments 
additional   residents  in  what  became  Upper    1787. 
Bald  Eagle  township : 


Adams,  Nathaniel. 

Antes,   Philip    (taxed   with    grist- 

and  saw-mill). 
Armstrong,  Daniel. 
Baker,  John. 
Bathurst,  Laurence. 
Gonsalus,  Emanuel. 


Harbison,  John  (one  of  the  first 
settlers  of  Walker  township). 

Lewis,  Lewis,  surveyor  (father  of 
David  Lewis,  the  robber). 

McCalmont,  Thomas. 

Terwiliger,  Isaac. 


,  Da 


veyo 


Cole,  Samuel. 
Lucas,  Joseph. 


Single  Men. 

Malone,  Leslie. 
Malone,  Richard,  Jr. 


present  town  of  Mill  Hall,  in  Cliuton  County, 


A  letter  from  Samuel  Wallis,  dated  Monday,  Jan. 
10,  1787,  fixes  the  date  of  Philip  Antes'  purchase. 
He  says,  "  I  have  considered  your  proposition  of  pur- 
chasing the  sur\-ey  near  Bald  Eagle's  Nest  in  the 
name  of  Philip  Gover  (on  which  Eagle  Works  are 
now  situated,  1882) ;  the  price  will  be  thirty  shillings 
per  acre,  in  four  equal  payments.  If  these  letters 
will  do,  you  may  proceed  to  put  up  a  small  house 
upon  it."  Mr.  Antes  accepted  the  proposition,  and 
moved  upon  the  place  in  July,  1787. 

Daniel  Turner  took  up  the  laud  where  Roopsburg 
now  stands,  on  Spring  Creek,  Sept.  14,  1787,  and  the 
sad  incident  related  by  Judge  Linn,  illustrative  of 
the  hardships  of  the  early  settlers,  is  referable  to  the 
severe  winter  of  1787-88.  Turner  left  for  Clear- 
field County  to  hunt  and  trap.  His  family  ran  out 
of  provisions,  and  his  wife  came  to  Lamb's,  where 
Bellefonte  now  stands,  to  borrow  some  meal.  Going 
back  she  took  a  different  path ;  the  children  started 
down  to  meet  her,  taking  the  usual  path.  They  got 
bewildered  and  spent  the  night  on  the  hills,  the  boys 
taking  off  their  coats  to  cover  the  youngest  children. 
When  it  got  light  they  said  they  could  not  get  the 
two  youngest  awake,  and  they  went  and  reported  at 
Nathan   Williams'.     The  pure   flakes   of  snow  had 


24 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


fallen  upon  their  little  bodies,  their  upturned  eyes 
were  glazed  over,  and  their  little  mouths  half  opened : 


"  Not  on  tlty  cradle-bed, 
Not  on  tliy  mother's  breast 
Henceforth  BhiiU  he  thy  rest, 

But  with  the  quiet  dead." 


They  were  buried  on  the  side  of  the  mound  at  the 
Great  Spring.  Long  since  in  a  happier  world  that 
poor  mother  has  clasped  her  darlings  in  an  eternal 
embrace. 


ADDITIONAL   UESIDESTS   IN   POTTEK   IN   1787. 
Monks,  William. 
Russiter,  Thomas  (grist-  and  t 

mill). 
Pennington,  Isaac. 
Ream,  Aliraham. 
Sliaw,  William. 
Sankey,  ■William. 
Watt,  James. 


Allison,  Archibald. 
Benn,  Henry. 
Benn,  Thomas. 
Crane,  William. 
Hastings,  Enoch. 
Hnnter,  Andrew,  of  Dauphin  Co, 
Miller,    Henry    (grist-    and    sai 
mill). 


ADDITIONAL  RESIDENT  TAX-PAYERS   IN   UPPER   BALD 


1788. 

Boggs,  Robert, 
Colbert,  John. 
Delong,  JonatliaD. 
Dewitt,  P,aul. 
Erwin,  John. 
Gomer,  John. 
Hamilton,  Thomas, 
llouser,  Jacob. 
Lucas,  Joseph. 
McCalmont,  John. 
ItlcConnell,  Hugh. 
McCracken,  James. 


EAGLE   IN   17,-I8. 

Maloiu-,  Eranc 
Malone,  Leslie 
Meyser,  Amos. 
Parsons,  Thorn 
Sennet,  John. 
Stoy,  John. 
Stratton,  Lot. 
"Welsh,  Joseph. 
Wilcot,  Paul. 
Wilson,  Thoma 
Wilson,  Willia 


In  1788  the  lands  of  Thomas  Gordon,  now  Belle- 
fonte,  changed  on  assessment  to  William  Lamb. 

Jacob  Houser,  who  was  a  millwright  of  Paxtang 
township,  Dauphin  Co.,  purchased,  by  deed  dated 
Dec.  26,  1787,  of  Josiah  Matlack  the  Isaac  Catherell 
tract,  on  which  Houserville  is  located,  now  (1882)  in 
College  township,  to  which  he  removed  in  1788. 
\Vm.  Connel,  a  tenant  of  Houser's/ settled  upon  the 
Caleb  Jones  tract,  east  of  Catherell,  as  a  tenant  of 
Houser's,  in  1788,  and  made  the  first  improvement 
there,  old  Mr.  Eckley  and  Eli  Eckley  coming  there 
in  1794.     Joshua  Dale  also  came  there  in  1794. 

Robert  Moore,  in  his  deposition,  taken  in  1809,  in 
the  Banner  and  Honser  suit,  says  that  Nathaniel 
Adams  cleared  for  Houser  six  acres  of  land  where 
the  old  orchard  now  is  (1809)  in  1787,  and  that 
Houser  built  a  cabin  "near  where  the  mill  is  since 
built"  in  the  same  year.  "Connel  also  cleared  .seven 
acres  where  Houser's  house  and  barn  now  stands  in 
1790."  He  speaks  also  of  Dennis  Kennedy  as  a 
tenant  of  Houser's. 

In  1788,  Gen.  James  Potter  erected  a  house  upon 
the  John  McCoiiuel  tract,  where  the  village  of  Pot- 
ter's Mills  now  stands.  The  carpenter-work  was  done 
by  John  Barber,  afterwards  Esquire  Barber.  His 
bill  for  the  carpenter-work  is  dated  Aug.  6,  1788, 
amounting  to  fifty-three  pounds.  This  was  a  large 
log-hewn  house,  many  years  afterwards  used  as  a 
tavern.   The  merchant-mill  and  saw-mill  were  erected 


by  him  in  1788-89, — Jacob  Houser,  millwright,  John 
Barber,  carpenter, — and  were  not  quite  completed  at 
the  general's  death  in  the  fall  of  1789.  Thomas  May 
also  worked  on  the  mills  in  the  summer  of  1789. 

March  19,  1789,  Mifflin  County  was  erected,  taking 
from  Northumberland  County  all  of  Upper  Bald 
Eagle  township  to  the  mouth  of  Beech  Creek ; 
thence  by  a  straight  line  to  Logan's  Gap  1789. 
(Hecla) )  thence  to  the  head  of  Penn's  Creek  ; 
thence  down  said  creek  to  Sinking  Creek,  leaving 
George  McCormick's  (Spring  Mills)  in  Northumber- 
land County;  thence  to  the  top  of  Jack's  Mountain, 
at  the  Northumberland  and  Cumberland  line.  This 
boundary  is  indicated  by  a  blue  line  on  Howell's 
map  of  1792,  engraved  for  this  history, 

It  went  by  the  name  of  Bald  Eagle  until  Centre 
County  was  erected,  in  1800,  when  it  resumed  the 
name  of  Upper  Bald  Eagle,  changed,  however,  to 
Spring  in  1801.  The  following  is  a  full  list  of  its 
taxable  inhabitants  thus  transferred  to  Mifflin  County, 
taken  from  an  assessment  made  March  30,  1789: 


Adams,  Nathaniel. 
Antes,  Philip. 
Armstrong,  Daniel. 
Arthurs,  Thomas. 
.\skey,  Thomas. 
Baker,  John. 
Batliurst,  Lawrence 
Boggs,  Robert. 
Brown,  John. 
Conkling,  Joseph. 
Connel,  Williaui. 
Connell.v,  Isaac. 
Colvert,  John. 
Grossman,  William. 
Curry,  John. 
Davis,  Jonas. 
Delong,  David. 
Belong,  Jonathan. 
Dewitt,  Bernard. 


Eva 


riuh. 


Evans,  David  (on  the  Th< 

Ferguson,  Thomas. 
Gardner,  John. 
Gunsalua,  Emanuel. 
Gunsillus,  Richard. 
Gunsalus,  Samuel. 
Hamilton,  Archibald. 
Hamilton,  Hugh. 
Hamilton,  James. 
Hamilton,  John,  Sr. 
Hamilton,  John,  Jr. 
Harbison,  John. 
Helford,  Christopher. 


Holt,  John. 
Houser,  Jacob. 
Hunter,  Andrew. 
Hunter,  R..bert. 
Lamb,  William. 
Lewis,  Lewis. 
Lucas,  Benedict. 
Lucas,  Joseph. 
McCalmont,  Hugh. 
McConnel,  John. 
McCracken,  James. 
McEwen,  Francis. 
McEwen,  Henry. 
McGec,  John. 
Malone,  Francis. 
Malone,  Richard. 
Marsden,  John,  Sr, 
Marsden,  John,  Jr. 
Moore,  Robert, 
liamsey,  James. 
Reed,  .lohn. 
Skidmoie,  Joshua. 
Spear,  Alexander. 
Story,  John. 
Slratton,  Lot. 
Swansey,Willi.im. 
Turner,  John. 
Turner,  Daniel. 
Wnril,  Edward. 
Welch,  Joseph. 
Williams,  Capt.  Joshua. 
Wilson,  Thomas. 
Wilson,  William. 


CHAPTER    XI. 

ERECTION  OF  MIFFLIN  COUNTY— LISTS  OF  INHAB- 
ITANTS—GEN.  JAMES  POTTER'S  DEATH  AND  WILL. 

When  Mifllin  County  was  erected,  March  19,  1789, 
that  portion  of  Potter  township  of  Northumberland 
County  bounded  eastward  by  a  line  running  from 
Nittany  Mountain,  southerly  by  the  head  of  Penn's 


JLAP  OF  THE  TEHiaT(niy  or 
CENTRE  AM)  CLINTON  COUNTIES 

ill  17*).: 


■^      ■  .aii  - 


LIST   OF   INHABITANTS— GEN.  JAMES   POTTER'S   DEATH    AND   WILL. 


25 


Creek  and  Spring  Mills  to  the  Seven  Mountains,  and 
westerly  by  a  line  from  the  end  of  Nittany  Mountain 
to  Tussey,  had  the  following  inhabitants: 

Alender,  Joseph.  Konlle.v,  Christoplier. 

Aiiilerson,  John.  King,  Francis. 

Aniiro,  Malcolm.  King,  WiMiiim  (one  slave). 

Ajcre,  Abraliuni.  Livingston,  Jiiniea. 

B.'nn,  Henry.  BIcCasIion,  James. 

Cannon,  James.  McConnel,  Elizabeth. 

Carnahan,  James.  BtcEUiatlon,  Alexander. 

Carnalian,  William.  McFadden,  James. 

Colvert,  John.  McKim,  Roliert. 

Corser,  Anthony.  llcVickar,  Duncan. 

Corser,  John.  Maybury,  John. 

Deneen,  J.inies.  Mayes,  Thomas. 

Earnest.  John.  Mitchel,  John. 

Elson,  Henry.  Moore,  Abel. 

Elson,  Teter.  Moore,  James. 

Franipton,  Kalhaniel.  Moore,  Joseph. 

Gardner,  James.  Nelley,  John. 

Gilmore,  John  J.  Noble,  Robert. 

Gliisgow,  Saninel.  Pennington,  I^^aac  (one  slave). 
Gordon,  Thomas  (grist*  and  saw-     Pennington,  Robert, 

mill).  Pinckerton,  Andrew. 

Grefrg,  Andrew.  Pierce,  Obediah. 

Hasting.",  Enoch.  Potter,  James. 

Hastings,  John.  Ray,  Robert. 

Hendrickson,  Cornelias.  Reynolds,  Adam. 

Hnnter,  Robert.  Robertson,  Anthony. 

Huston,  James.  SandTord,  .\braham. 

Ingram,  John.  Sankey,  Thomas. 

Jack,  Jacob.  Sankey,  William. 

Johnston,  Alexander.  Thompson,  Henry. 

Johnston,  James.  Thompson,  Thomas. 
Wilson,  William. 


.Tohnston,  Richard. 
Jordan,  Benjamin. 


Benn,  Thomas. 
Farmer,  Williar 
Hastings,  Thon, 


Woods,  George. 
Siitgh  Men, 

Hnnter,  William 
McCashon,  .John 
Monks,  William 


In  that  part  of  Potter  township  which  remained  in 
Korthumberland  County  (that  is,  from  Spring  Mills 
eastwardly)  were  the  following  inhabitants  in  1789: 

Livingston,  John, 
Long,  Daniel. 


Allison,  .Archibald. 
Biirtlow,  Biirnett. 
Beamer,  Adam. 
Black,  Thomas. 
Conrad,  John. 
Conser,  Henry. 
Ertif,  Valentine. 
Garret,  John. 
Gast,  Nicholas. 
Geistweil,  John  (single). 
Gibson,  James. 
Hall,  John. 
Hayes,  James. 
Harper,  Adam. 
Hazel,  Jacob. 
Henney,  Adam. 
Henney,  Chri.stophor. 
Henney,  Frederick. 
Henney,  Hieronymna. 
Hess,  Dewalt. 
Hess,  Matthias. 
Hetzler,  Balser. 
Hnbler,  Jacob. 
Hnbler,  John. 
Humlum,  George. 
Huston,  Paul. 
Jt-ssup,  John. 
Kirk,  Michael. 
Livingston,  David. 
Livingston,  Daniel. 


Long,  Michael. 
Loomis.  Joseph. 
McCormick,  George. 
McCorraick,  John. 
McCormick,  Robert. 
Martin,  Alexander. 
Martin,  W'illiam. 
Miller,  David. 
Miller,  Daniel. 
Miller,  Henry. 
Miller,  Jacob. 
Miller,  John. 
BHller,  Joseph. 
Miller,  Martin. 
Moore,  Daniel. 
Motz,  John. 
Motz,  Michael. 
Morrow,  .\ndrew. 
Musser,  Philip. 
Nees,  Peter. 
Nees,  Philip. 
Piatt,  Abraham. 
Pickle,  Thomas. 
Pontius,  George. 
Preston,  William. 
Ramsey,  John. 
Ream,  Al)raham. 
Beinhard,  George. 


Reldenbaugh,  Henry.  Stover,  John. 

Ross,  Joseph.  Ulse,  Jacob. 

Sheakle,  Philip.  Ulse,  John. 

Shaw,  Thomas.  Van  Ostrand,  George. 

Shuck,  John.  Waldsmith,  Chrlatiaa. 

Small,  Andrew,  Watson,  John. 

Smith,  James.  Watt,  John. 

Stover.  Adam.  Weaver,  David. 

Stover,  Frederick.  Wolf,  George. 
Stover,  Jacob. 

According  to  the  statement  of  his  granddaughter, 
Mr-s.  Eliza  Mitchell,  still  living  in  Bellefonte  (1882), 
Gen.  Potter  was  assisting  in  raising  a  barn  on  the 
farm  now  occupied  by  James  Runkle,  about  two  miles 
east  of  the  old  fort,  on  the  south  side  of  the  turnpike, 
where  he  injured  himself  by  lifting.  This  occurred 
in  the  fall  of  1789.  His  will  isdated  October  27th, prob- 
ably made  after  the  accident.  Desiring  better  medical 
attendance  than  the  valley  afforded,  he  was  placed  on 
a  cot  in  a  wagon  and  taken  to  Franklin  County,  where 
he  died  in  the  latter  part  of  November. 

His  will  was  proved  at  Lewistown  on  the  19th  of 
December,  Richard  Johnston,  William  Munks,  and 
William  Carnaghan  being  the  witnesses. 

He  owned  twelve  hundred  acres  of  land  in  a  body 
surrounding  the  Old  Fort  Hotel,  which  he  willed  to 
his  son  James,  "  his  heirs  and  assigns  forever,"  also 
the  William  Nesbit  warrantee  tract  adjoining  and 
below  McGrew's  mill  (that  is,  below  where  the  Red 
Mill  now,  1882,  stands),  and  one  hundred  acres  of  the 
John  McConnell  warrantee,  to  include  the  mill-seat 
and  mills  erected  thereon,  etc.,  his  sword,  riding  fur- 
niture, his  negro  man  Hero,  and  mulatto  man  Bob. 
To  his  daughter  Elizabeth,  wife  of  James  Poe,  of 
Franklin  County,  inter  alia,  six  hundred  acres  of  land 
lying  immediately  west  and  adjoining  the  "  Manor." 
Mrs.  Samuel  Vau  Tries,  of  Bellefonte,  still  owns  her 
share  of  the  estate  thus  devised  by  her  grandfather, 
Gen.  Potter,  to  her  mother,  Mrs.  Poe. 

Gen.  Potter  owned  contiguous  tracts  of  land  in  a 
continuous  stretch  from  Earlytown  down  to  within  a 
mile  of  Spring  Mills,  varying  in  width  from  a  mile  to 
a  mile  and  one-half  wide,  a  distance  of  about  seveu 
miles.  The  middle  portion  of  this  he  willed  inter  alia 
to  his  daughter  Martha,  wife  of  Hon.  Andrew  Gregg, 
and  the  easterly  portion,  next  to  Spring  Mills  tract,  to 
Mary  Reynolds,  wife  of  James  Riddles.  To  Mrs. 
Gregg  he  gave  his  negro  slave  Daphne  and  Daphne's 
daughter  Sal  and  son  Bob.  To  his  daughter  Margaret, 
who  afterwards  married  James  Crouch,  of  Walnut 
Hills,  Dauphin  Co.,  inter  alia,  the  Catherine  Potter 
warrantee  tract  southeast  of  Linden  Hall,  on  which 
Abraham  Staudford  then  lived,  and  where  he  had  given 
ground  for  a  burying-ground  and  for  a  church  for  the 
West  Penn's  Valley  Presbyterian  Church.  Mrs.  W. 
W.  Potter's  (1882)  farm  is  part  of  this  tract.  Mr. 
Crouch  sold  it  without  any  reservation,  and  the  bury- 
ing-ground had  to  be  bought  back  for  fifty  dollars, 
the  church  site  being  removed  to  Slab-Cabin. 

Gen.  Potter  also  made  liberal  bequests  to  his 
brother  Samuel  and  sister,  and  to  his  namesakes, 


26 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


James  Potter  Jordan,  son  of  Thomas  Jordan,  Jaraes 
Potter  Murray,  son  of  James  Murray,  James  Potter 
Beard,  son  of  his  sister,  Mary  Beard,  and  provided 
for  the  continuance  of  his  subscription  for  the  sup- 
port of  a  minister  in  the  West  Penn's  Valley  Church 
for  six  years  after  his  death. 

He  also  provided  in  his  will  for  the  removal  of  the 
bodies  of  his  mother  and  his  son  John,  who  died  at 
Middle  Creek  (some  distance  west  of  Middleburg, 
Snyder  Co.,  where  he  resided  for  some  years  after 
1778),  to  the  Staudford  burying-ground,  above  alluded 
to,  and  erecting  tombstones  over  their  graves.  The 
bodies,  however,  were  never  removed,  and  sleep  in  un- 
known graves  hard  by  the  banks  of  Middle  Creek. 
The  provision  for  marking  his  own  grave  was  also 
neglected,  and  no  one  to-day  can  point  out  the  grave 
of  this  brave  Revolutionary  general  among  those  of 
the  slumberers  in  Brown  Mills  graveyard  in  Franklin 
County. 

It  appears  by  this  will  that  Gen.  Potter  owned  at 
his  death  six  thousand  and  seventy  acres  of  the  best 
land  in  Penn's  valley,  beside  land  in  the  Kishacoquil- 
las  valley,  a  thousand  acres  of  land  given  him  by  the 
State  on  the  Sinnemahoning,  and  in  company  with 
Timothy  Pickering  a  residue  of  over  fifteen  thousand 
acres  in  the  northwestern  portion  of  Pennsylvania. 
One  peculiarity  of  the  will  is  that  he  gives  his  son 
James  one-half  more  than  each  of  his  daughters,  and 
provides  that  when  the  Pickering  lands  are  divided 
James  is  to  draw  two  shares  and  each  of  the  daughters 
one. 

David  Whitehill,  Esq.,  came  to  Spring  Creek  in 
1789,  according  to  his  own  statement  in  the  Benner 
vs.  Houser  suit. 

The  election  for  member  of  the  Constitutional 
Convention  of  1789-90  for  Mifflin  County  was  held 
for  the  townships  of  Bald  Eagle  and  Potter  at  the 
house  of  Enoch  Hastings,  and  Thomas  Beale,  of  Mifflin 
County,  was  chosen.  Northumberland  County  was 
represented  by  Simon  Snyder  (afterwards  Governor) 
and  Charles  Smith.  The  Constitution  of  1790  was 
adopted  by  the  convention  on  the  2d  of  September, 
1790. 

At  February  sessions  of  1790  of  the  Quarter  Ses- 
sions of  Northumberland  County,  Abraham  Piatt  pre- 
sented a  petition,  whereon  the  court  decreed, 
17dO.  as  recited,  "with  the  consent  of  the  inhabit- 
ants of  that  part  of  Potter  township  remain- 
ing in  Northumberland  County,"  that  the  name  of 
Potter  theretofore  given  to  the  division  remaining  in 
Northumberland  County  should  be  abolished,  and 
ordered  that  hereafter  it  shall  be  known  by  the 
name  of  Haines.  This  was  a  compliment  to  Reuben 
Haines  (brewer),  of  Philadelphia,  who  owned  large 
bodies  of  land  in  the  township. 

James  Potter,  Jr.  (afterwards  Jiidge  Potter)  estab- 
lished his  residence  at  Potter's  Mills,  in  1790,  and 
opened  the  first  store  there  in  November.  Robert 
McKim  and  W.  A.  Patterson  were  his  clerks.     The 


first  entry  in  the  ledger  is  a  charge,  Nov.  8,  1790, 
Samuel  Edmiston,  one  bushel  of  salt,  ten  shillings. 
In  1791  he  erected  the  distillery.  John  Earnest  was 
the  distiller.  Whiskey  was  sold  from  the  distillery  at 
the  price  of  four  shillings  per  gallon.  The  name  of 
Gen.  Potter's  old  army  servant  appears  upon  the 
ledger  as  "Hero  Wade." 

The  following  additional  residents  of  Potter  were 
taken  from  the  assessments,  but  in  some  cases  it  would 
appear  not  to  be  the  date  of  the  person  named  coming 
to  the  valley,  as  in  the  case  of  John  Barber  and  Dr. 
Andrews  it  is  evident  they  were  early  residents : 

Andrews,  Dr.  John,  Jordan,  Hugh. 

Barber,  John.  Kerr,  William. 

Beer,  Samuel.  McKim,  David. 

Beiin,  Henry,  Jr.  Palmer,  Solomon  (father  of  Floyd). 

Biggs,  Alexander.  Pastorius,  William. 

Clover,  Paul.  Potter,  James  (taxed  with  a  grist- 
Clover,  Philip.  mill,  saw-mill,  and  slave.) 

Davis,  Joseph.  Bankin,  James. 

Frampton,  Arthnr.  Sankey,  Ezekiel. 

Graham,  James.  Saiikey,  James, 

Graham,  John.  Sankey,  Jeremiah. 

Graham,  Robert.  Vanhorne,  Joseph. 

Huston,  Paul,  Watson,  James. 

Jack,  Michael.  Wilsou,  Peter. 

ASSESSMENT  LIST   OF   POTTER  TOWNSHIP  FOR   1790. 

Acres.  Horses.    Cattle. 

Anderson,  John 150  2  1 

Allender,  Joseph 60  2  2 

Burns  *  McBride 200 

Benn,  Henry,  Jr 150  2  2 

Biggs,  Alexander 30  1  1 

Bear,  Samuel 150 

Bariier,  David 200 

Carnahan,  William 100  2  2 

Carnahan,  James 1  1 

Climpson,  TJiomas 150 

Colbert,  Johii 30  1 

Clover,  Philip 200 

Corser,  Anthony  and  John 100  2  2 

Dencan,  James 100  1  2 

Dunlap,  Alexander 200 

Davis,  .Joseph 1  1 

Eyera  &  Foster 100  2  1 

Elson,  Peter lOO  2  3 

Klson  4  Peter 300 

Earnest,John  (1  still)  100 

Frampton,  Arthur l.'iO 

Frampton,  Nathaniel 50 

Gregg,  Andrew 200  2  3 

Glasgow,  Samuel  100  1  2 

Gardner,  James 30  1  1 

Gordon,  Thomas  (1  grist-mill,  1  saw-mill) 50  2  2 

Graham,  James 100  1  1 

George,  William 200 

Huston,  James 100  1  1 

Hurst,  John 30 

Hunter,  Williiim 60 

Hastings,  John 2  2 

Hastings,  Enoch 200  3  2 

Hendrickson,  Cornelius 260  2  2 

Ingram,  John  60  ..  1 

Jordan,  Benjamin 60  ..            •    .. 

Jordan,  Hugh 80 

Jack,  Michael 100  1  1 

Jack,  Jacob 1  2 

Johnson,  Richard 100  1  1 

Johnson,  Alexander 206  2  4 

Keatlev,  Christian 160  2  2 

King,  William  (1  slave)  100  2  4 

Livingston,  James 160  2 

McCashin,  James 100  1  1 

McVicnr,  Duncan 60  1  2 

McFadden,  James I  2 

McConnell,  Elizabeth 100  1  1 

McKim,  Robert 100  2  2 

Jlloore,  James  (1  still) 1  1 

Moore,  Abel 200  2  2 

Moore,  Joseph 1  x 

Maybur.v,  John 100  1  1 

Mayes,  Thomas 10  ..  1 

Nealy.  John 100  1  1 

Pastorius,  William 150  1  1 

Pennington,  Robert 150  2  2 

Pennington,  Isa,ao  (1  slave) 100  2  1 


LIST   OF   ASSESSMENTS. 


27 


Acres. 

Horses 

Cattle. 

Acre«.    Uoraeii.    Cattle. 

Potter,  James  (l  alave,  1  gr 

8t-Diill,  1  saw-n 

lill).    200 

2 

3 

Swansey,  William 

300            2                4 

Qiiinn,  Thoinaa 

150 

300 

250 

100 

IIJO 

i 

2 

1 

i 

i 

1 

Turner,  Daniel 

Reyr.oltiB,  William 

Wilson,  William 

100            1 

1 

1 

Sanford,  Aliraham 

11)0 

1 

1 

Ward,  Edward 

50            1                1 

3 

1 

2 
2 

Acres. 

Vimhorn,  Joseph 



ino 

Acres. 

WooJs,  George 

CO 

2 

1 
1 

3 
1 
3 

289i.  Alley,  Franks  &  Co. 
302.  Allan,  Zuchariah. 

361.  Hubey,  Michael. 

Watson,  Jaiiies 

LW 

200.  Hunter,  Ephralm. 

Young,  Wiliiiim  (1  still).... 

100 

1 

1 

331.  Bradford,  William. 

300.  Heisler,  Daniel,  Esq. 

UNSEATED  LANDS. 

254.  Burns,  John. 

300.  Irwin,  James. 

Acres. 

300.  Burns,  Cornelius. 

400.  Ingersol,  Jared. 

1200.  Proprietaries,  adjoir 

ing  James  Potter'd  land  and  tbe  PI 

tins. 

300.  Boggs,  Andrew's  heirs. 

400.  Jack,  James. 

1200.  Wister,  Cusper,join 

ng  Potter's  lai 

d  and  Nittany. 

300.  Blair,  Alexander. 

430.  John,  Mathias. 

300.  Lattimer,  James,  oi 

Sinking  Creelc,  adjoining 

lands  of  Tliomas 

300.  Barr,  Uodson. 

800.  James,  Able. 

McKean. 

301.  Brady,  William  Perry. 

405.  Jones,  James. 

300.  Matlock,  Josialijoi 

ning  Enocti  Hasting's  land 

30C.  Boggs,  JunifS. 

424.  Kerclier,  Mary. 

300.  Haines,  Reuben,  juining  Tnssey's  Mountain  and  Spring  Creek. 

304.  Binks,  Christopher. 

306.  Kercher,  Ludowick. 

300.  Cameron,  Charles,  j 

jiuing  Joseph  Allender. 

316.  Carrudders,  James. 

404.  Klyne.John. 

300.  McCIay  &  Shannon, 

joining  Potter 

s  laud. 

300.  Coon-,  Andrew. 

500.  Knight,  George  and  Michael. 

200.  Clemaon,  John,  join 

ng  John  Hasti 

ngs. 

30G.  Calhoou,  James. 

244.  Keeble,  John. 

20U.  McCIay,  William,  adjoining  Penn's 

Creek. 

290.  Clay,  Alexander. 

300.  Kimely,  William. 

100.  McCormick,  George 

joining  Georg 

3  Woods. 

374.  Cotterel,  Isaac. 

300.  Lawyer,  Christopher. 

lUO.  Poller  &  McClay,ju 

niug  Tussey  Mountain. 

300.  Calhoon,  Catrine. 

250.  Lusk,  William. 

100.  Hoover,  Jacob. 

360.  DeHa-ts,  John  Philip's  heirs. 

324.  Lippencott,  William. 

50.  Woohi-tou,  on  the  road  to  Lewistoi 

,  in  the  mo 

untains. 

300.  Dowdle,  Michael. 

900.  Levy,  Aaron. 

300.  DeHaas,  Philip. 

COO.  Lynch,  Edward. 

IN  1792. 

900.  Evans,  Rowley. 

1000.  Londen  &  Co. 

3000.  Miles  &  Patten,  Nittany  valley  of  Spring  Creek. 

397.  Elliot,  Israel. 

294.  McCaine,  Thomas,  Esq. 

413.  Elliot,  Christopher. 

700.  McMoultrie,  David. 

ASSESSMENT  LIST 

OF  BALD  EAGLE  TOWNSHIP, 

1790. 

294.  Elliot,  William. 

GOO.  McAllister,  Richard. 

Acres. 

Horses 

Cattle. 

500.  Enwin,  George. 

2300.  Matlack,  Josiah. 

Askey,  Tbonias 

200 

2 

2 

311.  Frank,  William. 

300.  Morris,  John,  Jr. 

Antes,  Fliilip(l  null) 

.W 

1 

2 

400.  Means,  Robert. 

Adams,  Nathaniel  (I  blill) 
ArthuiSjlhomas 

150 

100 

2 
1 

2 

1 

324.  Flahaven,  Rodger. 

295.  Matland,  Samuel. 

Armsttorig,  Daniel  (poor) 

350.  Funk,  Henry. 

300.  Miles,  Samuel. 

320.  Frey,  George. 
400.  Foster,  Thomas. 

320.  Morris,  Phoebe. 

1 
2 

1 

Boggs,  Kobert 

150 

900.  Means,  Hugh. 

1 

1 

200.  Grable,  Peter. 
300.  Grable,  George. 
264.  Gorrel,  William. 

200.  Nailor,  Ralph's  heirs. 

400.  Parker,  Robert. 

1 

1 

1000.  Pleasant,  Samuel. 

Concklin,  Jo&epb 

1 

1 

400.  Guyer,  Adam. 

192.  Poultney,  Thomas. 

Delong,  David 

100 

1 

1 

192.  Hartley,  Charles. 

3000.  Patton,  John  4  Co. 

Delung   Junatbin 

loo 

1 

1 

1 
1 

2 

1602.  Hartley,  Thomas,  Esq. 
304.  Horlon,  Azariah. 

326.  Patton,  John. 

Dewit,  Barnard 

200 

300.  Prouil,  Robert. 

Evans,  A7iiiab 

1,50 

1 

319.  Richie,  Grace. 

2 
2 

2 
2 

300.  Hendricks,  John. 

Kerguaun,  Thomas  (I  still) 

300 

Gardntr,  John 

100 

1 

1 

335.  Hopkins,  Josiah. 

26S.  Robison,  Ale.xander. 

Gunsalus,  Richard 

230 

1 

2 

340.  Kubison,  George. 

100 

2 

2 

317.  Henderson,  Isabella. 

Hamilton,  John,  Jr 

100 

1 

1 

202.  Henderson,  Daniel. 

121.  Stratton,  Thomas. 

Hamilton,  Hu„h 

200 

2 

3 

2400.  Shippen,  Josiah  *  Co. 

2 

2 

Hamilton,  Archibald 

i 

2 

2 
1 
1 

325.  Hubley,  John. 

At  the  March  sessions 

Helford,  Christopher 

150 

of  1791  of  MiffliQ  County 

Hunter,  Robert 

75 

i 

1 
1 

1 

1 
1 
1 

a  petition  from  sundry  citi 
sented,  praying  for  annex 

zens  of  Bald  Eagle  was  pre- 

ation  to  Potter,  by 

Housei     lacob 

600 

reason  of  the  inconvenier 
the  extensive  territory  of 
court  considered  and  grai 
same  sessions,  and  designa 

ice  attendant  upon     1791. 
Bald  Eaale.     The 

Lewig,  lean 

148 

i 
i 

2 

2 

i' 

2 
2 

Le»is,Tli<)ina3 

200 

ted  the  application  at  the 

McUoDiull,  IIllRh 

160 

150 

ted  the  territory  to  be  an- 

McCHlmont  TIiuuuls 

1.50 

2 

nexed  as  "lying  within  a 
the  end  of  Nittany  Mount: 
Moore's)'  till   it  intersects 

lorthwest  line  drawn  from 

McKwtii,  Hei.iy 

300 

1 

1 
1 
1 

1 
1 
1 
1 

tin  (so  as  to  include  Robert 

McCi-acKcn  Juines 

100 

100 

the  Huntingdon  County 

2 
1 

2 
1 

line." 

MhIoiip,  UiLliiird  Jr 

ADDITIONAL  RESIDENT  TAX-I 

Marsdul),  Jubu,  Sr 

150 

2 

2 

M»r4doii,  John,  Jr 

150 

1 

1 

Armor,  Thomas. 

Fredericks,  George. 

1 

1 

Delong,  George, 

Speer,  Alexanilcr 

150 

Holcomb,  Stephen. 

28 


HISTORY   OF   CENTEE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Hamilton,  Thomas. 
Jones,  Peter. 
Lamb,  Samuel. 
Lucas,  Baptist. 
McClelland,  Robert  (grist-i 


McClure,  John. 
McEwen,  William. 
McLaughlin,  Daniel. 
Templeton,  John. 


,ill). 


In  Bald  Eagle,  Joshua  Williams  is  taxed  with  a  mill, 
and  Michael  Jack,  in  Potter  township,  also  a  mill. 
Among  the  additional  resident  tax-payers  of  Potter 
were : 

Biirroii,  John. 
Carothers,  John. 
Carry,  John. 
Chartiera,  William. 
Concklin,  Joseph. 
Dale,  Christian. 
Davidson,  John. 
Davidson,  Alexander. 
Fulton,  William. 
Graham,  Robert. 
Hendrickson,  Daniel. 
Henney.  Stophel. 
Hicks,  Jacob. 


Adams,  James. 
Alston,  Joseph. 


Hicks,  Thomas. 
Huston,  William. 
Iivin,  John. 
Larimer,  Robert. 
McCasbon,  John. 
McCracken,  James. 
Quinn,  Matthew. 
Robinson,  Simeon. 
Roll,  John. 
Sankey,  Elizabeth. 
Thompson,  Robert. 
Williams,  George. 

Single  Men. 

Dnnlap,  Samuel. 
White,  John. 


An  assessment  made  for  Haines  township  April  7, 
1791,  has  in  it  the  names  of 


Archibald  Allison. 
Ji.hn  Rechtel. 
Thomas  Bbick. 
Adam  Beumer. 
John  Conrad. 
Valentine  Ertle. 
Nicholas  Gost. 
Michael  Koch. 
Adam  Klingler. 
Daniel  Kreamer. 
Malcolm  Dunkel. 
Jacob  Hazel. 
Barnet  Hazel. 
Frederick  Henney. 
John  Livingston. 
Andrew  Livingston. 
Daniel  Livingston. 


liiis). 


Jacob  Stover. 

John  Motz  (tv\ 

Michael  Motz. 

John  McCamant. 

James  Moore. 

Philip  Musser. 

Frederick  Henney. 

Adam  Neidigh. 

John  George  Wolf. 

C.  Waldsmith. 

Jacob,  Adam,  Frederick,  and  Join 

Stover. 
John  Jacobs. 
Joseph  Davis. 
Abraham  Piatt. 
Jolin  Watson. 
Adam  Harper. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

CENTRE  FURNACE— HOWELL'S  MAP  OF  n92— ROCK 
IRON-WORKS— HAINES  AND  UPPER  BALD  EAGLE, 
1793-94. 

Col.  John  Pattox  bought  the  Cornelius  Connelly 
tract,  "  Morea,"  on  which  Centre  Furnace  was  after- 
wards erected,  the  Dennis  McGlatton,  on 
1792.  which  the  gristmill  was  afterwards  erected, 
and  the  Joseph  Barr  warrantee  tract,  west  of 
these,  of  Josiah  Matlack,  Sept.  29,  1790 ;  the  Morris 
Birbeck,  north  of  these,  April  3,  1792,  and  these 
four  tracts  were  known  as  the  Centre  Furnace  tracts 
proper.  As  before  stated,  there  were  some  twenty- 
eight  tracts,  containing  over  eight  thousand  acres  of 
what  is  now  the  best  land  in  Benner  and  Patton  town- 
ships, appurtenant  to  Centre  Furnace  domain  and  the 
Milesburg  Iron-Works. 


In  connection  with  Col.  Samuel  Miles  (who  had 
been  colonel  of  the  rifle  regiment  of  which  Col.  Patton 
had  been  major  in  the  camp.aign  of  1776),  Col.  Patton 
erected  Centre  Furnace,  in  the  fall  of  1791-92,  which, 
with  a  store  at  that  point,  was  in  operation  under  the 
firm-name  of  Miles,  P.atton  &  Miles  as  early  as 
May  2,  1792.  This  was  the  first  blast  furnace  erected 
in  Centre  County.  James  Newell  was  manager  for 
many  years.  Gen.  John  Patton  died  in  1802,  at  Centre 
Furnace,  and  Col.  Miles,  who  resided  at  Cheltenham, 
in  Montgomery  County,  but  whose  interests  were  rep- 
resented by  his  .sons  Joseph  and  John,  who  resided  in 
Centre  County,  died  Dec.  29, 1805.  The  furnace  was 
blown  out  in  1809,  and  laid  idle  until  about  1825,  when 
Joseph  Green  and  Joseph  Miles  started  it  again. 

In  1832,  Gen.  James  Irvin  and  his  father,  John 
Irvin,  bought  the  interests  of  the  Miles'  in  Centre  Fur- 
nace and  Milesburg  Iron- Works.  Operation  ceased  at 
Centre  Furnace  in  1858. 

Additional  resident  tax-payers  in  Upper  Bald  Eagle 
in  1792  were: 


Dill,  Michapl. 
McGuii-e,  JuuieB. 


Bright,  George. 
Calvert,  Job. 
Carutliers,  James. 


Patton  &  Co. 
Sarrack,  John. 

Single  Freemen. 

Elson,  Peter. 
Turner,  Helinias. 

IN  POTTER  IN  1792. 


Allen,  Joseph  (taxed  with  a  tan-     Miller,  Andn 


Miles,  Patton  &  Miles  (store   and 

iron-works). 
Straw,  Thomas. 
Vandyke,  David. 
Whitehill,  David. 

Single  Freemen. 

Pierce,  Adam. 
Palmer,  Floyd. 
Stewart,  William. 
Straw,  Joseph. 
Sullivan,  Edward. 
Wilson,  James. 


yard). 
Bloom,  William. 
Eakens,  John. 
GrifFus,  Adam. 
Geddes,  John. 
Harper,  Henry. 

Beckett,  William. 
Christy,  John. 
Cook,  Thomas. 
David,  Alexander. 
Graham,  James. 
McKiiiney,  John. 
Mitchell,  Joseph. 

Howell's  map  of  1792,  from  which  a  map  of  the  ter- 
ritory of  Centre  and  Clinton  Counties  is  copied,  is  an 
exceedingly  accurate  representation  for  this  early 
period.  James  Potter  (judge),  as  appears  by  a  let- 
ter of  Reading  Howell,  found  among  the  Potter  papers, 
furnished  Howell  with  the  profiles  and  information 
for  the  then  Mifllin  County  :  "  Connelly's"  was  at  Blue 
Spring,  near  Pleasant  Gap  ;  "  Malone's,"  Eagle  Upper 
Works  ;  the  upper  "  Potter's"  is  site  of  Potter's  old 
fort;  the  lower  "Potter's"  is  Potter's  Mills  ;  "McCor- 
mick's,"  now  Spring  Mills ;  "  Hubler's"  was  a  tavern 
a  mile  west  of  the  present  village  of  Woodward 
(Motz's  tavern  and  mills) ;  the  spot  marked  "Iron" 
indicates  the  old  iron-mine  first  opened  in  Patton, 
about  the  centre  of  the  present  township,  and  "  Willy 
Brook,"  the  stream  starting  near  Centre  Furnace,  and 
running  into  Spring  Creek. 

There  is  an  account  extant  of  Miles,  Patton  &  Miles, 
of  date  Centre  Furnace,  Dec.  5, 1792,  against  Richard 


HAINES  AND  UPPER  BALD  EAGLE,  1793-94. 


29 


Malone,  the  then  rich  man  of  what  is  now  Boggs 
township,  which  is  of  interest  on  the  score  of  prices : 
May  2,  1792,  Malone  is  charged  with  a  lady's  fine  hat, 
£1  10s.  Of/.;  tea,  4  shillings  per  pound;  one  yard  of 
lawn,  5s.  6rf. ;  i  quire  of  paper,  1  shilling ;  1  bushel 
of  salt,  10s. ;  loaf  sugar,  2s.  6(/.  per  pound  ;  4  panes 
of  glass,  4s. ;  1  pair  of  shoes,  8s. 

With  the  account  is  a  price-list  for  articles  of  pro- 
duce "  at  the  works,"  which  Miles,  Patton  &  Miles 
consider  to  be  liberal :  Wheat,  4s.;  corn,  3(/. ;  large 
oats,  2Xs. ;  ^mall  do.,  ly^ijS. ;  potatoes,  2s. ;  turnips,  9rf.  ; 
butter,  9rf. ;  rye,  3s.  "  We  give  3rf.  cash  for  good 
merchantable  pork." 

ADDITION.\I,     IJESIDENT    TAXPAYERS     IN     (UPPER)     BALD 


1793. 

Askey,  Roliert. 
Beuiier,  Philip. 
Cok'y,  Abrnbitni. 
GooclMlow,  David. 
Gnnsalus,  Derrick. 


EAGLE   IN   1703. 

Jolinston,  ThomiiH  fgrist-l 
Leallicrs,  Fifdeiick. 
McCioa,  John. 
Mei'cer,  Amos. 
Shiik,  John. 


.Jolin. 
,  Martin. 


Til' 


Jan 


Delviny,  Jolin. 
Johnston,  William. 
McClure,  Hilgli. 
Turner,  William. 


Watson,  William. 
Wilson,  John. 
Wilson,  William  (su 


Gen.  Benner  bought  three  tracts  of  land  known  as 
Eock  Forge  tracts,  "  John  Gill,"  William  Lippincott, 
and  Christopher  Binks,  warrantees,  from  Josiah  Mat- 
lack,  May  2,  1792.  William  Williams  and  Conrad 
Reamy  were  his  first  tenants.  Williams,  on  the  trial, 
June  20,  1815,  of  the  suit  of  Lauman's  executors  vs. 
Benner,  testified  that  he  lived  on  the  Binks  upper 
forge  tract,  now  (1882)  Mordecai  Waddle's  farm,  from 
1793  to  1800,  under  Gen.  Benner;  that  they  made  the 
first  improvement  in  May,  1793,  a  house,  two  cooper- 
shops,  and  they  commenced  the  forge  and  made  iron 
at  it  in  1794,  and  a  grist-  and  saw-mill  and  a  number 
of  dwellings  were  erected  on  the  Binks  tract ;  that 
Reemy  and  one  Stratton  commenced  clearing  the 
John  Gill  the  same  year.  It  appears  by  the  evidence 
in  another  suit  between  Isaac  Jones,  the  master-me- 
chanic, and  Gen.  Benner,  that  the  slitting-mill  was 
built  in  1799,  and  he  commenced  building  the  lower 
forge  on  the  20th  of  February,  1800,  and  the  rolling- 
mill  in  1803.  Thomas  Waddle,  Esq.,  was  Gen.  Ben- 
ner's  manager  and  business  man  about  the  works. 
Ampng  his  early  employees  were  John  Essington, 
James  Harper,  John  Eckley,  James  Smith.  Eock 
AVorks,  after  Gen.  Benner's  death,  in  1832,  were  car- 
ried on  by  his  heirs.  In  1836  the  lower  forge  went 
into  the  hands  of  Jacob  Bergstrasser.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded in  1844  by  Samuel  Edminson.  John  Irvin's 
and  Henry  Benners'  interests  were  sold  out  by  the 
sheriff  in  1852,  and  Eock  Works  ended.  The  year 
1793  was  the  era  of  wild  speculations  in  land.  Under 
warrants  dated  July  1,  1793,  Frederick  Evans  laid  a 
large  block  of  surveys  on  the  mountain  north  of  the 
Brush  valley  road    leading   to  Buffalo  valley,  com- 


mencing with  the  William  Barton,  where  Tunis'  mill 
was  erected  afterward,  and  running  northerly  two 
miles,  and  east  from  the  chestnut-oak  corner  of  the 
William  Barton  five  miles.  These  lie  in  Miles  town- 
ship, and  end  with  the  John  Thornburg.  The  Jacob 
Sigfried,  Daniel  Sigfried,  and  John  Sigfried  are 
laid  on  both  sides  of  the  public  road  through  Brush 
Valley  Narrows.  More  particular  details  of  the  sur- 
veys of  1792,  1793,  and  1794  will  be  found  in  the  re- 
spective township  histories  in  which  they  are  located, 
and  thus  be  more  readily  comprehended. 

The  following  additional  resident  tax-payers  ap- 
pear in  Potter  township  in  1793 : 

Ardery,  James. 
Barron,  William. 
Benn,  Thomas. 
Cochran,  William. 
Caldwell,  Hugh. 
Dale,  Philip. 
Duffln,  Hugh. 
Dugan,  James. 
Everhait,  Samuel. 

At  the  October  election  in  1793,  Penn's  valley  gave 
only  fourteen  votes  for  Thomas  Mifflin,  Federal  can- 
didate for  Governor,  while  F.  A.  Muhlenberg  had 
one  hundred  and  fifteen.  Bald  Eagle  gave  one  hun- 
dred and  twelve  for  Mifflin  and  seventy-four  for 
Muhlenberg. 

ADDITIONAL  RESIDENTS  IN  HAINES  TOWNSHIP  IN  1793. 


Foster,  Jeremiah. 
Gearhart,  John. 
Huston,  Paul. 
Lnmbourne,  Josiah. 
Miles,  Patton  &  Miles' 
Michael,  William. 
McKinney,  Isaac. 
McSwords,  .\rchihald. 


Adams,  Jonathan. 

Lawyer,  Peter. 

Allender,  James. 

Letterman,  Peter. 

Apple,  Henry. 

McCorniick,  Agnes. 

Apple,  John. 

McGee,  William. 

Bierly,  Anthony. 

McGilliiird,  John. 

Hollander,  Henry. 

Miles,  James. 

Bower,  Jacob. 

Miller,  John  Sadler. 

Brown,  John. 

Moore,  George. 

Crees,  John. 

Musser,  Daniel. 

Cook,  James,  Esq.  (t\ 

•0  slaves  and      Musser,  Sebastian. 

saw-nnll). 

Nees,  Philip. 

Davis,  Isaac. 

Neidigh,  Solomon. 

Dunkle,  Melcbior. 

Pauly,  Thomas. 

Eakins,  John. 

Phips,  David. 

Emrich,  Nicholas. 

Piatt,  Ann  (widow  of  Abraham). 

Ertle,  Daniel. 

Pickle,  Tobias. 

Ertle,  Philip. 

Richards,  Joseph,  Jr. 

Felty,  Conrad. 

Ridenbangh,  John. 

Frank,  Philip. 

Rishel,  Adam. 

Freybergor,  John. 

Rishel,  Ludwig. 

Fulgate,  Thomas. 

Rishel,  Martin. 

Green,  Joseph. 

Rhone,  Michael  (moved  in  17r4  to 

Giist,  Christian. 

Potter  township,  on  the  Manor"!. 

Grenoble,  Lawrence. 

Sleeser,  Tobiiis. 

Greymeyer,  Fredk. 

Skillman,  Jacob. 

Harris,  Amos. 

Snyder,  Nicholas. 

Henry,  John. 

Storm,  Christian. 

Hetzler,  Jacob. 

Storm,  David. 

Herman,  Michael. 

Tillman,  Andrew. 

Hoover,  John. 

Tillman,  Michael. 

Hosterman,  Jacob. 

Voneida,  Philip. 

Kern,  Matthias. 

Weaver,  John. 

Kreamer,  Michael. 

Wise,  John, 

Kryder,  John. 

Woikiug,  Uenry. 

Single  Freemen. 

Bartner,  Philip. 

Smith,  William. 

■Wall,  William. 

White,  James. 

Jessup,  Stephen. 

White,  Jeremiah. 

Pickle,  Christian. 

Wise,  George  (or  Weiss). 

30 


HISTORY   OP   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ADDITIONAL  RESIDENTS,  TAX-PAYEES,  (UPPER)  BALD 


1794. 

EAGL 

E,  1794. 

Adams,  Richard. 

Killgore,  David. 

Adams,  William. 

Kline,  Nicholas. 

Barnhart,  Lawrence. 

Knox,  Galljraith. 

Betchtol,  Cluistian. 

Lee,  William. 

Boggs,  And  lew  (2d). 

McDonald,  Joseph. 

Brewly,  Isaac. 

McKinchan,  Robert. 

Burns,  Anthony. 

Messor,  Amos. 

Caliill,  Edward. 

Miles,  Evan. 

Craig,  Robert. 

Miles,  Richard  (saw-l 

Crape,  Adam. 

Mitchell,  David. 

Diehl,  Micliacl. 

Packer,  James  (mill) 

Douglass,  John. 

Perkins,  Anthony. 

Evans,  Thomas  (living  \ 

vith  Gen. 

Reemy,  Conrad. 

Benner). 

Rowan,  Steward. 

Gillmore,  John. 

Ronibangh,  Simon. 

Hays,  Richard. 

Shaler,  William. 

Howard,  Tlijmas. 

Straus,  H. 

Jacobs,  GeoTge. 

Sutton,  Ephraim. 

Kennedy,    Dennis     (ou 

Houser 

Vincent,  Peter  (saw-u 

place). 

Wentzel,  Geoige. 

Singh 

Freemen. 

Boggs,  Joseph. 

Johnston,  David. 

Benner,  Mordecai. 

Lewis,  Jacob. 

Beard,  John. 

Lee,  Isaac. 

Elson,  Henry. 

Vanglian,  Thomas. 

The  assessments  of  Potter  and  Bald  Eagle,  in  Mif- 
flin County,  subsequent  to  1794  cannot  be  found,  prob- 
ably taken  out  for  some  land  trial  and  never  returned, 
hence  it  is  not  possible  to  get  the  names  of  new  set- 
tlers between  that  year  and  1800,  except  in  that  por- 
tion of  Centre  County  which  was  within  Northumber- 
land County. 

The  death  of  Wm.  Sankey  occurred  in  1794;  his 
children  were  Jane,  Ezekiel,  William,  John,  James, 
Eachel,  Elizabeth,  Ann,  and  Esther. 

May  2,  1794,  is  the  date  of  a  bill  made  out  by 
Thomas  Waddle  for  Gen.  Benner  against  James  Pot- 
ter for  hauling  eight  barrels  of  whiskey  to  Lewisburg, 
four  pounds,  and  shows  the  charge  for  transportation 
at  that  date ;  distance  about  fifty  miles. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

SCHEDULE  OF  GENERAL  ELECTION,  OCT.  19,  n94— 
TURNER  IRON-WORKS— MILES'  RANGERS— FOST- 
OFFICES  AND    FORGES. 


Snnbury 

Norlhuraberland.. 

HnfTalo  

Lycoming 

Penn's  valley 

Penn's  and  Beavc 

Eisliing  Creek 

Turbutt 

Bald  Eagle 


Assembly. 


It  will  be  observed  one  hundred  and  fifty-seven 
votes  were  cast  for  Samuel  Maclay  for  Congress,  while 
the  Federal  candidate,  John  A.  Hanna,  had  only 
seventeen  ;  BaldEaglecast thirty-nine  votesforSamuel 
Maclay,  and  two  hundred  and  six  for  Hanna.  Wil- 
liam Maclay  (brother  of  Samuel)  was  the  organizer  of 
the  Democratic  party  in  the  United  States  Senate  in 
1791,  and  the  conservative  disposition  of  a  majority 
of  the  voters  in  Penn's  valley  is  shown  as  indicated 
by  no  change  of  side  in  politics  in  ninety  years,  ex- 
cept, perhaps,  during  the  Know-Nothing  party  excite- 
ment of  1 854. 

In  1795,  Daniel  Turner  (surveyor)  erected  what 
were  known  as  Turner's  Iron-Works  on  the  main 
br.anch  of  Spring  Creek,  about  one  mile  above 
Bellefonte.  They  consisted  of  a  forge,  grist-  1795. 
and  saw-mill,  located  about  a  stone  building 
still  standing  two  hundred  rods  or  thereabouts  above 
the  Brockerhoff  mill  at  Roopsburg.  Turner  failed  and 
the  works  were  sold  to  William  Grant,  who  conveyed 
them  to  Thomas  Billington,  and  they  were  known  as 
Billington  Works.  They  were  early  abandoned  as 
iron-works.  Billington,  who  lived  in  Philadelphia, 
offered  them  for  sale  in  1807.  The  names  of  some'  of 
Turner's  workmen  in  1795  were  Ephraim  Blackburn, 
Otho  Spear,  Andrew  McMasters,  Patrick  McCarrigan, 
Samuel  Curls,  James  Lindsay,  Thomas  Curry.  Tur- 
ner's forge  was  called  Spring  Ci-eek  Forge,  as  appears 
by  a  bill  dated  Jan.  25,  1797  :  Sent  per  Samuel  Sivils 
to  Lewistown  seventy-one  bars  of  iron  ;  weight  one 
ton  and  seven  pounds. 

Thomas  Thompson,  of  Potter  township,  died  in 
1795.  His  children  were  Robert,  Nancy,  Prudence, 
and  Catherine.  In  the  same  year  Miles,  Dunlop  & 
Co.  erected  the  first  forge  at  what  is  now  Linn  & 
McCoy's  works.  The  firm  consisted  of  Evan  Miles 
(cousin  of  Col.  Samuel),  Gen.  Joseph  Miles,  Col. 
James  Dunlop,  and  John  Dunlop,  his  son,  and  Col. 
Samuel  Miles,  of  Cheltenham,  and  it  was  first  called 
Harmony  Forge,  for  being  built  jointly  by  these 
iron-masters. 

In  December,  1795,  William  Petriken,  Esq.,  had 
closed  up  his  business  in  Carlisle,  and  on  the  1st  of 
January  he  commenced  business  as  tailor  and  mer- 
chant at  Bellefonte.  His  first  customer  at  Bellefonte, 
as  appears  from  his  ledger,  was  Daniel  Turner,  and 
from  it  we  glean  the  names  of  residents  in  Bellefonte 
and  neighborhood  for  want  of  assessments  which  can- 
not now  be  found. 

At  Bellefonte  were  John  G.  Lowrey,  James  Harris, 
John  Dunlop,  John  Wall,  blacksmith;  Alexander 
Deven,  George  McKee,  William  Lamb,  William 
Pettit,  James  McCormick,  Hugh  Gallagher,  on  Buf- 
falo Run  ;  Andrew  Boggs,  William  McKee,  Logan's 
Gap  ;  Samuel  Beck,  William  McClure,  William 
Goodfellow,  Galbraith  Knox,  Evan  Miles,  Jonathan 
Boggs,  John  Gilmore,  Adam  Crepes,  Christopher 
Irvin,  Capt.  James  Miles,  James  Smith,  Spring 
Creek ;    Joseph    Boggs,    James    Williamson,    Isaac 


MILES'   RANGERS— POST-OFFICES   AND   FORGES. 


McKinney,  John  Anderson,  Penn's  valley ;  Alex- 
ander Davidson,  Buffalo  Run  ;  Andrew  Miller,  Buf- 
falo Run  ;  John  Richards,  Half  Moon  ;  William  Tip- 
ton, David  Killgore,  James  Ramsey,  boatman.  Books 
were  included  among  Mr.  Petriken's  sales.  He  has 
Mr.  Swansey  charged  with  Hervey's  Meditations, 
7s.  6rf. 

Capt.  Joseph  Miles'  "Rangers."— At  the  close 
of  ITy.*)  the  French  Directory  had  come  into  power, 
and  early  in  1796  signified  its  displeasure  at  the  rati- 
fication of  Jay's  treaty  with  Great  Britain.  On  the 
2d  of  July  the  Directory  issued  their  celebrated  de- 
cree "  that  all  neutral  or  allied  powers  shall  without 
delay  be  notified  that  the  flag  of  the  French  Republic 
will  treat  neutral  vessels,  either  as  to  confiscation,  as 
to  searches  or  capture,  in  the  same  manner  as  they 
shall  suffer  the  English  to  treat  them."  Rumors 
reached  the  United  States  that  measures  hostile  to 
American  commerce  were  contemplated  before  this. 
In  June  a  valuable  ship  called  the  "  Mount  Vernon" 
was  captured  off  the  capes  of  the  Delaware  by  a 
French  privateer  from  St.  Domingo.  This  and  other 
indignities  roused  the  military  spirit  that  had  been 
slumbering  since  the  Revolution. 

The  Scotch-Irish  settlers  about  Bellefonte  being  of 
a  reading  people,  always  have  taken  deep  interest  in 
political  questions,  particularly  those  which  appealed 
to  their  patriotism.  They  were  not  slow  in  rallying 
to  the  support  of  the  government,  and,  eminently 
practical,  their  first  move  was  to  form  a  military  com- 
pany. The  only  names  we  can  glean  of  the  members 
of  this  company  is  from  Esquire  Petriken's  daj'-book 
charges  for  making  their  uniforms;  one  pound,  thir- 
teen shillings,  nine  pence  was  the  cost  of  a  uniform 
suit : 


Boggs,  Robert. 
Civil,  Samuel. 
Davids,  Daniel. 
Dowling,  Samuel. 
Filey,  James. 
Goodfellcw,  David. 
McGoven,  William. 


McQuaid,  James. 
Morien,  Arthur, 
Keesides,  James. 
Sliull,  Philip. 
Spear,  Otho. 
Summers,  Uenry. 
Turner,  Joseph. 


Miles  Township. — As  early  as  1794  a  petition  was 
presented  to  the  Quarter  Sessions  of  Northumberland 

County  for  a  division  of  Haines  township,  set- 
1797.     ting  forth  that  Penn's  and  Brush  valleys  were 

divided  by  a  lofty  mountain  which  renders 
communication  diflScult,  and  praying  that  a  division 
line  be  run  along  the  Middle  Mountain.  The  court 
appointed  six  commissioners,  but  their  report  cannot 
be  found,  or  any  record  of  the  erection  of  Miles  town- 
ship. The  township,  however,  was  organized  in  1797, 
and  an  assessment  made  this  year,  upon  which  were 
the  following  taxable  inhabitants : 


Adams,  Jonatlmn. 
Andrews,  Samuel. 
Apple,  Andrew. 
Apple,  Henrj'. 
Apple,  John. 
Beeii,  John. 
Bierly,  .\ulhony. 


Bollander,  Stepli 
Buchtel,  Jol 
Buchtel,  John,  J 
Buchtel,  I'eter. 
Clelland,  Arthur 
Clelland,  James. 
Erlle,  Valentine. 


Sr. 


Oast,  Christian. 

Cost,  Nicholas. 

George,  Joiin. 

Oramly,  Fronds. 

Green,  Samuel. 

Green,  Thomas. 

Qutshall,  Michael. 

Hazel,  Barnet. 

ITazel,  Jacob. 

Hess,  Dewalt. 

Hull,  Adam. 

Jessup,  John. 

Johnston,  'William. 

Kern,  Matthias. 

Kepler,  Jacob. 

Kerman,  Jacob. 

Krieger,  Jacob. 

Kryder,  John,  Jr. 

McCammon,  John. 

McKinney,  John. 

McMullen,  Bobert. 

Martin,  William  (shop-keeper). 


Allen,  Uobert. 
Apple,  Andrew, 
Bierly,  Nichola 
Black,  John. 
Buchtel,  Martil 
Hazel,  Jacob. 
Keru.Killian. 
Kepler,  John. 


Meyer,  Philip. 
Meyer,  John. 
Miles,  James. 
Miller,  Adam. 
Moore,  James. 
Njhart,  Conrad. 
riiillps.John. 
I'ickle,  .lohn. 
I'iikle,  Thomas. 
Pickle,  Tobias. 
Prr-ston,  Al.ijah. 
Reler,  Abraham. 
SchaelTer,  Nicholas. 
Shank,  Dewalt. 
Shcnkle,  John. 
Shenkle,  Philip. 
Shively,  Jidin. 
Shutt,  Philip. 
Spangler,  Christian. 
Wagoner,  John. 
Walter,  Jacob. 
Walter,  Michael. 


Moore,  John. 


Mo. 


,  Patrick. 


Pickle,  Christian. 
Pickle,  John,  Jr. 
Pickle,  Tobias. 
Pickle,  Simon. 
Spangler,  George. 
Spangler,  Jacob,  Jr 


ADDITIONAL 
Allender,  John. 
Armstrong,  William. 
Berry,  Jacob. 
Brown,  Jacob. 
Brown,  John  (shoemaker). 
Bowerso.x,  George. 
Carson,  John. 
Carson,  Robert. 
Charters,  William. 
Cook,  David. 
Dawson,  James. 
Derflinger,  John. 
Dunmcyer,  Nicholas. 
Kspig,  Christian  (doctor). 
Graham,  Patrick. 
George,  John. 
Gray,  David  (one  slave). 
Gunckel,  Daniel. 
Gunckel,  Philip. 
Gundy,  Jacob. 
Hecknian,  Peter. 
Hindman,  Samuel. 
Housman,  Andrew. 
Kreighbaum,  John. 
Linn,  Patrick. 


RESIDENTS  OF  HAINES. 
Lloyd,  John. 
McBeath,  John. 
McElwee,  William. 
Mack,  Rudolph. 
Martin,  Robert. 
Minick,  George. 
Mitchell,  Jolin. 
Ox,  Peter. 
Reed,  Adam. 
Reed,  Benjamin. 
Reed,  Michael. 
Reynolds,  James  fretailer). 
Robb,  John. 
Row,  Dietiich. 
Scott,  David. 
Sbafer,  John. 
Shroyer,  Jacob. 
Sowerwine,  William. 
Spangler,  John. 
Stroll,  Frederick. 
Waldenberger,  Daniel. 
Weaver,  Michael,  Sr. 
Weavei-,  Michael,  Jr.  (retailer). 
Weaver,  Adam. 
Williman,  G.orge. 

Simjle  JIfeii. 

Smith,  James. 
Smith,  William. 
Weise,  David. 


,  Henry. 


Bartges,  William. 
Dunkel,  Jacob. 
Carson,  William. 
Harper,  Jo!m. 
Hubler,  Adam. 
Smith,  Andrew. 

The  first  post-office  established  in  Centre  County 
was  at  Milesburg,  March  13,  1797,  and  Joseph  Green 
was  appointed  postmaster.  Prior  to  this  time  the  near- 
est post-otRce  was  Northumberland.  Jesse  Moore,  of 
Potter,  died  in  1797;  also  Joseph  Allender,  of  Bald 
Eagle.  Allender's  children  were  Alexander,  Jame.", 
Joseph,  and  William,  and  four  daughters. 


32 


HISTOKY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Bellefonte  Forge  (now  Valentines  &  Co.)  was  erected 
by  John  Dunlop  as  early  as  1798.  John  G.  Lowrey 
was  manager.  A  bill  for  iron,  sent  from  Bellefonte 
Forge,  June  19,  1798,  to  William  Irvin,  for  ten  hun- 
dred and  ten  pounds  of  bar  iron,  containing  thirty- 
seven  pieces,  by  James  Lindsey,  on  account  of  John 
Dunloj),  signed  by  John  G.  Lowrey,  is  still  extant: 
1010  lbs.,  at  $5.60,  f56i=g'},.  On  the  death  of  John 
Dunlop  in  1815,  these  works  were  leased  by  the  Valen- 
tine brothers  and  W.  A.  Thomas,  and  passed  by  pur- 
chase to  them  Oct.  1,  1821,  in  connection  with  John 
Dunlop's  Logan  Works  and  the  mines,  for  $14,000. 
Samuel,  Jacob,  George,  and  Reuben  were  the  Valen- 
tine brothers.  The  first  rolling-mill  was  built  by  them 
and  Mr.  Thomas  in  1824.  In  a  letter  from  Col.  Miles, 
addressed  to  Evan  Miles,  dated  Dec.  27, 1798,  he  says, 
"I  am  trying  to  get  some  money  for  opening  the 
Presque  He  Road  and  for  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  but 
have  very  poor  prospects.  The  bill  for  a  new  county 
was  reported  as  unfinished  business,  but  was  postponed 
at  the  request  of  your  own  members.  I  shall  not  push 
it  tills  session  for  certain  reasons." 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

POLITICAL  — ALIEN   AND    SEDITION    LAWS  — ADDI- 
TIONAL RESIDENTS  AND  OFFICERS,  IT'Jl-lSOO. 

At  the  time  of  the  accession  of  John  Adams  to 
the  Presidency,  March  4,  1797,  party  lines  were 
drawn,  and  having  been  the  candidate  of  Federalists, 
he  and  his  measures  were  closely  watched  by  a  well- 
organized  and  very  powerful  opposition,  known  as 
the  Republican  party.  The  difficulties  with  the 
French  Directory  were  the  first  to  stare  him  in  the 
face.  The  latter  had  treated  our  minister.  Gen. 
Pinckney,  in  a  very  insulting  manner,  and  he  had  re- 
tired to  Amsterdam  to  await  instructions.  Outrages 
were  committed  upon  our  commerce  by  French  ves- 
sels, and  measures  had  to  be  taken  without  delay.     , 

Congress  was  convened  on  the  15th  of  May. 
Among  acts  passed  at  this  session  was  that  of  July  0, 

1797,  laying  duties  on  stamped  vellum,  parchment, 
and  paper,  which  was  very  unpopular,  principally  on 
account  of  its  title,  as  indicated  in  the  following 
petition.  Congress  adjourned  on  the  10th  of  July, 
and  the  intolerance  of  the  Directory  continued  ;  fre- 
quent occasion  was  taken  to  insult  the  United  States 
government,  and  in  fact  open  wi'.r  waged  by  the 
cruisers  of  France  on  our  commerce. 

These  indignities  aroused  public  sentiment  to  such 
an  extent  that  an  act  was  passed  May  28,  1798, .au- 
thorizing the  President  of  the  United  States 

1798.  to  raise  an  army  of  ten  thousand  men  for  three 
years,   of  which  Gen.   ^Vashington   was   ap- 
pointed commander-in-chief  June  25th.    The  act  con- 
cerning aliens  was  passed,  giving  the  President  power 


to  order  aliens  out  of  the  United  States,  etc.,  and  on 
the  6th  of  July,  1798,  the  act  respecting  alien  enemies. 
These  two  acts,  with  that  previously  passed  (June  18, 
1798)  to  amend  the  naturalization  laws,  requiring  four- 
teen years'  residence  in  order  to  become  a  citizen,  are 
what  were  commonly  known  as  the  alien  and  sedition 
laws. 

July  7,  1798,  the  act  to  declare  the  treaties  hereto- 
fore concluded  with  France  no  longer  obligatory 
upon  the  United  States  became  a  law,  followed  by 
acts  to  protect  the  commerce  of  the  United  States,  etc. 

On  the  9th  of  July,  1798,  the  other  act  referred  to 
in  the  petition  was  approved.  It  provided  for  the 
valuation  of  lands  and  dwelling-houses,  and  created 
a  host  of  commissioners,  assessors,  surveyors,  and 
clerks.  This  was  followed  by  the  act  of  July  14, 
1798,  imposing  a  direct  tax  of  $2,000,000,  of  which 
the  quota  of  Pennsylvania  was  $237,177^5%,  on  dwell- 
ing-houses and  the  lot  ivhereon  the  same  are  erected, 
not  exceeding  ten  acres  in  each  case.  Tills  discrimination 
was  in  favor  of  holders  of  unseated  or  uncultivated 
lands,  and  was  therefore  obnoxious  to  the  common- 
sense  ideas  of  justice  and  fairness  for  which  our  Ger- 
man population  are  proverbial,  as  well  as  to  their 
praiseworthy  notions  of  economy  in  assessing  and 
collecting  the  tax,  evinced  in  their  suggestion  for 
Congress  to  direct  the  State  to  assess  its  population  in 
the  usual  way. 

Congress  adjourned  on  the  16th  of  July,  and  dur- 
ing the  recess  both  Federalists  and  Republicans  were 
actively  engaged  in  measures  for  support  or  attack  of 
the  administration,  and  petitions  were  actively  circu- 
lated among  the  people.  Northumberland  County 
was  districted,  and  the  following  carefully-prepared 
petition  was  circulated  in  Haines  township.  It  has 
no  date,  but  is  to  be  referred  undoubtedly  to  the  fall 
of  1798.  The  signatures  marked  with  a  *  are  in 
German,  the  body  of  the  petition  in  English. 

In  connection  with  this  petition  we  have  the  inter- 
esting fact  preserved  by  tradition  that  there  was  a 
prosecution  under  it  against  one  at  least  of  the  in- 
habitants of  what  is  now  Centre  County.  Complaint 
was  made  against  Thomas  McComnion  (McCalmont) 
for  using  seditious  language,  in  1798  or  1799.  John 
G.  Lowrey  and  Andrew  Boggs,  the  lawyer,  were  sent 
down  Nittany  valley  to  arrest  him.  Mr.  McCal- 
mont asked  permission  to  go  to  the  spring  for  a  drink, 
and  did  not  return.  They  were  very  glad  lie  did  not, 
and  returned  to  Bellefonte  with  a  fixed  resolution  not 
to  have  anything  more  to  do  with  the  sedition  law. 

"  To  [he  Senate  mid  Honnf.  of  liepresentatU-es  of  the  United  States  of 
AmP7-ica  ill  C<mijre»»  uFSenihled. 

"  The  pt'litioii  of  tlio  siibdcribers  iiiliabitants  of  the  couuty  of  North- 
iimberliuid,  ill  Ihe  State  of  rolilisylvunia, 

*'  RfspectfuUy  Bhowcth 

"  That  while  we  are  warmly  attaclicd  to  the  Union  we  cannot  but  ex- 
press our  concern  at  several  acts  passed  in  the  two  last  sessions  of  Con- 
gress: 

"1st.  The  law  for  erecting  a  staniling  arm}'.  Whilst  wo  can  assure 
your  honorable  body  that  wo  are  ready  at  any  call  to  defend  our  country 
against  any  foreign  enemy  in  case  of  on  iuvasiou. 


ADDITIONAL  llESIDENTS   AND   OFFICERS,  IT'Jl-lSOO. 


33 


"2d.  The  sedition  n 
lore  dlHUuion  tlian  u 
iition. 

"  3d.  The  law  for  n 


id  alien  laws.    Whilst  we  helieve  them  to  produce 
lion,  and  to  bear  too  much  of  the  face  of  persc- 


a  revenne  on  stamped  vellum,  parchment 
and  paper.  AVhite  we  believe  the  inconvenience  of  procuring  and  using 
stamped  paper  is  too  much  felt  by  individuals,  and  the  name  of  a  stamp 
act  odious  to  most  Americans. 

"4tli.  The  law  for  a-seseing  and  coUectijig  a  direct  tax,  the  great 
increase  of  revenue  officei's,  and  the  great  expense  necessary  to  levy  and 
collect  money  under  the  new  regulations  are  in  our  opinion  serious  ob- 
jections; but  equal  weight  is  the  partiality  which  must  necessarily 
attend  its  operation. 
"It  is  now  welllviiown  that  the  owners  of  houses  in  Pennsylvania  will 
proportion  to  the  value  of  their  property  tlian  the 
ated  lands.  We  think  if  Congress  would  direct  each 
r  proportion  of  the  two  millions  of  dollars  in  their 
own  usual  way,  it  would  be  less  expensive  and  more  equal. 

' "  The  humble  prayer  of  your  petiliouei-s,  therefore,  is  that  the  subject 
we  have  mentioned  may  be  taken  into  consideration  by  Congress,  while 
wo  deelare  our  desire  that  such  a  system  of  economy  may  be  pursued  as 
will  be  compatible  with  the  dignity  and  security  of  our  government,  and 
that  the  wisdom  of  our  Federal  Legislature  will  select  such  methods  of 
raising  whatsoever  revenue  may  be  deemed  necessary  as  will  be  least 
disagreeable  to  the  pi-ople  at  large  and  best  calculated  to  promote  har- 
mony among  the  greatest  body  of  our  citizens." 


pay  much  ti 
holders  of  i: 
State  to  as- 


(Signed  by) 

Christian  Espich 
llichael  Bollengi 
William  Sowerw: 
John  Young. 


*Nicholas  Kurtz. 
*Kreilenck  Ilennig. 
*Philip  Danner. 
riiilip  Dcwald. 
Iliehael  Weaver. 
*IIenry  Weiss. 
*Oeorgo  Biecht  [Bright]. 
*Geoige  II.  ss. 
Adam  Ilul.ler. 
*I^liilip  Franck. 


Ge( 


ck. 


Jacob  Larch. 
John  Weaver. 
Lewis  Wallmeier. 
Jacob  Sheffer. 
GeoigeBe.ier. 
*Weiland  Schmitt. 
*John  Krytzer. 
Jacob  Skillman. 
*Ge.>rKe  Miniiigh. 
»lichael  Schafer. 
George  Valor. 
Stophel  Frank. 
Freclerick  Kohler. 
*Johu  Hesi. 
*Frantz  lless. 
*Cliarles  Hoy. 
♦Leonard  Stephen. 
*George  Kiesler. 
John  Krilzer,  Jr. 
*Jolin  Herder. 
Valentine  Eltel. 
♦Tobias  Bickel. 
*Johu  Punkel. 
*Adam  Geho. 
Kicliolas  Cast. 


Chi 


an  Cast. 


Anthony  Wolf. 
•Daniel  Master. 
George  Wolf. 
George  Wolf,  Jr. 
♦Benjamin  Rielf. 
Matthias  Hess. 
♦Rudolph  Mark, 
.^dam  ^'eidigb. 


John  Neidigh. 
♦Henry  Wise. 
♦George  Speis. 
Michael  Wolf. 
Philip  Gunckel. 
♦Jacob  Killinger. 
♦George  Trautner. 
Adam  Smith. 
♦Jeremiah  Trautner. 
♦Michael  Meckel. 
♦Jacob  Heltner. 
♦Adam  Meckel. 
♦Jacob  Browu. 
♦Samuel  Herr. 
♦Frederick  Stroh. 
James  I>uncan. 
♦Daniel  Gast. 
♦George  Saartz. 
Patrick  Linn. 
*,lacob  Miller. 
♦Benjamin  Uess. 
♦Samuel  Herr. 
Adam  Weaver. 
♦Dewalt  Gast. 
♦George  Schwartz. 
♦John  Brown. 
Adam  Harper. 
Philip  Henny. 
Henry  Harper, 
liobert  McBeth. 
Andrew  McBeth. 
John  Hal  per. 
♦George  Bauersacker. 
Adam  Harper,  Jr. 
John  Stover. 
♦Valentine  Stover. 
Jacob  Stover,  Jr. 
Adam  Stover. 
Jacob  Stover. 
Frederick  Stover. 
♦Michael  Hess. 
Daniel  Walterberger. 
♦Michael  Hotz. 
John  Dunk.  1. 
George  Keisler. 
Michael  He.«s. 
George  Weis. 
Christian  Stuun. 


ADDITIONAL  RESIDENT  TAX-PAYERS  IN   HAINES  IN  1798- 
Bolliiiger,  Michael.  IIe«B,  David. 

Bright,  George.  Kern,  .T..bn. 

Emerick,  Christian.  Lut/.,  .l.dm. 

Geho,  Adam.  Mcl'herson,  John. 

Henney,  Philip.  Young,  J.din. 

ADDITIONAL   RESIDENT  TAX-PAYERS  IN   MILES   IS    1798. 

Brungart,  Martin.  Moore,  Philip. 

Berry,  Jacob.  Meyer,  Henry. 

Crane,  David.  Patterson,  James. 

Duukel,  Christian.  Spangler,  Peter. 

Little,  John.  Wortz.  George. 

Lish,  Zachariah.  Wolf,  George. 

Miller,  Jacob.  Wolfart,  Philip. 

On  the  1st  of  April,  1798,  post-ofEces  were  estab- 
lished simultaneously  at  Aaronsburg  and  Bellefonte. 
James  Duncan  was  appointed  postmaster  of  the  for- 
mer, and  James  Harris  of  the  latter. 

RESIDENTS    OF   AARONSBURG,   1709. 

Armstrong,  William.  Kreitzer,  John. 

Bollinger,  Michael.  Mitchell,  John. 

Bright,  George.  0.\,  Peter. 

Brown,  John.  Reynolds,  James. 

Brown,  John,  Jr.  Shaffer,  Michael. 

Cliristmau,  Felix.  Shafer,  Henry. 

Daneker,  Peter.  Smith,  Adam. 

Dewalt,  Philip.  Smith,  Wiant. 

Donner,  Philip.  Stephen,  Leonard. 

Duncan,  James.  Storm,  Christian. 

E«pich,  Chiistian.  Stroh,  Frederick. 

Henny,  Frederick.  Wagoner,  J.ihn. 

Henny,  Philip.  Weaver,  Adam. 

Hess,  George.  Weaver,  Micluiel. 

Iless,  Samuel.  Weiss,  Henry. 

Kirk,  Michael.  Young,  John. 

ADDITIONAL    RESIDENT   TAXABLES   IN    H.MNES. 


Albiight,  Jacob. 
Beal,  Dewalt. 
Deal,  George. 
Buchler,  John. 
Emerick,  Casper. 
Fie,  Henry. 
Fitler,  Jacob. 
Grossman,  Kichola 
Ilanse,  Adam. 

Duukel,  Jacob. 
Duukel,  John. 
Ewing,  John. 


Ilarter,  John. 
Kister,  George. 
Leiser,  Matthias. 
Relgart,  Joseph. 
Streby,  John. 
Swartz,  George. 
Weaver,  John,  Jr. 
Zetllemeyer,  Godfrey. 

Single  Freemen. 

Hess,  John. 
Hed.linger,  Jacob. 
Sweeney,  Thomas. 


The  act  of  March  1,  1780,  abolished  slaverj'  within 
the  State  as  to  all  persons  thereafter  born  in  the  State, 
but  there  remained  a  number  of  registered 
slaves,  and  there  were  in  1799  a  few  jiersons  1799. 
within  the  limits  of  what  is  now  Centre  County 
who  could  be  called  slaveholders.  The  following 
advertisement  is  a  relic  of  the  institution : 

"  2s.  Rewaed. 
"  Ban  away  on  the  2^  inst.  Negroman  John  about  22  also  negro  girl 
named  Flora  about  18,  Slender  made  speaks  bad  English  andalillle 
French.  Has  a  Scar  on  her  upper  lip  and  letters  branded  on  her  bre;ist, 
who  ever  secures  the  runaways  in  any  place  where  their  master  &in  get 
them  shall  have  the  above  reward  and  reasonable  charges  paid  by 

"John  P.\ttox 
"Centre  Fcbxace,  Mifflin  Cuu.nty 
"July  20,1799." 

OFFICERS  OF  BALD   EAGLE,  1701-1S:0. 
1791.— Constable,  R,  Malone;  Supervisors  of  Roads,  William  Swansey, 
Joshua  Williams;    Overseei-s  of  the  Poor,  I.  Connelly,  Thomas 
Erskiue. 


31 


niSTOEY   OF   CENTRE  COUxN'TY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Supervisors  of  Roads,  John  Holt, 
•8  of  the  Poor,  R.  Malono,  Robert 


1793.— Constable,  Thomas  Erski 

Christopher  Ilelford;  Oven 

Boggs. 
1794.— Coiislable,  ThomaBErskino;  Supervisors  of  Roads,  Robert  Boggs, 

Thomas  MfCommon  ;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  AVilliam  Lamb,  Thomas 

■Williams. 
171)5.— Constable,  Thomas  Wilson ;  Supervisors  of  Roads,  Robert  Boggs, 

Christophor    lielford;   Overseers  of  the  PoOr,  Richard   Malone, 

Henry  McEwon. 
179G.— Constable,  Juhn  Holt;  Supervisors  of  Roads,  Francis  McEwen, 

James  Green  ;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  James  Packer,  Joseph  Allen- 

der. 
1797.— Constable,  Joseph  AUender;  Supervisors  of  Roads,  Christopher 

PeiglituI,  Hugh  Gallagher;    Overseers  of  the  Poor,  James  Miles, 

Pliilip  Antes  ;  Fence- Viewers,  Robert  Boggs,  Thomas  Erskine;  Au- 
ditors, R.  DJiles,  James  Harris. 
1708.— Constable,  William  Riddles;  Supervisors  of  Roads,  James  Dunlop, 

Frederick  Leathers;   Overseers  of  the  Puor,  Adam  McKee,  James 

Milfs  ;  Fence-Viewers,  I.  Connelly,  James  Packer  j  Assessors,  Ilugli 

Gallagher,  Philip  Banner. 
1799.— Constable,  William  Connelly;  Supervisors  of  Roads,  R.  Miles,  J. 

Ilarbison  ;  Overeeers  of  the  Poor,  J.  McCord,  R.  Gordon  ;  Assessors, 

J.  Dunlop,  James  Green. 
1800.— Cunstable.  William  Connelly;  Supervisors  of  Roads,  Galbraith 

Knox,   John   Ilult;    Overseers  of  the  Poor,  John  Dunlop,  James 

Miles;  Assessors,  Julin  Uarbi&on,  I^Iartiu  Hoover. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

POPULATION— ERECTION  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY  AND 
COUNTY    LINES. 

Population. — The  census  report  for  the  year  1800 
indicates  the  number  of  inhabitants  of  those 
"  portions  of  Mifflin  and  Lycoming  Counties 

erected  into  Centre,  as  follows  : 


B.ilil  Engle  aii.l  Patton... 

AVliito. 
I5»0 

C 

lored. 

2.5 

n 

19 

Slave 
1 

1 

s.    Total 
15:!5 

(Luwei)  B.iW  E:\gh- 

(jW 

G'J8 

Erection  of  Centre  County  and  Boundary  Lines. 

—Centre  County  was  erected  Feb.  13,  1800  (3  Smith's 
Laws,  407),  with  tlie  following  boundary:  Beginning 
opposite  the  mouth  of  Quinn's  Run,  on  the  West 
Branch  of  the  Susquehanna  ;  thence  a  straight  line  to 
the  mouth  of  Fishing  Creek  ;  thence  to  the  northeast 
corner  of  Miles  township  (late  Haines),  including 
Nittany  valley  ;  thence  by  the  northeastern  bounda- 
ries of  the  said  township  to  the  summit  of  Tussey's 
Mountain  ;  thence  by  the  summit  of  said  mountain, 
by  the  lines  of  Haines  township  in  Northumberland 
County,  Potter  townsliip  in  Mitflin,  and  Franklin 
township  in  Huntingdon  Ccjunty,  to  a  point  three 
miles  southwest  of  the  present  line  between  Mifflin 
and  Huntingdon  Counties;  thence  by  a  direct  line 
to  the  head  of  the  Southwest  Branch  of  Bald  Eagle 
Creek ;  thence  a  direct  line  to  the  head-waters  of  the 
Moshannon  ;  thence  down  the  same  to  the  Susque- 
hanna, and  down  the  Susquehanna  to  the  place  of 
beginning. 

The  northeast  corner  of  Miles  was  the  southeast 
corner  of  old  Lamar,  and  Tusscy  Mountain  in  the 


act  must  mean  the  Seven  Mountains,  which  no  doubt 
were  considered  a  continuation  of  Tussey.  Shortly 
after  the  erection  of  Potter,  in  1774,  its  southern 
boundary  must  have  been  limited  to  the  Seven 
Mountains,  as  the  McNitts,  who  lived  on  the  eastern 
portion  of  Armagh,  disappear  from  the  Potter  assess- 
ment. But  the  processes  of  change  of  township 
boundaries  cannot  be  traced  by  the  records,  and  we 
are  in  doubt  how  the  eastern  line  of  Centre  changed 
from  a  northwesterly  line  to  a  northeasterly  line. 
When  Hartley  was  erected,  in  1811,  the  county  line 
from  the  four-mile  tree  in  the  Narrows  is  spoken  of  as 
a  south  line. 

The  change  of  direction  of  the  northern  portion  of 
the  east  boundary  line  of  Centre  is  explained  by  the 
annexation  of  some  of  the  territory  of  Lycoming  by 
act  of  Assembly  of  March  23,  1818.  That  part  of 
Wayne  township  in  Lycoming  County  which  inckides 
the  cast  end  of  Sugar  valley,  beginning  on  the  sum- 
mit of  a  mountain  north  of  Sugar  valley,  at  a  water- 
pond  on  the  division  line  between  Lycoming  and  Cen- 
tre Counties ;  thence  an  east  course  to  the  head- waters 
of  Sinking  Fishing  Creek,  including  Henry  Barner's 
farm  ;  thence  a  south  course  to  the  Union  County 
line,  .was  annexed  to  Miles  township.  Centre  County. 
This  was  the  northeastern  territory  of  the  present 
township  of  Greene  in  Clinton  County. 

However  the  change  occurred,  there  was  a  difficulty 
and  dispute  about  the  line,  arising  from  the  fact,  no 
doubt,  that  the  act  erecting  Union  County,  March  22, 
1813,  made  no  locally  identified  boundary,  merely 
erecting  all  that  part  of  Northumberland  County  lying 
on  the  west  side  of  the  river  into  a  separate  county  to/ 
be  called  Union. 

The  dispute  was  settled  by  the  report  of  Jacob 
Kryder,  of  Centre  County;  James  Dale,  of  Union; 
and  John  Hanna,  of  Lycoming  County,  who  were 
authorized  by  act  of  Assembly,  passed  March  28, 1820, 
to  employ  two  practical  surveyors  to  run  the  division 
line  between  Union  and  Centre  Counties,  and  the  line 
agreed  upon  by  the  commissioners,  or  a  majority  of 
them,  was  to  remain  of  record  as  the  established  line 
between  the  said  counties. 

These  commissioners,  in  a  report  dated  May  23, 1820, 
state  that  they  employed  Abraham  Weber,  of  Centre 
County,  and  Adam  Wilt,  of  Union  County,  as  sur- 
veyors, and  that  they  ran  and  marked  the  line  from 
Hendrick's  saw-mill  on  Penn's  Creek  to  the  top  of  the 
mountain  north  of  the  Brush  Valley  road,  according 
to  a  draft  accompanying  their  report. 

The  draft  shows  that  they  commenced  at  a  spruce 
on  the  north  side  of  Penn's  Creek,  opposite  a  small 
island,  and  ran  N.  47°  E.  40  perches  to  a  spruce ; 
thence  N.  83°  E.  100  perches  to  a  gum  ;  thence  N. 
47°  E.  1960  perches,  crossing  Cherry  Run  (twice), 
then  Laurel  Run,  to  the  four-mile  tree  on  the  Penii'.s 
Valley  road.  At  this  point  they  have  dotted  "  the 
old  county  line,"  as  running  across  the  road  in  the 
direction  N.  22|°  W.     From  the  four-mile  tree  they 


ERECTION   OF   CENTRE   COUNTY   AND  COUNTY  LINES. 


35 


ran  N.  35°,  2250  perches  to  a  pine  north  of  Rapid 
Run  and  a  little  heyond  the  Brush  Valley  road. 

This  was  not  the  extent  of  the  east  line,  hut  proba- 
bly as  far  as  settled  the  dispute.  Just  fifty  years 
afterwards,  April  1,  1870,  R.  F.  Brown,  of  Union 
County;  H.  P.  Treziyulny,  of  Centre;  John  Swart- 
zell,  of  Mifflin  ;  and  Aaron  K.  Gift,  of  Snyder,  were 
authorized  by  act  of  Assembly  to  run  the  boundary 
line  between  Union  County  and  Centre,  etc.  (P.  L. 
882). 

They  reported  Feb.  10,  1871,  they  had  marked  the 
line  upon  the  ground  and  placed  monuments  at  cor- 
ners and  crossings  of  public  roads  :  Beginning  at  the 
"  Tea  Spring"  (which  is  on  the  Joseph  Wister  tract  at 
John  Zimmerman's,  near  head  of  Big  Fisliing  Creek), 
south  forty-four  and  one-fourth  degrees  west  five  miles 
to  a  marked  stone  on  south  side  of  the  public  road  in 
Brush  Valley  Narrows  (about  fifty  perches  west  of 
where  the  road  to  McCall's  mill  enters  the  public  road 
on  the  Jacob  Sigfried  tract) ;  thence  south  thirty-eight 
and  three-fourth  degrees  west  seven  miles  to  a  marked 
stone  on  the  north  side  of  the  turnpike  in  the  Penn's 
Valley  Narrows  (on  lines  of  Simon  Snyder  and  Philip 
Gheer  tracts) ;  thence  south  forty-nine  and  a  half  de- 
grees west  six  miles  and  forty  perches  to  a  gum  cor- 
ner, between  counties  of  Centre,  Mifflin,  and  Union 
(near  the  northwest  corner  of  the  Thomas  Castoris 
survey;  whole  length  of  eastern  boundary,  eighteen 
miles  and  forty  perches). 

The  western  and  northern  boundaries,  being  Mo- 
shannon  Creek  and  the  river  down  to  Quinn's  Run, 
need  no  remark ;  from  opposite  Quinn's  Run  the 
boundary  runs  south  to  the  mouth  of  Fishing  Creek, 
and  thence  southeasterly  along  tlie  old  Lamar  town- 
ship line  to  the  old  corner  of  Miles  township,  which, 
judging  from  the  present  maps,  was  somewhat  east- 
ward of  where  Lamar  (now  Crawford),  Wayne,  and 
Greene  townships,  in  Clinton  County,  corner. 

A  change  in  the  northern  boundary  resulted  from 
an  act  passed  March  27,  1819,  providing  that  from 
and  after  the  1st  of  May  next  all  thatj^part  of  the 
township  of  Bald  Eagle  beginning  at  the  river  oppo- 
site the  mouth  of  Quinn's  Run;  thence  along  the 
division  line  of  the  counties  of  Centre  and  Lycoming 
one  mile  ;  thence  by  a  direct  line  to  the  mouth  of 
Sinnemaiioning  Creek,  should  be  annexed  to  the 
county  of  Lycoming,  that  part  opposite  to  the  town- 
ship of  Dunstable  to  be  attached  to  that  township, 
and  that  opposite  to  the  township  of  Chapman  to  be 
attached  to  the  township  of  Chapman. 

The  line  between  Centre  and  Huntingdon  was  re- 
turned by  James  Hunter,  Esq.,  the  surviving  com- 
missioner, as  run  and  marked  by  himself  and  Robert 
Boggs,  commissioners  appointed  under  the  act  of  Jan. 
7, 1801.  They  began  at  a  B.  O.  on  the  top  of  Tussey's 
Mountain  ;  thence  S.  58°  W.  960  to  a  chestnut  on  the 
summit  of  Tussey's  Mountain  ;  thence  N.  70  W.  3494 
perches  to  a  red-oak  at  the  head-springs  of  Bald 
Eagle  Creek,  and  the  North   Branch  of  the  Little 


Juniata;  thence  North  84°  W.  3640  to  a  red-oak  at 
the  head  of  Big  Moshannon. 

Ahraham  M.  Elder,  of  Centre  County,  and  Abed- 
nego  Stephens,  of  Huntingdon  County,  two  of  the 
commissioners  appointed  by  act  of  Assembly  of  lltli 
ofApril,  1848  (P.  L.,  page  505),  to  run  and  mark  the 
line  between  Blair  and  Centre  Counties,  reported  Nov. 
IC,  1848,  that  they  had  run  said  line  from  a  red-oak 
stump  at  the  head-waters  of  the  Juniata  River  and  of 
Bald  Eagle  Creek  S.  88}  W.  4020  perches  to  the  red- 
oak  at  the  head  of  the  Moshannon  Creek. 

Joseph  Deving,  William  P.  Mitchell,  and  O.  M. 
Irvine,  commissioners  appointed  by  the  Courts  of 
Quarter  Sessions  of  Blair  and  Centre  Counties,  under 
the  general  act  of  April  17, 1876  (Pennsylvania  Laws, 
42),  made  their  report,  filed  Dec.  11,  1876,  that  they 
had  commenced,  Sept.  26,  1876,  at  the  common  cor- 
ner of  Blair,  Huntington,  and  Centre,  where  they 
found  a  pine  stump  and  witnesses  on  the  summit  of 
Muncy  Mountain  (which  is  on  a  tract  surveyed  in  the 
warrantee  name  of  Christian  Vanphole,  warrant  of 
8th  of  April,  1863).  From  this  point  they  ran  N. 
64]  W.  246  perches  to  the  head-waters  of  Bald  Eagle 
Creek,  where  they  made  an  elm  corner.  (This  elm 
is  on  the  Samuel  Downing  tract,  warrant  of  8th  of 
December,  1784,  about  fifteen  perches  east  of  Dix 
Station,  Lock  Haven  and  Tyrone  Railroad,  which  is 
on  the  division  line  between  Samuel  Downing  and 
Joseph  Downing  warrantees,  about  122  perches  from 
their  southern  line.)  From  the  elm  they  ran  due 
west  3708  perches  to  the  red-oak  corner  tree  at  the 
head  of  the  Moshannon,  bearing  date  of  Elder  and 
Stephen's  survey  of  1848.  They  re-marked  the  red- 
oak  with  witnesses  to  it.  The  corners  and  witnesses 
of  Joseph  Deving  et  a/,  line  are  each  marked  by  four 
notches,  and  the  line  trees  by  a  blaze  below  a  notch. 
Their  terminus,  the  red-oak  at  the  head-waters  of  the 
Moshannon,  is  on  the  Joseph  Stroud  warrant,  Dec. 
26,  1793,  on  S.  W.  portion  thereof.  Running  east 
from  this  red-oak  the  line  enters  what  is  known  as 
the  Morgan  lands,  at  the  N.  W.  corner  of  James 
Moore  warrant,  March  13,  1794,  and  passing  through 
what  is  known  as  "  the  Moore  settlement,"  crossing 
the  Tyrone  and  Clearfield  road  south  of  Gardner's 
Station,  leaving  the  Woomer  heirs  a  little  to  the  south 
of  the  line,  enters  the  John  Hoover  warrant,  Jan.  18. 
1794,  at  N.  W.  end,  little  south  of  its  chestnut,  and 
ends  at  the  elm  which  is  on  the  Susanna  Lamb  war- 
rant of  18th  of  January,  1794,  Morgan  tract,  a  little 
west  of  William  Crane's  house,  between  the  public 
road  and  the  railroad. 

The  line  as  run  in  1857  between  Huntingdon,  Mifflin, 
and  Centre  Counties,  filed  in  the  Quarter  Sessions, 
Dec.  5,  1857,  began  at  a  white-pine  on  the  summit  of 
Muncy  Mountain;  ran  south  68°  E.,  at  a  mile  and  a 
quarter  crossing  Warrior  Branch  Run,  between  6  and 
7  mile  passing  Pennsylvania  Furnace,  S  mile  W.  O., 
9  mile  Co.  0.,  to  a  stone  heap  160  perches  beyond 
(9  mile  C.  O.);  thence  N.  65°  E.  along  top  of  Tussey's 


36 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Mountain,  at  IJ  miles  crossing  Indian  path,  2  mile 
chest,  oak,  3  mile  chest,  oak;  thence  crossing  the 
road  to  Stone  Valley,  at  4  miles  hemlock,  five  miles 
pine,  6  miles  C.  O.,  7  mile  white-pine ;  at  7}  miles 
changed  course  to  N.  80  E.  IGO  to  a  white-pine; 
thence  S.  40  E.  2  miles  and  260  perches  to  a  stone 
heap  ;  thence,  skirting  Big  Meadow  to  the  north,  N. 
80  E.,  at  1}  miles  crossing  path  to  Stone  Valley,  2 
mile  white-pine,  3  miles  CO.,  and  150  perches  to  a 
stone  heap  for  corner;  thence  S.  20  E.,  1  mile  through 
Big  Kettle,  to  a  stone-heap  corner;  thence  North  60 
E.,  1  mile  pine,  2  mile  a  pine,  then  changed  course  N. 
65  E.,  one  mile  pine;  thence  N.  60  E.  73  perches; 
thence  N.  45  E.  247  to  pine  ;  thence  over  Bald  Moun- 
tain N.  70  E.,  2  miles  B.  O.  at  the  turnpike  to  Lewis- 
town  ;  thence  N.  75  E.,  at  1  mile  yellow-pine,  at  2 
mile  CO. ;  thence  N.  60  E.,  1  mile  CO. ;  thence  N.  65° 
E. ;  at  2  miles  white-pine  through  path  in  Poe 
Valley  at  one-half  mile,  crossing  Logan's  path  to 
a  post-corner  marked  12  mile;  thence,  at  f  of  mile 
crossing  Millheim  turnpike,  to  13  mile  pine;  thence 
same  course  14  mile  pine;  thence  to  15  mile  white- 
pine,  through  tracts  in  the  warrantee  name  of  Ken- 
nedy, passing  16  mile  white  pine,  17  mile  ch.  o.,  18 
mile  w.  pine  near  forks  of  Poe  Creek  and  Swift  Run 
■with  Penn's ;  thence  N.  77°  E.  three  miles  to  an  old 
hemlock,  corner  north  of  Follmer's  saw-mill,  corner 
of  Union  County.  This  was  surveyed  and  drafted  by 
H.  P.  Treziyulny.  No  great  reliance,  however,  can 
be  placed  upon  the  draught.  He  makes  the  distance 
from  the  Mifflin  County  line  twenty-one  miles  to  the 
Union  County  corner,  which  he  specifies  as  a  hemlock 
opposite  to  and  50  rods  southward  of  the  east  line  of 
William  Harrison  warrantee  of  27th  of  March,  1793. 

An  act  of  Assembly  of  1835-36  provided  that 
Daniel  Hanna,  of  the  county  of  Lycoming,  Jos.  F. 
Quay  and  Jacob  Bolinger,  of  the  county  of  Centre, 
be  appointed  commissioners  to  run  and  mark  the 
division  line  between  the  counties  of  Centre  and  Ly- 
coming, beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Fishing  Creek; 
thence  down  the  south  side  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek  to 
the  Bald  E.igle  bridge  (south  of  Lock  Haven) ;  thence 
to  the  dividing  ridge  between  Nittany  valley  and 
Nippenose,  so  as  to  include  all  Nittany  valley  in 
Centre  County ;  thence  a  direct  course  to  the  Tea 
Spring,  near  the  east  end  of  Sugar  valley. 

The  final  legislation  upon  the  county  line  between 
Centre  and  Clinton  was  the  act  of  Feb.  25,  1859, 
which  authorized  Joseph  F.  Quay,  of  Clinton  County, 
and  N.J.  Mitchell  and  Henry  P.  Treziyulny,  of  Centre 
County,  as  commissioners  to  run  the  line,  and  the 
report  of  the  said  co7Hmissioiiera  to  be  final  and  con- 
clusive. 

The  report  of  Joseph  F.  Quay  and  Henry  P.  Trezi- 
yulny was  filed,  as  directed  by  the  act,  on  the  28th 
of  November,  1859,  and  is  as, follows  : 

*'  Beginning  at  a  faUun  sngar-tree  corner  on  the  lijink  of  tlie  Snsque- 
liauiia  Kiver,  being  acorneroftwo  tracts  of  land  surveyed  in  pnrsnance 
of  warrants  granted  lo  Itobert  Iiwin  and  Josepb  F.  Quay,  thence  south 


four  miles  and  two  hundred  and  sixty  perches  to  a  stone  heap,  the  south- 
west corner  of  tlie  Martin  Witbington  survey  ;  then  east  along  the  divi- 
sion line  of  certain  tracts  of  land  (as  per  diagram  on  tile  in  the  com- 
missioners* office)  to  a  black-oak  corner  tree;  thence  south  three  miles 
to  ac.  o.  corner  tree,  N.  60  E.  two  hundred  and  twenty  perches  to  a  hem- 
lock coiner;  thence  south  thirty  degrees  east  two  miles  and  two  hundred 
and  forty  perclies  to  a  marked  birch  on  tlie  bank  of  Beech  Creek  ;  thence 
down  the  middle  of  said  creek,  by  the  several  courses  thereof,  eleven 
miles  and  iine-lnilf,  to  its  junction  with  the  Bald  Kagle  Creek;  thenco 
crossing  the  Bald  Kagle  Creek,  south  thirty  degrees  east  one  hundred 
and  ninety  perches  to  a  stone  heap  on  topof  Muncy  Mountain,  and  along 
the  top  of  said  ridge  south  fifty-four  degrees  west  one  mile  and  fifty-six 
perches  to  a  pine-tree;  thence  soutli  twenty -nine  degress  east  six  miles 
and  three  hundred  porches  to  a  large  stone  Iioap  on  the  tup  of  a  moun- 
tain south  of  Sugar  valley;  thence  north  eighty  degrees  east  four  miles 
to  a  pine ;  thence  noi  til  eighty-five  degrees  east  two  and  one-half  miles 
to  a  pine;  nortli  eighty  degrees  east  five  and  one-half  miles  to  a  pine; 
north  seventy  degrees  east  four  miles  to  a  double  pine;  thence  north 
seventy-three  degrees  east  three  miles  and  two  hundred  and  sixteen 
perches  to  a  post  at  turnpike  road  leading  from  Loganville  to  the  river, 
and  along  the  said  turnpike  north  forly-lliree  west  seventy-two  perches 
to  Tea  Spring,  the  head  of  Fishing  Creek.** 


CHAPTER    XVL 

ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  COUNTY— COURT  PROCEED- 
INGS—ROADS— TOWNSHIP    ASSESSMENTS. 

AViLLlAM  SWANSEY,  Robert  Boggs,'  and  Andrew 
Gregg,'  the  trustees  specified  in  the  act  of  Assembly 
erecting  the  county,  met  at  Bellefonte  on  the  31st  of 
July,  1800.  A  conveyance  for  one-half  of  the  tract  of 
land  on  which  the  town  of  Bellefonte  was  laid  out, 
including  a  moiety  of  the  lots  in  said  town,  as  well  as 
those  sold  or  those  not  sold,  was  presented  by  James 
Dunlop  and  James  Harris,  Esqs.,  according  to  their 
bond  given  to  the  Governor.  It  was  agreed  that  the 
sale  of  the  lots  should  be  indiscriminate,  and  the  money 
arising  therefrom  should  be  divided  equally  between 
the  proprietors  and  trustees,  and  that  on  the  first 
Monday  of  September  the  residue  of  the  part  un- 
divided in  the  town  should  be  laid  out  in  lots  of  two 
and  a  half  acres  each  and  sold  at  public  auction.  It 
was  also  agreed  that  it  would  be  injurious  to  the  in- 
terest of  the  inhabitants  to  erect  the  prison  in  the 
public  square,  and  that  application  should  be  made  to 
the  Legislature  to  vest  the  trustees  with  discretionary 
power  to  erect  the  prison  in  any  other  part  of  the  town. 
On  the  1st  of  September  they  met  again,  articled  with 
Col.  Dunlop  and  Mr.  Harris  for  payment  of  one-half 
of  the  pi'ocecds  of  lots  to  be  sold,  and  contracted  with 
Hudson  Williams  to  build  the  prison  on  such  lotas 
should  be  designated.  It  was  to  be  thirty  feet  long 
and  twenty-five  feet  wide  in  the  clear.  Among  other 
specifications,  "there  shall  be  an  apartment  in  the 
cellar  for  a  dungeon;  said  dungeon  shall  be  twelve 
feet  by  nine  in  the  clear,  covered  above  with  hewed 
logs  laid  close  together  under  the  plank  of  the  floor, 
and  a  proper  trap-door  to  let  into  the  dungeon."    The 


1  John  G.  Lowrey  appointed  March  4, 1S07,  rice  Robert  Boggs,  deceased. 

2  Andrew  Gregg  resigned,  and  Junics  Potter  (judge)  appointed  iu  his 
place  Feb.  C,  1804. 


COURT  PROCEEDINGS -ROADS. 


37 


contract  price  for  the  jail  was  one  thousand  one  hun- 
dred'and  sixty-two  dollars. 

The  first  court  held  in  Bellefonte  was  the  Quarter 
Sessions  of  November,  1800,  before  Associate  Judges 
James  Potter  and  John  Barber,  when,  upon  motion  of 
Jonathan  Walker,  Esq.,  the  following  attorneys  were 
qualified:  Jonathan  Walker,  Charles  Huston,  Elias 
W.  Hale,  Jonathan  Henderson,  Robert  Allison,  Robert 
F.  Stewart,  William  A.  Patterson,  John  Miles,  David 
Irvine,  W.  W.  Laird,  and  John  W.  Hunter. 

The  January  sessions,  1801,  were  also  held  by  Judge 
Potter  and  his  associates;  constables  appearing  for 
Upper  Bald  Eagle,  William  Connelly  ;  Lower 
1801.  Bald  Eagle,  Samuel  Carpenter;  Centre,  John 
McCalmont;  Haines,  Philip  Frank;  Miles, 
Stephen  Bolender;  Potter,  Thomas  San  key ;  Patton, 
Christian  Dale.  The  following  persons  were  recom- 
mended for  license  as  inn-keepers :  John  Matthias 
Beuok,  Aaronsburg ;  Robert  Porter,  Franklin  ;  Thomas 
Wilson,  Centre;  James  Whitehill,  Potter;  and  Philip 
Callahan,  Aaronsburg. 

Feb.  24, 1801,  John  Hall,  David  Barr,  and  Matthew 
Allison,  county  commissioners,  levied  the  first  county 
tax,  amounting  to  seventeen  hundred  and  fifty-five 
dollars  and  fifty  cents. 

The  first  grand  jury  was  assembled  to  April  ses- 
sions, 1801,  when  the  president  judge,  James  Riddle, 
appeared  on  the  bench  for  the  first  time  in  the  county. 
The  names  of  these  jurors  were  William  Swansey, 
Esq.,  James  Harris,  Esq.,  Philip  Benner,  Richard  Ma- 
lone,  John  Ball,  David  Barr,  William  Kerr,  Esq., 
Michael  Bolinger,  Esq.,  James  Whitehill,  William 
Irvine,  John  Irvin,  William  Earley,  Esq.,  James 
Newall,  Samuel  Dunlop,  Alexander  Read,  Gen.  John 
Patton,  John  M.  Beuck,  James  Reynolds,  Michael 
Weaver,  and  Felix  Chrisman. 

Additional  persons  recommended  for  license :  Hugh 
Gallagher  and  Benjamin  Patton,  Bellefonte;  Jacob 
Kepler  and  John  Benner,  Potter;  John  Motz  and 
William  Sowerwine,  of  Haines. 

The  first  case  of  notoriety,  particularly  from  the 
array  of  counsel  concerned,  was  George  McKee  m. 
Hugh  Gallagher,  18th  August,  term  1801.  McKee 
kept  a  tavern  in  a  stone  house  on  the  lot  where  Thomas 
Reynolds  now  resides ;  Gallagher,  in  a  long  frame 
house  which  stood  in  the  lot  now  occupied  by  D.  G. 
Bush,  Esq.  A  wagon  loaded  with  whiskey  in  barrels 
did  not  stand  overnight  in  front  of  McKee's,  as  some 
one  took  out  the  pinnings,  and  it  rushed,  like  the 
swine  of  old,  down  the  declivity  into  the  creek,  and 
the  whiskey  floated  off  with  its  waters.  Hi7ic  illce 
lacrunm. 

The  case,  however,  was  slander.  Gallagher  said 
George  McKee  stole  Samuel  Lamb's  saddle-bags. 
The  counsel  who  appeared  for  McKee  were  Foulke, 
Reed,  J.  Dunlop,  S.  Duncan,  Wallace,  T.  Duncan, 
McCullogh,  Thompson,  Miles,  McClure,  Kidd,  Irwin, 
Allison,  and  Patterson.  For  Gallagher  appeared  Stew- 
art, Walker,   Henderson,    Rose,   Huston,   Hastings, 


Clark,  Hall,  Laird,  Bonham,  Gemmill,  Burnside, 
Bogga,  Orbison,  Cadwalader,  Canan,  Smith,  Carpen- 
ter, H.  Dunlo]),  Dean,  Hepburn,  and  Bellas.  After 
exhausting  all  the  tactics  known  to  lawyers  in  attack 
and  defense,  the  case  was  finally  marked  settled. 

At  the  same  sessions,  upon  the  application  of  the 
grand  jury,  William  Connelly  was  brought  before  the 
court  for  contempt  in  not  attending  upon  them  prop- 
erly, and  for  locking  them  up  in  the  county  prison 
and  detaining  them  there  a  long  time. 

Matthew  Allison,  Esq.,  John  Dunlop,  and  Jacob 
Skillman  were  each  fined  six  dollars  for  default  after 
being  duly  summoned  as  grand  jurors  ;  the  first  two 
named,  however,  were  heard  on  oath,  and  the  fine  re- 
mitted. James  Dunlop,  Esq.,  another  grand  juror, 
was  excused  from  attendance. 

Road  Petitions,  1801. — January,  1801,  upon  the 
petition  of  William  Tate  for  road  from  his  house  to 
the  great  road  leading  from  Cadwallader's  mills  to 
the  town  of  Bellefonte,  Thomas  Thompson,  Philip 
Benner,  Abraham  Elder,  James  Hamilton,  Peter 
Gray,  and  David  Whitehall,  Jr.,  were  appointed  as 
viewers,  etc. 

Petition  of  Philip  Benner,  of  Spring  township,  for 
road  from  his  new  rolling-  and  slitting-mill  (on  the 
west  branch  of  Spring  Creek)  to  Centre  Furnace. 
The  court  appointed  as  viewers  John  Ball,  Jacob 
Houser,  James  Whitehill,  Robert  Moore,  Christian 
Dale,  and  Michael  Jack. 

Petition  of  Christian  Dale,  of  Patton  township,  for 
a  road  from  his  grist-  and  saw-mill  on  Spring  Creek, 
"  on  the  straightest  and  best  direction,  till  it  intersects 
Pittsburgh  road,  near  Gen.  Patton's."  The  court 
appointed  James  McFaddin,  Thomas  Ferguson, 
Enoch  Hastings,  Christopher  Ketley,  Adam  Lever, 
and  James  Watson  to  view  the  premises,  etc.  At 
November  sessions,  1801,  Philip  Benner,  Michael 
Jack,  James  Newell,  Abel  Moore,  Samuel  Dunlop, 
and  Thomas  Ferguson,  Esq.,  were  appointed  to  review 
the  ground,  the  road  not  having  been  laid  out  as  per 
order  of  January  sessions. 

April,  1801. — Petition  of  sundry  inhabitants  of 
Potter  and  Miles  townships  for  a  road  "  beginning 
at  the  Brush  valley  road  near  Robert  Pennington's ; 
thence  over  said  Nittany  Mountain,  through  what  is 
called  Connelly's  Gap,  the  nearest  and  best  way  to 
Milesborough."  Viewers  appointed  by  the  court, 
Robert  McKim,  Alexander  Johnston,  William  Ir- 
wine,  Isaac  Connelly,  John  Harbison,  and  Philip 
Benner. 

Petition  of  sundry  inhabitants  of  Centre  County 
for  a  road  on  the  north  side  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek, 
from  Michael  Shank's  to  the  bridge  over  the  Bald 
Eagle  at  Milesborough.  John  Dunlop,  William  Mc- 
Ewen,  Esq.,  Thomas  McCalmont,  Esq.,  James  Smith, 
William  Thompson,  and  James  Dunlop  appointed 
viewers. 

August,  1801.— Petition  of  sundry  inhabitants  of 
Potter  and  Haines  townships  for  a  road  from  the 


38 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


great  road  near  Ebenezer  Miles',  in  Brush  valley,  to 
intersect  the  great  road  near  David  Craig's,  in  Penn's 
valley.  John  Crees,  John  Deberman,  Archibald  Al- 
lison, Evan  Miles,  David  Crage,  Adam  Resil. 

Petition  of  sundry  inhabitants  of  Centre  township 
for  a  road  from  William  Tipton's  store-house  to  John 
Millers  &  Crows'  mill.  William  McEwen,  Esq.,  John 
Thompson,  Philip  Antes,  James  Miles,  William 
Swansey,  Esq.,  and  Joseph  McKibben. 

November  sessions,  1801. — Petition  of  inhabitants 
of  Spring  and  Centre  townships  for  "  a  good  road 
from  James  Miles'  through  Antes'  Gap  to  Philip 
Antes'  mill."  Thomas  McCalmont,  Esq.,  William 
McEwen,  Esq.,  Joseph  Steer,  George  McKee,  John 
Harbison,  and  Robert  Gordon  appointed  viewers. 

Upper  Bald  Eagle  or  Spring  Township.— The 
name  of  Upper  Bald  Eagle  was  changed  to  Spring 
in  1801.  It  embraced  all  of  the  present  townships  of 
Spring,  Benner,  Union,  Snow  Shoe,  and  Burnside, 
and  all  of  Boggs  except  a  strip  along  its  eastern 
boundary,  and  the  following  is  a  copy  of  the  taxables 
resident  in  the  township  : 


Achison,  Juliu. 
Ackley,  Joseph. 

Adams,  Kichard  (house  and  lot). 
Alexander,  Joseph. 
Alexander,  Williuni  (hatter,  Belle- 
fonte). 


Allender,  Ale 


nder. 


Allender,  James. 

Armstrong,  Daniel. 

Heard,  George. 

Boadle,  Benjamin. 

Benn,  Henry. 

Benner,  Philip  (forge,  griat-  and 

saw-mill,. 
Biggs,  Alexander. 
Boggs,  Andrew  (saw-mill  on  Buf- 
falo Run). 
Boggs,  Robert,  Esq. 
Bogg.',  Robert,  Sr.  (Spring  Creek). 
Bowles,  Francis. 
Bradley,  Daniel  (died  in  1802). 
Buffinglou,  Isaac  (carpenter). 
Burns,  Robert  (trade). 
Burris,  James. 
Carey,  Richard  (weaver). 
Caskey,  John. 
Coleman,  B;irtholomew  (h< 

lot,  miller). 
Connelly,  Isaac,  Esq.  {< 
Connely,  WilliaDi. 
Creps,  Adam  (weaver). 
Curtin,  Roland  (house 

store). 
Davidson,  Alexander. 
Dunlop,  Col.  James  (he 

Bellefonte). 
Dnnlop,  John    (forge, 

saw -mill;  furnace  if 

in  1803). 
Emmoubeiser,  John. 
Evans,  Thomas  (mnjor). 
Ferguson,  James. 
Fetzer,  Henry  (weaver). 
Flegal,  Valentine. 
Fleming,  Jane,  widow  (li 

two  lots). 
Foster,    James    (I; 

Milesborongh,  w 


;  and 


}  slave). 


lots, 


nd  lot, 


grist-   and 
first  taxed 


and 


and 


Foster,  William  (trade;  died  in 
July,180G). 

Gallagher,  Hugh  (one  honsp,  five 
lots,  Bellefonte,  tavern-keeper). 

Gates,  Henry. 

Gordon,  Robert. 

Graham,  John. 

Green,  James  (liouse  and  lot,  tav- 
ern-keeper). 

Green ,  Joseph  (liouse  and  lot, 
Blilesbo rough,  tavern-keeper). 

Green,  Thomas  (boose  and  lot). 

Hall,  John  (house  and  lot,  Belle- 
fonte, blacksmith). 

Harbison,  Jolin. 

Harris,  James. 

Hartshorne,  Benjamin  (tanner). 

Hinton,  William. 

Hildebrand,  Samuel. 

Holt,  John. 

Hoover,  John. 

Hoover,  Martin. 

Houser,  Jacob  (grist-  and  saw- 
mill). 

Huey,  Robert. 

Kean,  John. 

Kinear,  Henry. 

Kinear,  Thomas  (trade). 

Kjler,    Conrad    (house    and    lot, 

Kline,  Nicholas  (weaver). 

Knox,  Galbraitli. 

Lee,  William  (house  and  lot,  shoe- 
maker). 

McClain,  Charles. 

McClelland,  Thomas  (house  and 
lot). 

McCord,  John  (honse  and  lot). 

McCormick,  Samuel  (saw-iuill  in 
1803). 

McDonald,  John. 

McKee,  Adam  (one  house,  two  lots, 
and  distillery). 

McKee,  George  (trade  and  lot,  dis- 
tillery). 

McKerrighan,  Widow  (house  and 
two  lots). 

McMiueny,  Patrick. 


McMuUen,  William  (trade,  house 

Eockey,  Jacob  (died  in  1810). 

and  lot). 

Robeits,  Kdward. 

Malone,  Richard. 

Scott,  John. 

Martin,  John  (house  and  lot). 

Shark,  John. 

Miles,  Evan  (house  and  lot,  tailor). 

Shark,  Jacob. 

Miles,  James. 

Simpson,  Nathaniel. 

Miles,  Richard  (one  grist-  and 

aw- 

Smith,  James,  Sr.  (still). 

mill). 

Siuilh,  James,  Jr. 

Miles,  Capt.  Samuel  (liouse 

and 

Stepliens,  Leonard  (house  and  lot. 

lot). 

blacksmith). 

Miles,  James   Little    (shoemaker. 

Leets,  John. 

house  and  lot). 

Thomas,  Thomas. 

Miles,  William  (house  and  lot  and 

Treaster,  Michael. 

slave). 

Turner,  Daniel  (forge,  grist-  and 

Neal,  William  (ciirpenter). 

saw-mills,  now  Roopsburg). 

Noble,  Jacob  (carpenter). 

Underwood,  William. 

Parsons,  David, 

Updegrove,  Isaac. 

Parsons,  Isaac. 

Vanawl,  John. 

Parson.'*,  Thomas. 

Walker,  Andrew. 

Patterson,  Samuel  (house  and 
weaver). 

lot. 

Wallace.  Robert  (cooper). 
Wallers,  William  (cooper). 

Peight,  Joseph. 

Welch,  Joseph. 

Petrikeu,  William  (house  and 

lot, 

Williams,  George  (house  and  lot, 

tailor,  Bellefonte). 

carpenter). 

Pettit,  William  (house    and 

lot. 

Williams,  John. 

Bellefonte). 

Williams,  Joseph  (tan-yard). 

Pixler,  Henry  (trade). 

Williams,  Joseph  (foreman). 

Ramsixy,  James. 

Williams,  Capt.  Joshua. 

Reamy,  Conrad. 

Wilson,  William. 

Resides,  James. 

Wilherite,  Michael. 

Riddle,  William  (house  and 

lot. 

Woods,  John  (cooper). 

mason,  Bellefonte). 

Young,  William  (saw-mill  in  1803). 

Si 

ij/Ze  Freemen, 

Beatly,  William  (clerk). 

Low,  James  (trade). 

Bowels,  David. 

Lowrey,  John  G.  (clerk). 

Bowels,  William. 

McKee,  John  (shoemaker). 

Calahan,  Patrick  (tailor). 

McNeely,  John  (mason). 

Calvin,  Matthew  (nailer). 

Mackey,  Robert. 

Coulter,  William. 

Marson,  Yost. 

Dowliug,  Samuel  (collier). 

Mendenhall,  William   (house  and 

Tetzer,  Michael. 

lot). 

Graham,  Francis. 

Miles,  Enos. 

Gniham,  John. 

Miles,  George. 

Harris,  William,  Dr.  (Bellefonte). 

Miles,     Jeshar     (cabinet-maker, 

Huey,  John  (carpenter). 

Bellefonte). 

Huey,  Thompson. 

Miles,  John  (lawyer,  Bellefonte). 

Hutchinson,  James  (smitli). 

Parsons,  John. 

Hutchinson,  John  (carpentei) 

Pearce,  Absalom  (smith). 

Hutchinson,  Samuel  (caipeiiter). 

Treaster,  Michael,  Jr. 

Hutton,  John, 

Stewart,  Robert  T.  (lawyer,  Belle- 

Irvine, David  (lawyer,  Bellefonte). 

fonte). 

Jones,  Isaac  (millwright). 

Vane,  Mandeville. 

Kyler,  Leonard. 

Updegrove,  Isaac. 

Lee,  Abraham  (carpenter). 

Waddle,  Thomas  (clerk). 

Lee,  Isaac  (mason). 

Williams,  Hudson  (mason). 

Lee,  Jacob. 

Zdnzinger,  John. 

The  quota  of  county  tax  for  Upper  Bald  Eagle,  or 
Spring,  was  $199.87. 

Lower  Bald  Eagle  Township. — Lower  Bald  Eagle 
township  in  1801  was  bounded  on  the  north  and  east 
by  the  river  and  the  Lycoming  County  line,  south  by 
Nittany  Mountain,  west  by  a  diagonal  line  running 
from  the  top  of  Nittany  at  Logan's  Gap  to  the  mouth 
of  Beech  Creek,  thence  up  Beech  Creek  about  thirty- 
five  miles  to  the  river.  It  therefore  included  the 
eastern  (triangular)  half  of  Walker,  and  a  small 
triangle  of  Marion  in  Centre  County,  all  of  Porter, 
Lamar,  and  Bald  Eagle  townships,  and  northern  end 
of  Greene,  and  parts  of  Beech  Creek,  Chapman,  and 
Grugau  in  Clinton  County. 


RESIDENTS   OF   CENTilE,  HAINES,  AND   MILES   TOWNSHIPS. 


39 


The  following  were  inhabitants  in  1801 : 


Allison,  Miitthew. 

Linn,  Patrick  (tailor). 

Biiin,  John. 

Long,  Jacob  (tailor). 

Bodlo,  Robert. 

McCIoskey.  Joscl)h. 

Bolt,  Jolin. 

McGaw,  William  (weaver) 

Dojce,  Francis  (blnck^mitli). 

lIcKibliu,  David. 

Bojd,  James  (snw-mill). 

McKibbin,  J.>seph. 

Bressler,   George   (two   grist-  and 

McKibWn,  William. 

two  Siiw-niill3). 

McMurray,  William. 

Brown,  Samuel. 

Blackey,  Joseph. 

Brownlee,  John. 

Miller,  William. 

Caniphell,  Allen. 

Montgomery,  Willi  im. 

Campbell,  Cleary. 

Moore,  William  (still). 

Carpenter,  Samuel, 

Morrison,  Ale.tander. 

Curry,  James. 

Morrisou,  .Joseph. 

David,  Daniel. 

Motz,  Jacob. 

Davis,  Joshua. 

Packer,  Jacob. 

Dickey,  Moses. 

Peoples,  Nathaniel. 

Kvans,  Jonathan  (tanner). 

Pletclier,  Samuel. 

Fares,  Joel. 

Porter,  Samuel. 

Fearon,  John. 

Quay,  Robert. 

Fiu.*,  Knos. 

Reed,  William. 

Foster,  James 

Richards,  Casper  (two  stil 

Fullertun,  Thomas. 

Robinson,  Alexander. 

Furst,  George. 

Sa.vton,  Samuel. 

Furoy,  John. 

Sheaffer,  Andrew. 

Gamble,  James. 

Shields,  John  (tailor). 

Goodfellow,  David. 

Spangler,  John. 

Coodfellow,  Thomas. 

Spanglcr,  Peter. 

Gundy,  Henry. 

Stewart,  Archibald. 

Uays.bicUcy. 

Stephenson,  John. 

ll:iys,  James. 

Swinelieart,  .Jacob. 

IlMys.Jane. 

Templuton,  Wiliiam. 

Hays,  Robert. 

Viuegar,  John  (miller). 

Ue3let,John. 

Wants,  George. 

Huff,  Nathaniel  (saw-mill). 

Watson,  David. 

Hunt,  William. 

Watson,  John. 

Jobn.itoii,  Catherine. 

Watson,  William. 

Johuston,  Joseph. 

Weaver,  Andrew. 

Johnston,  Joseph. 

Williams,  Amos. 

Landenslager,  Henry. 

Williams,  Ellis. 

].eecb,  Matthew. 

M'ilson,  Sauiuel. 

Limber,  Uiuhard  (blacksmith). 

Yost,  John. 

Lindsay,  Muiigo. 

Single 

Freemen. 

Allison,  William. 

Jliller,  James. 

B..yce,  Thomas. 

Miller,  John  (weaver). 

Brownlee,  Joseph. 

Mullen,  John. 

D.ivid,  Isiiac. 

Mullen,  Patrick. 

David,  James. 

Mullen,  Philip. 

Dunlop,  David. 

Fletcher,  Samuel. 

F,-arou,  William. 

Pletcher,  William. 

Fryer,  Thomas. 

Roush,  John. 

Grier,  John. 

Steel,  James  (cutler). 

Hess,  .lacob. 

Wartinan.  JIalthias. 

Larew,  George. 

Findley,  Matthew  (distille 

Miller,  Caleb 

Fiudley,  James  (distiller) 

In  1804,  Joel  Herr  erected  a  grist-  and  saw-mill, 
which  passed  to  John  McGee  in  1813.  In  180-t  also 
Nathan  Harvey  came  in,  and  opened  a  store  and  mill 
in  1805;  he  built  his  forge  in  1812.  Dr.  Alexander 
Lindsay  is  the  first  physician  noticed  in  1801;  Dr. 
Joseph  G.  Andrew  in  1806.  John  P.  de  Haas  came 
on  the  list  in  1807.  John  Fredericks'  tavern,  1808. 
Robert  Quay,  grist-  and  saw-mill,  1809.  John  Dun- 
lop and  William  Beatty,  store  at  Washington  Mill  in 
1810.  The  furnace  in  1811,  and  the  forge  in  1813. 
Nathan  and  Samuel  Harvey's  fulling-mill  iu  1815,  as 
also  Henderson  &  Quiggley's. 


CHAPTER    XVIL 

RESIDENTS    OP    CENTRE,    IIAIXES,   AND    MILES 
TOWNSHIPS. 

In  April,  1798,  the  inhabitants  of  Bald  Eagle,'  in 
Mifflin  County,  petitioned  for  a  division  of  that  town- 
ship equally  by  a  line  from  the  mouth  of  Antes  Run 
up  the  said  run  to  the  head  thereof,  and  from  thence 
a  southeast  course  to  Potter  township,  and  also  from 
the  mouth  of  said  run  (Curtin  Station)  a  northwest 
course  to  the  Susquehanna.  At  April  sessions,  1799, 
the  township  was  divided  accordingly,  and  the  di- 
vision adjoining  Lycoming  County  named  "  Centre 
township,"  the  other  part  to  retain  the  former  name. 
Centre  township  therefore  embracetl  the  western  half 
of  the  present  township  of  Walker  by  a  diagonal  line 
running  from  Logan's  Gap  (now  called  Hecla  Gap) 
towards  Jacksonville,  and  all  of  Marion  west  of  the 
same  line  continued  towards  the  mouth  of  Beech 
Creek,  all  of  the  present  townships  of  Howard,  Lib- 
erty, and  Curtin,  and  that  part  of  the  present  town- 
ship of  Beech  Creek,  Clinton  County,  lying  west  of  a 
line  running  from  about  the  mouth  of  Big  Run  to  the 
south  bank  of  the  river  about  a  mile  southwest  of  the 
mouth  of  the  Sinnemahoning,  and  a  strip  three- 
fourths  of  a  mile  wide  along  the  east  side  of  Boggs, 
Snow  Shoe,  and  Burnside  townships. 

The  first  officers  of  this  township  were:  Constable, 
William  Wilson ;  Supervisors,  David  Lamb  and 
Thomas  Askey ;  Overseers,  Thomas  Wilson  and 
Henry  McCalmont ;  Assessor,  John  McCalmont  and 
John  Thompson;  Auditors,  Francis  McEwen  and 
John  Mitchell. 

The  territory  above  was  called  Centre  township 
until  January,  1810,  when  Howard  and  Walker  were 
formed  out  of  Centre,  and  the  latter  name  disappears. 

First  rate  land  valued  at  three  dollars  per  acre; 
second  rate  at  two  dollars ;  third  rate,  one  dollar ; 
fourth  at  fifty  cents  per  acre ;  average  rate  per  cent., 
five  mills. 


Adams,  Williai 
Antes,  Philip, 


'iO  acres  cleared,  cabin,  2  cows. 

'-milf,  40  acres  cleared  and  house,  'J  horses. 


rist 


Arthurs,  Thomas,  10  a 
Askey,  Thomas,  60  aci 
,\skey,  William. 
Aston,  Samuel,  60  acre 
Baker,  John,  10  acres 
Bathurst,  Lawrence,  3 
Beck,  Samuel,  10  acre 


>s  cleared  and  cabin, 
cleared,  2  houses. 


i  cleared  laud,  2  cabins. 


cleared  and  cabin 


Beightol,  David,  50 acres  cleared,  he 


'-mill,  2  stills,  2  horses,  G  cow.*? 


Buyers,  Jacob,  20  acl 
Cole,  Samuel,  30  acn 
Dawson,  James,  20  a 
Belong,  David,  .30  ac 
Dougherty,  Abel,  10 
F.eetz,  Paul,  5  acres 
Fulton,  James.  20  ac 
Fulton,  Peter,  3  cow 
Fulton,  William,  3  c 


■es  cleared  ami  cabin. 
!s  cleared  and  cabin, 
cres  cleared  and  cabin, 
res  cleared  and  house,  1  co> 
acres  cleared  and  house,  4  i 
cleared  and  cabin,  2  cows, 
res  cleared,  2  cabins,  4  coW! 


•  "  Bald  Eagle,"  of  Mifflin  County,  was,  before  17S3,  known  as  "  Upper 
Bald  Eagle,"  of  Northumberlaud  Couuty. 


40 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Giirduer,  Jolin.lo  acre 

B  cleftreil  and  cabin,  3  cows. 

Skeltun,  James,  15  ac 

rrscle 

trod,  cabin,  1  horse,  2  calves. 

Gnilmni,  FriinciH,  3  co 

vs. 

Steere,  James,  1  Iiors 

,1  co\ 

Gregg,  Siinnie],  20  acre 

s  cleared,  cabin,  3  cows. 

Sleere,  Josepli,  15  aci 

ea  cU^a 

red,  cabin,  2  stills,  3  horsps,  4  cows. 

Gunsiilus,  Kicliiti-il,  30 

ici-ea  cleared,  house,  I  liors 

,  4  cows. 

Steele,  Tiiomas,  1  lio 

'<•■ 

Harrison,  James,  8 

llelford,  ChriatoplK 

Hoover,  Michael,  2 

Hunter,  Tliomas,  1 

Jacob,  George,  10  a 

Jones,  Peter,  10  acl 

Kunos,  Daniel,  4  C( 

Lamb,  David,  saw-i 

Lamb,  John,  20  acres 

Lamb,  Samuel,  20  acri 

Lamb,  William,  1  cow 

Leatliers,  Daniel,  20  a 

Leathers,  Jacob,  50  ac 

Ligget,  George,  Sr.,  5C 

Ligget,  George,  Jr.,  1 

Ligget,  Thomas,  1  co\ 

Lucas,  Baptist,  15  acre 

Lucas,  Benedict,  20  ac 

Lucas,  Benjamin,  18  a 

Lucas  Charles,  10  acr 

Lucas,  Joseph,  20  acre 

McUalmont,  John,  Sr.,  30  acres  cb 

McCalmont,  John,  Jr.,  13  acres  clc 

McCalmont,  Tliomas,  Sr.,  30  acres 

McCalmont,  Tliom.is,  Jr.,  1  cow. 

McElheny,  John,  15  acres  cleared 

McClelland,  Robert,  grist-mill,  s» 


cleared,  cabin,  1  horse,  2  ci 
iicrcs  cleared,  house,  2  hori. 


'es  cleared  and  cabin. 

i  cleared  and  cabin,  2  cows. 

11,  15  acres  cleared,  house,  1  hors 
;  cleared,  cabin,  3  cows. 
les  cleared,  cabin,  4  cows. 

acres  cleared,  house,  1  horse,  2  C( 
cres  cleared,  house,  2  horses,  6  co 
0  acres  cleared,  1  horse,  3  cows. 


cleared  and  cabin,  1  horse.  1  cow. 
!S  cleared  and  cabin,  still,  1  horse,  5  cowa. 
■es  cleared,  1  horse, 
cleared,  cabin,  2  c^wa. 
cleared  and  cabin,  1  horse,  2  cows. 

lared  anil  cabin,  1  horse,  3  cows. 

ared,  cabin.  1  liorse,  3  cows. 

cleared,  still,  I  horse,  5  cow's. 


lill,  and  still,  30  i 


McClure,  .lames,  Sr., 
McClnre,  John,  Sr.,  5 
McClure,  Jonathan,  1  cow. 
McCrea,  Anna,  widow,  1  cow. 
McEwen,  Francis,  20  acres  cleared 
McEwen,  Henry,  Sr.,  griat-  and  Si 


s  cleared,  cabin,  4  cows, 
leared,  cabiu,  1  horse,  4  cows. 


:aliin,  1  horse,  4  cows. 

v-mill,30  acres  cleared,  2  horses,  3 


McEwen,  Henry,  Jr.,  1  cow. 

McGee,  James,  25  acres  cleared,  cabin,  4  cows. 

McGee,  John,  15  acres  cleared,  cab*. 

McKee,  William  (Lick  Run),  20  acres  cleared,  cabin,  1  horse,  3  cows 

McKee,  William  (Fishing  Creek),  30  acres  cleared,  house,  2  liorsi 

McKinney,  Isaac,  20  acres  cleared,  house,  1  horse,  2  cowa. 

Morton,  Robert,  1  cow. 

Marsden.  John,  20  acres  cleared,  house,  1  horse,  3  cows. 

Miller,  John  and  Krause,  grist-  and  saw-mill,  5  acres  cleared,  1  hon 


es  cleared,  cabin. 

icres  cleared,  cabin,  1  horse,  3  cow 
icres  cleared,  cabin,  I  horse,  2  cow 
cleared,  cabin,  1  horse,  4  cows, 
■es  cleared,  cabkii,  1  horse,  3  cowa. 


ired,  house,  2  horses,  5  ci 

cleared,  cabin. 

,  25  acres  cleared,  cabin, 


Milligan,  Samuel,  4.7  aci 

Mitcliell,  David,  Sr,  10 

Mitchell,  David,  Jr  ,  40 

Mitcliell,  John,  10  acres 

Mitchell,  Samuel,  10  ac: 

Moore,  Hamilton,  1  com 

Moore,  John,  1  cow. 

Neff,  John,  23  acres  cler 

Ncwley,  John,  30  acres 

Nesselrode,  Christopher 

Packer,  Aaron,  20  acres 

I'acker,  Amos,  tan-yard 

Packer,  James,  Sr.,  10  ii 

Packer,  James,  Jr. 

Pletclier,  Henry,  20  acres  cleared,  cabii 

Kind,  AnibioBc,  15  aiTea  cleared,  1  li.iri 

Ilorabangli,  Simon,  25  acres  cleared,  ho 

Ross,  Thomas,  20  acres  cleared,  1  hors( 

Ryan,  John,  1  cow. 

Sample,  William,  5  acres  cleared,  cabir 

Sclieitck,  Frederick,  15  acres  cleared,  li 

Schenck,  Joliii,l  cow. 

Schonck,  Michael,  Sr.,  30  acres  cleared,  cabin,  1 

cows. 
Schenck,  Michael,  Jr.,  1  horse,  2  cows. 
Schenck,  Daniel,  20  acres  cleiired,  2  horses,  1  cow. 
Sharrock,  David,  10  acres  cleared,  cabi:i,  1  coW. 


cleared,  cabin,  1  horse. 


le,  I  ho 


,  70  acres  cleared,  1  lionse,  2  horse 
,  1  horse,  2  cows. 

ea  cleired,  cabin.  1  horse,  4  cows, 
acns  cleared,  cabin,  2  stills,  1  hoi 

and  lot  of  2  acres. 

acres  cleared,  1  cabin,  1  cow. 

cleared,  1  cabin,  1  horse,  1  cow. 

'8  cleared,  house,  2  horses,  4  cowa. 
I  acres  cleared,  house,  3  cattle. 


Sloner,  Isaac,  grist-  a 

Swanney,  William,  Ei 

Templeton,  John,  call 

Thompson,  John,  20  n 

Thompson,  William,: 

Tipton,  David, 2  cows 

Tiplon,  William,  lioiii 

Veiiner,  Christopher, 

Wills,  William,  8  acri 

Wilson,  J..hn,  1  horse 

Wilson,  Thomaa,  60  ai 

Wilson,  William,  Sr., 

Yariiell,  Samuel  (Ijlacksmith),  1  cow. 

Young,  Robert,  20  acres  cleared,  1  cabin,  1  cow. 

(Single  freemen  are  each  ta.xed  50  cents ;  clerks  and  those  lis 
23  cents  in  addition.) 
Askey,  John. 
Askey,  Robert. 
Askey,  Samuel  (carpenter). 
Fulton,  Alexander. 
Laurey,  George. 

McCalmont,  Henry  (blacksmith). 
McCalmont,  Thomas  (.lohu). 
McEwen,  William. 
McKee,  Thomaa. 
Marsden,  Justice. 
Mitchell,  Robert. 
Mitchell,  Thomas. 
Packer,  James. 
Tipton,  William. 
Wilson,  Thomas. 
Wilson,  William. 


The  proportion  of  taxes  for  Centre  township  for  the 
vear  1801  was  one  hundred  and  seventy-four  dollars. 

Haines  Township. — Haines  township  in  1801  in- 
cluded that  portion  of  Gregg  (now)  south  of 
Brush  Mountain  and  east  of  a  line  running 
through  Spring  Mill  to  the  head  of  Penn's  Creek, 
and  all  of  Penn  township. 

In  that  year  its  inhabitants  were  : 


1801. 


nith). 
>•)■ 


Albright,  Jacob  (gun 
Albright,  Jacob  (wea 
Allison,  Archibald. 
Armstrong,      William       (wago 

maker). 
Anmen,  Philip. 
Beainer,  Adam. 
Beil,  George. 

Bertins,  William  (or  Bart  is). 
Bench,  John  M.  (inn-keepei). 
Bollinger,       Michael       (spiiiuin 

wheel  maker). 
Bower,  Jacob. 

Bowersox,  George  (blacksmith). 
Boyer,  George. 
Bresaler,  Michael  (tailor). 
Bright,  George  (hatter). 
Brown,  John  (shoemaker). 
Brown,  John  (blacksmith). 
Urown,  Jacob  (weaver). 
Buchler,  John. 
Burlier,  Henry. 
Bnsaer,.roliii. 
Carson,  Robert. 
Carson,  John. 
Christnian,  Felix  (ii 
Clingler,  Adam. 


Collier,  William  (mas 
Colman,  Jacob  (wago 


Con 


.  Henry. 


Cook,  James  (grist-  ar 
Dunan,  .tames  (l.soii). 
Dewalt,  Philip  (house 
Doniier,  l'liili|i(slioen 
Dornnieyei .  Jacob. 
Diiriiiiieyer,  LinUvig. 


m). 

I -maker). 


ind  li.t). 
aker). 


Dor 


,  Nichola 


nineyer,  Pete 


i-keeper). 


Duncan,  Juliies  (store-keeper). 

Duiikel,  Melclnor. 

Elneiicll,  Casper. 

Eniericli,  Kichiilas  (blacksmith). 

Emerich,  Chiisti.iii. 

Ewing,  Arcliibald. 

Filler,  Jacob. 

Falgate,  Thomas  (or  Folger). 

Franck,  Philip. 

Fryberger,  John. 

Ceho,  Adam. 

Geisweit,  John. 

George,  Adam. 

Gephart,    l%:hael   (tanner,   Mill 

heim). 
Green,  Joseph. 


RESIDENTS   OF   CEXTRE,  HAINES,  AND   MILES   TOWNSHIPS. 


41 


Grenoble,  Jacob. 

Motz,  John  (grist-  and  saw-mill). 

BlngU 

]ir«i. 

Grahom,  Patrick. 

Motz,  Michael. 

Dunkle,  Jacob. 

McCormick,  Robert, 

Grove,  Josepli. 

MuBsir,  Daslian. 

Dunkle,  Henry. 

Paley,  Elijah. 

Grove,  Samuel. 

Miis.4er,  Daniel. 

Kwing,  John. 
Gerhard,  Stophel. 

Grossman,    Nicliolas    (grist-    anil 

Mnsscr,  Jacob. 

Paley,  Michael. 

Biw-mill). 

Musser,  Michael. 

Harper,  John. 

Rishel,  Jacob. 

Cunckel,  Philip   (grisl-  and  saw- 

Musser, Philip,  Sr. 

Hauck,  George. 

Rishel,  John. 

mill). 

Musser,  Pliilip,  Jr. 

Hess,  Francis. 

Ross,  James. 

Hall,  Cornelius. 

Mussina,  Lyon  (hous 

e  and  lot). 

Hess,  John. 

Row,  Peter. 

Hall,  John. 

Nees,  George. 

Hubler,  Henrj-. 

Shook,  Charles. 

Hall,  William. 

Kees,  Peter. 

Isenbach,  Frederick. 

Speis,  George. 

llanua,  Andrew. 

Nees,  Philip. 

Kiemer,  Ludwig. 

Strobe,  Nicholas. 

Hans,  Adam. 

Necs,  William. 

Kurtz,  Nicholas. 

Stover,  John. 

Harper,  Adam  (fall 

ng-mill,  1803). 

Neidigh,  A'lam. 

McBeth,  Andrew. 

Wise,  David. 

Ilarter,  Andrew. 

K.-idigli.John. 

McBeth,  John. 

Wise,  Martin. 

Ilartor,  .Jacob. 

Orendorff,  John. 

Ilarter,  John. 

Ox,  Peter  (house  and 

lot). 

Jleckiiian,  Peter. 

Pauly,  Thumas. 

Miles   township 

,  besides 

its  present  territory,  in- 

II«din-er,  .Jacob  (« 

eaver). 

Pontius,  George. 

eluded  that  part 

of  Gregj, 

'  between  Brush  and  Nit- 

lledrick,  I'eter. 

Keed,  Adam. 

Ilenne.v,  Adam. 

Reed,  Benjamin. 

taiiy  Mountains  w 

liich  is  east  of  the  head  of 

Henney,  Philip  (lin 

ise  and  lot). 

Eeed,  Christian. 

Penn's  Creek,  all 

of  Logan,  and  the  south-     1801. 

Ilenne.v,  Kreilerick 

Reed,  Michael  (saw-mill). 

western  portion  o 

'  Greene 

townships  (now  in 

lle."S,  Dewalt. 
IIe.«8,  George. 

Ream,  Abraham. 
Ream,  John  Frederick. 

Clinton);  the  northeastern 

portion  of  Greene  (now) 

Hess,  Jacob. 

Reynolds,  James  (house  and  lot). 

was   annexed   to 

Miles    township    from    Lycoming 

Hess,  Samuel. 

Rickart,  Joseph. 

County  March  23 

1818. 

Hess,  Michael. 

Hessler,  Balser  (Hetzler). 

Rishel,  Lndwig  (saw 
Rishel,  Martin. 

mill). 

The  inhabitants  of  Miles  township  in  1801  were : 

Hessler,  Balder,  Jr. 

(Hetrfer). 

Robb.John. 

Hessler,  George. 

Row,  George  (blacksmith). 

Albligbt,  Frederick. 

Litlle,  John. 

Holler,  Joshua  (Holder). 

Row,  John  (weaver) 

Albright,  Henry  (still). 

Long,  George. 

Hostermau,  Jacob. 

Shafler,  Jacob  (house 

and  lot). 

Andrew,  Samuel. 

McCamon,  John. 

Husternian,  Peter. 

Shaffer,  Henry  (hous 

e  and  lotj. 

Apple,  Andrew. 

McCormick,  James. 

Housman,  .\ndrew. 

Shaffer,  Michael. 

Apple,  Henry. 

BlcKinney,  John. 

Hownian,  Philip. 

Sheep,  James. 

Apple,  Stophel. 

Meyer,  Henry. 

Hubler,  Adam  (gr'is 

-and  saw-mill). 

Sherer,  Andrew. 

Berry,  Jacob  (still). 

Meckle,  Adam. 

llubler,    Jacob    (g 

ist-   and   saw- 

Shook,  Widow. 

Berry,  Peter. 

Miles,  Abieger. 

mill). 

Shroyer,  Jacob. 

Bierly,  Anthony. 

Miles,  Samuel. 

ICellj ,  James. 

Skilman,  Jacob. 

Bierly,  Nicholas. 

Miles,  Susanna  (I  still). 

Kephart,    Michael 

(tanner,  Mill- 

Smith,  Adam  (house 

and  lot). 

Bollander,  Stephen. 

Miller,  Jacob. 

helm). 

Sniitli,  Weyland  (hoi 

so  and  lot). 

Brown,  John. 

Moore,  James. 

Kern,  George. 

Snyder,  Christian. 

Bruner,  Peter. 

Neighart,  Conrad. 

Kern,  John. 

Snyder,  Michael. 

Bach,  Aaron. 

Patterson,  Joseph. 

Kiltinger,  Jacob  (ho 

use,  two  lots). 

Snyder,  Nicholas. 

Buchtel,  John,Sr. 

Philips,  John. 

Ivirk,  Michael  (hou 

86  and  lot). 

Steamy,  Christian. 

Buchtel,  John,  Jr. 

Pickle,  Christian  (tan-yard). 

Kister,  George. 

Stephens,  Leonard  (h 

ouse  and  lot). 

Buchtel,  Martin. 

Pickle,  John,  Sr. 

Iv reamer,  Adam. 

Storm.  David. 

Buchtel,  Peter. 

Pickle,  John,  Jr. 

Ivreanier,  Daniel. 

Stover,  Adam,  Sr. 

Clelland,  Arthur. 

Pickle,  Simon. 

Kreanier,  Michael  (saddler). 

Stover,  Adam,  Jr. 

Clelland,  James. 

Pickle,  Tobias,  Sr.  (grist-  and  saw- 

Ivreatner, John  (carpentei). 

Stover,  Frederick. 

Ertle,  Valentine. 

mill). 

Krep»,  Christian  (li 

nner). 

Stover,  Jacob,  Sr, 

Gast,  Christian. 

Pickle,  Tobias,  Jr. 

Krei;;hbaun),  John 

grist- and  saw- 

Stover,  Jacob,  Jr. 

Gast,  Nicholas. 

Pickle,  Thomas. 

mill). 

Stover,  John. 

George,  John  (stills). 

Preston,  Abijah. 

Ivreighbaum,  Willi 

>ni. 

Strow,  Frederick  (house  and  lot). 

Gramly,  Francis  (saw-m 

11). 

Pi  ice,  Henry. 

lvritzer,Jolin(hous 

e  and  lot). 

Swartz,  George. 

Harloff,  Godfrey. 

Beber,  Abraham  (distillery). 

Iv  ryder,  Jacob. 

Trail  tuer,  Jeremiah. 

Harmer,  Georgy. 

Schenck,  Dewalt. 

I.eiser,  Matthias. 

Treaster,  Martin. 

Harper,  Henry. 

Schaefler,  Adam. 

Lewis,  Thomas  (miller  at  Cook's). 

Voneida,  Henry. 

Hazel,  Bernhard. 

Schaeffer.  Nicholas. 

Lilly,  George  (tann 

Br). 

Wagner,  John. 

Hazel,  Jacob. 

Schott,  Philip. 

Lutz,  Widow  (oil-m 

11). 

Walteberger,  Daniel. 

Herring,  Henry. 

Shirley,  John. 

Liitz,  John. 

Weis,  George. 

Himes,  Peter. 

Shangle,  Peter. 

McB.th,Jobn. 

Weis.John. 

Kepler,  Andrew. 

Simpson,  William. 

McCleJiry,  Th..mas 

cooper). 

Weaver,  Adam. 

Kepler,  John  (blacksmith). 

Spangler,  Christian. 

McCormick,  Agnes 

(widow). 

Weaver,  David. 

Kern,  William. 

Spangler,  Christopher. 

McElwee,  William. 

Weaver,  Jacob. 

Kern,  Matthias. 

Spangler,  George. 

Merks,  David. 

Weaver,  John. 

Kreamer,  Abraham. 

Spangler,  Peter. 

Merks,  liudolph. 

Weaver,  Michael,  Sr 

Knamer,  Daniel. 

Slahl,  Frederick. 

Miller,  Abraham. 

Weaver,  Michael,  Jr 

Kreamer,  Jacob. 

Turner,  Isaiah. 

Miller,  David. 

Wilemau.John. 

Kreiger,  George. 

Walker,  John. 

Miller,  Daniel. 

Wileman,  Leonard. 

Kreiger,  Jacob. 

Walter,  Jacob. 

Miller,  Jacob. 

Winkert,  John  (hous 

e  and  lot). 

Kreiger,  Peter. 

Walter,  Michael. 

Miller,  Martin. 

Wise,  Henry  (house  and  lot).  ' 

Kryder,  John. 

Wolfart,  Philip  (distillery). 

Minnich,  George. 

Wolf,  George. 

Kreighbanm,  William  (distillery). 

Wolf,  Anthony. 

Mitchell,  John  (hot 

so  and  lot). 

Wolf,  Michael. 

Laesch,  Zachariah. 

Worth,  Henry. 

Mickel,  Nicholas. 

Young,  John  (house 

and  lot). 

Lants,  Christopher. 
Leyman,  Daniel. 

Worts,  George. 

42 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Apple,  Andrew. 
Bierly,  John. 
Bucher,  Henry  (juine 
Buchtel,  Solomon. 
Bnaliong;,  Kicliolas. 
CamtelttT,  S«bjistian. 
Clelland,  Arthur. 
Clellanil,  Robert. 
Douglas,  John  (weav< 
Garret,  Killian. 


Gramly,  Adam. 
Hazel,  Jacob. 
Long,  .John. 
McCalniont,  Matthew. 
Moore,  John. 
Moore,  Patrick. 
Pickle,  Andrew. 
Pickle,  Jacob. 
Pickle,  Simon. 
Pickle,  Thomas. 


The  quota  of  county  tax  for  Miles  in  1801  was  $176, 
an  average  rate  of  two  and  one-half  mills. 

In  1804  the  first  store,  kept  by  John  McGee,  is 
taxed.  In  1809,  Oswald  Dubbs'  grist-mill,  saw-mill. 
In  1811,  John  Kleckner's  grist-mill,  Jacob  Bollinger's 
store.  In  1812,  Paul  Wolfe's  grist-  and  saw-mill,  add- 
ing a  fulling-mill  and  distillery  in  1813.  James  Par- 
kinson is  taxed  a  schoolmaster  in  1819.  His  name 
appears  on  assessments  as  early  as  1805.  1819,  Dubbs' 
grist-mill  burned  down ;  rebuilt  in  1821.  1820,  John 
Foster,  merchant.     1822,  Jos.  H.  Madden. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

RESIDENTS   OF   PATTON,  POTTER,   FERGUSON,  AND 
HALF-MOON. 

Patton  township,  at  the  erection  of  Centre  County, 
embraced  all  the  western  portion  of  the  county  except 

portions  of  Ferguson,  Half-Moon,  and  Taylor, 
1801.     which  were  taken  from  Huntingdon  County, 

— that  is  to  say,  Patton  embraced  that  part  of 
Harris  township  west  of  the  end  of  Nittany  Moun- 
tain, the  eastern  portion  of  Ferguson,  the  present 
townships  of  Patton,  Huston,  Rush.  Ferguson  was 
taken  off  the  .southern  end  of  Patton  that  year,  and 
that  portion  of  Rush  west  of  the  extension  of  the 
west  line  of  Patton  thrown  into  Half-Moon  town- 
ship in  January,  1802. 


Adams,  William. 
Allendcr,  John. 
Ardery,  James. 
Ardery.  George. 
Bradley,  Manassiih. 
Brown,  Tlionr.ts. 
Curry,  John. 
Billon,  James. 
Boughman,  John. 
Kvans,  David  (grist-myi). 
Everhart,  RumbacU. 
Flock,  Henry. 
Gerhart,  John. 
Gray,  John. 
Gray,  Peter,  Sr. 
Gray,  Peter,  Jr. 

Hamilton,  James. 

Hamilton,  Hugh. 

Hartsock,  Conrad. 

Hicks,  Jacob. 

Hicks,  Thomas. 

Killgore,  David,  Esq. 

Litmborn,  Joseph  (blacksmith). 

Lamborn,  Josiah. 

Lamb,  James. 


McCaly,  James. 

McEwen,  Joseph  (weaver). 

McGonagal,  James. 

McKnight,  Alexander. 

Meal,  John. 

OiH,  Josf  ph. 

Philips   &    Co.   (grist-  and 

mill). 
Bea,  David. 
Rea,  Joshua. 
Rees,  Christian  J. 
Hockey,  Henry. 
Sliiveiy,  Andrew. 
Slioltz,  John. 

Siggins,  John. 
Simler,  Henry. 
Smith,  Arthur. 
Smith,  James. 
Stratton,  Lot. 
Turner,  William. 
Wiley,  William. 
Williams,  John. 
Williams,  William. 


Single  Freemen. 
Curry,  James.  Lamborn,  John. 

Curry,  Tliomas.  McCue,  Neil. 

Donglnnan,  John,  Jr.  Rea,  Thomas. 

Hartsock,  Henry.  Pieraon,  Robert. 

Lamboru,  Isaiic.  ' 

In  1806,  James  Glenn  is  taxed  with  a  grist-mill 
and  tavern;  this  was  at  Julian  (now),  and  in  the 
same  year  James  Ardery  with  a  tavern. 

Potter. — In  1801,  Potter  township  embraced  the 
western  part  of  the  present  township  of  Gregg,  from 
Spring  Mills,  all  of  Potter  and  the  eastern 
half  of  Harris  from  the  end  of  Nittany  Moun-  1801. 
tain  eastward,  bounded  by  Nittany  Mountain 
on  the  north  and  Seven  Mountains  on  the  south.  In 
1801  the  inhabitants  were : 


Adams,  Alexander. 
Alexander,  James. 
Allen,  Joseph  (tan-yard). 
Andrew,  John  (doctor). 
Andrew,  Samuel. 
Anspach,  John. 
Ayers,  Abraham. 
Barber,  John,  Esq. 
Barber,  David. 
Beale,  Philip. 
Bear,  Samuel  (cooper). 
Beltz,  William. 
Bell,  Tjiom:is  (weaver). 
Benn,  Henry. 
Benuer,  John. 
Bloom,  William. 
Boal,  James. 
Boal,  Henry. 
Bucher,  Henry. 
Burcham,  Abraham. 
Campbell,  William. 
Cannon,  James. 
Cliamhers,  Elijah. 
Clover,  Philip,  Sr. 
Clover,  Philip,  Jr. 
Collier,  William. 
Conrad,  Peter. 
Conser,  John. 
Craig,  David. 
Creese,  John. 
Crosthwaite,  John. 
Dale,  Cornelius. 
Davis,  Joseph. 
Deckart,  John. 
Derflinger,  John. 


Diln 


irad. 


Douberman,  Jolin. 
Dunlap,  Alexander. 
Eakins,  George. 
Earley.  William,  Esq.  {i: 
Falls,  Henry. 
Fishbaugh,  John. 
Fishl.aui:h,  William. 
Galbraitli,  James. 
German,  Jacob. 
Graham,  Samuel. 
Graham,  William. 
Gregg,  Andrew,  Esq. 
Gro>Bmau,  Laurence. 
Harter,  Chrislian. 
Hastings,  Enoch. 
Hastings,  Tliomas. 
Henderson,  John. 
Henney,  Christoplier. 


Huston,  Catherine. 
Irviii,  John  (store), 
IrviUjGuyan. 
Irviu.  William. 
Isenliauer,  Peter. 
Jack,  Jacob. 
Jack,  Michael. 
Johnson,  Alexander. 
Jones,  John. 
Jordan,  Hugh. 
Kean,  William. 
Kephart,  Henry. 
Kepler,  Andrew. 

Kepler,  Jacob. 

Ketlley,  Chriitopher  (weave: 

Kerr,  John  (blacksmith). 

Kerr,  William,  Esq. 

Kidd,  David  (blacksmith). 

King,  Joiin. 

King,  William. 

Kisuer,  Henry. 

Koon,  David. 

Krieger,  Marli^. 

Livingston,  Ji>hn. 

Livingston,  Daniel. 

Livingston,  William  (caipen 

Long,  Matlliew. 

Laurimoi-e,  James. 

Love,  DaviJ. 

Love,  John. 

McBride,  Aichibald. 

McBi  ide,  John. 

McCaskey,  John. 

McChesney,  Thomas. 

McClintock,  John. 

McCloskey,  William. 

McFaddin,  James. 

McGinjiis,  William  (tailor). 

McGonegal,  John. 

McJannet,  John. 

McKiin,  David. 

McKim,  Robert. 

McLane,  John. 

Mason,  Jacob. 


.ill). 


Hi< 


,  Ge( 


Holder,  Jesst 
Holt,  Evan. 


Mayes,  Willial 
Mayes,  Thomas. 
Meneigli,  George. 
Meneigh,  Jacob. 
Meredith,  Thomas. 
Michael,  William. 
Miller,  Jacob. 
Milliken,  Tliomas. 
Mooney,  Archibald  (tailor). 
Monks,  William. 
Moore,  Abel. 
Moore,  Jamea. 
Murray,  Levi. 


RESIDENTS  OF   PATTON,  POTTER,  FERGUSON,  AND  HALF-MOON. 


43 


Neal,  Henry  (tailor). 

Nicholson,  David  (tailor). 

Orwig,  Henry. 

Orwig,  Syninel. 

Orwig,  Peter. 

Palmer,  Budd. 

Palmer,  Floyd. 

Pa^toriiis,  William. 

Pennington,  Henry. 

Pennington.  Robert. 

Penogle,  John. 

Potter,  Adam. 

Potter,  Fergus. 

Potter,  James,  Esq. 

Rankin,  James. 

Rankin,  William. 

Read,  Alexander. 

Reynolds,  John. 

Reynolds,  William. 

Rhinehart,  George. 

Rliea,  Joshua. 

Riddle,  Jofaepli. 

Rishel,  Adam. 

Risliel,  Ludwig. 

Ritter,  Israel. 

Rockcy,  Honry. 

Rhone,  Michael. 

Rubs,  Joseph. 

Row],  John,  Sr. 

Row],  John,  Jr. 

Sample,  John  (blacksmith). 

Sandford,  Abraham. 

Sankey,  Jeremiah. 

Sankey,  Samuel. 

Sankey,  Thomas. 

Seighley,  Jacob. 

Shulze,  Christopher. 

Smith,  Andrew. 

Smith,  Conrad. 

Smith,  Peter  (George's  valley). 


Benr,  Andrew. 
Bear,  John. 
Bloom,  Isaac. 
Brooks,  John. 
Bunker,  William. 
Frampton,  John. 
Gearhurt,  AdaDi. 
Grier,  David. 
Johustou,  Alexander,  Jr. 
Johnston,  William. 
King,  Marinus. 
Love,  David. 
McClelland,  Robert. 
McConuel,  Jesse. 
McFaddin,  Isaac. 
McElhenny,  William. 
McGonagal,  John. 
McKim,  Robert,  Jr. 


Smith,  Peter. 

Smith,  Jacob. 

Smith,  Stephen. 

Smith,  William. 

Spencer,  Thomas  (distillery,  grist- 
and  saw-mill). 

Spear,  Samuel. 

Steel,  John.     ' 

Stetler,  Jacob. 

Stiver,  Michael. 

Sunday,  Adam  (carpenter). 

Tate,  John. 

Tate,  Robert. 

Treaster,  Thomas. 

Van  Home,  Jane  (tan-yard). 

Vandyke,  David. 

Wagoner,  John  (grist-  and  saw- 
mill). 

WassoD.  John . 

Wasson,  Thomas. 

Watson,  James. 

Watson,  Thomas. 

Watt,  James. 

Watt,  John. 

Weaver,  Frederick. 

Welch,  George. 

Wilson,  Samuel. 

Wilson,  William. 

Wilzel,  Conrad. 

Wolf,  Abraham. 

Wolf,  Peter. 

AVonderly,  Jacob  (shoemaker). 

Woods,  George  (saw-mill  and  full- 
ing-niill). 

Workiiij^er,  Henry. 

Wyncoop,  Garret. 

AVyncoop,  Mutthew. 

Yuuiig,  Conrad. 

Young,  Jacob. 


Palmer,  John, 
rnstorius,  Robert. 
Pastoriiis,  Samuel. 
Pa.storius,  William. 
Peters,  Sliehael. 
Rights,  Henry. 
Read,  John. 
Rosa,  James. 
Rye,  Joseph. 
Sankey,  Samuel. 
Seighley,  Benjamin. 
Vandyke,  David,  Jr. 
Watson,  William. 
Watt,  John,  Jr. 
Wilson,  Charles. 
Wilson,  Peter. 
Weitzell,  Henry. 


John  Irvin  is  taxed  with  store  and  tavern  in  1803. 
In  1804,  David  Barber,  James  Collier,  and  Thomas 
Earley  are  taxed  with  taverns.  Spencer's  mill  passed 
to  Nicholas  and  Jacob  Fye.  1805,  Levi  Murray  with 
a  tan-yard;  in  1806,  Malcolm  Andre  with  tavern; 
in  1806,  George  Padget,  schoolmaster ;  1807,  James 
Quade,  schoolmaster;  1807,  Joseph  Gilliland,  cooper, 
and  1810  tavern  at  Spring  Mills;  in  1808,  John  Irwin, 
grist-  and  saw-mill ;  1809,  Jacob  Keller,  grist-  and  saw- 
mill and  distillery  ;  1810,  Evan  Miles,  tavern ;  John 
Shaw,  fulling-mill;  William  Smith,  schoolmaster; 
John  Moore,  schoolmaster  in  Earlystowu.     In  1812, 


Christopher  Koonsman,  tavern  (two  miles  west  of 
Spring  Mills) ;  1813,  John  Kerr,  tavern  ;  1816,  Dun- 
can &  Foster's  store  at  Spring  Mills;  Jacob  Wolf, 
"doctor;"  1817,  Walter  Longwell,  tavern  at  Earlyg- 
town. 

Ferguson  Township.  —  Ferguson  township  was 
erected  at  January  sessions,  1801,  out  of  Patton,  be- 
ginning at  the  line  of  Bald  Eagle  and  Patton  town- 
ship, near  Robert  Moore,  so  as  to  include  his  farm 
(now,  1882,  William  Thompson,  south  of  Hou.serville), 
thence  by  a  line  through  the  Barrens  to  include  Cen- 
tre Furnace  and  James  Jackson's,  near  Half-Moon, 
the  said  line  to  be  continued  until  it  strikes  the  Hun- 
tingdon County  line,  thence  along  the  line  of  Hunt- 
ingdon and  Centre  Counties  till  it  strikes  Tussey's 
Mountain,  thence  along  the  mountain  to  the  line  of 
Patton  and  Potter  townships,  thence  along  Patton, 
Potter,  and  a  part  of  Bald  Eagle  to  the  place  of  be- 
ginning. 

This  boundary  embraced  the  present  township  of 
Ferguson,  and  the  west  half  of  Harris  from  the  end 
of  Nittany  Mountain.  , 

The  following  were  residents  in  1801 : 


Anderson,  John. 

Barkman,  John. 

Barr,  David,  Esq. 

Barr,  Robert. 

Barron,  John. 

Beal,  Dewalt. 

Boal,  David. 

Boreland,  Andrew. 

Boreland,  Archibald. 

Boreland,  John,  Sr. 

Boreland,  John,  Jr. 

Brisbin,  William. 

Brower,  Jacob  (weaver). 

Corson,  John. 

Cooper.  James. 

Cox,  Abraham. 

Crotzer,  Anthony. 

Dale,  Christian  (grist-  and  saw-mill 

and  tavern). 
Dale,  Henry. 
Denny,  Peter. 
Evans,  Eleazer. 
Everhart,  Christian. 
Everhart,  Samuel. 
Fie,  Henry. 

Ferguson,  Thomas  (gristmill). 
Glenn,  James,  Jr. 
Glenn,  John,  Sr. 
Glenn,  John,  Jr. 
Glenn,  Robert,  Sr. 
Glenn,  Robert,  Jr. 
Goheen,  John  (died  in  April,  1815). 
Haldeman,  John. 
Harpster,  Christopher. 
Hartswick,  John. 
Hartsock,  Jona. 
Hastings,  Sarah. 
Hunter,  Andrew. 
Hunter,  Robert. 
Huey,  Adam, 
ladings,  William. 
Jack.son,  James. 
Jackson,  James,  Jr. 
Kerr,  James,  Sr. 
Kerr,  James,  Jr. 


Lever,  Adam. 

Liiigerfelter,  John. 

MuBriile,  James. 

McCormick,  George,  Sr.  (grist-  and 

McCormick,  George,  Jr. 

McCormick,  James. 

McEIhatton,  Alexander. 

McEwen,  Joseph  (weaver). 

McPhereon,  Joseph, 

McWiilianis,  Alexander. 

McWilliams,  Henry. 

Meek,  David. 

Meek,  George. 

Meek,  Robert. 

Meek,  William. 

Miller,  John  (beaver  dams). 

Miller,  John  (Cherry  Creek). 

Mooney,  Patrick. 

Moore,  Robert. 

Morris,  William. 

Newell,  James  (for  Miles'  Furnace, 
saw-  and  giist-mill). 

Patton,  «eu.  John.  > 

Patton,  John  (farmer). 

Patton,  James. 

Patton,  Robert. 

Patton,  Thomas. 

Plat,  John. 

Porter,  Robert  (tavern  and  grist- 
mill). 

Potter,  Roliert. 

ReA,  John. 

Richards,  William. 

Rodden,  Isaac. 

Stewart,  Alexander. 

Stewart,  Hugh. 

SIroup,  Adam. 

White,  John. 

Whitehill,  David,  Sr. 

Whitehill,  David,  Jr.  (tan-yard). 

Whitehill,  James  (tavern). 

Whitehill,  Joseph. 

Wilson,  Thomas. 

Wiugleman,  Matthew. 


44 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Barr,  John. 
IJarret,  William. 

Cules,  James. 
Cocliran,  John. 
Buiilap,  Mattliev 


Biitgle  Men. 

Golicen,  Joseph. 
Harpster,  Joab. 
Mi-S«oril,  Arcliil.ald. 
McCormicli,  John. 


In  1803  occur  the  following  additional  assessments: 

Bail.v,  Jolin  (griat-mill).  Ei-ldey,  Joljn  (miller). 

Baily,  Eidiard.  Fulton,  Mr.  (shoemaker). 

Bail}-,  William.  GarJiner,  Robert  (saw-njill). 

Bateman,  Thomas.  lloyt,  David. 

Benner,  Philip  (store).  Keassley,  Samuel. 

Borah,  Isaiah.  Maloy,  Bliihael. 

Campbell,  Uobert.  MtEntire,  Alexander. 

Cay,  William.  Thompson,  William. 

Dale,  Felix  (miller).  Wallace,  Robert. 
Deven,  Joseph. 

Half-Moon  Township. — That  portion  of  the  pres- 
ent township  of  Ferguson  west  of  a  line  from  a  point 
three  miles  north  si.xtyfive  degrees  east  from  the 
south  coruer  of  Ferguson  to  the  present  corner  of 
Half-Moon  and  Patton  and  the  larger  part  of  the 
present  township  of  Half-Moon  were  in  Franklin  and 
Warrior  Mark  townships,  Huntingdon  County,  before 
1800.  Franklin  was  erected  at  March  sessions,  1789, 
and  Warrior  Mark  erected  from  Franklin  at  January 
sessions,  1798,  of  Huntingdon  County.  Warrior 
Mark  was  recognized  as  a  township  of  Centre  in  the 
act  of  Feb.  25,  1801,  annexing  it  and  Patton  to  the 
First  Election  District,  and  directing  their  elections 
to  be  held  in  Bellefonte. 

At  April  sessions  of  1801  (Centre  County)  petitions 
were  presented  to  have  all  that  part  of  Warrior  Mark 
which  fell  into  Centre  County  erected  into  a  township 
to  be  called  "  Half-Moon,"  and  at  August  sessions  the 
people  of  Patton  petitioned  to  have  Warrior  Mark 
annexed  to  Patton.  Upon  these  petitions  Thomas 
Ferguson,  E.sq.,  James  Watson,  of  Potter  township, 
John  Duijlop,  David  Craig,  and  Philip  Benner  were 
appointed  commissioners.  They  not  being  able  to 
agree,  the  court  at  January  sessions,  1802,  directed  the 
old  MiiHin  County  line  to  be  continued  in  the  course 
north  forty-two  and  one-fourth  degrees  west,  from  the 
line  of  Ferguson  till  it  would  intersect  the  Moshan- 
non''Creek,  and  thaf  part  of  the  county  lying  north  of 
Ferguson  and  west  of  said  line  should  be  called  Half- 
Moon. 

Half-Moon,  therefore,  beside  its  present  territory, 
then  embraced  that  of  the  present  townships  of  Tay- 
lor and  Worth,  and  that  part  of  Rush  southwest  of  a 
line  running  through  its  pre-ent  territory  north  forty- 
two  and  a  quarter  west  from  the  present  corner  of 
Huston  and  Worth  to  the  Moshannon. 


Ashtun,  George  (grist- 

mill). 
Ashton,  Owen. 
Bye,  Hezekiah. 
Clemson,  Thomas. 
Danghman,  Frederick. 
Davidson,  Phinehas. 
Dodson,  John. 
Downing,  Thomas. 
Elder,  Abraham  (still). 


England,  Nun. 
Fagan,  Herman. 
Fenton,  Benjamin. 
Fletcher,  Henry. 
Fngate,  John. 
Gilpin,  Thomas. 
Ilatlon,  Eobert. 
Hollingsworth,  David,  Sr. 
Hollingsworth,  David,  Jr. 
Hollingsworth,  Israel. 


John,  Isaiah. 
Kelly,  Wil'.iam. 
Kirk,  Ezekiel. 
Kirk,  Thomas. 
Lewis,  John. 
Merryman,  Elijah. 
Bloore,  Elijah. 
Moore,  Elisha. 
Moore,  Isaac. 
Moore,  James. 


Mo 


,  Jp 


liah. 


Moore.  Joseph. 
Jloore,  Lydia. 
Moore,  Robert. 
Moore,  Thomas,  Jr.  (s: 
Moore,  Thomas,  Sr. 
Richards,  John, 
Sadler,  Richard. 


Brown,  Michael. 
Brown,  Thomas. 
Davis,  Caleb. 
Kirk,  John. 
Kirk,  James. 
Richards,  David. 


Scott,  John. 

Spencer,  John. 

Stewart,  Alexander. 

Tate,  William. 

Taylor,  Jacob. 

Taylor,  Thomas. 

Thompson,  Caleb. 

Thompson,  John. 

Thompeon,  Thomas  (returned    to 

Huntingdon  County). 
Underwood,  William. 
Wall,  Absalom. 
Way,  Caleb. 
Way,  Benjamin. 
Whippo,  George. 
Whitson,  John  (ta 
Williams,  George. 
Wilson,  George. 


Turner,  Thomas. 
Wall,  John. 
Way,  Eli. 
Whippo,  Isaac. 
Wilson,  George. 


n-yard). 


In  1803,  Benjamin,  Richard,  and  Thomas  Vaughan 
appear  on  the  assessment;  Christian  Vanpoole,  tan- 
ner, and  Christian  Emrigh,  grist-mill,  in  1805  ;  Her- 
man Fagan,  grist- and  saw-mill,  in  1807,  as  also  Thomas 
Moore,  Jr. ;  Abraham  Elder's  grist-  and  saw-mills  and 
tavern,  in  1811,  and  H.  Sharrers,  powder-mill,  1810; 
Job  Packer's  store  in  1812;  Joseph  Haggerty,  grist- 
and  saw-mill,  1813,  and  James  Hylman,  tannery,  1813. 
Thomas  Moore's  mill  was  at  Loveville,  and  Joseph 
Haggerty  one  mile  southwest  of  the  stone  house  near 
Kelley  mill. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

THE  FIRST  MURDER  IN  THE  COUNTY— UNITED 
BRETHREN— SPRING  TOWNSHIP  TAXABLES  AND 
ELECTION  RETURNS. 

The  first  capital  case  tried  in  the  county  was  that 
of  a  negro  named  Daniel  Byers.  On  the  evening  of 
the  15th  of  October,  1802,  a  mulatto  named 
James  Barrows,  in  the  employ  of  John  Dun-  1802, 
lop,  was  shot  dead  upon  his  horse,  as  he  was 
driving  his  team  between  Bellefonte  and  the  Valen- 
tine Works.  Of  this  murder  Byers  was  tried  and 
convicted,  and  the  jury,  in  accordance  with  the  law 
at  the  time,  returned  with  their  verdict  a  valuation 
of  him,  "  valued  him  at  two  hundred  and  fourteen 
dollars." 

We  give  the  following  extract  of  a  letter  from  a 
gentlemen  at  Bellefonte,  Centre  Co.,  dated  Nov.  15, 
1802,  to  the  editor  of  the  Carlisle  Gazette  : 

*'  Last  week  a  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer  was  held  in  this  town  for 
this  county  by  James  Riddle,  Esq.,  and  the  associate  judges,  at  which 
court  Negro  Dan,  aU<u  Daniel  Byers,  was  tried  and  found  guilty  of  the 
murder  of  Jame.i  Burrows,  on  the  night  of  the  15th  ult.,  near  Bellefonte 
Iron-Works.  The  person  murdered  was  a  free  mulatto,  a  wagoner  to 
Mr.  John  Dunlop,  the  proprietor  of  the  iron-works.    He  was  married 


UNITED   BRETHREN— SPRING   TOWNSHIP   TAXABLES. 


45 


to  n  wliito  woman,  wlio  1ms  borno  five  children  to  him,  but  who  (It  is 
8,wd)  Imd  formed  an  illicit  connection  soma  lime  before  the  murder  with 
the  murderer.  The  negro  was  the  properly  of  Mr.  .1.  Smith,  of  this 
place.  It  appeared  upon  his  trial  that  he  had  long  premeditated  the 
horrid  deed,  and  had  often  attempted  to  pxecute  it  before  the  fatal  night 
above  mentioned.  About  six  weeks  before  the  murder  the  woman  had 
Ifft  her  husband  on  account  of  a  quarrel  between  them  about  this  negro. 
She  returned  back  again  in  a  few  days,  but  ever  after  this  the  negro  on 
all  occasions  had  expressed  to  those  with  wlu.ni  he  associated  the  most 
deadly  rancor  against  him,  and  had  frequfntly  waylaid  him  to  take  his 
life.  The  night  on  which  ho  was  murdered  the  mulatto  man  was  bring- 
ing home  a  load  of  coals  from  about  five  miles  fiorti  the  works.  He  was 
late  out.  The  negro  had  made  diligent  inipiiry  about  him,  found  out  where 
he  was.had  slipped  out  a  rifle  belonging  to  his  master,  waited  for  him 
on  the  roadside,  under  cover  of  a  large  tree,  about  half  a  mile  from  the 
■works,  and  when  he  came  up  close  to  him  he  shotThim  through  the  body. 
Tlie  bullet  penetrated  a  little  below  his  left  breast,  and  came  out  close 
by  his  right  shoulder.  He  was  riding  on  the  nigh  horse  behind,  and 
stuck  on  for  about  twelve  or  fifteen  perches.  When  he  fell  the  wagon- 
wheels  ran  over  Ihe  length  of  hi<  body,  which  was  supposed  to  have  oc- 
Ciisioned  his  death,  until  the  bullet-hole  was  discovered  by  the  inquest 
who  sat  on  the  body. 

*'The  president  prefaced  the  sentenro  of  d?ath  by  an  address  truly 
pathetic  and  affecting  indeed.  The  court-house  was  crowded  with  spec- 
tators, and  among  them  all  I  could  not  observe  an  eye  that  was  not  over- 
flowingwith  tears.  Uis  voice  was  several  times  choked  by  the  sensi- 
bility and  emotions  of  his  heart. 

"The  woman  now  lies  in  prison  unt  I  Ihe  next  Court  of  Oyer  and 
Terminer.  It  would,  therefore,  be  jjnproper  to  say  anything  relative 
to  her  case,  as  the  freedom  of  speaking  and  writing  ought  never  to  be 
suffered  to  turn  the  streams  of  justice  out  of  their  legal  course  or  natural 
channel." 

Byerswas  executed  on  the  13th  of  December,  1802, 
by  James  Duncan,  Esq.,  then  liigh  sheriff.  A  large 
crowd,  consisting  of  forgemen  and  other  original 
characters,  had  assembled  to  witness  the  execution, 
and  a  company  of  horse,  under  the  command  of 
Capt.  James  Potter,  was  drawn  up  near  the  scaffold. 
With  the  first  swing  the  rope  broke,  and  Negro  Dan 
fell  to  the  ground  unhurt.  With  that  the  crowd 
shouted,  "Dan  is  free!''  and  headed  by  Archy 
McSwords  and  McCamant,  they  made  a  move  to 
rescue  him.  Sheriff  Duncan,  who  always  carried  a 
lead-loaded  riding-whip,  drew  it  promptly,  and 
struck  McSwords  a  blow  that  might  have  felled  an 
ox.  McSwords  scratched  his  head,  and  said,  "  Mr. 
Duncan,  as  you  are  a  small  man,  you  may  pass  on." 
With  that  Capt.  Potter's  company  made  a  charge, 
and  William  Irvin,  of  the  troop,  leveled  McCamaut 
with  a  blow  of  his  sword,  cutting  his  cap-rim  through. 
Meanwhile,  William  Petriken  stepped  up  to  Dan,  and 
patted  him  on  the  shoulder,  saying,  "  Dan,  you  have 
always  been  a  good  boy,  go  up  now  and  be  hung  like 
a  man,"  which  he  did. 

United  Brethren  in  Christ. — Rev.  Christian  New- 
comer, afterwards  Bishop  Newcomer,  was  the  earliest 
traveling  minister  of  this  church  that  visited  this 
county.  From  hisjournal^  under  date  of  Sept.  10, 1802, 
we  extract  the  following:  "  I  preached  at  Mr.  Heis- 
kel's  from  Luke  xviii.  2'J ;  the  word  spoken  was  accom- 
panied with  power;  some  cried  aloud.  At  night  I  came 
to  my  old  friend.  P.  Crys  (?),  and  was  rejoiced  to  find 
him  and  some  of  his  family  in  the  narrow  way  that 
leads  to  life  eternal.  17th.  I  rested  here  and  visited 
several  families  in  this  neighborhood.  I  am  now  in 
Centre  County.    18th.  This  forenoon  preached  at  Mr. 


Gerhardt's ;  at  night  I  had  a  meeting  at  Mr.  Duch- 
man's,  where  I  was  received  by  several  of  my  old 
acquaintances  with  great  joy.  Sunday,  19th.  This 
morning  we  held  a  love  feast.  I  rode  yet  ten  miles 
to  Mr.  Pflegel's,  where  I  tarried  for  the  night.  This 
day  I  came  through  Bellefonte  to  Milesburg,  where  I 
preached  in  a  school-house,  both  in  German  and  Eng- 
lish. Lodged  at  Mr.  Steffy's.  21st.  This  forenoon 
I  preached  at  Mr.  Brickly's,  and  in  the  afternoon 
rode  to  Mr.  Kremer's  in  Penn's  valley.  Had  a  Mr. 
Knause  for  guide.  22d.  This  forenoon  I  tried  to 
preach  here,  and  in  the  afternoon  rode  about  ten 
miles  to  L.  Shidt's,  who  had  come  to  Mr.  Kremer's 
to  pilot  me." 

Under  date  of  May  30,  1803,  he  records  he  "rode 
from  Youngmanstown  about  twenty  miles  to  Mr. 
Kremer's,  in  Centre  County,  where  we  lodged.  31st. 
To-day  I  preached  in  Aaronsburg;  the  work  of  grace 
appeared  to  be  a  strange  doctrine  in  this  place.  May 
God  grant  the  people  knowledge.  Rode  yet  about 
twenty  miles  to  Mr.  Miller's,  where  we  stayed  all  night. 
June  1.  Preached  at  Mr.  Herzog's;  here  we  had  a 
blessed  time,  the  word  made  considerable  impression. 
Some  were  enabled  to  rejoice.  June  2.  We  held  an- 
other meeting  at  this  place,  and  several  were  happily 
converted  to  God ;  rode  in  the  afternoon  about  twelve 
miles  and  preached  to  a  small  congregation  at  Mr. 
Hieskel's.  3d.  I  preached  in  Huntingdon  County, 
near  Spruce  Creek,  at  G.  M.'s." 

In  1802  the  following  new  additional  taxa-  1802. 
bles  were  in  Spring  township: 

Ackley,  John.  Ma«on,  William. 

Ammerman,  William.  Meps,  Thomas  (forge). 

Bowes,  Richard  (weaver).  Miles,  John  (house  and  lot). 

Bowman,  Itichard  (clerk).  McClelland,  Archibald. 

Brown,  Michael.  Miles,  Richard  (distillery). 
Brolosky,  Henry  L.  (store-keeper,       Qliddleton,  William  (cooper). 

Milesborough).  McLenahan,  Robert  (store-keeper). 

Cain,  John.  Mooney,  Arthur  (forgeman). 

Campbell,  Neal  (forge  hand).  Sliller,  John. 

Davis,     Abel     (house    in  Miles-     Munimin,  Jeremiah  (tailor). 

borough).  Martin,  Samuel  (sniith). 

Deal,  Joshua.  Patton,  Benjamin  (tavern-keeper). 

Devin,  Widow    (house    in  Belle-      Pnssmore,  Enoch  (shoemaker). 

foute).  Rodgers,  W'illiani. 

D..uglierty,  Daniel.  Scowles,  James  (miller). 

Felzer,  Mary.  Slggens,  Widow. 

Eckley,  Eli.  Siggens,  George. 

Essington,  John  (forge).  Smith,  William. 

Fisher,  William.  Siinth,    James  (miller,  grist-  and 

Fisher,  Michael.  saw-mill,  >lave). 

Green,  Warnock  (tavern).  Steele,  Krancis,  Jr. 

Hair,  Joseph.  Siroh,  Nicholas. 

Henry,  James.  Swl»s,  Balser  (collier). 

Hughey,  Arthur  (collier).  Cuff,  Tobias, 

llolconib.  Widow.  TanneUill,  John  (collier). 

Irvine,  John.  Turner,  Isaiah. 

Irvine,  William.  Turner,  John. 

Jameson,  John.  Turner,  Josiph. 

Laskins,  Edward  (forgeman).  Williams,  Joseph  (Ian-yard). 

Liplon,  Robert  (weaver).  Williams,  Joseph  (forgeman). 

McCafferty,  Dennis  (collier).  Williams,  Matthew. 

Mcintosh,  James  (forgeman).  Watson,  Thomas  (collier). 

Mejis,  Malone,  Widow.  Yarnall,  Samuel  ^blacksmith). 

The  following  are  the  additional  resident  taxables 
of  Spring  township  in  1803  : 


46 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Adams,  John. 
Bellew,  Daniel. 
Culhoun,  Jolin. 
Hunter,  William. 
Iddings,  Joliu. 
Irwin,  John, 
BIcCutcheon,  Julin. 


Mease,  Julin, 
Orwig,  Samuel. 
Stratton,  Lot. 
"Weaver,  Frederick. 
Wiley,  William. 
Williams,  Evan. 
Underwood,  Williat 


1803.     The  following  tavern-keepers  were  recom- 
mended for  license  at  August  sessions,  1803: 


James  Green,  Bellefonte. 
Benjamin  Patton,  Bellefonte. 
Hannah  Green,  Milesborough. 
Tliomas  Wilson,  Centre  township. 
James  Collier,  Potter. 
John  Benner,         " 
John  Irviii, 

CliriBtian  Dale,  Ferguson. 
Thomas  Porter,        " 


Ahraliam  Elder,  Half-Moon. 
Henry  Simler,  Pliilipsburg. 
Jolin  Cnlbertson,  Patton  township. 
Israel  Pennington,  Bellefonte. 
Obadiah  Allen,  Aaronsburg. 
Christian  Ulricli, 
Pliilip  Dewald,  " 

Widow  Slotz,  Haines  township. 
George  Brosius,         " 
Tliomns  Farley,  Potter. 

August  16th,  James  Duncan,  Esq.,  sheriff,  made  re- 
turn of  sale  of  Gen.  John  Patton's  interest  in  a  vast 
amount  of  real  estate  lying  on  Slab  Cabin  and  in  Fer- 
guson townships,  sold  to  Francis  Gurney. 

1804.  The  following  are  the  additional  tax-payers, 
with  additional  improvements,  in  Spring  in  1804 : 


Benner,  Philip  (taxed  with  rolling- 
mill  and  new  forge). 
Dilman,  John. 
Eves,  Abraham. 
Fulton,  David, 
llouser,  Jacob  (fulling-mill). 
Irvin,  John. 
Lambourue,  Lewis. 
Lytle,  John. 
McBrido,  John. 
McClelland,  Archibald. 
McGee,  John. 


Mease,  Michael. 
Middleton,  James. 
Miers,  George. 
Miers,  Michael. 
Pennington,  Israel. 
Poorman,  Michael. 
Boss,  Samuel. 
Spencer,  George. 
Spotls,  David. 
Watson,  James, 
Whitehill,  John. 
Whilehill,  Joseph. 


At  January  sessions  the  road  from  Philip  Antes' 
mill  through  the  gap  in  Muncy  Mountain  to  inter- 
sect the  road  leading  from  Penn's  valley  to  Bellefonte 
was  confirmed  and  ordered  to  be  laid  out. 

Also  the  road  from  the  Lycoming  County  line,  be- 
ginning at  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  opposite  then  Mar- 
tin's store,  and  running  up  Fishing  Creek  by  way 
of  Archibald  Stewartson,  Thomas  Wilson,  Elders 
spring,  McKinney,  Lambs,  etc.,  to  Allegheny  Street, 
Bellefonte,  by  way  of  Howard  Street,  twenty-two  and 
a  half  miles  and  fifty-four  perches.  This  is  what  is 
now  known  as  the  Jacksonville  road  from  Mill  Hall 
to  Bellefonte. 

Also  the  road  from  Abraham  Elders  in  HalfMoon 
to  Pliilipsburg  was  laid  out  by  David  Kilgore,  Esq., 
Ezekiel  Bye,  John  Gerhart,  Peter  Gray,  Sr.,  Joseph 
Moore,  and  Caleb  Way. 

At  April  sessions  Jaines  Ardery,  of  Potter,  David 
Barber,  of  Potter,  John  McKee,  of  Bellefonte,  Alex- 
ander Robinson,  of  Bald  Eagle  township,  and  Mary 
Allison,  of  Potter,  were  recommended  to  the  Gov- 
ernor for  license  to  keep  tavern.  At  August  sessions 
David  Boal,  of  Ferguson,  and  Adam  Bolander  were 
recommended  for  license. 

The  Hon.  Thomas  Cooper,  commissioned  for  Frank- 
lin, Mifflin,  Centre,  Huntingdon,  Bedford,  and  Som- 


erset Counties,  as  president  judge  of  the  courts 
thereof,  sat  at  the  November  sessions  of  1804.  AVil- 
liam  Alexander,  of  Bellefonte,  and  David  Nicholson, 
of  Ferguson,  were  recommended  for  license. 

Additional  tax-payers  and  improvements  in     1805. 
Spring  township  in  1805  : 


Benner,  Philip  (slitling-lt 
Bodel,  Robert. 


ill). 


Bur: 


side,  Tin 


Cnlbertson,  Mose 
Hastings,  Thonia 
Loiigwell,  Walte 
Monntz,  Charles, 


Mountz,  John. 
Sadler,  Robert. 
Senser,  George. 
Trezyulny,  Chai 
Wigley,  William 
Whippo,  Isaac. 


At  August  sessions  John  Mitchell,  of  Aaronsburg, 
James  Foster,  of  Milesborough,  and  Michael  Shaffer 
of  Millheim,  were  recommended  for  license.  At  No- 
vembersessions  Archibald  Allison,  RobertMcClellaud, 
Conrad  Young,  Thomas  Boyer,  William  Cottle,  and 
James  Alexander  laid  out  the  road  from  Kiddle's 
mill,  on  Penn's  Creek,  to  the  Bellefonte  road,  near 
Sinking  Creek  meeting-house. 

In  October,  1805,  Thomas  McKean  ran  as  the  in- 
dependent Democratic  candidate  for  Governor,  and 
was  elected  in  the  State  over  Simon  Snyder  by  five 
thousand  one  hundred  and  sixty-one  majority ;  the 
vote  in  Centre,  however,  stood  as  follows : 

Snyder.  McKean. 

Bellefonte 2U  8 

Spring I'iU  41 

Leiitre til  iA 

Potter 103  2'J 

Ferguson ti»  ii 

Haines 264  'J 

Half-Moon M  36 

Palloii 35  4 

Bald  Eagle U9  lU 

Miles 13U  r. 

10-JG  iiU3 


CHAPTER    XX. 


TAVERN   LICENSES   AND   ROADS— POLITICAL. 

At  January  sessions  Thomas  Hastings,  of  Bellefonte, 
Michael  Meese,  of  Centre,  and  John  Dillraan,  of  Pot- 
ter, were  recommended  for  license.  At  April 
sessions  the  road  from  Brush  valley,  at  then  1806. 
Daniel  Dubbs',  to  the  road  in  Sugar  valley  was 
laid  out,  the  road  from  Centre  Furnace  to  Abraham 
Elders,  in  Half-Moon,  and  the  road  from  Milesburg 
to  Benedict  Lucas',  on  the  head  of  Bullet'^  Run. 
April  24th,  Hon.  Jona.  Walker  took  his  seat  as  presi- 
dent judge  ;  district,  Bedford,  Huntingdon,  MiiHin, 
and  Centre. 

At  August  sessions  Negro  Jacob  was  convicted  of 
breaking  into  Benner  &  Cambridge's  store,  and  sen- 
tenced to  three  years  in  the  penitentiary  ;  and  at  the 
same  sessions  a  private  road  was  laid  out  from  the 
meeting-house  in  Brush  valley  to  John  Schrock's  in 
Sugar  valley.  This  commenced  at  the  church  at 
Rebersburg,    thence    north    23y    degrees    west    148 


TAVERN   LICENSES   AND   ROADS— POLITICAL. 


47 


perches  to  Reber's  house ;  thence  through  Conrad 
Reber's  hind  by  Jacob  Bottorfhouse. 

At  November  sessions  the  road  beginning  atTliomas 
Spencer's  mill,  across  the  dividing  ridge  to  the  Fish- 
ing Creek  road  (leading  from  Bellefonte)  at  John 
Mitchell's,  was  laid  out;  also  the  road  from  Isaac 
Parson's  house  on  the  head-waters  of  Wallis'  Run,  to 
intersect  the  State  road  from  Milesburg,  on  William 
Fisher's  land  (now  Snow  Shoe  Intersection). 

James  Poe,  who  was  a  son-in-law  of  Gen.  Potter, 
and  represented  Franklin  County  in  the  State  Senate, 
1803-7  and  1811-19,  writes  Judge  James  Potter  from 
Lancaster,  Dec.  13, 1806,  that  both  branches  voted  on 
the  9th  of  December  for  United  States  senator.  In 
three  several  trials  there  was  a  tie  each  time,  Andrew 
Gregg  receiving  filty-four  votes.  Gen.  John  Steele 
fifty-tour.  Mr.  Gregg  was  finally  elected  Jan.  13, 
1807,  having  fifty-five  votes,  N.  B.  Boileau,  forty, 
Gen.  Steele,  fourteen. 

Political  Meeting'. — On  Wednesday,  July  15th,  a 
number  of  the  inhabitants  of  Centre  County  met, 
pursnnnt  to  a  public  notice,  at  the  court-house, 
1807.  for  the  purpose  of  expressing  their  sentiments 
on  the  attack  made  by  the  British  frigate 
"Leopard"  on  the  United  States  frigate  "Chesa- 
peake." The  meeting  was  a  very  large  one  consider- 
ing the  season  of  the  year. 

Gen.  Philip  Benner  was  called  to  the  chair,  and 
Joseph  Miles  appointed  secretary.  William  Petrikin, 
Esq.,  opened  the  meeting  by  reading  extracts  from 
Norfolk  papers,  giving  an  account  of  the  attack  and 
the  President's  proclamation.  Whereupon  the  fol- 
lowing were  appointed  a  committee  on  resolutions: 
William  Petrikin,  Esq.,  James  Harris,  Esq.,  Col. 
John  Young,  John  G.  Lowrey,  Esq.,  William  Ran- 
kin, Esq.,  Roland  Cartin,  Esq.,  John  Dunlop,  Wil- 
liam Irvin,  and  Thomas  Burnside,  Esq. 

This  committee  prefaced  their  resolutions  with  a 
long  preamble  about  the  outrage,  which  "they  viewed 
in  all  its  prominent  aspects  as  without  a  parallel  in  the 
annals  of  any  nation,"  and  "Resolved,  That  we  pledge 
ourselves  and  all  that  is  dear  and  precions  to  us  to 
support  with  alacrity  such  measures  as  our  govern- 
ment shall  think  proper  to  pursue  for  the  purpose 
of  avenging  the  outrage,"  etc.  They  further  ap- 
proved of  the  proclamation  made  by  the  President, 
and  enjoined  upon  the  young  men  of  Centre  County 
"  to  form  themselves  intomilitary  companies,  equipped 
in  our  own  manufactures,  and  to  be  ready  at  a  mo- 
ment's warning  to  march  to  the  scene  of  action." 

A  copy  of  the  resolutions  was  directed  to  be  sent  to 
the  President,  and  a  Committee  of  Correspondence 
was  appointed,  consisting  of  Col.  James  Dunlop, 
Thomas  Burnside,  James  Harris,  Roland  Curtin,  Wil- 
liam Petrikin,  Philip  Benner,  Robert  T.  Stewart, 
Esq.,  Charles  Huston,  Esq.,  and  Jonathan  Walker, 
Esq. 

In  1807  there  was  no  paper  yet  in  Centre  County, 
and  the  following  is  extracted  from  Matthew  Huston's 


Republican  Argus,  of  Northumberland,  of  December 
9th: 

"DEMOCRATIC  MEETI.SG. 
".Ma  very  large  and  reHpectHlile  meetirif;ur  tlic  iiiliAliftants  of  Centre 
Biid  Clrarfleld  Counties,  convened  by  public  notice  Ht  tlie  ciMirt-lioiii'e  in 
tlio  borougli  of  BeMefonte  on  tlie  24th  duy  of  November.  IS07,  Tljomiiil 
Burnside,  Esq.,  was  ai>pointed  chairman,  iind  I'uti-ick  Cambridge,  secre- 
tary. 

"  A  letter  from  Berks  County  was  produced  and  rend  fi'oni  the  chair, 
containing  an  invitation  toco-operate  with  llie  Demicralsof  tliat  connly 
in  pursuing  such  measures  as  might  be  deemeil  best  calculated  to  pro- 
mote harmony  and  union  among  tlie  paity  through,  ut  the  Slate,  relative 
to  the  ne.\t  election  for  Governor.  In  itureuanceor  whicli  the  lollowing 
resolutions  were  adopted,  the  vote  being  taken  on  each  resolution  eepa- 
rjitely : 

"Ist.  That  in  the  opinion  of  this  mcoling,  tlie  conlidenre  of  the 
people  of  those  counties  (expressed  at  the  general  election  of  1805  by 
such  largo  majorities)  in  the  wisd.ni,  virtue,  and  talents  of  Simon 
Snyder  is  not  in  the  least  degree  impaired,  but  rather  increased  by  liis 
subsequent  public  and  private  conduct.  We  will  therefore  support  hint 
as  a  candidate  for  Governor  of  this  Slate  at  the  enmiiig  genenil 
election. 

"  2d.  That  in  the  opinion  of  this  meeting  the  Democratic  members  of 
the  Legislature  are  the  most  suitable  and  best  qualified  body,  when  con- 
vened for  that  purpose  in  general  meeting,  to  nouiitiiite  candidates  for 
those  offices  that  are  to  be  elected  over  tlie  Slate  at  bug".  We  therefore 
think  that  the  jiropo^ition  of  a  State  meeting  of  delegates  from  the 
several  counties,  as  propcised  by  meetings  lield  in  the  city  of  Philadel- 
phia and  county  of  Delaware,  for  the  pnriKisu  of  nominating  a  candidate 
for  the  next  Governor,  is  iinpiucticable,  unnecessary, and  iiregnant  with 
the  seeds  of  schism  and  division. 

"  3d.  That  our  representative  from  these  counties  is  hereby  requested 
to  lay  these  resolutions  before  the  Democratic  members  of  the  Legis- 
l.ature;  to  attend  tlieir  meeting  on  behalf  of  his  constituents,  and 
zealously  support  the  nominatioa  of  Siniou  Snyder,  of  Northumberland 
County. 

"That  the  following  Committee  of  Correspondence  be  apiiointed^For 
Bellefonte,  William  Petrikin;  Spring  township,  George  Iliilip  Benner: 
Potter,  William  Irvin;  Haines,  James  Duncan;  Centre,  Col.  John 
Mitchell;  Bald  Eagle,  Matthew  Allison ;  Ferguson,  M  j.  John  Cnlberl- 
son;  Pattou,  James  Glenn;  Half-Moon,  Heruiau  Kugan;  Miles,  John 
Kryder;  for  Cleai  field,  Robert  Maxwell. 

"  By  order  of  the  meeting. 

"Thomas  Buexside,  rresldeiil. 

"  Patrick  Camuridge,  Secretary." 

An  article  follows  this  purporting  to  be  from  "The 
Mau  in  the  Moon,"  pours  a  vial  of  wrath  upon  Wil- 
liam Rankin,  then  member  of  the  Legislature,  for  his 
disposition  to  support  Andrew  Gregg  for  Governor. 
I  quote  part  in  order  to  give  some  idea  of  the  style  of 
political  controversy  of  that  day : 

"  Not  a  rag  left  to  bedeck  ■William  Rankin  this  year,  tho'  God  knows 
he  needssonie.  His  last  year's  jerkin  was  pretty  well  ruffled  last  winter 
at  Lancaster.  (Legislature  then  met  there.)  The  Fed's  and  (Juid's  cut 
the  skirtsof  his  garments  by  his  rump, as  David  did  Saul's,  and  shaking 
them  at  the  Democrats  said,  'send  some  of  the  young  uieu  to  fetch 
theni.'" 

In  April,  1807,  the  road  leading  from  James  Wat- 
son's mill  in  Potter  to  a  school-house  on  the  Brush 
valley  road  was  laid  out,  and  John  Frederick  was 
licensed  to  keep  hotel  at  Mill  Hall. 

In  October,  1808,  Simon  Snyder  was  the  regular 
Democratic  candidate;  James  Ross,  Federal;  John 
Spoyd,  Independent.     Snyder's  majority  over 
both  was  twenty-four  thousand  three  hundred 
and  ninety-four.   The  vote  in  Centre  County  in  detail 
was : 


48 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Snyder.  Rosh.  Spoyd. 

Bi'Ilefonte  norough 43  21)        1 

SpriME 21)0  44        1 

Centre 151  ^i 

Potfr :«0  11        5 

Fel-usuii...-. 11-  30 

Hjiiiies 302  4        1 

IlKll-Moon 110  11 

Patti.ll S4 

Bald  EKKle IVl  17 

MiU-s IIW  1        1 

16U0  102        9 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

ROAN  DIARY— ?CIIOOL  LAW  OF  1309— HOWARD  AND 
AVALKER  TOWNSIIIP.S  ERECTED— LISTS  OF  IN- 
HABITANTS—EAGLE WORKS  ERECTED— NEWBY'S 
CASE. 

Flavel  Roan  Diary.— "June  3,  1809,  went  to 
Centre  County  for  balm  of  Gilead  for  Roan  Clark, 
who  is  sick ;  reached  Aaronsburg  at  three, 
1809.  Avhere  met  Evan  Miles,  and  came  on  to  George 
Woods'.  We  had  Psalm-singing  the  old  way 
and  prayers.  He  is  a  very  religious  man.  June  4th, 
called  at  Kern's.  Stopped  at  Benner's  (old  fort), 
then  to  Ludwig  Reiley's,  on  Hasting's  place,  where 
I  got  some  leaves  and  branches.  Stopped  at  Barber's 
tavern,  and  rode  back  to  Eakers',  twenty-four  miles. 
5th,  left  Aaronbsurg  with  John  Foster." 

Professor  Meyer,  speaking  of  the  school  law  of 
1809,  says,— 

"  The  l;iw  for  the  '  ducation  of  Iho  poor  gratis  was  passed  April  4,1S00. 
Tliere  was  more  philanthropy  in  it  than  wisdom.  Assessors  were  required 
to  take  a  census  of  '  all  children  between  the  ages  of  five  and  twelve 
years,  whose  parents  were  unable  to  pay  their  achooliug,'  tlms  placing 
both  parents  and  children  in  a  very  humiliating  position.  The  object 
of  the  Uw  was,  therefore,  not  fully  realized,  for  the  reason  that  Ihe  poor 
possessed  as  keen  a  sense  of  deliciicy  as  the  rich,  and  wonld  ra'her  bring 
lip  their  cliildreu  in  ignorance  than  be  classed  among  panpers.  Tliisdis- 
crimination  between  rich  and  poor  often  engendered  a  spirit  of  caste 
among  the  schnhii"8  which  environed  the  teacher  with  many  perplexing 
difficulties.  *  Tlie  purse-proud  ones  despised  the  paupers,  and  would  not 
associate  with  them  *  Yet,  notwithstanding  this  defect,  the  law  accom- 
plished some  good  ;  there  are  not  a  few  citizens  to-day— and  among  them 
some  that  are  prominent — whose  names  may  bo  found  on  lists  of  poor 
children  returned  by  assessors,  and  who  received  part  of  their  education 
at  the  publ.c  expense,  though  they  would  hardly  now  wish  to  acknowl- 
edge it. 

"In  ceitain  localities  the  law  of  1809  prepared  the  way  for  the  adop- 
tion of  tlio  school  system  submitted  to  the  people  under  the  legislalion 
of  1834  and  1S;J5.  The  necessity  of  the  education  of  the  poor  as  well  as 
the  rich  was  recognized  by  a  majority  uf  the  citizen!*,  and  as  the  former 
law  was  unpoinihir  for  reas-ms  already  stated;  tlie  latter  was  accejited 
because  it  made  provision  for  the  edui 
trnding  any  odious  distinctions  betweei 
several  annual  lists  of  poor  children  reported  to  t 
ers,  it  was  found  that  assessors  had  no  fixed  bas.is 
out  these  lists  ;  one  year  there  would  be  reported  i 
a  few.  It  is  asserted  tliat  while  the  really  needy  w 
cial  objects  of  chanty,  not  nnfrequently  poisons  i 
but  having  lea*  self-respect,  wonld  hand  in  the  n 
to  be  educated  aMhe  public  expensi 
her  of  the  children  returned  by  the 


For  instance,  in  the  yeai 
and  only  three  were  6 
and  educated  13;  Fergu 
must  be  supposed,  howc' 


1  of  the  masses  without  in- 
1  and  poor.  In  looking  over 
I  to  the  county  comniis=iion- 
I  jninciple  in  nuiking 
iiy.  and  the  next  but 
e  luth  to  become  spe- 
lietter  circumstances, 
lesof  their  children 
found  that  buta^mall  num- 
found  their  way  to  school. 
1825,  Miles  township  reported  22  poor  children, 
EUt  to  school ;  Walker  township  returned  20, 
jou  townsh  p  returned  48,  and  educated  0.  It 
er,  that  the  aversion  to  be  classed  among  pau- 


pers was  the  only  cause  for  the  non-attendance  of  so  largo  a  number  of 
the  poor  children  reported  ;  indifference  on  the  part  of  parents,  want  of 
necessary  clothing,  and  the  great  distance  some  had  to  the  nearest 
school,  from  four  to  five  miles, — these  circumstances  had  an  influence  in 
swelling  the  number  of  those  not  attending.  It  would  be  interesting  to 
know  how  many  cliildren  were  educated  at  public  expense  from  18U9  to 
1835,  but  no  records  of  this  matter  could  ho  found  except  for  the  year 
1825,  when  the  number  was  212.  From  1810  to  1843  Centre  County  paid 
$'JGHG.G8  for  tuition  and  stationery. 

"The  foUowing  is  a  form  of  a  bill  presented  to  the  couuly  commis- 
sioners for  tuition  of  poor  children  : 

"  Walker  Township, Nov.  29, 1810. 
"Centre  County,  Pr.  To  Robert  McBride,  sdioolmaster,  to  the  tuition 
of  James  and  Kitty  Ekin,  Samuel  and  Jane  Young,  poor  children,  viz: 


James  Ekin,  56  days,  at  3  cents  P  D 
Kittv  Ekin,  50  days,  at  3  cents  l»   D 
Samuel  Young.  4u  days,  at  3  cents  1»  i 
Jane  Young.  37  days,  at  3  cents  P    I> 
To  ^  fjuire  of  jiaper  for  Jane  Y'ounp, 


81  r>8 

1  ()K 
1  20 
1  II 


Total  Amount $582}^ 


"  That  the  above-mentioned  poor  children  a 
and  write  the  English  with  Robert  McBride, 


irning  to  Bpoll,  read, 
eby  certified  by 
[N  McCalmont. 
I.  Smith." 


Howard  Township. — Howard  township  was  erected 
out  of  Centre  at  January  sessions,  1810,  or  rather  was 
the  residue  of  Centre  township  after  Walker 
township  was  carved  therefrom  at  the  same  1810. 
sessions.  The  southern  boundnry  of  Howard 
commenced  *'  at  the  line  of  Spring  township,  between 
the  two  ridges  of  Bald  Eagle  (Muncy  Mountain),  in 
Antes'  Gap,  thence  north  about  sixty  degrees  east 
along  the  same  opening  between  said  ridges  until  it 
intersected  the  line  of  Bald  Engle  township,"  a  dis- 
tance of  twelve  miles ;  "  thence  to  the  mouth  of  Beech 
Creek."  It  embraced  its  present  territory,  that  of  Lib- 
erty and  Curtin,  and  a  slice  about  three-quarters  of 
a  mile  deep  of  the  eastern  sides  of  Boggs,  Snow 
Shoe,  and    Burnside  townships. 

Its  inhabitants  in  1810  were  as  follows  : 


Antes,  Frederick. 

Antes,  John. 

Antes,  Philip  {grist  and  sa 

Askey,  David. 

Askey,  John. 

Askey,  Samuel. 

Baker,  Jacob  (cjirpenter). 

Baker,  Joseph  (carpenter). 

Baker,  Ross. 

Biithurst,  Lawrence. 

Beightol,  Christian  (distille 

Beightol,  David. 

Beightul,  Jacob. 


Bitu 


'i-ge. 


r-mill). 


Bitncr,  John. 

Boggs,  Moses. 

Boone,  Jacob  (s 

Bowes,  Thnmas. 

Bowern,  .John  (distillery). 

B..«nian,  Peter. 

Brickh-y,  Michael. 

Byers,  Jacob. 

Clark,  John. 

Confer,  Pliilip. 

Crawford,  James,  Esq.  (shoemaker). 

Dunner,Cliristian. 

Dougherty,  Abel. 

Fulton,  David  (tailor). 


Fulton,  Peter. 

Gardner,  James, 

Gardner,  John. 

Gardner,  William. 

Gnnsalus,  Richard. 

Hid  ford,  Mary. 

Hipsher,  Daniel. 

Hipsher,  Matthias. 

Holder,  Jacob. 

Johnston,  James  (distillery). 

Kunes,  Daniel. 

Lantz,  Cliristian. 

Leathers,  Daniel. 

Leathers,  Jacob,  Sr. 

Leathers,  Jacob,  Jr. 

Lee,  Jacob. 

Leitch,  Matthew. 

Ligget,  Absalom  (blacksmith). 

Liggot,  George,  Sr. 

Ligget,  George,  Jr. 

Linn,  Andrew. 

Low,  Patrick. 

Lucas,  Benedict. 

Lucas,  Biipli'^t. 

Lucas,  Benjamin. 

Lucai,  Cliarli-8. 

Lucas,  John. 

Lucas,  Joseph. 


HOWARD   AND  WALKER   TOWNSHIPS    ERECTED— LIST  OF    INHABITANTS.      49 


Lucas,  John,  Jr, 

Lucns,  Williiim. 

McCann,  DarnabHS. 

McClure,  James. 

McCluie,  TlioiUHS. 

McGee,  James,  Sr. 

McGcp,  James,  Jr. 

Malott,  John. 

Mareden,  John. 

Mars.leD,  Jonathan. 

Maraden,  Justice. 

Martin,  John. 

Meiise,  Michael. 

Means,  Arcliibald. 

Miors,  SlaMhew. 

Miller,  John  (grist-  and  saw 

Neidley,  John. 

Nesselrode,  Christopher  (saw 

Nesselrode,  John. 

NefT,  John  (distillery). 

Packer,  Amos  (tan-yard). 

Packer,  Eli. 

Packer,  James  (merchant). 


Askey,  Pavid. 
Boone,  John. 
Boone,  Matthias. 
Byers,  Thomas. 
Gardner,  John,  Jr. 
Gardner,  Washington. 
Goodfellow,  Isaac. 
Gunsalus,  James. 
Guusalus,  Samuel. 


Fletcher,  Samuel. 

Reed,  Blary. 

Reily,  Hugh. 

KoMbaugh,  John. 

Runner,  Jacob  (blacksmith). 

Schonck,  Daniel. 

Scheuck,  Frederick  (blacksmith). 

Schenck,  John.         • 

Scheuck,  Michael,  Sr. 

Schencli,  Michael,  Jr. 

Shuck,  Walter. 

Smith,  John. 

Switzer,  Joseph. 

Thompson,  Robert  (weaver). 

Tipton,  David. 

Tipton,  William  (distillery). 

Tims,  Absalom. 

Watkins,  Samuel. 

White,  John. 

White,  Joseph,  Sr. 

White,  Joseph,  Jr. 

Yarnell,  Samuel. 

Single  Freemen. 

Johnston,  George  (carpenter). 

Lee,  Isaac. 

Long,  Jacob. 

WcCiure,  James. 

Fatten,  John. 

Fletcher,  He[iry. 

Lacy,  George. 

Schc-nck,  Rudolph. 

Smith,  Aliraliam. 


Boggs  &  Curtin's  forge  i.s  first  taxed  in  1813 ;  James 
Crawford,  Esq.,  grist-  and  saw-mill,  1815,  transferred 
in  1816  to  Isaac  McKinney,  who  added  carding- 
machine  in  1819;  Roland  Curtin,  furnace,  1819;  nail- 
machine,  1820.  In  1825  he  acquired  the  grist-  and 
saw-mill  of  Philip  Antes  by  purchase. 

Walker  township  was  erected  at  January  ses- 
sions, 1810,  and  on  request  of  the  petitioners  called  so 
in  honor  of  the  president  of  the  courts,  Jonathan  H. 
Walker,  Esq. 

Its  boundaries  were  as  follows:  '"  Beginning  at  the 
line  of  Spring  township,  between  the  two  ridges  of 
Bald  Eagle  (Muncy  Mountain)  in  Antes  Gap;  thence 
north  about  sixty  degrees  east  twelve  miles  along  the 
small  opening  between  said  ridges  until  it  intersects 
the  line  of  Bald  Eagle  township  ;  thence  along  the 
line  of  said  township  south  about  thirty  degrees  east 
six  miles  to  the  line  of  Miles  township  in  the  middle 
of  the  Nittany  hills  ;  thence  along  said  township  line 
in  said  hills  south  about  sixty  degrees  west  twelve 
miles  to  the  corner  and  line  of  Spring  township; 
thence  along  the  said  line  by  the  ridge  gap  and 
Lamb's  Run  to  the  place  of  beginning  in  Antes 
Gap."  The  real  length  of  the  north  and  south  bound- 
aries are  but  ten  miles ;  its  territory  then  included  that 
of  the  present  townships  of  Walker  and  Marion. 

The  following  were  inhabitants  of  AValker  (and 
Marion  now)  in  1810: 

Askey,  James.  Beck,  Robert. 

Barr,  William.  Beck,  Samuel. 

Beagly,  Michael.  Bell,  James  (weaver). 

Beck,  James.  Blakeney,  John. 

Beck,  John.  Bowman,  Peter. 

Beck,  Nathaniel.  Carson,  John. 


Clark,  James. 
Cooper,  Ann. 
Duiikle,  Jacob. 
Diinkb',  John. 
Dnnkb-,  Henry. 
Dnnkle.MoIchior. 
Eld.-r,  WilPani. 
Eineri.k,  Jacob. 
Emeriik,  Nicholas 


,  David. 

,  Thomai 


Full. 


,  Ale 


vedin  1S12 


nil). 


Fnlton,  John. 

Furey,  William  (n 

Graham,  Francis. 

Hare,  .loseph. 

Harrison,  Jane  (widow). 

Hoy,  Henry  (grist-  and  sa 

Hubler,  .Jacob  («aw-mill). 

Hutchinson,  James  (bhicksmitli)- 

Jamison,  John. 

Joliuston,  David  (gri=t-  and  saw- 
mill). 

Johnston,  John. 

Johnsto[ibaugh,  Frederick  (car- 
penter). 

Johnstonbangh,  Jacob. 

Lamb,  David. 

Lamb,  John. 

L:imh,  Samuel. 

Laesch,  Za,chariah. 

Lefler,  Adam. 

Leighly,  Matthias. 

Leiser,  Matthias. 

McCalmont,  John. 

McCalmont,  Tlinmas,  Sr. 

McCalmont,  Thomas,  Jr. 

McClelland,  Archibald. 


McCren,  .lames. 

McKlhenny,  John. 

MiE«en,  Krainis  (naw-mlll). 

.McEucn,  William,  Esq. 

SIcKee,  Thonnis. 

MclCec,  Willinni. 

McKinney,   Isaac   (dletilhry    and 

.tore). 
McKinney,  Samncl  (rulling-mill). 
Means,  Samuel  fwraver). 
Bliller,  John  (weaver). 
Millikvn,  Thomas. 
Mitchell,  lluviU. 
Neil,  Hugh. 
Neil,  J..hn. 
Uodgers,     William     (removed     in 

l,S12). 
Rose,  Slary. 
Smyth,  William. 
Snydei-,  Henry. 
Snyder,  John. 
Spencer,  Tliomas. 
Steere,  James. 

Steere,  Joseph,  Sr.  (saw-raill). 
Stump,  Jacob  (weaver). 
Swaniey,  William. 
Syler,  Jlichael. 
Taggart,  Samuel. 
Tliomi«on,  John  (removed  1812). 
Weaver,  John. 
Wilson,  John. 
Wilson,  Thomas 
Wilson,  Thomas 
Wilson,  Willian 
Wilson,  Willian 
Wilson,  Willian 
Wooils,  John. 
Young,  Robert. 


1,  Sr. 

1,  Jr. 

i,Sr. 

1  (son  of  Willi! 

1  (sou  of  Thon 


■,Johi 


Clark,  James. 
Emerick,  Adam. 
Emerick,  John. 
Frederick,  Thomas. 
Fulton,  Alexander. 
Harrison,  Thomas. 
SIcCrea,  James. 
McCrea,  John. 
McClelland,  Hugh,  Jr. 

In  1814,  William  Smyth  is  taxed  with  a  tavern;' 
in  1816,  John  Snyder,  Jr.,  with  tavern  and  distillery  ; 
and  in  1821,  Henry  Hacker  with  a  carding-machine. 

The  population  of  Centre  County  in  1810  was  as 
follows: 


JKMi 

II,  W 

\h. 

Miller 

J.ilin 

Moni. 

on,  H 

1-1 

Sleere 

Asal 

el. 

Steele 

Thon 

nis 

Svler, 

Frede 

i,|. 

Wilsoi 

,  J.ise 

.1, 

Wilsoi 

,  Sam 

lel 

l,.'li 


Ilall-5l..oii 

W,ilk,-r 

B.ild  K;ii;li. 


Included  in  above,  one  slave  in  Bald  Eagle,  nine- 
teen free  negroes  in  Bellefonte,  and  ninety-five  free 
negroes  in  the  other  townships. 

In  1810,  Moses  Boggs  and  Roland  Curtin,  Sr., 
erected  a  forge  upon  the  )>resent  site  of  Eagle  Works, 
manufacturing  hammered  iron.  This  article  chiefly 
found  market  at  Pittsburgh,  whither  it  was  transferred 
by  wagons.  It  was  worth  at  the  forge  five  cents  a 
pound.  The  old  Eagle  Furnace  was  built  by  Mr. 
Curtin  in  1818.  Tlie  ore  was  procured  from  Xittauy 
valley. 


50 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


riavel  Roan  in  1810  made  a  visit  to  Centre  County, 
of  which  he  kept  a  journal :  July  3d,  fed  at  Miles',  in 
Aaronsburg,  and  then  went  to  Joseph  Gilliland's.  On 
the  4th  he  calls  at  Esquire  Barber's  and  Woods',  and 
attends  a  great  entertainment  at  Hon.  A  ndrew  Gregg's, 
from  whence  he  goes  to  Mrs.  Eaken's.  On  the  5th  he 
stopped  at  Mrs.  Vanhorne's  tavern,  who  he  remarks 
as  a  very  fashionable  old  lady,  and  then  dines  at 
James  Potter's,  Dr.  Dobbins  being  of  the  company. 
On  the  6th  he  calls  again  at  Barber's,  took  dinner 
with  Joseph  Gilliland,  and  riding  on  saw  the  grave 
where  Nuby  (Newby)  was  stolen  from.  Then  I  rode 
into  the  woods,  and  stripped  and  searched  for  a  bug 
that  was  molesting  me;  stopped  at  Millheim  and 
talked  with  the  doctor  about  Nuby  ;  slept  with  Mc- 
Clung  at  Duncan's,  etc.  7th,  called  at  Minister  Ilgeu's 
and  at  Motz's. 

John  Newby  came  from  Chester  County;  had  been 
educated  for  the  ministry,  and  was  wealthy,  but 
meeting  with  misfortunes  lie  came  to  Centre  County 
and  stopped  with  Joseph  Gilliland,  whom  he  had 
known  in  Chester  County.  Mr.  Gilliland  procured 
him  a  school,  which  he  taught  for  some  years;  but 
intemperate  habits  got  the  better  of  him,  and  he  came 
to  Mr.  Gilliland's  to  die.  Dr.  William  Westhoven, 
then  practicing  in  Millheim,  attended  him,  and 
having  for  some  reason  a  desire  for  a  post-mortem 
engaged  a  couple  of  men  to  take  up  the  body.  After 
removing  the  body  they  failed  to  fill  in  the  grave 
properly,  and  the  robbery  of  the  tomb  was  discovered. 
Newby's  grave  was  in  the  old  East  Presbyterian 
churchyard,  east  of  Penn  Hall,  and  Dr.  Westoven 
w.as  indicted  for  misdemeanor  and  tried  at  August 
term,  1810.  Daniel  Kennely,  William  Edmundson, 
Robert  McClelland  were  witnesses.  The  doctor  plead 
guilty,  and  was  fined  one  dollar,  with  costs,  and  to 
confinement  in  the  county  jail  for  forty-eight  hours. 
The  excitement  was  so  great  Dr.  Westoven  removed 
the  valley  into  Kishacoquillas. 

Newby's  death  from  intemperance  makes  an  anec- 
dote Hon.  Andrew  Gregg  was  accustomed  to  relate, 
.perhaps  proper  in  the  connection.  Mr.  Gregg  and 
Robert  Pennington  were  of  the  most  powerful  men 
physically  of  the  valley.  At  a  barn-raising  sides  were 
cliosen,  and  they  were  put  at  the  head  of  the  opposing 
co-workers.  After  raising  a  certain  -barn  a  proposition 
was  made  for  a  drinking  match,  the  whiskey  as  usual 
on  such  occasions  being  loose  around,  with  tin  cups 
for  the  thirsty.  Gregg  had  to  make  choice  of  his 
party,  and  was  looking  over  the  crowd  with  that 
intent  when  some  one  whispered,  "Take  Robert  Pen- 
nington." Mr.  Gregg  was  taken  aback,  as  Mr.  Pen- 
nington was  a  local  preacher,  but  adopted  the  s6g- 
gestion,  and  the  result,  he  added,  was  "  Robert  drank 
them  all  drunk,  and  walked  home  at  no  apparent 
discomfort." 

In  January,  1811,  licenses  were  recommended  for 
Joseph  Gilliland,  of  Potter,  William  Westhoven,  of 
Haines,  Enoch  Hastings,  of  Bellefonte,  John  Brisbin, 


of  Ferguson,  and  James  Johnston,  of  Ferguson,  to  keep 
hotel.  Also  at  April  sessions  for  Elijah  Chambers, 
of  Ferguson,  James  Newell,  Potter,  Joseph 
Kl,eckner,  Haines,  and  Thomas  Paul,  of  Belle-  1811. 
fonte.  At  August  sessions,  1811,  the  grand 
jury,  John  M.  Beuck,  foreman,  recommended  repairs 
to  the  jail  on  account  of  the  escape  of  prisoners.  At 
August  sessions  the  road  from  Antes'  mill  to  Marsh 
Creek,  near  Benjamin  Lucas'  mill-dam,  three  miles 
and  a  half.  At  the  same  sessions  George  Stover,  of 
Aaronsburg,  Frederick  Dale,  of  Ferguson,  Godfrey 
Harlofl',  Miles,  Isaac  Goon,  Patton,  Samuel  Miles, 
Aaronsburg,  Cornelius  Dale,  Ferguson,  John  Wrigly, 
Philipsburg,  were  recommended  for  license  to  keep 
tavern. 


CHAPTER    XXIL 

CENTRE   COUNTY  IN  THE  WAR  OF  1812— DEATH  OF 
SXLHAMER. 

In  September,  1812,  a  rifle  company  left  Centre 
County  commanded  by  Capt.  Joseph  Kleckner,  Lieut. 
John  Jones,  Ensign  Jacob  Lutz,  and  proceeded 
to  Black  Rock.  No  roll  of  this  company  has  1812. 
been  preserved.  (See  notice  of  this  company 
in  Potter  township.)  The  following  is  a  miscellaneous 
list  of  soldiers  who  either  went  from  Centre  County 
or  afterwards  resided  in  the  county,  without  reference 
other  than  indicated  to  their  companies,  1812-14: 

Armor,  James,  miinicd  Rutli,  daugliter  of  Gen.  Benner;  died  Mnrch  24, 

1S77,  nt  Itis  iilacc  iwav  BeUefonte,  aged  82  years.    He  also  served  as 

quarteiniiiBter  in  tlie  war  of  1801. 
Armor,  William,  fifer  Copt.  W.  F.  Buyers'  coninany;  at  Marcus  Hook 

iu  1814;  died  in  Bellefonte,  July  31,  ISol,  agod  05. 
Ainior,  Samuel,  died  in  Potter  townsliip,  Octuln-r  lOtli. 
Bayard,  A.  W.,  M.D.  died  Nov.  19,  1860,  aged  71.      He  had  a  number  of 

scars,  and  was  buried  witli  the  honors  of  war  in  the  Bellefonte 

Cenielerj. 
Brisbin,  Joseph. 
Call,  William,  buried  at  Zion. 
Croneniiller,  George. 

Dornblazer,  John,  died  Oct.  17, 1862,  buried  at  Jacksonville. 
Druekemiller,  Michael,  sjldier  of  war  1S12,  died  in  Centre  County,  Juuo 

2:i,  1833,  aged  73  years. 
Duffy,  John,  died  at  Boalsbnrg. 
Gdl,  Jacob,  died  at  Pleasant  Gap,  Dec.  22, 1880,  aged  88.    He  belongjd  to 

Capt.  Ner  Mi JJleaworlh's  company,  Marcus  Hook,  October,  1814.  He 

was  father  of  twelve  children. 
Gill,  William,  Capt.  Henry  Miller's  company,  from  New  Berlin,  Nov.  10, 

1814;  died  at  Dcllefi.ute,  Nov.  21, 1676,  89  years  old. 
Hasson,  Hon.  John. 
Harris,  Samuel,  died  Aug.  21, 1805. 
Harphani,  James. 
Hubler,  Jacob. 
Keller,  Peter. 

Kelley,  William,  died  in  Huston  township. 

Kliuo,  J.  Georife,  born  in  New  York ;  died  June  28, 1853,  aged  63  years. 
Lambourne,  Abraham. 
Lambourne,  Isaac. 
Mallory,  Isaac. 

Martin,  James,  buried  at  Jacksonville. 
Peters,  Casper. 
Poorman,  John. 
Reighard,  Joseph. 
Schreffler,  Cbailcs. 


CENTRE    COUNTY   IN   THE   WAR   OF   1812. 


51 


Strotib,  George. 

Simw,  .lolin. 

Wiillz,  Juhii  G.,  (lied  16th  Dec.  1870,  nt  Pleasant  Gap. 

Wiley,  Tlionias. 

M'ilrion,  Saniuel  Hunter,  sergeant  Capt.  Buyers'  company,  Nortliumber- 
latiil  County  Blues. 

In  1870  there  were  still  living  in  Centre  County  the  following  soldiers  of 
the  war  of  1812:  John  i;ony,  Charles  Friar,  William  Gill,  Jacob 
Gill,  John  Norman,  George  Swcetwood,  John  ShalTer,  Michael 
Sliullz,  John  Suavely,  and  Peter  Weaver,  and  the  widows  of  five 
others,— Mi-s.  Mary  Smith,  Mrs.  Margaret  Bathuret,  Mrs.  Catheriue 
llarpham,  M]s.  Ann  Bryou,  and  Mi-s.  Hannah  Strok. 


1813. 


The  following  is  the  roll  of  Capt.  George 
Records'  company  of  volunteers  from  Centre 
County  May  5  to  Nov.  8,  1813 : 

Captain,  George  Records, died  in  18u0,  in  Huston  township;  buried  in  the 
Brown  graveyard. 

First  lieutenant,  John  Wilson. 

Second  lieutenant,  John  Shannon,  lived  in  Potter  township  ;  thence  re- 
moved to  Venango  County  in  1827,  eight  miles  east  of  Franklin, 
where  ho  died  in  1.S73. 

Thiid  lieutenant,  Archibald  Moore,  son  of  Robert  .Moore,  resided  above 


Uni( 


ille 


Ensign,  Joseph  Long. 

Sergeants,  Isaac  Lambourne  (resided  in  Half-Moon),  John  Hunter 
(brother  of  Hubert  Hunter,  of  Benncr  township),  Henry  McEwen 
(of  Walker  township,  son  of  Henry  McEweu,  of  Potter,  who  wa5  a 
soldier  of  the  Eevolutio)i),  Peter  Smith  (removed  from  Potter  town- 
ship to  Venango  County),  Robert  Eakon  (of  Haines  township,  re- 
i;  oved  to  Wooster,  Ohio;  he  was  with  Perry  on  the  fleet,  and  had  a 
medal). 

Corjiorals,  Thomas  Green,  Robert  Tate,  Henry  Bathurat  (resided  near 
Cnrtin'd  works,  in  Boggs  township),  George  Freeby  (resided  in 
Penn's  valley,  and  died  there). 

Fifer,  Samuel  Dunn. 

Drummer,  John  Rice. 

Ackernian,  John. 

Adiimson,  William,  resided  near  Spring  Mills. 

Allison,  Saniuel  L.,  Cedar  Spring,  Nittany  valley,  son  of  Matthew  Alli- 
Eun,  Esq. ;  died  May  5, 18GG,  aged  seventy-six  ;  buried  in  Cedar  Hill 
tienietery,  Clinton  County. 

Animerman,  Joseph,  lived  in  Boggs  township. 

Askey,  Samuel.  Periy  would  not  take  Askey  on  the  fleet  because  he  was 
a  married  man  ;  died  in  Snow  Shoe,  May  25, 1857,  aged  eighty-one. 

Bardwell,  Solomon. 

Beigcr,  Jacob. 

Blair,  William,  uncle  of  Gen.  Williiim  H.  Blair,  of  Bellefoute;  removed 
to  Richland  County,  Ohio;  he  had  a  medal. 

Bower.^,  Joseph. 

Boyd,  Alexander. 

Brady,  William  P.,  cabinet-maker  in  Aaronsburg  many  years  ;  sergeant- 
at-arnis  of  l^eiinsylvauia  Senate. 

Brian,  George. 

Bright,  George,  was  a  hatter,  who  resided  in  .\aronsburg, 

Brosiu-i,  Jacob,  resided  on  Buffalo  Run. 

Cochran,  Samuel. 

Cook,  John.. 

Croneniiih-r,  Martin,  was  a  bl.icksmith  of  Aaronsburg;  lie  ixlso  received 
a  med.il  lor  servic:es  ou  the  fleet ;  after  the  war  ho  removed  to  Pot- 
ter's Mills. 

Eaken,  Robert,  had  a  medal ;  went  to  Ohio,  near  Wooster. 

Eiiierich,  Joseph. 

Fleming,  John. 

Gardiner,  Samuel,  the  well-known  tide  pilot  at  Howard. 

Gibbons,  John. 


Ula 


,  Jan 


llaserty,  .lames,  Bellefonte. 

HmII,  John. 

llannah,   Andrew,  son-in-law  of  Jamca  Cook,  Esq.,  and  lived  below 

Spring  Mills. 
Harper,  George. 

Harper,  Henry,  from  Miles  township. 

Hoover,  AVilliam,  of  Boggs  township,  died  In  Curwc-.isville  from  a  fait. 
Huff,  William. 


Kommercr,  John. 

Landis,  John. 

Long,  David. 

Lucas,  Julin,  known  as  Perry  John  Lncas,  received  a  medal;  died  in 
Snow  Shoo,  Sept.  27,  18.08,  aged  ninety  years. 

Lucas,  Noble,  one-eyed  man,  resided  in  Boggs  township. 

Lyons,  William. 

McClain,  John,  Walker  township. 

McClearn,  Joseph. 

McClelland,  Hugh. 

McClintock,Jolin,  Penn's  valley,  near  CiUiland's. 

McCloskey,  Alexander,  Potter  township. 

McCoy,  John. 

McCray.  Robert. 

McKee,  William. 

Mclvelips,  Alexander. 

MeKiiiney,  Samuel,  Walker  township. 

McNiuil,  James,  Lamar  township,  now  Clinton  County. 

McNilt,  John. 

Mayes,  William,  lived  and  died  in  Potter  township. 

Meanes,  Edward,  lived  below  Curlin's  works. 

Mitchell,  David,  horn  Nov.  28, 1700;  died  March  27,1843;  was  also  on 
the  fleet.  His  widow,  Eliza,  daughter  of  Hon.  Andrew  Gregg,  still 
living  in  Bellefonte,  1881. 

Mitchell,  James,  brother  of  above,  and  of  Hon.  John  Mitchell,  mem- 
ber Congress  and  canal  commissioner. 

Moore,  John. 

Moore,  William. 

Morrison,  Joseph. 

Moyer,  Henry. 

Murray,  George,  father  of  William  A.  Mnrraj-,  Esq.,  member  of  House 
of  Representatives,  1880-81.  George  Murray  died  in  College  town- 
ship Sept.  la,  1878,  aged  eighty-seven  yeai-s,six  months,  three  days. 

Murray,  William,  brother  of  above,  who  were  sons  of  Levi  Murray, 
tanner. 

Newell,  William,  Ferguson  township. 

Packer,  Jolmston,  sou  of  Aaron  Packer,  and  cousin  to  the  late  Governor 
William  F.  Packer.  Johnston  Packer  was  drowned  in  BalJ  Eagle 
Creek,  near  Howard,  in  1824. 

Pearce,  Brittain. 

Reichly,  George. 

Rineheart,  Frederick. 

Ross,  James. 

Sawyer,  William,  tailor;  lived  and  died  in  Marion  township,  July  27, 
1805,  aged  eighty  nine. 

Senser,  Jacob,  fiom  neighborhood  of  XJnionville. 

Sharp,  David. 

Sheaffer,  Michael. 

Shirk,  John,  lived  near  Milesburg. 

Shook,  Charles. 

Silhammer,  John,  saddler,  of  Bellefonte;  killed  in  action  on  the  fleet, 
Sept.  10,  lSl;i. 

Smith,  Arthur,  resided  above  XJnionville. 

Smitli,  Joseph. 

Sniilh,  Philip. 

Sniveley,  John,  died  in  Nittany  valley;  buried  in  St.  Paul's,  Lamar 
township. 

Steiilienson,  Thomas,  lived  near  McKibben's,  now  Potter  township,  Clin- 
ton County;  buried  Presbyterian  churchyard  at  Jacksonville;  died 
Feb.  2(i,  1878,  aged  ninety -one. 

Stewart,  Archibald. 

Stewart,  Hugh. 

Taylor,  William. 

Underwood,  John,'  stoker  for  Gen.  Bonner ;  drowned  in  Harris  Run,  near 
Bellefonte,  April,  1840. 

Wagner,  Willi;ini.     (Sec  biographical  sketches.) 

Williams,  Enoch. 

Woolf,  Jacob. 

Dr.  Joseph  Henderson  was  appointed  from  Centre 
County,   on   the   recommendation  of  Hon.   Andrew 


1  On  the  occasion  of  a  militia  battalion  at  Benuer  Waddle's  after  the 
war,  John  Underwood  seized  a  box  of  swarming  bees,  and  marched 
against  the  formed  regiment,  and  dispereed  oQIcers  and  men  half-way 
over  the  township. 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


>>/^ 


VFftH^" 


to"  '3 


IN    1  I  SI  I  sK>N^     Ol     HIS 
PATUIOTISM  A:SU    J^R.^"Ii;KY 

XAlvE     P.TITE 


JOHN  LUCAS'  MEDAL. 


Gregg,  a  lieutenant  in  the  regular  army,  and  served 
at  Lundy's  Lane  and  through  the  war.  He  was  after- 
wards member  of  Congress  from  this  district. 

The  following  ballad  was  printed  at  the  office  of 
the  American  Fatriof,  Bellefonte,  Feb.  4,  1814,  and 
sold  by  the  author,  Samuel  Taggert : 

LINES   ON  THE   DEATH    OF  JOHN    SILHAMMER,  KILLED  AT 
THE  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE,  SEPT.  10,  1S13. 

Composed  by  Samdel  Taggert. 

Tune:  "Soldier's  Return." 


■W'I)en  poets  strung  their  Iiarps  and  e 

Tire  prnise  of  gallaiit  Perry, 
And  Ills  brave  crew  did  subdue 

Bold  Barclay  on  Lake  Erie; 
Wlien  illuniiuatious'  dazzling  glare 

Had  struck  my  mind  with  wonder 
Loud  acclamations  rent  the  air, 

I  set  me  duwu  to  iiouder. 


I  thought  on  those  whom  fate  of  w.n 

Had  either  killed  or  wounded. 
And  from  relations  moved  far, 

By  strangers  all  suironnded  ; 
I  thought  on  Erie's  watery  bed, 

Where  heroes  now  lie  sleeping. 
Who  for  their  country  boldly  bled, 

I  scarce  refrained  from  weeping. 

When  lo  !  a  voice  soon  struck  mine 

And  stopt  n>y  meditation, 
An  aged  female  there  appeared 

To  my  imagination. 
She  cries,  Alas  !  my  son,  my  son. 

Art  thou  now  gone  forever? 
The  cruel  war  has  me  undone — 

Behold  thee  shall  I  never  ? 

:v. 


With  anxious  eye  I  viewed  the  dame, 

Ami  asked  her  why  she  grieved  ; 
But  deep  distress  had  seized  her  frame, 
No  answer  I  received. 

nier,  thou  art  dead, 
1  foe  ha?!  slain  thee, 
upport  my  aged  head? 
tone  left  to  maintain  me 


,  Sill 


I  recognize  the  gallant  youth, — 

He  was  a  sadillc-maker  ; 
I  sympatliized  with  her  in  truth, 

And  by  her  hand  did  take  her. 
Your  son  has  gaineil  a  lasting  fan: 

When  cowards  are  foigotten, 
And  lisping  babes  shall  sing  his  r 

When  lie  lies  dead  and  rotten. 


In  Bellefonte  town  his  praise  rebonnds, 

When  in  the  hour  of  dangei: 
His  gallant  deeds  will  there  be  found 

Recorded  in  the  ranger. 
Cool,  firm,  and  calm,  tliis  brave  young  m 

For  victory  contended; 
Although  grim  death  was  near  at  hand. 

His  couutry^s  cause  defended. 


A  ball  well  aimed  from  Britons  cam^. 

And  on  our  di'ck  did  rattle ; 
This  gallant  youth  picked  the  same, 

AUintlie  heart  of  battle, 
And  to  the  gunner  this  did  say 

Witli  cool  dechiration  : 
Return  this  bail  ami  fire  away, 

They  are  flinching  from  their  station. 

Tin. 
But  fate  decreed  thi-;  youth  should  bleed, 

Who  feared  no  war's  alarm  : 
On  the  deatli  list  his  name  we  read,— 

He  died  in  victory's  arms. 
In  a  watery  grave  this  youth  we  li'ave ; 

May  anguls  guard  his  slnniber 
Till  heaven's  artiUery  shall  give 

Its  hist  tremendous  thund(.-r  I 


CHAPTER   XXII I. 

CENTRE      BANK      OF      PENNSYLVANIA— AMERICAN 
TATRIOT. 

The  Centre  Bank  of  Pennsylvania  was  the  style 
under  which  a  quasi  banking  business  was  done  by 
individuals  under   articles   of  association  as 
early    as    November,    1813.    in    Bellefonte;      1813. 
Roland    Ciirtin,    Nov.    23,   1813,   being    its 
earliest  customer.     Thomas  Buruside's  name  appears 


CENTRE   BANK   OF   PENNSYLVANIA— AMERICAN   PATRIOT. 


53 


under  date  of  November  24th;  Philip  Benner  and 
John  Dunlop,  November  26th.  Andrew  Gregg  was 
president,  and  .Tohii  Norris,  cashier.  A  note  has 
been  preserved  issued  24th  December,  1813,  letter  13, 
No.  2858.  The  vignette  is  an  agricultural  scene, 
and  the  general  engraving  coarse. 

On  the  23d  of  January,  1814,  twenty-four  directors 
were  elected,  as  follows:  Andrew  Gregg,  James  Potter, 
Jr.,  James  Duncan,  John  Irvin,  Roland  Curtin, 
James  Harris,  .Joseph  Miles,  Charles  Huston,  Thomas 
Burnside,  Elisha  Moore,  John  Dunlop,  Philip  Benner, 
John  G.  Lowrey,  Isaac  McKinney,  Lyons  Mussina, 
John  Rankin,  Hamilton  Humes,  of  Centre  County, 
William  Brown,  Jr.,  James  Chreswell,  and  John  Mc- 
Dowell, of  MifHin  County,  John  Turk  and  John 
Hays,  of  Lycoming  County,  William  Hayes,  of  Union 
County,  and  Robert  Allison,  of  Huntingdon.  An- 
drew Gregg  was  elected  president,  and  February  4th 
John  Norris,  cashier,  calls  for  the  seventh  and  eighth 
installments  of  stock  to  be  paid  in. 

On  the  19th  of  March,  1814,  Governor  Snyder 
vetoed  the  bill  establishing  banking  districts  in  the 
State  and  authorizing  the  incorporation  of 
1814.  a  large  number  of  banks,  but  on  the  21st  the 
act  was  passed  by  a  two-thirds  vote  over  his 
veto,  Michael  Bolinger,  the  member  from  Centre, 
and  Hon.  Thomas  Burnside,  State  senator,  voting  for 
the  bill.  This  act  provided,  inter  alia,  that  the  coun- 
ties of  Centre,  Clearfield,  McKean,  Lycoming,  Potter, 
and  Tioga  should  be  a  district,  and  might  establish 
a  bank,  to  be  called  the  Centre  Bank  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. 

It  was  provided  that  five  thousand  shares  might  be 
subscribed  for  in  the  counties  of  Centre,  Clearfield, 
and  McKean,  and  five  thousand  shares  in  the  counties 
of  Lycoming,  Potter,  and  Tioga,  and  when  half  the 
amount  was  subscribed  and  twenty  per  cent,  paid  in, 
letters  patent  should  issue.  The  twenty  per  cent, 
seems  to  have  beeu  all  that  was  paid  in,  amounting  to 
fifty  thousand  dollars  capital,  in  shares  of  fifty  dollars 
each. 

Promptly  on  the  24th  of  March,  Andrew  Gregg  and 
the  other  commissioners  named  in  the  act  gave  notice 
that  books  would  be  opened  for  subscriptions  to  the 
capital  stock  of  the  new  bank  at  various  public-houses 
in  the  different  counties.  From  an  interesting  article 
prepared  by  E.  C.  Haines,  Esq.,  of  Bellefonte,  for 
"  Maynard  Industries  and  Institutions  of  Centre 
County"  (Republican  office,  Bellefonte,  1877),  we  ex- 
tract the  following  notice  of  this  bank.  Joseph 
Miles  was  teller  and  book-keeper.  The  bank  was 
located  in  the  corner  room  of  the  stone  dwelling- 
house  owned  by  the  heirs  of  Roland  Curtin,  Jr.,  and 
occupied  (1882)  by  Mrs.  Eliza  Curtin,  his  widow,  on 
the  corner  of  Allegheny  and  Howard  Streets. 

Resting  upon  the  floor  a  vault,  so  called,  was  pliiced, 
resembling  a  modern  closet.  It  was  securely  fastened 
at  the  closing  of  the  bank  each  day  by  a  lock  manu- 
factured by  a  clever  blacksmith,  a  mechanic  of  the 


town.  The  main  security  consisted  in  the  fact  that 
a  watchman,  who  nightly  occupied  a  watch-house 
which  stood  at  the  edge  of  the  pavement,  was  always 
on  duty,  and,  it  was  said,  never  "bobbed"  an  eye. 
The  watch-house  w.as  octagonal,  and  resembled  an 
old-fashioned  lantern,  diameter  three  feet  one  ijy  five 
feet  eight  in  height.  Inside  was  a  board  six  feet  in 
length  and  inclined,  which  served  as  the  resting-place 
of  the  watchman. 

It  was  the  usual  custom  of  the  watchman  to  cry 
the  hours  of  the  night,  which  was  done  punctually 
by  Eli  Cadwallader,  who  was  a  cooper  by  trade,  and 
performed  this  duty  under  the  direction  of  the  officers 
of  the  bank.  "  Half-past  twelve  o'clock  and  all  is 
well,"  was  his  midnight  announcement.  Cadwalla- 
der was  succeeded  by  Nathan  Longhead. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  one  of  the  notes  issued 
by  this  bank  : 

"The  Prcsidont  and  Biioclors  &  Co.  of  the  Centre  Bank  of  Pennsjl- 
vania  promise  to  pay  R.  Allison,  or  bearer,  on  demand,  five  Dollai's. 
Bellefonte,  1st  of  June,  1815. 

"Jno.  NoRttis,  Ca»hUr.  Andrew  Grego,  Prcs." 

Nov.  6,  1815,  the  bank  declared  a  dividend  of  nine 
per  cent.,  and  in  1816  a  dividend  of  eight  per  cent. 
Installments  of  stock,  according  to  Mr.  Humes,  were 
paid  by  notes  of  the  stockholders  in  many  instances. 
On  one  occasion  John  Boyd,  of  Northumberland, 
came  up  with  a  large  amount  of  notes  for  redemption. 
The  directors  were  equal  to  the  emergency.  They 
gave  Mr.  Boyd  a  supper  at  Evan  Miles'  liotel,  and 
treated  him  so  cordially  that  he  was  persuaded  to  re- 
turn with  the  identical  notes  he  brought.  In  1817 
the  bank  suspended  specie  payment  and  made  an 
issue  of  "shin-plasters,"  signed  by  the  then  teller, 
Joseph  Miles.  Before  the  suspension  a  farmer  from 
Half-Moon  brought  in  a  large  amount  of  notes  for 
redemption.  Mr.  Norris  not  being  able  to  convince 
him  of  the  solvency  of  the  bank,  directed  him  to  be 
paid  in  five-franc  pieces.  The  farmer  not  being  able 
to  carry  them  conveniently,  concluded  to  leave  the 
funds  on  deposit,  which,  as  Mr.  Humes  remarks,  be- 
came a  permanent  one,  in  consequence  of  the  bank's 
suspension. 

Oct.  12,  1826,  John  Norris,  cashier,  gave  notice  to 
the  stockholders  that  an  election  would  be  held  for 
five  trustees  to  close  the  concerns  of  the  bank  on  the 
20th  of  November. 

Sept.  1,  1835,  James  Gregg,  agent,  gives  notice  to 
all  stockholders  to  meet  the  trustees  on  the  27th  of 
October,  when  it  is  proposed  to  deliver  over  to  the 
owners  of  the  stock,  or  their  representatives,  bonds, 
notes,  or  judgments  bearing  interest  to  the  amount 
of  their  stock.  The  aftairs  of  this  bank  were  there- 
fore settled  up  without  loss  of  capital  at  least. 

The  American  Patriot.— The  first  paper  published 
in  Bellefonte  of  which  any  files  are  preserved  was 
issued  Saturday,  Feb.  15,  1814,  by  Alexander  Hamil- 
ton, next  door  south  of  the  bank,  and  called  the 
American  Patriot.     The  bank,  which  was  known  as 


51: 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the   Centre   Bank  of  Pennsylvania,  was  located  in  terson  waa'United  States  collector,  with  his  office  at 

the  house,  corner  of  Howard  and  Allegheny  Streets,  ]  Potter's  Mills.     The  internal  duty  on  pig-iron  was 

now,  1882.  I  one  dollar  per  ton,  iron  castings  one  dollar  and  fifty 

Mr.  Hamilton's  motto  was:  cents,  leather  five  per  cent,  ad  valorem,  etc. 


"Tu  speak  his  tlimiglits 
Is  every  fioeraim's  right." 

No  indication  of  his  political  sentiments  can  be 
gathered  from  editorials,  as  there  are  no  political  edi- 
torials, but  his  prospectus  announces  his  principles  to  1 
be  "Democratic  Republican,  devoid  of  the  factious 
spirit  of  Democracy,  which  unfortunately  is  too  often 
taken  as  the  most  veritable  testimony  of  Reijublican 
zeal,"  whatever  that  might  mean.  There  are  three 
volumes  of  his  paper  in  existence.  The  last  paper, 
No.  52,  Sept.  22,  1817,  no  doubt  closed  his  editorial 
career  in  Bellefonte.  (Seebiogniphical  sketch.)  A  list 
of  the  directors-elect  of  the  bank  on  the  3d  of  Janu- 
ary, and  that  on  the  10th  of  January  (Andi-ew  Gregg, 
Esq.,  was  unanimously  elected  president),  is  the  first 
and  only  local ;  Tussey  Furnace  for  rent  by  William 
Pattbn  ;  poem  by  Samuel  Taggert,  entitled  "  Perry's 
Victory  ;"  a  call  for  an  installment  of  Centre  Bank 
stock  subscription,  John  Nurris,  cashier  ;  list  of  let- 
ters in  Bellefonte  post-office,  Dec.  13,  1813,  R.  T. 
Stewart,  postmaster  ;  W.  C.  Welch's  advertisement 
for  apprentices  to  the  shoemaking  trade;  and  Wil- 
iam  Potter's  advertisement  of  Slab  Cabin  lands,  etc., 
are  the  only  advertisements. 

The  prices  current  for  flour  are  noted  in  No.  7  : 
April  2,  1814,  at  Philadelphia,  seven  dollars  and 
sixty-two  cents  per  barrel,  while  at  Baltimore  the 
price  was  five  dollars  and  seventy-five  cents.  W. 
H.  Patterson,  United  States  collector  of  Nineteenth 
District  of  Aaronsburg,  gives  notice  that  keepers 
of  boarding-houses  who  also  charge  for  liquor  used 
in  their  houses,  physicians,  apothecaries,  surgeons, 
and  chemists  are  required  to  take  out  license. 

In  May,  1814,  Capt.  William  G.  Green,  Fourth 
Regiment  U.  S.  A.,  opened  a  recruiting-office  at 
Bellefonte,  and  with  the  aid  of  his  drummer,  Daniel 
Smith,  obtained  a  number  of  recruits  for  the  regular 
army.  May  28th,  the  county  commissioners  advertise 
for  workmen  to  erect  the  new  jail.  In  June,  Lewis 
Swinehart  and  John  Smith  had  in  operation  a  new 
carding-machine  and  factory  in  Potter  township.  On 
Tuesday,  October  8th,  occurred  the  sad  accident  which 
caused  the  death  of  John  Dunlop,  Esq.,  the  promi- 
nent iron  manufacturer.  He  was  caught  and  severely 
crushed  by  a  body  of  falling  earth  in  a  mine  bank. 
James  Whitehill  had  a  tilt-hammer  at  the  end  of 
Nittany  Mountain,  where  he  manufactured  spades 
and  shovels.  He  is  said  to  have  manufactured  the 
first  double-bit  axes.  John  Anderson  also  erected  his 
fulling-mill  on  Beech  Creek  during  this  year.  Job 
Packer  also  established  his  fruit-tree  nursery  on  Bald 
Eagle.  The  act  of  Congress  of  23d  of  December 
placed  a  duty  of  twenty  cents  a  gallon  on  distilled 
spirits,  in  addition  to  license  duty.     William  H.  Pat- 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 

RUSH  TOWNSHIP  ERECTED  —  BOGGS  TOWNSHIP 
ERECTED— LIST  OF  IXHABITANTS— INDEPEND- 
ENT REPUBLICAN  — LAMAR  TOWNSHIP,  AND 
EARLY   SETTLERS. 

Erection  of  Rush  Township.— At  April  sessions, 
1814,  Rusli  township  was  erected,  or  rather  Half- 
Moon  divided  by  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek  as  a  line. 
The  commissioners  for  dividing  the  township  were 
Roland  Curtin,  Charles  Treziyulny,  and  John  Don- 
lop.  The  petitioners  had  recommended  the  name  of 
Perry  for  the  new  township  they  were  asking  for,  with 
which  recommendation  the  commissioners  agreed,  and 
recommended"  to  the  court;  "and  as  the  name  of 
Half-Moon  would  not  be  properly  applicable  to  the 
remaining  portion  north  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek,"  the 
commissioners  suggested  to  the  court  the  propriety  of 
calling  it  Rush  township,  "as  a  small  tribute  of  re- 
spect to  the  memory  of  the  truly  venerable  and  super- 
eminent  Dr.  Benjamin  Rush." 

The  court  (Walker,  president)  coincided  with  the 
views  on  the  name  of  "  Rush"  for  the  northwestern 
division  ;  but  said  we  are  sorry  we  cannot  agree  with 
the  views  as  to  the  name  of  the  southeastern  portion, 
and  named  the  old  Half-Moon  portion  "Jenner," 
"after  the  immortal  Jenner,  who  under  God  has 
been  the  means  of  saving  so  many  millions  of  lives." 
The  people,  however,  were  reluctant  to  part  with  the 
old  name,  and  in  January,  1815,  the  name  of  "  Jen- 
ner" was  altered  to  "Half-Moon." 

The  boundary  of  Rush  commenced  at  the  red-oak 
on  the  Huntingdon  County  line  at  the  head  of  Bald 
Eagle  Creek  ;  thence  ran  along  Bald  Eagle  Creek  to 
where  Martha  Furnace  is  now ;  thence  by  the  line  of 
Patton  township  to  the  Moshannon.  It  embraced  all 
of  the  present  townships  of  Taylor  and  Worth,  except 
the  strip  between  Bald  Eagle  Ci-eek  and  Muncy  Moun- 
tain, and  the  portion  of  Rush  west  of  the  continua- 
tion of  the  line  of  Patton,  as  it  then  was,  through  the 
present  country  of  Rush. 

At  April  sessions,  1815,  commissioners  having  re- 
ported in  favor  of  making  the  top  of  the  Allegheny 
Mountain  the  boundary  between  Rush  and  Half- 
Moon  townships,  the  court  confirmed  their  report, 
and  the  wliole  of  the  territory  of  the  present  town- 
ships of  Taylor  and  Worth  was  placed  within  that  of 
Half-Moon  township. 

The  inhabitants  in  Rush  township  in  1814  were  as 
follows : 


RUSH   AND   BOGGS  TOWNSHIPS   ERECTED. 


55 


CnuMocli,  Tho 
Cniwel,  Bnsil. 


I)u 


,  \Vi 


Englnnil,  Job(l)lucl;9milh). 
Kiigliiml,  Nun  {miller). 
K.-].hiiit,  Aiulrcw. 
I.i>rain,  John  (store). 
JlcCoy,  Dennis. 


riiilips  &  Deweca  (grist- 
mill), 
riiilps,  Ilnrilmnn. 
IteCB,  John  Christian. 
Simler,  Charles  (tavern). 
Siniler,  Henry  (slioeniukc 
Shultz,  John. 
Spangler,  George. 
Turner,  Saninel 
Weld,  John  (carpenter). 


In  1817,  Jacob  Test  is  assessed  with  a  tavern,  and 
James  McGirlc  established  his  store.  In  1819,  Henry 
Lorain  is  assessed  as  postmaster,  and  Phillips  & 
Dewees  with  a  forge  ;  William  Bagshaw,  clerk  and 
manager.  James  McGirk  is  assessed  with  a  tan- 
yard  in  1822,  and  Thomas  Hancock,  tavern.  John 
Flegal,  tavern,  in  1824,  and  John  Matthias,  school- 
master, the  same  year;  and  Philips,  Plumbe  &  Co., 
with  screw-mill  and  machinery,  tilt-hammer,  and 
wire-drawing  machinery.  Screw-factory  is  assessed 
in  1822. 

Erection  of  Boggs  Township.— On  the  28th  of 
August,  1814,  the  court  confirmed  the  report  of  the 
commissioners  appointed  for  the  purpose  of  dividing 
Spring  township,  and  named  the  western  portion 
"  Boggs,"  in  honor  of  Hon.  Robert  Boggs,  deceased. 

The  boundary  of  Boggs  commenced  at  a  corner  of 
Howard  and  Walker  townships,  between  the  two 
ridges  of  Bald  Eagle  (Muucy?)  Mountain,  in  Antes 
Gap;  thence  south  about  sixty  degrees  west  ten  miles 
along  the  small  opening  between  said  ridge  until  it 
intersects  the  line  of  Patton  township;  thence  along 
the  line  of  Patton  northward  until  it  intersected 
the  line  of  Clearfield  County  ;  thence  along  the  line 
of  Clearfield  County  to  the  corner  of  Howard  town- 
ship ;  thence  southward  to  the  place  of  beginning  in 
Antes  Gap. 

Besides  its  present  territory,  Boggs  then  embraced 
that  of  Union,  Snow  Shoe,  and  Burnside  townships. 

The  eastern  portion  of  the  division  of  Spring  was 
called  Covington,  after  Leonard  Covington,  who  fe.ll 
at  the  battle  of  Williamsburg,  but  at  April  sessions, 
1815,  on  the  petition  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town- 
ship, the  township  was  awarded  its  old  name, 
"Spring." 

The  inhabitants  of  the  township  of  Boggs  in  1815: 

Boggs,  Ticrney  (brewery  and  Dialt- 


Adams,  John. 
.Alexander,  James. 
Alexander,  Joseph. 
Alexander,  Willian 
Williii 


Antes,  Frederick. 
Antes,  John. 
Baruhart,  Henry. 
Bnrnhart,  Philip,  Sr. 
Baruhart,  Philip,  Jr. 
Barr,  Henry. 
Barr,  William. 
Batlnirst,  Archibald. 
Berger,  Jacob. 
Blair,  Eleanor. 
Blair,  David. 
Blair,  William. 
Biggs,  Henrietta  (widow). 
Boggs,  Moses  (store). 


Boggs,  Robert. 
Brooks,  William. 
Baflfington,  IsajLC. 
Oallioon,  Peter. 
Campbell,  Willian 
Collins,  James. 
Crawford,  Thomas 
Crow,  John. 
Davis,  Bianson. 


De 


,  Thomas. 


ti,  James, 
n,  Samuel. 


Dix 

Eckard,  Jacob. 
Eekley,  Joliu. 
Eisenhower,  Henry. 
Elder,  51oscs. 
Essingtou,  Joseph. 


Farr,  John. 
Feltzer,  Widow. 
Feltzor,  Michael. 
Fisher,  William  (saw-mill 
Foster,  James,  Esq. 
Foster,  Walter. 
Green,  Hannah  (tavern). 
Green,  James. 
Green,  Joseph. 


id  JoliB 

lull). 


Gr, 


,  San 


Green,  Thomas. 
Wall,  James. 
Wall,  Thonuis. 
Henry,  James, 
Hinton,  Isaac. 
Hinton,  John. 
Holmes,  Tliomas. 
Holt,  James. 
Holt,  .Tolin. 
Hoover,  Jacob. 
Hoover,  John. 
Hntton,  John. 
Hntton,  Joseph. 
Iddings,  James. 
Iddings,  John. 
Irwin,  John,  Sr. 
Irwin,  John,  Jr. 
Jacobs,  George. 
Kellinger,  Jacob. 
Kirk,  John. 
Lee,  Abraham. 
Lee,  Isaac. 
Lee,  William. 
Leiliot,  William. 
Lipton,  Itobert. 
Little,  Samuel. 
Lucas,  John  (tavern). 
Lucas,  Nicholas. 
McClain,  Chailes. 
McClure,  Hugh. 
McCloskcy,  Thomas. 
McMullen,  Daniel. 
McMulleu,  Widow. 
McWilliams,  Alexande 
Malone.  Widow. 
Moans,  John. 
Meudeuhall,  John. 


Adams,  John. 

Adams,  William. 

Barr,  James. 

Barr,  John. 

Blair,  John. 

Clotz,  Cliristopher. 

Curry,  John  (forgeman). 

Fetzer,  Andrew. 

Greeu,  Samuel. 

Hall,  William. 

Henry,  Thomas. 

Harris,  John  (shoemaker). 

Lee,  William. 


Ilcmleuhall,  Williai 
Middleton,  JamcH. 
Mile*,  Elim. 
Mil's,  JanMr. 
IMilcK,  John. 
Milea,  Jom^iIl, 

gri4t-  and  saw 
Itliles,  Sa«iuc.J. 
IPanions,  Isaac, 
rarsuna,  Jamei. 
ITareons,  Tliomas. 
Il'ersone.  losepli. 
(Peters,  Aath^By. 
retejs,  LawreiiCR. 
IPeters,  Lcouard. 
IPoomian,  Michael  ^taTem). 
IPot«s,  tThuiiax  (sawviuill^ 
Dlober^e,  James. 
Slockey,  Uenry. 
Ross,  Cast»er. 
(Russ^L,  Jameg. 
Itynian,  David. 
Sen'fer,  George. 
Sen**er,  Jacob. 
Seneer,  John. 
Shirk,  loltu,  Sr. 
ShiTt,  John,  Jr. 
Shirks  ffoscpk  (ttan.;ar^). 
Shiric,  Widow. 
Steel,  BobeKfa 
Tavlor,  CaJeb. 
Taylor,  JouiUUan. 
Taylor,  Philip. 
Tierne}',  Padidc  H. 
Tiley,  Edward. 
M-alker,  Andrew, 
Walker,  John. 
Wallace,  Robert. 
Walters,  Chnstian. 
M'atson,  Thomaa. 
Werti,  Jacob. 
Wertt,  George. 
White,  Joseph,  Jr. 
Withcrit'',  JlichaeL 
Woods,  William. 
Yelhci'S,  Daniel. 

,  Ezekiel. 


ill). 


Lewis,  Caleb. 
Lyttte,  Samuel  (weaver). 
McCIcao,  Peter  (shoeniak«r). 
McNeely,  John  (mason). 
Mulholland,  Daniel. 
Kixou,  Sanmel. 
PoortMan,  MicliaeL 
Kussell,  James  (forgeman). 
Shirlc,  Jacob. 
Senser,  Jolm. 
Seuser,  Frederick. 
Thompson,  James. 


Miles'  slitting-  and  rolling-mill  added  to  forge  in 
1819,  now  Liun  &  McCoy.  Peter  Hoover  and  John 
McKee,  schoolmasters,  1823;  John  Boggs,  1825. 

In  1814  the  din  of  arms  quelled  political  clamor, 
and  the  election  was  altogether  one-sided.  The  Ameri- 
can. Palriol  published  that  Isaac  Wayne,  the 
Federal  candidate,  had  withdrawn,  and  the  1814. 
vote  on  the  11th  of  October  in  Centre  for  Simon 
Snyder  for  Governor  was  1 127  to  32  for  Wayne.  Bard 
for  Congress  had  1095  votes  to  89  for  John  Blair. 
Jacob  Kryder's  vote  for  Assembly  is  not  given,  but 


56 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Isaac  McKinley  had  366  for  county  cominissioner. 
John  Banner  had  570  votes  to  483  for  James  Craw- 
ford and  William  Kerr.  John  Mitchel  and  Stephen 
Davis  were  elected  auditors. 

February  9th,  David  Knox,  son  of  Galbraith  Knox, 

of  Buffalo  Run,  was  killed  while  felling  a  tree.     The 

blow  killed   him   instantly.     February  18th, 

1815.  Roland   Ciirtin   and    Moses   Boggs   dissolved 
partnership,   Roland    Curtin    becoming    sole 

owner  of  Eagle  Forge.  On  Friday,  February  17th, 
the  treaty  of  peace  wag  ratified  by  the  United  States 
Senate.  Capt.  Jonathan  Kearsley  (who  was  married 
to  Miss  Valentine)  was  appointed  assistant  adjutant- 
general  United  States  army,  to  date  from  Aug.  20, 1814, 
■when  he  lost  his  leg  near  Fort  Erie. 

The  annals  of  this  year  chronicle  the  arrival  of 
the  Valentine  brothers  and  William  A.  Thomas,  as 
tenants  of  the  iron-works  of  John  Dunlop,  deceased. 
They  operated  under  a  lease  from  Hon.  Charles 
Huston  and  John  G.  Lowrey,  administrators,  until 
the  1st  of  October,  1821,  when  the  forge  and  furnace 
tracts,  together  with  the  Galesburg  ore  banks,  as 
they  were  called,  were  purchased  by  Samuel  Val- 
entine, Jacob  Valentine,  George  Valentine,  Robert 
Valentine,  and  William  A.  Thomas,  for  the  sum  of 
fourteen  thousand  dollars,  at  Orphans'  Court  sale,  of 
the  real  estate  of  John  Dunlop;  the  latter's  half-in- 
terest in  the  Washingtou  Works  was  sold  shortly  after 
his  death  to  Alexander  Irvine,  of  Baltimore,  for  five 
thousand  dollars. 

At  January  sessions  a  road  was  laid  out  from  Miles- 
burg,  commencing  between  John  Shirks  and  Joseph 
Green  and  running  to  Goodfellow's,  at  Curtin 

1816.  Forge,  and  the  old  road  from  near  Antes'  mill 
to  opposite  Milesburg  bridge,  so  called. 

The  tavern-keepers  licensed  in  1816  were  :  at  Belle- 
fonte,  E.  Zimmerma)!,  John  Rankin,  Joseph  Butler, 
and  Evan  Miles  ;  Ferguson,  John  Robinson  and  John' 
Wagoner;  for  Potter,  James  Watson,  Jr.,  AVilliam 
Keatley,  John  Ker,  and  Thomas  Hemphill  ;  for 
Patton,  Daniel  O'Briau  and  Thomas  McPherson ; 
for  Milesburg,  Hannah  Green  and  John  Lucas  ;  for 
Philipsburg,  Jacob  Test ;  for  Aaronsburg,  William 
T.  Brown  and  Christian  Meeser;  forMillheim,  Chris- 
tian Goldman  and  Jacob  Swentzel ;  for  Half-Moon, 
David  Nicholson ;  for  Howard,  William  Gardner  and 
Thomas  B.  McClure ;  for  Walker,  John  Snyder  and 
William  Smyth  ;  for  Rebersburg,  Zachariah  Lesh  ; 
Ferguson,  John  Campbell,  Hugh  McPherson  ;  Pot- 
ter, Samuel  Davis;  Ferguson,  Frederick  Dale; 
Haines,  Abraham  High;  Ferguson,  William  Price; 
Boggs,  Michael  Poorjnan  ;  Haines,  Israel  Penning- 
ton ;  Rush,  Charles  Semler ;  Rush,  Thomas  Crad- 
dock;  Ferguson,  Cornelius  Dale;  Bellefonte,  Ham- 
ilton Humes;  Potter,  David  Overmyer ;  Half-Moon, 
Abraham  Elder;  Haines,  Mary  Motz. 

In  August  the  road  from  Pennsylvania  Furnace  to 
John  Tiiompson's  was  laid  out  by  way  of  John  Bailey's 
mill,  one  mile,  passing  through  Samuel  Bryson,  Rob- 


ert Garner,  and  Philip  Beal  &  Co.,  six  hundred  and 
sixty  perches,  to  Mrs.  Weeks' ;  thence  three  hundred 
and  fifty  perches  to  Joseph  McPherson  ;  thence  four 
miles  and  ten  perches  to  the  meeting-house  road  ; 
thence  three  hundred  and  thirty  perches  to  the  house 
of  public  worship  ;  thence  along  the  old  road  to  the 
house  of  John  Thompson,  Esq. 

In  September,  1816,  Hugh  Maxwell  removed  The 
Advocate  of  the  Union  from  Mifflinburg,  in  Union 
County,  the  name  of  which  he  changed  to  the  Inde- 
pendent Republican.  He  continued  this  paper  not 
quite  a  year  at  Bellefonte,  and  then  removed  to  Lan- 
caster, Pa. 

September  21st,  the  Bellefonte  Academy  was  re- 
opened, Mr.  Chamberlin,  a  graduate  of  Dartmouth, 
taking  charge  of  it.  John  G.  Lowrey,  president  of 
the  board  of  trustees. 

The  nominations  of  James  Monroe  for  President 
and  Daniel  D.  Tompkins  for  Vice-President,  made  by 
a  Congressional  caucus  at  Washington  and  confirmed 
by  a  Legislative  caucus  at  Harrisburg,  met  with  but 
little  opposition  in  this  State.  An  opposition  ticket 
was  formed  at  Carlisle  on  the  19th  of  September. 

The  vote  in  Centre  and  Clearfield  for  the  regular 
ticket  was  only  479  to  242  for  the  opposition. 

Lamar  Township  Erected. — Lower  Bald  Eagle 
of  1801,  or  Bald  Eagle,  as  it  was  called,  after  the  name 
of  Upper  Bald  Eagle  was  changed  to  that  of 
Spring,  was  Aug.  27,  1817,  divided,  and  that    1817. 
part  of  it  between  Muncy  and  Nittany  Moun- 
tains erected  into  a  township  called  "Lamar." 

Its  boundary  commenced  at  a  chestnut  at  the  then 
corner  of  Howard  and  Walker  townships;  thence 
down  the  opening  between  the  two  ridges  of  Bald 
Eagle  (Muncy)  Mountain  north  about  sixty  degrees 
east  about  twelve  miles  to  the  line  of  Lycoming 
County;  thence  along  the  line  (then)  of  Lycoming 
and  Centre  Counties  to  the  northeast  corner  of  Miles 
township  about  six  and  a  half  miles  ;  thence  south 
sixty  degrees  west  along  the  line  of  Miles  township 
about  fourteen  miles  to  a  pine  corner  of  Miles  and 
Walker  townships;  thence  north  thirty  degrees  west 
six  miles  along  the  line  of  Walker  township  to  the 
place  of  beginning.  William  McEwen,  Moses  Boggs, 
and  John  Mitchell  were  the  commissioners  who  laid 
out  this  township.  The  north  line  passed  directly 
through  Harvey's  Forge  at  Mill  Hall,  according  to 
their  draft. 

Judge  Walker,  who  when  quite  a  boy  had  served 
in  the  Revolution,  was  always  desirous  of  perpetuat- 
ing the  memory  of  its  heroes  in  naming  townships. 
His  entry  on  this  occasion  is,  "  The  last  words  spoken 
by  the  brave  and  unfortunate  Maj.  Lamar,  on  the 
night  of  the  surprise  at  Paoli,  and  in  the  midst  of  the 
British  were,  '  Halt,  boys,  give  these  assassins  one  fire !' 
He  was  instantly  cut  down  by  the  enemj'.  Shall  he 
not  be  remembered  by  a  grateful  country?  He  shall. 
In  honor  of  this  martyr  and  the  cause  of  his  country 
we  named  the  within  township  Lamar." 


POLITICAL. 


57 


Maj.  Marion  Lamar,  of  the  Fourth  Pennsylvania 
Line,  fell  at  Paoli,  Sept.  20,  1777,  and  but  for  Judge 
AValker  his  name  would  have  gone  down  in  utter 
forgetfulness.  The  utmost  historical  research  has 
developed  nothing  in  relation  to  his  antecedents  or 
family.  He  had  served  as  captain  in  Col.  De  Haas' 
battalion  during  the  year  1776  in  Canada,  after  which 
he  was  promoted  major  in  the  Fourth. 

Lamar  Township. — The  inhabitants  of  Lamar 
township  in  1817  were  as  follows  : 


AikenB,  Andrew  (weavci). 
Allison,  ArcliiljalJ,  Jr. 
Allison,  Matthew. 


Alii! 


,  Wi 


rJ). 

1  (shoemaker). 

(wagon- maker). 


Allsljaugh,  Jacoh. 

Askcy,  Samuel. 

Awl,  Jiicuh  (tan-y; 

Heard,  William. 

Deightol,  Abrahai 

Beii;htul,.Iohn. 

Beltz.Christoiihet 

Benuet,  Charles. 

Best,  Conrad. 

Best,  Peter. 

Bowman,  David. 

Brown,  Jacoli,  Sr. 

Brown,  Jacob,  Jr. 

Brown,  James  (tan-yard  an' 

keeper). 
BiOM  II,  John  (son  of  Jacob). 
Brown,  John,  Sr. 
Brown,  John,  Jr.  (weaver). 
Samuel. 


Brow 
Brow 


,  Tin 


Brown,  William. 

Brownlee,  Elizabeth. 

Brownlce,  June. 

Brownlee,  John. 

Brownlee,  Joseph. 

Bruce,  James,  Sr.  (weaver). 

Bruce,  Jamea,  Jr. 

Ihuce,  Bobert. 

Buttorf,  Michael  (blacksmith). 

Calhoun,  Johu  (blacksmith). 

Caison,  William  (well-digger). 

Clark,  James  (blacksmith). 

D.ile,  Matthew. 

Douahough,  James  (miller). 

E.irs,  Abraham. 

Elder,  John  (weaver). 

Essiek,  Frederick  D. 

Kiester,  George,  Sr. 

Eiester,  George,  Jr.  (weaver). 

Fiester,  Samuel. 

Fiester,  Thomas. 

Free,  George  (millwright). 

Free,  Joel  (plasterer). 

Freel,  Johu. 

Gamble,  Joseph  (saw-mill). 

Gordon,  D..viJ. 

Green,  Thomas  (forgeman). 

Hagermau,  William  (well-digger). 

Uarvey,    Kathau    (saw-mill    and 

pres>). 
Haslet,  Samuel. 
Haslet,  John. 
Haslet,  James. 
Hart,  Robert. 

Hartman,  George  (plasterer). 
Hartman,  Jacob, 
llelter,  Elizabeth. 
Held,  Stephen. 
Uerr,  Joel. 


Hrrr,  Samuel. 

Iletherland,  Jacob. 

ninton,  Joseph  (blacksmith). 

Hull,  Johu  (wheelwright). 

Hunter,  George. 

Johnston,  Joseph. 

Kratzer.  Solomon  (shoemaker). 

Lamb,  William. 

Leidy,  George  (carpenter). 

Lyons,  Joseph. 

McCafferty,  Dennis. 

McCalmont,  Henry  (blacksmith). 

McClelland,  Hugh. 

McConnel,  William. 

McGaw,  William. 

McGee,  John  (grist-,  saw-mill,  and 

carding-inachino). 
McGouig.ll,  Hugh. 
McKibben,  Joseph. 
McKibben,  William. 
McNall,.Iohn  (weaver). 
Miles,  Joshua. 
3Iartin,  James. 
Miller,  Jacob. 
Miller,  John. 
Miller,  William. 
Moore,  Andrew,  Sr. 
Moore,  Andrew,  Jr. 
Moore,  Jacob. 
Moore,  James. 
Moore,  John. 
Moore,  William. 
Porter,  James. 
Porter,  Samuel. 
Prior,  John. 
l;i^hel,  Adam. 
Bishel,  John. 
Kishel,  Philip. 
Bishel,  \\  illiam. 
Kobb,  John. 
Eobinson,  Alexander. 
Pvobinson,  Susan. 
Saxton,  Samuel. 
Shields,  John,  Sr.  (tailor). 
Shields,  John,  Jr. 
Shaeffer,  Adam  (inn-keeper). 
Shearer,  George  (shoemaker). 
Slagle,  John. 
Smith,  Peter. 

Smith,  Samuel  (blacksmith). 
Snyder,  Elizabeth. 
Snyder,  Hermau. 
Snyder,  John  (distillery). 
Sollz,  John  (weaver). 
Spangler,  Adam  (saw-mill). 
Stephenson,  Johu. 
Sutherland,  Edward. 
Syler,  Frederick. 
Syler,  Joseph. 
Syler,  Michael  (tailor). 
Syler,  Peter. 
Taylor,  Thumas  (forgeman). 


Thompson,  James  (saw  mill,<mith-     Walker,  Philip. 


shop). 
Tlionipson,  Mosos. 
Thompson,  Samuel. 
Thompson,  William. 
Tliorndyko,  Joseph  (dhtillerj). 
Valentine  Ic  TliomaH  (furnace  a 
forge — Wusliinglon  Works). 


All,  Joshua. 
Allison,  Samuel. 
Boggs,  WilliHm. 
Bruce,  James. 
Bruce,  Robert. 
Brown,  John. 
Brown,  Philip. 
Brown,  William, 
Dale,  M.itlhew. 
Aikens,  Andrew 
Aikens,  George. 
Elder,  James. 
.Grier,  John. 
Ireson,  John. 


Wotwn,  David. 
Weaver,  John  (miller). 
WhitemHli,  Michael  (forgemmD). 
WMlliamson,  BoMcau. 
Williamson.  Joseph. 
Wilson,  ClinrlM. 
Wilson,  Mark. 


Longebangli,  George. 
Maj;a\v,  Samuel. 
McKibben,  Jamefl. 
Miller,  Charles. 
Miller,  John. 
Miller,  Robeit. 
Moore,  John. 
Sloore,  James. 
S'ephenson,  John. 
Syler,  Benjamiu. 
Thompson,  John. 
Wilson,  Charles. 
Wilson,  William  C. 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

POLITICAL  — THE  BELLEFONTE  PATRIOT  — JUDGE 
WALKER— JAMES  MONKS— REVOLUTIONARY  SOL- 
DIERS. 

The  Politics  of  1817.— In  1817  the  gubernatorial 
contest  was  very  earnest  and  exceedingly  bitter.  It 
was  a  war  of  factions  in  the  Democratic  party,  as  the 
Federal  party  was  almost  extinct.  As  early  as  Jan- 
uary 29th  a  meeting  was  held  in  Bellefonte  to  name 
delegates  to  the  Carlisle  Convention,  which  nomi- 
nated Joseph  Hiester  on  the  4th  of  March. 

The  signers  to  the  call  for  this  meeting  were  David 
Barr,  William  Irvin,  Philip  Wolfart,  John  Benner, 
John  Hall,  James  Forster,  and  Henry  McCamant. 
The  convention  which  nominated  William  Findlay 
met  at  Harrisburg  on  the  same  day,  John  Rankin 
being  the  delegate.  One  hundred  and  thirteen  dele- 
gates attended  the  latter  convention,  while  the  Car- 
lisle Convention  had  only  thirty-nine  delegates  from 
ten  counties  east  and  four  counties  west  of  the  Sus- 
quehanna. Mr.  Findlay  had  seven  thousand  and 
fifty-nine  majority  in  the  State.  The  County  Demo- 
cratic Convention  was  held  on  13th  of  September. 
Delegates  :  Bellefonte,  James  Dundass ;  Spring,  Gen. 
Philip  Benner,  Capt.  John  Adams  ;  Bald  Eagle,  Da- 
vid Allen  ;  Lamar,  Matthew  Allison  ;  Miles,  Anthony 
Wolf,  Robert  Tate  ;  Ferguson,  Stephen  Davis  and 
Barton  Hastings;  Half-Moon,  William  McNull ; 
Boggs,  Henry  Barnhart  ;  Patton,  Col.  Thom.is  Mc- 
Pherson;  Haines,  Capt.  John  Keen;  Howard,  Jo- 
seph Baker;  Walker,  William  Swauzey,Col.  William 
Smyth  ;  Potter,  William  Rankin  and  David  Barber. 
Jacob  Kryder  was  nominated  for  Assembly,  and  John 
Shaffer  for  county  commissioner ;  Auditor,  Matthew 
AlKson. 


58 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Missionary.— The  first  meeting  of  the  Bellefonte 
Female   Missionary  Association  was    held   Aug.  4, 

1817.  The  object  was  to  aid  the  Board  of  Missions 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  the  United  States. 
Any  person  paying  a  cent  per  week  could  be  a  mem- 
ber. A  treasurer  and  committee  were  its  only  officers. 
Eliza  G.  Dobbins  was  treasurer;  Amelia  Williams, 
Elizabeth  Petriken,  Hannah  Miles,  and  Margaret 
Lyon  were  the  committee. 

The  Bellefonte  Patriot.— In  May,  1818,  William 

Brindle   issued  the   first   number  of   the    BeUefonte 

Patriot.    He  was  succeeded  by  Henry  Petri- 

1818.  ken,  May  10,  1821,  who  published  the  Patriot 
until  December,  1823,  when  Thomas  J.  Petri- 
ken became  editor.  Henry  Petriken  resumed  the 
paper  in  1825  or  in  the  beginning  of  1826,  and  con- 
tinued it  until  the  summer  of  1832,  when  Joshua  T. 
McCracken  commenced  issuing  a  new  series  with  the 
title  Bellefonte  Patriot  and  Farmers'  Journal,  advoca- 
ting the  election  of  Henry  Clay  for  President.  It 
became  an  opposition  paper,  and  in  1835  advocated 
Ritner's  election.  June  25,  1836,  Mr.  McCracken 
retired,  and  it  had  Richard  Smith  Elliot  for  its  editor, 
under  the  name  of  The  Patriot.  In  1837,  William  A. 
Kinsloe  became  editor  and  proprietor  under  the  same 
title,  and  continued  until  the  fall  of  1838,  when  he 
removed  the  paper  to  Lock  Haven,  and  changed  the 
name  to  the  Lycoming  Eagle,  which  with  erection  of 
the  county  of  Clinton  became  the  Clinton  Eagle. 

Judge  Jonathan  H.  Walker.— Judge  Walker 
having  been  appointed  judge  of  the  United  States 
District  Court  for  the  Western  District  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, took  his  leave  of  the  people  of  the  Fourth  Dis- 
trict in  an  elegant  letter  addressed  to  them  from  Bed- 
ford, dated  July  24,  1818.  He  commences  it  with 
"The  tie  which  has  bound  us  together  for  upwards 
of  twelve  years  is  broken,  but  the  more  intimate  tie 
of  affection  can  never  be  dissolved."  After  alluding 
to  the  kindness  received,  and  some  of  the  events  of 
his  earlier  life,  he  states  some  maxims  which  he  en- 
deavored to  conform  to  in  his  judicial  career.  One 
was,  "To  avoid  all  appearances  of  evil."  On  this  he 
remarks,  "  For  this  reason  it  was  my  invariable  prac- 
tice to  avoid  all  political  association  and  meeting  of 
every  kind  and  nature.  This  maxim  is  considered  as 
important  for  a  judge  as  for  a  minister  of  the  gospel. 
A  party  and  electioneering  judge  is  the  greatest  curse 
that  ever  fell  upon  a  free  people.  Public  satisfaction 
cannot  be  given,  nor  public  confidence  inspired.  If 
he  were  as  pure  as  the  ermine  of  an  apostle,  his  mo- 
tives would  be  often  suspected,  his  motions  jealously 
watched,  and  his  most  virtuous  intentions  constantly 
thwarted.     I  pity  such  an  unfortunate  judge,"  etc. 

Judge  Walker  was  born  near  Hogestown,  Cumber- 
land Co.,  and  when  quite  a  boy  served  in  the  army  of 
the  Revolution.  He  graduated  at  Carlisle,  Sept.  26, 
1787,  in  the  class  with  David  Watts,  Esq.,  and  Rev. 
John  Bryson ;  studied  law,  married  a  daughter  of 
Stephen  Duncan,  of  Carlisle,  and  went  to  the  towti  of 


Northumberland  in  September,  1791,  and  established 
himself  in  the  practice  of  law.  Here  his  celebrated 
son,  Robert  J.  Walker  (LTnited  States  senator  from 
Mississippi,  1836;  Secretary  of  Treasury  United  States, 
1845),  was  born  July  19,  1801.  In  April,  1806,  having 
been  appointed  judge  of  the  Fourth  District,  Judge 
Walker  removed  to  Bellefonte.  After  he  had  been  here 
some  years.  Governor  Snyder  offered  to  transfer  him 
to  the  Northumberland  district,  but  he  was  so  popu- 
lar the  people  offered  him  every  inducement  to  stay, 
the  grand  jury  in  a  body  asking  him  to  decline  Gov- 
ernor Snyder's  proposition.  Gen.  Benner  offering  him 
the  money  to  build  any  kind  of  house  he  liked,  and  a 
lot  to  build  it  upon.  He  accepted  the  general's  oflPer, 
and  built  the  stone  building  on  Allegheny  Street  (now 
Mrs.  John  B.  Linn's,  Gen.  Benner's  granddaughter), 
which  he  occupied  until  his  removal  to  Bedford  in 
1814." 

He  was  the  first  judge  of  the  United  States  Court 
for  the  Western  District  of  Pennsylvania,  which  was 
created  by  act  of  Congress  of  April  20,  1818.  He  died 
on  a  visit  to  his  son  Duncan  at  Natchez,  Miss.,  in 
January,  1824.  His  daughter  Martha  was  born  in 
Bellefonte  in  1807,  and  married  Gen.  William  Cook, 
of  New  Jersey. 

It  was  not  the  custom  (as  the  county  elected  a 
sherifl!'  with  Clearfield)  to  nominate  a  sheriff  at  the 
conventions.  The  candidates  for  sheriff  api>ealed  to 
the  people  through  their  cards  advertised  in  the  news- 
papers. Among  them  were  Stephen  Davis,  of  Fer- 
guson, John  Wall,  Jr.,  John  Jlitchel,  Joseph  Butler, 
John  Keen,  of  Millheim,  and  William  Keatley. 

James  Monks,  a  native  of  Potter  township.  Centre 
County,  was  tried  and  convicted  at  the  November  term 
of  court,  1818,  for  the  murder  of  Reuben  Guild.  The 
murder,  which,  from  the  prisoner's  confession,  appears 
to  have  been  entirely  unprovoked,  took  place  on  the 
evening  of  Sunday,  Nov.  16,  1817.  It  appears  from 
the  confession  of  the  prisoner,  written  in  jail  while 
awaiting  execution,  that  he  was  returning  to  his 
home  on  Marsh  Creek,  Howard  township,  from 
Clearfield  County,  and  met  Guild,  who  was  mounted 
on  a  horse,  in  a  lonely  part  of  the  road.  Having 
passed  the  time  of  day  and  proceeded  a  short  dis- 
tance, an  uncontrollable  desire  came  upon  Monks, 
who  was  armed  with  a  gun,  to  shoot  Guild.  Appar- 
ently powerless  to  resist  the  impulse,  he  raised  his 
gun  and  shot  him  through  the  body.  The  victim 
uttered  a  shriek  and  fell  from  his  horse,  and  as 
Monks  approached  him  said,  "My  friend,  you  have 
killed  me."  Monks,  fearing  that  his  shot  had  proved 
ineffectual,  struck  his  victim  two  blows  on  the  head 
witli  his  tomahawk,  which  silenced  him  forever. 

After  finding  a  suitable  place  he  hid  the  body,  first 
stripping  it  of  everything  of  value,  even  to  the  shoes, 
which  he  vainly  endeavored  to  get  on  his  feet,  but 
found  them  too  small.  After  disposing  of  all  traces 
of  the  deed,  as  he  supposed,  he  mounted  the  mur- 
dered man's  horse  and  pursued  his  journey.    It  traus- 


LOGAN  TOWNSHIP   ERECTED. 


59 


])ired,  however,  that  in  his  hurried  prep<arations  to 
get  away,  and  being  considerably  under  the  influence 
of  liquor,  he  dropped  his  song-book  on  the  spot, 
which  latter  circumstance  eventually  led  to  his  ar- 
rest on  suspicion. 

On  examing  his  spoils  tlie  next  morning  he  found 
written  upon  the  fly-leaf  of  his  victim's  pocket-book 
the  following:  "Reuben  Guild's  pocket-book.  This 
pocket-book  is  my  jiroperty  now,  but  I  know  I  won't 
own  it  long."  The  result  of  his  night's  work  netted 
him  a  watch  and  a  few  dollars  in  money. 

COPY  OF  THE  RF.CORD  IN  THE  TEtAI,  OF  JAMES  MONKS,  QUARTER  SESSION 
DOCKET,  SESSION   1818,  PAGE  370. 

Oj-cv  &  Terminer  }  November  Term,  1618. 


Bimlforil 
Bliinclianl 


Burnsiile     V  James  Monks 

Puller         J 

AVitnesses  sworn  on  part  < 

Com  til.: 

.lolin  Ilall,  Jnn., 

Nnn  ELigliinJ, 

Aaron  Giiilil. 

Jus.  \V.  Gnilil, 

Dai.'l  Kearney, 

Elizabclh  Cradisb, 

Dan'l  Barret, 

James  Reed, 

Sam'l  Coleman, 

James  Carsou, 

Jolin  Knox, 

Thomas  Carson, 

George  Brown, 

Andrew  Allison, 

James  Fnllerton, 

Tolbcrt  Dale, 

Bobert  Beers, 

James  Blair, 

Jacob  Michaels, 

Geo.  Ttoss, 

Robert  Rosa, 

Hugli  Riddle, 

Amis  Balhnrst, 

James  McGhee, 

lleiir.v  PetrikiD, 

Wni.  Wood, 

John  Lnras, 

John  McEwen, 

John  M.  Horuer, 

Eve  Gardner, 

Catherine  Bitner, 

John  Confer, 
John  Ligjxet, 
Sam'l  Gardner, 
John  Wantz, 
Michael  Meese, 
AVm.  Gardner, 
Henry  James, 
James  Alexander,  Jr., 
James  Foster,  Esq., 
M'ni.  Alexander,  Esq., 
Wm.Petrikin,Esq., 
Thos.  Uemphill. 


Indicted  for 

iiurder    of    the 

first  desree. 

True  Bill 

On  motion  of  Thomas  Bnvnside, 
attorney  for  defendant,  an  attach- 
ment granted  for  Barnard  Brown 
&  Sneannh  Fnlton  A  Philip  Confer, 
sen.,  absent  witnesses,  &  the  conrt 


diiect  the 
tachi 


the  at- 


t,  and  by  agreement  the 
counsel  for  the  prisoner  dispenses 
with  sending  for  Bernard  Brown. 

And  now  on  the  iiCtli  day  of  No- 
vember, 1S18,  a  jury  of  the  connty 
being  called,  came  namely,  Robert 
McGonegle,  Anthony  Klechner, 
Ephram  Lamhorn,  John  Johnston, 
Frederick  Shenk,  Absolem  Lijiget, 
John  Sherrick,  William  White, 
George  Gramley,  Samuel  Wilson, 
Henry  Barnhart  and  William 
Johnston,  twelve  good  and  lawful 
men  of  Centre  connty,  who  being 
duly  enipannelled,  sworn  and  af* 
firmed,  respectively,  and  charged 
on  their  oaths  ami  affirmations 
aforesaid  after  each  of  them  being 
polled,  they  severally  declared  that 
they  find  the  defendant,  James 
Monks,  guilty  of  murder  of  the 
first  degree  in  manner  and  form  as 
he  stands  indicted. 

And  now  on  tlie  •3ntli  day  of  No- 
vember, 1818,  W.  W.  Potter,  on  be- 
half of  the  prisoner,  moved  for  an 
arrest  of  judgment  and  on  the  first 
of  December,  1818,  files  the  excep- 
tions to  the  indictment.  And  on 
argument  the  indictment  held  to 
be  good,  and  reasons  overruled  by 
the  court.  And  now  on  the  fii-st 
day  of  December,  in  the  year  of 
our  Lord  one  thousand  and  eight 
hundred  and  eighteen,  the  Court 
proceeds  to  deliver  the  sentence  of 
the  law : 

"James  Monks,  it  is  considered 
by  the  Court  that  you  be  taken  to 
the  Common  Jail  of  the  connty  of 
Centre,  there  to  remain  until  yon 
are  taken  to  the  place  of  execution 
and  there  to  be  hanged  by  the  neck 
until  dead. 

By  the  Court, 

l8t  December,  1818." 


Monks  was  hung  on  Saturday,  Jan.  23,  1819,  by 
John  Mitchell,  Esq.,  then  high  sheriff.  William 
Armor,  a  fifer  of  the  war  of  1812,  played  the  "  Dead 
March"  under  the  gallows.  An  absurd  rumor  was 
started  shortly  after  Monks'  execution  that  he  had 
been  seen  alive  afterward,  and  he  became  a  children 
"spook"  for  some  years.  The  county  paper  of  the 
day  had  sevgral  articles,  one  favoring  the  apparition 
and  arguing  the  possibility  of  his  resuscitation,  and 
others  "  pulling  down  the  ghost." 

Samuel  Wilson,  of  Potter,  the  last  surviving  juror, 
died  Sept.  18,  1880,  aged  ninety  years. 

Joseph,  son  of  Reuben  Guild,  died  some  eight  years 
ago  at  Powsheik,  Iowa.  It  was  his  watch  his  father 
wore  when  murdered,  and  he  was  a  witness  in  court 
to  identify  it. 

Revolutionary  Soldiers.— In  1818  the  following 
Revolutionary  soldiers  (pensioners)  were  residing  in 
Centre  County:  Benjamin  Carson,  James  Dougherty, 
Peter  Florey,  John  Garrison,  New  York  Line;  Mungo 
Lindsay,  Henry  McEwen,  Charles  McLain  (whodied 
Dec.  21,  1822),  John  McLain,  New  York  Line  ;  Wil- 
liam Mason,  Jacob  Miller  (second,  who  died  May  21, 
1823),  Anthony  Peters,  Edward  Quigley  (died  April 
13,  1819),  Conrad  Rimmy,  Nicholas  Shanefelt  (died 
Aug.  30,  1825),  Absalom  Tims,  New  Jersey  Line; 
Isaac  Wall  (died  May  31,  1825),  Hazen's  regiment; 
Joseph  White,  David  Nelson,  New  York  Line;  Robert 
Young  (died  Nov., 19,  1824). 

Stage  Routes. — A  mail-stage  ran  between  North- 
umberland and  Bcllefonte;  fare,  four  dollars  and  fifty 
cents.  It  left  Northumberland  every  Friday  at  5 
A.M.  Passengers  breakfasted  at  L.  B.  Stougliton's,  at 
Lewisburg,  and  arrived  at  Jacob  Maize's,  in  Mifiiin- 
burg,  for  dinner:  at  Henry  Roush's  (Narrows)  about 
four,  and  at  W.  T.  Brown's,  at  Aaronsburg,  at  6  p.m. 
Left  Aaronsburg  at  seven  o'clock  Saturday  morning, 
got  to  Earleystown  for  dinner,  and  arrived  at  John 
Rankin's,  at  Bellefonte,  at  4  p.m.  Left  Bellefonte 
every  Monday  morning  at  five,  breakfasted  at  Ear- 
leystown, and  arrived  at  Aaronsburg  for  dinner,  etc. 

In  May,  1818,  Joseph  Haggarty  and  Thomas  Moore 
had  a  carding-machine  in  operation  in  Half-Moon, 
and  Rankin  and  Steel  had  their  machines  in  opera- 
tion in  Bellefonte.  Carding  eight  cents  a  pound,  one 
pound  of  grease  to  ten  pounds  of  wool. 


CHAPTER    XXVI. 

LOGAN  TOWNSHIP  ERECTED— HENRY  DALES  HOUSE 
ROBBED— POLITICS. 

Logan  Township  appears  on  the  list  of  townships 
in  April,  1819.     The  record  of  its  erection  cannot  be 
found,  but  it  was  bounded  on  the  north  by 
Lamar,  eastwardly  by  the  Lycoming  County     1819. 
line,   south   by    Nittany  Mountain,  west   by 
Miles  and  Walker,  and  embraced  the  present  town- 


60 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ship  of  Greene,  in  Clinton,  and  all  of  what  is  known 
as  Sugar  valley.  Its  ta.xable  inhabitants  in  1819  were 
as  follows: 


Bailey,  Jacob. 

Kestetter,  John. 

Bailey,  Jolin. 

Kestetter,  Rntloif. 

Bailey,  Peter. 

Kestetter.  Widow. 

Barley,  Jacob. 

Ketncr,  Michael. 

Barner,  Beiijaniin. 

Kitchen,  John. 

Burner,  Uemy. 

Kleckner,    Anthony     (grist 

Beaver,  Christian. 

siw-miU  and  tavern). 

Beaver,  Henry. 

Lemy,  Daniel,  Sr. 

Beaver,  John. 

Lemy,  Daniel,  Jr. 

Beaver,  MicbaeJ. 

"Lemy,  Henry. 

Boone,  Jonathan. 

Lemy,  Michael, 

Bressler,  Michael. 

McKisson,  Samuel. 

ISrumgard,  Slartin. 

Mallory,  Isaac. 

Colby,  Chri-topher. 

Mallory,  Calvin. 

Colby,  John. 

Mayer,  Conrad. 

Frevel,  Jesse. 

Maj'er,  John. 

Glantz,  Henry, 

Morgan,  William  (fnlling-m 

Glantz,  John. 

Myei-s,  George. 

Greninger,  Henry,  Sr. 

Philips,  John. 

Greninger,  Henry,  Jr. 

Riidebaugh,  Daniel. 

Greninger,  John. 

Kadebaugh,  Peter,  Sr. 

Greninger,  Peter. 

Kadebangli,  Peter,  Jr. 

Groff,  Abraham. 

Roads,  John. 

Groff,  Widow. 

Sheetz,  John. 

Harlnian,  Jonas. 

Schreck,  Charles. 

Hann,  Henry. 

Schreck,  James. 

HanM,Jobn. 

Schreck,  John. 

neckmaii.Jolin. 

Schreckengast,  Philip. 

Heltman,  WiJow. 

Snook,  Matthias. 

Herring.  Henry,  Sr.  (dislillery). 

Spangler,  Frederick. 

Jones,  Samuel,  Sr, 

Spangler,  Henry  (saw-mill). 

Jones  Samuel,  Jr. 

Spangler,  Michael. 

Kemble,  Jacob. 

Strawsnyder,  George. 

Keeler,  Henry. 

Strawsnyder,  John,  Sr. 

Kelil,  Jacob. 

Werkerly,  John. 

Kebl,  Michael. 

Wilaon,  George. 

Kehl,  Peter. 

Wolf,  John. 

Kern,  Jacob. 

Worrick,John. 

Single 

freemen. 

Barner,  Adam. 

Herring,  Henry,  Jr. 

Beaver,  Christian. 

Herring,  John. 

C;ilby,  George. 

Kabb,  Christian. 

Calby,  Jacob. 

Kerstetter,  Samnel. 

Greninger,  Leonard. 

Sirawsnyder,  John,  Jr. 

Hauu,  Philip. 

On  Friday  night,  March  17,  1819,  Henry  D.ile's 
house  was  robbed  in  a  singular  manner,  the  partic- 
ulars of  which  we  take  from  depositions  taken  before 
Judge  Huston. 

Mr.  Dale  says,  On  that  evening  some  person  came 
near  my  house  and  hallooed.  We  were  in  bed,  and 
got  up  and  went  to  the  door  and  asked  what  was  the 
matter.  He  answered,  Your  son  has  killed  himself. 
I  asked.  How?  He  said  he  had  his  powder-horn,  and 
it  caught  fire  and  tore  him  amazingly  all  to  pieces ; 
if  you  do  not  hurry,  you  will  not  see  hira  alive.  I 
put  on  my  clothes  and  told  him  to  come  in,  but  he 
said  he  was  in  a  great  hurry.  I  told  my  son  to  come 
and  we  would  ride  over,  and  told  my  wife  to  come 
with  the  lantern  to  let  us  get  the  horses  out.  We 
rode  over,  saw  no  light,  and  my  son  Samuel  said 
nothing  was  the  matter.  I  was  afraid  some  injury 
was  intended,  and  we  turned  to  go  home.  At  the 
end  of  the  lane  I  met  my  wife,  my  youngest  son,  and 


a  girl  that  lives  with  me,  and  Lewis  Longwell,  coming 
with  the  lantern.  They  said  they  were  going  to  see 
Sam  before  he  could  die.  I  said  nothing  was  the 
matter,  but  our  house  could  be  robbed.  Longwell 
began  to  halloo,  and  we  went  around  by  the  lane,  and 
Longwell  and  the  women  went  across  the  fields.  I 
went  into  my  room  and  found  my  chest  broken  open 
and  the  papers  on  the  floor;  searched  but  found  no 
one,  but  found  a  window  broken  in.  I  took  my  rifle, 
put  the  dogs  on  the  track  which  they  took,  and  I  fired 
my  gun  in  that  direction.  Next  morning  I  found  a 
box  and  two  pocket-books  and  about  eighty  dollars 
in  money.  There  were  four  pocket-books  taken.  One 
had  a  ring  in  it  and  silver  sleeve-buttons;  another, 
belonging  to  my  son,  had  four  silver  dollars  in  it. 
There  were  three  purses,  one  with  eight  dollars  in 
silver,  French  coin,  etc.;  another  with  small  silver, 
seven  or  eight  dollars  ;  another  with  seven  dollars  in 
silver.  The  prisoner  has  been  at  my  house  twice, 
once  with  a  horse  and  cart  selling  goods,  staying  from 
Saturday  until  Monday. 

Mrs.  Phillona  Dale  testified.  After  my  husband  and 
son  had  started  the  person  hallooed  again.  I  went  to 
the  door,  and  the  man  was  standing  near  the  porch. 
He  said  he  had  met  my  husband,  and  he  told  him  to 
come  for  the  rest  of  the  family ;  my  son  was  just  dying, 
— his  arm  blown  off'.  I  said  I  could  not  go  away.  He 
said  he  understood  we  had  a  girl  in  the  house.  I 
asked  his  name;  he  said  it  was  Reynolds.  I  asked 
him  in  ;  he  said  he  was  in  a  hurry.  I  wakened  up 
the  girl,  Longwell,  and  my  youngest  son,  and  we 
locked  the  house  and  started.  I  could  not  see  the 
person's  face  well,  but  I  thought  on  reflection  it  was 
the  Yankee  who  stayed  overnight  with  us. 

Cornelius  Dale  testified  that  Lewis  Longwell,  Leon- 
ard Stevens,  and  himself  took  the  prisoner  about  two 
miles  this  side  of  Aaronsburg,  at  a  smith-shop  oppo- 
site Keen's  place.  Longwell  rode  p.ast  him.  He  was 
walking  inside  of  the  fence.  I  told  him  I  would  shoot 
him  if  he  did  not  give  up,  and  he  asked  me  if  my 
name  w-is  Dale.  He  w.as  wet  up  to  the  waistband. 
We  took  him  to  Esquire  Beuck,  who  examined  him. 
He  gave  his  name  as  Nehemiah  Higbee.  He  was 
committed,  William  McMinn,  constable,  taking  him 
to  jail  at  Bellefonte,  but  he  broke  jail  and  never  was 
heard  of  afterward.  Lewis  Longwell  was  a  school- 
teaclier  who  boarded  at  Mr.  Dale's. 

The  delegates  to  the  Democratic  meeting  held  Sep- 
tember 16th,  of  which  James  Forster  was  chairman 
and  Thomas  Waddle  secretary,  nominated  John  Mc- 
Meens  for  senator,  Patrick  Cambridge  for  Assembly, 
James  McGhee  and  Joseph  Updegraff'  for  coroner, 
James  Forster  for  commissioner,  and  William  Kerr 
for  auditor.  In  Brindle's  Patriot  of  the  2.5th  a  ticket 
is  proposed  with  Col.  William  Smyth  for  Assembly, 
Matthew  Allison,  E-sq.,  for  commissioner,  John  Bailey 
and  Jacob  Bollinger  for  coroner.  The  proposer  signs 
as  from  Haines  township.  The  official  return  of  the 
election  was, — 


j( 


MOUNTAIN 


Mat  23,  1820. 
Copy  of  Draft  attached  to  report  of  Jacob 
Snyder,  James  Dale,  and  John  Hanna's  line 
between  Centre  and  Union  Counties,  Hen- 
drick's  Saw-Mill  on  Penn's  Creek,  to  the  top 
of  the  mountain  north  of  the  Brush  Valley 
Road. 


so 


POLITICS. 


61 


Senate. 
.  828  I  William  Wilson 405 


Bladhew  Allison 690  |  James  Forator.. 


Jnmes  McOhec 691  1  Jacob  Bnllinger 303 

Josepb  Updcgruff. 46U  |  Juhii  Builey 2Jl 


In  Clearfield,  William  Smyth  had  121  for  Assembly ; 
P.  Cambridge,  42;  John  Patton,  3. 

A  report  made  of  the  Lick  Run  Sabbath-school,  in 
Walker  township,  states  that  the  school  commenced 
on  the  1st  of  August,  1819,  and  continued  without 
much  intermission  ;  the  number  of  scholars  in  at- 
tendance from  thirty  to  forty.  Such  of  the  scholars  as 
could  read  the  Scriptures  were  divided  into  four 
classes.  The  whole  number  of  scholars  that  recited 
lessons  had  been  twenty-five.  The  greatest  number 
of  verse.s  recited  at  one  time  by  one  scholar  was  six 
hundred  and  ninety,  and  the  ne.'it  largest  five  hun- 
dred.    This  is  from  a  report  published  in  1821. 

Politics. — The  Democratic  State  Convention  met 
at  Lewistown,  March  7th,  nominating  James  Monroe 
for  President,  Daniel  D.  Tompkins  for  Vice-President. 
Gen.  Philip  Beuner  was  placed  on  the  electoral  ticket. 
Thomas  Buruside  was  a  delegate  and  secretary  of  this 
convention,  and  a  resolution  was  passed  fixing  the 
third  Thursday  of  May,  and  Lewistown  as  the  place 
for  all  future  conventions  for  nomination  of  candi- 
dates for  Governor  and  for  electors.  William  Find- 
lay  was  renominated  for  Governor.  The  Independent 
Republicans,  as  they  were  called,  met  at  Carlisle 
March  4th,  and  nominated  Joseph  Hiester.  Centre 
County  was  represented  by  William  H.  Patterson. 
Only  twelve  counties  were  represented.  The  resolu- 
tions adopted  favored  rotation  in  oflice,  and  opposed 
nominations  made  by  oflSce-holders  or  legislative 
nominations.  Hamilton  Humes  and  Andrew  Gregg 
were  placed  upon  the  State  Committee. 

The  Findlay  County  Convention  met  August  29th, 
James  Duncan,  chairman,  Patrick  Cambridge,  secre- 
tary, and  nominated  William  Smyth  for  Assembly, 
Jacob  Bollinger  for  commissioner,  John  Patton  for 
auditor.  At  the  election  Findlay  received  1338  votes; 
Heister,  779;  William  Smyth,  for  Assembly,  1325; 
Jacob  Bollinger,  1414.  Findlay  was  defeated  in  the 
State  160.5  votes.  December  15th  a  meeting  of  the 
Independent  Republicans  was  called  at  Bellefonte 
for  the  purpose  of  making  a  fair  selection  and  nomi- 
nation of  persons  to  fill  the  county  offices  in  the  gift 
of  the  Governor.  Governor  Heister  api)ointed  Hon. 
Andrew  Gregg  Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth,  and 
made  a  pretty  clean  sweep  out  of  all  the  county  offices 
to  which  the  Governor  made  appointments,  who  were 


all   duly  removed  when  Governor  Shulze  came  in 
power  in  1824. 

In  June,  1820,  the  neighborhood  of  Potter's  Mills 
was  disturbed  by  the  noted  robbers  Lewis  and  Con- 
nelly, who  lurked  in  the  Seven  Mountains, 
and  made  incursions  for  purpose  of  plunder.  1820. 
Lewis  was  a  son  of  Lewis  Lewis,  who  was  a 
surveyor  in  Nittany  valley  as  early  as  1770,  under 
Charles  Lukens.  The  terror  in  that  neighborhood 
for  some  weeks  was  unbounded,  and  its  shadows  still 
linger  in  the  traditions  of  the  valley.  Night  after 
night  men  patrolled  the  valley,  while  the  women 
shuddered  and  trembled  at  any  approaching  footstep. 

The  following  account  of  the  pursuit  and  capture 
of  these  thieves  is  derived  from  the  statement  of  one 
of  the  men  who  belonged  to  the  poitsc: 

Hammond  &  Page,  merchants  of  Bellefonte,  were 
receiving  at  that  time  a  stock  of  goods.  They  had 
three  teams  hauling  them.  One  in  particular,  being 
loaded  with  the  costliest  goods,  in  crossing  the  Seven 
Mountains  broke  down,  and  it  being  late,  they  drove 
on  to  John  Carr's  tavern  at  Potter's  Mills  with  the 
remaining  wagons.  Lewis  and  his  party  overhauled 
the  goods  and  took  such  as  suited  them,  and  then 
started  for  Potter's  Mills,  with  the  intention  of  rob- 
bing Potter's  store,  but  John  Carr  observed  them  at 
the  shutters,  and  they  fled  and  were  followed  by  the 
few  that  could  be  gathered.  Paul  Lebo,  a  very  active 
man,  outran  the  rest  so  far  that  Lewis  and  Connelly, 
who  had  secreted  themselves,  captured  Lebo,  and 
Connelly  had  him  nearly  choked  to  death,  and  only 
at  the  earnest  request  of  Lewis  released  him.  The 
next  place  they  were  heard  of  was  near  Col.  McKib- 
ben's,  where  they  were  diverting  themselves  on  Sun- 
day shooting  at  marks. 

Word  was  immediately  sent  to  Bellefonte,  and 
search  commenced.  William  Alexander,  ex-sheriff, 
started  down  Nittany  valley  to  collect  men  to  go  by 
way  of  the  Great  Island,  and  James  McGhce,  coroner 
of  Centre  County,  with  a  posse  consisting  of  John 
Mitchell,  William  Armor,  Paul  Lebo,  Peter  Deisal  (a 
one-armed  man),  and  Joseph  Butler  (sheriff  of  the 
county  the  next  year),  started  by  way  of  Karthaus  to 
meet  the  other  party  at  Lewis'  mother's,  on  Bennett's 
Branch  of  the  Sinnemahoning.  They  proceeded  as 
far  as  Karthaus  that  night,  deviating  from  the  direct 
route  to  obtain  a  guide,  who  was  Andy  Walker,  as  he 
was  familiarly  called,  a  great  hunter  in  B.ild  E;igle. 
William  Hammond  joined  them  at  Karthaus,  and 
when  they  started  the  following  morning  their  com- 
pany was  increased  by  the  accession  of  John  Koons, 
Samuel  Karnell,  and  Peter  Bodey. 

The  night  they  were  at  Karthaus,  McGuire  was 
captured  near  Great  Island,  which  led  the  rest  to  burn 
part  of  their  spoils,  divide  the  rest,  and  to  separate. 
On  the  29th,  McGhee's  party  lost  their  w.iy  and  en- 
camped in  the  woods.  On  the  morning  of  the  30th 
they  struck  Trout  Run,  which  empties  into  Bennett's 
Branch.     Walker  and  Karnell  started  ahead  to  sec  if 


HISTORY    OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIxi. 


Lewis  had  made  his  appearance  at  his  mother's,  and 
finding  that  he  had  not,  they  joined  the  rest  of  the 
party  tliat  night  and  crossed  over  the  Driftwood 
Branch  opposite  Shepherd's,  and  upon  inquiry  found 
that  two  men,  answering  the  description  of  Lewis 
and  Connelly,  had  breakfasted  there.  The  party,  ac- 
companied by  Shepherd,  proceeded  up  the  Driftwood 
Branch  about  eight  miles,  and  not  being  satisfied  that 
these  were  the  men  they  rtturned  down  the  stream. 
Five  miles  below  they  saw  a  man  named  Brooks  en- 
gaged in  gigging,  who  told  them  that  Lewis  and 
another  man  had  passed  that  way,  when  they  re- 
turned, with  Brooks  in  their  company,  till  they  came 
within  hearing  of  the  robbers,  who  were  shooting 
mark.  Brooks  took  them  to  an  eminence  which  over- 
looked and  commanded  their  proceedings,  and  Mc- 
Ghee  demanded  their  surrender.  Their  reply  was, 
"Shoot  and  be  damned!  We'll  shoot  back."  The 
posse  fired,  and  Lewis  fell  at  the  first  fire.  Connelly 
escaped  to  the  bank  of  the  river,  when  he  was  struck 
by  a  ball  which  cut  the  rim  of  his  abdomen,  causing 
his  entrails  to  protrude. 

The  prisoners  were  conveyed  to  the  Great  Island, 
where  they  arrived  Sunday,  July  2d.  Connelly  died 
that  night,  and  was  buried  near  Great  Island  Ceme- 
tery (Lock  Haven).  Peter  Deisal  was  said  to  be  the 
one  whose  bullet  ended  Connelly's  life.  David  Lewis 
was  conveyed  to  Bellefonte,  where,  refusing  to  liave 
his  arm  amputated,  he  died  in  jail  on  the  13th  of 
July.  His  remains  were  taken  to  Milesburg  for 
burial.  The  following,  published  in  the  Bellefonte 
Republican  in  1877,  signed  "  Octogenarian,"  is  inter- 
esting for  its  details  : 

It  was  conceded  on  the  return  of  the  party  to  Belle- 
fonte that  Peter  Deisal  wounded  Connelly.  Connelly 
was  severely  wounded  in  the  groin,  and  could  not 
be  carried  or  transported  over  the  rough  roads  to 
Bellefonte.  He  was  taken  in  a  canoe  by  some  of  the 
party  down  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna  to 
the  "  Big  Island,"  now  Lock  Haven,  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  where  he  died.  Lewis  lan- 
guished for  weeks,  and  died  in  the  Bellefonte  jail. 
His  arm  was  broken  and  the  bone  badly  shattered. 
He  was  often  solicited  to  have  it  amputated,  and  Dr. 
C.  Curtin,  a  skillful  surgeon  practicing  medicine  in 
Bellefonte,  proposed  to  do  so  to  save  his  life.  Many 
advised  him  to  submit  to  the  operation,  but  he  obsti- 
nately refused.     Gangrene  supervened,  and  he  died. 

The  writer,  though  young,  often  saw  and  talked 
with  Lewis  while  in  prison.  He  knew  his  brothers 
well.  Caleb  Lewis,  a  single  man,  who  worked  at 
Milesburg  Forge,  was  a  common  laborer  for  Joseph 
Miles  and  Joseph  Green,  then  proprietors  of  the 
works.  Caleb  was  a  very  civil  and  harmless  man. 
Also  Thomas  Lewis,  who  at  the  time,  with  his  family, 
lived  in  the  stone  house  near  Eoopsburg,  then  Bil- 
lington's  old  furnace.  Old  cinders  and  slag  are  still 
to  be  seen.     Thomas  was  a  harmless  citizen. 

The  step-mother  of  the  Lewises,  a  Mrs.  Leathers,  who 


practiced  midwifery,  lived  then  in  a  house  near  the 
"old  red  barn"  (and  now  the  property  of  Seth  H. 
Yocum,  Esq.), on  the  turnpike  northwest  of  Bellefonte. 
Many  raids  were  made  on  that  house  by  the  citizens 
of  Bellefonte  before  David  Lewis  was  captured,  sup- 
posing him  to  be  there  visiting  his  mother.  But  he 
was  always  apprised  of  their  approach,  as  he  kept 
videttes  out,  and  always  escaped,  leaving  his  warm  bed 
to  be  examined  by  his  pursuers,  who  hotly  chased 
him  across  Spring  Creek,  but  "sparsely  clad,"  and  up 
the  Sugar-loaf  Mountain.  Lewis,  when  in  prison  and 
speaking  of  these  "  fox-hunts,"  often  laughed  about 
them. 

David  Lewis  was  a  remarkable  man.  Very  pleas- 
ant and  agreeable  in  social  conversation  and  manners, 
of  fine  figure  and  physique,  his  features  regular  and 
beautiful,  quite  an  Adonis,  about  five  feet  ten  and  a 
half  inches  high,  well  proportioned,  his  arms  tapered 
from  the  shoulders  to  the  ends  of  his  fingers,  his  legs 
from  the  hips  to  the  ends  of  the  toes,  so  that  it  was 
almost  impossible  to  keep  manacles  upon  him.  He 
could  slip  all  ordinary  handcuffs  over  his  hands  with 
ease,  also  over  his  ankles.  He  was  very  agile  and 
swift  of  foot.  Had  he  pursued  a  different  course  of 
life  he  might  have  been  a  valuable  citizen.  Mild  in 
disposition,  he  often  restrained  his  companions  in 
crime  from  excesses  and  murder.  It  is  well  said  of 
him,  it  seems  "  that  he  took  from  the  rich  and  gave 
to  the  poor." 

Connelly  was  vicious,  savage,  and  vindictive.  When 
the  wagons  containing  store  goods  for  Hammond  & 
Page,  merchants  in  Bellefonte,  were  robbed  and  plun- 
dered on  the  Seven  Mountains,  the  party  consisted  of 
Lewis,  Connelly,  and  a  small  man  named  Jeffries, 
whom  Lewis  said  was  an  expert,  a  perfect  ferret  and 
weasel. 

About  the  time  that  Lewis  arose  from  the  midst  of 
the  "empty  store  boxes  and  rubbish,"  at  the  corner 
of  Front  and  Market  Streets,  Harrisburg,  where  the 
wise  men  of  the  town  met  in  council  in  the  evenings 
to  talk  over  and  consult  about  the  "  affairs  of  the  na- 
tion," of  the  risk  men  run  in  business  on  the  "  high- 
ways and  by-ways"  from  robbers  and  cut-throats,  and 
when  "  not  the  ghost,"  but  the  veritable  highwayman 
and  robber,  David  Lewis,  rose  up  and  exclaimed,  "  I 
am  David  Lewis,  the  robber,  take  me  if  you  dare!" 
putting  the  whole  squad  to  flight,  running  belter  and 
skelter  over  tar-barrels  and  grindstones,  skinning 
shins,  which  "  H."  so  graphically  described  in  the 
Patriot,  this  said  David  Lewis  was  looking  and 
watching  for  Dr.  Peter  Shoenberger,  of  Huntingdon 
County,  u  rich  iron-master,  on  his  return  from  Balti- 
more and  Harper's  Ferry  with  a  large  sum  of  money, 
received  for  iron  sold  the  United  States  for  gun- bar- 
rels. 

An  inquest  upon  the  body  of  David  Lewis  was 
held  July  13th,  before  William  Petriken,  Esq.,  and 
the  following  jurors  :  Andrew  Gregg,  Thomas  Burn- 
side,  John    Blanchard,  Joseph    Miles,  James   Dun- 


CENSUS— LOCUSTS— RAINS— DISEASES— POLITICS. 


63 


class,  Henry  Vandyke,  Patrick  Cambridge,  John 
Rankin,  James  Rotlirock,  Evan  Miles,  Thomas  Hast- 
ings, Jr.,  Richard  Miles,  Jr.,  William  Ale.xander, 
and  John  Irwin,  Jr.,  who  found  that  James  McGhee, 
coroner  of  the  county,  with  his  posse,  had  gone  in 
pursuance  of  the  Governor's  proclamation,  as  well  as 
of  a  recent  felony  by  said  Lewis  and  others  on  the 
property  of  Hammond  &  Page,  of  Bellefonte,  a  part 
of  the  said  goods  having  been  found  with  said 
Lewis  at  his  capture,  and  had  come  up  with  Lewis 
and  Connelly  on  the  Sinnemahoning,  in  the  county 
of  Clearfield,  in  the  jurisdiction  of  said  coroner,  and 
requested  them  to  surrender,  which  they  both  re- 
fused, and  both  fired  upon  the  said  coroner  and  those 
with  him,  and  in  taking  said  Lewis,  said  Lewis  re- 
ceived a  wound  in  his  right  arm  by  a  bullet  from  a 
gun  fired  by  one  of  the  posse,  which  was  the  cause  of 
his  death.  That  the  acts  of  the  said  coroner  and  his 
posse  were  performed  in  pursuance  of  and  agreeably 
to  the  laws  of  the  country,  and  that  their  conduct 
was  marked  by  humanity  and  firmness,  and  that 
every  attention  was  paid  to  the  deceased  which  the 
situation  of  the  country  and  the  means  in  their  power 
aflx>rded,  and  that  since  his  delivery  into  the  jail  of 
Centre  County,  every  attention,  whether  medical  or 
otherwise,  has  been  paid  him  which  the  town  could 
aiTord. 

Felix  McGuire,  the  other  robber,  was  tried  August 
29tli,  and  sentenced  to  two  years  in  the  penitentiary 
at  Philadelphia  after  the  expiration  of  his  term  in 
Franklin  County  jail,  out  of  which  he  had  broken, 
and  he  was  ordered  to  be  delivered  to  the  sheritiT  of 
Franklin  County. 

Governor  Findlay,  during  his  term,  pardoned 
Lewis,  who  had  been  convicted  of  some  offense,  and 
the  confession  of  David  Lewis,  edited,  it  is  said,  by 
James  Duncan,  of  Carlisle,  was  printed  as  a  cam- 
paign document,  and  contributed  largely  to  Governor 
Findlay's  defeat.  Duncan  was  appointed  auditor- 
general  April  2,  1821,  by  Governor  Heister.  The 
confession  states  that  Lewis  was  born  March  4,  1790, 
at  Carlisle. 


CHAPTER  XXVIL 

CEXSt'S— LOCUSTS— RAINS— DISEASES— POLITICS- 
CAMPAIGN  1823. 

1820.  The  population  of  Centre  County  in  1820  was : 


G8'> 

Miles 

847 

Potter 

■>.■,,,,„,,,, 

1,189 

]l.  j 

llowiird 

1,0.55 

Including  one  hundred  and    twenty-three   negroes, 
thirty-six  of  the  latter  in  Bellefonte. 


The  number  oftaxable  inhabitants  of  Centre  County 
in  1821,  according  to  a  schedule  made  to  the 
county  commissioners,  was  two  thousand  eight     1821. 
hundred  and  twenty  and  one  slave. 

Tuesday,  July  10th,  a  small  shower  of  rain  occurred 
at  Bellefonte,  accompanied  with  heavy  thunder.  It 
was  succeeded  by  uncommon  cold  weather,  and  the 
next  day  the  adjacent  fields,  woods,  and  roads  were 
strewn  with  millions  of  dead  locusts.  They  made 
their  appearance  about  the  8th  of  June,  and  fields  and 
gardens,  orchards  and  mountain  constantly  and  inces- 
santly resounded  with  the  hoarse  cry  of  "Pha-raoh, 
Pha-raoh,"  until  their  sudden  demise  on  the  11th  of 
July. 

August  1st,  steeple  of  the  court-house  in  Belle- 
fonte struck  with  lightning.  The  rod  happened  to  be 
broken  opposite  one  of  the  windows;  the  electric  cur- 
rent divided,  part  entering  the  building,  making  con- 
siderable of  a  hole,  another  portion  passing  down  the 
wall  and  killed  eight  sheep  browsing  by. 

The  month  of  August  was  remarkable  from  the 
prevalence  of  dysentery,  or  bloody  flux,  as  it  was 
called.  This  disease  was  very  fatal,  and  amounted  to  an 
epidemic.  A  writer  in  the  Patriot  says  the  prevalence 
of  the  disease  in  Bellefonte  is  owing  to  the  filthy  con- 
dition of  the  streets,  hogs  allowed  to  wallow  in  the 
mud,  caused  by  leaking  hydrants,  sheep  depositing 
their  filth  about  the  court-house.  In  September  the 
disease  ceased,  and  the  town  resumed  its  usual  health. 

Among  the  candidates  for  sheriff"  who  announced 
themselves  we  select  the  following  names:  \Villiam 
McMeen,  of  Potter ;  Benjamin  Godwin,  of  Haines; 
Joseph  Butler,  of  Bellefonte  ;  J.  B.  Shugert,  John 
Rankin,  and  James  Rothrock.  For  County  Commis- 
sioner, John  L.  Gray,  of  Patton ;  Thomas  Hastings, 
of  Bellefonte;  Robert  Elder,  of  Half-Moon;  and 
Henry  Sharrer.  The  Democratic  County  Convention, 
which  met  on  the  21st  of  September,  nominated  Wil- 
liam Smyth  for  Assembly,  John  Adams  for  commis- 
sioner, Hugh  L.  McMeen  for  auditor. 

The  election  took  place  on  the  9th  of  October.  For 
Assembly,  William  Smythe  received  1067;  Moses 
Boggs,  541  votes.  The  result  in  the  State  was  a  Dem- 
ocratic victory;  from  being  a  minority  in  the  House 
the  Democrats  secured  a  majority  of  about  41,  and 
in  the  Senate  a  majority  of  3. 

September  10th,  the  Democratic  County  Conven- 
tion assembled,  James  Dancan,  chairman,  and  Wal- 
ter Longwell,  secretary.  Thomas  Bnrnside  was 
recommended  for  Congress,  John  Mitchell  and  1822. 
Jacob  Herring  nominated  for  Assembly,  John 
Hays  for  commissioner.  At  the  election  in  October, 
John  Mitchell  and  Martin  Hoover  were  elected  to  the 
Assembly  over  Jacob  Herring  and  Francis  McEwen. 
John  Mitchell's  vote  in  Centre  and  Clearfield  <\as 
1256;  Martin  Hoover,  975;  J.  Herring,  890;  F.  Mc- 
Ewen, 355.  For  commissioner,  John  Hays  had  1338 
votes ;  no  opposition. 

The  Marion  Infantry,  a  Pcnn's  valley  volunteer 


Gi 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


company,  was  organized  in  1822  under  Capt.  Michael. 
The  successive  captains  were  John  Miller,  John 
Eishel,  J.  B.  Fisher,  and  John  S.  Horitz. 

The  campaign  for  Governor  opened  as  early  as 
January  8th,  in  communications  in  the  Patriot  favor- 
able to  George  Bryan,  for  whom  Henry  Petri- 
1823.  ken,  the  editor,  expressed  his  preference.  A 
meeting  of  the  Democratic  citizens  of  Clear- 
field and  Centre  was  called,  and  held  in  the  court- 
house at  Bellefonte  on  the  29th  of  January  ;  Thomas 
Burnside  presided,  and  Jacob  Bollinger  was  secretary. 
The  committee  on  resolutions  were  Col.  William 
Smyth,  Jacob  Herring,  Gen.  Philip  Benner,  James 
Duncan,  Francis  McEwen,  Henry  Petriken,  and  John 
Hays.  Jacob  Herring  and  Henry  Petriken  were  ap- 
pointed delegates  to  the  proposed  convention  at  Har- 
risburg,  and  requested  to  use  every  endeavor  to  procure 
an  adjournment  of  the  convention  to  Lewistown  on 
the  3d  of  May.  The  delegates  were  instructed  to 
support  George  Bryan,  and  in  case  the  convention 
refused  to  adjourn  to  Lewistown,  then  to  protest 
against  any  member  of  the  Legislature  or  any  of  the 
officers  of  the  government  at  Harrisburg  being  put  in 
nomination.  James  Duncan  was  made  senatorial  del- 
egate by  the  conferees  of  the  district ;  George  Bryan 
was  also  put  in  nomination  by  the  Democratic  citi- 
zens of  Lycoming  County,  with  the  same  instructions 
about  an  adjournment  to  Lewistown. 

The  convention  met  on  the  4th  of  March  at  Harris- 
burg, and  refused  to  adjourn  to  Lewistown.  The 
leading  candidates  were  George  Bryan  (son  of  Judge 
Bryan),  J.  A.  Shulze,  and  Samuel  D.  Ingham.  Bryan 
led  Shulze  six  voteson  the  first  ballot,  and  on  the  third 
fell  one  behind  Mr.  Shulze.  Then  an  adjournment  was 
had  to  give  Mr.  Ingham's  friends  a  chance  to  choose 
beween  Mr.  Shulze  and  Bryan.  The  result  was  the 
nomination  of  Mr.  Shulze  (through  the  defection  pf 
James  M.  Porter,  of  Easton,  as  alleged  by  Mr.  Pe- 
triken). 

From  the  day  (Feb.  27,  1808)  when  Samuel  Maclay, 
United  States  senator,  from  Northumberland  County, 
Daniel  Montgomery,  representing  the  district 
1823.  of  which  Centre  County  was  a  part,  and  others 
signed  the  protest  against  congressional  cau- 
cuses, "  as  being  in  direct  hostility  to  the  principles 
of  the  Constitution,  as  a  gross  usurpation  of  power 
not  delegated  by  the  people,"  etc.,  the  public  atten- 
tion had  been  directed  to  the  subject  of  legislative 
caucuses,  and  their  gross  and  manifest  impropriety 
had  forced  itself  upon  the  minds  of  the  people  of 
Pennsylvania.  During  the  session  of  Congress  pre- 
vious to  the  close  of  a  Presidential  term  a  caucus 
was  held  by  the  senators  and  members  of  Congress, 
who  took  a  vote  upon  the  candidates,  and  whoever 
thay  agreed  upon  were  recommended  as  the  candi- 
dates of  the  party,  and  the  nomination  acquiesced  in 
by  the  great  body  of  the  party  until  the  standard  of 
revolt  to  such  dictation  was  set  up  on  the  occasion 
of  such  nomination  of  James  Madison  over  George 


Clinton.  As  was  alleged,  had  the  unbiased  voice  of 
the  people  prevailed  Mr.  Clinton,  it  is  almost  certain, 
would  have  been  the  successful  candidate.  The 
same  S3'stem  of  nominations  prevailed  in  the  States, 
acquiesced  in  almost  necessarily  from  the  difficulty 
and  expense  of  reaching  political  centres  before  the 
era  of  public  improvements. 

Nevertheless,  the  odium  of  the  system  aroused  the 
Democracy  thoroughly,  and  at  a  meeting  of  the  board 
of  electors  for  President,  which  met  at  Harrisburg, 
Dec.  5,  1815,  a  recommendation  was  adopted  to  the 
people  to  appoint  delegates  to  attend  a  convention  to 
be  held  at  that  place  on  the  4th  of  March  for  the  sole 
purpose  of  nominating  a  candidate  for  Governor. 
This  was  followed  subsequently  by  removing  the 
place  of  holding  the  conventions  from  Harrisburg  to 
other  points  in  order  to  avoid  governmental  dictation 
of  nominations. 

Accordingly,  the  convention  which  nominated  Mr. 
Hiester  in  1820  had  assembled  at  Carlisle,  and  the 
one  that  nominated  Mr.  Findlay  in  the  same  year  had 
met  at  Lewistown.  The  latter  had  resolved  that  the 
convention  of  1823  should  meet  in  the  same  place  in 
May.  This  was  prevented,  however,  by  a  call  to  meet 
at  Harrisburg  on  the  4th  of  March,  resulting  in  the 
nomination  of  Sir.  Shulze  on  the  5th.  Those  dissat- 
isfied with  this  result  united  with  the  opposition  in 
the  convention  held  at  Lewistown  at  the  time  desig- 
nated by  the  former  convention  on  the  15th  of  May, 
and  nominated  Hon.  Andrew  Gregg,  of  Centre 
County,  Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth  under  Gov- 
ernor Hiester. 

Recurring  to  local  politics,  what  was  styled  an  In- 
dependent Republican  meeting  of  the  citizens  of 
Centre  and  Clearfield  Counties  was  held  at  Bellefonte 
on  the  3d  day  of  May,  David  Mitchell,  chairman  ; 
William  Allison,  secretary.  The  committee  on  reso- 
lutions consisted  of  William  A.  Patterson,  James 
Potter,  John  Benner,  James  Harbison,  and  George 
Henning.  John  Thompson,  Esq.,  was  selected  as 
delegate  to  the  Lewistown  convention,  and  Hamilton 
Humes,  John  M.  Beuck,  and  David  Lamb  ajipointed 
a  committee  of  correspondence. 

Mr.  Gregg  was  nominated  on  the  loth'  as  above 
stated,  and  in  the  next  issue  of  the  Patriot,  Mr.  Henry 
Petriken,  in  a  double-leaded  column  and  a  half,  gives 
twenty-seven  reasons  for  not  supporting  Mr.  Gregg, 
beginning  with  Mr.  Gregg's  vote  on  the  Jay  treaty, 
1795,  and  winding  up  with  a  charge  of  Mr.  Gregg's 
opposition  to  Republican  principles.  The' bitterness 
engendered  aroused  the  Irish  blood  of  Mr.  Gregg's 
friends  and  brought  on  personal  encounters,  notably 
one  on  the  19th  of  June,  in  which  some  of  the  princi- 
pal citizens  of  Bellefonte  took  a  hand. 

The  Democratic  County  Convention  assembled  on 

iTho  vote  ill  convention:  Andrew  Grcgp,  01;  N.  B.  Boilenu,9;iJona- 
tllllll  Roberts,  2.  G.ivcnior  Hiester  in  ii  letter  to  tho  convention  declined 
renomination.  Col.  James  McFarlnne,  of  Mifflin  County,  was  president 
of  the  convention. 


POLITICAL— AGRICULTURAL   SOCIETIES. 


65 


tlie  27th  of  August,  Jacob  Kryder,  president;  James 
M.  Petrikin,  secretary  ;  and  the  following  ticket  was 
placed  in  nomination :  Senator,  Thomas  Burnside ; 
Assembly,  John  Mitchell  and  Martin  Hoover;  com- 
missioner, Joseph  Gilliland  ;  auditor,  James  Craw- 
ford, who  were  all  elected  in  October.  The  majority 
in  the  county  for  Shulze  was  1146.  Mr.  Gregg  only 
carried  one  township,  that  of  Half-Moon.  Vote: 
Shulze,  1895;  Gregg,  749;  and  the  majority  in  the 
State  for  Governor  Shulze  was  25,717. 

Tlie  Federal  party  had  altogether  disappeared  as 
such,  and  the  dispute  of  the  pamphlets  and  news- 
papers of  1823  was  almost  wholly  whether  to  the 
Shulze  or  Gregg  party  belonged  the  regular  mantle  of 
the  Democratic  party.  Both  sides  in  all  their  pam- 
phlets claimed  to  be  Democratic-Republican  and  the 
regular  ones.  Mr.  Gregg's  age  was  urged  .against 
him  by  his  opponents;  they  added  five  years  to  it, 
making  him  seventy-three,  and  argued  against  the 
propriety  of  electing  a  man  so  aged.  One  pamphlet 
asserted  he  was  a  foreigner,  born  in  Ireland,  and  edu- 
cated for  the  ministry  at  Dublin,  confounding  him, 
no  doubt,  with  his  son-in-law,  Roland  Curtin.  In 
none  was  his  honesty  or  integrity  ever  impugned. 

He  was  attacked  upon  his  political  record,  his  vote 
in  favor  of  Jay's  treaty,  and  that  he  was  opposed  to 
the  war  of  1812.  Mr.  Gregg  was  not  in  the  Senate 
when  Jay's  treaty  was  ratified,  but  as  a  member  of 
tlie  House  of  Representatives  he  conceived  it  to  be  1 
his  duty  to  vote  fur  the  necessary  appropriations  to  \ 
carry  it  into  effect,  in  order  that  the  plighted  faith  of 
the  nation  might  be  kept.  As  to  the  war  of  1812, 
Mr.  Gregg  did  not  vote  against  the  declaration  of 
war,  but  he  was  of  opinion  that  it  would  be  better 
not  to  declare  war  until  the  country  was  better  pre- 
pared to  prosecute  it  with  vigor.  He  accordingly 
used  his  influence  to  prevent  a  declaration  at  tliat 
time,  and  to  procure  the  issuing  of  letters-of-marque 
and  reprisal  to  protect  our  own  commerce,  and  to 
bring  the  British  government  to  reason  by  retaliation 
upon  theirs.  The  disasters  of  the  first  campaign  of 
the  war  of  1812  proved  the  correctness  of  his  views. 
Finding,  however,  his  opinion  overruled,  he  voted  for 
the  declaration  of  war  under  a  conviction  that  in  so 
solemn  a  matter  it  was  important  the  country  should 
enter  upon  it  with  united  councils,  and  he  supported 
it  as  became  a  friend  to  the  country  and  a  senator 
from  Pennsylvania. 

The  real  struggle  in  1823  was  between  the  outs  and 
ins,  the  former  always  outnumbering  the  latter.  Mr. 
Gregg  as  Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth  was  to  a 
certain  extent  held  responsible  for  Governor  Hiester's 
acts;  at  all  events  the  "outs"  believed  their  chance 
for  office  rested  altogether  upon  a  change  of  admin- 
istration. 


CHAPTER    XXVIIL 

rOI.ITICAL— AGIirCULTUUAL  SOCI  KTIE.S— VOLUN- 
TEER COMPANIES. 

The  Bellffoiite  Patriot  of  Jan.  7,  1824,  now  pulj- 
lished  by  Thomas  J.  Petrikin,  commences  the  year 
with  an  article  on  the  Presidential  question. 
He  is  suspicious  of  Gen.  Jackson  because  1824, 
the  Federal  papers  favor  him,  and  says, 
Jackson  "is  a  worthy  man,  but  is  too  much  dis- 
posed to  cut  the  ears  out  of  the  heads  of  those  who  do 
not  favor  his  designs,"  and  after  canvassing  the  merits 
of  Adams  and  Crawford  concludes  that  John  C.  Cal- 
houn is  the  favorite  of  the  people  of  Pennsylvania. 

The  State  Convention  convened  at  Harrisburg 
March  4th,  John  Mitchell,  Martin  Hoover,  and 
Thomas  Burnside  representing  Centre  County.  An- 
drew Jackson  for  President  and  John  C.  Calhoun  for 
Vice-President  were  declared  for,  and  an  electoral 
ticket  composed  of  gentlemen  favoring  those  candi- 
dates was  selected.  Gen.  Philip  Benner,  of  Centre, 
being  one.  The  caucus  nominations  by  members  of 
Congress  at  Washington  of  William  H.  Crawford,  of 
Georgia,  for  President  and  Albert  Gallatin,  of  Penn- 
sylvania, for  Vice-President,  was  sat  down  upon  by 
the  convention  by  a  vote  of  two  yeas  (for  approving  of 
the  nomination) ;  nays,  one  hundred  and  twenty-three. 

The  county  meeting,  held  on  the  21st  of  August, 
Col.  William  Smyth,  president,  Patrick  Cambridge, 
secretary,  indorsed  the  nomination  of  Jackson  and 
Calhoun,  and  placed  John  Mitchell  in  nomination  for 
Congress.  The  Democratic  local  ticket  was  :  for  As- 
sembly, Jacob  Herring  and  James  M.  Petrikin ; 
Sheriff',  John  Keen  and  Robert  Tate;  Commissioner, 
John  D.  McMullin. 

Opposition  ticket,  John  Brown  for  Congress,  Wil- 
liam Smyth  for  Assembly.  John  Mitchell  had  a  ma- 
jority of  eighty-seven  in  the  district,  and  William 
Smylh  and  Jacob  Herring  were  elected  to  the  Assem- 
bly. On  the  Adams  and  Calhoun  ticket  Hon.  Charles 
Huston  was  placed  as  an  elector. 

Logan's  Branch  Woolen-Factory.— July  5,  1824, 
Gen.  Philip  Benner  commenced  operating  a  factory 
on  Logan's  Branch,  the  site  of  which  is  by  Mordecai 
Waddle's  residence  (1881),  where  carding,  fulling, 
and  dyeing  were  done.  William  G.  and  Ephraim 
Williams  carried  it  on.  It  was  burned  down  on  the 
night  of  Feb.  8,  1831,  but  forthwith  rebuilt  and  in 
operation  again  in  June,  1831. 

Agricultural  Societies. — The  first  agricultural  so- 
ciety for  Centre  County  originated  at  a  meeting  held 
in  Bellefonte  on  Wednesday  evening,  Aug.  25,  1824. 
John  G.  Lowrey  was  chairman ;  Gen.  Philip  Benner 
and  Gratz  Etting,  Esq.,  secretaries. 

In  the  act  of  Assembly,  passed  March  6, 1820,  "  for 
the  promotion  of  agriculture  and  manufactures,"  pro- 
vision was  made  for  the  formation  of  such  societies  in 
counties  where  the  county  commissioners  and  two- 


66 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


thirds  of  the  grand  jury  agree  in  uniting  thereto.  A 
bontis  of  fifty  dollars  for  every  member  of  the  House 
the  county  was  entitled  to  was  allowed  out  of  the 
county  treasury.  The  meeting  at  Bellefonte  ap- 
pointed a  committee  of  one  from  each  township  to 
carry  into  effect  the  business  of  the  act  of  Assembly. 

The  officers  elected  Oct.  27,  1825,  were  Thomas 
Burnside,  president;  Gratz  Etting,  secretary ;  and  John 
Norris,  treasurer;  Directors,  William  Smyth,  John 
Rankin,  Andrew  Hunter,  John  Thompson,  John  Fos- 
ter, John  G.  Lowrey,  Isaac  McKinney,  George  Shene- 
berger,  James  0.  Hannah,  and  Joseph  Green  ;  Com- 
mittee of  Correspondence,  W.  W.  Potter,  George  Bu- 
chanan, James  Duncan,  William  A.  Thomas,  and 
James  Potter. 

The  second  exhibition  of  the  society  was  held  at 
Bellefonte  on  Monday  and  Tuesday,  Oct.  16  and  17, 
1826.  The  domestic  manufactures  were  placed  in  the 
society  room  in  the  south  wing  of  the  court-house, 
and  the  cattle,  horses,  etc'.,  shown  on  Judge  Burn- 
side's  lots.  Andrew  Hunter  took  the  premium  for 
potatoes,  Abraham  Flack  for  corn,  Jacob  Armagost 
on  wheat,  Joseph  Miles  for  best  drawn  iron,  Jacob 
Houser  for  cloth,  Joseph  Montgomery  for  leather, 
Mrs.  George  Sheneberger  for  butter,  Jacob  Roop  for 
rifle,  Jacob  Kitlinger  for  best  cider,  Mrs.  Waddle  for 
linen,  David  Hunter  for  a  colt,  etc. 

The  third  annual  exhibition  and  cattle  show  of  the 
Agricultural  Society  of  Centre  County  was  held 
agreeably  to  the  constitution,  on  the  17th  and  18th 
days  of  October,  1827,  at  "  Potter's  Fort."  The  di- 
rectors attending  were  John  G.  Lowrey,  William 
Smyth,' Andrew  Hunter,  John  Thompson,  John  Fos- 
ter, George  Sheneberger,  and  James  C.  Hanna,  who 
made  the  following  report,  viz. : 

•'  Crops. 

"Of  wlie.it  and  rye  crops  no  stafeliicnts  were  received.  Tlie  onlv 
c.Mii  cnips  or  wl.ich  theiu  was  ■a»\-  cvi.leiice  i>iesented  of  tlio 
.piaolily  luisid  iieraeie  was  Iruin  J;iiiies  Laurinior.',  Jr..  of 
I'atloii  towiLsliip,  iiro.luoB  per  aorB  !,i.\lj-livo  liusliels  on  fif- 
teen acres,  tliB  sample  produced  of  good  quality.  Pieiiiinin 
awarded ?-|.00 

"A  statement  was  Duxde  for  Jolm  lieed,  of  Potter  township,  of  a  crop 
of  oats  of  twelve  acres,  aud  said  to  liave  yielded  seventy-five  l.n-liels  per 
aciP,  but  no  satisfactory  evidence  produced,  John  Reeil  being  al>.si-nl. 

"A  sample  from  a  cro|i  uf  potatcies  raised  Ijy  Jacob  Ilerriiisr,  Esi).,  of 
Gregg  lowiisliip,  said  to  Imvo  .^il■lded  lliiee  linndred  ami  filty  l.n^ll.■ls 
per  acie,  but  no  salisfacl.ny  evidence  produced,  Mr.  Herring  Ireiiin  sick 
aud  unable  to  attend.  To  Jlessrs.  Keed  and  Herring  premiums  nuiy  yet 
be  award,  ifany  members  of  the  Society  cau  make  the  ncccssaiy  ccrlifi- 
cates  respecting  tllese  crops. 

"  Horses,  Cattle,  Ktc. 

"To  n.  G.  lirisUn,  Totter  b.wnship,  fur  tlie  best  stallion  tliorongh- 

lue.l  liorau  JS.OO 

"T.i  .l.uiie-.  r.itter.  Putter  tu»n,bip,  fur  tlie  t.est  slallion  for  saddle 

and  l,;,rn.-s< COO 

"Tc  llavi.i  HuMei,  Haines  townsliip,  for  the  best  blallion  lur  slow 

di-in^lil  5.00 

"Tn  1...  i_.    l;  ,.l,  I  -mu-Mii   i,,ni,-l„|,,  1,,,    l„^si  M„ll„jn  under 

1'    :  4.00 

"T"  .1.11,,.  I;, Ml,  r..ii.i  i,'.un-i,i,,.  III.    I..-,.|  I ,1  n,i,,e  l'..r'i.aa'.i']e'or'  ' 

liain.-.s    4.00 

"To.l.ihn  .McCy,  Poller  tow  n«liii.,loi  tlie  liestbiooil  mare  fur  slow 

ilnoiglit 4.00 

"To  William  Ueaid, Spring  lownsli  p,  for  the  best  mare  under  three 

•Maisuld 4.00 

"To.leiemiiili  Rankin,  Polt.-rtuwiisliip,s..cuii. I  best 4.00 

"Tu  William  livin,  Potter  towushii.,  for  the  best  bull 4.00 


"To  William  Beard,  Spring  township,  the  best  bull  nnder  two  years 

old ,.. 

"To  William  Hughes,  Potter  township,  the  best  milcli  cow 

"To  John  Keed,  Potter  township,  the  best  heifer 

"  To  James  Alexander,  Potter  township,  the  best  boar 


'Toe 


,  thi 


Ci.OO 
:i.oo 
2.in 

2.00 
2.00 

,  and  Mr.  Potter 


"  9Ir.  Biisbin  relinquished  the  wdiole  of  liis  ] 
three  dollars  of  his  preminm,  to  the  use  of  the  Society,  and  Messrs.  W. 
Irvin,  W.  Beard,  Jonas  Boal,  and  John  McCoy  gave  each  one  dollar  of 
their  premiums  to  the  use  of  the  Society. 

"Domestic  Manufactures. 
"To  Mrs.  Withington,  Potter  township,  for  the  best  wool 
i'best'""^!! 


"To  Mr.s.  Jolm 
"To  Mrs.  Benn 
'To  Mrs.  Spear 
"To    Dr.    Culiu 


S^i.OO 
township,  fur  se. 

liship,  lur  111.-  best  ragcaipeting 3.00 

lii)p.  tor  the  secuiid  best 2  00 

Haiii.s    tuwnsliiii,   fur  the   best   web- 

2.00 


"ToMi>.  \i  III  ill,  >    imp  tuwiisbip,  lur  llieliest  web  diaper 2  00 

"To  Mis.luiiii  hvin.  r.ilter  tuwiisliip,  fur  ihe  best  coverlet 2.00 

"Tu  same,  (ur  the  secund  Lest ].00 

"To  Hi's.  Kuiister,  Haines  township,  fur  the  best  counterpane 1.00 

"  To  Mi.s.Wilbinglon,  Potter  townshiii,  lor  the  best  pair  knit  woolen 

buse 1.00 

"To  Mi^    r  -M,  II tuwii^hip,  for  the  second  best 75 

"ToMi"i  I,  I    vMi-hip,  for  tile  best  pair  cotton  hose 100 


"  To 


.75 


To  Mrs.  Ptuii 
Tu  Mis   Fulsl 
To  Jlr,  Kil/se 

I-,  r.iii 

r.  lliiii 
aid,  11, 

To  Saniiul  I',- 

Ui.l     1 

To  P.  Wilsuii. 
To  Ilev.  Ueui;, 

■  Mil.  , 

imitation  iif  broadcloth 3.00 

be  best  web  blanketing •'i.OO 

ilie  second  best 2.llil 

li  .St  pair  plain  hoots 1  llO 

.iJYeaiiieV.'!!"!!!!!"""!!!!!"  2^00 
s 2.011 


uf  hi 


1  leallic 


ship, 


"  Several  sides  of  sole  leather,  of  Inirness  leather,  and  lots  of  calf-skin 
were  presented,  all  of  them,  in  the  opinion  of  the  directors,  of  excellent 
quality  and  superior  workm.rnship. 
"To  George   llostennan,  Haines  township,  tor  the  best    maple- 


i.oo 


"BIrs.  M'ithiiigton  relinquished  thret 
lauiui'l  Petlit  three  dollars  of  his,  to  tin 


dollars  of  her  premiums,  am 
use  uf  the  Society. 
"Gratz  Ettino,  Secretary" 


Agreeably  to  the  constitution  an  election  was  held 
for  the  officers  of  the  society  for  the  ensuing  year, 
when  the  following  persons  were  duly  elected,  viz.: 
President,  John  G.  Lowrey;  Secretary,  Bond  Valen- 
tine; Treasurer,  Andrew  Gregg,  Jr. ;  Directors,  James 
Duncan,  James  Potter,  George  Sheneberger,  Daniel 
O'Brien,  William  Patton,  James  Cook,  William 
Smyth,  James  Irvin,  William  A.  Thomas,  Andrew 
Hunter. 

The  present  society  (1882)  was  organized  Jan.  28, 
1851.  Hon.  George  Boal  was  the  first  president, 
James  Gordon,  of  Walker,  TJiomas  Mayes,  of  Potter, 
J.  L.  Gray,  of  Half-Moon,  Michael  Decker,  of  Gregg, 
vice-presidents ;  J.  T.  Hoover,  of  Bellefonte,  and  ^V'. 
G.  Waring,  of  Harris,  secretaries;  and  annual  fairs 
were  held  at  different  points  in  the  county.  In 
May,  1868,  the  society  purchased  of  the  trustee.s  of 
W.  A.  Thomas'  estate  nineteen  acres  of  ground  near 
Bellefonte  at  two  hundred  dollars  per  acre,  and  ex- 
pended considerable  money  in  fitting  up  one  of  tlie 
best  natural  fair-grounds  in  the  State,  and  the  exhibi- 
tions became  permanent  at  Bellefonte.  The  officers 
for  1881  are  E.  W.  Hale,  president;  S.  D.  Ray, secre- 
tary ;  with  an  executive  committee  composed  of  Clem- 
ent Dale,  Esq.,  of  Bellefonte  ;  Austin  Curtin,  of  Cur- 
tin;  A.  V.Miller,  Pleasant  Gap  ;  William  Tliompson, 
Jr.,  of  Lemont ;  G.  D.  Green,  of  Patton  ;  and  Isaac 
Fraiue,  of  Walker. 


IRON   WORKS— CANAL   IMPROVEMENT— POLITICAL. 


C7 


Volunteer  Companies,— A  company  called  the 
Lamar  Volunteer  Infantry  was  in  existence  and 
trained  with  the  militia  in  the  spring  of  1824.  The 
Centre  Gnards  Volunteer  Company  was  formed  at 
Bellefonte  in  May,  1824.  The  uniform  of  the  latter 
company  was  citizen's  plain  blue  coat,  white  pants 
and  vest,  black  cravat,  citizen's  hat,  black  cockcade 
and  stockings.  John  Armor  was  orderly  sergeant. 
Jealousy  produced  by  the  election  of  officers  for  the 
Centre  Guards  resulted  in  the  formation  in  the  same 
month  of  "  The  Farmers'  and  Mechanic  Infantry." 
This  is  indicated  in  the  advertisement  for  the  forma- 
tion of  the  latter  company  :  "Those  belonging  to  the 
Guards  allege  that  political  distinction  is  to  be  intro- 
duced in  the  new  company.  Such  is  not  the  fact.  The 
farmers  and  mechanics  are  on  the  one  side,  and  the 
gentlemen  or  those  who  please  to  call  themselves  so  on 
the  other  side,"  etc. 

Hotel-Keepers    in    1825.  —  Bald  Eagle.  — 
llu;j;h  White,  J.  Johnston,  William  Alexander. 

Bcllefouie. — William  Fatten,  John  Rankin,  Henry 
F.  Tamany,  Evan  Miles,  Joseph  Butler. 

Boggs. — Daniel  Barber,  Robert  Tipton,  Archibald 
Moore,  James  Brown.     William  Hinton  in  1826. 

Ferguson. — John  Harter,  John  Barron,  Jeremiah 
Culbertson. 

Haines. — C.  Goldman,  Jacob  Swentzel,  Abraham 
High.  1826,  David  Cooke,  Israel  Pennington,  and 
Samuel  Thomas. 

Logan. — Anthony  Kleckner. 

Miles. — Jacob  Snyder,  Jacob  K.  Hetlinger,  Leonard 
Stump. 

Patton. — Matthew  Adams. 

Potter. — George  Withiugton,  John  C.  Coverly. 

Spring. — Paulser  Sellers. 

Walker. — John  Snyder. 

In  August,  1825,  the  road  from  Aaronsburg  to  the 
Brush  Valley  Narrows,  between  Jlillheim  and  Brush 
valley,  was  laid  out  and  ordered  to  be  opened. 


1825. 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 

IROX-WORKS  IN  CENTRE  COUNTY  IN  1S2G— CANAL 
IMPROVEMENT  AND  POLITICAL— CENTRE  DEMO- 
CRAT AND  CENTRE  RERICUTER  ESI'ABLISUED. 

A  WEITER  in  the  Bellefonte  Patriot,  under 

1826.     date  of  Feb.  23,  1826,  gave  the  following  as 

the  iron-works  in  Centre  County  at  that  time : 

"  PetmsijUanm  i'liniace.— Situated  about  twenty  miles  from  Bellefonte, 
iiiiJ  uu  tlie  margin  of  the  county.  The  fnruaee,  slack,  nearly  all  tlie 
liiiililinjss,  (irc-ljank,  coaling-ground  are  within  Centre  County,  and  the 
Biipidies  of  provisions,  etc.,  are  principally  derived  from  tliis  counly.  I 
am  thus  paiticulav,  aa  the  Huutiugdon  writer  claims  this  furnace.  It 
makes  about  fifloen  hundred  tousof  pig-metal  annually.  II  is  the  prop- 
eity  of  Jlessrs.  Stewart  &  Lyon. 

•'  Tassey  Furnace.— Situated  about  fourteen  miles  from  Bellefonte,  at 
the  foot  of  Tussey  Mountain.    I'his  furnace  has  becu  out  of  blast  for 


nSpriLE 
and  turn* 


linndred 
entiurs  Sc 


some  years,  Init  Is  capable  of  innklng  npwnjd,!  of  one  Ihounand  tons  of 
pig-metal  annujilly.    It  l«  al«o  the  property  of  iUmta.  Stewnil  4  I,y..ii. 

"  Onire  /''iirnnce.— Situated  about  nine  miles  from  Billofonte,  dheclly 
oppokite  the  end  of  Nitlany  Mountain.  This  furnace  has  not  been  in 
operation  for  a  inimher  of  years,  but  iiroparations  are  now,  and  have  been 
for  some  time,  making  by  JUsars.  Jliles  4  Green,  and  they  expect  to 
have  it  in  blast  in  May  next.  It  is  capable  of  making  flftceu  hundred 
tons  pig-metal  annually. 

"  Spring  fiiriKice.— Situated  about  four  miles  from  Bellefmte 
Creek.  This  furnace  is  capable  of  making  upwardsof  luie  ihu 
pig-metal  annually.    It  ia  the  property  of  Con.  Benner. 

"  iojan  ParMdce.— Situated  three  miles  from  ISellefonIo,  o 
Branch  of  Spring  Creek.  This  furnace  makes  .aliont  twelv 
tons  of  pig-metal  annually.  It  ia  tlie  property  of  Jlcasrs.  Vii 
Thomas. 

"EaijU  Furnace.— Situated  about  Ave  miles  from  Belleronle,  in  Bald 
Eagle  Valley,  is  capable  of  making  twelve  hundred  tons  of  pig-metal 
annually.    It  is  the  property  of  Roland  Curtin,  E-q, 

"ilf(»(n(  7/cc/a  Fiiniace.— Situated  about  seven  miles  from  Bellefonte, 
in  Logan's  Gap  of  Nittany  Mountain,  was  built  the  past  season,  and  will 
bo  in  blast  in  a  few  days.  This  furnace  ia  expected  to  make  twelve 
hundred  tons  of  pig-metal  annually.  It  ia  the  property  of  Judgu  31c- 
Kinney. 

"Clearfield  Furnace. — Situated  on  the  Susquehanna  Biver,  and  imme- 
diately within  the  lino  of  Clearfield  County.  This  furnace  is  capable  of 
producing  twelve  hundred  tons  of  pig-metal  annually.  A  cupola  ia  at- 
tached to  it.  These  woiks  may  be  fairly  estimated  as  belonging  to  thia 
county,  as  neatly  all  the  supplies  necessary  for  carrying  them  on  are 
drawn  from  it.  Thedistance  from  Bellefonte  isabout  twenty-four  miles 
and  they  are  the  property  of  P.  A.  Karthaus,  Esq. 

"  WaMngton  Fiiniacc— Situated  filteen  miles  from  Bellefonle,  on 
Fishing  Cteek.  This  furnace  litis  not  been  in  operation  lor  sonio  years, 
but  enterprising  men  have  been  lately  examining  it,  anil  it  is  belii-ved  it 
will  be  in  full  opeiation  the  next  or  following  season.  It  is  capable  of 
niaking  twelve  linndred  tons  of  pig-metal  annually.  It  is  the  pnipeity 
of  31r.  Henderson. 

"  PhiUpshiirg  Forge. — Situated  twenty-nine  miles  from  Bellefonte,  on 
the  waters  of  the  Big  Mosliannon,  makes  about  two  linndred  tons  annu- 
ally. This  enterprising  company  have  also  a  manufactoty  for  making 
wood-screws,  which  are  in  every  way  superior  to  those  imported.  They 
are  made  with  great  facility  and  in  great  quantitiea.  To  tlie  screw  man- 
ufactory is  attached  a  cupola.  They  are  collectively  the  luoperty  of 
Hardman  Philips,  Hsq.,  &  Co. 

"  Rock  Forgen. — Situated  about  four  and  five  miles  from  Bellefonte,  are 
capable  of  making  six  liuiidred  tons  of  b.ir  iron  annually.  There  is  also 
a  rolling-mill  for  rolling  boiler,  nail,  slit,  and  sheet  iron,  and  a  nail  man- 
ufactory cotiiipcted  with  these  works,  the  property  of  Gen.  Benner. 

"  Bellefonle  Forge. — Situated  half  a  mile  from  Bellefonte,  on  Logan's 
Branch  of  Siiring  Creek.  Messrs.  Valentines  4  Thomas,  the  owners  of 
this  forge,  are  at  present  engaged  in  erecting  a  new  forge  on  the  same 


stream,  a  short  distance  above  their  presei 
be  in  operation  in  June  next.    They  also  h 

"  J?..;(inr;-iira(.— For  rol I  i tig  bar  iron  fi-om 
these  forges  they  expert  to  make  eight  bun 
nail,  and  slit  iron  annually. 

" Mttesbnroiig^i  Forge. — Situated  one  mile 
in  the  gap  of  Miiucy  Moiiiitaiii,  on  tlie  wa 
forge  is  capableof  making  lourhuiidied  ton 


It  one,  which 
live  lately  erected  i 
the  bloom.  Colini 
dred  tunsof  bar,  b. 


ally.    Co 


xpected  t 


Bald  Eagle 
nnnally.    It 


"  Itolling-mtl.—Tor  rolling  boiler,  sheet,  nail,  and  slit  iro 

"  Xtiil  .Maiutfaclnrii.—.\n  of  which  do  a  considerable  busi 
are  owned  collectively  by  Gen.  Miles  &  Co. 

"Eagle  Forje.— Situated  five  miles  from  Bellefonte,  . 
Creek,  is  capable  of  making  four  linndred  tons  of  bar  iron 
is  the  property  of  Roland  Curtin,  Esq. 

"  Washington  F.irjs.— Situated  flfteen  miles  from  Bellef.inle,  on  Fish- 
ing Creek,  is  capable  of  making  three  hundred  tousof  bar  iron  annnallv. 
This  forge  has  not  been  in  operation  f.ir  a  few  yeai-s  past,  but  It  i.a  nut 
much  out  of  repair,  and  without  doubt  will  be  started  shoitly.  It  ia  Uie 
property  of  lilr.  Henderson. 

"Harvey's  Forge. — Situated  about  twenty  miles  from  Bellef.aile.  on 
Fishing  Creek,  is  capable  of  making  four  hundred  tons  of  bar  irnn  an- 
nually.   This  forgo  is  in  a  similar  situation  with  Washington  Forge. 

"  From  the  above  it  appears  the  iron-works  in  this  county  are  ca|uible 
of  making  annually  eleven  thousand  tons  of  pigm.-tal  and  three  t  :oi:- 
sand  one  hundred  tons  of  bar  iron  ;  and  this  quantity,  no  doubt,  would 
be  greatly  increased  by  increased  fucililiesof  trauspDrtatiuu  to  maik^-l." 


C3 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


January  23ci,  a  large  meeting  was  held  at  Belle- 
fonte,  Gen.  Benner  presiding,  with  James  Duncan 
and  John  G.  Lowrey  as  secretaries,  which  passed 
strong  resolutions  in  favor  of  a  canal  to  connect  the 
eastern  and  western  waters  of  the  State. 

On  the  4th  of  March,  1826,  the  Democratic  Con- 
vention, which  met  in  Harrisburg,  renominated  John 
A.  Shulze  for  Governor.  Dr.  William  Darlington,  of 
Chester  County,  was  president  of  the  convention. 
Henry  Petrikin  and  Jacob  Kryder  were  the  delegates 
from  Centre  and  Clearfield.  The  only  ripple  in  the 
convention  was  caused  by  a  resolution  offered  by  Mr. 
Bull,  of  Bradford  County,  on  confidence  in  the  patri- 
otism and  integrity  of  Gen.  Andrew  Jackson,  and 
approval  of  his  conduct.  The  resolution  wa?  opposed 
by  Mr.  Petrikin  and  others,  as  being  foreign  to  the 
object  of  the  convention,  and  as  impolitic  to  indicate  a 
choice  of  a  candidate  three  years  in  advance,  but  it 
carried  by  a  vote  of  ninety-three  to  seven. 

At  a  Democratic  meeting  held  at  Bellefonte  on  the 
29th  of  August,  Thomas  Burnside  acting  as  president, 
and  Walter  Longwell  and  James  Macmanus,  Esq.,  as 
secretaries,  Hon.  John  Mitchell  was  renominated 
for  member  of  Congress.  The  committee  upon  reso- 
lutions was  composed  of  James  Duncan,  Joseph  Gilli- 
land,  Henry  Petrikin,  John  Rankin,  and  Gen.  Philip 
Benner. 

The  convention  of  delegates  was  held  on  the  12th 
of  September,  Walter  Longwell  chairman,  and  James 
Ferguson  secretary,  when  the  following  ticket  was 
recommended:  Governor,  J.  A.  Shulze;  Congress, 
John  Mitchell;  Assembly,  Greenwood  Bell,  of  Clear- 
field, and  James  M.  Petrikin  ;  Commissioner,  Jacob 
Kryder;  Auditor,  Walter  Longwell. 

There  were  no  political  issues  thrust  before  the 
people  during  this  year.  The  candidates  for  Congress, 
Messrs.  Mitchell,  Brown,  and  Allison,  all  being  within 
the  party  pale,  a  preference  was  claimed  and  awarded 


the  Centre  County  candidate,  because  Mifilin  and 
Huntingdon  had  been  served.  Henry  Petrikin,  of 
Bellefonte,  was  nominated  by  the  conferees  of  Ly- 
coming, Potter,  McKean,  Centre,  and  Clearfield  to 
fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  resignation  of  Judge 
Burnside  in  the  State  Senate.  At  a  meeting  of  the 
citizens  of  Bald  Eagle  township,  held  at  the  house  of 
Alexander  Mahon,  William  Hazlett,  president,  Rob- 
ert McCormick,  secretary,  David  Allen,  of  that  town- 
ship, was  nominated  for  Senate.  The  people  of  Clear- 
field County  in  several  meetings  expressed  their 
preference  for  Martin  Hoover.  Gen.  Philip  Benner 
was  also  put  in  nomination  by  his  friends  in  Centre 
County.  James  Macmanus,  Esq.,  who  had  been  a 
conferee  to  the  District  Convention,  which,  on  the 
ISth  of  September,  nominated  Henry  Petrikin  for 
senator,  had  a  diflicultj'  about  some  matters  with  Mr. 
Petrikin,  and  turned  in  with  the  opposition  to  the 
Petrikin  rule,  as  it  was  called,  and  a  brisk  battle 
commenced  within  the  party.  The  time  was  too 
short,  being  only  a  fortnight  before  the  election,  to 
defeat  Mr.  Petrikin,  but,  aided  by  Roland  Curtin, 
Sr.,  Andrew  Gregg,  Sr.,  he  carried  Centre  County 
for  Gen.  Benner  by  a  majority  of  seventeen  votes. 
Mr.  Petrikin,  however,  carried  the  district.  Centre, 
Clearfield,  Lycoming,  Potter,  and  McKean,  by  a  ma- 
jority of  two  hundred  and  eighty-four.  This  placed 
two  more  brothers  in  oflBoe, — John  D.  Petrikin  was 
county  treasurer,  having  succeeded  James  M.,  who 
was  treasurer  in  1825;  James  M.  was  elected  to  the 
House,  and  Henry  to  the  Senate.  On  the  Presiden- 
tial question  at  this  date  the  Petrikins  and  Judge 
Thomas  Burnside  were  for  John  Quincy  Adams,  Mr. 
Macmanus  and  his  side  of  the  house  for  Gen.  Jack- 
son. The  contest  became  warm  and  personal,  and  its 
influence  can  be  traced  in  tlie  results  of  local  elec- 
tions for  many  years,  in  the  establishment  of  the 
Centre  Democrat  by  Gen.  Benner,  etc. 


OFFICIAL   ELECTION   KETUBXS   OF   CENTRE  COUSTT,   OCT.   10,  1826. 


Districts. 

Govcriior. 

Congress 

Sen 

ite. 

Assembly. 

Cummissiouer. 

1 
< 

E 
^ 

a 

.1 

< 

& 

n 

p.' 

"-3 

1 

W 

^ 

104 
1!4U 
]G:i 
1^2 
44 
OT 
47 
C9 
60 
103 
25 
50 
44 
127 

18G 
200 
127 
91 

3a 

OD 
43 
72 
60 

116 
30 
50 
45 

lOJ 

2 
41 
101 

s 

0 
0 

1 

3 
19 
4 

4 
0 
29 

49 

38 
3:1 

6 
41 
35 
10 
15 

4 
10 

4 

4 
30 

133 
65 
!ll 
63 
31 
91 
4U 
Ct 
4.1 
09 
19 
42 
38 
70 

103 
220 
177 
6(1 
13 
43 
39 
18 
49 
24 
19 
16 
10 
01 

is;i 
114 

167 
81 
43 
82 
64 
79 
60 

105 
3U 
48 
47 

113 

216 
li27 
234 
91 
28 
123 
75 
82 
93 
120 
42 
55 
49 
158 

93 
20S 
128 
50 
17 
39 
18 
7 
44 
17 
12 
9 
2 
49 

60 
144 
183 
27 
6 
03 
04 
77 
65 
39 
30 
9 
23 
115 

190 
136 
77 
95 
38 

8 
13 

6 
25 
72 

0 
48 
24 
46 

PnttLT 

IS,iM  Eaylf 

^ 

1365 

1201 

211 

323 

871 

S8S 

lloS 

1502 

093 

894 

777 

CENTRE  DEMOCRAT  AND  BERICHTER— THE  JACKSON  CAMPAIGN. 


C9 


For  Governor,  Mr.  Shulze  had  no  opposition.  Mr. 
Mitchell's  majority  for  Congress  in  the  district  over 
Mr.  Brown  was  1438;  over  Mr.  Allison,  580. 

The  Bellefonte  Patriot  of  Nov.  16,  1826,  records  the 
fact  that  on  Saturday  previous  a  number  of  Virgin- 
ians made  their  appearance  at  Bellefonte,  having 
before  the  dawn  of  day,  in  the  name  and  by  the 
authority  of  the  commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania  cap- 
tured and  made  prisoners  two  negroes  a  little  distance 
from  the  town.  They  were  claimed  as  runaway  slaves. 
They  were  paraded  through  the  streets,  bound  hand 
and  foot  with  ropes,  and  taken  to  jail.  There  was 
many  an  eye  to  pity  but  none  to  save. 

During  the  day  an  investigation  took  place  before 
Judge  Burnside  of  the  right  of  those  claiming  them 
to  carry  into  bondage  these  miserable  blacks,  and 
resulted  in  their  being  awarded  according  to  the  evi- 
dence adduced,  and,  according  to  law,  the  property 
and  slaves  of  those  having  them  in  custody. 

In  1827,  William  Cox  Ellis,  of  Muncy,  and  Robert 
McClure,    Esq.,   of    Williarasport,   were    the 
1827.     candidates  for  State  Senate;   Thomas   Hast- 
ings,  James   M.    Petrikin,    Greenwood  Bell, 
Esq.,  of  Clearfield. 

For  sheriff  the  candidates  were  Joseph  Butler,  John 
D.  McMullen,  John  Neff,  Robert  Tate,  Philip  Benner, 
Jr.,  Robert  Watson,  John  M.  Rankin,  Jacob  Bollin- 
ger, and  Robert  Speer;  for  county  commissioner, 
Anthony  Kleckner,  Edward  Perdue,  Robert  Elder, 
and  Balser  Sellers. 

Mr.  Ellis  was  nominated  by  the  Lycoming  conven- 
tion for  the  Senate,  Henry  Petrikin,  conferee  from 
Centre,  agreeing  thereto;  "but  the  Democracy  of 
Centre  seemed,"  as  expressed  by  a  writer  of  the  day, 
"  to  have  choked  on  him,  being  so  recently  from  the 
very  head  of  the  Federal  party,  and  the  worthy  Mc- 
Clure, a  more  moderate  Federalist,  was  elected.'" 

Merchants  of  1827. — The  following  is  a  correct 
list  of  those  persons  who  have  been  returned  to  the 
treasurer  of  Centre  County  as  retailers  of  foreign 
merchandise,  including  wines  and  spirits  :  John  Fors- 
ter,  Jr.,  John  McGhee,  Huston  &  Irvine,  Nathan 
Harvey  (two  stores),  George  Bressler,  Plunibe  &  Mc- 
Girk, Duncan  &  Forster,  Alexander  Graham,  Israel 
Bigelow,  Norton  &  Wasson,  James  and  John  Potter, 
David  Duncan,  H.  Philips  &  Co.,  Henry  Lorain, 
James  Kelogg,  Jr.,  Cambridge  &  Petrikin,  P.  Benner, 
Jr.,  &  Bros.,  Smith  &  Gregg,  Samuel  Patton,  Samuel 
Hepburn. 

The  following  have  been  licensed  as  retailers  of 
foreign  merchandise  only  :  James  Johnston,  William 
Bailey,  James  Irvin,  Stewart  &  Lyon,  Robert  & 
James  Cook,  John  Irvin,  McKinney  &  Smyth,  Ro- 
land Curtin,  Valentines  &  Thomas,  John  Johnston, 
Isaac  McKinney,  Irvine  &  Smith,  Henry  Adams, — 
J.  D.  Petrikis,  Trcmurer. 

In  November  or  December,  1827,  Gen.  Philip  Ben- 
ner established  The  Centre  Democrat  at  Bellefonte.  It 
was  edited  and  published  by  Thomas  Simpson.     The 


general  dismissed  Simpson  for  an  article  abusive  of 
his  Quaker  friend  William  Cox  Ellis,  and  placed  Wil- 
liam Piatt  in  charge.  Piatt  was  succeeded  by  John 
Bigler,  afterwards  Governor  of  California,  in  1830, 
and  Nov.  19,  1831,  John  Bigler  purchased  the  paper 
from  Gen.  Benner,  and  Dec.  7,  1831,  commenced  re- 
numbering the  paper  Vol.  I.,  No.  1,  as  the  Centre 
County  Democrat.  He  completed  two  volumes,  when, 
Jan.  10,  1834,  Hon.  S.  T.  Shugert  became  owner  and 
editor,  and  resumed  the  old  name  Centre  Democrat. 
In  September,  1836,  Col.  E.  V.  Everhart  became  a 
partner  of  Mr.  Shugert,  but  retired  March  18,  1837. 
Col.  Everhart  died  at  Philadelphia,  Aug.  4,  1854, 
aged  forty  years.  In  February,  1840,  Mr.  Shugert 
associated  John  T.  Herd  with  him,  but  Mr.  Herd  re- 
tired in  August,  1840.  In  the  fall  of  1842  it  passed 
into  the  hands  of  John  H.  McFadden. 

Feb.  5,  1845,  Mr.  McFadden  and  Gen.  William  H. 
Blair  entered  into  partnership  in  its  publication.  Sep- 
tember 16th,  William  H.  Blair  became  the  editor  and 
proprietor.     John  H.  McFadden  died  in  1850. 

Gen.  Blair  conducted  it  until  May,  1852,  when  Col. 
James  F.  Weaver  became  proprietor,  and  edited  it  as 
a  Democratic  paper  until  Nov.  1, 1854,  when  it  passed 
into  the  hands  of  M.  P.  Croswaitbe  and  W.  W.  Brown, 
and  became  the  organ  of  the  Know-Nothing  party. 

Der  Centre  Berichter  was  established  at  Aaronsburg 
in  July,  1827,  by  Adam  Gentzel,  price  one  dollar  per 
year.  With  a  short  interval,  in  which  it  was  published 
by  John  Finkel,  it  remained  in  the  hands  of  Mr. 
Gentzel  until  1847,  when  the  office  was  purchased  by 
Ludwig  Kurtz,  of  York,  who  changed  the  name  to  the 
Demoh-atischcr  Berichter  und  Centre  County  Unzeigcr. 
Fred.  Kurtz  succeeded  his  father  in  1857,  and  con- 
ducted it  for  ten  years.  He  was  succeeded  by  Thomas 
J.  Kister.  Finally  Philip  D.  Stover  removed  the 
office  to  Millheim  in  1871,  and  sold  out  to  George 
W.  Foote  in  April,  1873.  In  May,  1876,  Mr.  Foote 
sold  to  Messrs.  Walter  and  Deininger,  who  changed 
the  name  to  the  Millheim  Journal.  In  May,  1880,  Mr. 
Walter  retired,  and  Mr.  Bumiller  became  associate 
editor.  It  was  at  first  a  German  newspaper.  Mr. 
Kurtz,  after  some  time,  filled  some  columns  with  ar- 
ticles in  the  English  language,  and  since  May,  1880, 
it  has  been  printed  altogether  in  English.  Its  poli- 
tics have  alwavs  been  Democratic. 


CHAPTER    XXX. 

THE  JACKSON  CAMPAIGN— RITKER  CAMPAIGN,  1329 
—CENSUS— TEMPERANCE  SOCIETY— POLITICAL. 

In  1828  the  tone  of  the  Patriot,  Henry  Petrikin's 
paper,  was  Adams ;    but  early  in  the  year  Jackson 
meetings  were  commenced.      His  friends  in 
Howard  township  met  at  the  house  of  John    1828- 
C.  Grubb.     Mr.  Grubb  was  chosen  chairman, 
James  Gardner  and  Oliver  B.  McClure  were  appointed 


TO 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


secretaries.  The  committee  on  resolutions  were  Gil- 
bert Leitch,  David  Askey,  H.  B.  Packer,  Henry  Neff, 
and  Jacob  Baker.  Roland  Cnrtin,  Samuel  Gardner, 
Job  Way,  Jacob  Neff,  Samuel  Cowperthwaithe,  Sam- 
uel Helmon,  and  Philip  Barnliart,  Jr.,  were  appointed 
a  committee  of  correspondence. 

The  following  list  contains  the  names  of  the  gentle- 
men who  are  appointed  committees  of  vigilance  for 
the  different  townships  to  promote  the  election  of 
Andrew  Jackson  : 

JBeHs/biite.— "William  Petit,  William  Putter,  James  Macmaniis,  Thomas 

McKee,  Thomas  Hastings,  Jj\,  Patiiek  Cambridge,  James   Ilulh- 

rock. 
Sogfjs  Toivjiship. — Col.  Henry  Barnliart,  Casper  Peters,  John   D.  Mc- 

Mullin,  John  W.  Miles,  Samuel  Patton,  Archibald  Moore,  Jacob 

Kitlinger,  James  Foster,  Ksq.,  Thomas  Watson,  Frederick  Malone. 
Bald  Eagle. — William  Richards,  David  Allen,  Esq.,  Huz.  Stevenson,  John 

Kirk,  .Tonathan  Belong,  John  Smith. 
Ferguson. — George  Sheneberger,  Cul.  James  Johnson,  John  Thompson, 

E«\.,  Daniel  O'Brjan,  John  Barter,  William  Mnrray,  Esq.,  James 

Huey,  P.M.,  George  Colemoyer,  George  Boal,  John  Bell,  Esq. 
Gregg.— JtAin  Whiteman,  Thomas  McElhany,  Esq  ,  George  Ilgau,  George 

Hoy,  John  Shuck,  Daniel  Hoover,  David  Cook. 
Howard. — Roland  Curtin,  Samuel  Gardner,  Job  Way,  Samuel  Cowper- 

thwaite,  Philip  Barnhart,  Jr. 
Half-Moon.— John  0.  Hartsock,  Mattliew  Diinond,  Thomas  Moore,  Jr., 

John  Blair,  William  M.  Kelly,  William  Liglity,  John  L.  Gray. 
Haines. — Jacob  Kryder,  Col.  Adam  Neidigh,  Jacob  Harter,  John  Morton, 

James  James,  Daniel  Spyker,  Jno.  Uosterman,  George  Weaver,  Adam 

GentzelI,Andrew  Harter. 
Logan. — Authony  Kleckner,  John  Shitz,  John  Shrock,  Samuel  McKisson, 

Esq.  • 

iamar.— John  McGhee,  John  Moran,  Hugh  McGonigle,  George  Ohl, 

David  Allison,  William  Miller  (Cedar  Spring),  William  C.  Wilson, 

Peter  Best.   ' 
STiks. — John  Sheaffer,  John  G.  Conser,  Esq.,  George  Bear,  Esq.,  .Tacob 

Kreamer,  George  Gramlj',  Christopher  Spangler. 
Porter.— Peter  Spangler,  William  Kert-,  Esq.,  John  Keller,  Walter  Long- 
well,  George  Jack,  John  Wheelen,  Jr.,  John  Duubermau,  Andrew 

Barbar,  Henry  Pennington,  George  Withington. 
Pu«on.— Moses  Thompson,  William  Williams,  Robert  Glen,  Peter  Gray, 

Capt.  John  Chambers,  Kphraim  Lamborn,  Abraham  Hartzogg,  James 

Laurimore,  J.  William  Henderson. 
Rush. — John  B.  Meek,  Jacob  Test,  James  Collins,  James  Kinnear,  Jr., 

James  McGirk. 
Sprmj.— Philip  Benner,  John  Barr,  Pulser  Sellers,  .Tohn  McBride,  Mat- 
thew Adams,  John  Weaver,  Gilbrait  Knox,  Henry  Hollabangh, 

James  Sharp, 
irn/ier.— Robert  D.  McBride,  Col.  William  Smyth,  John  McCalmont, 

Esq.,  James  Hutchison,  James  Allison,  James  Sterret,  Walter  Wan, 

William  McEweu,  Jr.,  George  Swartz,  Henry  Klopper. 

At  the  election,  October  31st,  the  Jackson  electors 
received  in  Centre  County  1998  votes,  and  the  Adams 
electors  453  votes. 

In  1828  the  officers  of  the  Centre  Troo|)  were  Samuel 
H.  Wilson,  captain;  John  Rankin,  first  lieutenant; 
William  Richard,  second  lieutenant;  Benjamin  Ben- 
net,  cornet. 

Of  business  interests  at  Bellefonte  were  the  Harris 
Mills,  grist  and  saw,  on  the  site  of  Reynolds'  present 
Phoenix  Mills;  C.  F.  W.  Seligman,  drug- and  grocery- 
store  ;  T.  Keckeler's  store;  Harris  &  Smith,  drug- 
and  apothecary-store.  In  AValker  township,  George 
McCormick,  fulling-mill,  late  Samuel  McKinney's. 
In  Howard  townsliip,  Montgomery  &  McFadden, 
tanners.  Of  hotels  at  Bellefonte  were  the  Franklin 
(lately  kept  by  William  Patton),  Benjamin  Bennet, 


proprietor,  and  the  Jackson  Hotel.  T.  Hastings,  Jr., 
opened  in  the  house  late  occupied  by  the  Centre  Bank, 
on  the  southeast  corner  of  Allegheny  and  Howard 
Streets. 

The  Democratic  Convention,  which  met  at  Harris- 
burg,  March  4th,  nominated  George  Wolf  for  Gover- 
nor, and  the  Anti-Masonic  Convention,  which 
met  June  25th,  nominated  Joseph  Ritner  for  1829. 
Governor.  Centre  County  was  not  represented 
at  the  latter  Convention.  We  can  find  but  one  record 
of  a  political  meeting.  This  was  held  by  the  citizens 
of  Ferguson  township  at  Daniel  O'Bryan's  tavern, 
James  Lourimore,  chairman,  Reuben  H.  Meek,  secre- 
tary. The  committee  on  resolutions  consisted  of 
William  McKee,  George  McCormick,  and  Ezra  D. 
Brisbin.  The  resolution  charged  that  George  Wolf 
was  nominated  by  Masonic  intrigue,  and  therefore 
they  would  oppose  his  election  and  support  Joseph 
Ritner  as  the  Democratic-Republican  candidate.  The 
committee  of  vigilance  appointed  for  the  township 
consisted  of  Dr.  Hugh  Montgomery,  Eli  Hastings, 
Col.  Joseph  Watson,  Hugh  Laurimore,  John  Hess, 
George  W.  Meek,  John  Archy,  and  David  Dale. 

In  January,  1830,  Joseph  B.  Anthony  and  A.  D. 

Hepburn  were  candidates  for  State  Senate  to 

1830 
fill  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  death  of  '■°""- 

Robert  McClure. 

On  the  26th  of  January  an  Anti-Masonic  county 
meeting  was  held  in  the  court-house;  William  Mc- 
Minn  presided,  and  John  Campbell  acted  as  sec- 
retary. The  delegates  appointed  to  the  Harrisburg 
Convention  were  William  Murray  and  William  W. 
Huston.  The  committee  of  vigilance  appointed  for 
Centre  County  consisted  of  William  Irvin,  J.  M. 
Petrikin,  John  Forster,  Jr.,  Joseph  Watson,  James 
Hazlet,  William  McMinn,  and  William  McEwen. 

CENSUS  OF  CENTRE  COUNTV,  JUNE  1,  1830. 

Whiles.        Colored. 

Bald  Eagle 8:i5  8 

Bellelonte 009  67 

Bnggs l.ail 

Ferguson 1.7.i.T  5 

Gregg 1,5G4 

Haine:;  l.S.il)  6 

Ilall-Moon !I'.I4  17 

Howard 1,'ilil  20 

Lamar l.-iU  15 

Loiian C(l:!  1 

Miles 1,0,H 

Patton 077  31 

Potter 1,87-2  10 

Rush 4111  7 

Spring I,:ill7  74 

Walker l,l)7li  4 

18,700  203 

Potter  had  one  male  slave  and  four  females. 

June  24th,  the  nail-factory,  rolling-mill,  and  saw- 
mill attached  to  the  forge  (now  Linn  &  McCoy's, 
north  of  Bellefonte)  of  Joseph  Miles  were  burned  by 
an  accidental  fire;  and  the  11th  of  July  the  large 
stone  house  of  Gen.  Benner  at  Rock  Forge,  occupied 
by  Tiiomas  R.  Benner,  w.is  burned,  supposed  to  have 
been  the  work  of  an  incendiary.  In  October,  Gen. 
Benner  notifies  his  tenants  to  call  and  pay  their  rents, 
either  at  Rock  Forge  or  Bellefonte.     As  he  has  over 


TEMPERANCE   SOCIETY— POLITICAL. 


71 


fifty  tenants,  he  says  he  cannot  ride  around  and 
settle  with  them. 

On  the  Fourth  of  July  the  Jackson  men  had  a  Dem- 
ocratic celebration ;  Charles  Treziyulny presided,  Isaac 
Evans  and  Bond  Valentine  were  vice-presidents,  Dan- 
iel I.  Pruncr  and  Thomas  Hastings,  Jr.,  were  secreta- 
ries, John  Bigler,  afterwards  Governor  of  California, 
read  the  Declaration,  W.  W.  Potter,  Esq.,  offered  the 
resolutions.  Among  the  toasts  was  the  following  odd 
one  given  by  Robert  McKim  :  The  surviving  sol- 
diers of  the  Revolution  :  may  some  Joseph  place  the 
silver  cup  of  Benjamin  in  each  of  their  sacks  while 
they  journey  through  the  land  of  promise  from 
"gloom  to  glory."  The  company,  to  the  number  of 
one  hundred,  partook  of  a  sumptuous  entertainment, 
])repared  by  William  Armor.  The  only  survivor  of 
the  long  list  of  toast-givers  that  day  is  James  Gilli- 
land,  who  resides  near  Washington,  D.  C.  (1881). 

In  the  fall  of  1830,  Bond  Valentine,  of  Bellefonte, 
and  James  Ferguson,  of  Clearfield,  were  named  for 
Assembly  at  a  meeting  held  in  Howard  township. 
John  NefF,  William  Bard,  Abraham  High,  Philip 
Dinges,  were  candidates  for  sheriff.  A  working- 
men  delegate  meeting  was  held  at  Walkerville,  in 
Half-Moon  townshij),  on  the  7th  of  August,  and 
put  in  nomination  John  Scott,  of  Huntingdon, 
for  Congress ;  James  Ferguson,  of  Clearfield,  and 
John  Hasson,  of  Centre,  for  Assembly ;  William 
AVard,  for  sheriff;  John  Thompson,  of  Half-Moon, 
for  commissioner  ;  John  W.  Miles,  of  Boggs,  for 
auditor.  Samuel  Johnston  was  chairman  of  this 
convention,  Samuel  Casey,  secretary.  A  paper  signed 
by  citizens  of  Howard,  addressed  to  Henry  Petrikin, 
asked  him  to  be  a  candidate,  and  he  consented. 
Robert  Allison,  Esq.,  ran  as  the  Anti-Masonic  candi- 
date for  Congress.  In  Centre  the  aggregate  vote  for 
John  Scott  was  1359 ;  for  Allison,  865.  Howard, 
Potter,  Ferguson,  Bald  Eagle,  Half-Moon,  and  Pat- 
ton  gave  Allison  majorities.  Potter  was,  perhaps, 
not  Anti-Masonic,  and  Mr.  Allison's  large  vote  there 
was  no  doubt  made  by  influential  friends,  but  the 
votes  of  the  other  Penn's  valley  townships  indicate  the 
early  stability  of  the  Democracy  :  Haines, — Scott, 
229;  Allison,  22.  Gregg,— Scott,  122;  Allison,  48. 
In  Logan  (Sugar  valley),  Scott  had  56  ;  Allison,  13. 
Rush's  vote  was  Scott,  43  ;  Allison,  5.  The  vote  iu 
Miles  was  Scott,  92;  Allison,  52.  In  Walker,  Scott 
had  119  ;  Allison,  14.  Howard  and  Ferguson  are 
the  heaviest  Anti-Masonic.  Howard,  for  Allison  113 
to  43  for  Scott;  Ferguson,  128  for  Allison,  55  for 
Scott.  Mr.  Allison  carried  the  district  by  878,  the 
vote  of  Huntingdon  County  being  the  factor, — 2366 
for  Allison,  947  for  Scott.  William  Ward  was  elected 
sheriff  of  Centre  County,  and  John  Thompson, 
county  commissioner.  Henry  Petrikin  and  Bond 
Valentine,  both  of  Centre,  were  elected  to  the  As- 
sembly over  John  Hasson  and  Lewis  Smith.  Hasson 
had  504  votes ;  Smith,  298.  Sheriff  Ward  received 
303  votes  over  the  united  votes  of  his  competitors. 


BELLETONTE  BOIiOUGir. 

Jlrceifis  and  ExpenflUurea  of  the  Boronyh  of  liHl'ftmte^  eommencintj  irirft, 

December,  ISM,  and  ending  iHlh  Srpttmber,  ISiO. 

K"C0ipt9 81(!24  0O 

lialunce  duo  treasurer J4.73 

Expenditures ?IO:i8.7.5 

By  baliince  due  treasurer 814.75 

Delita  due  liy  the  borough $4iO.»25iJ 

Due  the  huruuKh «83.8'J 

Expenses  of  Iiiyjug  pipes,  etc,  tliis  summer  not  asrertiiined. 

FUANKLIN  B.  Smith,  Treamrer. 

.lOUN   BiGl.KR, 

Thomas  JIcKef., 
John  Ca=8idav, 

Commillfe  of  Totcn  CoiindJ. 

In  February,  Humes  and  Proud  started  their  Eagle 

Paper-Mill,  near   Bellefonte,   manufacturing     

1831 
printing,  writing,  and  wrapping  paper.  aoua. 

In  March,  1831,  James  Smith,  of  Mill  Hall,  ran  a 
line  of  stages  between  Bellefonte  and  the  Great  Island. 
The  stage  left  Bellefonte  on  Mondays,  Wednesdays, 
and  Fridays,  at  eight  o'clock  a.m.,  and  reached  Great 
Island  at  one  p.m.,  returning  as  far  as  Mill  Hall.  Oa 
the  return  it  reached  Bellefonte  at  four  p.m.  of  alter- 
nate days, — Tuesdays,  etc., — at  the  same  time  with  the 
Harrisburg,  Erie,  and  Pittsburgh  stages.  Fare  from 
Great  Island  to  Bellefonte,  one  dollar  and  twenty-five 
cents  way  passage;  five  cents  per  mile. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Centre  County  Temperance 
Society  at  April  court,  the  following  officers  were 
elected  for  the  ensuing  year:  President,  Dr.  John 
Harris;  Vice-Presidents,  William  Pettit  and  Henry 
Vandyke;  Secretary,  Rev.  James  Linn;  Managers, 
Alfred  Armstrong,  Dr.  Charles  Coburn,  William  Cook, 
James  Hutchinson,  Rev.  George  I.  Miles,  David  Cook, 
Dr.  Daniel  Dobbins,  and  James  Crawford. 

The  Jackson  Democratic  County  Committee  this 
year  consisted  of  William  Kerr,  Philip  Benner,  George 
Hosterman,  Philip  Walker,  William  W.  Potter,  George 
Sheneberger,  Michael  Sehaeffer,  Henry  Barnhart, 
John  McCalmont,  and  Samuel  Smith. 

On  the  4th  of  July,  1831,  the  Democrats  held 
another  celebration  at  the  Big  Spring,  at  Bellefonte. 
W.  W.  Potter,  Esq.,  James  Gilliland,  Samuel  W- 
Beatty,  John  Bigler,  Isaac  Evans,  James  P.  Gregg, 
Charles  B.  Callahan,  Bond  Valentine,  Josiah  Kent,  and 
Edward  J.  Smith  were  on  the  committee  of  arrange- 
ments. Gen.  Benner  presided;  William  Carner, 
James  Rothrock,  Charles  Treziyulny,  and  Isaac  Evans 
were  vice-presidents.  The  dinner  was  prepared  by 
William  Armor. 

The  Jackson  Democratic  Convention  met  on  the 
23d  of  August,  Hon.  Jacob  Kryder,  of  Haines,  pres- 
ident, H.  B.  Packer,  of  Howard,  and  Adam  Gentzel, 
of  Haines,  secretaries.     The  delegates  were: 

Haines. — Jacob  Kryder,  Adam  Gentzel,  Esq. 

jl/(7e«.— John  SchaeflTer  and  George  Gast. 

Logan.— Co\.  Anthony  Kleckner  and  James  Schock. 

Gregg.— WaXter  Longwell,  John  Henney,  and  Wil- 
liam Kerr,  Esq. 


72 


niSTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Ferguson. — Charles  Carpenter. 
•    Spring. — Gen.  P.  Benner  and  George  Taylor. 

Boggs. — Thomas  Watson  and  John  Barnhart. 

Howard.— Co\.  H.  B.  Packer. 

Bald  Eagle. — James  Small. 

Bellefunte. — D.  I.  Bruner.  The  conferees  were  in- 
structed to  vote  for  John  G.  Lowrey  for  senate. 

Bond  Valentine  was  nominated  for  Assembly,  John 
Schaeffer,  of  Miles,  for  county  commissioner,  and  John 
W.  Miles,  of  Boggs,  for  auditor. 

The  National  Republican  or  Anti-Jackson  Conven- 
tion was  presided  over  by  Hon.  Thomas  Burnside; 
James  Duncan  and  George  Valentine  acted  as  sec- 
retaries. Committee  on  Resolutions,  George  Buch- 
anan, Charles  Carpenter,  William  W.  Houston,  S.  H. 
Wilson,  and  Thomas  Craighead,  Esq. ;  County  Com- 
mittee, Thomas  Burnside,  Michael  Musser,  Roland 
Curtin,  Philip  Wolfart,  George  Bressler,  John  Potter, 
James  Duncan,  W.  W.  Houston,  and  George  Buch- 
anan.    One  of  the  resolutions  was, — 

"Resolved,  That  as  free  citizens,  who  disdain  all 
blind  devotion  to  men,  we  cannot  support  the  re- 
election of  Gen.  Jackson  to  the  office  of  President  of 
the  United  States  when  we  firmly  believe  that  he  is 
governed  more  by  selfish  feelings  to  reward  his  par- 
tisans than  to  promote  the  public  good  ;  that  we  are 
satisfied  he  is  an  enemy  to  public  improvement  and 
to  the  promotion  of  the  industry  of  our  country,  etc." 

The  Lycoming  conferees  (Messrs.  Packer  and  Lloyd) 
for  senator  would  not  agree  that  Centre  County  should 
name  her  own  candidate,  and  insisted  that  Henry 
Petrikin  should  be  the  candidate.  Col.  Anthony 
Kleckner  and  W.  W.  Potter,  Esq.,  then  withdrew, 
and  nominated  John  G.  Lowrey.  Mr.  Petrikin  was, 
however,  elected  senator. 

Hon.  Thomas  Burnside  was  the  congressional  del- 
egate in  the  convention,  Dec.  16,  1831,  at  Baltimore, 
which  nominated  Henry  Clay  for  President  and  John 
Sergeant,  of  Pennsylvania,  for  Vice-President.  It  was 
styled  the  National  Republican  Convention. 

The  following  calculation,  made  by  Wardman  Phil- 
ips and  George  Valentine,  derived  from  average  re- 
turns submitted  to  the  general  convention  of  the 
friends  of  domestic  industry  assembled  in  New  York 
in  October  from  two  counties  most  extensively  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  iron, — namely,  Centre 
and  Huntingdon, — is  sufficiently  curious  to  be  put  on 
record : 

"Foreftch  ton  of  bur-iron  and  castings  made  the  following  agricul- 
tural produce  is  found  to  be  consuDied  : 

"20  bushels  of  wheat  and  rye,  average  at  75  cents $15  00 

57  pounds  of  pork  at  5 ^ 2>5 

43  pounds  beef  at  4 ].72 

10  pounds  butter  at  Vl^/i l.lio 

2  bushels  of  potatoes  at  30 60 

l^tou  of  bay,  J7 3.50 

"For  every  ten  tons  of  bar-iniu  one  bor-be  is  employed 
oney.ai-'s  w,>rlc,SU)0;  and  experience  sli.iws  that 
the  mortality  among  horses  so  eniph.yed  is  per  au- 
linm  one  in  seven,  and  coustitutesa  charge  of  per 

ton 1.43 

"For  fruit  and  vegetables,  uf  which  no  return  is  made, 

we  feel  justified  iu  putting  down 1,00 

"  Making  a  total  of. 827.25 


"  Every  five  tons  requires  one  able-bodied  man  throughout  the  year ; 
average  of  wages,  one  dollar  per  day ;  e.\penses  of  taking  to  market, 
ten  dollars  per  ton." 

November  19th,  John  Bigler,  having  bought  out 
Gen.  Benner,  became  proprietor  and  editor  of  the 
Centre  Democrat;  he  had  been  connected  with  the 
printing-office  for  three  years,  he  states.  He  changed 
the  name  to  The  Centre  County  Democrat,  and  com- 
menced a  new  volume. 

On  the  night  of  December  31st  the  grist-mill  situ- 
ated at  the  mouth  of  Hoy's  Gap,  belonging  to  Hon. 
Isaac  McKinney,  was  burned,  together  with  a  large 
amount  of  grain. 

December  24th,  Valentine  Ertle,  an  aged  man,  was 
committed  to  jail  of  Centre  County  for  the  murder  of 
his  own  son.  Both  were  under  the  influence  of  liquor 
and  the  father  grappled  the  son  by  the  throat  and 
choked  him  until  he  fell  and,  it  is  believed,  instantly 
expired.  He  was  tried  at  April  term,  1832,  on  an 
indictment  for  murder ;  Macmanus,  deputy  attorney- 
general,  conducting  the  prosecution  ;  the  defense 
being  conducted  by  Messrs.  Blanchard  and  Potter. 
The  jury  found  him  guilty  of  voluntary  manslaughter, 
and  the  court  sentenced  him  to  ten  years'  imprison- 
ment in  the  penitentiary ;  but  in  consideration  of  his 
advanced  age  the  court  recommended  the  prisoner  to 
the  mercy  of  the  Governor.  In  passing  sentence 
Judge  Burnside  remarked  that  in  every  case  which  had 
been  tried  in  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions  the  pres- 
ent term  within  his  judicial  district,  the  testimony 
showed  that  intemperance  had  prompted  to  the  com- 
mission of  the  offenses  ;  that  the  case  of  the  prisoner 
was  a  practical  lesson  to  every  man  in  the  commu- 
nity. 


CHAPTER  XXXL 

TEMPERANCE  SOCIETIES  FORMED— UNITED  STATES 
BANK    CONTEST— DEATU    OF    GEN.   BENNEK. 

LIST  OF  POST-OFFICES  AND   POSTM.\STEnS  IN  CENTRE 

COUNTY,  1832. 

With  the  respective  diBtances  of  the  piacea  from  Harrishurg. 

Aaroitshttrg.    Adam  Gentzel 88  miles. 

Bell-fmte.     Hamilton  Humes 85  " 

Bo:tlsbvrg.     Charles  Uaiuey ' 82  " 

Cedar  Spring.    Samuel  H.  Wilson 101  " 

Half-Moon.    John  Ulair 101  " 

Howard.     Hezekiab  li.  Packer 95  " 

Logan.'^    John  Zimmerman 92  " 

Mileshurg.    Joseph  Green,  Jr.^ 87  " 

Millheim.     Daniel  Keen 80  " 

Mill  Hall.    Nathan  Harvey 108  " 

AUtamj.     H.  W.  F.  Schullzo< 101  " 

Old  Fort.    George  Yonngman 75  " 

Pldlip^bmg.    John  Plumbe,  Jr 114  " 

Piue  nrore  Mitln.    Daniel  OUryan 8S  " 

Potter's  Mill.    James  Potter..  71  " 


1  Charles  Rainey  died  Nov.  .'10, 1844,  aged  seventy-three  years. 

2  The  post-office  of  Logan  removed  to  Hublersburg,  and  B.  D.  Hall 
appointed  postmaster  in  July,  1839. 

3  Isaac  BiifRngton  succeeded  Joseph  Green  in  February,  1839,  and  con- 
tinued postmaster  until  May,  1849,  when  he  resigned,  and  Joseph 
Schnell  was  appointed.  J.  S.  Proudfoot  succeeded  Joseph  Schnell  in 
1853. 

*  Peter  Pauley  appointed  in  1838,  vice  Scbultze,  resigned. 


TEMPERANCE   SOCIETIES   FORMED. 


73 


Qtiiglni  il/i»«,i    Mii-hnel  Qiiigley 100  miles. 

iW/er«imrg2     Philip  Reitzell 9:1      " 

Unriiig  Milh.     Duvi.l  Dnnciin 80      " 

thigiir  Vallei/.    A.  Kleckliei-s 102      " 

W'ulker*    jiimes  llutdiinson 93     " 

In  connection  with  this  the  earliest  complete  list 
of  postmasters  of  the  county  th.at  could  he  found,  a 
brief  sketch  of  the  establishment  of  post-ofBces  in  the 
county,  as  far  as  could  be  ascertained  by  James  Gilli- 
land,  Esq.,  who  searched  the  records  at  Washington 
City,  is  subjoined  : 

Aaronnbttrg,  April  1,  1798.    James  Omican,  postmsister. 

BellefmU,  April  1,  179S.    James  Haiiis,  postmaster. 

BoaUburg,  April  10, 182G.    James  lluey,  postmaster. 

Ceiilre  Furmice,  Jnly  1,1799.  Gen.  John  Pal  ton,  postmaster,  died  in 
1802.  James  Johnston  was  postmaster,  Oct.  1, 1814,  and  Cliriswell  White- 
hill,  May  4, 1818.    This  office  was  discontinued  June  17, 1824. 

Half-Moon,  Oct.  1, 1817.    Joseph  B.  Sbugert,  postmaster. 

Lamar,  Jan.  20, 1832.    Joseph  Gamble,  postmaster. 

Lognn,  Feb.  25, 1829.    John  Ziminei'man,  postmaster. 

Mitesbiirg,  March  13, 1797.    Joseph  Green,  postmaster. 

Jl/Wf  lf(///,  April  I,  ISll.    Benjamin  Harvey,  postmaster. 

Millheim,  Dec.  2,  1820.     Daniel  Keen,  postmaster. 

Nillani/,  Oct.  30,  1S25.  John  Snyder,  postmaster.  May,  1830,  John 
Snyder,  Jr.,  postmaster.  He  declined,  and  n.  F.  W.  Schultze  appointed 
io  May,  1830. 

OUI  Fort,  lute  Earhjsbiirg  (no  date).  John  Benner,  Jr.,  postmaster. 
March  23, 1833,  Catherine  Withinglon,  postmaster. 

P.'inra  Vallpy,  Jan.  1,  1815.    John  Robeson,  postmaster. 

PMIipsbtirg,  July  1,1813.  John  Lorain,  postmaster.  April  3,  1815, 
W.  P.  Dewees,  postmaster. 

Pine  Grove  Mills,  April  12, 1812.    Stephen  Davis,  postmaster. 

Pollers  MUls,  April  1,  1811.    James  Potter,  Jr.,  postmaster. 

At  a  "Democratic-Republican  meeting,"  convened 
at  Bellefonte,  January  24th,  in  accordance  with  the 
long-established  usage  of  the  Republican  party  of 
Pennsylvania  (Bigler's  Centre  County  Democrat),  John 
G.  Lowrey,  Esq.,  was  appointed  president ;  George 
Leidy,  of  Lamar,  and  William  Kerr,  of  Potter,  vice- 
presidents  ;  Gen.  James  Irvin,  of  Ferguson,  and  John 
SchaefFer,  of  Miles,  secretaries.  The  committee  on 
resolutions  were  John  Bigler,  James  Potter,  Jacob 
Kryder,  Col.  William  Smyth,  Maj.  Henry  Barnhart, 
George  Sheneberger,  Thomas  Mcllhenny,  John 
Thompson,  Peter  Best,  and  Henry  Meyer.  Their 
resolution  favored  the  election  of  Gen.  Jackson  for 
President,  William  Wilkins  for  Vice-President,  and 
George  Wolf  for  Governor.  W.  W.  Potter,  Esq.,  and 
Adam  Gentzel  were  appointed  delegates  to  the  Har- 
risburg  Convention  to  nominate  an  electoral  ticket 
and  a  candidate  for  Governor. 

In  1832,  February  7th,  a  temperance  society  was 
formed  in  Ferguson  and  Potter  townships,  at  a  school- 
house  in  Boalsburg,  with  S.  Miles  Green,  Esq.,  as 
president;  Vice-President,  George  Sheneberger;  Sec- 
retary, Jacob  Bergstresser ;  Treasurer,  Thomas  Raney  ; 
George  Boal,  George  Jack,  John  Gilliland,  John  Boal, 
and  James  Larimer,  managers. 

1  Post-odice  removed  to  Eagleville,  and  Dr.  D.  W.  Roberts  appointed 
postmaster  in  July,  1839.  Established  Jan.  12,  1828,  Michael  Quigley 
the  first  postmaster. 

-  Established  Feb.  1, 1827. 

3  George  Aclienbaugh  sncceeded  A.  Kleckner,  March  9, 1838. 

<  Established  in  1826,  James  Hutchinson  the  first  postmaster.  He  was 
BUCceeUcd  by  James  McCuUough,  April  2G,  1S33. 


The  Lick  Run  Temperance  Society  was  organized 
March  11th,  Rev.  D.  McKinney,  president;  Thomas 
McCalmont,  vice-president;  H.  W.  F.  Scliulze,  sec- 
retary; William  McCalmont,  David  Smith,  and  Jolin 
Milliken,  managers. 

The  Centre  County  Temperance  Society  met  April 
23d,  Thomas  Burusiile,  president ;  William  Pettit  and 
Henry  Vandyke,  vice-presidents  ;  Rev.  James  Linn, 
secretary;  Managers,  Dr.  John  Harris,  Dr.  Daniel 
Dobbins,  Dr.  Charles  Coburn,  James  Gilliland,  John 
Bigler,  Isaac  Miller,  L.  K.  Torbett,  J.  Sitman,  and 
James  Patton. 

The  Democratic  party  had  two  wings.  The  Na- 
tional Republicans  held  their  meeting  April  24th, 
Gen.  Joseph  Miles,  chairman  ;  William  Smyth,  Jr., 
secretary;  Committee  on  Resolutions,  John  Blanch- 
ard,  Roland  Curtin,  William  W.  Houston,  Samuel  H. 
Wilson,  Samuel  M.  Green,  Esq.,  Dr.'William  Berry, 
A.  W.  Myers,  and  Michael  Musser.  Their  resolu- 
tions were  in  favor  of  Henry  Clay  for  President,  as 
the  champion  of  the  American  system  and  able  advo- 
cate of  protection  to  manufacturers. 

The  Jackson  Democratic  meeting  was  held  on  the 
25th,  William  Smyth,  president;  Jacob  Kryder  and 
Joseph  Gilliland,  vice-presidents ;  Andrew  Gregg  and 
John  Shaffer,  secretary  ;  committee  to  prepare  an 
address,  John  Bigler,  William  Kerr,  Charles  Wilson, 
George  Hubler,  John  Thompson,  David  Cook,  John 
C.  Conser,  Samuel  McKisson,  and  James  McKibben. 
June  23d,  the  friends  of  Gen.  Jackson  held  a  meet- 
ing to  make  arrangements  for  celebrating  the  Fourth 
of  July;  Dr.  C.  Curtin,  chairman;  C.  B.  Callahan, 
secretary.  On  the  committee  were  Bond  Valentine, 
W.  W.  Potter,  James  Macmanus,  J.  M.  Petrikin,  R. 
C.  Hale,  Joseph  Musser,  J.  M.  Benner,  William 
Ward,  Isaac  Miller,  Charles  McBride. 

The  young  men  also  held  a  meeting,  William 
Bigler,  chairman,  and  R.  C.  Boileau,  secretary,  and 
resolved  to  celebrate  the  Fourth.  The  committee  of 
arrangements  consisted  of  P.  A.  Smith,  J.  L.  Miles, 
C.  C.  Hemphill,  H.  Kinuear,  G.  W.  Curtis,  D.  W. 
Rankin,  J.  Blakely,  Robert  Beatty,  and  William 
Bigler,  which  met  at  Robert  McConnell's  house,  and 
resolved  that  we  will  use  no  ardent  spirits  on  this 
occasion;  that  Philip  H.  Smith,  William  Brattin, 
and  J.  Blakely  be  a  committee  to  prepare  toasts. 
Philip  A.  Smith  delivered  the  oration,  which  was 
printed,  and  was  a  very  sensible  address.  Fifty  years 
are  gone  (1882),  and  none  of  the  names  above  are 
now  familiar  to  residents  of  Bellefonte  or  of  Centre 
County. 

Judge  Burnside  (perhaps  not  being  able  to  get  up 
an  opposition  celebration)  took  his  seat  as  president 
of  a  meeting  of  the  temperance  society  in  the  court- 
house. Prayer  was  made  by  Mr.  Linn,  the  Declara- 
tion of  Independence  read  by  James  Crawford,  and 
an  address  made  by  John  Blanchard,  Esq.,  on  the 
evils  of  intemperance.  Mr.  Potter  spoke  in  favor  of 
the  Colonization  Society.    A  collection  of  forty  dol- 


74 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


lars  was  raised  for  it,  and  then  Judge  Biirnside  read 
Wasliington's  Farewell  Address. 

The  people  of  Lamar  and  Bald  Eagle  assembled  at 
a  grove  on  the  banks  of  Fishing  Creek  ;  Nathaniel 
Holcomb,  president ;  Dr.  Noah  F.  Essig  and  George 
Hosty,  vice-presidents ;  Capt.  S.  H.  Wilson  and  A. 
H.  Best,  secretaries.  Dinner  was  prepared  by  James 
Brown,  the  Declaration  read  by  Capt.  S.  H.  Wilson, 
toasts  given  by  H.  H.  Kinne,  "  Internal  Improve- 
ments;" S.  Harvey,  "Henry  Clay  and  the  Constitu- 
tion;" Dr.  B.  J.  Berry,  "The  American  System;" 
G.  Furst,  "The  Signers  of  the  Declaration;"  John 
S.  Furst,  "  Henry  Clay ;"  S.  Calderwood,  "  Andrew 
Jackson."  The  following  by  W.  H.  Robinson  prob- 
ably indicates  the  first  abofitionist  in  that  neighbor- 
hood : 

"  May  the  time  soon  come  when  the  swarthy  sons 
of  Africa  shall 'be  as  free  as  the  white  population  of 
the  United  States,  and  slavery  no  longer  stain  the 
annals  of  our  history." 

On  the  10th  of  July,  1832,  Gen.  Jackson  vetoed 
the  bill  for  the  renewal  of  the  charter  of  the  United 
States  Bank.  This  news  reached  Bellefonte  July  1-lth, 
and  alienated  some  of  his  warmest  friends  as  will  be 
seen  in  their  change  of  politics,  and  also  made  new 
ones.  This  explanation  is  necessary  to  refute  tlie 
charge  of  inconsistency  or  otherwise  apparent  fickle- 
ness of  some  of  our  leading  men.  The  Scotch-Irish 
settlers  were  thinking  men,  had  opinions,  believed  in 
doctrines,  and  regarded  principles  more  than  men. 

On  the  4th  of  August  a  powerful  address  to  the 
people  of  Centre  County  deprecating  tlie  course  of 
President  Jackson  in  vetoing  the  Bank  Bill  was  is- 
sued, signed  by  John  Blanchard,  Anthony  W.  Myers, 
John  Forster,  Hugh  White,  Robert  Lipton,  Thomas 
Mitchell,  Joseph  Green,  John  Potter,  and  Philip 
Musser,  Sr.  It  ended,  "  You  can  never  support  a  man 
for  the  highest  oflice  in  the  nation  who  is  determined 
to  destroy  an  institution  that  has  conferred  such  last- 
ing benefits  on  our  country." 

Gen.  Philip  Benner  died  at  Rock  Works  on  the 
27th  of  July.  An  able  obituary  notice  of  him,  written 
by  John  Bigler,  appears  in  the  Centre  Count}/  Demo- 
crat of  Aug.  4,  1832,  the  material  portions  of  which 
will  be  found  in  the  biographical  sketch  of  Gen. 
Benner.  Mr.  Bigler  says,  "To  every  public  work 
he  was  a  liberal  contributor.  As  an  elector  on  two 
several  occasions  he  represented  in  part  the  people  of 
Pennsylvania  in  the  Electoral  College,  and  at  all 
times  expressed  his  high  gratification  in  recording  his 
vote  for  our  venerable  President,  claiming  him  as  a 
fellow-laborer  and  a  co-patriot  in  the  Revolutionary 
war.  As  a  father  he  was  remarkable  for  his  kindness 
and  indulgence  to  his  children.  As  a  friend  he  was 
unshaken  in  his  attachments;  his  house  was  the  seat 
of  hospitality  and  kindness.  Few  men  have  descended 
to  the  grave  whose  loss  will  be  so  extensively  felt  and 
deplored.  Gen.  Benner  established  this  pa|)er  in  1827 
for  the  avowed  purpose  of  supporting  the  election  of 


our  present  worthy  Chief  Magistrate,  and  owned  it 
up  to  November  last,  when  it  was  purchased  by  the 
writer  of  this  humble  tribute  of  respect  to  his  memory, 
and  he  can  truly  say  that  death  has  deprived  him  of 
an  ardent  and  sincere  friend." 

August  18th,  Mr.  Bigler  states  the  Bellefonte  Patriot 
has  been  purchased  by  the  opponents  of  Andrew 
Jackson,  and  will  henceforth  support  Henry  Clay 
for  the  Presidency.  "  At  this  crisis,  when  press  after 
press  is  purchased  or  subsidized  by  the  enemies  of  the 
people  and  Andrew  Jackson,  I  deem  it  a  duty  I  owe 
to  my  Jackson  friends  explicitly  to  state  that  the 
Democrat  will  pursue  the  even  tenor  of  its  way  as 
heretofore,  supporting  Democratic  men  and  measures, 
unawed  by  any  influence,  and  uncontrolled  by  pecu- 
niary considerations.  The  contest  seems  to  have  re- 
solved itself  into  the  simple  question  whether  the 
United  States  Bank  or  the  people  shall  elect  the 
President.  I  have  steadily  supported  Andrew  Jack- 
son since  1824,  and  have  seen  no  cause  to  regret  my 
course,  etc." 

The  Anti-Masonic  Convention,  which  had  met  at 
Harrisburg  on  the  22d  of  February,  nominated  Wil- 
liam Wirt  for  President  and  Amos  Ellmaker,  of  Lan- 
caster, for  Vice-President.  The  National  Republicans 
reassembled  at  Harrisburg  on  the  15th  of  October, 
and  adopted  the  Anti-Masonic  electoral  ticket,  with- 
drawing the  names  of  Henry  Clay  and  John  Sergeant, 
and  advised  the  support  of  the  Wirt  electoral  ticket 
in  order  to  confine  all  elements  of  opposition  to  the 
re-election  of  President  Jackson. 

As  early  as  January,  1832,  attention  was  called  to 
improving  the  navigation  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek  by  a 
public  meeting,  of  which  Hamilton  Humes  was  pres- 
ident, and  Joseph  Miles,  Esq.,  secretary.  A  com- 
mittee consisting  of  Hon.  Thomas  Burnside,  W.  H. 
Thomas,  John  Rankin,  and  others  were  appointed  to 
secure  an  act  of  incorporation  for  that  purpose  with 
banking  privileges. 

There  were  still  living  in  1882  in  Centre  County 
the  following  Revolutionary  soldiers  who  were  pen- 
sioned under  the  act  of  March  4,  1831  :  Lawrence 
Bathurst,  David  Barr,  Jacob  Duck,  John  Elder, 
Ludwig  Friedley,  Henry  Groninger,  Richard  Gon- 
salus,  Jacob  Kehl,  William  Kelley,  of  Half-Moon, 
now  Huston,  Daniel  Livingston,  David  Lamb,  John 
F.  Ream,  Evan  Russell,  Adam  Sunday  (in  the  Loop), 
Gideon  Smith,  Valentine  Stober,  Philip  Wernsz, 
Daniel  Waggoner;  also  the  following  Revolutionary 
soldiers  who  were  not  in  the  pension-list :  Philip 
Barnhart,  John  Brisbin,  Henry  Dale,  William  Hin- 
ton,  Andrew  Jack,  Samuel  Jones,  John  Marsden, 
George  Minick,  William  Patton,  James  Watt. 

In  October  an  encampment  was  held  near  Belle- 
fonte by  the  following  companies:  The  Huntingdon 
Infantry,  Capt.  William  Williams ;  Penn's  Creek 
Rangers,  Capt.  George  Michael :  Lamar  Infantry, 
Capt.  John  Smyth ;  Centre  Guards,  Capt.  E.  Wil- 
liams ;    Huntingdon    Light    Dragoons,    Capt.   Ores- 


UNION  MEETINGS. 


75 


well ;  Penn's  Valley  Troop,  Capt.  George  Buchanan  ; 
and  Centre  Troop,  Capt.  8.  H.  Wilson,  Roland  Cur- 
tin,  Jr.,  orderly  sergeant,  continuing  three  days.  Maj.- 
Gen.  Irvin  and  Brig.-Gen.  George  McCulloch  re- 
viewed the  troops. 

The  Democratic  Jackson  Committee  of  Corres- 
pondence in  1.S32  consisted  of  William  W.  Potter, 
Esq.,  William  Ward,  John  Schaefter,  Anthony  Kleck- 
ner,  Jacob  Kryder,  Philip  B.  Musser,  Joseph  Gilli- 
land,  Daniel  O'Bryan,  John  Bell,  Robert  Glenn, 
Samuel  Lipton,  William  Gardner,  John  Smith, 
George  Leidy,  and  John  Emerick.  The  Jackson 
ticket  had  upon  it  Joseph  Henderson  for  Congress  ; 
Assembly,  Bond  Valentine  and  Henry  Barnhart; 
Commissioner,  John  Hosterman ;  Auditor,  Andrew 
Gregg,  Jr. 

CEXTRR   COU.N'TT   ELECTION   RETURN,  OFFICIAL,  1S32. 


lioggi 00'  116 


1411 

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Ifini 

1411 

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04 

114 

H7 

4n 

44 

;w 

W 

«K 

44- 

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im 

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124 

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s-< 

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1111 

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fil 

2S2 

246 

Kill 

71 

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UK 

M 

71! 

r,« 

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so! 

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Vote  Fon 

Presidentiai 

Electors. 


2S  20  2:i5:  32 
30|  30'  18.'!  31 
501  64  204   39 


SO   C9(  OSI  OG 

87;  lOi  851  67 


39:  22   40   40,  20   20   39   21 


Henderson's  majority  in  the  congressional  district 
of  Centre,  Huntingdon,  and  Mifflin  was  481, — Centre 
electing  him. 

On  the  2d  of  November  the  Presidential  election 
took  place.  Gen.  Jackson  received  1961  votes,  and 
William  Wirt  725  in  Centre  County;  Jackson's  ma- 
jority, 1236.  Miles  township  gave  the  highest  relative 
vote,  casting  170  for  Jackson,  9  for  Wirt.  Jackson's 
majority  in  the  State,  24,267. 

The  victory  was  celebrated  by  a  grand  supper  at  the 
hotel  of  Joseph  Musser,  in  Bellefonte,  on  Wednesday 
evening,  November  28th,  John  G.  Lowrey,  Esq.,  pre- 
siding; Col.  William  McKibben,  of  Lamar,  and  Col. 
William  Smyth,  of  Walker,  vice-presidents;  William 
Richards,  of  Bald  Eagle,  and  Samuel  Pettit,  of  Belle- 
fonte, secretaries.  John  Bigler,  editor  of  the  Centre 
Democrat  (and  afterwards  Governor  of  California), 
read  the  toasts.  Of  those  offering  toasts,  Hon.  James 
Macmanus  (1882)  is  the  sole  survivor.  His  was, 
"The  resolutions  of  the  Virginia  and  Kentucky  Le- 
gislature in  1798,  as  penned  by  the  venerated  Jeffer- 


son :  Theycontainthe  true  principles  of  Democracy, — 
State  Rights  and  the  rights  of  States." 

A  commentary  on  this  toast  inopportunely  soon 
followed,  as  the  nc.\t  issue  of  the  Demoi-ral  announces 
the  passage  of  nullification  resolutions  by  the  Legis- 
lature of  South  Carolina,  which  Mr.  Bigler  in  an  able 
article  deplores  and  denounces. 

November  12th,  occurred  the  burning  of  Mr.  Eck- 
hard's  dwelling  at  Irvin's  Forge  (now  Linn  &  Mc- 
Coy's), in  which  two  of  his  children  perished  in  the 
flames. 


CHAPTER    XXXIL 

UNION   MEETINGS— EXCAIIPMENTS—R.IIN   OF  FIRE 
—RENEWAL  OF  TUE  DEPOSITS— CO.MMON  SCHOOLS. 

Jan.  7,  1833,  a  temperance  society  was  formed  at 
Mill  Hall  school-house,  with  Hugh  White  as  presi- 
dent, and  David  Black,  secretary,  auxiliary 
to  the  Centre  County  Society.  At  January  1833. 
term  of  court  (29th)  a  large  meeting  was  held 
in  the  court-house  to  sustain  the  President  and  to 
approve  of  his  proclamation  against  nullification. 
Col.  William  Smyth  presided,  with  James  Duncan 
and  Philip  Walker  as  vice-presidents,  Andrew  Gregg, 
Jr.,  and  James  Patton,  secretaries.  W.  W.  Potter, 
Esq.,  John  Bigler,  Jacob  Kryder,  William  Carner, 
George  Herring,  George  Leidy,  and  George  Shene- 
berger,  who  were  a  committee  on  resolutions,  re- 
ported, denouncing  the  ordinance  of  South  Carolina 
as  revolutionary,  and  approving  the  sjiirit  and  tone 
of  the  President's  proclamation. 

On  the  evening  of  the  30th,  a  large  meeting  was 
held  favorable  to  connecting  Bald  Eagle  Creek  navi- 
gation with  the  West  Branch  Division  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania Canal.  Hon.  Thomas  Burnside,  George 
Bressler,  John  Blanchard,  Gen.  James  Irvin,  Jacob 
Kryder,  W.  W.  Potter,  and  John  Riinkin  were  ap- 
pointed a  committee  to  confer  with  the  canal  com- 
missioners on  the  subject. 

February  2d,  occurred  the  burning  of  Mr.  Brown's 
house,  near  Curtin's  works,  in  Boggs  township,  with 
two  small  children.  In  February  the  Centre  Troop 
held  a  meeting  at  James  Smith's  tavern,  in  Mill  Hall, 
Dr.  Constans  Curtin  presiding,  David  Allison,  secre- 
tary. A  committee  consisting  of  Capt.  Samuel  H. 
Wilson,  William  Richards,  John  Devling,  Bart.  Har- 
vey, H.  Smith,  M.  B.  Hammond,  R.  Dougherty,  B. 
Fredericks,  William  Smyth,  Thomas  McGhoe,  George 
Brown,  Daniel  Richards,  and  David  Herr  reported 
Union  resolutions  sustaining  the  President,  and 
offering  him  their  support  and  services. 

Lamar  and  Bald  Eagle  townships  also  held  a  Union 
meeting  at  Mill  Hall,  over  which  James  Carskadden 
presided,  Thomas  A.  Smith,  vice-president,  and  Baker 
Longcake,  secretary,  which  passed  strong  Union  reso- 
lutions. 


76 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


February  25th,  the  Potter  Township  Temperance 
Society  was  formed;  Robert  S.  Watson,  president; 
Robert  Pennington  and  Samuel  Davis,  vice-presi- 
dents ;  William  McCloskey,  secretary.  Joseph  Gilli- 
land,  Henry  Boozer,  John  teller,  Jr.,  and  William 
McCloskey  were  appointed  a  board  of  managers. 

February  26th,  the  Boalsburg  Temperance  Society 
held  its  iirst  annual  meeting.  George  Sheneberger  was 
elected  president;  Jacob  Bergstresser,  vice-president; 
George  Jack,  recording  secretary ;  Gen.  S.  M.  Green 
corresponding  secretary  ;  George  Boal,  Dr.  T.  Z.  Cov- 
erly,  William  McKee,  John  Sankey,  and  Robert  M. 
Huey,  managers. 

The  Union  Temperance  Society  of  Boggs  township 
was  formed  in  February,  1833,  with  James  Alexander 
as  secretary. 

Ferguson  township  had  also  its  regular  society. 

Monday  night,  March  11th,  occurred  the  fire  which 
destroyed  Valentine  &  Thomas'  nail-factories,  near 
Bellefonte. 

March  20th,  Patton  Township  Temperance  Society 
was  formed  ;  William  Henderson,  president;  Edward 
Miles,  secretary. 

The  Centre  County  Temperance  Society  in  the 
spring  of  1833  was  a  very  formidable  organization, 
with  Hon.  Thomas  Burnside  as  president;  James 
Duncan andCharles Carpenter, vice-presidents;  James 
Gilliland,  secretary.  From  the  reports  made  to  the 
county  society  we  gather  that  the  Spruce  Creek  So- 
ciety had  39  members ;  Potter  township,  27  ;  Gregg, 
83;  Howard,  50;  Bald  Eagle,  27;  Walker  had  100 
members;  Bellefonte  and  Spring,  37;  Patton,  11; 
Ferguson,  39;  Boalsburg,  30 ;  Boggs,  127;  being  an 
aggregate  of  650  pledged  members  in  the  county. 

In  the  early  part  of  May  occurred  a  very  high 
freshet  in  Bald  Eagle.  Spring  Creek  was  never 
known  to  be  so  high.  William  Brindle,  Esq.,  long  a 
resident  of  Bellefonte,  was  drowned  in  his  mill-dam, 
near  Muncy,  with  one  of  his  employes,  while  endeav- 
oring to  prevent  his  lumber  going  out. 

On  the  16th  of  May  a  colored  woman,  who  had 
lived  in  Bellefonte  for  over  six  years,  married,  and, 
having  several  children,  was  remanded  into  slavery 
by  the  court  in  Bellefonte. 

On  the  1st  of  June  another  flood  occurred,  the 
fulling-mill  of  McGhee's  heirs,  on  Cedar  Run,  was 
entirely  destroyed.  Hoy's  mill  was  very  much  in- 
jured, and  Judge  McKinney's  saw-mill,  half  a  mile 
below,  demolished  and  swept  away.  Spring  Creek 
never  was  so  high  since  1810. 

The  Fourth  of  July  was  enthusiastically  celebrated 
by  the  "  Bellefonte  Grays."  At  10  o'clock  they  marched 
to  the  court-house  and  listened  to  an  address  upon 
temperance  by  Rev.  James  Linn,  and  at  2  p.m.  par- 
took of  a  dinner  prepared  by  William  Armor.  The 
young  men  of  the  town  celebrated  the  day  by  a 
dinner  at  Morrison's  Hotel.  The  Boalsburg  Temper- 
ance Society  also  celebrated  this  day  by  addresses  at 
the  school-house,  whence  they  marched  to  the  spring 


on  John  Keller's  farm,  and  partook  of  a  dinner  pre- 
pared by  Mrs.  Culbertson.  The  Lick  Run  Society 
and  Sabbath-schools  met  at  James  Sterritt's  and 
marched  to  the  church,  where  Dr.  E.  L.  Walker  de- 
livered an  oration,  and  Rev.  D.  McKinney  made  an 
address.  Over  four  hundred  people  then  sat  down  to 
a  dinner  prepared  by  the  committee  of  arrangements. 
William  Smyth  presided,  William  Wilson  acting  as 
secretary,  and  many  volunteer  toasts  were  offered. 

The  Methodist  camp-meeting  was  held  this  year, 
commencing  on  the  9th  of  August,  on  Bernard  Wag- 
oner's farm,  in  Potter  township. 

Dennis  McCae,  of  Milesburg,  was  killed  by  light- 
ning, July  24th.  He  was  standing  under  a  tree  near 
his  house. 

The  United  Brethren  people  held  their  camp-meet- 
ing near  Martin  Houser's,  August  23d. 

The  fertility  of  Penn's  valley  farms  is  evidenced  by 
the  fact  that  Peter  Homans  raised  fifty-two  bushels  and 
one  peck  of  wheat  off  one  acre  this  summer. 

The  Democratic  county  standing  committee  was 
composed  as  follows :  W.  W.  Potter,  Jacob  Kryder, 
William  Kerr,  John  Thompson,  John  Shaeffer,  John 
McCalmont,  Jacob  Best,  Charles  Carpenter,  and  John 
Bigler.  The  convention  met  on  the  27th  of  August; 
James  Potter,  president ;  Capt.  George  Boal  and  John 
W.  Miles,  secretaries.  Bond  Valentine,  Esq.,  declined 
a  renomination  for  Assembly.  Henry  Barnhart  and 
William  Ward  were  put  in  nomination  for  Assembly  ; 
William  Smyth  for  county  commissioner. 

In  August,  William  Broom,  in  the  employ  of  Val- 
entine &  Thomas,  was  killed  in  the  Seven  Mountains 
in  consequence  of  his  team  going  over  a  precipice. 
He  had  two  and  a  half  tons  of  iron  on  his  wagon, 
and  while  endeavoring  to  lock  his  wagon  the  bank 
gave  way  and  he  fell,  the  iron  falling  on  him. 

At  the  election  in  October,  Henrj'  Barnhart  er- 
ceived  1280  votes  in  Centre  County,  and  208  in  Clear- 
field; Alexander  Irvin,  1195  in  Centre,  and  699  in 
Clearfield.  Ward's  vote  in  Centre  was  1239,  in  Clear- 
field 36.  George  Leidy,  George  Taylor,  George  Eil- 
ert,  Josiah  Delong,  John  Letterman,  William  Guth- 
rie, Samuel  Ream,  John  Ligget,  Sr.,  and  A.  W.  Myers 
were  candidates  for  sheriff".  Leidy's  vote  was  987, 
Taylor's  671,  Eilert's  530,  Delong's  250,  etc. 

The  encampment  was  held  this  year  October  18th, 
at  Lewistown.  The  Centre  Guards  and  Bellefonte 
Grays  participated.  Officers  of  Centre  Guards:  John 
Armor,  captain  ;  S.  Miles,  first  lieutenant ;  William 
Riddle,  second  lieutenant.  Bellefonte  Grays:  C.  B. 
Callahan,  captain;  R.  C.  Hale,  first  lieutenant;  J. 
R.  Dopp,  second  lieutenant;  John  Bigler,  orderly 
sergeant. 

In  November,  Dr.  C.  B.  Welch,  of  Bellefonte,  was 
appointed  assistant  surgeon  in  the  United  States 
army,  and  stationed  at  Fort  Smith,  in  Arkansas  Ter- 
ritory. 

Saturday,  November  16th,  a  record  was  made  of 
work  done  by  John  Stanley,  John  Holt,  and  H.  Hite 


RAIN   OF   FIRE— REMOVAL   OF  THE   DEPOSITS. 


17 


at  a  single  fire  at  Green  &  Irvin's  forge  (now  McCoy 
&  Linn)  during  the  week.  They  made  six  tons  and 
one  hundredweiglit,  and  quit  work  between  one  and 
two  o'clock  on  Saturday. 

The  niainmoth  radish  of  the  year  was  raised  by 
John  Yargcr,  in  Walker  township.  Length,  thir- 
teen and  one-half  inches;  circumference,  twenty- 
three  inches;  weight,  ten  and  three-fourths  pounds. 

On  Wednesday  morning,  November  13th,  about  five 
o'clock,  occurred  the  "  rain  of  fire,"  or  phenomenon  of 
"shooting  stars."  The  most  brilliant  corruscations 
spread  over  every  quarter  of  the  heavens.  From  the 
zenith  to  the  horizon  all  was  bespangled  with  shoot- 
ing stars  or  meteors.  The  phenomenon  was  attended 
at  first  with  a  crepitating  or  hurtling  sound,  which 
ceased  at  the  approach  of  dawn,  and  the  spectacle 
exhibited  its  splendors  in  silence.  People  imagined 
their  houses  on  fire,  and  rushed  out  only  to  behold 
the  heavens  sprinkled  with  glories, — thousands  of 
shooting  stars  going  in  a  northwest  direction,  leaving 
brilliant  tracks  behind.  There  is  a  record  of  a  simi- 
lar phenomenon  having  taken  place  on  the  12th  of 
November,  1799. 

President  Jackson  having  determined  to  remove 
the  government  deposits  from  the  United  States 
Bank,  and  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
1834.  William  J.  Duane,  refusing  to  do  so  without 
the  intervention  of  Congress,  the  President 
removed  him  on  the  23d  of  September,  1833,  and 
appointed  Roger  B.  Taney  in  his  room,  and  on  the 
1st  of  October  the  deposits  were  removed  and  placed 
in  certain  selected  banks  in  different  parts  of  the 
country.  Great  commercial  excitement  and  distress 
ensued  upon  the  course  adopted  by  the  President; 
the  business  of  the  country  was  interrupted,  and  a 
complete  and  terrible  panic  followed. 

In  Centre  County,  the  Centre  Couniij  Democrat, 
edited  by  Hon.  S.  S.  Shugert,  in  many  able  articles 
sustained  the  course  of  the  President,  while  the 
Bellefonte  Patriot,  edited  by  Joshua  T.  McCracken, 
opposed  "  the  usurpations  of  the  executive  govern- 
ment," to  use  its  own  language.  On  account  of  the 
number  of  able  men  who  represented  the  business 
interests  of  Centre  County  at  that  time,  all  political 
questions  were  di.scussed  at  public  meetings,  and  the 
sentiment  of  this  community  was  regarded  with  great 
respect  in  other  sections  of  the  State. 

A  call  for  a  meeting  of  the  Democratic  citizens  of 
the  county  favorable  to  the  Rational  and  State  ad- 
ministrations, to  be  held  on  the  26th  of  March,  was 
headed  by  the  venerable  Andrew  Gregg,  and  signed 
by  upwards  of  six  hundred  citizens.  The  most  nu- 
merous meeting  ever  held  in  the  county  convened  on 
that  evening  at  the  court-house  in  Bellefonte.  Col. 
Wm.  Smyth  presided;  Jacob  JCryder,  John  G.  Low- 
rev,  Joseph  Gilliland,  Andrew  Hunter,  vice-presi- 
dents ;  James  M.  Petrikin  and  John  Thompson,  sec- 
retaries. The  venerable  Andrew  Gregg  addressed 
the  meeting,  recurring  to  olden  times,  and  noticing 


briefly  the  most  prominent  mea.sures  of  every  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  State.*). 

The  committee  upon  resolution.s  were  Hon.  A. 
Gregg,  John  Rankin,  John  McCalmont,  George 
Leidy,  John  Sliaeffer,  W.  W.  Potter,  Esq.,  James  Gil- 
liland, Henry  Vandyke,  William  Swanzey,  Jos.  B. 
Shugert,  James  Alexander,  John  Bell,  John  Big- 
ler,  Jacob  Baker,  James  Sterrett,  and  John  Hoste- 
man. 

The  resolutions  reported  by  them  deprecate  the 
idea  that  the  simple  act  of  removing  eight  millions 
of  deposits  from  one  bank  to  several  could  cause  the 
stagnation  of  trade  and  the  destruction  of  confidence 
existing  in  the  community,  and  attribute  the  dire 
results  to  the  clamors  raised  by  the  LTnited  States 
Bank,  the  protracted  debates  in  Congress,  and  the 
abolition  of  credits  on  duties,  and  the  course  pursued 
by  the  bank  in  the  curtailment  of  her  discounts,  and 
reassert  confidence  in  the  Kentucky  and  Virginia 
resolution  of  1798-99  as  sure  and  safe  guards  in  the 
administration  of  government.  Andrew  Gregg,  Sr., 
James  Macmanus,  and  Reuben  C.  Hale,  Esqs.,  were 
appointed  a  committee  to  transmit  the  resolutions  to 
the  representative  in  Congress  and  United  States 
senators. 

The  opponents  of  the  President's  course  held  their 
meeting  on  the  25th  of  March  (Tuesday),  Josepli 
Miles,  chairman  ;  Robert  Hays,  of  Bellefonte,  John 
Forster,  of  Haines,  J.  M.  Benner,  of  Sjiring,  J.  D. 
Petrikin,  of  Gregg,  vice-presidents  ;  Josejih  F.  Quay, 
of  Lamar,  and  Samuel  J.  Green,  of  Boggs,  secretaries. 
Animated  addresses  were  delivered  by  Hon.  Thomas 
Burnside  and  John  Blanchanl,  E~q.,  and  the  com- 
mittee upon  resolutions  were  Thomas  Burnside,  John 
Blanchard,  James  McMasters,  of  Boggs,  Hugh  White, 
Bald  Eagle;  Francis  Nixon,  Walker;  Wm.  McMinn, 
Potter;  John  Mitchell,  Ferguson;  S.  W.  Leidy, 
Haines;  Hugh  McFaddin,  Bald  Eagle;  James  Brown, 
Lamar;  Wm.  G.  Williams,  Spring;  George  Boal, 
Gregg;  Thomas  Huston,  Potter ;  Frederick  Friedley, 
Logan;  David  L  Pruner,  Bellefonte.  Tlie  resolutions 
deprecated  the  removal  of  the  deposits  as  the  great 
cause  of  the  universal  distress,  recommended  the  ex- 
tension of  the  charter  of  the  United  States  Bank,  and 
approved  of  a  convention  to  be  held  at  Harrisburgon 
the  22d  of  May,  and  appointed  as  delegates  thereto 
W.  W.  Houston,  James  Irvin,  and  Thomas  Burn- 
side. 

Hon.  Joseph  Henderson  presented  the  proceedings 
of  both  meetings  in  the  House  of  Representatives, 
stating  that  the  name  of  Hon.  A.  Gregg  alone  in  his 
own  State  would  command  for  the  proceedings  of  the 
one  meeting  a  respectful  attention,  and  though  he 
differed  from  sentiments  contained  in  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  other  meeting,  he  would  bear  testimony 
to  the  high  respectability  of  those  whose  names  were 
attached  to  the  proceedings,  some  of  whom  were  too 
well  known  to  require  indorsement. 

Some  of  the  names  of  the  foregoing  persons  who 


78 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


were  prominent  in  these  meetings  will  afterwards  be 
found  connected  with  the  Democratic  and  Whig  par- 
ties, without  reference  to  this  apple  of  discord,  but 
the  fact  nevertheless  remains  that  the  adherents  of 
the  United  States  Bank  are  styled  "  Whigs"  by  Mr. 
Shugert  in  theZ)e»iocrai!  of  July,  1834,  and  although 
the  elections  of  1834  showed  that  Gen.  Jackson's 
course  was  largely  popular  with  the  mass  of  the 
people,  there  was  no  little  dissatisfaction,  and  an  op- 
position was  organized  under  the  name  of  "  Whigs," 
determined  to  effect  a  change  in  the  administration 
of  public  affairs. 

In  Centre  County  the  vote  for  Dr.  Joseph  Hender- 
son, Jackson  candidate  for  Congress,  was  1638;  for 
James  Milliken,  opposition,  852. 

The  inconveniences  of  travel  in  1834  will  appear 
by  statement  of  schedule  of  Colders  &  Wilson,  mail 
contractors.  Passengers  left  Bellefonte  at  ten  o'clock 
in  the  evening,  traveling  all  night  over  the  Seven 
Mountains,  reached  Lewistown  at  seven  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  where  they  remained  until  twelve 
o'clock,  waiting  the  Huntingdon  stage. 

Educational— 1834. — The  following  history  of  the 
adoption  of  the  common  school  system  has  been  fur- 
nished by  Prof.  Henry  Meyer,  of  Eebersburg : 

Adoption  of  the  Common  School  System. — 
The  common  school  system  was  created  by  the  law 
of  1834  and  1885.  The  frightful  number  of  children 
growing  up  in  ignorance  led  lo  legislation  on  this 
subject.  It  was  ascertained  that  out  of  about  four 
hundred  thousand  children  of  the  State  only  twenty 
thousand  found  their  way  to  schools,  such  as  they 
were.  In  this  county  the  system  was  accepted  when 
submitted  to  the  people.  No  active  efforts  in  the  di- 
rection of  free  schools  were  made  prior  to  the  passage 
of  the  law  of  1834  and  1835,  but  the  consummation  of 
this  act  was  the  signal  for  numerous  men  of  generous 
hearts  and  comprehensive  minds  to  rally  round  the 
banner  of  intelligence,  and  contend  valiantly  in  the 
fierce  struggle  that  followed  for  the  adoption  of  the 
free  school  system.  In  general,  the  poor  were  in 
favor  of  tlie  schools;  the  rich,  who  would  have  to 
bear  the  burden  of  heavy  taxes,  voted  against  them. 
Yet  it  would  be  injustice  to  the  latter  class  not  to 
state  that  there  were  noble  exceptions,  who  did  not 
"harbor  the  groveling  fallacies  that  gold  was  prefer- 
able to  knowledge,  and  that  dollars  and  cents  were  of 
a  higher  estimation  than  learning."  The  first  active 
measure  required  to  jjut  the  schools  into  operation 
under  the  law  of  1834  was  an  election  of  delegates  in 
the  several  townships  and  boroughs  of  the  county, 
who  met  in  convention  at  the  county-seat  with  th& 
county  commissioners  to  deliberate  on  the  question  of 
acceptance  of  the  free  school  system  and  rate  of  tax- 
ation for  the  support  of  the  schools.  But  the  action 
of  the  convention  was  not  final,  for  the  question  was 
subsequently  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the  citizens  of 
the  county.  The  following  copy  of  the  minutes  of 
this  convention,  transcribed  from  the  commissioners' 


journal,  will  show  what  action  was  taken  by  that 
body : 

"  Beilefonte,  Pa.,  Nov.  4, 1834. 

"Met  agreeaWy  to  adjournment  in  conjunction  with  the  delegates 
chosen  according  to  the  3d  Section  of  the  Act  of  Aasembly  entitled  aa 
Act  to  Establish  a  General  System  of  Edncation  by  Common  Schools. 
The  meeting  was  organized  by  appointing  Rev.  David  McKinney,  Presi- 
dent, and  Dr.  Curtin,  Secretary.  Tlie  following-named  delegates  al*- 
peared  from  their  respective  districts,  and  upon  the  question,  fjhall  an 
apiiropriation  be  made  for  the  support  of  common  scliools?  voted  jis  fol- 
lows : 

"Yeas— Dr.  C.  Curtin,  Bellefonte;  Thomas  Watson,  Boggs;  George 
Bonl,  Ferguson  ;Samnel  Cowperthwaite,  Howard  ;  .Jolin  Shields,  Lamar; 
John  Adams,  Pat  ton  ;  A  R.  Waite,  Rush;  William  I'urcy,  Spring; 
David  McKinney,  Waiker,— 9. 

"Nays— Daniel  Kliue,  Gregg;  Robert  Elder,  Half-Moon;  George 
Hubler,  Haines;  Paul  Frantz,  I.ogan  ;  Dr.  Samuel  Strohcclier,  Miles; 
David  Love,  Potter,— li. 

"  Bald  Eagle  sent  no  delegates. 

"  A  tax  for  the  support  of  the  schools  was  fixed  at  one  and  one-half 
mills." 

A  similar  meeting  convened  at  Bellefonte,  May  4, 

1835,  and  the  vote  on  appropriation  resulted 

as  follows:  ^835. 

Yeas — John  Harris,  Bellefonte  ;  Samuel  Hayes, 
Bald  Eagle;  John  Mitchell,  Ferguson;  H.  Y'arnel, 
Boggs ;  James  B.  Moore,  Lamar ;  James  Laurimore, 
Spring.  Howard,  Patton,  AValker,  and  Rush  Districts 
sent  no  delegates,  but  were  to  be  considered  the  sam'e 
as  the  year  before, — 10. 

Nays — George  Hubler,  Haines;  John  Walker, 
Miles;  David  Love,  Potter.  Gregg,  Half-Moon,  and 
Logan  Districts  sent  no  delegates,  and  were  counted 
the  same  as  the  previous  year, — 6. 

The  tax  was  again  fixed  at  one  and  one-half  mills. 
It  was  decided  that  the  district  elections  should  be 
held  May  23,  1835. 

The  last  convention  of  this  kind  was  held  May  2, 

1836,  of  which  Gen.  Joseph  Miles  was  president,  and 
John  M.  Rankin,  secretary. 

The  vote  resulted  as  follows: 

Y'eas — Joseph  Miles,  Boggs;  Hugh  Mcradden,Bald 
Eagle ;  J.  M.  Rankin,  Ferguson  ;  George  Boal,  Harris ; 
James  B.  Shugart,  Half-Moon  ;  Samuel  Cowperth- 
waite, Howard;  James  B.  Moore,  Lamar;  John  Neff, 
Potter ;  Silas  B.  Turner,  Patton  ;  Henry  Vandyke, 
Spring  ;  J.  M.  McCalmont,  Walker.  From  Bellefonte 
borough  and  Rush  township  no  delegates, — 13. 

Nays — Philip  Wolfort,  Miles;  no  delegates  from 
Haines,  Logan,  and  Gregg  Districts, — 4. 

The  delegates  agreed  on  a  tax  of  three  mills,  and 
appointed  May  21,  1836,  for  the  district  meetings. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  commissioners  did  not  vote 
at  any  of  these  joint  conventions. 

The  common  schools  went  into  operation  in  the 
following  districts  in  1835  :  Bellefonte,  Boggs,  Bald 
Eagle,  Ferguson,  Howard,  Patton,  Rush,  Si)ring. 
Walker,  and  Lamar.  Patton  and  Half-Moon  ac- 
cepted in  1836.  Logan  became  a  part  of  Clinton 
County  in  1839,  and  continued  its  struggle  against  the 
schools.  Miles  accepted  in  1838,  voted  "  no  schools" 
by  116  against  87  in  1840,  and  adopted  the  system 
permanently  in  1843.     The  vote  of  Haines  iu  1838 


POLITICS— IRON-WORKS. 


79 


was  114  for  and  1G8  against  schools;  in  1839,  33  for, 
187  against;  in  1840,  62  for,  203  against;  in  1841,  13 
for,  164  against.  The  schools  went  into  operation 
finally  in  the  fall  of  1849,  and  the  district  forfeited 
over  $4500  State  approi)riation  that  had  accumulated 
from  year  to  year.  Penn  District,  which  was  erected 
out  of  Gregg  and  Haines  in  1845,  accepted  in  1847. 
Gregg  accepted  the  system  in  1838,  as  appears  from  a 
record  of  an  election  held  March  16,  1838,  showing 
that  102  votes  were  cast  in  favor  and  100  against. 
Yet  for  the  school  year  ending  1839  the  township 
received  from  the  county  the  sum  of  $88.77  for  the 
education  of  poor  children,  and  the  free  schools  did 
not  go  into  operation,  probably,  until  the  fall  of  1839, 
and  then  only  temporarily,  for  in  1840  the  .system  was 
again  rejected  by  a  majority  of  82,  out  of  a  total  of  282 
votes.  The  schools  went  into  operation  permanently 
in  1846. 


CHAPTER    XXXIII. 

POLITICS— IRON-WORKS  OF  CEXTRE  COUNTY— MILI- 
T.iRY  ENCAMPMENT— BUCK.S110T  WAR. 

February  28th,  Miller  Horton  and  Henry  F. 
Tamauy  purchased,  at  a  sale  by  order  of  Congress, 
the  horse  named  Abder  Hamon,  presented  by 
1835.  the  Emperor  of  Morocco  to  Gen.  Jackson, 
President,  and  brought  to  New  York  in  the 
brig  "William  Tell"  from  Tangier  in  November,  1834. 
He  was  kept  in  Bellefoute  during  the  summer  of  1836. 
He  was  a  jet  black,  witli  hazel  eyes,  fifteen  hands 
high,  of  pure  Arabian  blond,  of  docile  disposition, 
and  remarkable  for  great  attachment  to  his  keeper  or 
any  small  animal  permitted  to  remain  in  his  stable. 

September  11th,  a  great  crowd  gathered  in  Belle- 
fonte  to  the  letting  of  the  lower  division  of  the  Bald 
Eagle  and  Spring  Creek  Navigation  Company  Canal. 
The  Howard  dam  was  allotted  to  Joseph  Harris,  the 
Marsh  Creek  dam  to  Iddings,  Moore  &  Malone,  and 
the  Beech  Creek  dam  to  Plerring  &  Morehead  ;  locks 
21  and  27  to  George  S.  Armstrong;  section  22  to  Saul 
&  Hugh  McCorniick;  section  24  to  Irving,  Herring 
&  Tomb,  etc. 

In  1835  occurred  the  division  of  the  Democratic 
party  between  the  adherents  of  Governor  Wolf  and 
Henry  A.  Muhlenberg,  which  resulted  in  the  election 
of  Joseph  Ritner.  The  regular  Democratic  ticket  in 
Centre  was  headed  by  George  Wolf  for  Governor ; 
William  F.  Packer,  of  Lycoming,  for  senator;  John 
Hasson,  of  Centre,  and  D.ivid  Ferguson,  of  Clear- 
field, for  Assembly  ;  Philip  B.  Musser  for  commis- 
sioner; Joseph  D.  Shugert  for  auditor. 

The  ticket  at  the  mast-head  of  the  Bellefonte  Patriot 
and  Farmers'  Journal,  now  printed  and  published  by 
J.  T.  McCracken,  was  for  Governor,  Joseph  Ritner; 
for  Senator,  Alexander  Irvin,  of  Clearfield  ;  for  As- 
sembly, George  Buchanan,  of  Gregg ;  for  Commis- 


sioner, David  Dale,  of  Harris ;  Auditor,  Gen.  James 
Irvin,  of  Bogg.s.  A  reform  meeting  was  held  in  Miles 
township  at  Philip  Reitzell's,— Philip  Wolfart,  chair- 
man ;  Samuel  Plockenbury,  secretary, — which  pa-s-sed 
resolutions  favorable  to  Joseph  Ritner's  election. 

The  vote  in  Centre  for  Packer  for  senator  was  1618; 
for  Irvin,  1589.  Lycoming  beat  her  own  candidate, 
W.  F.  Packer  receiving  only  1455  votes  to  1773  for 
Irvin. 

At  the  October  election  the  vote  in  Centre  County 
for  a  Constitutional  Convention  was  530,  against  2341. 
The  conservative  German  counties  of  the  middle  and 
southern  portion  of  the  State  voted  against  a  con- 
vention without  regard  to  party,  while  the  northern 
counties,  including  Clearfield  and  Lycoming,  and  the 
counties  west  of  the  Allegheny  Jlountains  voted  for 
it  by  large  majorities. 

Iron-Works  in  Operation  in  1836.— Hannah 
Furnace,  owned  by  George  McCuUoch  and  T.  Mc- 
Namara;  Martha  Furnace,  owned  by  Roland 
Curtin;  Julian,  owned  by  John  Adams;  Ceu-  1836. 
tre  Furnace  and  Milesburg  Forges  and  Rol- 
ling-mill, owned  by  John  Irvin,  Gen.  James  Irvin; 
Eagle  Furnace,  F'orge,  and  Rolling-mill,  owned  by 
Roland  Curtin  ;  Logan  Furnace,  Forges,  Rolling-mill, 
and  Nail-factory,  owned  by  Valentines  &  Thomas; 
Rock  Furnace,  Forge,  etc.,  owned  by  Gen.  Benner's 
heirs;  Hecla  Furnace,  run  by  John  Mitchell,  W.  W. 
Miles,  and  G.  S.  Armstrong  (this  firm  was  dissolved 
March  14, 1837) ;  Howard  Furnaces,  owned  by  Joseph 
Harris  &  Co. ;  Washington  Furnace  and  Forge,  owned 
by  A.  Henderson ;  Mill  Hall  Furnace,  owned  by  John 
Mitchell  &  Co.  The  two  latter  are  now,  1882,  in  Clin- 
ton County.  The  annual  production  of  these  works 
was  about  twelve  thousand  tons  of  pig-metal,  four 
thousand  five  hundred  tons  of  blooms,  and  two  thou- 
sand five  hundred  tons  of  bar-iron  and  nails. 

The  Democratic  Anti-Masonic  committee  of  cor- 
respondence this  year  was  Dr.  John  Harris,  Joliu 
Adams,  Philip  Reitzell,  William  Smyth,  John  Camp- 
bell, and  Joshua  T.  McCracken.  In  April,  Hamilton 
Humes,  of  Bellefonte,  was  appointed  ajipraiser  of 
canal  damages  by  Governor  Ritner.  The  Demo- 
cratic Anti-Masonic  meeting,  held  April  27tli,  was  pre- 
sided over  by  William  McMinn  ;  Benjamin  Everhart, 
John  Baker,  John  Adams,  and  Samuel  Harris,  vice- 
presidents;  Robert  Whiteliill  and  J.  T.  McCracken, 
secretaries;  the  Committee  on  Resolutions,  James  T. 
Hale,  John  Stanley,  John  Forster,  Robert  Hays, 
David  Adams,  William  Marshall,  William  Shaw, 
John  Boreland,  Richard  Riter,  who  reported  resolu- 
tions favorable  to  the  election  of  Gen.  Harrison,  and 
appointed  the  following  delegates  to  the  19th  of  May 
convention,  to  be  held  at  Harrisburg:  John  D.  Pet- 
rikin,  F.  D.  Whitehill,  Ira  Grossman,  C.  Colfelt,  E. 
C.  Humes,  Dr.  William  Irvin,  George  W.  Johnson, 
James  T.  Hale,  and  James  Johnson. 

The  Fourth  of  July  was  celebrated  this  year  by  the 
Bellefonte  Grays  by  a  dinner  at  Robert  Furey's  hotel. 


80 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


The  Grays  were  Democratic,  as  appears  by  their 
toasts.  Judge  Burnside  presided,  with  W.  W.  Potter 
and  John  Rankin,  Esq.,  as  vice-presidents;  H.  N. 
McAllister  read  the  Declaration ;  Judge  Burnside 
was  toasted  by  Capt.  C.  B.  Callahan,  "  for  his  untiring 
efforts  for  the  Bald  Eagle  and  Spring  Creek  Canal ;" 
John  B.  Wagner,  however,  toasted  William  H.  Har- 
rison as  worthy  the  highest  office  within  the  people's 
gift;  C.  Reese  gave  for  Martin  Van  Buren,  "May 
every  true  Democrat  go  to  the  polls  without  fear  or 
doubt;"  S.  T.  Shugert's  toast  was,  "The  beauties  of 
anti-Masonry, — a  British  bank  chartered  and  a  British 
poll-tax  enacted,  the  rights  of  the  people  sold,  the 
Constitution  violated,  and  one  thousand  six  hundred 
and  forty-eight  citizens  of  Centre  County  disfran- 
chised." 

The  Democratic  (Masonic  ticket)  had  this  fall  for 
its  candidates,  W.  W.  Potter  for  Congres.'? ;  John 
Hasson  for  Assembly  ;  Commissioner,  Col.  Andrew 
Gregg;  Auditor,  John  T.  Hoover;  Coroner,  Samuel 
McKee ;  Senatorial  Delegate  to  the  Constitutional 
Convention,  John  G.  Lowrey. 

August  31st,  James  Parker,  of  Howard  township, 
aged  twenty-five  years,  was  caught  in  the  machinery 
of  Howard  Furnace  and  crushed  to  death.  He 
passed  around  the  crank,  pressed  between  it  and  the 
head-block,  through  a  space  of  about  eight  inches. 

Political. — In  the  Constitutional  Convention  which 
assembled  at  Harrisburg  on  the  2d  of  May,  Robert 
Fleming,  Esq.,  of  Williamport,  represented 
1837.  the  senatorial  district  composed  of  the  coun- 
ties of  Lycoming,  Centre,  and  Northumber- 
land. William  Smyth  was  the  representative  dele- 
gate for  Centre,  and  Thomas  Hastings,  formerly 
hotel-keeper  at  Bellefonte  and  member  of  Assembly 
from  Centre,  represented  Jefferson,  Warren,  and 
McKean,  he  having  removed  to  Brookville. 

In  April,  J.  F.  McCracken  left  Bellefonte,  but  the 
Patriot  shortly  after  resumed  publication  under  W. 
A.  Kinsloe,  editor  and  proprietor,  advocating  the  elec- 
tion of  Gen.  Harrison  for  President. 

In  June,  1837,  the  price  of  wheat  in  Bellefonte  was 
from  $1.75  to  SI. 80 ;  depreciation  of  currency  had  its 
effect.  This  was  also  the  era  of  shin-plaster  (as  it 
was  called)  currency,  the  county  being  flooded  with 
them,  although  their  issue  was  in  direct  violation  of 
the  act  of  April  12,  1828. 

An  anti-bank  meeting  was  held  at  Bellefonte  June 
21st;  John  Hasson,  Esq.,  president:  James  Bothrock 
and  P.  B.  Musser,  vice-presidents ;  Albert  Ammerman 
and  Thomas  McKee,  secretaries;  and  Dr.  S.  Stro- 
hecker,  William  Smyth,  John  T.  Hoover,  John 
Thompson,  and  S.  T.  Shugert  were  appointed  dele- 
gates to  the  4th  of  July  convention  at  Harrisburg. 

In  July  occurred  one  of  the  heaviest  floods  known 
for  many  years  in  Bald  Eagle  Creek. 

August  2d,  the  Bellefonte  Lyceum  was  formed. 
John  Hoff"man,  W.  H.  Kinsloe,  William  Alexander, 
David  Whitehill,  John  Cooper,  H.  Petrikin,  John 


Mitchel,  J.  M.  Hale,  J.  H.  Morrison,  G.  T.  Rothrock, 
C.  B.  Linn,  Col.  James  Burnside,  A.  G.  Curtin,  and 
William  Harris  were  of  the  original  members.  Presi- 
dent, James  Gilliland ;  Vice-Presidents,  William 
Alexander  and  H.  H.  Kennie;  Recording  Secretary, 
W.  A.  Kinsloe;  Corresponding  Secretary,  A.  G.  Cur- 
tin ;  Librarian,  S.  T.  Shugert. 

The  Democratic  convention  met  on  the  29th  of  Au- 
gust; Col.  William  Smyth,  president;  Col.  James 
Burnside,  secretary.  Dr.  Samuel  Strohecker  was 
nominated  for  Assembly,  William  Furey  for  county 
commissioner,  Harry  F.  W.  Schultz  for  auditor. 

The  opposition,  denominated  by  the  Centre  Demo- 
crat as  Anti-Masonic  Shin-Plaster  party,  held  their 
meeting  August  30th,  Joseph  Harris  presiding,  as- 
sisted by  John  Foster,  Jacob  Walter,  David  Mitchell, 
of  Ferguson,  and  Fleming  McCormick  as  vice-presi- 
dents; David  Duncan  and  David  Daie,  secretaries. 
It  was  addressed  by  Maj.  Samuel  H.  Griffith,  John 
G.  Miles,  of  Huntingdon,  and  James  Merrill,  Esq., 
of  Union  County.  They  did  not  put  a  ticket  in  the 
field,  but  supported  William  Smyth,  Jr.,  of  Walker 
township,  for  the  Legislature.  At  the  election  in 
October,  Dr.  Strohecker  received  fourteen  hundred 
and  forty-one  votes  to  five  hundred  and  twenty-seven 
for  Smyth,  Bald  Eagle  being  tlie  only  township  which 
gave  a  majority  against  Dr.  Strohecker. 

October  19th  and  20th,  an  encampment  was  held  at 
the  Old  Fort,  which  was  attended  by  the  Bellefonte 
Grays  James  Gilliland,  captain ;  John  H.  Morris  and 
S.  T.  Shugert,  lieutenants.  In  October,  also,  the  Bald 
Eagle  Canal  was  completed  as  far  as  Howard,  Mr.  E. 
Morris,  engineer,  and  was  duly  celebrated  by  an  ex- 
cursion in  a  boat  from  Howard  ;  as  the  boat  entered 
Marsh  Creek  dam  a  rainbow  made  its  appearance,  and 
was  saluted  with  cheers  and  firing  of  a  cannon.  A 
handsome  dinner  was  provided  by  Mr.  Morris.  The 
water  was  let  in  from  Howard  Dam  on  the  7th  of 
November. 

The  Centre  County  Temperance  Society  held  its 
annual  meeting  November  27th,  Gen.  James  Irvin  in 
the  chair,  and  was  addressed  by  Hon.  John  Blanch- 
,ard.  -  A  resolution  in  favor  of  the  repeal  of  the  license 
system,  and  in  favor  of  the  prohibition  by  law  of  the 
manufacture  and  sale  of  ardent  spirits  as  a  drink,  was 
offered  by  James  T.  Hale,  Esq.,  duly  debated  and  re- 
ferred for  action  to  the  auxiliary  societies. 

December  23d,  the  largest  meeting  ever  held  in  that 
portion  of  Centre  County  assembled  at  Mill  Hall,  and 
passed  resolutions  favoring  the  erection  of  a  new 
county. 

At  the  delegate  convention  held  on  Jan.  25,  1838, 
Hon.  Jacob  Kryder  presided.  Dr.  Samuel  Strohecker 
was  elected  delegate  to  the  State  convention 
and  instructed  to  support  Hon.  William  W.  1838. 
Potter  for  Governor.  The  Democratic  meet- 
ing held  in  the  evening,  presided  over  by  John  Ran- 
kin, Vice-Presidents  Archy  McMullin,  James  Louri- 
more,    George    McCullogh,    and    John    Henderson, 


BUCKSHOT   WAR. 


81 


indorsed  this  action,  but  on  the  5tli  of  February,  Mr. 
Potter  in  a  letter  positively  declined  being  a  candidate 
for  the  nomination.  The  State  Convention  on  the 
5th  of  March,  Gen.  Abbot  Green,  of  Union  County, 
l)residing,  nominated  Gen.  David  II.  Porter,  of  IIiiu- 
tingdon,  for  Governor. 

March  2d,  Archibald  McClarly  was  committed  to 
jail  in  Bellefonte,  cliargcd  with  the  murder  of  John 
Nicely,  in  Boggs  township.  He  was  under  the  influ- 
ence of  liquor  at  the  time.  He  was  tried  at  April 
term,  the  trial  occupying  from  Wednesday  until  Sat 
urday,  when  he  was  found  guilty  of  murder  in  the 
second  degree  and  sentenced  to  the  penitentiary  for 
nine  years.  James  T.  Hale  and  R.  C.  Hale  con- 
ducted the  prosecution,  and  the  prisoner  was  defended 
by  W.  W.  Potter,  Bond  Valentine,  and  James  Burn- 
side,  Esquires. 

The  Democratic,  Anti-Masonic,  Republican  party 
(as  they  denominated  themselves  at  this  date)  of  Cen- 
tre County  held  a  county  meeting  April  25th.  Gen. 
James  Irvin  presided  ;  Vice-Presidents,  John  Gray, 
Jr.,  John  Forster,  Jeremiah  Rankin,  John  Potter, 
David  Dale;  Secretaries,  Robert  Blakely  and  Wil- 
liam Faith.  James  T.  Hale,  Samuel  J.  Green,  Col. 
William  JIarshall,  Dr.  George  B.  Eiigles,  James  Al- 
lison, Abraham  High,  George  S.  Armstrong,  James 
McFarlane,  Dr.  John  Grossman,  Benjamin  Williams, 
Robert  Pennington,  Samuel  K.  Patton,  Col.  John 
Neff,  David  Ligget,  and  David  Duncan  were  ap- 
pointed committee  upon  resolutions.  This  conven- 
tion appointed  delegates  to  the  young  men's  conven- 
tion at  Reading, — George  Grafuis,  A.  G.  Curtin,  E.  C. 
Humes,  Hudson  Williams,  Col.  W.  Irvin,  Philip  Wol- 
fart,  Daniel  Beuck,  William  Allison,  John  L.  Gray, 
Wells  Coverly,  George  Reitzel,  etc. 

The  Patriot  having  been  removed  by  Mr.  Kinsloe 
to  Lycoming  County  and  transformed  into  the  Ly- 
coming Ea;/le,  Mr.  S.  T.  Shugert,  of  the  C'jiilre  Demo- 
crat, published,  as  he  says,  "  the  wise  sayings  and 
doings  of  the  Federalists  at  their  meeting,"  some  two 
columns,  "drawn  up  iu  a  style  creditable  to  the 
writer;  the  plausible  manner  in  which  sophistry  and 
misrepresentation  are  made  to  wear  the  appearance 
of  reality  and  truth  proved  him  a  finished  worker  in 
the  school  of  anti-Masonic  jugglery." 

The  annual  temperance  meeting  was  held  April 
23d,  Gen.  James  Irvin  presiding.  Rev.  David 
McKinncy  addressed  the  meeting.  James  T.  Hale, 
from  the  committee  on  petitions  to  the  Legislature, 
reported  they  had  prepared  petitions,  secured  a  large 
number  of  signers,  and  forwarded  them  to  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Legislature,  who  had  entirely  neglected 
the  prayer  of  the  petitioners. 

James  Gilliland  was  elected  president  for  the  ensu- 
ing year,  Philip  B.  Musser  aud  Robert  Watsou  vice- 
presidents,  Rev.  James  Linn  corresponding  secretary, 
William  Alexander  recording  secretary.  The  Dem- 
ocratic convention  met  on  the  29th  of  August,  and 
nominated  William  W.  Potter  for  Congress,  Samuel 


Strtdiecker  for  Assembly,  Jacob  Bollinger  for  county 
commissioner. 

Saturday  morning.  August  2fitli,  Miss  Caroline 
Humes,  daughter  of  Hamilton  Humes,  left  her  father's 
house  on  horseback,  accompanied  by  another  young 
lady.  They  had  gone  but  a  short  distance,  when  the 
horse  upon  which  Miss  Humjcs  was  riding  took  fright, 
ran  with  her  nearly  a  mile,  when  she  was  thrown  from 
him  against  a  tree,  and  found  apparently  lifeless. 
She  remained  insensible  until  about  twelve  o'clock  on 
Sabbath,  when  she  died.  She  was  only  twenty  years 
of  age. 

At  the  fall  election  the  candidates  of  the  opposition 
were  Gen.  James  Irvin  for  Congress,  George  Reitzel 
for  Assembly,  John  Williams  for  commissioner.  Por- 
ter's majority  over  Governor  Ritner  in  the  county  was 
1122;  Porter  over  Irvin,  1182.  Patton,  Howard, 
Harris,  and  Half-JIoon  gave  Ritner  majorities.  Rush 
was  a  tie,  22  to  22. 

•The  Free  Press  was  started  Sept.  4,  1S.S8,  and  was 
edited  for  a  while  by  a  committee, — James  T.  Ilalc, 
Esq.,  and  Dr.  Harris, — but  in  a  short  time  Isaac  B. 
Gara  became  editor.  This  paper  ceased  in  October, 
1839. 

December  4th,  occurred  the  initiation  of  the  Buck- 
shot war  by  the  election  of  two  Speakers  by  the  rival 
parties  in  the  House;  the  Ritner  men,  led  by  Thad- 
deus  Stevens,  electing  Thomas  S.  Cunningham,  and 
the  Democrats  William  Hopkins.  The  Democracy 
of  Centre  County  took  a  large  interest  in  these  |)ro- 
ceedings,  and  a  large  meeting  was  held  at  the  court- 
house in  Bellefonte  on  Friday,  December  14th.  Col. 
William  Smyth  presided  ;  Col.  Henry  Barnhart, 
John  Rankin,  Esq.,  and  James  Gilliland,  vice-presi- 
dents; Capt.  Samuel  H.  Wilson,  James  Lourimorc, 
and  George  W.  Hutchinson,  secretaries.  The  meet- 
ing was  addressed  by  Henry  Petrikin  and  H.  N.  Mc- 
Allister, Esq.  The  meeting  recommended  their 
Democratic  friends  at  Harrisburg  "to  persevere  with 
peaceable  but  unyielding  firmness  in  their  opposition 
to  the  tyranny  and  usurpations  of  Governor  Ritner 
and  his  officers." 

The  Democracy  of  Penn  and  Brush  valleys  also 
assembled  at  Aaronsburg,  in  the  German  Reformed 
Church.  Hon.  Jacob  Kryder  presided,  with  Michael 
Bollinger,  Jacob  Mover,  John  Shook,  John  Shafcr, 
John  Kreamer,  Adam  Harper,  Philip  Dennis,  John 
Hostcrman,  Esq.,  John  Brown,  and  Daniel  Spyker  as 
vice-presidents;  George  Bear,  Esq.,  Andrew  Krcmer, 
H.  B.  Mussina,  and  David  Kremer,  secretaries.  James 
Macmanus,  Esq.,  and  J.  G.  Conser,  Esq.,  addressed 
the  meeting,  and  a  committee  of  twenty-two  was  ap- 
pointed to  correspond  with  the  Committee  of  Safety 
at  Harrisburg,  "  to  give  practical  proof  of  our  devo- 
tion to  the  principles  we  this  day  avow."  E.  0.  Ev- 
erhart  was  chairman  of  this  committee. 

A  meeting  of  Democrats  of  Gregg,  Haines,  Miles, 
and  Logan  was  also  held  in  the  German  Reformed 
Church.     On  the  17th  of  Deeeuiber  the  war  ended 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


by  the  appearance  of  Mr.  Montelius,  of  Union  County, 
and  Messrs.  Butler  and  Sturdevant,  of  Luzerne,  in  the 
House  over  which  Mr.  Hopkins  was  presiding. 


CHAPTER    XXXIV. 

ERECTION    OF   CLINTOX    COUNTY,    OPPO.SITION    TO  — 
ELECTION   OF   DK.  STROIIECKEll. 

The  election  of  Governor  Porter  was  followed  in 
January  by  the  appointment  of  James  Gilliland  pro- 
thonotary,  and  Henry  F.  W.  Sehultze  as  reg- 
1839.  ister  and  clerk  of  the  Orphans'  Court ;  James 
Macmanus,  Esq.,  as  deputy  attorney-general 
for  Centre  County  ;  Joseph  B.  Shugert,  collector  at 
Lewistown.  In  May,  Jacob  Bollinger,  Esq.,  of  Haines, 
was  appointed  deputy  .surveyor. 

The  agitation  in  favor  of  a  new  county  to  be  called 
"  Eagle,"  with  the  county-seat  at  Lock  Haven,  was 
early  renewed.  The  contemplated  dismemberment  of 
CentreCounty  was  earnestly  opposed  in  Centre  County. 
A  public  meeting  was  also  held  at  Bellefonte,  March 
5th,  presided  over  by  George  Boal,  and  resolutions 
offered  by  Gen.  George  Buchanan  and  James  Gilli- 
land, embodying  the  reasons  for  opposition  to  the  new 
county. 

On  the  same  day  a  special  election  was  held  for 
State  senator,  vice  Alexander  Irvin,  resigned.  Anson 
V.  Parsons  and  Maj.  G.  S.  Armstrong  were  candidates. 
Parsons'  vote  in  Centre  was  eleven  hundred  and  ninety- 
two;  Armstrong's,  three  hundred  and  fifty-four.  Arm- 
strong was  considered  the  candidate  of  the  division 
as  well  as  of  the  Whig  party.  Senator  Parsons  had 
hardly  gotten  into  his  seat  when  the  House,  over  Dr. 
Strohecker's  exertions,  passed  the  bill  for  the  erection 
of  Clinton  County  by  a  vote  of  forty-seven  to  twenty- 
four. 

The  Democrat  of  March  26th,  commenting  on  this 
action,  says,  ''The  majority  of  the  members  of  the 
House  have  acted  without  reflection,  and  have  done 
the  people  of  Centre  County  a  direct  and  unmerited 
injury.  Our  territory  is  compact,  bounded  by  a  nat- 
ural boundary,  and  the  only  citizens  remote  from  the 
seat  of  justice  arc  in  Logan  township,  a  few  of  whom 
have  to  travel  from  twenty-five  to  twenty-eight  miles 
and  are  unanimous  in  remonstrating  against  it.  A 
gentleman  from  away  down  east  (Jeremiah  Church), 
who  has  traveled  in  different  parts  of  the  United 
States  laying  out  towns,  has  laid  out  one  on  the  Sus- 
quehanna, and  desires  to  enhance  the  value  of  his 
lots  and  nuike  a  speculation  ;  hence  the  project  of 
clipping  Centre  County  and  enriching  himself  at  the 
expense  of  her  citizens." 

A  county  meeting  was  held  at  Bellefonte,  April  23d, 
presided  over  by  Samuel  Hays,  of  Bald  Eagle;  David 
Allison  and  John  Henderson,  of  Lamar,  Col.  An- 
thony Kleckner,  of  Logan,  and   John    Eraerick,  of 


Walker,  Vice-Presidents ;  William  Smyth,  Jr.,  and 
John  Brumgard,  of  Lamar,  secretarie's.  This  meeting 
adopted  a  strong  addre.ss,  embodying  the  reasons  for 
opposing  the  new  county,  and  appointed  a  committee, 
consisting  of  Gen.  William  W.  Houston,  Hon.  Jacob 
Kryder,  Bond  Valentine,  Esq.,  and  Col.  Anthony 
Kleckner,  to  take  charge  of  the  subject. 

The  annual  county  temperance  meeting  also  had  a 
meeting  the  same  day.  William  Smyth,  Jr.,  was 
chosen  president;  William  C.  Welch  and  P.  B.  Mus- 
ser,  vice-presidents;  Rev.  E.  Kieffer,  recording  secre- 
tary; Rev.  James  Linn,  corresponding  secretary. 
Rev.  Mr.  Linn  and  James  T.  Hale  were  the  speakers, 
and  a  resolution  was  passed  approving  of  Mr.  Cun- 
ningham's bill  in  the  Legislature,  allowing  the  peo- 
ple of  the  different  townships  to  vote  at  the  annual 
election  whether  or  not  they  will  have  taverns  in  their 
respective  townships. 

The  act  erecting  Clinton  County  was  approved  by 
the  Governor  June  21,  1839.  It  passed  the  Senate 
against  Senator  Parsons'  utmost  endeavors,  all  the 
opposition  except  Mr.  Bell,  of  Huntingdon,  voting 
for  it,  and  the  Democrats  all  opposing  it  except 
Frailey,  of  Schuylkill ;  vote  was  eighteen  for  to  nine 
against. 

The  Fourth  of  July  was  celebYated  this  year  by 
the  young  men,  who  assembled  at  the  court-house, 
Hon.  W.  W.  Potter  presiding;  John  Hoffman,  Esq., 
was  the  orator,  Col.  James  Burnside  read  the  Dec- 
laration of  Independence,  Charles  B.  Calahan  acted 
as  chief  marshal.  The  two  military  com))anies  were 
present  by  invitation.  The  young  men  then  proceeded 
to  J.  M.  Benner's  hotel  for  dinner.  The  Centre  Guards 
took  dinner  at  William  Armor's.  From  the  names  of 
those  giving  toasts  we  gather  some  of  the  soldiers  con- 
nected with  this  organization:  Capt.  A.  G.  Curtin, 
Lieut.  Hess,  C.  B.  Calahan,  John  Dale,  Robert 
McCain,  John  AVatson,  George  Ross,  William  Swyers, 
Samuel  Lipton,  J.  S.  Proudfoot,  William  Reflle,  J.  M. 
Hall,  Samuel  Dixon. 

The  Bellefonte  Grays  took  dinner  at  the  Washing- 
ton House,  provided  by  William  D.  Rankin.  Capt.  J. 
H.  Morrison,  T.  C.  Brew,  H.  N.  McAllister,  Samuel 
Osman,  Ellis  Brown,  William  Derr,  N.  Hillbish, 
and  Thomas  Miller  among  the  names  of  those  offer- 
ing toasts. 

The  regular  Democratic  Convention  met  August 
27th.  Col.  William  Smyth  was  elected  president, 
Jacob  Forney,  secretary,  and  the  following  dele- 
gates appeared  :  Bellefonte,  William  W.  Potter  and 
William  Cook  ;  Boggs,  Samuel  Lipton  and  S.  M. 
Hall  ;  Ferguson,  George  W.  Meek  and  J.  W. 
Mytton ;  Gregg,  Leonard  Leidy  and  Henry  Aalt ; 
Half-Moon,  Henry  Adams  and  Frederick  Getz; 
Haines,  Dr.  J.  Forney  and  George  Swartz  ;  Howard, 
James  Gardner  and  John  Rupert ;  Harris,  George 
Jack  and  Christian  Dale;  Miles,  Andrew  Shafer  and 
Melchoir  Poorman  ;  Patton,  Falser  Sellers  and  R. 
Meek ;  Potter,  Samuel   H.  Wilson  and  John  Love ; 


CENSUS— THE    HARRISON    CA.MI'AIGN. 


83 


Rush,  Samuel  Way;  Spring,  Dr.  Jolin  Purdue  and 
John  Furey  ;  Walker,  Col.  William  Smyth  and  H.  F. 
Shulize,  Esq.  Tiiis  convention  nominated  James 
Gilliland  lor  prothonotary ;  John  Toner  Cor  register 
and  recorder;  Capt.  George  Boal  for  assembly  ;  Com- 
missioner, James  Alexander;  Coroner,  Falser  Sel- 
lers; Auditor,  Samuel  H.  Wilson  ;  and  recommended 
Col.  John  Hii.sson  for  senator. 

Their  resolution  claimed  the  senator  because  the 
county  had  supported  William  F.  Packer  for  senator 
in  1835,  when  Lycoming  had  herself  defeated  him  ; 
that  Centre  had  yielded  the  Constitutional  Conven- 
tion delegate  and  supported  Maj.  Robert  Fleming, 
and  had  also  supported  Anson  V.  Parsons  for  senator. 
This  whole  ticket,  with  the  exception  of  John  Turner 
for  register  and  recorder,  the  coroner  and  auditor,  was 
defeated  at  the  fall  election. 

It  was  still  the  rule  to  make  no  nomination  for 
sheriff,  and  candidates  ran  independently.  Among 
them  were  John  Thompson,  of  Half-Moon  ;  Thomas 
C.  Young,  of  Harris  ;  George  Buchanan,  William  A. 
Davidson,  of  Spring;  and  Jacob  Anspach,  of  Pine 
Grove  Mills. 

A  cloud  soon  arose  upon  the  Democratic  horizon. 
Miles  township  assembled  in  mass-meeting  at  the 
house  of  Daniel  Cojiser  in  Rebersburg.  Gi;orge  Bear 
was  cliosen  president.  Christian  Grandy  and  Wendel 
Royer,  vice-presidents;  George  Weaver  and  John 
Ruhl,  secretaries.  A  committee  to  draft  resolutions 
was  appointed:  John  Reynolds,  Adam  Shafer,  Jona- 
than Royer,  Michael  Ziegler,  Daniel  Gebhart,  Daniel 
Conser,  Samuel  Couts,  John  Walker,  John  Bierlej', 
George  Conser,  William  Poorman,  William  Walker, 
John  Gebhart,  John  Granily,  Henry  Yeakly,  George 
Burkert,  Adam  Bear,  and  Robert  Varalzah. 

The  meeting  resolved  that  Capt.  Boal's  nomination 
■was  unexpected  and  against  the  wishes  of  a  large 
majority  of  the  D.MUocrats  of  the  county,  and  ap- 
pointed a  committee  consisting  of  John  Shafer, 
George  Smeltzer,  John  Weaver,  Jacob  Wolf,  and 
Michael  Erhart  to  address  Dr.  Stroliecker  on  tlie 
subject  of  accepting  a  nomination  for  Assembly.  The 
doctor  promptly  accepted,  and  the  meeting  resolved 
to  give  him  "almost  a  unaniiiiouj  vote  in  the  east 
end  of  the  county  because  we  know  him." 

The  senatorial  conference  met  at  Williamsport, 
September  Hth,  S.  H.  Wilson  and  S.  T.  Sliugerl  rep- 
resenting Centre;  William  A.  Petrikin  and  John 
Beunct,  Lycoming;  Charles  G.  Donnel  and  Stephen 
Glaze,  Northumberland.  Dr.  H.  B.  Massey  and  Dan- 
iel Richards  claimed  seats  as  representatives  of  the 
new  county  of  Clinton.  The  Centre  conferees  ob- 
jected to  this,  and  they  were  not  allowed  votes  in  the 
conference  by  a  vole  of  three  to  two,  Glaze  declining 
to  vote.  ^Ir.  Donnel  nominated  J.  C.  Norton;  Mr. 
Petrikin,  Robert  Fleming;  and  Mr.  Shugert,  John 
llasson.  Fifleen  ballots  were  had  when  Centre  with- 
drew John  Hasson  and  nominated  James  Macmanus. 
Finding  nothing  could  be  accomplished,  Mr.  Mac- 


manus' name  was  withdrawn,  and  the  Centre  con- 
ferees voted  for  J.  C.  Horton  ;  but  Glaze,  who  was 
instructed  for  Horton,  uniformly  voted  for  Gen. 
Fleming,  when  the  Centre  conferees  voted  for  Hor- 
ton. Finally  the  Centre  conferees  withdrew  from  the 
conference.  Their  action  was  indorsed  by  a  large 
Democratic  county  meeting  held  at  Bcllefonte,  which 
resolved  Col.  John  Hasson  should  be  supported  for 
senator. 

Volunteer  candidates  sprang  up.  Charles  Carpen- 
ter, of  Ferguson,  offered  for  prothonotary,  William 
C.  Welch,  of  Bellcfonte,  and  James  J.  Rodgers,  of 
Gregg,  for  register  and  recorder,  also  Samuel  John- 
ston, of  Bellefonte. 

Col.  Hasson's  vote  for  senator  in  the  county  was 
1506,  to  607  for  Gen.  Fleming.  Lycoming,  Clinton, 
and  Northumberland  voted  nearly  as  unanimously 
for  Gen.  Fleming,  and  the  district  stood  4726  fur 
Fleming,  1884  for  Hasson.  Strohecker  for  Assembly 
had  1178  votes,  1004  for  Boal.  Gilliland  was  beaten 
by  Carpenter  just  ten  votes.  Flaines  stood  firm  for 
Gilliland,  but  Miles  and  Walker  went  strong  for  Car- 
penter. John  Thompson's  vote  for  sheriff  was  1010, 
to  872  for  Buchanan  and  361  for  Young.  William 
Iddings  was  elected  county  commissioner  over  James 
Alexander  by  90  votes. 

The  death  of  Hon.  W.  W.  Potter  occurring  October 
27th,  a  special  election  to  fill  his  seat  in  Congress  was 
ordered  for  November  20th.  A  delegate  convention 
met  on  the  11th  of  November,  John  Enierick,  of 
Walker,  president,  S.  H.  Wilson,  secretary,  and  put 
Gen.  George  McCulloch  in  nomination,  and  appointed 
Col.  George  Hubler,  of  Haines,  and  George  Jack, 
Esq.,  of  Harris,  conferees.  The  conference  ratified 
this  nomination.  Gen.  McCulloch  had  served  in  the 
Senate  in  1835-36,  and  was  an  iron-master  now  lo- 
cated in  Centre  County.  Gen.  James  Irviii  was 
selected  to  oppose  him. 


CHAPTER    XXXV. 
ci;xsus-Titi-:  u.\niiisox   c.^MP.Aifix-TiiE  demo- 

CltATtC  WlllCJ— THE  TAllIFF  JSSUK— TE.Ml'EK.AXCK 
C.-Vl'SE. 


Bclli-f,>iuo 
ISmK^'s 

Kl-IKIISUM  . 


roruLATiox  of  centre  couxty.>     1840. 

1(V.2     Milos li:is 

4':t 

1TS7 

:117 


ITH 

1  '."vl 

1'. 

-ll 

■luM 

Si 

'III 

nor; 

w 

Ilk 

ITlli 


Tutiil iv.-i'-)- 


Of  whom  two  hundred  and  ninety-one  were  col- 
ored. In  1840  there  were  seven  furnaces,  nine  forges 
and  rolling-mills,  and  six  hundred  and  three  mcu 

1  riinlou  Comity  wiis  uicclcil  in  ISin,  rwliuius:  llio  nmi  of  rpiilr', 
uiid  Jccri-u&iiii;  to  tlmt  extout  its  rclutivo  iioiiulatiou  to  fotmri'  L-eusus. 


81 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


employed  in  the  manufacture  (including  mining)  of 
iron.  Tliere  were  then  only  eighty-seven  thousand 
bushels  of  bituminous  coal  raised,  employing  seven 
men,  capital  six  thousand  dollars,  thirty-five  grist- 
mills, sixty-one  saw-mills,  and  one  oil-mill. 

Political. — The  Van  Buren  and  Harrison  campaign 
was  opened  in  Centre  County  by  a  large  meeting,  held 
April  28th,  at  Bellefonte.  Col.  William  Smyth  pre- 
sided, with  Andrew  Hunter,  of  Potter,  Cornelius  Dale, 
of  Harris,  Hon.  Jacob  KryJer,  of  Harris,  Anthony 
Wolf,  of  Miles,  Samuel  H.  Wilson,  of  Potter,  Maj. 
Henry  Barnhart,  of  Boggs,  vice-presidents ;  Secre- 
taries, Dr.  Jacob  Forney  and  S.  T.  Shugert.  Col. 
James  Burnside  and  James  Macmanus,  Esq.,  were 
the  speakers. 

The  Harrison  men  held  their  meeting  the  next 
evening;  Dr.  John  Harris  and  James  T.  Hale  were 
the  orators.  One  of  the  Democratic  resolutions  was, 
"We  dare  the  Federalists  to  deny  that  William 
Henry  Harrison  was,  in  the  days  of  the  Keign  of 
Terror,  a  Black  Cockade  Federalist."  Another  de- 
clared that  Richard  M.  Johnston  was  the  real  hero 
at  the  Thames. 

The  Democratic  young  men  celebrated  the  Fourth 
of  July  in  a  grove  on  the  banks  of  Spring  Creek. 
Hon.  George  Kremer,  of  Union  County,  was  present 
by  special  invitation  and  addressed  the  meeting. 
Capt.  S.  Hunter  Wilson  was  chief  marshal,  and 
Hon.  Thomas  Burnside  presided.  Addresses  were 
made  by  H.  N.  JIcAllister,  E^q.,  Col.  James  Burn- 
side, and  E.  V.  Everhart.  Dinner  was  taken  at  the 
Mansion  House,  W.  D.  Rankin,  proprietor. 

The  citizens  and  soldiers  celebrated  tlie  day  at 
Milesburg.  The  Centre  Guards  were  in  attendance, 
under  the  command  of  Capt.  A.  G.  Curtin.  Henry 
Barnhart  presided,  assisted  by  William  Iddings  and 
George  Grafius ;  Constans  Curtin  and  Zachariah 
Miles,  secretaries.  The  Declaration  of  Independ- 
ence was  read  by  John  Watson.  Capt.  A.  G.  Cur- 
tin made  a  patriotic  addrefs,  and  a  dinner  was  served 
up  by  James  McMasters. 

The  Democrats  of  Miles  and  Gregg  townships  .also 
celebrated  the  Fourth  at  Aaronsburg ;  John  Hoster- 
man,  president;  Adam  Sunday,  John  Homan,  and 
Peter  Zeigler,  of  Gregg,  Anthony  Wolf,  of  Miles, 
Philip  Dinges,  Jacob  Lutz,  George  Hubler,  and  H. 
Gentzel,  of  Haines,  vice-presidents;  Leonard  Leidy, 
of  Gregg,  Jacob  Wolf,  of  Haines,  and  Thomas 
Wolf,  of  Miles,  secretaries.  The  committee  on  reso- 
lutions consisted  of  Dr.  Jacob  Forney,  of  Aarons- 
burg; Philip  B.  Musser,  John  Shook,  Sr.,  and  Henry 
Winkleman,  of  Gregg;  Adam  Harper,  Adam  Stover, 
Jr.,  T.  Hubler,  Leonard  Kerstetter,  and  Thomas  Har- 
per, of  Haines,  and  George  Shaeffer,  of  Miles.  B. 
F.  Swartz,  of  Lowistown,  addressed  the  meeting. 
Ancient  Federalism,  Bankism,  and  Abolitionism 
were  condemned,  and  log  cabin,  with  hard-cider 
lieroes,  were  at  a  discount. 

The  Democratic  Convention  met  August  25th,  and 


elected  John  Emerick,  of  Walker,  president ;  S.  T. 
Shugert,  secretary  ;  and  nominated  George  Boal,  of 
Harris,  for  Assembly  ;  Thomas  F.  Stewart,  of  Fergu- 
son, for  commissioner ;  and  James  J.  Rogers,  of 
Haines,  for  auditor.  At  the  Democratic  meeting  held 
the  same  day  William  Furey  presided,  H.  N.  McAl- 
lister, Hon.  Thomas  Burnside,  and  Gen.  A.  P.  Wilson, 
of  Huntingdon,  were  the  speakers. 

In  September,  Nathan  Sargent  and  the  "  Buckeye 
Blacksinith"  appeared  upon  the  scene,  "  and  the  iron- 
masters closed  their  works,  and  the  ore-wagons  and 
mule  teams  hauled  the  men  out  to  hear  the  Smith  of 
Whigery,"  as  he  was  styled  by  the  Democrat. 

A.  P.  Wilson,  of  Huntingdon,  was  the  Democratic 
candidatefor  Congress  in  the  district,  but  was  beaten  by 
Gen.  James  Irvin.  The  official  vote  for  the  Van  Buren 
electors  in  Centre  County  was  twothousand  two  hun- 
dred and  forty -two  ;  for  the  Harrison  electors  fourteen 
hundred  and  forty-eight;  Democratic  majority,  seven 
hundred  and  ninety-four. 

July  2Gth,  a  Democratic  meeting  was  held  in  Belle- 
fonte, Col.  John  Hasson,  chairman ;  Hon.  Jacob 
Kryder,  John  Proudfoot,  Maj.  J.  NefF,  Agnew 
Sellers,  John  Hoslennan,  William  Smyth,  1841. 
John  B.  Meek,  Samuel  Strohecker,  and 
others,  vice-presidents.  Hon.  Thomas  Burjiside  was 
elected  representative  delegate,  and  James  Macmanus 
senatorial,  with  instructions  to  support  David  R. 
Porter  for  renomination. 

On  the  8th  of  May,  18-51,  the  Democratic  Whiff, 
John  Kidd  Shoemaker,  editor  and  publisher,  wm 
started.  His  motto  was,  "The  strongest  of  all  govern- 
ments is  that  which  is  most  free,"  W.  H.  Harrison. 
Mr.  Shoemaker  conducted  this  paper  for  over  ten 
years,  and  July  23, 1851,  associated  John  T.  Johnston 
(present  postmaster  of  Bellefonte,  1882)  with  liim. 
Mr.  Johnston  retired  Sept.  U,  1853.  April  25,  1855, 
John  K.  Shoemaker  leased  the  office  of  Whig  to  John 
T.  Johnston,  who  became  editor  and  proprietor,  con- 
tinuing such  until  May  26,  1858,  when  Lsvi  D.  Reed 
and  T.  Newton  Boyle  became  editors  and  publishers. 
Boyle  retired  in  July,  and  Mr.  J.  K.  Shoemaker  as- 
sociated himself  with  Mr.  Read  in  the  publication 
until  Aug.  18, 1858,  when  the  Whig  went  out  of  exist- 
ence, the  material  being  sold  to  John  G.  Kurtz,  who 
started  the   Central  Press. 

Levi  D.  Read  served  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellioa  in 
Company  B,  One  Hundred  and  Tenth  Pennsylvania, 
and  died  at  Harrisburg,  March  17,  1880. 

The  Fourth  of  July  occurring  on  Sunday,  the  3d  of 
July  this  year  was  elaborately  celebrated,  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Centre  Guards  and  Bellefonte  Infantry, 
by  a  public  meeting,  over  which  Maj.  Andrew  Gregg 
presided;  Maj.  William  Burchfield  and  Capt.  George 
Buchanan,  vice-presidents;  Capt.  James  Dunlap  and 
S.  T.  Shugert  secretaries.  An  elegant  dinner  was 
provided  by  Robert  Furey,  of  the  Pennsylvania  House. 

On  Monday,  5th,  the  severest  hail-storm  ever  re- 
membered visited  Bellefonte.     The  storm  came  from 


THE   TARIFF   ISSUE— TEMPERANCE    CAUSE. 


85 


the  northwest,  and  lasted  one  hour.  Thousands  of 
panes  of  glass  were  broken,  and  the  wheat  and  grain 
in  the  neighborhood  of  town  utterly  cut  up.  Hail- 
stones fell  from  the  size  of  a  hazel-nut  to  that  of  a 
walnut. 

The  tariff  issue  was  strongly  made  in  the  campaign 
this  year  on  the  part  of  the  Whigs.  David  R.  Porter 
was  the  Democratic  candidate  for  Governor,  John 
Banks  the  Whig  candidate.  The  county  meeting  held 
by  the  Whigs  on  the  25th  of  August  was  presided  over 
by  John  Mitchell,  of  Harris  township  ;  Joseph  Baker, 
John  Strohm,  James  Duncan,  Sr.,  Samuel  Everhart, 
and  Edward  Tate  were  vice-presidents ;  Samuel  R. 
Patton  and  J.  K.  Shoemaker,  secretaries.  The  Demo- 
cratic meeting  lield  on  the  24tli  was  presided  over  by 
Judge  Smyth.  At  the  latter  James  Macmanus,  Esq., 
was  nominated  for  Assembly,  John  G.  Conser  for 
county  commissioner,  John  G.  Lowrey  for  treasurer, 
H.  Larimer  and  William  Kerr,  auditors.  On  Friday 
evening  a  lecture  was  to  have  been  given  on  "  Abo- 
lition." The  lecturer  was  not  allowed  to  occupy  the 
court-house,  and  held  forth  on  the  steps,  where  he 
was  pelted  with  eggs,  which  he  took  very  patiently. 
The  Whig  nominees  on  the  county  ticket  were:  As- 
sembly, A.  S.  Valentine;  Commissioner,  John  Motz; 
Treasurer,  William  Harris;  Auditors,  Thomas  Huston 
and  William  Burnside.  At  the  election  held  October 
12th,  Porter  received  2300  votes ;  Banks,  1126;  Le- 
moyne,  the  Abolition  candidate,  received  one  vote  in 
Bellefonte  and  12  in  Half-Moon.  Valentine's  vote 
was  1122;  Motz,  1132;  Harris,  1133,  and  shows  how 
closely  party  lines  were  drawn. 

The  military  encampment  held  at  Springfield,  alias 
Boalsburg,  October  ISth,  was  the  largest  and  most 
imposing  military  spectacle  ever  witnessed  in  this 
section  of  the  State.  Col.  Andrew  Gregg  was  in  com- 
mand, with  staff, — R.  C.  Hale,  lieutenant-colonel ;  Wil- 
liam Burchfield  and  G.  R.  Ban-et,  majors  ;  Capt.  Beis- 
sel,  adjutant.  The  reviewing  officers  were  Maj.-Gen. 
Abbott  Green  and  staff,  Maj.-Gen.  John  Potter  and 
staff,  Brig.-Gens.  A.  P.  Wilson  and  A.  S.  Wilson,  ac- 
companied by  Cols.  Burnside  and  Andrews,  of  aides 
to  the  Governor.  The  following  Centre  County  com- 
panies were    present:    Penn's  Valley   Troop,  Capt. 

George   Buchanan ;  Pine   Grove   Troop,  Capt.  

Bell;  Washington  Troop,  Capt.  Walters;  Centre 
Guards,  Capt.  A.  G.  Curtin ;  Bellefonte  Infantry, 
Capt.  J.  H.  Morrison ;  Washington  Infantry,  Capt. 
Gregg ;  Washington  Guards,  Capt.  Patton  ;  Gates- 
burg  Hornets,  Capt.  Featz;  Nittany  Riflemen,  Capt. 
Coverly  ;  Boalsburg  Riflemen,  Capt.  James  Dunlap  ; 
Marion  Guards,  Capt.  Rissel,  besides  other  companies 
from  Miffliu  and  Clearfield  Counties. 

In  the  Legislature  the  political  complexion  was  as 
follows:  Whigs,  17;  Democrats,  15;  Conservative,  1. 
In  the  House,  Democrats,  63;  Whigs,  37.  During 
this  campaign  the  opposition  gave  the  Democratic 
partisans  the  name  "  Loco  Focos."  Governor  Porter's 
majority  in  the  State  was  23,003. 


November  11th,  Peter  A.  Karthouse,  of  Clearfield 
County,  to  whose  enterprise  this  county  was  much  in- 
debted, committed  suicide  at  Baltimore. 

Temperance  Societies.— Dec.  11th,  the  Washing- 
ton Temperance  Society  of  Bellefonte  was  organized. 
This  was  followed  by  organizations  at  Milesburg,  etc. 

This  Washingtonian  movement  was  started  by  mis- 
sionaries, as  they  were  called,  from  Lewistown.  It 
spread  all  through  Centre  County,  and  did  much  good. 
Among  other  features  introduced  was  the  establish- 
ment of  a  coffee-  and  reading-room  at  Bellefonte  by 
McConnell  &  Keene. 

James  H.  Rankin  was  president  of  the  Washington 
Society  of  Spring  and  Bellefonte;  George  Welch, 
secretary.  At  a  meeting  on  Christm.is  night  songs 
were  sung  by  John  Montgomery,  Wesley  Lambert, 
and  W.  H.  Butler,  and  addresses  delivered  by  Hon. 
John  Blanchard,  Joseph  T.  Hall,  Frederick  Smith, 
Col.  James  Burnside,  and  committees  appointed  to 
organize  societies  at  Boalsburg  and  Jacksonville. 

At  the  home  industry  or  tariff  convention  held  at 
Harrisburg  on  the  22d  of  February,  Centre  County 
was  represented  by  George  Valentine,  James  D.  Har- 
ris, and  Edward  McGarvey.  February  1-lth, 
an  anti-swearing  society  was  started  at  Julian's  1812, 
Furnace,  and  a  large  number  signed  a  pledge 
to  abstain  from  profane  swearing. 

Saturday,  May  14th,  John  Wise,  theaeronaut,  of  Lan- 
caster, made  an  ascent  from  Bellefonte,  from  the  prison- 
yard,  at  ten  minutes  before  3  p.m.  He  said,  when  up 
about  ten  minutes,  "  the  towns  looked  like  a  chess- 
board, with  Milesburg  linked  to  Bellefonte.  At  forty 
minutes  after  my  departure  I  made  the  last  signal  for 
a  hurrah  from  the  spectators  on  the  hill  behind  tlie 
court-house,  and  the  answer  reached  me  with  a  faint 
noise,  resembling  the  screams  of  a  child  under  a  feather 
bed.  At  the  height  of  a  mile  the  balloon  reached 
an  easterly  current,  which  carried  it  over  Hecla 
Furnace  and  Nittany  Mountain.  The  view  was  mag- 
nificent. A  number  of  pillars  of  smoke  were  rising 
from  the  different  iron-works  dispersed  through  Cen- 
tre County.  The  endless  and  lofty  Allegheny  Moun- 
tains bounded  the  view  in  that  direction.  The  lonely 
windings  of  the  Erie  turnpike  were  soon  lost  in  the 
dark  defiles  of  the  mountains.  Nature's  fragrance 
perfumed  the  atmosphere  with  the  sweet  odor  of  its 
fruits.  As  I  passed  over  Nittany  Mountain,  Penn's 
valley  distinguished  itself  from  its  smaller  neighbors. 
The  verdnnt  soil  appeared  to  be  more  copiously  charged 
with  vegetation,  and  the  fields  appeared  to  be  generally 
larger.  At  four  o'clock  I  made  arrangements  to  land, 
which  was  safely  efl^ected  in  Brush  valley,  near  the 
house  of  Mr.  John  Royer,  fifteen  miles  from  Belle- 
fonte." 

At  the  military  election  held  in  June,  James  Potter, 
Jr.,  was  elected  brigadier-general,  Philip  W.  Barn- 
hart  colonel  {of  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Regi- 
ment), William  Tipton  lieuteuant-colonel,and  George 
H.  Weaver  major. 


IITSTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Forthe  Fourth  of  July  celebration  thisyearacannon 
was  manufactured  at  the  foundry  of  William  Harris, 
in  Bellefonte.  The  piece  was  cast  solid  and  drilled. 
The  celebration  this  year  was  under  the  auspices  of 
the  temperance  societies,  and  addresses  were  made  by 
Judge  Burnside,  James  T.  Hale,  Esq.,  H.  N.  McAllis- 
ter, and  John  Blanchard ;  Charles  B.  Callahan  was 
marshal  of  the  procession.  There  was  also  a  celebra- 
tion at  Milesburg,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Wash- 
ingtonian  Temperance  Society,  Centre  Guards,  and 
the  Sabbath-school.  Rev.  J.  G.  Miles  delivered  the 
address  to  the  Sabbath-school,  and  A.  G.  Curtin  the 
oration.  At  Beech  Creek  a  liberty-pole  one  hundred 
feet  high  was  raised,  James  Burnside,  Esq.,  delivering 
an  address,  the  Beech  Creek  Temperance  Society 
and  Howard  AVashingtonian  Temperance  Society 
taking  a  prominent  part  in  the  exercises. 

In  July.  Rev.  Thomas  Hunt,  the  celebrated  temper- 
ance lecturer,  visited  Centre  County.  The  court-house 
could  not  contain  the  crowds  that  flocked  to  hear  him. 
His  addresses  made  a  great  impression.  Robert 
Furey,  who  kept  hotel,  announced  that  if  he  was  paid 
for  his  liquors  on  hand  he  would  abandon  the  sale 
and  become  a  member  of  the  society.  A  price  was 
put  upon  the  stock,  and  a  subscription  raised,  and  the 
liquors  were  taken  from  the  cellar  and  burned. 

August  5th,  the  workingmen  of  Centre  County  or- 
ganized an  association.  A.  Ammerman,  president; 
Jesse  Clingcr,  William  Rogers,  and  John  Taylor, 
vice-presidents;  John  Proudfoot,  secretary;  Abram 
Sweitzer,  Neil  Harrold,  and  William  Pruner,  corres- 
ponding committee.  They  declared  themselves  for  a 
tariff,  but  independent  of  political  parties.  The  Cen- 
tre Democrats'  opinion  of  the  movement  was  that  it 
was  an  old  trick  of  the  Federal  enemy. 


CHAPTER    XXXVI. 

POLITICS— OFFICIAL  RETURN-RAILRO.\D  MEETING 
—MEXICAN  WAR  SOLDIERS— HEN.  IRVIN  NOMI- 
NATED   FOR   GOVERNOR. 

The  Presidential  question  was  early  agitated  in  this 
year.  A  meeting  held  at  the  court-house  in  Belle- 
fonte, February  7th,  over  which  William 
1843.  Smith,  Jr.,  of  Marion,  presided,  with  Jesse 
Williams,  William  Marshall,  Esq.,  Daniel 
Beuck,  as  vice-presidents,  George  Buchanan  and 
William  Allison  as  secretaries,  appointed  thirty-two 
delegates  to  attend  a  convention  at  Harrisburg  for 
the  purpose  of  putting  in  nomination  Henry  Clay  for 
President. 

The  election  this  fall  was  remarkable  from  the  fact 
that  Gen.  James  Irvin,  Whig,  carried  the  county 
against  George  McCuUoch  for  Congress,  and  Joseph 
F.  Quay,  Whig,  was  elected  State  senator.  Haines, 
Gregg,  and  Miles  townships  remain,  however,  stanchly 
Democratic.    James  Dunlap,  the  Whig  nominee,  was 


elected  county  commissioner,  and  William  Harris, 
Whig,  county  treasurer.  James  Macmanus,  Esq.,  was 
the  successful  candidate  for  the  Legislature. 

The  Fourth  of  July  was  celebrated  by  a  great  out- 
pouring of  the  people  to  Bellefonte  to  political  meet- 
ings. The  Democrats,  marshaled  by  Capt.  J. 
H.  Morrison,  formed  a  procession  headed  by  1844. 
the  Milesburg  Band.  An  arch  mad.e  by  the 
ladies,  under  which  huug  the  portraits  of  Polk  and 
Dallas,  w.is  next  in  procession  ;  then  came  Governor 
David  R.  Porter  and  the  officers  of  the  meeting, — • 
Judge  Thomas  Burnside,  president;  William  Smyth, 
Sr.,  J.  Thompson,  Esq.,  William  Ward,  George  Boal, 
C  Trezyulny,  John  Gilliland,  John  G.  Lowrey,  John 
Netr,  etc.  The  procession  repaired  to  a  grove  at  the 
west  end  of  town,  where  a  dinner  was  spread  by  Maj. 
Armor.  There  were  three  hundred  and  thirty-six 
voters  in  line.  Col.  James  Burnside  delivered  an 
oration,  and  H.  N.  McAllister,  Esq.,  read  the  Decla- 
ration of  Independence. 

The  Whig  procession  was  headed  by  Tutton's 
Bellefonte  Band,  Gen.  George  Buchanan,  marshal, 
and  repaired  to  the  spring,  where  a  dinner  was  served 
by  the  ladies.  Gen.  James  Irvin  presided,  assisted 
by  David  Dale,  James  Potter,  William  Murray, 
Samuel  Askey,  Roland  Curtin,  Sr.,  Daniel  Shank, 
George  Brown,  J.  W.  Richards,  George  Zimmerman, 
Thomas  McCalmont,  Daniel  Weaver,  Hamilton 
Humes,  vice-presidents  ;  Samuel  R.  Patton,  Daniel 
Keller,  Jacob  Baker,  secretaries.  Maj.  George  S. 
Armstrong  read  the  Declaration,  and  Dr.  J.  M. 
Thompson  delivered  an  oration.  The  venerable  Judge 
Charles  Huston  also  made  an  address,  and  was  fol- 
lowed by  A.  G.  Curtin,  Esq. 

On  the  9th  of  August,  a  convention  of  those  op- 
posed to  the  desecration  of  the  S.ibbath  was  held  at 
Bellefonte,  Hon.  William  Smyth,  president;  Martin 
Houser  and  George  Sheneberger,  vice-presidents; 
Samuel  Green  and  D.  B.  Canfield,  secretaries. 
Among  other  resolutions  was  one,  sadly  needed,  dis- 
approving of  talking  politics  on  the  Sabbath. 

The  Democratic  ticket  in  1844  was,  for  Congress, 
Dr.  Joseph  Henderson  ;  Assembly,  Col.  James  Burn- 
side, of  Centre,  and  Lewis  W.  Smith,  of  Clearfield  ; 
commissioner.  Christian  Hoffer,  of  Potter  township. 

The  Whig  ticket:  John  Blanchard,  for  Congress; 
William  Murray,  of  Centre,  and  George  Leech,  of 
Clearfield,  for  Assembly  ;  John  Fox,  of  Howard,  for 
commissioner;  auditor,  John  Lourimore,  of  Harris. 

The  campaign  of  1844  was  earnestly  fought  upon 
the  question  of  the  repeal  of  the  tariff  of  1842,  Clay 
and  Frelinghuysen  being  the  Whig  candidates  for 
President  and  Vice-President,  Polk  and  Dallas  Dem- 
ocratic candidates.  At  the  gubernatorial  election  the 
vote  in  Centre  County  stood  2384  for  F.  R.  Shunk,^ 

1  Henry  A.  JIuhleuberg,  tlie  nominee  of  tlio  Democratic  party  for 
Governor,  h:id  ii  strolie  of  iipoiilexy  wliile  Eilliiig  on  hia  door-step  in 
Rending,  on  Siitnrday  evening,  August  lO'.li,  iind  died  at  four  A.M.  un 
Sabbath,  and  Francis  R.  Sliiinli  was  substituted  as  caudidatc. 


POLITICS-OFFICIAL   RETURN— RAILROAD    .MEETING. 


87 


17S6  for  Gen.  Joseph  Markle,  Democratic  majority 
averaging  about  600  on  tlie  county  ticket.  Governor 
Sliunk  carried  tlie  State  by  4283  ni.ajority.  At  the 
November  election  tlie  Polk  and  Dallas  electoral 
ticket  bad  565  majority  in  Centre  County;  in  the 
State,  6332.  Dr.  Hugh  Montgomery  w.as  on  the  Polk 
and  Dallas  electoral  ticket  for  Centre  County. 

OFFICIAL    KETURN'S   OF    CENTRK   COU.STy. 

ShuiiU.  Miiiklo.  Polk.  Cliiy. 

I!cIli.fonte Of.  !i:!  00  01 

liu-cB l:t:l  l.V)  li)  lli-i 

Fcrijusoii 1711  I'iT  Ilia  l:)7 

Gregg U19  H;>  2H  K7 

llHSti.li HO  77  41  S7 

Hams  lia  241  l(;o  241 

Iliilf-SI..oii 114  01  y>:i  113 

HciWiinl 11)  172  117  inn 

HHiru-a , 204  IIU  318  117 

Wllnsliing 3:!  52  30  60 

Miles lr,2  40  ISl  37 

Million OS  21  1(12  22 

I'atton 35  54  31  SO' 

I'.'tH-r 2S2  132  277  144 

K'lKli 37  24  28  26 

PliriiiR 215  240  18G  25(1 

SiiowSlioe 23  IS  21  17 

Walker 150  50  172  60 

2384  1780  2425  ISOO 

17SG  ISGO 

Slmnk's  muj.  098       Polk's  maj.  505 

In  March  the  appointment  of  James  Macmanus, 
Esq.,  deputy  attorney-general  for  Centre  County,  was 
petitioned  for  by  the  court,  attorneys,  grand  jury,  and 
county  officials.  This  the  attorney-general,  John  K. 
Kane,  disregarded,  and  appointed,  March  17th,  B. 
Rush  Petriken,  Esq.,  and  appointed  Mr.  Macmanu.s 
for  Clearfield  County.  Mr.  Macmanus  sent  back  the 
latter  deputation  with  a  very  sarcastic  letter.  Henry 
Petrikin  was  Deputy  Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth, 
and  his  nephew's  appointment  was  attributed  to  his 
influence. 

The  year  1845  was  marked  by  no  particular  events 
and  the  absence  of  Fourth  of  July  celebrations.  The 
lieat  of  the  summer  was  excessive,  in  July  the 
1845.  thermometer  ranging  from  ninety-eight  to  one 
hundred  degrees,  and  a  great  drought.  The 
elections  in  the  fill  were  without  political  interest; 
volunteer  candidates  were  plenty,  but  no  break  ef- 
fected of  the  Democratic  line. 

The  Bellefonte  Division  of  the  Sons  of  Temperance 
w.as  organized  November  24th,  with  J.  M.  Wall,  W.  P. ; 
David  C.  Boal,  W.  A. ;  David  Moore,  R.  S. ;  H.  Trez- 
iyulney,  A.  R.  S. ;  Richard  Miles,  F.  S. ;  Gen.  James 
Irvin,  T.  ;  William  Griffin,  I.  S. ;  W.  S.  Tripple,  O.  S. ; 
Jeremy  Wilson,  P.  W.  P.  The  result  of  Rev.  Thomas 
P.  Hunt's  labors  in  September. 

The  Whig  ticket  had  on  it  George  Buchanan  for 
Assembly ;  P.  B.  Waddle  for  prothonotary  ;  C.  G. 
Ryman,  register  and  recorder;  George  Welch,  tre.as- 
urer.  Democratic  majority  for  James  Burns,  canal 
commissioner,  841. 

Thomas  M.  Hall  was  the  first  regularly  nominated 
candidate  of  the  Democratic  party  for  sheriff'.  Before 
this  year,  that  office  had  always  been  left  open  to 
volunteers.    Mr.  Hall  had  for  his  opponents  Peter  B. 


Gray,  Charles  Carpenter,  John  D.  Petrikin,  and  Sam- 
uel H.  Stover.     John  D.  Petrikin  ran  next  to  Hall. 

December  IStli,  the  first  meeting  favorable  to  a 
railroad  through  Penn's  valley  was  held;  George 
Boal,  president;  Peter  Neece,  John  Love,  James 
Johnston,  S.  R.  Patton,  Henry  Geist,  and  John 
Durst,  vice-presidents;  J.  Blair  Moore  and  George 
Jack,  secretaries.  Committees  were  appointed  to 
petition  the  Legislature  for  an  act  of  incorporation. 

December  24th,  George  Graham  opened  a  mine  of 
bituminous  coal  at  Snow  Shoe,  striking  a  superior 
vein.  The  bank  was  situated  near  the  turnpike, 
within  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  of  that  worked 
by  Austin  Hinton. 

Early  in  January,  Hon.  George  W.Woodward,  judge 
of  this  district,  was  nominated  as  judge  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  by  Presi-     1846. 
dent  Polk,  but  his  nomination  was  not  con- 
firmed by  the  Senate. 

January  27tli,  the  Centre  County  Colporteur  Asso- 
ciation was  formed;  Hamilton  Humes,  president; 
James  Armor,  vice-president;  James  Macmanus, 
treasurer;  and  David  Moore,  secretary.  This  was 
auxiliary  to  the  American  Tract  Society.  The  Laurel 
Leaf  Division,  No.  115,  Sons  of  Temperance,  at 
Mile.sburg,  was  instituted  February  6th.  February 
23d,  the  Centre  Lodge,  Independent  Order  of  Odd- 
Fellows,  was  instituted  in  presence  of  a  large  number 
of  brethren  from  adjoining  counties.  Henry  Baker, 
Daniel  Welch,  C.  H.  Bressler,  William  Baker,  P.  B. 
Wilson  were  the  committee  on  organization. 

March  14th  occurred  a  very  high  flood  in  Buld 
Eagle,  consequent  upon  sudden  melling  of  the  snow. 
Bullet  Run  dam  was  partly  undermined,  and  said  to 
have  been  the  highest  freshet  since  1810. 

March  2Gth,  Henry  Irvin  killed  his  father,  Slatthew 
Irvin,  near  Pennsylvania  Furnace,  in  Ferguson  town- 
ship. They  were  both  laborers  at  the  furnace,  and 
the  son  had  mania-a-potu  at  the  time  and  conceived 
that  his  father  was  the  devil  plotting  his  destruction. 
He  left  the  mine-bank  where  he  was  at  work  and 
proceeded  to  his  own  house,  where  his  father  was  in 
bed,  and  with  an  axe  inflicted  thirteen  wounds  upon 
the  old  man's  head  and  nearly  severed  one  of  his 
arms.  His  father  lingered  from  two  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon  until  seven,  when  death  relieved  him. 
They  had  been  on  the  best  terms  before  the  deed. 
Henry  Irvin's  trial  took  place  on  the  28th  of  .\pril, 
and  he  w.as  acquitted  on  the  ground  of  insanity. 

August  24th  occurred  the  accident  at  the  mine- 
bank  of  Howard  &  Hecla  works.  The  shaft  was 
suddenly  filled  with  water  and  mud,  and  John  Lati- 
mer, John  Daily,  and  John  McCommon  lost  their 
lives.  Latimer's  body  was  not  recovered  until  in 
December,  when  it  was  buried  in  Bellefonte. 

The  repeal  of  the  tarift"  of  1842  in  July  of  this 
year  had  its  effect  upon  the  county  elections.  William 
B.  Foster,  Jr.,  the  Democratic  candidate  for  canal 
commissioner,  had  onl)'  140  majority  ;  k.  P.  Wilson's 


88 


HISTORY  OF    CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


majority  for  Congress  was  only  35  over  Hon.  John 
Blancliard ;  Gen.  Houston  for  Senate  only  26  over 
William  Harris  ;  John  Revnolds  for  Assemblv  only  6 
over  William  Allison  ;  Larimer  for  commissioner  over 
John  Mitchell,  GO.  Mr.  Blanchard's  majority  in  the 
district  was  634;  William  Harris,  82.  James  M. 
Bower  had  8829  majority  over  W.  B.  Foster,  Jr.,  in 
the  State,  and  the  Whigs  secured  a  majority  on  joint 
ballot  in  the  Legislature  of  21,  and  a  majority  of  the 
Congressional  delegation. 

Tuesday,  December  29th,  the  Centre  Guards,  under 
Capt.  Andrew  Gregg,  marched  into  Bellefonte  with 
the  expectation  that  their  services  would  be  accepted 
in  filling  up  the  Second  Pennsylvania,  but  news  ar- 
rived at  5  P.M.  that  a  Carbon  County  company's  ser- 
vices had  been  accepted.  Arrangements  had  been 
made  to  transport  the  company  in  wagons  to  Pitts- 
burgh, and  the  disappointment  was  severe.  After 
the  letter  from  the  adjutant-general  was  read,  several 
of  the  company  started  to  join  the  Danville  com- 
pany, which  was  en  rozi^e  through  Penn's  valley.  Dr. 
James  M.  Thompson  followed  the  regiment  for  the 
purpose  of  obtaining  the  appointment  as  surgeon,  but 
the  place  was  filled  before  he  reached  Pittsburgh. 
Lieut.  J.  I.  Gregg,  of  tlie  Centre  Guards,  enrolled 
himself  in  the  Ebensburg  Guards.  H.  L.  Armor 
(only  son  of  William  Armor),  who  had  been  a  vol- 
unteer in  the  Vicksburg  Guards,  and  was  wounded  at 
Monterey,  returned  when  his  regiment  was  disbanded, 
and  waited  for  the  arrival  of  tlie  Centre  Guards,  then 
he  also  joined  the  Ebensburg  Guards. 

Soldiers  in  the  Mexican  War.— In  March,  1847, , 
John  I.  Gregg,  from  private  in  Second  Pennsylvania, 

was  promoted  second  lieutenant  in  Eleventh 
1847.     Regiment   of  Infantry,  and  returning  home 

was  placed  upon  recruiting  service.  James 
Fulton,  Jr.,  was  shot  while  standing  guard  in  the 
summer  of  1847.  James  Shaw,  who  had  a  finger  shot 
off  at  Cerro  Gordo,  died  of  dysentery.  He  was  a 
printer  of  Bellefonte.  His  mother  resided  near  Mill- 
lieim.  Henry  L.  Armor  died  of  dysentery  at  Puebla, 
July  14, 1847.  In  Capt.  Irvin's  company  were  Sergt. 
John  A.  Bayard,  D.  C.  Kitchen,  shot  through  the 
thigh  with  a  musket-ball,  and  promoted  corporal  for 
his  bravery;  Wells,  Fulton,  Campbell,  Neff,  Rager, 
Diehl,  Grossmeyer,  William  Ragar,  William  E.  Erb, 
of  Ferguson  township.  Daniel  Poorman  and  Wil- 
liam Burchfeld  belonged  to  the  Columbia  Guards, 
a  Danville  company;  also  George  Wingate,  who  was 
born  and  raised  in  Ferguson  township,  and  died  at 
Jalapa,  May  1,  1847,  of  brain  fever,  aged  twenty. 
Daniel  Poorman,  formerly  of  the  Centre  Guards,  died 
at  New  Orleans  in  January,  1848.  He  had  been 
honorably  discharged  on  account  of  sickness,  and  was 
on  his  way  home.  Dr.  James  Lourimore  died  Sept. 
28,  1844,  soon  after  his  return  from  Mexico;  also 
Henry  Eckley,  early  in  August. 

It  is  proper  here  to  state  that  the  Marion  In- 
fantry of  Penn's  valley  tendered  their  services  to  the 


Governor  for  the  war,  but  were  too  late  to  be  ac- 
cepted. 

At  the  Whig  State  Convention  held  at  Harrisburg 
on  the  9th  of  March,  Gen.  James  Irvin,  of  Centre 
County,  was  nominated  as  candidate  for  Governor  on 
the  first  ballot.  The  general  announced  his  accept- 
ance in  a  letter  from  Bellefonte  on  the  10th  of  March. 

In  March,  Lieut.  T.  F.  McCoy,  of  the  Juniata 
Guards,  Capt.  W.  H.  Irvin's  company.  Col.  Ramsay's 
regiment.  Eleventh  Regiment  U.S.A.,  enlisted  some 
twenty  men  at  Bellefonte  for  the  war. 

In  March,  also,  large  collections  were  made  for  the 
suffering  poor  of  Ireland  and  Scotland.  The  aggre- 
gate contribution  of  Bellefonte  was  $896 ;  Marion 
township  contributed  25  barrels  of  flour  and  30  bush- 
els of  wheat;  Spring  township,  .$231 ;  Gregg  township, 
75  barrels  of  flour;  Miles,  34  barrels;  Penn,  35  bar- 
rels of  flour ;  Haines  aggregated  $76  ;  Liberty,  54 
bushels  of  wheat ;  Walker,  126  bushels  of  wheat,  21 
of  rye;  Ferguson,  300,  and  a  box  of  clothing  worth 
$75;  Boggs  township,  80  bushels  of  wheat,  etc.  The 
money  value  of  the  contributions  from  Centre  County 
was  $5291.09. 

The  Hublersburg  Division  of  the  Sons  of  Temper- 
ance was  formed  May  25,  1847.  W.  P.,  W.  P.  Harris ; 
W.  A.,  Henry  McEwen  ;  R.  S.,  David  McCalmont; 
A.  R.  S.,  James  W.  Gamble ;  F.  S.,  Harrison  Cleven- 
stone ;  T.,  Daniel  T.  McKean  ;  C,  John  Divens ;  A. 
C,  W.  McKean,  Jr. ;  I.  S.,  Robert  Williams ;  0.  S., 
John  Thompson. 

Early  in  September  the  water  was  let  into  the  canal 
as  far  as  Milesburg. 

The  heavy  rains  of  the  6th,  7th,  and  8th  of  Octo- 
ber caused  a  great  freshet.  Bald  Eagle  Creek  rose 
four  feet  higher  than  the  flood  of  1810.  The  dam  at 
Hannah  Furnace  was  swept  away  ;  also  the  dam  of 
Adams,  at  Julian,  with  a  large  amount  of  coal.  The 
turnpike  bridge  at  Milesburg  and  the  Bald  Eagle 
Canal  were  injured  to  the  extent  of  six  thousand  dol- 
lars. At  Lock  Haven  the  water  was  four  feet  deep  in 
the  streets. 

At  the  fall  election  Governor  Shunk  carried  Centre 
County  by  a  majority  of  695.  The  vote  was:  for 
Shunk,  2477;  Irvin,  1782. 

In  December,  1847,  occurred  the  failure  of  James 
and  John  Potter,  and  on  the  7th  and  8th  of  December 
they  confessed  judgments  upon  their  individual  lia- 
bilities alone  for  $107,435,  and  on  firm  liiibilities  with 
John  Sterrett  judgments  were  entered  to  the  amount 
of  $155,000. 

The  judgments,  with  the  exception  of  William  Al- 
lison's of  $15,421,  and  Gen.  Simon  Cameron's,  $4769, 
were  confessed  with  a  stay  of  execution  of  one  year. 
The  personal  property  was  sold  upon  Mr.  Allison's 
execution,  December  20th.  The  real  estate,  con- 
sisting of  stone  grist-mill,  woolen-factory,  houses, 
store,  tavern,  etc.,  at  Potter's  Mills,  the  red  mill,  the 
Irvin  stone  grist-mill.  Old  Fort  property,  etc.,  came 
under  the  hammer  of  the  sheriff  April  23,  1849. 


INCIDENTS. 


89 


Governor  Shunk  resigned  July  9,  1848,  the  office 
of  Governor.  He  died  on  the  20tli.  William  F. 
Johnston,  Spe.iker  of  the  Senate,  succeeded  him. 
The  c.inipaign  following  the  Mexican  war,  in  which 
opposition  to  the  extension  of  slaverj'  into  the  new 
Territories  developed  itself,  the  Free-Soil  party  nomi-  | 
nating  at  Buffalo,  August  9th,  Martin  Van  Buren  i 
for  President,  and  Charles  Francis  Adams  for  Vice-  I 
President,  was  one  of  great  excitement  in  Centre  i 
County.  William  F.  Johnston  had  been  nominated 
for  Governor.  A  large  Whig  county  meeting  was  i 
held  at  Bellefonte,  August  30th,  after  the  County 
Convention,  which  had  put  in  nomination  Thomas 
Hutchinson,  of  Potter,  for  Assembly,  Christian  Dale 
for  commissioner.  Gen.  Irvin  presided,  with  Peter 
AVilson,  of  Gregg,  Jacob  Thomas,  of  Haines,  John 
Sankey,  of  Penn,  David  Musser,  of  Gregg,  William 
Murray,  of  Ferguson,  George  W.  Johnston,  of  Har- 
ris, and  other  vice-presidents;  Samuel  R.  Patton,  of 
Potter,  and  William  Allison,  of  Gregg,  secretaries. 
The  taritf  and  opposition  to  slavery  extension  were 
boldly  placed  among  the  resolutions.  Capt.  W.  H. 
Irvin,  A.  G.  Curtin,  and  Samuel  Linn  were  among 
the  speakers,  and  the  nominations  of  Taylor  and  Fill- 
more were  heartily  indorsed.  The  enthusiasm  had 
no  apparent  elfect  within  the  county,  Longstreth 
having  895  majority  over  Johnston.  The  vote  stood  : 
Johnston,  1649 ;  Longstreth,  2544.  The  county  ticket 
varied  very  slightly  from  the  State  ticket.  Governor 
Johnston  carried  the  State  by  225  majority,  but  Ner 
Middlesworth  was  beaten  by  Israel  Painter  for  the 
office  of  canal  commissioner  by  1381  votes.  In  No- 
vember the  Cass  electors  received  2611  votes ;  Taylor, 
1856.  Gen.Taylor'smajorityin  the  State,  13,538.  In 
Centre  County  the  Democratic  gain  over  the  vote  for 
President  in  1844  was  just  186,  perhaps  just  the  relative 
increase  of  population  ;  the  Whig  loss  from  1844  just 
four  votes.  What  is  singular,  the  Van  Buren  and 
Adams  electors  received  one  vote  in  Bellefonte  and 
three  in  Half-Moon,  otherwise  the  Whig  vote  would 
no  doubt  have  been  identical  with  that  of  1844, — a 
remarkable  instance  of  conservatism. 

OFFICI.^L  EETUUKS  FOR  GOVEKXOR,  CENTRE  COUNTY. 
1847.  1848. 


Sliiuik.    Juliiistoii.    Longstreth. 


BeUefonte 116 

B.ipgs 11)4 

IVrgilsoii 118 

Grtgg 81 

Hiiiiivs 106 

lliilf-Mooii .W 

lliinis  245 

HuwHid !I5 

Huston 57 

Liberty 44 

Marion 20 

5liles 37 

Ulilesliilrg H 

I'iiltun 54 

I'enn 37 

]'citt.-r 130 

Kush 27 

Snow  Shoe 17 

Spring 234 

Taylor  1  ,, 

Walker 39 

17S2 


CHAPTER    XXXVII. 

INCIDEXTS— THE    OIIAND    HUNT— CENSUS  OF  1850— 
TEACIIER.S'  INSTITUTE. 

In  Marcli,  1849,  the  California  fever  struck  Centre 
County.  A  party  of  six  left  Lewistown  for  the 
Golden  Gate, — James  K.  Kelly,  formerly  of 
this  county.  United  States  senator  from  Ore-  1849. 
gon,  1871-77  ;  Robert  Beck,  of  Hecla ;  W.  H. 
Levy,  of  Bellefonte;  John  Hayes,  of  Spring  Mills; 
James  M.  Duncan,  Esq.,  and  Dr.  Andrew  Kelly, 
brother  of  James  K. 

March  10th,  Robert  Pennington's  barn  in  Potter 
township  was  burned,  with  cattle,  wheat,  rye,  and 
farming  utensils.     The  fire  was  accidental. 

Early  in  April  the  body  of  a  man  was  found  in  the 
upper  mill-dam  at  Bellefonte  so  decomposed  that  be 
was  not  recognizable.  It  was  understood,  however, 
to  be  that  of  John  Underwood,  a  soldier  of  the  war 
of  1812,  who  had  become  addicted  to  excessive  drink- 
ing. 

Unionville,  the  new  addition  to  the  towns  of  Centre 
County,  on  the  Bellefonte  and  Philipsburg  turnpike, 
had  its  first  Fourth  of  July  celebration.  Rev.  A.  Brit- 
tain  presided,  assisted  by  Thomas  M.  Hall,  Casper 
Peters,  James  Alexander,  Esq.,  Samuel  Harris,  B. 
Shipley,  John  Smith,  and  Thomas  J.  Geary  as  vice- 
presidents.  The  Declaration  was  read  by  Samuel 
Baker,  of  Howard,  and  addresses  made  by  Rev.  John 

A.  Gere,  Rev.  C.  Jeffries,  and  John  B.  Meek,  Esq. 
Between  four  and  five  hundred  persons  sat  down  to 
a  picnic  dinner  prepared  by  the  people  of  the  town 
and  surrounding  country. 

The  Democratic  county  meeting  was  held  August 
29th,  Hon.  George  Boal  presiding;  vice-presidents, 
Adam  Sunday,  Maj.  John  Neff,  and  Thomas  Mayes; 
William  Furey  and  W.  L.  Musser,  secretaries.  Dr. 
Samuel  Strohecker  was  nominated  for  senator,  John 

B.  Meek  renominated  for  the  Legislature;  William 
Furey  for  treasurer,  and  David  Jack  for  commis- 
sioner, by  a  convention  held  the  same  day,  of  which 
Dr.  J.  D.  Canfield,  of  Walker,  was  president;  George 
Jack,  secretary.  The  Whig  nominees  were,  for  sena- 
tor, A.  G.  Curtin ;  Assembly,  Thomas  Hutchinson  ; 
Commissioner,  Peter  Wilson;  Treasurer,  William 
Harris. 

David  Jack,  candidate  for  county  commissioner, 
died  September  26th,  aged  forty-five,  and  Samuel 
Hess  was  nominated,  October  2d,  in  his  place. 
William  F.  Packer  was  nominated  by  the  conferees 
for  senator.  In  October  John  A.  Gamble,  for  canal 
commissioner,  had  2093  votes ;  Henry  M.  Fuller, 
1382.  Packer  had,  for  senator,  1994;  A.  G.  Curtin, 
1512. 

November  22d,  a  meeting  was  held  at  Unionville, 
and  arrangements  made  for  a  grand  circular  hunt  on 
the  7th  of  December.  The  area  embraced  was  six 
miles;  the   first  line   resting   on  Bald   Eagle  Creek, 


90 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


extending  from  Union  and  Boggs  township  line  to 
Adams'  Mill ;  the  second  to  extend  from  Union  and 
Boggs  line  six  miles  into  the  mountains;  the  third 
line  to  square  with  the  second  line  back  of  the  Alle- 
gheny, parallel  with  the  Bald  Eagle  line;  the  fourth 
line  resting  on  the  Turner  farm,  extending  from  the 
Bald  Eagle  six  miles  to  the  third  or  back  line.  George 
Weaver  was  appointed  captain  of  the  first  line,  Dr. 
James  Irwin  of  the  second,  John  Holt  of  the  third, 
and  Thomas  Harbridge  of  the  fourth.  Eules:  No 
fire-arms  allowed,  no  spirituous  liquors,  no  boys 
under  sixteen  years  of  age,  no  dogs,  and  every  hunter 
to  be  armed  with  a  good  club.  The  object  was  to  rid 
the  country  of  the  wolves  and  foxes  which  abounded  in 
the  valley.  The  circular  hunt,  however,  proved  a  dead 
failure.  By  some  oversight  or  mismanagement  one 
of  the  lines  was  not  closed,  and  when  the  other  three 
converged  to  the  ground  agreed  upon  for  closing  they 
found  it  full  of  emptiness.  A  great  number  of  deer 
and  other  game  were  seen  by  the  hunters  in  their 
way,  and  had  the  lines  been  properly  closed  there 
had  been  rare  sport. 

TJiomas  Steeres  was  the  projector  of  this  hunt.  He 
was  born  in  Centre  County  in  1818  ;  afterwards  lived 
in  Lancaster,  where  Thaddeus  Stevens  and  he  were 
friends.  Mr.  Steeres  died  in  November,  1881,  in  CdI- 
orado,  at  Dean's  Station,  where  he  was  engaged  in 
the  work  of  forwarding  an  extension  of  the  Denver 
and  Rio  Grande  Railway. 

November  15th,  a  party  of  hunters  from  Williams- 
port  went  up  to  a  shanty  near  Mr.  Eddy  Lick's,  in 
Centre  County,  to  engage  in  a  hunt.  They  spent  the 
day  walking  to  the  shanty,  where  they  arrived  late  in 
the  evening,  and  on  entering  the  hut  to  build  a  lire 
and  prepare  for  lodging,  a  very  disagreeable  smell 
arrested  their  attention,  and  on  striking  a  light  and 
looking  about  they  found  a  dead  man  lying  in  a  cor- 
ner of  the  cabin.  They  were  eight  miles  from  a  house ; 
night  had  hung  her  sable  curtains  and  unloosed  all 
her  hobgoblins,  not  to  mention  the  droves  of  wolves, 
bears,  panthers,  and  wildcats  which  always  infest 
the  woods  after  dark.  But  these  were  tart  and 
cheese-cakes  compared  with  the  society  of  a  dead 
man.  On  went  their  knapsacks  quicker  by  odds  than 
they  came  off,  and  down  the  dark  and  winding  path 
in  Indian  style,  except  that  no  one  was  behind,  they 
scampered  with  sinews  as  elastic  as  if  they  had  been 
renewed  with  rest  and  provender.  At  two  miles  they 
reached  the  second  shanty  :  they  did  not  venture  in; 
who  could  tell  upon  entering  they  might  not  find 
another  dead  man,  perhaps  two,  and  indeed  it  was 
not  improb.able  to  find  a  dozen.  They  resolved,  there- 
fore, to  encamp  outside,  build  a  fire,  and  awaited  day- 
light, and  dispatched  a  part  of  the  company  to  the 
settlements  for  assistance  to  remove  the  dead  man. 
Joseph  Baumgarner,  Esq.,  of  Eagleville,  held  an  in- 
quest on  the  17th  on  the  body  of  the  man  who  was 
thus  found  in  George  Furst's  camp,  on  Beech  Creek, 
about  thirteen  miles  above  its  mouth.     The  inquest 


judged  him  about  thirty  years  old.  An  empty  pocket- 
book,  a  comb  and  razor  were  all,  save  his  clothing, 
found  upon  the  unknown  dead. 

CENSUS  OF  CENTRE  CO0NTT.         1850. 

White  Colure.l.    Totiil. 

Mules.  Females. 

Bellefonte 641  641  94          1,179 

I!cj|.'!;s ,  1,018  S9li  9          1,9:::! 

FerKiisoii ; 8:10  170  1          l,illil 

(irei;};  7:19  I'lC,  H           \,AT.t 

IliUM  SHiJcl   I'elMi 1,2:U  1,220  2           2,454 

liiill  M.iuii ;iri5  3:i0  29             714 

lliMii-^ 9S1  970  a          ],9.i4 

II"».-ml GG4  028  1.292 

lliisl,>ii ISO  KSS  1             375 

Lii"rtv 200  187  387 

Miuini. 289  :io0  69.) 

Jlilesburt' 2:):i  243  478 

Ililes , GO.)  040  1          1,:100 

Patturi 2.14  2l:j  0             45:1 

I'oUor 1,113  1,"S4  19          2,210 

Rnsli  184  1S7  ;i7l 

Siiuw  Sliuo 2.'39  19:)  4:i2 

.SluiiiK 1,129  1,081  70          2,280 

T-.,vl..i- 172  177  349 

Wiilker G22  .^90  1,221 

Worth 158  144  302 

Tutal 11,784      11,328  243        2:i,355 

102  public  schools,  3353  pupils;  3996  dwellings, 
4000  families ;  1229  persons  who  could  neither  read 
nor  write  ;  5101  horses,  5757  cows,  11,170  other  cattle. 

January,  1850,  all  the  cases  upon  the  civil  list  were 
continued,  and  no  business  transacted  except  what 
could  be  done  by  the  associate  judges,  on  account  of 
Judge  Woodward's  severe  affliction.  Miss  Mary  R. 
Benner,  of  Bellefonte,  a  daughter  of  J.  Matlack  Ben- 
ner,  deceased,  had  accompanied  the  judge  to  his 
home  on  his  return  from  court  at  Bellefonte  to  Wilkes- 
barre,  and  on  the  morning  of  January  19th,  with 
Judge  Woodward's  eldest  daughter,  Ellen,  aged  fif- 
teen, and  Miss  Butler,  went  out  to  amuse  themselves 
upon  the  ice  formed  by  back-water  of  the  river  near 
Wilkesbarre.  The  ice  broke  under  them  and  all  three 
were  drowned. 

In  the  summer  of  1850,  Henry  Brockerhoff  erected 
the  building  known  as  the  Brockerhoff  House,  which 
he  commenced  the  year  before.  The  Whig  county 
nominations,  made  in  August,  were  William  R.  Har- 
rison, of  Bellefonte,  for  A.ssembly;  Philip  B.  Waddle 
for  county  commissioner.  The  average  Democratic 
m.ijority  in  Centre  County  in  1850  was  810.  Jaines 
H.  Rankin  was  the  first  district  attorney  elected  ;  R. 
G.  Durham  was  his  competitor.  Jacob  Bollinger  was 
elected  county  surveyor  over  W.  G.  Waring.  Wil- 
liam H.  Blair  led  the  State  and  county  ticket,  having 
882  majority  in  the  county.  A  vote  was  had  on  the 
amendment  to  the  Constitution  making  the  judges  of 
the  Supreme  Court  and  judges  and  associates  of  the 
several  courts  elective.  The  vote  in  Centre  County 
was  1637  for  the  amendment,  1038  against  it,  making 
a  majority  of  599  for  the  amendment.  Except  in 
Bellefonte,  which  .stood  88  for  and  91  against,  the 
Democratic  districts  voted  for  the  amendment  and 
the  Whig  districts  against  it.  Bellefonte  gave  49 
majority  for  the  Democratic  State  ticket. 

Teachers'  Institute. — Teachers'  institutes  were  the 
result  of  a  recommendation  of  the  Slate  Convention 


TEACHERS'    INSTITUTE— UiNION   TOWNSHIP   ERECTED. 


91 


lield  Jan.  IG  and  17,  1850,  for  their  formation  in  the 
several  counties  of  the  Commonwealth.  In  pursuance 
of  this,  W.  G.  Waring  published,  Feb.  13,  1850,  a  call 
addressed  to  those  intere.sted  in  education  to  meet  at 
April  court.  The  meeting,  April  22d,  was  presided 
over  by  Rev.  James  Linn,  when  a  committee  consist- 
,  ing  of  George  Livingston,  Andrew  Gregg,  and  J.  P. 
Packer  was  appointed. 

The  citizens  of  Oak  Hall  School  District  having 
extended  an  invitation  for  the  first  institute  to  be 
held  there,  the  above  committee  called  a  meeting 
of  teachers  for  Monday,  September  30th,  at  Oak  Hall. 
There  wns  a  small  attendance,  but  the  meeting  was 
organized  on  the  afternoon  of  October  1st  by  choice 
of  Reuben  Hunter,  chairman,  and  John  H.  Hahn, 
secretary.  A  constitution  was  adopted,  and  the  offi- 
cers for  the  ensuing  year  elected  by  ballot,  as  follows : 
James  H.  Rankin,  Esq.,  president;  George  W.Haines 
and  Rfibert  Waring,  vice-presidents;  James  M.  Blair, 
corresponding  secretary;  William  G.  Waring,  record- 
ing secretary;  J.  M.  McMinn,  librarian;  John  H. 
Hahn,  treasurer. 

In  the  evening  a  spirited  meeting  was  held,  ad- 
dressed by  the  president  and  Messrs.  Thomas,  Holohan, 
McMinn,  Rote,  Blair,  Haines,  Heckendorn,  who  were 
followed  by  several  of  the  citizens.  The  citizens  then 
present  thereupon  held  a  meeting,  and  on  motion  of 
Joseph  Baker,  Esq.,  seconded  by  Henry  S.  Baker  and 
Christian  Dale,  adopted  and  signed  the  following 
resolution,  which  was  directed  to  be  incorporated  in 
the  proceedings  of  the  institute : 

"  HesoJvtrd,  That  the  Teachers'  Institute  formed  in  this  place  meets  our 
approbation ;  and  lielieving  that  it  is  calculated  to  do  nmcli  good,  we 
highly  recommend  it  to  tlio  citizens  of  the  county  as  worthy  of  their 
attention  and  encouragement." 

The  citizens  of  Oak  Hall  recived  a  vote  of  thanks 
for  their  polite  attention  to  the  members,  and  the  In- 
stitute adjourned  to  meet  at  Earleysburg  school-house, 
near  Old  Fort,  on  the  first  Monday  of  October,  1851. 
A  resolution  was  passed  recommending  the  formation 
of  district  associations  to  hold  monthly  meetings. 

The  Howard  (District)  Institute  was  the  first  aux- 
iliary institute  formed  under  this  resolution.  It  was 
organized  at  Howard,  Jan.  18,  1851 :  Orin  T.  Noble, 
president;  Ezekiel  Fletcher,  secretary. 

The  third  annual  session  was  called  to  meet  at  Mill- 
heim,  October  4th,  which  on  account  of  election  ex- 
citement was  perhaps  not  held ;  but  the  meeting'called 
for  Dec.  27,  1852,  at  Jlechanicsville,  by  W.  G.  Waring 
and  J.  D.  Wingate,  secretaries,  was  held,  and  was  a 
great  success.  The  generosity  of  the  people  of  that 
place  (now  Mountain  Eagle,  1882)  was  unbounded, 
and  the  directors  resolved  to  add  one  dollar  per  month 
to  the  wages  of  teachers  attending  institutes. 

The  fourth  annual  session  of  the  County  Institute, 
Orin  T.  Noble,  president,  continuing  four  days,  was 
held  at  Pine  Grove  Mills,  commencing  Dec.  26,  1853. 
Messrs.  E.  Blakely,  Abner  Dale,  A.B.,  vice-presi- 
dentii;  J.  D.  Wingate,  secretary;  delegates  elected  to 


the  State  Teachers'  Association,  Orin  T.  Noble,  J. 
D.  Wingate,  and  John  H.  Orvis.  Officers  elected  for 
1854:  Wni.  G.  Waring,  president;  Miss  Nancy  M. 
Campbell  and  Win.  Allen,  vice-presidents;  Abner 
Dale,  secretary ;  George  Livingston,  corresponding 
secretary;  Mi.ss  A.  Armor,  treasurer;  J.  D.  Wingate, 
Misses  M.  V.  Harris,  E.  Blakely,  C.  R.  Hunter,  and 
Dr.  G.  M.  Swartz,  managers. 

One  of  the  resolutions  of  the  meeting  at  Pine  Grove 
is  noteworthy  :  Tiiat  we  cannot  hope  to  see  universal 
and  equal  improvement  through  all  the  common 
schools  of  the  county  until  they  are  put  under  the 
care  of  one  responsible  and  efficient  superintendent. 
Centre  County  was  therefore  of  the  first,  through  its 
Institute,  to  recommend  the  creation  of  the  office  of 
county  superintendent. 


CHAPTER    XXXVIII. 

UNION    TOWNSHIP   ERECTED— POST-OFFICES— EAIL- 
KOADS— LOG  FLOATING. 

In  January,  1851,  Judge  G.  W.  Woodward  deliv- 
ered his  last  charge  to  the  grand  jury.  The  grand 
jury  and  members  of  the  bar  addressed  letters 
to  the  judge  expressing  their  high  conimenda-  1851. 
tion  and  approval  of  the  manner  in  which  he 
had  discharged  his  duties,  to  which  the  judge  made 
very  appropriate  replies. 

Union  township  was  erected  out  of  Boggs  at  Janu- 
ary term,  1851.  It  was  made  by  striking  off  the  upper 
end  of  Boggs  by  a  line  a  little  above  Ira  Fisher's,  near 
the  mouth  of  Wallis'  Run. 

In  1851  the  post-offices  of  Centre  County  and  post- 
masters were  as  follows : 


Aaronsburg.  Daniel  Benck. 
BellefmilK.  J.  K.  Slioemaker. 
Boalshnrg.  George  W.  Johnston. 
Centre  Uiie.  Joseph  B.  Shugert. 
Centre  Hill.  Jiiinos  A.  Boozer. 
Flemmg.  J.  F.  Iliill. 
H,ilf-Moon.  William  Myers. 
Howard.  Sarah  E.  Slerret. 
Httl}leri.huyg.'^  Antliony  Garner. 
Julian.  Jolin  Adams. 
Miltebarg.  Joseph  Sclinell. 
Milllieim.  W.  C.  Duncan. 
Martha.  John  H.  Cook. 


Nit/aiDj.  jr.  Sliai'ffer,  Jr. 
OU  Fort.  R.  Gilliiand. 
Pater's  Mills.  James  Potter. 
Pine  Grore  ililh.  Samuel  E.Shultz. 
Pl,ilipybnr,j.  John  G.  Ruuk. 
Pleasant  Gap.  .1.  II.  Louriuiore. 
lteer,biirg.  John  U.  Burkert. 
Stover's  Place  (in  Ferguson).  S.  H. 

Stover 
Spring  Mills.  David  Dnncan. 
Woodicanl.  John  V.  Molz. 
WaUer.  J.  M.  McCnllougb. 
Ztm.  S.  F.  Kodniau. 


Monday  evening,  March  3d,  the  fiuuring-mill  of 
James  D.  Harris'  heirs,  in  Bellefonte,  was  burned. 
Above  six  thousand  bushels  of  grain  were  destroyed. 
D.  W.  McCoy,  the  occupier,  was  the  heaviest  loser. 

In  October,  1851,  occurred  the  first  election  for 
judges  of  Supreme  Court,  district,  and  associate 
judges.  James  Campbell,  one  of  the  candidates  for 
the  Supreme  bench,  ran  behind  on  the  Democratic 
ticket  one  hundred  and  forty-two  votes  in  the  county. 


'  Mr.  Brown  succeeded  Mr.  Cam 
enty  years. 


ISoG,  aud  held  the  office  over 


92 


HISTORY   OF   CENTEE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Judge  Coulter  ran  ahead  of  the  Whig  ticket  one  hun- 
dred and  forty-two  in  the  county,  and  was  the  only 
Whig  candidate  for  Supreme  judge  elected  in  the 
State.  William  Marshall  and  Jacob  E.  Stover  were 
the  Whig  candidates  for  associate  judges,  Samuel 
Linn,  Esq.,  for  Assembly.  Governor  Bigler's  ma- 
jority in  the  county  was  one  thousand  and  ninety-one. 
Two  former  residents  of  Centre  County,  and  brothers, 
were  this  year  elected  Governors  of  two  widely  distant 
States.  William  Bigler,  Governor  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  John  Bigler,  Governor  of  California. 

For  comparison  with  census  returns  for  1850  the 
vote  for  Governor  is  given  by  townships.  Governor 
Bigler  had  thirty-six  more  votes  in  the  county  than 
the  Democratic  candidates  forjudges  of  the  Supreme 
Court: 

Biglor.     Johnston. 

Bellefonte 138                S8 

Boggs 119  141 

Feijiuson 174  1.51 

Gregg 228                70 

Iliiriis  174  248 

Hair-Miion Gl                73 

Haines 184                92 

Ilowitrd im  128 

Hnstin 3i;                64 

Liberty G4                60 

JInrion 1(12               19 

Miles 210                20 

Milesbuig 48                67 

Pattcm 20                7(1 

reun 22U               32 

I'ntlcr 331  lUO 

Knsh 58                .W 

Spring 261  2U7 

Snow  Sllue 77                33 

Tiijlor 311               26 

Union 93                77 

Worth 35                32 

Walker 193               5U 

2974  1883 

Tuesday,  January  20th,  was  remarked  as  the  cold- 
est day  experienced  for  many  years,  thermometer  fif- 
teen degrees  below  zero  at  sunrise,  at  noon. 
1852.  stood  at  zero,  and  at  sunset  four  degrees  below. 
In  the  spring  of  1852  the  Maine  Liquor  Law, 
as  it  was  called,  was  largely  agitated  in  the  county, 
and  many  meetings  held;  committees  were  appointed 
to  inquire  the  sentiments  of  nominees  for  the  Senate 
and  House  upon  the  enactment  of  a  law  prohibiting 
the  sale  of  intoxicating  liquors  as  a  beverage.  The 
answers  of  .Tames  W.  Quiggle  and  Charles  R.  Foster 
were  not  satisfactory.  John  Thompson  was  nomi- 
nated for  State  senator,  and  Nathan  J.  Mitchell 
for  Assembly,  upon  an  anti-liquor  ticket.  This, 
however,  did  not  vary  the  usual  result  in  the  county : 
George  W.  Woodward  for  supreme  judge  had  ten 
hundred  and  thirty-nine  majority.  Foster  for  Assem- 
bly ran  one  hundred  and  twelve  ahead  of  the  State 
ticket.  Mr.  Mitchell  carried  the  county  north  of 
Muncy  Mountain  except  Rush  and  Snow  Shoe  hand- 
somely, and  Harris  township,  Half-Moon,  and  Belle- 
fonte borough  south  of  Muncy  Mountain,  but  made 
no  impression  on  the  Democratic  ranks  of  Penn's 
and  Brush  valleys.  In  November  the  Pierce  electors 
had  ten  hundred  and  seventy-seven  majority  over  the 
Scott  electors.  Col.  James  Burnside  was  on  the 
Pierce  and  King  electoral  ticket. 


October  24th,  the  new  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
was  dedicated  in  Bellefonte.  Bishop  E.  S.  Janes 
preached  the  dedicatory  sermon  from  Ezra  vi.  16. 
After  him  followed  Rev.  Henry  Slicer,  of  Baltimore, 
who  succeeded  in  securing  enough  money  subscribed 
to  pay  the  debt,  about  §2508.19.  George  W.  Tate 
was  the  architect  of  the  building. 

The  Agricultural  Society  of  Centre  County  having 
been  started  anew,  the  first  exhibition  under  this  or- 
ganization took  place  at  Bellefonte,  October  6th,  7th, 
and  8th.  The  executive  committee  consisted  of  H.N. 
McAllister,  James  Gordon,  James  Armor,  Mordecai 
Waddle,  J.  G.  Louriraore,  and  John  S.  Forster; 
George  Boal,  president ;  George  Buchanan,  secretary ; 
and  James  F.  Weaver,  assistant  secretary.  The  fair 
was  held  on  Mr.  McAllister's  farm,  east  of  Bellefonte, 
he  having  tendered  the  use  of  his  field,  farmhouse, 
and  barn  free  of  charge. 

Feb.  11, 1853,  a  large  meeting  was  held  at  Old  Fort 
favorable  to  a  railroad  from  Lewisburg  through 
Penn's  valley.  Hon.  George  Boal,  president; 
H.  S.  Gross,  Dr.  Charles  Smith,  vice-presi-  1853. 
dents ;  Col.  John  Love  and  J.  I.  Gregg,  secre- 
taries. The  meeting  was  addressed  by  Gen.  James 
Irvin,  Gen.  George  Buchanan,  David  Duncan,  and 
Judge  John  Hasson.  The  act  incorporating  the 
Lewisburg,  Centre  and  Spruce  Creek  Railro.ad  became 
a  law  April  12,  1853.  The  Centre  Democrat  said,  "It 
is  very  doubtful  whether  it  will  ever  be  opened." 

Benner  township  was  erected  out  of  Spring  at 
April  sessions,  1853, — a  mere  division  of  Spring  town- 
ship by  a  line  running  from  near  Purdue's  Gap 
southeasterly  to  Nittany  Mountain. 

Railroads. — In  1853  there  arose  a  rivalry  between 
the  people  of  Bald  Eagle  valley  and  those  of  Penn's 
valley  in  securing  railroad  facilities.  The  Lock 
Haven  and  Tyrone  Company  was  authorized  by  act 
of  2Gth  February,  and  the  Lewisburg,  Centre  and 
Spruce  Creek  by  act  of  April  12th.  Preliminary 
surveys  were  made  on  both.  The  Penn's  valley  sur- 
vey was  commenced  at  Lewisburg  by  John  M.  Sheafer, 
assistant  engineer,  May  13th.  In  a  report  thereof  he 
says  from  the  head  of  Penn's  Creek  Narrows  to 
Spring  Mills  the  line  is  a  good  one.  Near  Spring 
Mills  the  line  strikes  Sinking  Creek,  and  follows  it  to 
near  Centre  Hill,  which  is  the  summit  between  Penn's 
Creek  and  Spring  Creek,  and  the  first  summit  of  any 
consequence  which  is  encountered  from  Lewisburg,  a 
distance  of  forty -seven  and  a  half  miles.  The  heaviest 
grades  necessary  to  overcome  this  summit  will  be 
fifty-two  and  eight-tenths  per  mile;  ascending  from 
Sinking  Creek  for  about  two  and  a  half  miles,  and 
thirty-three  feet  per  mile ;  descending  to  Spring  Creek, 
at  or  near  Boalsburg,  for  three  miles.  From  Boals- 
burg  to  Pine  Grove,  which  is  on  the  summit  between 
Spring  Creek  and  Spruce  Creek,  the  steepest  grade 
will  be  thirty-three  feet  per  mile,  and  from  Pine 
Grove  to  the  mouth  of  Spruce  Creek  need  not  exceed 
thirty-three  feet  per  mile. 


RAILROADS  AND   LOG -FLOATING. 


93 


The  Lock  Haven  and  Tyrone  Eailroad  Company 
organized  on  the  10th  of  May,  at  Tyrone, — Maj.  D.  K. 
Jackinan,  president;  William  H.  Blair,  secretary  and 
treasurer, — and  a  survey  was  made  by  J.  1\[.  McMinn, 
Esq.,  in  July.  He  reports  the  summit  of  the  road  at 
Weaver's,  at  the  source  of  the  two  Bald  Eigle  Creeks, 
forty-five  miles  from  Lock  Haven,  and  five  hundred 
and  sixty-four  and  eight-tenths  feet  above  the  waters 
of  the  canal  in  tliat  city.  The  summit  is  two  hun- 
dred and  three  feet  liigher  than  the  rails  on  the  Penn- 
sylvania Railroad  at  Tyrone,  a  descent  of  twenty -six 
feet  per  mile  down  Little  Bald  Eagle  Creek.  From 
the  summit  to  Milesburg  he  found  the  fall  of  Bald 
Eagle  Creek  to  be  eighteen  feet  per  mile,  from  Miles- 
burg to  Lock  Haven  six  feet  per  mile,  and  no  route 
in  the  State  combining  so  many  valuable  advantages 
for  a  railroad. 

In  August,  1853,  the  dysentery  prevailed  to  an 
alarming  extent  in  Buffalo  Bun  and  Bald  Eagle, 
the  interments  in  the  cemetery  at  Bellefonte  amount- 
ing to  ten  a  day  for  several  weeks.  Mr.  Harris  made 
forty  coffins  in  one  month  at  Bellefonte. 

In  August,  Col.  Andrew  Gregg  was  nominated  by 
the  Whigs  and  by  the  Temperance  men  as  their  can- 
didate for  Assembly,  and  made  an  excellent  run. 
The  Democratic  majority  in  the  State  ticket,  October 
11th,  for  John  C.  Knox  supreme  judge  was  eleven 
hundred  and  seventeen,  while  Dr.  Foster  only  had 
three  hundred  and  seventy  over  Mr.  Gregg. 

Log'-Floating. — With  this  year  came  the  era  of  log- 
floating,  which  encountered  violent  opposition.  A 
large  meeting  was  held  in  Snow  Shoe  at  the  Askey 
school-house,  presided  over  by  (Perry)  John  Lucas; 
William  Holt,  Esq.,  and  William  Askey,  vice-presi- 
dents, and  AV'illiam  Stewart,  secretary.  Dr.  James 
Irvin  made  an  address  setting  forth  the  grievances 
and  injurious  results  of  floating  loose  logs,  and  one 
of  the  resolutions  "  determined  that  at  all  hazards  to 
our  person  and  property  the  floating  of  loose  logs  in 
the  Moshannon  Creek  shall  from  this  night  cease."^ 
John  Askey  and  eleven  others  were  appointed  a 
committee  to  stop  the  grievance,  "peaceably  if  they  can, 
forcibly  if  they  Jiiiist." 

An  able  address  by  Thomas  H.  Fulton,  Esq.,  of 
Clearfield  County,  made  to  a  lumberman's  meeting  in 
Karthaus  township  on  the  Fourth  of  July,  states  the 
settlers'  side  of  the  argument:  "Let  us  examine  for  a 
moment  the  ruinous  efl'ects  log-floating  would  have  on 
the  development  and  prosperity  of  our  now  flourish- 
ing and  interesting  county  if  our  ancient  system  of 
lumbering  must  go  down  and  be  superseded  by  the 
floating  of  loose  logs  out  of  the  river. 

"  The  question  naturally  suggests  itself.  Who  will  buy 
those  logs,  who  will  pay  for  them,  and  where  are  they 
to  be  run  to  and  manufactured  into  lumber?  Will 
they  be  purchased,  owned,  floated,  and  manufactured 
into  lumber  by  the  labor  and  capital  of  the  citizens  of 


our  county  ?  Will  the  net  proceeds  derived  from  the 
business  be  brought  back  and  divided  among  the  bone 
and  sinew  of  our  country,  the  hardy  sons  of  toil,  as  it 
now  is  under  our  present  system  of  lumbering?  The 
whole  working  of  the  system  will  be  the  very  reverse. 
The  business  of  buying  must  all  be  done  by  mill- 
owners  and  boom-owners.  The  whole  thing  must  be 
monopolized  by  a  few  foreign  capitalists,  who  must 
locate  themselves  along  the  river  from  Lock  Haven 
to  Northumberland,  erect  booms  in  the  river,  and 
build  mills  sufficient  to  saw  up,  through  the  course  of 
time,  all  the  pine-trees  in  our  country.  Under  aii 
arrangement  of  this  kind  the  whole  lumbering  busi- 
ness of  our  country  will  be  monopolized  and  con- 
trolled by  a  few  wealthy,  aristocratic  capitalists,  who 
are  strangers  to  us,  who  will  not  become  citizens  of 
our  counfry,  whose  feelings,  sympathies,  and  interest 
are  not  with  us,  but  must  naturally  be  directed  against 
our  interest  and  prosperity. 

"  In  justice  to  ourselves,  our  country,  and  our  pros- 
perity, we  should  cause  the  log-floaters  to  desist.  If 
through  our  supineness  and  indifference  to  our  inter- 
ests we  let  the  thing  run  on  a  few  years  longer,  it  will 
then  have  arrived  at  a  point  beyond  oiir  reach  and 
control.  The  time  is  here  that  requires  firm,  decided, 
and  unwavering  action.  Anotlicryear  or  two,  and  you 
will  see  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars  invested  in 
closing  the  river  below  with  new  booms  and  building 
new  saw-mills,  .  .  .  and  hundreds  and  thousands  of 
the  honest,  struggling  sons  of  toil  engaged  in  this 
country  in  the  lumbering  business,  who,  through  the 
aid  of  our  system,  will  be  able  to  secure  for  them- 
selves comfortable  and  easy  homes  through  life,  that 
would  bo  compelled  to  seek  other  and  new  callings 
to  obtain  a  livelihood."  .  .  . 

Further  he  argues:  "Neither  is  the  log-floating 
system  the  interest  of  the  laboring  portion  of  our 
country.  To  give  support  to  the  system  t!icy  would 
not,  as  now,  be  employed  in  the  spring  to  run  lumber. 
Many  of  them  have  learned  to  navigate  our  river,  and 
reduced  it  to  a  science, — made  a  regular  and  grand  pro- 
fession of  it.  All  this  would  be  lost  to  them  wholly  if 
the  floating  system  must  be  adf);)teJ.  The  hundreds 
and  thousands  of  dollars  spent  in  blowing  out  rocks 
and  making  this  river  fit  for  navigation  would  then 
be  of  no  avail. 

"Gentlemen,  the  floating  system  is  impracticable, 
and  not  adapted  to  our  country,  our  streams,  or  our 
roads.  It  is  all  wrong,  mad  wrong  from  beginning 
to  end  ;  and  the  sooner  we  bring  it  to  a  close  the 
better  it  will  be  for  ourselves,  our  country,  and  those 
who  are  engaged  in  it,  and  others  who  are  about  en- 
tering into  it.  I  will  venture  to  say  there  is  not  a 
school-boy  in  our  land  to-day  but  will  tell  you  it  is 
impossible  to  float  our  square  timber  from  the  head 
of  streams  to  Port  Deposit,  owned  as  it  is  by  hundreds 
of  different  individuals,  and  its  places  of  market  and 
consumption  at  every  landing  and  town  from  North- 
umberland to  Port  Deposit.    Even  if  it  could  be  floated 


94 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


down,  it  coulil  not  be  stopped  at  those  points  wliere 
needed  ;  neither  would  the  owners  be  able  to  recognize 
it.  No;  you  might  as  well  attempt  to  lay  a  telegraph 
■wire  to  the  moon,  and  to  converse  with  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  lunar  world,  as  to  attempt  floating  square 
timber  down  this  river  and  make  it  pay  the  owners, 
and  su|)ply  the  Eastern  market  as  we  do." 

Time  has  long  since  silenced  these  objections.  The 
anticipated  curse  was  a  blessing.  The  rafting  busi- 
ness, whicli  kept  htilf  the  people  of  Clearfield  drunk 
down  the  river  several  of  the  best  months  of  the 
year,  has  wellnigh  disappeared.  The  besom  that 
swept  away  their  lumber  disclosed  at  its  roots  coal 
that  has  made  or  will  make  Clearfield  one  of  the 
richest  and  most  prosperous  counties  in  the  State. 

Temperance  Mestin^fs.— In  September  "  the  Big 
Tent"  was  brought -into  Centre  County,  and  a  series 
of  temperance  meetings  advocating  a  prohibitory 
liquor  law  were  held  in  different  parts  of  the  county. 
In  Belk'fonte  it  was  pitched  upon  the  common  near 
the  Lutheran  Church,  and  a  laige  meeting  held  under 
it.  Hon.  John  Hasson  presided,  with  Casper  Peters, 
of  Union  township,  Hamilton  Humes  and  David 
Mitchell,  of-  Bellefonte,  Archibald  JIcMullen.  of 
Boggs,  Robert  Pennington,  of  Potter,  and  William 
Foresmaii,  of  Snow  Shoe,  vice-presidents;  William 
Thompson,  of  Harris,  and  Thomas  Burnside,  of  Belle- 
fonte,  secretaries;  William  Nicholson,  of  Philadelphia, 
was  the  principal  speaker. 

In  October,  Monday  23d,  occurred  the  earliest  snow- 
storm (if  which  we  have  any  record  here.  It  com- 
menced in  the  morning  and  continued  falling  all  day, 
clothing  the  earth  in  the  habiliment  of  winter,  and 
antici|)ating  the  bleak  weather  of  Deceuiber. 


CHAPTER    XXXIX. 

SXOW-STORM  — AMERICAN       PAUTV— DEMOCRATrC 
WATCH  MAX    ICSTADHSUED— JUG-LAW— FARMlillS' 

HIGH  SCHOOL. 

April  l.jtii,  occurred  the  remarkable  snow-storm. 
The  buds  and  blossoms  were  unfolding  and  garden 
being  made  after  a  season  of  very  fine 
1854.  weather.  On  Friday  a  cold  rain  fell,  which 
changed  on  Saturday,  loth,  to  sleet,  which 
continued  to  fall  all  day  ;  on  Sunday  the  snow  was 
nine  inches  deep.  It  continued  to  snow  until  noon  of 
Monday,  reaching  a  depth  of  twenty  inches.  The 
storm  was  accompanied  by  wind  i'rom  the  northeast. 
On  Tuesday,  17th,  the  sun  came  out,  and  it  soon  dis- 
appeared. A  similar  storm  is  said  to  have  occurred 
on  the  last  of  March,  1807. 

Political. — Governor  Bigler  was  renominated  by 
the  State  Convention  of  the  Democracy  for  Governor, 
J.  S.  Black  nominated  forsupremejudge,  and  Henry  S. 
Mott  for  canal  commissioner.  The  WhigState  Conven- 
tion put  in  nomination  James  Pollock  for  Governor 
on  the  15th  of  March.     The  chairman  of  the  conven- 


tion, ex-Governor  Johnston,  appointed  Hon.  A.  G. 
Curtin,  of  Centre,  chairman  of  the  State  Committee. 
In  July  hints  came  out  of  the  formation  of  a  singular 
fraternity,  the  "  Know-Nothings,"  and  in  August  it 
wfis  reported  to  have  two  hundred  members  in  Belle- 
fonte. 

July  2G,  1854,  Hamilton  Humes  &  Son  completed 
their  Logan  Mill,  a  stone  fiouring-mill  on  Logan 
Branch,  beyond  Mann's  axe-factory,  and  commenced 
grinding  flour  there. 

The  D.^mocratic  county  nominations  were  made  in 
August.  Hon.  S.  Stohecker,  for  Congress;  A.ssembly, 
Maj.  John  Neff,  of  Potter;  Sheriff',  J.  G.  Larimer; 
Prothonotary,  J.  S.  Barnhart;  Register  and  Recorder, 
Michael  Shaffer,  Jr.,  of  Walker  ;  Commissioner,  D. 
Kimport,  of  Harris;  Auditor,  Christian  Marks,  of 
Half-Moon.  M.  P.  Crosthwaite,  it  was  alleged,  fiiiled 
to  get  the  nomination  for  register  and  recorder  be- 
cause he  had  voted  for  Andrew  Gregg,  temperance 
candidate  for  the  Legislature  last  year.  A  paper 
signed  by  a  large  number  of  Democrats  requested 
him  to  run  as  an  independent  candidate.  On  Septem- 
ber 12th  the  Whig  County  Convention  met,  Henry 
Keller  presiding,  and  resolved  that  it  was  inexpedient 
to  nominate  a  county  ticket.  The  Whig  Congressional 
Conference  also  declined  tonominatea  candidate,  and 
Rev.  John  J.  Pierce,  of  Clinton  County,  appeared  as  an 
independent  candidate  against  Allison  White,  and  a 
full  independent  county  ticket  appeared  on  the  mast  of 
the  Demacralic  W/iiff,  as  Ibllows  :  Assenibly,  David  C. 
Boal ;  Sheriff',  Mordecai  Waddle;  Prothonotary,  George 
B.  Weaver ;  Register  and  Recorder,  M.  P.  Cros- 
thwaite; Auditor,  L.  C.  Rankin.  Jonathan  Creamer 
and  R.  D.  Cummings  were  also  iiidependent  candi- 
dates for  sheriff'.  As  the  results  of  tiie  election,  held 
Oct.  11,  1854,  will  always  have  interest,  the  official 
return  is  reproduced  of  the  vote  for  su;)reme  judge, 
and  of  the  vote  for  and  against  prohibition  of  the 
sale  of  liquors: 


Black.     Smyser.     Uiiiiil. 


F" 


i    ^ 


JUG    LAW— FAEMERS'   HIGH    SCHOOL. 


95 


For  Governor:  Pulloik .  2774 

lliKler 2ll:i 

For  Assembly:  DoiiN 2*17 

Ned V.II17 

Wii.l.lli' 275:', 

WuiivcM- 21)19^ 

CruKtIiwaito 2KM 

Diividsim 2802 


The  vote  for  Henry  S.  Mott,  tbe  Democratic  can- 
didate for  canal  commissioner,  was  4481  ;  Darsie,  tlie 
regular  Whig  candidate,  received  391  votes  in  the 
county. 

At  the  spring  election  held  February  IGth,  the 
mysterious  "  Sam"  seemed  to  be  about.  In  every 
township  in  the  county  except  Haines  the 
1855.  Know-Nothing  ticket  was  elected,  and  in 
Haines  its  candidate  for  justice  of  the  peace 
was  only  defeated  by  a  small  m;ijority.  Spring  town- 
ship was  carried  without  opposition.  In  Huston, 
"Sam's"  men  were  elected  by  seventy-six  majority, 
the  Democrats  polling  one  vote  and  the  Whigs  two. 

The  grand  jury  having  recommended  on  several 
occasions,  particularly  at  January  term,  an  alteration 
of  her  court-house  to  accommodate  increase  of  busi- 
ness, the  commissioners  in  April  contracted  with 
George  W.  Tate,  architect,  of  BjUefonte,  for  the  re- 
pairs, which  were  substantially  the  erection  of  a  new 
building,  at  $9528,  to  be  ready  for  use  at  next  January 
court. 

In  the  spring  of  1855  the  military  spirit  of  this 
county  had  quite  departed,  Bellel'onte  had  no  compa- 
nies, and  the  review  of  the  Second  Volunteer  Bat- 
talion, Col.  P.  B.  Wilson,  Maj.  J.  A.  Fugate,  on 
Saturday,  May  26th,  only  embraced  the  Warrior's 
Mark  Cavalry  under  Capt.  Gates,  and  the  Penn's 
Valley  Cadets,  Capt.  Shaetfer. 

The  locusts  appeared  in  Centre  County  in  the  latter 
part  of  June  and  remained  about  ten  weeks.  A  hail- 
storm which  occurred  on  the  6th  of  July,  making 
fires  and  overcoats  comfortable  on  the  9th  of  July, 
hastened  their  departure. 

Tiie  Fourth  of  July  was  celebrated  with  great  spirit 
at  Pine  Grove  Mills.  Mrs.  Jane  Patton,  the  oldest 
inhabitant  of  that  part  of  the  county,  had  a  special 
invitation  to  be  present,  but  feebleness  of  age  pre- 
vented. Rev.  D.  Mosser  presided,  Rev.  T.  Stevenson 
was  vice-president,  and  John  Bell,  secretary.  The 
Declaration  of  Independence  was  read  by  John  B. 
Davidson,  and  the  oration  delivered  by  J.  Elias 
Thomas. 

The  Good  Templars,  Temple  of  Honor,  and  Sons 
of  Temperance,  in  conjunction  with  the  Sabbath- 
schools  and  citizens  of  Milesburg,  also  observed  the 
day.  James  Alexander  presided;  Thaddeus  Brea  and 
John  Foresman,  vice-presidents;  John  Curtin  and 
James  F.  Weaver,  acting  as  secretaries.  The  Decla- 
ration was  read  by  James  S.  Hall,  and  Professor  A. 
K.  Browne,  of  Howard,  delivered  the  oration.  Grin 
T.  Kuble,  of  Beech  Creek,  entertained  the  Sabbath- 
school  scholars  with  interesting  remarks. 

The  Howard  Lodge  of  Good  Templars  also,  with 


the  Pleasant  Hill  Sabbath-school,  celebrated  the  day 
at  the  camp-ground  near  Frederick  PJetcher's.  John 
P;  Packer  presided  ;  Willliani  R.  Jenkins  and  J.  M. 
Barnhart,  vice-presidents;  John  F.  Montgomery  and 
Thomas  Moffley,  secretaries;  T.  T.  Abrams,  Esq.,  of 
Lock  Haven,  was  the  orator,  the  Declaration  having 
been  read  by  S.  W.  Pletcher.  Elder  Nathan  J. 
Mitchell  addressed  the  Sabbath-school. 

July  was  a  remarkably  wet  month.  From  the  20th 
of  July  to  the  5th  of  August  it  mined  continuously. 
Grain  sprouted  and  was  a  good  deal  damaged.  Last 
year  the  drouth  was  quite  as  remarkable.  Harvest  was 
delayed  until  in  August,  and  oats  harvest  commenced 
about  the  12th. 

Rev.  Dr.  William  J.  Gibson,  superintendent  of 
common  schools  for  the  county,  in  his  report  of  Au^. 
10,  1855,  puts  on  record  the  names  of  some  of  the  ex- 
emplary school-teachers  of  the  year,  as  follows  :  John 
Bell,  in  Half-Moon  District;  John  H.  Stover,  in 
Spring;  M.  A.  Reber,  Howard  District,  having  charge 
of  the  school  at  Mechanicsville;  Milton  Campbell 
and  Samuel  8.  McCartney,  of  Ferguson  District,  and 
J.  B.  Ellis  and  Charles  Hill,  of  the  same  district; 
Samuel  Gramly,  of  Miles ;  Grin  T.  Noble,  of  Liberty  ; 
Samuel  Kline,  of  Marion;  John  S.  Bathurst,  of  H:ir- 
ris;  C.  P.  W.  Fisher,  of  Potter;  James  S.  Hall,  of 
Milesburg. 

August  term  of  court  was  held  in  the  basement  of 
the  Methodist  Church.  It  was  on  this  occasion  Mr. 
McAllister's  "sleeve  caught  the  new  inkstand  (pre- 
sented by  some  one)"  and  ruined  the  road  papers  for 
that  term. 

The  Democratic  County  Convention  met  on  the 
28th  of  August.  After  each  member  of  the  conven- 
tion had  pledged  himself  that  he  did  not  now  nor  in- 
tended to  belong  to  the  "Know-Nothings,"  the  fol- 
lowing ticket  was  put  in  nomination :  Assembly, 
John  Gilliland,  of  Potter;  Treasurer,  Isaac  Bnfiing- 
ton,  of  Milesburg;  Commissioner,  Henry  Mover,  of 
Harris ;  Auditor,  John  P.  Packer,  of  Howard. 

On  the  27th,  at  a  meeting  held  at  the  B„»llefonte 
Academy,  the  Centre  County  Carson  League  was 
formed.  Hon.  John  Watson  presided  ;  Camper  Pe- 
ters, of  Union;  George  W.  Meek,  of  FergUion  ;  James 
Alexander,  of  Milesburg;  John  Thompson,  of  Half- 
Moon  ;  W.  A.  Davidson,  of  Buggs;  William  S.  Har- 
ter,  of  Penn  ;  Peter  Wilson,  of  Gregg,  and  David 
Mitchell,  of  Bellefonte,  vice-presidents  ;  George  Jack, 
of  Harris,  and  Abram  Elder,  of  Half-JIoon,  secre- 
taries. The  object  of  the  league  was  to  secure  the 
passage  of  a  prohibitory  liquor  law;  meanwhile  to 
secure  the  faithful  enforcement  of  all  laws  regulating 
the  liquor  traffic.  A  fund  of  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars  and  upwards  was  to  be  raised  in  equal  shares 
of  one  hundred  dollars,  the  sum  thus  subscribed  to  be 
assessed  to  pay  the  expenses  of  the  association. 

August  8tli,  the  Centre  Dragoons,  a  cavalry  com- 
pany raised  in  Bellefonte,  was  inspected  by  Mtij.  J.  B. 
Fisher,  and  the  following  officers  elected:  Captain,  R. 


96 


HISTORy   OF   CENTRE  COUiNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


D.  Cummings  ;  first  lieutenant,  Isaac  Lose ;  second 
lieutenant,  Joseph  Sourbeck  ;  corporal,  Silas  Reecli. 

The  "  Americans"  held  their  convention  in  Belle- 
fonte,  September  12th,  and  nominated  for  Assembly, 
Jacob  Struble,  of  Walker ;  for  Treasurer,  George  Liv- 
ingston, of  Bellefonte  ;  Commissioner,Henry  Keller,  of 
Harris;  Auditor,  Daniel  Hess,  of  Gregg,  and  instructed 
conferees  for  Col.  Andrew  Gregg  fur  State  senator. 
This  party  elected  its  complete  county  ticket  in  Oc- 
tober. Nicholson,  candidate  for  canal  commissioner, 
had  182  majority  over  Plunier.  The  evenness  of  the 
vote  was  remarkable.  Nicholson  had  2033,  Gregg  (for 
senator)  2080,  Struble  2028,  Livingston  2031,  Keller 
2020,  Hess  2035.  There  was  also  a  vote  for  and 
against  a  county  poor-house:  For,  1591;  against, 
2014.  Col.  Andrew  Gregg  had  90  majority  in  the 
district  over  A.  J.  Deitrick. 

The  Democracy  were  w-ithout  an  organ  at  the 
county-seat  for  about  one  year,  when  on  the  2Sth  of 
November,  1855,  Henry  Hays  issued  the  Democratic 
Watchman  in  an  office  in  the  Brockerhoft'  Eow,  oppo- 
site the  Conrad  House.  AVien  Foruey  became  asso- 
ciate editor  with  the  second  number.  Hon.  S.  T. 
Shugert,  then  acting  commissioner  of  pensions  at 
AV^ashington,  was  the  projector  of  the  paper  and  owner 
of  the  material. 

Jan.  7,  1857,  John  T.  Hoover  became  proprietor 
and  editor  of  the  Watcliman,  Henry  Hays  retiring. 
John  T.  Hoover  retired,  and  was  succeeded  by  S.  S. 
Seely,  of  Jersey  Shore,  and  B.  R.  Hall,  of  Centre 
County,  June  4,  1857.  Mr.  Hall  retired  October  22d, 
and  J.  Smith  Barnhart  became  associate  editor,  and 
it  was  published  by  Seely  and  Barnhart  until  May  9, 
18G1,  when  the  establishment  was  purchased  by  S.  T. 
Shugert,  John  T.  Hoover,  Dr.  Samuel  Strohecker, 
John  HofTcr,  and  C.  T.  Alexander.  They  leased  it  to 
P.  Gray  Meek  and  C.  T.  Alexander.  Mr.  Meek  with- 
drew in  August,  and  was  succeeded  by  Joseph  W. 
Furey,  Dec.  5,  1861.  July  10,  1862,  the  interest  of 
Strohecker,  HofTer,  and  Alexander  was  purchased  by 
P.  Gray  Meek,  and  Mr.  Alexander  retired.  Oct.  18, 
1862,  P.  Gray  Meek  became  sole  projjrietor. 

Anti-Jug-Law Meeting. — The  following  record  of 
the  proceedings  of  a  meeting  in  Aaronsburg  is  taken 
vei-batim  from  L.  Kurtz's Dcmo/jratischer  Jierichter,  pub- 
lished at  Aaronsburg,  Oct.  5,  1855,  as  illustrative  of 
the  temper  and  spirit  of  the  people  of  eastern  Penn's 
valley  : 

'TiiJaj-,  Iho  2Slli  of  Spptsiubcr,  was  a  groat  day  for  tlie  citizens  of 
Aaronsburg  and  of  Centre  County,  it  liitviiig  been  the  time  fixed  npon 
for  llolJilig  a  meeting  of  tljo  freemen  of  old  Centre  in  orposilion  to  llie 
infamous  jug  law,  and  to  show  their  disaiiprubalion  to  prcuchcrs  min- 
gling in  politics. 

"The  weather  was  very  flue;  a  brighter  snn  never  shed  his  congenial 
rays  npon  mother  earlh.  The  gathering  numbered  from  flfleen  huudred 
to  two  tliousand  of  the  most  respectable  farmers  and  mechanics  of  old 
Centre;  the  meeting  was  orderly  and  well  conducted,  which  iho  honest 
portion  of  the  opposition  does  not  hesitate  to  acknowledge. 

"At  9.30  A.M.  an  eastern  breeze,  carrying  with  it  the  charming  music 
of  the  Freeburg  Brass  Baud,  told  that  the  Haines  township  delegation 
was  .approaching,  and  its  entrance  into  our  village  was  a  glorious  and 


grand  one, — one  hundred  and  twenty-five  of  tlie  finest  llorseB,  enc7(  one 
mantd  imd  decorated  loHli  a  fla,j,  made  up  this  delegation.  Besides  this 
beautiful  coi  tege,  old  Haines  was  represented  by  aljont  the  same  number 
ofpersonswlioeame  in  fn.m  the  country  on  foot.  Well  done, old  Haines! 
hmg  will  your  delegation  be  remembered  by  all  who  were  an  eye-witness 
of  its  entrance  into  Aaronsburg. 

"  The  Haines  township  delegation  passed  through  our  village  and  pro- 
ceeded to  Hilllieim.  where  they  awaited  the  ariival  of  the  delegations 
from  Binsh  valley,  Penn,  Ciegg,  Potter,  etc.  These  delegations  wero 
also  very  large,  and  abounded  in  flags  anil  banners.  The  delegatiotis 
were  then  escorted  to  Aatonsburg  I'y  the  horsemen  from  Haines.  Gen. 
George  Buchainin  was  cliief  tnar-hal  fir  the  upper  townships,  and  Cols. 
J.  Wolf  and  G.  Kurtz  do.  for  Haines. 

'■  The  large  string  of  wagons,  buggies,  and  liorscs  w.as  a  bitter  pill  for 
out  petty  little  sanliedrini,  but  they  had  to  take  it, — there  wafi  no  hiding 
in  the  corn-fields  this  time. 

"  About  one  o'clock  the  meeting  was  organized, and  the  following  gen- 


;  ch.i 


softie 


"  President,  Oen.  George  Buchanan. 

"Vice-rrcsidents,  Judge  Strohecker,  Samuel  Sliafer,  George  Hnbler, 
John  Kremer,  George  Shafer,  John  Weaver,  of  Wiles. 

"Gregg:  Adam  Fisher,  Frederick  Heckman,  John  Grove,  Isaac  Het- 
tinger. 

"  Potter  :  5[aj.  John  NefT,  Uriah  Slack,  Henry  Witmer,  Col.  W.  Love, 
John  Taylor. 

"  Walker:  John  Orr,  John  Swartz,  John  G.  Swartz,  Dr.  Peter  Smith. 

"  Penn :  George  Swartz,  Robert  Smith,  Michael  Gebhart,  Michael  Stover. 

"Haines:  John  Kremer,  P.  c,  Samuel  Miller,  John  Moyer,  Samuel 
Martin,  Michael  Dangherty. 

"Secretaries,  J   G.  My.r,  Juliu  C.  Wolf,  Maj.  J.  B.  Fisher. 

"  The  cliuirlnan  slat.d  tlie  ol  ject  of  the  meeting,  and  submitted  .=  omo 
very  appiopiiate  remarks  in  ri  giird  to  siinijitnary  laws  enacted  in  oppo- 
sition to  the  expressed  will  nf  the  |ie..]ile. 

"Capt.  Jacob  Ziegb-r,  fioin  llin  i  iM.uig,  was  then  introduced,  and 
spoke  lor  about  two  and  a  lialt  hunts.  He  dwelt  ably  and  eloquently 
npiin  tlie  subject  of  snnie  ministers  i.f  the  gospel  debasing  their  calling 
by  meddling  in  politics,  calling  p.ililical  meeting.s,  and  mounting  the 
slump.  He  clearly  explained  to  tli.nn  the  path  which  they  are  com- 
miudedtiiiinisiieliy  the  Holy  Scii|diiie.     While  the  captain  dwelt  thus 

bravely  iil Ihi.  snl  je.  t,  his  renitu  Us  riveted  the  attention  ofthoenliro 

assemlily,  anil  all  seiineil  to  say,  '  Vcs,  captain,  you  are  right.'  After  ho 
got  throii^li  w.lh  liulpit  pnlilicians  hi-  turned  his  attention  to  the  tem- 
perance nnivenieut,  which  he  proved  to  be  a  sheer  humbug  and  a  matter 
of  speculation  by  the  Jlaiiie  law  advocates,  and  ably  demonstrated  the 
unjustness  and  uucon-^tilntionality  of  the  jug  hiw  and  all  entire  prohib- 
itory li.iuur  laws.  The  captain's  rennirks  wore  well  received  and  will 
leave  a  f.ivorable  and  lasting  impression  npon  the  audience. 

"The  committee  tlien  reported  the  lollotting  preamble  and  resolu- 
tions, wliich  were  read,  as  Ibllows: 

*'  \Viit-:Ki-:AS,  We  regiird  the  late  act  of  Assembly,  restrtiining  the  sale 
of  liquor,  or  the  enactment  of  an  entire  prohiliitory  liquor  law,  as  un- 
just, arbitrary,  and  unconstitutional,  antagonistic  in  its  operations  to 
the  best  interests  of  the  firmer,  and  a  direct  invasion  upon  onr  rights, 
and  an  unwarranted  infringenieiit  up  m  our  p  'rsoual,  inherent  liberties 
and  privileges,  bequeathed  to  ns  by  our  Creator,  and  guaranteed  to  ns 
by  our  country's  Constitnliun.— the  nobU-st  fabric  of  our  forefatlio:-8. 
And,  WllERE.ls,  to  express  our  dsapprobation  of  the  Christian  ministry 
wantoidy  deserting  the  sacred  desk  and  aspiring  b)  political  office,  ami 
their  interim-ddlins  in  p  .lilies  and  affaiis  of  sla'e,  with  which  the 
Clili-tiaii  chiiicli  has  iian-lit  lo  ilu,  inasniinh  as  sncli  niiuecessa'y  aud 
unanlliori/.ed  internieiMliii-  uii  llnir  pait  must  inevitably  result  in  a 
relrogres.-ion  of  the  Christian  religion;  and  their  example,  by  thus 
abandoning  the  responsible  posts  a3^iglled  them  by  Almighty  God,  in 
surrendering  tliemselves  to  the  dictjites  of  political  fanaticism,  thereby 
sowing  discord,  dissension,  and  enmity  in  their  coDgregatione,  and 
among  their  fellow-men,  "ill  rvniiually  be  the  means  of  overthrowing 
and  entirely  destroying  tin- f  iuiid.ili,in..r  the  Chrisliau  faith,  and  result 
in  the  subversion  of  our  republican  lorin  of  government.    Therefore, 

"  Resolved,  Tluit  we  arc  opposed  lo  all  class  and  special  legislation,  by 
wliich  a  few  are  benefited  at  the  expense  of  the  many,  and  the  law- 
making power  of  the  government  prostituted  to  private  Bl»ecuhition  and 
gain. 

"  Itesohed,  That  we  believe  true  morality  and  Cliristianily  are  only 
jiromoted  by  moral  suasion,  and  that  all  attempts  to  force  the  people  into 
measures  against  their  will  and  judgment  are  pernicious  in  tlieir  con- 
sequences, and  calculatiil  to  luecd  dissensions  and  disputes  in  our  midst, 

"  R.sohed,  That  the  late  act  of  Assembly  deuoniiuated  the  '  Jug  Law,' 


BANKING   FIRM— GAS   COMPANY. 


97 


nithoiigli  not  entirely  proliibifGry  in  its  clinracter,  yet  is  clearly  in  oppo- 
eitioii  t<i  the  declaieil  will  of  the  people,  besitlea  being  a  fruitful  means 
of  niaking  drunkards  by  tlio  wholesale." 

The  proceedings  of  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
Centre  County  Agricultural  Society,  held  Jan.  23, 
1855,  are  interesting,  as  bearing  directly  upon  the 
establishment  of  Pennsylvania  State  College  within 
tlie  bounds  of  Centre  County.  Hon.  George  Boal  was 
re-elected  president,  with  a  vice-president  from  each 
township;  D.  Pruner,  treasurer ;  George  Buchanan, 
secretary;  and  James  F.  Weaver,  assistant  secretary ; 
after  which  H.  N.  McAllister,  Esq.,  offered  the  fol- 
lowing resolution  : 

"  That  tlie  establishment  of  an  Agricultural  High 
School  for  the  education  of  farmers  at  an  expense 
within  the  means  of  the  great  majority  of  the  agri- 
cultural community  is  greatly  to  be  desired  ;  and  that 
our  representative  in  the  Senate  and  in  the  House  of 
Representatives  at  Harrisburg  are  specially  requested 
to  vote  for  the  organization  of  such  school  in  some 
practicable  form,  with  a  suitable  appropriation  by 
the  State  for  the  endowment  of  the  same." 

This  resolution  was  discussed  by  Mr.  McAllister, 
Bond  Valentine,  Judge  Burnside,  Gen.  Buchanan, 
Hon.  George  Boal ;  after  which  Gen.  James  Irvin 
took  the  iioor,  and  concluded  some  animating  re- 
marks by  offering  to  donate  two  hundred  and  fifty 
acres  of  land  in  Centre  County  near  Centre  Furnace 
for  t'le  proposed  school,  provided  the  same  was  estab- 
lished in  Centre  County.  On  the  22d  of  February, 
Gen.  Irvin  reduced  his  proposition  to  writing,  wiiich 
was  presented  at  a  meeting  of  the  executive  commit- 
tee of  the  Pennsylvania  Agricultural  Society,  and  re- 
ferred to  the  trustees  of  the  Farmers'  High  Scliool. 

On  the  20th  of  June  a  committee  of  the  trustees  of 
the  Farmers'  High  School,  consisting  of  Governor 
Pollock,  Hon.  Frederick  Watts,  and  Dr.  A.  L.  Ehvyn, 
accompanied  by  Hon.  William  Jessup,  Hon.  A.  O. 
Hiester,  R.  C.  Walker,  Esq.,  and  others,  visited  Centre 
County  for  the  purpose  of  examining  the  farms  offered 
by  Gen.  Irvin.  Gen.  Irvin  ofJ'cred  them  the  choice  of 
three  farms.  After  the  farms  were  examined  the 
trustees  and  all  the  company  repaired  to  the  dwell- 
ing-house of  Moses  Thompson,  at  Centre  Furnace, 
where  one  hundred  and  fifty  persons  were  entertained 
by  a  sumptuous  dinner  prepared  by  Mrs.  Thompson. 
On  the  12th  of  September  the  board  selected  the 
farm  of  two  hundred  acres  offered  by  Gen.  Irvin, 
with  a  pre-emption  for  five  years  of  two  hundred 
acres  adjoining,  to  be  accompanied  with  a  donation 
of  $10,000,  guaranteed  by  H.  N.  McAllister,  Hon. 
A.  G.  Curtin,  and  Gen.  Irvin  on  behalf  of  Centre  and 
Huntingdon  Counties. 

The  building  committee,  consisting  of  Frederick 
Watts,  H.  N.  McAllister,  and  Jaine.s  Miles,  gave  notice 
that  proposals  would  be  received  for  the  college  edi- 
fice and  barn  ou  the  7th  of  February,  18-36.  The  barn 
was  let  at  $3500 ;  James  Ward,  Bernard  McLain,  and 
George  W.  Tate,  of  Bellefonte,  received  the  contract. 
7 


Turner  &  Natcher  were  the  contractors  for  the  col- 
lege edifice,  commenced  in  June,  1856.  In  tlie  latter 
year  the  funds  received  were,  from  the  State  Society 
$10,000;  from  the  citizens  of  Centre  County  $10,000; 
from  the  Commonwealth  $25,000;  from  the  estate  of 
Elliot  Crcsson  ?5000. 

The  Farmers'  High  School  (then)  was  opened  Feb. 
10,  1859,  with  W.  G.  Waring,  general  superintendent 
and  Professor  of  Agriculture  and  Horticulture;  J.  S. 
Whitman,  Professor  of  Natural  Sciences;  Samuel 
Baird,  Professor  of  Mathematics;  and  R.  C.  Allison, 
Professor  of  English  Literature. 


CHAPTER    XL. 


E.^XKIXG  FIRJI  —  BELLEFONTE  GAS  COMP.IXY  — 
BELLEFONTE  CEMETERY  —  LOCK  UAVEN  AND 
TYRONE    RAILROAD. 

Humes,  McAllister,  Hale  &  Co.'s  Banking  Firm. 

— The  popular  demand  for  banking  conveni- 
ences was  strongly  revived,  and,  in  accord-  1856. 
ance  therewith,  A.  G.  Curtin,  H.  N.  Mc- 
Allister, J.  T.  Hale,  and  E.  C.  Humes,  Feb.  7,  1850, 
organized  a  private  bank,  as  Humes,  BIcAUister, 
Hale  &  Co.  They  obtained  the  services  of  W.  M. 
Murray,  of  Pittsburgh,  as  cashier,  who  remained 
with  them  until  June  10,  1858,  when  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  John  P.  Harris  (who  was  clerk)  as 
cashier.  The  enterprise  prospered  from  the  outset, 
and  took  rank  at  once  as  one  of  the  safe  and  solid 
banking  institutions  of  the  country.  Until  1864  the 
bank  was  a  private  corporation,  and  remained  con- 
tinuously in  the  hands  of  the  original  partners,  E.  C. 
Humes  being  the  president  and  J.  P.  Harris  the 
cashier.  June  8,  1864,  the  four  members  named,  in 
conjunction  with  J.  A.  Beaver  and  Adam  Hoy,  or- 
ganized the  First  National  Bank  of  Bellefonte  under 
the  United  States  National  Bank  Act. 

In  March  a  town  clock,  costing  the  borough  about 
seven  hundred  dollars,  was  placed  in  the  cupola  of 
the  court-house  in  Bellefonte. 

Bellefonte  Gas  Company. — The  Bellefonte  Gas 
Company  was  incorporated  April  11,  1856,  and  at  a 
meeting  of  the  corporators,  on  the  10th  of  May,  Ed- 
mund Blanchard  was  elected  president;  Bond  Valen- 
tine, treasurer  ;  and  Jacob  V.  Thomas,  secretary.  In 
June  this  company  purchased  a  lot  at  the  corner  of 
Spring  and  Lamb  Streets,  and  contracted  with  Mr. 
William  Helme,  of  Philadelphia,  to  put  up  the  works, 
to  be  finished  by  the  1st  of  November,  at  the  con- 
tract price  of  sixteen  thousand  five  hundred  dollars. 
Robert  McKnight  was  appointed  superintendent  in 
November,  1856.  The  Tyrone  and  Clearfield  Rail- 
road Ct.)mpany  was  organized  May  5,  1856,  with 
James  T.  Hale  as  president ;  William  Bagshaw, 
secretary;  James  E.  Montgomery,  chief  engineer; 
and  Josiah  W.  Small,  Esq.,  treasurer. 


93 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Bellefonte  Cemetery.— On  the  3d  of  May,  James 
Burnside,  Edward  C.  Humes,  James  T.  Hale,  and 
H.  N.  McAllister  purchased  between  four  and  five 
acres  adjoining  the  Bellefonte  graveyard,  and  fenced 
it  with  a  view  to  the  formation  of  a  cemetery.  A 
meeting  of  the  citizens  was  held  on  the  14th  of  June, 
and  a  resolution  passed  to  connect  the  old  graveyard 
therewith  by  removing  the  east  fence,  and  that  the 
corporation  to  be  formed,  called  "  The  Bellefonte 
Cemetery  Association,"  should  take  charge  of  the 
grounds.  The  cost  of  the  purchase  was  $1313.24, 
and  it  was  resolved  that  a  further  sum  of  $1686.76, 
making  13000  in  all,  could  be  properly  expended  in 
laying  out  and  ornamenting  the  grounds.  The  stock 
was  to  be  $3000,  divided  into  sixty  shares  of  $50  each. 

Political— First  Eepublican  Mass-Meeting.— 
The  first  mass-meeting  of  the  Republican  party  was 
held  in  Bellefonte  August  25th.  John  Thompson,  of 
Half-Moon,  presided.  The  vice-presidents  were  Fred- 
erick Burkert,  of  Miles ;  Daniel  Kuhns,  of  Liberty  ; 
John  B.  Holloway,  of  Haines;  James  Ward,  of 
Spring;  Daniel  Hess,  of  Gregg;  Isaac  Gray,  of 
Half-Moon  ;  Jacob  B.aker,  of  Howard ;  Arthur  Fores- 
man,  of  Liberty;  Daniel  MeOinley,  of  Bellefonte; 
0.  C.  Price,  of  Milesburg  ;  S.  A.  Brew,  of  Half- 
Moon  ;  Stephen  McGonigle,  of  Taylor ;  Henry  Kel- 
ler, of  Harris  ;  and  John  Baily,  of  Ferguson.  Secre- 
taries, P.  Benner  Wilson,  of  Bellefonte;  John  C. 
Motz,  of  Haines;  and  J.  M.  Hunter,  Esq.,  of  Penn. 
Samuel  Linn,  H.  N.  McAllister,  James  T.  Hale, 
and  Gen.  James  Irvin  were  the  speakers.  The  nom- 
inations of  J.  C.  Fremont  for  President  and  W.  L. 
Dayton  for  Vice-President  were  indorsed. 

The  Democratic  Convention  met  on  the  26th  of 
August,  aud  nominated  tlie  following  county  ticket: 
Congress,  Dr.  Benjamin  J.  Berry ;  Assembly,  John 
Smith,  of  Penn;  Associate  Judges,  William  Burch- 
field  and  Henry  Barnhart,  Sr.  ;  Commissioner,  Jacob 
Pottsgrove ;  District  Attorney,  James  H.  Eankin. 
William  F.  Packer  was  recommended  for  Governor. 
Allison  White,  of  Clinton  County,  was  nominated  by 
the  conferees  of  the  district  for  Congress.  The  Re- 
publican nominees  were,  for  Assembly,  Jacob  Struble, 
of  Walker;  Associate  Judges,  John  Hasson,  of  Har- 
ris, John  Adams,  of  Huston  ;  for  Commissioners, 
Frederick  Burkert,  of  Miles,  J.  F.  Montgomery,  of 
Howard;  for  District  Attorney,  William  P.  Wilson, 
of  Bellefonte;  for  Surveyor,  H.  P.  Treziyulny,  of 
Milesburg;  for  Auditor,  W.  H.  Swanzey,  of  Marion. 
W.  A.  Davidson,  one  of  the  county  commissioners, 
died,  and  Jacob  Ehrhartwas  nominated  by  the  Dem- 
ocrats for  his  unexpired  term. 

Henry  Harper,  of  Haines  township,  came  with  the 
Penn's  valley  delegation  to  the  Democratic  mass- 
meeting  on  the  24th  of  September,  and  while  dining 
at  the  hotel,  fell  dead  from  his  chair.  • 

At  the  election  in  October,  George  Scott,  for  canal 
commissioner,  had  2725  votes;  Thomas  E.Cochran, 
2404;  and  the  county  ticket  without  a  variation  of 


ten  votes.  For  the  lowest  office  on  the  ticket,  the 
vote  cast  for  William  Kerr  was  2725,  and  for  W.  H. 
Swanzey  2406,  showing  how  closely  party  lines  were 
drawn. 

The  Fillmore  and  Fremont  tickets  were,  at  a  Union 
Convention  held  on  the  21st  of  October  at  Harrisburg, 
combined  with  Gen.  James  Irvin,  of  Centre  Count}', 
as  elector-at-large,  with  the  name  either  of  Fremont 
or  Fillmore  as  the  twenty-seventh  elector,  in  order 
to  determine  the  relative  strength  of  the  parties,  and 
in  case  of  success  with  the  electoral  ticket  in  the 
State  the  vote  to  be  cast  accordingly  and  proportion- 
ably. 

In  Centre  County  the  Democratic  or  Buchanan 
electors  received  2895  votes  ;  the  straight  American 
or  Fillmore  ticket,  552 ;  on  the  Union  ticket,  Fre- 
mont, 390,  Fillmore,  1400  ;  Buchanan's  majority  over 
all,  553. 

Lock  Haven  and  Tyrone  Railroad. — That  por- 
tion of  the  Look  Haven  and  Tyrone  Railroad  be- 
tween Bellefonte  and  Tyrone  was  surveyed  by  John 
H.  McMinn  and  a  corps  of  engineers  in  October  and 
November.  A  second  act  of  incorporation  was  ob- 
tained Feb.  21,  1857.  The  commissioners  met  April 
13th  and  elected  Dr.  William  LTnderwood,  president ; 
James  T.  Hale,  Gen.  James  Irvin,  Harvey  Mann, 
Dr.  J.  M.  McCoy,  W.  H.  Thom.is,  Roland  Curtin, 
E.  C.  Humes,  J.  T.  Matthias,  M.  T.  Millikin,  L.  A. 
Mackey,  and  John  I.  Thompson,  managers.  The 
managers  then  elected  John  T.  Johnston,  secretary  ; 
Edmund  Blanchard,  treasurer;  John  MoMinn,  en- 
gineer. The  Western  Division,  with  the  Bellefonte 
Branch,  thirty-three  and  one-fourth  miles,  was  let  to 
S.  Brady  &  Co.,  for  grubbing,  grading,  and  finish- 
ing ready  for  the  superstructure,  $66,500,  May  7th, 
and  on  Saturday  afternoon  succeeding,  the  president, 
with  the  engineer  and  corps,  staked  out  one  hundred 
feet  of  the  road,  and  after  reading  the  charter  took 
formal  possession  by  himself  first  breaking  ground. 
All  hands  then  went  to  work  and  graded  the  hundred 
feet.  The  Eastern  Division  of  the  road,  between 
Milesburg  and  Lock  Haven,  was  let  to  Samuel  Brady, 
M.ay  20,  1858. 

Political. — Hon.  William  F.  Packer,  a  nativo^bf 
Centre  County,  was  nominated  March  3d  by  the  Dem- 
ocratic Convention  at  Harrisburg  for  Gover- 
nor;  his  opponent  was  Hon.  David  Wilmot.  1857. 
A  Republican  meeting  was  held  April  28th 
to  indorse  the  nomination  of  David  Wilmot.  Hon. 
George  Boal  presided.  Vice-Presidents  were  George 
Alexander,  of  Union ;  John  Hasson,  of  Harris ;  Rich- 
ard Miles,  of  Liberty ;  William  Bell,  of  Spring;  John 
Bailey,  of  Ferguson;  Arthur  Foresman,  of  Liberty; 
T.  B.  Rupert,  of  Walker,  and  John  T.  Johnson,  of 
Bellefonte,  secretaries.  W.  W.  Brown,  of  Bellefonte, 
Peter  Wilson,  of  Gregg,  Henry  McEwen,  of  Walker, 
William  Levy,  of  Milesburg,  and  Frederick  Burkert, 
of  Miles,  were  the  committee  upon  resolutions.  Judge 
James  T.  Hale  was  the  principal  speaker. 


INSURANCE    COMPANY— SxNOW   SHOE   EAILllOAD. 


99 


The  nominations  of  both  parties  were  made  in 
August.  The  Republicans  nominated  Samuel  Mc- 
Williams,  of  Ferguson,  for  Assembly  ;  Henry  Mc- 
Ewen,  of  Walker,  for  sheriff;  M.  P.  Crosthwaite  for 
register  and  recorder;  George  B.  Weaver  for  pro- 
thonotary  ;  William  Baird,  Jr.,  of  Spring,  for  treas- 
urer ;  George  A.  Stroup,  of  Harris,  for  commissioner. 

In  October,  William  F.  Packer's  vote  in  the  county 
was  26G3;  David  Wilmot,  2145.  The  vote  for  the 
county  ticket  did  not  vary  much  from  that  given  for 
Governor  on  either  ticket.  Governor  Packer's  ma- 
jority in  the  State  over  Wilmot's  and  Hazelhurst's 
(Native)  combined  vote  was  14,765,  and  the  Demo- 
cratic majority  on  joint  ballot  in  the  Legislature  was 
38.  This  ended  what  was  known  as  the  era  of  the 
American  or  Know-Nothing  party  reign  in  Pennsyl- 
vania. 

Henry  McLaughlin,  former  postmaster  of  Belle- 
fonte,  was  drowned  on  the  6th  of  July,  in  the  river 
near  Freeport,  Illinois.  He  was  seine-fishing  and 
was  attacked  by  cramp,  as  was  supposed.  He  was 
engaged  in  the  saddle  and  harness  busine.ss  in  Belle- 
fonte  for  a  number  of  years,  and  was  appointed  post- 
master by  President  Polk.  He  removed  from  Centre 
County  to  Elk  County,  and  there  engaged  in  the 
lumber  business,  and  about  1856  move!  to  Freeport. 
He  left  a  son  and  a  daughter  in  Elk  Count}'. 

In  September  the  great  money  crisis  reached  the 
central  part  of  the  State.  The  Lock  Haven  Bank 
suspended  temporarily,  and  many  other  banks  in  the 
State. 


CHAPTER    XLI. 

EXCAMPMEXTS  —  INSURANCE  COMPANY  —  SNOW 
SHOE  RAILROAD  — DELLEFONTE  FENCinLES  — 
CENTRAL  PKE.SS— DEATH  OF  JUDGE  liURNSIDE. 

Om  the  6th  of  October  a  grand  military  encamp- 
ment was  held  near  Aaronsburg.  Eight  companies 
were  in  attendance :  Washington  Troop,  Capt.  Wolf; 
Centre  Dragoons,  Capt.  Cummings  ;  Marion  Infantry, 
Capt.  Fisher;  Brush  Valley  Guards,  Capt.  Faust; 
Centre  Guards.  Capt.  Weaver  ;  Penn's  Valley  Cadets, 
Capt.  Kepler;  Washington  Artillery,  Capt.  Eisen- 
huth  ;  Independent  Troop,  Lieut.  Shaffer.  The  field- 
officers  prese.nt  were  Gen.  George  Buchanan  and  staff. 
Col.  Strohecker,  Col.  Wolf,  Maj.  Tolbert,  Maj.  Fisher, 
and  Maj.  Fugate.  , 

Farmers'  Mutual  Insurance  Company. — The 
Farmers'  Mutual  Insurance  Company  of  Centre 
County,  incorporated  under  act  of  April  24, 
1858.  1857,  was  organized  Feb.  26, 1858,  by  electing 
the  following  board  of  directors :  Henry  Krebs, 
Samuel  Hess,  Philip  Moyer,  George  W.  Campbell, 
William  Durst,  Peter  Hoffer,  George  Buchanan,  Peter 
Zeigler,  William  C.  Duncan,  Amos  Alexander,  S.  N. 
Strohecker,  and  Samuel  Frank.    On  the  6th  of  March 


the  board  selected  the  following  officers:  President, 
George  Buchanan;  Vice-President,  Philip  Moyer; 
Treasurer,  Henry  Witmer ;  Secretary,  John  Siian- 
non.     Office  of  the  company  at  Centre  Hall. 

March  29tli,  Allegheny  and  Bald  Eagle  Railroad 
Company  (now  Snow  Shoe)  let  tlie  whole  of  the  Eastern 
Division,  ten  sections  to  William  Fearon  and  Daniel 
Welch,  the  first  two  sections  of  the  Western  Division 
to  John  McDermot  and  Charles  McCafferty,  and  the 
remainder  of  the  Western  Division,  five  sections,  to 
George  Graham,  James  Gilliland,  and  P.  O.  Laughlin. 
The  trestle-work  was  taken  by  Robert  Lipton,  of 
Milesburg,  at  eight  and  three-quarter  cents  per  cubic 
foot.  The  excavating  was  taken  at  eleven  and  twelve 
cents  for  earth,  and  rock  at  forty  and  forty-five  cents 
per  cubic  yard. 

This  road  was  located  by  William  Harris,  and  to 
his  untiring  energy  and  perseverance  in  overcoming 
the  many  obstacles  of  location  its  successful  accom- 
plishment is  to  be  attributed. 

A  new  mail  route  was  established  in  the  spring  of 
1858  from  Bellefonte  by  way  of  Agricultural  College 
to  Pine  Grove  Mills. 

The  charter  of  the  "  Nittany  Association,"  the  ob- 
ject of  which  was  to  protect  its  members  against  horse- 
stealing, was  approved  by  the  court  Feb.  3,  1858. 
Its  first  officers  were  :  President,  John  Swartz ;  Vice- 
Presidents,  George  Brumgard,  Henry  Beck,  and  Zac- 
cheus  Thomas ;  Recording  Secretary,  A.  Bartholomew ; 
Corresponding  Secretaries,  David  Keller  and  William 
Myers  ;  Treasurer,  George  Shaffer;  Branding  Masters, 
jMichael  Grove,  George  Swartz,  and  Samuel  Best;  In- 
spector of  Arms,  Samuel  Walkey. 

The  most  notable  local  event  of  the  year  was  the 
encampment  of  Gen.  Buchanan's  brigade  at  Camp 
Logan,  on  Valentine's  Forge  field,  adjoining  Belle- 
fonte, from  20th  to  25th  of  September.  Over  eight 
hundred  soldiers  were  in  camp,  and  the  visitors  on 
review-day,  Thursday,  numbered  over  five  thousand. 
The  cavalry  companies  were  Warriors  Mark  Cavalry, 
Capt.  Hunter;  Centre  Dragoons,  Capt.  Cummings; 
Washington  Troop,  Capt.  Wolf;  Independent  Troop, 
Capt.  Dunlap;  Nittany  Troop,  Capt.  Smith;  In- 
fantry, Bellefonte  Fencibles,  Capt.  A.  G.  Curtin ; 
Nittany  Blues,  Capt.  Tolbert;  Washington  Artil- 
lery, Capt.  Eisenbaker;  Brush  Valley  Guards,  Capt. 
Faust ;  Centre  Guards,  Capt.  Weaver ;  Marion  In- 
fantry, Capt.  Fisher;  Penn's  Valley  Cadets,  Capt. 
Kepler;  Scott  Infantry,  Capt.  George  Dare,  of  Spruce 
Creek ;  Union  Guards,  Capt.  Joseph  Johnston,  of 
Petersburg;  Lock  Haveu  Artillery,  Capt.  Jarret. 
Field-officers  present:  adjutant-general,  E.  C.Wilson  ; 
inspector-general,  Maj.  Dodge;  Maj.-Geu.  John  C. 
Watson,  Fourteenth  Division,  with  his  aides,  P. 
Benner  Wilson  and  Maj.  D.  J.  Nevling;  staff,  Maj. 
James  S.  Brisbin  ;  quartermaster,  G.  A.  Garretson, 
division  inspector,  Lieut.-Col  S.  Doi-sey  Green ;  judge- 
advocate,  Lieut. -Col.  F.  H.  Lane;  Brig.-Gen.  George 
Buchanan,   Third    Brigade ;    aides.    Col.   James    P. 


100 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Coburn,  Col.  C.  P.  W.  Fisher;  brigade  inspector, 
Maj.  J.  B.  Fisher;  adjutant,  William  P.  Macnianus; 
Maj.Gen.  D.  K.  Jackman,  of  Eleventh  Division, 
and  staff,  Col.  John  Smith  and  staff,  etc.  Among 
the  pleasing  incidents  was  a  banquet  given  by  the 
Fencibles  to  Gen.  Jackman,  his  staff,  and  the  Lock 
Haven  Artillery.  The  oldest  soldier  in  camp  was 
Col.  Andrew  Gregg,  who  was  in  his  sixty-ninth  year. 
Hayes  Hamilton  gave  a  dinner  at  the  Conrad  House 
to  Capt.  Dare  and  his  company,  the  Scott  Infantry. 
Seventy-eight  men  at  the  table.  Jere  Butts  was  the 
caterer. 

May  26,  1858.  After  a  number  of  meetings  the 
name  of  "  Bellefonte  Fencibles"  was  adopted  for  a 
new  military  company  raised  in  Bellefonte,  and  those 
present  elected  the  following  officers:  Captain,  W.  M. 
Murray,  by  acclamation  ;  First  Lieutenant,  Dr.  J.  B. 
Mitchell;  Second  Lieutenant,  William  McClelland; 
Orderly  Sergeant,  E.  M.  Buchanan  ;  Music  Sergeant, 
Cliarles  "Bui  lock;  First  Corporal,  Isaac  Way ;  Second 
Curpor.al,  Joseph  Harris.  It  was  organized  July  10, 
1858,  by  Maj.  Fisher,  with  A.  G.Curtin '  as  captain,  vice 
W.  M.  Murray.  A  new  cavalry  company  was  also 
formed  in  Harris  and  Ferguson  townships,  called  the 
Independent  Dragoons:  James  Dunlap,  captain; 
Daniel  Wheeler,  first  lieutenant;  Christian  Mosch, 
second  lieutenant.  It  was  organized  at  Boalsburg, 
August  7th,  by  Maj.  Fisher.  Brig.-Gen.  George  Bu- 
clianan  reorganized  his  staff  as  follows  :  Maj.  Ed- 
mund Blancliard,  judge-advocate;  Maj.  James  P. 
Wilson,  brigade  surgeon  ;  Maj.  C.  P.  W.  Fisher,  bri- 
gade quartermaster ;  Capt.  R.  H.  Duncan,  brigade 
l)aymaster  ;  Col.  James  P.  Coburn,  aide-de-camp. 

The  Democratic  County  Convention  met  on  the  24th 
of  August,  Hon.  William  Burchfield,  president;  John 
Y.  Forster  and  Maj.  J.  B.  Fisher,  secretaries.  Dr. 
Samuel  Strohecker  was  nominated  for  senator,  Sam- 
uel Gilliland  for  Assembly,  and  Daniel  Z.  Kline  for 
commissioner.  The  senatorial  conferees  agreed  upon 
A.  J.  Dietrick,  of  Sullivan  County,  for  senator.  Jacob 
AV.  Erhart,  one  of  the  county  commissioners,  having 
died,  the  convention  was  called  together,  and  nomi- 
nated Thomas  Wolf,  of  Miles  township,  for  Mr.  Er- 
hart's  unexpired  term, — two  years. 

The  Central  Press.— September  3d,  Wien  Forney 
and  J.  G.  Kurtz  started  the  Central  Press  at  Belle- 
fonte. A  wide  divergence  had  arisen  in  the  Demo- 
cratic party,  arising  out  of  the  Kansas  policy  of  Mr. 
Buchanan,  and  what  was  termed  the  "Lecompton 
Swindle."  Hon.  Allison  White  had  been  a  firm  sup- 
porter of  the  administration,  and  Hon.  James  T.  Hale 
was  brought  out  in  opposition  to  him  for  Congress. 
The  Central  Press,  professing  to  be  an  independent 
political  paper  and  not  an  independent  Democratic 
paper,  supported  Judge  Hale  with  very  great  ability 


1  Wlien  Capt.  Cuitin  ivas  elected  Gorcrnor,  in  October,  ISCO,  Lieut. 
J.  B.  Blitcliell  was  elected  captain,  and  William  McClclIaud  first  lieuten- 
ant, and  James  A.  Beaver  second  lieutenant. 


editorially,  and  with  unexceptional  tact  and  good 
judgment.  Wien  Forney  retired  Aug.  29,  1859,  and 
Mr.  Kurtz  became  sole  editor  and  proprietor.  John 
H.  Stover,  Esq.,  and  James  F.  Riddle  were  associate 
editors,  and  Mr.  Kurtz  completed  ten  volumes  in 
August,  1868,  when  he  sold  out  the  paper,  and  the 
name  was  changed  to  that  of  the  Bellefonte  National. 

The  vote  polled  in  the  county  in  October  was  not 
a  full  one.  In  the  strong  Democratic  townships  it 
fell  off  considerably,  while  in  the  townships  which 
gave  Republican  majorities  the  vote  was  full,  and  in 
some  increased.  The  entire  Republican  ticket  was 
elected.  John  M.  Read,  for  supreme  judge,  had  304 
majority  in  the  county  ;  James  T.  Hale,  for  Congress, 
641 ;  Andrew  Gregg,  for  senator,  536;  Adam  R.  Bar- 
low, for  Assembly,  297.  Thomas  Hutchinson  and  Fred- 
erick Burket  were  elected  county  commissioners,  and 
Benjamin  Shrack,  auditor.  The  latter  had  309niajority 
over  Joseph  Baker.  James  T.  Hale's  majority  in  the 
district  was  1889,  and  Andrew  Gregg's,  584.  John  M. 
Read,  Republican  candidate  for  supreme  judge,  car- 
ried the  State  by  26,968  majority.  The  State  Senate 
stood  17  Democrats,  IG  Republicans;  House, 32  Demo- 
crats, Republicans,  84 ;  Republican  majority  on  grand 
ballot,  36.  In  Congress  twenty-one  opposition  mem- 
bers were  elected  to  the  House  as  against  four  regular 
Democrats. 

On  Friday  evening,  July  1st,  Hon.  James  Burnside, 
president  judge  of  this  judicial  district,  was  thrown 
from  a  buggy  and  instantly  killed.  Only  a 
few  minutes  before  the  occurrence  he  had  been  1859. 
on  the  street  full  of  life,  health,  and  vigor. 
He  had  been  engaged  during  the  day  in  making 
arrangements  for  the  celebration  of  the  Fourth  of 
July. 

Judge  Burnside  was  standing  in  front  of  his  resi- 
dence with  his  wife  and  children,  when  his  nephew, 
Harvey  Mann,  Jr.,  with  his  mother  (a  sister  of  Judge 
Burnside's),  drove  to  and  stepped  out  at  the  door. 
Mrs.  Mann  alighted,  wdien  an  invitation  was  extended 
the  judge  by  his  nephew  to  take  a  seat  in  the  buggy 
for  an  evening  ride.  Judge  Burnside  seemed  to  hesi- 
tate, and  being  assured  there  was  no  danger,  he  seated 
himself  in  the  buggy,  and  before  his  nephew  could 
seat  himself  by  his  side,  and  while  in  the  act  of  step- 
ping in,  the  horse  became  frightened  and  started  to 
run.  Mr.  Mann  threw  the  lines  to  the  judge,  ahd  the 
horse  dashed  off  at  a  furious  rate.  At  the  corner,  op- 
posite Rev.  James  Linn,  where  (1882)  D.  M.  Wag- 
ner's residence  now- is,  in  full  view  of  the  residence 
of  Judge  Burnside,  where  his  wife  and  children  and 
sister,  Mrs.  Mann,  were  standing,  as  the  horse  at- 
tempted to  turn  the  corner  one  of  the  front  wheels 
broke,  upsetting  the  buggy  and  throwing  the  judge 
violently  to  the  ground.  Drs.  McCoy,  Potter,  Mitch- 
ell, and  Dobbins  were  promptly  by  his  side,  but  he 
made  but  two  or  three  convulsive  gasps  and  ex- 
pired. 

His  remains  were  interred  on  Sabbath  evening  at 


^^^ 


^.f^^i^^^i^ 


CENSUS— A.  G.  CURTIN  NOMINATED   FOR  GOVERNOR. 


101 


five  o'clock,  accompanied  by  a  large  concourse  of 
people,  the  Bellefonte  bar,  and  members  of  the  bar 
from  other  counties. 

Hon.  James  Gamble  was  appointed  president  judge 
iii  July,  by  Governor  Packer,  to  fill  the  vacancy 
caused  by  the  death  of  Hon.  James  Burnside.  In 
August  the  several  conventions  met.  The  Demo- 
cratic Convention  was  presided  over  by  Hon.  Samuel 
Strohecker.  Seth  Benner,  William  Allison,  and  John 
A.  Hunter  were  placed  in  nomination  for  Assembly, 
and  Seth  Benner  nominated  on  the  third  ballot.  J. 
Gibson  Larimer  was  nominated  for  county  treasurer  ; 
D.  G.Bush,  Esq.,  for  district  attorney  ;  Daniel  Z.  Kline, 
fur  county  commissioner;  and  Peter  Hoffer,  for  audi- 
tor, and  the  judicial  conferees  instructed  to  vote  for 
James  Gamble  for  president  judge.  The  Republicans 
renominated  A.  R.  Barlow  for  Assembly,  W.  W.  Brown 
for  county  treasurer;  Joseph  Fislier,  of  Boggs,  for 
commissioner;  Jere  Mayes,  of  Half-Moon,  for  au- 
ditor; and  John  H.  Stover,  of  Bellefonte,  for  district 
attorney,  and  recommended  Hon.  Samuel  Linn  for 
president  judge. 

A  singular  aft'air  occurred  at  Linn  &  McCoy's  roll- 
ing-mill on  Wednesday  morning,  August  24th,  about 
seven  o'clock.  A  man  named  Daniel  Ihre  thrust  both 
of  his  arms  between  the  blades  of  the  shears,  and  in 
a  moment  both  hands  were  cut  off  abnve  the  wrists. 
He  was  from  Clearfield,  and  said  he  heard  of  these 
large  shears  at  home,  and  walked  to  the  forge  for  the 
purpose  of  cutting  his  hand.s  off.  He  said  they  had 
ofl'ended  against  God  and  man,  and  he  was  afraid  if 
he  possessed  them  much  longer  he  would  be  tempted 
by  the  devil  to  commit  murder.  He  had  already  suf- 
fered imprisonment  in  the  penitentiary  on  account 
of  his  hands,  they  having  stolen  horses  against  his 
will,  for  which  he  was  tried  and  convicted  at  Lock- 
Haven.  He  stated  that  he  had  been  in  the  rolling- 
mill  the  night  before  trying  to  open  the  gates  to  start 
the  shears.  When  his  coat  was  removed,  it  was  found 
he  had  wound  a  handkerchief  tightly  around  each 
arm,  between  the  elbow  and  wrist,  for  the  purpose  of 
stopping  the  blood. 

September  10th,  the  Brady  Guards,  under  Capt. 
Robert  McFarlane,  and  the  Penn's  Valley  Cadets, 
Capt.  Brisbin,  were  united  under  the  name  of  the 
Cameron  Infantry,  and  organized  by  Brigade-In- 
spector Austin  B.  Snyder. 

At  the  October  election,  Judge  Linn  carried  Centre 
County  by  729[  majority,  and  the  Republican  State 
ticket,  headed  by  Thomas  E.  Cochran  for  auditor- 
general,  had  212  majority.  The  Republican  county 
ticket  was  also  elected  down  to  county  surveyor,  E. 
Greene,  who  had  170  majority. 


CHAPTER    XLIL 

A.  G.  CURTIX   NOMINATED  FOR  GOVERNOR— ELEC- 
TION  RETURNS— ROBBERIES. 

POPULATION  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY.  1860. 

White.         Free  Colored.  Aggreg.ile. 
Male-.  Ki-ni;ilc, 

Bcllcf.iiite n:,7  r.NS  132  H77 

Btiiiier 017  571  ;)  IhPl 

ILejIgs SH7  7.W  U  ■ll--<l 

liuiiisiiie 2:17  ];i7  ...  434 

CiMtin 1....  Iii  112  ...  2)7 

FiTgnsoil 897  »<7  ...  1784 

Gies^' 7»4  771  1  l.'i.iO 

Iliiiiii'S -lit  741  I  l.'ilO 

Iluir-Moou Xii  :i.v.)  li  7m;( 

Iljinis l(Kl.j  ii:i4  111  IIU'J 

Huston 310  311)  4  Va 

Ilnwjiid .177  5^8  1  1III8 

Liberty 378  370  ...  748 

JLiii.iii 338  32:!  ...  Olll 

MileslMirg 2K0  .'ino  2  501 

Miles .57.5  572  ...  1147 

Piittou .321  31il  21  (il^ 

IVun „ .537  .517  ...  IttVt 

P..tter 11(11  1117  5  2223 

Uiisli 330  344  ...  11811 

Snow  Shoe 270  2:15  ...  .505 

SlirinK 725  078  58  14111 

Tiivlor 179  173  ...  351 

Union IL 4(19  439  ...  848 

WiilUer 824  703  ...  1.587 

Worth 132  113  1  241) 

13,013  1.3,120  201  27,(«JU 

The  Republican  Convention  which  met  in  Harris- 
burg,  February  23d,  placed  Hon.  A.  G.  Curtiii  in 
nomination  for  Governor.  His  return  to  Bellefonte, 
February  28th,  was  the  signal  of  one  of  the  most 
brilliant  popular  outbursts  ever  witnessed  in  Belle- 
fonte. After  some  congratulatory  remarks  by  R.  G., 
Dunham,  Esq.,  Mr.  Curtin  addressed  his  townsmen, 
his  last  remark  becoming  a  prophecy  accomplished. 

*' Fellow  Citizen's: — I  am  lie.^rtil.v  obligeil  to  you  for  this  waim 
greeting  on  returning  to  my  home.  It  wiis  e.xpected  that  the  action  of 
the  convention  which  placed  me  in  nomination  would  have  been  r.i:- 
ified  on  Saturday  niglit  in  Pittsburgh,  and  but  for  tlio  pliysxal  prostra 
tion  that  followed  an  anxious  and  protracted  contest,  I  would  have  been 
there  in  obedience  to  the  unanimous  call  of  the  Allegheny  County  di-1- 
egates,  the  personal  request  of  Mr,  Howe,  their  candidate,  and  of  llio 
gentlemen  who  were  in  Harrisburg  to  advance  my  interest?.  I  wa< 
pressed  in  Philadelijliia  and  other  cities  of  the  Comn^oawealth  to  bo 
present  at  public  meetings  on  the  same  evening  and  for  the  same  pn  * 
pose.  I  am  nios't  happy  to  have  been  so  controlled  by  circumstances  as 
to  first  acknowledge  the  honor  of  my  nominiilion  at  my  own  door;  to 
be  cheered  lirst  by  the  music  of  the  band  of  the  Fencibles,  and  to  hear 
the  congratulations  of  the  people  of  the  place  where  I  was  born,  amon- 
whom  I  have  always  lived,  and  all  of  whom  know  me  well. 

"In  the  long  and  active  canv.ass  which  culminated  in  the  actions  of 
the  convention,  I  felt  that  I  had  the  sympathy  of  the  people  of  Centre 
County,  but  had  no  reason  to  expect  that  so  many  good  and  true  men 
would  have  gone  to  Ilarrisbnrg  to  surround  and  sustain  me  personally, 
to  defend  my  honor,  and  contribute  to  my  success.  But  one  word,  gen- 
tlemen, for  all  that— and  tliat  is  taken  warm  from  my  heart— I  am 
grateful. 

"In  the  presence  of  my  neighbors  I  must  thank  the  men  of  the  Demo- 
cratic party  of  this  county  for  the  fairness  with  which  they  have  treiite-l 
me  up  to  this  period  of  time,  and  make  an  open  acknowledgment  of  tho 
kindness  of  the  editors  of  that  party  in  Centre  County.  They  have  al- 
ways s  oken  of  me,  when  they  had  occasion,  with  respect,  and  have  even 
vindicated  my  good  name  when  it  was  .assailed.  In  the  future  I  will 
not  complain  of  an  open,  fair,  and  manly  opposition  from  them,  or  of 
the  paity  which  they  serve. 

"  When  the  Democratic  Convention  places  before  the  people  a  canili- 
diite,  let  us  pledge  oursetVes  to  con  Inct  tli-  p  ilitijal  campaign,  which  is 
abont  opening,  fairly  and  honorably  on  the  issues  that  divide  the  two 
gnat  parties  of  the  State,  which  are  broad  and  well  defined;  never  con- 
dcsceud  to  personal  hostilities,  dcfaui  ition,  or  detraction,  but  bear  oir- 


102 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


selves  so  lofty  in  the  figlit  that  our  exnniiile  may  reflect  itself  on  the 
action  of  the  party  and  tlio  man  we  oppose.  It  may  be  truly  said  that 
the  convention  of  tlie  2'2d  was  tlie  most  enlightened  body  of  men  that 
ever  assembled  in  Pennsylvania,  and  I  feel  that  no  candidate  ever  went 
before  a  convention  in  the  State  surrounded  by  so  many  and  such  stead- 
fast, faithful,  and  devoted  fi'iendd.  Vhen  I  reflect  on  their  willingness 
to  concede  preferences  and  opinions,  their  disposition  to  harmonize  the 
didcoi-dant  political  elements  of  the  convention  for  my  personal  elevation, 
I  am  hnniiliated  by  a  sense  of  my  unworthiness,  and  deeply  impressed 
with  confidence  and  affection  of  my  friend?.  I  will  not  speak  of  indi- 
vi-lnals.  When  you  reail  the  proceedings  of  the  convention  you  can 
readily  select  the  names  of  my  personal  friends  from  what  occurred  in 
that  body.  Itis,  however,  proper  that  I  should  testify  to  the  fnlelity  and 
6a;;acity  of  your  own  representative  in  Congress,  James  T.  Hale,  who 
represented  the  sentiment  of  this  county  in  the  convention. 

"  You  will  notice  by  the  proceedings  of  the  i 
other  candidates  for  nomination  have  fallen  grf 
of  the  nominee  in  a  manner  worthy  of  their 
and  their  position  in  our  political  party.  Tlieri 
They  are  all  pledged  to  an  active  and  energetic 
nil  well.    I  was  the  schoolmate  of  two  of  then- 


invention  that  all  the 
efully  into  the  support 
ligh  character  as  men 
Eire  no  heart-burnings, 
upport.  I  know  them 
and  our  intimate  and 


uninterrupted  friendship  is  now  strengthened  by  such  an  exhibition  of 
their  true  manhood. 

•'And  now,  fellow-citizens,  for  a  time  let  us  rest.  When  the  national 
political  organizations  have  indicated  their  candidates,  and  established 
for  the  two  great  parties  their  platforms  of  principles,  we  will  open  the 
campaign.  I  will  perforin  my  duty  by  an  activi^canvass  over  the  entire 
State.  It  is  a  contest  before  lliree  millions  of  people  of  a  great  State  to 
be  settled  by  more  than  four  hundred  tliousand  Pennsylvanians  iit  the 
ballot-box.  Whether  it  sbnll  lesnlt  in  the  election  of  the  gentleman 
who  shall  be  nominated  at  Heading  to-morrow,  or  the  nominee  of  the 
convention  of  the  22d  of  February,  I  shall  be  satisfied  with  the  verdict 
(if  the  people.  One  of  two  men  must  bo  elected  Governor  of  Pennsyl- 
vania in  October,  and  beftre  I  bid  you  good-night  and  thank  you  again 
for  this  pleasant  and  gratifying  ovation,  I  cannot  resist  the  expression 
of  the  well-settled  conviction  that  that  humble  individual  now  stands 
before  you." 

Tlie  county  convention  of  the  Republican  party 
met  in  August,  and  renominated  Judge  James  T. 
Hale  for  Congress  by  acclamation ;  William  Cook 
Duncan  was  nominated  for  the  Legislature  over 
Samuel  Mc Williams;  George  Alexander,  for  sheriff; 
John  T.  Johnson,  for  jirothonotar}' ;  William  Long- 
well,  for  register  and  recorder;  John  McCalmont, 
for  commissioner;  Auditor,  J.  C.  Williams.  Maj. 
John  Hasson  presided  over  this  convention  ;  J. 
Irvin  Gregg  was  secretary. 

The  Democratic  County  Convention  i>tas  presided 
over  by  Maj.  J.  B.  Fisher;  R.  N.  Forster  and  John 
Bing,  secretaries.  John  A.  Hunter,  of  Half-Moon, 
was  nominated  for  Assembly  over  William  Allison, 
and  J.  S.  Proudfoot,  John  Hoffer,  and  Jesse  L.  Test 
were  renominated  for  prothonotary  and  register  and 
recorder.  Edward  Kreamer,  of  Harris,  was  nomi- 
nated for  sheriff;  Amos  Alexander,  of  Penn  town- 
ship, for  county  commissioner;  Thomas  Yearick,  of 
Haines,  for  auditor. 

The  Constitutional  party  had  met  in  Baltimore, 
and  nominated  John  Bell,  of  Tennessee,  for  President, 
and  Edward  Everett,  of  Massachusetts,  for  Vice- 
President,  and  the  National  Republican  Convention, 
which  met  at  Chicago,  May  16th,  had  nominated 
Abraham  Lincoln,  of  Illinois,  for  President,  i^nd 
Hannibal  Hamlin,  of  Maine,  fo,r  Vice-President. 
The  Charleston  Deiriocratic  Convention  had  ad- 
journed and  reassembled  in  Baltimore,  where,  after 
the  withdrawal  of  more  than  one-third  of  the  dele- 


gates. Gen.  Gushing  left  the  president's  chair  of 
the  convention,  and  Hon.  David  Tod,  of  Ohio,  was 
elected  presiding  officer,  whereupon  Stephen  A. 
Douglas  was  nominated  for  President,  and  H.  V. 
Johnson,  of  Georgia,  for  Vice-President.  The  sece- 
ders  noininated  John  C.  Breckinridge  for  President, 
and  Gen.  Joseph  Lane,  of  Oregon,  for  Vice-Presi- 
dent. By  the  action  of  the  State  Committee  it  was 
determined  to  unite  the  Democracy  of  Pennsylvania 
upon  one  electoral  ticket,  which  was  to  vote  as  a  unit 
for  Douglas  and  Johnson,  if  the  electoral  vote  of 
Pennsylvania  would  elect  them,  vice  versa  for  Breck- 
inridge and  Lane. 

At  the  October  election  Hon.  A.  G.  Curtin  was 
elected  Governor  of  Pennsylvania  by  a  majority  of 
32,092  over  Henry  D.  Foster.  The  Republicans 
elected  a  majority  of  the  Legislature,  the  House 
standing  73  Republicans  to  23  Democrats,  and  the 
Senate  stood  27  Republicans  to  6  Democrats.  The 
official  returns  of  both  October  and  November  elec- 
tions were  as  follows  for  Centre  County  : 

Curtin.  Foster.    Lincoln.  Fusion.  Bell.    Douglas. 

Bellefonte 166  120        .     15G  114  ...  9 

Milesl.urg 85  4.5                87  4i  ...  1 

Unionville 34  23               30  19           

B.iggs 280  92  272  S.5            

lienner 11.5  140  120  107  ...          12 

Burnside 07  31                4.5  21            

Curtin 34  28                 30  20            

F.-if;iison 220  187  224  109           

Gi.--g 60  278                0:i  259            

Hiiine'i 124  200  115  180  1 

Half-Moon 117  49  112  42           

Harris 272  104  279  155  ...            2 

Howard 150  05  153  62  2 

Huston 83  19                80  12            

Liberty 110  40  110  20            

MarioTi 58  80                51  00  0 

Miles 05  213                60  187            

I'atton 99  38                89  37            

Penn 30  242                40  222  2 

Pi.tter 117  312  101  2S1  1 

Rush 87  60                72  47  4 

Spring 218  103  220  70  ...            2 

Snow  Shoe 71  47                02  28            

Tavlor 03  13                64  13            

Uiih.n 95  30                88  20            

Walker 198  141  198  114            

Worth 68  49                48  34            

T..tal 3105        2824  3021  2348  10  20 

Majorities 341  573 

Lincoln's  majority  over  all  is  531. 

Judge  Hale  for  Congress  had  a  majority  in  the 
county  of  332;  Duncan,  for  the  Legislature,  over 
Hunter,  288 ;  Johnston  over  Hoffer  for  prothonotary, 
219;  Williams,  for  auditor,  over  Yearick,  226. 

The  "  Wide  Awake"  organizations  were  efficient 
workers  in  this  campaign,  visiting  county  and  town- 
ship meetings,  with  their  ranks  illumined  by  torches, 
and  exciting  great  popular  enthusiasm  by  their 
marching  and  presence. 

An  extensive  robbery  wtis  committed  in  Penn 
township  in  November.  A  party  of  seven  men,  with 
features  disguised  and  concealed,  made  a  descent 
upon  the  house  of  Mr.  Jacob  Gentzel,  residing  in 
Penn  township,  this  county,  on  Wednesday  eve- 
ning, the  7th  instant.  The  door  was  forced  open 
with  a  stick  of  wood,  and  the  whole  party  marched 
boldly  in.  Arriving  at  the  room  occupied  by  Mr. 
Gentzell    and    his   wife   first,   a  guard    was   placed 


ROBBERIES. 


103 


over  them,  with  pistols  in  their  liands,  with  the 
instruction  that  if  they  moved  or  gave  the  least 
alarm  to  shoot  them  down.  The  remaindei;  of  the 
])arty  then  passed  on  to  the  room  occupied  by  Mr. 
Heckman,  father  of  MrN.  Gentzel,  a  wealthy  and 
highly-respected  old  gentleman,  who  had  resided  for 
some  time  with  his  son-in-law.  Mr.  Heckman  was 
seized  and  a  pistol  presented  to  his  breast,  with  the 
declaration  that  if  he  made  any  resistance  he  would 
be  killed  instantly.  Leaving  the  old  gentleman  in 
the  hands  of  a  guard,  the  rest  went  to  ransacking  for 
booty.  Having  secured  a  double-bitted  axe,  they 
used  it  to  force  open  a  chest  containing  the  old  gentle- 
man's money,  which  amounted  to  between  $1300  and 
$1400,  of  wliich  $550  were  in  gold,  $75  in  bank-notes, 
and  the  balance,  amounting  to  about  $775,  in  silver. 

A  succession  of  robberies  was  followed  by  the  arrest 
of  Lewis  Sherman.  On  Saturday  evening  a  party  of 
seven  men,  under  command  of  Mr.  Ross,  who  had 
some  property  stolen,  left  Pine  Grove  for  Stone  valley. 
Arriving  at  the  residence  of  Sherman  some  'time 
during  the  night,  the  party  remained  in  ambush 
until  daybreak.  Early  in  the  morning  Sherman  was 
observed  outside  the  door,  but  soon  passed  into  the 
house.  The  party  immediately  surrounded  the  house 
and  detailed  a  committee  to  arrest  the  object  of  their 
search.  On  application  at  the  door  they  found  it 
locked,  and  a  voice  from  within  informed  them  that 
any  attempt  to  enter  would  be  resisted  with  arms. 
They  threatened  to  force  the  door,  and  after  some 
parleying  it  was  opened  and  they  entered.  The 
house  was  thoroughly  searched,  but  no  sign  of  Sher- 
man could  be  found.  The  carpet  was  removed  from 
the  floor,  but  no  trap  or  door  was  discovered.  Mrs. 
Sherman  was  seated  near  the  fire,  looking  on  with 
seeming  indifference,  and  they  requested  her  to  re- 
move her  chair,  which  was  reluctantly  done.  On  re- 
moving a  piece  of  carpet  that  lay  before  the  fire  a 
trap-door  was  revealed,  which  was  immediately  raised, 
and  there  the  individual  sat  that  had  long  and  suc- 
cessfully eluded  the  grasp  of  law  and  justice,  fairly 
ensnared  in  a  place  which  he  supposed  would  escape 
the  vigilance  of  the  most  adroit.  He  was  immedi- 
ately secured,  brought  to  this  place,  and  confined  in 
jail.  He  was  once  imprisoned  in  the  Illinois  peni- 
tentiary for  robbing  a  bank,  but  effected  his  escape 
and  returned  to  this  State,  locating  in  Stone  valley, 
Huntingdon  Co.,  where  he  had  long  been  an  object  of 
terror  and  alarm  to  that  entire  region  of  country. 

On  the  27th  of  July  a  robbery  had  been  perpe- 
trated on  the  store  of  J.  H.  Hahn,  a  short  distance 
below  Boalsburg,  in.  this  county.  An  entrance  was 
effected  at  a  back  door  of  the  store-room,  and  the 
goods  carried  across  an  orchard  in  the  rear  of  the 
building,  a  wagon  being  placed  there  to  receive  them. 
The  wagon  was  traced  to  Stone  valley,  but  it  could 
not  be  discovered  where  tlie  goods  were  deposited. 
The  arrest  of  Lewis  Sherman  induced  Mr.  Hahn  to 
make  an  effort  for  the  recovery  of  his  goods.     On 


the  Tuesday  subsequent  to  the  arrest  of  Sherman,  Mr. 
Hahn,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Ro.ss,  of  Pine  Grove, 
visited  the  premises  of  Sherman  fur  the  purpose  of 
searching  for  the  stolon  property.  After  examining 
the  house  from  the  garret  to  the  collar  they  began  to 
despair,  when  the  .scrutinizing  eye  of  Mr.  Ross  dis- 
covered an  aperture  in  the  ceiling,  near  the  stove- 
pipe, and  he  proceeded  to  examine  it.  Silk,  hose, 
hair-cloth,  handkerchiefs,  and  every  variety  of  small 
articles  that  could  be  admitted  between  the  ceiling 
and  upper  floor  were  extracted  from  this  hole.  Rem- 
nants of  goods  were  found  that  had  been  untouched 
webs  when  taken  from  the  store.  The  property  stolen 
amounted  to  between  three  and  four  hundred  dollars, 
while  the  goods  recovered  did  not  amount  to  more 
than  ten  or  twelve  dollars. 

Eminger  Rudy  and  Lewis  Sherman  were  convicted  at 
November  term,  but  their  sentence  was  deferred,  and 
on  Tuesday  morning,  December  11th,  a  stampede  of 
the  prisoners  in  the  jail  occurred.  An  old  pick  and 
an  axe  had  been  secured,  no  doubt  from  accomplices 
on  the  outside,  with  which  they  reopened  the  wall 
precisely  where  Kauterman  made  the  breach  in  April 
last.  In  the  evening  previous  the  prisoners  had  been 
safely  secured  in  their  respective  cells,  and  every  pre- 
caution taken  to  guard  against  their  escape,  as  Sheriff 
Alexander  had  received  little  assurance  from  public 
opinion  that  he  would  be  able  to  keep  them.  Sher- 
man and  one  or  two  others  were  confined  in  a  back 
cell,  while  two  or  three  others  were  taken  below  and 
confined  in  a  cell  on  the  first  floor.  ,  Sherman  divested 
himself  of  his  manacles  by  the  aid  of  a  steel  pen.  He 
then  opened  the  first  lock  with  a  wooden  key,  but  the 
padlock  being  too  low  to  be  reached  from  the  inside, 
he  heated  the  poker  (having  a  fire  in  his  cell)  and 
burnt  the  staple  out  of  the  door.  The  door  opening 
into  the  front  cell  he  opened  with  wooden  keys,  after 
which  they  immediately  went  to  work  on  the  outer 
wall,  not,  however,  until  they  had  spread  a  quilt  upon 
the  floor  to  prevent  the  falling  plaster  an  I  stones  from 
making  a  noise.  With  the  aid  of  their  pick  and  axe 
the  work  of  opening  a  wall  that  is  now  ready  to  tumble 
down  under  its  own  weight  was  doubtless  soon  effected. 
The  cord  was  taken  from  the  bed  and  attached  to  the 
iron  bars  of  the  window  above,  and  by  this  they  de- 
scended to  the  ground,  four  prisoners  escaping, — Sher- 
man, Rudy,  "Corn  Doctor,"  and  Kuhn.  The  other 
prisoners,  refusing  to  go  with  them,  were  threatened 
with  personal  violence  if  they  gave  the  least  alarm. 
The  "Corn  Doctor"  was  serving  out  a  sentence  for 
stealing  fifteen  dollars  from  Miss  Kate  Gherret.  He 
stuck  fast  in  die  wall  a  short  time  before  he  extricated 
himself.  They  left  caricatures  of  the  district  attor- 
ney. Stover,  Cyrus  Strickland,  and  Sherifl'McCoy  upon 
the  wall. 


104 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


CHAPTER  XLIir. 

EVEXTS    rilECEDIXG    THE    WAR    OF    1861-65. 

Early  in  January  the  Crittenden  Committee,  as 
it  was  callefl.  of  Border  State  members  of  Congress, 
of  wliicli  Judge  James  T.  Hale  was  a  member, 
1861.  submitted  their  propositions  of  amendments  to 
the  Constitution,  which  they  supposed  would 
satisfy  the  South  and  put  a  stop  to  disunion  measures. 
One  was  to  the  effect  that  all  territory  north  of  36^ 
30'  was  to  be  free.  South  of  this  line,  whenever  one 
hundred  thousand  inhabitants  shall  form  a  State  Con- 
stitution, they  shall  be  admitted  with  or  without  slav- 
ery, as  tlie  people  may  determine.  Judge  Hale  ad- 
vocated these  propositions  in  the  Republican  caucus 
at  Washington  in  an  earnest  and  able  speech.  Wil- 
liam Bigler,  then  United  States  senator,  proposed 
that  the  plan  of  Mr.  Crittenden  should  be  submitted 
to  a  direct  vote  of  the  people  on  the  12th  of  Febru- 
ary. 

A  Republican  meeting  was  called  during  court 
week  in  January,  at  Bellefonte,  and  the  committee 
on  resolutions  divided  ;  the  majority  report  indorsed 
the  Chicago  platform  ;  this  was  advocated  by  W.  W. 
Brown  and  J.  Boyd  Hutchinson.  The  minority  re- 
port, read  by  H.  N.  McAllister,  and  advocated  by 
him,  approved  of  Judge  Hale's  course.  On  a  vote 
being  taken,  only  thirty-one  persons  stood  up  for  the 
majority  report,  and  that  of  the  minority  was  indorsed 
with  great  enthusiasm. 

The  delegates  to  the  Democratic  Convention  of 
August  last  were  recalled  in  convention  on  the  15th  of 
February,  J.  B.  Fisher,  president,  and  J.  D.  Shugert, 
secretary,  to  elect  delegates  to  the  State  Convention. 
Its  position  was  indicated  by  the  following  resolu- 
tion : 

"  That  when  the  people  of  the  North  shall  have 
fulfilled  their  oblig.ations  to  the  Constitution  and  the 
South,  then  and  not  till  then  will  it  be  proper  to  take 
into  consideration  the  question  of  the  right  and  pro- 
priety of  coercion." 

It  also  indorsed  Senator  Bigler's  and  Representative 
Hale's  course. 

Early  in  January  letters  received  at  Bellefonte  in- 
dicated the  startling  fact  that  if  Washington  City 
was  not  put  in  a  defensive  attitude  it  would  be 
seized  upon  by  an  armed  mob,  whose  object  would  be 
to  prevent  the  inauguration  of  President  Lincoln. 
After  a  parade  of  the  Bellefonte  Fencibles  on  the  8th 
of  January,  they  took  action  upon  a  proposition  to 
offer  their  services  for  the  defense  of  Washington 
City. 

When  the  proposition  was  laid  before  the  company 
by  Lieut.  James  A.  Beaver,  who  had  command  of  the 
company  on  the  occasion,  twenty-two  men  promptly 
affi.Ked  their  names  to  the  following  document,  which 
had  just  been  reported  by  a  committee  consisting  of 


Lieut.  James  A.  Beaver,  Ensign  John  H.  Stover,  and 
Col.  Austin  B.  Snyder : 

"In  vie^v^)f  the  present  distracted  condition  of  national  .ntfairs,  ftnd 
under  a  fiim  conviclion  of  the  necessity  of  enforcing  all  laws  enacted  in 
couforniity  to  the  Const itnt ion,  of  protecting  the  Constitution  and  main- 
taining tlio  Union  of  the  States  which  now  exists,  we,  wliose  names  are 
herennto  annexed,  do  lierehy  solemnly  bind  onrselves.each  to  llie  other, 
l.y  the  duty  which  we  owe  to  our  common  conntry  ami  our  individual 
honor,  to  hoM  ourselves  in  readiness  to  march,  at  any  time,  in  ohedience 
to  the  requisition  of  the  Governor  of  rennsylvania,  made  for  tliat  pur- 
pose. 

"  Cyrus  Strickland,  Jcdin  H.  Stover,  .Tohn  A.  Bodgers,  Monroe  Armor, 
William  L.Raphilc,  George  A.  Bhy.ird,  Samuel  Nichols,  David  Bnrlot, 
Austin  B.  Snyder,  William  ]>.  Wilson,  John  B.  Mitchell,  James  A. 
Beaver,  Henry  II,  Ilontgonjery,  Harvey  S.  Lingel,  Cliarles  R.  Bullock, 
Jpremiah  O'Lcafy,  Ilcniy  II.  Stone,  W.  W.  Mmitgomcry,  David  K. 
Tate,  Eohert  A.  Cassidy,  Chiirles  H.  Hale,  James  F.  Riddle." 

Meanwhile  their  services  were  rendered  upon  a 
more  pleasant  occasion, — the  inauguration  of  Gover- 
nor Curtin,  which  took  place  January  Ifith,  at  Har- 
risburg.  The  flag  of  the  Fencibles,  which  he  had  re- 
ceived on  behalf  of  the  company  from  the  ladies  of 
Bellefonte  nearly  three  years  before,  waved  over  Gov- 
ernor Curtin's  head  when  delivering  his  inaugural. 

The  Independent  Dragoons,  Capt.  James  Dunlap, 
held  a  meeting  at  Pine  Grove  Mills,  which  was  ad- 
dressed by  L.  Neff  and  Professors  Patterson,  of  the 
Bialsburg,  and  Thomas,  of  Pine  Grove  Academies. 
This  meeting  passed  resolutions  favorable  to  any  lion- 
orable  compromise,  and  approved  of  Judge  Hale's 
course  ;  and  at  the  same  time  a  paper  similar  to  that 
printed  above,  signed  by  the  members  of  the  Fen- 
cibles, was  signed  by  every  member  of  the  Dragoons 
except  two. 

On  Friday,  April  12th,  at  half-p.ast  four,  the  first 
gun  was  fired  upon  Fort  Sumter:  armed  revolt  was 
inaugurated.  Discord  ceased  in  Centre  County  and 
was  succeeded  by  intense  enthusiasm  in  support  of 
the  Union.  The  following  editorial  in  the  Central 
Press  of  the  18th  of  April  portrays  graphically  how 
the  news  was  received  in  Bellefonte,  and  what  prepa- 
rations Centre  County  made  for  the  war : 

"On  Saturdity  evening  last  a  telegraphic  dispatch  was  received  which 
threw  Bellefonte  into  a  fever.  It  stated  that  Fort  Sumter  had  been  fired 
into  and  was  replying' with  two  guns.  The  excitement  became  intense, 
and  from  about  seven  o'clock  on  Saturday  evening  tlie  telegraphoflice 
was  crowded  with  persons  anxiously  wailing  to  hear  the  news  from  tho 
scene  of  conflict.  As  dispatch  succeeded  dispatch  the  excitement  sub- 
sided and  was  followed  by  a  feeling  of  patriotic  indignation  at  the  con. 
duct  of  the  Sontliern  rebels.  On  Sundaj  knots  of  peisons  might  have 
been  seen  congregating  on  the  corners  in  the  vicinity  of  tho  telegraph- 
otHce,  but,  with  the  exception  of  one  dispatch,  no  comninnication  was 
had.  On  Monday  the  anxiety  of  our  citizens  was  aroused  to  the  highest 
pitch,  and  the  streets  presented  a  scene  of  unusual  bustle  and  excite- 
ment. Dispatches  were  received  announcing  the  evacuation  of  Fort 
Sumter,  after  a  resistance  of  thirty-six  hours  to  a  terrible  fire  from  the 
batteries  which  surround  it,  during  which  the  fort  suffered  severely. 
The  barracks  having  taken  fire  from  the  shot  and  shell  of  the  rebels, 
fire  was  thus  communicated  to  the  magazine,  which  exploded,  killing 
five  of  Anderson's  men.  After  the  surrender,  Ma.i.  Anderson  and  his 
command  left  for  New  York.  A  dispatch  from  Philadelphia  represents 
the  excitement  there  as  intense.  The  dispatches  of  Monday  evening 
stated  that  Fort  Pickens  had  been  reinforced  by  the  Federal  govern- 
ment on  Sunday  evening,  and  would  now  be  able  to  resist  any  attack 
that  ccnild  be  made  upon  it.  The  President  has  issued  a  proclamatiun 
calling  an  extra  session  of  Congress  and  calling  for  seventy-five  thou- 
sand men.    Governor  Curtin  has  offered  the  services  of  one  hundred 


EVENTS  PRECEDING   THE   WAR   OF   1801-65. 


105 


tlinnsand  men  ns  Pennsj'Ivftnia'fl  share  of  the  required  number.  On 
Monduy  evening  the  streets  presented  a  scene  oraninintion  only  equaled 
by  that  of  tlie  political  excitement  of  the  late  campaign.  The  war 
news  was  tlio  all-absorliiiig  topic,  and  was  discussed  with  an  interest  and 
determination  which  showed  the  most  poi-fi'ct  unaniniily  in  f.ivor  of  the 
maijitenanre  of  the  Union  and  tlie  enforcement  of  the  laws.  A  meeting 
of  llie  Fencihles  was  called  for  Monday  evening,  and  nt  the  hour  ap- 
pointed the  armory  was  crowded  wilh  personsauxiuus  to  hear  the  result 
of  tlieir  deliherations.  The  ranlis  were  fuller  than  they  had  been  at  any 
previous  niectinc  fur  a  year.  The  discussions  were  piirticipated  in  by 
quite  a  number,  and  resulted  in  the  aiqtointment  of  a  committee  of  five, 
whose  business  it  would  be  to  ascertain  Imw  many  could  be  enrolled  for 
active  service.  The  Fencibles  have,  virtually,  been  a  defunct  institu- 
tion since  hist  fall,  hut  the  reception  of  the  war  news  has  imparled  now 
cnci-gies  to  it,  and  instead  of  blotting  it  out,  has  awakened  it  to  a  new- 
more  than  ever  vigorous  existence.  Mr.  Charles  II.  Dale,  Esq  ,  major 
of  the  Logan  Battalion,  having  offered  the  services  of  bis  command  to 
the  Governor,  received  a  dispatch  from  Eli  Sliver,  Sccretvry  of  Slate, 
.a'nuit  niuo  o'clock  on  Monday  evening,  accepting  the  same,  and  in- 
forming him  to  hold  bis  command  in  readiness  to  march  at  short  notice, 
riacurds  were  po-ted  on  Tuesday  morning  calling  for  a  meeting  of  the 
Logan  Battalion  at  the  Arbitration  Room  on  Tuesday,  at  one  o'clock  r  m., 
for  the  purpose  of  taking  action  on  Secretary  Slifer's  communication. 
Just  at  the  moment  when  the  meeting  was  to  convene,  and  even  while 
the  courl-house  bell  pealed  forth  the  summons  for  the  assembling 
of  the  military,  two  dispatches  were  received  from  the  Secretary  of 
the  Commonwealth,  one  addressed  to  Maj.  0.  II.  Hale,  calling  upon 
him  to  march  to  Uarrishurg  inrmediately  with  his  battalion,  and  an- 
other addressed  to  Capt.  Robert  McFarlaue,  of  the  Cameron  Infantry, 
of  IJoalslinrg,  ordering  him  to  proceed  to  Ilarrisburg  at  once  with  his 
company.  The  <lispatche6  informed  these  gentlemen  that  arms  and 
equipments  would  be  furnished  by  tlio  government.  The  meeting  was 
orgaidzed  by  the  selection  of  Mr.  James  Armor,  a  veteran  of  the  war  of 
1812,  as  president,  who  stated  the  object  of  the  meeting  in  a  most  patri- 
otic speech,  which  moved  the  audience  to  tears.  Arrangements  were 
made  for  opening  a  recruiting-office  at  the  armory  for  the  enlistment  of 
volunteers.  The  existing  companies  will  leave  as  soon  jis  their  ranks 
are  filled.  In  the  evening  a  dispatch  was  received  by  H.  N.  McAllister, 
Esq.,  requesting  that  a  public  meeting  be  called  at  once,  and  that  the 
conijuiny  be  increased  to  one  hundred  men.  A  messenger  from  Capt. 
Robert  McFarlane,  of  the  Cameron  Infantry,  said  that  he  would  have 
between  sixty  and  eighty  men  ready  to  march  by  Mond,ay  or  Tuesday 
morning  next.  Tlie  armory  presented  a  scene  of  the  wildest  excitement 
until  a  late  hour  in  tlie  evening.  Runners  were  dispatched  in  every 
direction  bearing  posters  calling  for  a  meeting  at  the  court-house  on 
Wednesday,  at  two  o'clock  p.m.  The  national  colors  are  waving  from 
all  the  princij.al  and  public  buildings." 

Enthusiastic  Meetingof  the  People. — In  response 
to  the  call  issued  on  Wednesday  morning  for  a  meet- 
ing of  the  citizens  of  Centre  County  at  the  court- 
house, for  the  purpose  of  taking  action  on  the  late 
requisition  made  on  this  State  for  sixteen  regiments 
of  volunteers,  one  of  the  largest  and  most  patriotic 
gatherings  that  has  ever  convened  in  this  place  as- 
sembled at  the  place  designated  at  two  o'clock  p.m. 
on  Wednesday.  Maj.  James  Armor  was  called  to  the 
chair.  Twelve  vice-presidents  and  two  secretaries 
were  elected,  after  which,  on  motion  of  H.  N.  Mc- 
Allister, Esq.,  Hon.  James  T.  Hale  stated  the  object 
of  the  meeting  in  a  brief  but  patriotic  speech. 

The  following  subscriptions  were  made  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  families  of  volunteers : 

...  $150 


Robert  Valentine 8300 

Samuel  Unn IIW 

Im  O.  Miichel 100 

W.  T.  Valentine 200 

James  T.  Hale WO 

William  F.  Reynolds 200 

II.  N.  McAllistee -/OO 

li.  B.Valentine 300 

M.  T.  MilliUen SOO 

William  Rodgers ino 

K.  C  Humes '200 

James  Gordon 100 


.\.  S.  Valentine 

McCoy,  Linn  &  Co 

CvrusT.  Alexander loo 

M.  Waddle 100 

George  Livingston..... luO 

Joseph  Gresrg 100 

•lohn  Brackliill 25 

George  W.  Tate 2.i 

Henry  Vandyke ItH) 

Jcdin  T.  Johnslon 50 

William  II.  Longwell 50 

William  Cahngau 25 


J.  D.  Turner 825 

S.  Haupf.  Jr.,  4  Co 50 

Francis  Jodon 25 

William  H.  Blair. 100 

J.  0.  McMeen loO 

E.Green 50 

William  J.  Stein 26 

M.  II   L...I, 2.1 

William  Miushiill 25 

lb-v.Tliom;i.s  Sherlock 20 

R.  O.  Pnrbani 25 

John  Tonnor 60 

.lames  Alexand.T 25 

William  McCaffcrtv :i 

A.  A eiiiiaii 15 

George  li.  Iiuwuin- 20 

William  .<.Triiiple 20 

John  Wav 15 

Ferdinand  Loel 25 

.loseph  T.  Comlv 10  I 

William  S.  Wolf. 10 


William  Lew $10 

Samuel  Harris iri 

William  Fury 1" 

C.  4  J.  I'urlin 100 

James  Ward in 

.lohn  M  Wagner i'. 

Moses  A.  Loeb 15 

G.  H.  Weaver 2.-| 

George  W.  Jacks..!! 25 

A.  M.  Wl!ile 10 

William  1>.  Wilson 100 

I'liilo  Ward In 

S.  L.  Willits 25 

A.  C.  Iddings 25 

John  A.lan!8 25 

Ailam  H..V 25 

J..»e].l!  H.  Weaver 10 

WilliaU!  Ci!iti!i 10 

Jes«e  Kliiiger 10 

Dai!iel  3lcGi!.ley 10 


In  Snow  Shoe  a  company  was  formed,  with  James 
Gilliland  as  captain  ;  Dr.  A.  A.  Yarington,  first  lieu- 
tenant; Samuel  W.  Askey,  second  lieutenant;  and 
David  Bells,  orderly,  and  a  resolution  passed  to 
tender  its  services. 

The  Bellefonte  Fencibles,  Capt.  John  B.  Mitchell, 
offered  their  services,  and  as  promptly  proceeded  to 
Harri-sburg,  one  hundred  and  seventy-seven  strong. 
The  Eagle  Guards,  under  Capt.  A.  B.  Snyder,  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  strong,  soon  followed.  A 
third  company  was  formed  with  the  overplus  (beyond 
the  seventy-seven  required)  of  these  companies,  under 
Capt.  John  N.  Stover.  Capt.  Robert  McFarlane  left 
Boalsburg  on  the  19th  with  the  Cameron  Infantry, 
one  hundred  and  twenty-seven  men  ;  and  Frank  W. 
Hess,  a  school-teacher  at  Potter's  Mills,  took  down 
some  men,  and  organized  a  company  from  the  over- 
plus Centre  County  recruits  at  Harrisburg. 

The  people  of  Bellefonte  in  three  days  raised  a  fund 
of  six  thousand  nine  hundred  dollars  for  the  support 
of  the  families  of  those  who  had  gone  into  the  ser- 
vice. Home  guards  were  organized  in  Bellefonte, — 
a  company  of  fifty,  between  the  ages  of  sixteen  and 
twenty-five,  under  Capt.  Robert  A.  Cassidy,  and  one 
composed  of  men  between  the  ages  of  twenty-five  and 
sixty,  under  the  command  of  Capt.  John  H.  Morrison. 
The  Stars  and  Stripes  were  floating  from  nearly  every 
house,  and  the  heavy  tread  of  the  home  guards  march- 
ing through  the  .streets  to  the  tap  of  the  drum  reminded 
people  that  grira-visaged  war  had  come. 

The  Centre  Guards,  enlisted  for  three  years,  was 
organized  at  Bellefonte,  May  13th,  choosing  temporar- 
ily for  oflicers  J.  Irvin  Gregg,  captain  ;  H.  P.  Petri- 
kin,  first  lieutenant ;  Richard  Diusmore,  second  lieu- 
tenant. This  company  marched  on  the  6th  of  June, 
and  was  mustered  in  as  Company  E,  Thirty-fourth 
Regiment,  or  Fifth  Reserves,  June  21st. 

A  police  force  was  also  organized  by  Burgess  Ga- 
hagati:  Chief,  Charles  Wilson;  First  Lieutenant, 
Adam  Hoy;  Second  Lieutenant,  John  Bergstresser ; 
Privates,  Benjamin  Schrack,  William  H.  Longwell, 
H.  Crosthwaite,  Delaune  Gray,  D.iniel  McGinley, 
John  McDermott,  G.  W.  Thomas,  William  Valen- 
tine, J.  J.  Brisbin,  R.  A.  Cassidy,  and  P.  B.  Wilson. 

The  Curtin  Mounted  Rangers  was  also  organized 
in  May.    Home  guards  were  formed  at  Milesburg, 


106 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Philipsburg,  and  Pine  Grove.  July  lltli,  Corp. 
Frank  McGarvey,  of  the  Centre  Guards,  came  to 
Bellefonte  to  recruit  twenty-four  men,  the  companies 
having  their  complement  increased  to  one  hundred 
and  one  men.  He  enlisted  and  returned  with  nine- 
teen men  within  a  week. 

Saturday,  August  lOch,  the  Independent  Cavalry 
Company  left  Milesburg,  one  hundred  and  twenty 
strong,  composed  of  wood-choppers,  lumbermen,  col- 
liers, all  able-bodied  men,  under  the  command  of 
Lieut.  Lipton.  This  company  was  mustered  in  as 
Company  E,  First  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  or  Forty- 
fourth  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  Aug.  12,  1S6L 


CHAPTER    XLIV. 

THE  BELLEFONTE  FENCIBLE3— EAGLE  GUARDS- 
CAMERON  INFANTRY  AND  THREE  MONTHS'  SER- 
VICE—HESS'S    CO.MPANY    CAPTURED. 

The  Fencibles  were  mustered  into  the  Second  Regi- 
ment, Col.  F.  S.  Staumbaugh,  for  three  months'  ser- 
vice, April  20,  1861,  as  Company  H  of  that  regiment. 

ROLL. 
Janiea  A.  Beaver,  1st  lieut. ;  Charles  H,  Hale, 
rnior,  1st  sergt.-,  Charles  11.  Bullocli,  2d  sergt.; 
sergt.;  H.  H.  Montgomery,  4tU  sergt.;  Cyrus 
;  Tliomas  C.  Crawford,  2d  corp. ;  John  L.  John- 
Harris,  4tli  Corp.;  George  A.  Bayard,  musician  ; 
died  at  Camp  Scott,  in  May;  brouglit 
[1  buried. 
Prioates. 

Neff,  Andrew  G.  (died  at  Harris- 
burg). 

Nicholas,  Samuel  I. 

O'Leary,  Jeremiah, 

Orner,  William. 

Pennington,  Henry  C. 

Piper,  George  D. 

Bobb,  Charles. 

Rosenstecl,  J.  M. 

Kouah,  Simon. 

Rowan,  George. 

Stone,  Henry  H. 

Stoneroad.  Cnrtin  P. 

Sclinell,  Joseph,  Jr. 

Schlem,  J.  W. 

Showalter,  William. 

Smith,  W.  J.  (died  at  Hagerstown, 
July  3d). 

ShaQgler,  George  W. 

Stewart,  Josiah, 

Tate,  Foster. 

Tate,  John  R. 

Tate,  John. 

Tate,  William. 

Thom.as,  Isaac. 

Thomas,  Joseph  D. 

Valentine,  A.  S.,Jr. 

Van  Valen,  Waldo  C. 

Waddle,  James  C. 

Ward,  William. 

Wilson,  Francis. 

Teager,  Henry  C. 


John  B.  Mitcliell,  capt; 
2d  lieut.;  Monroe  A 
John  A.  Bayard,  3rt 
Strickland,  1st  corp, 
son,  3d  Corp.;  John 
Georgi'  H.  Burkert, 
home  to  Kebersburg 

Adams,  F.  B. 
Armstrong,  G.  W. 
Beale,  Joshua  W. 
Buller,  Samuel. 
Calhoun,  Henry. 
Cheeseman,  It,  C. 
Cortner,  Albert  U. 
Curtiu,  John  I. 
Dinges,  Jacob. 
Di.\ou,  Hezekiah. 
Fulton,  James.i 
Fulton,  Joseph  H. 
Harris,  James, 
Harris,  Henry  P. 
Harrold,  Cornelius. 
Hart,  William  J. 
Haupl,  Allison. 
Hays,  M, 
Heverly,  James. 
Hicks,  Alfjed. 
Hughes,  James. 
Jack,  John  T. 
Johnston,  Walter  S. 
Johnston,  lHatlhew., 
Kelley,  Thomas  F. 
Lingle,  Harvey  S. 
Lucas,  James  G. 
Lucas,  John  M. 
McCaulay,  William  C. 
McNarmy,  Barth. 
McCoy,  William  A, 
McGuire,  William  U. 
Miller.  Abraham. 


1  James  Fulton  died  of  camp  fever,  at  Milesburg  Iron-Works,  Sept,  9, 


The  Second  Regiment  was  ordered  to  Washington, 
and  left  on  the  21st,  but  was,  stopped  at  Cockeysville 
on  account  of  burning  of  the  railroad  bridge ;  thence 
it  returned  to  Chambersburg,  and  was  assigned  to  the 
Second  Brigade,  Col.  Wyncoop,  Second  Division, 
Gen.  W.  H.  Keim,  and  participated  in  Gen.  Patter- 
son's campaign,  and  was  mustered  out  of  service  July 
26th.  James  H.  Dobbins,  M.D.,  of  Bellefonte,  was 
surgeon  of  the  Second  Regiment.  The  Fencibles 
reached  home  July  29th,  and  were  welcomed  at  the 
court-house.  Judge  Lewis  addressing  them. 

The  Eagle  Guards  were  mustered  into  the  Fourth 
Regiment,  Col.  John  F.  Hartranft  commanding,  April 
19,  1861,  as  Company  H  of  that  regiment. 

ROLL. 
Austin  B.  Snyder,  capt. ;  William  H.  Blair,  1st  lieut. ;  William  L. 
Baphile,  2J  lieut;  James  Hughes,  1st  sergt;  E.  R.  Goodfi-llow,  2d 
sergt;  John  S,  Boell,  3d  sergt;  Joseph  A,  Clark,  4lh  sergt,;  Wil- 
liam C.Davis,  1st  Corp.;  James  Bowling,  2d  corp,;  Charles  Glenn,3d 
Corp.;  L.  B.  Holt,  4th  Corp. ;  George  Young,  Emory  Hutton,  musl- 

Privates. 

Antes,  Frederick  T.  Keyes,  Stanley. 

Anderson,  J.  G.  Knisely,  George  H. 

Ammerman,  Thomas.  Knoll,  Ira, 

Barger,  James,  Kulp,  James  D, 

Barger,  Constance.  Laughliu,  Michael, 

Barger,  Jolin,  Lehr,  Jacob, 

Balhurst,  Simeon.  McCartney,  James  E, 

Beadlcy,  Philip.  .  McLenehan,  William. 

Bland,  Edward.  •  Mackey,  William, 

Bowers,  Levi,  Martin,  Hugh, 

Clark,  William.  Miles,  Richard. 

Cox,  George.  Miller,  Samuel  L. 

Curtin,  James  B.      •  Mullin,  Frank. 

Doyle,  Andrew.  Parsons,  David  H. 

Bowling,  Edward.  Powers,  Daniel. 

Drawker,  Alexander.  Powere,  James. 

Emiuheiser,  A.  F.  Sands,  Henry. 

Fell,  Charles.  Schnell,  Augustus  T. 

Fink,  John.  Shirk,  ■William,  ' 

Funk,  George,  Shultz,  William  H. 

Funk,  Joseph.  Shelby,  Joseph. 

Garner,  Geor;:e  W.  Spears,  Edward. 

Hamilton,  Thomas  B,  Steel,  C.  P.= 

Harshberger,  Abraham,  Swerd,  Wendell, 

Hayes,  James,  Sweyers,  Daniel, 

Henry,  John  C.  Swiler,  John, 

Hintou,  Robert  Twitmire,  Henry, 

Hollahan,  John  F,  Waltz,  Calvin, 

Hollobaugh,  B.  C.  Wetsler,  William  W. 

Holt,  Thomas.  Wilson,  John  A. 

Huey,  Sivmuel.  Wilson,  William, 

Htitton,  Emery  I,  Wylaud,  George  G. 
Kenngott,  Henry. 

The  Fourth  Regiment  proceeded  to  Annapolis, 
Md.,  and  on  the  8th  of  May  to  Washington.  It  was 
assigned  to  the  First  Brigade,  Third  Division,  of  Gen. 
McDowell's  army,  and  moved  with  the  division  to 
Centreville,  but  its  term  expired  July  20th,  and  it 
was  mustered  out  accordingly.  The  Eagle  Guards 
reached  Bellefonte  July  30th,  and  were  appropriately 
welcomed  home.  The  whole  company  returned  in 
good  health  except  four. 

The  Cameron  Infantry  was  mustered  into  the  Sev- 

-  Discharged  on  account  of  sickness.  May  11, 18G1. 


CAMERON   INFANTRY— HESS'S   COMPANY   CAPTURED. 


107 


enth  Regiment,  Col.  William  H.  Irwin,  April  22, 1861 , 
as  Company  H  of  that  regiment,  of  which  Charles  R. 
Foster  was  surgeon,  and  James  M.  Thomjison  assistant 
surgeon. 

BOLL. 
Kubcrt  McFnrlane,  capt.;  John  Bonl,  1st  lieut.;  William  N.  Reiley, 'iJ 
lieut. ;  Geiiige  A.  Jacobs,  1st  sorgt. ;  A.  Boyd  Hutcliiuson,  2(1  scigt. ; 
0.  L.  Greenongli,  Sil  sergt.;  Adam  lless,  4th  seigt.;  Gcorgo  Croa- 
niillfr,  1st  coip.;  William  Shoop,  2d  Corp.;  John  Beck,  3il  coip.; 
Henry  Forbes,  4th  Corp.;  hospital  nurse;  John  C.  Fabcr,  Willliafti 
irpster,  musicians. 


Prioates. 

Barto,  Jacob. 

Johnstonbangh,  Alpheus 

Beck,  John. 

Kcphart,  William  P. 

Biiigam.-in,  James  A. 

Kiiwin,  George. 

Blair,  J.  n. 

Koons,  William  S. 

Brown,  G.  \V. 

Lerich,  John  D. 

Brown,  Jorejniah  C. 

Lyie,  Robert  V. 

BnrchlieM,  Aaron. 

Lytle,  Griffith. 

BurohfieW,  Penrose  J. 

LjMIe,  Isaac. 

Campbell,  David  S. 

McCool,  Jacob. 

Cramer.  Andrew  G. 

McKeady,  Daniel. 

Cornmessev,  William  B. 

Blallory,  Harvey. 

Dale,  Alfred. 

Blartz,  John. 

Diinghenbaiigh,  Jacob. 

Blayes,  James  I. 

Dennis,  Samuel  B. 

Sliller,  John. 

Duffle,  George. 

Jlinnick,  Benjamin  F. 

Eckenroth,  Charles. 

Moore,  Daniel. 

Eckenroth,  Henry. 

Musser,  William  H. 

Evey,  Henry. 

O'Brien,  Daniel. 

Farber,  John  H. 

O^nian,  George. 

Forbes,  Henry. 

Parker;  Daniel  S. 

Fi.x,  Joseph. 

Parsons,  David  S. 

Fulton,  John. 

Keed,  William. 

Garner,  Daniel. 

Iloop,  Samuel. 

Gray,  William  Y. 

Rhodes,  Michael.   • 

Ilarman,  Charles  C. 

Sherlhill,  James. 

llaipster,  John  H. 

Shoop,  James  P. 

Hanison,  Michael  D. 

Singleton,  George. 

Ilaugheuberg,  Harrison. 

Stuart,  James  T. 

Haughenhorg,  Hiram. 

Swinehart,  Henry. 

Hook,  John. 

Williams,  Samuel  H. 

lloy,  John  H. 

Wortz,  Philip. 

Jacobs,  John  H. 

Yarnell,  Harvey. 

Johns,  David  H. 

Many  of  this  company  re-enlisted  for  three  years 
in  the  Forty-ninth,  under  Capt.  John  Boal.  John 
Fulton  and  Daniel  S.  Parker  were  killed  in  a  rail- 
road accident  near  Relay  House,  Md.,  when  going 
out  to  service  in  September,  18G1. 

The  Seventh  Regiment  was  assigned  to  the  Third 
Brigade  of  the  First  Division,  Gen.  George  Cadwal- 
ader,  in  Gen.  Patterson's  command,  and  was  discharged 
beyond  Shepherdstown  on  July  22d. 

The  Curtin  Guards,  Capt.  Stover,  were  mustered, 
April  24,  1861,  into  the  Tenth  Regiment,  Col.  S.  A. 
Meredith. 

ROLL. 
John  II.  stover,  capt,  Bellefonte;  John  A,  Bodgers,  Ist  lieut.,  Belle- 
fonte;  James  P.  Gregg,  2d  lieut.,  Milesburg;  George  H.  Stover, 
1st  sergt.,  Aaronsburg;  Jacob  H.  Meyer,  2d  sergt.,  Bellefonte; 
Thomas  B.  Quay,  3d  sergt.,  Salona;  Jesse  Lucas,  4tli  sergt..  Snow 
Shoe  James  F.  Kiddle,  1st  Corp.,  Bellefonte  ;  Sidney  T.  MufHey,  2d 
corp ,  Bellefonte;  Mark  McKean,  3d  Corp.,  Zion;  John  Williams, 
musician,  Millheim;  Joseph  Frochmiller,  musician, 

Pruates. 
Alcrd,  John,  Bellefonte.  Beck,  Henry  S.,  Brush  Valley. 

Anderson,  John,  Bellefonte.  Bell,  Walter  H.,  Aaronsburg, 

Barringer,  Andrew,BoilingSpring.      Blessing,  Lewis,  Brnsli  Valley, 
Beuner,  Harvey  H.,  Bellefonte.  Campbell,  George,  Unionville. 


Cook,  Henry  C,  Aaronsburg. 
Cook,  Lindsay  N.,  Aaronsburg. 
Dixon,  Samuel  S  ,  Bellefonte. 
Fulmer,  Levi  A.,  Rebersburg. 
Gunsauliis,  John,  Snow  Shoe. 
Hanna,  D.  John,  Snow  Shoo. 
Ilendershot,  David,  Bellefonte. 
Hinton,  Charles,  Snow  Shoe. 
Hinton,  Joseph  S.,Snow  Shoe. 
Huntzelman,  Michael. 
Jidinston,  Charles.  Milesburg. 
Keys,  Ourtin,  Milesburg. 
Lucas,  Harrison,  Snow  Shoe. 
Lucas,  William,  Snow  Shoe. 
McBriile,  James  E.,  Bellefonte. 
Olto,  Samuel  D.,  Millheim. 


Peters,  Joseph  J.,  Bcllofonle. 
Pruner,  Daniel  D.,  Bellefonte. 
Itodgers,  George  D.,  Bellefonte. 
llothrock,  Thomas,  Bellefonte. 
Shearer,  Henry  A.,  Zion. 
Showers,  William,  Zion. 
Spangler,  Simon,  Rebersburg. 
Speuce,  John,  Milesburg. 
Stone,  Joseph  G.,  Pleasant  Gop. 
Tiucknliller,  Joseph,  Bellefonte. 
Ulrich,  George,  Millheim. 
Updegrove,  Ellis. 
Walter,  David,  Aaronsburg. 
White,  David,  Milesburg. 
Williams,  John,  Milesburg. 
Winters,  Charles  H.i 


The  Curtin  Guards  returned  August  3d. 

Frank  W.  Hess,  who  was  teaching  school  at  Potter's 
Mills,  recruited  a  company  in  part  in  that  neighbor- 
hood, which  was  filled  up  (by  conceding  the  first  lieu- 
tenancy to  Lieut.  John  B,  Hoskins,  of  Schuylkill) 
with  Lieut.  Hoskins'  recruited  men  from  Schuylkill 
County.  It  became  Company  I,  Fifteenth  Regiment, 
Col.  Richard  A.  Oakford,  Fifth  Brigade,  Gen.  J.  S. 
Negley,  Second  Division,  Gen.  Keim. 

The  following  roll  embraces  only  those  members 
of  the  company  from  Centre  County,  with  the  addi- 
tion of  a  *  to  those  captured  : 

Frank  W.  Hess,  capt..  Potter's  Mills,  afterwards  maj 
B.  Hutchinson,*  2d  lieut..  Potter's  Mills  ;  Wilso 
afterwards  capt.  Co.  G,  2Uith  Eegt. ;  Isaac  T.  Cr 
Hess,*  Corp. ;  George  Swiuehart,  musician. 

Privates, 
Barger,*  John.  Betylyon,'' An 

Boyer,  William  J. 

Croswaithe,  Lot. 
Earner,*  Thomas. 


of  caval 

ry ; 

John 

P.  Palm 

r,* 

Corp., 

s,  Corp. ; 

Cla 

udius 

Gates,  Jeremiah. 

Marks,*  Isaac  W.,  Centre  Hall. 

Went,*  G.  W. 


Barrows,  Frank. 

Decker,  Thomas. 

Faust,  Jacob. 

Ketner,  George. 

Sankey,  Henry  P.,  Potter's  Mills. 

Zettle,*  James  A.,  Potter. 


From  a  statement  made  by  Henry  P.  Sankey>  who 
was  a  private  in  Capt.  Hess'  company,  and  one  of 
those  captured,  we  glean  the  following  particulars  : 

On  the  morning  of  the  2d  of  July  the  army  crossed 
the  Potomac  near  AVilliamsport,  Md.,  the  Fifth 
Brigade  having  the  right  of  the  Second  Division. 
About  a  mile  from  the  ford  Negley's  brigade  diverged 
from  the  turnpike  leading  to  Martinsburg  (the  line  of 
march  of  the  main  column)  by  a  road  leading  to  the 
right.  Company  I  was  then  thrown  forward  to  the 
right  and  left  as  skirmishers,  and  had  advanced 
about  two  miles,  when  a  halt  was  ordered  for  rest  and 
to  allow  the  brigade  to  catch  up.  Lieut.  Hutchinson 
was  with  the  skirmishers  on  the  left,  Capt.  Hess  and 
Lieut.  Hoskins  were  with  the  flankers  on  the  right, 
leaving  the  main  portion  of  the  company  without  any 
officer  in  command. 

Col.  Ashby,  with  a  battalion  of  cavalry  dressed  in 
the  blue  blouses  of  the  Second  United  States  Cavalry, 
surrendered  by  Gen.   Twiggs'   treachery   in   Texas, 

1  Charles  H.  Winters,  son  ot  Samuel,  died  at  Chambersburg,  aged 
eighteen  years.  May  21,  1S61,  of  inHammatory  rheumatism.  His  body 
w»s  brought  to  his  home  at  Rebersburg  for  interment. 


lOS 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


came  from  a  tliick  wood,  and,  dividing,  a  portion 
swooped  down  upon  Lieut.  Jolin  B.  Hutchinson's 
sljirmishers  and  captured  them  ;  the  other  portion 
came  out  of  a  second  woods  into  a  field  and  rode  up 
to  the  fence  where  the  main  portion  of  Company  I 
was  resting,  and  ordered  the  bars  thrown  down  to 
allow  then\  to  pass  into  the  road.  Unsuspectingly 
this  was  done,  when  they  shot  down  Patrick  Glenen, 
a  private  of  Company  I,  from  Schuylkill  County, 
and  their  leader  cried  out,  "  Surrender,  you  damned 
Yankees  !  surrender  to  Jeff  Davis  !"  Having  no  offi- 
cers to  command  them,  and  not  even  able  to  assemble 
for  resistance,  they  were  hurried  off,  forty-four  men 
in  all,  according  to  Lieut.  Hutchinson's  statement. 

Mr.  Sankey  says  they  were  hurried  on  to  Martins- 
burg,  where  they  were  allowed  to  have  something  to 
eat,  and  then  pushed  on  ten  miles  farther,  where  they 
passed  the  night  in  a  stable.  On  the  3d  they  reached 
Winchester,  where  they  were  placed  in  jail,  and  re- 
mained until  the  18th.  The  jail  alive  with  vermin. 
On  the  18th  they  were  marched  to  Strasburg,  eighteen 
miles,  and  on  the  19th  placed  in  the  cars  for  Manassas 
Junction.  Here  the  rebels  were  full  of  bad  whiskey, 
and  severely  threatened  "  the  damned  Yankees."  On 
the  20th  they  reached  Richmond,  where  they  were 
met  by  an  excited,  angry  mob,  and  were  in  some  fear 
of  their  lives  at  its  hands,  but  were  finally  lodged  in 
a  tobacco  manufactory,  which  had  been  converted 
into  a  prison.  ' 

Here  in  one  of  the  prison  hospitals  James  A.  Zet- 
tle,  of  Potter  township,  died  on  the  Itith  of  September 
of  typhoid  fever.  On  the  25th  of  September  they, 
with  several  hundred  other  prisoners  of  war,  were  put 
on  the  cars  bound  for  New  Orleans,  where  they  were 
placed  in  prison  among  thieves  and  murderers,  to 
endure  the  concomitants  of  Southern  prison  life — 
ants,  cockroaches,  and  mosquitoes — until  the  6th  of 
February,  1862,  when  they  were  transferred  to  Salis- 
bury, N.  C.  They  remained  at  Salisbury  until  the 
3d  of  June,  when  they  were  paroled  and  mustered 
out  of  service  at  New  York  on  the  18th  of  June, 
1862. 

August  18th,  Sunday,  Augustus  H.  Poorman  was 
killed  by  Edward  Lipton  and  William  Hays  at  the 
residence  of  Elias  Horner,  on  Nittany  Mountain,  six 
miles  south  of  Bellefonte.  The  parties  had  been  at  a 
camp-meeting  and  were  drunk,  and  on  their  way 
home  met  at  that  place,  where  a  fight  occurred, 
which  resulted  in  the  death  of  Poorman.  They  were 
tried  at  November  term,  Hale  and  McAllister  for 
defendants,  Macmanus,  Wallace,  and  Kealsh  for  Com- 
monwealth. Hays  was  acquitted,  and  Lipton  con- 
victed of  manslaughter. 

The  Democratic  County  Convention  met  August 
27th,  and  nominated  the  following  ticket :  Senator, 
William  H.  Blair;  Assembly,  Robert  F.  Barron,  of 
Ferguson  ;  Associate  Judges,  Samuel  Strohecker,  of 
Miles,  and  John  S.  Proudfoot,  of  Milesburg;  Treas- 
urer, Dr.  John  B.  Mitchell,  of  Bellefonte;  Commis- 


sioner, Amos  Alexander,  of  Penn ;  Auditor,  Gen. 
George  Buchanan,  of  Gregg.  This  convention  de- 
clined a  proposition  of  the  Republicans  to  unite  on  a 
Union  ticket.  The  Republicans  nominated  Samuel 
McWilliams,  of  Ferguson  township,  for  Assembly  ; 
Peter  Wilson,  of  Gregg,  and  Jacob  Baker,  of  How- 
ard, for  associate  judges  ;  C.  G.  Ryman,  of  Miles- 
burg, for  treasurer;  Tliomas  Hutchinson,  of  Potter, 
for  county  commissioner;  and  J.  H.  McClure,  of 
Bellefonte,  for  auditor. 


CHAPTER  XLV. 

THREE  YEAR  COMPANtES-CEXTRE  GUARDS  (FIFTH 
RESERVES)— THE    INDEPENDENT    CAVALRY. 

September  4th,  Capt.  Raphill's  company  of  three 
years  left  Bellefonte  for  Harrisburg.  Captain,  Wil- 
liam L.  Raphill ;  First  Lieutenant,  James  P.  Hughes; 
Second  Lieutenant,  Henry  H.  Stone.  This  company 
not  being  complete  was  consolidated  in  Company 
B,  One  Hundred  and  Forty-lifth  Pennsylvania,  and 
Capt.  Raphill  appointed  first  lieutenant  thereof. 

The  Milesburg  Infantry  left  Milesburg  Aug.  21, 
1861,  under  Capt.  J.  IMiles  Green,  numbering  about 
seventy-five  men.  This  company  was  mustered  into 
the  Forty-ninth  Regiment,  Col.  Wm.  H.  Irwin,  as 
Company  A;  at  its  organization,  September  14th. 

The  McAllister  Rifles,  Capt.  A.  B.  Snyder,  num- 
bering nearly  ninety  men,  left  Bellefonte  October  1st. 
It  was  mustered  in  as  Company  G  of  the  Fifty-first 
Pennsylvania,  Col.  John  F.  Hartranft. 

In  August  a  company  was  raised  by  Lieut.  John 
Boal,  of  Capt.  Robert  McFarlane's  company,  and 
called  the  Penn's  Valley  Infantry.  This  company 
was  mustered  into  the  Forty-ninth  Regiment,  Col. 
Wm.  H.  Irwin. 

In  October,  Company  D,  Fifty-third  Pennsylvania 
Regiment,  Col.  Brooke,  was  raised  in  Centre  and 
Clearfield  Counties.  First  Lieut.  James  S.  Hall 
and  Second  Lieut.  John  Howe  belonged  to  Centre 
County. 

September  12th,  the  B.ald  Eagle  Infantry,  under  the 
command  of  J.  Irvin  Curtin,  left  Howard  with  ninety- 
five  men.  This  company  was  mustered  in  as  Com- 
pany A  of  the  Forty-fifth  Pennsylvania,  Col.  Thomas 
Welsh. 

At  the  October  election  Wm.  H.  Blair,  for  senator, 
had  703  majority ;  Barron,  for  Assembly,  .519  majority ; 
Strohecker,  for  associate  judge,  404;  Proudfoot,  452; 
Alexander,  for  commissioner,  670 ;  Buchanan,  for 
auditor,  517.  Union  and  Clinton  gave  majorities  for 
Johnston,  and  elected  him  over  Col.  W.  H.  Blair. 

KOLL    OF    THE    CENTRE     GUARDS,    COMPANY     E,    THIRTY- 
FOURTH  REGI.1IENT  (FIFTH  PENNSYLVANIA  RESERVES). 
Cul.  Seneca  G.  Simmoas. 
Jolin   Irvin  Gregg,  ciipt  ;  Juno  21,  1801  ;  res.  July  12,  1801,  to  accept 
Ecrvico  ill  Ihu  n't'uUir  annj- ;  pro.  to  col.  lulst  Pa.  (IGth  Cav.)  Nov. 


CENTRE   GUAKDS,  FIFTH   RESERVES. 


109 


14, 18C2;  to  brov.  brig.-gen.  Aug.  1,  18C4;  wounded  nt  Deep  Bottom 
Aug.  in,  1801 ;  brov.  niaj  -gull.  Mnich  13, 18C5;  wounded  at  Sailor's 
Creek  April  7,  IbGu;  captured  April  8th;  present  nt  headquarters  at 
Gen.  Leo's  surrender;  must,  out  Aug.  11,  1865;  subseqiiL-ntly  col, 
in  the  regular  army. 

J,  Harvey  Larrimer,  do.;  May  15, 1801 ;  pro.  from  Ist  lieut.Co.  C  to  cnpt. 
Co,  E,  July  12, 1861 ;  to  maj.  May  1, 1863 ;  killed  nt  Biislow  Station 
Feb,  14, 1S04. 

nichard  Dlnsmorc,  Walker;  June  'Jl,  1801;  pro,  from  2d  lient,  to  1st 
lieut.  Sept.  17, 1802;  to  capt,  March  6, 180:i;  disch.  March  12, 180,5, 

H.  P,  I'elrlken,  Bellefonle,  Ist  lieut.;  June  21,  1801 ;  killed  at  Antic- 
lam,  Sept,  10,  1802. 

Joseph  P.  Lucas,  Boggs,  1st  lieut, ;  Juno  21,  ISGl ;  pro,  from  sorgt.  to  2d 
lient,  Sei>t.  17, 1S02;  to  1st  licut.  March  5, 1863;  wounded,  with  loss 
of  leg,  at  Fredericksburg  Dec,  13,  1863  ;  disch.  Sept,  17,  1863. 

David  McIC.  Belts,  Burhsido,  1st  lieut, ;  July  0, 1801 ;  pro,  from  musicLln 
Co,  C  to  2d  lieut.  March  5,  1802;  to  1st  lieut.  Sept,  17, 1863;  must, 
out  with  company  June  11,  1804. 

Samuel  W.  Askey,  Snow  Shoe,  let  sergt.;  June  21, 1861 ;  must,  out  wilh 
ci.mpauy  Jnne  11,1804. 

Irviu  Dehiuey,  Boggs,  sergt.;  June  21,1801;  must,  out  with  company 
June  11,  1804. 

Blartin  V,  Force,  Walker,  sergt. ;  July  25, 1801 ;  must,  out  with  company 
June  11, 1804. 

Ularsliftll  Cux,  Buruside,  sergt,;  June  21, 1S61  ;  must,  out  with  company 
Juno  11,  IS04. 

Joseph  L,  Watson,  Jliles,  sergt,;  June  21, 1801 ;  wounded  nt  Fredericks- 
burg Dec,  13,  1862. 

Hiiniilton  Whisler,  Bcuner,  sergt.;  June  21, 1861 ;  killed  at  Fredericks- 
burg Dec,  l:l,  1802, 

Samuel  Gault,  Snow  Shoe,  sergt,;  July  2j,  1801;  killed  nt  Fredericks- 
burg Dec,  13,  1802, 

Frank  McGarvey,  Snow  Shoo,  seigt.;  June  21, 1801 ;  killed  at  Mechan- 
icsville  June -20, 1802, 

William  B,  Wertz,  Half-Moon,  Corp.;  Jnne  21, 1801,  to  June  11, 1804. 

llicliard  Mulroney,  Snow  Shoe,  coiji, ;  June  21, 1861,  to  June  II,  1804. 

William  Etters,  Siiow  Shoe,  corp,;  Dec,  23,  1863;  trans,  to  191st  Regt. 
P.  V.  June  6,  1804  ;  veteran, 

Ileury  McCaaslin,  Walker;  Juno  21,  1861  ;  disch,  June  25,  1863,  for 
wounds  received  at  Fredericksburg  Dec,  13,  1802, 

C,  A,  McLaughlin,  Snow  Shoe;  disch,  Nov.  211, 1802. 

Jolm  Shively,  Philipsburg,  Corp.;  disch,  Nov.  211,  1802. 

William  llinlon.  Snow  Shoe,  corp  :  died  Ocl.  4, 1802,  of  wounds  received 
at  Now  Market  CroRS-Boads  June  30,  1802. 

David  Fulton,  Hecia,  Corp.;  killed  at  Fredericksburg  Dec.  13, 1862. 

Kiuaiiuel  Bower,  Burn>ide;  diid  July  21, 1862,  of  wounds  received  at 
New  Market  Cross-Eoads  June  3U,  1802. 

Benjaniiu  1!,  Hall,  Jlilcsl.urg. 

Frieales. 

Askey,  Eobert  M.,  Snow  Shoe  ;  June  21,  lECI,  to  Jan,  11, 1864. 

Askey,  James,  BurnsiJe;  Oct.  10,  ItOl ;  wounded  June  30, 1802;  disch. 

Dec.  2,  1862. 
Aston,  Owen,  Jr.,  Ilecla;   June  21,  1861;    disch,  Oct.  16,  1802,  for 

wounds  received  at  Mechauicsville  June  20,  1802. 
Arnold,  William   H.,  Bellulonte;  .luiie21,  1801;  disch,  Oct,  0, 1862,  for 

wounds  received  in  action  June  30, 1802, 
Askey,  Jacob,  Buruside;  June  21, 1801;  died  at  Camp Piei-pont,  Va,,  Nov. 

5,1801. 
Askey,  Robert  M,,  Snow  Shoe;  June  21, 1801;  killed  at  Anlietam  Sept. 

•10,1802, 
Boyles,  James,  Snow  Shoe  ;  July  25, 1801  ;  wounded  at  Wilderness  M.ay 

6,  1864;  absent  in  liosp.  at  muster  out. 
Bullock,  Parker  W,,  Boggs;  Jnne  21, 1801;  disch,  Nov,  20,  1862. 
Bower,  Jackson,  Buruside  ;  wounded  at  Spottsylvania  Conrt-House  May 

10, 1804;  trans,  to  Co,  D,  lillst  Regt,  P.  V.,  Juno  11, 1804;  veteran. 
Beightol.Joliu  H., Snow  Shoe;  June  21,1861;  killed  at  Mechauicsville 

June  20,  1SC2. 
Bradley,  James,  Walker;   traus,  to  Co,  D,  101st  Regt,  P.  V.,  June  6, 

1804;  vetei-an. 
Comer,  Henry  S.,  Walker;  June  21, 1861 ;  must,  out  with  company  June 

11,1804. 
Comer,  William,  Hechi ;  June  21, 1861 ;  disch.  June  21, 1863,  for  wouuds 

received  in  action  Juno  30, 1862. 
Duseubury,  William,  Ilccln;  traus.  to  Co.  D,  lOlst  Regt,  P,  V,,  June  0, 

)S61;  vclerau. 


Elliot,  George,  Snow  Shoo;  June  21, 1801 ;  dtoch,  Nov.  20, 18«a,  hy  0.  0. 

1.54,  War  Department. 
Etters,  John  B,,  BiirnBldo  ;  June  21, 1801 ;  died  July  3, 1802,  of  wounds 

received  n^Now  Market  Cross- Roads  June  20, 1802, 
Eckley,  Wharton,  Snow  Shoe  ;  Juno  21, 1801 ;  killed  at  Mcchanlcsvillo 

Juno  20, 1802. 
Ennis,  Dayton,  Rush  ;  Juno  21, 1861 ;  wounded  and  prisoner  June  30, 

1802;  died  at  New  York  Aug,  9, 1862. 
Fleming,  Thomas  E, ;  June  21, 1861 ;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out, 
Fisher,  Franklin,  Bellefoiite;  July  19, 1861 ;  disch.  on  surg,  cerllf,  April 

24,  1863. 
Fraver,  George,  Taylor;  Juno  21, 1861 ;  disch.  Oct.  23, 1862,  for  wounds 

received  in  action  June  30,  1802. 
Gorman,  Patrick,  Snow  Shoe  ;  June  21,1861 ;  trans, from  Vet,  Res,  Corps; 

must,  out  with  company  Juno  11,  1804 
Garritt,  John  H,,  Walker ;  June  21, 1801 ;  disch,  Feb,  27, 1803,  for  wounds 

received  at  Fredericksburg  Dec.  13, 1802 
Glenn, Curtin  A,,  Milesburg;  June  21,1861;  killed  at  Fredericksburg 

Dec,  13,  1862, 
Green,  Samuel,  Snow  Shoe  ;  Juno  21, 1801 ;  deserted  April  30, 1863. 
Ilames,  William,  Howard;  June  21, 1801 ;  trans,  from  Vet.  Res.  Corps; 

must,  out  with  company  June  11, 1804. 
Hughes,  James,  Howard  ;  June  21, 1801 ;  disch.  on  surg,  certif  Feb,  0, 

1803, 
Hintun,  Harvey,  How  aid ;  trans,  to  Co,  D,  101st  Regt,  P,  V.,  June  C, 

1864 ;  veteran, 
Hinton,  George,  Buruside;  trans,  to  Co.  D,  191st  Regt,  P.  Y,,  June  0, 

1804;  veteran. 
Harnish,  Allen,  Worth  ;  June  21, 1801 ;  died  July  22, 1802,  of  wounds  re- 
ceived at  Mechauicsville  June  26, 1862. 
Hinton,  Isaac,  Snow  Shoe  ;  June  21, 1861  ;  killed  at  New  Market  Cross- 

Roads  Jnne  30, 1862. 
Halabaugh,  Samuel,  Bellefonte;  June  21, 1861 ;  died  at  Richmond  Jan. 

22, 1803,  of  wounds  received  nt  Fredericksburg  Dec,  13, 1802, 
Kelly,  Thomas,  Snow  Shoe;  July  25,  1801 ;  died  Dec,  IS,  1862,  ol  wounds 

received  at  Fredericksburg  Dec.  13,  1862, 
King,  William  H„  Snow  Shoe ;  June  21,  1861 ;  died  .Tan,  18, 1804,  at  Con- 
valescent Camp,  Va, 
Lucas,  Isaac  T,,  Snow  Shoe;  Jnne  21, 1801 ;  June  II,  1S04, 
Lucas,  Thomas  B,,  Snow  Shoe ;  July  25,  1801 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  Dec, 

22, 1862  ;  died  May  31,  1803,  at  Snow  Shoe, 
Lucas,  Henry  M,,  Snow  Shoe ;  July  25, 1801 ;  died  Nov.  23, 1801,  nt  Camp 

Pierpont,  Va. ;  buried  at  Snow  Shoe. 
Musser,  John,  Ferguson  ;  Sept.  1,1801;  disch.  on  surg,  certif  Jan, '21, 

1803. 
Murray,  Joseph  L.,  Snow  Shoe;  trans,  toCo,  D,  lOlst  Regt,  P,  V.,  JuneO, 

1804;  veteran, 
MulhoHand,  D.  B,,  Buruside;  trans,  to  Co.  D,  191st  Regt.  P,  V,,  June  0, 

1864;  veteran. 
Murray,  Patrick,  Bellefonte;  June  21,  1861;  killed  at  Mechauicsville 

June  26, 1862. 
Mann,  Joseph,  Curtin;  June  21,1861;  killed  at  Gaines' Mill  June  27, 

1802. 
Michael,  John  H.,  Buruside;    July  25,  1861;    killed  at  New  Market 

Cross-Roads  Juno  30,  1862. 
McKean,  James,  Walker;  June  21, 1861,  to  June  11,  l'C4, 
McCaman,  William,  Howard;  June  21, 1S6I,  tii  June  11,1804, 
McKinney,  James,  Howard;   trans,  to  191st  Regt,  P.  A",,  June  6,1804; 

McQuillan,  Thomas,  W(ilker;   trans,  to  Co.  D,  191st  Regt,  P,  V,,  June 

0,1804;   veteran. 
Neal,  David,  Ferguson;  Juno  21,  ISGI ;  disch.  Oct.  9, 1862,  for  wounds 

received  at  Gaines"  Mill  Jnne  27, 1862. 
Osenwaltz,  John,  Snow  Shoe  ;   Juno  21, 1801 ;   disch.  by  G.  0.  Nov,  20, 

1802. 
Price,  David,  Snow  Shoe  ;  June  21, 1801,  to  June  11, 1804, 
Parker,  George  E,,  Rush ;  trans,  to  Co.  D,  191st  Regt.  P,  V,,  June  0, 1864  ; 

veteran, 
Kobb,  Henry,  Walker;  Juno  21,  1861;    com.  2d  lieut,  June  10,  1864; 

must,  out  with  company  Juno  11, 1864. 
Ross,  Thomas,  Buruside  ;  June  21, 1861 ;  disch.  Dec.  11, 1862. 
Eunk,  John  B,,  Philipsburg;    traus.  to  Co,  D,  191st  Eegt.P.  V,,  June  6, 

1804;  veteran. 
Showers,  Daniel,  Walker ;  June  21, 1801 ;  wounded  in  action  May  9, 1S64. 
Sniers,  Joseph  Y. ;  July  25, 1801 ;  prisoner  fi-om  May  23, 1864,  to  Apiil 

25, 1865;  must,  out  June  6, 1865. 
Scott,  Robert  S  ,  Snow  Shoe ;  July  25, 1801 ;  nhsent,  sick,  at  muster  out 


110 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Sweetwood,  Levi,  Snow  Shoe  ;  July  25, 1861 ;  trans,  to  Co.  D,  191st  Kegt. 

P.  v.,  Juno  6, 1804;  veteran. 
Shiffer,  George  W.,  Ferguson  ;  June  21, 18G1 ;  disch.  Nov.  20, 1862. 
Sarvey,  Jobn,  Burnside ;  June  21, 1801 ;  discll.  on  surg.  certif.  Oct.  26,  '01. 
Shaner,  Jolin.Boggs;  July2o,  1S61;  wounded  June  ao,  1862;  disch.  Oct. 

28,  1802. 
Treziyulny,  J.  F.  P.,  Milesburg  ;  Juno  21,  ISGl ;  killed  at  Fredericksburg 

Dec.  13,  1802. 
■Williams,  D.tvid,  Philiiisburg;  June  21,  1861,  to  June  11, 1804. 
Walter,  John,  Boggs;  June  21,  1861,  to  June  11,  1864. 
Weaver,  John  T.,  Snow  Shoe;  Juno  21,  1861;  discL.  Jan.  26,  1863,  for 

wounds  received  in  action  Jan.  30,  1862. 
White,  James,  Bollefoute  ;  Juno  21,  1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Feb.  23, 

1863. 
Williams,  Herbert,  Snow  Shoe ;  July  25, 1801 ;  disch.  for  wounds  received 

in  action  June  30,  1802. 
Tarncll,  John  B.,  Plnlipsliurg;  June  21, 1861,  to  June  11, 1804. 

INDEPENDENT   CAVALRY. 
Miislered  in  ae  Company  E,  iilh  Pa.  Sigl.,  or  Isl  Pa.  Cav. 
Col.  George  D.  Bnyard. 
Asst.  Surg.  Samuel  Alexander,  M.D.,  killed  at  Dranesville  Nov.  26, 1861. 

Company  C. 
Jonathari  Wolf,  Miles,  capt.;  res.  Oct.  10, 1861. 
Eobert  K.  Liptou,  Boggs,  capt. ;  pro.  from  1st  lieut.  Oct.  1861 ;  res.  March 

31,  1862. 
Jeremiah  Newman,  Bellefonte,  capt.;  pro.  to  1st  lieut.  March  1, 1802  :  to 

capt.  March  1, 1863  ;  must,  out  Sept.  9,  1864. 
John  A.  Bayard,  Bellefonte,  1st  lieut. ;  pro.  from  1st  sergt.  Oct.  1861 ; 

res.  Feb.  26, 1802. 
Samuel  Liptou,  Milesburg,  1st  lieut. ;  pro.  to  2d  lieut.  May  1, 1862 ;  to 

1st  lieut.  Feb.  10, 1803;  res.  March  18,  1803. 
Samuel  T.  Murray,  Bellefonte,  2d  lieut.;  res.  Dec.  1801. 
Charles  L.  Buffliigton,  Milesburg,  2d  lieut.;  pro.  from  juivate  to  sergt.- 

maj.  Nov.  23, 1801 ;  to  2d  lieut.  and  batt.  adjt.  Feb.  19, 1802. 
William  C.  Wilkey,  Milesburg,  q.m.-sergt.;  pro.  to  sergt.  January,  1862; 

wounded  at  Blieijlierdstuwn,  Va.,  July  16,  1863 ;  must,  out  with 

company  Sept.  9,  1864. 
William  Wilson  (1st),  Bellefonte,  com.-sergt. ;  pro.  to  sergt.  February, 

1S63  ;  must,  out  with  company  Sept.  0, 1S04. 
Jesse  Frey,  Boggs,  sergt. ;  pro.  to  sergt.  November,  1861 ;  trans,  to  bat- 

fcilion  Sept.  U,  1S04. 
William  C.  Murray,  Milesburg,  sergt. :  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Jan.  1, 1862. 
John  L.  Craft,  Boggs,  sergt.;  pro.  to  sergt.  September,  1862;  wounded 
•  July  28,  1864;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  'J,  1S04;  pro.  to  1st  sergt.;  to 

2d  lieut.  Co.  F    March  5,1865;  trans,  to  2d  Eeg(.  Prov.  Cav.  June 

17,1805;  veteran. 
H.  U.  McCullougli,  Milesburg,  sergt.;  killed  at  St.  Mary's  Church,  Va., 

June  24,  1864. 
EdH  io  B.  Holt,  sergt.;  pro.  to  sergt.  Juno  10, 1863 ;  trans,  to  1st  Pa.  Cav. 
Jolin  Williams,  Boggs,  sergt.;  pro.  to  sergt.  March,  1804;  mustered  out 

witli  company  Sept.  9,  1804. 
John  Cooke,  Milesburg,  Corp. ;  died  Nov.  28, 1802;  buried  in  Military 

Asylum  Cemetery,  D.  U. 
Joseph  Shook,  UnioMVille,  Corp.;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  Oct.  14, 1862. 
WilliiMii  Lnwicy,  Ik-iiiier,  corp. ;  wound.-d  at  Brainly  Station,  Va.,  Juno 

9,  ISCi:; ;  Uillfd  at  lliiwes'  Sl]..p,  Va..  May  28,  lfi64. 
Williaii]  11.  l!iuk,Lilie:ty,  coip. ;  captiuvd  atCidar  Mountain,  Va.,  Aug. 

:i,  1m;;;  1i;ui^,  tr.  Iiattalion  Sept.  9,  1^64. 
Jos.  [ill  S.  111.  Ill,  llrlli'liiiite,  Corp.;  iliscli.  Feb.  8,  1803. 
Williiiiii  N  ,  i;s«  III  tliy,  Walker,  Corp.;  died  July  23,  1804,  of  wounds  re- 
ceived June  ii,  1SC4;  buried  ii.  National  Cemetery,  .\ilington. 
Samuel  S.  Krotztr,  Spring,  coij.,;  must,  out  Sept.  9,  ISQt. 
James  V.  Gault,  Taylor,  corp. ;  woiindod  at  St.  .Mary's  Church,  Va.,  June 

24, 1804. 
William  Wyland,  Boggs,  corp. ;  pro.  to  Corp.  July  25, 1804. 

Prifales. 
Anderson,  Thomas  K.,  Boggs;  disch.  Feb.  13, 1802. 
Bradley,  John  C,  Walker ;  disch.  Jan.  10,  1863. 
Buck,  William  T.,  Marion ;  disch.  Jan.  16, 1803. 
Boell,  Henry  J.,  Bellefonte  ;  disch.  Feb.  10, 1803. 
Bruss,  George,  Potter;  died  April,  1802,  at  Alexandria;  grave  1106. 
Cheeseman,  John,  Boggs;  must,  out  Sept.  9,  1864. 

Dewitt,  Martin;  Dec.  19, 1863;  wounded  and  prisoner  May  9,  1861 ;  died 
at  Audersonville  Oct.  24, 1804;  grave  11,394. 


Faucoy,  Michael,  Spring;  disch.  Aug.  IS,  1862. 

Fulton,  James,  Walker;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9, 1804. 

Fenton,  Thomas  B.,  Patton  ;  died  March  18, 1802. 

Fell,  Charles  K.,  Boggs ;  died  August,  1803. 

Grassmire,  William,  Bellefonte;  absent,  in  hospital,  at  must.  out. 

Garrett,  William,  Spring;  to  Sept.  9,  1864. 

Gault,  John  J.,  Taylor;  Feb.  20,  1804;  1865. 

Gisemite,  Peter,  Potter;  disch.  Sept.  1,  1861. 

Grant,  Thomas  W.,  Liberty;  captured  July  16,  1864;  trans,  to  battalion 

Sept.  9,  1864  ;  must,  out  July  15,  1805. 
Hunter,  Daniel  W.,  Walker;  Sept.  9,  1804. 
llollaliaugh,  Rankin,  Boggs;  disch.  Jan.  4, 1804. 
Huller,  Joseph,  Spring;  captured  June  24,  1864;  trans,  to  bait.  Sept.  9, 

1864. 
James,  George,  Milesburg;  disch.  Jan.  4, 1862. 
Kress,  Mortimer,  Benner;  to  Sept.  0,  1804. 
Keyes,  Charles,  Boggs;  Sept.  9, 1864. 

Kearns,  Patrick  B.,  Bellefonte:  wounded  at  Malvern  Hill  Aug.  10, 1804. 
Keys,  James,  Bellefonte;  disch.  Jan.  4,1862. 
Kline,  Levi,  Bellefonte;  disch.  Jan.  4,  1862. 
Kelly,  Des  Cartes,  Harris  ;  di.sch.  on  surg.  cert.  March  10, 1863. 
Keyes,  Abraham  S.,  Milesburg;  Aug.  12,  1861. 
Miller,  James,  Boggs ;  Aug.  12,  1861 ;  disch.  Fob.  18, 1802. 
Mills,  Samuel,  Harris ;  disch.  Jan.  26, 1862. 
Morrison,  Bernard,  Spring;  disch.  Jan.  26, 1862. 
Miller,  Abram  V.,  Spring;  April  1,  1862;  discli.  December,  1803. 
Martin,  Hugh,  Howard;  disch.  August,  1803. 
McMullin,  Frank  A.,  Boggs;  trans.  Sept.  9, 1864. 
Noll,  John,  Walker;  wounded  at  Mine  Run,  Va.,  Nov.  27,  1803;  died 

Jan.  19,  ISO*;  buried  in  Military  Asylum  Cemetery,  D.  C. 
Nyman,  Milton,  Bogjs ;  disch.  March  27, 1862. 
Nyman,  Andrew  B.,  Boggs;  captured  Nov.  16,  1803;  died  at  Richmond, 

Va.,  March  9,  1864. 
Phnlon,  Fenton,  Spring;  discli.  March  27,  1803. 
Parr,  Joseph,  Liberty ;  trans.  Sept.  9, 1864. 

Reese,  Valentine,  Boggs;  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  May  30,  1864. 
Rider,  James,  Milesburg;  Sept.  9, 1864. 
Rager,  Alfred  G.,  Boggs;  Sept.  9, 1864. 
Roop,  Ileuben,  Harris;  discli.  March,  1863. 
Switzer,  Crawford,  Snow  Shoe:  Sejit.  9, 1804. 
Smith,  David,  Boggs;  Sept.  9,  1864. 

Shilk,  William,  Milesburg;  Aug.  27,  1861 ;  Sept.  9,  IS64. 
Summers,  William,  Boggs;  Aug.  12, 1801 ;  disch.  Feb.  IS,  1802. 
Stratton,  Rufus  D.,  Boggs;  disch.  Sept.  16,  1862. 
Struble,  John  C,  Walker;  trans.  Sept.  9, 1S64. 
Saxton,  Timolliy.  Bellefoltte;  Aug.  12,  1801 ;  trans.  Sept.  9,  1864. 
Swisher,  Arthur,  Union;  Aug.  12, 1801. 
Sands,  Henry  D.,  Milesburg;  disch.  Oct.  9, 1862. 
Tate,  David,  Spring;  Aug.  1, 1861;  must,  out  Sept.  D,  1804. 
Thomas,  John  H.,  Boggs;  Aug.  12,  IsOl ;  disch.  July  13,  1802. 
Ward,  John,  Snow  Shoe :  Aug.  12,  1861 ;  disch.  March  31,  1863. 
Watson,  Stanley,  Boggs;  Aug.  12, 1801,  to  Sept.  9,  1804. 
Wilson,  William  (2d),  Harris;  Aug.  12, 1861,  to  Sept.  0,  1864. 
Witherite,  William,  Boggs;  Aug.  12,  1861 ;  died  Oct.  27,  1863,  Milit.iry 

Asylum,  D.  C. 
Wolf,  Calvin,  Snow  Shoo;  Aug.  12,  ISGl,  to  April  0,  1802. 
Wilson,  Thomas,  Milesburg;  Aug.  12, 1801 ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps. 
Zechman,  Heniy,  Spring;  Aug.  12, 1861  ;  died  June  13,  1864,  of  wounds 

received  at  Mill'oid  Station  ;  buried  at  Alexandria,  grave  No.  2117; 


CHAPTER  XLVI. 

PENN'.S  VALLEY  INFANTRY— COMPANY  E,  FORTY- 
NINTH  PENNSYLVANIA  —  COMPANY  G,  FIFTY- 
FIRST  PENNSYLVANIA. 

CAPT.  J.  MILES  GREEN'S  COMPANY. 

Company  A,  Forty-ninth  Fennsyhania. 

Col.  William  H.  Irwin. 

J.  Miles  Green,  Milesburg,  capt.;  July  4, 1801;  res.  April  12, 1802. 

Andro«  S.  Davidson,  Milesburg,  1st  lieut.;  July  4,1801;  pro.  to  capt. 

May  12,  1802  ;  res.  Nov.  17, 1802. 
William  D.  Harper,  Milesburg,  2d  lieut.;  July  4,1801;  res.  Feb.  20, 
1862. 


CAPT.  J.   MILES  GREEN'S   COMPANY— PENN'S   VALLEY   INFANTRY. 


ni 


Sergeartls,  Aug.  19,  1861. 
.Tobn  W.  Spcnce,  Milesbnr-g;  disch.  on  surgeon's  certificate. 
Jiinies  A.  Qiiiggle,  Deocli  Creek.  Williiim  Sellers,  Liberty. 

J.ihii  W.  Slcvens,  Liberty. 
Jolm  M.  Slovcua,  Howiird  ;  disch.  April  9, 1862. 

Corporiih,  Aug.  19,  1801. 
Hiclmel  JIcLimpiiliii,  Milesbiirg.        Lewis  Wetzler,  Boggs. 
William  H.  Confer,  Howard :  died  May  24,  1802. 
Alexander  W.  Duke,  Boggs;  diacli.  June  12, 1802. 
James  Hill,  Milesburg  ;  pro.  to  sergt.-nmj.  May  12, 1804 ;  diacli.  Sept.  10, 

1864. 
James  A.  Knole,  Liberty;  died  Nov.  17, 1861. 
Daniel  Swii  es,  Buggs. 

Miisiciims. 
George  W.  Ilutton,  Benner;  must,  out  Sept.  9, 1864. 
Alex.  J.  Drancl.er,  Milesburg. 
Clement  L.  Murphy,  Dogga,  wagoner. 

Prit:ates. 
Allen,  Silas,  Curtin. 
Ammerman,  William  U ,  Boggs ;  pro.  corp.  June  17,  1804;  must,  out 

July  15,  I860. 
Benner,  John  II.,  Benner.  Bro^'n,  Thomas,  Beech  Creek. 

Bowman,  Samuel,  Beech  Creek.  Cade,  Charles  W.,  Haines. 

Breath,  Adam  S.,  Howard.  Cade,  Erastua  T  ,  Haines. 

Bridgens,  William  A.,  Beech  Creek.     Confer,  John,  Liberty. 
Confer,  J.anies  M.,  Liberty  ;  died  Nov.  13,  1861. 
Cnrrens,  John,  Beech  Creek.  Dale,  Isaiah. 

Uckley,  Joseph,  Bogga;  Aug.  19,  1801,  to  Sept.  15, 1864. 
Fennon,  James  H.,  Beech  Creek.         Farmer,  Joseph,  Boggs. 
Freim,  Samuel  F.,  Beech  Creek.  Fawver,  James  H. 

Haines,  William,  Howard;  to  Sept.  16,  1864. 
Ilarkless,  George,  Union  ;  to  Sept.  15,  1804. 
Ilarleyraan,  George  F  ,  Beech  Creek. 
Ilarleyraaii,  Thomas,  Beech  Creek. 

Ileaton,  William,  Boggs.  Jodon,  Peter,  Clinton  County. 

Iluir,  William  F.,  Beech  Creek.  Jones,  H.  P.,  Boggs. 

llvighey,  James,  Patton.  Kaufman,  D.  M.,  Clinton  County. 

Ilutton,  George,  Benner.  Keys,  Charles  It.,  Blilesburg. 

Joilon,  David,  Clinton  County. 
Kune3,Johu  E.,  Liberty;  to  July  15,  1805. 
Lewis,  William,  Boggs. 

Lucas,  Andrew,  Boggs;  wounded  in  action  June  27, 1S02. 
Lucas  Asbury  W.,  Huston  ;  detached  to  Western  Flotilla  Jan.  15,  1862. 
Lucas,  James  S.,  Howard.  McAfee,  David,  Patton. 

JlcCloskey,  Campbell,  Beech  Creek. 

McGiuley,  Edward,  Boggs  ;  died  July  25, 1862,  at  Harrison's  Landing. 
McGiuley,  I.  G  ,  Slile=hurg.  McLaughlin,  Michael,  Milesburg. 

Martin,  Andrew,  Boggs.  Miles,  George  W.,  Uuionville. 

Miller,  Eli,  Beech  Creek. 

Miller,  George  W.,  Bellefonto  ;  disch.  for  disability. 
Miller,  George,  Boggs. 

Moses,  Andrew,  Boggs  ;  detached  to  Western  Flotilla  Jan.  15, 1862. 
Moyer,  John,  Patton.  Murphy,  C.  L.,  Boggs. 

Myei-s,  John  S.  Periy,  Cluirles,  Clinton  County. 

Poorman,  Joseph,  Boggs.  Potts,  Israel. 

Keading,  Amos,  Clinton  County.  Kicker,  John,  Liberty. 

Pvigg,  William. 

liose,  Thomas,  Boggs  ;  died  August,  1862,  in  hospital  in  Philadelphia. 
Rose,  William,  Boggs.  Kuple,  Joseph,  Clinton  County. 

Ptyan,  Timothy,  Clinton  County.  Selzer,  John,  Mile^bnrg. 

Sennet,  Michael,  Boggs;  disch.  for  disability  at  Washington. 
Shope,  William  E.,  Milesburg.  Singer,  William,  Liberty. 

Sjianglcr,  Jonas,  Liberty.  Slcwai  f,  William  T.,  lii.ggs. 

Sunday,  Lewis,  Benner.  Veinetter,  Joseph,  Clinton  County. 

Walker,  David,  Boggs.  Walker,  Wilson.  ' 

Walker,  Williiim,  Boggs.  Williams,  Valentino. 

Witheiite,  George,  Boggs. 

A\'olf,  Charles,  Slilesburg;  detailed  as  brigade  teamsfer  July  12, 1802. 
AVorkman,  Jacob,  Liberty. 

BOLL  OF  THE  PENN'S  VALLEY  INFANTRY, 
EiiUslcd  at  EoahhuYfj,  jliii;.  31,1861,  awl  vinsferi-d  into  the  Uni'ed  Stales  ser- 
vice asComprtny  G,  Forty  iiititli  liegiate»t^  Jan.  11, 1802. 
The  officers  and  privates  of  Ihiaconipany  were  transferred  to  Company 
-  C,  Koity-Minth  R.-gimcut,  and  Cunipaiiy  G  was  filled  up  wUh  dvaflcd 


Jolm  Boal,  Harris,  eapt. ;  res.  Oct.  25, 1802,  on  account  of  111  lu-allli;  re. 

entered  the  service,  first  as  capt.of  a  militia  company  in  emergency, 

1803;  com.  Aug.  ll,1803,capt.  of  Co.  A,  9th  Pa.  CBV.(!l2d  Bcgt.  Pa.); 

killed  at  Avorysboro',  N.  C,  on  Sherman's  march,  March  13,  180.') ; 

buried  at  Raleigh,  N.  C,  sec.  20,  grave  63. 
A.  Boyd  Hutchinson,  Potter,  1st  lieut.;   pro.  to  cnpt.  Oct.  20,  1862; 

wounded  at  Rappahannock  Station  Sept.  0, 18C3 ;  at  Cold  Harbor 

.Tune  1,  1804;  must,  out  Dec.  19,  1864. 
William  Reed,  Ferguson,  2d  lieut.;  disch.  March  4, 1862. 

Bergeauls. 

James  P.  Smith,  Gregg  ;  pro.  sergt.-maj.  Nov.  1, 1S62  ;  2d  lieut.  Nov,  16, 
1862;  Istlieut.  Feb.  25, 1864;  wounded  and  taken  prisoner  at  O.ld 
Harbor  Junel, 1804;  capt  June  3,  1866;  must,  out  July  16,  1865. 

James  T.Stuart,  Harris;  pro.  2d  lieut.  March  10,  1.S02;  to  1st  lieut. Nov. 
16, 1862;  wounded  at  Rappahannock  Station  Seiil.  7,  1SG3;  to  capt. 
Feb.  25,  1864;  wounded  at  Spottsylvania  May  10,  1804;  com.  niaj. 
June  29, 1805;  lleut.-col.  July  14, 1865. 

William  P.  Kephart,  Rock  Forge ;  pro.  capt.  Co.  I  March  3,  1804;  killed 
at  Spottsylvania  May  10, 1804. 

Christian  Dale,  Harris;  pro.  2d  lieut.  March  4, 1804;  wounded  at  Spott- 
sylvania; 1st  lieut.  Dec.  18, 1804;  capt.  June  27,  ISO.'.. 

George  Ketuer,  Potter;  killed  in  action  at  Winchester,  Va ,  Sept.  10, 
1864. 

William  P.  Shoop,  Harris;  pro.  to  sergt.  March  10,  1802 ;  disch.  by  rea- 
son of  disability  Feb.  7,  1803;  re-eutered  the  service  as  1st  lieut  of 
U.  S.  colored  troops. 

Jeremiah  C.  Brown,  Harris;  scrgt.;  Nov.  11, 1862;  disch.  on  cxpiratioa 
of  term  of  service,  Oct.  25, 1804. 

John  ¥'.  Woods,  Gregg;  disch.  Oct.  31, 1864. 

Jacob  McCoole,  Kergnstm;  reduced  to  private  at  his  own  request  Nov.  1, 
1861 ;  disch.  July  15, 1865. 

William  H.  H.  Musser,  Gregg;  wounded  at  Winchester  Sept.  10,  1864  ; 
disch.  Oct.  23,  1864. 

William  Youtz,  Potter;  killed  at  Spoltsylvaiiia  May  10,  1S04. 

Griffith  Lytlo,  Harris;  wounded  at  Kapi>alianiiock  Stalion  Sept. 7, 1801, 
at  Cold  Harbor  June  1,  1864;  discb    Oct.  23,1804. 

Jolm  Miller,  Harlis;  pro.  to  sergt.  Sept.  19,  1804;  disch.  July  15,  ISG.'i. 

Musician  James  F.Henderson,  Rock  Forge;  trans,  to  Invalid  Corps 
Sept.  30,  1863. 

Musician  James  H.  Henderson;  pro.  to  private  Nov.  1,  1862. 

William  Shafer,  Putter;  wagoner;  died  of  disease  St-pi,  4,  1802. 

PrivateFi. 
Albright,  Israel,  Potter;  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor  Juiiel,lSC4;  disch. 

Oct.  23,  1804. 
Albright,  John,  Potter,  to  Oct.  23,  1S04. 
Alters,  William,  Gregg;  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor  June  1, 1S04 ;  disch. 

Oct.  23,  1804. 
Ammerman,  Joseph,  Harris  ;  to  July  15, 1805. 
Armbruster,  Gottlieb,  Gregg ;  Aug.  31,  ISOl,  to  July  16,  1865. 
Benner,  Horatio  M.,  Potter;  killed  at  Hanover  Conrt-Hoiiee  May  10, 

1804. 
Benner,  John  D.,  Benner;  Jan.  30, 1802,  to  Jan.  30, 1S05. 
Boozer,  William  K.,  Potter;  d  scli.  Feb.  6,  IS63. 
Breon,  James  I.,  Gregg ;  died  of  disease  Dec.  15,  1862. 
Breyman,  Willliam,'Potter;  disch.  Jan.  17. 1863. 

Burkhcimer,  Jolm  E.,  taken   July  24,  1803,  near  White  Plains,  Va.  ;  ex- 
changed December,  1804;  disch.  Jan.  23, 1S65. 
Cain,  Calvin,  Gregg;  sergt.  March  4,1864;  killed  in  action  at  Sailor's 

Creek,  Va.,  April  6,  1865. 
Campbell,  David  S  ,  Harris;  disch.  Nov.  10, 1863. 
Campbell,  .losph  C,  Harris;  corp.  Oct.  23,1804;  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor 

June  1,  1S04;  disch.  July  16,  186S. 
Campbell.  William  F.,  Harris  ;  disch.  Aug.  1, 1862. 
Colyer,  William,  Harris ;  disch.  Nov.  29,'  1804. 
Corbin,  William,  Harris;  captured  on  picket  July  24,  1863  ;  died  at  An- 

dersonville,  Ga.,  Aug.  22, 1864,  grave  No.  6237. 
Crothwaite,  John  T.,  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor  June  1, 1S64;  disch   Oct. 

23, 1804. 
Ducy,  John  M.,  Harris;  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor  June  1. 1804  ;  pro.  to 

corp  Sept.  19, 1804  ;  died,  April  8, 1865,  in  field  hospital,  of  wounds 

received  at  Sailor's  Creek,  Va.,  April  0,  ISOo. 
Dunkle,  John  N.,  Gregg;  July  15, 1805. 
Dpgan,  James,  Han  is;  died  of  discise  at  .Mexaudria,  Va.,  Dec.  2,  1S62, 

grave  669. 


112 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Eclienrutli,  Cliafli'S,  Harris;  disch.  Foli.  C,  1803. 

Fulton,  John,  Hiuris;  killi'd  by  ciiUision  of  cars  Sept.  21, 1861. 

Cilbtrt,  DaviJ,  Uiirris;  niortiiljy  wounded  st  Williamsburg  May  5,1862; 

died  at  general  hospital,  I'liiladelphia,  May  10, 1862. 
Gilbert,  .liUnes,  Harris;  Oct.  23, 1804. 
Glenn,  Tbonnis,  Harris;  pro.  to  Corp.  Nov.  1, 1801 ;  died  at  Alexandria, 

Va,  Sept.  28,  1862. 
Harper,  Jolin  L.,  Poller;  Oct.  2:i,  1864. 

Ilcwcs,  William  P.,  Potter;  died  ill  llospital  at  Pliiladelpbia May  21,1862 
Hess,  Joseph  C, Potter;  wounded  on  picket  May  20,1864;  disch.  Dec.  8, 

1,'<64. 
Hoy,  Jolin  H  ,  Harris ;  disch.  July  27, 1804,  for  disability. 
Johnston,  HngliT.,  Spring  ;sergt.  March  4,  1804;  2d  lieut.  Dec.  17,1804; 

1st  lient.  Jniie  20,1805;  must,  out  July  15,1805. 
Kaup,  William,  Harris;  Oct.  23, 1804. 

Kennelly,  Jiinies,  Gregg;  disch.  Oct.  22, 1802,  for  disability. 
Kuarr,  Levi  P.,  Gregg;  disch.  Feb.  20,  1803,  for  disability. 
Koon,  Peter,  lliirns;  disch.  Sept.  18,  1802,  for  disability. 
Lauver,  Charles,  Potter;  disch.  .Ian.  31,  1SC3,  for  disability. 
Lauver,  Henry  E.,  Potter;  di«li.  Oct.  23,  1804. 
Liclily,  William,  Potter;  disch.  Oct.  23, 1864. 
Lo\vry,Joseiih,  Beuuer;  disch.  Oct.  23,1804. 

Lowry,  Lot,  Benner ;  died  in  general  hospital  of  disease  Dee.  15. 1862. 
Mclllialton,  William,  Harris;  disch.  Oct.  26,  1862,  for  disability. 
Mayes,  Thomas  C, Harris;  disch.  Oct.  23,  1804. 

Mussel,  John,  Penn  ;  killed  on  picket  June  16, 1802,  near  Richmond,  Va. 
Orr,  Lut,  Poller;  died  of  diseiise  Aug.  21, 1802. 

Parker,  Daniel  S.,  lienner;  killed  iu  collision  of  cars  Sept.  21,  1801. 
I'allen,  James  A.,  Harris;  disch.  Oct.  2i,  1864. 
r.ayniond,  tavid,  Pattou;  disch.  Juue  l.S,  1862,  for  disability, 
r.aymond,  Solomon,  Marion;  disch.  June  IS,  1802,  for  disabiliiy. 
llighter.J.imeB,  Harris. 
Scriber,  John  E.,  Harris. 
Shoilhill,  James,  Pattou;  disch.  Jan.  30, 1803. 
Smith,  Jaob,  Harris;  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor  June  1,1804;  disch.  July 

15, 1865. 
Taylor,  William  H.,  Potter;  to  Oct.  23, 1804. 
Thompson,  George  W.,  Huston  ;  to  July  15,  1805. 
Toot,  Tlionnis,  Grejig;  July  15,  1866. 

Toner,  William  11,,  Harris:  disch,  Oct.  14, 1802;  disability. 
Wagner.  D.  F.,  liell.funle  ;  Oct.  23,  lt(,4. 
Wilson,  James,  Doalsburg;  died  Aug.  14,  1862,  of  disease. 
Wolf,  Frank  C,  Potter;  wounded  May  1,  1864  ;  disch.  Jan.  17,  1865. 
Working,  Samuel,  Potter;  Oct.  23,  1864. 
Yeager,  Andrew  J.,  Huston  ;  captured  May  26, 1804 ;  died  at  Anderson- 

ville,  Ga. 
Young,  Israel,  Harris;  March  25, 1802,  to  March  25,  1805. 

SOLDIERS  FR03I   CENTUE    COUNTY   IN   COMPANY  E,   FORTY- 
NINTH   PENNSYLVANIA. 
Barto,  Jacob,  Ilalf-JIoon.  Coil,  Samuel,  Ferguson. 

Frain,  Cliarles  D.,  Marion  ;  Sept.  1,  1801 :  pro.  to  coip.  May  12,  1804 ;  to 

sergt.  Nov.  30, 1804;  disch.  July  16, 1803. 
Fiavcl,  John,  Marion. 
Hai-dinglou,  L.,  Marion  ;  died  Jan.  IQ,  1803. 
Hoilacker,  James  M.,  Liberty;  Sept.  19, 1861,  to  April  21, 1802. 
Holmes,  John,  Marion. 

Kanp,  William,  Howard;  Aug.  31,  ISOl,  to  Oct.  23',  1804. 
Kliiig,  Abialiiim,  Jlarion.  Moyer,  John,  Huston. 

I'otter,  Israel,  Liberty. 

Richards,  John.  Marion  ;  Aug.  14, 1861,  to  1865. 
Ross,  John,  Bui  iiside.  Ross,  John,  Marion. 

Smith,  Homer  S,,  Jlarion  ;  Aug.  16, 1801,  to  Oct.  2:!,  1864. 
Smith,  JolLii  11,,  million.  Snyder,  Stephen,  Taylor. 

Transire,  .Slepln  ii,  .'Maiion;  Aug.  21,1861;  pro.  from  sergt.-mnj.  April 

7,  l.-^OO,  to  1st  lient.;  April  20, 1866. 
Wakefield,  W.  H  ,  Jlai  ion  ;  pro.  Iroiu  1st  lieut.  to  capt,  Aug.  12, 1S62 ;  to 

luaj.  June  15,  1864;  to  col,  Juue  14,  1866. 
Walkins,  William,  Marion;  Aug.  14,  1801,  to  July  16,1805. 
Wenig,  Calvin  J,,  Marion;  Aug.  14,  1801,  to  July  16,  1805. 
Wilson,  Oliver  P  ,  Walker.  Wirlh,  Jacob,  Sliles. 

Wolf,  Gideon,  Marion;  Aug.  31, 1801,  to  Oct.  23,  1804. 
Walizer,  Andrew,  Jlarion;  Aug.  10,  1801,  to  July  15,1805. 
OFFICERS  AND   SOLDIERS   FRO.M   CENTRE  COUNTY  IN  THE 
FIFTY-FIRST  PENNSYLVANIA  REGIMENT. 
Col.  Johu  F.  Harllanft. 
Date  of  uiuslcr,  Oct.  17,  1861. 


Field  mid  Slnjf  OJicers. 
Curtin  B,  Stoneroad,  sergt.-maj.;  pro.  to  2d  lieut.  Co.  G,  June  25,1864. 
Daniel  P.  Bible,  adjt. ;  res.  June  5, 1862. 

Company  G. 
Austin  B.  Snyder,  Bellefonto,  capt. ;  res.  Feb.  12, 1802. 
William  H.  Blair,  Bellefonte,  capt.;  pro.  from  1st  lieut.  to  capt. Feb.  12, 

1802;  10  col.  179th  Regt.  P.  V.  Doc.  19,  1802. 
John  R.  Gilliland,  Snow  Shoe,  capt.;  pro.  to  2d  lieut.  March  1,  1802;  to 

1st  lieut.  Jan.  11,  1863;  to  capt.  Juue  3,1864;  must,  out  Oct.  10, 

1804. 
George  B.  Campbell,  Union,  1st  lieut. ;  pro.  to  2d  lieut.  Jan.  II,  1863  ;  to 

1st  lieut.  Juue  6,  1804  ;  must,  out  Oct.  16, 1S04. 
Johu  Guusallns,  Snow  Shoe,  1st  lieut.;  pro.  to  2d  lieut.  Jan.  14, 1865;  to 

1st  lient.  Feb.  13, 1805;  must,  out  July  27,  1865;  veteran. 
Curtin  B.  Stoneroad,  Bellefonte,  2d  lieut.;  pro.  from  sergt. -niHJ.  to  2il 

lient.  June  26,  1804;  to  capt.  Oct.  20, 1864  ;  disch.  Dec.  31,  1804,  for 

wounrls  received  in  action  Aug.  19,  1804. 
George  Decker,  Walker,  2d  lieut.;  pro.  to  2d  lieut.  Feb.  13, 1S65;  must. 

out  July27, 1S65;  veteran. 
Edward  Shannon,  Union,  sergt.;  must,  out  with  company  July  27,1865. 
David  Touts,  Penn,  sergt. ;  must,  ont  with  company  July  27,  1866. 
D.  C.  Aninierman,  Union,  sergt.;  pro.  from  Corp.  to  sergt.  March  9, 1805  ; 

must,  out  July  27, 1865. 
Joseph  A.  Clark,  Burnsidc,  sergt.;  must,  out  Oct.  10, 1864. 
Louis  Cartinjoel,  Benner,  sergt. ;  pi'o.  to  q.m.-seigt.  March  9, 1805. 
Joseph  J.  Peter,  Union,  sergt, ;  died  at  Bellefonte,  Pn.,  April  6,  1805. 
Adam  Grassmire,  Spring,  sergt.;  disch. 
Josepli  H.  Ammeiman,  Unionville,  Corp.;  to  July  27,  1865. 
John  F.  Bower,  Burnside,  corp. ;  Feb.  29,  1804,  to  July  27,  1865. 
Jacob  Casher,  Beuuer,  Corp. ;  pro.  to  corp.  March  8, 1S05;  must,  out  July 

27,  1806. 
Robert  Hinton,Snow  Shoe,  Corp.;  pro.  to  corp.  March  9,1806;  must,  out 

July  27,1866;  veteran. 
John  E.  Wilt,  Gregg,  corp  ;  killed  at  Wilderness  May  6, 1864;  veteran. 
James  Howling,  Bellefonte,  Corp.;  killed  at  Antietam  Sept.  17, 1802. 
Hezekiah  Dixson,  Bellefonte,  Corp.;  disch.  on  >uig.  cert. 
James  Holmes,  Marion,  Corp.;  disch. on  surg.  cert. 
James  Elder,  Marion,  Corp.;  to  Oct.  \0,  1804. 

rrU-(i(es. 

Aninierman,  Thomas,  Union  ;  to  Oct.  10,  1804. 

Allen,  William,  Ferguson. 

Aninierman,  John  E.,  Boggs;  died  at  Covington,  Ky. 

AUard,  John,  Bellefonte;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps. 

Bowes,  Levi,  Burnside  ;  to  July  27, 1865. 

Beightol,  Jacob  S,  Beuner;  to  Oct.  10,1804. 

Bruce,  James,  Boggs;  disch.  Nov.  28,  1804. 

Beightol,  James, Snow  Shoe;  died  at  Snow  Shoe. 

Baird,  Tlieophilus,  Ualf-Moou;  discli.  for  wounds  received  at  Camden, 
N.C. . 

Bowes,  Rulland,  Burnside  ;  disch.  September,  1802. 

Cox,  George,  Spring  ;  Oct.  16, 1804,  to  180.5. 

Carson,  Frederick-,  Snow  Shoe;  Sept.  2',l,  1804;  drafted  to  Juno  1, 1806. 

Cramer,  Henry,  Oct.  10, 1801;  died  in  Centre  Co.,  Pa.,  March  10,  1804. 

Callalian,  Charles,  Walker;  Oct.  17,  1801;  trans,  to  2d  U.  S. 

Dillon,  Miles,  Uniouville;  Oct.  17,  1801;  killed  at  Autietum,  Sept.  17, 
1802. 

Deckmun,  Daniel,  Spring ;  Oct.  17, 1801 ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Kes.  Corps. 

Dowling,  Edward,  Bellefonte;  Oct.  17, 1861 ;  iliscli,  on  surg.  cert. 

Dolan,  James,  Ilellefonte;  Oct.  17, 1801;  disch  for  Wounds  received  at 
Newberne  Feb.  8,  1802. 

Derstine,  John  F.,  Oct.  17, 1801,  to  Oct.  10, 1864. 

Ettcrs,  B.  F.,  Burnside  ;  Feb.  20,  1804 ;  died  May  24, 1804  ;  buried  iu  Na- 
tional Cemetery,  Ailington,  Va. 

Felzer,  Andrew,  Boggs:  drafted  Sept.  27,  1804,  to  June  1, 1866. 

Fie,  Joliu,  Burnside ;  Feb.  29, 1864,  to  July  27,  1866. 

Frieze,  Daniel,  Snow  Shoe  ;  Oct.  17,  1861,  to  Oct.  10, 1804. 

Force,  David,  Burnside;  disch.  1862. 

Frazier,  Archy,  Burnside ;  died  at  Beaufort,  S.  C,  1802. 

Fisher,  Jolin  J.,  Union ;  trans,  to  2d  U.  S.  Cav.  Oct.  22, 1802  ;  died  March 
14,  1S0:1,  at  Washington,  D.  C. 

Ganimo,  James,  Boggs ;  Oct.  17, 1861 ;  drowned  1862. 

Ilollabaugh,  K.  C,  Benner;  to  Juno  1, 1S66. 

Heiuel,  John,  Walker;  to  Juue  1,  1866. 

Hall,  William  P.,  Union.  Hall,  Andrew,  Union. 

Hollabaugh,  John  ;  drafted  Sept.  27,  1864,  to  Juue,  1805. 


FORTY-FIFTH   PENNSYLVANIA  REGIMENT. 


113 


nooTan,  John  H.,  Uniouvillo.  Irwin,  Thomas,  BurnsiJe. 

Jolineton,  Barnlinrt,  Bellffontp ;  diach. 
King,  Jnnips  K.,  Murcli  20,  1804,  to  July  27,  18C8. 
King',  Abniliam  B..  March  29, 1864,  to  Jnl.v  27, 1805. 
Katon,  Jamos  F.,  Unlonville  ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Kes.  Corps. 
'Katon.  Wesley,  llnionvillo;  died  Sept.  23, 1802:  buried  in  Military  Asy 

luni  Cemetery,  D.  C. 
Kearnes,  John,  Bellefonte;  rtisch.        Kearnes,  Martin,  Spring;  disch. 
Killinger,  Samuel,  Bellefonte ;  trans,  to  2d  C.  S.  Cuv. 
Lucas,  Jauies  G.,  Bnrnside  ;  Oct.  16, 1801. 
Loeb,  Marx  A.,  Bellefonte. 

Lucas,  Jesse  G.,  Snow  Shoe;  trans,  to  Vet.  Kes.  Corps. 
Meisse,  George,  Spring;  to  Oct.  10, 1804. 
Moore,  William,  Spring;  disch. 

Morrison,  Calvin  S.,  Unionville;  died  at  Covington,  Ky. 
Miller,  John,  Spring;  discli.  for  wounds  received  at  Bull  Kun. 
McCafferty,  Thomas,  Bellefonte;  to  July  27,  IJ-OS. 

Noll,  John  S.,  Sept.  29,  1804  ;  drafted  ;  disch.  June  1, 1805.  i 

Fletcher,  Uenry,  Sept.  28, 1804;  drafted;  disc.h.  Jdne  1,  180.5. 
Poorman,  Wilson,  Snow  Shoe;  Sept.  27,  1804;  drafted;  disch.  June  1, 

1805.  ' 

roorman,  James,  Snow  Shoe;  Sept.  27, 1804  ;  drafted  ;  to  June  1,  I860. 
Powers,  Patrick,  Bellefonte;  disch.  April  24, 1804;  veteran. 
Powers,  James,  Bellefonte ;  disch.  for  wounds  received  at  Camden,  N.  C, 

April  19,  1802. 
Rogers,  George  W.,  Spring ;  Oct.  16, 1804. 
Eapp,  Jacol>,  Burnside;  tians.  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps. 
Resides,  William,  Benuer ;  disch,  for  wounds  received  at  Fredericksburg, 

Dec.  13, 1862.1 
Roan,  Henry  A.,  died  at  Covington,  Ky.,  1863. 
Sliowers,  Daniel,  Walker;  trans,  to  2d  U.  S.  Cav. 
Search,  William,  Walker ;  trans,  to  2d  U.  S.  Cav. 
Scolt,  James  A.,  Snow  Shoe ;  trans,  to  2d  U.  S.  Cav. 
Troy,  Jeremiah,  Half-Moon  ;  Sept.  3, 1803 ;  died  Aug.  1, 1804,  of  wounds 
received  at  Petersburg ;  buried  in  9tli  A.C.  Cem.,  Sleade  Station,  Va. 
Troy,  John,  Ualf-Moon  ;  Feb.  23,  1804;  died  at  Hanisburg,  Pa.,  March 

21,1804. 
Troy,  Samuel,  Half  Moon;  died. 
WUsou,  William  P.,  Unionville;  to  Oct.  18,  1804. 
Watson,  William,  Burns  de;  disch.  by  special  order. 
Wbippo,  Newton.  Union  ;  1801 ;  disch.  on  snrg.  cert. 
Wenrick,  William,  Gregg;  killed  at  Antietam  Sept.  17, 1802. 
Watson,  Jackson,  Buruside  ;  1801 ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps. 
Wylands,  Lewis  A.,  Bellefonte;  died. 

Youu",  William,  Walker;  disch.  for  wonnds  received  at  Antietam  Sept. 
17,'  1802 ;  rc-enl.  Nov.  16, 1S03 ;  killed  at  Petersburg  June  18, 1804. 


CoMP 


x»  A. 


CHAPTER    XLVII. 

FORTT-FIFTII   PENNSYLVANIA   REGIMENT. 
Field  and  Staff  Officers  feom  Centre  Cou.vtt. 


John  I.  Cnrtin,  col.  April  13,  1803;  lieut.-col.  Sept.  14, 1802;  brev.  brig.- 

gen.  Oct.  12, 1804. 
James  A.  Beaver,  lieut. ;  pro.  to  col.  of  USth  Begt.  Sept  12, 1862. 
Theodore  Gregg,  lieut.-coI.;  pro.  from  Ciipt.  of  Co.  F  Sept.  23, 1804;  pris- 

oner  Sept.  30, 1804,  to  February,  1863. 
George  L.  Potter,  surgeon  ;  res.  Aug.  1,  1803. 
Theodore  S.  Christ,  surgeon;  pro.  from  asst.  Aug.  4, 1862. 
Rev.  William  J.  Gibson,  chaplain,  Oct.  1, 1861;  res.  Jan.  1, 1804. 
Harvey  H.  Beiiner,  sergt.-maj.  Nov.  1, 1801. 
Jacob  Meese,  sergt.-maj .  Dec.  22, 1804. 
II.  S.  Thompson,  sergt.-maj   Feb.  8, 1805. 
Amos  Mullen,  q.m.-sergt.  Oct.  21, 1801 ;  prisoner  Dec.  14, 1663,  to  Nov, 

19,  1804. 
Charles  Cook,  q.m.-sergt.  May  21, 1805. 
W  G  Hunter,  ho.'spltal  steward,  Nov.  20, 1861. 
Job.  R.  Strickland,  musician,  Sept.  15,  1861,  to  Sept.  27,  1862. 
J.  H.  Myers,  Bellefonte,  sutler. 


John  I.  Cnrtin,  rapt.;  pro.  to  maj.  July  30, 1802. 

William  W.  Tyson,  Spring  township,  cnpt.;  pro.  to  2d  llcut.  Dec.2, 1801  ; 
to  1st  lieut.  Aug.  17, 1802;  to  capl.  Sept.  25, 1802 ;  mint,  out  Oct.  2W, 
1802. 
Rowland  C.  Cheeseman,  Bogirs,  capl.;  pro.  to  lit  sergt.  Sept. 25, 1802;  to 
2d  lieut.  March  18,1803;  to  capt.  Co.  F  Sept.  29,  1864;  wounded  «t 
Blue  Springs,  Ky.,  Oct.  10,  180:1,  and  at  Poler>burg,  V«.,  June  IS, 
1864 ;  wounded  and  prisoner  Sept.  ■',»,  1864  ;  trans,  from  Co.  F  March 
24,  1865 ;  wounded,  with  loss  of  right  leg,  at  1'elen.l.urg  April  2, 
1865;  brev.  maj   April  2,1805;  must,  out  July  17, 1865. 
Theodore  Gregg,  Boggs,  1st  lieut.;  pro.  to  adjt.  Oct.  2i,  1861. 
William  P.  Grove,  Howard,  Ist  lieut.;  pro.  from  2d  lieut.  Oct.  22. 1861 ; 
died  Sept.  22, 1802,  of  wounds  rec.  at  South  Mountain  Sept.  14, 18G2. 
Cornelius  W.  Harrald,  Bellefonte,  1st  lieut.;  pro.  from  1st  sergt.  to  2d 

lieut. ;  to  1st  lieut.  Sept.  25, 1802 ;  res.  Jan.  9, 1803. 
Waldo  C.  Vanvalin,  Unionville,  Ist  lieut. ;  pro.  10  1st  sergt.  Sept.  4, 1862 ; 
to  2d  lieut.  Sept.  25, 1802;  to  Ist  lieut.  March  18,  1S63;  must,  out 
July  17, 1805. 
Joseph  Funk,  Boggs,  2d  lieut,;  pro.  from  Ist  sergt.  Sept. 28, 1801;  must. 

out  July  17,1865. 
John  F.  Hollihan,  Harris,  1st  sergt.;  pro.  to  Ist  sergt.  March  1,1863; 

wounded  at  Petersburg  July  30, 1864;  must,  out  Oct.  20, 1804. 
John  Funk,  Howard,  1st  sergt.;  pro.  to  1st  sergt.  Oct.  10, 1804;  must. 

out  July  17,  1805. 
And.  J.  Goodfellow,  Boggs,  sergt.;  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor  June  3,1804; 

pro.  to  sergt.  Dec.  1,  1S64 ;  must  out  July  17, 1805. 
Thomas  Bathurst,  Boggs,  sergt. ;  pro.  to  sergt,  March  10,  1864;  must. 

out  July  17,  1865;  veteran. 
John  A.  Daley,  Cnrtin,  sergt.;  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor  June  3, 1804, 
and  at  Petersburg  Sept.  30, 1864;  pro.  to  sergt.  Oct.  1, 1861;  mnst. 
out  July  17,  1805. 
Matthew  Riddle,  sergt.;  pro.  to  corp.  Jan.  1,  1865;  to  sergt.  June  27. 

1805  ;  must,  out  July  17, 1805. 
Jacob  Meese,  Howard,  sergt.;  pro.  from  corp.  to  sergt.  March  23, 1804  ; 

to  sergt.-maj.  Dec.  22,1804. 
George  W.  Young,  Bellefonte,  sergt. ;  pro.  to  sergt.  Sept.  18, 1802 ;  trans. 

to  61h  U.  S.  Cav.  Oct.  22,  1802. 
Theophilns  Lucas;  pro.  to  sergt.  Jan.  1, 1865;  must,  out  July  17, 1805. 
Thomas  Craft,  Corp. ;  March  4, 1862 ;  mnst.  out  July  17, 1865. 
Theodore  Shirk,  Boggs,  Corp.;  wounded  at  Antietam  Sept.  17, 1862,  and 
at  Poplar  Spring  Church,  Va.,  Sept.  30,  1864  ;  must  out  July  17, 
1803. 
Tlieo.  G.  Leathers,  Howard,  corp. ;  must,  out  July  17, 1805. 
George  I,  Ferree,  Corp. ;  prisoner  from  Sept  30, 1804,  to  March  9, 1805; 

must,  out  July  17,  1865. 
David  Williams,  corp. ;  prisoner  from  July  30  to  Aug.  11, 1804;  must. 

out  July  17,1805. 
Philip  Stout,  prisoner  from  Sept.  30,  1804,  to  April  25, 1805 ;  must,  out 

July  17,  1805. 
Lewis  C.  Bullock,  Huston,  Corp.;  must  out  Oct  20. 1804. 
Frank  Ho"-an,  Howard,  Corp.;  must,  out  Oct.  20, 1804. 
George  W°Lo'ng,  Howard,  corp.;  woui.de.l  at  Blue  Springs, Ky., Oct.  10, 

1803:  disch.  on  surg!  certif.  Oct.  4,  1804. 
Daniel  Hannah,  Boggs,  corp.;  disch.  on  surg.  certificate  July  27,1804. 
George    Eminhizer,    Boggs,    Corp.;    Aug.  15,  1802;    wounded  at  Bine 

Springs,  Ky.,  Oct,  10,  1803  ;  disch,  by  G.  0.  June  7,  1805. 
diaries  Cook,  Howard,  Corp. ;  pro.  to  com  -sergt.  May  21, 1S05. 
Andrew  P.  Grove,  Howard,  corp. ;  captured  ;  died  at  Andersonville  Nov. 

1,  1804. 
John  H.  Crock,  Howard,  corp  ;   captured  Dec,  18, 1803;  died  at  Audei- 

Bonville  Aug,  1, 1804;  grave  4512, 

Abraham  Eminhizer,  Boggs,  corp,;  died  June  11,1804,  of  wounds  re- 
ceived at  Cold  Harbor,  Va,,  June  3, 1804  ;  buried  in  National  Cem- 
etery, Arlington. 

John  Whiteman,  Howard,  musician  ;  must,  out  July  17, 1805. 

Falkin  B.  Williams,  Huston,  musician  ;  wounded  at  Antietam  Sept.  17, 
1802;  at  Blue  Springs,  Ky.,  Oct.  10, 1803;  auJ  at  Petersburg  Juue 
17, 1804 ;  must,  out  July  17, 1865. 


1  William  Besides  was  the  first  man  who  crossed  the  bridge  at  Antie- 
tam. He  lost  his  left  arm,  and  was  wounded  In  the  leg  at  Fredericks- 
burg. 

8 


Piivales. 
Beck,  David  M,,  Howard ;  Aug.  10, 1861 ;  must,  out  July  17, 1SG5. 
Botoff,  Benjamin  B.,  Howard  ;    Feb.  21, 1864;   prisoner  from  Sept.  30, 

1864,  to  March  9,  1805 ;  must,  out  July  17,  1803. 
Baker,  Chalks  J,,Uow.ird;  died  S' pt,  27,  1 802,  of  wounds  received  at 

Auliotam  Sept,  17,  1802, 


114 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Bailey,  DaviJ  M.,  trann.  to  eili  U.  S.  Cav.  Nov.  1, 1864. 

liodle,  James,  died  April  10, 18G4,  nt  Aunapolis. 

Buyer,  Abraliara,  Curtin;  captured  Sept.  30,  1804;  died  at  Salisljury, 

N.  C,  Nov.  1,  1804. 
Boyer,  Jacob,  Ciutiii ;  discli.  April  2.5, 1802. 
Brittori,  Daniel  F.,  discli.  March  17,  1803. 
Coiiley,  Jesse,  Spring;  trans,  to  Vet.Bes.  Corps  Oct.  11, 1803. 
Crock,  Aaron,  must,  out  July  17, 1805. 

Crock,  Emauuel,  Howard;  died  at  Beverly,  N.  J.,  Oct.  3, 1804 ;  veteran. 
Coyle,  Porter,  captured  Dec.  18,  18C3  ;  died  at  Andersouville,  Ga.,  Nov. 

4,  1804;  burial  record  April  9,  1804;  grave  445. 
Campbell,  Jacob,  lioggs;  killed  at  South  Mountaiu  Sept.  14,  1802;  buried 

in  National  Cemetery,  Antietam;  section  20,  lot  C,  grave  301. 
Cline,  Joseph  J.,  Huston;  trans,  to  Otli  U.  S.  Cavalry. 
Campbell,  Thomas,  Boggs;  disch.  Dec.  3,  1802. 
Duhaas,  .lames,  March  13,  1802;  wounded   at   'Wilderness  May  0,1804; 

absent  in  hospital  at  muster  out. 
Daughenbangh,  1!.,  disch.  Keb.  14, 1803;  re.-enl.  March  10,1804;  mus- 
tered out  with  company  July  17, 1805. 
Dehaas,  Thomas,  disch.  March  1, 1803. 

DriebelWs,  Peter,  March  12,  1802;  trans,  to  Cth  U.  S.  Cav.  Oct.  27, 1802. 
Dreibelbis,  Stephen,  March  1,  ise2;  died  of  wounds  received  at  South 

Mountain  Sept.  14, 1802. 
Evy,  Jeremiah,  Benner;  died  at  Crab  Orchard,  Ky.,  Nov.  8, 1803. 
Kcliley,  William  L.,Burnside;  Sept  10,  1801 ;  dischaiged,  date  unknown. 
Elian,  William  II.,  Gregg;  died  at  Fort  Seward,  S.  C,  Dec.  14, 1801. 
Funk,  William,  Howard  ;  killed  at  South  Mountain  Sept.  14,  1802. 
Fravel,  Jeremiah,  Pattou  ;  disch.  Fob.  10,  1803. 
Funk,  George  W.,  Howard  ;  disch.  April  22, 1802. 
Falty,  Jacob,  Boggs;  must,  out  July  17,  1805;  veteran. 
Flack,  William,  Howard  ;  must,  out  Oct.  20, 1804. 
Glenn,  James  H.,  Benncf;  killed  at  South  Mountain  Sept.  14,  1802. 
Gill,  George  W.,  Huston  ;  must,  out  Oct.  20,  1804. 
Glenn,  Martin  L.,  Benner;  killed  at  Wilderness  May  6, 18C4. 
Hulier,  Noah  N.,  Spring  ;  trans,  to  Otli  U.  S.  Cavalry  Oct.  27, 1802. 
Hunter,  George  F.,  Boggn;  must,  out  Oct.  20, 1804. 
Haines,  Eudolpli,  disch.  May  18,  1805. 
Heveily,  John,  Harris;  must,  out  Oct.  20, 18C4. 
Haines,  James  P.,  Howard  ;  must,  out  Oct.  20,1804. 
Hart?ock,  William  A.,  Huston  ;  disch.  Nov.  21, 1802. 
Haines,  John,  Liberty  ;  disch.  Dec.  20, 1802. 

Holier,  Belij.  F.,  Howard ;  trans,  to  Vet.  lies.  Corps  Oct.  11,  1803. 
lU-nJeisholt,  David,  Spring;  died  at  Mildred,  Miss,,  July  31,  1863. 
Hoover,  Israel,  wounded  at  AntieUini  Sept.  17, 1802  ;  must,  out  July  17, 

1805;  veteran. 
Jidinsnii,  Charles,  Boggs;  killed  at  Petersburg  July  30, 1864;  veteran. 
Knoll,  Iia  C,  Howard;  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor  Juno  7, 1854;  trans,  to 

Vet,  lies.  Corps  Feb.  25,  1805. 
Knoll,  Discordus,  Howard  ;  murdered  by  a  citizen  at  New  London,  Ky., 

Nov.  1,1803. 
Lucas,  John  M,,  Feb.  22, 1864;  W(mndcd  at  Spottsjivauia  Court-Houso 

May  12,  1804;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps. 
Lucas  James  J.,  Boggs ;  disch.  Dec.  2.3, 1802. 
Leathers,  William  T.,  trans,  to  Olh  U.S.  Cavalry  Nov.  1,  1864. 
Leathers.  Theodore,  must,  out  July  17,  1805. 
Long,  John,  Dec  24, 1801  ;  disch.  Sept.  24, 1862. 
Jliissor,  Benjamin  F.,  Boggs. 

Miller,  Jacob  V.,  Spring;  killed  at  South  Mountain  Sept.  14,  1802. 
MehalTey,  Michael  P  ,  Howard  ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Bes.  Corps  Oct.  11,  1863. 
JIalligan,  James,  Howard  ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Oct.  11,  1803. 
Miller,  John,  Bellefonte;  Feb.  17, 1802;  trans,  to  Olh  U.S.  Cavalry,  Oct. 

27,1863. 
Moore,  John,  March  13, 1802;  disch:  on  surg.  certif.  Juno  1,  1803. 
Moore,  George,  JIarch  13,  1802 ;  killed  at  North  Anna  May  27,  1804 ; 

veteran. 
Martin,  Daniel, Boggs;  died  May  10,  1804. 
McElhoe,  George  W.,  Buggs;  disch.  April  22,1802. 
McMullen,  William  P.,  Boggs;  must,  out  Oct.  2U,  1804. 
McElhoe,  Calvin,  Feb.  11, 1804;  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor  June  3,1864; 

disch.  July  12,  1803. 
Pifer,  George  D.,  trans,  to  Co.  I,  53d  Kegt.  P.  V.,  Oct.  10, 1861. 
Peoples,  Wdliam  W.,  must,  out  Oct.  20, 1864. 
Peace,  Jai ins, Feb.  11, 1864;  wounded  at  Petersburg  June  11, 1864;  disch. 

on  surg.  certif.  May  7,  1865. 
Eobison,  Thomas,  disch.  Oct.  27, 1802. 
Eeeder,  William,  Boggs:  died  of  wounds  received  at  South  Mountain 

Sept.  14,  1802. 


Rossman,  William,  Boggs ;  must,  out  July  17, 1865. 

Riley,  John,  discharged. 

Ryan,  Edward,  Howard ;  trans,  to  6th  ¥.  S.  Cav.  Oct.  27, 1862. 

Rupert,  Kline  Q.,  Feb.  20,  1864;  must,  out  July  17,  1805. 

Sailor,  Harland,  trans,  to  U.  S.  Telegraph  Corps,  1862. 

Saire,  Andrew  C,  must,  out  Oct.  20,  1864. 

Stone,  Joseph  G.,  Spring;  disch.  Nov.  14,  1861. 

Smith,  Augustus  B.,  Howard  ;  must,  out  Oct.  20, 1804. 

Strunk,  James  11 ,  Howard  ;  killed  at  South  Mountain  Sept.  14, 1862. 

Sbawley,  David  H.,  Boggs  ;  Aug.  15,  1802  ;  died  Feb.  20,  1865 ;  buried  at 

Alexandria,  Va.,  grave  3010. 
Strickland,  Ross  J.,  Howard  ;  May  31, 1864';  captured  July  30, 1864;  died 

May  3,  1805,  at  Baltimore. 
Taylor,  William  W.,  Boggs;  disch.  Dec.  21, 1802. 

Taylor,  Thomas,  Boggs ;  wounded  at  Antietam  Sept.  17, 1802  ;  discharged. 
Tate,  Wesley  V.,  Feb.  17,  1804;  wounded  at  Wilderness  May  0,  1804; 

must,  out  July  17, 1805. 
Vantilberg,  Irvin  Q.,  Aug.  0, 1801;  trans,  to  Veteran  Eefiorve. 
Walker,  M.  A.,  Boggs ;  died  Jan.  10,  1803. 
Walker,  Michael,  Boggs;  died  of  wounds  received  at  South  Mountain 

Sept.  14,  1862. 
Wheeler,  Samuel,  Boggs;  must,  out  July  9,  1805. 
Wilson,  John  A.,  Spring. 
Whiteman,  Ross,  Howard  ;  prisoner  from  Nov.  18, 1803,  to  April  17, 1804; 

must,  out  Nov.  1,  1804. 
White,  John  B.,  Howard;  discharged;  re-enl.  Feb.l2, 1864;  must,  out 

July  17,  1865. 
Watson,  Levi  U.,  Boggs;  disch.  Dec.  21, 1862. 
Williams,  John,  March  3,  1864  ;  disch.  June  30,  1865. 
Williams,  Thomas,  Nov.  7, 1804  ;  disch.  May  10, 1805. 
Williams,  Mesbach,  Feb.  27, 1864;  must,  out  July  17,  1865. 
Williams,  James  P.,  Feb.  27,  1864;  died  July  8, 1804. 
Young,  George  W.,  Spring  ;  wounded  at  South  Mountain  Sept.  14, 1862  ; 

must,  out  July  17, 1805. 
Tarnell,  Reuben,  Boggs,  Aug.  10, 1801;  died  of  wounds  received  at  South 

Mountain  Sept.  14,  1802. 


COMP 


D. 


Austin  Curlin,  Boggs,  capt;;  Aug.  IS,  1801;  must,  out  Oct.  20, 1804.     • 
Charles  T.  Fryberger,  Boggs,  capt. ;  Aug.  15, 1801 ;  pro.  from  1st  sergt. 

to  1st  lieut.  Nov.  24, 1804 ;  to  capt.  Dec.  19, 1864  ;  must,  out  July  17, 

1805. 
James  P.  Gregg,  Milesburg,  1st  lieut. ;  Aug.  16,  1861 ;  killed  at  Poplar 

Spring  Church,  Va.,  Sept.  30,  1804. 
E.  R.  Goodfellow,  Boggs,  2d  lieut.;  Aug.  15, 1861 ;  killed  at  Wilderness 

May  0,  18S4. 
Joseph  L.  Hiuton,2d  lieut.;  Dec.  2, 1861 ;  pro.  from  1st  sergt.  to  2d  lieut. 

May  20, 1865;  must,  out  July  17, 1805;  veteran. 
Andrew  T.  Boggs,  Milesburg,  1st  sergt.;  pro.  from  sergt.  to  1st  sergt. 

May  21,  1805;  must,  out  July  17, 1805. 
John  H.  Winters,  Miles,  sergt.;  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor  June  3,  1804; 

pro.  to  sergt.  Nov.  1, 1804;  must,  out  July  17, 1805;  veteran. 
Henry  S.  Krape,  Howard,  sergt. ;  captured  July  30,  1864;  pro.  to  sergt. 

May  1,  1805;  must,  out  July  17,  1805;  died  in  1876. 
Francis  E.  Shope,  Milesburg,  sergt. ;  prisoner  from  July  30, 1864,  to  Feb- 
ruary, 1865 ;  pro.  from  corp.  to  sergt.  May  1, 1865  ;  must,  out  July  17, 

1805;  veteran. 
John  B.  Gill,  Huston,  sergt. ;  Sept.  23, 1801 ;  must,  out  Oct.  20, 1864. 
Abiel  A.  Yarrington,  Snow  Shoe,  sergt.;  March  25,  1862;  must,  out 

March  25, 180.">. 
Frederick  Glossner,  Liberty,  sergt.;  Sept.  23,1861;  died  July  23,1864, 

of  wounds  received  in  action  July  8, 1804 ;  buried  at  Philadelphia. 
James  L.  Yarnell,  corp. ;  March  7, 1804 ;  pro.  to  Corp.  Jan.  1, 1805 ;  must. 

out  July  17, 1865. 
William  W.  Wetsler,  Milesburg,  corp.;  Feb.  14,  1862;  prisoner  from 

Sept.  30,  1864,  to  January,  1865 ;  pro.  to  Corp.  May  1, 1805  ;  must,  out 

July  17, 1865. 
John  S.  Fox,  Corp.;  Feb.  27, 1804;  pro.  to  Corp.  Jan.  1,  1805;  must,  out 

July  17,1805. 
Wilti^im  T..  Closes,  Milesburg,  Corp.;  Sept.  15, 1801 ;  pro.  to  corp.  March 

1, 1865;  must,  out  July  17, 1805. 
John  H.  Bustellers,  Huston,  Corp. ;  Sept.  23, 1861 ;  pro.  to  Corp.  June  1, 

1805;  must,  out  July  17,1805. 
Harland,  Sailor,  corp. ;  Feb.  18, 1804 ;  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor,  June  3, 

1864;  pro.  to  Corp.  May  21,  1806. 
Michael  C.  Johnson,  Benner,  Corp.;  disch.  April  24,  1865,  for  wounds 

received  in  action. 


FORTY-FIFTH    PENNSYLVANIA    RKGIMENT. 


115 


Cliai'les  Tliiiton,  Bellefonte,  corp. ;  Jan.  25, 18G2;  prisoner  for  four  and 
one-half  niontlis;  must,  out  May  1,1805;  died  April  2, 1870,  aged 
Ihirty-six,  of  disease  contracted  in  the  service. 

John  McClain,  corp. ;  captured  ;  died  Nov.  15, 18G1,  at  Danville,  Vh. 

Suniuvl  Koop,  Ilalf-Moon,  Corp.;  Sept.  !.">,  1801 ;  captured  ;  died  Fob.  14, 
1805,  at  Salisbiiry,  N.  0. 

Laird  A.  Uartle.v,  Majion,  corp. ;  captured ;  died  Feb.  28,  1805,  at  Dan- 
ville, Va. 

James  U.  Kelso,  Huston,  Corp.;  died  March  21,  18C4. 


Adams,  John,  Huston ;  discli.  Sept.  30, 1803. 

Allen,  Albert,  Ferguson ;  disch.  Dec.  9,  1804,  wounds  received  at  Wil- 
derness. 
Blarm,  Cornelius,  Sprinc;  must,  out  Oct.  20, 1804. 
Batliurst.  Jolin  B.,  March  4, 1804 ;  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor  June  7, 1864. 
Brown,  William  II.,  Feb.  l.S,  1804;  must,  out  July  17, 1SG5. 

Beoll,  William,  Sept.  2,  1801;  must,  out  Oct.  20, 1804. 
Barger,  Jolin,  Boggs  ;  must,  out  Oct.  20,  1804. 

Bathurat,  William  IL,  Howard;  Feb.  10,  1804;  killed  at  Cold  Harbor 
June  3,  1804. 

Butler,  Harvey  W.,  Liberty. 

Blarm,  James,  Howard  ;  disch.  April  11, 1802. 

ISrowu,  Henry  W.,  Oct.  18,  ISCl ;  disch.  May  20, 1802. 

Brown,  Josepli  H.,  Howard  ;  Dec.  2,  1801 ;  disch.  Sept.  25, 1862. 

Baker,  John  R.,  Huston  ;  disch.  Nov.  1,  1802. 

Butler,  Reuben  V.,  Howard;  disch.  Jan.  2, 1803. 

Barnto,  Thomas,  Marion  ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Kes.  Corps  Nov.  18, 18G3. 

Cox,  Abraham,  must,  out  July  17, 1800. 

Cook,  Harvey  H.,  Feb.  13, 1864;  wounded  at  Wilderness  May  G,  1804. 

C.rok,  Samuel,  Bellefonte;  Oct.  8, 1801,  to  Oct.  20, 1804. 

Craig,  George,  Walker;  must,  out  Oct.  20,  1864. 

Conway,  Hugh,  killed  at  Petersburg  Jnne  27, 1804;  buried  in  9th  Army 
Coips  Cemetery,  Meade  Station,  Va. 

Careons,  George  W.,  Walker;  ilisch.  Sept.  25, 1862. 

Dranmiond,  Robert,  Aug.  20,  IKOl ;  must,  out  July  17, 1865. 

Davis,  Levi,  Bcllefoute ;  Sept,  15, 1801 ;  died  in  Washington  City  Novem- 
ber, 1801. 

Pi.land,  Jolin  W.,  Marion;  Sept.  15,1861 ;  disch.  June  6, 1865. 

Dehaas,  Philip,  Liberty ;  Oct.  8, 1861 ;  disch.  for  wounds  received  in  ac- 
tion. 

Evers,  Thomas,  Bellefonte;  must,  out  July  17, 1865. 

Eldridge,  James  H.,  Howard;  Dec.  2, 1861 ;  must,  out  July  17, 1805. 

Fckley,  William,  Feb.  20, 1804. 

Folk,  John,  Feb.  20,  1804;  wounded  at  Wilderness  May  6, 1804. 

Folk,  Henry,  Bellefonte;  wounded  at  Blue  Springs,  Ky.,  Aug.  10,  1803; 
must,  out  Oct.  20,  1864. 

Flick,  William  L.,  Uhion  ;  Sept.  15,  1801  ;  killed  at  Cold  Harbor  Juno  3, 
1804. 

Fulton,  James  A.,  Feb.  1.3, 1804;  killed  at  Cold  Harbor  June  3, 1804. 

Free,  Charles,  Feb.  25,  1864;  killed  at  Cold  Harbor  Jnno  3, 1864. 

Fellers,  Daniel,  Boggs;  discli.  Feb.  15, 1S02. 

Clossner,  Daniel,  Liberty;  must,  out  Oct.  20,  1S64. 

Galbraith,  William,  Boggs;  Nov.  1, 1862  ;  prisoner  from  Sept.  30,1804, 
to  Apr  I  1,  180.1 ;  disch.  Juno  5,  ISOo. 

GriHilh,  Bufus,  Feb.  25,1804;  disch.  June  23,  1805. 

Oardnei-,  J.  K.,  Howard ;  discli.  Sept.  25, 181,2. 

Garrett,  Charles  S.,  Walker;  Sept.  15, 1801  ;  disch.  Jan.  24, 1803. 

Clenu,  Chancey,  Boggs;  Feb.  14,  1802. 

Grant,  Azariah.  Liberty  ;  drowned  in  Chesapeake  Bay  Aug.  13, 1802. 

Hinton,  James  H.,  Feb.  25,  1864  ;  nmst.  out  July  17,  1860. 

Holter,  Henry  S.,  Feb.  13,  1804;  must,  out  July  17,  1805. 

Ilerr,  John  M.,  Worth  ;  wounded  at  Spottsylvaiiia  Court-House  May  14, 
1S04;  must,  out  Oct.  20, 1804. 

Ilartigan,  Michael,  Spring;  captured  Nov.  16, 1863 ;  must,  out  Feb.  8, 
1.S05. 

Ileberly,  Charles,  Feb.  23, 1804;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Jan.  10, 1805. 

Hunter,  William,  Potter;  Feb.  14,  1802;   killed  at  South  Mountain 
Sept.  14, 1802;  buried  iu  National  Cemetery,  Antietam,  sec.  26,  lot  | 
C,  grave  2'JO. 

Holt,  Norinan  T.,  Milcsburg;  Feb.  17,  1862;  died  Sept.  30,  1802,  of 
wounds  received  at  South  Mountain ;  Sept.  14,  1802,  buried  at 
Cypress  Hills  Cemetery,  L.  T. 

Kerr,  John  B.,  Unionville  :  must,  out  Oct.  20, 1804. 

Korchoff,  Frederick,  Curtin  ;  disch.  Jan.  31,  1803. 

Kunes,  William,  Liberty  ;  Sept.  15, 1801 ;  disch.  Jan.  31, 1803. 


Kunra,  Joseph,  Liberty;  Sept.  10,  1801  j  died  at  Pope'a  Plantalloii.g.C, 

May  10,1802. 
Kilniore,  John  W.,  died  at  Bay  Point,  S.  C,  Jan.  6, 1802. 
Logan,  Roddy,  Howard. 

Lucas,  Nelson  A.,  Walker;  Juno  13, 1803  ;  must,  out  July  17, 1805. 
Letterman,  Zacliariah,  March  4, 1864 ;  must,  out  July  17,  1805. 
Laird,  Jacob,  prisoner  from  Sept.  30,  1804,  to  Feb.  1,  1865;  must,  out 

July  17, 1863. 
Lucas,  .lohn  T.,  Walker;  wounded  at  Wilderness  May  0,  1804,  and  »t 

Petersburg  June  17,  1804  ;  inust.  out  Oct.  20,  1804. 
Lyons,  .lohn,  Jan.  1,  1802  ;  captured  ;  died  Dec.  31,  1S64,  at   Salisbury, 

N.C. 
Long,  Harrison,  Curtin  ;  disch.  on  surgeon ^8  certificate  Feb.  15, 1802. 
Lucas,  Samu'l,  Boggs;  Dec.  2, 1801 ;  died  Sept.  10, 1602;  buried  in  Mil- 
itary Asylum  Cemetery.  D  0. 
Lucas,  Robert,  Milesl.urg  :  disch.  Sept.  15,  1862. 
Miles,  Alfred,  Penn  ;  must,  out  July  17, 1865. 
Mayes,  Tlionias,  Sept,  2,  1801 ;  killed  at  Cold  Harbor  June  .3, 1801. 
Michaels,  Henry,  Potter  ;  captured;  died  at  Danville,  Va.,  Nov.  1, 1804. 
Mooie,  Alfred,  Sept.  2, 1801;  killed  at  Spoltsylvania  Courl-Honse  May 

12,  iSB4. 
Malone,  Daniel  B.,  Boggs;  discli.  May  20, 1802. 
Muffley,  Sidney  T,,  Bellefonte  ;  pro.  to  Ist  lieut.  and  adjt.  17811i  Regt. 

P.  V.  Dec.  2,  1802. 
McClain,  George  W.,  Feb.  29, 1804;  must,  out  July  17, 1865. 
McNichol,  Theodore,  March  8,  1864 ;  prisoner  from  July  30,  1S04,  to 

Jan.  1800;  nmst.  out  July  17, 1805. 
McGee,  Patrick,  Boggs;  Feb.  14,  1802;  prisoner  from  Sept.  30,  1S6I,  lo 

Jan.  3U,  1865 ;  must,  out  July  17, 1805. 
McCauley,  W.  C,  Miiesburg;  disch. 
McGinley,  John,, Miiesburg;  disch. 

McCanu,  Wm.  I.,  Bellefonte  ;  Sept.  15,  1861 ;  disch.  Dec.  D,  1803. 
McDonald,  John  I,,  Howard;  trans,  to  Vet,  Bes.  Coi-ps  Sept.],  180-3. 
O'Neil,  Daniel  W.,  Palton  ;  wounded  at  Petersburg  July  30,  1861 ;  must. 

out  July  17,  1805. 
Orner,  William,  Boggs;  disch.  Sept.  22,  1862,  for  wounds  received  at 

I'iiickney  Island,  S.  C. 
Parsons,  David  H.,  Oct.  12, 1801  ;  must,  out  July  17, 1805. 
Peck,  George  M.,  Feb.  24,  1804;  prisoner  from  Sept.  30, 1864,  to  Febru- 
ary, 1865. 
Fletcher,  Emanuel,  Liberty ;  wounded  at  Petersburg  July  30,  *  864 ;  must. 

out  Oct.  20,  1864. 
Richards,  Wm.  G.,  Uninnville;  Sept.  23, 1S6I,  to  July  17, 1865. 
Robinson,  James  H.,  Huston;  Sept.  13,  1862;  died  Feb.  27, 1S64,  while 

at  homo  on  furlough  ;  veteran. 
Reber,  Wm.  A.,  Howard;  prisoner;  died  at  Aiidersonville,  Ga,,  Feb,  28 

1805. 
Riddle,  Matthew,  Howard;  disch.  Dec.  17, 1802. 
Sward,  M'endall,  Sept.  2, 1861 ;  must,  out  July  17, 1805;  veteran. 
Slireffler,  John,  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor  July  3, 1804;  veteran. 
Sands,  Henry  L.,  Feb.  21,  18C4 ;  must,  out  July  17, 1865. 
Shewey,  Andrew,  Feb.  20,  18(i4;  must,  out  July  3,  1S65. 
Sehenck,  Daniel  W,,  Feb,  10,  1864;  must,  out  July  17, 1865. 
Swisher,  George,  Spring;  must,  out  Oct.  20, 1804. 
Sniitli,  Charles,  Bellefonte;  Sept.  2,1801 ;  disch.  Nov.  13, 1804,  for  wounds 

received  at  CoM  Harbiu-  June  3, 1804. 
Smith,  llonj.  F,,  Miiesburg;  must,  out  Oct.  20, 1804. 
Simonds,  George  ;  must,  tint  Oct  20,1804. 
Swaitz,  William,  Ciirtiu;  wounded  at  Wilderness  May  0,  1S64;  disch. 

June  22,  1805;  veteran. 
Strawcutter,  A.  J.,  Curliii ;  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor  June  3, 1S04 ;  disch. 

Feb.  28,  1865;  veteran. 
Stevenson,  Theo,,  Sept.  2,  1861;  killed  at  Poplar  Spring  Church,  Va,, 

Sept.  30,  1804;  veteran. 
Shirk,  James  A,,  Feb.  20, 1804 ;  prisoner  at  Cold  Harbor  June  4, 1804  ; 

died  at  Andersoliville,  Ga,,  Feb.  28,  1805. 
Strawcutter,  Daniel,  Curtin;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  Dec.  9   1801: 

buried  in  Military  Asylum  Cemetery. 
Sliffel,  John,  October,  1801 ;  died  at  Newport  News,  Va.,  Aug  9,  ISO.'. 
Spoils,  Philip  B,,  Patton,  Sept.  23,  1801 ;  died  Oct.  3,  1802,  of  wounds  le- 
ceived  at  Antietam  Sept.  17,  1862;  buried  in  National  Ccinolery, 
■     sec.  26,  lot  B,  grave  190. 
Thompson,  Nathan  I.,  Liberty ;  died  May  22,  1802. 
Tlioiniison,  John  D.,  Liberty  ;  disch.  on  snrg.  certif. 
Thomas,  Napoleon  B,  Miiesburg;  died  at  Seabrook,  S,  C,  March  2, 1802; 

bulled  at  Hilton  Head,  S  C. 
Weaver,  John  W.,  Feb.  20, 1864 ;  must,  out  July  17, 1SC5. 


116 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Williiims,  Thiiddeiis  S.,  Huston;  Oct.  1,  1861;  prisoner  from  Sept.  30, 

1804,  to  January,  1805  -.  discli.  by  G.  0.  June  21 ,  1865. 
Williams,  Edward,  Walker;  Oct.  1, 1861 :  wonnded  at  Spottsylvania  May 

16,  1804  ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Kcs.  Corps  Feb.  26, 1805  ;  veteran. 
Wilson,  Wellington  W.,  Potter;  Sept.  23,1861;  killed  in  action  Jnly  13, 

1864;  buried  in  9th  Army  Corps  Cemetery,  Meade  Station,  Va.; 

veteran. 
Wantz,  Amos,  Liberty  ;  captured  July  30, 1864;  died  at  Danville,  Va., 

Oct.  7, 1804. 
Waters,  Abrabam,  Feb.  29, 1804 ;  captured  June  12, 1804 ;  died  at  Ander- 

Bonville  Oct.  IS,  1804 ;  grave  11,108. 
Williams,  Mark,  Huston;  died  at  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  Dec.  21,  1863. 
Williams,  Lawrence,  Huston  ;  March  2, 1862. 
Wilson,  Henry,  Benner  ;  disch.  Jan.  12, 1863. 
Williams,  William  S.,  disch.  Feb.  21, 1863. 
Williams,  George,  Huston  ;  disch.  Jan.  31, 1863. 
Weaver,  William  A.,  Sept.  15,  1861;  captured;  died  at  Andcrsonville 

Feb.  28, 1805. 

Company  E. 

Henry  Stevens,  Ferguson,  capt.;  res.  Nov.  28, 1861. 

JohnO.  Campbell,  Ferguson;  pro.  from  lat  lieut.  to  capt.  Nov.  28,1861; 

died  May  7,  1804,  of  wounds  received  at  Wilderness  May  6,  IS64. 
John  Beck,  Half-Moon,  capt. ;  pro.  from  sergt.  to  1st  lieut.  Nov.  28, 

1861 ;  to  Ciipt.  May  7,  1864  ;  must,  out  July  17, 1865. 
Amos  W.  Haiper,  Ferguson,  1st  lieut.;  pro.  from  sergt.  to  1st  lieut. 

Nov.  24,  1804  ;  must,  out  July  17,  1805. 
John  Irvin,  Ferguson,  2d  lieut.;  disch.  Jan.  18,  1805,  for  wounds  re- 
ceived at  Spottsylvania  May  Is,  1864. 
Armstrong  S.  Bailey,  Fergus<m,  2d  lieut. ;  pro.  from  1st  sergt.  to  2d  lieut. 

April  22,  1805;  must,  out  July  17,  1865. 
William  H.  Musser,  Fer;;uson,  1st  sergt.;  pro.  to  sergt.  Nov.  25,  1864; 

to  1st  sergt.  May  1,  1865  ;  must,  out  July  17,  1866. 
Joseph  Bailey,  Ferguson,  sergt.;  pro.  from  Corp.  to  sergt.  June  1, 1804; 

must,  out  July  17, 1805. 
George  W.  Lower,  Ferguson,  sergt.;  pro.  to  sergt.  May  1,  1865;  must. 

out  Jnlyl7,  1805. 
AVilliam  Bell,  Ferguson,  sergt.;  pro.  to  sergeant  May  1,  1865;   must. 

out  July  17,1865. 
Henry  Irvin,  Ferguson,  sergt.;  pro.  from  corp.  to  sergt.  May  1, 1805; 

must,  out  July  17,  1805. 
William  S.  Koons,  Ferguson,  sergt. ;  killed  at  Poplar  Spring  Church,  Va., 

Sept.  30,  1864. 
William  H.  Poorman,  North  Worth,  corp. ;  must,  out  July  17, 1S05. 
Frederick  H.  Weston,  corp. ;  Feb.  29,  1864;  pro.  to  corp.  May  1,  1865; 

must,  out  July  17,  1805. 
Joseph  B.  Merriman,  Taylor,  corp.;  pro.  to  Corp.  May  1, 1865;  must,  out 

July  17, 1805. 
John  Giles,  Ferguson,  Corp.;  disch.  on  surgeon's  certificate  June  8, 1865. 
Homer  S.  Thompson,  Gregg,  Corp.;  pro.  to  sergt.-maj.  Feb.  8,  1805. 
John  Campbell,  Ferguson,  Corp. ;  killed  at  PitersUurg  July  30,  1804. 
Henry  Elleuberger,  Ferguson,  Corp.;  killed  at  Poplar  Spring  Church, 

Va.,  Sept.  30, 1864, 
William  Osman,  Ilalf-Moon,  musician ;  must,  out  July  17,  1865. 

Prtuales. 
Ameigb,  John,  Taylor;  Sept.  15,  ISOI  ;  disch.  Feb.  14,  1803. 
Bartol,  Henry,  Ferguson;  Sept.  15,  1801 ;  must,  out  July  17,1865. 
Batenian,  William  II,,  Ferguson  ;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  Juno  15, 

1864,  of  wounds  received  at  Cold  Harbor  June  7,  1864. 
Batliurst,  Antes,  June  12, 1863;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res. 
Bressler,  Henry,  Ferguson  ;  must,  out  Sept.  14, 1804. 
Biiteman,  Joseph  P.,  Half-Moon  ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  May  W,  1805. 
Bodle,  Samuel,  Ferguson ;  must,  out  Oct.  20,  1864. 
Bailey,  Isaac,  Ferguson  ;  discli.  on  surg.  ceitif  Feb.  16, 1862. 
Beck,  Jacob,  Half- Moon  ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  April  11, 1862. 
Bailey,  Alfred,  died  Nov.  24,  1801. 

Bell   John^  Ferguson  ;  killed  at  South  Mountain  Sept.  14, 1862. 
Bailey,  Uicharil,  died  Oct.  18, 1863,  of  wounds  received  at  Blue  Springs, 

Ky.,  Oct.  10,  1803. 
Bailey,  James  M.,  Ferguson;  Sept.  11, 1801 ;  died  at  Knoxville,  Tenn., 

Nov.  3, 1803. 
Cox,  Augustus  H.,  Ferguson;  Sept.  15,  1861;  must. out  Oct.  20, 1804. 
Campbell,  M'illiam,  Worth;  died  May  7,  1864,  of  wounds  received  at 

Wilderness  May  0, 1804. 
Cramer,  Samuel,  Ferguson;  Sept  15.1861;  died  July  0,  ISOl.of  wounds 

received  at  Cubl  Harbor  June  3,  1804. 
CaUorwood,  John,  Tajlur;  disch.  on  siirg.  ccvtif.  Nov.  18, 1802. 


Chronister,  Stewart,  Half-Moon;  drowned  April  16, 1862,  in  service  in 

South  Carolina. 
Chronister,  John  D.,  Half-Moon ;  died  Sept.  26, 1862,  of  wounds  received 

at  South  Mountain  Sept.  14, 1862 ;  buried  in  Nat.  Cem.,  Antietam, 

sec.  26,  lot  C,  grave  337. 
Ellenbarger,  William,  Ferguson ;   Sept.  15,  1861 ;  must,  out  July  17, 

1865. 
Eyer,  Samuel,  Ferguson ;  Sept.  15, 1861 ;  absent,  sick,  at  must.  out. 
Ellenbarger,  C,  Ferguson  ;  Sept.  15, 1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif. 
Fry,  William,  Boggs ;  Oct.  17,  1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  April  24, 1864. 
Fry,  William  H.,  Ferguson. 
Funk,  Henry  P.,  Half-Moon;  Sept.  15,  1801;  died  Nov.  20,  1863,  of 

wounds  received  in  action  Nov.  10, 1803 ;  buried  at  Knoxville,  Tenn., 

grave  58. 
Goldman,  Noah  S.,  Ferguson;  Sept.  15, 1801;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Nov. 

12,  1802. 
Gates,  Caleb,  Ferguson  ;  Sept.  16, 1861 ;  died  Dec.  6,  1863,  of  wounds  re- 
ceived at  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  Nov.  27,  1863. 
Herbeling,  John  G.,  Ferguson  ;  Sept.  15,  1861. 

Harper,  Amos  K.,  Ferguson  ;  Fob.  29,  1804 ;  must,  out  July  17,  1805. 
Haldeman,  Reuben,  Fergu.?on  ;  Sept.  15, 1801 ;  killed  at  Wilderness  May 

0, 1804  ;  buried  in  Wilderness  burial-grounds. 
Hunter,  William,  Feb.  24,  18C4 ;  killed  at  Wilderness  May  6,  1861; 

buried  iu  Wilderness  burial-grounds. 
Harpster,  Daniel  B.,  Half-Moon  ;  Sept.  15,  1861;  captured  ;  died  at  Sal- 
isbury, N.  C,  Fob.  9,  1865. 
Irviu,  Andrew,  Ferguson  ;  Sept.  15, 1861 ;  must,  but  July  17, 1805. 
Jackson,  William  A.,  Rush  ;  Sept.  15, 1801  ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Juno 

10,  1803. 
Kennedy,  David  A.,  Half-Moon  ;  Sept.  16, 1861 ;  must,  out  July  17, 18G5. 
Krider,  Josiah,  Ferguson  ;  Sept.  16, 1861;  died  Dec.  1,  1803,  of  wounds 

received  in  action  Nov.  16,  1863. 
Lennon,  John  II.,  Ferguson;  Feb.  28, 1861;  trans,  to  Vet.  Rcb.  Corps 

Jan.  1,  1865. 
Lott,  James,  Ferguson;  Sept.  15,1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  cerlif.  April  22, 

1862. 
Lightner,  David,  Ferguson  ;  Sept.  16, 1861  ;  died  Sept.  26, 1862,  of  wounds 

received  at  South  Mountain  Sept.  14, 1862;  buried  in  National  Cem- 
etery, Antietam,  sec.  26,  lot  D,  grave  341. 
Miller,  Henry,  Ferguson  ;  Sept.  15,  1861 ;  must,  out  July  17, 1865. 
Mitchell,  Alfred,  Taylor;  Sept.  15,  1861 ;  must,  out  Oct.  20,  1804. 
Murphy,  George  W.,  Ferguson;  Sept.  15,  1801  ;  must,  out  Oct.  20,  1864. 
Mayes,  Thomas  J.,  Ferguson ;  Sept.  28,  1801 ;  disch.  by  special  order 

June  8,  1806. 
Mingle,  George,  Ferguson  ;  March  22, 1864;  died  Jlay  5, 1805,  of  wounds 

received  at  Petersburg  Apiil  2,1865;  buried  at  Alexandria,  grave 


3115 


,  Fergu 


Sept.  15, 1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  cerlif.  Dec.  15, 


Mayes,  Jai 

1862. 
Merriman,  George  W.,  Taylor;  Sept.  16, 1801 ;  disch  on  surg.  certif.  Feb. 

14,1803. 
Marks,  George  JI.,  Half  Moon  ;  Sept.  15, 1801  ;  discli.  on  surg.  cerlif.  Feb. 

20,1803. 
Miller,  Wm,  Ferguson;  Sept.  15, 1801;  died  at  Camp  Nelson,  Ky,  Oct. 

1,180?. 
McWilliams,  T.  B.,  Ferguson  ;  Sept.  16, 1S01 ;  killed  at  Antietam  Sept. 

17,  1802. 
McOlellan,  Wm  ,  Ferguson  ;   Sept.  15,  1801 ;  drowned  at  Fredericksburg 

Jan.  9,  1803. 
Poorman,  W.  A.,  Worth ;  Sept.  16,  1801 ;  must,  nut  July  17,  1805. 
Peiry,  John  C,  Ilalf-Moou  ;  Sept.  15, 1861 ;  died  at  Fortress  Monroe,  Va., 

Jan.  1,1862. 
Rider,  Michael  C,  Ferguson ;  Sept.  15,  1861  ;  mint,  out  Oct.  20, 1864. 
Ray,  David,  Ferguson  ;  Sept.  15, 1801 ;  died  Sept.  1, 1864. 
Ryder,  John  G.,  Ferguson ;  Sept.  15,  1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Aug. 

23,  1862. 
Ryder,  John  W.,  Ferguson  ;  Sept.  15, 1861 ;  disch.  July  10, 1802. 
Sims,  Wesley,  Ferguson  ;  Sept.  15, 1861;  died  at  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  Jan. 

16, 1864 ;  grave  86. 
Sharer,  Abraham,  Walker;  Sept.  15, 1801 ;  died  Jan.  15, 1865. 
Tboinpson,  H.  F.,  Walker;  Sept.  15, 1801 ;  died  at  Fredericksburg  May 

8, 1864,  of  wounds  received  at  Wilderness  May  6, 1864. 
Vandyke,  Beiij.  C,  Spring;  Sept.  15, 1S61 ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps. 
Weston,  George  W.,  Spring;  Feb.  26,  1804;  wounded  at  Spottsylvania 

Courtllouse  May  12, 1864;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Jan.  1, 1805. 
Way,  Jacob  E.,  Spring;  Feb.  24,  1804;  disch.  on  surg.  ceitif.  May  18, 

1S05. 


FIFTY-THIRD,  FIFTY-NINTH,  AND   NINETY  THIRD  REGIMENTS. 


117 


Way,  Daniel,  Spring;  Ftl>.  24, 18G4 ;  killed  at  Petersburg  June  IS,  1S64. 
Weston,  GruffluB,  Spring;  Sept.  15,1801;  discli.  on  surg.  cerlif.  April  9, 

1803. 
Weston,  Frnnci<  A.,  Ferguson ;  Sept.  15, 1801 ;  died  at  Camp  Casey,  Md., 

Not.  13, 1801. 
Ward,  Jacob,  Ferguson ;  Sept.  15, 1861  ;  died  at  Crab  Orcbard,  Ky.,  Oct. 

1,1803. 
Beuner,  Thomas  K.,  Co.  F;  May,  1804,  to  July  17, 1865. 


CHAPTER    XLVIII. 

LIST  OF  OFFICEKS  AND  PRIVATES  FROM  CENTUE  COUNTY, 
EUSH  TOWNSHIP,  IN  COMPANY  D,  FIFTY-THIRD  PENN- 
SYLVANIA, COL.  JOHN   E.  BROOKE,  OCT.  16,  1861. 

James  S.  Hall,  Eusli,  1st  lient.;  to  capt.  Oct.  30, 1872  ;  must,  out  Oct.  7, 

1864. 
Robert  Miisser,  Rush,  Corp.;  2d  lieut.  .\ug.  6,  1804;  Ist  lieut.  Nov.  2, 

1804  ;  must,  out  June  30, 1865. 
John  Howe,  Bush,  2d  lieut.;  res.  Nov.  24, 1802. 
Joseph  Williamson,  Rush,  1st  sergt. 
A.  P  Ammornian,  Rush,  sergt.;  captured  Aug.  26, 1804;  discb.  July  27, 

1805. 
G.  W.  Dacey,  Rush,  sergt.;  wounded. 
Alfred  Weston,  Rush,  sergt. 

Henry  Cnshard,  Rush,  Corp.;  must,  out  June  30, 1865. 
W.  E.  Beales,  Rush,  corp. ;  must,  out  June  30,  1805. 
William  Dolph,  Rush,  Corp.;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Feb.  15,  1804. 
W.  H.  Denning,  Rush,  Corp. 
Peter  Weber,  Rush,  musician ;  must,  out  June  30, 1865. 


Privatea. 


Bailey,  Samuel,  Rush. 
Carter,  E.  M.,  Rush. 
,  Boss,  Rush. 


Beates,  John,  Rush. 

Cotwell,  John,  Bush. 

Perry,  Charles,  Rush. 

Howe,  E.  Elis,  Rush. 

Jeffries,  William,  Rush  ;  died  Dec.  1,  1801 ;  buried  in  Military  Asylum 
Cemetery,  Washington,  D.  C.  ' 

Libl'y,  Horatio.  Rush. 

Laird,  Levi,  Rush;  must,  out  June  30  1865. 

Ludy,  Clark,  Bush.  Lucas,  J.  M.,  Rush. 

Laffiu,  Michael,  Bush  ;  must,  out  June  3D,  1866. 

Matti-y,  J.  P.,  Rush  ;  must,  out  June  30, 1805. 

WcMullen,  J  Madison ;  killed  at  Fair  Oaks  June  1, 1862. 

McGuire,  Thomas  ;  died  Jan.  3, 1863 ;  buried  in  Military  Asylum  Ceme- 
tery, D.  C. 

Murphy,  Lorenzo.  Nelson,  D.  C,  Rush. 

Plank,  Matthias,  Rusli;  disch.  January,  ISGo,  for  wounds  received. 

Peters,  Samuel,  Bush  ;  must,  out  Nov.  7,  1S64. 

Richards,  Henry,  Huston.  Eogers,  Philip,  Rush. 

Slatterly,  Daniel,  Ku.<h ;  died  at  Newark,  N.  J.,  Feb.  5, 1863. 

Stevenson,  Theodore  J.,  Bush.  Test,  John  M.,  Bush. 

White,  A.  J.,  Bush;  died  Sept.  17,  1862;  buried  in  National  Cemetery, 
Antietam,  sec.  20,  lot  A,  grave  10. 

Wilcox,  Heury,  Rush. 

Company  I. 

George  D.  Pifer,  2d  lieut.;  1st  lieut.  Dec.  13, 1862  ;  capt.  Sept.  14, 1864  ; 
m;ij.  Dec.  13,  1804. 

Israel  A.  Kline,  sergt. ;  killed  at  Hatcher's  Bun,  Va  ,  March  31, 1805. 

LIST  OF  OFFICERS  AND  PRIVATES  FROM  CENTRE  COUNTY 
IN  COMPANY  F,  FIFTY-NINTU  PENNSYLVANIA  REGIMENT 
(SECOND  CAVALRY). 

Col.  B.  Butler  Price. 

P.  Benner  Wilson,  capt.,  Aug.  18,1801;  pro.  major  Oct.  28,  1802;  trans, 
to  1st  Prov.  Cavalry  June  17,  1S05. 

George  W.  Watson,  2d  lieut.;  disch.  Dec.  11, 1802. 

George  \Y.  Hartley,  Walker,  q.m.-sergt.  Sept.  14,  1861 ;  died  June  26, 
1864,  of  wounds;  buried  in  Milit:iry  Asylum  Cemetery,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C. 

Henry  Mallury,  Harris,  com.-sergt. ;  trans,  to  Co.  F,  1st  Prov.  Cav.,  June 
17,  1865. 


Frank  T.  Wallace,  Bellcfonte.Nov.  20, 1861;  captured  July,  18C4  ;  diach. 

May  19, 1860. 
James  Miller,  Hoggs,  sergt.,  1861  to  1865. 

George  W.  Singleton,  U  irris,  sergt..  186! ;  di«'  h.  June  28,  1805. 
Adam  Casper,  Potter,  sergt.,  Dec.  23, 1801 ;  disch.  Dec.  20,  18G5. 
Henry  McEwen,  Walker,  sergt. 

Calvin  II.  Mallory,  sergt.,  Nov.  in,  1861 ;  diich.  Dec.  26, 1804. 
George  Noll,  Ferguson,  Corp.,  1861;  di^ch.  1865. 
James  McDonald,  Huston,  Corp.,  1801 :  disch.  1805. 
Charles  Smith,  Feiguson,  corp,  Nov.  20, 1861 ;  d  sch.  Dec.  13, 1804. 
George  A.  Kennedy,  Walker,  bugler,  Dec.  14, 1861. 

PrU'tiles, 
Bland,  Edward,  Howard  ;  Nov.  9,  1801. 

Bodle,  Benjamin,  Harris;  Dec.  23,  1861 ;  disch.  Dec.  26,  1804. 
Booths,  Jackson  H.,  Ferguson;  Nov.  20, 1861. 
Garner,  William  G. ;  Feb.  15,  1804. 
Crocks,  John,  Feb.  20, 18114. 
Carr,  William,  Bellef.mte;  Aug.  13,  1801. 

Decker,  Aaron;  Feb.  15, 1804;  killed  at  Oak  Swamp,  Va.,  July  1, 1804. 
Donahoe,  Hugh  D.,  Potter;  Jan.  12,  1802. 
Ehret,  William  G.,  Feb.  24,  1804. 
Emrich,  George,  Feb.  20, 1804. 
Gill,  William  H.,  Huston  ;  ISOl;  disch.  1805. 
Gross,  William,  Palton  ;  1801 ;  disch.  1805. 
Glenn,  William  F  ,  Bellefonte;  Jan.  15,  1803. 

Hendei-son,  Eleazer,  Huston;  Dec.  19, 1801 ;  must,  out  Deo.  19, 1804. 
Henderson,  David  H.,  Huston;  Jan.  15, 1802. 
Johnston,  William,  Huston;  Feb.  13, 1802. 
Kellets,  Charles,  Huston  ;  Nov.  9,  ISCl ;  disch.  Dec.  13, 1804. 
Lewis,  Stephen  A  ,  Rush  ;  Nov.  2(1,  1801. 
Mahaffy,  Christian,  Ferguson  ;  Nov.  20,  1801. 
Myers,  Aaron  B.,  Patton ;  Nov.  20, 1801 ;  disch.  June  13;  1865. 
Nyhart,  Daniel,  Walker. 

Nyhart,  William  H.,  Walker;  Sept.  16, 1861 ;  disch.  1805. 
Potter,  John,  Harris;  Oct    20,  1801 ;  died  Jan.  7, 1864;  buried  iu  Mili- 
tary Asylum  Cemetery,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Reed,  John,  Bellefonte ;  Oct.  29, 1861 ;  disch.  December,  1864. 
Sarapsel,  Samuel,  Palton  :  Feb.  13,  1862. 
Sones,  John  N.,  Patton;  1861;  disch.  1805. 
Stiver,  Williiim,  Huston;  Nov.  20,  1861. 
Shope,  Samuel  W.,  killed  at  Malvern  Hill,  Va.,  July  28, 1864. 
Swaub,  Daniel,  Huston. 
Tims,  Lewis  L.,  Worth ;  Jan.  15, 1862. 
Wilson,  Charles,  Walker;  Sept.  U,  1801. 
Woods,  William  H  ,  Huston ;  Sept.  14, 1861. 

OFFICERS   AND  PRIVATES  FROM   CENTRE   COUNTY   IN   COM- 
PANY E   (EIGHTIETH   PENNSYLVANIA),  CAPT.  ISRAEL   B. 
SCHAEFFEB,  SEVENTH   PENNSYLVANIA   C-WALEY. 
Col.  Wynkoop,  serving  in  Teuuessee  and  Georgia. 

Capt.  I.srael  B.  Schaeffer,  Walker  township ;  Oct.  29, 1801 ;  must,  out  Nov. 
10,  1804. 

James  P.  Hughes,  Benner,  sergt. ;  Nov.  20,  1861.  to  Nov.  20,  1861. 

W.  C.  Hughes,  Marion,  corp. ;  disch.  June  23, 1805. 

Thaddeus  Longwell,  Corp.;   Oct.  29,  1801;   died  March  26,1802,  near 
Nashville,  Tenn. 

Lewis  Catherman,  Walker,  farrier ;  died  Oct.  15, 1804. 

Privates. 
Catherman,  Benjamin,  Aug.  20, 1802;  died  Jan.  17, 1864. 
Haslet,  Jesse  F.,  Walker;  Aug.  20, 1862;  disch.  June  23, 1865. 
Buyer,  George,  Walker;  Aug.  20, 1802;  died  at  Nashville  Jan.  7, 1803. 
Smith,  George,  Walker  ;  Aug.  20, 1862. 

Smith,  Isaac,  Walker;  Aug.  20,1862;  disch.  Juno  23,  1805.         * 
Strunk,  James,  Marion  ;  Oct.  29.  ISOl ;  died  Nov.  29, 1801,  at  Harrisburg. 

LIST  OF  OFFICERS  AND  PRIV.VTES  FROM  CENTRE  COUNTY  IN 
COMPANY   E,   NINETY-TIIIRD   PENNSYLVANIA. 
Col.  Rev.  J.  M.  McCarter. 
G.B,  Shearer,  Walker,  capt.;  Oct.  20,  1801 ;  killed  May  5,1802. 
Ed.  H.  Rogers,  Walker,  calit. ;  Oct.  20, 1801 ;  killed  May  5,  1SU4. 
W.  W.  Eogers,  Walker,  l»t  lieut. ;  Oct.  26, 1S61 ;  res.  Dec.  13, 1803. 
Henry  Fishel,  Marion,  corp. :  Oct.  12, 1801 ;  discli.  Nov.  Ill,  1862. 
Bobert  Tate,  Spi  ing,  Corp. ;  Oct.  13, 1861 ;  disch.  April  26, 1803. 
Cbai  lis  11.  Robb,  Walk.T,  Corp. ;  Oct.  12, 1801 ;  died  July  10,1863 ;  buried 
at  Portsmouth  Grove,  B.  I. 


ns 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUxVTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Privatfa. 
Duckliciiiior,  Jolin,  Wiilkcr;  Oct.  20,  ISOI ;   wounded  at  Petersburg 

Miireli  2fi,  1805. 
Binlts,  Philip,  Walker;  Oct.   12,  1801;  died  Aug.  31,  1802;    buried  in 

Cypress  Hill  Cemetery,  grave  2.10. 
Ciinipliell,  Kobert  R.,  Walker ;  Oct.  12,  1801  ;  discli.  Feb.  7,  1803. 
Ciitnor,  .loseph,  Walker;  Oct.  12,  ISOl  ;  discb.  Doc.C,  1862. 
Keliiiiilee,  David,  Marion. 
Uaiilt,  Francis,  Spring. 
Irvin,  Henry,  Walker;  Oct.  12,  1801;  wounded  May  31,  1802  ;  discb.  Oct. 

24,  1802. 
Osburn,  William,  Marion. 
Itobb,  George,  Walker;  Sept.  21,  1801 ;  wounded  May  6,  1804,  and  May 

2.i,  1S0.-1 ;  must,  out  June  27,  1805. 
Snyder,  D.  B.,  Walker;  Oct.  12,  1801  ;  discb.  July  20,  1802. 
Snyder,  Abe.,  Walker;  Oct.  20,  1801  ;  must,  out  June  27,  1805. 
Snyder,  Theodore,  Walker;  Oct.  12,  ISGl  ;  discb.  Nov.  10,  1802. 
Shelbey,  .losepb.  Walker ;  Oct.  12,  1801  ;  died  Sept.  28,  1802 ;  buried  in 

Nalional  Cemetery,  Antietnni,  section  20.  lot  D,  grave  4U7. 
Smith,  Jolin,  Walker;  Oct.  12,  1801  :  discb.  Oct.  .■;,  1802. 
Tate,  Jolin,  Spring  ;  Oct.  12,  1861 ;  must.  out.  Oct.  14,  1804. 
Warner,  Lemuel,  Walker;  Oct.  12,  1861  ;  iliscli.  Sept.  24,  1802. 
Young,  Tliom.is  P.,  Walker;  Feb.  26,  1804  ;  wounded  at  the  Wilderness 
May  5,  1804. 

COMPANY   B,   ONE   HUNDRED   AND    FORTY-FIFTH    PENNSYL- 
VANIA. 

William  L.  Eapbile,  Bellefonte,  1st  lieut.;  Aug.  10,  18pl ;  res.  Aug.  I, 
1862. 

Harvey  II  Beuner,  Bellefonte;  Sept,  2, 1861 ;  pro.  to  2d  lieut.  from  sergt.- 
inaj.  July  7, 180.1 ;  discb.  Dec.  5, 1864,  for  wounds  received  at  Peters- 
burg June  17, 1864. 

Austin  Garnian,  Bellefonte,  sergt.;  pro.  to  sorgt.  May  20,  1802;  discli. 
Dec.  24,  1S04. 

Wbilaker,  James,  Bellefonte,  musician  ;  Si-pt.  2,  1801,  to  July  17,  1805. 
riimlen, 

Bocll,  William,  Bellefonte;  Sept.  2,  1801,  to  ISO.".. 

Bower,  Frederick,  Spring;  So|>t.  2,  1801,  to  Dec.  14,  1862. 

Brown,  Harvey,  Bfllefonte;  Sept.  2,  1801,  to  Oct.  20,  1804. 

Byke,  Samuel,  Haines ;  Aug.  20,  1861,  to  Feb.  13, 1863. 

Contner,  Alfred,  Bellefonte. 

Cox,  Abraham,  Spring;  Sept.  6,  1861. -to  July  17, 1865. 

Dixson,  Samuel  T.,  Bellefonte  ;  Sept.  2,  1861,  to  Oct.  9,  1802. 

Drumnionil,  Robert,  Bellefonte;  Aug.  20,  1861,  to  July  17,  1865. 

Griifflus,!  Abraham,  Bellefonte;  Aug.  20,  1861;  pro.  to  2d  lieut.  U.  S. 
nrniy  Nov.  20, 1861. 

Griffltb,  Joseph,  Spring  ;  Sept.  2,  1801,  to  Oct.  31, 1862. 

Hinton,  James,  Bellefonte  ;  Aug.  20,  1801,  to  Aug.  30, 18C3. 

Ickboff,  Willi.ani,  Bellefonte;  Oct.  1,  1801,  to  1865. 

Leber,  Jacob,  Benner;  Sept.  2,  1801,  to  1865. 

Long,  Jobn,  Spring;  Sept. 2,  1861,  to  Oct.  20,  1864. 

McAllistei-,  Henry,  Bellefonte ;  Sept.  2,  1801,  to  Oct.  24,  1802. 

Miller,  Jobn,  Bellefonte  ;  Sept.  2,  1801,  to  July  5,  1803. 

No]ilisker,  Samuel  M.,  Sept.  11,  1862,  to  1805. 

Pruner,  Robert,  Bellefonte;  Aug.  14,  1801. 

Raphile,  Joseph,  Bellefonte;  Sept.  2,  l.SOl,  to  Dec.  2,  1862. 

Sager,  George,  Spring;  Oct.  14,  1861,  to  July  17, 1865. 

Shirk,  .Tames,  Spring;  Sept.  2, 1861. 

Stone,  Herbert,  Bellefonte;  Sept.  2,  1861,  to  Oct.  24, 1862. 


CHATTER    XLIX. 

MISCELLANEOUS    LIST    OF   SOLDIERS    ENLISTED 
FROM    CENTRE    COUNTY. 
Aloxnndfr,  C,  Milesburg;  19tb  Cav. 

Allison,  William,  Potter;  H,  Slst;  killed  Deo.  13,  1802,  at  Fredericks- 
burg, Vn. 
Anderson,  Elijah,  Taylor;  F,  Ist  Art. 

1  For  gallant  conduct  at  Gaines'  Mills,  Lieut.  Grafflns  was  breveted 
first  lieutenant,  and  after  the  battle  of  Antietam  promoted  to  first  lieu- 
tenant of  Second  United  States  Infantry.  Ho  died  of  congestion  of  the 
biain  at  Brook  Station,  Va.,  June  0,  1863. 


Antes,  Frederick,  Boggs;  lOtli  Cav. 

A»key,  Robert  S.,  Bnrnsido  ;  51«t. 

Baker,  Francis,  Harris;  Anderson  troop. 

Biitliurst,  S.  B.,  Huston  ;  I,  fi4th. 

Ritburst,  William,  Liberty  ;  U,  7tli  Res. 

Barnhart,  Demetrius,  Huston;  I,  84lli,  Nov.  4,  1802;  captured  at  Mine 
Run  Nov.  7.  1863. 

Baniat,  William,  Marion  ;  E,  1st  Art.        , 

Barber,  Wilson,  Penn;  I,  56lh. 

Bathurst,  Samuel,  Walker;  D,  l.-.2d. 

Blair,  Jeremiah,  Ferguson;  4otli. 

Bell,  James  A.,  Bellefonte  ;  A,  litb  U.  S.  Inf. 

Beamer,  W.  B.,  T.iylor;  D,  5lli  Res. 

Benner,  Henry,  Taylor. 

Bebel,  William,  Taylor;  F,  143d. 

Beeder,  Daniel,  Worlli  ;  C,  5th  lies. 

Benner,  John  D.,  Potter;  G,40tb. 

Beck,  Isaiah,  Half-Moon  ;  cavalry. 

Bell,  Robert  W.,  Haines;  I,  50th;  killed  at  Gettysburg  ;  Nat.  Cem,,  sec. 
A,  grave  40. 

Biddle,  Alfred,  Bonner;  F,  12tb  Cav. 

Bixler,  Reuben,  Burnable;  A,  1st  Cav. 

Bilger,  Thompson,  Ru>h  ;  C,  5th  Res. 

Bland,  Edward,  Huston  ;  C,  oth  Cav. 
Boell,  .lobii,  Bellefonte;  I,  53d  Rigt. 
Bowers,  Frank,  Bellefimte;  8tb  Cav. 
Bowers,  Samuel,  Bellefonte;  81b  Cav. 

Dowers,  Jacob.  Belleronte  ;  8tli  Cav. 

Boyle,  James,  Bellefonle;  8tb  Cav. 

Boyer,  Samuel,  Curtin;  I,  50tb  Regt. 

Buck,  Thomas,  Marion  ;  Olli  U.  S.  Cav. 

Buck,  William,  Marion  ;  6tli  U.  S.  Cav. 

Boileau,  Michael  D.,  Rush  ;  D,  5tb  Res. 

Biiltoii,  Ezra,  Patter  ;  E.  57lli  Regt. 

Burnside,  C.  H.,  Bellefonte;  gunboat  "  Sangamon." 

Burns,  Jobn,  Bellefonte:  8tli  Cav. 

Burnet,  Henry,  Huston;  A,  55th  Regt. 

Burngamer,  Henry,  Potter;  E,  67tb  Regt. 

Buttorf,  David,  Potter;  18tb  Regt. 

Bottoif,  William,  Potter;  ISlli  Regt. 

Bind,  William  R.,  Harris;  C,  18tli  Regt. 

Carlton,  Thomas,  Pattou;  Anderson  Cav. 

Callahan,  John,  Bellefonte  ;  E,  Ist  Pa.  Cav. 

Chronister,  Jacob,  Half-Moon  ;  I,  5tb  Reserves;  June  21, 1861,  to  June 

11,  1804. 
Clapbam,  Thomas,  Penn;  A,  62d  Regt. 
Clapp,  S.,  Spring;  E,  57tli  Regt. 
Cook,  Samuel  N,,  Bellefonte;  5th  Regt.  Mounted  Inf.,  Ky. ;  captured; 

died  at  Cahoba,  Ala. 
Cook,  Henry  H.,  Bellefonte;  K,  12."itb  Pa.;  Aug.  14, 1802,  to  May  18,1803. 
Connelly,  J.  T.,  Taylor  ;  C,  4'Jtli  Regt 
Corromasser,  J.  L. ;  A,  22d  Pa.  Cav. 
Crotzer,  Samuel,  Potter;  I,  50tb  Regt. 
Crombie,  F.  S.,  Worth  ;  lOtli  Cav. 
Grayton,  Murtagli,  Marion  ;  E,  51st  Regt. 
Crominger,  Henry,  Rush  ;  D,  J9th  Regt. 
Curtin,  James  B.,  Boggs;  Anderson  Troop. 
Darrab,  Jobn,  Bellef..nte;  C,  38tb  Pa.;  accidentally  killed  on  railroad, 

near  Cainp  Curtin. 
Devine,  Peter,  Benner;  51st  Regt. 
Detiick,  Jeriy,  Potter;  F,  107th  Regt. 
Dowling,  James  G.,  Bellefonte  ;  E,  51st  Regt. 
Bowling,  Edward,  Bellefonte;  51st  Regt. 
Dunkle,  W.  H.,  Howard;  I,  50tli  Regt. 
Durey,  William,  Bellefonte  ;  ,84th  Regt. 
Durer,  John,  Bellefonte;  84th  Regt. 

Durst,  Alfred,  Potter;  H,51st  Regt.;  Nov.  10,  lS01,to  July  27,1805. 
Elbs,  John,  Half-Moon;  1st  Cav. 
Elliot,  George,  Milesburg;  E,  .50ib  Regt. 
Emerick,  Jacob,  Ferguson  ;  I,  51st  Regt. 
Ennis,  Levi,  Rush  ;  K,  1st  RiHes. 
Etters,  Francis,  Burnside;  13tb  Cav. 
Etters,  Henry,  Burnside;  13th  Cav. 
Faber,  Henry,  Bellefonte;  G.  4.5tb  Regt. 
Ferry,  J..hn,  Liberty;  B,  lltli  Inf. 
Fillmore,  Jacob,  Potler;  D,  ISOtli  Regt. 
Fora,  Philip,  Liberty ;  B,  11th  Rigt. 


MISCELLANEOUS  LIST  OF  SOLDIERS. 


119 


Foresman,  Jum-'s  A.,  Mariiin  ;  D,  49th  Rogt. 

Fnrpy,  Freilerkk,  Bellefonle;  19th  Ciiv. 

Frain,  SiimucI,  Mnvinli;  D,  49lh  Epgt.;  Aug.  10,  1801,  to  Sept.  10,  1804. 

Freeze,  I-<iael,  Snow  Shoe;  K,  let  Reserves. 

Fniik,  Henry  P.,  Ferguson;  E,  Ujth  Regt. 

I-yke,  Jiiculi,  UHlMIoon  ;  49th  P.i. 

(iniy,  Willhim,  Half-Moon  ;  09th  Pii.  (2il  Cav.). 

Carlier,  J.  M.,  Han  is;  5th  Cav. 

Calbraith,  Daniel,  Liberty;  B,  llth  Regt. 

Glenn,  Daviil,  corp. ;  K,  42il  Rogt. ;  May  29, 1801,  to  1864 ;  wounded,  with 

loss  of  arm. 
Gohecn,  Joseph,  Ferguson  ;  8M  Pa". 
Gordon,  Robert,  Wallier;  L,  Anderson  Cav. 
Grenoble,  Israel  .T.,  Greg^';  I,  148th  Regt  ;  Sept.  19,  1802;  wounded, 

with  loss  of  leg,  at  Po  Run  May  10, 1804. 
Graham,  John  K.,  Rush  ;  K.  48th  Regt. 
Grater,  Robert,  Howard  ;  C,  5th  Reserves. 
Grubb,  Solomon,  Spring;  F,  50th  Regt;  1801  to  1803. 
Haines,  Jacob,  Rush  ;  U.  S.  marine. 
Hale,  Charles  W. ;  aide  to  Gen.  Sturgis,  9th  Army  Corps. 
Hale,  Klias,  Rush;  frigate  "  Miunoaota." 
Harding,  Jewett  S.,  Miles;  H,  51st  Regt.;  Nov.  10,  ISGl  ;  wounded  at 

Bull  Run  Aug.  30,  1802  ;  disch.  Nov.  l:),  1802. 
Harnden,  John,  Half-Moon  ;  C,  49th  Regt. 

Harper,  Isiiac,  Rush  ;  D,  5th  Res. ;  June  21,  ISCl,  to  June  28,  I860. 
Harsbberger,  Abraham,  Walker;  D,  123d  Regt.;  1802  to  1803. 
Henderson,  Alexander,  Haines.  Herbick,  William,  Potter. 

Hess,  Frankliu,  Potter.  Holt,  Lemuel,  Milesburg. 

Horner,  George,  Half-Moon.  Humphries,  William,  Rush. 

Hunter,  William,  Walker. 
Huston,  Franklin,  Walker;  19th  Cav. 

Johnston,  Walter,  Bellefonte.  Johnston,  Richard,  Bellefonte. 

Johns,  David,  Half-Uoon. 
Irvin,  William  E.,  Howard;  Anderson  Troop. 
I^^sctt,  Henry  D.,  Harris;  Anderson  Tniop. 
Keller,  Joseph,  Spring;  0th  Cav.         Kearn,  John,  Penn. 
Kinsloe,  Alfred,  Bellefonte;  A,  19th  Cav. 
Kepliart,  J.  Miles,  Bellefonte  ;  q.m.  S4lh  Regt.;  Dec.  20,  1801,  to  Dec. 

31,  1804. 
Kepliart,  M.  C,  Bellefonte ;  Anderson  Troop. 
Kestler,  Jeremiah,  Haines;  F,  12th  Pa. 
Kuarr,  Henry,  Liberty.  Knarr,  John,  Liberty. 

Koons,  James  H.,  Liberty.  Krider,  Samuel,  Potter. 

Kirkwood,  James,  Rush  ;  2d  Pa.  Cav. 
Lanck,  B.  S.,  Rush ;  59th  Pa. 
Lee.  Charles,  Spring;  Olh  Pa.  Cav. 
Lingle,  Fisher  D.,  Liberty;  1st  Cav. 
Lingle,  Harvey  S.,  Bellefonte  ;  Anilerson  Troop. 
Lingle,  Lycurgus,  Bellefonte;  Anderson  Troop. 
Little,  Samuel,  Potter;  E,  57th  Regt. 
Lippincott,  Charles  E.,  Walker;  C,  52d  Regt. ;  killed  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va., 

May  31,  1802. 
Long,  Eilw.ard  F.,  Haines;  I,  56tll  Regt. 
McCartney,  James,  Half-Moon  ;  C,  49tli  Regt. 
McCloskey,  James  J.,  Potter ;  U,  49th  Regt. ;  Aug.  15,  1861,  to  Oct.  24, 

1804. 
McCoy,  William,  Boggs ;  U.  S.  navy. 
McDowell,  Alexander,  Huston  ;  12th  Cav. 
McEllaney,  John,  Pattou  ;  12th  Cav. 
McEwon,  Samuel  S.,Uuiouville;  H,  61st  Regt.;  Oct.  20,  1861,  to  April 

18,  1864. 
McKinney,  David,  Bellefonte;  Anderson  Troop. 
McMinn,  Erskine,  Potter;  E,  57th  Regt. 
McGrady,  Daniel,  Worth;  49th  Pa. 
McQuillan,  John,  Taylor;  C,  49th  Regt.;  Aug.  15,1801  ;  killed  June  28, 

1802. 
McQuillan,  Joseph,  Taylor ;  C,  49th  Regt. 
McQuillan,  Richard,  Taylor;  C,  49th  Regt. 
Marks,  William,  Harris;  42d  Pa. 
Meekly,  John,  Benuer  ;  B,  12lh  Cav. 
Bliller,  Samuel,  Snow  Shoe  ;  Anderson  Troop. 
Miller,  Isaac,  Walker;  IE.  49th  Regt. 
Miller,  James  C,  Snow  Shoe  ;  C,  5th  Reserves. 
Miller,  Joseph,  W'alker;  I,  Olh  Cav. 
Milligan,  William,  Liberty;  D,  llth  Pa. 
Minnick,  Benj.  F.,  Potter;  A,  .')4th  Regt. 
Myers,  Samuel,  Ferguson  ;  I,  51at  Regt. ;  Sept.  28, 1801. 


Myer^,  George,  Ferguson ,  I,  5l8t  Regt. ;  drowned. 

Myers,  Jacob  H.,  Ferguson  ;  Nov.  28,  1801,  to  July,  1803. 

Mynis,  William,  Rush;  D,  5th  Reserves. 

My  ton,  Isaac,  Bellefonte;  9tli  Cav. 

BIyers,  Jackson,  Banner;  I,  5l8t  Regt. 

Herman, Solomon,  Spring;  Anderson  Troop, 

Neir,  Luther,  Potter;  1, 115th  Regt. 

Nail,  Emanuel,  Walker;  K,  13l8t  Kegt. 

Orr,  Lott,  Potter;  II,  40th  Regt. 

Parker,  A.  M.,  Ilaincs;  Anderson  Troop. 

Palmer,  Solomon,  Potter;  100th  Pa. 

Peters,  John,  Taylor  ;  13th  Cav. 

Price,  Frank  S.,  Taylor;  D,  49th  Regt. 

Pruner,  Daniel  D.,  Bellefonte;  llth  Pa. 

Pruner,  Joseph  D.,  Bellefonte, 

Raynon,  F.  G.,  Taylor;  D,  4jlh  Regt. 

Raney,  William  H.,  Worth;  55th  Pa. 

Rank,  Marcus,  Bellefonte  ;  F,  12lh  Cav. 

Red,  Thomas,  Liberty;  E,  7th  Pa. 

Reeder,  Daniel,  Worth  ;  5tli  Reserves. 

Reber,  William  F.,  Ferguson  ;  asst.  surg. 

Ro.^sman,  Klias,  Walker;  D,  1st  Cav. 

Roiisli,  James,  Penn;  I,  Sflth  Regt. 

Runiberger,  George,  Ferguson  ;  5th  Reserves. 

Sankey,  Joseph  C,  Gregg;  I,  01st  Regt. 

Sankey,  James  W.,  Potter;  H,  49lli  Eegt. 

Sarvey,  John,  Potter;  E,  57th  Eegt. 

Sellera,  P.  E.,  Palton:  F,  107th  Regt.;  April  27, 1802;  wounded  May  18, 

1804;  disch.  June  5,1805. 
Sizer,  Jacob,  Bellefonte;  iUtli  Pa. 
Singleton,  Thomas,  Harris;  D,  42d  Regt. 
Sheffler,  Jeremiah,  Haines;  G,  58tli  Regt. 
Shannou,  Patiick,  Ferguson ;  10th  Pa. 
Shannon,  Thomas,  Ferguson;  49tli  Pa. 
Shannon,  Porter,  Huston  ;  9th  Cav. 
Showers,  Samuel,  Spring;  Anderson  Troop. 
Shook,  Joseph,  W'alker;  E,  1st  Reserves. 
Smith,  Charles,  Rush;  Ist  Artillery. 
Smith,  William,  Bellefonte ;  42d  Regt. 

Smith,  Columbus,  Rush;  149th  Regt.;  Aug. 20,  1802,  to  1805. 
Smith,  Daniel,  Rush  ;  143th  Kegt. ;  missing  at  Wilderness  May  5,  1SC4. 
Smith,  Francis,  Rush  ;  149th  Kegt;  1862  to  180.'). 
Smith,  William,  Rush;  149th  Regt.;  1802  to  1805. 
Schnell,  Augustus C,  Bellefonte;  Anderson  Troop. 
Snyder,  Albert,  Walker;  3d  Pa.  Art. 
Snook,  Matthias,  Miles;  C,  7th  P.a. 
Snyder,  Thompson,  Liberty  ;  1st  Pa. 
Spear,  Edward,  Gregg;  M,  3d  Pa.  Art. 
Spangler,  Herain,  Liberty ;  llth  Pa. 
Stein,  Jacob,  Rush;  13th  Pa.  Cav. 
Stover,  Jlichael  H.,  Haines;  locth  Regt. 
Stover,  George,  Pattou  ;  130tb  Regt. 
Stevens,  Thaddeus,  Half-Moon  ;  49tU  Pa. 
Steel,  Harvey,  Patton  ;  18th  Regt. 
Stonebreaker,  W.  H.,  Ferguson ;  G,  5th  Reserves. 
Straus,  H.  P.,  Walker ;  1.50th  Regt. 

Stover,  John  H  ,  Spring;  C,  52d  Regt.;  Oct.  17,  1861,  to  March  1, 1802. 
Slitzer,  John  T.,  Spring.  Struble,  Lot,  Walker;  Anderson  Troop. 

Thomas,  Joseph  D.,  Spring;  Anderson  Troop. 
Thompson,  J.  S.,  Harris;  Anderson  Troop. 
Thui^oD,  William,  Potter;  Anderson  Troop. 
Tibbens, Daniel,  Walker;  D,  1st  Cav. 
Tibbens,  John,  Walker  ;  D,  1st  Cav. 
Truxall,  Frank  B,.  Bellefonte;  Bucktail  Regt. 

Troy,  Thomas,  Half-Moon  ;  I,  51st  Kegt. ;  Sept.  28,  1801,  to  July  27,  ISGj. 
Tubbs,  Nathan  A.,  Liberty  ;  G,  1st  Bucktails,  42d  Pa. 
Ulrich,  George,  Penn;  Anderson  Cav. 
Wagoner,  William,  Uuionville;  K,  Anderson  Cav. 
Wagner,  William,  Potter;  15th  Cav. 
Wallxer,  William,  Walker;  D,  49th  Pa. 
Waniz,  Hezekiah,  Lilairty;  B,  llth  Pa. 
AVallcer,  Jonathan,  Walker. 
Watts.  Coleman,  Harris;  Anderson  Troop. 
Weaver,  Thomas,  Miles;  H,51stRegt.;  Nov.  10,  1861,  to  1864. 
Westniore,  George,  Harris;  Anderson  Troop. 
Williams,  Daniel  F.,  Huston;  K,  42d  Regt.;  May  29,  1861,  to  Tec,  22, 

lli02. 


120 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Williams,  David,  Huston ;  K.  42cl  Regt. 
Wirtli,  Jiimes,  Miles  ;  D,  11th  Pa. 
Wiith,  Franklin,  Miles;  D,  11th  Pa. 
Wirtz,  James,  Huston  ;  5lii  Reserves. 
Wirtz,  Tliomas,  Huston;  6th  Reserves. 
■Wilson,  Charles  T.,  Bellefonte  ;  Anderson  Cav. 
Wilson,  J.  Calvin,  Bellefonte;  Andersoa  Cav. 
Wolf,  Gideon,  Walker;  D,  4nth  Regt. 
Young,  George  W.,  W.jrtli ;  H,  5th  Reserves. 

UNKNOWN   COMPANIES   AND   REGIMENTS. 


Bathnrst,  James,  Howard. 
Blair,  Uezeki..li,  Ferguson. 
Brown,  John,  Union. 
Chi\se,  George  W.,  Ferguson. 
Durges,  Jeremiah  K.,  Potter. 
Fraile.v,  Martin,  Spring. 
Furraan,  Edward,  Woith. 
Hutfman,  A.,  Ferguson. 
Hiibler,  Henr.v,  Howard. 
Kreamer,  William,  Marion. 
McBride,  Daniel,  Bellefonte. 
Slann,  Joseph,  Curtin. 
Quinn,  Patrick,  Bellefonte. 
Khannen,  John,  Ferguson. 
Spiller,  Peter,  Spring. 
Summers,  James,  Bellefonte. 
Taylor,  William,  Half-Moon. 

Oliver,  Liberty. 

Frederick,  Miles. 


Brow 


Coplii 


Wallac 
Wi  liter 


r,  Willi.am,  Bnrnside. 

n,  Edward,  Bellefonte. 

T,  Joseph,  Renner. 

3,  Lewis,  Potter. 
Force,  Martin,  Howard. 
Fnltz,  George,  Miles. 
Hartzel,  Daniel,  Miles. 
HolTnian,  John,  Potter. 
Hunter,  William,  Penn. 
McCurdy,  W.  Scott.  Ferguso 
McDoniild,  John,  Gregg. 
Ohl,  Henry. 

Scott,  Robert,  Bnrnside. 
Shirk,  Alexander,  Spring. 
Stover,  Jo!in,Bcnner. 
Tate,  William,  Half-Moon. 
Riddle,  David,  Liberty. 
Wagner,  David,  Liberty. 
Wyland,  George,  Bi-llefoiito 


The  Fifty-sixtli  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  Col.  S.  A. 
Meredith,  afterwards  Col.  J.  W.  Hoffman,  had  of  its 
staff  from  Centre  County  Lieut.-Col.  John  T.  Jack, 
Jan.  30,  1865;  resigned  March  15,  1865;  Surgeon 
James  P.  Wilson,  Oct.  15,  1861,  to  April  23,  1862, 
and  the  following  officers  and  soldiers : 

COMPANY  F,  FIFTY-SIXTH    PENNSYLVANIA. 
George  Corman,  Spring,  capt. ;  Nov.  4, 1861 ;  killed  at  Bull  Run  Aug.  29, 

1862. 
George  H.  Stover,  Haiues,  1st  lieut. ;  Nov.  4, 1861 ;  disch.  Nov.  8, 18G2. 
Michael  Runkel,  Bellefonte,  2d  lieut. ;  July  1, 1862  ;  to  1st  lieut.  Aug.  8, 

1862;  to  capt.  Jan.  31, 1SC3  ;  wounded  with  loss  of  arm  May  6,1804; 

disch.  Aug.  17,  1804. 
John  D.  Ilubler,  Hainea,  1st  sergt. ;  Nov.  17, 1861 ;  pro.  2d  lieut.  Nov.  8, 

1862  ;  to  1st  lieut.  Jan.  1, 1863 ;  wounded  at  Gettysburg  July  1, 1863 ; 

disch.  July  26,  1804. 
George  T.  Michaels,  Walker,  2d  sergt.;  Nov.  5, 1861  ;  wounded  at  Get- 
tysburg ;    to  1st  lieut.  April  9,  1864  ;  to  capt.  Sept.  3,  1864;   com. 

major  May  17, 1805  ;  must,  out  with  the  company  July  1,  1805. 
John  P.  Hoke,  Walker  ;   Nov.  24, 1801. 

William  W.  Kreamer,  Haines  ;  Nov.  11,1861;  disch.  February,  1803. 
John  Limbert,  Uaiiies;  Nov.  17,  1861 ;  pro.  2d  lieut.  Dec.  27,  1864;  to 

1st  lieut.  March  17, 1805. 

CoTyorah. 
Thomas  Richardson,  Gregg;  Dec.  17,  1861 ;  trans.,  1861,  to  Batt.  B,  1st 

Pa.  Artillery. 
Jeremiah  Sweeney,  Snow  Shoe ;  Nov.  23, 1861 ;  disch.  Feb.  21,  1SC3. 
Nelson  Lucas,  Snow  Shoe ;  Dec.  15,  18 — ;  killed  at  Gaines^  Mills. 
James  F.  Strong,  Gregg;  Nov.  2-"),  1861;  wounded  at  Bull  Run  ;  in  Gen. 

IIosji.  at  New  York  in  August,  18C3. 
Reuben  Peters,  Spring;  March  9,  1862. 

Fi-ieales. 
Albright,  Samuel ;  Feb.  18,  1802,  to  July  1,  ISM. 
Aston,  David,  Walker ;  Dec.  2,  1801,  to  July  1,  1805. 
Broolts,  Henry ;  Dec.  20,  1801  ;  re-enl.  Feb.  1,  1804. 
Craig,  David  P.,  Walker  :  Dec.  17,  1801,  to  Dec.  12,  1804. 
Daughenbangh,  Jncob,  Harris. 

Dinger,  Jacob  H.,  Bellefonte;  pro.  to  sergt,  Dec.  19, 1862. 
Dresher,  Stephen,  Potter;  Nov.  16, 1861. 
Dunn,  Michael,  Potter. 

Fii|:an,  Rodger,  Spring;  Nov.  5, 1861,  to  July  1, 1865. 
F.sber,  William,  Spring;  Dec.  16,  1801. 


Flora,  Samuel,  Spring;  Nov.  11, 1801. 

Geistweit,  Peter,  Spring  ;  Nov.  24,  1861 ;  trans,  to  Invalid  Corps  1864. 

Gladfelter,  John  ;  Dec.  3,  1861 ;  disch.  Feb.  11,  1803. 

Grubb,  Solomon,  Spring;  Jan.  17,  1862;  wounded  at  Beverly  Ford; 
must,  out  July  1, 1865. 

Guipe,  William,  Walker ;  Jan.  17, 1862,  to  1864 ;  trans,  to  Bat.  B,  1st  Pa. 
Art. 

Grenoble,  William,  Walker;  Dec.  17, 1861. 

Hackenberry,  Green  W.,  Snow  Shoe;  1804;  to  Bat.  B,  1st  Pa.  Art. 

Harnish,  John  M.,  Walker;  Nov.  6, 1801 ;  wounded  at  Gettysburg. 

Harnish,  Jacob,  Walker;  Dec.  7,  1801;  disch.  Jan.  5,  1803. 

Horner,  William  W.,  Spring;  Nov.  24, 1801 ;  disch.  December,  1862. 

Krise,  Henry,  Haines  ;  Dec.  16, 1861 ;  died  Oct.  16,  1863. 

Lepley,  Sophares,  Dec.  25. 

Lucas,  James  M.,  Snow  Shoe ;  Nov.  9, 1861 ;  died  March  11,  1864  ;  buried 
at  Culpeper  Court-House,  sec.  A,  row  4,  grave  129. 

McGonigal,  Daniel. 

Minnich,  John  W.,  Walker;  Dec.  21. 

Musser,  Ralph  M.,  Penn ;  Nov.  17, 1861,  to  1865. 

Oswald,  Reuben,  Snow  Shoe ;  dis'cli.  May  20,  1802. 

Peters,  Reuben,  Spring;  March  9,  1802  ;  disch.  February,  1803. 

RoBsman,  Henry,  Walker;  Dec.  11,  1861,  to  July  1,  1805. 

Russell,  Frank  H,,  Haines;  Dec.  19,  1861;  disch.  May  8,1862. 

Smith,  Henry,  Spring;  Nov.  22, 1801 ;  wounded  at  Beverly  Ford  June  9, 
1863;  disch.  Nov.  22,  1864. 

Tate,  Winfield  S.,  Snow  Shoe;  March  1, 1802. 

Walter,  Daniel  C,  Gregg;  Nov.  20, 1861;  died  in  hospital  near  Wash- 
ington Oct.  5,  1802. 

Walter,  David  C,  Howard ;  Dec.  8,  1801,  to  Feb.  10,  1805. 

Waltz,  Calvin,  Spring;  Nov.  10, ,  to  Feb.  11,  1805. 

Waltz,  Robert,  Spring;  Dec.  24;  corp.  1803. 

ONE   HUNDRED   AND   TENTH   PENNSYLVANIA. 

Adam,  William  H.,  Taylor;  Co.  D. 

Albert,  M.,  Potter. 

Amey,  Ale.\ander,  Worth;  Co.  K,  Dec.  19, 1861. 

Bennett,  John,  Taylor. 

Burns,  W.  D.,  Bellefonte. 

Behel,  Jacob,  Taylor;  Sept.  3, 1802;  died  at  Falmouth,  Va.,  January, 
1803. 

Behel,  Edmund,  Taylor;  Dec.  19,  1801. 

Crosbie,  William  E.,  Worth;  Oct.  24, 1801. 

Crowell,  Francis,  Rush. 

Dixon,  James,  Taylor;  Dec.  19,  1861,  to  1S65. 

Dougherty,  Thomas,  Taylor;  Oct.  24, 1861,  to  Oct.  24, 1804. 

Faust,  Henry,  Rush  ;  Dec.  19,  1861,  to  June  28,  1865. 

Fiiik,  John  S.,  Taylor;  Dec.  19,  ISOl. 

Fink,  John  A.,  Taylor  ;  Dec.  19, 1801. 

Fink,  Michael,  Taylor  ;  Dec.  19, 1861. 

Uurdman,  David,  Taylor;  Dec.  19, 1801,  to  June  28, 1865. 

Jones,  Levi,  Worth;  Oct.  24,  ISOl;  disch.  Feb.  17, 1802. 

Kooken,  R^v.  John  R.,  captain  Co.  C  ;  died  of  wounds  received  at  Fred- 
ericksburg Dec.  14,  1802. 

Lego,  Martin  W.,  Taylor;  Dec.  19,  ISCl ;  sergt. 

Lego,  Thomas  P.,  Taylor;  Dec.  19, 1801. 

Markley,  John  M.,  Taylor  ;  Dec.  19, 1801. 

Mayes,  William,  Snow  Shoe;  Dec.  19, 1861,  to  June  28, 1865. 

Mose,  Daniel,  Taylor. 

Nearhoff,  John,  Taylor;  Oct.  24,  1801,  to  June  28,  1805. 

Newman,  Benjamin,  Taylor;  Dec.  19, 1801 ;  died  July  12, 1864,  of  wounds 
received  at  Petersburg  June,  1864;  buried  in  National  Cemetery, 
Portsmouth  Grove,  R.  I. 

Newman,  John,  Taylor  ;  Dec.  19, 1861 ;  wounded  at  Petersburg  March 
31,  1801. 

Newman,  Richard,  Taylor ;  Oct.  24, 1801,  to  Oct.  24,  1864. 

Osterman,  John,  Rush. 

Spitler,  Perry,  Taylor;  Oct.  24,  1861. 

Stonebreaker,  John,  Taylor  ;  Dec.  19, 1861. 

Stonebreaker,  Abednego,  Taylor;  Dec.  19,  1861,  to  June  28,  1865. 

Woomer,  Porter,  Taylor ;  Dec.  17, 1801. 

COMPANY  H,  FIFTY-SIXTH  PENNSYLVANIA. 
This  company  left  Bellefonte  Dec.  19, 1801,  for  Harrisburg. 
Captaim. 
William  W.  Brown,  Bellefonte;  resigned  May  25,  1802. 
John  T.  Jack,  Harris  ;  pro.  lat  lieut.  July  25, 1862 ;  maj.  May  9, 1863. 


FIFTY-SIXTH   PENNSYLVANIA   REGIMENT. 


121 


Eobert  B.  Burger,   Billtfunt";  Nov.   8,    18C1  ;  2d   liellt.  Apiil  16, 1803; 

c.ipl.  Miiy  2.'i,  180.1;  wouiiilod  MiiylS,  1804;  disdl.  Sept.  IS,  18C4. 
Alexander  D.  Tiinyer,  IlHiTis,  Feb.  13,  1802;  sergt.  Jbii.  17, 1804;  2d 

lieiit.  May  3, 1804 ;  wounded  at  Cold  lliirlior  May  6th  ;  Ist  lieut.  May 

ICth  ;  capt.  Oct.  ICIli ;  discli.  March  10,  1805,  Burg.  cerlif. 
S.  U.  Berinison,  Feb.   12,  1802;  Corp.  Nov.  10,  1802;  1st  Bergt.  May  10, 

1804 ;  2d  lieut.  Juno  16,  18G4 ;  1st  lieut.  Oct.  16,  1864  ;  capt.  Juuo  4, 

180.5. 

First  Lieutenciiits. 
James  H.  Rankin,  Bellofonte ;  Oct.  13,  1801  ;  res.  March  27,  1862. 
William  T.  Brisbin,  Harris;  Oct.  30, 1801;  2d  lieut.  Aug.  5, 1862  ;  discb. 

surg.  certif.  Dec,  4, 1802. 
Henry  Eby,  Iliirris;  Dec.  1, 1801 ;  pro.  to  sergt.;  wounded  at  Gettysbui'g 

July  1,  1803;  pro.  to  2d  lient.  Feb.  10,   1864;  1st  lieut.  April  28, 

1864;  killed  in  the  Wilderness  May  6,  1804. 
William  P.  Cnrwin,  wounded  at  Laurel  Hill,  Va.,  May  12, 1864;  sorgt.- 

niaj.  Dec.  28,  1804;  1st  lieut.  Juno  8, 1805. 

Second  Lieuienants. 

James  J.  Brisbin,  Bellefonte;  Oct.  30, 1861 ;  res.  Oct.  31, 1862,  and  pro- 
moted in  the  reirular  service. 

S.  H.  Williams,  Hair-Moon;  Feb.  13,  1802;  from  musician  to  1st  sergt. 
Oct.  10,  1801;  2d  lieut.  Nov.  23,  1804;  capt.  Co.  I  March  30,  1803. 

Scrgeanls. 
David  E.  P.  Gill,  Huston;  Dec.  2!,  1801;  wounded  at  South  Mountain 

Sept.  14,  1804  ;  disch.  on  account  of  wounds  Jan.  13,  1803. 
James  M.  Perdue,   Ualf-Moon ;  Dec.  23,  1861  ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  of 

disablily. 
John  Ualdeman,  Harris;  Jan.  19, 1802;  sergt.  March  20, 1804;  wounded 

May  6,  1804;  discli.  Feb.  15,  1805. 
Adolph  Singleton,  Palton;  Feb.  13,1862;  wounded  at  North  Anna; 

disch.  July  1,1805. 
Cyrus  Strickland,  Bellcfonte;  Dec.  23, 1861 ;  wounded  at  Rappahannock 

Station,  Va. ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  Jan.  23, 1803. 
Frederick  Censor,  Union;  Feb.  13,  1802;  wounded  at  Gettysburg;  ap- 
pointed  sergt.   Dec.   1,  1863;  wounded   and  captured  May  5,  1864; 

prisoner  at  Andersonvillo  and  Charleston,  S.  C. 
Elisha  J.  Smith,  Rush ;  wounded  at  Gettysburg  and  at  North  Anna; 

must,  out  with  company  July  1, 1865. 

Corporals. 
11.  P.  Blair,  Harris;  Feb.  2, 1862;  appointed  Corp.  Sept.  1,  1864;  July  1, 

1865. 
John  Steere,  Union,  Jan.  19, 1802,  to  July  1,1803. 
Joseph  Piper,  Jan.  28,  1802,  to  July  1, 1S05. 
Thomas  Animerman,  Boggs;  Jau.  19, 1802;  wounded  May  8, 1864;  must. 

out  July  1, 1805. 
John  H.  Falier,  Half  Moon  ;  Doc.  23,1861 ;  sergt.  April  11,1803 ;  wounded 

May  10, 1S64 ;  killed  at  Dabney  Mills  Feb.  6,  ISOs! 
Daniel  O'Brien,  Ferguson  ;  Dec.23, 1S61 ;  died  of  typhoid  fever  at  Acquia 

Creek  May  30, 1802. 
Tlieodore  Lucas,  Union  ;  Feb.  13, 1862  ;  disch.  C.  C.  April  29, 1869. 
JainesF.  Lucas,  Union;  Feb.  13, 1802  ;  disch.  July  1,1865. 
George  Swineharf,  Harris,  musician;  Oct.  1,  1801 ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res. 

Corj.s  Dec.  12,  1863. 

Privates. 
Banks,  John,  Sept.  24, 1863;  drafted;  wonnded  at  North  Anna  May  23, 

1864;  July  1,1803. 
Barr,  Samuel,  Harris;  Dec.  23, 1861 ;  disch  on  surg.  certif 
Beatty,  Josiah,  Worth  ;  Jan.  18,  1802 ;  killed  near  Petersburg,  Vn.,  Juno 

18,  1804. 
Benuett,.WilliamT,, Potter;  Oct.  1,1801;  wounded  at  Gaines'  Mill  Aug. 

29,  1862;  discli.  for  wounds. 
Blair,  Robert  F.,  Harris;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  May,  1862. 
Blake,  Henry,  Union  ;  Oct.  1, 1861 ;  Jan.  20,  1865. 
Blake,  James  H.,  Oct.  1,  1861 ;  accidentally  wounded  July  21,  1862 ;  died 

Oct.  5, 1862;  buried  at  Military  Asylum  Cemetery,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Bncker,  William  L.,  Harris ;  Dec.  23, 1861 ;  disch.  on  snrg.  certif 
Calhoun,  Harrison,  Unionvillo;  July  1, 1865. 
Campbell,  Jolin,  Harris;  discli.  on  surg.  certif. 
Campbell,  Milton,  Sept.  23,  1863;  drufled :  wounded,  with  loss  of  leg. 

May  23d;  died  May  30, 1864;  grave  1780,  Alexandria,  Va. 
Cowker,  David,  Worth;  July  1, 1805. 
Culver,  William,  Harris. 

Curvin,  Lew  is,  Harris;  Feb.  12, 1S02,  to  July  1, 1865. 
Dewitt,  William,  Sr.,  Boggs;  Jan.  19, 1862,  to  Feb.  2,  1865. 


Dewitf,  William,  Jr.,  Boggd;  Jan.  19, 1802,  to  July  1, 1805. 

Eckley,  George,  Feb.  14,  1862;  wonnded  June  18,  1864,  at  Petemburg, 

and  died  July  12,  1864  ;  Imried  at  Chester,  Pa. 
Emerick,  J.din,  Harris;  March  1, 1862,  to  Feb.  12,  1805. 
Kaiiver, floury,  Half-Moon  ;  Feb.  13, 1802,  to  July  1, 1865. 
Frain,  John,  wonndeil  at  Gaines'  Mills,  with  loss  of  hand,  Aug.  28, 1862  ; 

Vet.  Res.  Corps  July  1, 1803. 
Fiy,  William  H.,  Ferguson;  wounded  at  Laurel  Hill  May  12, 1864;  died 

May  16,1864. 
Gingher,  John,  Boggs;  Dec.  2, 1801,  to  July  1, 1865. 
Gilbert,  Joseph,  Harris;  Deo.  3,1861;  wounded  at  Gaines' Mills  Aug.  28, 

1862;  to  Vet.  Eos.  Corps. 
Gill,  James,  Worth;  Dec.  23,  1862;  wounded  at  Spottsylvania  May  10, 

1864;  disch.  ou  surg.  cerlif  May  16, 1865. 
Ilahn,  Charles  H.,  Harris;  Dec.23, 1861;'wonnded  and  discharged. 
Hall,  Robert,  Union  ;  disch.  on  surg,  certif  April  5,  1862. 
Harner,  Samuel,  Harris ;  Dec.  23, 1861 ;  absent,  sick,  in  hospital  at  must. 

out. 
Hoop.  Charles,  Harris  ;  Dec.  23, 1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif 
Jloover,  John  T.,  Worth  ;  Dec.  23, 1861 ;  trans,  to  Battery  B,  U.  S.  A. 
Koon,  David,  Harris  ;  killed  at  Gettysburg  July  1, 1803. 
Koon,  Samuel,  Harris;  Feb.  11, 1802,  to  Jan.  24, 1805. 
Krcamer,  William,  Worth  ;  Jan.  18, 1802;  killed  at  Petersburg  June  18, 

1804. 
Lightnor,  Thomas,  Ferguson ;  Feb.  12,  1802 ;  killed  in  a  railroad  col- 
lision at  Fredericksburg,  Jan.  13,1863;  buried  at  Fredericksburg, 

div.  D,  sec.  C,  grave  77. 
Lucas,  Benjamin,  Boggs;  disch.  on  surg  certif  April,  1862. 
Lucas,  George  A.,  April,  1864,  to  July  1, 1803. 
Lucas,  Orlando  C,  Union;  Feb.  14,  1862;  accidentally  wounded,  and 

trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps. 
McAfee,  Thomas,  Patton;  died  Dec.  21,  1S02. 
McKinney,  Perry,  Gregg;  Feb.  25,  1802,  to  Feb.  27, 1865. 
MarUle,  John,  Patton  ;  Dec.  23,  1861 ;  died  April  20, 1803  ;  buried  in  Mil- 
itary Asylum  Cemetery,  D.  C. 
Slartin,  Ciiarles,  Half- Moon  :  Feb.  18, 1802,  to  July  1, 1865. 
Martz,  George,  Harris ;  Jan.  IS,  1862 ;  wounded  at  Fredericksburg  in  the 

arm;  disch,  June  21,  1805,  on  surg.  certif. 
Mason,  Lewis  F,,  Potter;  Dec.  21, 1861 ;  com.  1st  lient.  Co.  I,  83d  Pa. 
Moore,  Jacob  B.,  Patton;  Dec.  23, 1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif 
Myers,  Isaac,  Half-Mooi:  ;  Dec.  23,  1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif 
Parsons,  George,  Bellefonte;  Jan.  18, 1862,  to  July  1, 1805.' 
Pifer,  William  U.,  Ferguson;  Jan.  18,  1802;  killed  in  the  Wilderness 

May  6, 1864. 
Scholl,  Aaron  E  ,  Bellefonte;  Nov.  8, 1861,  to  Jan,  30, 1865. 
Stoey,  Thomiis,  Unionvillo. 
Steere,  Isaiah  B.,  April,  1864;  wounded  at  Petersburg  Juno  18,1804; 

di-sch.  July  1, 1865. 
Stone,  Samuel  H.,  Patton;  Feb.  13, 1862;  wounded  Juno  2, 1864,  at  Cold 

Harbor;  disch.  Feb.  17,  1803. 
Strotton,  John  M.,  Union;  died  Sept.  2, 1802;  buried  at  Military  Asylum 

Cemetery,  D.  C. 
Saniehart,  George,  Harris. 

Swisher,  John,  Unionvillo;  Feb.  12, 1862,  to  July  1, 1805. 
Saitzer,  Daniel,  Half-Moon. 

Sayer,  Joseph,  diiifted;  Sept.  19, 1864,  to  May  31, 1865. 
Ward,  John,  Patton  ;  Feb.  13, 1802 ;  wounded,  with  loss  of  leg,  July  1, 

1803,  at  Gettysburg;  disch.  May  21, 1804. 
Way,  Caleb  E.,  Patton;  Fob.  15,  1802,  to  Feb.  15,  1863. 
Williams,  Jesse,  Huston,  Jan.  26,  1862,  to  July  1, 1865. 
Walleslaugle,  Abraham,  Unionvillo  ;  disch.  ou  surg.  certif 
Touug,  David,  Patton  ;  Feb.  12,  1862  ;  wounded  at  Gainesville. 

In  the  One  Hundred  and  Sixtieth  Pennsylvania 
and  Fourteenth  Cavalry  were,  among  others, — 

James  B.  Curtin,  Nov.  20,1861;  private  in  Anderson  Troop;  pro.  Ist 

lieut.  Co.  L,  Oct.  10,  1802  ;  to  Co.  I,  Penn.  Cav.,  Feb.  28, 1864 ;  disch. 

Sept.  21,  1804. 
Michael  M.  Miisser,  sergt.;  Oct.  3,  1862;  com.  2d  lieut.  May  29,  1SG5, 

of  Co.  K ;  must,  out  June  21,  1865. 
Caleb  M.  Keidiart,  Nov.  30,  IS61,  Anderson  Troop  ;  pro.  1st  lieut.  Co.  H 

March  1,  1803 ;  disch.  May  8,  1863. 
Joseph  E.  Thomas,  Awg.  22, 1802 ;  pro.  to  sergt.  March  1, 18C3 ;  2d  lieut. 

Co.  A,  180th  Regt.,  Sept.  10,  1363 ;  to  capt.  March  1,  ISfiS. 
Hervey  S.  Liiigle,  Oct.  3,  1862;  pro.  to  1st  lieut.  Co.  G  May  8,1803; 

killed  at  Mossy  Creek,  Teun  ,  Dec.  29, 1863. 


121i 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


CHAPTER    L. 

THE    OXE    HUNDRED    AND    FORTY-EIGHTH     REGI- 
MENT   RAISED. 

Jan.  17, 1862,  Capt.  D.  McMurtrie  Gregg,  of  United 
States  regulars,  was  coininissioned  colonel  of 
1862.  Eighty-ninth  Regiment  (Eighth  Pennsylva- 
nia Cavalry)  ;  brevet  brigadier-general  Nov. 
29,  1862. 

February  26th,  the  cars  commenced  running  regu- 
larly on  the  Snow  Shoe  road  from  Bellefonte  to  Snow 
Shoe. 

Letters  received  from  Capt,  Schaeflfer's  company. 
Seventh  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  state  the  fact  that 
nearly  the  whole, company  were  badly  poisoned  from 
provisions  tlie  rebels  had  left  behind  near  Bowling 
Green,  Ky.  Several  of  the  men  died,  and  only  about 
eight  were  fit  for  service  at  the  writing.  Among 
those  who  died  was  Thaddeus  Longwell.  He  died  at 
the  hospital  at  Nashville,  Tenn. 

In  April,  Valentine  &  Co.  built  their  branch  road 
from  Bellefonte  to  their  iron-works. 

Corp.  Walker,  of  Forty-ninth,  killed  at  Yorktown, 
was  buried  at  Milesburg  on  the  7th  of  May;  Capt. 
Green  B.  Shearer,  of  Company  E,  Ninety-third  Penn- 
sylvania, was  killed  at  Williamsburg,  Va.,  May  5th. 
He  died  at  the  head  of  his  company,  the  shot  enter- 
ing his  left  groin  and  passing  through  the  hip.  He 
was  buried  on  the  plantation  of  Thomas  Whitaker, 
about  half  a  mile  southeast  of  Williamsburg. 

The  People's  County  Convention,  as  it  was  called, 
met  on  the  26th  of  August,  John  Turner,  chairman ; 
R.  H.  Duncan  and  William  Shordledge,  secretaries. 
William  Harris  was  nominated  for  Assembly,  Lewis 
Hess,  of  Potter,  for  county  commissioner,  W.  H. 
Blair  for  district  attorney,  H.  P.  Treziyulny  for 
county  surveyor,  William  H.  Armstrong  for  Con- 
gress. 

The  Democratic  County  Convention  was  presided 
over  by  Hon.  Samuel  Strohecker ;  James  Foresman 
and  J.  P.  Gephart,  secretaries.  Robert  F.  Barron 
was  nominated  for  Assembly,  William  Farey  for 
county  commissioner;  District  Attorney,  William  H. 
Blair ;  Auditor,  W.  J.  Kealsh  ;  and  Deputy  Surveyor, 
Alexander  Kerr.  Maj.  William  F.  Reynolds  was 
unanimously  nominated  for  Congress. 

On  the  21st  of  July,  Governor  Curtin  issued  a  proc- 
lamation calling  upon  the  people  of  Pennsylvania  to 
respond  to  the  requisition  of  the  President  for  twenty- 
one  new  regiments,  and  to  recruit  the  regiments  al- 
ready in  the  field.  This  contemplated  the  reception 
of  volunteers  for  nine  and  twelve  months.  This  sys- 
tem not  being  satisfactory  to  other  States,  Governor 
Curtin,  at  the  request  of  the  War  Department,  on  the 
29th  of  July  recalled  former  orders  so  far  as  they  had 
not  been  acted  upon,  and  commenced  issuing  authori- 
ties to  recruit  for  three  years  or  the  war. 


OFFICERS  AND  SOLDIERS  FROM  CENTRE  COUNTY  IN  OXK 
HUXDEED  AND  TIIIRTY-SIXTU  PENNSYLVANIA  (NINE 
MONTHS),  COMPANIES  C  AND  I,  AUG.  14,  1802,  TO  MAY  29, 
1863. 


Hale.Kiish:  C. 

Cornelius,  George  I.,  Ferguson ;  T,  wounded  at  Fredericksburg  Dec.  131h. 
Cornelius,  Josliua,  Fergnson;  I.  Crane,  Benjamiii  S.,  Rush  ;  C. 

Dile,  William  P.,  Ferguson ;  Ist  lieut.  I;  pro.  to  capt.  Dec.  2S,  1803. 
Denny,  Albert,  Rush  :  0.  Binges,  II.,  Bellefonte;  I. 

Di  nges,  Jeremiah  N.,  Ferguson  ;  I,  wounded  at  Fredericksburg  Dec.  Wtlu 
Dougherty,  Henry  A.,  Knsh;  C,  wounded  at  Fredericksburg  Dec.  l:)th, 
Doiph,  Isaac,  Rush  ;  0,  died,  Feb.  10, 1863,  of  wounds  received  at  Fred- 
ericksburg. 
Dowling,  Edward,  Fergueon  ;  pro.  to  Corp.  March  1,  18G3. 
Enieigh,  Reuben,  Ferguson  ;  I. 

Foy,  William  F.,  Howard;  I,  pro.  to  Corp.  March  1,  1803. 
Haines,  John  P.,  Howard  ;  I.  How,  Sijnire,  Rush ;  C. 

Hudson,  John,  Rush  ;  C.  Kennedy,  William,  Ferguson. 

Kinsloe,  Albert,  Rush;  C. 

KihCh,  John,  Ferguson  ;  I,  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  March  4,  18G3. 
Laird,  Henry  S.,  Ferguson  ;  I,  wounded  at  Fredericksburg  Dec.  13th. 
Moore,  David  T.,  Patton  ;  I. 
fllorgan,  Benjamin,  Ferguson  ;  C,  corp. 

Morgan,  John,  Rush  ;  C,  2d  lient.        Randal,  Perry  0.,  Howard;  I. 
Ileeder,  Robert  B.,  I.  Russell,  William,  Ferguson;  I. 

Simms,  John  W.,  Ferguson  ;  I.  Tate,  Williiini  E.,  I. 

Thompson,  John  H.,  Ferguson  ;  I,  pro.  to  sergt.  Aug.  27, 1803. 
Thompson,  Hiram,  Patton  ;  I.  Wagner,  David,  Liberty. 

Weston,  Frederick,  Ferguson  ;  I. 

Centre  County  promptly  responded  to  the  appeal. 
A  mass-meeting  was  held  at  Bellefonte  on  Saturday, 
August  2d,  presided  over  by  S.  T.  Shugert;  vice- 
presidents,  Moses  Thompson,  Gen.  George  Buchanan, 
George  Gates,  William  Allison,  Robert  Campbell, 
John  Adams,  William  C.  Duncan,  John  Sankey,  and 
others  ;  secretaries,  D.  J.  McCanii  and  John  T.  Hoover. 
Hon.  Samuel  Linn,  Hon.  John  S.  Proudfoot,  Cyrus 
T.  Alexander,  Robert  Forster,  William  Musser,  Jere- 
miah Mayes,  Samuel  Vantries,  James  Duncan,  and 
William  Allison  were  appointed  a  committee  upon 
resolutions,  the  most  important  of  which  was,  Ee- 
solved,  That  we  will  furnish  our  quota  of  men  to  meet 
the  requisition,  and  that  we  will  raise  the  amount  of 
funds  necessary  for  the  purpose.  It  was  recommended 
to  the  commissioners  to  pay  a  bounty  of  fifty  dollars 
to  each  recruit  and  make  a  loan  for  that  purpose,  and 
the  loan  was  subscribed  for  on  the  instant. 

Penn's  valley  cheerfully  gave  up  her  sons,  and 
Capt.  Robert  McFarlane,  with  one  hundred  and  thirty 
men,  left  Boalsburg  on  the  10th  of  August.  Dr. 
George  H.  Fairlamb's  company,  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  strong,  left  Bellefonte  on  the  14th.  On 
the  15tb,  on  the  way  to  Harrisburg,  one  of  the  cars 
caught  fire,  and  John  Andreas,  a  German  belonging 
to  Dr.  Fairlamb's  company,  leaped  from  the  cars  and 
was  almost  instantly  killed.  The  above  companies 
were  shortly  followed  by  Capt.  James  F.  Weaver,  the 
two  Capt.  Forsters,  Capt.  Andrew  Musser,  and  Capt. 
Dolan's  companies,  and  in  the  short  space  of  one 
month  seven  companies  were  recruited  and  mustered 
into  the  service. 

On  the  8th  of  September  the  regiment  known  as 
the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-eighth  was  organized  at 
Camp  Curtin,  composed  of  the  .above  seven  companies 
from  Centre  County,  two  companies  raised  in  Jeffer- 


y^y(^£^x^&t^ 


ONE   HUNDRED   AND   FORTi'-EIGIITII   REGIMENT. 


123 


son  and  Indiana  Counties,  and  one  in  Clarion.  The 
field  and  staff  were  witli  a  few  exceptions  from  Centre 
County,  and  the  regiment  lias  talcen  its  place  in  his- 
tory as  a  Centre  County  regiment. 

The  next  day  after  organization  it  was  assigned  to 
duty  guarding  the  Northern  Central  Railway,  with 
headquarters  at  Cockeysville,  Md.,  and  was  ordered 
to  the  front  on  the  7th  of  December,  arriving  at  Fal- 
mouth, Va.,  after  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg  had 
been  lost,  from  which  time  onward  Centre  County 
blood  crimsoned  every  battle-field  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac. 


CHAPTER  LI. 

ONE  IIU.VDREDANDFORTY-EIGIITII  PENNSYLVANIA 

VOLUNTEERS. 

Field  and  Staff  Officers. 

James  A.  Beaver,  cul. ;  July  22, 1801 ;  pro.  fmiil  licnt.-col.  4olli  Regt.  V.  V. 

Sept.  4,  1802;  to  brevet  brig.-gcii.  Aug.  1,  lSC-4 ;  wouuded  at  Chiin- 

cellorsvillo,  Vii.,  M«.v  3,  ISKi,  at  Culd  Harbor  June  3,  and  at  Petera- 

burg  June  10,  18G4;  discli.  December  22d,  for  wounds,  witli  loss  of 

leg,  received  at  Ucani's  Station  Aug.  26,  1804. 
James  F.  Weaver,  col. ;  June  1,  I80o. 
Hubert  .MeFai  lane,  lient.-eoj. ;  Aug.  27, 1802  ;  pro.  from  capt.  Co.  G  Sept. 

8,  ISCi;  discli.  on  snrg.  ceitif.  Nov.  4, 1803. 
Georgo  A  Faiilainli,  lieut.-col, ;  Aug.  22, 1802;  pro.  from  capt  Co.  II  to 

major  Sept.  7,  1802;  to  lieut.-col.  Nov,  15,  1801;  wonnded  at  Chan- 

cellorsville,  Va.,IIay  3, 180:i,and  atSpoltsylvania  Court-HouseMay 

12,  1804;  prisoner  from  May  12  to  Sept.  22,  1804;  disch.  on  surg. 

cerlir.  Feb.  24,  1805. 
James  F.  Weaver, lieut.-col. ;  Sept.  1, 1802;  pro.  from  maj  May  15, 1805  ; 

com.  col.  June  1,1805;  must,  out  June  1, 1805. 
Robert  II.  Foreter,  maj.;  Sei>t.  1, 1802;  pro.  from  capt.  Nov.  15, 1803; 

wounded  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  June  18,  1804;  disch.  on  surg.  cert. 

Jan.  8,  1805. 
George  A.  Bayanl,  maj. ;  Au?.  22, 1802;  pro.  from  capt.  Co.  H  May  17, 

1805;  com.  lieut.-col.  Juno  1,1805;  must,  out  June  1, 1805. 
Robert  Liptoli,  adjt.;  Sept.  1,  1802;  pro. from  private  Co.  B  Sept.  8,1802  ; 

died  at  Mile.sbnrg,  Pa.,  April  2U,  1803. 
Jo'seidi  W.  Bluftiey,  adjt. ;  Sept.  1, 1802  ;  pro.  from  sergl.-maj.  May  1, 1803 ; 

disrh.  on  surg.  cert.  Marcli  28,  1805. 
John  O.  Kurtz,  q.m. ;  Sept.  11,  1802;  discb.  on  suig  cert.  April  28,  1804. 
Samuel  D.  Musser,  q.m.;  Aug.  28, 1802;  pro.  from  q.m.-selgt.  May  lU, 

1804;  must,  out  June  I,  1805. 
Calvin  P.  W.  Fisher,  asst.  surg. ;  Sept.  12, 1802;  disch.  on  surg.  cort,  Juno 

12,  1803. 
James  P.  Olenkirk,  com.-sergt. ;  Aug.  18, 1862  ;  pro.  from  sergt.  Co.  G 

July  I,  1804;  must,  out  June  1,  1805. 
Lewis  W.  Ingram,  com.-sergt.;  Aug.  10, 1802 ;  pro.  to  q.m.  8l8t  Regt. 

P.  V.  June  27,  1804. 
William  II.  Slayes,  hosp.  steward;  Aug.  27, 1802  ;  pro.  from  private  Co. 

C  Nov.  1,1863;  com.  2d  lieut.  Co.  C  Juno  1,1865;  must,  out  June 

1, 1805. 
Jacob  B.  Krieder,  hosp.  steward  ;  Oct.  8, 1802 ;  disch.  Oct.  17,  1803. 
■William  II.  llarpster,  prin.  mus. ;  Aug.  27, 1802;  pro.  from  musician  Co. 

C  July  1, 1803;  must  out  June  1,  1805. 
Samuel  D.  Otto,  prin.  mus.;  Aug.  27,  1802;  pro.  from  musician  Co.  C 

Marcli  1,  1804;  must  out  June  1,  1805. 
Robert  A.  Cassaitay,  prin.  mus. ;  Aug.  10, 1802;  pro.  from  private  Co.  H 

Sept  8,  1802;  trans,  to  19th  Regt,  Vet  Res.  Corps;  disch.  July  13, 

1805. 


Company  A. 


1863  ; 


Bubort  H.  Forsfer,  capt;  Sept.  1,  1802;  pro.  to  maj 

wounded  at  Chancellorsville. 
John  L.  Johnson,  capt;  Aug.  10, 1802  ;  pro.  from  Ist  lieut.  Co.  H  Nov. 

15,1803;  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor,  Vs.,  Juae  2!,  1SG4;  disch.  June 

4, 1865. 
Simon  S.  Wolf,  Ist  liput ;  Aug.  30, 1802 ;  disch.  on  snrg.  cert  Sept.  25, 

1863;  died  Jan.  1, 1875,  is  buried  at  Centre  Uall. 


Wesley  W.  Belrly,  1st  lieut;  Aug.  25,  1802;  pro.  from  Ut  scrst.  to  2d 

lieut.  Oct  31 ;  to  1st  llcnt.  Nov.  15, 1803  ;  woundeil  and  caiKurM  June 

20, 1804 ;  died  at  Peteisbnrg.  Va  .Sept.  2,18C4,  of  wounds  rcc.  in  action. 
Simon  M.  Spangler,  Miles,  l«t  lieut;  Aug.  2.i,  1802;  pro.  from  l«t  K-Tgl. 

Nov.  30, 1804 ;  wounded  May  12,  1804,  at  Spottaylvania  ;  must,  out 

June  1,  1805. 
Erastus  J,  Burkert,  Miles,  2d  lieut;  Aug.  31,1802;  disch.  on  surg.  cert 

June  20, 1803. 
Daniel  E.  Shaffer,  Miles,  2d  lieut;  Aug.  2.5, 1802;  pro.  fiom  sergt.  Nov. 

15,  1863;  died  at  Madi«onliurg,  Pa.,  Sept.  12,  1Sr,t. 
Jared  I.  Jones,  Miles,  2d  lieut;  Aug.  25,  1802;  pro.  from  sergt  Nov.  30, 

1804;  must  out  June  1,  1805. 
John  A.  Miller,  Miles,  1st  sergt;  Aug.  25, 1802;  pro.  from  Corp.  Dec.  7, 

1804  ;  must  out  June  1,  1805. 
Thomas  P.  Meyer,  Miles,  sergt;  Aug.  25,  1802;  pro.  from  corp.  Dec.  7, 

1804  ;  must,  out  June  1,  1805. 
William  Harper,  Miles,  sergt;  Ang.  25, 1802;  pro.  fiom  corp.  Nov.  16, 

1R03;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  20,  1865. 
Henry  Miller,  Miles,  sergt;  Aug.  25, 1802  ;  pro.  from  Corp.  April  I,lSGo; 

must,  out  June  1, 1805. 
Daniel  Weaver,  Miles,  sergt.;  Aug.  25,  1802;  pro.  fiom  coip.  April  1, 

1805;  must,  out  Juue  1,  1805. 
George  W.  Leitzell,  Peiin,  sergt;  Aug.  25.  1802;  pro.  from  Corp.  Feb. 25, 

1803;  wonnded  July  2d  at  Gettysburg;  trans,  to  Vet  Kea.  Corjis 

March  17, 1805. 
Ellas  Slinglc,  Penn,  sergt. ;  Aug.  25, 1802 ;  died  July  31, 1803,  of  wounds 

received  in  action  at  Getty^burg  July  2, 1803. 
Samuel  R,  Gettig,  Miles,  Corp.;  Aug.  25,  1802;   pro.  to  Corp.  Nov.  10, 

1803;  taken  prisoner  Aug.  25, 1804,  at  Ream's  Station,  Va.;  niiut 

out  June  1,1865. 
Jacob  Breckbill,  Miles,  corp. ;  Aug.  25,  1862  ;  pro.  to  corp.  Dec.  7,  1864 ; 

must  ont  June  1,  1805. 
Benjamin  Beck,  Miles,  Corp.;  Aug.  25, 1862;  pro.  to  corp.  Dec.  7, 1864; 

wounded  at  Five  Forks,  Va.,  March  31,  1805,  to  June  24,  1805. 
Mana.*;ses,  Gilbert,  Miles,  Corp.;  Aug.  25,  1802;  pro,  to  corp.  April  1, 

18C5;  severely  wounded  July  2, 1803,  at  Gettysburg;  must,  out  June 

1,  1805. 
George  Corman,  Miles,  corp.;  Aug.  25,  1802;  prisoner  from  July  2  to 

Aug.  2, 1863;  pro.  to  corp,  April  1,  1865 ;  must,  ont  June  1, 1865. 
Henry  Ci-onse,  Miles,  corp.;  Aug.  25,  1862;  pro.  to  corp,  April  1,1865; 

must  out  June  1,  1805. 
Frederick  Limbert,  Miles,  Corp.;  Aug.  25, 1802;  wonnded  July  2, 1803, 

at  Gettysburg;  pro.  to  Corp.  April  1,  1S05;  must,  out  June  1, 1805. 
David  Rossman,  Miles,  Corp.;  Aug.  25,  1802;  wounded  at  Sputtsylvania; 

pro.  to  Corp.  April  1,  1805  ;  must,  out  June  1,  1805. 
Levi  Strayer,  Miles,  Corp.;  Aug.  25,1802;  disch.  on  snrg.  certif.  April  4, 

1803. 
Henry  Meyer,  Miles,  Corp. ;  Aug.  2.5,  1802 ;  wounded  May  10, 1804,  at  Po 

River,  and  discb.  on  snrg.  certif  Sept  10, 1804. 
Thomas  E.  Royer,  Miles,  corp, ;  Aug.  25,  1802;  wounded  Jlay  12,1864,  at 

Spottsylvania ;  trans,  to  61st  Co.,  2d  Batt.,  Vet  Res.  Corps,  Jan.  20, 

1864;  disch.  Aug.  24,  1865. 
George  M.  Rupp,  Haines,  corp.;  Aug.  25, 1802;  wounded  May  12, 1864, 

at  Spottsylvauia  ;  trans,  to  5l8t  Co.,  2d  Batt.,  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Feb. 

9,  1805. 
Amos  Erhard,  Miles,  Corp. ;  Aug.  25, 1862 ;  wounded  July  2, 1863,  at  Get- 
tysburg ;  trans,  to  Co.  C,  24tli  Regt  P.  V.,  Jan.  20, 1864 ;  disch.  June 

28,1805. 
Daniel  Sliafcr,  Miles,  corp. ;  Aug.  25,  1802  ;  died  March  0, 1803,  at  Fal- 
mouth. 
Jacob   Laiiich,  Penn,  corp. ;  Aug.  25,  1802 ;  killed  at  Gettysburg,  Pa., 

July  2,  1803. 
Daniel  Miller,  Miles,  corp, ;  Aug.  25,  1862;  died  Aug.  8,  1864;  buried 

in  National  Cemetery,  .\rIington,  Va. 
John  B,  Zeigler,  Penn,  musician  ;  Aug.  25, 1862,  to  June  1, 1865. 


Priratea. 

Bierly,  Solomon,  Miles;  Aug.  28, 1862  ;  wounded  June  13,  ISOl,  in  Vir- 
ginia; di.sch.  Aug.  22,  1803. 

Bierly,  Charles  W.,  Sliles;  Aug.  25,  1802;  wounded  at  Gettysburg; 
trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  March  15,  1804. 

Bierly,  James  B.,  Gregg;  Aug.  25, 1802;  died  at  Falmouth,  Va.,  Feb,  24, 
1863, 

Boob,  Levi,  Miles;  Aug.  28,  1862;  wounded  with  loss  of  arms  at  Po 
River  ;  disch.  with  surg.  certif.  May  24, 1804 ;  buricil  at  Uurtleyton, 
Uuion  Co.,  Pa. 


124 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUiNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Boob,  Natlmniel,  Miles  ;  Aug.  28, 1862 ;  taken  prisoner  at  Renin's  Station, 

Va.,  Aug  23, 18G4  ;  must,  out  Jnne  1, 1803. 
Boob,  William,  Miles;  Aug.  23,  1862;   wounded  and  captured  at  Po 

River. 
Boner,  Daniel,  Miles  ;  Aug.  28, 1R62,  to  June  1, 18G3. 
Boj-er,  Adam,  Miles:  Aug.  25,1802;  wounded  July  3, 1803,  at  Gettys- 
burg; trans,  to  108th  ;  to  2d  Batt.  Vet.  Res.  Corps  March  17, 1865  ; 

disch.  Aug.  23,  1803. 
Bressler,  David,  Penn ;  Aug.  28,  1802;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  May  25, 

1803. 
Conger,  Henry  G.,  Miles;  Aug.  25, 1802  ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  March 

2, 1803. 
(torman,  James,  Miles ;  Aug.  25, 1862 ;  must,  out  June  1, 1865. 
Dale,  Solomon,  Harris;  Sept.  1, 1862  ;  missing  in  action  at  Spottsylvania 

Court-House  March  10, 1864. 
Deininger,  H.  0.,  Penn  ;  Aug.  25,  1862 ;  disch.  July  14, 1865. 
Edii-man,  Ellas,  Miles;  Aug.  25, 1802;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  April  14, 

1804;  disch.  by  G.O.June  1,1865. 
Emerick,  Jacob,  Miles  ;  Aug.  25, 1862  ;  wounded  at  Chancelbirsville,  Va., 

May,  1863  ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  March  17,  1804 ;  disch.  Sept.  0, 

1804. 
Vulmer,  Isaiah,  Aug.  25,  1802;  wounded  at  Po  River,  Va.,  and  died 

some  lime  after ;  buried  in  Poplar  Grove  Cemetery,  Petersburg,  Va. ; 

div.  8,  sec.  E,  grave  151. 
Fulmor,  Levi  H.,  Miles ;  Aug.  25, 1802  ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  Feb.  II, 

1803. 
Fulraer,  William,  Miles;  Aug.  25,1862;  killed  at  Po  River,  Va.,  May 

10, 1804. 
Garrett,  Griffith,  Miles;  Aug.  25, 1802;  died  May  II,  1803. 
Gilbert,  Samuel,  Peun  ;  Aug.  25,  1802  ;  wounded  at  Po  River,  Va.,  May 

10, 1864 ;  trans,  to  Co.  B,  I8tli  Begt.  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Sept.  1, 1804  ; 

disch.  by  G.  0.  June  17,  1805  ;  dead. 
Grim,  Adam,  Walker;  Aug.  25,  1802  ;  prisoner  from  Aug.  25,  1804,  to 

March  14,  1805;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  C,  1805. 
Grim,  John,  Miles;  Aug.  25,1802;  must,  out  June  1, 1865. 
Gniss,  Martin.  Gregg ;  Aug.  25,  1802  ;  died  Feb.  17, 1803. 
Gneiser,  Maltliias,  Miles;  Aug.  25,  1862;  wounded  at  Gettysburg,  Pa. 
HalBy,  John  W.,  Howard ;  Aug.  25,  1802 ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Nov. 

13, 180 1. 
Harper,  Simon,  Miles;  Aug.  25, 1802;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Sept.  1, 

1863;  disch.  July  12, 1805. 
Held,  Charles  H.,  Penn;  Aug. 25, 1802;  must,  out  June  1,1805;  buried 

at  Millheim,  Pa. 
Johnson,  Jacob  D.;   Aug.  25,  1802;  trans,  to  Signal  Corps  April  10, 

1864. 
Kleiufeller,  Aaron,  Miles;  Aug.  25, 1862;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  March 

7,1804. 
Kreamer,  Gideon,  Miles;  Aug.  25, 1862;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out. 
Kreamer,  Jesso,  Penn;  .\ng.  25,  1862;  discli.by  G.  0.  May  20,  1805. 
Krape,  Samuel,  Penn  ;  Aug.  23, 1802  ;  died  April  14,  1803,  at  Falmouth, 

Va. 
Lamy,  Michael,  Penn;  Aug.  25,  1802;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Feb.  23, 

1803. 
Lanich,  George  W.,  Penn  ;  Aug.  25, 1802 ;  disch.  June  0, 1805. 
Lanich,  Henry,  Penn;  Aug.  29,  1862  ;  dishonorably  discliarged  Juno  7, 

1804. 
Long,  Daniel,  Miles;  Aug  25,1862;  wounded  at Chancellorsville;  miss- 
ing at  action  at  Petersburg  June  25, 1804. 
Long,  Jesse,  Miles;  Aug.  25,  IS62;  prisoner  from  Aug.  25,1804,  must. 

out  June  I,  1803. 
Maize,  Israel,  Penn;  Aug.  25,  1802;  taken  prisoner  at  North  Anna,  Va  ; 

diedSept.  22, 1804. 
Miller,  Aaron,  Miles;  Aug.  25, 1802;  killed  at  Gettysburg  July  2, 1863. 
Miller,  John,  Miles;  Aug.  25,  1802;  discli.  on  snig.  certif.  May  17,  lS63. 
Meyer,  Josipti,  Miles;  Aug.  25,  1802;  disch.  May  17,  1865. 
Meyer,  William  P.,  Miles;  Aug.  23,  1802;  killed  at  Deep  Bottom,  Va., 

Aug.  14, 1804. 
Otto,  Israel,  Peun;  Aug.  25,  1862;  wounded;  disch.  by  general  order 

July  3,  1803. 
Otto,  William,  Penn ;  Aug.  23, 1802 ;  must,  out  Jnne  1, 1865. 
Befsli,  John  E.,  Miles;  Aug,  25,  1802;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  April  1, 

1863. 
RoBsman,  David,  Miles. 
KoUBh,  Jackson  E.,  Miles;  Aug.  25,  1802. 
Smith,  Levi  H.,  Miles;  Aug.  25,  1802;  trans,  to  Co.  C,  llth  Regt.  Vet. 

Res.  Corps,  April  14, 1864;  disch.  July  8,  I8C5. 
Strayer,  Samncl,  Miles;  Aug.  25,  1862;  must,  out  June  1,  1865. 


Stover,  Ellas,  Miles ;  Aug  23, 1862 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  June  20, 1864. 

Stover,  Simon  M.,  Miles ;  Aug.  23,  1862 ;  died  April  9,  1863,  at  Fal- 
mouth, "Via. 

Strong,  John,  Miles;  Aug.  25, 1862;  must,  out  June  1, 1865. 

Walker,  Ira,  Miles;  Aug.  23,  1862. 

AVeiglit,  John,  Miles;  Aug  25, 1802;  died  July  24,  1805,  of  wounds  re- 
ceived July  2, 1803,  at  Gettysburg,  Pa. 

Weight,  William,  Grejig ;  Aug.  25, 1802;  trans,  to  Co  H,  24th  Regt.  Vet. 
R»s.  Corps,  April  14,  1804;  discli.  Jnne  30, 1804. 

Weirich,  Thomas  G.,  Miles ;  Sept.  1, 1802;  absent,  wounded,  at  muster 
out. 

Weis,  Solomon,  Miles;  Aug.  25, 1802. 

Weiser,  Charles  W.;  Aug.  25,  1802;  wounded  July  2,  1803,  at  Gettys- 
burg, Pa. 

Wolf,  Charles  A.,  Miles;  Aug.  25, 1802;  died  at  Falmouth,  Va.,  Feb.  9, 
1865. 

Wolf,  Franklin,  Miles;  Aug.  25, 1862;  killed  at  Po  River,  Va.,  May  10, 
1804. 

Wolf,  Harry,  Miles;  Aug.  23,  1862;  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C,  June  29, 
1863. 

Wolf,  Samuel,  Penn;  Aug.  2.3, 1862 ;  died  Feb.  22,  1863,  at  Falmouth, 
Va. 

Company  B. 

James  F.  Weaver,  Milesburg,  capl.;  Sept.  1,  1802;  wounded  at  Po 
River,  Va.,  May  9, 1804;  pro.  to  maj.  March  7,  1803. 

William  D.  Harper,  Boggs,  capt. ;  Aug.  29,  1802  ;  pro.  to  sergt.  Oct.  22, ' 
1802  ;  to  1st  lieut.  March  1,  1803  ;  to  capt.  March  7,  1805 ;  wounded 
at  Petersburg,  Va.,  June  22, 1804 ;  must,  out  June  1,  1803. 

Jabez  C.  P.  Jones,  Milesburg,  1st  lieut.;  Sept.  1,1802;  disch.  on  sur- 
geon's certificate  Feb.  10,  1863. 

James  E.  McCartney,  Milesburg,  2U  lieut. ;  Sept.  1, 1862 ;  commissioned 
1st  lieut.  Feb.  1, 1805  ;  disch.  on  surgeon's  certificate  Feb.  24, 1805. 

David  H.  Swyers,  Boggs,  1st  sergt. ;  Aug.  29, 1802;  pro.  to  corp.  Oct.  1, 
1803;  to  1st  sergt.  Aug.  1,  1804;  wounded  at  Po  River  May  10, 
1804,  and  at  Five  Forks,  Va.,  March  31,  1805;  commissioned  1st 
lieut.  March  1,  1805  ;  disch.  June  3, 1S65. 

Samuel  L.  Barr,  Benner,  1st  sergt.;  Aug.  29, 1802;  pro. from  sergt.  Aug. 

1. 1803  ;  wounded  at  Bristol  Station,  Va.,  Sept.  14, 1803;  pro.  to  2d 
lieut.,  18th  Begt.  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  June  18,  1804;  disch.  Jnne  30, 
1806. 

John  B.  Like,  Boggs,  1st  sergt.;  Aug.  29, 1802;  died  at  York,  Pa.,  Dec.  16, 

1802. 
Michael  F.  Connor,  Milesburg,  1st  sergt. ;  Aug.  29, 1802;  pro. from  sergt. 

Dec.  27, 1802;  killed  at  Cliancollorsville,  Va.,  May  3, 1803. 
George    W.    Lucas,  Snow  Shoe,  sergt.;  Aug.  29,  1802;  prisoner  from 

Juue  10,  1801,  to  April  28,  18(15;  disch.  May  10,  1805. 
Thomas  T.  Taylor,  Boggs,  sergt. ;  Aug.  29, 1802  ;  pio.  to  sergt.  May  27, 

1803;  commissioned  2d  lieut. and  must,  out  June  1,1803. 
Alfred  C.  Moore,  Benner,  sergt.;  Aug.  29,  1S02 ;  pio.  to  sergt.  Nov.  19, 

1803;  wounded  at  Five  Forks,  Va.,  March  31, 1803;  disch.  May  22, 

180.5. 
Constance  Barger,  Boggs,  sergt.;  Sept.  1,1802;  pro.  to  corp.  Nov.  19, 

1863;  to  sergt.  Aug.  1,  1804;  wounded  at  Five  Forks  March  31, 

1805  ;  must,  out  June  1, 1805. 
George  R.  Huston,  Unionville,  sergt.;  Aug.  29,  1802;  pro.  from  corp. 

Dec.  27, 1862;  wounded  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  2,  1803;  trans,  to 

901h  Co.,  2d  Bat.  V.  R.  C,  Dec.  14,  1803 ;  disch.  Aug.  28, 1865. 
W.  J.  J.  Davidson,  Boggs.  sergt.  ;  Aug.  20,  1802;  pro.  from  Corp.  March 

19,  1803  ;  died  at  Potomac  Croel^,  Va.,  May  2,  1803. 
Jacob  Itoop,  Benner,  sergt. ;  Aug  29,  1862 ;  pro.  from  corp.  Aug.  1, 1803 ; 

killed  at  Po  River,  Va  ,  May  10,  1804. 
George  P.  Hall,  Union,  corp. ;  Aug.  29, 1802  ;  pro.  to  corp.  Nov.  9,  1802  ; 

wounded  at  Gettysburg  July  3, 1803  ;  disch.  Miiy  20, 1805. 
Samuel  R.  Mitchell,  Union,  Corp.;  Aug.  29, 1802;  pro.  to  corp.  May  27, 

1863;  disch.  June  4,1865. 
John  D.  Lucas,  Milesburg,  Corp.;  Aug.  29,  1802;  pro.  to  corp.  Nov.  19, 

1603;  must,  ont  Jnne  1,1805. 
Edwin   Searson,  Benner.  Corp.;  Aug.  29,  1802;  pro.  to   Corp.  May  12, 

1804;  wounded  at  Gettysburg  July  3,  1803,  and  at  Cold  Harbor  June 

6. 1804  ;  disch.  Aug,  9, 1805. 

Benjamin  F.  Han  is,  Half-Moon,  Corp. ;  Aug.  29, 1802  ;  pro.  to  corp.  Aug. 
1, 1804;  must,  out  Juno  1, 1866. 

William  B.  Peters,  Uniunville,  Corp.;  Aug.  29,1862;  wounded  at  Wil- 
derness, Va.,  May  4, 1804;  pro.  to  corp.  Sept.  29, 1804 ;  disch.  June  12, 
1805. 

Allen  S.  Ammerman,  Union,  corp.;  Aug.  29, 1802;  pro.  to  corp.  Feb.  28, 
1805 ;  must,  out  June  1,  1805. 


ONE   HUNDRED  AND  FORTY-EIGHTH   REGIMENT. 


125 


David  SiUort,  Ben  nor,  Corp.;  Sept.  1,1862;  pro.  to  Corp.  Doc.  27,1862; 
trans  to  Vet.  Kes.  Corps  Feb.  1,  1804. 

Edward  II.  Poornmn,  Benner,  Corp. ;  Sept.  1, 18C2;  trans,  to  Vet.  Kes. 
Corps  April  2U,  1804. 

0.  W.  Viin  Vulin,  Unionville,  corp. ;  Sept.  1, 1862  ;  pro.  to  Corp.  Mnrcli 
17,1803;  wounded  at  Gettyabiirg  July  2,  ISCI :  pro.  to  1st  lieut.lUt 
Kegt.  U.  S.  C.  T.  Oct.  11, 1804;  must,  out  Dec.  10, 1805. 

W.  C.  Aninicrnmn,  Uninn,  Corp. ;  Auc  20, 1802  ;  wounded  at  Cli«ncel- 
loisville,  Va.,  May  3,  1803;  died  May  31st  of  wounds  received  at 
Spntlsylvania  Coiirt-IIouse  May  12, 1864;  buried  in  National  Ceme- 
tery, Arlington,  Va. 

Natliaiiiel  Beerly,  ISoggs,  musician;  Aug.  29, 1802,  to  June  1, 1809. 

Emory  Uutton,  Benner,  musician  ;  Aug.  29, 1802,  to  Juno  1, 1805. 


PrivaUt. 

Adams,  John,  Feb.  18, 1804  ;  disch.  July  13, 1805. 

Adams,  Nelson,  Union;  Aug.  29,  1802;  wounded  at  Five  Forks,  Va., 

March  31, 1805;  discli.  June  0, 1806. 
Ammerinau,  David  A.,  Unionville;  Aug.  29, 1802 ;  died  July  5th  of  wounds 

received  iit  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  2,  1803 ;  buried  in  National  Ceme- 
tery, sec.  B,  grave  33. 
Amnicrnian,  John,  Milesburg;  Aug.  29,1802;  wounded  at  Gettysburg 

July  2,  1803 ;  captured  at  Ream's  Station,  Va.,  Aug.  23, 1864;  died 

at  Andersonville  Feb.  19, 1805. 
Ammernian,  Joseph,  Harris;  Aug.  29, 1802;  wounded  at  Pu  River  May 

10,  1804;  discli.  on  surg.  cerlif.  March  30,  1805. 
Ammernian,  R.  W.,  Milesburg;  Aug. 29, 1802;  wounded,  with  loss  of  leg, 

at  Po  Kiver,  Va.,  May  10,  1804  ;  disch.  May  30,  1865. 
Barger,  James,  Doggs  ;  Sept.  1, 1802,  to  June  1, 1805. 
Beers,  Reuben  B.,  Spring;  Aug.  29,  1802. 
Beerly,  Mesulani,  Boggs;  Aug.  29, 1802;  died  at  Falmouth,  Va.,  Feb.  8, 

1863. 
Bennett,  George,  Curlin;  Sept.  1,  1802;  died  at  York,  Pa.,  March  23, 

1803;  buried  in  Prospect  Hill  Cemetery. 
Biddle,  John  W.,  Paltou  ;  Sept.  1,  ISOt ;  prisoner  from  June  16,  1864,  to 

April  28, 1805;  disch.  May  29,  1865. 
Billet,  George,  Bell.funle;  Aug.29,lS6i;  JuneI,lSC5. 
Blower,  Austin,  Feb.  18, 1804;  trans,  to  Co.  I,  53d  Regt.  P.  V.,  June  1, 

1805. 
Bryan,  Samuel,  Boggs;  Sept.  1, 1802  ;  June  1, 1805. 
Blower,  James  R.,  Union ;  Sept.  1, 1SC2  ;  wounded  at  Gettysburg  July  2, 

1803;  captured  at  Petersburg  June  2, 1801;  died  at  Audeisonvillc 

Oct.  18,  1S04. 
Brower,  Philip,  Boggs ;  Sept.  1, 1802,  to  June  1, 1805. 
Brown,  Michael,  Boggs;  Aug.  20, 1S02;  wounded  at  Chancellorsvllle  May 

3,  and  Gettysburg  July  2,  1S03;  trans,  to  Vet.  Ues.  Corps. 
Bush,  Michael,  Haines ;  Aug.  19,  1863,  to  May  31, 1S03. 
Conaway,  Thomas  A.,  Burnside;  Sept.  1,  1803;  wounded  at  Spottsyl- 

vauia  Court-House  May  12, 1804  ;  must,  out  June  1, 1S65. 
Davis,  Abel,  Boggs;  Aug.  29,  1802;  killed  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  2, 

1863. 
Doughnian,  Frederick,  Boggs;  Sept.  1, 1862  ;  disch.  on  suig.  certif.  Jan. 

1,  1865. 
Draneker,  Alexander  J.,  Milesburg;  Feb.  28,  1S04;  wounded  at  Po  River 

May  9,  1864;  trans,  to  Co.  I,  53d  Regt,  June  1,  1865. 
Durst,  John  L.;  Aug.  31, 1803;  drafted;  trans. to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  April 

2",  1804;  disch.  by  G.  0.  July  19, 1805. 
Edmiston,  William  A.,  Benner;  Sept.  1, 1S06 ;  wounded  at  Po  River,  Va  , 

May  10,  1864;  trans,  to  Co.  I,  0th  Vet.  Res.  Corps;  disch.  July  3, 

1805. 
Ehrhorn,  John  C.,  Milesburg;  Sept.  1, 1862,  to  June  1,  1805. 
Flick,  Jacob,  Union;    Sept.  1,  1S05;  wouiiJed  at  Ream's  Station,  Va, 

Aug.  25,  1804  ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Mnrcli  0, 1803. 
Harris,  George  \V.,  Benner;  Aug.  29, 1862;  disch.  for  wounds  received 

at  Five  Forks,  Va.,  Maich  31, 1865. 
Harris,  Valentine,  Benner;  Aug.  29, 1862;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  July 

27, 1863. 
Hines,  Jiimcs,  Walker;  Aug.  23, 1802;  captured  atSiiIesburg,N.  C,  Dec. 

12, 1804. 
Hugg,  Enoch,  Unionville;  Sept.  1, 1802;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  April  12, 

1804. 
Huling,  Samuel,  Burnside ;  Sept.  1,  1862 ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  2,  1865. 
Hurts,  Charles  F.,  Boggs;  Sept.  1, 1802;  captured  at  Strawberry  Plains, 

Va.,  June  '22,  1804;  must,  out  June  1, 1805. 
Huston,  James,  Unionville;   Aug.  -.O,  1SC2;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps 

Sept.  17,  1863. 


Iddlngs,  .Joseph,  Union;  Aug.  29,  1802;    wounded  at  Cliuncslloravllle 

May  3,.1803  ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Cor|«  June  27,  1801. 
Irwin,  Thomas  N.;  March  1, 1804;  trans,  to  Co.  I,  63d  Pii ,  June  I,  IS&I. 
Keller,  Joseph,  Boggs;  Aug.  2,  1802;  died  at  Fulmoulli,  Va.,  Apiil4, 

1803. 
Keller,  William,  Spring;  Aug.  29,  1802;  prisoner  from  Aug.  25lh  to 

Oct.  7,  1804;  disch.  June  29,  1865. 
Killinger,  Abraham,  Bellefonte;  Aug.  29,  1802:  died  at  Washinglun, 

D.  C,  Sept.  16, 1863;  buried  in  Military  Asylum  Cemetery. 
Kline,  David,  Huston;  Sept.  1, 1862;  disch.  October  I8lh  for  wounds  re- 
ceived, with  loss  of  arm,  at  Petersburg  June  22, 1804. 
Kreps,  W.  H.,  Walker ;  Aug.  20,  1802,  to  June  f>,  l(iC5. 
Liplon,  Robert,  Milesburg  ;  Sept.  1,  1802  ;  pro.  adji.  Sept.  8, 1802. 
McGarvey,  Charles,  Unionville;  Aug.  20,  1802;  disch.  on  surg.  certif. 

March  11,  1863. 
Moore,  Charles,  Benner;  Aug.  29,  1^2;  wounded  at  Five  Forks,  Va, 

March  31,  1805;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  April  7,  1863;  l,urie.l  in 

National  Cemetery,  Arlington. 
Muffley,  Joseph  W.,  Howard;  Sept.  1, 1802;  pro.  to  sergt.-niaj.  Sept.  S, 

1802 
Parsons,  Wilson  J.,  Union;  Aug.  29, 1803;  trans,  to  162d  Co.,  2d  Bait. 

Vet.  Res.  Corps;  ilied  Feb.  'i.i,  1805;  buried  in  PopLir  Grove  Na- 
tional Cemetery,  Petersburg,  sec.  D,  grave  105. 
Peters,  John,  Unionville;  Aug.  20,  1802;  died  near  Morrisville,  Va., 

Aug.  17,  1803. 
Pheasant,  George,  Howard;  Sept.  1, 1802;  killed  at  Gettysburg  July  2, 

1803. 
Poorman,  James,  Spring;  Feb.  15, 1804;  trans,  to  Co.  I,  53d  Pa.,  June  1, 

1865. 
Quick,  Thomas,  Spring;  Aug.  29,  1862;  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va., 

June  3, 1864;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Jan.  4,  1805. 
Reiter,  Joseph  F.,  Boggs;  Sept.  1,  1862;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Apr. I 

'20,  1804. 
Richards,  Armor,  Unionville;  Sept.  1,  1803;  died  at  Philadelphia  Nov. 

17,  1804. 
Roan,  Andrew  B.,  Benner;  Aug.  29, 1862,  to  June,  1805. 
Rose,  James,  Boggs;  Aug. 29,  1802;  trans,  to  V.^t.  Res.  Curp=. 
Sailor,  Beijjaniin,  Boggs;  Sept.  1,1802;  died  at  Cockeysvjlle,  Md,  Oct. 

27,  1S02. 
ShinU,  John  J  ,  Huston;  Sept.  1, 1862,  to  June  12, 1805. 
Sliroyer,  James,  Boggs;  Aug.  29, 1862;  died  at  Coekeysville,  Md.,  Dec. 

3,  1862.         I 
Sbroyer,  William  H.,  Boggs;  Aug. 29, 1802 ;  died  at  Potomac  Creek,  Va., 

May  29,  1863. 
Shultz,  Jacob,  Boggs;  Sept.  1,  1802  ;  disch.  on  surg.  cert.  Aug.  20, 1803. 
Spoils,  John,  Huston  ;  Sept.  1, 1802;  killed  at  Sliotlsylvauia  Courl-House, 

Va.,  May  12,  1864. 
Stone,  George,  Patton  ;  Aug.  29, 1862,  to  July  12,  1805. 
Stone,  William,  Pattou;  Aug.  29,  1862;  died  at  Falmouth,  Va.,  Feb.  0, 

1803. 
Vanralen,  James  W.,  Unionville ;  Sept.  1,  1802,  to  June  1,  1805. 
Walker,  Matthias,  Boggs;  Aug.  29,  1802;  wounded  at  tliancellorsville 

May  3,  1803;  died  at  Milesburg,  Pa.,  Dec.  4,  1^64. 
Walker,  George,  March  14, 1804 ;  wounded  at  Po  River  May  HI,  1604,  and 

at  Five  Forks  March  31,  1S63;  tnius.  to  Co.  I,  5)d  Regt.;  discli. 

June  10, 1805. 
Walter,  Charles  C,  Benner;  Aug.  29, 1802,  to  June  1, 1SG3. 
Watkiiis,  Alexauder  C.',  Snow  Shoe;  Sept.  1, 1802;  discli.  on  burg.  certif. 

Jan.  1,1S65. 
Watkins,  Benjamin  F.,  Snow  Shoe,  Aug.  29, 1862  ;  wounded  at  Spottsyl- 

vania  Coui  tllouse  May  12,  1804  ;  absent  at  muster  out. 
Wells,  S.imuel,  Sept.  1, 1803 ;  disch.  on  surg.  cert.  Jan.  1,  IS6o. 
Wertz,  William  H.,  March  15, 1864;  trans,  to  Co.  I,  53d  Regt.,  June  1, 

1803. 
Wolf,  Henry,  Patton  :  Aug.  29, 1862  ;  died  near  Stevensburg,  V,a.,  April 

10,   1804;    buried  in   National  Cemetery,  Culpeper  Court-Hoiise, 

block  1,  section  A,  Nov.  7,  grave  215. 
Wylali,  Peter,  Bog^ ;  Aug.  20,  1802  ;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out. 

CoMrAXY  C. 

Robert  51.  For.ster,  Harris,  capt.;  Aug.  30, 1802  ;  killed  at  Gettysburg 

July  2,  1803. 
Jacob  B.  Edmonds,  capt. ;  Aug.  27, 1802;  pro.  from  Ist  lieut  Co.  G  Nor. 

15, 1803;  killed  at  Petersburg  June  22,  1804. 
William  E.  Graham,  Harris,  capt. ;  Aug.  27,  1802  ;  pro.  from  corp.  to  2d 

lieut.  Aug.  1,  1804  ;  to  capt.  Oct.  3, 1^04 ;  res.  March  2,  IS03. 


126 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


John  F.  Benner,  Harris,  capl. ;  Aug.  27,  1862;  pro.  from  sergt.  to  2il 
lieut.  Oct.  3,  1864  ;  to  capt.  May  1.1, 1865 ;  must,  out  June  1,  1865. 

^Villiani  H.  Bible,  RuBli,  1st  lieut.;  Aug.  30, 1802;  killed  at  Cliaucellurs- 
villeMayS.  1863. 

Jacob  S.  Lender,  Walker,  1st  lieut. ;  Aug.  27, 1802 ;  pro.  from  sergt.  Oct. 

31. 1803  ;  killed  at  Cold  Harbor  June  3, 1804. 

David  C.  Ealslon,  Harris,  1st  lieut. ;  Aug.  27, 1802  ;  pro.  from  sergt.  to 

2d  lieut.  Aug.  26, 1863  ;  to  1st  lieut.  July  31, 1804 ;  killed  at  Beam's 

Station  Aug.  25,  1864. 
Samuel  Everliart,  1st  lieut.;  Aug.  18, 1802;  pro.  from  sergt  Co.  G  Oct. 

3, 1864 ;  com.  capt.  Jlarcli  1, 1805  ;  killed  at  Five  Forks  March  31, 

1865. 
Bauiel  Slniey.  Hanis,lst  lieut.;  Aug.  27, 1862;  pro.  to  corp.  Oct.  1,1863; 

to  sergt.  Oct.  1 ,  1804 ;  to  1st  lieut.  May  17, 1805  ;  must,  out  June  1, 

1865. 
Francis  Stevenson,  Patton,  2d  lieut. ;  Aug.  30, 1802  ;  killed  at  Chancel- 

lorsville  May  3,  1S03 
Ezra  B.  Walter,  Walker,  1st  sergt. ;  Aug.  27, 1862  ;  pro.  from  sergt.  May 

17, 1863  ;  mnst.  out  June  1, 1805. 
Frederick  Yocum,  Walker,  l.st  sergt.;  Aug.  27,  1802;  disch.  Feb.  21, 

1865,  for  wounds  received  al  Sliottsylvania  Court-House  May  12, 

1804. 
John  Craig,  Patton,  1st  sergt. ;  Aug.  27, 1802;  disch.  on  surg.certif.  May 

6,  1865. 
Charles  C.  Harman,  Harris,  1st  sergt. ;  Aug.  27, 1802 ;  died  at  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  July  Ist,  of  wounds  received  at  ChaucellorsviUe  May  3, 

1803. 
James  Knox,  Benner,  seigt, ;  Aug.  27, 1862  ;  pro.  to  sergt.  May  17, 1865; 

must,  out  June  1, 1865. 
John  F.  S»iler,  Beuuer,  sergt.;  Aug.  27,  1802;  missing  in  action  at 

Petereburg  June  22, 1864. 
William  C.  Iluey,  Harris,  sergt. ;  Aug.  27,  1802;  wounded  at  Chaucel- 
lorsviUe May  3, 1863;  pro.  Irom  corp.  Aug.  27,  1803;  trans,  to  Co. 

B,  12th  Eegt.  Vet.  Kes.  Corps,  Feb.  15,  1804  ;  disch.  June  28, 1803. 
Abraham  G.  Garter,  Foiguson,  sergt.;  Aug.  27,  1802;  pro.  from  corp. 

Jau.  5, 180) ;  killed  at  ChaucellorsviUe,  Va.,  May  3,  1803. 
James  K.  P.  Ward,  Half-Moon,  Corp.;  Aug.  27,  1802;  pro.  to  Corp.  Nov. 

1, 1804 ;  must,  out  June  1,  1805. 
Abraham  Wertz,  Half-Moon,  corp. ;  Aug.  27, 1802  ;  pro.  to  corp.  Nov,  1, 

1804;  must,  out  June  1,  1805. 
James  Elleubavger,  Ferguson,  lorp.;  Aug.  27, 1802;  pro.  to  corp.  Feb. 

21,  1865  ;  must,  out  lune  1,  1805. 
John  G.  Robinson,  Half-Moon,  Corp.;  Aug.  27,  1802 ;  pro.  to  Corp.  May 

17,  18l'5  ;  must,  out  June  1,  1805. 
Christian  Lowry,  Benner.  Corp.;  Aug.  27,  1862;  pro.  to  corp.  Aug.  15, 

1864;  must,  out  June  1, 1805. 
Michael  Hall,  Taylor,  Corp. ;  Aug.  27, 1802  ;  pro.  to  corp.  May  17, 1S65  ; 

must,  out  June  1,  1806 
Patrick  Campbell.  Bellefonte,  Corp.;  Aug.  27,  1862;  pro.  to  corp.  May 

17, 1865  ;  must.  o\it  June  1, 1805. 
Christian  Swart/.,  Walker,  corp.;  Aug.  27,  1862;   disch.  Sept.  2l8t  for 

wounds  received  at  Chancellorsville  May  3, 1803. 
Samuel  Botlorff,  Spring,  Corp.;   wounded  at  Chancellorsville  May  3, 

1863  ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Kes.  Corps  Feb.  10,  1864. 
James  Kay,  llairis,  Corp.;  Aug.  27, 1802  ;  wounded  at  Gettysburg  July 

2, 1803;  Iraiis.  Vet.  Kes.  Corps  Feb.  15, 1804;  disch.  June  20,  1805. 
James  T.  Beck,  Marion,  corp. ;  Aug.  27, 1802  ;  pro.  to  corp.  Dec.  7, 18Cj ; 

killed  at  Chancellorsviile  May  3,  1803. 
William  T.  McCaluiont,  Marion,  Corp.;  Aug.  27,  1802  ;  Jiro.  to  corp.  Juno 

25,  1863  ;  killed  at  Gettysburg  July  2,  IS&i. 
Nathan  M.  Yuruell,  Harris,  corp. ;  Aug.  27, 1802  ;  killed  at  Chancellors- 
ville May  3, 1803. 
Hiland  Biddle,  Pallun,  corp.  ;  Aug.  27, 1802;  pro.  to  corp.  Aug.  25, 1803; 
,        died  Dec.  2Sth  of  wounds  received  at  Peteisburg  Oct.  8,  1SG4. 
Thomas  C.  Keyes,  Bellefonte,  Corp.;  Aug.  27,  1802;  killed  at  Beams' 

Station  Aug.  25,  1804. 
John  G.  Maltern,  Half-Moon,  corp. ;  Aug.  27.1802;  pro.  to  corp.  April 

1, 1864;  killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court-House  May  12, 18G4. 
Law  B.  Bathurst,  Boggs,  musician  ;  Aug.  27, 1802,  to  June  1, 1805. 
William  11.  Harpster,  Half-Moon,  musician;  Aug.  27,1802;  pro.  to  prin- 
cipal musician  July  1, 1863. 
Samuel  D.  Otto,  Milesburg,  musician  ;  Aug.  27, 1802  ;  pro.  to  principal 

musician  March  1, 1804. 

Privates. 

Adams,  Albert,  Harris;  Aug.  27, 1802;  wounded  at  Po  Kiver,  Va.,  May 

10. 1804  ;  died  .lune  11, 1864  ;  buried  in  Nat.  Cem.,  Arlington,  Va. 
Bumbargcr,  Thaddeus  B.,  Liberty  ;  Aug.  27,  1802,  to  June  1,  ISGo. 


Brown.  George,  Harris;  Aug.  27, 1862,  to  June  1, 18a5. 

Baily,  Isaac,  Half-Moon  ;  Aug.  27,  1862;  trans,  to  Co.  D,  19th  Regt.  Vet. 

Res.  Corps,  Feb.  14, 1804  ;  disch.  April  18, 1SG5. 
Baird,  Jacob,  Harris;  Aug.  27, 1862;  killed  at  Chancellorsville  May  3, 

1863. 
Coble,  John,  Jr.,  Harris ;  Aug.  27,  1862,  to  Jnne  1, 1805. 
Carter,  Jacob  L.,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  27, 1802 ;  wounded  at  Gettysburg  July 

2, 1863;  disch.  July  29, 1805. 
Garner,  James,  Patton;  Aug.  27,  1802;  captured  near  Petersburg  Oct. 

27,  1861;  died  at  Salisbury,  N.C.,  Nov.  22,  1804. 
Cai  tin,  H.  J.,  Patton  ;  Aug.  27, 1802 ;  disch.  on  surg.  cert.  Aug.  17, 1803. 
Carson,  William,  Ferguson;  Aug.  27,  1862;  disch.  December  24th  for 

wounds  received  at  Spottsylvania  Court-House  Slay  10,  1804. 
earner,  William,  Harris;  Aug.  27,  1802;  wounded  at  Chancellorsville 

May  3, 1803;  trans,  to  Vet.  Bes.  Corps  Sept.  1,1803. 
Campbell,  William,  Patton;  Aug.  27,  1S62;  killed  at  Chancellorsville 

May  3, 1803. 
Cronemillcr,  Reuben,  Harris;  Aug.  27, 1802;  died  June  4th  of  wounds 

received  at  Chancellorsville  May  3, 1863. 
Carver,  Joseph,  Bellefonte;  Aug.  27,  1862;  killed  at  Gettysburg  July  2, 

1803;  buried  in  National  Cemotei-y,  sec.  F,  grave  27. 
Cline,  John  A.,  Patton;  Aug.  27,1802;  died  at  Cockeysville,  Md.,Dec.8, 

1802. 
Dearmout,  J.  P.,  Benner;  Aug.  27, 1802,  to  June  1, 18i'5. 
Dorman,  Jacob,  Walker;  Aug.  27,  1802  ;  killed  at  Chancellorsville  May 

3, 1863. 
Fulton,  Llwellyn,  Harris  ;  Aug.  27, 1862,  to  June  1, 1865. 
Funk,  Martin,  Half-Moon ;  Aug.  27, 1802  ;  wounded  at  ClmnccUorsvillo 

May  3,  1803;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Coi-ps  May  3,  1865. 
Freed,  Abraham,  Patton;  Aug.  27,  1802;  died  near  Falmouth,  Va.,  Jan. 

10,  1.S03. 
Garbrick,  Amos,  Walker;  Aug.  27,1802;  wounded  at  Chancellorsville 

May  3,1803  ;  disch.  June  1,1805. 
Grater,  Robert,  Howard  ;  Aug.  27, 1862,  to  1805. 
Gates,  George,  Ilalf-Moon  ;  Aug.  27, 1802;  disch.  on  surg.  cert.  April  20, 

1803. 
Gates,  Daniel,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  27,  1862  ;  died  near  Falmouth,  Va.,  April 

4,  1803. 
Gill,  Samuel,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  27, 1602 ;  killed  at  Deep  Bottom,  Va.,  Aug_ 

14,  1804. 
Johnson,  Andrew,  Half-Moon;  Aug.  27,  1802;  disch.  May  19,  1805. 
Johnstonhaugh,  J.  C.,  Feb.  25,  1804  ;  trans,  to  Co.  K,  53d  Eegt.,  June  1, 

1805. 
Jackson,  John,  Harris:  Aug.  27, 1862  ;  wounded  at  Chancellorsville  May 

3, 1863;  trans,  to  51st  Co.,  2d  Batt.,  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Nov.  16, 1863; 

disch.  Aug.  20,  1805. 
Kreps,  David,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  27, 1802 ;  wounded  at  Gettysburg  July  2, 

1803  ;  disch.  Feb.  4,  1804. 
Lytle,  William,  Half-Moon  ;  Aug.  27,  1802;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  March 

30,  1803. 
Lambert,  William  B.,  Bellefonte;  Aug.  27,  1862;  disch.  Sept.  24,  with 

loss  of  left  arm,  wound  received  at  Chancellorsville  May  3,  186:i; 

died  at  Bellefonte  March  29, 1808,  aged  twenty-flvo  years. 
Lee,  Joseph  S.,  Walker;  Aug.  27,  1802;  wounded  at  Chancellorsville 

May  3,  1803;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  June  10,  1S04. 
Lawson,  Samuel,  Patton  ;  Aug.  27, 1802  ;  deserted  Dec.  13, 1802. 
Lytle,  Ephraim,  Half-Moon ;  Aug.  27,  1862;  deseited  June  2S,  1803. 
Malts,  Fabian,  Patton;  Aug.  27,  1802;  wounded  at  Five  Forks,  Va., 

March  31, 1805;  disch.  July  18,  1803. 
Mayes,  James  I.,  Benner;  Aug.  27, 1802;  disch.  on  surg.  ccrlif.  March 

14, 1803. 
Mnyes,  Lewis ;  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C,  Nov.  21, 1864. 
Mayes,  William  H.,  Harris;  Aug.  27, 1862;  pro.  to  liosp.  steward  Nov.  1, 

1803. 
Muslenian,Wm.,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  27, 1802;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Jan. 

1,  1864  ;  disch.  Juno  17, 1805. 
Markle,  Henry  W.,  Walker ;  Aug.  27, 1.862;  died  June  6th,  of  wounds 

received  at  Chancellorsville  May  3,  1803. 
McBath,  Thos  ,  Ferguson ;  .\ug.  27, 1862;  wounded  at  Deep  Bottom,  Va., 

Aug.  14,  1864 ;  tran«.  to  3d  Co  ,  2d  Batt.,  Vet.  Res.  Corps;  disch.  on 

surg.  certif.  Aug. «,  1866. 
Mclverson,  John,  Patton;  Aug.  27, 1862;  died  at  Falmouth,  Va.,  March 

17, 1863. 
Neil,  Robert  C,  Patton  ;   Aug.  27,  1802;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Aug.  20, 

1803. 
Nichols,  Samuel,  Bellefonte;  Aug.  27,1802:  trans,  to  27th  Co.,  2d  Bait., 

Yet.  Kes.  Corps,  Sept.  30, 1804  ;  disch.  June  29,  1805. 


ONE   HUNDRED  AND   FORTY-EIGHTH   REGIMENT. 


127 


Soms,  Wni.  U.,  Harris;  Ang.  27, 1862;  killed  at  Chanoelloreville  May 

3,  1863. 
Osman,  Lpmuol,  Harris;  Aug.  27, 1862;  wonnd«d  at  Cold  Harbor  Juno 

3,1864;  disch.  Aug.  2,  18C5. 
Osman,  George.  Harris;  Aug.27,1862;  killed  at GettysLurg  July  2,1863; 

buried  in  National  Cemetery,  sec.  B,  gmve  63. 
Pennirigton,  Henry,  Patton  ;  Aug.  27,  1862,  to  June  1, 180.5. 
Ports,  John  W.,  Aug.  31, 18C3 ;  drafted  ;  discli.  Feb.  10,  1865,  for  wounds 

received  nt  Po  Iliver  May  10,  1864. 
Paul,  Arcliiliald  S.,  June  1,  180^1;  drafted;  trans    to  Co.  K, 53d  Begt., 

June  1,1805. 
Pottsgrove,  George  G.,  Half-Moon;  Aug.27,1862;  trans,  to  51st  Co.,  2d 

Pntt.,  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Nov.  16, 1863;  discli.  Aug.  26, 1805. 
Ross,  Diiviil,  Ferguson ;  Aug.  27, 1862,  to  June  1, 1805. 
I!i»li,  Daniel  K.,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  27, 1802,  to  May  3, 1805. 
Koyer,  John,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  27,  1802;  died  at  Wasliiugton,  D.  C,  June 

30,  1S03. 
S«  iler,  Pmitb,  Liberty ;  Aug.  27, 1802 ;  missing  in  action  at  Spottsylvania 

Court-House  Miiy  12, 1864. 
Swarty,,  Henry,  Walker;  Aug.  27, 1802;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  April  11, 

1863. 
Smylho,  Wni.,  Marion ;  Aug,  27, 1862 ;  disch.  Dec.  Bth,  for  vonnds  received 

at  Cbancellorsville  May  3,  ISK). 
Sowers,  Henry,  Han  is;  Ang.  27, 1862:  discli.  Teh.  24, 1864,  for  wounds 

received  at  Cbancellorsville  May  3, 1803. 
Slickler,  Win.,  Harris;  Aug.  27,  1862;  disch.  on  Surg,  certif.  July  10, 

1863. 
Swiler,  Cbristiim,  Benner;  Aug.  27, 1S02;  wounded  at  Chancellorsville 

May  3, 1803;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Sept.  30,  1863. 
Shiiver,  Jacob  W.,  Gregg;  Aug.  27, 1SG2;  wounded  at  Chancellorsville 

May  3,  1803 ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Sept.  12, 1803. 
Sowers,  John  C,  Harris;  Ang.  27,  1862;  wounded  at  Cbancellorsville 

MnyS,  1863;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Nov.  13, 1803;  disch.  Aug.  21, 

186,-1. 
Segiior,  Simon,  Ferguson;  Aug.  27, 1862 ;  killed  at  Chancellorsville  May 

3,  1863. 
Thomas,  John,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  27,1802;  wounded  at  Chancellorsville 

May  3,  1S03;  Irans.  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Nov.  18, 1864 
Tiuikeuiniller,Zac.,  Walker;  Aug.  27, 1862;  trans,  to  Vet.  Ees.  Corps 

May  3,  1804;  disch.  July  3,  18C5. 
Vaughn,  Christian,  Union;  Aug.  27,  1802;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.   Corps 

Sept.  1,  1863. 
Whilebill,  Andrew  G.,  Harris;  Aug.  27, 1802 ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps; 

disch.  June  27, 1805. 
Williams,  Thomas,  Harris  ;  Aug.  27, 1862 ;  disch.  Nov.  23d,  from  wounds 

received  at  Chancelloraville  May  3,  IfiKJ. 
Yetlers,  Joseph,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  27, 1862;  wounded  at  Chancellorsville 

May  3, 1863 ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  May  3, 1864. 

CoMPANV  D. 
Andrew  Mnsser,  Haines,  capt. ;  Aug.  30,  1862;  died  at  Potomac  Creek, 

Va.,  May  14, 1863. 
Alfred  A.  Rinebart,  Gregg,  capt.  ;  Ang.  28, 1802;  pro.  from  sergt.  to  2d 

lieut.  March  1  ;  to  capt.  Aug.  27, 1863;  wounded  at  Po  River  May 

10, 1864 ;  disch.  May  15, 1806. 
John  E.  Thomas,  Ferguson,  1st  lieut. ;  Aug.  30. 1802 ;  res.  Feb.  7, 1863. 
Israel  F.  Mnsser,  Milllieim,  1st  lieut. ;  Aug.  28, 1862 ;  pro.  from  Ist  sergt. 

March  1, 1803;  died  at  Potomac  Creek  May  26,  1863. 
John  A.  Burchfield,  Ferguson,  1st  lieut.;  Aug.  28,1802;  pro.  from  Ist 

sergt.  Aug.  27, 1863;  must,  out  Juno  1,  1865. 
Lewis  C.  Edmonds,  Haines,  2d  lieut. ;  Aug.  28, 1862 ;  res.  Feb.  7, 1863. 
William  Gemmill,  Penu,  2d  lieiit.;  Aug.  28,  1802;  pro.  from  1st  sergt. 

Nov.  16, 1863  ;  res.  April  1, 1804. 
Luther  D.  Kuitz,  Haines,  2d  lieut. ;  Aug.  28,  1862  ;  pro.  from  Ist  sergt. 

April  22, 1804  ;  must,  out  June  1,  1805. 
J.  J.  Fleming,  WaHier,  Ist  sergt. ;  Aug.  28, 1862;  pro.  1st  sergt.  April  22, 

1864 ;  must,  out  June  1, 1865. 
William  D.  Ross,  Harris,  sergt. ;  Ang.  28,  1862  ;  pro.  from  Corp.  Aug.  30, 

1863  ;  mnst.  out  June  1, 1865. 
S.  P.  Lansberry,  Marion,  sergt. ;  Ang.  28, 1862 ;  pro.  from  Corp.  Jan.  21, 

1865;  must,  ont  June  1,1865. 
Henry  C.  Campbell,  Ferguson,  sergt.;  Ang.  28,  1802;  pro.  from  corp. 

March  14,  1865  ;  must,  out  June  1,  1805. 
Allen  B,  Cross,  Ferguson,  sergt. ;  Aug.  28,  1862  ;  pro.  from  corp.  Jan.  1, 

1S65;  must,  out  June  1, 1865. 
George  M.  Boal,  Potter,  sergt.;  Aug.  28,  1862;  pro.  to  q.m.  83d  Regt. 

March  25,  I860. 


Samuel  D,  Mnsser,  Ferguson,  sergt.;  Aug.  28, 1gC2;  pro.  to  q.ln..«ergt. 

Sept.  8,  1862. 
John  C.  Balhgate,  Harris,  sergt.;  Aug.  28, 1862 ;  wonnded  at  Bethesda 

Church,  Va.,  May  30,  1864;  trans,  to  Co.  C,  14tli  Ilegt.  Vet.  Bes. 

Corps,  March  14,  1806;  disch.  July  8,  186.5. 
Samuel  Harshbargor,  Gregg,  sergt.;  Aug.  48,  1862;  killed  at  Oianccb 

loisvillo  May  3, 1863. 
William  Hollowa.v,  Haines,  Corp.;  Aug.  28,  18G2;  pro.  to  corp.  Jan.  1, 

1865  ;  must,  out  June  1,  1865. 
David  L.  Kerr,  Centre  Hall,  corp.;  Aug.  28, 1862;  pro.  to  corp.  Feb.  28, 

1804  ;  must,  out  Juno  1, 1865. 
John  H.  Odenkirk,  Potter,  corp. ;  Aug.  28, 1862 ;  trans,  to  Signal  Cori'S 

April  2,  1804. 
John  C.  Rote,  Haines,  Corp. ;  Aug.  28,  1802;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corjis 

Sept.  1,  1864. 
Simon  Vonada,  Aaronsburg,  Corp.;  Aug.  28,  1862;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res. 

Corps  March  14,  1864. 
Charles  F.  Speaker,  Woodland,  Corp. ;  Aug.  28,  16C2 ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res. 

Corps  March  14,  1804. 
Daniel  C.  Ilolloway,  Haines,  corp.;  Ang.  28,  1862,  trans,  to  Vet.  Res. 

Corps  March  14,  1804. 
James  Osmau.corp.;  Blarcb  22,1863;  pro.  to  corp.  March  14, 1805;  trans. 

to  Co.  H,  53d  Regt.,  June  1,  1805. 
William  Bilde,  Benner,  corp.;  Aug.  28,  1802;  died  at  Potomac  Creek 

May  10.  of  wounds  received  at  Cbancellorsville  May  3,  1863. 
William  Weaver,  Ferguson,  Corp.;  Aug.  28, 1802;  killed  at  Chancellors- 
ville May  3,  1803. 
George  W.  Seal,  Potter,  corp. ;  Ang.  28, 1862;  killed  at  Petersbnrg  June 

16,  1863;  buried  in  Poplar  Grove  National  Cemetery,  Petersburg, 

div.  D,  s«c.  C,  grave  148. 
John  B.  Holloway,  Haines,  musician;  Aug.  28,1862;  disch.  June  1,1865. 
Franklin  G.  Mattern,  Half-Moon,  musician;  Aug.  28,  1802;  trans,  to 

Vet.  Res.  Corps  Aug.  10,  1863. 

rriaales. 

Allen,  George  W.,  Ferguson;  Aug.  28,1802;  disch,  April  20, 1865,  for 

wounds  received  at  Chancellorsville  May  3, 1863. 
Acker,  David,  Haines;  Aug.  28, 1862 ;  died  at  Potomac  Creek  June  3, 

of  wounds  received  at  Chancellorsville  May  3,  1863. 
Bullick,  Robert  G.,  Fergu  on  ;  Aug.  28, 1802;  wounded  at  Po  River  May 

9,  1864  ;  absent  in  hosiiital  at  muster  out. 
Bower,  Michael,  Aaronsburg;  Aug.  28, 1862  ;  mnst.  out  June  1,  1865. 
Brown,  Nathaniel,  Gregg;  Aug.  28, 1862;  disch.  on  surg.  cerlif.  Aug.  11, 

1864. 
Bloom,  Benjamin  F.,  Ferguson  ;  Ang.  28, 1862;  died  at  Potomac  Creek 

June  11th,  of  wounds  received  at  Chancellorsville  May  3.  1863. 
Bell,  Archihald  M.,  Haines;  Aug.  28,  1803;  died  at  Washiugtoii,  D,  C, 

Oct,  17,  1863. 
Bohn,  George  W.,Oct.  12, 1863;  substitute;  died  Jan.  12,  1864. 
Carter,  William  A.,  Ferguson  ;  Ang.  28, 1802;  wounded  at  Spottsylvania 

Court-House  May  12,  1804 ;  disch.  July  28,  I8O5! 
Dresher,  James  J.,  Potter;  Aug.  28, 1862;  must,  out  June  1, 1865. 
Dennis,  Samuel  B.,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  28,  1862;  must,  out  June  1,  1S65. 
Davidson,  Louis  H.,  Gregg;  Ang.  28,  1862 ;  trans,  to  96tb  Co.,  2d  Butt., 

Vet.  Res.  Corps,  April  2,  1804;  disch.  Ang.  28,  1865. 
Durst,  Franklin,  Potter;  Aug.  28, 1862  ;  killed  at  Cliaucellorsville  M.ay 

3,  1863. 
Durst,  John,  Potter;  Aug.  28,  1862;  died  at  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  October 

6th,  of  wounds  received  at  Gettysburg  July  3,  1863. 
Dnukle,  Jacob,  Haiues;  Aug.  28,  1862;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  March 

16,  1864. 
Etters,  David,  Benner;  Aug.  28,  1802;  wounded  and  captured  at  Spott- 
sylvania Court  House  Jlay  12,  1864. 
Fisher,  Jacob  A.,  Haines ;  Aug.  28, 1802 ;  must,  out  June  1, 1805. 
Fortney,  John  U  ,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  28, 1862 ;  must,  out  June  1, 1865, 
Fortney,  David  F.,  Ferguson ;  Aug.  28, 1802 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Feb. 

19,  1863. 
Fo.\,  Emanuel  D.,  Haines;  Aug.  28, 1S62  ;  died  at  Falmouth,  Va,  Jan. 

28, 1803. 
Fraser,  Alfred  W.,  Haines;  Ang.  28,  1862;  killed  at  Chancellorsville 

Mays,  1863. 
Glim,  Henry,  Potter;  Aug.  28,  1862;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Jan.  10, 

1863. 
Gable,  William,  Haines;  Aug.  28, 1862;  died  at  Cockeysville,  Md.,  Xov. 

14, 1803. 
Hursbarg,  David,  Gregg:  Ang.  28,  1862;  wounded  at  Chancellersville 

May  3, 1863  ;  disch.  Jnnclo,  1806. 


128 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Heberling,  Williani  F.,  Terguson ;  Aug.  28, 1862,  to  July  3, 18G5. 
Harner,  Jacob,  Haines;  Aug.  2S,  lS(i2 ;  captured  at  Spottfeylvania  Court- 

HoHse  May  12,  1864;  discli.  June  1,  1865. 
Hart,  Cliaiics,  Harris-;  Aug.  23,  1862;  discb.  Sept.  14th  for  wounds  re- 
ceived at  Ch.incpllorsville  May  3, 1863. 
Harter,  Daniel  U.,  Haines;  Aug.  28,  1862;  trans,  to  Vet.  Kes.  Corps 

Nov.  19,  1864. 
Ilolloway,  S.  H.,  Haines  ;  Aug.  28, 1862 ;  killed  at  Chancellorsville,  Va., 

May  3,1863. 
Hnll,  Abraham,  Haines;  Aug.  28,  1862;  killed  at  Beams'  Station,  Va., 

Aug.  25, 1865. 
Heim,  William,  Miles;  Aug.  28, 1862. 
Iniboden,  P.  S.,  Ferguson;  Aug.  28,  1862;  killed  at  ChancellorBville 

May  3, 1863. 
Koch,  Jacob,  Potter;  Aug.  28, 1862,  to  June  1, 1865. 
Kreanier,  Joliu  L.,  Haines ;  Aug.  28, 1862,  to  June  8, 1865. 
Kepler,  John  M.,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  28,  1862  ;  wounded  at  Five  Forks,  Va., 

March  31,  1865;  discb.  June  12,  1865. 
Krape,  William  B.,  Gregg;  Aug.  28,  1862;  discb.  March  3,  1863,  for 

wounds  received  in  action. 
Keys,  David  S.,  Milesburg;  Aug.  28, 1862;  discb.  on  surg.  certif.  Aug. 

14,  lS6:i. 
Koch,  Tasker  K.,  Potter;  Aug.  28, 1862;  died  at  York,  Pa.,  Jan.  1,1863. 
Kain,  Jacob  G.,  Gregg;  Aug.  28, 1862 ;  killed  at  Chancellorsville  May  3, 

1863. 
Knarr,  William,  Gregg;  Aug.  28,  1802;  killed  at  Chancellorsvillo  May 

3,186:1. 
Koch,  Franklin  B.,  Potter;  Aug.  28,  1862;  killed  at  Chancellorsville 

May  3, 1863. 
Long,  William,  Potter;  Aug.  28, 1802;  must,  out  June  1,-1865. 
Lytzel,  Emanuel  M.,  Haiues;  Aug.  28, 1862:  died  at  Cockeysville,  Md  , 

Dec.  12,  1862. 
Ljizel,  Samuel,  Haines;  Aug.  28, 1862;  killed  at  Chancellorsville  May 

3,1863. 
Long,  Henry,  Potter;  Aug.  28, 1862;  killed  at  Chaucellorsville  May  3, 

1863. 
Lj'tzel,  Jacob,  Gregg  ;  Aug.  28,  1802. 

Lytzel,  George,  Haiues,  Aug.  28,  1862;  disch.  March  28, 1803. 
Miller,  David,  Potter;  Aug.  28, 1862;  must,  out  Jnne  1, 1865. 
Miller,  Daniel,  Haines;  Aug.  28, 1802;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  March  3, 

1863. 
Murphy,  John  A.,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  28, 1862;  killed  at  Uhancelloravillo 

May  3,  1863. 
Osman,  Daniel,  Potter;  Aug.  28,  1S02  ;  killed  at  Cboncellorsville  May  3, 

1803. 
Pugh,  John,  Feiguson  ;  Aug.  28,  1802,  to  June  1, 1865. 
Kankin,  Alfred  A.,  Putter;  Aug.  28,  1862;  absent,  sick,  at  must.  out. 
Beeser,  George  M.,  Benner;  Aug.  28,  1862;  discb.  on  surg.  certif.  March 

3,  1863. 
Kunklo,  Charles  D.,  Potter ;  Aug.  28, 1862 ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Ees.  Corps  Dec. 

18,  1863. 
Heed,  William  A.,  Potter;  Aug.  28, 1862;  trans,  to  Co.  U,53d  Eegt.,  June 

1,  1866;  discb.  July  14,  1865. 

Earasey,  diaries  A.,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  28, 1862  ;  pro.  to  sergt.-maj.  Aug. 

2,  1864. 

Eeeser,  Jacob,  Benner  ;  Aug.  28, 1802 ;  wounded  and  captured  at  Spott- 

sylvauia  Oourt-House  May  12, 1804 ;  died  at  Eichmond,  Va.,  July  14, 

1S04. 
Eeeser, •George  H.,  Fillmore. 
Keed,  John,  Pine  Grove. 

Stover,  John  Y.,  Haiues;  Aug.  28, 1802  ;  disch.  June  27, 1805. 
Stair,  Jacob,  Ferguson;   Aug.  23, 1802;   disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Jan.  10, 

1803. 
Stover,  TliaddcusD.,  Haines;  Aug.  28,1862;  discb. Sept. 20th,  for  wounds 

received  at  Chancellorsville  May  3, 1803.     - 
Stover,  Cornelius,  Haines;  Aug.  28,  1362;  died  at  Potomac  Creek  May 

19)  of  wounds  received  at  Chancellorsville  May  3, 1863. 
Stover,  John  J.,  Haines;  Aug.  28, 1862;  killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court- 

House  May  12,  1364. 
Shannon,  Samuel,  Potter;  Aug.  28, 1802;  accidentally  killed  at  Carlisle, 

Pa.,  Jan.  5, 1865. 
Shepherd,  George,  Potter;  Aug.  28, 1862. 

Weaver,  David  11.,  Ferguson;  Aug.  28, 1862;  disch.  June  7, 1866. 
Weaver,  Henry  U.,  Haines;  Aug.  28, 1862  ;  discb.  June  3, 1865. 
Wance,  David  H..  Harris;  Aug.  28, 1S62;  discb.  Juno  2, 1866,  for  wounds 

received  in  action. 
Winklebleck,  S.  P.,  Haines;  Aug.  28, 1862. 


Wolf,  David  N.,  Gregg  ;  Aug.  28, 1862  ;  disch.  May  10, 1865,  for  wounds 

received  at  Chancellorsville  May  3,  1803. 
Wolf,  Jonathan  E.,  Haiues;  Aug.  28,  1802;  died  at  Falmouth,  Va.,  May 

12, 1863. 
Young,  David  H.,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  28,  1862 ;  disch.  March  28, 1864,  for 

wounds  received  at  Chancellorsville  May  3, 1803. 


COMP 


XY  F. 


Martin  Dnlan,  Boggs,  capt.;  Sept.  8,  1862;  disch.  Sept.  8,  1863. 

Wni.  P.  Wilson,  Potter,  capt.;  Sept.  1, 1862;  pro.  from  1st  lieut.  to  capt. 

Nov.  15,  1863  ;  to  brev.  maj.  Dec.  2,  1864,  to  biev.  lieut.-col.  March 

13, 1865  ;  to  capt.  and  aidede-cunip  May  14, 1805. 
Jacob  Breon,  Potter,  capt.;  Sept.  1, 1802 ;  pro.  Iioni  sergt.  to  1st  sergt. 

March  8,1863;  to  2d  lieut.  Nov.  16, 1863;  to  capt.  May  15,1865;  must. 

oiit  June  1,1805 
George  T.  Curvan,  Half-Moon,  1st  lieut.;  Sept.  9, 1862;  pro.  from  1st 

sergt.  to  2d  lieut.  March  2,  1863;  to  1st  lieut.  Nov.  15, 1803;  discb. 

Nov.  21,  1804. 
Wm.  Lucas,  Suow  Shoe,  1st  lieut;  Sept.  1,1802;  pro.  from  corp.  to  lat 

sergt.  March  28, 1865;  to  1st  lieut.  May  15, 1865;  must,  out  Juno  I, 

1805. 
Wm.  J.  Mackey,  Bogg«,  1st  sergt.;  Sept.  1, 1802;  pro.  from  sergt.  May 

15,1865;  com.  2d  lieut.  May  18, 1805;  must,  out  June  1, 1S65. 
Jeremiah  Sankey,  Pottej-,  1st  sergt.;  Sept.  1,  1802;  com.  1st  lieut.  Feb.  1 

1865;  died  at  City  Point,  Va.,  March  29,  of  wounds  received  at 

Petersburg  March  25,  1865. 
Robert  A.  Henry,  Potter,  1st  sergt.;  Sept.  1,1802;  killed  at  Po  Kiver, 

Va.,  May  10, 1864. 
Simeon  Bathurst,  Boggs,  sergt.;  Sept.  1,  1862;  pro.  to  corp.  April  17, 

1863 ;  to  sergt.  Feb.  26, 1865 ;  must,  out  June  1805. 
Samuel  Staig,  Burnside,  sergt. ;  Sept.  1, 1S02 ;  pro.  to  corp.  Sept.  11, 1801; 

to  sergt.  May  10, 1S06;  must,  out  June  1, 1865. 
David  Burrell,  Gregg,  sergt.;  Sept.  1,  1862;  discb.  Feb.  20,  1865,  for 

wounds  received  at  Deep  Buttuni,Va.,  Avg.  14,  1804. 
Henry  Heaton,  Boggs,  Corp.;   Sept.  1,  1302;  pro.  to  Corp.  Sept.  11,  1804; 

absent,  sick,  .it  musler  out. 
Asa  P.  Lcigbtly,  Boggs,  Corp. ;  Sept.  1 ,  1802 ;  pro.  to  corp.  Feb.  26, 1864 ; 

must,  out  June  1, 1865. 
Wm.  Baiuey,  Boggs,  Corp. ;  Sept.  1,  1862;  pro.  to  corp.  Feb.  20,  1804; 

must,  out  June  1,  1865. 
David  Irviu,  Unionville,  Corp.;  Sept.  1,  1862;  wounded  at  Po  Eiver, 

Va.,  May  10, 1864;  pro.  to  Corp.  JIurch  25, 1805;  must,  out  Juuo  1, 

1805. 
Wm.  A.  Jacobs,  Half-Moon,  corp. ;  Sept.  1,  1302  ;  pro.  to  corp.  March  26, 

1865;  must,  out  June  1, 1865, 
George  W.  Steffey,  Half  Moon,  corp. ;  Sept.  1,  1802;  pro.  to  Corp.  May  10, 

1865;  must,  out  June  1,  1865. 
James  Potter,  Potter,  corp. ;  Sept.  1, 1302 ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Kes.  Corps  Sept. 

12,  1803. 
Eeuben  W.  Shirk,  Potter,  corp. ;  Sept.  1,  1802  ;   trans,  to  Vet.  Ees.  Corps 

April  18,  1804. 
Constance  Ilinton,  Snow  Shoe,  Corp.;  Sept.  1, 1802;  trans,  to  Vet.  Re.s. 

Corps  Jan.  30,  1805. 
Williani  H.  Burrell,  Gregg,  Corp. ;  Sept.  1,  1802;  pro.  to  Corp.  Jan.  12, 

1863;  killed-at  Gettysburg  July  2,  1803;  buried  in  National  Ceme- 
tery, section  E,  grave  7. 
Stephen  Kennelly,  Gregg,  corp.;  Sept.  1,  1802;  pro.  to  corp.  Sept.  28, 

1863 ;  killed  at  Po  Eiver  May  10, 1804. 
Martin  T.  Irvin,  Unionville,  Corp. ;  Sept.  1,  1802  ;  pro.  to  Corp.  April  26, 

1864;  killed  at  Po  Kiver  May  10,  1864. 
Daniel  Shaffer,  Potter,  Corp.;  Sept.  1, 1862 ;  died  at  Potter's  Mill,  Centre 

Co.,  Pa.,  April  9,  1863. 
Thomas  J.  Minich,  Potter,  musician  ;  Sept.  1, 1802,  to  June  1, 1805. 


rrirales. 
Armstrong,  George,  Bellefonte ;  Sept.  1, 1802;  discb.  Aug.  10, 1805. 
Bebers,  David,  Patton  ;  Sept.  1,  1862;  must,  out  June  1,  1865. 
Bermoy,  John,  Burnside;  Sept.  1,  1802;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Dec. 

15,  1863. 
Boyer,  Elias,  Boggs ;  Sept.  1,  1802 ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Ees.  Corps  Jan.  2,  1805. 
Cooliey,  John,  Potter;  Sept.  I,  1862;  wounded  and  captured  at  Po  liiver, 

Va.,  May  10,  1364  ;  died  at  Eichmond  June  19,  1804. 
Cares,  William,  Potter;  Sept.  1, 1862,  to  June  1,  136.5. 
Crawford,  Heniy,  Gregg;  Sept.  1,  1802,  to  June  I,  1805. 
Cryder,  Asher,  Spring;  Sept.  1, 1862,  to  June  1,  1865. 
Confare,  John,  Potter;  Sept.  1,  1862;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  March  20, 

1S63. 


ONE    HUNDRED   AND   FORTY-EIGIITII    IIHGIMENT. 


129 


Culver,  Lr>\vi8  W,,  Snow  Shoe;  Si-pt.  1,  1802  ;  tiuns.  to  Vet.  lies.  Corps 

Sept.  12,  1803;  iliscli.  July  1,  1805. 
Crjdcr,  Solomon,  Spring;  Sept.  1, 1802;  died  iit  Cockejsvillo,  Md.,  Oct. 

(i,  1802. 
Dunkle,  George  W.,  Gregg;  Sept.  1,1802;  discli.  on  Burg.certif.  March  5, 

18G;i. 
Fleming,  James  E.,  Walker;  Sept.  1, 1802;  captured  ;  died  at  Saliahury, 

N.  C,  Dec.  27,  1804. 
Graham,  II.  H.,  Snow  Shoe;  Sept.  1, 1802;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Feb. 

15,  1804. 
ilaruier,  George  W.,  Howard  ;  Sept.  1, 1802  ;  disch.  Dec.  29,  1863,  surg. 

cerlif. 
Howard,  John  W.,  Snow  Shoe  ;  Sept.  1, 1802  ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Ites.  Corps 

April  15, 1804;  discli.  July  3,  1805. 
Henry,  James,  Potter;  Sept.  1, 1802;  disch.  June  1,  1865. 
Jacobs,  John  H.,  Hall-Moon;  Sept.  1,  1802;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps 

Sept.  12, 1S03. 
Ketner,  Miles  T.,  Potter;  Sept.  1,  1802;  disch.  on  surg,  certif.  Jan.  10, 

1803. 
Little,  David  J.,  Snow  Shoe;  Sept.  1, 1802;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out. 
Lucas,  John  D,,  Snow  Shoo ;  Sept.  1, 1802 ;  wounded  at  Gettysburg  July 

2, 1803. 
Li  ogle,  John,  Potter;  Sept.  1,1802;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  March  5, 1803. 
Leightner,  William  U.,  Ferguson ;  Sept.  1, 1802 ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps 

Sept.  12,  1803. 
Little,  Benjamin,  Potter,  Sept.  1, 1802;  killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court- 

Uuuso  May  12, 1804. 
Maekey,  Martin  11.,  Uoggs;  Sept.  1, 1802,  to  May  23, 1805. 
Mills,  John,  Biiggs  ;  Sept.  1, 1802 ;  wounded  at  Roams'  Station,  Va.,  Aug. 

25,  1S04;  must,  out  June  I,  1805. 
Miller,  William,  Gregg;  Sept.  1, 1802;  prisoner  from  Aug.  23,  to  Nov.  30, 

1804;  must,  out  June  1,  1865. 
JIcEntyre,  Patrick,  Boggs;  Sept.  1, 1802;  must,  out  June  1, 1805. 
Mc.Xbee,  Luke,  Milesburg;  Sept.  1, 1802;  missing  in  action  at  Spottsyl- 
vania fourt-IIouse  May  12,  1804. 
Olrewalee,  David, Snow  Shoe;  Sept.  1, 1802;  died  at  Falmouth,  Va.,  April 

3, 1803. 
Parker,  William  A.,  Boggs;  Sept.  1,1802;  wounded  at  Reams'  Station 

Aug.  25, 1804  ;  must,  out  June  1,  1805. 
Peny,  William,  Sept.  1,  1602;  disch.  Dec.  19,  1864,  for  wounds  received 

at  Gettysbui  g  July  2, 1803. 
Pi  nnington,  John,  Potter;  Sept.  1, 1802;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Feb. 

15,  1804. 
Prouilfuot,  James  B., Milesburg;  Sept.  1, 18G2,  to  June  20, 1805. 
Sentnian,  Joseph,  Half-Moon ;  Sept.  1, 1802  ;  wounded  at  Five  Forks,  Va., 

March  31,  1S05;  disch.  June  2, 1805. 
Sniiih,  Philip  T.  B.,  Benner;  Sept.  1, 1802;  wounded  at  Petersburg,  Va., 

June  18,  1804;  must,  out  Juno  1, 1805. 
Swab,  lid«ard,  Haines;  Sept.  1, 1802,  to  June  1, 1805. 
S«  ab,  John,  Boggs ;  Sept.  1, 1802,  to  July  12, 1805. 
bteflTy,  William  0.,  Ferguson  :  Sept.  1,  1802;  captured  at  Gettysburg  July 

2,  1803 ;  died  at  Kiehmoud  Jan.  17, 1804. 

Steffey,  George  W.,  Half-Moon ;  Sept.  1,  1862;  killed  at  Gettysburg  July 

3,  1803. 

Watson,  Washington  ;  Sejif.  1, 1802;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out. 
White,  David,  Milesburg;  Sep  .  1,  1S02;  must,  out  June  1,  1863. 
^^■atkins,  William,  Howard ;  Sept.  1, 1802  ;  died  June  lUlli,  of  wounds  re- 
ceived at  Chancellorsville  May  3, 1803. 

COMP.VST   G. 

Robert  McFarlane,  Harris,  capt.;  Aug.  27,1802;  pro.  to  lient.-col.  Sept.  8, 

1802. 
James  J.  Patterson,  Harris;  capt.,  Aug.  27, 1802;  pro.  from  1st  lieut.Sept. 

8,  1S02  ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Dec.  3,.1804. 
Isaac  Lytic,  Harris,  caiit.;  Aug.  18,  1802;  pro.  from  1st  sergt.  to2J  lieut. 

Sept.  9,  1802;  to   Ist  lieut.  Nov.  16,  1803;  to  capt.  Dec.  22,  1864; 

wounded  at  Spottsylvania  Court-IIouse  May  12, 1804 ;  disch.  on  surg. 

cerlif.  Jan.  25,  1805. 
Juhu  II.  Harpsler,  Poller,  capt. ;  Aug.  IS,  1802 ;  wounded  at  Gettysbnrg 

.Inly  3,  1803;  pro.  from  Ist  sergt.  to  2d  lieut.  Nov.  15, 1803;  to  Ist 

lieut.  Dec.  22,  1864  ;  to  ca'yt.  Feb.  9,  1805  ;  must,  out  June  1, 1866. 
Jacob  B.  Edmonds,  Harris,  1st  lieut. ;  Aug.  27, 1802  ;  pro.  from  2d  lieut. 

Sept.  8, 1862  ;  to  capt.  Co.  C  Nov.  15, 1803. 
Joseph  Fox,  Half-Moon,  1st  lieut.;  Aug.  IS,  1802;  wounded  at  Reams' 

Station  Aug.  20, 1804  ;  pro.  from  sergt.  to  2d  lieut.  Dec.  22,  1804  ;  to 

Ist  lieut.  Feb.  9, 1805  ;  must,  cut  June  1, 1805. 


John  W.  Stuart,  Harris,  2d  lieut. ;  AuR.  18,  1802 ;  pro.  from  iwrgt.  Feb. 

9,1806;  wounded  at  Po  River  May  1(1,  1864;  must.out  June  1,180.'.. 
William  L.  Tayb.r,  Huston,  let  sergt. ;  Aug.  18,1802;  pro.  to«eigt.  July 

1,  1864  ;  to  1st  sergt.  Feb.  6,  1865  ;  must,  out  June  1, 1805. 
Robert  H.  Patterson,  Harris,  Ist  sergt.;  Aug.  18, 1802;  pro.  sergt.  Jan. 

5,1803;  to  Ist  soigt.  Kov.  15,  1803;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Feb.  .5, 

1805. 
James  P.  Slioop,  Potter,  sergt.;  Aug.  18,  1802;  pro.  from  Corp.  Oct.  3, 

1804;  must,  out  Juno  1,1805. 
John  Marlz,  Harris,  sergt.;  Ang.-18, 1S02  ;  pro.  from  corp.  Jan. 1,1803; 

must,  out  June  1,1805. 
Illiiel  B.  Snyder,  Half-Moon,  sergt. ;  Aug.  18, 1802 ;  pro.  from  Corp.  Feb. 

9,  1SG5  ;  must,  out  Juno  1, 1805. 
David  II.  Hoany,  Poller,  sergt. ;  Aug.  18,  1802  ;  pro.  from  Corp.  Feb.  0, 

1865;  must,  out  June  1,  1805. 
Samuel  Everhnrt,  llariis,  sergt. ;  Aug.  18, 1862  ;  pro.  to  sergt.  Nov.  15, 

1803 ;  to  1st  lieut.  Co.  C  Oct. 3,  1864. 
James  P.  Odenkirk,  Potter,  sergt.;  Aug.  18,  1802;  pro.  to  com.  sergt. 

July  1,  1804. 
James  M.  Royer,  Penn,  sergt. ;  Aug.  18, 1802;  disch.  June  4, 1865. 
Lot  E.  Ketner,  Potter,  corp. ;  Aug.  18, 1862  ;  pro.  corp.  April  27, 1864  ; 

must,  out  June  1, 1865. 
Daniel  Royer,  Miles,  Corp.;  Aug.  18,  1802;  pro.  corp.  May  12,  1804; 

prisoner  from  Aug.  25, 1864,  to  Feb.  28, 1865 ;  disch.  June  0,  ISa'i. 
William  A.  Jacobs,  Harris,  Corp.;  Aug.  18, 1862;  pro.  corp.  Oct.  3, 1604; 

must,  out  June  1, 1866. 
Joseph  S.  Harpster,  Half-Moon,  corp. ;  Aug.  18, 1862  ;  wounded  and  ral>- 

tured  at  Spottsylvania  Cnit-IIonse  May  12,  1804 ;  pro.  to  Corp.  Feb. 

9,  1806  ;  must,  out  June  1,  If  05. 
James  B.  Irviii,  Bellefoiite,  Corp.;  Aug.  18,1802;  wounded  at  Peters- 
burg Oct.  26,  1S64;  pro.  to  corp.  Feb.  9,  1805;  must,  out  Juue  1, 

1805. 
William  L.  Bottnrff,  Harris,  corp. ;  Aug.  18, 1862 ;  pro.  corp.  Feb.  9, 1SC5 ; 

must,  out  June  1,  1865. 
Anthony  Knopf,  Harris,  Corp.;  Aug.  18,  1802;  pro.  Corp.  Feb.  0, 1803  ; 

wounded  at  Po  River  Jlay  10, 1804,  and  at  Five  Folks  SIai\h  31, 

1805;  disch.  May  31,  1805. 
William  Berry,  Harris,  corp. ;  Aug.  18, 1S02  ;  pro.  to  corp.  Jan.  5, 1803 ; 

pro.  to  hospital  steward  U.  S.  A.  July  28,  1804. 
George  Glenn,  Harris,  rorp.;  Aug.  18,  1802;  pro.  to  corp.  Aug.  27,  1803; 

disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Jan.  0, 1865. 
Daniels.  Keller,  Harris,  Corp.;  Aug.  18,  1862;  wounded  at  Cliaucelloi-s- 

ville,  May  3, 1803 ;  trans,  to  112th  Co.,  2d  Bait.,  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Feb. 

15,1804;  disch.  Aug.  19, 1865. 
George  W.  Ward,  Ferguson,  Corp. ;  Aug.  18, 1862 ;  killed  at  Chauccllors- 

ville  May  3,  1863. 
George  J.  Dnffey,  Harris,  Corp.;  Aug.  18, 1802;  killed  at  Spotlsylvania 

Court-IIouse  May  12,  1804;  buried  in  Wilderness  burial-ground. 
William  S.  Van  Dyke,  Harris,  corp.;  Aug.  18, 1802;  killed  at  Spottsyl- 
vania Court-Houso  May  12, 1864. 
Daniel  SclireitlBi ,  Haines,  mnsiciaii ;  Aug.  18, 1862,  to  June  1, 1865. 
Matthias  Rider,  Fergusou,  luusieian  ;  Aug.  18, 1802,  to  June  0, 1805. 

Privates. 
Allen,  Henry  C,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  18,1802,  to  June  1, 1865. 
Allen,  John  H.,  Ferguson;  Aug.  18,  1862,  to  Juue  1,  180.5. 
An.lrews,  Jacob  B.,  Harris;  Aug.  18,  1862,  to  June  1,  ISOo. 
U.iil.  y,  William,  Half-Moon  ;  Aug.  IS,  1862,  to  July  12,  1803. 
Haker,  George  K.,  Harris  ;  Aug.  18,  1862,  to  June  1, 1805. 
Beans,  Nathan  E.,  Half- Moon  ;  Aug.  18,  1802,  to  1865. 
Bowers,  John,  Penn;  Aug.  18,  1862;  captured  at  Reams'  Station,  Va., 

Aug.  23,  1864. 
Brisbin,  Brice  D.,  Potter;  Aug.  18, 1802,  to  May  30, 1803. 
Bcnskotre,  V.  W.,  Potter;  Aug.  18, 1802;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Jan.  0, 

180.5. 
Beans,  Benjamin  F..  Half-Moon  ;  Aug.  IS,  1S62;  killed  at  Reams'  Station, 

Va.,  Aug.  26,  1864. 
Condo,  Daniel,  Gregg;  Aug.  18, 1862,  to  ,Tune  1, 1865. 
Condo,  Jared,  Gregg;  Aug.  18, 1802,  to  June'l,  1805. 
Condo,  Charles  M.,  Harris;  Aug.  18, 1802 ;  drowned  in  Gunpowder  Creek, 

Md.,  Sept.  21,1802. 
Condo,  Benjamin  D.,  Haines;  Aug.  IS,  1802;  died  June  ITlli,  of  wounds 

received  at  Cold  Harbor  June  3, 1804 ;  buried  iu  National  Cemetery, 

ArltDgton,  Va. 
Davison,  John,  Harris;  Aug.  18, 1862,  to  June  1, 1803. 
Dunkle,  Benjamin  F,  Gregg;  Aug.  18, 1802;  wouuded;  disch.  on  surg. 

certif  Jan.  13,  1865. 


130 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Devore,  William,  IIiilr-Moon  ;  Aug.  18, 1802;  killed  at  Deep  Bottom,  Ya., 

Aug.  15,  1804. 
Eckinroth,  Henry,  Harris;  Aug.  18, 1802;  wounded  at  Chancellorsville, 

Vh.,  with  loss  of  arm.  May  3, 1803;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Nov.  21, 

1803. 
Flisclier,  Hinry,  Potter  ;  Aug.  18, 1862 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Jan.  16, 

1800. 
Gilbert,  John,  Ferguson;  Aug.  18, 1802;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  July  21, 

1803. 
Gilbert,  George  W.,  Harris;    Aug.  18,  1862;'  killed  at  Spottsylvania 

Court-House  May  12, 1804. 
Hartley,  Jackson,  Harris;  Aug.  18,  1862,  to  June  1, 1865. 
HcSB,  Friincis  M.,  Potter;  Aug.  IS,  1862,  to  June  22, 1865. 
Hoffner,  Jonathan,  Taylor;  Aug.  18, 1802  ;  absent,  wounded,  at  muster 

out. 
Holahan,  William  C,  Harris;  Aug.  18, 1802;  pro.  to  2J  lieut.  28th  Eegt. 

U.  S.  C.  T.  Nov.  28, 1864;  must,  out  Nov.  8,  1806. 
Isliler,  William  A.,  Bonner;  Aug.  18, 1802  ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Oct.  9, 

1801. 
Ishler,  George  W.,  Benner  ;  Aug.  IS,  1802 ;  died  May  6th,  of  wounds  re- 
ceived at  Chancellorsvilie  May  3,  1803. 
Johnstonbaugh,  Tliomas,  Harris;  Aug.  18, 1862,  to  June  1,  1865. 
Kellcy,  Samuel,  Potter ;  Aug.  IS,  1802,  to  Juno  1, 1805. 
Kohn,  George,  Harris  ;  Aug.  18,  1862;  absent,  wounded,  at  muster  out. 
Koonsiunn,  William,  Potter ;  Aug.  18, 1802 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  March 

6, 1S63. 
Koonfair,  David,  Potter ;  Aug. IS,  1862  ;  killed  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  June 

2,  1804;  buried  in  National  Cemetery,  sec.  B. 
Lee,  Thomas  J.,  Harris  ;  Aug.  18,  1802,  to  June  1, 1805. 
Lylle,  Samuel  T.,  Harris ;  Aug.  IS,  1802 ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Ees.  Corps  Feb. 

15,  1S64;  disch.  June  30,  1SC5. 
Martin,Jamesr.,  Harris;  Aug.  18,1802;  trans,  to  Co.  F,  10th  negt.Vet. 

Ees.  Corps;  disch.  June  20, 1805. 
Miller,  David  W.,  Harris;  Aug.  18, 1802,  to  June  1, 1S05. 
Mitchell,  Wm.,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  18, 1802,  to  Juno  1,1865. 
Myers,  John,  Harris;  Aug.  18, 1802,  to  June  1, 1805. 
Moyer,  John  H.,  Harris;  Aug.  18, 1802,  to  June  1,  1805. 
Murphy,  Adam  T.,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  IS,  1802,  to  June  1, 1805. 
Marks,  Isaiah  W.,  Pottci  ;  Aug.  IS,  180i;  wounded;   disch.  May   10, 

1805. 
Musser,  Daniel  G.,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  18,  1802;  died  Jan.  11, 1863. 
Myers,  Amos,  Harris  ;  Aug.  18, 1802;  killed  at  Geltysbnrg,  Pa.,  July  3, 

1803. 
McCool,  David,  Harris  ;  Aug.  18, 1802;  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor  June  3, 

1S64. 
McUhattan,  D.  D.,  Harris;  Aug.  IS,  1802,  to  June  1,  1805, 
McGuire,  Wi:iiam  W.,  Bellefunte;  Aug.  IS,  1802;  died  M.ay  9lh,  of 

wounds  received  at  Chancellorsville  May  3, 1863  ;  buried  in  Militaiy 

Asylum  Cemetery,  D.  C. 
Mcllhattan,  George  U.,  Harris;  Aug.lS,lS02;  died  June  oth,  of  wounds 

received   at  Spottsylvania   Court-House   May   2,    1804;    buried   in 

Nalioual  Cemetery,  Arlington,  Va. 
I'iige,  Reuben  Harris;  Aug.  18, 1802,  to  June  1, 1S05. 
Euyer,  Abraham  M.,  Warren ;  Aug.  IS,  1SC2 ;  died  of  wounds  received  at 

Tolopotoniy,  Va.,  May  31, 1805. 
P.ced,  Reuben,  Ferguson  ;   Aug.  18,  1862 ;  wounded   at  Spottsylvania 

Couit-IIouso  May  12,  1864;  must,  out  June  I,1S0.J. 
Reel,  Samuel  T.,  Harris;    Aug.  18,  1862;  Wounded  at  Reims'  Station 

An-.  25,  1804;  must,  out  June  1,  1805, 
Riley,  John,  Harris  ;  Aug.  18, 1S02,  to  June  1,1865. 
Ross,  Alexander  B  ,  Gregg  ;  Aug.  18, 1802  ;  wounded  at  Chancellorsville 

May  3,  1803;  trans,  to  Vet.  Ees.  Corps;  disch.  June  27,  1805. 
Rnmbarger,  John  H,,  Ferguson  :  Aug,  18, 1S62,  to  June  7,  1805, 
Shaffer,  George,  Spring  ;  Aug.  IS,  1S02;  tians.  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps M.arch 

20.  1804  ;  disch.  June  22,  1S05. 
Singleton,  Thomas,  Harris;  Aug.  18,  1802  ;  wounded  at  Po  River  May 

10,  1804  ;  must,  out  June  1, 1805. 
Stover,  D.iviil,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  18, 1802,  to  June  1, 1S65. 
Sweetwoud,  Hiram,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  IS,  lf.02,  to  June  1,  1805. 
Shives,  David  W,,  Potter;  Aug.  IS,  1S02;  died  at  York,  Pa,,  Dec,  14, 1802, 

of  wounds  received  in  action. 
Swiuehart,  William  II,,  Harris;  Aug,  18, 1802;  killed  at  Po  River,  Ya,, 

May  10,  1804, 
Snyder,  Samuel  H,,  Harris;  Aug,  18,  1802;  died  Aug,  25, 1864;  buried 

in  National  Coujetery,  Arlington,  Va, 
Thompson,  James  A,,  Harris:  Ang,  10,  186-',  to  June  1,1805. 
Thompson,  Willi.im  A.,  Potior;  Aug.  18,  1802;  killed  at  Cold  Harbor 


Juno  1, 1804  ;  buried  in  National  Cemetery,  Richmond,  sec.  C,  div. 

4,  grave  07. 
Went,  George  W.,  Potter;  Aug.  18, 1862 ;   wounded  at  Deep  Bottom,  Va., 

Aug.  16,  1804. 
Wingard,  William,  Potter;  Aug.  18, 1802;  absent  at  must.  out. 
Williams,  James  A.,  Ferguson;  Aug.  18,  1S62;  killed  at  Gettysburg  July 

2,  1803. 
Williams,  William,  Harris;  Aug.  18, 1862;  died  at  Philadelphia  Nov.  11, 

1804. 
Webb,  Samuel  W.,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  18, 1802;  killed  ot  Chauccllorsville, 

1803. 
Tarnall,  H.  H.,  Harris  ;  Feb.  2-5,  1864  ;  trans,  to  Co.  B,  63d  Kcgt.,  June 

1,  1805;  disch.  June  30,  1865. 
Young,  John  T. ;  Feb.  25, 1804 ;  trans,  to  Co.  B,  53d  Kegt.,  June  1, 1865 ; 

disch.  June  30,  1865. 
Yarlett,  George  W.,  Ferguson  ;  Aug.  18, 1862;  captured  at  Reams'  Sta- 
tion, Va.,  Aug.  25,  1864 ;  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C,  Jan.  7, 1805. 
Yontz,  John  E  ,  Potter  ;  Aug.  18,  1802  ;  trans  to  Vet.  Ees.  Corps  Feb.  15, 

1804. 

COMPAXT    II. 

George  A.  Fairland,  Bellefonte,  capt. ;  Aug.  22, 1862 ;  pro.  to  maj.  Sept. 

7,  1802. 

George  A.  B.ayawl,  Bellefonte,  capt.;  Aug.  22, 1802;  pro.  from  let  lieut. 

Sept.  7,  1802;  captured  at  Strawberry  Plains,  Va.,  Juuo  22,1804; 

pro.  to  maj.  Blay  17,  1S05. 
H.  H.  Montgomery,  Bellefoute,  capt.;  Aug.  11, 1862;  pro.  from  sergt.  to 

2d  lieut.  Oct.  30,  1803;  to  1st  lieut.  July  31, 1804;  to  capt.  May  0, 

1805;  must,  out  Juno  1, 1805. 
John  L.  Johnston,  Bellefoute,  1st  lieut.;  Aug.  16, 1862  ;  pro.  from  Ist 

sergt.  Nov.  1, 1862;  to  capt.  Co.  A  Nov.  15,  1802. 
James  B.  Cook,  Bellefonte,  1st  lieut.;  Aug.  17, 1872;  pro.  to  Ist  sergt. 

Sept.  7,  1802 ;  to  1st  lieut.  Nov.  15,  1803 ;  died  June  1st  of  wouuds 

received  at  Po  River  May  10, 1804. 
Alexander  Gibb,  Bellefoute,  1st  lieut. ;  Ang.  10,  1802 ;  pro.  from  Corp. 

to  sergt.  Sept.  7,  1862;  to  1st  sergt.  Nov.  16,  1863;  to  2d  lieut.  Sept. 

8,  1864  ;  to  1st  lienl.  May  6, 1806;  must,  out  June  1,  1865. 
William  H.  Slephens,  Worth,  2d  lieut.;  Aug.  22,  1862;  pro.  to  chaplain 

Sept.  7,  1862. 
John  A.  Biiyard,  Bellefonte,  2d  liout. ;  Aug.  16,  1802;  pro.  from  sergt. 

Nov.  1,  1802;  died  August  1st,  of  wounds  received  at  Gettysburg 

July  3, 1803. 
John  A.  J.  Fugate,  Woith,  Ist  sergt. ;  Aug.  10, 1802 ;  pro.  corp.  Nov.  17, 

1802;  to  sergt.  Jan.  1,  1863;  to  1st  sergt.  Sept.  8,  1804;  commissioned 

2d  lieut,  June  1, 1805;  must,  out  June  1,  1805. 
Darius  L.  Sanders,  Howanl,  sergt  ;  Aug.  10,  IsOi;  pro.  corp.  Jan  5, 

1S63;  sergt.  Nov.  15,   1S03;  wounded  at  I'o   River  May  10,  1804; 

disrh.  May  22,  1865. 
D.  II.  Baumgardner,  Huston,  sergt.;  Aug.  16,  1802;  pro.  corp.  Si'pt.  1, 

1863;  sergt.  Dec.  1,  1804;  must,  out  June  I,  IS05. 
Samuel  B.  Wyland,  lioggs,  sergt. ;  Aug.  16,  1802;  pro.  Corp.  Dec.  1,  1804; 

sergt.  Jan.  1,  1805  ;  must,  out  June  1,  ISOo. 
John  I'reeze,  Snow  Shoe,  sergt.;  Aug.  10,  1862;  pro.  corp  Nov.  1, 1804  ; 

sergt.  Jan.  1,  ISCJ;  wounded  at  Petersburg  April  2,  1S05;  disch. 

July  27,  1805. 
Samuel  McKinley,  Boggs,  sergt. ;  Ang.  10, 1SC2;  pro.  sergt.  Sept.  S,  1802; 

killed  at  Gettysburg  July  2,  1803. 
William  Ward,  Boggi,  sergt.;  Aug.  10, 1802;  pro.  sergt.  Sept.  1,  1S0:1 ; 

captured  at  Petersburg  Juno  18,1804;  died  at  Andorsouvillu  Dec.  1, 

1804, 
Hiram  K,  Miller,  Spring,  sergt, ;  Aug,  10, 1802;  pro,  corp.  Jan.  1,  1863; 

sergt,  Nov,  15, 1803;  prisoner  from  June  17, 1804,  to  Apr,l  28, 1805; 

(liseh,  July  11,  1S05, 
Thouuis  Joiloii,  Spring,  sergt. ;  Oct.  10,  1802;  pro.  corp.  March  5,  186:!; 

sergt.  Dec.  1,  1S04;  captured  at  Petersburg  June  17,  1804;  died  at 

Andersonvillo  Oct,  24,  ISOi,  grave  11,430, 
Ephraim  Kliuger,  Bellefunte,  corp,;  Ang,  10,1802;  pro.  Corp.  Sept.  1, 

1863;  captured  at  Po  River  May  10,  1804. 
James  Ludwig,  Worth,  corp.;  Aug.  10, 1802;  pro.  Corp.  Nov.  IS,  1S63 ; 

missing  in  action  at  Boydton  Plank-Roid,  Va.,  Oct.  27, 1S64. 
George  W.  Farnsler,  Woilli,  Corp.;  Aug.  10,1802;  pro.  to  corp.  Jan.  1, 

1865;  must,  out  June  1, 1S6J. 
Ilardnian,  Richard,  Rush,  corp.;  Ang.  16, 1^02;  pro.  tocorp.  Jan.  1, 1865; 

must,  out  June  1,1865. 
Robert  Blackburne,  Bellefonte,  corp. ;  Aug.  10, 1802;  pro.  to  Corp.  May 

20,  1805;  must,  out  Jnue  1,  1865. 
Wash.  G.  Broady,  Bjllefonte,  corp. ;  Aug.  16, 1502  ;  pro.  to  Corp.  M;  y  20, 

1SC3;  must,  out  June  I,  1863, 


ONE   HUNDRED   AND   FORTrEIGHTEI   REGIMENT. 


131 


Juhn  D.  Wagner,  Huston,  Corp. ;  Aug.  16, 18G2;  pro.  to  corp.  Nov.  18, 
1803;  disch.  May  15,  ISGo,  for  wounds  received  nt  Po  Kivcr  May  10, 
1864. 

W.  W.  Montgomery,  Liberty,  Corp.;  Aug.  16, 1862;  discli.  Fell.  28, 1863. 

Riclmrd  Miles,  Snow  Slioe,  Corp. ;  Aug.  16, 1802 ;  discli.  July  13, 1863,  for 
wounds  received  at  Cliancellorsville  Mny  3, 1803. 

George  H.  Neimnn,  Bellefonte,  Corp. ;  Aug.  IC,  1862;  pro.  to  corp.  Jan . 
1,  1863;  wounded  at  Cliancellorsville  May  3,  1803;  trans,  to  Vet. 
Res.  Corps  .Tan.  15,  1864 ;  discli.  July  5, 1865. 

Peter  Krantz,  Worth,  corp.;  Aug.  10,1862;  pro.  to  Corp.  Sept.  9, 1803  ; 
died  at  Pliiladelpliia  Sept.  3, 1864. 

William  McDonald,  llnstoii,  corp. ;  Aug.  16, 1802 ;  pro.  to  corp.  Nov.  15, 
1863  ;  died  at  Wasliingtm  June  20tb,  of  wounds  received  at  Po  River 
May  10, 1864. 

Sylvester  W.  Sanders,  Howard,  corp. ;  Aug.  10,  1862 ;  pro.  to  corp.  Sept. 
1, 1803;  captured  June  22,  186*,  at  Strawberry  Plains,  Va.;  died  at 
Camp  Parole,  Annapoli.-^,  Dec.  26, 1804. 

Sylvester  Dill,  Boggs,  Corp.;  Aug.  16,  1862;  pro.  to  corp.  Oct.  1, 1864; 
captured  at  Petersburg  Oct.  27,  1864;  died  Jan.  17,  1865,  at  Salis- 
bury, N.  C. 

Matthew  B.  Lucas,  Snow  Shoe,  corp. ;  Aug.  10, 1802  ;  pro.  to  corp.  Jan. 
1,  1803  ;  killed  at  Chancellorsville  May  3,  1803. 

William  Yenger,  Bellefonte,  musician;  Aug.  16,  1862;  trans,  to  Co.  E, 
14th  Kegt.  Vet.  Kes.  Corps;  disch.  July  28,  1865. 

Robert  A.  Cassady,  Bellefonte,  musician;  Aug.  10,  1862;  pro.  to  prin- 
cipal musician,  Sept.  8, 1862. 

Privates. 

Butler,  Samuel,  Spring ;  Aug.  16, 1862  ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  April 

15,  1864. 
Beals,  James  E.,  Rush;  Aug.  10,1862;  died  Aug.  8th,  of  wounds  received 

at  Gettysburg  July  2, 1863;  buried  in  National  Cemetery,  sec.  C, 

grave  85. 
Cass.idy,  Robert,  Taylor;  Aug.  16. 1862 ;  wounded  at  Spottsylvania  Court- 

House  Mny  12, 1864 ;  must,  out  June  1, 18(.5. 
Carlton,  John  W.,  Bellefonte;  Aug.  10,  1862;  killed  at  Spottsylvania 

Court-House  May  12, 1804. 
Ciissman,  John  A-,  Snow  Shoe;  Aug.  16,  1862;  discb.  on  surg.  certif. 

April  15,  1803. 
Clapp,  Hiram  H.,  Spring;  Aug.  10, 1802;  killed  at  Cold  Harbor  Jan.  3, 

1804. 
Oipenliaver,  W.  B.,  Tiiylor  ;  Aug.  10, 1802. 
Clark,  tliles.  Rush  ;  Aug.  10,  1802. 

Dolph.  John,  Bush  ;  Aug.  16,  1862;  trans,  to  V.  E.  C.  March  9,  1864. 
Elder,  Robert,  Worth;  Aug.  10,  1802;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Feb.  15, 

1804;  disch.  July  14,  1865. 
Flack,  Nelson,  Pp;-ing;  Aug.  10,  1802,  to  June  1, 1805. 
Farley,  Daniel  G  ,  Bellefonte  ;  Aug.  16,  1862,  to  June  1,  1805. 
Frantz,  Jacob,  Worth;  Aug.  10, 1862;  disch,  December  13th,  for  wounds 

received  at  Ream's  Station  Aug.  25, 1864. 
Flinn,  Michael,  Bellefonte;  Aug.  16,  1802;  killed  at  Cliancellorsville 

May  3, 1803. 
Garrett,  Charles,  Spring;  Aug.  16, 1802,  to  June  1, 1805. 
Gahagan,  John  W.,  Bellefonte;  Aug.  16, 1802;   disch.  May  30,  1803,  for 

wounds  received  in  action. 
Gunsalus,  Samuel,  Snow  Shoe;  Aug.  10,  1802;  killed  at  Spottsylvania 

Court-House  May  10, 1864;  buried  iu  the  Wilderness  burial-grounds. 
Green,  John,  Snow  Shoe;  Aug.  10,  1802;  died,  August  1st,  of  wounds 

received  at  Gettysburg  July  2,  1803;  buried  in  National  Cemetery, 

Baltimore. 
Gephart,  Thomas,  Walk«r;  Aug.  16, 1862;  died  March  5, 1863. 
Oooden,  David,  Snow  Shoe;  Aug.  10,  1S62. 
lluilson,  Robert,  Rush  ;  Aug.  16, 1862,  to  June  1, 1805. 
Ilanes,  George,  Howard;  Aug.  10,  1862;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  .\pril  15, 

1863. 
Hunter,  Francis  J.,  Spring;  Aug.  16, 1862;  disch.  July  20th,  for  wounds 

received  May  3,  1863. 
Ingram,  Lewis  H.,  Bellefonte;  Aug.  16, 1802;  pro.  to  conimissary-sergt. 

Sept.  5,  1802. 
Jones,  Edward  P.,  Worth;  Aug.  10, 1802  ;  wounded  at  Gettysburg  July 

3,1863;  must,  out  June  1, 1865. 
Jones,  George  T.,  Worth  ;  Aug.  16, 1862 ;  disch.  Feb.  9, 1864,  for  wounds 

received  May  3, 1863. 
Johnston,  John,  Boggi;  Aug.  10,  1802;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  M.iy  20, 

1803. 
Kelley,  Robert  J.,  Worth;   Aug.  16,  1802;  wounded  nt  Spollsylvauia 

Court-House  May  12,  1864. 


Knippenburg,  IljCnrtin  ;  Aug.  10,1802;  disch.  on  (nrg.  certif.  June  2C, 

1803. 
Lambert,  Osborne  B.,  Bellefonte;  Aug.  10, 1802,  to  June  1, 1805. 
Long, George H.,  Bellefonte;  Aug.l6,180i;  wounded  May 3, 18M;  ditch. 

Jan.  18,  1804. 
Lucas,  William  J,  Snow  Shoe;  Aug.  16, 1862;  disch.  March  18,  I8C.i, for 

wounds  received  May  12,  1864. 
Lebkechcr,  Michael,  Spring;  Aug.  16, 1602;  disch.  September  181b,  for 

wounds  received  May  3, 1863. 
Ludwig,  William,  Worth. 

Miller,  W.  S.,  Spring  ;  Aug.  16, 1862;  killed  May  3,  1803. 
Montgomery,  W.  F.,  Bellefonte;  Aug.  16,  1802;  wounded  and  captured  ; 

died  Dec.  10, 1864,  at  Salisbury,  N.  C. 
Mclntire,  Spencer,  Rush  ;  Aug.  16, 1862,  to  June  1, 1805. 
McKinney,  William,  Snow  Shoo,  Aug.  16,  1862,  to  Juno  1,  1865. 
McClellan,  H.  J.,  Rush  ;  Aug.  13,  1863  ;  drafted. 
Newcomer,  John  B.,  Bnrnside;  Aug.  16, 1862,  to  May  25, 1865. 
Oliver,  William,  Potter;  Aug.  16,  1802 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  July  6, 

1863. 
Orris,  William,  Snow  Shoe;  Aug.  16, 1862  ;  disch.  Aug.  20th,  for  wounds 

received  May  3,1863. 
Rank,  Oscar  L.,  Rush ;  Aug.  16, 1862,  to  June  1, 1865. 
Ross,  Matthial  M.,  Snow  Shoo ;  Aug.  16,  1862;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps 

March  20, 1864. 
Rankin,  .John  R.  M.,  Worth;  Aug.  16,  1802;  died  at  Alexandria,  Va., 

July  1,1863;  grave  872. 
Reeder,  Frederick,  Boggs;  Aug.  16,1802;  died  of  wounds  received  May 

3,  1863. 
Spoils,  Jacob,  Huston  ;  Aug.  16,  1862,  to  June  5,  1365. 
Stiner,  David,  Benner ;  Aug.  10, 1862,  to  Juno  1,  1865. 
Sanders,  Thomas  B.,  Howard:  Aug.  16, 1862,  to  Juno,  1865. 
Shullz,  William  A.,  Boggs ;  Aug.  16, 1862,  to  May  3U,  1865. 
Shunk,  Jacob,  Boggs;  Aug.  16,  1802;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Sept.  22, 

1863. 
Sweetwood,  Amos,  Benner;  Aug.  16,  1862 ;  died  near  Falmouth,  Va., 

April  1, 1803. 
Sweetwood,  Isaac,  Gregg;  Aug.  10,  1802;  killed  at  Po  River  May  10, 

1864. 
Stewart,  James,  Spring;   Aug.  16,  1862;    killed  at  Gettysburg  July  2, 

1863. 
Test,  James  M.,  Bellefonte  ;  Aug.  10, 1802 ;  killed  May  3, 1863. 
UzEcl,  John,  Snow  Shoe;  Aug.  10,  1862;  disch.  Sept.  8,  18G3. 
Ulrich,  Samuel,  Worth;  Aug.  16, 1802. 
Walker,  Philip,  Boggs;  Aug.  16, 1802,  to  June  19, 1865. 
Whipp,  Charles  0.,  Worth ;  Aug.  16,  1862 ;  wounded  May  3,  1863 ;  disch. 

March  9,  1804. 
Woodring,  David  W.,  Worth ;  Aug.  16, 1862 ;  disch.  for  wounds  received 

May  3,  1803. 
Wants,  Ulysses,  Liberty ;  Aug.  10, 1802  ;  killed  May  3, 1863. 
Yeager,  Harrison,  Huston ;  Aug.  10,  1862 ;  killed  May  3, 1803. 
Yothei-s,  .\donirani,  Huston;  Aug.  10,  1S62;    died  at  Falmouth,  Va., 

June  9tli,  of  wounds  received  May  3,  1863. 
Zimmerman,  Benjauiin,  Ru^h  ;  .4.ug.  16,  1862;  wounded  May  3,  1863; 

trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps;  discb.  June  27,  1865. 
H.    II.   Jloutgoniery,  G.   W.  Farnsler,  and  J.  H.    J.  Fugato   were  in 

twenty-seven  skirmishes  and  engagements. 


COMPAN 

noble,  Israel  J.,  Sept.  19,  1862;  v 
River  May  10,  1804. 


undcd,  with  loss  of  limb,  at  Po 


CHAPTER  LII. 


HISTORICAL   SKETCH  OF    THE    ONE  HUNDRED  AND 
FORTY-EIGHTH    PENNSYLVANIA    VOLUNTEERS. 

Foe  the  following  sketch  of  the  services  of  the 
One  Hundred  and  Forty-eighth  Pennsylvania  the 
editor  is  indebted  to  3Iaj.  R.  H.  Forster,  taken  from 
his  address  before  the  Veteran  Club  at  Howard  Sept. 
20,  1877. 

"  Early  in  the  month  of  August,  1862,  and  partly 


132 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


with  a  view  to  save  Centre  County  from  the  opera- 
tions of  the  draft  then  pending,  it  was  thought  that 
a  regiment  of  volunteers  niiglit  be  raised  in  addition 
to  the  numerous  companies  already  in  the  field  from 
the  county.  Under  the  inspiration  and  influence  of 
many  prominent  citizens,  public  meetings  were  held 
in  various  portions  of  the  county,  and  earnest  appeals 
were  made  to  the  young  men  to  enlist,  especially  to 
those  of  some  of  the  townships  which  up  to  that  time 
had  not  given  as  many  men  to  the  army  as  it  was 
thought  they  might.  By  energetic  and  unceasing 
efforts,  before  the  end  of  the  month  came,  seven  com- 
panies, numbering  over  six  hundred  men,  were  re- 
cruited and  taken  to  Camp  Curtin,  at  Harrisburg. 
For  the  time  being  it  was  thought  this  about  ex- 
hausted the  material  of  the  county.  These  seven 
companies  were  composed  entirely  of  Centre  County 
men,  except  a  sturdy  little  band  from  the  wilds  of 
Cameron  County  who  joined  Company  F  at  Harris- 
burg. Three  other  companies,  two  from  Jefferson  and 
Indiana  and  one  from  Clario'n,  were  united  to  the 
seven,  and  formed  the  regiment  known  as  the  One 
Hundred  and  Forty-eighth.  The  regiment  was  or- 
ganized on  the  8th  day  of  September,  1862.  The 
Centre  County  companies  were  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G,  and 
H  ;  the  Jefferson  and  Indiana  and  Clarion  companies, 
E,  I,  and  K.  The  regiment  marched  from  Camp 
Curtin  on  the  evening  of  the  8th  of  September,  and 
immediately  began  its  career  of  service. 

"  The  Army  of  the  Potomac  had  been  withdrawn 
from  the  Peninsula,  Pope  had  been  forced  back  to 
the  defenses  of  Washington,  and  Lee  was  about  to 
invade  Maryland.  To  protect  the  northern  commu- 
nications with  Washington,  therefore,  became  an 
tirgent  necessity,  and  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty- 
eighth  was  one  of  the  regiments  placed  on  duty  along 
the  railway  north  of  Baltimore.  Starting  by  rail 
from  Harrisburg,  the  morning  of  the  9th  found  us  at 
Cockeysville,  fii'teen  miles  from  Baltimore.  Citnips 
were  formed  atCockeysville,  Luthersville,  Gunpowder 
Bridge,  Phcenix,  and  Glencoe,  covering  about  twelve 
miles  of  the  railroad,  with  the  regimental  head- 
quarters at  Cockeysville.  Tiie  battles  of  South  Moun- 
tain and  Antietam  were  in  the  mean  time  fougiit,  and 
the  tide  of  war  again  flowed  back  to  Virginia.  We 
still  remained  in  Maryland,  and  under  a  rigid  system 
of  drills  and  inspections  the  regiment  made  rapid 
progress  in  discipline,  and  in  all  the  duties  of  the 
soldier  in  camp.  About  the  only  drawback  to  effi- 
ciency was  in  the  arms  received  at  Harrisburg,  a 
short,  heaVy,  unwieldy,  worthless  gun,  surmounted 
by  an  ugly  sabre  bayonet,  and  called  the  Vincennes 
rifle,  calibre  G9.  When  we  joined  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  carrying  these  ugly  implements  of  destruc- 
tion, though  they  were  not  very  dangerous,  the  boys 
were  often  taunted  with  being  heavy  artillery  or  dis- 
mounted cavalry,  or  a  cro.ss  between  the  two,  the  gun 
representing  the  one  arm  of  service  and  the  sabre- 
bayonet  the  other.     To  their  credit,  however,  be  it 


said,  they  bore  all  with  as  good  grace  as  possible, 
though  sometimes  it  did  make  them  a  little  angry. 
These  arms  were  afterwards  exchanged  for  bright 
new  Springfield  rifles,  and  there  were  no  more  jeers 
or  tau'uts. 

"The  armies  in  Virginia  confronted  each  other  at 
Fredericksburg,  and  in  the  month  of  December  the 
One  Hundred  and  Forty-eighth  was  ordered  from  the 
pleasant  camps  of  the  past  three  months  to  the  front. 
Passing  through  Baltimore  and  Washington,  a  tire- 
some march  to  Liverpool  Point,  thence  by  ferry-boats 
across  the  Potomac  to  Acquia  Creek  Landing,  an- 
other march  of  twelve  or  fifteen  miles  on  a  cold, 
dreary,  drizzly  afternoon  and  night  to  Falmouth,  and 
on  the  ISlh  of  December  we  became  a  part  of  the 
Arjny  of  the  Potomac,  joining  the  First  Brigade, 
First  Division,  Second  Army  Corps.  From  that  time 
until  the  end  of  the  war  the  fortunes  of  the  regi- 
ment were  identified  with  the  operations  of  that 
army. 

"  We  marched  to  Chancellorsville,  and  in  the  strug- 
gle of  May  1,  2,  and  3,  1863,  the  metal  of  our  ranks 
was  first  tested,  and  the  severity  of  the  test  is  shown  by 
the  long  sad  list  of  killed  and  wounded.  The  result 
of  the  battle  was  unfortunate,  and  we  tramped  back, 
through  mud  and  rain,  to  the  old  camp  near  Fal- 
mouth. The  prospect  was  not  encouraging.  A  short 
ten  days  previous  we  had  gone  forth  cheerful  and 
buoyant,  with  full  ranks  in  splendid  array.  Just 
before  we  started  the  Governor  of  the  State  looked 
upon  us,  his  neighbors  and  friends,  with  pride  swell- 
ing his  warm  heart,  and  he  spoke  eloquent,  hopeful 
words  to  us.  After  our  return  he  saw  us  again,  and 
to  him  what  a  sorrowful  contrast !  The  ranks  were  no 
longer  full ;  many  noble  fellows,  well  known  to  him, 
had  fallen;  many  others  were  suffering  from  painful 
wounds;  and  withal  there  was  no  success  to  cheer 
and  compensate.  Vain  indeed  were  his  efforts  to  con- 
ceal his  sad  emotions.  Looks  or  words  could  not  hide 
them,  and  few  that  heard  his  touching  and  pathetic 
address  in  that  dismal  camp  will  ever  forget  it.  Among 
those  who  fell  were  Lieuts.  William  H.  Bible  and 
Frank  Stevenson,  both  of  Company  C.  Both  were 
well  known  in  the  regiment  and  sadly  missed.  Lieut. 
Bible  was  cast  in  nature's  biggest  mould.  His  tall, 
commanding  form  always  attracted  notice,  while  his 
many  excellent  traits  had  drawn  nearly  all  of  his 
brother  officers  towards  him  in  ties  of  warm  friend- 
ship. Lieut.  Stevenson  also  had  many  friends,  who 
will  not  soon  permit  the  remembrance  of  his  happy, 
jovial  disposition  to  drop  from  memory. 

"  But  it  is  not  for  soldiers  to  brood  long  in  gloom 
and  despair  over  the  past.  A  few  weeks  given  to  rec- 
reation, and  the  regiment  was  once  more  ready  for 
the  field  whenever  the  summons  should  come.  For 
this  we  did  not  have  long  to  wait.  Lee  had  began 
his  movement  north  which  culminated  at  Gettysburg, 
and  early  in  June,  with  the  Second  Corps,  we  started 
in  the  same  direction,  marching  by  way  of  Stratford, 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH   OP  THE   ONE   HUNDRED   AND   FORTY-EIGHTH.        1:^3 


Dumfries,  and  Occoquau  to  Centreville,  and  from 
Centreville  to  Thoroughfare  Gap,  where  we  remained 
a  number  of  days.  Here  we  found  some  of  the  cav- 
alry of  the  enemy  liovering  on  our  rear  and  flanks. 
Tliey  were  not  in  suflicient  force  to  do  much  damage, 
l)ut  could  cause  annoyance,  delay  movements,  occa- 
sionally kill  or  wound  a  skirmisher,  and  pick  up  the 
stragglers.  Thus  it  happened  when  we  started  from 
the  Gap  we  were  obliged  to  make  the  march  witli 
some  circumspection,  and  in  coming  out  the  head 
and  flanks  of  the  column  were  covered  by  a  portion 
of  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-eighth  deployed  as 
skirmishers  and  flankers.  There  was  little  or  no 
delay  in  the  march,  though  a  battery  in  position  near 
Haymarket  for  a  short  time  made  it  slightly  un- 
pleasant for  the  rear.  Thence  we  moved  by  Gum 
Springs  to  tlie  Potomac,  which  was  crossed  at  Ed- 
wards Ferry,  and  we  reached  the  Monocacy,  near 
Frederick,  in  JIaryland,  on  the  28th  day  of  June. 
On  the  29th  we  marched  to  Uniontown,  and  it  will 
long  be  remembered  by  those  who  made  it  as  the  big 
march.  The  distance  was  thirty-five  miles  and  the 
time  twelve  hours.  It  was  an  exhausting  day's  work, 
and  many  were  the  stragglers  left  by  the  wayside. 
We  rested  over  the  30th,  and  on  the  1st  day  of  July 
went  to  Gettysburg  by  way  of  Taneytown.  It  is  a 
singular  fact  that  while  approaching  Gettysburg  not 
a  sound  of  the  conflict  then  raging  between  the  ad- 
vance portions  of  the  two  armies  reached  our  ears, 
and  not  until  about  dark,  when  an  ambulance  with 
the  body  of  the  lamented  Gen.  Reynolds  passed  us, 
did  we  know  that  there  had  been  a  fight  that  day. 
During  the  night  of  the  1st  we  bivouacked  to  the 
right  of  the  Taneytown  road,  within  two  miles  of  the 
battle  field.  On  the  morning  of  the  2d  we  advanced 
to  the  front,  after  an  inspection  of  arms,  prepared  to 
bear  our  part  in  the  great  battle  of  the  war.  The  ac- 
tion of  the  1st  had  not  been  favorable,  though  it 
probably  secured  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  the 
strong  position  held  on  the  2d  and  3d,  against  which 
Lee  hurled  his  forces  in  vain. 

"The  One  Hundred  and  Forty-eighth  went  through 
the  actions  of  the  two  days  with  great  credit,  and  suf- 
fered severely  in  killed  and  wounded.  The  heaviest 
loss  occurred  in  the  evening  of  the  2d,  while  the  regi- 
ment was  engaged  in  front  of  Round  Top.  Capt. 
Robert  M.  Forster,  of  Company  C,  was  killed,  and 
Lieut.  John  A.  Bayard,  of  Company  H,  mortally 
wounded.  Capt.  Forster  was  an  able  oflScer,  and 
his  death  was  a  great  loss.  As  a  disciplinarian  he 
had  no  superior  in  the  regiment,  and  took  great  pride 
in  always  having  his  company  in  good  condition  for 
duty.  Lieut.  Bayard  was  a  fine  drill-master,  and  the 
ease  and  grace  with  which  he  handled  a  company  on 
parade  was  often  a  subject  of  remark. 

"  After  the  battle  we  remained  on  the  field  over  the 
4th,  and  then  moved  around  to  the  Baltimore  turn- 
pike, at  Ten  Taverns.  From  there  we  marched  by 
way  of  Taneytown  and  Middletown  back  to  Frederick, 


and  from  Frederick  by  way  of  Crampton'g  Gap  to  the 
Potomac,  near  Williamsport,  where  we  were  again  in 
the  presence  of  Lee's  arjny,  the  position  of  the  One 
Hundred  and  Forty-eighth  being  directly  in  front  of 
St.  James'  College.  Lee  withdrew  across  the  river, 
and  we  then  marched  to  Harper's  Ferry,  passing  over 
the  old  battle-field  of  Antietam,  and  in  a  very  few 
days  we  were  again  upon  the  '  sacred  soil'  of  Virginia. 
We  nuirched  down  Loudon  valley,  st<^ipping  at  Snick- 
er's, Ashby's,  and  Manassas  Gaps,  without  encounter- 
ing the  enemy.  Then  we  reached  Warrenton,  and 
from  there  moved  across  the  Orange  and  Alexandria 
Railroad  to  Morrisville,  a  short  distance  from  Kelly's 
Ford,  on  the  Rappahannock. 

"The  summer  campaign  now  ended,  and  we  went 
into  camp  to  remain  a  number  of  weeks.  It  was  here 
that  the  boys  had  a  story  about  the  colonel  being  lost 
one  night  while  on  picket  duty.  As  the  story  ran  it 
might  be  called  '  TIlc  Adventurer  of  a  lost  Colonel  in 
Search  of  a  Picket  Line.'  It  was  a  dark,  gloomy 
night,  and  in  going  to'visit  the  line  it  is  supposed  he 
made  a  slight  mistake  in  direction,  and  in  wandering 
through  the  woods  became  somewhat  bewildered. 
Suddenly  the  boys  on  duty  were  startled  by  a  loud, 
strong  voice  crying  through  the  darkness,  '  Ho,  boys  I 
Ho,  boys!'  The  voice  was  at  once  recognized,  and 
soon  the  '  lost  was  found.'  Of  course  the  wags  of  the 
regiment  would  try  to  get  as  much  fun  as  possible  out 
of  the  mishap,  and  for  several  days  mysterious  cries 
of '  Ho,  boys !  Ho,  boys !'  were  heard  about  the  camp. 
They  usually  came  from  behind  a  tree,  a  tent,  or  from 
some  place  of  concealment  where  the  eyes  of  officers 
could  not  penetrate. 

"  In  the  month  of  September  of  this  year — 1863 — 
began  what  has  often  been  described  as  the  'cam- 
paign of  manojuvrea,'  and  not  until  December  did 
the  army  rest.  Crossing  the  Rappahannock,  we  first 
pushed  forward  to  the  Rapidan,  that  narrow  stream 
at  many  points  only  separating  the  picket  lines. 
After  remaining  here  for  a  week  or  ten  days,  we  were 
relieved  by  a  division  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  and  marched 
back  to  the  neighborhood  of  Culpeper  Court-House. 
Lee  was  soon  discovered  to  be  moving  on  the  flank  of 
the  army,  and  on  the  13th  of  October  we  began  the 
retrograde  march  to  Bull  Run  and  Centreville.  On 
the  morning  of  the  14th  the  enemy  struck  us  at 
Auburn  Mills,  or,  as  the  boys  prefer  to  call  it, '  Coftee 
Hill,'  and  on  the  afternoon  of  tlie  same  day  at 
Bristoe.  It  was  a  race  to  Bull  Run,  and  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  won.  Our  friends  of  the  other  side  fol- 
lowed up,  but  did  not  push  things  to  extremes,  and 
there  was  no  fight.  Cautiously  they  withdrew,  de- 
stroying the  railroad  as  they  went,  and  it  became  our 
turn  to  follow.  Forward  again,  and  we  were  soon 
beyond  the  Rappahannock,  making  the  fifth  time  that 
we  crossed  and  recrossed  that  stream  thus  far  in  this 
campaign.  On  the  2tith  of  November  we  started 
across  the  Rapidan  to  Mine  Run.  Nothing  came  of 
the  movement,  and  the  morning  of  the  1st  of  Decern- 


134 


HISTORY   OF   CP]NTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ber  found  us  back  on  the  Culpeper  side  of  the  river. 
In  these  manoeuvres  no  general  engagement  took 
place,  but  our  marches  and  countermarches  by  day 
and  night  were  still  attended  with  great  toil  and 
many  hardships.  On  the  7th  we  went  into  winter- 
quarters  near  Stevensburg.  Here  we  remained,  with 
the  exception  of  a  day  or  two  spent  at  Morton's  Ford, 
on  the  Kapidan,  where  we  made  a  demonstration  in 
aid  of  a  cavalry  raid,  until  May,  1864.  We  were  in 
comfortable  cantonments,  and  the  winter  passed 
pleasantly  enough  for  soldiers.  The  regiment  re- 
ceived an  addition  to  its  strength  of  two  hundred  and 
eighty-three  drafted  men  and  substitutes  in  fall  of  1863. 
These,  with  men  returned  from  the  hospitals,  gave  us  a 
regiment  once  more  strong  in  numbers.  The  new  men 
aided  by  the  old  material  made  rapid  improvement  in 
drill  and  discipline,  so  that  when  the  campaign  of 
1864  opened  we  flattered  ourselves  that  the  regiment 
■was  in  a  fine  state  of  efficiency.  '  Colonel,'  said  the 
general  commanding  the  Second  Division  of  our 
corps,  '  you  have  a  regiment  there  that  I  have  always 
thought  I  Avould  like  to  command :  there  is  no 
militia  about  it.'  This  to  our  colonel  we  regarded  as 
a  handsome  compliment.  In  the  reorganization  of 
the  army  we  clianged  to  the  Fourth  Brigade,  our 
division  and  corps  associations  remaining  the  same. 

"  May  3, 1864,  we  broke  camp  and  entered  upon  that 
series  of  fierce  and  bloody  struggles  which  marked 
the  way  from  the  Rapidan  to  the  James.  We  crossed 
the  river  at  Ely's  Ford  on  the  morning  of  the  4th, 
and  at  noon  of  that  day  were  at  Chancellorsville,  the 
scene  of  our  first  fight  just  one  year  before,  where  we 
bivouacked  on  the  old  battle-field.  On  the  morning 
of  the  5th  we  moved  a  few  miles  to  the  right,  and 
took  position  on  the  left  of  the  line  of  battle  in  what 
is  historic  as  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness.  In  this 
grapple  of  giants  we  were  fortunate  enough  to  suffer 
no  great  loss.  The  5th,  6th,  and  7th  passed,  and  we 
then  followed  in  the  flank  movement  to  Spottsylvania, 
our  corps  keeping  position  along  the  Brock  road 
until  everything  had  passed.  We  spent  one  day  at 
Todd's  Tavern,  and  reached  the  Po  River  on  the  9lh. 
In  the  action  of  the  10th  the  regiment  was  roughly 
handled,  and  met  with  severe  lossesin  killed,  wounded, 
and  missing,  the  aggregate  being  about  two  hundred. 
On  the  12th,  in  the  famous  and  brilliant  charge  of 
the  Second  Corps,  the  regiment  was  prominent  and 
distinguished.  The  action  began  at  early  dawn,  con 
tinned  throughout  most  of  the  day,  and  cost  us  another 
large  list  of  killed  and  wounded.  The  lieutenant- 
colonel  was  among  the  wounded,  and  was  so  unfor- 
tunate as  to  be  taken  prisoner.  With  that  bravery 
and  impetuosity  so  characteristic  of  him,  he  was  last 
seen  going  over  the  captured  breastworks  of  the 
enemy,  waving  his  sabre  in  the  air  aud  shouting, 
'Come  on,  boys!  this  is  the  last  day  of  the  Rebel- 
lion!' and  it  might  have  been  nearly  so  had  proper 
preparations  been  made  to  follow  up  the  morning's 
work  of  the  Second  Corps.     Among  the  killed  of  the 


One  Hundred  and  Forty-eighth  in  these  operations 
were  Capt.  Thompson  Core,  of  Company  K,  Lieut. 
John  A.  McGuire,  of  Company  I,  and  Lieut.  James 
B.  Cook,  of  Company  H.  The  latter  was  well  known 
in  Bellefonte,  where  he  bad  many  friends,  as  he  also 
had  in  the  regiment.  Lieut.  McGuire  was  a  brave 
Irishman,  who  embodied  all  the  inspirations  of  the 
robust,  rugged  soldier.  He  was  uncultivated,  and 
yet  an  excellent  drill-master,  seeming  to  know  by  in- 
stinct, as  it  were,  all  that  was  in  the  books  and  how  to 
use  it.  It  was  a  rare  and  enjoyable  sight  to  see  him 
exercising  a  company  in  the  skirmish  drill.  The  loss 
of  Capt.  Core  was  a  grievous  one,  and  came  unex- 
pectedly from  a  wound  in  the  arm.  The  wound  was 
severe,  though  not  at  the  time  considered  dangerous. 
Erysipelas  supervened  and  caused  his  death.  He 
was  a  large  man,  big-hearted  and  good-natured,  and 
by  his  unfailing  kindness  had  endeared  every  one  to 
him.  He  was  also  known  in  the  regiment  as  a  model 
of  devotion  to  duty,  always  to  be  relied  upon  under 
any  circumstances,  and  never  disappointing  expecta- 
tions. An  instance  of  this  may  be  given  :  One  night 
while  we  were  in  bivouac  on  the  banks  of  the  Rap- 
pahannock, Capt.  Core  was  on  picket  duty  in  charge 
of  a  detail  from  the  regiment.  In  the  morning  we 
crossed  the  river,  and  by  an  oversight  the  pickets 
were  not  relieved  and  were  thus  left  behind.  After 
we  had  proceeded  a  mile  or  more  the  oversight  was 
discovered,  and  a  discussion  arose  as  to  whether  it 
was  worth  while  to  send  back  after  them,  some  think- 
ing that  they  might  relieve  themselves  and  follow  of 
their  own  accord.  The  colonel  desired  to  know  who 
was  in  command,  and  was  informed  that  it  was 
Capt.  Core.  'Then  go  back  immediately  and  relieve 
him.  Core  will  not  leave  without  orders  if  he  stays 
there  until  doomsday.' 

"  From  .the  lines  around  Spottsylvania  another 
flank  movement  was  begun  on  the  night  of  the  20th 
of  May,  and  on  the  23d  we  reached  the  north  bank  of 
the  North  Anna  River,  only  to  find  the  enemy  in  po- 
sition on  the  opposite  side.  On  the  24th  the  Second 
Corps  crossed  over  and  took  up  a  position  for  assault. 
No  general  attack  was  made,  however,  and  during  the 
night  of  the  26th  we  withdrew.  The  movement  back 
commenced  at  dark,  but  the  skirmishers  were  not 
withdrawn  until  day  began  to  dawn  on  the  morning 
of  27th.  They  were  closely  followed,  and  some  of  the 
One  Hundred  and  Forty-eighth  made  a  narrow  escape 
from  capture.  The  turning  movement  was  continued 
to  the  left,  and  after  crossing  the  Pamunkey  River 
near  Hanovertown,  the  enemy  was  again  encountered 
in  position  at  Cold  Harbbr,  in  front  of  the  Chicka- 
hominy.  This  was  on  the  3d  of  June.  An  assault 
was  gallnntly  made,  but  in  the  end  it  was  not  success- 
ful. Our  division  entered  the  enemy's  works  at  one 
point,  but  being  unsupported  could  not  hold  them, 
and  was  forced  back  a  short  distance.  Here  Lieut. 
Jacob  S.  Lander,  of  Company  C,  w.as  killed.  He  was 
a  gentle,  amiable  officer,  and  was  much  lamented. 


NINE    MONTHS'   TROOPS— CENTRE   COUNTY    MILITIA,  18G2. 


135 


The  lines  remained  for  some  days  in  close  contact, 
and  preparations  were  made  for  siege  operations,  but 
they  were  soon  abandoned.  It  was  then  determined 
to  move  south  of  the  James  River,  and  Petersburg 
was  reached  on  the  16th  of  June.  In  the  operations 
around  Petersburg  the  regiment  was  constantly  en- 
gaged. It  took  part  in  actions  of  the  IGth,  ISth,  and 
22d,  experienced  hard  fighting,  and  met  with  very 
serious  losses.  On  the  22d  the  flank  of  the  division 
was  turned  and  a  considerable  number  of  officers  and 
men  of  the  regiment  were  taken  prisoners.  Capt. 
Jacob  B.  Edmonds,  of  Company  C,  was  killed,  and 
Lieut.  Wesley  W.  Bierly,  of  Company  A,  was  mor- 
tally wounded.  Lieut.  Bierly  fell  into  the  hands  of 
the  enemy  and  died  in  Petersburg.  The  regiment 
was  also  engaged  at  Deep  Bottom,  July  28th,  at  Straw- 
berry Plains,  August  14tli,  and  at  Ream's  Station, 
August  25th.  In  the  last  action  Lieut.  David  G. 
Ralston,  another  officer  of  Company  C,  was  killed. 

"  Upon  the  return  of  the  regiment  to  the  front  at 
Petersburg,  it  was  next  for  some  time  on  duty  at  Fort 
Haskell  and  Steadman  and  Battery  No.  10,  and  in 
the  early  part  of  October  changed  its  arms  for  the 
Spencer  repeating  rifles.  It  was  one  of  the  regiments 
selected  by  the  corps  commander  to  be  thus  armed, 
which  was  a  compliment  for  past  services  and  gal- 
lantry. On  the  night  of  the  27th  of  October  a  detail 
of  one  hundred  men  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty- 
eighth  made  an  assault  upon  a  fort  in  the  enemy's 
line,  and  carried  it,  capturing  part  of  a  Virginia  regi- 
ment. The  prisoners  were  sent  to  the  rear,  but  as  the 
assaulting  party  was  not  supported  the  fort  could  not 
long  be  held,  and  in  falling  back  a  considerable  num- 
ber were  killed  and  wounded.  It  was  a  brilliant  feat 
of  arms,  and  added  to  the  reputation  of  the  regiment, 
but  it  may  be  considered  doubtful  whether  the  gain 
compensated  for  the  loss.  Following  this,  the  regi- 
ment did  garrison  duty  in  Forts  Sampson,  Gregg, 
and  Cummings. 

"  We  now  come  to  the  final  campaign  in  the  spring 
of  1865,  which  resulted  in  the  fall  of  Petersburg  and 
the  surrender  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  at 
Appomatox.  We  find  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty- 
eighth  at  Hatcher's  Run,  March  25th,  where  Lieut. 
Jeremiah  A.  Sankey,  of  Company  F,  was  killed,  and 
at  Adams  Farm,  near  Five  P^orks,  on  the  31st,  where 
Capt.  Samuel  Everhart,  of  Company  C,  was  killed. 
The  fall  of  Capt.  Everhart  made  the  seventh  officer 
of  Company  C  killed  on  the  field  of  battle  during  its 
term  of  service.  It  seemed  almost  like  a  fatality  to 
be  an  officer  of  this  company,  for  its  record  in  that 
respect  is  without  example  in  the  history  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania volunteers. 

"Lee,  with  the  remnants  of  his  army,  was  now  in 
full  retreat.  The  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  close 
upon  his  heels,  and  at  Sutherland's  Station,  on  the 
Southside  Railroad,  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty- 
eighth  did  splendid  work  on  the  skirmish  line.  By 
a  .skillful  and  finely-executed  flank  movement,  which 


permitted  an  enfilading  fire  with  tlie  repeating  rifles, 
nearly  an  entire  brigade  was  compelled  to  throw  down 
its  arms  and  surrender.  For  this  the  regiment  wa.s 
highly  complimented  by  the  general  commanding 
the  division  in  a  special  order.  The  results  were 
seven  hundred  prisoners,  two  pieces  of  artillery,  and 
two  flags.  It  participated  in  the  final  action  at  Farm- 
ville  on  the  7th  of  Ajiril,  and  was  present  at  the  sur- 
render at  Appomatox  on  the  9th. 

"  The  end  had  come,  and  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
retraced  its  footsteps  to  the  neighborhood  of  Alexan- 
dria, passing  on  the  way  through  the  city  of  Rich- 
mond, so  long  the  objective-point  of  its  operations. 
After  taking  part  in  the  grand  review  at  Washing- 
ton, the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-eighth  came  to 
Harrisburg,  where,  on  the  3d  day  of  June,  1865,  it 
was  mustered  out  of  service  and  ceased  to  be,  except 
as  it  lives  in  history  and  in  the  recollections  of  its 
many  friends." 


CHAPTER    LIII. 

NINE  MONTHS'  TROOPS— CENTRE  COUNTY  WILITIA 
—THE    DRAFT,    ETC. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  Centre  County  soldiers 
who  enlisted  in  the  nine  months'  service  in  August, 
1862,  before  orders  were  changed  : 

ONE   HUNDRED    AND  THIRTY-SEVENTH    KEGIMENT. 
Aug.  12,  1S02,  to  June  1,  1803. 

Brewer,  Green,  Liljerty.  Fulger,  Willi.im,  Walker. 

Degiin,  George,  Lilierty.  Kissinger,  Jacob  G.,  Walker. 

Delong,  Jubn,  Liberly.  Ketner,  Jacob,  Miles, 

Fetil,  George,  Miles,  corp.  Kling,  Henr^-,  Marion. 

Foust,  Benjamin  N.,  Liberty.  Reed,  TliouLis,  Howard. 
Fravel,  Micliael,  Liberty. 

COMPANY  A,  ONE  HUNDRED  AND  TWENTY-FIFTH  REGIMENT. 

Ang.  10, 1802,  to  May  18,  1803. 
Magill,  Thomas,  Taylor. 
Miller,  William,  Taylor;  corp. 
Vanghan,  George,  Taylor;  wounded  at  Antietam  Sept.  17,  1802 ;  discli. 

April  1,1803. 
Vanghan,  Henry,  Taylor  ;  discli.  Dec.  10, 1802. 

Centre  County  Militia,  1862.— On  the  reception 
of  the  Governor's  proclamation  calling  fifty  thousand 
militia  into  the  field  on  the  11th  of  Sejitember,  a 
meeting  was  held  at  Bellefonte  and  a  volunteer  com- 
pany formed,  with  H.  N.  McAllister,  Esq.,  as  cap- 
tain. This  company  was  ordered  into  the  service  on 
the  15th  of  September,  and  promptly  left  for  Harris- 
burg, one  hundred  and  eight  strong. 

Quite  as  promptly  a  company  volunteered  in  Fer- 
guson township,  under  command  of  Capt.  William 
Burchfield,  and  marched  on  the  16th  of  September. 

The  "  Hasson  Guards,"  called  in  honor  of  Judge 
John  Hasson,  who  was  among  the  first  to  enroll  his 
name  and  who  had  served  in  the  war  of  1812,  was  a 
volunteer  militia  company  from  Harris  township, 
under  the  command  of  Capt.  David  Wilson. 


136 


niSTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


These  companies  were  arranged  in  the  Twenty- 
third  Regiment  (Col.  George  P.  Wiestling),  and  of 
the  militi.T,  concentrated  near  Hagerstov.n,  under 
Gen.  John  F.  Reynolds,  at  the  time  of  the  battle  of 
Antietam,  and  served  until  the  discharge  of  the  regi- 
ment, Sept.  30.  1862. 

Of'tlie  staff,  Austin  B.  S:iyder,  lieutenant  colonel, 
Joseph  E.  Mitclieli,  adjutant,  and  James  M.  Thomp- 
son, surgeon,  were  from  Centre  County. 

COMPANY  C,  TWENTY-THIRD  KEGIMEST. 
Ciipt.,  Djivid  Wilson;  tst  Lieut.,  G.  A.  .liicobs  ;  21  Lieut.,  S.  B.  Gross- 
manu  ;  Serjits.,  Alfred  Dale,  Arliuu  Hess,  James  II.i^sou,  Jolin  I.  Thump- 
son,  Charles  ShafTsr  ;  Corps.,  Thomiis  Hile.v.  Peter  Schreck,  AJiini  Stover, 
J.  B.  Hiltchinson,D.  A.  Stuitt,  Enwnuel  Wolfe,  Israel  Coudo,  J.  T.  For- 
ner;  Musici.xus,  Jonathan  Kreamer,  George  U.  Jiickl  ;  Privates,  George 
W.  Alien,  Be.ijaniin  II.  Amey,  William  R.  Darnea,  D.  W.  Baker,  Thomp- 
son B,irr,  Samuel  Barr,  John  S.  Baihnrst,  .lohn  Breser,  W.  H.  Beuner, 
James  Bons,  John  Brooks,  William  Oimphell,  David  Corbin,  Coroelius 
Dale.  Philip  Dale,  Thomas  Dale,  Thomas  E.  Davis,  John  Davis,  Miobiiel 
Durstine,  William  Dale,  AVilliam  Everliart,  William  Geistvveil,  John  B. 
Ouhei'U,  Adam  Ilartsock,  Hanison  Hagheiil.err.v.  John  Hiasnn,  A.  B. 
Henilerson,  Tlionia.s  Hess,  E.  A.  Ileston,  William  Hess,  Isaac  Hoffman, 
Jo-iab  Ilaldeman,  Clifistian  Hiraser,  Martin  HonsiT,  Jr.,  William  H.>y, 
Ilicbard  Herman,  Emanuel  Is'.iler,  William  Jadcs.m,  Alexander  John- 
ston, Isaac  Kiinp,  Rndolph  Krise,  Oliver  Love,  John  Lndvvi-  John 
Ljtle,  HeMTy  Jlaikle,  Lewis  Mayes,  S.  H.  Me.vers,  Alfred  P.  Meyer, 
.1.  JI.  Morgan,  John  Miisselnian,  Joseph  E.  Mitchell  (pro.  adjutJint), 
L.  B.  Mcliilire,  Willi.un  McFarlane,  S.  P.  Palmer,  W.  S.  Palmer,  Samuel 
I'atton,W.  D.  Rankin,  James  R  ley,  James  A.  Hockey,  r.obert  A.  Sankey, 
W.S.  Shires.  Isaac  Seltzer,  William  Speese,  W.  II.  Stiver,  A.  G.  Shiies, 
Jami-sM.  Thompson,  William  Tliom|i3un,  Joseph  Ti-cssler,  Martin  Treas- 
tt-r,  T.  G.  Vantries,  Cyrus  W.isson,  John  Wassoii,  Jr.,  Dr.  W.  W.  While, 
.lohn  Williams,  Ji-.,  John  Wirts,  Jr.,  Thilip  Wirts,  Robert  Willenmeycr, 
Isaiic  Woomer,  J. .It.  Zimmermnn. 

COMPANY  D,  TWENTY-TIIIKD  REGIMENT. 
Capt.,  William  Biirchfield;  1st  Lieut.,  W.  W.  Mayes;  2d  Lieut.,  Alex- 
ander Sanqde  ;  Sei'gts.,  B.  J.Ljiporte,  G  M.  ICeiiler,  J.ames  II.  Mitchell, 
John  A.  Hunter,  Henry  Budge;  Corps,  John  Musser,  Jr.,  Henry  M. 
Meek,  G.  D.  Danley,  Emanuel  Bolenger,  Joseph  Ward,  James  Miller, 
Peter  Wolf,  .Tohn  Stover;  Musicians,  John  G.  Hess,  Jacob  Nicholas; 
I'rivates,  J.  G.  Archcy,  J.  G.  Bailey,  Isaac  Beck,  John  Chase,  R.  P.  Ciaig, 
Jacob  Erb,  Joseph  B.  Erb,  Robert  Eson,  Samuel  Felty,  Jesse  R.  Flora, 
T.  S.Glenn,  Wilson  G.irdner,  R.  F.  Gates,  Tliomas  Gates,  W.  B.  Glenn, 
Kenhen  Hammer,  G.  W.Keichline,  Thomas Knsteubader,  John  S.  Lyile, 
M.  G.  Lightuer,  Isaac  Long,  James  W.  Louriraore,  William  Musser,  Jr., 
W.   D.  Ross,  William  Stover,  F.  B.  Stover,  Samuel  Stewart,  George 


ellzi 


COMPANY  F,  TWENTY-THIRD   REGIMENT. 


Capt.,  II.  N.  McAllister,  Esq.;  1st  Lieut.,  Daniel  McGinley;  2d  Lieut., 
J.  B.  Bulls;  Sergts .  J.  M.  Armor,  W.  S.  Tripple,  A.  S.  Valentine,  Wil- 
liam McClell.au,  Delaune  Griiy;  Corps.,  A.  Foresman,  John  Moran,  Wil- 
liam H.  llnmes.John  P.  Harris,  John  C.  Boxtresser,  William  Shovtledge, 
William  P.  Duncan,  II.  C.  Crosthwaito;  Musician,  Samuel  H.Cook; 
Privates,  E.  M.  Blanchard,  Demetrius  B.irnhart,  John  Bl.and,  W.  H. 
Bing.  Edmund  Blanchard,  J.  M.  Biooner,  J.  W.  Bennei-,  David  Bech- 
dol,  John  W.  Cook,  William  Cook,  W.  D.  Clark,  George  W.  Cochler,  R. 
D.  Cummings,  U.  N.  Crostliwaite,  Edward  Bowling,  W.  H.Durstine,  Ed- 
ward do  Haas,  Jonathan  Belong,  Thomas  Dorris,  W.  C.  Davis,  William 
Eckert,  D.  W.  Eberliard,  W.P.  Fnrey,  Charles  II  Free,  Theodore  Gordon, 
William  Gialflus,  F.  P.  Green,  William  Galhraith,  E.  J.  Gilleland,  An- 
drew Glenn,  Adam  Hoy,  Francis  Ilina,  N.  M.  Hoover,  Enoch  Hastings, 
Frank  Hillebish,  Allison  Hanpt,  J.  C.  Henry,  H.  P.  Harris,  S.  Hocken- 
bnry,  II.  P.  Haupt,  J.  D.  Harris,  James  Hall,  H.  C.  Holter,  M.  P.  Hol- 
ier, G.  W.  Jackson,  W.  W.  Kepliart,  T.  J.  Kurtz,  C.  W.  Lambert,  J.  S. 
Loneberger,  H.  C.  Loneberger,  James  Long,  John  Ligget,  J.  K.  Leathers, 
W.  W.  Montgomery,  J.  F.  Musser,  Thomas  Miles,  Andrew  Morrison, 
Peter  Marliii,  William  McCafferty,  William  McCleuahan,  Charles  Mc- 
Bride,  George  McGnire,  Frank  McCoy,  Thomas  Norman,  O.  0.  Osmer, 


1  George  B.  Jack  appointed  drum-major  of  the  regiment. 

2  Josepii  E.  Mitchell  apiminted  adjutant  of  the  regiment. 


S.  C.  Fletcher,  Thomas  Pnidue,  S.  W.Pletchcr,  Reuben  Fletcher,  George 
R.wan,  James  F.  Riddle,  James  U.  Rvukin,  Simin  Bo  ish,  William 
Snyder,  W.  J.  Slein,  Roger  G.  Savage,  Benjamin  Schrack,  Willam 
Schr.ack,  Levi  Straub,  William  Shnwaltor,  W.  B.  Savage,  Isaac  Shney, 
9.  K.  Spaugler,  S.  P.  Slienk,  D.  W.  Slienk,  Irvin  E.  Slienk,  David  K. 
Tate,  T.  M.  Tonner,  .lacoh  V.  Thomas,  Joseph  Thompson,  E.  M.  Valen- 
tine, Jacob  D.  Valentine,  Bond  Valentine,  Jr.,  John  D.  Wingate,  Ja 8 

M.  Ward.  Philo  Ward,  Frank  S.  Wilson,  John  M.  Weldon,  William  P. 
Wilson,  Henry  C.  Yeager. 

in  August,  1862,  Sergt.  James  B.  Curtin  returned 
to  Bellefonte  to  recruit  for  tlie  Anderson  Cavalry,  now 
the  One  Hundred  and  Sixtieth  Pennsylvania,  or  Fif- 
teenth Cavalry.  Among  the  recruits  were  Harvey  S. 
Lingel,  Charles  Wilson,  Michael  Musser,  Calvin  Wil- 
son, David  McKenney,  John  Irwin.  Jr.  They  were 
recruited  especially  for  Gen.  Biiell's  body-guard. 

In  September,  1862,  occurred  the  death  of  Capt. 
Josiah  Baird,  son  of  William  Baird,  Sr.,  of  Centre 
County.  Capt.  Baird  was  killed  in  a  skirmish  with 
guerrillas  at  Glasgow,  Mo. 

In  August,  Governor  Curtin  visited  Washington 
and  secured  the  promulgation  of  an  order  to  divide 
the  State  into  districts,  composed  of  counties  or  sub- 
divisions of  counties,  each  district  to  be  credited 
against  the  draft  with  all  volunteers  enrolled  from 
that  district  then  in  service.  On  the  19th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1862,  the  following  w,as  the  number  of  militia  at 
home  and  the  number  of  volunteers  in  the  army,  to- 
gether with  the  number  from  each  township  and 
borough.  The  enrollment  figures  include  every  man 
between  eighteen  and  forty-five  years,  whether  they 
were  in  the  service  or  not.  The  quota  of  this  county, 
all  the  calls  for  three  years'  and  nine  months'  men  in- 
cluded, was  1593.  It  will  be  seen  that  352  more  men 
were  furnished  than  were  called  for.  Snow  Shoe  is 
the  banner  township,  having  furnished  seven-tenths 
of  her  militia : 

Volun- 

Militia.  teers. 

Potter 30.5  l.i7 

Harris 20t  142 

Ferguson 228  11,0 

Patton VO  40 

Half-Moon 84  fiO 

Worth 58  34 

Taylor 6.'i  31 

Huston  4C  03 

Unioiiville 38  27 

Wilesbnig .W  53 

Bellefonte 218  13G 

Union 80  43 

Boggs 1114  115 

Bciiner 210  74 

Spiiiig I'.iO  "JO 

Gregg 22J  4.i 

Haines 1S.5  67 

I'enn ITS  3U 

Miles 180  7!) 

Walker 1S8  127 

Marion 98  35 

Howard 142  79 

Liberty 124  68 

Curtin 01  8 

Rush 117  79 

Show  Shoe 39  91 

Buruside 4U  47 

Total 3710  1'.I45 

Aggregate 560  L 

In  the  fall  of  1862  the  Democratic  congressional 
conferees  (C.  T.  Alexander  and  H.  L.  Dieft'enbach  of 
the  conferees  protesting)  declined  to  make  a  nomina- 
tion for  Congress.     William  H.  Armstrong  was  the 


THE    DRAFT,  18C3. 


137 


regular  Republican  nominee,  Judge  James  T.  Hale 
running  as  an  independent  candidate.  Judge  Hale 
had  1290  majority  in  Centre  County,  and  352  in  the 
district.  Isaac  Slenker,  Democratic  nominee  for 
auditor-general,  had  831  majority.  The  whole  Demo- 
cratic county  ticket  had  an  average  majority  of  850. 
Capt.  AVilliam  H.  Blair,  who  was  on  both  tickets  for 
district  attorney,  was  elected  unanimously.  Total 
vote  cast  in  the  county,  4543. 

The  Bald  Eagle  Valley  Railroad  was  finished  to 
Bellefonte,  and  the  first  passenger  train  ar- 
1863.     rived  at  7  p.m.  on  the  2d  day  of  January. 

February  2d,  the  remains  of  Lieut.-Com- 
mander  Thomas  McKean  Buchan.an,  who  was  killed 
in  the  naval  service  on  the  Bayou  Teche,  La.,  on 
the  14th  of  January,  were  brought  to  Bellefonte 
and  interred.  He  was  a  son  of  George  Buchanan, 
Esq.,  of  near  Spring  Mills.  A  graduate  of  the  Naval 
Academy  at  Annapolis,  June  9,  1856,  he  was  attached 
to  the  "Constellation,"  Capt.  Bell,  in  the  Mediterra- 
nean. Nov.  4,  1858,  he  was  promoted  master,  and 
July  17,  1860,  lieutenant,  and  in  1861  lieutenantcom- 
niander,  he  commanding  the  gunboat  "Calhoun" 
when  he  lost  his  life  in  the  service  of  his  country,  at 
the  early  age  of  twenty-four  years. 

N.^MES  oil'  PEESONS  INCLUDED  IN  THE  DU.^FT  IN  CENTRE 
COUNTY,  AUGUST,  1863. 

irarrU  Toifiis'.ip.— Alfred  Dale,  George  Kline,  David  Siiilling,  C.  B. 
SliiilTer,  James  Ossm.an,  Andrew  Griffin,  Thomas  Pennington,  James 
Kimport,  Wallace  Pearce,  Shannon  Boar,  William  Poadford,  A.  J.  Sheare, 
Danii'l  Horner,  David  Heed,  J.  A.  Hockey,  William  Stover,  Jacob  Fox, 
William  Jackson,  Jacob  Stoner,  John  Spiker,  Thomas  Miller  (colored), 
R.  H.  Potter,  Samuel  Kimport,  James  Dusey,  Michael  Derstine,  Daniel 
Kimport,  11.  P.  Sankey,  Jacob  Markle,  Emannel  Cronemiller,  Benjaniiu 
Brooks,  James  D.  Gordon,  John  From,  John  W.  Shiiey,  Archy  Moon, 
Benjamin  Ossman,  Samuel  B.  Wilson,  James  Riley,  Jacob  Sliuey,  Alfred 
Meyers,  Thomas  llfss,  Levi  Karner,  John  Koon,  Jeremiah  Oliver,  W. 
H.  Groh,  John  Boal,  Emanuel  Ishler,  Benjamin  Kreamer,  Ephraim 
Gales,  Frank  McLean,  Robert  Lisle,  Abraham  Tumore. 

Frguson  Totcnship. — Franklin  Dermit,  George  W.  Archy,  David  Reed, 
Hiram  Hendricks,  George  Harpster,  John  W.  Adams,  Samuel  Rossman, 
S.  II.  Pylc,  Jonas  Lipart,  J.  B.  Deligc  (colored),  Jacob  Bottorf,  William 
E.  Meek,  Adam  Felty,  S.  M.  Stonebraker,  Henry  Gates,  Samuel  Marklo, 
John  Archy,  E.  Housman,  Peter  Wolf,  John  Housman,  Frederick  Bot- 
toif,  Davi.l  Ro-enburg,  James  Snyder,  Henry  Bridge,  George  Crone- 
miller, Samuel  Shearer,  William  H.  Custaborder,  Emanuel  Erb,  John 
Cnslaborder,  Albert  Waring,  Emanuel  Sunday,  Thurman  Cockindople, 
Wilson  Gardner,  George  Kepler,  John  E.  Thomas,  James  R.  Jamison, 
Thomas  Custaborder,  Jesse  Shroyer,  Emanuel  Bolinger,  J.  M,  Ilubler, 
A.  D.  Uausman,  Joseph  Kellerman,  John  Rider,  Theodore  Weaver, 
Benjamin  Corl,  John  Peon,  Ellis  Lytle,  Jacob  Krider,  William  E.  Lyon, 
Daniel  Benner. 

Half-Moon  Township.— Tla.yii  Matteru,  Samuel  Troy,  D.  A.  Herman, 
Jeremiah  Way,  P.  \V.  Burkct,  George  Basor,  George  Ricker,  Samuel 
Henderson  (colored),  John  Griffin,  .lohn  G.  McKinney,  Samuel  Ginse- 
more,  I.V.Gray,  Martin  Gates,  Isaac  Beck,  James  Robinson,  Wesley 
Miller  (colored). 

Pallon  TowiDtliip. — Jesse  Fredericks,  Jacob  Houtz,  John  Mattern,John 
Kerner,  William  Reed,  John  Dillon,  Samuel  Wellere,  Daniel  Suilzer, 
Green  Gray.  David  Moore,  Charles  Gummo,  Daniel  Zones,  John  Gainer. 

Second  Distbict,  composed  of  Potter,  Guegg,  Penn,  Uai.nes,  and 
Miles. 
PoWcr.— Richard  Mulligan,  Daniel  Weaver,  Jacob  Dinges,  George  Sto- 
ver, Lafayette  Neff,  We  C.  Earner,  John  Strong,  William  Durst,  James 
R.  Foster,  W.  A.  Murray,  James  M.  Thompson,  Adam  Smith,  Jacob 
Royer,  George  Garbrich,  Joslah  Taylor,  Lewis  Henry,  William  Royer, 
John  Yager,  Samuel  Harpster,  William  Lee,  Allen  Bartholomew,  Wil- 
liam Royer,  John  C.  Fake,  John  R.  Sawyers,  \V,  P.  Parmer,  Jonathan 


E.  Royor,  Samuel  Slack,  Levi  Waltem,  James  Alexander,  Joseph  Bit- 
ncrs,  Anthony  Slater,  John  Barber,  William  Colcer, George  B.  Ilaui«l.r, 
Malchai  Crotzer,  Ailam  Nclrho.id,  Oliver  Lovo,  Michael  Coofarc,  II.  SI. 
Seltzer,  Daniel  McClintock,  Thomas  Raymond,  Philip  Dumt,  Uriah  t>. 
Assninn,  John  B.  Ditner,  James  Ort,  .liilin  A.  Mariz,  .lohn  WilkliiBon, 
Daviil  Gingericli,  S.  G.  Shannn,  J.  J.  Farner,  John  Slack,  H.  Moyer,  Jonoli 
Foot,  George  W.  Shaffer,  John  Showers. 

Ore.TO.— John  Rieni,  J.  W.  C'onley,  William  F.  Rarick,  Perry  Siglcr, 
Samuel  Rininger,'  William  Gooilheart,  Jacob  Wolf,  Ebonezcr  Harriii, 
Michael  Duck,  Freilerick  Jam  son,  J.  B,  Fisher,  Reuben  Clinc,  James 
Duck,  H.  Snyder,  William  Neiss,  P.  S.  Coonfer,  Daniel  Trcnler,  David 
Breon,  JaineH  Breon,  J.  P.  Ross,  Percival  Neirlioot,  Amos  Reedcr,  S.  J. 
Herning,  H.  Duck,  A.  G.  Bnrrell,  II.  Zeigler,  A.  Yarick,  Ellas  JInrvey, 
Israel  Yarick,  Josejih  Zeigler,  William  Ifoman,  Peter  Weaver,  David 
Barree,  Peter  Smith,  Samuel  Jamison,  George  Grenoble,  H.  Roush, 
Thomas  Decker. 

P<im.— David  Meiss,  U.  Ulricli,  Daniel  Isenhuth,  Elins  Worf,  P.  S. 
Mnsser,  John  Ilarler,  II.  Keen,  H.  Kreamer.  William  Wortz  (farmer), 
Uriah  S.  Weirich,  Jonathan  Sherman,  Jacob  Gepheart,  John  Trank, 
Philip  High,  II.  H.  Weisei-,  George  Royer,  Elias  Cojifer,  Philip  Krider, 
John  Bairn,  John  Wirth,  Enninuel  Swartz,  Solomon  Denger,  David  Ettle, 
J.  V.  Forster,  Daniel  W.  Si'igh,  Elias  Stover,  George  Smith,  Jac.  San- 
ders, H.  M.  Swiirtz,  Samuel  Wolf,  George  Isenhuth,  Peter  Rairich,  Wil- 
liam Miller,  Franklin  Knorr,  Jacob  Fillz,  J.  II.  Auman,  Isaac  Lcmg, 
Frederick  Kathernnin,  John  Brought,  Reuben  Swartz,  George  Wolf. 

Hiu«es.—S.  Ettinger,  S.  Fryer,  A.  Winkliblich,  Benjamin  Stover,  Noah 
H.  Weaver,  John  Benada,  J.  A.  Haines,  W.  C.  Hublcr,  Israel  Stover, 
William  Oliver,  John  Thomas,  Thomas  Ehrhart,  Isaac  Neff,  Charles 
Horner,  Emanuel  Mussei-,  Charles  Smith,  Samuel  Brown,  G.  W.  Stover, 
Lewis  Long,  Jonathan  Ilarter,  Samuel  Beaver,  Aaron  Weaver,  John 
Martin,  Thomas  Harper,  Geolge  M.  Stover,  Andrew  Bell,  Israel  Snyder, 
Adam  Stover,  Samuel  Eby,  Jacob  Venada,  John  Royer,  Absalom  Musser, 
Daniel  Lawher,  Cornelius  Bower. 

Miles— Hey.  T.  B.  Buck,  Daniel  Long, Tliomas  Shearer,  Reuben  Gram. 
ley,  Joseph  Burleigh,  Charles  Heinbach,  Anthony  Detler,  H.  W.  Kreamer, 
John  Geiser,  H.  R.  Feidler,  John  Wolf,  Augustus  Kreamer,  H.  Gramley, 
John  Ednian,  II.  Loophold,  H.  J.  Simbert,  W.  J.  Hosterman,  John  S. 
Beck,  Reuben  Kreamer,  John  Wolf,  Peter  Kerlin,  George  Raber,  Hiram 
Stutterbich,  Samuel  R.  Faust,  William  Tyson,  Jonathan  Auman. 
Third  District — Walker,  Howard,  Liberty,  Curtin,  and  Marion. 

TTaHier.— Michael  Shubb,  Benjamin  Berk,  Isaac  Botley,  Miller  McCain, 
David  Walkey,  Daniel  Johnst  .n,  J.  A.  Stover,  Isaiah  StiTible,  Dovid 
Mechtley,  George  Neighart,  Henry  Yocum,  William  Sanders,  John 
Sprowl,  Adam  Decker,  J.acob  Garbrich,  I.  J.  Best,  J.  S.  Swartz,  Lot 
Struble,  Ilezckiah  Siu-ole,  Benjamin  Aston,  H.  S.  Mitchel,  Jacob  Bryan, 
Jacob  Harnish,  William  Orner,  Joshua  Butler,  Jacob  Harsliharger,  John 
G.  Shaffer,  George  Rlssman,  C.  C.  Rodgers,  Benjamin  Winkleman,  J.  E. 
Hass,  William  Whippo,  Daniel  Miller,  Absahiin  Snyder,  H.  Showers,  B. 
J.  Sbaffor,  Adam  SUKeuu,  William  Smively,  Isaac  Hoffman,  W.  M. 
Dunkle,  I.  E.  Long,  Fr.ank  Walker,  Philip  Gephart,  Michael  Miller,  P. 
S.  Yeager,  John  Bradly,  Jarob  Dunkle,  Daniel  Derman,  W.  W.  Rodgers. 

HouKird.— Anthony  Gallaher,  A.  S.  llolter.  Nathan  liid.lle.  Rev.  J.  B. 
Polsgrove,  Hiram  T.  Lucas,  Jacob  Long,  Joseph  L.  Holter,  John  G. 
WoHz,  R.  V.  Butler,  James  Gallaher,  John  Bodle,  Agnew  aioore,  Abra- 
ham Pyley,  C  C.  Rodgers,  Throden  Rebor,  David  Cox,  Bud  Butler,  Wil- 
liam Taylor.  Robert  Miles,  Andrew  Hallern,  Thomas  Taylor. 

ifterfy.— Daniel  W.  Ueroig,  Samuel  Boyer,  Jacob  Crotzer,  Jacob  Glnss- 
ingei-,  William  W.  Spangler,  Peter  Martin,  Joseph  Thiunpson,  John  Long, 
James  I.  W'illiams,  James  R,  Bomgardner,  David  B.  Galbrailh,  S.  H. 
Kunes,  Ch.arles  Eolopin,  James  H.  Fletcher,  George  W.  Moon,  John  D. 
Thompson, Chailes  A. Courier,  H.  Glossinger,  Benjamin  Liggilt.  Thomas 
I.ingle,  William  Snyder,  John  C.  Bowers,  John  Liggett,  Tliomas  SI. 
Bowes,  Franklin  L.  Bechtol,  Daniel  Kline,  Thomas  Buller,CliarlesStall, 
Jolin  Bard,  J.  B.  Potts,  Samuel  P.  Shank,  Georgo  W.  Lucas,  S.  S. 
Brickley. 

Ci"(fii.— John  Confer,  James  Lucas,  Joh^i  H.  Andereon,  Siimuel  Wat- 
kins,  F.  S.  Welch,  William  James,  Warren  Lncas,  Wm.  Lucas,  W.  Birr. 

Jlfcirioii.— David  Tanyer,  J.  K.  Miller,  Robert  SIcAlment,  Frank 
Streamer,  Robert  Harris,  C.  B.  Sayer.  Philip  Haines,  Daniel  Keuly, 
D.aniel  Gordon,  William  Garbrich,  Juhii  Beck,  Isaac  Rush,  Nathan  Beck, 
Samuel  Shott,  John  Spade,  Frank  Buck. 

Fourth  District — Boogs,  Sxow  Shoe,  Union,  Burnside,  Milesburo, 

AND  UsIONVILLE. 

Bogt/s  roipiisliji.— John  L.  Shope,  R.  V.  Ammerman,  Thomas  Walker, 
Patrick  Dalley,  Matthias  Evans,  John  Bricker,  John  Nyman,  Williaw 


138 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Letclms,  Pavid  Poovmnn,  Alexander  Duke,  C.  L.  Murphy,  Thomas  Tye, 
E.  Shrojer,  G.  W.  Shope,  James  L.  Butler,  William  Taylor,  P.  Hauley, 
Adam  Ginger,  A.  Walker,  William  Eoae,  M.  Walker,  James  Heverly,  U. 
C.  Evans,  George  Funk,  Jr.,  E.  Poorman,  William  liiley,  William  Hiigg, 
Mlllon  Nyman,  Daniel  Poorman,  Elisha  Walker,  H.  A.  Butler,  George 
Witherite,  William  Miller. 

Vition  Toit'ntthip. — H.  Hoover,  D.  Underwood,  James  Miller,  D.  Spfitta, 
Harris  Kirk.  Thomas  Sensor,  J.  G.  Hall,  George  Eastman,  Ezra  Fisher, 
T.  Irvin,  Harrison  Way,  U.  Spotts,  H.  Meade,  J.  H.  Shipley, 


Will 
Andi 


!  Till 


SnowSlioe  Towmhip. — John  Quick,  Ottis  Sherwood,  John  Bechtol,  John 
Hagen,  George  Quick,  Christian  Cook,  Joseph  Rechtol,  Jeremiah  Sankey, 
Michael  Coiiciy,  Michael  Joico,  John  Weaver,  Diehard  Swartz,  Robert 
Ilazlett,  Thomas  Watson,  John  Delong,  John  Graham,  James  Beniier, 
Roland  Bowes,  William  Freeze,  William  Dowe,  John  McCIoskey,  John 
Ropp,  John  Dasey,  John  Solt. 

Uiirnside. — Jacob  Reasoner,  I.  H.  Bates,  Martin  Murphy,  WMUiam 
Eckley,  Silas  Dixon,  John  Eisenhower,  John  Sarvey,  John  Miller,  Roland 
Boas,  R.  C.  Blulhollaiid,  George  R.  Boak,  Joseph  Miller,  Nicholas  Kech- 
Der,  George  Fye,  A.  Eisenhower. 

Mileshtirg.—Jixmoa  G.  McMeen,  W.  C.  Murray,  W.  T.  Hall,  Robert 
Reed,  Robert  Thompson,  Ed.  Mills  (colored),  Isaac  Strong,  Robert  Burley, 
J,  C.  P.  Jones. 

UiihnviUe. — James  Somerville,  Lawrence  Petei"s,  Jacob  H.  Smith, 
George  Swartz,  Harris  Ammerman,  Albert  Ammernian. 


Fifth  Distiiict,  composed  of  Rush,  Worth,  Taylor,  and  Htiston. 

J?iis;i.— Theodore  S.  Adams,  L.  W.  Johnson,  R.  M.  Potter,  Peter  Moyer, 
Charles  J.  Adams.  Ilii-.im  Heraan  (colored),  John  D.  Gill,  A.  J.  McLellan, 
George  Craljtrec,  Juhn  Bennett,  Daniel  McGrady,  John  Moore,  James 
A.  Lukius,  H.  P.  Graham,  Robert  Gordman,  John  Glosser,  John  S.  Funk, 
John  Henchen  (lolored),  Frederick  Ash,  William  Hodsou,  Thomas  F. 
Twiggs,  John  Crabtreo,  David  Siiolts,  Martin  Brooke,  James  Guncheon, 
Guslavus  Hahan,  Franklin  Fox,  William  Gaylor. 

Word,.— J.  W.  Stanford,  William  Younger,  hevi  3.  Jones,  James  Mc- 
Monigal,  C.  Reese,  George  W.  Miller,  John  W.  Reese,  Dennis  Reese, 
John  Stevens,  Joseph  Cowlier,  Abraham  France,  Levi  Reese,  J.  H.  Cow- 
lier,  James  Wilson,  James  Carson,  Abraham  Clapper,  Wilson  Williams. 

rojlor.— Richard  Langhton,  Matthew  Adams,  William  Thompson, 
Ebenezer  Woomer,  M.  S.  Fink,  William  Bichel,  Joseph  Cowher,  John 
Miller,  Borjamin  Vanghem,  W.  11.  Adams,  P.  C.  Spetler,  Joseph 
Vaughem,  W.  K.  Plumber,  Edward  'Bechel,  Thomas  Connally,  H. 
Woomer,  Philip  Hoover. 

Ha.toii.— Elijah  Williams,  Henry  Lee,  George  W.  Williams,  John  S. 
Thompson,  Lereuzo  Hartsock,  Wilson  Dillon,  Calvin  Williams,  P.  W. 
Hall,  John  Parsons,  Martin  Shirk,  Valentine  Boyer,  Reuben  Richards, 
Daniel  Ycutliers. 


rii  District — Bf.llefonte,  Bexn 


Spring. 


Eelle/oule  B-roiigh.—G.  M.  Yocnm,  John  Derry  (colored),  C.  McAfferty, 
William  Undei  kotier,  James  Dolan,  Rudy  Powers,  D.S.Wagner,  J.  Hney, 
Rev.  Bernard,  F.  Loeli,  Edward  Blanchard,  John  Meise,  J.  D.  Sliugert, 
Charles  Green  (colored),  George  F.  Harris,  Moses  A.  Loeli,  P.  Gray  Meek, 
Jumes  Swartz,  H.  H.  Vandyke,  G.  W.  Downing,  Rev.  Mauser,  Thomas 
Doras,  T.  Green  (colored),  John  Moran,  William  Ichoff,  P.  McAfTrey,  J. 
Weaver,  A.  Banm,  Jacob  Williams  (colored),  N.  M.  Hoover,  William 
Homer,  Jeremiah  Xolan,  S.  Lyan,  A.  Green  (colored),  Edward  Mills 
(colored). 

BeiiiKT  Toiemhip.—'W.  J.  Benner,  E.  Carver,  Daniel  Swartz,  H.  H. 
Poorman,  William  Mechtly,  A.  J.  Tate,  Elias  Bristline,  Jacob  Dawson, 
William  Hower,  H.  Laurimer,  George  Straub,  William  B.  Turner,  D. 
W.  Power,  A.  Loneberger,  S.  F.  Ishlcr,  I.  Emericli,  H.  Tresler,  B.  F. 
Fisher,  J.  R.  Martin,  M.  Meise,  M.  Houscr,  S.  Carnoval,  A.  B.  B'shel,  J. 
Smith,  Thomas  Perdue,  E.  Roan,  0.  P.  Hassinger,  J.  Meise,  Charles 
Resides,  Levi  Palf,  George  Seigle,  Alexander  Cartwright,  William  Meyer, 
J.  M.  Brown. 

Sfiriiiij  roimiship.—A.  Fyke,  R.  McAfferty,  A.  Fyke,  W.  H.  Shank,  A.  J. 
Swartz,  Philip  Imniel,  Isaac  Haupt,  I.  Gill ,  Isaac  Bliller,  E.  R,  Noll,  John 
Kimniey,  D.  Kauffman,  James  Brooks,  A.  Haupt,  George  Elmer,  J.  H. 
Ilickoff,  J.  B.Miller,  J.  H.  Barnhart,  G.  W.  Thomas,  James  Waddle,  W. 
H.  Mattern,  John  Wilson,  William  Jodon,  H.  Noll,  Joseph  Raphile,  Wil- 
liam Jennings,  George  I.  Keeler,  M.  Cunningham.  D.  M.  Hubler,  F.  S. 
Heverly,  Jesse  Tanyer,  William  E.  Miller,  John  Priester,  John  Musser, 
William  Stewart,  Bond  V.ileiitiiie,  Joseph  Shirk,  J.  M.  Keeler,  S.  Ray- 
mond, William  Grove,  George  Drown,  Jacob  Gross,  A.  Tyson,  J.  Swartz. 


On  the  15th  of  June  the  President  called  for  one 
hundred  tliousand  men,  to  serve  for  six  months,  un- 
less sooner  discharged, — fifty  thousand  from  Pennsyl- 
vania, the  invasion  of  the  State  by  Gen.  Lee's  army 
being  imminent.  Governor  Curtin  immediately  her- 
alded the  call  by  a  proclamation,  and  the  next  day, 
Tuesday,  June  16th,  a  company  was  organized  under 
Capt.  Austin  B.  Snyder,  and  ready  to  march.  Penn's 
valley  responded  forthwith,  with  a  company  com- 
manded by  Capt.  John  Boal.  These  companies 
were  organized  into  an  independent  battalion  under 
Lieut.-Col.  Robert  Sitzinger,  and  served  in  Somerset 
and  Bedford  Counties,  guarding  the  borders  of  the 
State,  with  headquarters  at  Berlin,  Somerset  Co. 
They  were  discharged  the  service  Aug.  8,  1863.  Two 
other  companies,  raised  for  the  same  service,  com- 
manded by  Capts.  Dale  and  Houston,  were  mustered 
into  the  Forty-sixth  Pennsylvania  Militia,  serving 
nearly  two  months.  The  assistant  surgeon  of  the 
Forly-sixth,  Dr.  Eeuben  Hunter,  was  also  from 
Centre  County. 

EOLL  OF  CAPT.  A.  B.  SNYDER'S  COMPANY  C. 
June  16  to  Aug.  8,  1863. 
Capt,  Austin  B.  Snyder;  First  Lieut.,  Thos.  C.  Crawford;  Second  Lieut , 
A.  C.  Furst ;  Sergts.,  Daniel  Seyden,  Frank  S.  Wilson,  E.  M.  Valen- 
tine, Mark  McKean,  Edmund  Blanchard;  Corps.,  Benjamin  Eicli, 
Perry  Campbell,  John  Moran,  H.  B.  Hall,  George  F,  Hariii,  A.  J. 
Griest,  James  Rosausteol,  Win.  B.  Savage;  Musician,  John  Mc- 
Kinley. 

Privates. 


John  M.  Allison. 
Joseph  Apt. 
J.  B.  Antes. 
P.  B.  Armor. 
James  Armor. 
J.  W.  Bollinger. 
Edward  Brown. 
Henry  L.  Crist. 
W.  S.  Cadwalader 
Thomas  C.  Croft. 
B.  Comley. 
Eugene  Carter. 
Calvin  Chi 


J.  Y.  Dale. 
W.C.  Davis. 
Wm.  Echart. 
D,  W.  Eberhart. 
John  Eckley. 
Jonathan  Folk. 
W.  P.  Furey. 
John  Folk. 
S.  H .  Free. 
C.  H.  Griftith. 
John  Goodfellow. 
W.  E.  Griffith. 
Joseph  Greist. 
Penn  Greist. 
Charles  Greist. 
H.  P.  Haupt. 
Frank  Hillibush. 
Enoch  Hastings. 
Charles  Heichell. 
Samuel  Harris. 
Harlan  Hickten. 
James  Hinton. 
Norman  M.  Uoovei 
George  Hall. 
George  Hoover. 
W.  A.  Hartsock. 


Hickman  Ingram. 
Thos.  J.  Kurtz. 
W.  W.  Kephart. 
J.  I.  Keys. 
Eobert  Keys. 
John  Long. 
Andrew  Loneberger. 
Edward  Lipton. 
Isaac  Mitchell. 
John  Movvrey. 
Thomas  Miles. 
.Tacob  Myers. 
Richard  Jlilea. 
Giatz  Miles. 
Frank  Miles. 
Frank  Miller. 
George  McBiide. 
G.  H.  McGuire. 
Wm.  McCully, 
Henry  McAllister. 
D.  McClellan. 
Wm.  McMullen. 
C.  C.  Proudfoot. 


Ma 


1  Pars 


David  Parsons. 
Byers  Price. 
Tiionins  Rothrick. 
John  T.  Reeder. 
John  Eider. 
Wm.  Rich. 
Isaac  Strong. 
W.  H.  Swansey. 
C.  C.  Shirk. 
James  Sulinell. 
Levi  Stnuil. 
George  Sharp. 
Alfred  Smith. 
J.  W.  Shutledge. 
Joseph  Smith. 


CENTRE   COUNTY   MILITIA,  18G3. 


139 


Jacob  St.>ver. 
John  Trciister 
Juc.ib  D.  Vale 
E.  A.  William 


James  P.  Willinms. 
George  Willhims. 
Mesliack  WilliamB. 
Gtoige  U.  Weaver. 


Com- 


PENN'S  VALLEY  INFAKTRY. 

Sworn  into  the  service  at  Berlin,  Somerset  Co.,  Juno  25th, 

pany  D. 

Capt,  John  BoaI;l  Ist  Licnt.,  John  B.  llntcliinEon  ;  20  Lieut.,  Andrew 
Gregg,  Jr.;  1st  Scrgt.,  W.  P.  Palmer;  2il  Sergt.,  Alfred  Dale;  3d 
Sergt.,  Morlimore  longwell ;  4th  Sergt.,  J.  M.  Clayton  ;  6th  Sergt., 
J.  T.  Earner;  1st  Corp  .  John  Barber;  2d  Corp.,  John  A.  MonteliuB; 
3d  Corp.,  Thomiison  Barr ;  4tli  Corp.,  John  F.  Van  Valzali;  Sth 
Corp.,  John  I.Potter;  0th  Corp.,  Thomas  B.  Hallahan;  7th  Corp., 
James  U.  Forster;  Sth  Corp.,  John  I.  Thompsou. 


Privates. 


W.M.  Atkinson. 
John  Brant, 
r.euben  Baker. 
Ilirnm  Bates. 
James  Bailey. 
D.  W.  Baker. 
Thomas  U.  Baker, 
ravid  Barree. 
Richard  Conley. 
George  C.  Cadwalader. 
John  Campbell. 
Alexander  Crane. 
J.  A.  Dubbs. 
Georgi  E.  Dcmuth., 
T.  R.  Davis. 


Aal 


I  Durst. 


K.  H.  Duncan. 
T.  A.  Elder. 
John  Eaton. 
G.  D.Gilliland. 
O.scar  Greeu. 
K.  Gahignn. 
John  Goheen. 
Theodore  Gordon. 
James  Harkins. 
A.  Boyd  Henderson. 
Tlionias  W.  Ilutchini 


el  Ha 


Thi 


i  V.  Irwi 


John  n.  Miller. 
71.  W.  Morrow. 
William  Marshman. 
John  E.  Murray. 
Samuel  Blayes. 
Thomas  Mayes. 
J.  A.  McClay. 
J.  L.  McClanahan. 
S.  S.  Myer. 
Frank  Milliken. 
C.  A.  Newhall. 
U.  Osman. 
James  Osman. 
Williitm  S.  Palmer. 
S.  P.  Palmer,  Jr. 
W.  W.  Parry. 
B.  C.  Patterson. 
John  Peters. 

T.  I.  Russell. 

Jacob  Rohm. 

A.J.  Shires. 

J.  A.  Seidle. 

J.  W.  Sweetword. 

Henry  Y.  Stitzer. 

Stewart  Savior. 

A.  C.  Smith. 

John  Shoop. 

Eobert  A.  Sankey. 

Samuel  Tresher. 

Martin  Triester. 

J.  M.  Thompson,  Surgeo 

T.  C.  Van  Tries. 

George  Wasson. 

P.  E.  Wilson. 

William  Worl. 

James  Weaver. 

John  J.  Williams. 

John  Young. 

H.  U.  Yarnell. 


Fiank  B.  liett. 

T. Johnson. 

W.  M.  Jthnsonbangh. 

J.  C.  Johnsonbaugh. 

J.  Kisterbock. 

Miles  T.  Ketuer. 

G.  Letterman. 

J.  H.  Lee. 

James  I.  Lytle. 

Williaoj  P.  Lackey. 

IN  FORTY  SIXTH  REGIMENT  (COL.  JOHN  J.  LAWRENCE). 
July  1,  1863,  to  August  19,  1863. 
Company  A. 
Capt.,  William  P.  Dale;  1st  Lieut.,  .Tames  I.  Koss;  2d  Lieut.,  B.  J.  La- 
pute  ;  Sergts.,  W.  N.  Mayes,  T.  Weaver,  Hugh  A.  McGonigle,  Henry 
Bridge ;  Corps.,  D.  K.  Stonebreaker,  E.  W.  Erb,  Joseph  Ward,  Robert 
Cox,  Samuel  U.  Bailey,  J.  M.Cooper;  Musicians,  A.  E.  Clempsou, 
John  G.  Hess. 


Privnles. 


John  Adams. 
D.  B.  Allen. 
John  G.  Arcliey 
John  Bail. 
W.  H.  Bailey. 
Robert  G.  Brell, 


Jr. 


John  M.  Barr. 
■William  Cole. 
John  Chase. 
Joseph  B.  Erb. 
Jesse  R.  Flora. 
Thomas  Glenn. 


1  Capt.  John  Boal  was  commissioned  captain  in  the  Ninety-second 
Pennsylvania,  or  Ninth  Cavalry,  and  was  killed  at  Averysboro',  N.  C, 
March  10, 1805;  buried  in  National  Cemetery  at  Raleigh,  sec.  20,  grave 
No.  53. 


W.  B.  Glenn. 
Wilson  Gardner. 
Thomas  Gates. 
George  W.  Harpste 
George  Ilarpster. 
N.  H.  Irvih. 
S.  C.  KaMupfer. 
Patrick  Langhlin. 
John  S.  Lytle. 
Ellis  Lytle. 
Miles  M.  Mayes. 
Mai  tin  L.  Miller. 
Joseph  Myers. 


John  S.  McCurdy. 
Nowton  B.  McBIurray. 
C.  B.  McDonald. 
Jacob  Nicholas. 
Solomon  Palmer. 
Ellis  Pouat. 
David  N.  Bhodr «. 
Sidney  P  Scliall. 
John  E.  Thojnua. 
Simon  Ward. 
Robert  L.  Williams. 
Joseph  M.  Worts. 


COMVANY   H. 

Capts.,  C.  F.  Huston  (pro.  licut.-col.  July  8, 1803),  W.  A.  Thomas;  Ist 
Lieut,,  C.  M.  Kephart;  2d  Lieut.,  John  F.  Weaver;  sergts.,  John  R. 
Tate,  James  G.  Marshall,  Joseph  R.  Irwin,  Bond  Valentine,  Simon 
Loeb;  Corps.,  W.  S.  Tate,  P.  J.  Haines,  Levi  Miller,  J.  S.  Harding, 
W.  R.  Jenkins,  David  W.  Weaver,  B.  F.  Hinton,  Henry  Hotter, 
Joseph  H.  Huston  (pro.  to  hospital  steward  July  8, 1803) ;  Musiciaiis, 
Samuel  H.  Cook,  William  Hoy. 

Privales. 

Thomas  Askey.  George  W.  Morris. 

Robert  Adams.  John  Miller. 

Samuel  T.  Askey.  John  W.  Miller. 

Dezra  Billot.  William  R.  Miller. 

Gilbert  S.  Baruett.  John  Martin. 

A.  L.  Belts.  Isaac  Midlany. 
Samuel  Bike.  Thomas  Norman. 
Josiah  H.  Brown.  D.  W.  Powers. 
Sylvester  Bambough.  Michael  Packer. 
Frederick  W.  Carson.  William  Packer. 
John  A.  Close.  William  Pheasant. 
John  A.  Callahan.  David  W.  Pletcher. 
John  Dunkleberger.  James  Rowan. 
Reuben,  Fishburn.  Simon  Roush. 

E.  P.  Foresman.  Thomas  Reed. 

John  Fye.  John  Rossman. 

John  N.  Frazier.  Jesse  Stewart. 

Samuel  Gault.  Mailan  Saylor. 

Taylor  Gunsalus.  S.  P.  Swarlz. 

B.  F.  Hoy.  Jacob  Sizer. 
A.  B.  Hughes.  James  Stine. 
Philip  L.  Haines.  Isaac  Thomas. 
Edward  Ide.  Joseph  P.  Thompson. 
Alfred  Kinsloe.  Geo.  W.  Weaver. 
Adolphus  Loeb.  Elias  Wallizer. 
John  Long.  John  A.  Yearger. 
Daniel  E.  Little. 

The  Democratic  Convention  wliicli  met  in  August 
was  presided  over  by  Col.  Reuben  Keller,  Fred.  Kurtz, 
of  Potter,  and  D.  H.  Yeager,  of  Snow  Shoe,  secre- 
taries. Cyrus  T.  Alexander,  Esq.,  was  nominated  for 
Assembly;  James  H.  Lipton,  of  Milesburg,  for  pro- 
thonotary;  J.  P.  Gephart,  o/ Millheim,  for  register 
and  recorder;  John  Shannon,  for  treasurer  ;  Richard 
Conley,  for  sheriff;  James  Forsmaii,  for  county  com- 
missioner; J.  W.  Snyder,  of  Ferguson,  for  auditor; 
and  the  nomination  of  Hon.  George  W.  Woodward 
for  Governor  was  indorsed. 

*The  Republican  Convention  nominated  for  Assem- 
bly, R.  H.  Forster;  Sheriff,  James  Dunlap  ;  Treas- 
urer, George  H.  Weaver;  Protbonotary,  John  T. 
Johnston;  Register  and  Recorder,  Samuel  Haupt; 
Commissioner,  John  McCalmont ;  Auditor,  James 
Glenn. 

Governor  Curtin  bad  beeti  renominated  by  the  Re- 
publican State  Convention,  and  Daniel  Agnew  nom- 


110 


f     HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


inated  for  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  against  Hon. 
W.  H.  Lowrie.  Governor  Curtin's  majority  in  tlie 
State  was  15,435.  Woodward  and  Lowrie's  vote  in 
Centre  County  were  3058  respectively  ;  Curtin,  2714; 
Agnew,  2680 ;  and  the  whole  Democratic  County 
ticket  was  elected  by  an  average  majority  of  300. 

Colored  Soldieri. — In  the  Sixth  Regiment,  United 
States  Colored,  we  find  the  following  names  of  Centre 
County  soldiers  in  Companies  F  and  G,  Aug.  26, 
1863,  to  Sept.  20,  1865  : 

Dprr.v,  Winhini,  BeUefoiito  ;  kiUcd  at  Petersburg  July  8,  lSG-1. 

Green,  William,  Bellefonte:  discli.  Sept.  20,  1SC5. 

Dclige,  Alexander,  Patton. 

Di'lige,  Hartsock,  Patton ;  died  at  Wilmington,  N.  C,  Aug.  3,  1SG3. 

Joliusfun,  Washington,  Bellefonte  ;  discli.  July  12, 1865 

Johnston,  Jloses,  Bellefonte ;  drowned  in  James  liiver  Aug.  29,  1804. 

Lee,  Benjamin,  Bellefonte. 

Lee,  Charles,  Show  Shoe,  Corp.;  disch.  Sept.  20, 1805. 

Miles,  Lewis,  Bellefonte;  disch.  Sept.  20,  1865. 

■Whitten,  John  C,  Bellefonte. 

Whitton,  John,  Patlon.   '» 

Worley,  Aaron  C,  Bellefonte. 

As  an  addendum  of  the  military  history  may  be 
placed  a  partial  list  of  soldiers  buried  in  Bellefonte, 
in  the  Union,  Quaker,  New  and  Old  Catholic  Ceme- 
teries : 

Col.  George  Dare,  511i  Pa.  Kes.  Vol. 

Capt.  Richard  Dinsmore,  5th  Pa.  Res.  Vol. 

Capt.  McKean  Buchanan,  U.S.N. 

Capt.  Evan  Buchanan. 

Capt.  Sanuiel  L.  Barr,  l-48th  Pa.  Vol. 

Lient.  James  B.  Cool;,  H8th  Pa.  Vol. 

Lieut.  Hardinan  Petriken,  5th  Pa.  Res.  Vol. 

Lient.  H.  II.  Lingle,  Auderaon  Cav. 

Lient.  John  A.  Bayard,  148th  Pa.  Vol. 

Lient.  A.  Giaffins,  U.S.A. 

Lieut.  I.  Mnsser,  148th  Pa.  Vol. 

Lieut.  H.  Erhard,  14Sth  Pa.  Vol. 

Lieut.  Sol.imoii  Norman,  184th  Pa.  Vol. 

Lieut.  C.  M.  Kephart,  IClh  P.a.  Cav. 

Lient.  Daniel  Pruner,  lOlh  Pa.  Cav. 

Lieut.  William  Lambert,  U.S.C.T. 

Robert  Gordon,  Andersou  Cav. 

Henry  McAllister,  148th  Pa.  Vol. 

Charles  Burnside,  U.S.N. 

Irwin  Keys,  184th  Pa.  Vol. 

Joseph  G.  Stone,  45tli  Pa.  Vol. 

James  Ford,  l.itli  Ind.  Vol. 

Edward  Bland,  2d  Pa.  Cav. 

Timothy  Sexton,  1st  Pa. Cav. 

Joseph  Fulton,  2d  Pa.  Cav. 

Stanley  Keys,  1st  Pa.  Cav. 

Samuel  McKinney,  2d  Pa.  Cav. 

John  H.  Kline,  148lli  Pa.  Vol. 

Samuel  Butler,  148lh  Pa.  Vol. 

Jerry  O'Leary,  2d  Pa.  Vol. 

Jacob  V.  Miller,  45th  Pa.  Vol. 

Daniel  Crathian, regiment  unknown. 

Charles  K.  Bullock,  2d  Pa.  Vol. 

Jacob  Zimmerman,  7lh  Pa.  Cav. 

Ciipt.  Charles  H.  Hale,  19th  Inf.  U.S.A. 

A.  C.  Stiner,  4th  Pa.  Vol. 

John  Light,  93d  Pa.  Vol. 

"William  Eccard,  regiment  unknown. 

John  L.  Given,  131st  Pa.  Vol. 

Sauiuel  McKinney,  3d  Pa.  Vol. 

James  M.  Ward,  40th  Pa.  Vol. 

Michael  Hazel,  regiment  unknown. 

Andrew  Hazel,  regiment  unknown. 

0.  N.  Mo.ire,  regiment  unknown. 

James  Hinton,  46lh  Pa.  Vol. 


Charles  McBride,  1st  Bat.  Pa.  Mil. 
A.  W.  Bayard,  Pa.  Mil.  W.arof  1812. 
William  Armor,  Pa.  Mil.  War  of  1812. 
Sebastian  Wliitmer,  Pa.  Mil.  War  of  1812. 
David  Mitchell,  U.  S.  N.  War  of  1812. 
Austin  Alexander,  45tb  U.S.C.T. 
Wil.TOn  Williams,  U.S.C.T. 
Lewis  Mills 6tb  U.S.C.T. 
Edward  Mills,  0th  U.S.C.T. 

Wednesday  morning,  January  20th,  occurred  the 
greatest  fire  ever  known  in  Bellefonte,  burning  up  the 
BrockerhoflF  row,  the  Pennsylvania  House, 
kept  by  John  Copenhaver,  and  what  was  1864. 
known  as  the  Arcade,  which  included  W.  F. 
Reynold's  bank,  Orvis  and  Alexander's  law-offices. 
Dorr's  store,  and  Sternberg's.  In  the  Brockerhoff 
row  were  Mr.  Brockerhoff's  store,  Harris'  drug-store, 
McClellan's  tailoring  establishment,  Livingston's 
book-store,  Montgomery  &  Sons'  tailoring  estttblish- 
ment.  The  fire  raged  from  one  until  six  in  the 
morning. 

Dr.  Evan  Pugh,  president  of  the  Agricultural  Col- 
lege, died  April  29th,  aged  thirty-six  years  and  ten 
months.  He  was  born  in  East  Northampton  town- 
ship, Chester  County,  of  Welsh  descent,  and  of  the 
fifth  generation  from  the  emigrant  ancestor,  John 
Pugh,  from  whom  both  of  his  parents  were  descended. 
In  the  autumn  of  1853  he  went  to  Europe  and  spent 
four  years  in  the  universities  of  Leipsic,  Gottingen, 
Heidelberg,  and  in  Paris,  and  became  distinguished 
especially  in  the  department  of  practical  chemistry. 
On  his  return  in  the  autumn  of  1859  he  assumed  the 
presidency  of  the  Farmers'  High  School,  now  the 
State  College.  During  the  summer  of  1863,  while  re- 
turning from  a  business  trip  at  night,  he  was  thrown 
over  an  embankment  and  received  injuries  from  which 
he  never  fully  recovered.  His  energy,  however,  never 
flagged.  On  23d  of  April,  1864,  he  lectured  before 
the  senior  class,  and  then  endeavored  to  complete  a 
communication  he  was  preparing  to  lay  before  the 
Legislature,  but  the  hand  of  death  was  upon  him. 

Dr.  Pugh  was  gifted  with  a  mind  of  unusual  vigor, 
enriched  by  ripe  scholarship  and  varied  culture,  and 
to  these  he  united  a  temper  genial,  fearless,  and  just, 
and  a  mature  judgment.  He  was  passionately  fond 
of  scientific  research,  yet  had  the  talent  of  felicitous 
instruction  and  of  successful  administration.  He  was 
distinguished  for  high-toned  purity  in  thought  and 
deed.  He  was  married,  Feb.  4,  1864,  to  Miss  Rebecca 
Valentine,  of  Bellefonte,  and  his  mortal  remains  rest 
in  the  cemetery  of  Bellefonte,  awaiting  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  just. 

The  following  soldiers  from  Centre  County  were 
enlisted  by  Capts.  Patterson  and  Weaver,  in  Febru- 
ary and  March,  1864: 

Adams,  John,  Bellefonte ;  Co.  B,  148th  Regt.;  trans,  to  Vet.  Kes.  Corps; 

disch.  July  13,  1865. 
Allen,  George  N.,  Harris;  Co.C,  148th  Regt. ;  wounded  at  Po  River  May 

10, 1864 ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps ;  disch.  Nov.  21, 1865. 
Austin,  George  W.,  Walker;  201h  Pa.  Cav. 
Baker,  Daniel  W.,  Co.  C,  14Sth  Regt.  ;  disch.  June  30,  1865. 
Beverly,  Charles,  45th  Regt. 


CENTRE   COUNTY   ENLISTMENTS,  1864. 


141 


Bollorf,  Ilonry  A.,  Harris  ;  Co.  G,  148tli  Regt. ;  discli.  Juno  30, 1805. 
Bill  liner,  Ansliii,  Bellcfontf,  14811i  Regt. 

Bullock,  Hurry  (J.,  Bellufuiilo;  Co.  B,  148lli  Kegt. ;  disch.  Feb.  18, 1864. 
Cluplmni,  John,  Harris;  Co.  A,  148tli  Regt. ;  diseh.  June  30,  I8G3. 
Close,  William  H.,  Potter;  Co.  11,  148lh  Regt. ;  wouuJeJ  at  Spottsylva- 

nia  May  10, 1804 ;  iliscli.  June  8, 1805. 
Confare,  Henry,  Co.  D,  148tli  Regt. ;  killed  at  Petersburg  March  25, 18G5 ; 

buried  in  Poplar  Grove  Cemetery,  div.  C,  sec.  H,  grave  12. 
Corl.in,  Andrew  N.,  Harris ;  Co.  C,  148lh  Regt.';  disch.  June  8, 186.5. 
Bale,  William,  Ilarria;  148tli  Rest. 
Davis,  Tlioma.1  R.,  Harris;  Co.  D,  148th  Regt.;  wounded  and  captured  at 

Ream's  Station,  Va.,  Aug.  25,  1804;  disch.  June  3, 1S68. 
Draucher,  Alexander  J.,  Walker;    Co.  B,  H81h   Regt.;   wounded  at 

Spottsylvania  May  10, 1864;  disch.  June  5,  1865. 
Fishel,  Ilonry,  Bellefonto;  Co.  B,  148th  Regt.;  wounded  May  12, 1804; 

trans,  to  2d  Vet.  Res.  Corps  March  14,  1805. 
Fulton,  Robert,  Bellefonte;  Co.  H,  148ih  Regt.;  wounded  Sept.  10, 1804. 
rulton,  Wm.  H.,  Harris;  Co.  G,  14Sth  Regt.;  wounded  at  Spottsylvania 

May  12, 1864  ;  disch.  July  21, 1S05. 
Funk,  John  T.,  Harris;  Co.  H,  148lh  Regt.;  Fob. 7, 1864,  to  June  1,1865. 
Funk,  Samuel  M.,  Harris;  Co.  H,  14Slh  Kegt.;  Feb.  7,  1804,  to  June  1, 

1865. 
Gahiigan,  Lewis,  Harris;  Bat.  G,  I.  11.  Art, 
G.isbrick.W.  H.,  Walker;  Co.  G,  USthRegt.;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps; 

disch.  Aug.  11,  1865. 
Gates,  Tlionias  J.,  Harris  ;  Co.  G,  148th  Regt. ;  disch.  July  15, 1865. 
Gaiilt,  .John  J.,  Belleronle;  Ist  Pa.  Cav. 
Gilbert,  Moses,  Polter;  Co.  A,  1481  h  Regt.;  wounded  at  Spottsylvania 

May  12,  1804  ;  disch.  June  1, 180.'.. 
Gilbert,  Noah,  Bellefonte;  Co.  A,  llsih  Regt. ;  killed  at  Po  River  May 

10,  1864. 
Griffith,  Rufus,  Potter;  Co.  D,  451h  Regt.;  disch.  Juno  23, 1S65. 
Gross,  John,  Walker ;  20lh  Pa.  Cav. 
Haldalniin,  Balser,  Walker;  201h  Pa.  Cay. 
Ilaldiiman,  Samuel,  Walker;  20tli  Pa.  Cav. 
llanier,  Samuel,  Harris ;  Go.  G,  148th  Regt. ;  killed  near  Peterehurg,  Va., 

Oct.  20,  1804. 
Huuael,  Benjamin,  Walker;  Co.  G,  HStli  Regt.;  disch.  May  15, 1805. 
Irvin,  Tliomas  H.,  Harris;  Co.  B,  148lli  Rigt. ;  disch.  Aug.  18, 1805. 
Johnitonbaugli,  J.  C  ,  Harris;  Co.  C,  14Slh  licgt.;  June  10,  1865. 
KL-lltrman,  William  H.,  Harris;  Co.  11,  llStli  Regt.;  wounded  May  10, 

1804,  at  Po  River;  disch.  May  oil,  1800. 
tucas,  William,  Potter;  4oth  Pa.  Regt. 

Mc.Mlister,  Henry  V.,  Bellefonte  ;  Co.  D,  USIli  R.'gt. ;  died  at  Bellefonte 
August  11th,  of  wounds  received  .it  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  June  3,  1864. 
JlcClain,  George  W.,  Patton;  148th  Rigt. 
McColse,  Samuel,  Harris ;  148lh  B  .gt. 
SIcGuire,  John,  Bellefonte  ;  148th  Regt. 

Mayes,  Lewis  C,  Harris ;  Co.  C,  148tli  liegt. ;  captured  at  Boydton  Plank- 
Road  Oct.  27,  1804;  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C,  Nov.  21,  1804. 
Mayland,  Robert,  Bellefonte;  148th  llegt. 
Miller,  John  W.,  Potter;  Co.  H,  1481li  Rest.;  June,  1805. 
Jlorris,  George  W.,  Walker;  lOtli  Pa.  Cav. 
Noll,  John,  Spring  ;  19lh  Cav. 
Pennington,  II.  C,  Spring;  43th  Regt. 

Pool  man,  Janios,  Bellefonto ;  Co.  B,  148th  Regt. ;  June,  1805. 
Potter,  George  W.,  Spring;  45lh  Pa. 
Power,  Daniel,  Potter;  19th  Pa.  Cav. 
Bnger,  Samuel  J  ,  Harris;  Co.  G,  148ih  Regt. ;  captured  near  Petersburg 

Oct.  27,  1804  ;  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C-,  July  27,  1865. 
Reeder,  John  F.,  Bellefonte  ;  Co.  A,  148th  Regt. ;  June,  1864. 
Kiddle,  Matthew,  Spring;  Co.  A,  45th  Pa.;  pro.  to  Corp.  Jan.  1,1865; 

sergt.  Juue27, 1805;  must,  out  July  17,  1805. 
Sellers,  James  C,  Harris ;  Co.  G,  14Slh  Regt. ;  June  30, 1865. 
Shearer,  James  W.,  Harris ;  1481h  Regt. 
Sl.ively,  John  W.,  Bellefoute  ;  Co.  A,  148th  Kegt.  ;  disch.  Sept.  2, 1804, 

on  surg.  certif. 
Shoop,  William  P.,  Harris;  14S(h  Regt. 
Showers,  George,  Walker;  148tli  Regt. 

Sleese,  James  A.,  Bellefonte;  Co.  H,14Slh  Regt.;  June  21, 1805. 
Stewart,  Josiah,  Spring;  19th  Cav. 
Stonebreaker,  Jeremiah,  Bellefonte;  Co.  H,  148th  Regt.;  wounded  at  Five 

Forks  Blarch  31,  1805 ;  disch.  June  1, 1805. 
Stouebreakcr,  Valentine,  Bellefonte  ;  Feb.  10, 1804  ;  disch.  May  10,  1865. 
Sunday,  .lacob  W  ,  Bellefonte;  Co.  B,  148lh  Regt. ;  June  30, 1865. 
Tate,  Eli  P.,  Harris;  Co.  C,  14Sth  Regt.;  wounded  at  Five  Forks  March 
31 ,  1805 ;  trans,  to  Co.  K,  63d  Pa. 


Walker,  George  N.,  Potter;  Co.  B,  148tli  Regt.;  wounded  at  Po  Bivcr 
May  1(1,  1804,  and  at  Five  Forks  March  31, 1865;  dUch.  June  10, 
1865. 

Walkor,  John  D.,  Potter;  148th  Regt. 

Wassoii,  George,  Harris;  Co.  G,  148th  Regt.;  disch.  June  30, 180.5. 

Wliippo,  Williiini,  Walker;  20th  Pa.  Cav. 

Williams,  Robert,  Potter;  148lli  Regt. ;  afterwards  Co.  K,  53d  Regt. 

Wortz,  William  II.,  Potior;  Co.  B,  148th  Regt. ;  Juno  30, 1805. 

Yearger,  ,Min  A.,  Bellefonte;  ist  Pa.  Cav. 

Young,  John  T.,  Harris;  Co.  G,  148th  Regt. ;  June  30,  1863. 

When  the  One  Hundred  and  Fortj'-eighth  was 
mustered  out,  June  1,  180-5,  tho.se  who.se  terms  liad 
not  expired  were  transferred  to  the  Fifty-tliird  Penn- 
sylvania, and  served  therein  until  the  muster  out-of 
that  regiment,  June  30,  186.5. 

The  brave  determination  and  wonderful  phvsical 
endurance  of  William  H.  Kellerman,  whose  name 
appears  upon  the  above  list,  deserves  a  place  among 
these  records  of  soldiers  from  Centre  County.  In  an 
assault  made  on  the  27tb  of  October,  18G4,  by  a  de- 
tachment of  one  hundred  men  from  the  One  Hundred 
and  Forty-eighth,  Kellerman  was  cut  oft',  and  unable 
to  regain  our  lines.  Determined  not  to  be  captured, 
he  concealed  himself  among  some  low  bushes,  and 
the  enemy  advanced  tlieir  picket  guard  beyond  him. 
He  remained  concealed  for  eight  days,  subsisting  on 
roots  and  barks.  The  cold  was  so  severe  that  his  feet 
were  badly  frozen.  On  the  evening  of  the  eighth  day 
the  rebels  were  late  in  posting  their  guard,  and  Kel- 
lerman succeeded  in  crawling  and  rolling  himself 
outside  of  their  line.  By  careful  nursing  and  medi- 
cal treatment  he  recovered.  Gen.  Meade,  admiring 
his  fortitude,  gave  him  thirty  days'  furlough. 

In  September,  1864,  Capt.  Wilson  P.  Palmer,  of 
Potter's  Mills,  raised  a  company  partly  in  Centre 
County.  This  became  Company  G  of  the  Two  Hun- 
dred and  Tenth  Pennsylvania,  Col.  William  Sergeant, 
organized  Sept.  24,  1864,  and  mustered  out  May  30, 
1865.  Capt.  Palmer  had  been  a  sergeant  in  Capt. 
Frank  W.  Hess'  company,  and  as  one  of  the  captured 
of  the  company  experienced  the  miseries  of  prison 
life  for  nearly  a  year  in  the  South,  from  July  3,  1S61, 
to  May  25,  1862.  The  following  list  embraces  only 
those  members  of  Company  G  who  were  from  Centre 
County  : 

Wilson  P.  Palmer,  capt,  Potter's  Mills. 

John  Berry,  2d  lleut. ;  from  private  Sept.  18, 1864 ;  wounded  at  Hatcher's 

Run,  Va.,  Feb.  0, 1805 ;  pro.  to  1st  lieiit  May  10, 1805. 
John  Barber,  Ist  sergt;  from  private  Jan.  1,  ISO.'.;  com.  2d  lient.  May 

10,  1805. 
Jolin  Palmer,  sergt.,  Potter's  Mills. 

William  S.  Shires,  Potter's  Mills.  . 

John  C.  Faber,  Potter's  Mills;  died  MaylO,  ISOo;  buried  in  National 

Cemetery,  Arlington,  Va. 
Andrew  II.  Foust,  corp. 
Richard  Newman,  Corp. 
Potter  Tate,  Corp. 

Robert  R.  Pott,  Corp.;  killed  at  Gravelly  Run,  Va  ,  March  31, 1865. 
Thomas  T.  Palmer,  musician. 


Baree,  David. 
Campbell,  Samuel  E. 
Evans,  Lot  R. 
Kaistetter,  John. 
McCloskey,  Edward  J. 


ira/M. 

McConnick,  John  J. 
Oberdorf,  Henry  C. 
Oberdorr,John  C. 
Osnnin,  Israel. 
Rockey,  Jacob, 


142 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Baymond,  Solomon  B.  Toner,  William  II. 

Sliaffer,  Washington.  Watson,  James  B. 

.Stover,  William  H.,  woniided;  dis-     Wilkinson,  John. 

charged  by  gen.  order  June  24, 

1865. 

In  May,  1864,  quite  a  number  of  men  were  enlisted 
in  Centre  County  by  Abraham  V.  Miller,  Calvin  Wolf, 
H.  C.  Pennington,  for  the  One  Hundred  and  Eighty- 
F9urth  Regiment,  Col.  John  H.  Stover,  who  was  pro- 
moted from  major  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Sixth 
Penn.sylvania.  Col.  Stover  was  wounded  at  Peters- 
burg and  Ream's  Station,  and  was  mustered  out  with 
the  regiment  July  14,  1865.  George  H.  Stover  was 
quartermaster,  and  mustered  out  with  the  regiment. 

Company  E  was  enlisted  in  Centre  County,  and  was 
under  the  actual  command  of  Abraham  V.  Miller,  of 
Pleasant  Gap,  until  he  was  wounded,  June  22,  1864. 

Sergeants. 
Francis  Jones,  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Feb.  25, 186.5. 
Thomas  Shaffer,  from  corp.  August  31st;  must,  out  July  14, 1805. 
John  II.  Tate,  from.  Corp.  December  30lh  ;  must,  out  July  14, 18G5. 
Isaac  N.  KeynolJs,  from  corp.  March  1,  1805 ;  must,  out  July  14,  1805. 
Samuel  Eihold,  May  1,  1865;  must,  out  July  14,  1805. 
William  C.  McCaulay,  killed  at  Cold  Harbor  June  3,  1804. 
William  H.  Shank,  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C,  Dec.  18, 1804. 

Corp07-als. 
George  W.  Strawser,  July  14, 1805. 
Daniel  Jones,  July  14, 1805. 
Frederick  Smith. 

James  Harkins,  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor  June  8, 1804. 
Stanley  Watson,  disch.  Feb.  20,  1805. 
Alexander  Park,  died  at  Eichmond  June  30, 1804,  of  wounds  received  at 

Petersburg  June  22d. 
John  A.  Close,  died  June  23, 1805. 
Stephen  Cannon,  captured  Aug.  14,1804. 

Privates. 
Albright,  William  H.,  July  14,  1865. 
Armstrong,  .lushua,  died  July  23, 1864,  at  Washington,  D.  C;  buried  in 

Arlington  Cemetery. 
Baker,  John  C,  disch.  April  23, 1865. 

Barger,  Williiim,  prisoner  from  June  22, 1804 ;  disch.  May  29, 1866. 
Barrett,  George  M.,  captured  June  22, 18G4. 
Beamer,  Samuel,  captured;  died  at  Andersonville  Sept.  15, 1804;  grave 

7181. 
Bearman,  Frederick,  prisoner  Sept.  28, 18G4,  to  March  14,  1865. 
Bennett,  John  H.,  captured  Juno  22, 1804 ;  died  at  Andersonville  Feb.  17, 

1805;  grave  12,005. 
Botlorf,  John,  June  14, 1805. 
Bridge,  William  C,  disch.  Juno  10, 1805. 

Carpouter,  Henry,  died  June  4,  1805;  bilried  at  Arlington,  Va. 
Carver,  Henry,  captured  June  22, 1804;  died  at  Milieu,  Ga. ;  buried  in 

Lawton  National  Cemetery,  sec.  8,  grave  19. 
Felzer,  Michael,  trans,  to  Vet.  Kes.  Corps. 
iMlz.ir,  William  M.,  killed  at  Cold  Harbor  Jun'e  4,  1804. 
Hick,  Lafa.vette,  died  at  Andersouvillo  July  30,  1804;  grave 4307. 
Folk,  Joshua. 

Friel,  MiHiacl,  July  14,  1805. 
Fry,  Matlock,  July  14, 1805. 
Funk,  George  W.,  discb.  Juno  15, 1805. 
Gay,  Nicholas. 

Gingery,  David,  disch.  April  8, 1805. 
Groddie,  Henry,  captured  Aug.  14, 1864,  Deep  Bottom. 
Haines,  John,  died  at  Andersonville  Oct.  4, 1804;  grave  10,284. 
Ilalderman,  John,  July  14,  1865. 

Henderson,  David,  -wounded  June  4, 1864,  at  Cold  Harbor. 
Hemy,  Isaac,  Juno  14, 1865. 
Henry,  John,  June  14, 1865. 
Henry,  Lewis,  June  14, 1805.  • 

Kays,  J.  I.  G.,  Co.  G ;  died  at  Milosbivg  Jan.  26, 1869. 
Kays,  Itobert,  killed  at  Cold  Harbor  June  4, 1804. 


Loder,  Alexander,  disch.  Juno  3, 1865. 

Lucas,  Andrew,  July  14, 1805. 

Lucas,  William,  July  14,  1865. 

McMullen,  William  N.,  July  14,  1865. 

Marklcy,  Ellas,  died  at  Wjishiugton  Dec.  30, 1664. 

Mull,  Christian,  July  14,  1865. 

Murphy,  John  E.,  July  14, 1865. 

Musser,  Theodore  F.,  July  14, 1865. 

Park,  James,  killed  at  Cold  Harbor  June  3, 1864. 

Penrose,  Solomon,  killed  at  Petersburg  June  27,  1801. 

Powers,  Isaac,  died  at  Washiugton  of  wounds  received  at  Petersburg 

June  27,  1804. 
Rhine,  Joseph,  trans,  to  Vet.  P.es.  Corps. 
Rhue,  David,  July  14,  1865. 
Kider,  John,  May  15,  1863. 
Roar,  Daniel,  captured  June  27, 1864. 
Roar,  Sampson,  captured  Aug.  14, 1864. 
Robinson,  David,  July  14,  1805. 

Robinson,  William,  captured  Aug.  25, 1804,  at  Ream's  Station. 
Roush,  Simon  P.,  captured  Juno  22,  1864. 
Seemore,  William,  captured  June  22, 1864. 
Sennett,  John,  captured  Aug.  14, 1864. 
Shaffer,  John,  disch.  May  15,  1865. 
Shank,  Michael  G.,  roust,  out  July  14, 1803. 
Spitzer,  Daniel  C,  must,  out  July  14, 1805. 

Stauffer,  William  R.,  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps;  disch.  Sept.  13, 1865. 
Steel,  Jacob,  July  14, 1805. 
Stine,  John  B.,  died  at  Washington  July  3, 1864. 
Stinglo,  Lewis,  killed  June  1, 1S64,  accidentally. 
Swineford,  Henry,  disch.  June  7, 1803. 
Turner,  Tliomas,  July  14, 1S65. 
Walker,  George. 
Watson,  George,  killed  June  12,  1864,  at  Petersburg,  Va.;  diviiion  C, 

section  D,  grave  46,  Poldar  Grove. 
Watson,  John,  captured  June  22,  1804. 
Watson,  Thomas,  must,  out  July  14, 1865. 

Welch,  Walker  C,  died  of  wounds  received  at  Petersburg  June  22, 1804. 
W'elters,  Asa  H,,  captured  June  22, 1804. 
Witiuer,  John  E.,  disch.  Feb.  1,  1305. 
Worley,  James  L.,  captured  Aug.  25, 1804. 
Wolf,  Fisher  C,  disch.  June  7,  1864. 
Wolf,  Jacob  H.,  July  14, 1805. 
Young,  John  H.,  trans,  to  Norlhwest  Department  Nov.  18,  1864. 

COMPANY  G,  ONE  HUNDRED  AND  EIGHTY-FOURTH  REGIMEST. 
Foust,  William  L.,  killed  at  Petersburg  June  22,  1864;  buried  at  Poplar 

Grove,  division  C,  section  D,  grave  109.       - 
Gault,  Samuel,  Jr.,  taken  at  Ream's  Station  Aug.  25, 1804 ;  exchanged 

March  13,  1865 ;  in  Libby,  at  Belle  Isle,  Va.,  and  at  Salisbury,  N.  C. ; 

must,  out  June  14,  1865.' 
Renninger,  John,  captured;  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C,  Oct.  20,  l.*64. 
Stickler,  John,  July  14,  1865. 
Shirk,  Samuel,  July  14,  1805. 
Thomas,  Joseph  L.,  July  14, 1805. 

THE   DRAFT  IN   CENTRE   C9UNTY,  JUNE,  1804. 

Rl'SH:  E.NEOLLED  153;  Drawn  30. 

R.  Everets,  H.  Antes,  J.  W.  Adams,  C.  R.  Foster,  H.  Dorey,  T.  Iliiison, 

D.  a.  Smith,  T.  B.  Poller,  Reynolds  Everets,  N.  Bostander,  William 
Adams,  William  lloslin,  A.  Mattey,  J.  M.  Wagner,  J.  D.  Gill,  W.  S. 
Sterret,  A.  Hancock,  T.  Stevenson,  U.  Hinton,  J.  Eakley  (colored),  J.  K. 
Nichols,  D.  Edminson,  T.  Archey,  D.  Hudson,  J.  Williamson,  M.  Welsh, 

E.  M.  Beal,  L.  J.  Batchlur,  J.  Murphy,  J.  D.  Lydia,  P.  Sigfarty,  A. 
Harter,  William  Ayers,  A.  J.  llershey,  Cliarles  Martin,  B.  S.  Craiu. 

BoGGS:  Enrolled  171;  Drawn  34. 
Patrick  Hanley,  Lewis  Watson,  George  W.  Watson,  A.  C.  Checseman, 
B.  Lucas,  William  Besides,  William  Yearicks,  L.  G.  Cartwright,  Samuel 
Gonser,  John  Delany,  Adam  Walker,  William  Miller,  E.  M.  Poorman, 
A.  Bartlirop,  William  Rose,  H.A.Butler,  Andrew  Lucas,  D.  M.  Poor- 
man,  R.  Iddings,  Joseph  Naff,  D.  D.  HoUohaugh,  Samuel  Charles,  John 

1  Of  the  Gault  family  the  father,  SainM,  Sr.,  was  killed  at  Freder- 
icksburg Dec.  13, 1802 ;  two  other  sous,  John  and  James,  were  in  Fii-st 
Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  Forty-fourth  Pennsylvania.  James  was  wounded 
five  times,  and  carries  a  Minic-ball  in  his  body. 


THE  DRAFT,  1864— 'WOUNDED  SOLDIERS. 


143 


Bryan,  Jr.,  II.  V.  Ammciman,  U.  F.  Shope,  John  Riley,  C.  Shearer,  H. 
n.  Holt,  J.  H.  Thomas,  S.  Bathurat,  Jackaon  Fltzer,  II.  L.  B.ithurst, 
Williiim  Curtin,  John  Eoush. 

ToTTEK:  Enrolled  229;  Draws  29. 
William  C.  Farner,  William  Zettler,  J.  Armstrong,  J.  Bctner,  J.  Shan- 
non, D.  Kimpoit,  William  Myera,  John  Snyder,  V.  Moor,  J.  C.  Boal,  D. 
Keen,  George  Wan-en,  Martin  Seitzel,  Jainea  Armegast,  J.  B.  Flesner, 
George  llofl'er,  Joseph  Sliiigle,  Samuel  Reesman,  John  Snyder,  John 
Mover,  .lamea  McClintock,  11.  Fry,  John  Hannah,  M.  D.  Osnicr,  John 
Slack,  William  L.  Holmes,  Jacob  Strohm,  John  Johnson,  John  Garner. 

Miles:  E.nrdlled  127;  Drawn  18. 

John  Worth,  John  Harper,  John  F.  Beck,  Samuel  Franli,  Daniel 
Ruush,  Joel  Morris,  H.  W.  Kreamer,  William  Krouse,  Samuel  Drnni- 
cart,  John  K.  Burkct,  Charles  Isleman.  James  Gramley,  Joel  Doobler, 
Thomas  Charles,  Daniel  Gravely,  Charles  Bate,  C.  Mooding,  Jonathan 
Beck. 

Howard:  Enrolled  141;  Drawn  17. 

C.  Dehaas,  James  Butler,  E.  Packer,  J.  Delhi,  John  Packer,  Jr.,  John 
W.  Bower,  N.  Foy,  William  Foy,  Thomas  Cox,  B.  Miles,  B.  V.  Butler, 
Joseph  Packer,  B.  Bland,  D.  B.  Fletcher,  H.  Bickcl,  Theodore  Miller, 
R.  Bowes. 

Uaines:  Enrolled  130;  Drawn  17. 

W.  W.  Bell,  H.  Althous,  William  Stover,  William  Condo,  .Joshua 
Sherman,  B.  Kar.<tetter,  L.  Steers,  J.  Harper,  M.  Bower,  John  Kreamer, 
Jacob  Reed,  William  N.  Weaver,  L.  Stover,  Samuel  Bricker,  Israel 
Stover,  Israel  Stover,  M.  Stover. 

Snow  Shoe  :  Enrolled  89 ;  Drawn  17. 

Charles  Smith,  John  T.  Clark,  George  Livingston,  Daniel  McDivit, 

George  Weaver,  John  Rag.an,  A.  Crissman,  Daniel  Little,  H.  H.Lucas, 

Patrick  Longhery,  A.  Haut,  Daniel  Fi-ieze,  Richard  Swartz,  Edward 

Foresman,  Joliu  Uagan,  Ale.\ander  Watkins,  William  Frieze. 

Curtjn:  Enrolled  G2;  Drawn  17. 

C.  Dehnas,  K.  Watkins,  S.  C.  Brickly,  S.  Glassuer,  John  Brown,  Levi 

Danghenbangh,  H.  Watkins,  W.  Tipton,  N.  McCluskey,  J.  P.  Dehaas, 

L.  W.  M.mu,  James  M.  Packer,  D.  M.  Shank,  John  Wanlzell,  H.  Prince, 

D,  McCloskey,  William  Dicky. 

Huston:  Enrolled  50;  Drawn  14. 
E.  W.  Hall,  Joseph  Noel,  William  Nelson,  H.  Lee,  Jesse  Williams, 
Thomas  Bennett,  John  Paisolis,  E.  W.  Kelterman,  — .  C.  Henderson, 
B.  Steward, —.  S.  Thompson,  John  Sliver,  D. 


William  S.  Willit 


P.itton:  Enrolled  5:i:  Drawn  11. 
Aaron  Delige  (col),  Jacob  Hicks,  Daniel  Jones,  John  Hight,  John 
Moran,  Jacob  Beehre,  Daniel  Wallois,  Green  Gray,  H.  Gross,  George 
Biddlc,  James  Biddle. 

Taylor:  Enrolled  57;  Drawn  9. 
B.  Crane,  L.  Merryman,  R.  Hendeison,  M.  Vickery,  T.  Pink,  P.  Spit- 
ter,  James  Vanghan,  William  Calderwood,  George  Vaughan, 

Worth  ;  Enrolled  64 ;  Drawn  8. 
B.  B.  P.  Gill,  W'illiam  Decker,  A.  Clapper,  J.  W.  Slanport,  Job  Wil- 
liams, II.  Woodriiig,0.  M.  McGrady,  William  Young. 

Union  :  Enrolled  C9;  Dr.vwn  G. 
T.  Scnser,  H.  Hoover,  J.  Spools,  William  Spools,  George  Hoover,  Wil- 
liam Iddings. 

Benner:  Enrolled  153;  Drawn  G. 
A.  J.  Shivery,  'Williani  Eckley,  Joseph  Rigliter,  John  Dale,  D.  Mc- 
Bride,  0.  W.  Bottorf. 

Gregg:  Enrolled  101;  Drawn  5. 
Joseph  L.  Smith,  D.  Wolf,  H.  Whitelcather,  Samuel  Ycarick,  Charles 


He 


ry. 


Burnside;  Enrolled  38;  Drawn  4. 
Johu  Thomas,  James  Marshal,  Joseph  Eisenhower,  William  Eckley. 

3IARI0N  :  Enrolled  TG  ;  Drawn  3. 
Eliaa  Hoy,  D.  Caraner,  George  S.  Iloy. 

Tlie  following  are  the  names  of  the  men  and  sub- 
stitutes passed  into  the  service,  with  the  general  re- 
sult of  the  examination: 


Pallon.— Aaron  Delige  (colored),  John  n.Reod.auhstUutiifor  D.Zoncs. 
Homard.—CuMa  Dehass. 
Marion. — David  Caraner. 

Orir/ia.— James  M.  Packer,  O.  W.  Brown,  substitute  for  J.  Brown,  B. 
L.  Mann,  eubatitute  for  G.  W.  Mann. 

Btuh.—M.  Ryan,  substllulc  for  J.  H.  Wagoner. 
Boggi.—G.  W.  Harkina,  aubstilute  for  A.  Barthur-t. 
Snow  Shoe. — George  Samington  (colored),  Harrison  Lucas. 
Ciiion.— Thomas  Sensor. 

General  liemlt. 

Drafted  men  held 7 

Substitutes  accepted ."i 

Paid  couilnntation.. 71 

Exempted  for  disability 47 

Exempted  for  all  othercauaes -. la 

Total  examined 148 

The  following  of  Penn  township  were  drafted  June 
16th;  Daniel  Horter,  Daniel  Bradley,  David  Philliijs, 
John  Stover,  Isaac  Fultz,  Williani  Nees,  Andrew  Al- 
bright, Josiah  Ale.xander,  William  Young,  G.  W. 
Stover,  Uriah  Merrick,  Peter  Keen,  Henry  Keen. 

Benner  Township.— Michael  Fishhurn,  Mart  Houser,  Robert  Glenn, 
Charlea  Witmer,  B.  V.  Hunter,  Amos  Koch,  C.  P.  Itimmey,  Peter  Mayes, 
William  Cox,  Jacob  Homan,  Zach.  Leatherman,  Isaac  Powers,  J.  W. 
Glenn,  John  Bowers, W.  A.  Kerlin,  Fred.  Houser,  Abner  Ri.lcr,  William 
Witmer,  Robert  Herman,  J.  H.  Reeser,  John  Klinger,  John  Rerick. 
David  Lohr,  John  Boal,  Robert  Kendal,  Johu  Rishel,  Benjamin  Bituer, 
Lewis  Haas,  Levi  Miller. 

Patton   Township.— Jerome  Reese,  D.  S.  Womar,  0.  Wesley  Cray, 

John  F.  Garner,  Chambers,  John  Biddle,  Stiphvn  Haten,  Mibs 

Matten,  James  Huey,  G.  \V.  F.  Gray,  William  Reed,  Dr.  J.  M.  Bu=li, 
Char  les  Gnino,  Huston  Hartsock,  Samuel  T.  Gray,  William  Rowan. 

The  following  wounded  soldiers  were  brought  to 
the  hospitals  in  and  about  Washington  from  June  .3d 
to  June  18th : 

FORTr-FIFTH    REGIMENT. 

Co.  A. — W.  Daughenbaugh,  A.  Emmeneiser,  Thomas  Long,  A.  J.  Good- 
fellow,  C.  McElhoe,  Ross  Wliiteman,  John  B.  White,  B.  Uanes,  W.  Koss- 
man,  G.  Brewer,  John  Daly. 

Co.  B  —J.  M.  Small,  J.  Sourbeer.  F.  I.  Kelar,  I.  T>.  Fetteiiberger,  H. 
Keiff,  W.  F.  Ilersey,  T.  Reltenhouse,  E.  F.  Doiy,  George  Lmdsey,  C.  V. 
Lanagan,  I.  Wolf. 

Co.  D.— Charles  Smith,  J.  Sheffler,  A.  J.  Stonecutter,  James  Fldrige, 
Joseph  Judy,  A.  T.  Baggs.  C.  Bland,  William  Acklcy,  J.  W,  Dolan. 

Co.  E.— Henry  Gile,  Thomas  M.Lingle,  Josiah  D.rvad,  J.  Ueord  (died), 
W.  A.  Poorman,  A.  W.  Harper,  Samuel  Creamer,  W.  Allery,  J.  R.  Pheas- 
ant, W.  B.  Glann,  W.  R.  Bell,  Samuel  Ezer,  J.  W.  31yci-s,  A.  Willson. 

FORTr-NINTH   REGI.MEXT. 
Co.  A.— E.  M.  L.  Peters,  J.  Sumf,  F.  Peter.'',  J.  A.  Slioonniaker,  0.  C. 
Beck,  George  Deufer,  G.  W.  Biugmau. 
Co.  E.— T.  J.  Wilt. 
Co.  G.— E.  Cook,  W.  Rhone. 

FIFTY-FIRST   REGIMEST. 

Co.  G.— John  Herikle,  Williani  Mowriy,  George  Johnson,  James  King, 
L.  Carlivel,  Thomas  Mascr,  M.  llallabauch,  N.  R^ey,  George  Dumont. 

FIFTY'-THIRD   REGIMENT. 
Co.  D.— J.  T.  Morton,  W.  McDowell,  W.  C.  Simungton,  Johu  Barues, 


1  Dar 


Co.  H.- J.  Holn 


FIFTY  SIXTH  REGIMENT, 
i,  Samuel  Stein,  A.  Clink,  W.  Weller. 


ONE  HUNDRED  AND  FORTY-EIGUTU  BEGI.MENT. 
Co.  A.— S.  Bierlcy,  John  F.  Reeder. 
Co.  C— Abraham  Fink,  D.  Beck. 
Co.  E  — G.  Goodman. 
Co.  G.— B  D.  Coudo,W.GceInch.  , 
Co.  ll.-G.  W'.  Constable,  John  McDowell  (died). 
Co.  I.— A.  A.  Dennis,  Harvey  Chrislman  (dead),  Joseph  .\.  MuTliy. 


144 


HISTORY    OF   CP:NTEE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


CHAPTER    LIV. 

FIRST    NATIONAL    BANK  —  POLITICAL  —  LUMBER 
TRADE— THE    GREAT    STORM,  ETC. 

First  National  Bank.— June  8,  1864,  the  First 
National  Bank  of  Bellefonte  was  organized  under  the 
laws  of  the  United  States.  The  board  of  directors 
included  all  the  stockholders  save  Governor  Curtin, 
who  was  residing  at  Harrisburg.  E.  C.  Humes  was 
chosen  president,  ajid  J.  P.  Harris  cashier,  and  as 
such  officials  they  have  steadily  served  the  bank  to 
the  present  day.  The  capital  stock,  originally  fixed 
at  fifty  thousr.nd  dollars,  was,  in  January,  1865, 
increased  to  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  at  which 
it  now  remains.  The  present  directors,  July,  1882, 
are  E.  C.  Humes,  A.  G.  Curtin,  J.  A.  Beaver,  A. 
Hoy,  and  Thomas  R.  Hayes.  The  building  now 
occupied  as  a  banking-house  was  built  by  the  bank 
in  1872  at  a  cost  of  twenty-five  thousand  dollars. 
From  the  quarterly  report,  made  May  6,  1881,  are 
taken  the  following  statistics  : 

Lonnsnnil  diacoiints ?3sn,62.'>.70 

lli-al  estute,  etc 27,2S9,ul 

Oij.it.il  |«iiil  ill IIIU.CIIIOUO 

Siiii'liH  :i.i,0(l|i.llO 

ri,.liM.I,d  I  rnlil- Il,r,.;7.ii4 

Oiil-t;Mi.liiiL'  rinuliilion ',ilJ.()0:i.(IO 

U^■llo^it»Blll■.it■lt  toclicdi 17(j,:«l7..51 

Time  ci-rtilji.iiti.-s  of  ilc-posil 142,i;44.:i3 

In  October  the  Democratic  candidates  were :  For 
Congress,  Theodore  Wright ;  Assembly,  C.  T.  Alex- 
ander ;  for  Commissioner,  John  L.  Gray  ;  and  for  Au- 
ditor, John  Rishel. 

Stephen  F.  Wilson,  of  Tioga,  was  the  Republican 
candidate  for  Congress.  Wright's  majority  in  the 
county  was  920 ;  Alexander  over  Forster,  886 ;  Rishel, 
for  auditor,  895.  The  army  vote,  however,  reduced 
Wright's  majority  to  687,  Alexander  to  660,  and 
Reshel's  to  727. 

The  official  home  vote  for  the  McClellan  electors 
in  November  was  3256;  for  the  Lincoln  electors, 
2410;  majority,  846  for  McClellan  for  President. 

The  Democratic  Convention  this  year  was  presided 

over   by   William   F.   Reynolds.      Frederick 

1865.     Kurtz  was   nominated   for  Assembly,  J.  D. 

Shugert  for  county  treasurer,  H.  Y.  Stitzer 

for  district  attorney,  and  Joshua  Potter  for  county 

commissioner. 

The  Republica'ns  nominated  Gen.  James  A.  Beaver 
for  Assembly,  Capt.  R.  C.  Cheeseman  for  treasurer, 
Thomas  Hosterman  for  county  commissioner,  R.  G. 
Durham  for  district  attorney,  and  Job  W.  Packer  for 
auditor : 

The  totnl  vote  poUcd  for  Col.  W.  W.  n.  D.ivis  for  Au- 
ditor-General, »iis  2019 

Total  vote  for  tieu.  John  F.  Hurtruiift 2744 

I'Jo 

rroilerid;  Kinl/,'  m;ii-irilv  over  Gen.  Beivverwaa 142 

t^lmSf-it  ">"  '■ >"""> 2a^ 

l',.lti-r.jv.i  II,, -Inn, .ill  ].H 


The  Democratic  Convention  held  on  the  14th  o 
August,  1866,  nominated  Frederick  Kiirtz  for  Assem- 
bly ;  J.  P.  Gepliart  for  register  and  recorder; 
James  H.  Lipton  for  prothonotary  ;  Daniel  1866. 
Z.  Kline,  of  Howard,  for  sheriff;  John  Hos- 
terman, of  Potter,  and  William  Allison,  Jr.,  of  How- 
ard, for  associate  judges  ;  William  Furey  for  commis- 
sioner; and  John  H.  Orvis,  Esq.,  was  appointed  chair- 
man of  the  county  committee.  At  the  conferees' 
meeting  Theodore  Wright  was  nominated  for  Con- 
gress, 

At  the  October  election  Clymer's  majority  over 
Gen.  Geary  was  471 ;  Kurtz  over  Stuart  for  Assembly, 
502  ;  Gephart  over  Miles,  478  ;  Lipton  over  Bejnner, 
480 ;  Kline  over  Whipps,  504,  etc.     Total  vote,  6656. 

On  Sunday,  April  7th,  occurred  a  disastrous  fire  at 
Stormstown,  in  Half-Moon  township.  It  commenced 
in  the  public-house  of  George  Mattern,  and 
in  less  than  three  hours  the  entire  portion  of  1867. 
the  town  lying  between  the  Port  Matilda  road 
and  Capt.  Hunter's  residence,  being  two-thirds  of  the 
place,  was  destroyed.  The  following  were  the  sufferers: 

Miles  and  George  Gray,  store,  partly  insured ; 
George  Mattern,  house,  store-room,  and  furniture,  no 
insurance;  Jacob  Pottsgrove,  house,  store-room,  sad- 
dler-shop, and  furniture,  partly  insured;  Barlow  & 
McKinney,  store,  insured ;  J.  V.  Gray,  two  store- 
rooms, dwelling-house,  store  goods,  and  furniture, 
partly  insured;  Horace  Lever,  house  and  furniture, 
insurance  expired  on  the  15th  ult. ;  James  Perdue, 
house  and  furniture,  partly  insured  ;  John  Robison, 
house  and  furniture,  no  insurance:  David  Moore, 
furniture  and  household  goods,  no  insurance;  Mr.i. 
Fanny  Douglas,  household  goods,  no  insurance ; 
Henry  Adams,  tenant-house,  no  insurance;  Charles 
Linn,  household  goods,  no  insurance  ;  David  McKin- 
ney, dwelling-house,  shop,  confectionery,  and  furni- 
ture, no  insurance;  A.  R.  Barlow,  dwelling  house  and 
furniture,  partly  insured;  Dr.  Edward  Perdue,  furni- 
ture and  medicines,  no  insurance;  post-office,  witli 
all  the  mail  matter;  Mrs.  Neal,  furniture,  c'tc,  no  in- 
surance; Joseph  Gingerich,  dwelling,  tenant-house, 
and  furniture,  no  insurance;  J.  H.  Griffin,  dwelling- 
house,  no  insurance;  W.  W.  McKinney,  dwelling- 
house,  sliop,  and  furniture,  no  insurance ;  Robert 
Elder,  two  tenant-houses,  no  insurance;  Samuel 
Henny,  furniture,  etc.,  no  insurance.  And  in  addi- 
tion to  these  losses,  all  the  stables  and  outhouses  on 
the  south  side  of  the  street  and  east  of  the  road  lead- 
ing to  Pine  Grove;  provisions,  clothing,  bedding,  in 
fact,  everything  that  fire  could  destroy  was  burned. 

In  May,  1867,  the  erection  of  the  new  jail  at  Belle- 
fonte wa-s  commenced  by  Charles  McCafferty  &  Co., 
and  June  20,  1867,  the  Bellefonte  Glass- Works  was 
started,  and  completed  in  November.  In  June,  1867, 
occurred  a  big  flood  in  Bald  Eagle,  sweeping  away  a 
good  deal  of  railroad  track  and  many  small  bridge.=. 
Prices  of  products  reached  the  highest  figures  known 
heretofore  in  October,  1867.   White  wheat,  per  bushel, 


POLITICAL. 


1J5 


S2.25;  red  wheat,  $2.20;  rye,  $1.25;  corn,  shelled, 
SI. 20;  oats,  55;  barley,  90  cents;  buckwheat,  $1.10: 
clover-seed,  $7.50;  potatoes,  90  cents;  eggs,  30  cents 
per  dozen ;  butter,  35  cents  per  pound.  In  June, 
1868,  liowever,  wheat  reached  $2.70;  rye,  $1.50; 
corn,  shelled,  $1.10;  and  potatoes,  $1.75  per  bushel; 
oats  were  65  cents. 

The  Democratic  Colinty  Convention  in  August 
nominated  S.  T.  Shugert  for  senator,  over  Col.  R. 
Keller;  P.  Gray  Meek  was  nominated  by  acclamation 
for  Assembly;  A.  C.  Geary,  of  Walker,  for  treasurer; 
William  Keller,  of  Potter,  for  commissioner;  for 
jury  commissioner,  John  Shannon,  of  Potter;  audi- 
tor, Solomon  Etiinger. 

S.  T.  Shugert  and  Charles  J.  T.  Mclntire  were  the 
Democratic  candidates  for  senator  in  the  district ; 
Samuel  MuVitty  and  John  K.  Eobison  the  Republi- 
can candidates. 

The  Republican  Convention  nominated  William 
P.  Wilson  for  senator;  for  Assembly,  Josiah  Neff,  of 
Potter;  Treasurer,  B.  0.  Deininger,  of  Penn  ;  County 
Commissioner,  William  Stewart,  of  Snow  Shoe  ;  Jury 
Commissioner,  Col.  Andrew  Gregg;  Auditor,  A.  S. 
Tipton,  of  Curtin. 

At  the  election,  Sharswood's  majority  over  Wil- 
liams for  judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  was  683  ;  Meek, 
lor  Assembly,  615.  For  senator,  S.  T.  Shugert  had 
686  majority.  Mr.  Shugert  had,  according  to  the 
official  returns,  a  majority  of  22,  but  his  election  was 
contested  and  J.  K.  Robison  was  seated. 

The  Centre  Reporter  was  established  at  Centre  Hall 
in  April,  1868,  by  P'rederick  Kurtz.  The  Philipsburtj 
Journal  was  established  in  September,  1868. 
1888.  by  Ellsworth  &  Dutcher.  In  May,  1876, 
David  Jlurphy  became  connected  with  it,  and 
in  July,  1877,  Bender  &  Beck,  and  in  1882  the  paper 
is  published  by  W.  J.  Bair,  editor  and  publisher. 

The  Wallace  Run  Tannery  was  erected  in  1867  by 
James  L.  Somerville  and  R.  T.  Downing,  near  the 
intersection  of  the  Tyrone  and  Lock  Haven  Railroad 
with  the  Snow  Shoe,  and  went  into  operation  on  the 
1st  of  January,  1868,  with  a  capacity  of  tanning  and 
finishing  six  thousand  hides  per  year. 

The  Centre  County  Banking  Company  was  organ- 
ized Jan.  6,  1868,  under  articles  of  partnership  be- 
tween H.  N.  McAllister,  James  A.  Beaver,  A.  G. 
Curtin,  James  Milliken,  E.  C.  Humes,  Henry  Brock- 
erhoff,  J.  P.  Harris,  P.  B.  Wilson,  J.  T.  Hoover, 
Adam  Hoy,  Constans  Curtin,  W.  P.  Wilson,  J.  D. 
Shugert,  and  F.  S.  Wilson,  under  the  firm-name  of 
Milliken,  Hoover  &  Co.,  or  the  "Centre  County 
Banking  Company,"  with  a  capital  stock  of  seventy- 
five  thousand  dollars.  H.  Brockerhoft',  J.  A.  Beaver, 
A.  Hoy,  J.  P.  Harris,  and  P.  B.  Wilson  were  chosen 
directors.  H.  Brockcrhoff,  president;  J.  D.  Shugert, 
cashier;  John  Kurtz,  teller;  and  Charles  Cook, book- 
keeper. 

Upon  the  death  of  John  T.  Hoover,  Oct.  7,  1868, 
the  name  of  Milliken,  Hoover  &  Co.  was  dropped, 
10 


and  that  of  the  Centre  County  Banking  Company 
alone  used. 

The  present  oflleers  (1882)  are  Jameg  A.  Beaver, 
president;  directors,  Constans  Curtin,  A.  G.  Curtin, 
James  A.  Beaver,  Adam  Hoy,  and  E.  C.  Humes; 
cashier,  teller,  and  clerk,  as  above. 

The  company  erected  an  imposing  building  on 
the  northwest  corner  of  High  and  Spring  Streets  in 
December,  1881-82,  occupying  it  on  the  1st  of  April, 
1882.  Besides  banking-room,  vault,  and  directors' 
room,  it  contains  on  the  sqcond  floor  elegant  busines.s- 
and  audience-rooms,  occupied  by  the  Young  Jlen's 
Christian  Association,  and  on  the  third  floor  a  mag- 
nificent hall.  The  banking-room  is  supplied  with  all 
modern  conveniences.  Col.  George  W.  Tate  was  the 
architect  and  builder. 

Feb.  7,  1868,  the  telegraph-wires  were  extended  to 
Bellefonte.  The  nominees  of  the  Democratic  party 
were  John  H.  Orvis,  for  president  judge  (Hon.  Samuel 
Linn  having  resigned);  D.  G.  Bush,  for  Congress; 
P.  Gray  Meek,  for  Assembly ;  H.  Y.  Stitzer,  for  dis- 
trict attorney;  John  Bing,  of  Unionville,  for  county 
commissioner;  and  William  P.  Mitchell,  for  county 
surveyor.  L.  A.  Mackey,  of  Lock  Haven,  was  nom- 
inated by  the  conferees  for  Congress.  The  conference 
for  president  judge  was  protracted  by  adjournments 
from  Bellefonte  to  Clearfield,  and  from  Clearfield  to 
Bellefonte.  Finally,  September  3d,  after  the  two 
hundred  and  twentieth  ballot,  the  name  of  .Tohn 
H.  Orvis  was  withdrawn,  and  on  the  two  hundred 
and  twenty-first  ballot  Messrs.  Shugert,  Fortnev, 
Brown,  Deese,  and  Achenbach  voted  for  Hon.  Charles 
A.  Mayer,  Mr.  Alexander  for  George  E.  Barrett. 
Hon.  A.  C.  Noyes  was  district  elector  on  the  Demo- 
cratic Presidential  ticket,  which  was  Horatio  Sey- 
mour, for  President;  Gen.  Frank  P.  Blair,  of  Mis- 
souri, for  Vice-President. 

The  Republican  uominees  were  William  H.  Arm- 
strong, for  Congress;  Col.  Theodore  Gregg,  for  As- 
sembly; Thaddeus  P.Stevens,  for  district  attorney; 
James  C.  Williams,  of  Philipsburg,  for  commissioner ; 
John  H.  Mitchell,  of  Harris,  for  auditor.  George 
M.  Yocum,  Esq.,  was  chairman  of  the  county  com- 
mittee. Boyle's  majority  for  auditor-general  in  the 
county  over  Gen.  Hartranft  was  377,  and  the  whole 
Democratic  ticket  was  elected  by  majorities  ranging 
from  that  to  454,  Mr.  Mackey's  majority,  which  was 
the  highest.  The  following  were  the  majorities  for 
auditor-general : 


Bellefonte 69 


SnowSbiie 

Uusli 

Wolth 

Bujlo 

Z1 
.1 

l!.-iiner .'i^ 

Million _.__ j< 

Wiilkir 

Mik-s 

<;' 

Uiiipies 111! 

IVnii _ 

.) 

GresK 

221 

It6 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


The  majority  for  the  Seymour  electors  over  the 
Grant  electors  in  November  in  the  county  was  232. 

The  Bellefonte  Republican  was  established  by  A.  B. 
Hutchinson  &  Co.,  W.  W.  Brown  and  A.  B.  Hutchin- 
son editors,  Jan.  6,  1869.  June  8,  1870,  E. 
1869.  B.  Barger  purchased  the  Bellefonte  National 
(John  G.  Kurtz  having  sold  the  Central  Press 
in  September,  1868,  to  a  number  of  gentlemen,  who 
■  had  changed  its  name  to  the  Bellefonte  National),  and 
consolidated  it  with  the  Republican,  Mr.  Hutchinson 
retiring.  In  November,  1872,  the  Republican  estab- 
lishment was  sold  by  the  sheriff,  and  the  paper  was 
suspended  until  Jan.  8,  1873,  when  E.  T.  &  R.  P. 
Tuten  reissued  it.  On  the  1st  of  March,  1875,  E.  T. 
Tuten  became  editor  and  pro'prietor.  W.  W.  Brown 
published  a  paper  called  Brown's  Bellefonte  Republi- 
can from  Feb.  6,  1873,  until  July,  1874.  The  Belle- 
fonte National  was  conducted  by  C.  B.  Gould,  of  Em- 
porium, who  was  succeeded  by  E.  H.  Kinsloe. 

The  Centre  County  Sabbath-School  Association 
was  organized  at  Bellefonte  April  6th.  Col.  James  F. 
Weaver,  of  Milesburg,  was  chairman  of  the  meeting, 
and  James  A.  Beaver  secretary.  The  officers  elect 
were:  President,  James  A.  Beaver;  Secretar}',  G.  M. 
Yocum  ;  Treasurer,  H.  Y.  Stitzer. 

The  conventions  in  August  made  the  following 
nominations:  Jacob  G..  Meyer,  of  Haines,  for  As- 
sembly ;  John  Moran,  of  Bellefonte,  for  prothonotary  ; 
Eegister,  John  H.  Morrison  ;  Eecorder,  Israel  Gren- 
oble;  Sheriff,  Daniel  W.  Woodring  ;  _Treasurer,  Si- 
mon S.  Wolf;  Commissioner,  Joseph  McCloskey,  of 
Curtin  ;  Auditor,  D.  H.  Yeager,  of  Snow  Shoe,  were 
the  Democratic  nominees.  Eepublican  nominees : 
Assembly,  James  L.  Colburn  ;  Prothonotary,  Samuel 
G.  Barr  ;  Eegister,  William  Curtin  ;  Recorder,  Daniel 
Eote  ;  Sheriff",  Jeremiah  Batts  ;  Treasurer,  Roth  Cad- 
walader  ;  Commissioner,  Lewis  Hess  ;  Auditor,  Ben- 
jamin Liggett. 

Eugene  F.  Johnston,  who  had  killed  Lewis  Eunis 
at  Philipsburg  on  the  13th  of  July,  was  tried  at  Au- 
gust term  for  murder  before  Judges  Mayer,  Allison, 
and  Hosterman.  H.  Y.  Stitzer,  Adam  Hoy,  and  Judge 
Samuel  Linn  for  the  commonwealth  ;  Messrs.  Orvis, 
H.  B.  Swope,  W.  A.  Wallace,  and  Mr.  Cottrell,  of 
New  York,  for  the  defense.  He  was  convicted,  and 
sentenced  to  eight  years  in  the  penitentiary. 

At  the  October  election,  Asa  Packer's  majority  over 
Governor  Geary  in  Ce,ntre  County  was  362.  Sheriff 
Woodring  received  the  highest  majority  on  the 
county  ticket, — 613. 

Democratic  ticket  in  1870 :  L.  A.  Mackey  for  Con- 
gress, C.  T.  -Alexander  for  senator,  P.  Gray  Meek  for 
Assembly,  John  G.  Sankey,  of  Gregg,  for  com- 
missioner; William  Burchfield,  of  Harris,  for 
jury  commissioner;  Dr.  J.  M.  Bush  for  auditor. 

Republican  county  nominations  :  W.  H.  Armstrong 
for  Congress,  W.  P.  Wilson  for  Senate,  R.  H.  Duncan 
for  As'sembly,  Daniel  Malone  for  commissioner,  John 
1.  Thompson  for  auditor. 


The  Democratic  senatorial  conference  put  R.  B. 
Petrikin,  of  Huntingdon,  and  Dr.  D.  M.  Crawford,  of 
Juniata,  upon  the  ticket  for  Senate.  D.  W.  AVoods, 
of  Lewistown,  and  William  P.  Wilson,  of  Bellefonte, 
were  the  Republican  candidates.  At  the  election 
Sherwood's  majority  over  Mr.  Armstrong  was  788 ; 
Crawford  and  Petrikin  had  556  majority ;  Meek,  for 
Assembly,  had  714  majority ;  Commissioner  Sankey 
had  693  majority. 

POPULATION'  OF  CESTKE   COUNTT,  1870. 


Milesburg 

600 

Bemier 

Boggs 

I!i:i5 

:iSC 

Penn 

Bnrneiile 

Pliilip^burg 

P.itler 

11180 

2111 

1030 

Grogg 

Huines 

Spiiiig 

Hnlf-M»on 

Ham'sS 

Hovviud  Boi-ough... 
Howard 

3:U 

875 

Uiiioiiville 

:i2(> 

Worth 

Total 

Liberty 

10(i2 

Miles 

1325 

1870. 


The  following  is  a  statement  of  the  condition  of  the 
lumber  trade  of  Centre  County  in  1870,  with  the  names 
of  the  operators: 

There  are  six.  distinct  lumber  districts  in  Centre 
County,  known  as  the  "Beech  Creek,"  the  "Snow 
Shoe,"  the  "River,  orKarthaus,"  the  "  Mosliannon," 
the  "Philipsburg,"  and  the  "Bald  Eagle"  districts. 

The  Beecli  Creek  district  is  entirely  a  log-floating 
district,  that  is,  the  logs  are  cut  along  the  upper 
branches  and  small  tributaries  of  Beech  Creek,  in  tiic 
wilds  of  Snow  Shoe,  deposited  in  these  streams,  and 
floated  to  the  main  stream  by  means  of  artificial 
floods,  or  "splashes,"  and  then  carried  by  the  spring 
freshets  to  the  mills  built  at  the  mouth  of  the  creek, 
or  at  Lock  Haven,  to  be  manufactured  into  boards. 
The  amount  of  logs  run  out  of  Beech  Creek  in  a  single 
season  has  reached  thirty  million  feet,  and  for  this 
season  will  be  twenty-two  million  feet.  The  most 
extensive  operators  are  Messrs.  Saylor,  Day  &  Morey, 
Parsons  &  Sons,  Brown,  Hastings  &  Co.,  Thomas  & 
Mason,  and  Long  &  Devling.  The  mill  of  Mes-irs. 
Saylor,  Day  &  Morey,  at  the  mouth  of  Beech  Creek, 
is  one  of  the  most  complete  in  the  country,  h.aving  a 
capacity  of  twelve  million  feet  per  annum.  A  large 
amount  of  lumber  made  by  this  firm  is  worked  by 
them  into  flooring  and  siding.  Their  facilities  for 
shipping,  either  by  rail  or  canal,  are  most  excellent. 

The  Snow  Shoe  district,  furnishing  the  "  Snow  Shoo 
lumber,''  is  that  part  of  Snow  Shoe  township  that  has 
its  outlet  by  means  of  the  Bellefonte  and  Snow  Shoe 
Eailroad.  The  lumber  from  this  district  is  all  shipped 
in  the  shape  of  boards  or  shingles,  manufiictured  at 
mills  in  the  vicinity  of  the  railroad,  and  connects 
therewith  by  means  of  lateral  roads  of  from  half  a 
mile  to  two  miles  in  length.  The  operators  here  are 
the  Bellefonte  and  Snow  Shoe  Railroad  Company, 
Beech  Creek  Lumber  Company,  Moshannon  Lumber 

1  Ninth  Wnnl,  1127;  South  M'linl,  090';  West  Ward,  529. 
-  Curtin  from  Howard,  1S57.  »  Doalabiirg,  371. 


THE   UNDINE    FIRE   COMPANY. 


147 


Company,  P.  B.  Cryder  &  Sons,  and  Williams  &  Cox. 
These  parties  have  now  an  aggregate  of  ten  million 
feet  of  logs  in  their  mill-pools  for  this  season's  sawing. 

The  township  of  Biirnside  comprises  the  River,  or 
Karthaus  district,  and  is  the  only  district  of  the  copnty 
where  the  good  old  custom  of  rafting  is  carried  on. 

This  district  sent  this  year  to  market  by  the  Susque- 
hanna River  seventy-five  rafts  of  the  best  quality  of 
pine  and  oak.  The  rafts  average  about  seven  thou- 
sand cubic  feet  each.  The  principal  operators  here 
are  Messrs.  Rhoads  &  Smith,  Boak  &  Hertline,  James 
K.  Boak,  Dr.  M.  Stewart,  and  W.  &  J.  H.  Holt.  But 
few  boards  are  made  here,  the  only  mills  being  those 
of  Rhoads  &  Smith,  Dr.  M.  Stewart,  and  Capt.  Wil- 
liam White,  the  two  former  cutting  about  one  mil- 
lion feet  each,  and  the  latter  five  hundred  thousand 
feet  yearly. 

The  Moshannon  district  is  another  log  district,  and 
furnishes  her  quota  of  logs  to  the  amount  of  tw.enty 
million  feet  annually.  The  heaviest  operator  here  is 
that  prince  of  loggers,  John  Ardell,  Jr.,  who  alone 
will  this  year  cut  and  float  over  eleven  million  feet  of 
logs,  the  largest  amount,  we  think,  put  in  by  any  one 
single  logger  in  Pennsylvania.  The  greater  portion 
of  these  logs  are  from  the  lands  of  the  Beaver  Mills 
Company,  and  have  to  be  hauled  a  distance  of  two  to 
four  miles  to  a  small  stream,  and  there  "si)lashed" 
six  miles  to  the  Moshannon  Creek. 

Mr.  Ardell  had  one  hundred  and  fifty  teams  con- 
stantly employed,  skidding  and  hauling  logs.  Nearly 
all  the  logs  from  this  dLstrict  are  floated  down  the 
Susquehanna  to  the  beautiful  and  enterprising  city 
of  Williamsport,  and  there  manufactured  into  boards. 

The  Philipsburg  district  lias  its  outlet  by  the  Tyrone 
and  Clearfield  Railroad,  and  is  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant in  the  county.  While  contributing  many 
logs  to  the  "Mosliannon  district,"  it  sends  by  rail- 
road eighteen  million  feet  annually  to  market.  In 
this  district  the  logs  are  manufactured  ;it  home  into 
boards  and  shingles,  and  the  boards  are  worked  up 
into  flooring,  or  made  into  mouldings,  sash,  doors, 
etc.,  adding  increased  value  to  the  material  and  em- 
ployment to  a  greater  number  of  persons.  The  prin- 
cipal operators  here  are  Messrs.  Munson,  Jones  & 
Co.,  Long  &  Sons,  J.  S.  Ellis,  J.  Whitcomb,  and 
others.  Messrs.  Lawshe  &  Co.,  whose  splendid  mill 
is  in  the  beautiful  and  romantic  young  town  of 
Osceola,  in  our  sister  county  of  Clearfield,  receive  a 
large  portion  of  their  stock  of  logs  from  Centre 
County  lands. 

The  last  district  to  be  noticed  is  the  Bald  Eagle, 
rendered  famous  for  its  "  white  oak"  lumber  and 
beautifully  manufactured  shingles.  This  district 
manufactures  about  twelve  million  feet  of  oak,  pine, 
and  hemlock  into  lumber  each  year.  This  is  made 
at  mills  a  short  distance  from  the  railroad  and  shipped 
from  Hannah,  Martha,  Matilda,  Julian,  Unionville, 
and  other  points.'  These  mills,  operated  by  Messrs. 
Jack   Thompson,   Samuel   Milliken,   Ardell    &   Co., 


George  W.  Hoover  &  Co.,  G.  W.  Alexander,  Ben- 
jamin Rich,  and  otjicrs  give  eini.loyment  to  many 
men. 

In  addition  to  tlie  foregoing  there  is  considerable 
lumber  made  in  Penn's  valley,  and  some  logs  are 
floated  from  the  lower  part  of  the  county. 

Haying  thus  given  a  description  of  each  district, 
we  now  make  a  condensed  exhibit  of  the  sum  total : 

District.                    Feet  Lumber.  Pit  Sr.  Amimnt. 

Beecli  Cri'ek ii.dtm.dOO  $10(10  t'-20  (KK) 

SnnwSIioe lli,(Hl(),(KK)  ir,  txi  ].i(l,U<KI 

PliiliiisUiiiK IS, I II  1(1,1  II 10  17  ijo  3()00(«i 

BkI'I  liijilo l-.',lllllj,(l(in  Ki  (HI        ,        rj-J,(l(MI 

M..sliiiiiM..ii 2ii,(iUli,li(M  feet  Icigg  1(101)  'im',iiuo 

"■>'i-i  "I'lii^t l,.-,iiil,nll0  15  0(1  2--',.'i«l 

lliver  Duliii;! 6-J5,000  15  78,760 

Tutal •. Sl,109,'i50 

The  Democratic  County  Convention  nominated  the 
following  ticket:  For  Assembly,  P.  Gray  Meek,  of 
Bellefonte;  for  Associate  Judges,  W.  W. 
Love,  of  Potter;  Henry  Dopp,  of  Howard;  1871. 
for  Treasurer,  James  F.  Weaver,  of  Miles- 
burg;  for  Commissioner,  Samuel  F.  Foster,  of  Pot- 
ter ;  for  District  Attorney,  John  F.  Potter,  of  Belle- 
fonte; for  Auditor,  Robert  F.  Holmes,  of  Marion  ; 
for  County  Surveyor,  W.  P.  Mitchell,  of  Howard. 
Hon.  Jacob  G.  Meyer  was  president  of  the  conven- 
tion; John  HofFer  and  J.  Newton  Wolf,  secretaries. 

The  Republicans  nominated  the  following  ticket: 
Assembly,  Robert  McFarlane;  Treasurer,  George  A. 
Bayard  ;  Associate  Judges,  David  M.  Wagner,  B.  F. 
Liggett;  Comrai.^sioner,  Andrew  Swartz;  District 
Attorney,  Isaac  Lytle. 

The  Democratic  majority  w.is  492  in  Centre  County. 

The  Catholic  c'emetery  at  Bellefonte  was  dedicated 
Sunday  afternoon,  20th  of  August. 

The  Undine  Fire  Company.— A  permanent  or- 
ganization of  a  new  and  independent  fire  company 
was  effected  on  Tuesday  evening,  the  22d  of  August, 
composed  of  thirty-two  members,  and  to  be  known 
as  the  LTndine  Fire  Company,  of  Bellefonte,  Pa. 

A  constitution  and  by-laws  for  the  government  of 
the  company  were  adopted,  and  the  following-named 
gentlemen  elected  officers  for  the  ensuing  year:  Pres- 
ident, Pi-of.  D.  H.  Hastings;  Vice-President,  Adolph 
Loeb  ;  Foreman,  Amos  JluUen  ;  Assistant  Foreman, 
John  I.  Morris;  Second  Assistant  Foreman,  Edward 
Nolan  ;  Third  Assistant  Foreman,  James  I.  Sommer- 
ville;  Secretary,  John  G.  Love  ;  Assistant  Secretary, 
George  N.Hale;  Treasurer,  John  L.  Kurtz;  Tiller- 
man,  Moses  Jlontgomery. 

The  nominees  of  the  County  Democratic  Conven- 
tion were  :  For  Congress,  Henry  Sherwood  {subject  to 
the  decision  of  the  Democratic  congressional 
conferees) ;  Constitutional  Delegate,  P.  Gray  1872. 
Meek  (subject  to  the  decision  of  the  Demo- 
cratic senatorial  conferees).  Democratic  countv 
ticket:  For  Assembly,  John  H.  Orvis;  for  Prothon- 
otary,  Aaron  Williams  ;  for  Register,  John  H.  Mor- 
rison ;  for  Recorder,  Israel  J.  Grenoble;  for  Sherifl", 
Benjamin  F.  Shaffer;  for  Commissioner,  Austin  Hin- 


148 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ton  ;  for  Coroner,  Dr.  P.  S.  Fisher ;  for  Auditor,  John 
Smith. 

The  Republican  ticket  was  as  follows  :  Congress, 
Sobieski  Ross,  of  Potter  County;  Delegates  to  Con- 
stitutional Convention,  Dr.  John  McCulloeh,  of  Hun- 
tingdon County  ;  Dr.  J.  P.  Sterrett,  of  Juniata  County. 
County  ticket:  Assembly,  J.  G.  Kurtz,  of  Haines 
township;  Sheriff,  Levi  A.  Miller,  of  Bellefonte; 
Prothonotary,  S.  A.  Brew,  of  Bellefonte  ;  Register, 
etc.,  Henry  Eckenroth,  of  Spring  township;  Recorder, 
Andrew  Gregg,  of  Potter  township;  Commissioner, 
John  I.  Thompson,  of  Huston  township;  Auditor, 
William  J.  Thompson,  of  Potter  township;  Coroner, 
C.  P.  W.  Fisher,  of  Harris  township. 

Ex-Governor  William  Bigler  retired  from  the  posi- 
tion of  delegate  at  large  to  the  Constitutional  Con- 
vention on  the  Democratic  ticket,  and  Governor 
Curtin's  name  was  substituted.  John  M.  Bailey,  of 
Huntingdon,  and  Andrew  Reed,  of  Lewistown,  were 
the  senatorial  district  candidates  of  the  Democratic 
party. 

The  general  results  of  both  elections  of  1871  and 
1872  are  here  given  for  facility  of  comparison  : 


Auil.-Gcn. 

1871. 

1872. 

BoRorcns 
TowNsuirs. 

i 

3 

1 

i 

s 

p 

a 
g. 

7-2 
10.') 

4D 
105 
13S 

155 
00 
73 
8i 

180 

'""6 
"so 

83 
"'28 
■■■42 

"'oi 


C4 

"28 
70 
218 

"'92 

45 
100 

240 
2 

"'so 

66 

0 

39 

w     ■            »* 

60 

525 
3T 
18 
30 
112 
131 
27 
48 
212 
2iil 
44 
1114 
170 
04 
50 
Oil 
82 
228 
04 
231 
3ri4 
92 
121 
48 
09 
170 
45 

58!) 
71 
49 
39 

130 

2.'>7 
41 
28 

104 
70 
89 
80 

2:^0 
78 

113 

120 
44 
63 
911 
34 

133 
60 
84 
63 

no 

93 
80 

""do 

186 

"Vs 

"38 

175 

"]97 
221 
30 
37 

'"83 

04 
34 
31 
9 
24 
120 
14 

"45 

"eo 

14 
03 
CO 

"20 
"'"5 

27 
"34 

104 
02 

23 

3 

47 

114 

14 

7T""i  '                  (( 

39 

71 

40 

00 

40 

8 

43 

20 

3470 

2978 

1207 

715 

1297 

837 

Democmtic  mnjotlty... 

492 

492 

460 

The  Democratic  ni.njority  in  the  senatorial  district 
was  two  hundred 'and  fourteen.  Messrs.  Reed  and 
Bailey,  Democrats,  and  John  McCoilough,  Republi- 


can, were  elected  to  the  Constitutional  Convention. 
H.  N.  McAllister,  of  Bellefonte,  of  the  delegates  at 
large,  was  elected. 

The  following  notice  was  published  by  the  hotel- 
keepers  of  Penn's  valley  in  February,  1873,  not  to 
influence  sales,  as  they  say,  but  "as  a  rate  according  to 
their  individual  judgment  and  consciences." 

"  AVe,  tlie  iiiidereigncd  Hotel-keepers  of  Penn's  Vallej',  in  order  to 
keep  our  hotels  open  for  the  accominodfttion  of  the  piiblie,  do  bind  our- 
selves to  llie  strict  oliservaiice  of  tlie  following  rates  of  Hold  bith  in  case 
the  qualitied  voters  of  this  county  declare  for  Ao  Licaise  : 

"Board  per  week  (with  fire) $8.00 

lininil  per  weeklwilhout  fire) 6.00 

Tiible-board  per  week 5."0 

Me.ila 75 

Loilninfis 75 

llorse-leed .50 

Ha.v 50 

Keeping  leani  ill  stable  without  feed 60 

Keepilii;  team  overnight 3.00 

Drovers'  horses  per  day 1.00 

"  John  Spanglf.r,  Centre  IlaH. 

"  Georgb  Miller,  Woodward. 

"Charles  Smith,  Jr.,  Old  Fort. 

"  Frederick  Faiirion,  Spring  Milla. 

"W.  L.  MussER,  Miniieim. 

"  Jonathan  Kreamer,  Slillheim. 

"John  Limbert,  Aaronsburg. 

"  KoBEET  Craig,  Pine  Grove." 

The  following  is  the  vote  on  the  question  of  for 
and  ac/ainst  license  for  the  sale  of  intoxicating  drinks 
in  February,  1873  : 

Dhlricts.                             '  For.  Against. 

Bellefonte,  N.  W 30  141 

Helletonte,  S.  W 95  S3 

Bnllefonte.W.  W 15  75 

llowaul 10  61 

MilesbillK 9  50 

I'hililHl.iirg 49  143 

Unionville 1  68 

Beiiuer 73  90 

Bogga 22  17!) 

Burnsido 10  25 

Curlin 11  43 

Ferguson !I2  180 

Gregg 109  79 

llaiiii-s , 93  103 

BInlr-Moou 17  SO 

Harris  08  201 

Howard 37  75 

Huston 35  SO 

Liberty ?. 37  119 

Ilnrioii 27  52 

Miles 77  102 

P.Utoii 43  64 

Penn 90  133 

Poller 154  144 

Rush 05  34 

Snow  Shoe 62  74 

Spring 88  141 

Tavlor: 20  19 

Uriion 00  109 

Walker 76  103 

Worth 28-  04 

Total 1603  3001 

]oC3 

Uiijority 1438 

On  the  6th  of  May,  on  the  occasion  of  the  death 
of  Hon.  H.  N.  McAllister,  of  Bellefonte,  ex- 
Governor  Curtin  having  ofl'ered   appropriate    1873. 
resolutions,  followed  them  in  the  presence  of 
the  members  of  the  Constitutional  Convention  with 
an  eloquent  address. 

The  Bellefonte  Car  Manufacturing  Company  met 
on  Saturday,  May  31st,  and  eft'ected  a  permanent 
organization  by  the  election  of  the  following  officers: 
President,  Hon.  William  McClellau,  of  Chambers- 


THE   GREAT  STORM. 


140 


burg ;  Vice-President,  Hon.  A.  G.  Curtin  ;  Directors, 
George  C.  Wilkins,  Tyrone;  E.  C.  Humes,  Ed. 
Bhmcliard,  D.  G.  Bush,  Bellefonte;  Treasurer  and 
Secretary,  E.  M.  Blancliard. 

Tiie  board  of  directors  then  elected  the  following 
officers:  Superintendent,  Jaclc  MeClellan,  of  Cham- 
bersburg;  General  Foreman,  John  Strike,  of  Cham- 
bersburg;  Purchasing  Agent,  S.  Austin  Brew,  of 
Bellefonte. 

The  Democratic  Convention  made  the  following 
nominations:  For  Senate,  P.  Gray  Meek  (subject  to 
the  decision  of  the  district  conferees) ;  Democratic 
county  ticket, — for  Assembly,  John  H.  Orvis;  for 
Treasurer,  John  B.  Mitchel,  of  Ferguson  township; 
for  Commissioner,  John  G.  Sankey,  of  Centre  Hall ; 
for  Jury  Commissioner,  Michael  Grove,  of  Benner; 
for  Auditors,  A.  J.  Greist  (three  years),  Samuel  Frank 
(two  years). 

T.  M.  Hall  was  chairm.au  of  the  convention. 

The  Rei)ublican  nominations  were:  For  Senator, 
John  Irwin,  Jr.;  for  Assembly,  Levi  A.  Miller;  for 
Treasurer,  Col.  George  A.  Bayard  ;  for  Commissioner, 
Samuel  Gramley;  for  Jury  Commissioner,  Benjamin 
Ligget;  for  Auditors,  Dr.  J.  M.  Blair  (two  years), 
Andrew  Gregg  (three  years). 

The  Democratic  majority  on  the  State  ticket  for 
James  R.  Ludlow  for  Supreme  Judge  was  388;  John 
H.  Orvis  had  767  majority  for  Assembly,  and  Samuel 
Gramley,  Republican,  was  elected  county  commis- 
sioner by  34  majority. 

The  official  vote  on  the  adoption  of  the  new  Con- 
stitution was,  for  adoption  2011,  against  1077. 

The  Great  Storm. — A  tremendous  storm  of  wind, 
rain,  and  hail  visited  this  section  of  the  State  on  the 
4tli  of  July,  but  was  much  severer  in  other 
1874.  localities  than  in  our  own  immediate  neighbor- 
hood. At  Beaver  Mills  it  first  seemed  to  as- 
sume the  form  and  force  of  a  tornado.  Here  it  broke 
the  dishes  on  the  dinner-table  that  had  been  spread 
in  the  woods  for  a  dancing  party,  and  blew  things 
round  promiscuously.  Sweeping  down  the  mountains 
it  crossed  Bald  Eagle  at  Julian,  leveling  to  the  earth 
a  large  bank  barn  of  Mr.  Alexander,  destroying  five 
stables,  upturning  fruit-trees,  twisting  the  timbers  out 
of  shape  in  the  new  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  in 
which  at  the  time  a  festival  was  being  held,  break- 
ing windows,  and  doing  a  large  amount  of  damage  to 
buildings,  orchards,  and  crops.  Passing  on,  it  crossed 
into  Buffalo  Run  valley,  about  five  miles  west  of  this 
place,  where  it  seemed  to  do  the  most  damage. 
Within  a  distance  of  two  and  a  half  miles  of  Fill- 
more seven  barns  were  unroofed  and  torn  up,  sheds 
by  the  dozen  were  blown  down,  orchards  and  fences 
were  leveled,  fruit  and  grain  and  corn  and  vegetables 
beaten  into  the  ground,  the  roads  filled  with  fallen 
trees,  the  fields  washed,  and  the  entire  strip  of 
country  visited  by  it  almost  devastated.  One  and  a 
half  miles  south  of  Buffalo  Run  hail-stones  meas- 
uring seven  and  eight  inches  were  picked  up,  the 


bark  was  hammered  from  fruit-trees,  and  young  pines 
thirty  feet  high  were  stripped  completely.  On  across 
the  Barrens,  by  the  State  College,  Lemont,  and  Boals- 
burg.  it  swept,  leaving  it  as  it  had  left  other  places, — 
farms  without  crops,  orchards  without  fruit,  and  fields 
without  fences.  In  this  section  the  principal  damage 
to  buildings  outside  of  shattered  windows  was  the 
unroofing  of  Mr.  William  Thompson's  bouse,  the 
destruction  of  Emanuel  Mnsser's  barn,  and  some 
slight  damage  to  the  new  Presbyterian  Church  at 
Lemont.  All  along  the  line  of  the  storm  the  fences 
and  buildings  and  trees  that  withstood  it  present  the 
appearance  of  a  family  that  has  had  the  smallpox. 
The  damage  to  timber,  orchards,  and  farms  cannot 
be  computed.  Many  farmers  lost  their  entire  crop; 
some  are  sowing  buckwheat  where  they  were  growing 
corn,  and  have  turned  their  cattle  to  graze  in  their 
wheat-fields.  Crows  and  other  birds,  as  well  as 
chickens  and  ducks,  were  killed  by  the  hail-stones. 
About  the  same  time  another  storm  passed  across  the 
upper  end  of  the  county,  cutting  things  up  generally. 
Scarcely  a  pane  of  glass  was  left  in  the  houses  at 
Stormstown,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Meek's  Church  it 
,blew  a  perfect  hurricane,  destroying  orchards,  fences, 
and  timbers. 

The  Democratic  County  Convention  nominated  the 
following  ticket:  For  Congress,  C.  T.  Alexander  ;  for 
Senate,  P.  Gray  Meek ;  for  Judge,  John  H. 
Orvis ;  for  Assembly,  S.  T.  Shugert,  Simon  S.  1874. 
Wolf;  for  Commissioner,  J.  Newlin  Hall ;  for 
District  Attorney,  Jack  L.  Spangler  ;  for  Countv  Sur- 
veyor, J.  H.  Keifsnydcr;  for  County  Auditor,  Adam 
Yearick. 

L.  A.  Mackey,  Esq.,  was  nominated  by  the  Con- 
gressional conferees  for  Congress,  and  W.  A.  Wallace, 
of  Clearfield,  for  senator  by  the  senatorial  conferees. 

The  Republican  County  Convention  put  in  nomina- 
tion the  following  ticket:  Assembly,  J9hn  Boozer,  of 
Potter  township;  commissioner,  John  T.  Ross,  ot 
Harris  township  ;  district  attorney,  John  G.  Love, 
Esq.,  of  Bellefonte  ;  county  auditor,  0.  Perry  Jones, 
of  Philipsburg;  county  surveyor,  Joseph  Devling,  of 
Bellefonte.  J.  B.  McEnnally,  of  Clearfield  County, 
was  the  Republican  nominee  for  additional  law  judge. 
The  election  took  place  this  year  lor  the  first  time  in 
November. 

The  majority  for  John  Latta,  Democratic  candidate 
for  Lieutenant-Governor,  was  9Go.  Cyrus  T.  Alexan- 
der, Independent  Democrat,  beat  L.  A.  JIackey  three 
votes  in  the  county  for  Congress.  Yearick,  Demo- 
cratic candidate  for  auditor,  had  910  majority  ;  and 
the  State  went  Democratic  by  4679  majority. 

Centre  County  Veteran  Club.— The  Veteran  Club 
of  Centre  County  was  organized  July  4,  1874,  at  the 
court-house  in  Bellefonte,  Gen.  Beaver,  from  the  com- 
mittee on  organization,  presenting  a  draft  of  consti- 
tution and  by-laws.  The  following  otBcers  were 
elected :  President,  James  A.  Beaver,  colonel  One 
i  Hundred  and  Forty -eighth,  brevet  brigadier-general. 


150 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Bellefonte;  Vice-President,  James  Armor,  war  1812, 
Bellefonte;  Secretary,  D  S.  Keller,  corporal  One 
Hundred  and  Forty-eighth,  Bellefonte;  Treasurer, 
Austin  Curtin,  captain  Forty-fifth  (Boggs  township), 
Roland,  and  as  additional  members  of  the  executive 
committee:  James  F.  Weaver,  colonel  One  Hundred 
and  Forty-eighth,  Milesburg;  William  A.  Ishler,  pri- 
vate One  Hundred  and  Forty-eighth,  Benner  town- 
ship ;  E.  C. Cheeseman,  major  Forty-fifth,  Bellefonte; 
G.  W.  Gray,  sergeant  Ninety-third,  Milesburg ;  Chris- 
tian Dale,  captain  Forty-ninth,  Benner  township. 

It  was  resolved  that  the  next  (annual)  meeting  be 
held  at  Milesburg,  Sept.  17, 1874,  the  same  to  take  the 
shape  of  a  "  basket  picnic." 

Gen.  Blair  was  the  orator  on  the  17th  of  September. 
Over  seventy  names  were  enrolled  that  day.  William 
Gill,  James  Armor,  and  Benjamin  Frank  represented 
the  veterans  of  1812,  and  William  Sharp  those  of  the 
war  with  Mexico.  Governor  Curtin,  Gen.  John  I. 
Curtin,  and  Col.  Theodore  Gregg  were  elected  hon- 
orary members. 

At  a  special  election  held  in  February,  W.  K.  Alex- 
ander was  elected  to  the  Legislature,  to  fill  the 
1875.  vacancy  caused  by  the  death  of  S.  S.  Wolfe. 
Mr.  Alexander's  majority  over  George  W. 
Campbell,  of  Harris,  was  160. 

The  nominees  of  the  Democratic  party  in  August 
were :  For  senator,  P.  Gray  Meek  isubject  to  the  deci- 
sion of  the  Democratic  district  conferees) :  for  sheriff, 
Levi  W.  Munson ;  for  treasurer,  D.  A.  Musser ;  for 
prothonotary,  Aaron  Williams ;  for  register,  W.  E. 
Burchfield;  for  recorder,  W.  A.  Tobias  ;  for  commis- 
sioners, Henry  Mingle,  J.  Newlin  Hall;  for  coroner. 
Dr.  Joseph  Adams ;  for  auditors,  A.  J.  Griest,  Joseph 
Gilliland. 

Dr.  T.  J.  Boyer,  of  Clearfield,  was  the  nominee  for 
the  Senate. 

The  nominees  of  the  Republican  Convention  were  : 
For  sheriff,  David  Glenn ;  for  treasurer,  George  A. 
Bayard;  for  prothonotary,  H.  A.  Snyder;  for  register, 
John  A.  Lehr  ;  for  recorder,  R.  C.  Neal  ;  for  commis- 
sioners, Andrew  Gregg,  W.  W.  Rogers  ;  for  coroner, 
E.  A.  Russell ;  for  auditors,  James  B.  Curtin,  William 
McFarlan. 

The  Junior  Sons  also  nominated  a  ticket:  Sheriff, 
George  Alexander,  Unionville  ;  treasurer,  W.  F.  Cor- 
ter,  Liberty;  prothonotary,  Abel  Campbell,  Snow 
Shoe ;  register,  Robert  Stine,  Patton ;  recorder,  J.  S. 
Proudfoot,  Milesburg;  commissioner,  Allen  Bartholo- 
mew, Half-Moon;  auditors,  C.  H.  Hess,  William 
Cronable  ;  coroner,  Dr.  A.  E.  Russell. 

Local  Option  ticket:  Sheriff,  George  Alexander, 
Union  township;  treasurer,  William  F.  Courter; 
prothonotary  (no  nomination) ;  register,  R.  H.  Stine, 
Patton  township;  recorder  (no  nomination);  com- 
missioners, Robert  Glenn,  Ferguson  township,  Allen 
Bartholomew,  Half-Moon  ;  auditors,  C.  B.  Hess,  Fer- 
guson township,  William  Grenoble,  Walker  township; 
coroner,  Dr.  E.  S.  Dorworth. 


In  November,  Pershing's  vote  for  Governor  was 
3504  ;  Hartranft's,  2097  ;  Brown,  Temperance,  590. 
The  vote  for  sheriff  was :  Munson,  3325 ;  Glenn, 
2042;  Alexander,  837. 

The  Democratic  Convention  met  August  8th, — 
Adam  Hoy,  Esq.,  president;  Solomon  EUtinger,  of 
Haines,  John  A.  Roop,  of  Harris,  and  C.  M. 
Bower,  Esq.,  of  Bellefonte,  secretaries, — and  the  1876. 
following  ticket  was  nominated  :  For  Congress, 
D.  G.  Bush  (subject  to  the  decision  of  the  district  con- 
vention) ;  for  senator,  P.  Gray  Meek  (subject  to  the 
decision  of  the  district  convention)  ;  for  representa- 
tives, James  F.  Weaver,  of  Milesburg,  William  K. 
Alexander,  of  Penn ;  for  associate  judges,  Samuel 
Frank,, of  Miles,  John  Divens,  of  Walker;  for  jury 
commissioner,  John  Rishel,  of  Gregg. 

Hon.  L.  A.  Mackey  was  nominated  by  the  conferees 
for  Congress,  and  S.  R.  Peale  for  the  Senate. 

The  Republican  Convention  was  presided  over  by 
Henry  Kelhir,  of  Boalsburg;  Austin  Curtin,  Jr., 
and  John  Spear  Thompson,  secretaries.  The  county 
ticket  was  as  follows:  Congress,  Richard  V.  B.  Lin- 
coln ;  Senate,  J.  Spear  Thompson  ;  Assembly,  Wil- 
liam McFarlane,  George  H.  Zeigler  ;  associate  judges, 
Jacob  Baker,  George  Ottenkirk ;  jury  commissioner, 
Henry  Keller. 

OFFICIAL  TOTE   IN   NOVEMBER. 


Presid't.  Congr'ss.    Senat' 


Bellefonte  N.W, 
S.  W 
"  W.W 
Milesburg  Boroi 
Unionville 
Howi.rd 
Pliilipsburg     " 

Benner 

B"gg« 

Burnside 

Cin'tin 

Collese 

Feigiisou,  old  ... 

Gregg 

Halr-.VIoon 

Hiiines 

Harris 

Howard 

Huston 

Ul>erty 

Marion 

Mile- 

Patton 

IVnn 

Poller 

Rnsli 

Snow  Shoe 

Spring 

Taylor 

Wnllier'.V.'.'.'.'.'...'.'.! 
Worth 

Total 

Majorilies..., 


12:1'  101 

S7l  1(12 

.M  in; 

.591  121 


Assembly. 


210    111! 

ijai  100 

84i  101 


1041  lie    175 

17l|  17li[     60 
IGO    174!  2.01 


160    167 

01   iia 

17.5    ISi: 


CHURCHES— BALLOON   ASCENSION. 


151 


The  following  is  the  official  vote  fpr  congressman 
from  this  the  Twentieth  District: 

Mackpy.  Lincoln. 

Clinton n/jjr.  i.fiiii 

Centre 4,1  llJ  :i,2:i7 

Clenrfleld 4,^u7  2,:i3.'i 

Elk l.-iT.i  (i.-> 

Mifflin I,liU2  1.7J0 

Uuiou ),3M  2,220 

lG,22n  11,1'ja 

ll,l'j:i 

Mackey'9  majority 5,(130 

Officers  of  Tilden  and  Hendriclis  Club  :  President, 
Joe  W.  Furey  ;  Vice-Presidents,  A.  B.  Snyder,  Joseph 
Fox;  Secretary,  John  Keichline;  Treasurer,  John  H. 
Morrison. 

The  Hayes  and  Wheeler  Club  perfected  their  or- 
ganization by  the  choice  of  the  following  officers  : 
President,  Maj.  P.  B.  Wilson;  Vice-Presidents,  J.  V. 
Thomas  and  David  M.  Glenn  ;  Corresponding  Secre- 
tary, Edward  T.  Tuten ;  Recording  Secretary,  Dana 
L.  Woolley. 

The  following  churches  were  dedicated  in  the  cen- 
tennial year: 

August  1.3th,  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  corner 
of  Howard  and  Spring  Streets,  in  Bellefonte,  Rev. 
G.  W.  Miller,  pastor.  The  building  committee  com- 
posed of  Messrs.  G.  W.  Tate,  D.  Z.  Kline,  W.  V. 
Hughes,  M.  W.  Cowdrick,  J.  G.  Love,  William 
McClellan. 

The  German  Reformed  Church  at  Hublersburg, 
G.  P.  Hartzell,  pastor,  October  1st. 

The  United  Brethren  Church,  near  Nittany  Hall, 
A.  E.  Evans,  pastor,  December  31st. 

At  the  present  time,  July  4,  1876,  there  are  in  this 
county  and  its  boroughs  170  Sabbath-schools,  in- 
cluding 3  Roman  Catholic  and  1  Jewish  and  Hebrew 
Sabbath-school.  The  Protestant  schools,  166  in  num- 
ber, have  a  total  membership  of  over  12,000.  These 
schools  report  320  of  their  number  added  to  the 
churches  within  the  last  nine  months.  Of  the  170 
Sabbath-schools  now  in  operation  in  the  county  100 
are  connected  with  some  religious  denomination,  70 
are  Union  schools  carried  on  only  by  members  of  dif- 
ferent religious  denominations  ;  107  of  the  170  schools 
use  the  international  series  of  Sunday-school  Scrip- 
ture lessons.  At  the  middle  of  this,.the  fir»t  centen- 
nial year  of  our  nation's  history,  we  have  in  Centre 
County  and  its  boroughs  a  complete  total  of  125 
churches  and  170  Sabbath-schools. 

October  5tb,  Miss  Lizzie  Ihling  made  a  balloon 
ascension  from  the  fair-ground,  of  which  she  gave 
the  following  account: 

"I  started  at  three  o'clock  five  minutes,  thermom- 
eter sixty  degrees.  Five  minutes  it  took  me  to  get 
in  the  thick  clouds  that  overhung  the  earth  like  a 
pall.  I  heard  shouting  all  round  below,  clear  down 
to  Milesburg,  the  balloon  moving  in  that  direction  as 
it  entered  the  cloud.  My  barometer  marked  two 
thousand  five  hundred  feet.  Oh,  what  a  solemn 
thing  it  is  to  be  involved  in  these  dense  meteors!     I 


got  upon  my  knees,  with  note-book  in  hand,  to  de- 
scribe the  scene.  The  attitude  of  kneeling  was  ap- 
propriate, as  well  as  comfortable,  while  describing 
the  mysterious  majesty  of  nature.  I  had  a  moment 
before  viewed  the  handiwork  of  God's  beautiful  crea- 
tion, of  mountain  and  valley,  rivulets  and  velvet  green 
fields,  with  towns  and  villages  of  men,  now  I  was 
basking  in  a  milk-white  vapor.  How  strange  the 
contrast!  These  clouds  looked  sulky  black  from  be- 
low, but  milky  white  within  them.  I  could  see 
nothing  around  me,  above  nor  below,  but  this  vapor, 
and  as  soon  as  I  was  completely  buried  in  it  all  the 
shouting  ceased.  A  death-like  silence  pervaded  this 
solemn  chamber.  Presently  I  heard  quite  distinctly 
the  tinkling  of  a  cow-bell,  and,  supposing  I  had 
crossed  over  to  Bald  Eagle  valley,  I  came  down  grad- 
ually. When  I  came  out  of  the  cloud  I  found  my- 
self right  above  the  mountain-top,  and  again  the 
shouting  of  the  jieople  reached  my  ears.  I  sailed 
along  the  line  of  the  back  for  neatly  half  an  hour, 
hoping  to  drift  on  one  side  or  the  other,  but  the 
'Amazon'  plodded  her  weary  way  right  along  this 
highway,  and  again  I  went  up  into  and  above  the 
layer  of  cloud  until  I  reached  the  sunshine  at  a 
height  of  four  thousand  feet.  Here  was  a  new  scene. 
There  was  a  mountain  and  a  valley  in  the  cloud  sur- 
face, and  presently  the  'Amazon'  drifted  to  the  cloud- 
valley,  and  I  opened  the  valve  to  come  down  again 
below  the  clouds  to  look  for  a  clear  spot  to  light  on. 
I  found  myself  moving  for  Curtin's  works,  and  at  four 
o'clock  and  five  minutes  I  landed  on  Mr.  Austin  Cur- 
tin's farm,  where  I  was  surrounded  by  many  people. 
I  was  surprised  to  see  Mr.  Curtin,  as  I  had  seen  him 
near  me  at  the  start,  and  then  again  I  saw  Mr.  E. 
Foster  and  Professor  Wise  coming  up,  who  started 
with  a  coach  from  the  fair-ground  when  I  did,  but 
when  I  found  that  I  was  not  more  than  five  miles 
from  Bellefonte  my  surprise  was  over.  Five  miles  an 
hour  is  a  slow  gait  for  an  air-ship,  but  then  when  it 
is  considered  that  I  had  such  formidable  obstacles  in 
the  way,  if  they  were  but  watery  vapor,  and  I  had  to 
travel,  as  it  were,  blindfolded,  so  far  as  the  earth  was 
concerned,  it  was  getting  along  well  enough. 

"Just  before  I  landed  I  crossed  a  graveyard,  in 
which  I  saw  a  man,  and  I  called  on  him  to  take  hold 
of  my  trail-rope,  but  he  answered,  '  It  is  too  high  ;  I 
cannot  reach  it ;'  but  he  followed  me  briskly,  and 
when  he  came  up  he  said,  '  I  knew  there  was  a 
woman  in  it  when  I  heard  your  voice,  and  I  ran  as 
fast  as  I  could.' 

"Immediately  after  entering  the  cloud  upon  my 
start  I  heard  the  band  of  music  playing.  It  was  like 
an  enchantment,  and  how  I  wished  all  my  friends 
below  could  be  up  with  me  in  the  cloud-heaven  to 
listen  to  its  symphonious  strains.  My  aeronautic  dis- 
play may  have  been  interesting  to  my  audience  on 
account  of  its  variety,  but  to  me  it  was  truly  novel 
and  sublime,  as  it  was  my  first  experience  in  the  art 
on  a  rainy  day." 


152 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Officers  of  (he  Centre  County  Veteran  Cluh. — Presi- 
dent, Gen.  James  A.  Beaver,  of  Bellefonte;  Vice- 
President,  Lieut.  George  M.  Boal,  of  Potter;  Secre- 
tary, D.  S.  Keller,  of  Bellefonte;  Treasurer,  Capt. 
Austin  Curtin,  of  Boggs.  And  as  additional  members 
of  the  Executive  Committee:  Bellefonte  borough, 
Lieut.  H.  H.  Benner;  Howard  borough,  W.  B.  Smith  ; 
Milesburg  borough.  Col.  James  F.  Weaver;  Phillips- 
burg  borough,  Capt.  C.  T.  Fryberger ;  Unionville 
borough,  George  Morrison;  Benner  township,  Wil- 
liam A.  Ishler;  Boggs,  George  G.  Tate;  Burnside, 
John  B.  Newcomer;  College,  Lieut.  John  W.  Stuart; 
Ciirtin,  John  A.  Daily ;  Ferguson,  William  Fry ; 
Gregg,  R.  H.  Duncan;  Haines,  Lieut.  L.  D.  Kurtz; 
Half-Moon,  Capt.  W.  G.  Bigelow ;  Harris,  George  K. 
Baker;  Howard,  John  Holter;  Huston,  John  S. 
Thompson;  Liberty,  Capt.  J.  A.  Qnigley;  Marion, 
Capt,  S.  H  Bennison;  Miles,  Capt.  W.  F.  Bailey; 
Patton,  David  Reed  ;  Penn,  Charles  H.  Held  ;  Potter, 
Capt.  W.  J.  ThonTpson  ;  Snow  Shoe,  Capt.  C.  P.  Stone- 
road  ;  Spring,  John  R.  Tate;  Taylor,  John  Snyder ; 
Union,  Franklin  Lee;  Walker,  Christian  Swartz; 
Worth,  Charles  0.  Whippo. 

Officers  of  the  dntre  County  Teachers'  Institute. — 
President,  H.  Meyer,  county  superintendent;  Vice- 
President,  J.  W.  Gunsalus,  Miss  Rosa  Woods;  Sec- 
retary, C.  L.  Gramley.  The  instructors  will  be  N.  C. 
Schaffer,  D.  M.  Wolf,  W.  A.  Krise,  T.  M.  Balliet,  C. 
L.  Gramley,  and  George  W.  Groff. 

Officers  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association. — 
President,  James  L.  Sommerville;  Vice-President,  G. 
A.  Harbaugh  ;  Recording  Secretary,  Newton  S.  Bai- 
ley ;  Corresponding  Secretary,  J.  Calvin  Weaver; 
Treasurer,  Isaac  Mitchell ;  Executive  Committee, 
James  A.  Beaver,  D.  S.  Keller,  Professor  Balliet,  Levi 
Straub,  John  S.  Lyon, and  John  Ray.  The  prospects 
before  the  association  for  the  present  year  are  very 
encouraging. 

Valentipes  &  Co.,  of  Bellefonte,  received  the  di- 
ploma and  medal  of  the  Centennial  Exhibition  for 
pig  and  wrought  iron.  The  medal  is  a  beautiful 
bronze  afiair  in  a  velvet-lined  morocco  case,  contain- 
ing on  one  side  the  figure  of  a  female  in  a  sitting 
posture,  with  a  wreath  in  her  outstretched  hand,  as 
if  holding  it  forth  to  crown  the  head  of  some  worthy 
recipient.  Her  other  hand  rests  on  a  shield  by  her 
side,  and  she  has  at  her  feet  various  industrial  and 
artistic  devices.  Above  and  below  and  in  front  and 
rear  are  four  other  small  figures,  each  having  a  sig- 
nificant meaning,  and  a  circle  of  stars,  thirty-eight  in 
number,  surrounds  the  whole.  On  the  reverse  side 
the  words  "  Awarded  by  United  States  Centennial 
Commission"  are  inclosed  in  a  wreath,  while  on  the 
outside  of  the  wreath  are  the  words  "  International 
Exhibition,  Philadelphia."  The  diploma  is  very 
handsome,  and  contains  the  words:  "International 
Exhibition,  1876.  Certificate  of  Award.  Valentines 
&  Co.,  Bellefonte,  Pa.  Pig  and  Wrought  Iron.  No. 
492. — Group  I.     United  States  Centennial  Coaimis- 


sion  in  Accordance  with  the  Act  of  Congress.    Phila- 
delphia, September  27,  1876." 

The  new  German  Reformed  Church  at  Jackson- 
ville was  dedicated  February  18th,  Rev.  J.  G. 
Slioemaker,  of  Aaronsburg,  preaching  the  dedi-    1877. 
catory  sermon. 

Riots  of  July  21,  1877.— The  news  concerning 
the  railroad  strikes  caused  much  excitement  in  Belle- 
fonte on  last  Saturday  night  and  Sunday.  The  ter- 
rible affair  at  Pittsburgh  and  the  orders  issued  for 
the  military  created  a  tremendous  impression,  and 
crowds  of  people  remained  up  all  of  Saturday  night, 
the  neighborhood  of  the  Bush  House  and  telegraph- 
office  being  thronged  with  people  all  day  on  Sunday. 
A  portion  of  the  military  company,  under  command 
of  Capt.  Van  Valin,  left  for  Altoona  on  Sunday 
morning,  on  the  same  train  that  conveyed  the  Wil- 
liamsport  and  other  companies,  and  many  were  the 
rumors  that  reached  town  concerning  them.  Among 
others  was  one  that  they  had  been  captured  by  the 
strikers  between  Tyrone  and  Altoona  and  their  arms 
taken  from  them ;  another  that  they  had  stacked  their 
arms,  and  that  the  strikers  had  rushed  upon  and 
seized  them.  Still  another  report  said  that  the  com- 
pany, or  a  large  portion  of  it,  had  gone  over  in  a 
body  to  the  strikers,  refusing  to  fight  against  them. 
All  these  stories  turned  out  to  be  untrue,  the  mili- 
tary having  safely  reached  Altoona  without  any  par- 
ticularly startling  adventures.  Gen.  Beaver,  the  com- 
mander of  this  military  district,  also  went  to  Altoona 
on  the  same  train,  accompanied  by  Col.  P.  B.  Wilson 
(just  elected  colonel  of  the  Fifth  Regiment  in  place 
of  Col.  Milliken),  Judge  Orvis,  D.  H.  Hastings,  and 
Jack  L.  Spangler,  Esqs.,  as  aides,  and  others.  The 
train  from  Williamsport  did  not  arrive  here  until 
Sunday  morning,  although  expected  and  waited  for 
until  about  two  o'clock  by  a  large  crowd.  After  that 
hour  many  persons  went  home  to  bed,  but  quite  a 
number  stuck  it  out  till  morning.  All  sorts  of  opin- 
ions were  expressed  upon  the  troubles,  but  it  was 
easy  to  perceive  that  the  sympathy  of  the  people 
generally  was  with  the  strikers,  although  it  was 
feared  that  their  cause  had  been  injured  by  the  acts 
of  violence  that  had  been  committed  by  mobs  uncon- 
nected with  them.  All  day  Sunday  there  was  more 
or  less  excitement,  as  the  reports  from  Pittsburgh 
reached  this  point,  which  continued  until  the  news- 
papers were  received  on  Monday,  when  the  news  was 
eagerly  devoured,  even  the  boys  on  the  streets  seem- 
ing as. much  interested  as  anybody  else. 

Monday  evening  witnessed  a  stirring  and  exciting 
time  in  Bellefonte.  About  seven  or  half-past  seven 
o'clock  a  great  crowd  assembled  in  the  Diamond  in 
front  of  the  First  National  Bank,  and  for  a  time  was 
quite  noisy  and  turbulent.  Several  drunken  men  were 
in  the  crowd,  and  a  large  number  of  workingmen  from 
the  iron-.works  and  other  places.  The  outcry  was  for 
a  couple  of  our  citizens  who,  it  was  alleged,  had  made 
remarks  derogatory  to  the  workingmen  as  a  class,  and 


RIOTS   OF  JULY  21,  1877. 


153 


wliom  the  crowd  seemed  to  desire  to  punish  in  some 
way.  Cries  of  "Bring  them  out!"  ''Duck  them!" 
etc.,  were  indulged  in  amid  mucli  laughter  and  some 
cursing.  At  this  point  Mayor  Lyon  mounted  the 
steps  and  made  an  address,  in  which  he  pointed  out 
the  folly  and  shame  of  such  a  course  of  proceeding, 
and  urged  the  crowd  in  an  eloquent  manner  and 
witli  words  of  truth  and  soberness  to  desist  from  their 
threatened  design,  and  to  peaceably  separate  and  go 
home  to  their  beds.  "  I  am  looking  upon  and  ad- 
dressing a  Centre  County  audience,"  said  the  mayor, 
"  men  of  muscle,  of  brains,  and,  I  earnestly  hope,  of 
good  sense  too, — men  who  would  work  if  they  liad 
work  to  do,  and  who  I  know  have  many  privations 
and  hardships,  but  who  will,  I  trust,  show  their  man- 
hood and  patriotism  by  keeping  the  peace  and  allow- 
ing no  violation  of  the  law  or  destruction  of  property." 
The  mayor  continued  at  some  length,  and  his  address 
seemed  to  have  the  desired  effect,  for  the  crowd  di- 
rectly left  that  locality,  and  all  seemed  to  be  safely 
over.  Pretty  soon,  however,  a  rush  was  made  in  the 
direction  of  Valentines'  stores,  and  in  a  moment  the 
street  and  sidewalk  was  a  regular  jam  of  people. 
Here  the  same  old  cries  were  renewed,  and  threats 
made  as  to  what  the  crowd  would  do  in  case  they 
should  get  their  hands  on  anybody.  Sheriff  Munson 
and  his  posse,  together  with  Mayor  Lyon  and  his  po- 
lice, took  possession  of  the  entrance  of  the  stores,  in- 
side of  which  the  lights  were  lowered  and  the  blinds 
let  down  over  the  \yindows.  The  crowd  did  not  ap- 
pear to  be  in  a  very  fierce  mood,  however,  and  seemed, 
with  the  exception  of  a  couple  of  drunken  men,  as 
much  intent  on  fun  as  anything  else.  The  objects  of 
their  wrath  were  not  to  be  found,  however,  and  after 
hooting  and  howling  and  threatening  for  a  time,  they 
finally  dispersed  without  doing  any  damage.  At  a 
later  hour,  about  ten  o'clock,  a  few  individuals  under 
the  influence  of  benzine  made  an  attack  on  the  new 
lock-up,  threatening  to  tumble  it  into  the  creek. 
That  building,  however,  resisted  their  efforts,  and 
still  stands  a  monument  of  the  enterprise  of  the  Town 
Council.  Finally,  grown  tired  of  their  own  foolish- 
ness, the  crowd  dispersed,  and  all  was  peace  once 
more. 

Tuesday  Night's  Re.stles.s?jess. — Apprehensive 
from  the  proceedings  of  Monday  night  that  there 
might  be  trouble  on  Tuesday  night.  Sheriff  Munson, 
at  the  request  of  a  number  of  nervous  citizens,  on  that 
evening  swore  in  a  hundred  deputies  to  assist  liim  in 
preserving  order  in  case  of  an  outbreak.  Intelligence 
of  this  fact  having  been  bruited  about,  there  w,as  a 
general  flocking  of  the  people  to  the  Diamond  on  that 
evening,  and  many  persons  came  into  town  from  the 
country,  anticipating  a  high  old  time  in  the  way  of  a 
riot.  Reports  got  out  that  a  meeting  of  the  workingmen 
was  to  be  held  in  the  court-house  at  four  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon,  and  one  at  seven  o'clock  in  the  evenino 
on  Half-Moon  hill,  but  neither  of  them  came  off.  Al 
the  latter  hour,  however,  the  streets  were  full  of  people 


talking  and  commenting  on  the  state  of  affairs,  some 
commending  the  appointment  of  the  hundred  depu- 
ties as  a  wise  precautionary  measure,  and  others  con- 
demning it  as  a  piece  of  foolishness,  more  likely  to 
create  a  disturbance  than  to  suppress  one.  The  new 
deputies  all  wore  a  white  ribbon  as  a  badge  of  their 
oflSce,  and  were  marched  in  a  body,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Capt.  Curtin,  down  High  Street  to  the  depot, 
where  they  were  manceuvred  and  several  times 
marclied  upon  a  hooting  and  jeering  crowd  of  men 
and  boys,  scattering  them  right  and  left.  Nobody, 
however,  appeared  to  be  angry.  All  were  laughing, 
and  several  times  the  crowd  burlesqued  the  sheriff's 
posse.  Altogether,  we  doubt  if  there  were  a  dozen 
men  in  the  whole  assemblage  that  felt  in  any  way  dis- 
posed to  riot  or  damage  anybody.  For  the  .sake  of 
the  good  name  of  our  town  we  are  sorry  for  the  exag- 
gerated reports  of  trouble  that  have  gone  over  the 
country,  and  can  assure  our  readers  that  at  no  time 
since  the  strike  began  has  there  been  any  difficulty  or 
danger  in  this  place,  except  on  Monday  evening  last, 
when  a  few  men  and  boys  foolishly  undertook  to 
punish  one  of  our  citizens  for  doing  exactly  what  thetj 
claim  the  right  to  do,  and  what  every  man  has  the 
right  to  do, — express  his  opinions.  They  did  not 
succeed,  and  since  that  time,  witii  the  exception  of 
the  noise  made  by  a  couple  of  drunken  darkeys  and 
the  crowd  gathered  to  see  the  police  squad  march  on 
Tuesday  evening,  our  town  has  been  as  quiet  and 
peaceful  as  a  Sabbath  morn. 

In  1877,  under  the  working  of  the  Constitution  of 
1873,  there  was  but  one  ofiice  to  be  voted  for,  that  of 
district  attorney.  David  F.  Fortney,  Esq.,  was  nomi- 
nated by  the  Democrats,  and  Clement  Dale,  Esq.,  by 
the  Republicans. 

The  Democratic  majority  on  the  State  ticket  in  the 
county  was,  for  Trunkey,  11.30.  Sterrett,  Republican, 
had  1885  votes;  Bentley,  Greenback,  4l'.5  votes. 
Fortney's  majority  for  district  attorney  was  1103. 

The  tide  of  emigration  westward  struck  Centre 
County  in  the  spring  of  1878,  and  on  March  5th  sw-ept 
away  a  large  body  of  emigrants.  The  number 
leaving  this  county  for  the  land  of  the  setting  1878. 
sun  on  tliat  day  was  one  hundred  and  eighteen, 
of  whom  one  hundred  and  twelve  were  bound  to 
Kansas  City  and  various  points  in  the  State  of  Kan- 
sas ;  two  were  going  to  St.  Louis,  one  to  Atchison 
(Kansas),  and  three  to  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.  The  follow- 
ing list  gives  the  names  of  the  persons  from  this 
county,  with  the  places  from  which  they  departed 
and  the  names  of  the  points  to  which  they  were 
bound : 

G  L  Ricl  01    I  iinni  Hayes  City. 


Lll/i  It  I 

li     b  Ki   kt-r 

)  I  LI  I    l!l     It 

I      all   I     W    I 

HI«W    \w<!\ 

I)    1     M   »ii.) 

J    II    Nuilioiit 

n   M    \niM)ri 

W  (.BOi^i  unci  fin  >1 

W    SiiiMlj    ml  fun 


TvleibMlIu 
/LI    Ctlni  Sp 


V    I      I    It-ivei 


154 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Wesley  Siinvely,  NittnnyHall Hojes  City. 

Gi'uvffo  Uilfjer  iuui  family,  Snyder  County " 

OlmilesTnuri  niwl  fiimily,  Mul-lon  townsliip 

Jnstie  Kussiiiaii,  Wulkpi-  townsliip " 

Franl<  Di-ity  niiU  fiiiuily,  Hmvard 

Afi»m  Krepsi,'  "       " 

J.  Reeiler,  "       " 

Lewis  Coninian,  ''       '• 

W.  H.  Miller,  "       " 

.Inimlhiin  Wiintz,  "       

IlenrvHarm,  "       

W.  Lotler,  "        

J.  B.  Suit  anil  family,  Potter  townsliip Florence. 

.1.  .1.  Noll  anil  family,  Spring  township Pealiody. 

Samuel  Tilieiis,  "  " 

V.  Lealior,  "  "        " 

Mrs.  Lamb  and  family,  Marion " 

C.  T.  Zimnioimaii  and  family,  Marion ,... 

J.  0.  Barnhart,  Boffgs  township " 

.Iiisi-pli  Williamson  and  family,  Philipsbuig......'. Salina. 

II.  Vrain  nnil  family.  Walker 

W.  H.  Weise  and  family,  Harrisburg 

G.  W.  Baily  and  wile,  Ferguson " 

L.  Musser,  "         " 

William  liarr,  "         " 

David  Reed  and  family,  Patton " 

William  Wallace,  Patton 

Pliilip  Fortney,  "      " 

Kilgar  Iteed  and  family,  Philipsburg " 

Miss  Parsons,  .Inlian 

Mrs.  Aikey,  Mari.m Abilene. 

Tboiiias  Noll  and  family,  Spring  township Atchison. 

U.  Markle,  Cedar  Springs " 

W.  T.  Richards.  Potter  township " 

David  Stover,  Ferguson Elsworth. 

William  Slovcr,  College 

.1.  Loiik,  Ci.lle.jo  tnwn^lliI. " 

W.  Lc.i.k,  UlilHiii  rnniilv " 

W,  P.  y..\,  r.ln  .-|,iiii-~  Wilson. 

II,  Ge]ili;u  1  iiiHJ  1  ii.ujv,  W;,ll,i.r Solomon  Cily 

O.  A.  Slieaici.  W.ilUi-r  1.. unship " 

B.  Packer  and  wife,  Howard " 

Emma  Smith Valley  Falls. 

.1.  Fearon,  Beech  Creek Harshall. 

P.  Lowrey,  Perry  Coiinly Lincoln. 

.1.  Tivaster,  Walker  township " 

Rohert  Ross,  Ferguson St.  Louis. 

Robert  Mayes,  College  township Kane,  111. 

George  Waves,  "  

Samuel  Mayes,  "  " 

W.  G.  Coiisnr  and  sons,  Rebershurg Kansas  City. 

Luther  Coulter,  Miles  township 

Thomas  Coulter,  "  " 

Charles  Struiik,  "  " 


The  following  emigrants  left  March  4,  1879:  J.  H. 
Young,  of  Miles,  to  Cedron,  Lincoln  Co.,  Kan. ;  Jona- 
than Kreamer  and  family  (four  persons),  of  Miles,  to 
Valley  Falls,  Kan. ;  Henry  Shearer  and  family  (five 
persons),   of   Walker,   to    Peabody,    Kan.;    Harvey 
Hauk,  of  Gregg,  to  Beloit,  Kan. ;  W.  Frederick,  to 
Ohio,  and  then  to  Kansas ;  H.  A.  Wolf,  of  Miles,  to 
Valjey  Falls,  Kan. ;  William  A.  Marshall  and  family 
(three  persons),  of  Benuer,  to  Victoria,  Kan. ;  P.  H. 
Shires,  of  Potter,  to  Mansfield,  Webster  Co.,  Mo. 
Harry  Hackenberg,  of  Potter,  to  Greenwood,  Kan. 
Samuel  McClintock,  of  Potter,   to   Peabody,  Kan. 
B.  F.  Henneigh  and  wife,  to-  Pawnee  County,  Kan. 
Henry   Laird,  of  Boggs,  to  Russell  County,  Kan. 
Elmer  Roller,'  of  Fillmore,  to  Troy,  Kan.;   George 
Reber,  of  Miles,  to  Valley  Falls,  Kan. 

The  Democratic  nominations  this  year  were:  For 
president  judge,  Hon.  Charles  A.  Mayer;  for  Con- 
gress, Hon.  A.  G.  Curtin;  for  State  Senate,  Cyrus  T. 
Alexander  ;  for  Assembly,  W.  A.  Murray,  J.  P.  Gep- 
hart ;  for  sheriff,  John  Spangler ;  for  treasurer,  Adam 
Yearick ;  for  prothonotary,  J.  Calvin  Harper;  for 
commissioners,  George  Swab,  Jacob  Dunkle ;  for  re- 
corder, AVilliam  A.  Tobias ;  for  register,  William  E. 
Burchfield ;  for  auditors,  George  Jamison,  George 
Williams ;  for  coroner,  Constance  Cambridge. 


The  Greenback  ticket  was  as  follows :  For  senator, 
S.  Woods,  Caldwell ;  Legislature,  C.  L.  Gramley, 
Miles  township,  T.  S.  Lingle,  Liberty  ;  sheriff,  Fred. 
Decker,  College;  treasurer,  P.  W.  Burkett,  Half- 
Moon  ;  prothonotary,  George  G.  Tate,  Milesburg;  re- 
corder, J.  H.  Crissman,  Snow  Shoe  ;  register,  J.  W 
McCafferty,  Bellefonte ;  coroner,  William  Jacobs, 
Potter;  commissioners.  Dr.  J.  P.Glenn,  Snow  Shoe 
I.  C.  Leathers,  Howard ;  auditors,  G.  W.  F.  Gray, 
Patton,  M.  Thompson,  Ferguson. 

The  Republican  nominations  were :  For  Assembly 
Henry  Simler,  of  Philipsburg  ;  for  sheriff,  Capt.  Aus 
tin  Curtin  ;  for  treasurer,  George  A.  Bayard  ;  for  pro 
thonotar)',  H.  A.  Snyder,  of  Liberty;  for  recorder,  C, 
P.  Stoneroad,  of  Snow  Shoe;  for  register,  Cline  Zim 
merman,  of  Walker;  for  county  commissioners.  An 
drew  Gregg  and  Samuel  Stover,  of  Harris.  The  Re- 
publicans made  no  nomination  for  Congress,  and  Seth 
H.  Yocum  was  nominated  by  the  Greenback  party. 
Charles  S.  McCormick,  Esq.,  of  Lock  Haven,  ran  as 
an  independent  candidate  for  president  judge.  The 
official  vote  of  Centre  for  Governor  was,  for  A.  H. 
Dill,  3827;  Hoyt,  2059;  Mason  (Greenback),  14G6. 

There  were  but  two  county  offices  to  be  filled  this 
year.  The  Democrats  nominated  John  Shannon,  of 
Centre  Hall,  for  jury  commissioner,  and  Dr. 
Joseph  Adams,  of  Mileburg,  for  coroner.  1879. 
The  Republicans  nominated  David  Kline,  of 
Huston.  The  vote  in  Centre  County  was  2G96  for 
Barr  for  State  treasurer,  1605  for  Samuel  Butler, 
Republican,  and  297  for  Sutton,  Greenback. 


OFF 

Boroughs  an 

Townships 

fN 

Bellefonte^  S. 

Iw 

Jlilesbiirg  bor 

ICI 
i 

W 

W. 

w 

Shi 

AL 
i'.'.'.'. 

PRESIDENTIAL  VOTE. 
Hancock,  D. 
lo.f 

141 
45 
4:i 

1880 

Garfield,  R. 

181 
120 

72 

08 

Philipsburg    ■ 

Benuer     town 

Boggs 

Buriiside 

p.... 

104 

liO 

College 
Ferguson 
Ferguson        ' 
Gregg 

0.. 

N.. 
N.. 
S.. 

10-.! 
C:i 
70 

7:i 
lusi 

4 

83 

Harris              ' 

06 

Liberty            ' 
Marion            ' 

as 

Miles               ' 

102 

Poller 
Potter 
Rush                ' 

N.. 
S.. 

170 
221 

CO 
80 
94 

Spring 
Tavlor             ' 

212 

247 

Union 

Walker            ' 

Worth 

75 

78 

Total.... 

4a«8 

3002 

Hancock  electors'  majority,  996;  Jenks',  963;  Cur- 
tin's,  1140. 
The  Democratic  county  ticket  was  as  follows :  For 


CENSUS   ENUMERATORS. 


155 


Congress,  A.  G.  Curtin ;  for  Legislature,  J.  P.  Gephart, 
W.  A.  Murray;  for  district  attorney,  W.  C.  Heinle; 
for  county  surveyor,  Samuel  Brugger. 

Tlie  Republican  convention  nominated  Daniel 
Rhoads  for  Congress;  John  P.  Harris,  of  Bellefonte, 
and  W.  J.  Thompson,  of  Potter,  for  Assembly ;  S. 
D.  Ray,  for  district  attorney  ;  Joseph  Devling,  for 
county  surveyor. 

A  new  company  with  the  old  name — the  Bellefonte 
Fencibles — was  organized  June  12, 1880:  Amos  Mul- 
len, captain;  George  L.  Potter,  first  lieutenant;  Harry 
Hale,  second  lieutenant.  The  corner-stone  of  the 
new  German  Reformed  Church  in  Bellefonte  was 
laid  Oct.  9,  1880. 

POPULATION  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY  IN  1880. 

Bellcfoiito  borongli 3,026 

Noifh  Ward 1M4 

SiiulhWar.l 109G 

Westward 6S0 

Benner  townsliip 1,282 

Bugirs  township,  including  Central  City 2,098 

Central  City  village 280 

Bnrnside  township 405 

t^illego  townsliip ^  1,417 

Cnrtin  townsliip 624 

KergUBou  townsLiii,  including  Pine  Grove  Mills  1,816 

I'ine  Grcive  Mills 251 

Gregg  township,  including  Spring  Mijlls 1,795 

Sliring  Mills  village 278 

Haines  township  and  two  villagns 1,422 

Aaronsburg  village 371 

Woodward  village 104 

Half-Moon  township 563 

Harris  township,  including  Boalsl.nrg 942 

Boalsbuig  village 329 

Howard  horongh..: 498 

Howard  township  and  Mount  Eagle  village 947 

Mount  Eagle  village 150 

Huston  township,  including  Julian 892 

Julian  village 192 

Liberty  township  and  two  villages 1,284 

Eagleville  vilbige 5G3 

Fowler's  Mills  village 03 

Marion  township  and  Jacksonville 674 

Jacksonville  village 177 

Miles  township  and  three  villages 1,512 

Franklinville  village 69 

Madisonlinrgvilla'.'e 170 

Petereburg  village". 221 

Mileslmrg  horongh 643 

Millheini  horongh 677 

I'attoii  township 701 

Peiin  town-hip 814 

Phillipsburg  horongh 1,779 

Potter  township  and  villages 2,S75 

Centre  Hall  village 350 

Centre  Hill  vilbige 108 

Potter's  Mills  village 180 

Kush  township 1,591 

Snow  Shoe  township  and  village 1,410 

Snow  Shoe  village 400 

Spring  township  and  villages 2,235 

Culevjlle  village 260 

Harrisonville  village 70 

Pleasant  Gap  village 175 

Taylor  township  and  vilbige 718 

Stormstown  vilbige 101 

Union  township 1,086 

Uiiiunville  l.orougli 399 

Walker  township  aiiii  villages 1,467 

Hublersburg  village 170 

Snydertown  village 37 

Zioii  village 65 

Worth  township  and  vilbige 809 

Port  Matilda  village 310 

Total ■  37,921 

Census  Enumerators. — Bumside  and  Snow  Shoe, 
Walter  S.  Stewart;  Philipsburg,  Albert  Owen  ;  Rush, 
John  B.  Long;  Curtin  and  Liberty,  Jos.  R.  Dehaas; 
Howard  township  and  Howard  borough,  A.  J.  Gard- 
ner; Boggs  and  Milesburg,  Frank  E.  Bible;  Union 
township  and  Unionville  borough,  A.  T.  Leathers; 
Huston  and  Worth,  W.  H.  Williams ;  Marion,  D.  K. 


Miller;  Walker,  Edward  Twitmire;  Spring,  Edward 
C.Wood;  Bellefonte,  North  Ward,  A.  M.  Hoover; 
Bellefonte,  South  and  AVest  Wards,  J.  H.  Crissman  ; 
Benner,  C.  L.  Kno.x  ;  College,  W.  L.  Foster;  Patton, 
John  F.  Gray;  Half-Moon  and  Taylor,  P:  W.  Burk- 
ett;  Miles,  Anion  E.  Wolf;  Haines,  H.  A.  Mingle; 
Penn  and  Millhcim,  Frank  P.  JIusser;  Gregg,  Thomas 
B.  Jamison ;  Potter,  Ellis  B.  Hosterman ;  Harris,  John 
Myers ;  Ferguson,  W.  H.  Fry. 

The    Moshannon    Banking    Company,    of 
Philipsburg,   commenced    business    Feb.   15,     188L 
1881. 

March  17,  1881,  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Com- 
pany took  formal  possession  of  Snow  Shoe  Railroad. 
With  the  sale  of  the  Snow  Shoe  coal  lands,  in  con- 
nection with  the  transfer  of  the  railroad,  two  separate 
companies  were  organized.  Qne  known  as  the  Snow 
Shoe  Coal  Company,  with  a  capital  of  four  hundred 
thousand  dollars.  Their  possessions  include  five 
thousand  acres  of  land,  which  takes  in  a  park,  the 
Snow  Shoe  Hotel,  and  some  forty  houses.  The  direc- 
tors of  the  company  were  Allison  White,  Charles  F. 
Berwind,  William  M.  Stewart,  Judge  Mayer,  B.  K. 
Jamison,  Edwin  Berwind,of  New  York,  and  Edmund 
Blanchard.  The  other  company,  the  title  of  which 
is  the  Centre  County  Coal  and  Improvement  Com- 
pany, controls  forty  thousand  acres  of  land,  and  has 
been  organized  with  a  capital  of  a  million  dollars. 

The  Democratic  Convention  made  the  following 
nominations  for  county  officers:  Associate  judges, 
John  K.  Runkle,  J.  G.  Larimer;  sheriff,  Thomas  J. 
Dunkle;  treasurer,  D.  C.  Keller;  prothonotary,  J.  C. 
Harper;  register,  James  A.  McClain  ;  recorder,  Frank 
E.  Bible;  commissioners,  A.  J.  Griest,  John  Wolf; 
auditors,  John  S.  Proudfoot,  F.  P.  Musser. 

The  Republican  county  ticket  was  as  follows : 
Associate  judges,  David  Kimport,  Penn  township, 
Samuel  T.  Gray,  Patton  township;  sheriff,  Andrew 
Gregg,  Potter  township ;  prothonotary,  Julian  Flem- 
ing, Potter  township ;  treasurer,  J.  Philip  Gephart, 
Walker  township;  commissioners,  John  I.  Rankin, 
Bellefonte,  Henry  C.  Campbell,  Ferguson  township; 
register,  Harry  Williams,  Philipsburg;  recorder,  Ed- 
ward L.  Gray,  Bellefonte ;  auditors,  C.  P.  Hewes, 
Bellefonte,  Claude  Cook,  Snow  Shoe. 

The  Temperance  ticket  was  Hon.  John  Divens  and 
Christian  Buck  for  associate  judges. 

The  vote  in  November  in  Centre  County  on  the 
State  ticket  was.  Orange  Noble,  for  State  treasurer, 
3491;  Gen.  Silas  M.  Bailey,  2344;  C.S.Wolfe,  In- 
dependent Republican,  185;  Jackson,  151.  J.  C. 
Harper  had  the  highest  majority  of  any  candidate, 
1687. 

In  1882  the  Democratic  County  Convention  made 
the  following  nominations :  For  Congress,  Hon.  A.  G. 
Curtin,  of  Centre ;  for  State  Senate,  Hon.  C. 
T.  Alexander,  of  Centre,  subject  to  the  de-    1882. 
cision  of  the  district  conference;  for  Assem- 
bly, Henry  Meyer,  of  Miles,  B.  F.  Hunter,  of  Ben- 


156 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ner;  for  Jury  Commissioner,  J.  H.  Tolbert,  of  Wal- 
ker; for  Coroner,  H.  K.  Hoy,  M.D.,  of  Bellefonte. 

Mr.  Alexander  was  nominated  by  the  conferees  of 
Clearfield  and  Centre  Counties,  but  on  account  of  dis- 
satisfaction he  requested  another  conference,  at  which 
Hon.  William  A.  Wallace  was  recommended,  and 
Mr.  Alexander  withdrew  in  his  fiivor. 

The  Republican  nominations  were  :  For  Congress, 
Samuel  H.  Orwig;  for  Senator,  Cyrus  Gordon;  for 
Assembly,  Daniel  Rhoads  and  George  R.  Spigeimeyer, 
the  latter  substituted  for  Leonard  Rhone,  who  de- 
clined ;  Jury  Commissioner,  Daniel  B.  Kunes;  Cor- 
oner, Clarence  L.  Addleman. 

KETUKN   01"  ELECTION   HELD   NOV.  7,  1882. 


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Pettit,  Temperance,  had  fifty  votes  in  the  county. 


CHAPTER  LV. 

HISTORY   OF   THE  GERMAN   REFORMED   CHURCH. 

The  origin  of  the  German  Reformed  Church  in  the 
territory  of  Centre  County  cannot  be  traced  to  any 
predominating  influence  in  any  particular  township; 
its  history  is,  therefore,  inserted  here.     That  of  other 


denominations  will  be  found  in  the  township  histories, 
the  Methodist  in  the  history  of  Boggs  township,  that 
of  the  Presbyterian  in  Potter  township. 

The  first  Reformed  minister  who  visited  Brush  and 
Penn's  valleys  was  Rev.  Jonathan  Rahauser,  who  was 
called  to  what  was  then  termed  in  general  the  Sha- 
mokin  country,  about  the  North  and  West  Br.anches 
(Middle  Creek  and  Buffalo  va'ley  being  of  the 
charges),  and  entered  upon  his  work  on  the  2.jd  of 
September,  1789.  From  that  period  until  October, 
1792,  he  preached  occasionally  to  the  scattered  flocks 
in  what  is  now  Centre  County.  Rev.  George  Geist- 
weit  succeeded  him  in  1794,  keeping  up  the  same  re- 
lation to  the  people  of  Penn's  and  Brush  valleys  until 
the  year  1804. 

About  the  year  1800,  Rev.  George  Pfruemcr,  who 
with  others  was  carrying  forward  a  religious  move- 
ment which  afterwards  grew  into  the  sect  of  "The 
United  Brethren  in  Christ,"  had  a  kind  of  irregular 
charge  of  tlie  German  Reformed  Church  at  Dreis- 
bach's,  in  Buffalo  valley,  and  made  visits  to  preacli 
and  catechise  children  in  Penn's  and  Brush  valleys. 
He  was  frequently  accompanied  in  these  visits  by  Rev. 
John  Deitrich  Aurairtl,  afterward  a  prominent  min- 
ister in  the  Reformed  Church  at  AVater  Street,  in 
Huntingdon  Ccmnty.  In  September,  1803,  Mr.  Au- 
rand  also  visited  Brush  and  Penli's  valleys  on  an  ex- 
ploring tour. 

In  1808,  Rev.  Jacob  DicfTenbach  was  settled  at 
Mifflinburg,  and  occasionally  supplied  the  vacant 
churches  of  these  valleys.  He,  however,  became  dis- 
couraged, and  left  his  charge  in  the  year  1810. 

Rev.  Henry  Rassman  was  the  first  German  Re- 
formed minister  who  resided  in  Centre  County.  He. 
was  born  in  Germany,  April  20,  1753,  and  came  over 
as  a  schoolmaster,  and,  the  first  we  know  of  his  his- 
tory in  thi.s  county,  conducted  a  German  school  in 
Rebersburg.  Prior  to  Mr.  Passman's  arrival  the  mem- 
bers of  the  German  Reformed  Church  had  few  spirit- 
ual advantages,  and,  on  account  of  the  scarcity  of 
ministers  of  the  church,  were  only  seldom  visited  by 
traveling  ministers. 

The  people  deeply  feeling  their  destitute  condition 
in  this  respect  counseled  on  the  subject  with  Rev. 
William  Ilgen,  who  was  then  the  Lutheran  minister 
in  Centre  County,  who  advised  them  to  turn  to  the 
schoolmaster,  Henry  Rassman,  and  induce  him  to 
enter  the  holy  ministry,  and  take  upon  himself  tlic 
service  of  their  congregations.  He  had  at  times  read 
sermons  and  delivered  addresses  on  funeral  occasions 
even  previous  to  1810.  The  advice  Mr.  Ilgen  gave 
them  was  carried  into  effect,  and  soon  after  the  con- 
versation Mr.  Rassman  was  visited  by  Elder  Jacob 
Keller,  of  the  Loop  congregation,  in  order  to  advise 
with  him  in  regard  to  their  circumstances  and  urge 
him  to  comply  with  their  wishes.  Mr.  Rassman 
yielded  to  the  call,  and  with  Elder  Jacob  Keller  ap- 
peared before  Synod  convened  in  Philadelphia,  April 
27,  1812,  for  examination,  and  he  was  licensed,  and 


HISTOiiy  OF  THE   GERMAN  REFORMED   CHURCH. 


157 


his  call  from  the  congregation  of  Loop,  Boalsburg, 
anil  Penn's  Creek  approved  and  confirmed. 

In  1S13,  though  there  were  only  forty-five  communi- 
cants in  his  whole  charge,  he  reports  one  hundred 
baptisms  and  eighty-one  confirmations  for  the  year. 
He  reports  five  congregations,  though  he  does  not 
name  them.  With  the  exception  of  Rebersburg  and 
Aaronsburg,  which  were  served  by  Rev.  Yost  H. 
Fries,  of  Shippensburg,  Mr.  Rassman  had  charge  of 
all  the  organized  congregations  and  other  preaching 
points  in  Centre  County. 

In  a  letter  dated  Bufl^'alo  Run,  April  22, 1816,  to  the 
Synod,  BIr.  Rassman  says,  "  I  have  removed  from  the 
])arsonage  in  Nittany  valley  to  Buffalo  Run,  where  I 
have  rented  a  spot  where,  God  be  praised,  I  can 
obtain  what  I  need.  There  is  only  one  acre  of  land 
connected  with  the  parsonage,  only  one-fourth  of 
which  is  cleared,  and  besides  there  is  a  want  of  well- 
water,  and  as  I  had  to  buy  everything  I  needed  for 
my  family  I  was  compelled  to  leave  it.  The  Penn's 
Creek  Church,  which  Rev.  Mr.  Fries  passed  over  to 
me,  and  the  Earley  Church  are  my  best  congregations. 
In  the  rest,  as  Nittany,  Milesburg,  Bald  Eagle,  and 
Pine  Creek,  the  people  are  for  the  most  part  poor." 

In  October,  1811,  17th  to  24t'h,  Rev.  Yost  Henry 
Fries  visited  Penn's  and  Brush  valleys  for  the  first  time, 
and  preached  in  Aaronsburg  and  in  Brush  valley. 
April  27,  1812,  a  call  was  presented  to  Synod  from 
the  churches  in  Buffalo,  Penn's  and  Brush  valleys  for 
Mr.  Fries,  and  he  removed  to  Mifflinburg  from  York 
County,  arriving  in  his  new  field  June  17,  1812, 
which  extended  from  Brush  valley  and  the  lower 
end  of  Penn's  valley  to  Bloonit'burg,  on  the  North 
Branch,  and  down  the  Susquehanna  from  Muncy  to 
Selinsgrove.  At  first  his  regular  charge  was  composed 
of  Mifflinburg,  Driesbach'.s,  New  Berlin  (in  Union 
County),  Aaronsburg,  and  Brush  valley.  Besides 
these,  however,  he  preached  at  many  other  points  in 
school-houses,  gradually  laying  the  foundation  for 
future  congregations.  Among  his  elders  were  Adam 
Harper  and  Adam  Neidigh.  According  to  Rev.  W. 
N.  Groh's  statement,  Mr.  Fries  served  the  Rebersburg 
congregation  until  about  1827,  and  the  Aaronsburg 
charge  until  1833.  Mr.  Fries  died  in  Mifflinburg,  Oct. 
9,  1839. 

According  to  the  same  authority.  Rev.  B.  S.  Schneck, 
■who  was  stationed  at  Snydertown,  Walker  township, 
as  early  as  1825,  became  Mr.  Rassman's  successor  in 
January,  1828  (Mr.  Rassman  having  retired  by  reason 
of  infirmities),  and  Mr.  Fries  in  the  Rebersburg  con- 
gregation. In  June,  1832,  Dr.  Schneck  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Rev.  P.  S.  Fisher,  to  whose  faithful  and 
efficient  labors  the  Reformed  Church  in  Centre 
County  is  very  largely  indebted. 

In  the  year  1836  it  was  deemed  necessary  to  divide 
Mr.  Fisher's  extensive  and  laborious  charge,  and  Rev. 
E.  Kieffer,  then  a  student  in  the  seminary  at  York, 
was  invited  to  visit  the  congregations  forming  the 
new  charge, — Bellefonte,  Schneider's,  and  Best's. 


On  Sunday,  Nov.  12,  1836,  Mr.  KiefTer  was  or- 
dained in  Schneider's  Church,  in  Nittany  valley. 
Rev.  Y.  H.  Fries  preached  from  1  Tim.  iv.  16.  Mr. 
Kiefl^er  had  charge  of  five  congregations,  two  of  which 
he  organized,  one  in  Bellefonte  in  December,  18.36, 
and  one  in  Pine  Grove  in  January,  1837.  He  not  only 
preached  regularly  in  his  own  congregations,  but 
visited  points  of  preaching  along  the  Bald  Eagle 
and  Beech  Creeks.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  Fries,  Mr. 
Kiefl^er  was  called  to  Mifflinburg  to  take  Mr.  Fries' 
place,  and  left  his  Centre  County  congregations  in 
January,  1840. 

In  the  winter  of  1842-43,  Rev.  Joel  L.  Reber  as- 
sisted Rev.  P.  S.  Fisher  in  his  pastoral  charge,  taking 
charge  of  some  of  his  congregations  and  some,  others, 
and  residing  at  Rebersburg,  but  his  eyes  becoming 
affected  he  was  compelled  to  resign  his  charges, 
and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  W.  R.  Yearick. 

In  1851,  Rev.  Daniel  S.  Tobias  accepted  a  call  from 
the  Rebersburg  charge,  and  served  those  congrega- 
tions for  thirteen  years.  Mr.  Tobias  died  in  Rebers- 
burg, Oct.  29,  1864,  aged  sixty  years,  seven  month.s, 
and  six  days.  When  Rev.  P.  S.  Fisher  closed  his 
pastorate,  in  October,  1857,  the  field  which  he  alone 
originally  occupied  was  so  extended  that  there  were 
five  pastoral  charges,  with  twenty-one  congregations 
and  thirteen  hundred  and  forty-five  communicant 
members.  Mr.  Fisher  was  succeeded,  Dec.  20,  1857, 
by  Rev.  William  H.  Groh,  to  whose  researches  we 
are  indebted  for  the  following  statistics  in  reference 
to  organization  and  present  status  of  the  Reformed 
congregations : 

Rebersburg,  organized  in  1790  by  Rev.  J.  Rahau- 
sen. 

Aaronsburg,  organized  in  1790  by  Rev.  J.  Rahau- 
sen. 

Penn's  Creek,  organized  in  1801  by  Rev.  G.  Geis- 
weit. 

Jacksonville,  organized  in  1812  by  Rev.  H.  Rass- 
man. 

Loop,  organized  in  1812  by  Rev.  H.  Rassman. 

Boalsburg,  organized  in  1822  by  Rev.  H.  Rassman. 

Snydertown,  organized  in  1825  by  Rev.  B.  S. 
Schneck. 

Madisonburg,  organized  in  1832  by  Rev.  P.  S. 
Fisher. 

Union,  organized  in  1835  by  Rev.  P.  S.  Fisher. 

Bellefonte,  organized  in  December,  1836,  by  Rev. 
E.  Kieff'er. 

Penn's  Grove,  organized  in  January,  1837,  by  Rev.« 
E.  Kiefl'er. 

Zion,  organized  in  1844  by  Rev.  W.  R.  Yearick. 

Pine  Hall,  organized  in  1850  by  Rev.  P.  S.  Fisher. 

Marsh  Creek,  organized  in  1852  by  Rev.  W.  R. 
Yearick. 

St.  Paul's,  Aaronsburg  charge,  organized  in  Octo- 
ber, 1852,  by  Rev.  M.  A.  Smith. 

Centre  Hall,  organized  Dec.  11,  1853,  by  Rev.  P.  S. 
Fisher. 


138 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Nazareth,  organized  in  1857  by  Rev.  D.  G.  Klein. 

Grace  Chapel,  organized  in  1869  by  Eev.  W.  G. 
Engle. 

The  Boalsburg  charge  is  now  composed  of  the 
Boalsburg,  Loop,  Centre  Hall,  Pine  Hall,  and  Pine 
Grove  congregations;  Bellefonte  of  that  and  Zion, 
Eev.  G.  T.  Foy  followed  Mr.  Yearick  in  1802  in  Belle- 
fonte charge  (Mr.  Foy  was  deposed  in  1853) ;  Eev.  J.  S. 
Shade,  1854-56  ;  Eev.  D.  G.  Klein,  1857-63 ;  Eev.  E. 
S.  Sheip  died  July  26,  1866;  Eev.  D.  W.  Kelly,  1867- 
68;  Eev.  D.  M.  Wolf,  1870-73;  Eev.  H.  King,  1873; 
Eev.  I.  F.  Delong  is  present  pastor,  1881. 

The  Eebersburg  charge  now  consists  of  six  congre- 
gations, of  which  only  three — Eebersburg,  Madison- 
burg,  and  Grace  Chapel— are  in  Centre.  Eev.  J.  D. 
Zehring  succeeded  Mr.  Yearick  in  1847;  Rev.  D.  S. 
Tobias,  1851-64;  Eev.  C.  F.  Hoffineier,  1865-68; 
Eev.  W.  G.  Engle,  1868-72;  Eev.  W.  M.  Landis, 
1872. 

The  Nittany  charge,  organized  in  1847,  consists  of 
five  congregations.  Jacksonville,  Snydertown,  and 
Marsh  Creek  are  in  this  county,  since  then  served  by 
Eev.  W.  E.  Y'earick,  P.  A.  Schwartz,  I.  S.  Weisz, 
J.  K.  Millet,  H.  D.  Darbaker,  and  G.  P.  Hartzell. 

The  Aaronsburg  charge  consists  of  Aaronsburg, 
Penn's  Creek,  Union,  and  St.  Paul's,  and  since  1852 
has  been  served  by  Eevs.  M.  A.  Smith,  L.  C.  Ed- 
munds, S.  Kuhn,  C.   H.   Reiter,   J.  G.  Shoemaker, 

C.  W.  E.  Siegel. 

Each  of  these  eigliteen  congregations  has  a  house 
of  worship.  Seven  are  called  Union  Churches,  owned 
jointly  by  Lutherans  and  Reformed. 

In  1881-82  the  Eeformed  congregation  at  Belle- 
fonte erected  a  fine  stone  structure  on  the  corner  of 
Linn  and  Spring  Strerts,  costing  about  fourteen  thou- 
sand dollars.    This  was  dedicated  Oct.  29, 1882.    Rev. 

D.  S.  Wagner  preached  the  dedicatory  sermon,  and 
Rev.  Prof.  D.  M.  Wolf  preaching  in  the  evening. 


CHAPTER  LVI. 

EDUCATIONAL    INTERESTS   OF    CENTRE    COUNTY.i 

First  Schools. — The  first  school-house  in  Centre 
County  was  situated  about  three  and  a  half  miles  east 
of  the  "  Old  Fort,"  Penn's  valley.  No  defitiite  infor- 
mation about  the  school  or  its  teachers  could  be  ob- 
tained. The  house  must  have  been  erected  a  hundred 
,  years  ago.  In  the  eastern  pait  of  Penn's  valley,  Mr. 
Jacob  Stover,  "for  and  in  consideration  of  promoting 
Literature  and  Learning,"  donated  on  the  15th  day  of 
December,  1789,  a  tract  of  land  containing  seven  acres, 
"  for  the  use  of  a  school  and  the  master  thereof."  A 
double  house,  one  room  of  which  was  designated  for  the 
"  master"  and  his  family,  was  erected  some  time  after, 
but  at  what  date  is  unknown.     This  school  seems  to 

1  By  H.  Meyer,  coxinty  superintendent. 


have  been  the  only  one  in  this  section  of  the  valley 
for  a  number  of  years,  and  was  quite  famous  for  tliat 
period.  Some  scholars  had  to  go  a  distance  of  three 
or  four  miles  to  attend  it.  The  land  is  still  held  in 
trust,  but  the  present  school  is  in  operation  under  the 
free  school  system  and  is  known  as  "  Wolf's  School." 
The  old  log  school-house  has  disappeared  long  since, 
and  the  present  house  was  put  up  by  the  school 
board  of  Haines  District.  It  is  located  on  the  pike 
about  two  miles  east  of  Aaronsburg.  There  is  a 
deed  on  record  dated  March  7,  1804,  from  Jacob 
Hubler  and  Adam  Harper,  conveying  to  Michael 
Motz  and  Jacob  Hosterman,  managers  and  trustees,  a 
piece  of  land  for  a  school-house  for  the  lower  part  of 
Haines  township. 

At  Millheim  both  English  and  German  schools 
were  opened  as  early  as  the  year  1797,  probably  be- 
fore that  time.  The  first  school-house  was  located  on 
a  lot  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Jacob  Snook's  buildings. 
The  first  school-house  in  the  neighborhood  of  Spring 
Mills  and  Penn  Hall  was  situated  a  short  distance 
east  of  the  latter  village,  near  the  cemetery.  In  the 
western  section  of  Penn's  valley,  the  first  school  of 
which  there  is  any  definite  knowledge  was  held  in 
the  year  1800,  in  a  private  house  situated  near  the 
end  of  Nittany  Mountain,  within  a  short  distance  of 
the  present  village  of  Lemont.  The  school  was 
opened  by  a  Mr.  Daniel  O'Bryan,  who,  it  seems,  was 
not  deficient  in  resources  to  meet  certain  emergen- 
cies, for  when  on  a  certain  occasion  the  boys  "  barred" 
him  out,  he  climbed  the  roof  of  the  house,  dropped 
brimstone  down  the  chimney,  and  smoked  the  young 
rebels  (mt.  A  school  was  taught  at  Pine  Grove  by  a 
Mr.  Vanhorn  in  the  year  1819,  which  seems  to  have 
been  the  first  in  that  section.  The  pioneer  school- 
house  of  Brush  valley  was  erected  about  the  year 
1800.  and  was  located  on  lands  now  owned  by  Mr. 
William  Walker,  near  the  main  road,  about  two  and 
a  half  miles  east  of  the  present  town  of  Rebersburg. 
Like  all  the  school-houses  of  that  period  it  was  built 
of  logs  and  furnished  with  slab  benches.  The  first 
teachers  were  Fred.  Gettig  and  Joseph  Hunt.  In 
1796  the  lot  now  occupied  by  the  Lutheran  and  Ee- 
formed Churches  at  Eebersburg  waS  purchased,  "for 
the  purpose  of  a  site  of  a  school  or  schools,  or  the 
site  of  a  church  or  churches,"  and  a  double  school- 
house  was  built  on  it  about  the  year  1806.  One  part 
of  the  building  was  set  apart  for  the  use  of  the 
teacher  and  his  family,  but  afterwards  was  fitted  up 
for  a  German  school,  so  there  were,  for  a  time,  two 
schools,  German  and  English,  in  the  same  building. 
In  connection  with  his  duties  of  the  school-room  the 
teacher  of  this  school  was  required  usually  to  lead 
singing  in  the  church  which  was  standing  on  the 
same  lot.  Most  of  the  early  schools  in  German  dis- 
tricts were  connected  with  the  church,  and  to  some 
extent  under  the  supervision  of  the  ministers.  This 
custom  was  brought  from  Germany. 

In  the  neighborhood  of  the  present  villages  of  Sny- 


EDUCATIONAL  INTERESTS   OF   CENTRE   COUNTY. 


139 


dertown  and  Hublcrsburg,  Nittany  valley,  schools 
were  in  operation  as  early  as  1812.  At  Bellefonte 
schools  must  have  been  in  existencealan  earlier  day, 
but  nothing  definite  could  be  ascertained  in  reference 
to  them.  The  early  schools  of  Slormstown,  Half- 
Moon  valley,  were  attended  by  some  pupils  from  the 
present  village  of  Port  Matilda,  Bald  Eagle  valley,  a 
distance  of  three  or  four  miles,  and  across  the  Mnncy 
Mountains.  The  first  school-house  in  Bald  Eagle 
valley  was  erected  within  the  present  limits  of  Miles- 
burg.  When  the  house  was  built  is  not  known.  It 
was  a  log  cabin,  and  its  location  was  at  the  lower  end 
of  town,  near  the  site  of  the  present  school  building. 
A  Mr.  McMullen  was  teaching  a  school  here  about 
the  year  1800,  but  as  this  section  was  settled  as  early 
as  the  year  1770,  there  must  have  been  schools  before. 
James  Hall  taught  a  school  at  "Plum  Grove,"  west 
of  Milesburg  about  three  miles,  in  1813.  About  the 
'same  period  he  taught  at  Unionville,  McCormick's 
and  Dick's  Runs.  At  Martha's  Furnace  and  Port  Ma- 
tilda schools  were  in  existence  as  early  as  1812.  The 
first  school  in  the  neighborhood  of  Howard,  in  refer- 
ence to  which  any  positive  information  could  be  ob- 
tained, was  taught  by  S.  Garret  in  an  old  log  church 
about  the  year  1816.  It  w'as  German.  About  the 
same  time  an  English  school  was  taught  by  James 
Parkison  and  Amos  Packer.  This  school  was  held  in 
an  old  log  cabin  on  the  north  side  of  Bald  Engle 
Creek, opposite  Howard  borough.  Philipsburg,  Rush 
township,  was  founded  in  1794,  and  the  first  school 
about  which  there  is  any  definite  knowledge  was  a 
night-school,  taught  in  1819  by  Charles  Simler,  a 
Revolutionary  soldier,  who  came  to  this  country  with 
Col.  Armand  in  1779.  A  day-school  was  soon  after 
conducted  in  her  own  dwelling  by  Mrs.  McCloskey. 
Mr.  Ward,  an  English  gentleman,  a  year  or  two  later, 
taught  a  night-school  in  the  same  place.  He  was  fol- 
lowed, prior  to  1825,  by  John  Matthias,  an  accom- 
plished scholar,  from  Philadelphia.  These  latter 
teachers  held  their  schools  in  the  Union  Church,  still 
standing  near  the  present  school-house.  * 

The  Old  Teachers. — With  here  and  there  an  ex- 
ception, the  schoolmasters  of  the  past  generation 
were  deficient  "in  nearly  all  the  qualities  that  make 
the  good  teacher.  They  were  intemperate,  tyrannical, 
illiterate,  and  considered  unfit  for  any  business  except 
school-teaching.  We  hear  of  many  who  used  pro- 
fane language  in  school,  and  had  habitually  a  bottle 
of  whiskey  secreted  somewhere  about  the  school-house. 
They  were  not  expected  to  teach  anything  except  the 
three  "  R's,"  and  if  one  made  application  for  a  school 
his  head  was  not  probed  seriously  by  officials  to 
fathom  the  profundity  of  his  knowledge.  Proficiency 
in  writing,  skill  in  making  quill-pens,  and  physical 
vigor  to  "  thrash"  unruly  boys  were  the  qualifications 
that  commended  him  most  to  his  patrons,  and  his 
prerogative  of  flogging  he  usually  exercised  to  an 
amazing  degree.  He  was  more  lavish  than  discrim- 
inating in  meting  out  punishments.     If  some  luck- 


less urchin  among  a  number  of  still  more  luckless 
mates  fell  into  mischief,  the  teacher  did  not  waste 
time  endeavoring  to  discover  the  culprit,  but  seized 
one  of  the  long  rods  and  flogged  the  whole  row 
simultaneously. 

The  foregoingdescription  applies  mainly  to  teachers 
of  sparsely-settled  districts  where  teaching  did  not 
pay  very  well.  In  a  few  populous  and  wealthy  dis- 
tricts were  maintained  good  schools,  open  nearly  the 
whole  year  round,  and  in  charge  of  better  instructors. 

A  sketch  of  the  schools  and  teachers  of  the  past 
would  be  incomplete  without  an  allusion  to  a  custom 
the  pupils  religiously  observed  of  annually  "  barring 
out"  the  master,  which  custom  has  existed  from  time 
immemorial,  but,  happily,  has  now  nearly  died  out. 
The  proper  time  for  this  exercise  was  either  Christ- 
mas or  the  last  day  of  school,  and  the  object  was  to 
secure  a  holiday  and  a  "treat"  at  the  expense  of  the 
teacher.  The  stratagems  employed  by  the  pupils  to 
circumvent  the  master,  and  the  strategy  of  the  latter 
to  frustrate  the  plans  of  the  former  were  often  highly 
amusing  to  outsiders,  but  in  consequences  to  the 
pupils  sometimes  fearful.  As  a  representative  case 
the  following  is  given,  yet  with  some  doubts  as  to 
the  propriety  of  crowding  out  more  important  mat- 
ter :  In   the   village  of  R ,  many  years   ago,  a 

teacher,  who  was  a  strict  disciplinarian  of  the  old 
type,  took  charge  of  one  of  the  schools ;  about  the 
usual  time  he  observed,  by  certain  unmistakable 
prognostications,  that  the  "barring  out"  spirit  was 
rapidly  developing  itself  among  half  a  dozen  of  the 
larger  boys,  and  by  some  means  learned  the  day  when 
it  would  mature.  Both  teachers  and  scholars  usually 
took  dinner  at  home.  On  the  eventful  day  the  con- 
spirators hurried  home  for  dinner — the  te'acher  not — 
and  soon  returned  with  hammer  and  nails,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  the  house  was  prepared  to  withstand  a 
long  siege,  when,  to  their  intense  dismay  and  disgust, 
they  beheld  the  master  coming  down  through  the 
ceiling  with  a  bunch  of  rods!  There  was  a  lively 
time  in  that  room  for  about  fifteen  minutes:  there 
was  screaming  and  scrambling,  fragments  of  rods 
were  flying  in  every  direction ;  doors  and  windows 
had  been  well  secured,  and  the  List  of  the  six  re- 
ceived his  portion  while  suspended  in  one  of  the  win- 
dows, where  the  teacher  caught  him  by  the  feet  in 
time  to  intercept  his  escape. 

The  County  Superintendent. — The  county  super- 
intendency  was  established  in  1854,  and  the  first 
officer  elected  in  Centre  was  Dr.  W.  J.  Gibson,  who 
served  one  term  at  a  salary  of  six  hundred  dollars. 

J.  I.  Burrell  was  elected  in  1857,  and  served  one 
term  at  a  salary  of  eight  hundred  dollars. 

Thomas  Holahan  was  elected  in  1860,  and  served 
two  terms,  receiving  five  hundred  dollars  per  annum 
during  the  first  term,  and  six  hundred  dollars  the 
second.  R.  M.  Magee  succeeded  Mr.  Holahan  in 
1866,  and  served  three  terms.  He  received  a  salary 
of  seven  hundred  dollars  the  first  year,  but  it  was 


160 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


then  raised  to  twelve  hundred  dollars,  and  so  continued 
during  the  remainder  of  his  administration. 

H.  Meyer  was  elected  in  1875,  at  a  salary  of  one 
thousand  dollars.  He  was  re-elected  iu  1878.  The 
amount  of  salary,  which  had  been  up  to  this  period 
under  the  control  of  the  school  directors,  was  now 
regulated  by  act  of  Assembly,  fixing  that  for  Centre 
County  at  fifteen  hundred  dollars. 

The  present  (1882)  incumbent,  Eev.  D.  M.  Wolf, 
•was  elected  in  1881. 

For  a  history  of  the  County  Institute,  see  year  1850 
of  general  history. 

The  County  Normal  School— The  first  annual 
reports  of  the  county  superintendents  are  replete  with 
complaints  about  the  large  number  of  poor  teachers 
then  in  the  profession.  This  class  of  teachers  ex- 
isted, of  course,  before  the  superintendency  was  es- 
tablished, but  they  were  better  able  to  hide  their 
inefficiency  for  want  of  thorough  inspection  by  com- 
petent officers.  To  remedy  this  evil  in  Centre  County 
the  different  academies  formed  normal  classes  for  the 
benefit  of  teachers,  and  this  practice  has  been  con- 
tinued up  to  the  present  time.  On  the  15th  of  April, 
1855,  Ira  C.  Mitchell  opened  a  Normal  School  at  How- 
ard. He  had  associated  with  him  Professor  A.  K. 
Browne,  of  New  York.  This  was  the  first  school  of 
this  class  in  the  county,  but  was  only  temporary. 
There  was  no  permanent  Normal  School  in  Centre 
until  the  year  1866,  when  one  was  established  at  Re- 
bersburg  by  Mr.  Magee  during  the  first  year  of  his 
superintendency.  Mr.  Magee  held  nine  annual  ses- 
sions, six  at  Rebersburg  in  succession,  three  at  Centre 
Hall.  He  was  assisted  in  1866  by  A.  D.  Rowe,  sub- 
sequently superintendent  of  Clinton  County;  in  1867, 
by  W.  R.  Bierly  ;  in  1868, 1869,  and  1870,  by  Rev.  W. 
G.  Engle  and  H.  Meyer;  in  1871  and  1872  by  H. 
Meyer;  in  1873  and  1874  by  C.  W.  Rishel.  This 
school  was  held  at  Milesburg  in  1875, 1876,  and  1877, 
by  H.Meyer, then  county  superintendent,  assisted  by 
C.  L.  Gramley.  In  1877  was  held  the  twelfth  annual 
session,  and  with  it  closed  the  career  of  the  institu- 
tion. The  State  Normal  School  of  this  district,  es- 
tablished at  Lock  Haven,  was  opened  to  students  this 
year,  and  it  was  not  deemed  necessary  to  continue 
the  Countv  Normal. 


CHAPTER    LVIL 


ROLL    OF   ATTORNEYS. 


The  first  resident  attorneys  in  Bellefonte  were 
David  Irvine,  John  Miles,  and  Robert  T.  Stewart,  all 
admitted  at  November  term,  1800. 

David  Irvine  was  concerned  in  many  cases  until 
the  year  1805,  when  his  name  no  longer  appears,  and 
our  effiDrt  to  trace  his  history  further  fails.  John 
Miles,  Esq.,  name  does  not  appear  very  frequently, 
and  neither  his  name  nor  that  of  Mr.  Irvine  occur  on 


any  lists  later  than  1807.  Robert  T.  Stewart,  after 
enjoying  a  large  practice,  went  into  the  mercantile 
business  in  1810,  and  was  appointed  postmaster  of 
Bellefonte,  which  office  he  held  until  April,  1819, 
when  he  was  succeeded  by  Hamilton  Humes.  He 
was  afterwards  largely  engaged  in  the  iron  business 
with  John  Lyon,  and  died  in  Pittsburgh  in  18.35. 

James  Dunlop,  Jr.,  admitted  in  August,  1801 ;  is 
ranked  as  a  resident  of  Bellefonte,  but  whether  he 
practiced  any  does  not  appear;  he  is  recorded  as 
having  died  in  1824. 

Thomas  Biirnside  appears  next  at  the  bar  of  this 
county  as  a  resident  practitioner  in  April,  1804,  ac- 
quiring during  his  first  year  a  large  amount  of  prac- 
tice. He  was  appointed  president  judge  June  28, 
1816  ;  returned  to  i)ractice  July  6, 1818,  and  appointed 
justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  Jan.  25,  1845. 

Andrew  Boggs  (son  of  John)  was  admitted  at  Au- 
gust term,  1804.  He  went  into  the  mercantile  business' 
with  his  brother-in-law,  John  Royer,  in  Bellefonte  in 
1808,  and  retired  from  practice.  He  removed  to  In- 
diana County,  where  Jie  was  largely  engaged  in  the 
salt  business.  A  flood  in  the  river  ruined  his  fortunes, 
and  he  removed  to  Springfield,  Ohio,  where  he  died 
in  1845  or  1846. 

Walter  Reed,  Esq.,  of  Northumberland,  was  the 
next  resident  practitioner,  admitted  in  April,  1805; 
he  removed  to  Harrisburg,  and  died  in  Philadelphia 
March  16,  1809,  aged  twenty-six  years. 

William  Norris,  Esq.  (son  of  John),  was  admitted 
in  August,  1806.  He  removed  to  Lebanon  County  in 
1814;  subsequently  to  Lancaster,  where  he  became 
very  prominent  in  his  profession. 

Charles  Huston,  Esq.,  came  from  Williamsport  to 
Bellefonte  in  the  spring  of  1807;  was  president  judge 
in  1818,  and  justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  in  1B26. 

John  Johnston,  Jr.,  Esq.,  was  admitted  at  August 
term,  1811,  and  died  in  1819. 

Joseph  M.  Fox,  April,  1813  ;  retired  from  practice 
December,  1845. 

William  W.  Potter,  April,  1814;  died  Oct.  27, 1839, 
aged,  forty-seven. 

John  Blanchard,  April,  1815;  died  March  8,  1849, 
aged  sixty-two. 

Stephen  Duncan  Walker  (son  of  Judge  Walker), 
April,  1817;  removed  to  Pittsburgh. 

George  Latimer  Potter,  April,  1817  ;  removed  to 
Danville,  Pa. ;  died  April  27,  1822. 

Gratz  Etting,  Esq.  (from  Philadelphia),  August, 
1818. 

Bond  Valentine,  November,  1821 ;  retired  in  1842; 
died  Oct.  1.5,  1862. 

Jolin  George  Miles,  April,  1821 ;  removed  to  Hun- 
tingdon, Pa. 

S.  Miles  Green,  April,  1821 ;  removed  to  Crawford 
County  (see  biographical  sketch). 

Abraham  S.  AVilson,  November,  1821  ;  removed  to 
Lewistown ;  appointed  president  judge  March  30, 
1842,  Mifflin  District;  died  Dec.  19,  1864. 


ROLL  OF  ATTORNEYS. 


ICl 


James  M.  Petrikin,  April,  1822;  dicid  April  6, 
1838,  aged  thirty-seven. 

Josiah  W.  Smith,  April,  182.5;  removed  to  Clear- 
field County. 

*JamesMacmanus,  August,  1826. 

Matthew  D.  Gregg,  August,  1827;  died  in  1845. 

Thomas  Craighead,  August,  1829;  removed  to 
Cumberland  County,  1831. 

James  Burnside,  Kovember,  1830  ;  appointed  pres- 
ident judge  April  23,  1853;  died  July  1,  1859,  aged 
fifty. 

Benjamin  Patton,  Jr.,  August,  1831 ;  appointed  in 
October,  1832,  United  States  attorney  for  Western 
District,  and  removed  to  Pittsburgh. 

Charles  W.  Kelso,  1831 ;   removed  to  Erie,  Pa. 

James  Crawford,  November,  1832;  died  in  1839. 

James  T.  Hale,  January,  1833  ;  appointed  president 
judge  April  10,  1851,  to  Dec.  1,  1851. 

Keuben  C.  Hale,  August,  1833 ;  removed  to  Lewis- 
town,  1834  ;  died  July  2,  1863. 

William  M.  Patterson,  April,  1835  ;  removed  to 
Columbia  County. 

H.  N.  McAllister,  November,  1835;  died  while 
serving  as  a  member  of  the  Constitutional  Convention 
at  Philadelphia,  May  5,  1873,  aged  sixty-five. 

Andrew  G.  Curtin,  April,  1837  ;  elected  Governor, 
October,  1860,  and  retired  from  practice. 

John  Hoffman,  August,  1839. 

*.Tames  H.  Rankin,  January,  1841. 

E.  V.  Everhart,  January,  1841 ;  removed  to  Phila- 
delphia, and  died  there. 

Daniel  B.  Canfield,  January,  1841  ;  removed  to 
Philadelphia. 

Samuel  Linn,  January,  1843 ;  elected  president 
judge,  1859;  resigned  ;  removed  to  Williamsport,  Pa. 

Robert  G.  Durham,  January,  1844;  removed  to  the 
West. 

B.  Rush  Petrikin,  January,  1844  ;  removed  to  Lock 
Haven. 

David  C.  Boal,  Nov.  24,  1845  ;  died  Dec.  4,  1859. 

D.  Clinton  Welch,  Nov.  28,  1848;  removed  to 
Union  County,  1853;  January,  1855,  drowned  in  the 
Delaware  at  Philadelphia. 

George  W.  Elder,  January,  1849 ;  removed  to 
Mifflin  County. 

William  P."  Wilson,  Sept.  13,  1849;  died  Aug.  3, 
1878. 

*Edmund  Blanchard,  Nov.  20,  1849. 

F.  J.  Huston,  Nov.  28,  1850. 

A.  V.  Laurimore,  Jan.  27,  1852;  removed  to  Coun- 
cil Bluffs,  Iowa. 

Samuel  H.  Reynolds,  November,  1852  ;  removed  in 
1853  to  Lancaster  City. 

W.  W.  Brown,  April  25, 1858;  retired  the  practice  ; 
removed  to  Lincoln  Centre,  Kan.,  in  1876,  and  died  on 
a  visit  to  BcUefonte,  April  1,  1881,  aged  fifty -seven. 

J.  Harvey  Laurimore,  Nov.  29,  1853 ;  major  of 
Fifth  Reserves;  killed  at  Bristoe  Station,  Feb.  14, 
1864. 

11 


James  M.  Hunter,  April  2C,  1854;  removed  the 
county. 

Ira'c.  Mitchell,  April  27,  1854. 

*William  H.  Blair,  June  1,  1854. 

William  P.  Macmanus,  Aug.  28,  1855;  died  April 
8,  1878. 

Edward  H.  Rogers,  Aug.  29,  1855 ;  removed  the 
county. 

*D.  G.  Bush,  April  29,  1857. 

*Adam  Hoy,  April  27,  1858. 

John  H.  Stover,  April  27,  1858;  retired  1801;  re- 
siding in  Versailles,  Mo. 

William' J.  Kealsh,  April  27,  1858;  removed  to 
Philadelphia,  1879. 

Charles  H.  Hale,  Nov.  23,  18.58  ;  died  Oct.  3,  1872, 
aged  thirty  five. 

*James  A.  Beaver,  Jan.  24,  1859. 

W.  H.  Laurimore,  April,  1859;  died  June  11,  1869. 

*C.  T.  Alexander,  August,  1859. 

*E.  M.  Blanchard,  Nov.  29,  1859. 

A.  C.  Toner,  Jan.  26,  1860;  removed  to  Ohio. 

*James  P.  Coburn,  Jan.  20,  1860. 

J.  Dunlop  Shugert,  Feb.  2,  1860. 

J.  H.  Keatley,  August,  1860. 

*A.  O.  Furst,  Jan.  28,  1861. 

Delaune  Gray,  of  New  York,  August,  1862  ;  died 
March  21,  1867. 

John  Holden  Orvis,  December,  1862;  appointed 
additional  law  judge,  1874. 

George  M.  Yocum,  April  29,1863;  died  Oct.  29, 
1873,  aged  thirty-six. 

-*H.  Y.  Stitzer,  Jan.  28,  1864. 

Norman  M.  Hoover,  Nov.  28,  1865 ;  removed  to 
Little  Rock,  Ark. 

John  P.  Mitchell,  Nov.  28,  1865;  dead. 

*S.  Durbin  Gr.ny,  Sept.  8,  1866. 

*John  Mills  Hale,  April  29,  1867. 

*Johu  G.  Love,  Aug.  27,  1867. 

*David  F.  Fortney,  April  30,  1869. 

*John  F.  Potter,  Aug.  25,  1869.    • 

*Aaron  Williams,  Nov.  23,  1869. 

Isaac  N.  Lytle,  Nov.  23,  1869  ;   died  in  April,  1S80. 

J.  Smith  Barnhart,  Jan.  28,  1871 ;  removed. 

*John  Blair  Linn,  frojn  Union  County  bar,  April, 
1871. 

*D.  S.  Keller,  April,  1873. 

*C.  M.  Bower,  Dec.  5,  1873. 

*Jackson  L.  Spangler,  Jan.  28,  1874. 

*Seth  H.  Yocum,  April  27,  1874. 

*R.  M.  Magee,  May  1,  1874. 

*Jolin  M.  Keichline,  Dec.  4,  1874. 

*William  F.  Reber,  Feb.  1,  1875. 

*Daniel  H.  Hastings,  April  29,  1875. 

John  I.  Irwin,  April  30,  1875. 

W.  A.  Morrison,  Aug.  28, 1876  ;  removed  to  Norris- 
town,  1881. 

*A.  A.  Dale,  Aug.  30, 1876. 

*Clement  Dale,  Aug.  30,  1876. 

*J.  Wesley  Gephart,  Dec.  13, 1876. 


1G2 


IIISTOIIY    OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


*Wilbiir  F.  Reeder,  May  4,  1877. 
*Willi.im  C.  Heinle,  June  4,  1878. 
*H.  A.  McKee,  April  30,  1879. 
*S.  D.  Ray,  May  5,  1880. 
*Ellis  L.  Orvis,  Jan.  27,  1881. 
Those  marked  witli  a  *  are  resident  attorneys  (1882). 
Thaddeus  P.  Stephens  (son  of  Abednego  Stephens, 
deceased,  of  Centre  Hill),  a  member  of  the  Centre 
County  bar,  died  Nov.  5,  1870,  aged  thirty-one  years. 
James  T.  Hale,  Jr.,  a.  member  of  the  Bellefonte  bar, 
removed  to  New  York  City.   He  was  buried  in  Belle- 
fonte, Jan.  31,  1877. 

Hon.  James  Macmanus,  the  oldest  living  member 
of  the  bar  (1882),  was  born  in  Carlisle,  Pa.,  May  17, 
1806,  where  he  was  educated,  and  entered  the  law- 
office  of  Hon.  Thomas  Burnside  at  Bellefonte  in  1824. 
His  official  record  as  deputy  attorney-general  and 
member  of  Assembly  appears  in  the  civil  list.  For 
over  fifty  years  he  was  an  active  practitioner,  and  on 
several  occasions  declined  further  preferment  in 
political  life  and  a  seat  upon  the  bench.  After  a 
successful  career  at  the  bar,  he  enjoys  in  his  retire- 
ment the  respect  of  its  members  and  of  the  commu- 
nity in  which  he  lives. 

Hon.  John  Blanch ard  was  born  at  Peachara, 
Vt.,  Sept.  30,  1787.  When  fifteen  years  of  age  his 
father  died,  and  he  assisted  in  carrying  on  the  farm, 
attending  the  public  schools  in  the  winter.  Support- 
ing himself  by  school-teaching,  he  prepared  himself 
for  college,  and  graduated  at  Dartmouth  in  1812.  He 
then  removed  to  York,  Pa.,  where  he  taught  school 
and  studied  law,  and  was  admitted  to  t-he  bar  of  York 
County  March  31,  1815. 

He  first  settled  at  Lewistown,  and  in  the  fall  of 
1815  removed  to  Bellefonte,  which  continued  to  be 
his  residence  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  Ho  at 
once  became  largely  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law, 
and  took  a  high  position  at  the  bar.  He  was  married 
in  March,  1820,  to  Mary,  daughter  of  Evan  Miles. 

He  was  a  AVhig  in  politics,  but  not  an  active  poli- 
tician, and  after  much  persuasion  became  the  candi- 
date of  that  party  for  Congress  in  the  fall  of  1844. 
His  speeches  in  Congress,  particularly  on  the  tariff 
question,  were  characterized  by  great  logical  ability 
and  abound  in  evidence  of  great  research  of  statistics. 
He  took  sick  about  the  close  of  Iiis  second  term,  and 
died  at  Columbia,  Pa.,  on  his  way  home,  March  8, 
1849.  His  widow  survived  him  until  Jan.  9,  1857. 
She  was  born  at  Milesburg,  March  23,. 1799.  Their 
sons,  Edmund,  Blanchard,  and  Evan  M.  Blanchard, 
Esq.,  are  members  of  the  Bellefonte  bar. 

The  following  brief  estimate  of  Mr.  Blanchard's 
character  is  from  the  pen  of  ex-Governor  Curtin,  at 
one  time  Mr.  Blanchard's  law  partner: 

Mr.  Blanchard  was  a  thoroughly  educated  man, 
and  it  is  not  an  exaggerated  eulogy  to  say  a  ripe 
scholar.  He  retained  his  fondness  for  the  classics, and 
read  Latin  and  Greek  liabitually  in  liis  liours  of  re- 
lax;ition  from  professiuiial  labor. 


He  was  active  and  zealous  in  the  cause  of  educa- 
tion, and  participated  in  all  means  intended  to  im- 
prove and  enlighten  the  people  who  surrounded  him. 
In  his  professional  reading,  except  in  the  prepara- 
tion of  his  cases  for  trial,  he  preferred  books,  and 
writers  in  which  elementary  principles  are  discussed, 
and  had  the  fondness  of  the  thoroughly  educated  and 
accomplished  lawyer  for  the  common  law. 

There  were  other  phases  of  Mr.  Blanchard's  nature 
which  were  scarcely  known  except  to  his  intimate 
friends.  He  had  a  keen  sense  of  the  ludicrous  and 
enjoyed  wit  and  humor  with  rare  zest.  Those  wlio 
knew  him  well  only  realized  the  extent  and  variety 
of  his  literary  acquirements.  Remarkable  for  his 
agreeable  conversation,  he  was  always  the  leader  in 
the  social  circle  when  not  too  ill,  and  then  he  gave 
real  enjoyment  by  his  knowledge  of  modern  classic 
literature,  and  amused  by  apt  and  quaint  illustr-itions 
drawn  from  his  well-filled  memory.  A  man  of  posi- 
tive convictions  on  all  questions  that  engaged  his 
attention,  Mr.  Blanchard  was  bred  and  educated  a 
Federalist  in  his  political  opinions,  and  never  aban- 
doned tlie  principles  of  that  party,wliich  he  had 
closely  studied  and  well  understood.  It  was  a  liigh 
compliment  to  him  and  a  just  appreciation  of  his 
character,  as  well  to  the  generosity  and  good  .sense 
of  the  people  of  the  district  in  which  he  lived,  to 
elect  him  twice  to  Congress  when  it  was  v.ell  known 
he  was  an  avowed  Federalist;  when  the  name  was 
odious  and  the  party  was  defeated,  disbanded,  and 
its  leaders  in  retirement. 

As  an  advocate  Mr.  Blanchard  was  persuasive,  clear 
in  his  logic,  and  always  truthful  in  his  statemeiits. 
In  his  forensic  efforts  he  was  remarkable  for  the  sim- 
plicity of  his  language.  His  speeches  were  never 
long  enough  to  weary  the  court  or  jury,  or  to  lose  him 
the  interest  of  the  court-room. 

That  he  was  learned  and  truthful,  and  faithful  to 
his  clients,  was  the  foundation  of  his  professional 
succe.ss,  is  true  to  his  memory ;  and  the  purity  of  his 
social  life  and  hi*  integrity  gave  him  the  sobriquet  of 
"  Honest  John  Blanchard,"  and  more  than  all  other 
qualifications  gave  him  power  in  the  forum  and  in- 
fluence in  the  community. 

Hon.  Samuel  Linn. — Judge  Linn  is  the  fourtli 
son  of  Rev.  James  Linn,  D.D.,  who  was  for  more 
than  half  a  century  the  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Bellefonte,  and  was  born  on  the  20th  day 
of  February,  1820.  His  mother  was  a  <laughtcr  of 
James  Harris,  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  town,  and 
a  lady  of  great  excellence  of  character.  She  died 
when  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  but  two  years  of 
age,  and  hence  his  subsequent  training  was  in  the 
hands  of  his  father,  than  whom  there  were  few  belter 
qualified  for  the  task  of  imparting  such  instruction  as 
would  be  calculated  to  develop  the  latent  ability  and 
talent  subsequently  displayed  by  his  son.  In  early 
life  lie  manifested  a  taste  for  mechanics  as  a  science, 
and  I'.ad  he  been  led  to  pursue  this  as  a  calling  he 


^^cr^<(^  (^^^&/r  <i^^^:^ 


(/</yY\T 


CIVIL   LIST. 


163 


would  doubtless  have  excelled.  In  pursuance  of  this 
inclination,  and  being  somewhat  restive  during  the 
progress  of  his  education  in  the  primary  schools, 
when  only  fifteen  years  of  age  he  wen£  to  the  State 
of  Ohio  with  his  uncle,  James  D.  Harris,  who  was  the 
principal  engineer  of  the  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio 
Oanal,  extending  from  New  Castle  to  Akron. 

After  remaining  about  six  months  in  that  locality, 
he  returned  and  went  with  Mr.  Harris  to  Towanda, 
in  Bradford  County,  where  he  sought  and  obtained 
employment  with  a  corps  of  engineers  who  were  then 
engaged  in  exploring  a  route  for  the  North  Branch 
Canal  beyond  Pittston,  now  the  site  of  the  Lehigh 
Valley  Eailroad.  He  continued  in  this  position  for 
about  five  years,  and,  although  a  mere  stripling, 
earned  an  enviable  reputation,  and  one  which  would 
have  done  credit  to  many  others  more  advanced  in 
this  vocation. 

He  commenced  reading  law  with  Bond  Valentine 
in  1844,  and  after  having  attended  the  law  school  of 
Judge  Reed  at  Carlisle,  he  returned  to  Bellefonte  and 
pursued  his  course  of  reading  with  James  T.  Hale,  and 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Centre  County  in  January, 
1843. 

He  opened  an  office  in  Bellefonte,  and  in  1847 
formed  a  partnership  with  James  T.  Hale,  Esq., 
which  was  dissolved  on  the  appointnient  of  Mr.  Hale 
to  the  judgeship  of  the  Twenty-Fifth  Judicial  Dis- 
trict in  1851,  when  he  resumed  the  practice  in  his 
own  name.  In  1856  he  associated  with  hira  W.  P. 
Wilson,  Esq.,  and  continued  practice  until  1859,  when 
he  was  elected  president  judge  of  the  district  com- 
posed of  the  counties  of  Centre,  Clearfield,  and 
Clinton. 

As  a  judge  his  charges  to  the  jury  were  clear  and 
explicit,  his  decisions  were  marked  by  general  ac- 
quiescence, and  his  sentences  were  just;  but  he  was 
not  satisfied  with  himself  in  the  position,  and  resigned 
in  May,  1868,  and  resumed  practice  in  copartnership 
with  A.  0.  Furst,  Esq.,  which  continued  until  Judge 
Linn's  removal  to  Williamsport  in  1869. 

In  1857,  Judge  Linn  published  his  analytical  di- 
gest of  parallel  reference  to  cases  adjudged  in  courts 
of  Pennsylvania,  a  work  involving  an  immense 
amount  of  labor  and  of  incalculable  value  to  his 
profession  in  the  preparation  of  causes. 

As  a  land  lawyer  Judge  Linn  has  no  superior  in 
Pennsylvania,  beside  that  he  is  one  of  the  most 
eloquent  of  advoLates, — eloquence  not  of  manner,  or 
of  action,  but  of  thought,  clothed  in  the  most  beauti- 
ful, appropriate,  and  expressive  language;  eloquence 
brightened  by  his  wit  and  enlivened  by  his  humor, 
of  which  he  has  what  would  seem  to  be  an  inex- 
haustible fund. 

Socially  he  is  highly  esteemed,  and  few  men  have 
a  more  happy  fiiculty  of  relating  auecdotes  for  the 
entertainment  of  friends. 

He  united  with  the  Presbyterian  Church  while  a  law- 
student  at  Carlisle,  was  elected  an  elder  in  the  Pres- 


byterian Church  at  Bellefonte,  and  frequently  a  repre- 
sentative in  the  high  courts  of  tiie  church.  He  was 
married   Dec.   1,  1847,  to   Miss   Augusta  Moore,  of 

Carlisle. 


CHAPTER    LVIII. 


CIVIL   LIST. 


Members  of  Congress,  Senators,  Judg'ss,  Etc.— 

In  1791  the  congressional  district  of  which  the  ter- 
ritory embraced  in  this  history  was  a  part  was  com- 
posed of  the  counties  of  Nortliumberland,  Mifflin, 
Huntingdon,  Franklin, and  Bedford.  Andrew  Gregg, 
a  resident  of  Penn's  valley,  represented  the  district. 
In  1792  he  was  re-elected  (on  a  general  ticket,  voted 
for  over  all  the  State),  and,  what  is  a  remarkable  cir- 
cumstance, received  every  vote  in  the  county  of  North- 
umberland. In  1794  the  district  consisted  of  Mifflin 
and  Cumberland  Counties,  and  Mr.  Gregg  was  elected 
for  three  successive  terms.  The  district  being  changed, 
and  consisting  of  Northumberland,  Lycoming,  and 
Centre  Counties,  he  was  re-elected,  serving  until  the 
fall  of  1806,  when  he  was  defeated  by  Daniel  Mont- 
gomery, Jr.  The  latter  was  succeeded  by  George 
Smith,  of  Lycoming  County,  who  served  two  terms, 
when  in  1812  the  counties  of  Huntingdon,  Mifflin, 
Centre,  and  Clearfield  were  constituted  a  congres- 
sional district.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  David  Bard, 
of  Huntingdon  County,  who  before  that  period  had 
served  for  many  years  in  Congress,  was  elected,  and 
served  one  term.  In  1814,  Mr.  Bard  was  re-elected, 
but  died  before  he  took  his  seat,  and,  in  1815,  Thomas 
Burnside  was  elected  in  his  stead,  served  one  session, 
and  resigned  on  being  appointed  a  judge.  In  1816, 
William  P.  Maclay,  of  Mifflin  County,  was  elected 
for  the  unexpired  term  of  Judge  Burnside,  taking  his 
seat  Dec.  3,  1816,  and  re-elected,  serving  until  1821. 
In  1820,  John  Brown,  of  Mifflin  County,  was  a  can- 
didate against  Mr.  Maclay  for  the  second  time,  the 
first  in  opposition  to  the  regular  nomination  of  the 
conferees  in  1818,  and  the  second  without  a  nomina- 
tion on  the  part  of  either  or  both,  the  conferees 
having  divided,  and  each  having  three  votes.  Mr. 
Brown  was  elected  and  re-elected,  serving  until 
March  3,  1825.  In  the  fall  of  1824,  John  Mitchell, 
of  Centre  County,  was  elected,  serving  until  the  3d 
of  March,  1829.  For  his  successors  see  the  following 
list.  Further  political  information  will  be  found  in 
the  respective  years  of  their  election. 

REPRESENTATIVES   IN   COXOUESS. 

1T91-1S07.— Andrew  Grepg,  Penn's  viillcy. 

lSOT-9. — Daniel  Montgomery,  Jr.,  DanviUe. 

1809-13.— George  Smith,  of  Lycoming  County.  In  October,  ISOS,  Gen. 
Jolm  Bnll,  of  Nortliumberlanil  County,  was  the  Federal  candidate 
for  Congress  against  George  Smith.  The  vote  in  Centre  wa.«,  for 
Smith,  lC7o;  Bull,  81. 

18'3-lo.— David  Bar.l,  of  Iluntingd.in  County. 

ISlo-lC— Thomas  Burnside,  Dellefoute. 


IGt 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


1810-21.— William  P.  Macla.v,  Mifflin  County. 

]S:il-2o.— Joliii  Brown,  Jlifliin  County. 

1823-2'J.— John  Mitclicll,  Bi-lleroiite. 

1820-31.— John  Scott,  Alexainlii.i,  Huntingdon  County. 

18:!l-3:i,— Kobert  Allison,  Ilnnlingdon. 

lS:ii-37.— Josepli  Ilenilei-son,  Brown's  MiliB,  MifBin. 

1S37-30.— William  W.  I'otter,  Bi-llefonte. 

18.10-41.— Gcovgo  McCuUocli,  Ctntro  Line.    Elected  iit  n  spociiil  election 

lield  Novemler  20tli,  to  fill  vucancy  caused  by  the  death  of  W.  W. 

Potter. 
1841-10.— James  Irvin,  Milesburg. 
1.14.5-19.— John  Blanclmrd,  Bellef.nte. 
1849-51  — Sitninel  Calvin,  Ilollidaysburg. 
I80I-.53.— Andrew  Parkei',  Miffliutown. 
]8o.3-5o.— James  Gamble,  Jersey  Sliore. 
1S5.0-67.— John  J.  Pearce,  Willianisi^oit. 
1857-59.- Allison  White,  Lock  Haveu. 
1S.J9-65.— James  T.  Uale,  Bellefonte. 
I8G0-OO.— Stepheu  K.  Wilson,  Wellsboro'. 
lSCO-71.— William  U.  Arnistiong,  Wellsport. 
1871-73.— Heniy  Sherwood,  Wellsboro'. 
1873-75.— SobiesUi  Koss,  Coudersport. 
1875-70.- Levi  A.  Slackey,  Lock  Haven. 
1870-81.— Seth  H.  Yocum,  BellefoutB. 
lSSl-83.— Andrew  G.  Curtin. 

STATE  SENATOr.S,  1800-82. 
1800,  James  Harris;  1802,  James  Ilaiiis  was  re-elected  lo  the  Senate 
(lie  had  previously  reprcseiilcd  Jlifliin,  and  was  tho  first  senator 
IVoJU  Centre);  1808,  John  Iluii..«s  (ilr,,.  Harrows  lost  one  year  by 
classification);  1811,  Tho.naa  Uiiiiisi.h.  (district:  Centre, Lycoming, 
Bradford,  Clearfield,  McKean,  and  I'ultci);  1815,  Henry  Welles; 
181U,John  SlcMeeus;  1S2:1,  Tlionias  Burnside  (resigned  1820);  1S2C, 
Henry  Pctrikin  (to  succeed  Thomas  Burnside) ;  1827,  Kobert  Blc- 
Clure  (died  Dec.  20,  1829)  and  Joseph  B.  Anthony  (elected  for  his 
unexpired  term);  1831-35,  Henry  Petnkiu;  1835,  Alexander  Irvin 
(resigned  iu  January,  18;;0) ;  A.V.  Pai-sons  elected  March  6,  1830 
(lor  Centre,  Clearfield,  Lycomirift,  Potter,  and  McKean);  1840-t2, 
llobert  Fleming;  1842,  J.  C.  llorton;  Uth  April,  1843,  distiict:  Ly- 
coming, Clinton,  and  Centre;  1844-47,  Joseph  F.  Quay;  1847-50, 
William  Hanis;  1850-52,  William  V.  Packer;  1853-55,  James  W. 
Qnitigle;  IS.'.O-Ul,  Andrew  GrcKg;  1802-G4,  Henry  Johnston;  186.5, 
L.  W.  Hall  and  Kirk  Haines;  1808,  C.  J.  T.  Mclntire  and  John  K. 
ISobinson;  1871,  11  B.  Pctrikin  and  Ur.  D.M.Crawford;  1874-70, 
Josei.h  S.  Waream,  of  Lewistown;  1875,  William  A.  Wallace,  of 
Clearfl.bl  County;  1877-78,  S.  11.  Peale;  1870-82,  Cyrus  T.  Alex- 
ander; 1882,  William  A.  Wallace. 

MEMBEliS  OF   THE   HOUSE   OF   REPEESESTATIVES,  1801-1882. 


December,  lSOl-0.  John  Hall. 

1831. 

John  Irvin. 

Dec.  2,  ISOO-IU.  William  Eankin. 

1832. 

Bond  Valentine. 

Dec.  2,  1810-12.  John  Hall. 

Heuiy  Barnhart. 

December,  1812.  Michael  BolHnger. 

1833. 

Ueury  Barnhart. 

Dec.  6,  1815-19.  Jacob  Kryder. 

Alexander  Irvin. 

December,  lSl'J-22.  Wm.  Smyth. 

1834. 

Alexander  Irvin. 

lS-.:2-23.>  John  Milcliell. 

John  Hasson. 

Martin  Hoover. 

1835 

John  Hasson. 

1824.  Jacob  Herring. 

David  Ferguson. 

William  Smyth. 

1836 

=  John  Hasson. 

1S25-2G.  James  M.  PetrJiin. 

1838 

40.  Samtiel  Stiohecker. 

Greenwood  Bell. 

1841 

George  Boal. 

Dec.  4, 1827.  James  M.  Petrikin. 

1842 

James  Macmanus. 

Thomas  Hastings,  Jr. 

1843 

3  George  McCnlloilj;h. 

Dec.  2, 1828.  Henry  Petrikin. 

1844 

James  Macmanus. 

Thomas  Hastings,  Jr. 

Lewis  W.Smith. 

Dec.  3,  1820.  Henry  Petrikin. 

1845 

James  Burnside,  of  Centre. 

James  Ferguson. 

Lewis  W.  Smith,  of  Clea^-field. 

1830.  Ilemy  Petrikin. 

1840 

James  Burnside. 

Bond  Valentine. 

Charles  S.  Worrell. 

1831.  Bond  Valentine. 

Centre  and  Clearfield. 


1  March  25, 1822,  Ceutre  and  Clearfield  made  one  disti  ict,  and  entillfd 
to  two  mi'inbeia. 

2  By   the   act   IGtli  June,  ISOC,  Centre  Cuunty  bocanic  entitled  to  a 
member. 

3  Htli  April,  1S43,  Cciitie  nud  Ckaifidd  asai:i  united. 


1847 

John  Reynolds. 

1848.  George  Walters. 

C.  S.  Worrell. 

1849-50.  John  B.  Meek. 

1848 

John  B.  M^k. 

W.  J.  Hemphill. 
Centre. 

lf51- 

52.  William  H.  Blair. 

1801.  William  C.  Duncan. 

1853- 

54.  Dr.  Charles  R.  Foster. 

1802-63.  Robert  F.  Barron. 

1855 

David  C.  Boal. 

1804-05.  Cyrus  T.  Alexander. 

1856 

Jacob  Struble. 

1806-67.  Frederick  Kurtz. 

1857 

John  SEuith,  of  Penn  tc\ 

■n- 

1868-00.  P.  Gray  Meek. 

ship. 

1870.  J.  G.  Meyer. 

1868 

Samuel  Gilliland. 

1871-72.  P.  Gray  Meek. 

1859- 

60.  Adam  R.  Barlow. 

1873-74.  John  H.  Orvis. 

1675.  S.T.  Shugert. 

S.  S.  Wolfe.l 
1877.  James  F.  Weave 

W.  K.  Alexandej 
1879.  J.  P.  Gephart. 


!  icnrf.T  Ihe  ConslUulion  0/1873. 

1879.  W.  A.  Murray. 

1881.  J.  P.  Gephart. 

W.  H.Murray. 
1382.  Henry  Meyer. 

Benjamin  F.  Hunter 


PRESIDENT  JUDGES. 

Hon.  James  Riddle,  Ceutre  being  annexed  to  the  Fourth  District,  of 
which  he  was  in  1800  president  judge. 

Hon.  Thomas  Cooper,  district  being  composed  of  Franklin,  Mifflin,  Cen- 
tre, Hnntingdon,  and  Bedford. 

Hon.  Jonathan  Hoge  Walker,  conimisnioned  March  1,1806;  appointed 
judge  of  the  Distiict  Court  of  the  United  States  June,  1818,  and  re- 
moved to  Pittsburgh ;  died  at  Natchez,  Miss.,  January,  1824,  aged 
sixty-eight. 

Hon.  Charles  Huston,  commissioned  July  1,1818;  appointed  justice  of 
the  Supreme  Court  April  17,  1826. 

Hon.  Thomas  Burnside,  commissioned  April  20, 1826 ;  in  1841  transferred 
to  the  Bucks  and  Montgomery  District ;  Jan.  1, 1845,  commissioned 
justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania. 

Hon.  George  W.  Woodward,  April  9, 1841.  Dec.  10, 1841,  Judge  Wood- 
ward resigned,  but,  in  compliance  with  ui'gent  solicitations  from  the 
district.  Governor  Potter  declined  to  receive  tho  resignation,  and 
Judge  Woodward  consented  to  retain  his  commission;  April  27, 
1852,  Judge  Woodward  was  appointed  judge  of  the  Supieme  Court, 
rice  Hon.  Richard  Coulter,  deceased. 

Hon.  James  T.  Hale,  April  10,  1851. 

Hon.  Alexander  Jordan,  Dec.  1, 1851.  Judge  Jordan  died  at  Sunbury, 
Oct.  6,  '1878,  aged  eighty  years. 

Tho  Twenty-fifth  Judicial  District,  composed  of  the  counties  of  Centre, 
Cleaifleld,  and  Clinton,  was  Created  by  tho  act  of  April  9, 1853. 

Hon.  James  Burnside,  April  20, 1853;  died  in  office,  July  1,  1859. 

Hon.  James  Gamble,  July  15, 1850. 

Hon.  Samuel  Linn,  Nov.  5,  1859;  resigned  in  May,  1868. 

Hon.  J.  B.  McElinally,  June  2, 1868. 

Hon.  Charles  A.  Mayer,  Nov.  5, 1808 ;  re-elected  in  November,  1878. 

The  office  of  additional  law  judge  for  the  Tiventy-flfth  District  was  cre- 
ated by  the  act  of  April  9,  1874,  and  Hon.  Johu  II.  Orvis  appointed 
thereto;  he  was  re-elected  in  November  for  the  term  of  ten  years. 

ASSOCIATE  JUDGES. 
James  Potter,  commissioned  Oct.  20, 1800,  died  1818;  John  Barber,  com- 
missioned Oct.  22, 1800;  Adam  Harper,  commissioned  Dec.  1, 1800, 
died  Nov.  22,  1827  ;  Robert  Boggs,  commissioned  Dec.  2, 1800;  Isaac 
McKinney,  commissioned  Jan.  8, 1819  ;  Jacob  Kryder,  commissioned 
Dec.  10, 1827  ;  Samuel  Hunter  Wilson,  April  22, 1841,  died  July  22, 
1841,  age  48;  William  Smyth,  April  22, 1841 ;  John  Sliafer,  July  27_ 
1 841,  rice  S.  Hunter  Wilson,  deceased,  resigned  May  25, 1840 ;  George 
Biiil,  April  22, 1840,  rice  William  Smyth,  whose  term  expired;  Sam- 
uel Str.ihccker,  May  29, 1840,  rice  Judge  Shafer,  resigned ;  William 
Marshall,  April  28,1851,  vice  Judge  Boal;  Johu  Hasson,  Nov.  10, 
1.S51;  .Sainiiel  Stiohecker,  Nov.  10, 1851 ;  William  Burchfleld,  Nov. 
1-,  l^.•|0;  Henry  Barnhart,  Nov.  12, 1860;  Samuel  H.  Stover,  Nov. 
2  .,  ISOl ;  John  S.  Proudfoot,  Nov.  23, 1861 ;  John  Hosterman,  Dec. 
3,  18C0,  died  near  Centre  Hall  Dec.  27, 1875,  aged  54  years  ;  William 
Allison,  Jr.,  Dec.  3, 1860 ;  W.  W.  Love,  Nov.  17,  1871,  died  Aug.  1, 
1876,  aged  07  ;  Henry  Dopp,  Nov.  17,  1871 ;  John  Irwin,  Jr.,  Aug. 

*  Mr.  Wolfe  died  before  taking  bis  seat,  and  W.  K.  Alexander  waa 
elected  to  fill  his  place  at  a  special  election  held  Feb.  16, 1875. 


CIVIL  LIST. 


163 


17,  1876,  vice  W.  W.  Lovp,  iloceaseil ;  John  Divens,  Dec.  8,  1870 ; 
amnicl  Frank,  Dpc.  8,  18TC;  Jiihn  K.  Hunkle  and  J.  G.  Larimer, 
eleetpd  Nov.  8,  18S1. 

DEPUTY  ATTORNEY-GENEK.VLS. 
John  Miles,  1800;  Charles  Iliistiin,  18II5;  Thomas  Bumside,  Jan.  12, 
1809;  William  W.  Poller;  D.ivld  \V.  Htiling,  1818;  Gralz  Etiing, 
July  17,  1810;  James  S.  Petiikin;  Ephraim  Banks,  1827;  James 
MacmiMins,  1831,  reappointed  Feb.  28, 18:!:i :  James  T.Hale,  18:17; 
James  Macmaniis  in  January,  1840;  B.  liii-li  Pelrikin,  1815 ;  S.  G. 
Duuhaui,  December,  1848;  James  T.  Hale,  1849. 

DISTRICT   ATTORNEYS. 
James  II.  Rankin,  1850-59;  John   II.  Stover,  1859 ;  William   H.  Blair, 
1802;  II.  Y.  Stitzer,  18(i6-71  ;  John  F.  Potlc-r,  1S71  ;  J.  L.Spangler, 
1874  ;  D.  F.  Forlney,  1877  ;  \V.  G.  Heinle,  1S80. 

PROTHONOTARIES. 
Liiliard  Miles,  Oct.  22,  1800;  John  G.  Lowrey,  May  10,  1809;  Jcdin 
Rankin,  Feb.  2,  1818;  John  G.  Lowrey,  Feb.  8, 1821  ;  John  Rankin, 
Jan.  22, 1824  ;  William  L.  Smith,  March  3. 1830  ;  William  L.  Smith, 
died  in  oDice  March  11, 1831,  and  James  Gilliland  was  appointed  in 
his  place  March  23, 1831 ;  George  Bucluinan,  Jan.  12, 183U  ;  Charles 
Carpenter,  Nov.  14,  1839  ;  John  T.  Hoover,  Nov.  17, 18(5;  Geor-e  B. 
Weaver,  Nov.  27,  1854 ;  John  HofTer,  Nov.  17,  1867  ;  John  T.  John- 
ston, Nov.  19,  18CU;  James  II.  Lipton,  Nov.  2.3,  1803;  John  Moran, 
Nov.  23,  18C9,  died  Aug,  23,  1874;  Aaroji  William.s,  Nov.  13.  1872; 
J.  Calvin  Harper,  Dec.  U,  1878,  re-elected  in  November,  18RI. 

SHERIFFS. 
James  Duncan,  Oct.  28,  1800;  William  Rankin,  Oct.  25,  1803:  Roland 
Ourtin,  Nov.  14,  1800:  MiclAel  Bollinger,  Nov.  11,  1809;  .lohn  Ran- 
kin, Nov.  6, 1812  ;  William  Ale.\ander,  Dec.  1,  1815  ;  John  Mitchell, 
Oct.  23,  1818;  Joseph  Butler.  Oct.  22,  1821;  Thomas  Hastings,  Jr., 
Nov.  17, 1824;  Robert  Tate,'  Dec.  19, 1827;  Wiili^ini  Ward,  Oct.  22, 
1830;  George  Leidy,  Oct.  31,  18.33;  Williani  Ward,  Oct.  29,  1830; 
John  Tlu.mpson,  Nov.  28,  18.39,  died  Jifn.  22,  1870,  aged  seventj-- 
eight  yeaia,  in  Half-Moon  township;  William  Ward,  Nov.  24,  1842, 
removed  to  Erie  County  in  1848,  but  returned  to  Centre  County.and 
died  in  Lamar  township,  June  29,  1 852,  aged  sixty  ;  Thomas  M.Hall, 
Nov.  20, 1845,  died  at  Milesbiirg,  Nov.  1,  1879,  aged  seventy-three; 
"William  L.  Milaser,  Nov.  24,  1S48;  Joseph  J.  Lingle,  Nov.  20,  1851 ; 
Mordecai  Waddle,  Nov.  27,  1854;  Thomas  McCoy,  Nov.  29,1857; 
George  Ale.xander,  Dec.  1. 18GU;  Richard,  Conley,  Nov.  25, 1803,  died 
Sept.  3,  1880;  Daniel  Z.  Kline.  Dec.  3,  1800;  Daniel  W.  Woodring, 
Nov.  27, 1809;  Benjamin  F.  Sbaffer,  Nov.  13,1872;  Levi  W.  Munson, 
Dec.  14,  1875;  John  Spangler,  Dec.  11,  1878;  Thomas  J.  Dunkle, 
elected  Npv.  8,  1881. 

REGISTERS    4ND    RECORDERS. 
Richard  Miles,  Oct.  22,  1800;  William  Petrikin,  May  10,  ISOD,  recom- 
missioned  Feb.  2, 1818  ;  Franklin  B.  Smith,  Feb.  8,  1821 ;    William 
Pettit,  Jan.  22, 1824;  William  Welch,  Jan.  12, 1836  ;    Henry  F.  W. 
Schultze,  Jan.  23,  1839 ;    John  Toner,  Nov.  14,  1839;    M.  P.  Croth- 
waile,  Nov.  22, 1851;  Jesse  L.  Test,  Nov.  17, 18.57;  William  H.  Long- 
well,  Nov.  19,  1800;  J.  Philip  Gephart,  Nov.  23,  1803. 
By  the  act  of  April  1.5,  1809,  the  office  of  recorder  in  Centre  County 
was  separated  from  the  offices  of  register  and  clerk  of  the  courts. 

REGISTERS. 
John  H.  Morrison,  Nov.  23, 1809;  William  A.  Bnrclilield,  Dec.  14,  1870  ; 
James  A.  McClain,  elected  Nov.  8, 1881. 

RECORDERS. 
Israel  J.  Grenoble,  Nov.  25,  1809;    William  A.  Tobias,   Dec.   14,  1875; 
Frank  E.  Bible,  elected  Nov.  8, 1881. 

DEPUTY   SURVEYORS    OF    DISTRICTS    OF    WHICH   THE   TER- 
RITORY OF  CENTRE  AND  CLINTON  FORMED  A  PART  PRIOR 
TO  1600. 
William  Maclay,  Sept.  24, 1704;  Charles  Lukens,  May  22, 1759;  Thomas 
Smith,2  of  Bedford  County;  Joseph  J.  Wallis,  May  4,  1784;  John 
Canan,  of  Ilniitingdon  County,  Sei>t.  27, 1787  ;  James  Han  is,  Nov. 
19, 1789,  for  all  M  iffliu  Connly,  except  Upper  Bald  Eagle ;  Frederick 
Evans,  Jan.  8,  1790  ;  Daniel  Smith,  Aug.  10,  1795. 


1  Robert  Tate,  Esq  ,  died  on  the  30th  of  March,  1870,  at  his  resii 
n  Clinton  County,  aged  eighty  years. 

2  Afterwards  judge  of  the  Supreme  Court,  died  March  31, 1809. 


DEPUTY  SURVEYORS  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY. 
James  Harris,  Feb.  28, 1801 ;  William  Kerr,  Ainil  20, 181/9,  reappointed 
until  July  19, 1821 ;  James  Harris,  June  19, 1821  ;  Joseph  B.  Shuxerl, 
June  7, 1824;  Jacob  Bollinger,  May  19,  1830;  Joseph  F.  Quay,  June 
6, 1830;  Jacob  Bollinger,  May  10, 1839,  reappointed  and  licid  to  Jan. 
25,  1852,  elected  October,  1850;  Henry  P.  Treziynlny,  Jan.  25, 1854, 
app./inted  by  Court  of  (inartcr  Sessions;  N.  J.  Milehell,  Oct.  14, 
18.50;  Edward  A.  Green,  Oct.  11, 1859;  Henry  P.  Treziynluy,  March 
30,  1801.  appointed;  Alexander  Kerr,  Oct.  14, 1802;  Henry  P.  Trezi- 
ynlny.  May  1, 1803,  appointed;  Henry  P.  Trcziynliiy,  June  10, 1800, 
appointed  by  court  of  Centre  County;  William  P.  Mitchell,  Oct.  13, 
1808 ;  Edwin  J.  Deshlor,  Fi-h.  6,  IS09,  appoi]ited  by  Quarter  Ses«inii« ; 
William  P.  Mitchell,  Oct.  10,  1871;  Joseph  Devliug,  March  18,1876, 
appoi[ited;  Sauuiel  Brugger,  Nov.  2,  1880,  elected. 

COUNTY   COMMISSIONERS. 

The  first  board  was  composed  of  John  Hall,  David 
Barr,  and  Matthew  Allison,  with  Williani  Kerr  as 
clerk,  at  a  salary  of  one  hundred  dollars  per  year. 

1802,  David  Barr,  Christopher  Ilonney,  .Tames  Green;  1803,  Jacob  II. 'S- 
lerman;  1804,  John  Barrou;  1805,  James  Green;  1800,  John  Kry- 
der;  1807,  ChiistopherHenney;  1808,  ThonuisWadille;  1809,  Francis 
McEwen;  1810,  Jacob  Kryder,  Patrick  Cambridge,  clerk;  1811, 
Israel  Pennington;  1812,  James  Glen;  1813,  Jacob  Herring;  is: 4, 
J.  B.  Shugert,  John  Benner:  1815,  J.)lin  Patton,  D.  Mitchel,  clerk  ; 
1810,  Moses  Boggs,  1817,  John  ShalT.'r;  1818,  John  Moseer,  Espy 
Van  Home,  clerk;  1819,  Matthew  Allison,  Williani  Murray,  Henry 
Pedikin,  clerk;  1820,  Jacol;  Bollinger;  1821,  John  Adams;  1822, 
John  Hays,  Thomas  J.  Petrikin,  clerk;  1823,  Joseph  Cilliland; 
1824,  John  D.  McMullen;  1825,  George  Shineherger;  1820,  Jacoo 
Kryder,  H.  M.  Petlit,  clerk;  Nov.  28,  1827,  Jacob  Herring  ap- 
pointed, Mr.  Kryder  resigned;  1827,  Williani  McKibben;  1828, 
William  Kerr,  James  Bnrnside,  clerk;  1829,  Anthony  Klecknur; 
1830,  John  Thompson ;  1831,  John  Shaffer  and  Willnm  Kerr,  James 
Gilliland,  clerk;  1832,  John  Hostcrman ;  1833,  William  Smylh, 
Charles  McBride.cIeik  ;  1S34,  Thomas  A.  Smilh ;  1835,  P.  B.  Mosser  ; 

1830,  Andrew  Gregg,  S.  T.  Shngcrt,  clerk;  1837,  William  Fnrey; 
1838,  Jacob  Bollinger;  1839,  William  Idding;  1810,  Thomas  F. 
Stewart;  1841,  John  G.  Conser;  1842,  James  Dunlap;  1813,  P.  B. 
Gray;  1841,  Christian  Hoffer;  1845,  William  Carver,  J.  H.  Mc- 
Fadden,  clerk ;  1840,  J.  G.  Lauriniorc ;  1847,  Robert  Smith  ;  1818, 
Nathah  J.  Mitchell,  W.  II.  Blair,  clerk;  1849,  Samuel  Uess ;  1850, 
John  Eshel ;  1851,  P.  W.  Buruhart,  George  Livingston,  clerk ; 
18,52,  John  Baird;  1853,  John  Hosterman;  1854,  W.A.Davidson, 
uiid  in  office  in  1860;  1855,  Henry  Keller;  1850,  Jacob  PotUgrove 
and  Jacob  W.  Earhart,  vice  Davidson  ;  Jacob  W.  Earhart  re-elected 
1857,  George  Welch,  clerk,  died  17th  March,  1857,  and  George  H. 
Weaver  became  clerk;  Jacob  W.  Earhart  died  in  September,  1858, 
and  two  comuu<!.ioueis,  Frederick  Burkct  and  Thonnis  Hutchinson, 
elected  in  1858;  Ira  Fisher  elected  1S59,  John  T.  J..hn8ton,  clerk, 
succeeding  Theodore  Muffley  in  1800;  Jolin  McCalmont  elected 
commissioner  in  1800  (he  died  in  Tiffin,  Ohio,  Dec.  7,1879.  aged 
sixty-nine),  S.  M.  Irvin,  clerk  ;  lS01,'Amos  Alexander  (.lied  ManJi 
1,  I8S1);  1802,  William  Fnrey,  John  Moran.  clerk;  1803,  James 
Foreman  ;  1804,  John  L.  Gray  ;  1805,  Joshua  Potter;  KSOG,  William 
Fnrey  ;  1807,  Williani  Keller,  died  April  23,  1870,  and  S.  F.  Fo-ter 
appointed;  1808,  John  Biug;  1809,  Joseph  McCloskey,  Williani 
Fnrey,  clerk;  1870,  John  G.  Sankey;  1S71,  Samuel  F.  Foster;  IsTJ, 
Austin  C.  Ilinton  ;  1873,  Samuel  Giamly,  R.  H.  Forstcr,  clerk  :  1874, 
J.  N.  Hall;  1875,  H.  A.  Mingle,  Andrew  Gregg,  and  J.  Ncwlin 
Hall,  J.  S.  Barnhart,  clerk  ;  1877,  Henry  Beck,  clerk  ;  1878.  An.liew 
Gregg,  George  Swab,  and  Jacob  Dunkle;  1881,  A.  J.  GriesI,  J.,l,u 
Wolf,  and  H.  C.  Campbell. 

COUNTY  TREASURERS.' 
1800-3,  William  Lamb:  Nov.  15,  1803,  Roland  Cnrtin  ;  Nov.  20,  ISOC, 
Elisha  Moore;  1809-12,  Thomas  Bnrusi.ie;  1812-15,  Eli-lia  Mooiv; 
1815-17,  Patrick  Cambridge ;  Nov.  29,  1817,  John  Mitchell ;  Nov.  24, 
1820,  Patrick  Cambridge;  Nov.  21, 1823,  James  M.  Petrikin;  Xov. 
28,  182.'),  John  D.  Petrikin;  Jan.  7,  1828,  John  G.  Lowrey;  Jan.  0, 

1831,  William  A.  Thomas;  1834-30,  John  G. lowrey;  1837-39.  Wil- 
liam A.  Thomas;  1840,  John  G.  Lowrey;   October,  1841,  John  C. 


3  County  treasurers  were  appointed  annually  by  the  county  connnis- 
6  oner,  limited,  however,  to  three  yeal-s  in  a  term  of  six,  until  the  act  of 
Jan.  7,  ISll,  made  them  elective,  limiling  the  term  to  two  years. 


166 


IIISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Lowrey ;  1844-45,  Willinm  nmris ;  1 84G-47,  John  G.  Lowrey ;  1848-49, 
James  Gillilanil;  1830-51,  Williiim  Furey;  1852-53,  John  H.  Morri- 
son; 1854-65,  WilliiimHiirris;  1850-57,  George  Livingstou  ;  1858-59, 
Isaac  Buffington;  1860-01,  \V.  W.  Blown;  1802-63,  Dr.  J.  B.  Mit- 
chell, of  Bellefonte ;  1804-65,  John  Shannon ;  1866-G7,  J.  D.  Shugert ; 
1868-60,  A.  C.  Geary  ;  1870-71 ,  S.  S.  Wolf;  1872-73,  James  F.  Weaver ; 
1874-75,  J.  B.  Jlitchcll,  of  Ferguson  township;  1876-77,  D.  A.  Mus- 
ser;  1878-79,  1880-81,  Adam  Yeariclc;  Nov.  8,  1S81,  D.  C.  Keller. 

NOTARIES. 

William  Petrikin,  Dec.  17,  1813;  John  Montgomery,  Feh.  29,  18.i6; 
William  P.  Wilson,  July  9, 1857;  W.W.  Montgomery,  Jan.  14.1858; 
Ira  C.  Mitchell,  Jan.  24,18.59;  William  P.Wilson,  July  17,  1860; 
Cyrus  T.  Alexander,  Jan.  5,  1801  ;  W.W.  Montgomery,  Feb.  8, 1801 ; 
William  P.  Wilson,  July  22,1803;  Evan  Blanchard,  Jan.  14,1804; 
John  Montgomery,  Jan.  14,  1864;  Rnland  C.  Cheescman,  April  30, 
I860;  Evan  M.  Blanchard,  Jan.  7, 1867;  John  Mills  Hale,  April  30, 
1867  ;  W.  Wilson  Potter,  Jan.  10, 1S08 ;  George  Wasson,  June  22, 1808; 
Koland  C.  Cheeseman,  May  12,  1809;  Evan  M.  Blanchai-d,  Jan.  14, 
1870;  John  Mills  Hale,  April  27,  1870;  W.  W.Potter,  Dec.  29,  1870; 
George  E.  Hasson,  June  13,  1871 ;  B.  0.  Deninger,  March  16,  1872  ; 
Thomas  M.  Crissnian,  March  20,  1872  ;  K.  C.  Cheeseman, May  2, 1872  ; 
E.  M.  Blanchard,  Dec.  18,  1872;  John  M.  Hale,  M.irch  28,  1873; 
Levi  Murray,  May  5,  1873;  W.  Wilson  Potter.  Dec.  2.3,  1873; 
George  E.  Wasson,  Juno  29,  1874;  Jacob  W.  Snook,  Feb.  20',  1875; 
Roland  C.  Cheeseman,  March  20, 1875 ;  Owen  Hancock,  April  20, 1 875 ; 
George  E.  Wasson,  May  1,1875;  Evan  M.  Blanchard,  Jan.  13, 1870? 
W.  P.  Shoop,  Feb.  15,  1870;  Owen  Hancock,  March  2S,  1876;  John 
M.  Hale,  April  19,  1876;  W.  W.  Porter,  Jan.  16,  1877  ;  Samuel  D. 
Musser,  Jan.  29,  1878;  Henry  Stockbridge,  Feb.  0,  1878;  B.  C. 
Cheeseman,  March  11,  1878;  William  E.  Iiwin,  March  20,  1878; 
August  0.  Dininger,  Nov.  7,  1878;  Evan  M.  Blanchard,  Jan.  11, 
1878;  W.  P.  Shoop,  Feb.  25,  1878;  William  W.  Potter,  Dec.  20, 
1879  ;  H.  A.  McKee,Feb.  5,  1881 ;  William  E.Irwin,  March  11,1881 ; 
Wilbur  F.  Reeder,  May  23,  1881 ;  Harvey  II.  Benuor,  May  31, 1881 ; 
J.  D.Foote,  JunolO,  ISSl. 

JUSTICES   OF   THE   PEACE. 
First  District,  composed  of  the  townships  of  Haines,  Miles,  Logan,  and 
Gregg,  and  including  that  part  of  Sugar  valley  that  lies  in  Centre 
County: 

Michael  Bollinger  (Ilaini'sl,  Oct.  22,  1800;  John  M.  Beuck  (Haines), 
Dec.  2,  1800;  John  Kryjer  (Miles),  April  2,  1802;  Jacob  Herring 
(Haines),  March  0,  1810;  Paul  Wolf,  Jan.  7,  1814;  Henry  Myers 
(Miles),  Jan.  25,  1814;  Michael  Bollinger,  Dec.  1,1817;  Samuel  M. 
Kisscn,  Sept.  28,  1818;  George  Bear,  March  27,  1820;  Philip  Wolf- 
art,  Juno  2, 1821  ;  George  Buchanan,  Nov.  21, 1823;  Samuel  Miles, 
Dec.  8.  1823;  John  Keen,  Nov.  13,  1824;  John  G.  Couser,  Jnne  5, 
1827;  Thomas  Mcllhenny,  Oct.  2,  1827;  Jacob  Bollinger,  Feb.  21, 
1829;  Philip  B.  Mi«er,  March  13,1834;  John  Tonner,  Jr.,  Oct.  26, 
1835;  James  Cook,  Dec.  7,  1835;  Lott  Evans,  JIarch  21,  1836; 
Philip  Wolfart,  Feb.  20, 1838;  Henry  B.  Mussina,  May  7, 1S39. 

Second  District,  composed  of  the  townships  of  Potter  and  Ferguson. 
William  Early  (Potter),  December,  1800;  Thomas  Ferguson  (Ferguson), 
Oct.  22, 1800 ;  David  Whitehill  (Ferguson),  March  30,  1797 ;  William 
Kerr,  Jan.  2, 1804;  John  Patton,  Jan.  1,  1807;  John  Rankin,  Dec. 
20,  1809;  John  Thompion,  Oct.  29,  1811;  William  Cooper,  Oct.  24, 
1820;  William  Living.ston,  Mirch7,  1822;  Daniel  O'Bryiin,  N..V.  21, 
1823  (resigned  Out.  1,1825);  Ezekiel  Evans,  Nov.  21, 1823;  fhailes 
Carpenter,  Nov.  21,  1823;  William  Keatly,  Nov.  21,  1823;  Isaac 
Hazlett,  Feb.  26,  1825;  John  Bell,  Sept.  12,  1825  ;  William  Murray, 
Oct.  1,  1825;  James  Glenn,  Nov.  20,  1829;  William  Ilewes,  March 
19,  1830;  George  Jack,  Sei.t.  19,  1831  ;  William  McCloskey,  Dec.  7, 
1831;  Levi  Clemson,  June  12.  1833;  John  Barron,  Dec.  1,  1S35; 
John  Bell,  Dec.  7, 1835;  Christian  Dale,  Jr.,  Dec.  7, 1835. 

Third  District,  composed  of  the  townships  of  Patton,  Half-Moon,  and 

Kush,  including  Philipsburg. 

Charles  Treziyldny ;  John  Thompson,  April  1, 1805  ;  Jacob  Taylor,  July 
4,  1806,  resigned;  Josej.h  Putter,  Dec.  19,  1809,  resigned  ;  John  Lo- 
rain, Aug.  17,  1813;  John  Adams,  Nov.  2,  1820;  Thomas  Barlow, 
April  4,  1821;  Jacob  Way,  April  4,1822;  James  Kinnear,  Aug.  7, 
1823;  Jesse  Fulton,  Dec.  11,1823;  .lohn  Dale,  June  20, 1829  ;  Joseph 
B.  Shugert,  Dec.  10, 18i9 ;  Samuel  Way,  Dec.  14, 1829;  Peter B.  Gray, 
Feb.  7,  1831;  David  Jones,  May  29,  1832. 


Fourth  Di-*trict,  composed  of  the  townships  of  Spring,  Boggs,  Walker, 

and  Howard,  including  the  borough  of  Bellefonte. 

William  Petrikin,  Oct.  22, 1800 ;  William  McEwen,  Oct.  22, 1800 ;  Thomas 
Galmont,  Oct.  22,  1800 ;  William  Swanzey,  Oct.  22,  1800 ;  Richard 
Miles,  Jan.  2, 1802;  Elisha  Moore,  April  1,  1806;  Joseph  Miles,  April 
1,  1800  ;  James  Harris,  Oct,  20, 1808;  James  Packer,  March  7, 1810  ; 
James  Foster,  Nov.  8,  1810;  Matthew  Lietch,  Oct.  17,  1811;  James 
Crawford,  July  4,  1814:  John  Hays,  nice  Matthew  Lietch  (deceased). 
May  26, 1818;  Thomas  Waddle,  March  9,  1819;  John  McCalmont, 
Dec.  23,  1819;  Benjamin  Williams,  Nov.  2, 1820  ;  Joseph  Miles,  Jan. 
3, 1821 ;  Hugh  Riddle,  Feb.  18, 1822 ;  Edward  Purdue,  March  7, 1822  ; 
John  Hall,  Jr.,  March  14, 1823  ;  Jacob  Roop,  Dec.  11, 1823 ;  Absalom 
Liggit,  Dec.  9, 1823;  William  Tipton,  Dec.  9, 1823;  Henry  Vandyke, 
March  19,  1824;  James  Rothrock,  March  22,  .1824;  James  Alex- 
ander, May  11,  1824 ;  Joseph  Montgomery,  Jan.  3,  1825  ;  Samuel 
Hunter  Wilson,  April  18,  1825;  William  Carner,  March  11,  182!; 
William  Peltit,  April  23, 1828  ;  William  0.  Welch,  April  20,  1830  ; 
Philip  Benner,  Jr.,  July  21,  1828 ;  Samuel  J.  Green,  March  4,  1831  ; 
John  McBridc,  Jan.  15,  1833;  William  Smyth,  Jr.,  Aug.  19,1833; 
James  Armor,  March  17,1834;  Thomas  McKeo,  Nov.  23, 1835  ;  David 
J.  Pruner,  March  2, 1839. 
Fifth  District,  composed  of  the  townships  of  Bald  Eagle  and  Lamar. 

Matthew  Allison,  Oct.  22,  1800;  William  White,  July  16,  1812;  John' 
Lorain,  for  the  district  including  the  town  of  Philipsbui-g,  Aug.  17, 
1813  ;  David  Allen,  June  5, 1818 ;  Hugh  McClelland,  March  29, 1821 ; 
William  P.  Brady,  Dec.  8,  1823;  George  Leidy,  March  31,  1827; 
David  Allison,  March  17,1829;  George  Ohl,  April  1,1829;  Joseph 
F.  Quay,  Aug.  3, 1829;  Mark  Wilson,  Dec.  24,  1833  ;  George  Piatt, 
March  7, 1834;  Hugh  MoFadden,  M.irch  17, 1835;  George  Bressler, 
June  30,  1837;  George  Ohl,  Nov.  2:^*1839, 

By  the  act  of  June  21,  1839,  justices  of  the  peace 
were  made  elective  in  boroughs  and  townships,  and 
lists  will  be  found  ynder  the  head  of  the  respective 
boroughs  and  townships  of  those  elected  who  were 
commissioned. 


CHAPTER  LIX. 

INTERNAL   IMPROVEMENTS. 

Foe  a  long  period  after  settlements  were  first  com- 
menced in  the  territory  of  Centre  County,  the  only 
methods  of  transportation  of  produce  and  iron  were 
carriage  by  horses,'  afterwards  by  wagon  over  such 
roads  as  there  were,  and  by  arks  at  such  times  in  the 
year  as  the  creek.s  were  navigable.  Favorable  legisla- 
tion upon  internal  improvement  was  early  sought  by 
the  enterprising  settlers  and  readily  granted. 

As  early  as  the  9th  of  March,  1771,  Bald  Eagle 
Creek  was  declared  a  public  highway  as  far  up  as 
Spring  Creek  ;  on  the  4th  of  JIarch,  1807,  eight  miles 
farther  up  to  Joseph  Williams'  land;  and  April  1, 
1822,  up  to  the  mouth  of  Laurel  Run. 

Penn's  Creek  was  declared  a  public  highway  March 
9, 1771,  for  twenty  miles  up,  and  as  far  as  the  mouth  of 
Sinking  Creek  (Spring  Mills)  April  3,  1792,  and  up 
to  its  source  March  2,  1827;^  Spring  Creek,  up  to 
Logan's  Branch  (Bellefonte)  Feb.  26,  1796;  Moshan- 
non  Creek,  from  its  mouth  to  five  miles  above  Philips- 
burg March  5, 1804 ;  Marsh  Creek,  from  its  confluence 

1  Gen.  Benner  for  many  years  sent  his  iron  to  Pittsburgh  on  pack- 
siidilles,  each  horse  carrying  three  hundred  pounds. 

2  Repealed  May  27, 1811,  lietweoa  Duncan's  Mill  and  the  head  of  tlio 
creek. 


INTERNAL   IMPROVEMENTS. 


167 


with  the  Bald  Eagle  to  Jacob  Boone's  saw-mill,  about 
five  miles,  Jan.  IG,  181.3;  Beech  Creek,  from  its  mouth 
up  to  Eddy's  Lick  March  4,  1815;  Fishing  Creek, 
from  the  mouth  of  Bank's  Run  to  the  lands  of  .Tosfph 
Anthony,  in  Logan  township,  Feb.  18,  1824;  Sinking 
Creek,  from  the  mouth  thereof  to  Christian  Keller's 
mill  Dec.  21,  1826;  Pine  Creek,  from  its  mouth  up  to 
John  Neidigli's  saw-mill  March  2,  1827. 

The  first  ark  launched  successfully  on  Penu's  Creek 
was  built  by  Thomas  Treaster,  in  1807,  at  the  mouth 
of  Sinking  Creek  ;  the  whole  people  of  the  neighbor- 
hood assembled  to  see  it  launched.  A  few  instances 
of  the  serious  losses  attendant  upon  transportation  by 
arks  may  be  properly  given  in  this  connection.  The 
Bellefonte  Patriot  of  March  9,  1826,  speaks  of  the 
streams  being  in  fine  rafting  order.  Valentines  & 
Thomas  sent  off  from  Milesburg  on  Saturday  after- 
noon an  ark  laden  with  bar  iron  for  the  Baltimore 
market,  but  the  ark  was  staved  in  passing  over  a  saw- 
mill dam  in  Boggs  township.  On  Monday  following, 
John  Irwin,  of  Penn's  valley,  started  another  ark  with 
five  hundred  barrels  of  flour.  There  are  several  other 
arks  at  Milesburg  ready  to  start,  but  detained  by  a 
swell  of  the  waters.  Bald  Eagle  was  swollen  two  feet 
above  high-water  mark.  There  will  be  more  produce 
exported  from  this  county  the  present  season  than 
tliere  has  ever  been  heretofore.  At  one  mill  conve- 
nient to  Bellefonte  ten  thousand  bushels  of  wheat 
were  ground  for  the  Baltimore  market.  The  same 
paper  of  March  16th  says,  "An  ark  freighted  with 
wheat,  the  property  of  Col.  Snyder,  John  McCalmont, 
Esq.,  and  Mr.  Beck,  was  snagged  off  Jersey  shore  in 
attempting  to  land,  and  the  entire  cargo  lost.  An- 
other ark,  the  property  of  Roland  Curtin,  went  to  the 
Bottom  in  Bald  Eagle,  freighted  with  pig  metal,  and 
a  young  man  named  Peters  was  drowned  ;  he  leaves  a 
wife  and  child." 

Some  reference  to  the  amount  of  property  sent  to 
market  the  year  before  the  building  of  the  canal  by 
arks  will  be  interesting.  From  a  memorandum  of  the 
late  James  D.  Harris  it  appears  that  by  the  freshet  in 
March,  183.5,  there  were  sent  in  arks  averaging  forty- 
five  tons  each  by, — 

Arks.    Y''"'    ''"'•'■■-"■ 

tuns.  tuns. 

VHleiltiups  &  TlKimas 5  180  45 


Roland  Curtin 6 


,  lioje 


W.  W.  Uuston 8  270  00 

Three  arks  with  flour,  by  sundry  persons,  fourteen 
hundred  barrels.  W.  W.  Huston  has  three  ark-loads, 
one  hundred  and  fifty  tons,  yet  to  send,  but  has  no 
arks.  There  will  be  six  thousand  bushels  of  wheat, 
one-half  is  in  store-house  now. 

Roads. — The  first  road  entering  Centre  County 
from  the  east  was  the  result  of  individual  enterprise. 
In  1771,  Reuben  Haines,  who  subsequently  owned  all 
the  valley  lands  from  Woodward  to  Spring  Mills,  cut 
a  road  from  the  ravine  below  the  present  site  of  the 


Northumberland  bridge  on  the  Su.squehanna  River, 
along  the  south  side  of  Buffalo  valley,  through  the 
Penn's  Valley  Narrows.  Haines'  four-mile  tree  ha« 
designated  the  centre  of  the  Narrows  ever  since. 

The  residents  of  Penn's  valley  moved  very  early  in 
the  matter  of  public  roads.  At  August  sessions,  177-3, 
upon  the  petition  of  the  inhabitants  of  Bald  Eagle 
township  (Potter  township  not  then  being  in  exist- 
ence), viewers  were  appointed  to  lay  out  a  road  from 
the  east  end  of  the  Great  Plains'  to  Sunbury,  and 
James  Potter,  John  Thompson,  John  McMuUen, 
William  Livingston,  and  John  Wilcot  were  of  the 
viewers.  They  reported  a  road  in  February,  1775, 
and  at  the  same  time  the  road  from  Lewisburg  to  the 
Narrows  was  reported  by  another  set  of  viewers.  The 
Haines  road  and  the  Great  Plains  road  were  replaced 
by  viewers  who  were  appointed  at  November  sessions, 
1786,  to  lay  a  new  road  from  the  upper  part  of  Penn's 
valley  to  Jenkins'  mill  and  Sunbury,  "  to  take  the 
place  of  the  old  road  whose  badness  is  well  known." 
At  November  sessions,  1787,  the  road  commencing  at 
the  head  of  Penn's  valley,  thence  through  Aarons- 
burg  to  Davidson's  Ferry,  on  the  river,  was  reported. 
This  road  ran  through  the  north  side  of  Buffalo  val- 
ley. 

At  February  sessions,  1789,  the  court  appointed 
Alexander  Hastings,  James  Potter,  Jr.,  Abel  Moore, 
William  King,  Adam  Reynolds,  and  Alexander 
Johnston  to  lay  out  a  road  from  the  main  road  at 
Pennington's  field  in  Penn's  valley  to  the  road  be- 
tween Penn's  valley  and  the  Kishacoquillas.  How- 
ell's map  of  1792  has  laid  upon  it  a  main  road  coming 
through  the  Narrows,  with  stations  marked  Hubler's, 
(half  a  mile  west  of  Woodward),  George  McCormick 
(Spring  Mills),  Potter's  fort,  thence  by  Slab  Cabin  to 
the  Little  Juniata,  near  Birmingham.  Mitflin  County 
being  erected  in  1789  hyaline  running  by  Spring  Mill, 
and  that  part  of  Potter  remaining  in  Northumber- 
land County  being  at  February  sessions,  1790,  des- 
ignated Haines  township,  the  records  of  the  roads  of 
the  latter,  as  well  as  Bald  Eagle  east  of  Beech  Creek, 
will  be  found  at  Sunbury.  For  Potter  and  Upper 
Bald  Eagle,  west  of  Beecn  Creek,  after  1789,  they  will 
be  found  in  Lewistown. 

At  the  March  sessions  in  1790,  Andrew  Gregg,  of 
Potter  township,  presented  a  petition  for  a  road  be- 
ginning at  the  end  of  his  lane,  and  extending  thence 
by  the  nearest  and  best  way  to  the  dwelling-house  of 
James  Potter,  so  continuing  by  the  nearest  course  to 
the  Cedar  Creek  Congregation  meeting-house  in  Pot- 
ter township.  The  court  appointed  as  viewers  Adam 
Reynolds,  Duncan  McVickar,  Thomas  Sankey,  James 
Potter,  Robert  McKimm,  and  John  Ingraam,  and 
confirmed  their  report  at  the  March  sessions  of  1791. 
In  June,  1790,  responsive  to  a  petition  from  citizens 
of  Bald  Eagle  township,  a  road  was  laid  from  the  end 


1  The  Credit  Pliiin 
Fort  aud  coutiguou 


gnated  llmt  part  of  the  vaUi'j-  south  of  lUo  Old 


1C8 


HISTORY  OP   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


of  Nitt.aiiy  Mountain  (adjoining  a  road  'leading  from 
Potter's  Jlills  iu  Potter's  township),  thence  by  the 
nearest  and  best  way  to  Philip  Antes'  mill  in  Bald 
Eagle  township.  Tlie  viewers  were  Robert  Boggs, 
William  Lamb,  Isaac  Connelly,  Philip  Antes,  James 
Potter,  and  Robert  McKimm.  '  ' 

At  September  sessions,  1790,  of  Mifflin  Count}', 
upon  petition  of  citizens  of  Potter  and  Bald  Eagle 
townships,  viewers  were  appointed  to  lay  out  the  road 
leading  from  Jacob  Jack's  mills,  in  Potter  township, 
by  the  end  of  Nittany  Mountain,  to  Joshua  Williams' 
saw-mill  in  upper  Bald  Eagle  township  at  Bald  Eagle's 
Nest.  The  viewers  who  laid  out  this  road  were  Enoch 
Hastings,  Abel  Moore,  Michael  Jack,  Thomas  Fer- 
guson, James  Lamb,  and  Robert  Moore,  and  their 
report  was  confirmed  at  December  sessions.  This  was 
the  road  from  Slab  Cabin  down  Spring  Creek  to  Miles- 
burg. 

In  March,  1791,  upon  petition  of  citizens  of  Bald 
Eagle  and  Potter,  William  Swansey,  Thomas  McCal- 
niont,  James  Potter,  Tliom.as  Sankey,  David  Evans, 
and  Duncan  McVickar  were  appointed  viewers  to 
lay  out  a  road  from  Bald  Eagle  Creek  through  Lick 
Run  Gap  into  Nittany  valley,  and  thence  by  the 
nearest  and  best  way  to  James  Potter's  mill  in  Penn's 
valley,  where  it  joins  a  road  already  laid  out.  This 
is  the  old  road  from  Howard  borough  through  Nit- 
tany valley,  thence  through  Logan  Gap  (now  called 
Hecla)  to  Potter's  Mills. 

At  June  se.ssions,  1791,  viewers  were  appointed  to 
lay  out  the  road  from  the  lower  end  of  George's 
valley  (Spring  Mills)  to  Potter's  Mills,  thence  to  the 
Cedar  Spring  meeting-house,  passing  near  Joseph 
Allender's  tan-yard,  thence  to  the  Sunbury  road. 

At  the  same  sessions  viewers  were  appointed  to  lay 
a  road  from  Capt.  Swanzey's,  at  the  Northumberland 
County  line,  thence  near  the  south  side  of  Muncy 
ridge  by  Spring  Creek  lick  to  meet  the  road  laid  out 
through  Warrior  Mark  settlement  and  to  extend  to 
the  Huntingdon  County  line.  This  is  the  old  road 
from  Jacksonville  by  way  of  Bellefonte  up  Buffalo 
Run  through  Stormstown  to  Centre  line. 

At  November  sessions,  1793,  viewers  were  appointed 
to  lay  out  a  road  from  Spring  Creek,  near  William 
Lamb's,  to  the  Centre  Furnace,  and  thence  to  the 
summit  of  Tussey  Mountain,  where  the  old  Bald 
Eagle  path  crossed  said  mountain  at  the  Hunting- 
don County.  This  was  the  old  road  leading  south 
from  Bellefonte,  crossing  Logan's  Branch  near  the 
present  turnpike  gate,  thence  over  the  hill  to  Rock 
Iron- Works,  thence  through  Houserville  to  Centre 
Furnace,  thence  by  Pine  Grove  Mills  over  the  raouu- 
tain.     The  road  was  confirmed  in  August,  1794. 

In  August,  1794,  viewers  were  appointed  to  lay  out 
a  road  in  Potter  and  Bald  E;igle  from  the  Centre 
Furnace,  through  what  was  commonly  known  as  the 
"  Back  Plains,"  near  Nittany  Mountain,  and  on  the 
south  side  thereof,  to  intersect  the  great  road  from  the 
West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna  through  Brush  val- 


ley to  the  line  of  Mifflin  County.  This  is  the  road 
through  Linden  Hall,  Centre  Hall,  to  Madisonburg, 
anc^  its  object  was  to  enable  Col.  Miles'  tenants  and 
those  to  whom  he  sold  lands  to  haul  wood  and  the 
products  of  their  farms  to  Centre  Furnace. 

At  the  same  sessions  a  road  was  laid  out  between 
Potter's  Mills  by  way  of  Col.  Potter's  bridge  and 
Christopher  Henney's  house  to  the  end  of  Nittany 
Mountain. 

In  August,  1795,  viewers  were  appointed  to  lay  out 
a  road  from  the  mouth  of  Beech  Creek  up  the  Bald 
Eagle  valley  to  Milesburg,  at  the  mouth  of  Spring 
Creek.  This  road  was  confirmed  at  November  ses- 
sions, 1797.  In  April,  1796,  viewers  were  appointed 
to  lay  out  the  road  from  Buffalo  Run  over  to  Pleas- 
ant Gap,  then  known  as  Connelly's.  In  1798  the  road 
from  Milesburg  up  to  David  Evans',  now  LTnionville, 
and  thence  to  Philipsburg,  was  laid  out.  In  1799 
the  road  across  the  Seven  Mountains  was  opened 
and  made  by  individual  subscription,  and  the  grand 
jury  of  Mifflin  County  appro[)riated  three  hundred 
dollars  to  make  the  three  bridges  over  Laurel  Run. 
These  embrace  the  main  thoroughfares  through  the 
county  up  to  1800,  when  the  county  was  erected. 

State  Roads. — On  the  4th  of  April,  1796,  an  act  was 
passed  authorizing  the  Governor  to  appoint  three  com- 
missioners to  estimate  the  expense  of  opening  and 
making  a  good  wagon-road  from  Bald  Eagle  Nest,  or  the 
end  of  Nittany  Mountain,  to  the  town  of  Erie,  and  to 
cause  the  road  to  be  surveyed  and  staked  out.  This 
road  was  laid  out,  and  April  10,  1799,  an  appropria- 
tion was  made  for  opening  and  improving  it  from 
Milesburg  to  the  Allegheny  River,  and  from  thence 
to  Le  Bffiuf  (Waterford,  Erie  Co.).  On  the  11th  of 
April,  1799,  a  State  road  was  authorized  from  Miffliu 
County  through  the  Seven  Mountains  to  Potter's  Mills 
road. 

The  State  road  from  Bellefonte  through  Sugar  val- 
ley to  the  Susquehanna  River,  at  the  mouth  of  Wliite 
Deer  Creek,  was  laid  out  by  Francis  McEwen,  of 
Centre;  Andrew  McClenachan,  of  Union  ;  and  Jacob 
Antes,  of  Lycoming,  under  act  of  29th  March,  1824. 

The  State  road  from  Philipsburg  to  Indiana  town 
•was  authorized  by  act  of  11th  of  April,  1825,  Joseph 
B.  Shugert,  of  Centre,  being  one  of  the  commissioners 
named  therein. 

The  Turnpike  Era. — The  turnpike  era  commenced 
in  Pennsylvania  with  the  incorporation  of  a  company 
to  build  a  turnpike  road  from  Philadelphia  to  Lan- 
caster, April  9,  1792.  The  Centre  turnpike  from 
Reading  to  Sunbury  was  authorized  by  the  act  of 
25th  March,  1805,  and  on  the  19th  of  March,  1810, 
this  sort  of  communication  was  sought  to  be  extended 
from  Sunbury  to  Aaronsburg  by  an  act  authorizing 
the  incorporation  of  the  Buffalo  and  Penn's  valley 
turnpike  road.  Among  the  commissioners  named  in 
the  act  were  James  Duncan,  Michael  Bollinger,  Wil- 
liam Rankin,  and  John  Dunlop,  of  Centre  County. 

This  was  followed  Feb.  22,  1812,  by  an  act  author- 


INTERNAL   IMPROVEMENTS. 


1C9 


izing  the  incorporation  of  a  company  for  making  an 
artificial  road  from  Nortiiumberland  tliroiigliSunbury, 
Youngnianstown,  Aaronsburg,  Bellefonte,  and  Miles- 
burg,  to  the  river  in  Clearfield  County,  to  be  known 
as  "Tlie  Northumberland  and  Anderson's  Creek 
Turnpike."  Among  the  commissioners  were  James 
Duncan,  Lyons  Mussena,  Andrew  Gregg,  William 
Irvin,  John  Dunlop,  Roland  Curtin,  Isaac  McKinney, 
PliilipBenner,  and  Matthew  Allison,  of  Centre  County. 
This  authority  was  renewed  M)irch  14,  1814,  to  run 
for  three  years  more  from  Feb.  22,  1815,  and  again  re- 
newed March  20, 1818,  with  additional  commissioners, 
Hardu)au  Philips  and  Joseph  M.  Fox,  of  Centre 
County,  for  five  years,  with  authority  to  lay  the  road 
either  through  Milesburg  or  by  any  other  route  to 
Philipsburg. 

The  financial  depression  which  ensued  upon  tlie  close 
of  the  war  of  1812  stopped  all  material  progress  in  this 
enterprise,  and  it  was  not  until  the  29th  of  March, 
1819,  the  project  was  revived  by  an  act  dividing  the 
contemplated  road  into  sections.  "The  Youngnians- 
town and  Aaronsburg  Turnpike  Company,"  "The 
Aaronsburg  and  Bellefonte  Turnpike  Company,"  and 
"  The  Bellefonte  and  Philipsburg  Turnpike  Company" 
were  tlie  corporate  names  applied  by  this  act  to  the 
companies,  together  with  "The  Philipsburg  and  Sus- 
quehanna Turnpike  Company,"  to  make  the  sections 
indicated  by  these  names. 

The  Philipsburg  and  Susquehanna  turnpike  com- 
missioners— John  C.  Montgomery,  president,  and 
William  Bagshaw — pressed  on  their  portion,  and 
completed  their  contemplated  distance,  eighteen  and 
a  half  miles,  by  April,  1822,  when  the  first  tolls  were 
taken.  Received  -individual  subscriptions  to  the 
amount  of  six  thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  and 
State  assistance  to  the  amount  of  sixteen  thousand 
dollars. 

The  contemplated  distance  of  the  Bellefonte  and 
Philipsburg  portion  was  twenty-eight  and  a  half 
miles.  Tills  company,  of  which  Thomas  Burnside 
was  president,  William  Brindle,  treasurer,  called  in 
the  first  installment  in  stock  Feb.  27,  1821.  Received 
subscriptions  to  the  amount  of  twelve  thousand  five 
hundred  dollars;  State  aid  to  the  amount  of  twenty 
thousand  dollars.  In  July,  1822,  public  announce- 
ment was  made  that  this  important  section  of  the 
Northumberland  a-nd  Waterford  turnpike  which 
passes  over  the  Allegheny  Mountains  was  completely 
finished,  and  the  road  to  Erie  completed;  distance, 
one  hundred  and  eighty-seven  miles.  It  was  what 
was  called  a  clay  turnpike,  and  boasted  of  as  one  of 
the  most  convenient  and  easy  roads  for  traveling  in 
the  United  States.  Says  a  writer,  "One  can  pass 
without  a  jolt"  to  the  Rattlesnake  Hotel  (kept  by 
Benjamin  Lucas  and  Betsey),  on  the  very  summit  of 
the  Allegheny  Mountain,  where  the  prospect  is  grand 
beyond  any  power  to  describe,  and  where  one  can 
have  his  horses  treated  with  the  purest  water,  and 
himself  regaled  with   the  choicest   whiskey   bitters. 


From  thence  along  the  summit  of  the  mountain  to 
the  neat,  cleanly,  and  comfortable  cottage  of  Mr. 
Craddock,  where  he  can  breakfast  on  venison,  pheas- 
ant, and  trout,  and  before  meridian  will  be  rolling  at 
his  ease  in  Philipsburg." 

The  act  of  April  2,  1822,  now  intervened,  which 
after  continuing  the  authority  for  another  four  years 
of  the  former  act,  provided  that  no  subscription 
should  be  made  in  tlie  part  of  the  State  to  any  of  the 
companies  authorized  to  be  incorporated  to  make  the 
roads  between  Northumberland  and  Bellefonte. 

This  checked  the  progress  of  the  turnpike  enter- 
prise for  a  while,  but  did  not  paralyze  the  energy  of 
Hon.  Thomas  Burnside,  who  was  its  leading  spirit, 
and  whose  whole  soul  was  aglow  during  his  whole 
life  with  projects  of  internal  improvement.  Through 
his  agency  (he  was  Speaker  of  the  Senate  in  182.5)  a 
supplement  to  the  old  long-titled  act  for  making  an 
artificial  road  from  Northumberland  to  Milesburg  was 
passed,  consolidating  the  second  and  third  sections 
of  the  road  under  one  section,  to  be  made  by  a  cor- 
poration to  be  styled  "  The  Bellefonte,  Aaronsburg 
and  Youngnianstown  Turnpike  Company,"  with 
James  Duncan,  Philip  Benner,  Isaac  McKinney,  and 
himself  as  commissioners  on  the  part  of  Centre 
County.     This  became  a  law  April  11,  1825. 

The  company  was  authorized  to  commence  either 
at  Y''oungmanstown  or  Bellefonte,  or  on  the  Centre 
and  Kishacoquillas  turnpike  south  of  Bellefonte. 
James  Duncan  was  the  first  president  of  the  company, 
John  M.  Beuck,  of  Aaronsburg,  the  secretary,  and 
John  Forster  treasurer.  They  advertise  the  first  sec- 
tion of  six  miles  to  be  sold  to  contractors  at  the  house 
of  David  Cook,  on  the  11th  of  April,  1826.  This  ex- 
tended from  Potter's  Fort  Hotel,  then  kept  by  George 
Withington,  to  Spring  Mills;  the  second  section  ex- 
tended to  Aaronsburg;  the  third  to  Henry  Roush's 
tavern  at  the  end  of  the  Narrows ;  the  fourth  to 
Mifflinburg;  whole  distance,  thirty-four  miles. 

The  Centre  and  Kishacoquillas  Turnpike  Road 
Company  originated  with  the  act  of  March  7,  1821, 
the  appropriation  act  of  that  year  allowing  the  Gov- 
ernor to  subscribe  for  four  hundred  shares.  Subscrip- 
tion books  were  opened  28th  of  May,  1821.  The  first 
meeting  of  stockholders  was  held  Dec.  3,  1821.  Geu. 
Philip  Benner  was  elected  president ;  Managers, 
John  Furey,  Jacob  Valentine,  William  W.  Potter, 
William  I.  Wilson,'  William  H.  Patterson,  James 
Potter,  William  Thompson,  William  Brown,  Jr., 
John  Johnston,  Robert  W.  Jacobs,  James  Criswell, 
and  E.  B.  Patterson;  Treasurer,  John  Norris  ;  Secre- 
tary, Foster  Milliken ;  John  Mitchell,  engineer  to 
lay  out  the  road  in  conjunction  with  a  committee 
of  the  board,  Messrs.  Brown,  Potter,  and  W.  H. 
Patterson.  Foster  Milliken  became  treasurer  by 
the  resignation  of  John  Norris.  Five  miles  from 
the  Lewistown  and  Kishacoquillas  road,  at  Abner 

1  Dr.  W.  I.  Wilson  is  the  sole  survivor  (1SS2). 


170 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Reed's,  reported  completed  Nov.  4,  1822,  and  on  the 
20th  of  November  five  miles  from  Bellefonte  south 
were  reported  completed,  and  the  first  payment  of 
$4000  from  the  State  received  Dec.  7, 1822.  The  first 
report  made  to  the  auditor-general,  Jan.  1,  1825, 
shows  the  total  cost  of  making  road,  including  toll- 
houses, was  $35,096.62,  of  which  the  State  paid 
$20,000;  tolls  received  in  1824,  $1-020.07;  1825, 
$1196.35;  1826,11172.16;  distance,  twenty-one  miles 
between  those  two  points. 

The  incorporation  of  the  Huntingdon  and  Philips- 
burg  Turnpike  Company  was  authorized  by  the  act  of 
March  3,  1825. 

The  Milesburg  and  Smethport  Turnpike  Company 
was  authorized  by  act  of  11th  of  April,  1825,  Eoland 
Curtin  and  John  Mitchell,  commissioners  on  the  part 
of  Centre  County  ;  Peter  H.  Karthaus,  of  Clearfield 
County,  et  al.  The  location  of  the  roads,  as  made  by 
John  Mitchell,  Esq.,  was  adopted  Sept.  7,  1825,  Abra- 
ham Valentine  appointed  superintendent  of  that  part 
between  Wallis'  Run  and  Snow  Shoe,  and  work  com- 
menced thereon  the  same  fall. 

The  Bald  Eagle,  Nittany  and  Bellefonte  Turnpike 
Company  was  authorized  by  the  act  of  March  30, 1831, 
commencing  near  Mill  Hall,  and  passing  through  the 
Fishing  Creek  Narrows;  and  on  the  14th  of  April, 
1834,  the  turnpike  from  Bald  Eagle  Bridge,  through 
Nittany  valley  to  the  Brush  valley  road  in  Miles 
township  was  authorized,  called  "  the  Bald  Eagle, 
Nittany  and  Brush  Valle}'  Turnpike  Company;"  of 
the  latter  road  George  Bressler  was  president,  Saul 
McCormick  secretary,  and  the  first  five  miles  let  on 
the  21st  of  November,  1834. 

The  Boalsburg  and  Bellefonte  Turnpike  Road  Com- 
pany was  incorporated  April  30,  1850  (P.  L.  642),  to 
make  a  road  from  Boalsburg  to  intersect  the  Centre 
and  Kishacoquillas  turnpike  above  Boiling  Spring; 
James  Burnside  was  president,  and  the  road  was  put 
under  contract  in  February,  1852. 

The  Glade  and  Philipsburg  Turnpike  Company  was 
incorporated  April  27,1852;  H.  Hume,  president; 
five  miles  of  the  road  from  Walkersville  to  Storms- 
tQwn,  across  the  mountain  to  the  plank  road,  was  let 
in  April,  1853. 

The  Agricultural  College  and  Junction  Turnpike 
Road  Company  was  incorporated  May  6,  1869  (P.  L. 
1867,  1352),  to  connect  the  Agricultural  College  with 
the  Boalsburg  and  Bellefonte  turnpike. 

The  Millheim  Turnpike  Road  Company  was  char- 
tered in  1879,  under  the  general  corporation  act  of 
April  29,  1874,  and  built  its  road,  about  two  miles  and 
one-half  in  length,  from  Millheim  to  the  Lewisburg, 
Centre  and  Spruce  Creek  Railroad  at  Coburn  Station 
during  that  year. 

Canals. — The  act  providing  for  the  construction  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Canal  became  a  law  Feb.  25,  1826, 
and  March  24,  1828,  the  canal  commissioners  were 
authorized  to  locate  and  contract  for  tlie  making  of 
the  canal  from  Northumberland  to  Bald  Eagle  Creek, 


and  on  the  1st  of  April,  1834,  the  Bald  Eagle  and 
Spring  Creek  Navigation  Company  was  authorized  to 
be  incorporated  to  continue  canal  navigation  to  Belle- 
fonte. The  names  of  the  commissioners  were  Roland 
Curtin,  Thomas  Burnsiile,  Bond  Valentine,  James 
Irvin,W.  W.  Potter,  Joseph  Harris,  Joseph  Miles, 
John  Rankin,  and  Andrew  Gregg,  Jr.  By  the  act  of 
the  7th  of  April,  1835,  the  faith  of  the  State  was 
pledged  for  the  payment  of  an  interest  of  five  per 
cent,  semi-annually  to  the  subscribers  to  the  stock  on 
a  sum  not-exceeding  $200,000  for  a  period  of  twenty- 
five  years,  for  which  certificates  of  stock  were  to  be 
issued  to  the  Commonwealth  by  the  provisions  of  the 
act  of  the  31st  of  March,  1836. 

On  the  ISth  of  May,  1835,  bids  were  received  in 
Philadelphia,  and  the  sum  of  $180,000  obtained  at  a 
premium  of  one-eighth  of  one  per  cent.,  and  on  the 
30th  of  the  same  month  the  balance  of  the  stock  re- 
served for  Centre  County,  $20,000,  was  taken  in  Belle- 
fonte at  the  same  premium.  The  letters  patent  were 
issued  on  the  5th  of  June,  and  the  board  organized 
on  the  first  Monday  of  July,  1835;  Thomas  Burnside, 
president;  John  G.  Lowrey,  treasurer;  James  Gregg, 
secretary,  who  shortly  resigned  and  Henry  Petrikin 
was  chosen  in  his  place. 

M.  R.  Stealey,  the  principal  engineer,  located  the 
canal.  His  assistants  were  Charles  S.  Baird  and 
David  Mitchell,  Jr.  The  first  letting  was  on  the  10th 
of  September,  of  all  that  part  of  the  line  between 
Lock  Haven  and  Butler's  place,  a  distance  of  twelve 
and  a  half  miles.  The  whole  distance  from  the 
bridge  at  Bellefonte  to  the  State  dam  on  Bald  Eagle 
being  twenty-five  miles  and  twenty-five  perches;  the 
estimated  cost  of  the  whole  line,  two  hundred  and 
seventy-five  thousand  dollars.  Owing  to  high  freshets 
in  Bald  Eagle  Creek  in  the  fall  of  1836,  the  Beech 
Creek  dam  could  not  be  finished.  It  was  completed 
in  August,  1837,  together  with  the  Marsh  Creek  and 
Howard  dams,  and  the  water  let  into  the  canal  from 
the  Howard  dam  on  the  7th  of  November,  1837. 
The  total  expenditures  up  to  Dec,  31,  1837,  was 
$152,057.22.  Oct.  6,  1838,  the  water  was  let  in  from 
Bullet's  Run,  and  on  the  1st  of  November  from 
Dowdy's  Hole,  making  the  whole  distance  eighteen 
and  three-fourths  miles. 

It  was  opened  for  navigation  to  Milesburg  Sept.  3, 

1847,  and  four  boats  laden  with  merchandise  ascended 
to  the  place  the  same  day,  and  on  Friday,  Sept.  1, 

1848,  the  first  boat,  "  George  Crane,"  ascended  from 
Milesburg  to  Bellefonte,  having  on  board  the  officers 
of  the  company  and  a  number  of  ladies  and  gentle- 
men, amid  hurrahs  and  firing  of  cannon,  and  on  the 
4th  arrived  the  boat  "  Jane  Curtin,"  of  Eagle  Works, 
Capt.  William  White,  with  merchandise  for  Valen- 
tines &  Thomas  and  merchants  of  Bellefonte.  There 
were  twenty-two  lift  locks  in  a  distance  of  twenty- 
three  miles.  Tlie  tolls  were  double  those  on  the 
main  canal,  and  its  low  location  exposing  this  im- 
provement to  the  destructive  violence  of  floods,  its 


INTERNAL  IMPROVEMENTS. 


171 


abandonment  for  purposes  of  navigation  above  Beech 
Creek  followed  the  great  freshet  of  18G5. 

It  was  an  important  improvement  in  its  day,  and 
too  much  praise  cannot  be  bestowed  upon  its  pro- 
jectors. It  carried  spirit  and  enterprise  into  our 
valleys,  and,  in  fact,  developed  the  great  richness  of 
our  soil,  our  forests  and  mines.  But  railroad  facilities 
were  necessary  to  keep  pace  with  counties  that  en- 
joyed these  advantages,  and  the  railroad  having  been 
completed  in  1864,  no  attempt  was  made  to  repair 
what  seemed  decreed  by  Providence  to  abandon- 
ment. 

The  quickest  trip  ever  made  on  the  canal  from 
Milesburg  to  Philadelphia  and  return  was  by  the 
boat  "  Beaver  Mills,"  Capt.  William  F.  Coulter,  in 
August,  1853,  making  the  rouud  trip  in  exactly  ten 
weeks. 

Railroads. — The  beginning  of  railroad  enterprises 
within  the  county  was  with  the  act  of  March  16, 
1830,  authorizing  the  incorporating  the  Philipsburg 
and  Juniata  Railroad  Company,  to  build  a  railroad 
from  Alexandria,  in  Huntingdon  County,  at  the  Penn- 
sylvania Canal,  to  the  coal-mines  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Philipsburg.  In  a  supplement  to  this  act  passed 
23d  of  March,  1836,  the  incorporation  of  the  "  Bitu- 
minous Coal  Land  Company"  was  authorized.  April 
1,  1836,  an  act  was  passed  authorizing  the  charter  of 
the  Lewisburg,  Penn's  Valley  and  Hollidaysburg 
Railroad,  but  nothing  further  than  a  preliminary 
surve_y  was  accomplished.  This  was  made  by  Charles 
de  Haas  in  June,  1836. 

The  first  railroad  enterprise  which  eventually  cul- 
minated successfully  was  the  Allegheny  and  Bald 
Eagle  Railroad  Coal  and  Iron  Company,  authorized 
to  be  incorporated  June  12, 1839  (Pennsylvania  Laws, 
285).  Hon.  Thomas  Burnside,  Abraham  S.  Valen- 
tine, Jacob  Gratz,  John  Mitchell,  and  John  G.  Lowrey 
were  the  corporators,  the  object  of  which  was  to 
develop  and  take  to  market  the  bituminous  coal  of 
the  Snow  Shoe  region.  Its  powers  were  kept  intact 
by  legislative  enactments,  but  nothing  done  towards 
construction  until  the  year  1857,  when  a  survey  was 
completed  by  William  Harris.  The  road  was  forth- 
with commenced  and'  completed,  at  a  cost  of  eight 
thousand  two  hundred  and  fifty-nine  dollars  per  mile, 
all  of  which  was  paid  as  the  work  proceeded.  Nov. 
9,  1859,  the  first  train  reached  Snow  Shoe.  On  the 
24th  of  March,  1859,  the  corporate  name  was  changed 
by  act  of  Legislature  to  that  of  the  "  Bellefonte  and 
Snow  Shoe  Railroad  Company."  William  Harris,  of 
Bellefonte,  located  the  road,  and  acted  as  engineer  up 
to  his  death,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  James  Sum- 
nierville,  and  he  after  some  years  by  David  Butts. 
Daniel  Rhoads,  Esq.,  of  Bellefonte,  was  the  eflicient 
general  superintendent  up  to  the  time  of  the  lease  to 
the  Bald  Eagle  Valley  Railroad  in  1881.  Andrew  J. 
Cook  commenced  service  with  the  company  Oct.  1, 
1862,  and  at  the  time  of  the  lease  was  assistant  man- 
ager.    The  length  of  the  road  from  the  intersection 


to  Snow  Shoe  is  twenty-one  miles.  From  the  inter- 
section to  Gum  Stump  at  the  foot  of  the  Allegheny 
Mountains  (four  miles)  the  grade  is  forty  feet  to  the 
mile;  from  Gum  Stump  to  the  summit  (seven  miles) 
one  hundred  and  twenty  feet;  and  from  the  summit 
to  Snow  Shoe  forty  feet  per  mile. 

With  the  exception  of  a  few  fitful  attempts  to  or- 
ganize companies,  nothing  further  was  done  towards 
securing  railroad  facilities  within  our  territory  until 
the  year  1853.  On  the  26th  of  February,  1853,  the 
Lock  Haven  and  Tyrone  Railroad  Company  was  in- 
corporated, and  April  19th  its  privileges  extended  to 
making  lateral  roads  into  Brush,  Penn's,  and  Logan 
valleys.  This  was  the  era  of  borough,  county,  and 
township  subscriptions,  and  the  year  in  which  that 
form  of  improvement  mania  reached  its  crisis  in  time 
to  save  the  counties  of  Clinton,  Centre,  and  Blair 
from  a  heavy  railroad  subscription  debt.  The  de- 
mands for  this  method  of  transportation  being  such 
that  they  could  no  longer  be  baffled,  and  the  charter 
of  1853  not  being  elastic  enough,  the  passage  of  the 
act  of  Feb.  21,  1857,  was  obtained,  incorporating  the 
Tyrone  and  Lock  Haven  Railroad  Company  to  con- 
struct a  road  between  Tyrone  and  Lock  Haven,  com- 
menced at  a  time  when  every  prospect  was  encour- 
aging, its  friends  were  sanguine  of  success,  but  the 
financial  tornado  which  pixssed  over  the  country  in 
1857  proved  too  formidable  for  the  enterprise,  and  it 
failed.  Quite  a  number  of  persons,  whose  interests 
were  closely  identified  with  the  success  of  the  road, 
were  victimized,  and  they,  too,  failed.  The  road  and 
the  franchises  of  the  corporation  were  sold  by  virtue 
of  proceedings  in  the  Supreme  Court,  Jan.  29,  1861, 
and  by  the  act  of  March  25,  1861,  vested  in  a  new 
corporation,  styled  the  Bald  Eagle  Valley  Railroad 
Company. 

The  new  company  organized  April  2d,  W.  C.  Price, 
president;  L.  A.  Mackey,  treasurer  ;  William  Harris, 
Sr.,  engineer ;  Managers,  Messrs.  Scott,  Jackman, 
Maynard,  Gamble,  Chatham,  and  Blanchard. 

This  road  was  completed  in  1864,  and  leased  Dec. 
7,  1864,  to  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  for 
ninety-nine  years. 

The  Lewisburg,  Centre  and  Spruce  Creek  Railroad 
Company  was  also  incorporated  in  1853,  April  12th, 
but  the  successful  battle  waged  in  Union  County 
against  municipal  subscription  deferred  this  enter- 
prise, and  nothing  was  done  for  many  years  except  to 
keep  the  charter  alive  by  legislative  enactments.  The 
Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  secured  control  of 
the  charter  finally,  and  in  1868  the  railroad  bridge 
was  built  across  the  river  at  Lewisburg  by  subscrip- 
tion of  citizens,  and  the  first  link  of  the  road  opened 
to  Lewisburg  Friday,  July  23, 1869.  It  was  extended 
to  Mifflinburg  in  1871,  and  completed  as  far  .as  Spring 
Mills,  in  Centre  County,  in  July,  1877,  where  its  ex- 
tension from  the  east  stops  for  the  present.  In  1880 
the  corporate  name  was  changed  to  the  Lewisburg  and 
Tyrone  Railro.ad  Company,  and  the  corporate  fran- 


173 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


chises  of  the  old  company  vested  accordingly,  the 
road  having  been  sold  under  foreclosure  of  mortgage 
for  bonded  indebtedness.  That  part  of  the  road  from 
Tyrone  to  Pennsylvania  Furnace,  sixteen  and  nine- 
tenths  miles,  was  opened  for  traffic  Nov.  8,  1880,  two 
trains  each  way  daily. 

The  Tyrone  and  Clearfield  Railroad  Company  was 
incorporated  March  23,  185-1,  organized  May  5,  1856. 
The  charter  was  not  lifted  for  two  years,  various  im- 
pediments intervening.  It  was  not  completed  to  Phil- 
ipsburg  until  1863,  thirty-three  years,  or  a  third  of  a 
century  from  the  date  of  the  first  act  of  Assembly 
authorizing  its  connection  by  railroad  with  the  out- 
side world.  March  8,  1871,  an  act  was  passed  author- 
izing the  company  to  convey  its  road  and  franchises 
to  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company. 

Plank-Roads. — In  1847  the  spirit  of  public  im- 
provement was  diverted  by  the  lumber  interest  in 
the  direction  of  plank-roads.  The  first  incorporated 
company  was  the  Lycoming  and  Tioga  Plank-Road 
Company,  to  begin  at  Ralston,  in  Lycoming  County, 
and  to  extend  to  Blossburg,  in  Tioga  County.  This 
kind  of  road  became  so  popular  that  in  1849  a  gen- 
eral act  regulating  plank-roads  was  passed,  and 
twenty-nine  companies  were  incorporated  at  that 
session  of  the  Legislature,  among  others  the  Susque- 
hanna and  Bald  Ea^le,  intended  to  run  from  Wil- 
liamsport  to  Tyrone.  On  the  14th  of  March,  1850 
(P.  L.  208),  the  Bald  Eagle  plank-road  was  incor- 
porated, and  so  much  of  the  act  of  March  29,  1849, 
creating  the  Susquehanna  and  Bald  Eagle  Plank- 
Road  Company  as  it  superseded  was  repealed.  The 
new  company  in  1850  located  a  plank-road  from  tlie 
canal  at  Milesburg  to  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  at 
Tyrone,  and,  after  additional  legislation  allowing  the 
townships  to  subscribe  to  the  stock  of  the  road,  the 
work  progressed,  and  the  road  was  opened  for  travel 
from  Unionville  to  Tyrone  in  1852,  which  was  a  year 
of  great  improvement  in  the  Bald  Eagle  valley. 
Farms  were  opened  up,  mills  built,  and  roads  con- 
structed to  bring  trade  and  travel  to  this  valuable 
outlet. 


CHAPTER   LX. 


PHYSICIANS— CENTRE   COUNTY'   MEDICAL  SOCIETY. 

Physicians  of  Centre  County.— Notice  of  the 
early  physicians,  for  want  of  material,  is  but  an 
array  of  names.  Dr.  John  Andrews,  who  was  a  resi- 
dent of  Potter  township  as  early  as  1787,  attended 
Gen.  Potter  when  he  was  hurt,  and  also  Mrs.  Gen. 
Potter  on  her  death-bed.  He  inoculated  Mrs.  David 
Mitchell,  still  living  in  Bellefonte.  Resort  was  had 
to  Lewistown  for  pliysicians  in  the  western  portion 
of  the  valley,  and  in  the  eastern  portion  Dr.  Ch.arles 
Beyer,  of  Lewisburg,  and  Dr.  Robert  Van  Valzah, 
who  was  in  Buffalo  valley  as  early  as  1786. 


In  Haines  township,  Dr.  Christian  Horton  and  Dr. 
Michael  Klepper  were  located  as  early  as  1801,  and 
Dr.  AVilliam  Westo.ver  was  at  Mill  Haven  as  early  as 
1810.  Drs.  Rees  and  Bigelow  succeeded  Westover, 
who  was  driven  away  by  the  public  indignation  at  his 
resurrection  of  a  patient's  body  for  anatomical  pur- 
poses. Dr.  Charles  Coburn  was  the  next  prominent 
physician  of  Haines,  of  whom  notice  will  be  found 
in  the  history  of  that  township.  In  1808,  Dr.  John 
Larribee  located  for  a  short  time  in  Brush  valley,  Dr. 
Samuel  Strohecker  being  the  first  permanent  physician 
there  (1826). 

Dr.  John  Conrad  Bergman  was  the  first  physician 
at  Philipsburg,  and  one  of  its  first  settlers.  He  re- 
moved to  Huntingdon,  and  Dr.  Alexander  McLeod 
succeeded  him  in  1819.  Dr.  Henry  Loraine  was  there 
as  early  as  1824,  and  Drs.  Frederick  Hiner  and  Rod- 
rigue  Aristead  in  1830.  Dr.  George  B.  Engles  was 
the  first  physician  located  in  tlie  present  township  of 
Half-Moon.  He  died  in  1840,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Dr.  James  McKee,  a  man  of  no  ordinary  abilities, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-four  in  1877. 

In  1830,  Dr.  B.  J.  Berry  located  where  Lemont  is 
now,  where  he  practiced  until  liis  death  in  1864.  Dr. 
William  Harris,  from  Nova  Scotia,  located  in  Belle- 
fonte as  early  as  1798,  and  was  spoken  of  as  a  worthy 
physician.  On  the  death  of  Dr.  Harris  in  1806,  Dr. 
James  Martin  located  in  Bellefonte  and  remained 
until  1809,  when  he  removed  to  Northumberland. 
Dr.  Thomas  Wallace  settled  in  Bellefonte  in  1808, 
and  married  a  daughter  of  Adam  McKee  and  then 
removed  to  Huntingdon  County.  Dr.  Daniel  Dob- 
bins came  to  Bellefonte  in  1807,  and  died  in  1844. 
Dr.  Constans  Curtin  opened  an  office  in  1810,  and 
built  the  large  stone  house  on  the  corner  of  Allegheny 
Street  and  the  Public  Square  in  1812,  and  died  in 
1842. 

In  1827,  Dr.  John  Harris  (son  of  James  Harris,  Esq.) 
commenced  practice  in  Bellefonte.  He  returned  to 
Philadelphia  in  1843,  and  died  at  a  very  advanced 
age  LTnited  States  consul  at  Venice,  Italy.  In  1831 
Dr.  John  Armstrong  settled  in  Bellefonte  and  acquired 
an  extensive  practice;  he  returned  to  Carlisle,  and 
died  at  Princeton,  N.  J.,  in  1870,  aged  seventy-two. 
In  1837,  Dr.  A.  W.  Bayard  resumed  practice  in  Belle- 
fonte, and  Dr.  J.  M.  McCoy  came  to  Bellefonte  in 
1842  and  practiced  until  1848.  Dr.  James  M.  Thomp- 
son, a  brother  of  Moses  Thompson,  Esq.,  of  Centre 
Furnace,  located  in  Bellefonte  in  1841 ;  he  is  now  prac- 
ticing in  Washington  City,  D.  C. 

In  1844,  Dr.  F.  R.  Smith  settled  in  Bellefonte ;  he 
removed  after  a  very  successful  practice  to  St.  Paul, 
Minn.,  in  1852.  Dr.  Ellis  Green,  who  practiced  in 
Bellefonte  for  a  few  years,  died  in  Boston  in  1874. 
Dr.  John  B.  Mitchell,  who  commenced  practice  at 
Boalsburg,  settled  in  Bellefonte  in  1855,  left  Belle- 
fonte in  1870,  and  died  at  Chester,  Dec.  19,  1874. 

Dr.  J.  Perdue  Gray  was  a  practicing  physician  in 
Bellefonte  in  1849,  and  in  partnership  with  Charles 


PHYSICIANS   OF   CENTRE   COUNTY. 


173 


E.  Smith  in  the  drug  business.  He  is  now  at  the 
head  of  the  lunatic  asyhim  at  IJtica,  N.  Y.,  and  at 
the  liead  of  his  profession  as  a  medical  expert  in 
cases  of  insanity.  Dr.  George  L.  Potter,  who  com- 
menced practice  in  Bellefonte  in  1849,  held  high 
rank  as  a  physician.  He  died  Aug.  2,  1879,  at  the 
age  of  fifty-six  years. 

Organization  of  the  Centre  County  Medical  So- 
ciety.— The  first  medical  society  was  organized  in 
1847,  with  Dr.  W.  I.  Wilsbn  as  President;  Vice-Pres- 
idents, Dr.  B.  J.  Berry  and  Dr.  Samuel  Strohecker; 
Secretary,  Dr.  G.  L.  Potter;  Treasurer,  Dr.  J.  M.  Mc- 
Coy. It  lasted  but  a  short  time,  and  its  records  have 
not  been  preserved. 

The  physicians  of  Centre  County  met  at  the  Bush 
House,  in  Bellefonte,  on  Tuesday,  April  4,  1876,  for 
the  purpose  of  organizing  a  medical  society.  A  con- 
stitution was  adopted,  and  the  following  officers  elected 
for  the  ensuing  year:  President,  Dr.  William  J.  Wil- 
son ;  Vice-Presidents,  Drs.  P.  T.  Musser,  of  Aarons- 
hurg,  and  T.  B.  Potter,  of  Philipsburg  ;  Secretary,  Dr. 
J.  Y.  Dale,  of  Lemont;  Treasurer,  Dr.  G.  F.  Harris, 
Bellefonte;  Censors,  Drs.  A.  Hibler  and  T.  R.  Hayes, 
of  Bellefonte,  and  J.  F.  Woods,  of  Boalsburg.  Drs. 
A.  Hibler,  of  Bellefonte,  J.  P.  Glenn,  of  Snow  Shoe, 
and  J.  F.  Woods,  of  Boalsburg,  were  elected  delegates 
to  tlie  meeting  of  the  State  Medical  Society  to  be  held 
at  Philadelphia  in  May,  1876,  and  Drs.  George  F. 
Harris,  of  Bellefonte,  F.  H.  Vanvalzah,  of  Sjjring 
Mills,  and  J.  Y.  Dale,  of  Lemont,  were  chosen  as 
delegates  to  tlie  meeting  of  the  American  Medical 
Association  to  be  held  at  Philadelphia  in  June,  1876. 
Dr.  R.  V.  Wilson,  of  Clearfield,  Pa.,  who  rendered 
valuable  assistance  at  the  organization  of  the  society, 
delivered  an  interesting  address  on  the  objects  and 
advantages  of  medical  societies. 

The  regular  meetings  of  the  Centre  County  Medical 
Society  are  held  in  Bellefonte  on  the  Wednesday  fol- 
lowing the  fourth  Monday  of  August,  November, 
January,  and  April. 

Dr;  William  Irvine  Wilson,  the  first  president  of  the 
society,  was  born  in  Buffalo  valley.  Union  Co.,  Nov. 
10,  1793,  and  was  a  son  of  Hugh  Wilson,  and  his  an- 
cestor, Thomas  Wilson,  came  fi'om  the  Irish  settle- 
ment in  Northampton  County.  He  read  medicine 
with  Dr.  James  Dougal,  Sr.,  and  first  located  at  Er- 
leystown,  west  of  the  Old  Fort  (now  no  longer  a  vil- 
lage), and  became  noted  thereafter  in  Penn's  and  its 
adjoining  valley  as  a  physician.  He  married  Mary 
P.,  a  granddaughter  of  Gen.  James  Potter,  and  now 
resides  in  Bellefonte,  having  retired  from  practice 
•some  fifteen  years.  Of  a  vigorous  constitution  and 
athletic  frame,  he  performed  an  amount  of  profes- 
sional labor  in  the  course  of  over  forty  years'  practice 
which  would  be  incredible  were  it  told.  His  son, 
James  P.,  graduated  at  Jefferson  Medical  College  and 
located  at  Centre  Hall  in  1S58.  He  was  appointed 
surgeon  after  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  in  1861, 
aud  died  in  the  service.    Among  Dr.  Wilson's  stu- 


dents was  Dr.  T.  Z.  Coverly,  who  settled  at  Boalsburg 
and  died  generally  regretted. 

Dr.  T.  R.  Hayes,  in  his  interesting  article  in  May- 
nard's  "Industries  and  Institutions  of  Centre  County," 
from  which  many  of  the  statements  above  are  col- 
lated, in  connection  with  his  notice  of  Dr.  Wilson, 
adds,  referring  to  Dr.  Wilson's  practice  : 

At  that  time  physicians  traveled  altogether  on 
horseback.  They  were  obliged  to  keep  on  hand  a 
full  stock  of  medicines,  and  a  well-filled  pair  of  sad- 
dle-bags invariably  accompanied  the  physician  on 
his  visits  to  the  sick.  The  conveniences  of  traveling 
as  well  as  the  conveniences  of  prescribing  have  made 
wonderful  progress  since  that  time.  Easy  carriages 
and  the  railroads  have  almost  banished  riding  on 
horseback,  and  pocket  medicine-cases  and  prescrip- 
tions have  superseded  the  saddle-bags. 

The  different  "pathies"  were  almost  unknown. 
The  system  of  practice  was  very  different  from  that  of 
the  present  time.  It  consisted  mainly  of  blood- 
letting, emetics,  cathartics,  blistering,  and  opiates. 
Many  diseases,  now  familiar  to  the  physician,  were 
unknown  and  not  described.  "  Bright's  Disease"  was 
not  known,  because  not  described  till  1837,  when  it 
received  its  name  from  a  distinguished  physician  of 
Guy's  Hospital,  England.  Diphtheria  was  known  as 
malignant  scarlatina.  Bleeding  was  thought  to  be 
necessary  sick  or  well.  Sunday  morning,  in  the 
spring  of  the  year,  Dr.  Wilson  would  have  a  row  of 
horses  along  his  fence,  their  riders  waiting  their  turn 
to  be  bled.  This  custom  the  doctor  was  obliged  to 
break  up,  as  it  prevented  him  from  attending  church. 
Twenty-five  cents  was  the  fee  for  blood-letting,  and 
the  amount  of  blood  taken  averaged  from  a  half-pint 
to  a  pint  and  a  half.  The  custom  of  bleeding,  "  sick 
or  well,"  ceased  about  forty  years  ago.  Blood-letting 
in  sickness  began  to  diminish  thirty  years  ago. 

The  fees  were  much  smaller  than  at  the  present 
time.  A  visit  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  would 
be  from  twenty-five  to  fifty  cents;  a  distance  of  lour 
miles  one  dollar.  Fractures  and  dislocation  averaged 
from  five  to  ten  dollars;  amputations  from  fifteen 
to  twenty  dollars.  Obstetrical  practice  five  dol- 
lars. The  fees  were  paid  in  a  variety  of  ways ;  jiro- 
duce  of  all  kinds  was  taken  in  exchange.  Money 
was  scarce,  and  whatever  else  contributed  to  the  sup- 
port of  the  family  and  improvement  of  the  land  was 
accepted. 

Centre  County  Medical  Society,  1882.— Presi- 
dent, Dr.  Thomas  R.  Hayes,  Bellclbnte;  Vice-Presi- 
dents, Dr.  John  F.  Woods,  Boalsburg,  Dr.  E.  W.  Half, 
Bellefonte ;  Secretary  and  Treasurer,  Dr.  J.  Y.  Dale, 
Lemont ;  Censors,  Dr.  E.  S.  Dorworth,  Bellefonte, 
Dr.  J.  F.  Alexander,  Centre  Hall,  Dr.  C.  Cambridge, 
Fleming.  Members,  Dr.  George  F.  Harris,  Belle- 
fonte; Dr.  F.  H.  Vanvalzah,  Spring  Mills;  Dr.  J.  M. 
Blair,  Fleming;  Dr.  D.  H.  Mingle^Millheim ;  Dr.  J. 
R.  Smith,  Pine  Grove;  Dr.  W.  A.  Jacobs,  Centre 
Hall ;  Dr.  P.  T.  Musser,  Aaronsburg;  Dr.  C.  S.  Mus- 


174: 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ser,  Aaronsburg;  A.  Hibler,  Bellefonte;  Dr.  Thomas 
C.  Vantries,  Pennsylvania  Furnace ;  Dr.  P.  S.  Fisher, 
Zion ;  Dr.  J.  A.  Thompson,  Snow  Shoe ;  Dr.  J.  P. 
Glenn,  Snow  Shoe ;  Dr.  G.  W.  Kline,  Stormstown. 


CHAPTER    LXI. 

BIOGRAPHICAL   AND    GENEALOGICAL. 

Alexander,  James,  died  at  Milesburg  on  the  10th 
of  August,  1875,  aged  eighty-seven  years.  Mr.  Alex- 
ander was  born  in  Cecil  County,  Md.,  on  the  11  th  day 
of  January,  1788,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was 
eighty-seven  years  seven  months  and  five  days  old. 
He  moved  with  his  father,  William  Alexander,  to 
Mifflin  County,  Pa.  In  April,  1809,  he  moved  again 
with  his  ftither  to  Bald  Eagle  valley.  Centre  Co.,  Pa. 
He  united  with  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Belle- 
fonte, of  which  the  Rev.  James  Linn,  D.D.,  was  then 
pastor,  about  the  year  1812.  Thus  for  sixty-three 
years  he  was  a  faithful  follower  of  Christ.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Eleanor  Blair,  of  Milesburg,  Dec.  23,  1813, 
whom  he  survived  seven  years  and  four  months. 
They  had  no  children  of  their  own,  but  raised  many. 
He  was  elected  to  the  office  of  ruling  elder  in  the 
church  of  Bellefonte  during  Mr.  Linn's  time,  and  con- 
tinued in  office  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Joseph 
Barnard,  and  part  of  that  of  Rev.  A.  Yeomans,  during 
whose  time  Mr.  Alexander  and  seventeen  others  were 
dismissed  from  the  Bellefonte  Church  and  constituted 
the  church  of  Milesburg.  On  the  same  day  (March  5, 
1868)  he  was  elected  and  installed  ruling  elder  of  said 
church,  which  position  he  filled  faithfully  till  the  time 
of  his  death. 

Alexander,  Josiah,  died  in  Potter  township 
in  1818.  His  children  were  James,  Mrs.  Nancy 
Boozer,  Mrs.  Abby  Evans,  Mrs.  Netty  Palmer, 
Henry,  Alexander,  Mrs.  Jane  Jackson,  and  Mar- 
garet. Josiah's  widow,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Alexander, 
died  in  1825.  He  came  to  Centre  County  at  a  later 
date  than  his  sons,  James  and  Henry.  Henry  re- 
moved to  Venango  County,  after  living  a  long  while 
in  Penn's  valley. 

Alexander,  William,  died  in  Boggs  township, 
Aug.  3,  1840.  His  memory  is  fragrant  for  his  zeal  in 
the  cause  of  Sabbath-schools,  Bible  and  temperance 
societies.  He  was  afflicted  many  years  with  entire 
loss  of  sight,  but  had  read  the  Scriptures  so  carefully 
that  he  had  much  of  them  in  his  memory,  and  could 
repeat  large  portions  of  them,  particularly  of  the  New 
Testament,  with  great  accuracy.  He  was  eighty  years 
of  age  at  his  death.  Of  his  children  were  James 
(noticed  above),  John,  Joseph  (father  of  Joseph 
Alexander,  Jr.,  of  whom  a  sketch  written  by  his 
daughter,  Mrs.  Twitmire,  is  inserted  with  his  por- 
trait). George,  John,  William  H.  were  grandchil- 
dren. 


Alexander,  William  (son  of  Hugh  Alexander 
and  his  wife,  Lettice  Thompson),  and  his  twin  sister 
Emily  were  born  Dec.  25,  1777,  in  Sherman's  valley, 
Perry  Co.  Early  in  life  he  removed  to  Centre  County, 
where  he  married  Elizabeth  Hutchinson.  He  resided 
in  Bellefonte  as  a  hatter  in  1800,  and  in  1809  kept  the 
hotel  where  the  Garman  House  now  stands.  In  the 
fall  of  1815  he  was  elected  sheriff  of  Centre  County. 
He  arrested  Munks,  and  without  any  assistance 
brought  his  prisoner  many  miles  on  horseback  during 
a  dark  and  rainy  night  to  Bellefonte. 

After  residing  thirty-five  years  in  Centre  County, 
Mr.  Alexander  removed  to  Clearfield,  where  he  died 
at  the  residence  of  his  son-in-law,  James  B.  Graham, 
Sept.  25,  1867,  aged  nearly  ninety  years.  His  son, 
James  M.,  married  Phrebe  Burchfield,  residing  at 
Oldtown  ;  William  T.,  publisher  of  the  Clarion  Demo- 
crat; Ann  married  Hon.  John  Fleming,  of  Clinton 
County ;  Emily  married  Hon.  A.  K.  Wright,  of 
Clearfield  County  ;  Elizabeth,  James  B.  Graham  ;  and 
Jane,  Joseph  Haggerty. 

Allison,  Matthew,  Esq.,  died  in  Lamar  town- 
ship, Feb.  9,  1828,  aged  seventy-eight.  He  was  born 
in  Ireland,  the  family  coming  to  Northumberland 
County  (Buffiilo  valley)  about  the  time  of  the  Revo- 
lution. He  served  in  the  war;  settled  in  Nittany 
valley,  and  during  his  life  was  one  of  the  prominent 
citizens  of  Centre  County,  and  one  of  its  first  county 
commissioners.  By  his  first  wife,  Sarah  Mehafty,  he 
had  fourchildren, — Margaret,  married  to  Josejih  John- 
ston, William,  Mary,  and  Sarah  ;  by  his  second  wife, 
Catharine  Lamb,  he  had  Jane,  Catharine,  Samuel 
L.,  Eleanor,  Archibald,  and  John,  and  at  his  death 
left  a  widow  and  five  small  children, — Jackson, 
Marian,  Robert,  Samuel,  and  an  infant.  Matthew 
Allison,  Esq.,  was  a  brother  of  Archibald,  of  Penn's 
valley.  Matthew  S.,  son  of  Samuel  L.,  was  a  soldier  in 
the  war  of  1812,  in  Capt.  Record^s  company.  Hon. 
William  B.  Allison,  United  States  senator  from  Iowa, 
is  a  son  of  John  Allison,  Matthew's  youngest  brother. 
A  daughter  of  Matthew  Allison  married  James  Hutch- 
inson, and  of  their  children  were  Mrs.  John  Caruer 
i  and  Mrs.  William  Mann. 

Allison,  William,  Esq. — Archibald  Allison,  the 

ancestor  of  William  Allison,  landed  with  his  family 

in  America  June  18,  1773.     His  wife,  Mary,  was  the 

third  daughter  of  John  Kennedy,  and  was  born  in 

Scotland,  Shire  of  Galloway,  Parish  of  Kirkmaddin, 

Nov.  1,  1730.     Their  son  Archibald  was  born  April 

15,  1761,  in  Ireland.     Archibald  Allison,  Sr.,  died  in 

Paxton    township    (now  Dauphin   County),  Oct.  6, 

1783,  and  his  widow,  Mary,  in  Potter  township  June 

6,  1808. 

Archibald,  Jr.,  though  young  in  years,  took  an  ac- 

1  tive  part  in   the  defense  of  the  frontiers,  to  which 

j  proper  reference  is  made  in  Linn's  "  Annals  of  Buffiilo 

j  Valley,"  page  174,  and  was  an  exceedingly  bold  and 

I  courageous  man. 

I      After  the  war  he  pushed  on  up  into  Penn's  valley, 


-  \  ^       Y^^sss^^^  * 


Crw-^nyAHCJ^ 


C-f^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL. 


175 


wliere  he  married  Eleanor,  third  daughter  of  George 
and  Margaret  McCormick,  May  7,  1789.  George 
McCorinick  was  the  first  settler  at  Spring  Mills, 
bought  liis  land  of  Reuben  Haines,  and  built  the  first 
mill  there.  In  1787  he  took  up  the  tract  south  of  the 
creek.  On  his  failure  the  lands  went  into  the  hands 
of  James  Cook,  Esq.,  who  sold  to  James  Duncan. 

Archibald  Allison,  Jr.,  bought  of  the  Penns  the 
eastern  third  of  what  was  known  as  the  Manor  of 
Succoth,  north  of  the  Great  Spring  tract,  and  died  on 
the  place  still  owned  by  his  descendants,  May  3,  1845, 
possessed  of  a  large  quantity  of  good  land.  He  left  a 
widow,  Eleanor,  who  died  Jan.  27, 1848,  aged  eighty- 
four,  and  a  large  family, — George,  born  Aug.  18, 1792, 
died  Sept.  28,  1866;  William,  born  April  5,  1794; 
James,  born  Feb.  26, 1796,  died  Sept.  18, 1863,  at  North 
Liberty,  Adams  Co.,  Ohio ;  Margaret,  born  May  26, 
1797,  married  William  Kelly,  son  of  Col.  John  Kelly, 
and  died  in  Union  County  Jlay  12, 1846 ;  David,  born 
IMay  22,  1799,  married  Lueelta  McKibben,  and  died 
Dec.  22,  1877,  in  Clinton  County;  Mary,  born  May 
11,  1801,  died  Sept.  27, 18.56,  in  Adams  County,  Ohio  ; 
John,  born  Nov.  22,  1803,  died  Jan.  23,  1844;  Jane, 
born  Sept.  22,  1805,  married  Thomas  Riley,  and  died 
in  Kansas;  Eleanor,  born  Feb.  8,  1811,  married  Dr. 
John  Gro.ssman,  living  in  Adams  County,  Ohio. 
James  Allison,  above,  married  Jlargaret  Hutchinson. 

Archibald,  Jr.,  was  a  stout  heavy  man,  with  round 
ruddy  face  and  flaxen  hair,  a  man  of  great  muscular 
power,  a  Presbyterian  in  religion,  and  a  Federalist  in 
politics. 

Hon.  William  Allison,  formerly  associate  judge  of 
Centre  County,  is  a  son  of  George  Allison,  and  "a 
grandson  of  Archibald,  Jr. 

William  Allison,  Esq.,  inherited  many  of  the  ster- 
ling traits  of  his  father,  and  at  an  early  age  com- 
menced life  as  a  clerk  in  a  store  at  Harrisburg,  where 
he  was  engaged  six  or  seven  years.  From  Harris- 
burg he  removed  to  Brown's  Mills,  in  Mifflin  County, 
now  Reedsville,  and  in  connection  with  J.  &  J.  Pot- 
ter opened  a  store  there  in  July,  1827.  In  1829  the 
firm  was  dissolved,  and  Mr.  Allison  carried  on  the 
business  himself  for  a  few  years,  after  which  he  re- 
turned to  his  old  home  near  Spring  Mills. 

His  father  dying  in  1845,  left  William,  in  conjunc- 
tion with  his  brother  James  and  David  and  James 
Potter,  executors  of  his  large  estate,  with  many 
powers  and  trusts  to  be  executed.  This,  with  im- 
proving his  farms,  building  barns  and  saw-mills, 
brought  a  very  large  amount  of  business  upon  Mr. 
Allison's  shoulders,  which  he  managed  with  skill  and 
succes?. 

On  the  25th  of  June,  1847,  he  married  Miss  Sarah 
A.  McNilt,  daughter  of  William  R.  McNitt,  her 
mother's  maiden  name  being  Esther  McCoy.  W.  R. 
McNitt  was  a  son  of  Robert  McNitt,  one  of  the  ear- 
liest settlers  in  Kisliacoquillas  valley. 

In  December,  1847,  occurred  the  failure  of  James 
and  John  Potter,  of  whom  Mr.  Allison  was  a  creditor 


to  a  large  amount.  He  was  preferred  by  them  on 
account  of  old  intimacy  and  business  relations,  and 
the  judgment  they  gave  him  resulted  in  protracted 
litigation.  Mr.  Allison,  however,  sustained  his  claim. 
Meanwhile,  having  purchased  the  hotel,  factory,  and 
real  estate  at  Potter's  Mills,  he  removed  thither  and 
into  the  old  residence  of  James  Potter.  Here  he 
managed  his  large  interests  with  his  accustomed  busi- 
ness tact,  backed  by  large  experience,  very  success- 
fully, and  uninterrupted  prosperity  marked  his  de- 
clining years. 

*  Mr.  Allison  was  a  man  of  great  executive  .ability, 
planned  with  great  discretion  and  followed  up  what  he 
determined  upon  vigorously.  He  kept  himself  well 
informed  on  the  events  of  the  present,  although  loving 
often  to  dwell  on  the  stirring  events  of  the  past,  of 
which  he  was  a  great  chronicler.  His  powerful  mem- 
ory, coupled  with  opportunities  derived  from  his 
father's  great  age  and  good  recollection,  made  Mr. 
Allison  himself  au  encyclopedia  of  past  events  in 
Penn's  valley,  which  the  local  historian  could  draw 
upon  at  pleasure  and  with  great  profit. 

He  was  confined  to  his  home  for  a  number  of  years 
with  a  paralytic  stroke,  but  was  always  cheerful  and 
happy  in  seeing  his  friends.  He  died  Feb.  11,  1877, 
and  was  buried  in  the  private  burying-ground  of  the 
Allisons,  near  Spring  Mills.  Of  his  children,  Wil- 
liam M.  was  born  Nov.  4,  1850;  Esther  F,.,  Jan.  15, 
1852,  married  to  Frank  McCoy,  of  Linn  &  McCoy, 
iron-masters;  Edward,  "born  Aug.  2,  1855;  Lettie  E., 
Sept.  28,  1860;  and  Archibald,  June  27,  1863. 

AusPACH,  John,  of  Potter  township,  was  descended 
from  one  of  the  most  distinguished  families  of  Frau- 
conia,  in  Germany.  His  ancestors  resideil  in  the  city 
of  Anspach,  and  the  name  of  the  family  is  associated 
with  the  leading  events  of  their  times  in  the  history 
of  Franconia.  The  castle  of  Anspach,  situated  on 
the  river  of  the  same  name,  is  still  in  good  condition. 

John  Adam  Anspach  (father  of  John  Anspach)  left 
Germany  with  two  brothers  for  America;  one  died  at 
sea,  the  other  was  JIaj.  Anspach,  who  served  under 
Gen.  Lafayette  in  the  closing  year  of  the  Revolution 
(see  a  notice  of  him  in  Graliam's  Magazine  of  Novem- 
ber, 1849).  John  Adam  settled  in  Philadelphia,  en- 
tered into  the  mercantile  business,  and  purchased  a 
large  estate  in  Berks  County.  He  and  his  family, 
excepting  John,  were  carried  off  by  yellow  fever  in 
1793.  His  estate  passed  into  the  hands  of  neglectful 
trustees,  and  John  was  left  penniless  at  the  age  of 
nineteen. 

Possessed  with  a  robust  physical  organization,  too 
proud  to  complain,  and  with  full  confidence  in  his 
own  resources,  he  removed  to  Loop,  in  Penn's  valley, 
purchased  a  tract  of  unimproved  land,  and  went  to 
work  with  a  determined  and  hopeful  mind.  Here  he 
married  Catherine  R.,  eldest  daughter  of  George 
Reinhart,  and  raised  a  large  family.  By  industry  he 
acquired  a  handsome  property,  but  a  destructive  fire 
consumed  his  property,  and  business  losses  compelled 


176 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRP]  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


liim  to  send  forth  his  numerous  family  to  commence 
the  struggle  of  life  with  no  other  fortune  than 
good  religious  training,  and  such  an  education  as  the 
best  schools  of  that  time  afforded.  His  oldest  son, 
Rev.  John  George  Anspach,  was  born  Sept.  18,  1801. 
He  resides  in  Mifflinsburg,  Pa.,  and  has  been  fifty- 
three  years  in  the  ministry  (Lutheran),  and  his  name 
is  a  household  word  in  Buffalo,  Penn's,  and  Brush 
valleys.  Rebecca,  his  oldest  daughter,  died  in  Illi- 
nois some  years  ago;  Jacob  is  still  living  in  Hunting- 
don County,  Pa. ;  Elizabeth  (Mrs.  Murray)  lives  near 
Bellefoiite  ;  Anna  (Mrs.  Workinger)  died  some  years 
ago  in  Iowa;  Lydia  (Mrs.  Bottorf )  is  living  in  Boals- 
burg;  John  and  William  Anspach  reside  in  Phila- 
delphia; Frederick  R.  Anspach,  D.D.,  author  of  the 
"  Sepulchres  of  the  Departed,"  etc.,  an  eloquent 
preacher  and  a  delightful  author,  died  in  Baltimore 
in  September,  1S67;  Catherine  (Mrs.  P.  K.  Landis) 
resides  in  Philadelphia. 

AsTES,  Philip,  died  in  Lawrence  towjiship,  Clear- 
field County,  Aug.  14,  1831.  He  was  a  son  of  Henry 
Antes,  sheriff  of  Northumberland  County  in  1782, 
and  grandson  of  Rev.  Henry  Antes,  "the  pious  and 
active  German  Reformed  layman  of  Frederick  town- 
ship." (See  Harbaugh,  "  Fathers  of  the  Reformed 
CJiurch,"  vol.  i.  page  326.)  Philip  was  born  at  Falk- 
ner  Swamp,  Montgomery  Co.,  Aug.  26,  1759,  removed 
while  young  to  what  is  now  Dauphin  County,  mar- 
ried Susanna  Williams,  Feb.  21,  1780,  and  removed 
to  Nippenose,  to  what  was  known  as  the  Little  Mill, 
and  came  to  Bald  Eagle  May  3,  1787.  He  is  more 
especially  referred  to  in  the  general  history  of  the 
MethodiJt  Church.  His  wife  died  May  2,  1826,  in 
Clearfield  County. 

Their  children,  Frederick,  born  Jan.  18, 1781,  lived 
and  died  on  the  farm  opposite  Eagle  Forge;  John, 
born  Oct.  4,  1782,  died  at  his  son's,  in  Moshannon,  in 
1852;  Henry,  born  Dec.  4,  1784,  lived  and  died  in 
Harrisburg;  Philip,  Jr.,  lived  near  Clearfield,  and 
died  at  his  daughter's,  in  the  town  of  Clearfield  ; 
Polly,  born  June  3,  1787,  married  Hiram  J.  Miller, 
and  afterwards  Isaiah  Goodfellow ;  Elizabeth,  born 
July  31,  1794,  married  Moses  Boggs,  associate  judge 
of  Clearfield  County  for  seventeen  years;  Susan  (Mrs. 
John  Patton,  Sr.),  mother  of  Gen.  John  Patton,  of 
Curwinsville,  still  survives,  at  the  age  of  ninety-two 
years,  born  May  10,  1791,  at  Antes  Mill,  now  Curtin. 

Alexander,  Elizabeth,  Potter  township,  died 
April  23,  1862,  aged  eighty  years. 

Alexander,  James,  of  Potter,  died  Dec.  18, 1850, 
aged  fifty-seven  years. 

Austin,  Mrs.  Jane  B.,  wife  of  Thomas,  died  May 
14,  1831. 

Bailey,  Richard,  died  in  Ferguson  township  in 
1811.  He  left  a  widow  (Mary )  and  children, — WiHiani, 
George,  John,  Jesse,  Rachel,  and  Mary  (married  to 
David  Meek).  William 'Bailey  died  in  August,  1828, 
leaving  children,  —  Robert,  Mary  Stewart,  Nancy, 
James,  and  William. 


Baenhaet,  Hon.  Heney,  died  in  Boggs  township, 
Sept.  4,  1873,  aged  eighty-eight  years.  He  was  the 
second  son  of  Philip  Barnhart,  a  soldier  of  the  war 
of  the  American  Revolution.  He  was  born  in  the 
year  1786,  at  a  place  known  as  the  "  Trappe,"  in 
Montgomery  County,  about  thirty  miles  from  Phila- 
delphia. His  parents  removed  with  him  to  Lycoming 
County,  and  settled  at  an  early  period,  about  1788, 
near  Jersey  Shore,  where  he  spent  the  boyhood  years 
of  his  life. 

Here  he  lived  until  1806,  when  the  family  emigrated 
into  the  Bald  Eagle  valley,  and  settled  upon  lands 
near  his  late  residence. 

He  married  Isabel  Holt,  fourth  daughter  of  John 
Holt,  one  of  the  early  pioneers  of  the  valley.  In  his 
youth  he  was  elected  captain  of  a  military  company, 
then  successively  in  the  line  of  promotions  as  major, 
colonel,  and  brigade  inspector.  In  each  of  those  po- 
sitions he  served  respectively  seven  years,  making  a 
continuous  uninterrupted  service  in  the  military  af- 
fairs of  the  State  of  twenty-eight  years. 

In  1832  he  was  elected  as  a  member  of  the  lower 
House  of  Representatives,  and  re-elected  in  1833.  In 
1856  he  was  elected  one  of  the  associate  judges  of  this 
county,  and  discharged  the  duties  of  his  office  until 
the  expiration  of  his  term,  thus  closing  a  long  and 
eventful  j^eriod  in  public  life. 

Philip  Barnhart,  of  Howard,  died  April  26,  18G7, 
aged  seventy-four. 

Barnhart,  Jacob,  died  in  Sjjring  township,  Oct. 
10,-1874,  aged  ninety-one  years,  four  months,  twenty 
days,  having  been  born  at  Trappe,  Montgomery  Co., 
May  20,  1783.  Oct.  14,  1814,  he  married  Mary  Holt, 
daughter  of  Col.  John  Holt,  and  moved  in  1818  to 
the  farm  in  Nittany  valley  then  belonging  to  John 
G.  Lowrey,  Esq.,  where  he  died. 

Barnhart,  Mrs.  Mary,  widow  of  Jacob  Barn- 
hart, deceased,  died  in  Spring  township,  Oct.  23,  1879. 
She  was  born  on  the  old  Holt  homestead,  nearCurtin's 
dam,  May  1,  1792.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Col.  John 
Holt,  and  married  Jacob  Barnhart  in  1814,  and  was 
mother  of  six  children,  all  of  whom  survived  her. 
She  had  two  sisters, — Mrs.  Nancy  Patterson,  of  Craw- 
ford County,  who  died  at  the  age  of  ninety-five;  Isa- 
bella Barnhart,  who  died  in  1877,  aged  eighty-seven, 
widow  of  Col.  Henry  Barnhart.  She  was  one  of  the 
original  members  of  the  Methodist  Church  at  Belle- 
fonte. 

Bayard,  Dr.  A.  W.,  died  in  Bellefonte,  Nov.  19, 
1860.  He  was  a  surgeon  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  bore 
a  number  of  scars  received  during  the  war,  and  at  the 
time  of  his  death  was  a  United  States  pensioner.  His 
services  at  Fort  Harrison  were  especially  mentioned, 
being  one  of  the  volunteers  to  extinguish  the  fire 
upon  the  roof  of  a  building  near  it.  His  companion  / 
was  killed  and  he  was' badly  wounded,  but  he  suc- 
ceeded in  accomplishing  his  orders.  Gen.  Taylor, 
when  President  of  the  United  States,  gave  Dr.  Bayard 
his  personal  certificate  of  this  noble  action,  which  was 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL. 


1Y7 


done  under  his  orders  and  upon  which  a  pension  was 
granted  the  doctor. 

He  was  highly  respected  in  Bellefonte,  and  the 
court  adjourned  in  order  that  the  members  of  the  bar 
might  attend  his  funeral.  His  remains  were  interred 
on  the  21st,  and  the  honors  of  war  accorded  by  the 
Bellefonte  Fencibles  and  Centre  Dragoons.  He  was 
the  father  of  John  A.  Bayard,  a  soldier  of  the  Mexi- 
can war,  who  was  fatally  wounded  at  Gettysburg,  and 
of  Lieut.-Col.  George  A.  Bayard  of  the  One  Hundred 
and  Forty-eighth  Pennsylvania. 

Beak,  George,  came  from  Newberry,  York 
County,  in  the  spring  of  1803,  and  purchased  from 
Christoplier  Spangler  a  tract  of  land  lying  a  short 
distance  east  of  Rebersburg.  Soon  after  he  sold  a 
part  of  the  tract  to  his  brother-in-law,  Jacob  Long, 
and  this  now  forms  the  Strohecker  farm ;  the  rest  is 
now  owned  by  his  son  Adam.  He  was  for  many 
years  a  justice  of  the  peace.  A  justice  in  those  days 
was  a  man  of  some  distinction.  His  decision  was 
final,  as  appeals  were  seldom  taken  out.  He  never 
applied  to  an  attorney  for  information  on  points  of 
law.  Any  illiterate  person  elevated  to  his  office  was 
at  once  transformed  into  a  Solomon  in  the  estimation 
of  his  fellow-citizens.  Mr.  Bear  lived  at  Rebersburg 
during  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  in  the  house  now  oc- 
cupied by  his  son-in-law,  Henry  Corman.  He  built 
this  house.  He  was  born  Feb.  26,  1778,  died  Dec. 
31,  1858,  and  lies  buried  in  the  Lutheran  and  Re- 
formed graveyard.  Sons, — John,  David,  Jacob,  Wil- 
liam, and  Adam.  These  are  all  dead  but  the  last 
named,  who  lives  at  Rebersburg.  Daughters, — Cathe- 
rine, married  to  David  Mark;  Elizabeth,  wife  of 
Joseph  Jordan,  Aaronsbui-g ;  Rachel,  married  to 
Henry  Corman  ;  Maria,  married  to  John  Brungart ; 
Nancy,  wife  of  William  Strohecker,  Sugar  valley. 

Beaver,  James  Addams,  was  born  on  the  21st  day 
of  October,  1837,  at  Millerstown,  Perry  Co.,  Pa.  He 
was  the  son  of  Jacob  and  Ann  Eliza  (Addams) 
Beaver.  He  was  educated  at  Jefferson  College,  Can- 
onsburg.  Pa.,  where  he  graduated  in  August,  1856, 
having  previously  passed  two  years  at  the  academy 
at  Pine  Grove  Mills,  Centre  Co.,  Pa.  He  studied  law 
in  the  office  of  H.  N.  McAllister,  Esq.,  in  Bellefonte, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  January,  1859.  As 
a  member  of  the  Bellefonte  Fencibles,  a  volunteer 
company,  of  which  Hon.  A.  G.  Curtin  was  captain, 
he  acquired  some  knowledge  of  military  tactics. 

When  the  echoes  of  rebel  guns  turned  upon  Fort 
Sumter  aroused  the  North,  the  Bellefonte  Fencibles 
promptly  tendered  its  services,  and  was  the  third 
company  to  arrive  at  the  camp  of  rendezvous  at 
Harrisburg.  Gen.  Beaver  was  chosen  first  lieutenant, 
and  it  became  Company  H  of  the  Second  Regiment 
in  the  three  months'  service.  He  was  hardly  mus- 
tered out  of  the  three  months'  service  when,  July  22, 
1861,  he  was  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel  of  the 
Forty-fifth  Pennsylvania,  which  was  ordered  to  South 
Carolina,  and  the  lieutenant-colonel  was  placed  in 
12 


command  of  five  companies  at  Fort  Walker,  occupy- 
ing the  works  commanding  the  entrance  to  Port 
Royal  Bay.  Engaged  in  active  duty  upon  the  islands 
before  C'harleslon,  for  the  most  part  having  an  inde- 
pendent command,  he  frequently  met  the  enemy  by 
day  and  night  in  hostile  encounters. 

In  July,  1862,  the  regiment  was  ordered  northward, 
and  Sept.  4,  1862,  Lieut.-Col.  Beaver  wa.s  promoted 
colonel  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-eighth  Penn- 
sylvania, a  new  three-years'  regiment,  recruited 
mostly  in  Centre  County.  The  Antietam  campaign 
was  opening,  and  he  was  ordered  to  guard  a  portion 
of  the  Northern  Central  Railway  most  exposed  to  in- 
cursions by  the  enemy,  and  one  of  the  main  lines  of 
supply  for  the  capital  and  the  army.  Upon  the  eve 
of  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg  he  was  ordered  up, 
but  was  not  put  into  the  fight.  At  Chancellorsville, 
Col.  Beaver,  while  leading  his  command,  and  while 
at  close  quarters  with  the  enemy,  was  shot  through 
the  body  and  carried  off  the  field.  He  was  removed 
to  a  hospital  in  Washington,  where  he  received  the 
most  skillful  medical  aid  and  attendance.  It  was 
near  the  middle  of  July  before  he  was  sufiiciently 
recovered  to  return  to  his  regiment.  In  the  mean 
time  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  had  been  fought  and 
won,  and  the  army  was  again  advancing  into  Vir- 
ginia. At  Bristoe  Station  and  at  Mine  Run  he  was 
actively  engaged,  at  the  former  place  the  enemy 
being  handsomely  repulsed. 

At  Po  River,  on  the  fourth  day  after  the  opening 
of  the  spring  campaign  of  1864,  Col.  Beaver  led  his 
command  in  a  determined  fight,  holding  his  ground 
in  the  most  intrepid  manner.  At  Spottsylvania,  the 
North  Anna,  and  Tolopotomy  the  struggle  on  the  part 
of  the  two  armies  was  no  less  desperate,  but  still  inde- 
cisive. In  the  first  of  these  Col.  Beaver  was  struck 
by  a  Minie-ball,  but  fortunately  was  shielded  from  its 
full  effect  by  a  mehiorandum-book,  in  the  thick  cover 
and  leaves  of  which  its  deadly  power  was  spent.  In 
the  charge  delivered  at  Cold  Harbor  by  the  division 
to  which  he  was  attached,  the  most  desperate  resist- 
ance was  met,  and  upon  the  fall  of  the  leader  of  the 
brigade.  Col.  Beaver  succeeded  to  its  command. 
Here,  too,  he  was  again  struck,  but  not  disabled. 

In  the  first  assault  upon  the  works  before  Peters- 
burg, on  the  evening  of  the  16th  of  June,  while  gal- 
lantly leading  his  brigade  amid  the  crash  of  mus- 
ketry and  a  teri'ific  fire  of  artillery,  he  received  a 
serious  wound  from  the  fragments  of  a  shell,  inflict- 
ing internal  injuries  and  cutting  a  ghastly  gash  in  the 
side.  He  was  again  confined  to  the  hospital  for  weary 
weeks.  Eager  to  be  with  his  men  at  the  front,  he  left 
it  before  he  had  entirely  recovered.  He  chanced  to 
reach  the  field  just  as  his  division  was  preparing  to 
go  into  battle  at  Ream's  Station,  Aug.  25,  1864. 
Finding  his  regiment  had  moved  to  the  battle-field, 
he  pressed  on  and  joined  in  the  line  (if  battle  only  in 
time  to  be  struck  down  by  a  ball  which  crushed  his 
thigh  and  maimed  him  for  life  with  the  loss  of  a  leg. 


178 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Nov.  10,  1864,  Hon.  E.  M.  Stanton,  Secretary  of 
War,  notified  Col.  Beaver  that  for  liighly  meritorious 
and  distinguished  conduct  throughout  the  campaign, 
and  particularly  for  valuable  service  at  Cold  Harbor, 
the  President  had  appointed  him  a  brigadier-general 
of  volunteers  by  brevet,  to  rank  from  the  1st  day  of 
August,  1864.  With  the  close  of  the  war  Gen.  Beayer 
resumed  the  practice  of  law  at  Bellefonte,  and  Dec.  26, 
1866,  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  A.  McAllister,  daugh- 
ter of  H.  N.  McAllister,  Esq.  His  living  children 
are  Gilbert,  Addams,  Hugh  McAllister,  and  Thomas 
Beaver.  His  services  in  the  cause  of  education  have 
been  laborious  and  highly  honorable,  as  president  of 
the  board  of  trustees  of  the  Pennsylvania  State  Col- 
lege and  member  of  the  boards  of  Washington  and 
Jefferson  College,  at  Washington,  Pa.,  and  Lincoln 
University  at  Oxford,  Pa.  He  was  one  of  the  com- 
missioners who  supervised  and  built  the  State  Hos- 
pital for  the  Insane  at  Warren.  Gen.  Beaver's  dis- 
tinguishing characteristics  are  his  earnestness  in  the 
discharge  of  duty,  complete  mastery  of  every  subject 
he  undertakes,  and  the  thoroughness  with  which 
every  item  of  business,  however  diversified,  is  dis- 
posed of.  His  career  (thus  far)  culminated  in  his 
unanimous  nomination  for  the  oflBce  of  Governor  of 
Pennsylvania  by  the  Republican  party,  made  in  con- 
vention May  10,  1882. 

Benner,  Gen.  Philip,  was  a  son  of  Henry  Ben- 
ner,  of  Chester  County,  where  he  was  born  in  1762. 
His  father  was  an  active  Whig  during  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  was  captured  and  imprisoned.  When  yet 
a  young  man  Gen.  Benner  served  in  the  Revolution, 
his  mother  quilting  some  money  in  the  back  of  his 
vest  as  a  provision  for  his  necessities  if  captured. 

After  the  war  Gen.  Benner  engaged  in  the  iron 
business  at  Coventry,  in  the  northern  part  of  Chester 
County,  and  had  a  store  in  Vincent  township,  in  that 
county.  He  married  Ruth  Roberts,  and  May  3, 1792, 
he  purchased  of  Josiah  Matlack  Rock  Forge  lands, 
and  removed  to  Spring  Creek  to  engage  in  the  iron 
business,  and  from  that  time  forward  until  his  death 
was  prominently  identified  with  that  business  and 
the  business  interests  and  prosperity  of  Centre 
County.  He  brought  workmen  with  him  from  Ches- 
ter County,  and  commenced  his  improvements  in  May, 
1793,  at  Rock,  erecting  a  house  and  saw-mill,  and  in 
1794  erected  his  first  forge,  and  the  first  in  what  is 
now  Centre  County,  the  forge  making  iron  in  that 
year.  The  difiiculties  he  encountered  may  be  esti- 
mated from  a  remark  he  made :  "  I  had  to  pack  pro- 
visions from  the  eastern  counties  through  the  woods 
to  supply  ninety-three  people."  He  then  erected  a 
grist-mill,  and  in  1799  the  slitting-mill,  and  Feb.  20, 
1800,  commenced  building  the  lower  forge,  adding 
afterwards  a  nail-mill,  furnace,  etc. 

Prior  warrants  had  been  laid  on  the  land  he  bought 
of  Matlack,  and  after  he  had  completed  his  iron-works 
in  1802,  an  ejectment  was  brought  against  him  by  the 
owners  of  what  were  known  as  the  Hubley  warrants. 


He  defended  his  rights  stoutly  and  gained  his  case 
the  first  time  in  the  lower  courts,  but  failed  in  the 
Supreme  Court,  and  on  a  retrial  in  1811  he  was  de- 
feated and  compelled  to  buy  his  land  a  second  time. 
His  land  titles  settled,  he  opened  an  iron  trade  with 
Pittsburgh,  packing  iron  on  horses  through  to  that 
place,  and  afterwards  hauling  it  from  Rock.  He  en- 
joyed, as  the  result  of  his  enterprise,  without  compe- 
tition for  many  years,  the  trade  in  what  was  termed 
by  him  the  "Juniata  iron"  with  Pittsburgh  and  the 
western  country. 

Among  the  foremost  in  internal  improvement,  he 
was  the  first  president  (in  1821)  of  the  Centre  and 
Kishacoquillas  Turnpike  Company,  and  assisted 
largely  in  its  construction. 

As  a  politician  he  was  an  earnest  Democrat,  and 
was  twice  Presidential  elector,  notably  on  the  Jack- 
son and  Calhoun  ticket  of  1824,  and  in  1827  he  es- 
tablished the  Centre  Democrat. 

Gen.  Benner  was  a  very  industrious  man.  He  al- 
ways was  out  between  four  and  five  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  and  from  that  time  until  night  was  always 
on  the  alert.  Attentive  to  every  detail,  like  Napoleon, 
he  frequently  examined  his  horses'  feet  to  see  that 
they  were  well  shod,  and  every  teamster  had  a  ham- 
mer, extra  horseshoes,  nails,  etc.,  in  case  of  emergency 
along  the  road.  He  had  four-  and  six-horse  teams 
constantly  hauling  to  Pittsburgh  and  to  Bald  Eagle 
Creek.  Once  a  teamster  who  sounded  his  own  mer- 
its largely  applied  to  the  general  for  employment. 
"  Well,"  said  the  general,  "  my  good  fellow,  did  you 
ever  upset  your  wagon?"  "Upset!  oh,  no,  sir!  I 
am  too  good  a  driver  for  that."  "  Well,  then,"  said 
the  general,  "I  do  not  think  you  will  do,  for  you 
would  not  know  what  to  do  when  you  did  upset.  No 
man  can  drive  from  Rock  to  Pittsburgh  without  up- 
setting.    No,  you  won't  do  at  all." 

He  had  a  humorous  way  of  disposing  of  applicants 
for  work  when  he  had  no  occasion  for  them  or  did 
not  fancy  the  applicant.  Looking  at  an  applicant 
closely  one  day,  he  observed  the  cloth  on  the  right 
shoulder  of  his  coat  well  worn.  "My  man,"  said  the 
general,  "you  are  altogether  too  fond  of  hunting  to 
be  a  good  workman."  His  judgment  of  hunters  in 
general  was  that  they  were  a  worthless  race.  To  an- 
other his  objection  lay  to  the  condition  of  his  panta- 
loons. "  A  man,"  said  the  general,  "  who  sat  down 
so  much  as  to  wear  out  the  seat  of  his  breeches  was 
too  lazy  a  man  to  be  tolerated  at  Rock." 

The  borough  of  Bellefonte  bears  testimony  to  his 
energy  and  liberality.  He  aided  in  the  construction 
of  the  water-works,  and  erected  quite  a  number  of 
houses.  Many  of  the  best  houses  of  their  day  were 
erected  by  him,  and  will  remain  as  memorials  for  a 
century  to  come.  In  addition  to  the  iron  business,  he 
had  a  store  in  Ferguson  township  and  one  in  Belle- 
fonte. He  accumulated  a  vast  amount  of  real  estate, 
but  his  losses  were  sometimes  enormous.  He  built 
a  steamboat  at  Pittsburgh,  and  freighted  it  with  iron, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL. 


179 


the  venture  costing  upwards  of  fifty  thousand  dollars. 
The  captain  had  directions  to  go  to  New  Orleans  and 
exchange  for  tobacco,  with  which  he  was  to  return 
for  market.  The  captain  sold  vessel  and  freight, 
sailed  to  Europe,  and  never  was  heard  of  afterward. 
He  also  lo.st  heavily  with  an  iron  merchant  in 
Pittsburgh. 

His  appellation,  general,  came  from  an  early  com- 
mission as  major-general  of  militia. 

His  wife,  Ruth,  died  at  Rock,  Jan.  7,  1827,  aged 
sixty-two,  and  the  general  followed  her  to  the  tomb 
July  27,  1832.  He  left  eight  children,  of  whom 
Philip  was  the  oldest,  Mrs.  Thomas  Waddle,  Mrs. 
Mary  H.  Wilson,  Mrs.  Peninah  Kephart,  Thomas 
Benner,  Henry  Benner,  J.  Matlack  Benner,  and  Mrs. 
Ruth  Armor.  Of  these  there  are  still  living  Mrs. 
Armor,  widow  of  Maj.  James  Armor  ;  Thomas  Benner, 
of  Ohio  ;  and  Henry  Benner,  of  Rock.  Philip  Ben- 
ner, Jr.,  died  at  Rock,  Feb.  17,  1839,  aged  forty-two ; 
Mrs.  Peninah  Kephart  died  Jan.  16, 1876,  aged  eighty- 
six  years. 

Benner,  John,  who  kept  hotel  at  the  Old  Fort  for 
many  years,  was  a  cousin  to  Gen.  Philip  Benner. 
John  Benner  married  a  Livingston.  His  second  wife 
was  a  daughter  of  James  Watts,  an  old  settler.  John 
Benner  had  a  number  of  children, — Levi,  John 
(father  of  William,  who  resides  near  the  Fort),  Henry, 
and  James. 

Berry,  Jacob,  and  his  brother  Peter  appear  to 
have 'been  among  the  first  settlers  in  Brush  valley. 
Their  names  appear  in  the  church  records  as  early  as 
1797.  They  had  a  small  store  about  the  year  1813  or 
1814,  near  where  Reuben  Gramly  now  lives,  about  a 
mile  and  a  half  east  of  Rebersburg. 

Jacob  was  assessed  with  a  distillery  in  1803.  It 
was  situated  near  the  spring  south  of  Mr.  John  Bress- 
ler's  present  home.  Jacob  owned  a  tract  of  over  a 
hundred  acres,  which  lay  between  the  present  homes 
of  Jefferson  Royer  and  Reuben  Gramly, — a  tract 
owned  at  different  periods  by  Jacob  Walter,  William 
Krape,  Jacob  Long,  and  Francis  Gramly,  Sr.  The 
Berrys  lived  also  at  Rebersburg  during  its  earlier  his- 
tory. There  seem  to  be  no  representatives  left  in  the 
valley. 

BiERLY,  Anthony,  was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers 
of  Brush  valley.  He  leased  a  tract  of  three  hundred 
acres,  on  part  of  which  Rebersburg  is  now  situated, 
from  Col.  Samuel  Miles  in  1791,  and  it  is  probable 
that  he  brought  his  family  into  the  valley  in  the 
spring  of  the  same  year.  They  came  from  Mahan- 
tango  Creek,  now  Snyder  County.  Mr.  Bierly  and 
his  son  Nifholas  had  been  up  during  the  previous  fall 
to  clear  and  put  in  grain  a  small  piece  of  ground  for  the 
family's  subsistence.  A  Mr.  Strawbridge  had  cleared 
about  half  an  acre  and  built  a  hut  on  this  tract  when 
Mr.  Bierly  first  came,  and  there  were  a  few  huts 
standing  in  the  woods  through  other  parts  of  the 
valley.  Mr.  Bierly's  house  was  situated  about  mid- 
way between  the   present  homes  of  Peter  S.  and  An- 


thony Bierly.  There  are  several  apple-trees  around 
the  place  which  were  brought  from  below,  one  of 
which  measures  thirteen  and  one-half  feet  in  circum- 
ference. During  the  Revolutionary  war  Anthony 
Bierly  served  in  the  militia,  but  it  is  not  known  in 
what  engagements  he  took  ])art.  On  one  or  two  oc- 
casions he,  with  other  parties,  followed  Indians  who 
had  murdered  white  families.  This  occurred  while 
he  was  still  living  along  the  Mahantango.  He  came 
to  the  valley  with  his  family  through  Brush  Valley 
Narrows,  over  the  road  which  Samuel  Miles  had 
opened  but  a  short  time  before,  and  was  the  first  man 
that  traveled  it  in  a  conveyance.  Anthony  Bierly 
was  a  native  of  Bavaria ;  his  parents  and  an  only 
brother,  Nicholas,  came  to  America  at  the  same  time 
probably,  but  in  what  year  is  not  known.  His  brother 
settled  in  Ohio  somewhere.  His  father's  name  was 
Melchior,  and  he  lived  along  the  Mahantango  also 
until  the  Indian  troubles  of  1778,  when  he  left  with 
the  "  Great  Runaway,"  and  never  returned  from  the 
eastern  part  of  the  State.  His  wife  brought  along  a 
beautifully  ornamented  bottle  from  the  old  country, 
which  is  to-day  a  cherished  relic  in  the  family  of  a 
great-grandson,  Melchior  Bierly,  of  Rebersburg.  An- 
thony Bierly  was  married  to  a  Miss  Warner  ;  he  died 
in  1825,  and  was  eighty-two  years  of  age ;  both  he 
and  his  wife  lie  buried  in  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed 
graveyard,  Rebersburg,  and  neither  grave  has  a  tomb- 
stone with  an  inscription. 

Children, — Nicholas,  .lohn,  Anthony,  Margaret, 
married  to  John  Philips ;  Mary,  married  to  Michael 
Kehl ;  Sarah,  first  married  to  Henry  Grenninger,  and 
after  his  decease  to  George  Leash ;  Anna,  married  to 
Philip  Glantz;  Barbara,  married  to  Frederick  Wo- 
meldorf ;  Rosina,  married  to  Christian  Gramly  ;  Eliza- 
beth, married  to  Peter  Berry  ;  Eva,  married  to  Michael 
Ketner  ;  Catharine  not  married.  All  the  children  are 
dead.  (Meyer.) 

Bierly,  Anthony,  Jr.,  was  the  youngest  son  of 
Anthony  Bierly,  Sr.  He  also  lived  on  the  original 
Bierly  tract,  a  small  part  of  which  he  owned.  He 
died  July  18,  1857,  aged  sixty-nine  years,  ten  months, 
ten  days.  Children, — Melchior,  John,  William,  Susan 
(married  to  Joseph  Miller),  Rachel  (married  to  Rev. 
George  Young),  George,  Daniel,  and  Joseph.  All 
are  living.  Rev.  Young,  a  minister  of  the  Evangeli- 
cal Association,  died  many  years  ago. 

Bierly,  John,  second  son  of  Anthony  Bierly,  Sr., 
■was  born  Feb.  8,  1779,  in  Northumberland  County, 
and  was  about  twelve  years  old  when  his  father  came 
to  the  valley.  His  mother  used  to  relate  to  him  how 
she  secreted  him,  when  but  a  few  months  old,  in  a 
sugar-trough  in  the  woods,  and  fled  with  the  rest  of 
the  children  while  the  Indians  made  an  attack  on 
the  settlement.  The  Indians  did  not  discover  him, 
and  he  was  found  uninjured  on  the  return  of  the 
family  when  the  danger  was  over.  Mr.  Bierly  was 
married  to  Mary  Catharine  Berry,  of  Lancaster,  and 
lived  near  Rebersburg  about  forty-five   years,   then 


180 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


moved  to  Sugar  valley,  near  Tylersville,  where  he 
died  in  1870,  aged  ninety-one.  Most  of  his  children 
are  residents  of  Sugar  valley.  Peter  S.,  one  of  the 
sons,  lived  on  the  old  homestead,  near  Rebersburg. 
Hon.  Willis  R.  Bierly,  now  a  member  of  the  Legis- 
lature from  Lycoming  County,  is  a  son  of  Peter  S., 
and  grandson  of  John  Bierly. 

BlEELY,  NiCHOLA.s,  Came  to  Brush  valley  with  his 
father,  Anthony  Bierly,  and  located  on  the  same 
tract,  part  of  which  he  owned  himself  subsequently. 
He  was  the  oldest  son,  and  the  support  of  the  nu- 
merous family  depended  mainly  upon  himself  and 
his  second  brother,  John,  for  their  father  was  sickly 
and  unable  to  do  much.  He  had  to  work  hard  to 
pull  through.  He  was  married  to  Lucy,  a  daughter 
of  John  Buchtel,  who  came  into  the  valley  about  the 
same  time  or  soon  after  the  Bierlys  moved  in.  Nich- 
olas lived  in  the  house  now  occupied  by  his  son, 
Anthony,  where  they  died,  and  are  both  buried  in 
the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  Cemetery,  Rebersburg ; 
no  tomhstones  to  mark  their  graves.  Nicholas  Bierly 
died  July  25, 1848,  aged  seventy-three  years ;  his  wife 
died  March  26,  1851,  aged  seventy-three  years. 

There  were  ten  children, — Nicholas,  born  Feb.  12, 
1799,  died  in  Sugar  valley,  aged  seventy-eight  years  ; 
Hannah,  born  May  26, 1800,  married  to  Henry  Meyer, 
residing  three  miles  east  of  Rebershurg ;  Michael, 
born  Nov.  25, 1801,  lives  at  Madisonburg;  John,  horn 
Sept.  25,  1803,  lives  west  of  Rebersburg  two  miles ; 
David,  born  Dec.  6,  1805,  moved  to  Ohio ;  Anthony, 
born  Aug.  26,  1807,  lives  on  the  old  farm  ;  Reuben, 
born  March  8, 1809,  removed  to  Missouri ;  Peter,  born 
'April  13,1814,  died  near  Milesburg;  Simeon,  born 
March  25,  1817,  dead;  George,  born  July  17,  1819, 
moved  to  Ohio. 

Blakely,  Elizabeth,  died  April  13,  1879,  at  the 
residence  of  Mr.  W.  S.  Gray,  in  Stormstown,  aged 
eighty  years.  She  was  well  known  in  all  parts  of 
Centre  County,  having  followed  the  profession  of 
teaching  for  the  last  fifty  years,  and  also  filled  the 
position  of  governess  in  a  number  of  the  best  families 
in  the  county.  She  never  married,  but  lived  a  mod- 
est, blameless,  Christian  life,  the  virtues  of  which  are 
now  jewels  in  her  heavenly  crown.  She  never  left  a 
position  that  she  was  not  followed  by  the  best  wishes, 
or  did  not  leave  a  lasting  impression  of  her  goodness 
and  earnestness  on  the  minds  of  those  under  her 
charge,  or  of  those  with  whom  she  came  in  contact 
otherwise. 

BoAL,  David,  died  in  Harris  township,  at  the  resi- 
dence of  his  son,  Capt.  George  Boal,  on  the  14th  of 
March,  1837,  aged  seventy-three  years.  He  emi- 
grated from  Ireland  upon  the  suppression  of  the  Re- 
bellion of  1798,  and  settled  in  Penn's  valley,  where 
his  character  was  without  spot  or  blemish.  He  early 
connected  himself  with  the  Slab  Cabin  Church,  was 
elected  an  elder,  and  served  as  such  until  his  death. 
His  place  adjoined  the  town  of  Boalsburg,  and  from 
that  circumstance  the  town  took  its  name. 


His  children  were  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Brisbin,  Mary, 
wife  of  Hiland  Biddle,  Hon.  George  Boal,  and  John 
Boal. 

BoCtQS,  Andrew,  the  first  settler,  died  in  1776, 
leaving  a  widow  and  seven  children, — five  sons  and 
two  daughters.  His  wife's  maiden  name  was  Mar- 
gery Harris.  Andrew,  the  eldest  son,  left  home  soon 
after  his  father's  death,  married  a  Miss  Little,  of  Stone 
valley,  and  after  some  years  removed  to  Ross  County, 
Ohio.  Robert  (the  judge)  was  the  second  son.  Joseph 
married  Catherine,  daughter  of  Richard  Malone,  and 
with  his  brother-in-law,  John  Gilmore,  about  the  year 
1800,  moved  to  Ross  County,  Ohio,  where  many  of  their 
descendants  yet  reside.  John,  the  fourth  son,  was 
killed  by  a  dirk-knife  in  the  hands  of  a  Spaniard  in 
Tennessee,  and  William  by  an  accident  at  the  raising 
of  John  Sherrick's  barn,  near  Milesburg.  Nancy 
married  John  Gilmore,  and  Jane  married  David 
Elder,  and  resided  on  Spruce  Creek.  Mrs.  Margery 
Boggs  died  in  1809  on  the  place  where  they  settled, 
and  was  buried  in  Milesburg  graveyard  beside  her 
son.  Judge  Robert  Boggs. 

Boggs,  Judge  Robert,  died  Sept.  12,  1806,  aged 
forty-six  years.  When  sixteen  years  old,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  death  of  his  father,  he  took  charge  of 
the  family,  and  in  1798  married  Esther  Swanzey, 
daughter  of  William  Swanzey,  Esq.,  who  lived  near 
Jacksonville.  Judge  Boggs  resided  and  died  where 
his  father  settled,  and  in  his  will  (dated  Oct.  25, 1802) 
he  directs  his  mother  to  "  have  a  comfortable  living 
out  of  the  tract  of  land  whereon  I  now  reside,  oppo- 
site old  town  on  Bald  Eagle  Creek."  His  wife  Esther 
was  born  in  Cumberland  County  in  March,  1776,  and 
married,  after  Judge  Boggs'  decease,  Ezekiel  Zimmer- 
man. She  died  near  Magnolia,  111.,  in  1852.  She 
had  four  children  by  Judge  Boggs.  Isabella  Camp- 
bell married,  Sept.  16,  1816,  George  Henning,  a 
hatter,  removed  to  Ithaca,  N.  Y.,  thence  to  Fond  du 
Lac,  Wis.,  Avhere  she  died.  George  Henning  died  in 
Fond  du  Lac  in  1853.  Margery  H.,  born  July,  1802, 
married  Reuben  Lyon,  of  Ithaca,  and  died  there  in 
1834.  Rev.  John  Harris  Boggs,  born  June  22,  1804, 
married  Catherine  Hoover  (born  March  30, 1803),  June 
14, 1826,  both  living,  1882,  at  Boone,  Boone  Co.,  Iowa, 
with  ten  living  children,  with  thirty-seven  grand- 
children, and  twelve  great-grandchildren.  Judge 
Boggs'  youngest  daughter,  Ann,  married  William 
Foster,  of  Bellefonte,  removed  to  Elmira,  N.  Y.,  and 
died  there  in  1844. 

John  C.  Henning,  of  Hudson,  Wis.,  writes,  "  In 
1821  my  father  (George  Henning)  removed  to  Miles- 
burg, and  occupied  the  house  and  lot  next  below  the 
bridge.  At  that  time  there  was  a  two-story  ware- 
house on  the  rear  end  of  the  lot  next  the  creek.  In 
1823  we  removed  to  Bellefonte,  my  father  purchasing 
the  stone  house  on  the  south  end  of  Main  Street  (Al- 
legheny Street?),  near  the  road  leading  to  the  big 
spring.  lu  the  spring  of  1805  my  father  and  family 
removed  to  Ithaca,  N.  Y." 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL. 


181 


Benjamin  S.  Henning,  born  at  Ithaca,  resides  in 
New  York,  is  vice-president  of  Indiana,  Blooniington 
and  Western  Railroad,  and  largely  interested  in  the 
Long  Island  Consolidated  Railroad,  Florida  Central, 
and  Western  Railroads,  etc.  Sarah  H.,  married  to 
Dr.  William  Wiley,  resides  at  Fond  dii  Lae  Isabella 
B.  married  John  L.  Thompson,  now  a  widow,  resides 
at  Atchison,  Kan.     Sarah  A.,  at  Kansas'City. 

BoGG.s,  John,  who  was  a  prominent  man  in  Cum- 
berland County,  paymaster  of  militia,  sherifl'of  Cum- 
berland County  from  1780  to  1783,  and  justice  of  the 
Common  Pleas  of  Franklin  County  in  178().  He  re- 
moved to  Buffalo  Run  in  1795,  lived  on  the  place  now 
owned  by  Henderson  (above  Roopsburg),  and  died  in 
December,  1796,  age  sixty-four.  He  was  the  first 
person  buried  in  Bellefonte,  on  the  hill  where  Daniel 
Rhoads,  Esq.,  now  lives,  which  was  first  intended  for 
a  public  cemetery.  When  the  present  one  was  made 
his  body  was  removed  to  it.  His  wife,  whose  maiden 
name  was  Elizabeth  Johnston,  died  July  11,  1815. 
She  was  a  sister  of  Dr.  Robert  Johnston,  of  near 
Waynesboro',  Franklin  Co.,  a  celebrated  surgeon  of 
the  Revolutionary  army.  Col.  James  Dunlop's  wife 
was  Jane  Boggs,  sister  of  John  Boggs.  The  children 
of  John  Boggs  and  Elizabeth  Johnston  were:  1,  An- 
drew Boggs,  Esq.,  the  lawyer,  born  Sept.  1, 1773.  (See 
bar  list  for  notice  of  him.)  2,  Elizabeth,  born  Janu- 
ary, 1775;  married  James  McLanahan,  of  Baltimore. 
3,  Dr.  Johnston  Boggs,  born  June  7,  1776,  of  Frank- 
lin County.  4,  Francis  Boggs,  born  Feb.  25,  1778.  5, 
Ann  Boggs,  born  Oct.  24,  1779.  Ann  Boggs  married 
first  Col.  William  W.  Miles  June  22,  1799,  and  in 
May,  1814,  John  Mitchell,  Esq.,  afterwards  member 
of  Congress  and  canal  commissioner.  6,  Mary  Boggs, 
born  Nov.  19,  1781  ;  died,  June  14,  1809.  7,  Jane 
Boggs,  born  March  13, 1784,  who  married  John  Royer, 
of  Huntingdon  County,  a  prominent  politician  and 
iron-worker ;  they  removed  to  Johnstown,  Pa.,  where 
Mrs.  Royer  died  at  the  residence  of  her  son-in-law, 
Hon.  Cyrus  L.  Pershing  (now  of  Pottsville),  Oct.  28, 
1869,  aged  eighty-five.  8,  John  Boggs,  of  Franklin 
County,  born  Aug.  18,  1787,  father  of  Mrs.  Bishop  de 
Schweinitz,  of  Bethlehem. 

Boggs,  William,  who  died  in  October,  1816,  was 
a  brother  of  Moses  Boggs,  and  had  the  following 
sisters :  Mrs.  Martha  Stevens,  Mrs.  Jane  Hoover,  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Parsons,  and  Rebecca  Boggs.  This  family 
was  not  related  to  Andrew  Boggs,  the  first  settler. 
Moses  Boggs'  death  was  caused  by  a  fall  from  an 
apple-tree.  His  father's  name  was  also  Robert  Boggs. 
Robert  Boggs  also  lived  and  died  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Milesburg. 

BoLLAUDEE,  Stephen,  came  from  Cocalico  town- 
ship, Lancaster  County,  as  stated  in  an  old  deed  for  a 
tract  of  land  on  which  the  west  end  of  Rebersburg  is 
now  located.  The  deed  was  written  Dec.  1,  1791,  and 
it  is  probable  that  Mr.  BoUander  came  into  the  valley 
about  that  time.  Col.  Henry  Royer's  farm  is  included 
in  the  tract  named.     Mr.  Bollander  lived  in  a  house 


which  used  to  stand  somewhere  between  the  present 
homes  of  Philip  Ilubler  and  Col.  Royer.  He  moved 
to  Ohio  eight  or  ten  years  after  his  arrival  in  Brush 
valley.  There  are  no  descendants  remaining  in  the 
valley. 

Brew,  Thaddeus,  died  in  Bellefonte  May  17, 1875. 
Thaddeus  Brew  was  born  at  Kilrush,  County  Clare, 
Ireland,  on  the  22d  of  February,  1786.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  Dysart,  on  the  22d  of  February,  1811,  to  Mary 
Curtin,  a  sister  of  the  father  of  John,  Roland,  and 
E.K-Governor  Curtin,  and  on  the  22d  of  April,  1831, 
sailed  with  his  wife  for  America,  arriving  in  Belle- 
fonte the  following  June,  where  he  has  been  a  citizen 
ever  since.  He  was  the  father  of  Mrs.  Nolan,  Mrs. 
Hamilton,  Mrs.  Schnell,  Mrs.  McClain,  and  A.  S. 
Brew. 

Brady,  William  Perry,  was  a  grandson  of  Capt. 
John  Brady,  of  the  Revolution,  killed  by  the  Indians 
near  Muncy  Hill,  April  11,  1779,  and  son  of  John 
Brady  (sheriff  of  Northumberland  County),  who, 
when  only  a  youth  of  fifteen  years,  was  wounded  as 
he  fought  by  his  father's  side  in  the  battle  of  Bran- 
dywine.  William  P.  Brady  resided  at  Aaronsburg, 
working  at  his  trade,  cabinet-making,  when  the  war 
broke  out,  in  1812.  He  volunteered  in  Capt.  George 
Records'  company,  and  one  of  the  volunteers  on  board 
of  Perry's  fleet,  and  honored  by  the  State  with  a  medal 
for  his  services  at  Perry's  victory,  Sept.  10,  1813,  on 
Lake  Erie. 

While  Capt.  Records'  company  was  at  Lake  Erie, 
Commodore  Perry,  not  having  a  sufiicient  number  of 
marines,  called  for  volunteers,  and  those  indicated  on 
the  roll  of  1813  volunteered.  William  P.  Brady  was 
the  first  who  volunteered.  Before  Perry  sailed  Gen. 
Hugh  Brady  came  to  Erie,  and  through  his  influence 
W.  P.  Brady  was  made  a  purser's  steward.  He  was 
attached  to  one  of  the  smaller  vessels,  which  had  to 
be  abandoned,  and  he  was  the  last  man  to  leave  his 
gun.  His  shirt-sleeves  were  shot  away.  He  took 
great  pride  in  that  shirt,  and  often  showed  it  to  his 
friends  in  after-years. 

In  1846  he  was  elected  assistant  sergeaut-at-arms 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Senate,  which  place  he  retained 
until  his  death  at  Harrisburg,  April  4,  1864,  aged 
sixty-nine  years,  one  month,  and  nineteen  days.  He 
was  widely  known  for  his  genial  disposition  and  great 
conversational  powers.  His  wife  was  Rachel,  daugh- 
ter of  Lyons  Mussina,  of  Aaronsburg.  She  died  Dec. 
8,  1849,  and  is  buried  beside  her  husband  at  Salona, 
Clinton  Co.,  leaving  children, — Lyons  M.  Brady,  etc. 

Brisben,  William,  died  in  Ferguson  township  in 
the  spring  of  1809.  He  left  a  widow,  Elizabeth,  and 
ten  children, — Agnes,  Widow  Marron,  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Barr,.John,  Joshua,  Mrs.  Sarah  Whitehill,  James, 
Samuel,  Enos,  Ezra,  and  Mary. 

Brungart,  George,  of  Miles  township,  w;w  the 
third  son  of  Martin  Brivugart.  He  owned  part  of 
his  father's  first  purch.ase.  In  1820  he  built  on  his 
farm  a  tannerv,  of  which  Jacob  Stefly,  also  a  York 


182 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


County  emigrant,  took  charge  in  1824,  and  superin- 
tended it  for  sixteen  years.  It  ceased  to  be  operated 
many  years  ago.  Mr.  Brungart  used  to  make  a  plow, 
which  was  a  great  improvement  on  the  clumsy  im- 
plements then  in  use.  This  was  forty  or  fifty  years 
ago,  and  his  plows  now  are  curious  relics.  It  was  the 
plow  alluded  to  in  the  old  saying  of  some  person  "  that 
no  man  was  rich  unless  he  owned  a  long-barreled 
shot-gun,  a  red  wamus,  and  a  Brungart's  plow."  He 
was  married  to  Sarah  Kehl,  whose  mother,  Mrs. 
Catharine  Kehl,  was  a  sister  of  Conrad  Weiser. 
There  were  four  sons, — Jacob,  who  lives  at  Rebers- 
burg;  George,  who  lives  on  the  old  Dubbs'  farm, 
east  end  of  the  valley ;  Daniel,  who  also  resides  at 
Eebersburg;  and  William,  who  is  dead.  Of  the 
daughters,  Catharine  was  married  to  J.  W.  Erheart ; 
Susan,  to  Jeremiah  Haines,  of  Eebersburg ;  and 
Sarah,  to  Hon.  Samuel  Frank,  one  of  the  present 
associate  judges  of  Centre  County.  Mrs.  Frank  is  the 
only  surviving  daughter.  Like  nearly  all  the  emi- 
grants from  York  County,  Mr.  Brungart  lived  to  a 
ripe  old  age.  He  died  Dec.  21,  1877,  aged  eighty- 
nine;  lies  buried  at  Eebersburg. — (Meyer.) 

Brungart,  Jacob,  second  son  of  Martin,  lived  on 
the  farm  now  owned  by  his  son  Samuel.  He  was 
drafted  in  1813,  but,  being  so  situated  that  he  could 
not  go  to  the  army  unless  at  a  great  sacrifice  finan- 
cially, he  made  a  contract  with  William  P.  Brady, 
then  residing  at  Aaronsburg,  to  go  as  a  substitute. 
Mr.  Brungart  paid  Brady  sixty  dollars,  and  presented 
him  with  a  pair  of  shoes. 

Jacob  Brungart  was  bora  Jan.  15,  1786,  died  Sept. 
5,  1862.  He  had  six  sons, — John,  George,  Jacob, 
Frederick,  Martin,  and  Samuel ;  the  first  three  named 
are  dead.  There  were  six  daughters, — Mary,  married 
to  John  Heckman  ;  Susan,  wife  of  John  Weaver ; 
Catharine,  wife  of  Adam  Bear,  Eebersburg  ;  Mar- 
garet, married  to  Jacob  Smeltzer  ;  Eegina,  married  to 
John  Schaeft'er ;  and  Sarah,  wife  of  William  Johnson. 
All  are  living  except  Margaret. 

Brungart,  Martin,  came  from  the  neighborhood 
of  Hanover,  York  County,  in  1798.  He  purchased  a 
Mr.  Kreamer's  interest  in  a  lease  for  a  tract  of  land 
in  the  eastern  part  of  Brush  valley,  and  located  on  it 
permanently.  There  are  many  descendants  in  Brush, 
Sugar,  and  Nittany  valleys.  Mr.  Brungart  and  his 
wife  are  buried  in  the  old  graveyard  at  Eebersburg, 
without  any  monument  to  show  their  last  resting- 
place.     Many  of  the  old  settlers  are  thus  buried. 

Children, — Martin,  Jacob,  George,  and  John  were 
the  sons.  Jacob  and  George  remained  residents  of 
Miles  township,  and  they  are  briefly  noticed  above. 
Of  Mr.  Brungart's  daughters,  two  remained  in  York 
County,  one  of  whom,  Barbara,  was  married  to  Dan- 
iel Bear;  the  other,  whose  name  could  not  be  ascer- 
tained, was  married  to  a  Mr.  Yutzy.  The  rest  came 
to  Centre  County.  Elizabeth,  married  to  Frederick 
Albright,  who  used  to  live  where  Mr.  Eeed  now  re- 
sides ;  he  sold  his  property  in  1817  and  went  to  Ohio. 


Another  of  the  daughters  was  married  to  Jacob 
Albright,  Penn's  valley ;  Mary,  married  to  John 
Weaver  ;  and  Susan  was  married  to  George  Geiswait, 
of  Penn's  valley.  None  of  the  children  are  now 
living. 

Bryson,  Eev.  Egbert  C,  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Pine  Grove  Mills,  Centre  Co.,  died  April 
13,  1873.  Mr.  Bryson  was  born  Dec.  3,  1828.  He 
prosecuted  his  academical  studies  at  Danville,  Lewis- 
burg,  and  McEwensville,  and  afterwards  graduated  at 
Princeton.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1859,  and 
was  first  installed  as  pastor  over  the  church  of  Ash- 
land, Pa.,  by  the  Presbytery  of  Northumberland. 
About  the  year  1868  he  was  called  to  the  Pine  Grove 
Church  Presbytery  of  Huntingdon,  where  he  soon 
won  the  confidence,  esteem,  and  love  of  all  who  knew 
him. 

Buchanan,  Gen.  George,  died  at  his  residence  at 
Auchentorlie  Farm,  near  Penn  Hall,  this  county,  on 
the  9th  of  June,  1879,  aged  eighty-two  years,  ten 
months,  and  twelve  days. 

He  was  a  son  of  Dr.  George  Buchanan,  of  Balti- 
more, and  was  a  grandson  of  Governor  Thomas 
McKeau,  brother  of  Admiral  Buchanan,  of  the 
Confederate  navy,  who  was  badly  wounded  during 
the  naval  battle  in  Mobile  Bay,  Admiral  Farra- 
gut  commanding  the  Federal  fleet.  He  was  also 
the  father  of  Lieut.  Evan  M.  Buchanan,  of  the  Uni- 
ted States  array,  who  gave  his  life  for  his  country 
in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  and  Commander  Thomas 
McKean  Buchanan,  who  was  killed  in  a  naval  bat- 
tle in  Bayou  Teche,  La.,  during  the  late  war.  Both 
these  youthful  heroes  sleep  their  last  sleep  in  the 
beautiful  cemetery  at  Bellefonte.  A  daughter,  who 
had  been  married  to  a  Mr.  Everett,  from  Massachu- 
setts, lies  also  buried  here.  A  third  son,  G.  Lloyd 
Buchanan,  rests  in  the  graveyard  at  Spring  Mills.  In 
religion.  Gen.  Buchanan  adhered  to  the  Episcopal 
Church ;  in  politics  he  was  an  ardent  Whig  until  that 
once  great  party  was  dissolved,  when  he  attached  to 
the  Democratic  party,  with  which  he  acted  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death. 

He  held  the  oflice  of  prothonotary  of  Centre  County 
for  a  time  by  appointment  by  the  Governor.  He  also 
served  for  several  terms  as  justice  of  the  peace  in 
Gregg  township,  where  he  had  his  home  for  many 
years. 

BucHTEL,  John,  came  to  Brush  valley  from  Penn 
township,  now  Snyder  County,  near  McKee's  Half- 
Falls,  in  1790,  purchasing  from  Col.  Samuel  Miles  the 
"  William  Wistar"  warrantee,  immediately  west  of 
Eebersburg,  three  hundred  and  thirty-four  acres,  late 
Hubler  place.  Col.  H.  Eoyer,  etc.  He  was  a  cooper 
by  trade,  an  excellent  mephanic,  devoting  much  at- 
tention to  astrology,  deeply  versed  in  its  lore.  His 
attainments  in  the  useful  branches  of  knowledge  were 
of  a  high  order.  He  died  in  1809,  leaving  a  widow, 
Catherine,  and  nine  children, — John,  Agnes  (married 
to  Michael  Meyer),  Martin,  Peter,  Solomon,  Catherine 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL. 


183 


(married  toSimon  Pickle),  Mary  (married  to  Abraham 
Kreamer),  Lutzanan  (married  to  Nicholas  Bierly), 
Elizabeth,  married  to  John  George  Moyer.  Elizabeth 
died  before  her  father,  leaving  seven  children, — Eliza- 
beth (married  to  Frederick  Richter),  Barbara  (to 
Jacob  Haines),  Julia,  Sofranna,  George,  Mary,  and 
Margaret. 

BuRCHFiELD,  HoN.  WiLLlAM,  of  Ferguson,  died 
June  13, 1873,  aged  about  seventy-two.  Judge  Burch- 
field,  while  hauling  logs,  about  eight  weeks  prior  to 
his  death,  fell  and  was  caught  between  a  roller  and  a 
stone,  resulting  in  compound  fracture  and  dislocation 
of  the  ankle-joint.  For  eight  weeks  all  that  medical 
skill  could  do  was  done  to  alleviate  his  suffering  and 
restore  him  to  health.  His  son,  Dr.  J.  P.  Burchfield, 
Drs.  Fisher,  Smith,  and  Dale  were  in  attendance,  doing 
all  that  could  be  done,  but  despite  of  every  eflbrt  he 
grew  worse,  and  on  the  7th  of  June,  acting  on  the 
advice  of  his  physicians,  he  consented  to  have  his  leg 
amputated,  which  was  done  by  Dr.  Fisher.  For  a  few 
days  after  the  operation  was  performed  he  gradually 
improved,  and  there  was  strong  hope  of  his  recovery, 
but  the  loss  of  a  limb  and  the  suffering  he  had  en- 
dured proved  too  much  for  his  enfeebled  constitution. 
He  was  elected  associate  judge  in  1856,  and  at  the 
time  of  his  death  was  acting  jury  commissioner. 

BuRNisiDE,  Hon.  Thomas,  was  born  near  Newton 
Stewart,  in  the  county  of  Tyrone,  Ireland,  July  28, 
1782.  He  came  with  his  father's  (William  Burnside) 
family  in  1792  to  Montgomery  County,  his  father 
locating  near  Fairview,  in  Lower  Providence,  in  that 
county.  In  November,  1800,  he  commenced  the  study 
of  law  under  Hon.  Robert  Porter,  of  Philadelphia, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  Feb.  13,  1804,  and  in 
March  removed  and  settled  in  Bellefonte. 

In  1811  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate,  and  was 
an  active  supporter  of  Governor  Simon  Snyder  in  all 
the  war  measures  of  1812.  In  1815  he  was  elected  to 
Congress,  and  served  during  the  memorable  session  of 
1816.  In  the  summer  of  the  same  year  he  was  ap- 
pointed by  Governor  Snyder  president  judge  of  the 
Luzerne  district.  He  resigned  this  position  in  1818, 
and  resumed  practice  at  Bellefonte.  In  1823  he  was 
again  elected  to  the  State  Senate,  of  which  body  he 
was  chosen  Speaker. 

In  1826,  before  his  senatorial  term  had  expired,  he 
was  appointed  president  judge  of  the  Fourth  Judicial 
District  (Centre,  etc.),  which  office  he  held  until 
1841,  when  he  was  appointed  president  judge  of  the 
Seventh  Judicial  District  (Bucks  and  Montgomery). 
On  the  1st  of  January,  1845,  he  was  commissioned 
one  of  the  justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, an  office  which  he  filled  with  honor  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death. 

As  remarked  by  Governor  Curtin,  "  Judge  Burn- 
side  was  a  man  of  indomitable  will,  and  had  that  in- 
tensity of  purpose  which  baffied  want,  poverty,  and 
ill-fortune.  He  came  to  this  county  when  it  was  com- 
paratively a  wilderness,  without  means  or  friends,  and 


supplied  the  want  of  early  educational  training  by  his 
energy  and  perseverance.  His  goodness  of  heart  and 
open-handed  hospitality  soon  surrounded  him  with  a 
circle  of  steadfast  personal  frientls,  and  his  large  and 
liberal  views  of  progress,  with  his  lofty  State  pride, 
made  him  a  captain  of  men  and  a  ruling  spirit." 


As  a  judge,  he  possessed  a  keen  and  discriminating 
sen?e  of  justice  and  extensive  knowledge  of  law  and 
moral  courage  to  carry  its  mandate  into  execution. 
As  remarked  by  Hon.  James  Macmanus,  one  of  his 
students,  his  great  strength  of  mind,  common  sense, 
and  quickness  of  apprehension  enabled  him  to  grasp 
the  main  points  of  a  case,  and  with  a  vigorous  step 
and  stately  march  he  would  clear  away  the  rubbish  of 
technicality,  caring  only  for  the  justice  of  the  cause 
before  him.  Mr.  Macmanus  relates  that  upon  the  oc- 
casion of  some  eminent  visitor  arriving  at  the  judge's 
house  in  Bellefonte,  Mrs.  Burnside  sent  Mr.  Mac- 
manus for  the  judge,  who  was  holding  court  at  Lewis- 
town.  It  was  late  in  the  week,  and  a  canal  case  to 
try,  the  judge  asked  the  lawyers  to  continue  to  oblige 
him.  They  replied  the  case  wa.s  important,  the  wit- 
nesses from  a  distance.  "  Well,  then,  go  on  ;  I  will  try 
it  for  you,"  said  Judge  Burnside.  Taking  a  little  time 
to  get  the  facts  accurately  he  drove  the  case  through, 
and  charged  the  jury,  and  was  ready  by  the  time  he 
had  fixed  upon  to  go  home,  and,  what  was  remarkable, 
his  opinion  was  the  only  one  sustained  of  several 
which  went  up  from  different  districts  the  canal  passed 
through  involving  precisely  similar  questions  of  law. 


184 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Judge  Burnside  took  a  deep  and  lively  iDterest  in 
all  the  public  enterprises  of  the  day,  turnpikes,  canals, 
railroads,  and  there  are  few  public  improvements, 
whether  in  our  own  immediate  neighborhood  or  in 
more  remote  portions  of  the  State,  which  do  not  owe 
much  of  their  success  to  his  exertion  and  influence. 
If  ever  he  was  biased  on  the  bench  it  was  by  any  de- 
lay caused  by  riots  or  tumults  obstructing  their  prog- 
ress even  temporarily.  The  late  Judge  A.  S.  Wilson 
used  to  relate  an  anecdote  in  point.  I  was  concerned 
■when  at  the  bar  for  a  poor  Irishman,  who  with  others 
had  been  convicted  of  a  riot  on  the  canal  near  Lewis- 
town,  to  my  utter  surprise,  and  was  called  up  with  the 
rest  for  sentence.  "  Why,"  I  remonstrated  with  the 
court,  "  the  evidence  shows  clearly  my  client  was  on 
the  other  side  of  the  river  when  the  riot  took  place." 
"  It  don't  matter,"  said  Judge  Burnside,  "  if  he  could 
have  gotten  over  ho  would  have  been  in  it." 

In  person  the  judge  was  of  medium  height,  prom- 
inent nose  and  eyes,  dark  complexion,  and  rather 
noted  for  want  of  comeliness  of  features.  His  kind- 
ness and  blunt  honesty  made  ample  amends  for  his 
lack  of  personal  beauty.  In  the  language  of  Mr. 
Macmanus,  the  judicial  ermine  was  as  unspotted 
when  he  laid  it  aside  for  the  habiliments  of  the  grave 
as  when  he  first  put  it  on. 

Judge  Burnside  died  at  the  residence  of  his  son-in- 
law,  Mr.  E.  Morris,  in  Germantown,  Tuesday  even- 
ing, March  25,  1857,  in  the  sixty-ninth  year  of  his  age. 
His  first  wife,  Mary  Fleming,  died  Feb.  28,  1813,  at 
the  early  age  of  twenty-eight.  Her  children  were 
Mrs.  Harvey  Mann,  of  Boiling  Spring ;  Mrs.  Mary 
Morris,  and  late  Hon.  James  Burnside.  By  his  second 
wife,  Ellen  Winters,  he  also  had  children,  now  resid- 
ing in  Bellefonte, — Miss  Lucy  Burnside,  Thomas  Burn- 
side, and  Mrs.  Frances  Boal.  Mrs.  Ellen  W.  Burn- 
side died  in  Bellefonte,  June  3, 1859,  aged  seventy-three 
years,  eight  months,  and  seventeen  days. 

Bdenside,  Hon.  James,  was  born  in  Bellefonte, 
Feb.  22, 1807.  He  was  the  eldest  son  of  Hon.  Thomas 
Burnside.  In  1824  he  was  a  student  at  the  Bellefonte 
Academy,  and  in  1828  graduated  with  the  highest 
honors  at  Dickinson  College.  His  study  of  law  was 
prosecuted  in  his  father's  ofiice.  He  was  admitted  in 
November,  1830,  by  the  court  in  which  his  father 
presided,  and  at  once  commenced  the  practice  of  his 
profession  under  the  same  stern  and  impartial  re- 
gime. 

In  October,  1844,  he  was  elected  member  of  the  As- 
sembly, and  re-elected  in  1845.  While  in  this  posi- 
tion he  gave  proof  of  great  ability.  His  speech,  Feb. 
3,  1846,  upon  an  amendment  which  he  proposed  to 
the  State  Constitution  in  favor  of  biennial  sessions  of 
the  Legislature  was  a  particularly  able  eftbrt. 

He  was  married  June  2,  1846,  to  Rachel,  daughter 
of  Hon.  Simon  Cameron. 

When  the  Twenty-fifth  Judicial  District  was  erected. 
Governor  Bigler  commissioned  him  its  first  judge, 
April  20, 1853,  and  in  October  he  was  elected  without 


opposition  to  the  same  high  position.  He  was  emi- 
nently distinguished  upon  the  bench  for  his  calm  im- 
partiality, yet  off  of  it  he  was  a  lenient  citizen  and  in- 
dulgent friend.  In  his  private  relations  he  displayed 
many  qualities  of  head  and  heart  which  endeared  him 
to  his  friends  and  the  people.  Had  he  lived  higher 
honors  were  apparently  in  store  for  him,  but  with 
only  half  of  his  years  of  usefulness  expended  he  was 
called  suddenly  away.  He  was  instantly  killed  by 
being  thrown  from  a  buggy,  July  1,  1859,  leaving  a 
widow,  since  deceased,  and  two  sons  and  a  daughter. 

Bailey,  Wilmam,  merchant,  Ferguson  township, 
died  March  9,  1848,  aged  fifty- four  years. 

Baird,  Jane,  wife  of  Samuel,  Spring,  died  May  1, 
1851. 

Baird,  Nancy,  wife  of  William,  Sr.,  Spring,  died 
Sept.  23,  1855,  aged  seventy  years. 

Baker,  Samuel,  school-teacher,  Howard,  died 
Oct.  28,  1849,  aged  thirty-nine  yearS. 

Barber,  James,  died  Oct.  19.  1867,  aged  seventy- 
one  years. 

Bathurst,  Antes,  Boggs,  died  Sept.  18,  1879, 
aged  eighty-three.  Sixty  j'cars  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Church. 

Bathurst,  James,  Boggs,  died  Nov.  3,  1871,  aged 
sixty  years. 

Bechdol,  David,  Liberty,  died  June  22,  1851, 
aged  seventy-five  years. 

Bell,  John,  Esq.,  Boalsburg,  died  Aug.  21,  1837, 
aged  forty-one  years. 

Benner,  John,  died  July  2,  1862. 

Blair,  David,  Milesburg,  died  March  25,  1863, 
aged  seventy-five  years. 

Blair,  Eleanor,  Boggs,  died  Nov.  6,  1833,  aged 
seventy-seven  years. 

Boal,  Elizabeth  (wife  of  James),  Potter,  died 
Nov.  15,  1832,  aged  sixty-five  years. 

BoAZ,  John,  Burnside,  died  June  19,  1880,  aged 
eighty-eight  years. 

Botorf,  Jacob,  Sr.,  Ferguson,  died  Feb.  22, 1866, 
aged  seventy-two  }'ears. 

Brisbin,  John,  Sr.,  Potter,  died  Jan.  19,  1845, 
aged  eighty-four  years. 

Brisbin,  John,  Jr.,  born  Dec.  30, 1776,  died  May 
25,  1854. 

Caldwell,  Thomas,  Esq.,  died  in  Bellefonte,  Nov. 
4, 1869,  aged  sixty-eight.  He  was  at  one  time  a  candi- 
date forsheriff"of  the  county,  and  came  within  twenty- 
three  votes  of  being  elected.  He  was  elected  justice 
of  the  peace  by  the  people  of  the  borough,  which  office 
he  held  for  two  terms,  filling  the  office  with  entire 
satisfaction  to  those  who  had  business  with  him.  He 
was  a  man  of  remarkably  strong  common  sense,  and 
seemed  to  grasp  the  right  side  of  the  most  intricate 
question  without  any  difiiculty. 

Caldwell,  Jane,  daughter  of  William  Wilson, 
born  in  the  autumn  of  1776,  near  Jacksonville,  on 
the  farm  (1856)  owned  by  Robert  Holmes.  She  was 
a  daughter  of  William  Wilson,  who  was  one  of  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL. 


185 


earliest  settlers  of  the  county,  but  was  obliged  to 
leave  the  valley  by  incursions  of  the  Indians.  She 
married  at  Carlisle  and  was  left  a  widow,  and  moved 
to  Centre  County  in  1838.     She  died  July  19,  1856. 

Callahan,  Charles  B.,  born  in  1800,  was  a 
grandson  of  Dr.  Charles  Beyer,  of  Lewisburg,  and 
the  son  of  a  school-teacher  there.  He  was  a  tailor 
by  trade,  but  also  an  architect  of  considerable  ability, 
in  that  capacity  erecting  the  old  Reynolds  Arcade, 
also  the  Conrad  House  in  Bellefonte,  and  other  good 
dwellings.  He  was  killed  at  Howard,  June  20,  1864, 
by  the  caving  in  of  a  mine,  and  is  buried  at  Hublers- 
burg,  where  his  widow,  Margaret,  resided  after  his 
death.  Two  of  Mr.  Callahan's  sons  lost  their  lives 
in  defense  of  the  Union;  a  daughter,  Celia,  is  mar- 
ried to  Lot  Bergstresser,  of  Hublersburg. 

Cambridge,  Constans,  died  Aug.  17,  1875,  aged 
seventy-five.  He  was  a  native  of  Ballymena, 
County  Antrim,  Ireland.  At  an  early  age  he  emi- 
grated to  America,  landing  at  Quebec,  Canada,  after 
a  perilous  voyage  of  over  three  months.  He  traveled 
to  Philadelphia  on  foot,  but  on  arriving  in  the  city 
learned  his  people  had  emigrated  to  Centre  County, 
when  he  was  compelled  to  retrace  his  steps  back  by 
way  of  Harrisburg  and  Lewistown  through  a  wilder- 
ness of  country,  but  finally  found  his  people  located 
on  a  farm  near  the  village  of  Milesburg. 

Although  receiving  a  thorough  education  in  his 
native  country,  on  landing  in  America  he  chose  the 
life  of  peace  and  quietness, — that  of  a  farmer.  He 
never  aspired  or  held  a  position  politically  of  any 
kind,  although  a  resident  of  Centre  County  for  sixty 
years,  his  vote  of  1874  being  his  fifty-first  annual  vote 
cast  in  his  adopted  county,  never  having  missed  a 
fall  election  from  the  date  of  his  naturalization.  In 
1853  he  removed  to  Benner  township,  near  the  town 
of  Unionville.  He  was  the  father  of  ten  children, — 
six  sons  and  four  daughters. 

Campbell,  Cleary,  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of 
lower  Bald  Eagle  valley.  Charles  Lukens  mentions 
the  fact  that,  when  he  came  up  to  survey  the  oflicers' 
tracts,  Cleary  Campbell  was  settled  upon  the  William 
Glass  warrantee,  upon  which  a  part  of  the  city  of  Lock 
Haven  now  stands.  In  1779  he  retired  to  Penn's  town- 
ship, near  Selinsgrove,  but  was  among  the  first  to  re- 
turn, and  was  assessor  of  Bald  Eagle  township  in  1787. 
He  died  on  his  place,  near  Howard,  in  August,  1809, 
leaving  several  children.  William  was  his  eldest  son, 
Sarah  Belong  and  Margaret  Belong  were  his  daugh- 
ters, Allen  Campbell  his  youngest  son.  Sarah  died 
in  Liberty  township,  Dec.  9,  1857,  in  her  eighty-fifth 
year.  She  was  born  in  1773,  married  first  a  McClos- 
key,  by  whom  she  had  two  children,  afterwards,  in 
1807,  married  Jonathan  Belong.  She  was  highly 
respected  for  her  Christian  character. 

Campbell,  David,  died  in  Unionville,  March  7, 
1879,  aged  sixty-nine  years,  five  months,  three  days. 
He  was  a  man  endowed  with  an  indomitable  will  and 
a  vast  amount  of  perseverance.     He  was  born  in  Cen- 


tre County,  about  one  and  a  half  miles  above  Union- 
ville, in  the  year  1809.  His  father  had  located  there 
about  three  years  previous.  "Squire,"  then  a  boy, 
was  sent  to  John  Hartsock,  at  Stormstown,  to  learn 
the  blacksmith  trade,  after  completing  whieli  h<-  re- 
moved to  Bellefonte  and  went  into  the  employ  of  John 
Hall,  working  faithfully  and  long  for  him.  Like  all 
young  men  at  that  time  he  got  the  western  fever,  so 
he  took  himself  to  Ohio  to  amass  a  fortune.  He  re- 
mained there  about  one  year.  Returning  to  Belle- 
fonte he  purchased  the  shops  from  his  old  employer, 
Hall,  and  set  up  business  for  himself,  carrying  on  a 
lively  trade  for  a  number  of  years  successfully.  It  is 
said  he  was  the  fastest  workman  at  the  anvil  at  that 
time  in  this  section  of  the  country.  He  made  the  first 
elliptic  spring  that  came  into  use  in  this  section  of  the 
country  in  the  year  1835.  After  that  time  it  came  into 
general  use.  He  also  was  the  inventor  of  other  useful 
articles  connected  with  his  trade.  He  married,  in 
1833,  Jane  Gillespie,  by  whom  he  had  nine  children, 
all  of  whom  died  but  one  daughter. 

He  was  elected  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  Bellefonte 
in  the  year  1833,  and  continued  in  office  until  1847. 
Elected  by  the  Democratic  party,  of  which  he  was 
then  an  ardent  advocate,  in  1854  he  went  over  to 
the  Know-Nothings,  ever  after  remaining  with  the 
Republican  party. 

In  1854  he  purchased  a  farm  near  the  old  home- 
stead, on  the  base  of  the  Allegheny  Mountain,  called 
Bell  Grove  Farm,  one  and  a  half  miles  from  Union- 
ville. 

Campbell,  James  W.,  died  at  his  residence  near 
Pine  Grove  Mills,  in  Centre  County,  on  the  night  of 
Bee.  29, 1878,  at  the  age  of  sixty-four  years  and  eleven 
months.  Mr.  Campbell  was  born  in  Centre  County, 
Pa.,  his  father,  .lohn  Campbell,  coming  into  the  county 
with  the  first  settlers.  While  he  was  but  a  lad  his 
mother  died,  leaving  him  to  depend  on  his  father  for 
his  early  education  and  moral  training.  He  taught 
successfully  trigonometry,  surveying,  and  other  higher 
branches.  When  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age  he 
began  teaching,  spending  his  winters  in  the  school- 
room and  the  summers  on  the  tarm  working  for  his 
father.  Though  stern,  and  sometimes  even  rigid  in 
his  discipline,  yet  he  was  kind  and  generous,  always 
showing  a  warm  sympathy  for  those  of  his  pupils  who 
seemed  to  have  but  few  friends,  and  to  be  less  fortu- 
nate than  th^ir  school-fellows. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-five  years  he  married  Mary 
Pennington,  of  Penn's  valley.  With  the  aid  of  his 
noble  Christian  wife  he  brought  up  nine  children,  all 
of  whom  lived  to  be  men  and  women.  The  oldest, 
John,  was  killed  in  the  army.  Henry,  present  com- 
missioner of  Centre  County,  was  also  in  the  army. 
Eight  of  them  are  now  living,  and  by  his  indefatigable 
energy  and  industry  he  has  given  them  all  a  fair 
education,  two  of  them  collegiate  courses,  one  of 
whom  is  a  lawyer  and  the  other  a  minister  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 


186 


HISTORY    OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Canfield,  De.  Ira  D.,  was  found  drowned  in  the 
river  near  Renovo,  in  September,  1867.  His  mind 
was  impaired  some  years  before  his  decease,  and  it 
was  supposed  he  ended  liis  own  life.  He  was  born 
at  Morristown,  N.  J.,  Feb.  1,  1806,  studied  medi- 
cine at  Reading,  and  was  an  eminent  practitioner  of 
Centre  and  Clinton  Counties  for  over  fifty  years.  He 
left  a  son,  Dr.  Ira  D.  Canfield,  Jr. 

Chambers,  Elijah,  came  into  Penn's  valley  from 
New  Jerseyf  and  first  located  near  where  Boalsburg 
now  stands.  He  had  been  a  soldier  in  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  was  in  the  battle  at  Monmouth.  He  was  a 
cabinet-maker  and  farmer.  He  removed  into  Patton 
in  1834,  and  died  there  in  1853,  aged  ninety-four 
years.  His  children  were  twelve  in  number,  of  whom 
Elijah  Chambers,  Mrs.  Henry  Hartsock,  and  Mrs. 
Henry  Meek  are  still  living. 

Chambers,  James  A.,  local  preacher  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  died  May  10,  1879,  aged 
seventy-three  years.  He  was  a  bachelor,  and  by  close 
attention  to  business  acquired  a  good  fortune.  He 
was  a  very  upright  and  kind  man.  He  was  buried  in 
the  Half-Moon  burying-grouud,  on  the  hill  beside  his 
farm,  alongside  of  his  father  and  mother. 

CoNSER,  John  S.,  was  born  at  Middletown,  Dauphin 
Co.,  May  24,  1782.  He  moved  to  Lewisburg,  Union 
Co.,  in  1802  ;  thence,  April  5,  1823,  to  Rebersburg, 
where  he  lived  twenty-one  years.  He  was  a  justice 
of  the  peace  during  part  of  the  time  that  he  resided 
at  the  last-named  place,  and  was  a  man  of  intelligence 
and  influence.  He  removed  to  Logansville,  Clinton 
Co.,  in  1844 ;  stayed  there  ten  years  ;  moved,  March 
20,  1854,  to  Dunnsburg,  same  county,  where  he  died, 
Dec.  10, 1854.  His  wife  died  Aug.  24,  1854 ;  both  are 
buried  at  Dunnsburg.  Mr.  Conser  purchased  the  old 
log  church  at  Rebersburg  for  fifty  dollars,  and  used 
the  material  in  the  construction  of  his  house,  now 
owned  by  Cyrus  Erheart.  He  built  the  Evangelical 
Church  at  Rebersburg. 

Children, — Daniel,  the  eldest,  died  several  years 
ago  (he  was  a  resident  of  Rebersburg ;  his  widow 
survives  him) ;  Mary,  married  to  Benjamin  Deise  ; 
Hannah,  married  to  Joseph  Horner ;  Rev.  Solomon 
L.  M.,  residing  at  Baltimore ;  George ;  Levi,  merchant 
at  Logansville  ;  and  John,  dead. 

Cook,  Martha  Walker,  born  in  Bellefonte  in 
1807,  daughter  of  Judge  Jonathan  H.  Walker,  and 
sister  of  Hon.  Robert  J.  Walker,  married,  Jan.  1, 
1815,  Lieut.  Cook,  afterwards  Gen.  William  Cook,  of 
New  Jersey.  She  began  to  distinguish  herself  as  a 
writer  about  the  year  1860  by  her  contributions  to 
The  Continental  Monthly  Marjazine,  of  which  her 
brother  was  the  editor.  During  the  Rebellion  and 
while  her  brother  was  absent  on  a  special  mission 
intrusted  to  him  by  President  Lincoln,  Mrs.  Cook 
edited  and  conducted  the  magazine.  She  also  trans- 
lated the  life  of  Chopin  from  the  original  of  Liszt, 
and  before  her  death  had  been  busily  engaged  in  the 
translation  of  several  Polish  works,  including  those 


of  the  poet  Krazinski.  Slie  was  the  mother  of  E.  B. 
Cook,  author  of  works  on  chess.  She  died  at  Wash- 
ington City,  Sept.  18,  1874. 

Cook,  William,  died  in  Bellefonte,  March  11, 
1876.  Capt.  Cook  was  born  at  Valley  Forge,  near 
Philadelphia,  of  Quaker  parentage,  on  the  14th  day 
of  April,  1799.  About  the  year  1810,  he  being  then 
eleven  years  old,  the  family  moved  from  Philadelphia 
to  Danville,  then  Northumberland  County,  where 
the  balance  of  his  boyhood  days  were  spent.  Going 
to  Milton  he  there  learned  coach-making,  and,  after 
working  at  it  a  while,  came  to  Bellefonte,  in  October, 
1829.  Albert  Ammerman  and  Capt.  Cook,  we  believe, 
established  the  first  coach-shop  in  Bellefonte.  In  the 
year  1851,  Mr.  Cook  was  appointed  a  conductor  on 
the  Portage  Railroad.  He  returned  to  Bellefonte  and 
resumed  his  old  business,  working  at  it  until  some 
time  in  1852,  when  he  was  appointed  postmaster  by 
President  Pierce.  In  this  office  Capt.  Cook  was  con- 
tinued by  President  Pierce's  successor,  Mr.  Buchanan, 
and  by  Mr.  Buchanan's  successor,  Mr.  Lincoln,  for 
four  years,  making  his  term  as  postmaster  of  Belle- 
fonte twelve  years  in  all.  After  his  retirement  from 
the  postmastership,  Capt.  Cook  filled  the  oflices  of 
street  commissioner  and  overseer  of  the  poor  for  sev- 
eral years.  He  had  a  family  of  nine  children,  namely, 
William,  Henry,  James,  Samuel,  Andrew,  Charles, 
Claude,  George,  and  Mary.  William  lives  now  in 
Missouri ;  Henry,  who  is  a  tailor,  is  in  the  South  ; 
James  was  mortally  wounded  at  Antietam ;  Samuel 
also  went  into  the  army,  was  taken  prisoner  and,  it 
is  said,  was  starved  to  death  at  Andersonville. 

Cooper,  Rev.  Samuel  M.,  graduated  at  Jeffer- 
son College  in  1836,  and  in  1838  was  received  into  the 
Huntingdon  Presbytery  as  a  candidate  for  the  min- 
istry. He  completed  his  theological  course  at  Prince- 
ton. He  was  licensed  to  preach  April  16,  1840.  Ih 
that  year  he  married  Miss  Nancy  Forsythe,  and  soon 
after  received  a  call  from  the  Lick  Run  congregation, 
previously  under  the  care  of  Rev.  James  Linn.  He 
preached  at  Lick  Run  from  1840  to  1852,  when  fail- 
ing health  compelled  his  withdrawal  from  the  charge. 
After  that  he  continued  to  conduct  the  Jacksonville 
Female  Seminary,  which  he  had  established  while  in 
the  Lick  Run  pastorate.  His  wife  died,  and  as  she 
had  been  the  mainstay  in  the  conduct  of  the  school, 
he  gave  up  the  seminary  and  accepted  a  call  to  sup- 
ply the  church  of  Little  valley.  While  in  that  charge 
he  died  in  July,  1860.  He  left  one  daughter  and  two 
sons. 

CoRMAN,  George  J.,  came  from  Lebanon  County 
about  the  year  1811.  His  father,  George,  came  at  the 
same  time  and  jjurchased  the  farm  recently  bought 
by  Jacob  Shultz,  and  formerly  known  as  the  Smull 
farm,  near  Rebersburg.  Later  he  purchased  the  farm 
near  Wolfs  Mill,  and  now  belonging  to  Henry  Gor- 
man. George  J.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  mar- 
ried to  Sarah  Harper,  daughter  of  Henry  Harper,  a 
soldier  of  the  war  of  1812.     She  is  still  living,  and  is 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL. 


187 


well  and  able  to  move  about  at  ninety  years  of  age. 
Mr.  Gorman  was  born  July  3,  1789;  died  Nov.  5, 
1855.  The  children,  four  daughters  and  one  son,  are 
all  living.  Henry  lives  at  Rebersburg.  Catharine 
was  born  Sept.  24,  1817,  was  married  to  David  Wit- 
ner  (deceased) ;  Sarah,  born  Sept.  1819,  is  married  to 
Jacob  Brungart,  and  lives  at  Rebersburg;  Mary, 
born  July  23,  1821,  is  married  to  Reuben  Meyer,  and 
lives  in  Sugar  valley  ;  Rebecca,  born  June  22,  1823, 
was  twice  married,  first  to  Joseph  Meyer,  Boalsburg, 
and  after  his  decease  to  David  Sparr,  also  a  resident 
of  Boalsburg. 

Old  Mr.  Gorman,  father  of  George  J.,  died  Aug.  23, 
1820,  aged  sixty-nine  years,  ten  months,  seventeen 
days.  Father  and  son  are  buried  alongside  of  each 
other  in  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  Gemetery. 

CuRTiN,  Dr.  Gonstans,  died  April  10,  1842,  aged 
fifty -seven.  He  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  emigrated 
to  this  county  in  1806.  He  completed  his  professional 
studies  under  Dr.  Benjamin  Rush,  of  Philadelphia, 
and  located  in  Bellefonte  in  1810.  He  was  an  accom- 
plished and  skillful  physician,  whilst  his  hospitality 
and  generosity  endeared  him  to  a  numerous  circle  of 
friends  and  acquaintances. 

CuRTix,  Roland,  Sr.,  was  born  in  Ireland,  and 
educated  in  Paris,  where  he  narrowly  escaped  the 
guillotine  during  the  Reign  of  Terror.  He  came  first 
to  Philipsburg,  then  started  a  store  at  Milesburg  as 
early  as  March,  1797,  and  was  a  resident  of  Bellefonte, 
keeping  store  in  1800,  when  he  married,  November 
25th,  Margery  Gregg,  daughter  of  John  Gregg,  of 
Gumberland  Gounty.  In  1803  he  was  coroner  of  the 
county,  and  elected  sheriff  in  October,  180G.  In  1810, 
in  connection  with  Moses  Boggs,  he  erected  the  forge 
at  Eagle  Works,  became  sole  owner  in  1815,  and  in 
1818  erected  Eagle  Furnace.  In  April,  1825,  he  pur- 
chased the  grist-  and  saw-mills  of  Philip  Antes  at 
Gurtin  Station,  and  in  1830  built  the  rolling-mill,  for 
which  Thomas  G.  Lewis  was  the  contractor  and 
architect.  He  was  prominently  identified  with  all  the 
public  improvements  (turnpike.  Bald  Eagle  Canal, 
etc.)  made  within  the  county,  in  which  he  always 
took  an  active  interest.  Mrs.  Margery  Gregg  Gurtin 
died  Jan.  15,  1813,  and  Mr.  Gurtin  then  married 
Jane  Gregg,  a  daughter  of  Hon.  Andrew  Gregg, 
Bellefonte.  Shortly  before  his  death  Mr.  Gurtin  re- 
moved from  the  works  to  Bellefonte,  where  he  died 
Nov.  8,  1850,  aged  eighty-six  years.  His  first  wife's 
children  were  Roland  Gurtin,  Jr.,  Austin,  James,  and 
John  Gurtin.  The  Hon.  A.  G.  Gurtin,  Mrs.  Dr.  Wil- 
liam Irvin  (deceased),  Mrs.  Thomas  R.  Reynolds, 
Mrs.  Dr.  William  H.  Allen,  of  Girard  College  (de- 
ceased), and  Gonstans  Gurtin,  of  Eagle  Works,  were 
children  of  his  second  wife,  Mi-s.  Jane  Gurtin,  who 
died  Feb.  20,  1854.  She  was  born  in  Penn's  valley, 
Feb.  17,  1791. 

Gurtin,  Roland,  Jr.,  died  Aug.  15,  1875.  Ro- 
land Gurtin  was  born  on  the  2d  day  of  September, 
1808,  in  the  stone  house  on  the  corner  of  Allegheny 


Street  and  Cherry  Alley,  lately  occupied  by  John 
B.  Awl,  and  was  the  third  son  of  Roland  Gurtin. 
Up  to  his  eighteenth  year  he  attended  various  schools, 
receiving  the  bulk  of  his  education  in  a  then  well- 
known  academy  in  the  city  of  Harrisburg.  At  the 
age  of  eighteen  he  engaged  actively  in  the  iron 
business  with  his  father.  There  was  no  way  of 
shipping  iron  then  except  by  arks  on  the  river  or  in 
wagons.  Before  there  was  even  a  good  wagon-road 
across  the  mountains  to  Pittsburgh,  young  Roland, 
as  he  was  then  called,  transported  many  a  wagon- 
load  of  iron  from  this  county  to  that  city.  When 
the  prices  were  good  in  the  East  he  took  charge  of 
the  shipping  by  arks  via  the  Susquehanna  to  market. 
The  mauufiicture  of  iron  was  the  business  of  his  life, 
and  for  over  fifty  years  he  was  actively  engaged  as  a 
manager  of  iron-works,  the  greater  part  of  the  time 
at  the  well-known  Eagle  Iron- Works,  at  what  is  now 
called  Curtin's  Station. 

On  the  17th  of  June,  1834,  he  was  united  in  wed- 
lock to  Eliza  Irvin,  daughter  of  John  Irvin. 

Gurtin,  Hon.  A.  G.,  son  of  Roland  Gurtin,  Sr., 
was  born  in  Bellefonte,  April  22, 1819.  He  completed 
an  academic  course  of  education  at  the  academy  of 
Rev.  David  Kirkpatrick,  D.D.,  in  Milton,  studied  law 
under  Hon.  W.  W.  Potter  in  Bellefonte,  completing  a 
course  of  legal  study  under  Judge  John  Reed  in  fhe 
Law  Department  of  Dickinson  College  at  Carlisle.* 

He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  April  term  of  1837. 
In  1840  he  took  an  active  part  in  politics  in  what  was 
known  as  the  Harrison  campaign,  and  in  1844  can- 
vassed the  State  for  Henry  Clay  for  President.  In 
1848  and  1852  he  was  on  the  State  ticket  of  Presi- 
dential electors.  On  the  17th  of  January,  1855,  he 
was  commissioned  by  Governor  James  Pollock  Secre- 
tary of  the  Commonwealth,  which  position  also  in- 
cluded that  of  superintendent  of  the  public  schools. 

Progressive  in  every  station  he  reached,  his  super- 
intendence of  State  education  has  as  one  of  its  land- 
marks the  institution  of  the  system  of  normal  schools, 
his  recommendations  and  his  annual  reports  cul- 
minating in  the  passage  of  the  act  of  May  20,  1857, 
"  to  provide  for  the  due  training  of  teachers  for  the 
common  schools  of  the  State." 

In  1860,  Mr.  Gurtin  was  nominated  by  the  Repub- 
lican party  as  their  candidate  for  Governor,  and 
elected  over  Henry  D.  Foster  by  a  majority  of  thirty- 
two  thousand  one  hundred  and  seven  votes.  His  ad- 
ministration of  the  gubernatorial  ofiice  during  the 
dark  days  of  the  republic  made  an  imperishable 
name  for  his  family,  and  added  historic  grandeur  to 
the  annals  of  our  Commonwealth.  The  foresight 
which  impelled  him  to  refuse  to  disband  the  over- 
flowing volunteer  regiments  which  the  patriotism  of 
Pennsylvania  contributed  on  the  call  of  the  President, 
and  his  prompt  application  to  the  Legislature  for 
authority  to  organize  them  into  a  corps,  afterwards  the 
famous  "  Pennsylvania  Reserves,"  saved  the  national 
government  imperiled  by  the  disaster  of  Bull  Run. 


188 


HISTOKY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


The  addresses  he  made  when  presenting  flags  to  the 
Pennsylvania  regiments  as  they  went  forth  to  fight 
for  the  Union  will  only  be  forgotten  when  the  last 
volley  is  fired  over  the  last  Pennsylvania  veteran  of 
the  war.  Those  two  hundred  and  fifteen  battle-flags, 
bearing  the  a?gis  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, came  back  blood-stained,  tattered,  and  torn, 
but  never  disgraced  upon  any  battle-field  of  the 
republic. 

Governor  Curtin's  ever-enduring  memorial,  how- 
ever, in  connection  with  the  war  is  the  orphan 
schools  for  the  children  of  those  who  gave  their  lives 
that  the  Union  might  live.  Recurring  to  his  promise 
to  the  soldiers,  as  thousands  of  men  stood  before  him 
for  the  last  time,  that  Pennsylvania  never  would  for- 
get or  neglect  tliem  or  theirs,  and  that  their  children 
should  be  the  children  of  the  State,  he  clung  to  that 
purpose  with  a  tenacity  worthy  of  such  a  grand  and 
noble  cause. 

Amid  his  ceaseless  care  for  the  soldiers  on  the  field 
and  in  the  hospital  he  never  forgot  "those  who  were 
left  at  home  by  the  gallant  fellows  who  had  gone  for- 
ward." It  was  the  grand  undertone  of  his  magnificent 
speech  in  the  Academy  of  Music,  at  Philadelphia:  "Let 
the  widow  and  her  dependent  offspring  in  fact  and  in 
truth  be  the  children  of  the  State,  and  let  the  mighty 
people  of  this  great  Commonwealth  nurture  and 
lAaintain  them."  In  January,  1864,  in  his  annual 
message,  he  brought  the  subject  to  the  attention  of 
the  Legislature  in  the  memorable  words,  "'  I  com- 
mend to  the  prompt  attention  of  the  Legislature  the 
subject  of  the  relief  of  the  poor  orphans  of  our  sol- 
diers who  have  given  or  shall  give  their  lives  to  the 
country  during  this  crisis.  In  my  opinion  their 
maintenance  and  education  should  be  provided  for 
by  the  State.  Failing  other  natural  friends  of  abil- 
ity, they  should  be  honorably  received  and  fostered 
as  the  children  of  the  Commonwealth." 

Failing  in  getting  through  the  Legislature  a  proper 
bill,  which  had  been  matured  with  great  care,  the 
Governor  started  with  the  noble  donation  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  of  fifty  thousand 
dollars,  and  laid  the  foundation  for  the  soldiers' 
orphans'  schools,  a  work  of  beneficence,  righteous- 
ness, and  justice  which  will  keep  Governor  Curtin's 
memory  fragrant  for  ages  to  come,  the  good  results  of 
which,  felt  all  through  time,  the  judgment  day  only 
will  fully  reveal. 

Governor  Curtin's  health  was  much  broken  by . 
arduous  service  during  his  first  term,  and  President 
Lincoln  tendered  him  a  foreign  mission,  which  it  was 
his  intention  to  accept,  but  having  been  renominated 
for  Governor,  and  the  people  of  the  State  being  un- 
willing to  part  with  their  war  Governor,  he  filled  out 
a  second  term  of  the  gubernatorial  office. 

In  1869  he  was  appointed  by  President  Grant  min- 
ister to  Russia,  and  returned  to  this  country  in  the 
fall  of  1872.  In  187.3  he  was  a  member  of  the  con- 
vention which   framed   the   present   Constitution  of 


Pennsylvania,  and  now  (1882)  represents  the  Twen- 
tieth District  in  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the 
LTnited  States. 

As  a  popular  speaker.  Governor  Curtin  has  few 
equals.  Thoroughly  versed  in  the  political  history 
of  the  State  and  the  nation,  extensively  acquainted 
with  public  men,  familiar  with  the  business  interests 
and  wants  of  the  country,  a  fine  voice,  happy  de- 
livery, a  keen  sense  of  the  humorous  and  ridiculous, 
of  handsome  person  and  commanding  presence,  his 
speeches  always  tell  upon  great  popular  audiences, 
and  as  a  legislator  in  Congress  he  has  filled  the  ex- 
pectation of  his  friends,  and  taken  rank  among  its 
foremost  statesmen. 

Cambridge,  John,  died  March  2,  1849,  aged 
eighty. 

Carnee,  William,  Hublersburg,  died  June  18, 
1857,  aged  sixty-two. 

Carson,  Margaret,  wife  of  William,  Potter, 
died  Feb.  23,  1881,  aged  eighty-one. 

Cathcart,  William,  Spring,  died  June  17,  1848, 
aged  eighty. 

Crothwaite,  Robert,  came  from  England  and 
settled  in  George  valley  about  1800.  His  sou  Richard 
married  a  Wagner,  and  was  father  of  Rev.  M.  P. 
Crothwaite,  register  and  recorder  in  1851. 

Dale,  Christian,  died  in  Ferguson  township 
(now  Harris)  in  July,  1805.  He  was  one  of  the  first 
settlers  of  Buffalo  valley,  clearing  the  place  now  owned 
by  Col.  Eli  Slifer,  adjoining  Lewisburg,  in  1772. 
He  resided  in  Buffalo  valley  during  the  stirring  times 
of  the  Revolution,  and  in  1790  removed  to  end  of  Nit- 
tany  Mountain  and  erected  a  mill  there  in  1796, 
and  saw-mill.  These  he  willed  to  his  son  Felix. 
Christian  Dale's  children  were  Henry,  Philip,  Felix, 
Frederick,  Christian,  Mary  Straw  (wife  of  Nicholas), 
Eve  Earhart  (wife  of  Peter),  Rachel  (wife  of  Lewis 
Swinehart),  and  Christian  Dale.  Christian  Dale,  Jr., 
and  Frederick  moved  to  Ohio.  Felix  Dale  died  March 
12,  1833,  aged  sixty-six. 

Dale,  Henry,  died  in  Harris  township,  March  14, 
1844,  aged  eighty-six.  He  was  born  in  Northampton 
County  in  1758.  He  was  a  soldier  with  Washington 
at  Trenton  and  Princeton  in  1776-77,  and  served  on 
militia  tours  under  Capt.  Forster,  of  Buffalo  valley. 
His  rifle,  powder-horn,  etc.,  are  still  in  the  possession 
of  his  son,  Capt.  Christian  Dale.  In  the  year  1800 
he  erected  the  large  stone  house,  used  for  a  tavern 
many  years,  between  Lemont  and  Oak  Hall. 

David,  Daniel,  died  in  Bald  Eagle  township, 
Feb.  17,  1882,  aged  eighty-three  years.  He  was  a 
soldier  of  the  Revolution,  and  was  engaged  in  the 
action  at  White  Plains.  His  wife  survived  him. 
They  lived'  together  sixty  years,  and  raised  a  large 
family. 

De  Haa.s,  John  Philip,  died  in  Bald  Eagle  town- 
ship, Sept.  23,  1826.  His  father.  Gen.  John  Philip 
De  Haas,  had  been  major  in  Lieut.-Col.  Francis' 
battalion   under   Col.  Bouquet  in  1764,  and  for  his 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL. 


189 


services  drew  a  tract  of  land  containing  eight  hun- 
dred and  nine  acres  on  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  a  half-mile 
below  the  mouth  of  Beech  Creek.  He  also  purchased 
of  his  brother  officers  several  tracts :  Capt.  William 
Piper's  allotment  at  the  mouth  of  Beech  Creek,  five 
hundred  and  fifty-three  acres,  which  De  Haas  called 
after  his  daughter  "Henrietta;"  the  Capt.  Conrad 
Bucher  tract,  which  includes  the  mouth  of  Beech 
Creek,  five  hundred  and  seventy  acres ;  the  Lieut. 
James  Foster  tract,  two  tracts  westward  of  Capt. 
Bucher's,  etc.  5Iaj.  De  Haas  became  colonel  dur- 
ing the  Revolution,  and  commanded  the  First  Penn- 
sylvania Battalion  in  Canada  in  1776,  to  which  his 
son,  John  Philip,  the  subject  of  this  notice,  was  ap- 
pointed an  ensign  by  Gen.  Gates,  Aug.  6,  1776.  John 
Philip,  Jr.,  was  a  boy  at  school,  and  did  not  join  the 
regiment.  He  was  promoted  to  second  lieutenant  of 
Second  Pennsylvania  of  the  Continental  Line,  but 
probably  did  not  join  his  regiment.  His  father  was 
promoted  to  brigadier-general,  but  served  but  a  short 
time;  settled  in  Philadelphia,  and  died  there  June  3, 
1786.  Gen.  De  Haas  left  a  widow  (Eleanor)  and  two 
children,  John  Philip  and  his  sister  Henrietta,  who 
married  William  Craig  and  a  very  large  estate. 

John  Philip,  the  son,  married  Ann  Shippen,  of 
Philadelphia,  and  removed  with  his  family  to  Bald 
Eagle  in  1806.  They  came  in  their  coach  from  Phil- 
adelphia, their  daughter  Eliza,  who  is  still  living  in 
Bellefonte,  being  then  but  three  months  old. 

Mr.  De  Haas  left  the  following  family  :  John  P. 
De  Hass ;  Eleanor,  married  to  Thomas  Stevenson  ; 
William  ;  Harriet,  still  living  at  Mrs.  Benner's,  in 
Bellefonte;  Edward,  living  in  Curtin  township;  Ann, 
married  to  Joshua  Roan  ;  and  Eliza. 

Mrs.  Henrietta  Craig  had  but  one  child,  John  P. 
De  Haas  Craig,  who  died  before  her. 

Dobbins,  De.  Daniel,  died  Feb.  27,  1844,  after  a 
long  illness,  aged  fifty-eight.  He  was  born  near  Get- 
tysburg, Pa.  His  father  was  a  member  of  the  Cove- 
nanters' Church,  who  emigrated  from  Ireland  to  this 
country.  Dr.  Dobbins  studied  under  Dr.  Church,  of 
Philadelphia,  and  after  graduating  at  the  LTniversity 
of  Pennsylvania,  came  to  Bellefonte  in  the  summer 
of  1807.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  mind,  sound  judg- 
ment, and  never  turned  from  his  door  night  or  day 
any  one  who  needed  medical  aid,  and  died  a  martyr 
to  his  profession. 

The  citizens  of  Bellefonte,  as  a  token  of  their  grate- 
ful remembrance  of  his  useful  services  among  them 
during  a  period  of  thirty-seven  years,  erected  a 
monument  over  his  grave  in  Bellefonte  Cemetery. 
His  wife  Eliza,  daughter  of  James  Harris,  Esq.,  died 
Feb.  25,  1841.  Their  son,  James  H.  Dobbins,  is  a 
physician  of  Bellefonte. 

Dougherty,  James,  born  Dec.  25,  1749,  enlisted 
in  Capt.  Matthew  Smith's  company  in  Lancaster 
County,  in  Col.  W^illiara  Thompson's  regiment,  June, 
177.5.  He  marched  to  Boston,  and  was  with  the 
company  detached  to  accompany  Arnold's   expedi- 


tion to  Quebec.  He  was  captared  with  the  company 
on  the  morning  of  Jan.  1,  1776.  He  was  one  of  the 
party  who  made  an  attempt  to  escape,  and  was  put 
in  irons  for  eight  weeks.  They  were  paroled  on  the 
3d  of  August,  and  in  the  fall  of  that  year  he  enlisted 
in  Capt.  John  Brady's  company  of  the  Twelfth 
Pennsylvania  Continental  Line,  commanded  by  Col. 
William  Cook.  He  served  through  the  campaign  in 
New  Jersey,  was  in  the  battles  of  Brandywine  and 
Germantowu,  and  passed  the  following  winter  of 
1777-78  at  Valley  Forge.  In  the  spring  of  1778  he 
was  taken  into  Gen.  Washington's  life-guard,  and 
continued  one  of  the  guard  until  the  fall  of  1783, 
when  the  army  was  disbanded,  and  with  his  company 
was  the  last  in  leaving  the  final  cantonment  on  the 
Hudson.  He  resided  most  of  his  after-life  near  Ea- 
glcsville,  but  finally  removed  to  Venango  County, 
where  he  died  in  1846. 

Downing,  Thomas,  one  of  the  early  settlers  in 
Half-Moon  township,  died  in  1827.  His  children, — 
William,  Sarah  (married  Andrew  Thompson),  Han- 
nah (married  to  Thomas  Wilson),  Rebecca,  Thomas, 
Jacob,  Jeremiah,  and  Samuel. 

DuBBS,  Oswald,  came  to  Brush  valley  about  the 
year  1805  or  1806.  He  was  a  native  of  York  County. 
His  father,  Daniel,  had  purchased  from  Miles  in  1797 
the  tract  which  now  forms  George  Brungart's  and 
Daniel  Walker's  farms  at  the  east  end  of  Brush  val- 
ley, and  erected  a  mill  about  the  year  1808,  on  the 
site  of  the  present  mill  (Walker's).  Oswald  took 
charge  of  this  property,  and  became  joint  owner  with 
his  brother  George  subsequently.  Their  father  never 
became  a  citizen  of  Miles  township.  Oswald  moved 
to  Sugar  valley,  where  he  died  in  1863,  aged  about 
eighty-two. 

Children, — Samuel,  the  oldest,  is  dead;  Daniel  lives 
at  Rebersburg,  was  married  to  Catharine  Meyer,  and 
after  her  death  to  his  present  wife,  Hannah,  daughter 
of  Jacob  Kreamer;  Mary,  widow  of  Jacob  Wolf,  de- 
ceased; Catharine,  married  to  John  Pickle;  Sarah, 
married  to  John  Meyer, — she  is  dead ;  Judith,  mar- 
ried to  William  Poorman,  both  dead ;  Rosina,  married 
to  John  Krise;  Leah,  wife  of  John  Carper,  near 
State  College ;  and  Lucinda,  married  to  Thomas 
Gramly,  and  after  his  decease  to  William  Poorman, 
who  had  been  the  husband  of  her  sister,  Judith,  de- 
ceased. 

DuNLOP,  Col.  James,  was  a  resident  of  Hopewell 
township,  Cumberland  County,  as  early  as  1751.  On 
the  10th  of  January,  1776,  he  was  appointed  major 
of  the  Sixth  Battalion  Pennsylvania,  under  Col.  Wil- 
liam Irvine,  and  served  in  the  campaign  of  that  year 
in  Canada,  and  Oct.  25,  1776,  was  promoted  lieuten- 
ant-colonel of  the  Tenth  Pennsylvania  of  the  Conti- 
nental Line,  but  resigned  Jan.  23,  1777,  because  his 
seniority  of  rank  was  not  recognized  in  promotions; 
he  was  appointed  Oct.  2,  1779,  lieutenant  of  Cumber- 
land County,  and  Oct.  28,  1784,  commissioned  a  jus- 
tice of  the  Common  Pleas. 


190 


HISTOKY   OF   CENTKE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


In  1796  he  came  to  Bald  Eagle  township  then,  and 
purchased  a  part  of  the  Griffith  Gibbon  tract,  on 
which  he  and  his  son-in-law  laid  out  the  town  of 
Bellefonte,  Col.  Dunlop  erecting  the  first  house  on 
the  lot  now  occupied  by  Jacob  Valentine,  northeast 
corner  of  High  and  Spring  Streets,  Col.  Dunlop  being 
the  first  actual  resident  in  the  new  town.  His  wife's 
maiden  name  was  Jane  Boggs  (sister  of  John). 


Col.  Dunlop  died  in  Bellefonte,  Dec.  15,  1821,  aged 
ninety-four.  His  eldest  son  (1),  Andrew,  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  of  Franklin  County  in  1785,  settled 
in  Chambersburg  in  the  practice,  and  represented 
that  county  in  the  Legislature  from  1798  to  1800.  An- 
drew married  Sarah  B.  Chambers.  James,  Andrew's 
youngest  son,  was  a  celebrated  lawyer  at  Pittsburgh, 
author  of  "  Dunlop's  Digest." 

Col.  Dunlop's  (2)  son  John  was  the  iron-master  of 
Bellefonte,  noticed  below. 

(3)  James  Dunlop  studied  law,  then  went  to  Nat- 
chez, Miss.,  and  engaged  in  cotton-raising. 

(4)  Joseph  died  unmarried. 

(5)  Ann  married  James  Harris,  Esq.,  of  Bellefonte. 

(6)  Jane  married  Rev.  William  Paxton,  of  Cum- 
berland County.  Their  grandson.  Rev.  William  Pax- 
ton,  D.D.,  of  New  York  City. 

(7)  Elizabeth  married  James  Smith.  Her  second 
husband  was  Michael  T.  Simpson,  father  of  Mrs. 
Martha  Mack,  all  late  of  Washington  City  (deceased). 

(8)  Deborah  married  James  Johnston,  of  Franklin 
County,  and  they  settled  at  the  mouth  of  Wallis  Run. 

(9)  Rebecca    married     Robert     McClanahan,    of 


Franklin  County,  also  settled  on  Wallis  Run.    Her 
second  husband  was  Robert  Steel. 

(10)  Mary  married  Robert  T.  Stewart,  lawyer  of 
Bellefonte,  afterward  in  the  iron  business  with  John 
Lyon. 

Dunlop,  John  (son  of  the  colonel),  married  Eliza- 
beth Findley,  of  Franklin  County,  and  came  to  the 
neighborhood  of  Bellefonte  in  1794,  and  built,  in  con- 
nection with  Col.  Miles,  Harmony  Forge,  on  Spring 
Creek  (now,  1882,  Linn  &  McCoy's),  in  1795.  He 
also  erected  a  grist-  and  saw-mill  at  Bellefonte,  and 
the  forge  now  Valentines  &  Co.,  adjoining  Bellefonte 
on  the  south,  in  1798,  and  owned  the  furnace  some 
miles  up  Logan's  Branch,  run  by  Boggs  &  Royer  for 
many  years  (now  abandoned).  In  1810,  in  connec- 
tion with  William  Beatty,  he  built  Washington  Fur- 
nace, now  in  Clinton  County.  He  was  one  of  the 
most  energetic  iron-masters  in  the  county. 

On  the  morning  of  Saturday,  Oct.  8,  1814,  he  was 
crushed  to  death  by  a  body  of  falling  earth  in  a  mine- 
bank  near  Bellefonte.  His  loss  was  severely  felt  and 
deeply  lamented.  He  was  amiable  in  disposition  and 
temper,  and  his  moral  and  religious  character  irre- 
proachable. He  left  a  widow,  Elizabeth  {nee  Find- 
ley,  of  Franklin  County)  and  four  children, — Jane, 
married  William  Stewart,  of  Cincinnati ;  Eliza,  died 
young;  Catherine,  who  was  never  married  and  lately 
deceased ;  Deborah,  married  Hon.  S.  T.  Shugert, 
father  of  J.  D.  Shugert. 

Dale,  David,  Harris,  died  July  13, 1854,  aged  fifty- 
seven. 

Dannee,  Philip,  Sk.,  died  at  Canton,  Ohio,  Feb. 
23,  1841,  aged  eighty-two. 

Davis,  Elizabeth,  Potter,  died  June  5,  1852, 
aged  eighty-four. 

Decker,  Michael,  Gregg,  died  March  15,  1880, 
aged  eighty-seven. 

Decreet,  John,  Potter,  died  May  15,  1849,  aged 
fifty-seven. 

Denny,  Elizabeth,  Bellefonte,  died  April  19, 
1857,  aged  ninety-three. 

■DoESEY,  Elizabeth,  died  at  Centre  Furnace  Oc- 
tober 12,  1833,  aged  seventy-two. 

Duncan,  David,  Spring  Mills,  died  Sept.  6,  1855. 

DuNDAs,  Isabella  (mother-in-law  of  John  Ran- 
kin, Esq.),  Bellefonte,  died  Oct.  27,  1823,  aged  sev- 
enty-six. 

DuNDAVY,  D.,  aged  colored  man  at  Bellefonte, 
died  Dec.  21,  1853. 

DuNLAP,  Maey  (widow  of  Daniel),  Boalsburg, 
died  Nov.  7,  1851,  aged  seventy-six. 

Douglass,  John,  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  died  in 
Milesburg,  Oct.  16,  1826. 

Ertle,  Valentine,  and  his  two  brothers,  Daniel 
and  Philip,  were  probably  the  first  settlers  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  present  town  of  Madisonburg.  The 
date  of  Valentine  Ertle's  arrival  in  the  valley  was  as 
early  as  1786.  Daniel  purcliased  land  from  Col. 
Miles  in  1793,  but  it  is  likely  he  came  several  years 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL. 


191 


before.  Their  aged  father,  who  lies  buried  in  the  rear 
of  Michael  Miller'.s  barn  (two  apple-trees  used  to 
mark  the  grave,  one  planted  at  the  head  the  other  at 
the  foot),  came  to  the  valley  with  his  son.s.  Daniel 
moved  to  Ohio  about  the  year  1802,  according  to 
recollection  of  John  Hoy.  Philip  al.so  emigrated 
west  at  an  early  date.  Valentine  was  at  one  time  in 
good  circumstances  and  owned  a  large  tract  of  land, 
but  be  lost  heavily  by  indorsing  for  other  parties. 
Capt.  John  A.  SchaefTer  bought  his  land  from  Mr. 
Ertle,  or  at  least  his  interests  in  a  lease  for  the  tract. 
Valentine  Ertle  was  assessed  with  a  distillery  in  1803, 
which  was  situated  west  of  the  present  site  of  Madi- 
sonburg  about  two  miles.  This  institution  interfered 
somewhat  with  the  prosperity  of  its  owner.  Valen- 
tine used  to  relate  that  when  they  first  came  the 
nearest  grist-mill  was  in  Kishacoquillas  valley,  where 
they  got  their  grain  ground.  Valentine  died  about 
the  year  1837,  and  is  buried  at  Madisonburg.  Chil- 
dren,— Valentine,  Jacob,  Philip,  David,  John,  Bar- 
bara, and  Catharine. 

EcKLEY,  Eli,  Spring,  died  July  29,  1839. 

Eldee,  A.  M.,  Half-Moon,  died  Feb.  6,  1869, 
aged  fifty-six. 

Ellenbarges,  Jacob,  Half-Moon,  died  May  4, 
1879,  aged  eighty-seven. 

Etters,  John,  Harris,  died  Aug.  14,  184G,  aged 
seventy-five. 

Etters,  Mary,  wife  of  John,  died  April  27,  1851, 
aged  seventy-seven. 

Etters,  John,  College,  died  Dec.  19,  1878,  aged 
eighty-five. 

Everly,  Christian,  Howard,  died  Oct.  26,  1848, 
aged  seventy-four. 

Everhart,  William,  died  July  1,  1876,  aged 
eighty-one. 

Ferguson,  Thomas,  Esq.,  was  a  resident  of  Fer- 
guson township  territory  as  early  as  1789.  His  deed 
from  Samuel  Wallis  for  the  "  John  Webster"  war- 
rantee, where  Pine  Grove  Mills  now  stands,  is  dated 
Sept.  5,  1791.  He  erected  the  first  g«st-mill  at  that 
place  in  1800,  and  was  one  of  the  first  justices  of  the 
peace  appointed  for  Centre  County.  From  his  prom- 
inence as  a  citizen  and  business  man,  and  the  fact 
that  he  was  among  the  first  settlers,  it  was  called 
Ferguson.  He  died  in  February,  1806.  His  daugh- 
ter Susanna  was  the  wife  of  John  Barron,  Jr.  He 
left  a  wicLow,  Elizabeth,  and  also  a  daughter,  Jane. 

Fisher,  Rev.  Peter  S.,  was  born  near  Eeading, 
Pa.,  Oct.  11,  1804,  studied  divinity  under  Rev.  Dr.  F. 
L.  Herman  in  1823,  and  was  licensed  in  1825 ;  or- 
dained Sept.  26,  1826.  His  first  charge  was  at  Lin- 
glestown,  Dauphin  Co.,  whence  he  removed  in  June, 
1832,  to  Centre  County,  where  he  spent  twenty-five 
years,  laboring  earnestly  and  faithfully  in  the  service 
of  his  Master.  For  some  time  his  charge  included 
the  whole  of  Centre  County.  He  was  almost  con- 
stantly in  the  saddle,  preaching  the  gospel  almost 
every  day. 


Upon  entering  upon  his  pastoral  duties  here  Mr. 
Fisher  found  the  Sabbath  at  some  places  disregarded, 
and  selected  as  a  day  for  hunting,  fishing,  etc.  This 
he  resolved  to  change,  and  he  used  to  relate  an  inci- 
dent which  aided  in  bringing  about  a  change  for  the 
better. 

From  the  pulpit  of  one  of  his  churches  he  frequently 
saw  through  the  windows  people  passing  with  their 
guns,  and  could  hear  them  shooting  in  the  woods  near 
by.  One  Sabbath  morning  a  farmer  living  in  that 
neighborhood  sent  his  son,  a  young  lad,  to  bring  his 
horses  from  the  field.  The  boy  saw  a  chestnut-tree 
loaded  with  nuts,  and  forgetting  his  duty  for  the 
moment  clambered  up  the  tree,  when  a  hunter  hap- 
pening that  way  saw  the  boy  and  mistaking  him  for 
a  bear  discharged  his  rifle  with  fatal  effect.  This 
event  was  interpreted  by  Mr.  Fisher  in  the  funeral 
sermon,  preached  to  hundreds  assembled  at  the  fu- 
neral, as  a  warning  on  account  of  their  profanation 
of  the  Sabbath.  "  From  that  time,"  said  lie,  "  I  noticed 
a  marked  change  in  that  neigliborhood.  The  people 
commenced  to  attend  church,  and  not  long  after  the 
old  church  becoming  too  small  was  torn  down  and  a 
new  and  comfortable  one  erected  upon  its  site." 

The  fruits  of  Mr.  Fisher's  arduous  labors  are  ex- 
hibited in  the  general  history  of  the  Reformed  Church 
in  this  county,  in  increase  of  churches  and  multipli- 
cation of  ministers,  and  his  extensive  usefulness  in 
the  Reformed  Church  outside  of  the  limits  of  his 
charge  is  only  proper  in  a  history  of  the  denomina- 
tion at  large. 

No  minister  who  ever  lived  within  the  bounds  of 
Centre  County  did  his  duty  more  faithfully  than  Mr. 
Fisher.  No  one  was  more  highly  respected  by  all 
classes  of  people,  and  the  memory  of  none  is  more 
deeply  seated  in  the  affections  of  the  people  of  our 
valley.  His  farewell  sermon,  preached  to  his  congre- 
gation and  friends  at  Boalsburg  on  the  last  Sabbath 
of  September,  1857,  with  the  accompanying  scene, 
will  never  be  forgotten  by  those  present. 

From  Centre  County  he  removed  to  Bucks  County, 
where  Jie  took  charge  of  a  congregation,  and  on  the 
22d  of  May,  1873  (Ascension  Day),  he  ascended,  as 
it  were,  from  the  altar  of  the  church  on  earth  to  the 
church  of  the  Most  High  in  the  heavens. 

He  was  married  April  7,  1829,  to  Miss  V.  Heckert, 
who  survived  him.  They  left  seven  children,  among 
them  Gen.  B.  F.  Fisher,  a  prominent  member  of  the 
bar  of  Philadelphia;  Dr.  P.  S.  Fisher,  of  Zion,  in  this 
county.  Lieut.  John  H.  Fisher,  of  the  One  Hundred 
and  Thirty-eighth  Pennsylvania,  fell  on  the  6th  of 
May,  1864,  at  the  Wilderness,  while  gallantly  leading 
the  advance  skirmishers  in  a  charge  upon  the  enemy's 
lines,  shot  through  the  heart.  Another  son,  Calvin 
P.  W.  Fisher,  M.D.,  was  assistant  surgeon  of  the  One 
Hundred  and  Forty-eighth  Pennsylvania,  1862-63, 
and  now  practices  in  Boalsburg.  Alfred  I.  Fisher, 
M.D.,  Mr.  Fisher's  oldest  son,  has  long  been  a  physi- 
cian at  McAllistersville,  Juniata  Co. 


192 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRP]   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Frank,  George,  came  originally  from  Hagera- 
town,  Md.,  and  settled  in  Penn's  valley,  east  end, 
about  the  year  1793.  '  His  father,  Philip  Frank,  was 
married  to  a  sister  of  Judge  Adam  Harper.  George 
located  in  Brush  valley  in  1813.  He  died  in  1837, 
and  was  about  fifty-eight  years  old ;  he  is  buried  in 
the  Reformed  graveyard  at  Aaronsburg.  He  had  a 
family  of  eleven  children,  five  daughters  and  six 
sons.  Mary  was  married  to  Solomon  Confer ;  Eliza- 
beth to  John  Heizler;  Sarah  to  Andrew  Stover;  and 
Eva  to  Jacob  Minich.  Catharine  died  single.  Mrs. 
Minich  is  the  only  daughter  living.  All  the  sons  are 
still  living  except  David.  Jacob,  the  oldest,  aged 
eighty-two,  lives  in  Sugar  valley.  John,  George, 
Michael,  and  Samuel  are  the  other  sons.  Samuel  is 
the  youngest;  he  lives  at  Rebersburg,  and  with  his 
son  Luther  is  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  at 
the  old  stand  first  established  by  Lyons  Mu.ssina  in 
1812.  Mr.  Samuel  Frank  was  commissioned  justice 
of  the  'peace  March  12,  1850,  and  was  elected  to  the 
office  of  associate  judge  of  Centre  County  in  1876. 
He  is  married  to  Sarah  Brungart,  daughter  of  George 
Brungart,  deceased.     He  was  born  April  25,  1821. 

FuREY,  John,  died  in  Spring  township  in  Febru- 
ary, 1826.  Barbara,  his  widow,  died  March  5,  1850, 
aged  eighty-eight.  Their  children  were  William, 
Robert,  Jeremiah,  and  Nancy.  Robert,  who  was  an 
inn-keeper,  died  at  Potter's  Mills,  May  19,  1846.  Jere- 
miah Furey  died  Nov.  3,  1846,  aged  fifty-three. 

FuREY,  William,  Sr.,  commissioner  of  the  county 
in  1838,  and  county  treasurer  in  1850,  died  in  Spring 
township,  May  23,  1857.  His  eldest  son,  William 
Furey,  Esq.,  county  commissioner,  elected  in  1862 
and  1866,  and  justice  of  the  peace  of  Bellefonte,  died 
Feb.  19,  1880,  aged  seventy  years.  The  latter  was 
the  father  of  Joseph- W.  Furey,  associate  editor  of  the 
Democratic  Watchman,  John  M.  Furey,  former!)'  of 
Altoona  Sun,  Mrs.  M.  J.  Moore,  of  Milesburg,  and 
Mrs.  Georgiana  Dale,  of  Milesburg,  and  of  William 
P.  Furey,  formerly  editor  of  the  Clinton  Democrat 
and  Altoona  Sun.  The  latter  died  in  Texas,  Jan.  2, 
1881,  aged  forty-one. 

Fetzer,  Michael,  Boggs,  died  April  15,  1848, 
aged  seventy. 

FiDLER,  Jacob,  Penn,  died  May  30,  1858,  aged 
ninety-three. 

Fisher,  Christopher  (father  of  Sebastian),  Burn- 
side,  died  April  14,  1879,  aged  ninety-two. 

Fisher,  William,  Boggs,  died  July  2,  1845,  aged 
ninety-three. 

Fleming,  Nancy,  daughter  of  Judge  Fleming, 
died  Aug.  28,  1853,  aged  seventy-eight. 

Foster,  James,  Milesburg,  died  July  1, 1839,  aged 
seventy-six.     Elizabeth,  his  wife,  died  Aug.  28,  1822. 

Forster,  John,  Brush  valley,  married  Margaret 
Irvin,  daughter  of  William  Irvin,  of  Potter,  Nov.  30, 
1820,  died  May,  1867. 

Fox,  John,  Howard,  died  March  8,  1850,  aged 
sixty. 


Gast,  Christian,  came  into  Brush  valley  in  1789, 
as  near  as  can  be  ascertained.  He  bought  the  tract 
in  which  is  now  included  Samuel  Gramly's  farm ; 
lived  on  it  until  about  the  year  1808,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Hollidaysburg,  now  Blair  County.  Mr. 
Gast  had  been  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution.  There 
are  no  descendants  in  the  valley. 

Gast,  J.  Nicholas,  and  Christian,  just  mentioned, 
were  brothers.  The  former  came  from  Penn's  valley 
to  Brush  valley  in  1793,  but  both  originally  from 
Mahantango  Creek,  now  Snyder  County,  says  Mrs. 
Reynolds,  who  is  a  daughter  of  Nicholas.  Their 
parents  came  from  Wiirtemberg,  Germany.  Nicho- 
las bought  from  Col.  Miles  a  tract  of  three  liundred 
and  twenty-six  acres  in  1794,  and  lived  on  it  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  Dec.  2,  1810.  Mr.  John  Wolfs 
farm  is  part  of  this  tract,  and  his  house  was  the  home 
of  Mr.  Gast.  At  this  house  were  held  the  elections 
until  the  first  tavern  was  built  at  Rebersburg,  in 
1807  or  1808,  when  the  latter  became  the  election 
poll  for  the  township.  Mr.  Gast  was  born  April  21, 
1760,  and  was  a  little  over  fifty  years  old  when  he 
died.  He  had  ten  children,  and  there  are  many  de- 
scendants in  Centre,  L^nion,  and  Clinton  Counties 
and  the  Western  States.  Sons  were  John  A.,  George, 
Henry,  and  John.  John  and  George  died  recently 
at  a  great  age.  Daughters  were  Barbara,  married  to 
a  Mr.  Tate;  Catharine,  married  to  Daniel  Conser; 
Christina,  married  to  John  Reynolds;  Mary,  married 
to  Jacob  Wolf;  Susan,  married  to  Paul  Wolf;  and 
Elizabeth,  married  to  Sol.  Crotzer. 

Gill,  William,  died  in  Bellefonte,  Nov.  21,  1876, 
aged  eighty-nine  years.  He  was  born  in  Bucks 
County,  and  came  when  quite  a  child  with  his  father, 
Isaac  Gill,  to  Buft'alo  township,  Northumberland 
County,  now  Union.  In  September,  1814,  he  enlisted 
in  Capt.  Henry  Miller's  company,  Col.  George  Wei- 
rick's  regiment,  and  accompanied  it  to  Marcus  Hook. 
He  was  injured  in  lifting  some  cannon,  and  discharged 
Oct.  26,  1814.  He  subsequently  resided  at  White 
Springs,  in  Unimi  County,  and  1823  removed  to  Centre 
County.  He  had  a  powerful  physical  frame  and  an 
intellect  which,  with  the  advantage  of  a  good  educa- 
tion, would  have  forced  him  up  to  fame ;  but  in  his 
case  opportunities  for  education  did  not  present  them- 
selves, and  beyond  being  a  living  chronicle  of  the 
events  of  the  last  eighty  years,  which  his  astonishing 
memory  for  dates  enabled  him  to  detain  with  chrono- 
logical accuracy,  he  did  not  aspire.  He  was  an  honest 
man,  a  devout  Christian,  and  served  his  day  and  gen- 
eration in  hard  labor,  receiving  his  earthly  reward  in 
kindness  with  which  his  two  daughters  supported  and 
soothed  him  in  his  declining  years. 

Glenn,  John,  of  Ferguson  township,  died  in  1820. 
He  left  a  widow,  Mary,  and  children, — Jane  (married 
to  Thomas  McClemmons),  Elizabeth  (married  to 
James  Glenn),  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Montgomery,  Robert, 
James,  and  Joseph. 

Graham,  George,  died  in  Prairie  City,  Iowa,  on 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL. 


193 


the  17th  of  March,  1877,  at  the  advanced  age  of 
seventy-two  years.  Mr.  Graham  was  a  brother  of 
Mr.  Edward  Graham,  of  Bellefonte,  and  lived  on  and 
farmed  the  "  Red  Barn"  property  below  town,  on  the 
road  to  Milesburg,  now  belonging  to  Seth  H.  Yocum, 
Esq.  Afterwards  Mr. .Graham  moved  to  Snow  Shoe, 
where  he  opened  up  coal-mines  and  lived  until  1864, 
when  he  moved  to  Iowa  and  settled  iu  Prairie  City. 
He  was  born  in  England,  Nov.  24,  1804,  and  came  to 
the  United  States  in  1832,  settling  in  this  State,  and 
engaging  in  the  business  of  mining  and  building  pub- 
lic works.  He  was  a  man  of  great  practical  inventive 
talent,  and  introduced  in  Centre  County  many  im- 
provements in  the  care  of  stock,  and  many  good  cus- 
toms, derived  from  close  observation  of  their  long 
trial  in  England. 

Gbamly,  Feancis,  was  a  native  of  Northampton 
County,  and  came  to  Brush  valley  either  in  1795  or 
1796,  a  year  later  than  his  brother-iu-law,  Christopher 
Spangler.  He  bought  the  tract  now  owned  by  Snook 
and  Geiswait,  better  known  as  the  Philip  Gramly 
farm.  The  stone  house  on  the  place  was  erected  by 
him  in  1804.  The  saw-mill — the  ruins  of  which  are 
still  visible — was  built  prior  to  1803.  Besides  the 
above-mentioned  place,  Mr.  Gramly  owned  the  farms 
now  belonging  to  Eeuben  Gramly,  Joseph  Gramly, 
Jefferson  Rover,  John  Shultz  (Christopher  Gramly 
farm),  and  William  Walker.  Francis  Gramly  was 
married  to  a  sister  of  Christopher  Spangler,  Barbara ; 
they  came  from  the  same  place  originally.  Mr. 
Gramly  died  about  the  year  1833,  and  lies  buried  in 
the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  cemetery,  Rebersburg. 
There  is  no  tombstone  to  mark  the  grave.  Children, — 
Adam  George,  born  April  5, 1777  ;  Anna  Maria,  born 
Nov.  25,  1778,  married  to  John  Walker ;  Christian, 
born  Aug.  22, 1781 ;  John,  born  Dec.  22,  1783  ;  Jacob, 
born  Dec.  31,  1785;  Daniel,  born  Aug.  19,  1788;  Su- 
sannah, born  Oct.  24, 1790,  married  to  William  Krape, 
Nittany  valley  ;  George,  born  Aug.  16,  1792;  Francis, 
born  July  3,  1795;  and  Philip,  born  April  11,  1798. 
The  children  are  all  dead.  Of  grand-  and  great- 
grandchildren there  is  a  host  who  are  scattered 
through  Brush,  Sugar,  and  Nittany  valleys  and  States 
of  the  West. 

Geamly,  John,  died  in  Miles  in  October,  1825. 
He  left  a  widow,  Catherine;  sons,  Joseph,  John,  and 
Joel ;  and  daughter,  Christena. 

Geamly,  Adam,  died  in  1829,  leaving  a  widow, 
Mary,  and  nine  children, — William,  George,  John, 
Elizabeth  (married  to  John  Mitchell),  Sarah,  Mary 
(married  to  Martin  Bear),  Catherine  (married  to  John 
Walker,  Jr.),  Lydia,  and  Margaret. 

Gray,  Peter,  Sk.,  died  in  Patton  township  in  May, 
1817.  He  was  among  the  first  settlers  of  Patton,  and 
came  from  Frederick  County,  Md.,  locating  on  the 
place  now  known  as  the  R.  H.  Meek  farm.  He 
brought  with  him  a  large  family  of  sons  and  sons-in- 
law.  His  son  George  Gray  died  in  1816,  leaving 
children, — Christian,  Sarah,  and  Mary  Ann.  Peter 
13 


Gray's  other  children  were  John  Gray  ;  Peter  Gray, 
Jr.,  lived  near  his  father's  place.  David  Runk,  who 
married  his  daughter  Mary,  set  up  the  first  black- 
smith-shop in  Patton.  Another  son-in-law,  .John 
Gearhart,  was  a  farmer.  Other  children  of  Peter 
Gray,  Sr.,  were  Adam,  Mrs.  Eve  Heiskill,  and  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Hartsock. 

Gray,  Petee  B.,  was  instantly  killed  by  falling 
from  the  loft  of  his  wagon-shed,  in  Half-Moon  town- 
ship, Feb.  3,  1862.  His  widow,  Elizabeth,  died  at  the 
age  of  seventy-five.  Mr.  Gray  was  a  commissioner  of 
the  county,  and  a  highly-respected  man.  Their  chil- 
dren have  attained  distinction  and  prominence  in  the 
world, — Dr.  John  Purdue  Gray  (now  at  the  head  of 
the  Utica  Insane  Asylum,  N.  Y.,  deservedly  in  the 
front  rank  of  his  profession.  He  was  a  prominent 
witness  on  the  trial  of  Guiteau,  convicted  of  the  mur- 
der of  President  Garfield) ;  Rev.  E.  J.  Gray,  late 
president  of  Dickinson  Seminary,  Williamsport,  etc. 

Gray,  Johx  L.,  of  Half-Moon,  died  Sept,  30, 1874, 
aged  sixty-eight  years.  He  was  commissioner  of  the 
county,  elected  in  1864. 

Geay,  John,  was  born  in  1767,  near  Hagerstown, 
came  to  Half- Moon  in  1788,  locating  on  the  tract  now 
owned  by  Samuel  Gray,  where  he  reared  a  large 
family, — Catherine  (who  married  Samuel  Stine,  died 
July  28,  1878),  Mrs.  Polly  Mattern,  Mrs.  Barbara 
Mattern,  Mrs.  Susan  Blakely,  Mrs.  Sarah  Johnston, 
Mrs.  Hannah  McKenney,  and  Samuel  Gray,  all  re- 
siding in  the  village  or  vicinity  of  Stormstown. 

Geegg,  Hon.  Andrew,  was  born  June  10,  1755, 
about  two  miles  northwesterly  of  Carlisle,  Pa.,  on  a 
farm  adjoining  the  meeting-house  farm,  in  Middleton 
township.  His  father,  Andrew,  came  from  London- 
derry, Ireland,  and  his  grandfather's  name  was  John. 
The  family  had  emigrated  from  Scotland  to  Ireland, 
and  an  old-fashioned  sword  and  espontoon,  long  in 
the  garret  of  the  old  house  on  the  Conodoguinet,  were 
arms  of  the  ancestor  in  the  army  of  King  William  at 
the  battle  of  the  Boyne,  July  1,  1690. 

Of  Mr.  Gregg's  grandfather's  family,  .Tohn  remained 
in  Ireland,  David,  Andrew,  and  their  sister  Rachel, 
who  was  married  to  Solomon  Walker,  came  to  Amer- 
ica. David  settled  in  New  Hampshire,  and  raised 
a  large  family  there.  The  Gregg  families  of  Salem, 
Mass.,  Elmira,  N.  Y.,  and  Indianapolis,  Ind,  are  de- 
scendants of  David.  Andrew  and  Mrs.  Walker  settled 
on  Christiana  Creek,  near  Newark,  Del.,  in  1732, 
where  his  first  wife  died,  and  Andrew  married  Jane 
Scott,  daughter  of  Matthew  Scott,  who  had  emi- 
grated from  Armagh,  Ireland,  to  Chestnut  Level. 
Andrew  Gregg,  the  elder,  removed  to  the  farm  near 
Carlisle  in  1750,  where  he  died  Nov.  18, 1789.  Among 
his  children  were  Matthew,  who  was  a  wagon-master 
in  the  army  from  Jan.  9, 1778,  to  Aug.  14, 1780,  James, 
and  John,  who  were  also  connected  with  the  army. 
John  Gregg  was  the  lather  of  Elizabeth  (wife  of 
George  McKee),  who  died  in  Bellefonte,  Oct.  11,  1801, 
and  of  the  first  Mre.  Roland  Curtin,  Sr. 


194 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Hon.  Andrew  Gregg  received  his  early  education 
at  Rev.  John  Steel's  Latin  school,  in  Carlisle,  and 
was  then  sent  to  Newark,  Del.,  to  complete  his  edu- 
cation. While  thus  engaged  he  turned  out  upon 
several  occasions  in  the  militia. 


^Jy^c/'^ocu  ;^^V'* 


On  the  march  of  the  British  from  Turkey  Point  to 
Philadelphia  the  academy  at  Newark  was  broken  up, 
and  Mr.  Gregg  returned  to  Carlisle  to  assist  his  father 
on  the  farm,  his  other  brothers  being  in  the  army.  In 
1779  he  went  to  Philadelphia,  with  the  intention  of 
going  to  France  for  his  health,  which  had  been  in  a 
declining  state  for  some  time ;  but  changing  his  inten- 
tion he  accepted  the  appointment  of  tutor  in  the  col- 
lege (now  university)  there,  and  continued  thereunder 
Drs.  Smith  and  Ewing's  administrations  until  1783, 
when  he  removed  to  Middletown,  Pa.,  where  he  re- 
sided four  years,  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business. 

Jau.  29,  1787,  Mr.  Gregg  was  married  to  Martha, 
daughter  of  Maj.-Gen.  James  Potter,  at  the  latter's 
old  residence  in  Buffalo  valley  (Union  County  now). 
He  then  removed  to  Lewistown,  then  being  laid 
out  by  Gen.  Potter  and  Maj.  Montgomery,  where  his 
daughter  Mary,  afterwards  Mrs.  McLanahan,  of 
Greencastle,  Pa.,  was  born,  Nov.  2,  1788.  In  1789 
he  removed  to  Penn's  valley,  two  miles  east  of  the 
Old  Fort. 

His  public  services  commenced  Nov.  8,  1791,  as 
member  of  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the 
United  States.  He  was  continued  in  the  House  by 
successive  elections  for  a  period  of  sixteen  years,  and 
in  1807  he  was  chosen  United  States  senator,  which 


position  he  occupied  until  the  3d  of  March,  1813.  He 
was  twice  elected  president  of  the  Senate,  the  highest 
distinction  in  the  councils  of  the  nation  any  Pennsyl- 
vanian  had  then  attained. 

In  1814  he  removed  from  Penn's  valley  to  Belle- 
fonte  for  the  purpose  of  better  educating  his  family. 
He  was  the  first  president  of  the  Centre  Bank,  which 
was  organized  under  articles  of  association  or  part- 
nership in  1818,  and  was  re-elected  in  1814. 

On  the  19th  of  December,  1820,  Mr.  Gregg  was  ap- 
pointed Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth  by  Governor 
Hiester,  which  office  he  held  when  nominated  by  a 
convention  that  met  at  Lewistown  on  the  15th  of 
May,  1823,  for  Governor,  in  opposition  to  Mr.  Shulze, 
who  had  been  nominated  by  what  was  called  a  Legis- 
lative Convention  at  Harrisburg  on  the  .5th  of  March. 
After  Mr.  Gregg  retired  from  the  office  of  Secretary 
of  the  Commonwealth  he  resided  in  Bellefonte  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  May  20,  1835. 

Mr.  Gregg  liad  strong  party  predilections,  but  was 
remarkable  for  his  independence  of  character,  always 
acting  according  to  the  convictions  of  his  own  mind, 
though  they  sometimes  differed  from  those  of  political 
friends.  He  was  while  in  office,  in  fact,  what  he  was 
elected  to  be,  the  representative  of  the  interests  of  his 
constituents,  not  of  their  confined  views  of  subjects  of 
moment.  He  was  always  scrupulously  tenacious  of 
his  oath  to  subserve  the  public  good  according  to  the 
best  of  his  judgment  and  ability,  never  yielding  his 
duty  to  the  prejudices  of  party  spirit  or  the  views  of 
interested  politicians. 

Mr.  Gregg  was  an  elegant  classical  scholar,  and  had 
acquired  by  reading  extensive  general  information, 
which  large  experience  and  deep  reflection  had 
moulded  into  practical  purposes.  He  was  a  man  of 
sound  health,  athletic  nerves,  and  vigorous  constitu- 
tion, preserved  intact  by  a  life  of  temperance  and  in- 
dustry until  he  reached  the  age  of  fourscore  years. 

Mr.  Gregg's  children,  ten  in  number,  were :  1,  Mrs. 
Mary  McLanahan,  of  Greencastle,  mother  of  An- 
drew, James,  Isabella,  and  Mary.  2,  Jane,  wife  of 
Roland  Curtin,  Sr.,  mother  of  ex-Governor  A.  G. 
Curtin.  3,  Martha,  who  married  Dr.  Constans  Cur- 
tin, and  died  Dec.  31,  1829.  4,  Julia  Ann,  who  mar- 
ried Gen.  James  Irvin,  and  died  July  4,  1856.  5, 
Eliza  Mitchell,  widow  of  David  Mitchell,  of  Belle- 
fonte, now  deceased  Dec.  1882.  6,  Hon.  Andrew 
Gregg,  who  died  May  13,  1869,  father  of  Gen.  John 
I.  Gregg,  late  of  United  States  army,  of  Andrew 
Gregg,  Esq.,  county  commissioner.  7,  James  P.  Gregg, 
married  Eliza  Wilson,  and  died  in  Virginia,  Sept.  8, 
1845.  8,  Matthew  D.,  married  Ellen  McMurtrie,  who 
also  died  in  Virginia,  July  26,  1845,  the  father  of 
Gen.  David  McMurtrie  Gregg,  now  of  Reading,  Pa., 
a  distinguished  cavalry  officer  of  the  United  States 
army  during  the  war  of  the  Rebellion.  9,  Sarah,  who 
married  Henry  Kinney,  and  died  March  28,  1836. 
10,  Mrs.  Margery  Tucker,  of  Lewisburg,  Pa.,  widow 
of  Rev.  Charles  Tucker,  of  the  Baptist  Church. 


BIOGRAPHICAL   AND   GENP]ALOGIC'AL. 


195 


Geegg,  Gen.  John  Irvin,  was  born  in  Belle- 
fonte,  July  19,  1826.  His  father,  Andrew  Gregg 
(State  senator  1856-61),  was  a  sou  of  Hon.  Andrew 
Gregg,  United  States  senator  from  Pennsylvania, 
1807-13.  His  motlier,  Margaret  I.,  daugliter  of 
John  Irvin,  of  Cedar  Creek  Mill,  Harris  township,  is 
still  living. 

Gen.  Gregg's  early  education  was  acquired  at  David 
McKinney's  academy  at  Boalsburg,  and  at  Mifflinburg 
under  James  McClune.  In  1846  the  Centre  Guards, 
of  which  Gen.  Gregg's  father  was  captain,  volunteered 
for  the  Mexican  war.  They  were  too  late  to  be  ac- 
cepted, and  the  general  went  on  to  Pittsburgh,  where 
he  enlisted  in  Capt.  James  Murray's  Company  G, 
Second  Pennsylvania  Volunteers.  On  his  arrival  at 
Vera  Cruz  he  heard  of  his  appointment  as  lieutenant 
in  the  Eleventh  Infantry,  but  no  official  notice  coming 
he  marched  on  to  Jalapa,  where  Gen.  Scott  gave  him 
a  furlough  to  Washington  to  look  up  his  appoint- 
ment. Lieut.  Gregg  was  then  ordered  to  Williams- 
port  on  recruiting  service,  but  joined  his  regiment  in 
the  City  of  Mexico  in  December,  1847,  meanwhile, 
Sept.  5,  1847,  being  promoted  captain.  He  was  hon- 
orably discharged  Aug.  15,  1848,  at  Fort  Hamilton 
N.  Y.,  after  which,  with  his  father  and  Gen.  James 
Irvin,  his  uncle,  he  engaged  in  the  iron  business  at 
Hecla.  In  November,  1857,  he  married  Miss  Clarissa 
H.  Everhart,  a  lady  of  great  amiability  and  personal 
beauty,  whose  early  death  was  deeply  regretted. 

June  21,  1861,  he  entered  the  service  as  captain  of 
Company  E,  Fifth  Reserves,  but  was  promoted  in  the 
regular  service  captain  in  Sixth  Cavalry,  and  com- 
menced duty  in  the  Peninsular  campaign  of  1862. 
The  battles  of  Williamsburg  and  Kent  Court-House 
were  followed  by  days  and  nights  of  weary  marching, 
while  the  army  of  McClellan  was  fighting  its  way  to  the 
James.  In  November,  1862,  he  was  selected  to  com- 
mand the  Sixteenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry.  Early  in 
January,  1863,  he  joined  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
and  was  assigned  to  Averill's  brigade.  During  the 
remainder  of  the  winter  he  performed  important  out- 
post duty,  and  acquired  a  reputation  for  effidency 
which  was  never  lost.  The  first  battle  in  which  Col. 
Gregg  participated  as  a  regimental  commander  was 
at  Kelly's  Ford,  on  the  17th  of  March.  The  numbers 
on  either  side  were  about  equal,  and  the  advantage 
gained  by  the  Union  force  was  decisive,  marking  a 
new  era  for  that  arm.  At  Brandy  Station,  on  the 
9th  of  June,  nearly  the  entire  cavalry  of  the  two 
armies  was  engaged.  Here  Col.  Gregg  led  a  brigade. 
At  Aldie  and  Upperville  the  fight  was  severe,  the 
combatants  coming  hand  to  hand.  In  the  battle  of 
Gettysburg  his  command  was  posted  so  as  to  protect 
the  right  flank  of  the  Union  army,  and  was  engaged 
during  the  afternoon  of  the  second  day  and  during 
the  third.  After  Lee  made  his  escape  to  Virginia, 
Gregg's  brigade,  with  the  entire  division,  was  sent 
across  the  Potomac  to  follow  up  the  rebel  rear  and 
ascertain  his  whereabouts.     But  the  rebel  chieftain 


covered  his  movements  by  leaving  near  the  mouth  of 
the  valley  his  best  fighting  troops.  At  noon  on  the 
18th,  while  near  Shepherdstown,  the  Union  skir- 
mishers wore  driven  in,  and  close  upon  their  heels 
the  enemy  advanced  in  force.  For  eight  hours,  and 
until  night  put  an  end  to  the  contest,  the  fighting 
was  of  the  most  determined  character  and  the  car- 
nage terrible.  The  enemy  was  well  supplied  with 
artillery,  which  was  effectually  served.  At  first  he 
concentrated  his  fire  on  his  right,  then  on  the  left, 
and  finally,  just  as  the  sun  was  sinking,  a  fire  of  un- 
wonted power  and  destructiveness  was  opened  upon 
the  right  centre.  The  enemy  charged  repeatedly, 
coming  on  in  th;-ee  columns,  and  gaining  at  times  a 
point  within  thirty  paces  of  the  Union  line;  but 
nothing  could  withstand  the  withering  fire  that  swept 
that  gory  field,  and  until  darkness  separated  the  com- 
batants Gregg's  small  brigade  held  fast  its  position, 
and  when  the  remnants  of  his  faithful  band  were 
ordered  to  retire  bore  away  the  mangled  forms  of 
one  hundred  and  fifty-eight  of  their  comrades. 

In  the  movement  to  Culpeper,  Gregg  was  with 
the  advance,  and,  in  conjunction  with  Kilpatrick's 
men,  captured  a  body  of  the  enemy  who  were  there 
cut  off.  When  Gen.  Lee  commenced  his  flank  move- 
ment towards  Centreville,  one  regiment  of  Gregg's 
brigade  was  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Aesthem,  or 
Upper  Eappahannock  River,  charged  with  picketing 
in  advance  of  the\illage  _of  Jeflersonton.  At  eight 
o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  12th  of  October  the 
enemy  were  reported  advancing  in  force.  With  two 
small  regiments  of  less  than  six  hundred  men,  from 
early  in  the  day  until  nightfall,  Col.  Gregg  succeeded 
in  checking  the  right  wing  of  Lee's  army  and  delay- 
ing his  passage  of  the  stream.  The  stubborn  resist- 
ance which  this  devoted  band  here  made  was  of  sig- 
nal service,  as  Meade  was  enabled  to  complete  the 
crossing  of  the  stream  and  gain  a  day's  march  on  his 
antagonist. 

In  November,  Gregg  was  ordered  to  Washington, 
where  he  remained  the  greater  part  of  the  winter 
under  medicaJ  treatment.  In  the  Wilderness  cam- 
paign, which  opened  in  May,  he  was  in  Sheridan's 
column,  and  for  three  days  was  engaged  near  Todd's 
Tavern.  On  the  morning  of  the  second  day's  march 
Col.  Gregg  had  the  advance  in  the  movement  upon 
Richmond,  and  soon  after  starting  encountered  the 
enemy  in  force.  A  brisk  skirmish  ensued.  On  the 
following  day  Gregg  was  of  the  rear-guard,  and  before 
the  column  had  all  moved  the  enemy  attacked  with 
great  impetuosity,  doubling  up  a  part  of  his  brigade, 
and  was  near  throwing  the  whole  Union  force  into 
confusion.  At  this  juncture  Gregg  brought  his  artil- 
lery into  position,  and  when  the  rebels  were  at  close 
quarters  gave  them  grape  and  canister  in  rapid  rounds, 
which  sent  them  back  in  utter  rout.  It  is  impossible, 
as  it  is  unnecessary,  to  follow  Col.  Gregg  through  all 
the  intricate  mazes  in  which  he  led  his  brigade  and 
division.     He  particularly  distinguished   himself  in 


196 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  actions  of  the  12th  of  May  inside  the  fortifications 
of  Richmond,  and  at  Trevillian  Station  on  the  11th 
of  June,  for  which  he  received  the  brevet  rank  of 
brigadier-general.  In  the  action  at  Deep  Bottom,  on 
the  16th  of  August,  he  was  wounded  in  the  right 
wrist.  He  was  also  wounded  in  the  ankle  at  Hatcher's 
Run  on  the  6th  of  February,  while  attempting  to 
charge  at  the  head  of  a  portion  of  his  brigade  against 
the  enemy's  infantry.  An  amusing  incident  occurred 
in  connection  with  the  dressing  of  this  wound.  At 
the  time  of  the  engagement,  and  for  some  days  pre- 
vious, a  young  German,  the  Baron  Morehouse,  a  lieu- 
tenant in  the  Prussian  service  and  aide-de-camp  to 
the  king,  who  was  here  for  the  purpose  of  observing 
military  operations,  had  been  serving  as  a  volunteer 
aide  on  the  staff  of  Gen.  Gregg.  He  had  kept  close  to 
the  side  of  the  general  throughout  the  battle  and  in 
the  midst  of  the  sharpest  firing.  While  the  surgeon 
was  removing  the  boot  from  the  wounded  foot,  seeing 
the  bullet  lying  loose  in  the  wound,  he  sprang  forward 
in  an  excited  manner  and,  seizing  the  blood-stained 
missile,  exclaimed  in  his  broken  English,  "  Mein 
Gott!  I  will  carry  him  to  Europe  and  show  him  to 
mein  king !" 

Gen.  Gregg  was  again  wounded  at  Amelia  Springs 
on  the  5th  of  April,  1865,  in  a  skirmish  on  the  occa- 
sion of  Lee's  retreat  from  Petersburg.  At  the  close 
of  hostilities  he  was  breveted  major-general  of  vol- 
unteers for  distinguished  services  tluring  the  war.  He 
also  received  the  brevets  of  major,  lieutenant-colonel, 
colonel,  and  brigadier-general  in  the  regular  army  for 
gallantry  in  action  in  the  battles  of  Kelly's  Ford, 
Middleburg,  Shepherdstown,  Wilderness,  Sulphur 
Springs,  St.  Mary's  Church,  Deep  Bottom,  Stony 
Creek  Station,  and  Hatcher's  Run.  Throughout  his 
entire  term  of  service  Gen.  Gregg  displayed  the  best 
qualities  of  the  intrepid  soldier,  and  by  his  stubborn 
fighting  on  many  fields  fairly  won  the  character  of  an 
heroic  and  reliable  oflicer,  one  who  was  not  afraid  to 
face  superior  numbers,  even  under  the  most  unfavor- 
able circumstances,  and  who  made  his  dispositions 
with  so  much  coolness  and  self-possession  as  to  reas- 
sure his  own  men  and  intimidate  the  foe. 

After  the  war  closed  Gen.  Gregg  was  sent  with  his 
brigade  to  Lynchburg,  Va.,  and  placed  in  command 
of  that  part  of  the  State.  Here  he  displayed  signal 
ability  in  regulating  the  civil  relations  of  the  whites 
and  blacks,  a  matter  of  extreme  diflSculty  on  account 
of  the  new  status  of  the  blacks.  The  prominent 
citizens  of  Lynchburg,  July  18,  1865,  united  in  a 
letter  thanking  the  general  for  efficiency,  courtesy, 
and  impartiality. 

Continuing  in  the  service  he  was  assigned  to 
duty  as  inspector-general  of  freedmen  in  Louisiana. 
Under  the  establishment  of  July  28,  1868,  Gen. 
Gregg  wals  appointed  colonel  of  the  Eighth  United 
States  Cavalry,  and  assigned  to  duty  in  Arizona, 
where  his  duties  were  most  arduous,  in  consequence 
of  the   hostilities  of  the   Indians.     From   Arizona, 


Gen.  Gregg  was  transferred  to  the  command  of  the 
District  of  Nevada,  and  in  1870  was  stationed  at  Fort 
Union,  New  Mexico.  In  1873  was  assigned  to  the 
command  of  the  District  of  New  Mexico.  In  1875- 
76  he  was  with  his  regiment  in  Texas.  In  1876  he  was 
detailed  as  superintendent  of  mounted  recruiting  ser- 
vice at  St.  Louis  Arsenal,  which  position  he  occupied 
until  October,  1878,  when  he  was  retired  from  active 
duty  by  reason  of  a  serious  affliction  of  the  knee-joint. 
Mrs.  Gregg  dying  while  he  was  in  the  army,  the  gen- 
eral subsequently  married  Miss  Harriet  C.  Marr, 
daughter  of  the  late  Rev.  Joseph  Marr,  and  now  lives 
at  Lewisburg,  Pa.  In  stature  the  general  is  six  feet 
four  inches  in  height.  He  is  suave  in  manner,  hu- 
morous in  conversation,  while  his  towering  form  and 
handsome  presence  fill  the  eye  with  the  beau  ideal  of 
an  oflicer  of  the  United  States  army. 

Greek,  Joseph,  Sb.,  the  first  postmaster  at  Miles- 
burg,  was  a  carpenter,  and  came  from  Chester  County 
with  John  and  Joseph  Miles  to  assist  in  the  erection 
of  the  Milesburg  Iron-Works.  He  built  and  lived  in  a 
house  that  stood  upon  the  lot  now  occupied  by  Harry 
Levi's  residence.  The  kitchen  portion,  constructed 
of  stone,  is  still  standing.  In  1825  he  became  a 
partner  with  John  and  Joseph  Miles  in  the  Milesburg 
Iron-Works,  and  retained  his  interest  therein  until 
1836.  He  then  removed  to  Milesburg.  He  married 
Hannah  Griflith.  Their  children  were  Capt.  William 
G.  Green,  U.S.A.,  who  died  in  Lexington,  Ky.,  Sept. 
29,  1815;  Gen.  S.  Miles  Green;  Esther,  married  to 
Joseph  Butler,  Esq.  (sheriff) ;  Joseph  Green,  late  of 
Milesburg ;  Eliza,  married  to  H.  L.  McMinn ;  Han- 
nah, married  to  John  Irvin,  Jr.     Hannah  died  March 

1,  1832.     Joseph  Green,  Sr.,  died  at  Milesburg,  Feb. 

2,  1839,  aged  seventy-four  years. 

Green,  Joseph,  Jr.,  born  in  Milesburg  in  1800, 
clerked  first  for  Hamilton  Humes,  at  Bellefonte, 
whence  he  went  to  take  charge  of  Centre  Furnace  as 
manager.  He  was  also  manager  at  Milesburg  Works 
for  Irvin  Green  &  Co.,  and  in  1830,  with  his  father- 
in-law,  Joseph  Miles,  opened  a  store  in  Milesburg. 
On  Joseph  Miles'  death,  in  1840,  he  carried  on  the 
business  alone  until  1852,  when  he  took  his  son, 
J.  Miles  Green,  in  partnership.  His  wife  was  Cath- 
erine Miles,  daughter  of  Gen.  Joseph  Miks.  He 
died  in  Milesburg  in  1879. 

Green,  Gen.  S.  Miles,  died  in  Patton  township, 
Dec.  21,  1878,  aged  eighty-three  years.  He  was  a 
good  type  of  the  old  school  of  gentlemen,  with  a 
hearty  and  sincere  manner.  Carrying  the  weight  of 
almost  an  additional  span  to  the  years  of  man's  al- 
lotted life,  he  stood  erect  as  a  boy  of  twenty,  and  re- 
tained to  a  remarkable  degree  the  manly  strength 
and  vigor  of  early  life,  worthy  his  Revolutionary 
ancestry. 

Gen.  Green  was  a  grandnephew  of  Col.  Samuel 
Miles,  commander  of  one  of  the  rifle  battalions  in  the 
Revolutionary  war,  who  was  captured  at  Long  Island, 
1776,  and  was  subsequently  judge  of  the  Court  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL. 


197 


Errors  and  Appeals,  and  mayor  of  Philadelphia. 
The  general  was  born  at  his  grandfather's  iron-works, 
near  Milesburg,  April  13,  1797,  and  was,  therefore,  in 
the  eighty-second  year  of  his  age.  He  studied  law 
with  Hon.  John  Blanchard,  and  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  cotemporary  with  the  late  Hon.  A.  S.  Wilson, 
John  G.  Miles,  Esq.,  and  others.  Shortly  after  he 
was  appointed  deputy  attorney-general  for  Clearfield 
County,  whence  he  removed  to  Meadville  and  re- 
mained five  years.  In  1834  he  abandoned  the  prac- 
tice of  law  and  became  the  manager  of  the  Centre 
Iron- Works,  whence  he  removed  to  Barre  Forge,  in 
Huntingdon  County,  carrying  on  the  iron-works  there 
until  1875,  when  he  sold  out  and  returned  to  his  native 
county,  and  died  at  his  place  on  Buffalo  Run.  He  was 
present  in  the  court-room  when  Munks  was  tried, 
and  one  of  the  guards  at  the  gallows.  His  children 
are  G.  Dorsey,  Hannah  E.,  and  Joseph  A.  Green. 

Gentzel,  Jacob,  Aaronsburg,  died  Dec.  3,  1841, 
aged  seventy  years. 

GiLLiLAND,  Robert,  Potter,  died  Nov.  9,  1864, 
aged  sixty-four  years. 

GoRDOX,  David,  died  Jan.  11,  1852,  aged  seventy 
years. 

Gordon,  Elizabeth  (mother  of  James),  Walker, 
died  June  17,  1851,  aged  ninety  years. 

Gordon,  Robert,  died  Feb.  4, 1832,  aged  seventy- 
eight  years. 

Gordon,  Robert  W.,  Spring,  died  June,  1834, 
aged  thirty-nine  years. 

Graham,  Alexander,  died  Aug.  11,  1844,  aged 
forty-nine  years. 

Geafius,  William,  postmaster  of  Bellefonte,  died 
March  1,  1845,  aged  forty-three  years. 

GregCt,  Hon.  A.,  Jr.,  born  Nov.  30, 1799,  died  May 
13,  1869. 

Gregg,  James  P.,  died  at  Rock  Point,  Va.,  Sept. 
8,  1845,  aged  fifty-three  years. 

Gregg,  Matthew  D.,  died  at  Rock  Point,  Va.,  July 
26,  1845,  aged  forty-two  years. 

Green,  Abby,  Milesburg,  died  June  16, 1860,  aged 
seventy-nine  years. 

Green,  Mrs.  Hannah  G.,  Milesburg,  died  Aug. 
28,  1853,  aged  eighty-eight  years. 

Groninger,  Henry,  soldier  of  the  Revolution, 
Logan,  died  Sept.  11,  1833,  aged  seventy-five  years. 
Grove,  John,  George's  valley,  died  Sept.  15, 1860. 
GUN.SALUS,  James,  Sr.,  Liberty,  died  March  16, 
1856,  aged  sixty -seven  years. 

Glenn,  Catherine,  wife  of  Andrew,  Patton,  died 
March  25,  1826. 

Hale,  Hon.  James  T.,  was  born  in  Bradford 
County,  Pa.,  on  the  14th  of  October,  1810.  He  lived 
with  his  parents  on  a  farm  (still  owned  and  occupied 
by  his  brother,  Maj.  Elias  W.  Hale,  several  miles 
east  of  Towanda),  working  on  the  farm  and  at  inter- 
vals attending  the  schools  of  the  neighborhood,  until 
he  was  about  fifteen  years  of  age,  when  his  father 
died,  and  he  being  the  oldest  son  the  support  of  the 


family  was  chiefly  thrown  upon  him.  Some  time 
after  the  death  of  his  father  he  became  the  clerk  in 
the  prothonotary's  office  at  Towanda. 

He  then  entered  upon  the  study  of  the  law,  under 
the  direction  of  his  uncle,  Elias  W.  Hale,  Esq.,  of 
Lewistown,  Mifflin  Co.,  and  on  the  28th  of  February, 
1832,  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  Lewistown.  In  1835 
he  moved  to  Bellefonte,  where,  on  the  6th  of  May, 
1835,  he  married  Miss  Jane  W.  Huston,  daughter  of 


the  Hon.  Charles  Huston,  associate  justice  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania.  He  continued  his 
practice  in  the  courts  of  Mifflin  County,  and  also  at- 
tended the  courts  in  the  counties  of  Clearfield  and 
Clinton.  He  was  engaged  in  the  trial  of  all  the 
principal  causes  tried  in  these  several  courts  for 
many  years,  until  the  10th  of  April,  1851,  when  a 
vacancy  occurred  in  what  is  now  the  Twenty-fifth 
Judicial  District,  whereof  he  was  appointed  president 
judge  by  Governor  Johnston.  He  presided  in  the 
several  courts  of  the  district  until  the  1st  of  Decem- 
ber, 1851,  when  his  commission  expired,  and  he  was 
succeeded  by  the  Hon.  Alexander  Jordan.  He  occu- 
pied the  bench  but  a  short  time,  but  during  that 
brief  period  discharged  the  arduous  duties  of  presi- 
dent judge  with  such  promptness,  dispatch,  ability, 
and  impartiality,  that  he  achieved  such  popularity 
and  renown  as  a  clear-headed  and  excellent  judge  as 
is  rarely  attained  by  men  who  occupy  the  bench  for 
longer  terms.  After  retiring  from  the  bench  he  re- 
sumed his  profession,  in  which  he  continued  until 
about  1856,  when  he  had  become  so  largely  engasred 


198 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


in  other  enterprises  that  he  was,  to  a  great  extent, 
obliged  to  abandon  theactivedutiesof  the  profession. 
Having  become  interested  as  part  owner  in  a  large 
body  of  timber  and  coal  lands  in  the  counties  of 
Cambria,  Centre,  and  Clearfield,  known  as  the  Philips 
estate,  whose  value,  development,  and  availability 
depended  chiefly  upon  railroad  communication,  he 
embarked  his  means,  industry,  energy,  and  financial 
skill  in  the  building  of  the  Tyrone  and  Clearfield 
Railroad.  In  1856  he  was  elected  president  of  the 
company,  and  continued  in  that  position  until  1860. 
During  that  period,  notwithstanding  the  financial 
crisis  of  1857,  through  his  indomitable  energy,  enter- 
prise, industry,  and  financial  ability,  and  the  appli- 
cation of  his  own  means,  the  road  was,  through 
much  difliculty  and  many  embarrassments,  graded, 
and  so  far  advanced  towards  completion  that  it  was 
in  a  year  or  two  afterwards  finished  and  equipped 
and  put  in  running  order ;  and  that  important  branch 
and  feeder  of  the  Pennsylvania  Central  Railroad 
opened  up  and  made  available  the  rich  timber  and 
mineral  wealth  of  parts  of  Cambria,  Centre,  and 
Clearfield  Counties. 

In  politics  Judge  Hale  was  an  ardent  Whig  and 
high  tariff  man.  Wlien  the  Whig  party  passed  out 
of  existence  he  united  with  the  Republican  party,  and 
in  1858  was  elected  to  the  Thirty-sixth  Congress  from 
the  Eighteenth  District,  composed  of  the  counties  of 
Mifflin,  Centre,  Clinton,  Lycoming,  Potter,  and  Tioga. 
He  was  re-elected  in  1860,  fronr  the  same  district,  to 
the  Thirty-seventh  Congress.  In  1862  he  ran  as  an 
independent  candidate,  and  was  again  elected  over 
his  competitor,  the  Hon.  William  H.  Armstrong,  the 
regular  Republican  nominee.  At  the  close  of  the 
session,  on  the  4th  of  March,  1865,  he  took  his  family 
to  Philadelphia,  where,  after  attending  to  some  pri- 
vate business,  he  left  them,  and  returned  to  Belle- 
fonte,  and  at  once  engaged  in  professional  work, 
tried  several  causes  at  a  special  court  held  by  his 
Honor  Judge  Pearson,  and,  though  not  being  well, 
he  argued  a  cause  with  great  force  and  ability  on 
Friday,  the  31st  of  March.  The  day  following  he  was 
quite  sick,  and  continued  growing  worse  until  the 
following  Thursday  evening,  the  6th  of  April,  1865, 
when  he  died. 

Judge  Hale  was  an  upright  man,  kind  friend,  and 
generous  neighbor.  From  his  first  entry  into  Centre 
County,  he  was  a  consistent  and  persevering  friend  of 
the  temperance  cause,  and  the  first  to  advocate  pub- 
licly the  passage  of  laws  to  prevent  the  manufacture 
and  sale  of  liquor  as  a  beverage. 

Judge  Hale  possessed  a  bright  intellect,  a  remark- 
ably tenacious  memory  (never  forgot  a  legal  principle 
or  a  reported  case  he  had  read),  and  an  intuitive 
knowledge  of  the  law,  was  quick  in  his  perceptive 
powers,  always  ready,  and,  as  it  has  been  said  of  him, 
"  Was  a  lawyer  without  a  book  or  an  ofiice."  In  the 
trial  of  causes  he  was  cool  and  calm,  amiable  and 
scarcely  ever  ruftled  in  temper,  or  disconcerted  by  any 


turn  the  case  might  take.  If  a  witness  betrayed  him 
and  testified  contrary  to  his  expectations,  he  was  so 
exceedingly  adroit  in  evading  its  effect,  that  from  the 
placidne.ss  of  his  expression  and  smiling  face  one 
would  have  supposed  it  was  just  what  he  wanted. 
His  equanimity  of  temper  and  self-control  always 
gave  him  vantage  ground  over  his  competitors  and 
rivals  at  the  bar  and  influence  with  jurors,  before 
whom  he  argued  causes  with  great  power  and  eflfect. 
He  was  a  man  of  rare  common  sense,  which  enabled 
him  to  take  in  the  facts  of  the  case  as  by  intuition, 
and,  avoiding  technicalities,  would  go  directly  to  the 
merits,  and  by  his  commanding  presence,  pleasing 
address,  persuasive  manner,  simple  but  forcible  dic- 
tion, and  withal  sound  argument,  was  sure  to  carry 
the  court  and  jury  with  him. 

Hall,  John,  who  was  a  member  of  the  Legislature 
from  1801-6,  was  no  relative  of  John  Hall,  the  old 
settler  in  Penn's  valley,  who  was  a  member  of  the 
County  Committee  of  Safety  in  1776  and  lived  near 
Spring  Mills.  The  former  John  Hall  was  a  black- 
smith, and  was  induced  to  come  to  Bellefonte  by  James 
Harris  from  the  State  of  Delaware  in  1797,  and  set 
up  a  blacksmith-shop  and  had  a  tilt-hammer  at  the 
foot  of  Lamb  Street.  He  died  in  Boggs  township, 
July  17,  1830,  aged  seventy-two  years.  For  further 
notice  of  this  family,  see  Boggs  township.  Hannah 
Hall  died  Nov.  18,  1853,  aged  eighty-nine  years. 

Harloff,  Godfrey,  emigrated  from  Germany  to 
this  country,  and  settled  in  Brush  valley  at  least  as 
early  as  1801.  He  was  a  shoemaker  by  trade,  assessor 
of  Miles  township  in  1812,  and  had  charge  of  Bol- 
lander's  tavern  in  1812  and  1813,  perhaps  longer. 
Bernhard  Hazel  and  he  were  married  to  sisters.  He 
resided  at  various  places  in  the  township  at  different 
periods,  and  about  tbe  year  1845  removed  to  the  State 
of  Indiana. 

Harper,  George,  was  a  son  of  Henry  Harper,  iji 
soldier  of  the  war  of  1812,  and  lived  on  the  farm  now 
occupied  by  Jerred  Kreamer,  formerly  owned  by 
Tobias  Pickle,  Jr.  He  was  married  to  Elizabeth 
Kreamer,  daughter  of  Jacob  Kreamer,  deceased. 
Children, — Sarah,  wife  of  George  Weaver,  Rebers- 
burg;  John,  living  near  Centre  Hall;  Mary  Ann, 
married  to  Jonathan  Gramly,  Logansville;  Jona- 
than, merchant,  Bellefonte;  Isabella,  wife  of  Philip 
Royer,  Nittany  valley ;  William,  merchant,  Belle- 
fonte ;  Rebecca,  married  to  Absalom  Harter ;  Jerred, 
Bellefonte ;  Simon,  Centre  Hall.  Mary  Ann,  Rebecca, 
and  an  infant  son  are  dead.  He  died  May  20,  1843, 
aged  forty-one. 

Harrold,  Neal,  many  years  a  shoemaker  and 
active  citizen  of  Bellefonte,  died  in  Flemington, 
Clinton  Co.,  March  20,  1876,  aged  eighty-nine  years, 
and  was  buried  in  Bellefonte.  His  wife  was  Hannah 
Welch,  of  Bellefonte,  to  whom  he  was  married  in 
1828. 

Harris,  James,  Esq.,  was  the  son  of  John  Harris, 
who  emigrated  from  Donegal,  Ireland,  to  Lancaster' 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL. 


199 


County  in  1752.  .Tames  was  born  on  the  Swatara  in 
1755,  but  his  father  removed  afterwards  to  the  Juniata, 
and  built  a  fine  house  on  the  site  of  Mifflintown,  and 
laid  out  that  town  in  1790.  Here  with  ample  means 
and  a  good  library  his  son  James  received  his  early 
training.  He  adopted  the  occupation  of  a  surveyor, 
and  April  19,  1785,  was  appointed  deputy  surveyor  of 
Cumberland  County,  and  Nov.  19, 1789,  was  appointed 
for  all  of  Mifflin  County.    In  September,  1787,  he  laid 


out  the  road  from  Frankstown  to  the  Conemaugh 
River. 

From  1789  his  name  is  connected  with  the  land 
titles  of  Centre  County.  He  married,  June  15, 1790, 
Ann,  daughter  of  Col.  James  Dunlop,  and  removed 
to  Spring  Creek  in  1795,  in  which  year  in  connection 
with  his  father-in-law  he  laid  out  the  town  of  Belle- 
fonte.  He  was  a  State  senator  from  Mifflin  County, 
and  the  first  postmaster  at  Bellefonte.  After  the 
erection  of  the  county  he  was  senator  from  1800-8. 

James  Harris  died  Dec.  2, 1826,  in  the  seventy-first 
year  of  his  age ;  his  wife,  April  8,  1844,  aged  seventy- 
seven.  Of  their  children,  were  Jane,  married  Rev. 
James  Lewis  ;  John  Harris,  M.D.,  late  United  States 
consul  at  Vienna;  Eliza  Q.  married  Dr.  Daniel  Dob- 
bins ;  James  Dunlop  Harris,  the  celebrated  civil  engi- 
neer ;  William  Harris,  county  treasurer  and  senator  ; 
Joseph,  who  built  the  iron-works  at  Howard,  and 
Andrew  Harris. 


Mrs.  Ann  Harris,  who  survived  her  husband  eigh- 
teen years,  was  a  woman  of  more  than  ordinary  men- 
tal powers,  and  had  talents  for  philosophical  investi- 
gation, which  she  improved  by  study  and  converse 
with  the  able  theologians  of  her  day. 

Andrew  Harris  married  Ann  Bella  Johnston,  by 
whom  he  had  one  son.  Dr.  Lucian  Harris ;  all  are  de- 
ceased. 

Harris,  Jame^  D.,  died  in  Bellefonte,  Feb.  20, 
1842,  aged  forty-five.  He  was  one  of  the  ablest  civil 
engineers  this  State  ever  produced. 

In  the  incipient  operations  preparatory  to  the  legis- 
lation which  authorized  the  commencement  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Canal  he,  in  1825,  explored  one  of  the 
proposed  routes  for  the  canal  to  connect  the  eastern 
and  western  waters,  and  the  act  having  passed  Feb. 
25,  1826,  he  was  immediately  appointed  principal  as- 
sistant to  N.  S.  Roberts,  Esq.,  who  was  charged  with 
the  location  and  construction  of  the  section  adjoining 
Pittsburgh,  and  extending  thirty-one  miles  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Kiskiminetas.  On  Mr.  Roberts'  resig- 
nation, in  May,  1827,  Mr.  Harris  was  appointed  to 
take  charge  of  that  line,  which  was  so  far  advanced  by 
the  1st  of  June,  1828,  that  the  board  of  canal  com- 
missioners appointed  him  to  the  additional  duty  of 
locating  and  constructing  that  part  of  the  canal  ex- 
tending from  Blairsville  to  Johnstown,  twenty-eight 
miles. 

He  had  this  line,  including  four  dams,  thirty  locks, 
and  two  large  stone  aqueducts,  so  near  completed  in 
July,  1829,  in  a  substantial  manner,  that  they  could 
have  been  finished  during  the  season,  when  he  was 
suddenly  removed  by  adverse  influence  of  James  S. 
Stevenson,  acting  canal  commissioner  on  the  Western 
Division,  Harris  being  too  upright  to  serve  Steven- 
son's swindling  purposes.  Mr.  Harris'  memorial  on 
the  subject  to  the  Legislature  in  1830  caused  the  de- 
feat of  Stevenson  for  United  States  senator. 

In  1831,  John  Mitchel  and  James  Clarke,  overruling 
Stevenson,  appointed  Mr.  Harris,  in  connection  with 
Robert  Faries,  engineer  to  locate  the  whole  West 
Branch  line  of  the  Muucy  Dam  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Bald  Eagle.  Mr.  Faries  and  Mr.  Harris  were  asso- 
ciated in  the  location  of  the  canal,  and  the  line  was 
then  divided  for  construction,  Mr.  Harris  taking  the 
western  portion. 

In  June,  1834,  he  was  principal  engineer  of  the 
Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  Canal,  and  was  shortly  after 
off"ered  charge  of  the  Bald  Eagle  Canal,  which  he  de- 
clined, as  he  had  pledged  himself  to  stay  with  his 
friend,  Gen.  Abner  Lacock,  in  the  former  enterprise. 
March  25,  1836,  he  was  appointed  principal  engineer 
upon  the  extension  of  the  North  Branch  Division, 
and  to  have  general  supervision  of  that  and  the  Sus- 
quehanna Division. 

In  the  fall  of  1838  he  was  designated,  at  the  request 
of  the  citizens  of  Schuylkill  County  and  other  coun- 
ties interested  in  the  trade  of  the  Union  Canal,  as  an 
^ble  and  disinterested  engineer  to  make  examinations 


200 


HISTORY   OP   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


relative  to  its  enlargement.  His  exceedingly  able 
report  will  be  found  among  the  records  of  the  House 
of  Representatives  at  Harrisburg  for  the  year  1839. 

Mrs.  Harris,  whose  maiden  name  was  Mary  A.  Mil- 
ler, died  Feb.  1,  1851.  Their  surviving  children  are 
Mrs.  James  L.  Somerville,  Mrs.  N.  Orbison,  and  Mrs. 
Adam  Hoy.  Mrs.  George  L.  Potter  and  Mrs.  Eliza 
D.  Humes  have  deceased. 

Harris,  Joseph,  son  of  James  Harris,  Sr.,  died 
July  14,  1845,  aged  forty-four.  He  was  an  iron-mas- 
ter, and  erected  and  carried  on  the  works  at  Howard. 
He  married  Miss  Jane  Miller.  Mrs.  Wistar  Morris, 
of  Philadelphia,  Mrs.  Evan  M.  Blanchard,  Belle- 
fonte,  Mrs.  Jennie  M.  Hendrickson,  of  New  Jersey, 
and  John  Harris,  druggist,  of  Bellefonte,  are  of  this 
family. 

Harris,  William,  Esq.,  died  in  Bellefonte,  Oct. 
25,  1865.  He  was  born  July  12,  1799,  and  was  prom- 
inent as  a  civil  engineer  in  locating  the  Bald  Eagle 
Canal  and  the  Snow  Shoe  Eailroad.  He  was  county 
treasurer  for  two  terras  and  State  senator  from  1847 
to  1850.  He  was  a  very  agreeable  gentleman,  and  ex- 
ceedingly popular  in  the  county  and  district.  His 
first  wife  was  Margaret  McClenachan  ;  their  children, 
James  Harris,  of  Bellefonte,  and  Jane.  Mr.  Harris 
married,  second,  Oct.  12,  1837,  Miss  Mary  Fairlamb, 
of  West  Chester ;  died  July  13,  1845.  Their  child, 
George  F.  Harris,  M.D.,  of  Bellefonte.  William 
Harris'  last  wife  was  Adaline,  daughter  of  Edward 
Miles,  whom  he  married  Dec.  21,  1847. 

Harris,  William,  M.D.,  was  the  first  physician 
who  located  in  Bellefonte.  He  was  a  British  subject, 
and  came  from  Halifax,  N.  S.,  in  1795.  He  died 
April  15,  1806,  and  his  widow  Rebecca  soon  followed 
him  to  the  grave.  They  left  but  one  child,  Susan 
Hunter  Harris,  who  was  raised  by  Gen.  William  Wil- 
son, of  Chillisquaque,  her  guardian.  She  married 
Benjamin  Morrison,  an  engineer,  and  removed  to 
Harrisburg. 

HassOjST,  Col.  John,  served  in  his  early  youth  as 
a  volunteer  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  was  in  the  battle 
near  Baltimore.  When  in  the  Legislature  he  was 
firm  and  energetic  in  his  opposition  to  the  United 
States  Bank,  and  was  upright  and  unstained  in  pub- 
lic or  private  life.  He  was  brigade  inspector,  selected 
in  March,  1826,  member  of  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives in  1835-36,  and  associate  judge  1851-56. 

Hastings,  Thomas,  Esq.,  was  born  in  Centre 
County,  Oct.  24,  1797.  He  was  elected  sheriff  of 
Centre  County  in  1824,  and  was  member  of  the  As- 
sembly 1827-28,  and  at  one  time  kept  hotel  in  Belle- 
fonte at  the  corner  of  Allegheny  and  Howard  Streets. 
He  removed  to  Jefferson  County  in  1831,  and  was  ap- 
pointed prothonotary  by  Governor  Wolf  in  1832,  and 
in  1837  was  elected  to  the  Constitutional  Convention. 
In  1838,  in  connection  with  his  son,  Capt.  John  Has- 
tings, he  established  a  newspaper  called  the  Back- 
woodsman. He  retired  in  two  years  in  favor  of  his 
sons,  John  and  B.  T.  Hastings.     In  1846,  Governor 


Shunk  appointed  him  associate  judge  of  Jefferson 
County.  He  celebrated  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of 
his  married  life  June  5, 1867.  He  died  at  Brookville 
in  1871. 

Hazel,  Jacob,  Sr.,  and  family  came  from  Ger- 
many. He  was  one  of  the  first  settlers,  and  came 
into  the  valley  as  early  as  1789.  He  bought  a  tract 
of  land  from  Col.  Miles  in  1794,  most  of  which  is  now 
included  in  Joseph  Bierly's  place,  near  Centre  Mills. 
Part  of  it  he  sold  again  in  1801  to  his  son  Bernhard. 
It  is  not  known  that  he  had  more  than  two  children, 
— the  one  just  named  and  another  son,  Jacob. 

Hazel,  Bernhard,  a  son  of  Jacob  Hazel,  Sr., 
came  with  his  father  to  the  valley,  and  lived  for  many 
years  on  what  is  now  Benjamin  Royers'  farm,  near 
Madisonburg.  He  removed  West  about  tlie  year 
1826.  Children,— John,  Jacob,  Peter,  Philip,  Bern- 
hard,  Henry,  William,  Susan  (married  to  Jacob 
Spade),  Elizabeth  (married  to  John  Garner,  Hublers- 
burg),  Catherine  (married  to  a  Mr.  Camp).  All  the 
sons  left  the  valley,  some  going  West,  except  Jacob, 
and  the  Hazels  about  Madisonburg  are  his  descend- 
ants. 

The  name  was  originally  written  "  Hassell." 

Henderson,  Jonathan  K.,  Esq. — Daniel  Hen- 
derson, the  ancestor,  was  born,  lived,  and  died  in 
Chester  County  before  the  Revolution.  He  had  four 
sons — David,  Matthew,  Joseph,  and  John — and  two 
daughters.  David  was  a  member  of  the  Philadelphia 
bar.  His  daughter  Elizabeth  married  Wertmuller,  a 
celebrated  Swedish  painter.  Joseph  removed  to 
Washington  County,  Pa.,  in  1790.  J6hn  was  a  cap- 
tain in  the  Continental  army,  Third  Pennsylvania ; 
died  in  Washington  County,  Pa.  Isabella  married  Wil- 
liam Cowan ;  their  daughter  married  Samuel  Morrison, 
of  Lycoming  County.  The  other  daughter  married 
a  Fleming,  of  Lancaster  County ;  one  of  their  daugh- 
ters married  Amos  Slaymaker,  of  Lancaster  County. 
Matthew  removed  to  Carlisle,  married  Margaret, 
daughter  of  Dr.  Jonathan  Kearsley,  who  came  from 
Dublin,  and  then  removed  to  Shippensburg.  He  was 
deputy  surveyor  of  part  of  Cumberland  and  all  of 
Franklin  County,  and  died  April  8,  1796.  He  had 
seven  sons — Daniel,  Jonathan  K.,  John,  Matthew, 
Robert  Cooper,  Samuel,  and  Joseph — and  four  daugh- 
ters,— Lydia,  Jane,  Eliza,  and  Isabella.  Jonathan 
studied  law  in  Lancaster,  and  in  1793  settled  in  Hun- 
tingdon, retired  to  the  farm  on  Slab  Cabin,  now  in 
Harris  township,  in  1806,  and  died  there  in  1828. 
Eliza  married  Robert  Hays,  of  Bellefonte.  AV.  W. 
Hays,  Esq.,  of  the  Interior  Department  at  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  is  their  son.  Isabella  married  Rev.  James 
Linn,  D.D.,  of  Bellefonte.  Joseph  was  a  captain  in 
the  war  of  1812,  and  a  physician  in  Kishacoquillas 
valley,  and  member  of  Congress  from  Centre  County 
District  in  1833-37.  John  was  a  prominent  physi- 
cian in  Huntingdon. 

HiNTON,  William,  died  in  1839,  in  Boggs,  at  the 
extraordinary  age  of  ninety-one  years.     He  served  a 


^:2^^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL. 


201 


number  of  tours  with  the  militia  during  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  took  part  in  the  battles  of  Long  Island  and 
White  Plains  in  1776,  receiving  two  wounds,  one  in 
the  knee  and  one  in  the  back  at  Germantown.  The 
next  year  he  received  a  wound  in  the  shoulder  and 
one  in  the  wrist.  He  was  captured  in  1778  and  car- 
ried to  the  West  Indies,  where  he  lay  in  hospital 
eighteen  months  on  account  of  his  wounds  breaking 
out.  He  was  many  years  a  resident  of  Boggs.  He 
left  a  widow,  Martha,  who  died  aged  eighty  years, 
Sept.  19,  1846.  He  was  grandfather  of  Austin  Hin- 
ton,  Esq.,  of  Snow  Shoe,  late  county  commissioner  of 
Centre  County,  who  was  a  son  of  Isaac.  William  Hin  • 
ton's  other  sons  were  John,  who  li^ed  in  Armstrong 
County,  and  William,  in  Union  township. 

Holmes,  Robert,  died  in  Marion  township,  Sept. 
16,  1874,  in  his  seventy-fifth  year.  He  was  a  grand- 
son of  Jonathan  Holmes,  who  came  from  England 
and  settled  near  Carlisle,  Pa.  Jonathan,  his  son, 
removed  to  Buffalo  valley ;  Robert,  his  son,  was  a 
millwright,  removed  to  Centre  County,  connected 
himself  with  the  Lick  Run  Church  in  1828,  and  in 
1836  purchased  a  farm  on  which  William  Wilson  had 
settled  prior  to  the  Revolution,  near  Jacksonville. 
Mr.  Holmes  was  a  ruling  elder  of  Lick  Run  Church, 
raised  a  large  family,  and  was  highly  esteemed  as  a 
citizen. 

HoMAN,  George,  died  in  Ferguson  township,  Oct. 
16,  1879,  aged  ninety-one  years.  George  Homan  was 
the  younger  and  last  surviving  of  seven  sons.  He 
was  born  near  Baltimore,  Md.,  May  18,  1789.  When 
about  fourteen  years  of  age  his  father,  Michael  Ho- 
man, with  his  family  emigrated  to  this  State  and 
located  near  Aaronsburg,  this  county,  where  he  was 
in  part  raised  and  spent  the  greater  portion  of  his  life 
in  the  humble  and  honest  pursuit  of  a  husbandman. 
He  faithfully  cultivated  the  soil  for  more  than  fifty 
years.  Mr.  Homan's  best  days  were  during  that 
period  when  railroads  were  not  existing  in  this  coun- 
try, and  traffic  between  this  part  of  the  State  and 
Philadelphia  and  Baltimore  was  largely  carried  on  by 
means  of  wagons,  in  which  he  took  an  active  part. 
He  was  a  consistent  member  of  the  Evangelical  Lu- 
theran Church  from  early  manhood. 

Houser,  Jacob,  bought  two  tracts  in  the  warrantee 
names  of  "  Isaac  Catherell"  and  "  Caleb  Jones"  from 
Josiah  Matlack,  Dec.  27, 1787,  came  up  from  Dauphin 
County  in  1788,  and  settled  on  the  "  Caleb  Jones," 
where  Houserville,  in  College  township,  now  stands, 
the  same  year.  He  was  an  industrious,  frugal  Ger- 
man, and  before  1800  had  erected  a  grist-  and  saw- 
mill, to  which  he  added  a  fulling-mill  in  the  year 
1803,  and  carding-machine.  Gen.  Benner  became 
his  neighbor  in  1793,  and  their  disputes  enter  largely 
the  legal  history  of  the  county.  Benner  vs.  Houser, 
11  S.  &  R.  352.  Jacob  Houser  died  Feb.  14,  1832, 
aged  seventy-two  years. 

His  children  were  Martin,  Jacob,  to  whom  he 
willed  the  fulling-mill  and  carding-maehines  ;  Eliza- 


beth, married  to  Frederick  Leathers  ;  Martha,  mar- 
ried to  George  Cronemiller ;  Catharine  Ualdeman, 
Barbara  Braght,  Daniel,  Ann  Werts.  In  May,  1829, 
Jacob  Houser,  Sr.,  had  a  lot  of  ground  surveyed  off 
for  a  school-house  and  graveyard  upon  his  place. 
Daniel  Houser  (son  of  Jacob)  died  March  27,  1878, 
at  Houserville,  in  his  eighty-first  year. 

Hoy,  Adam,  Esq.,  of  Bellefonte,  was  born  Sept.  C, 
1827,  in  Spring  township,  Centre  Co.  He  is  a  grand- 
son of  George  Hoy,  of  Miles  township  (see  biograph' 
ical  sketches),  and  son  of  Albert  and  Magdala  ( Weck- 
erly )  Hoy.  His  first  schoolmaster  was  George  Padget, 
a  noted  teacher  for  sixty  years  in  Buffalo  and  Penn's 
valleys.  When  but  four  years  of  age  Mr.  Hoy  was 
sent  to  his  school,  then  kept  in  the  Swartz  school- 
house  in  Spring  township,  on  the  Eckenrode  place. 
In  1851-52  he  attended  the  Mifilinburg  Academy, 
and  from  there  went  to  Airy  View,  near  Perryville, 
to  the  academy  kept  by  David  Wilson.  In  the  fall 
of  1854  he  entered  the  sophomore  class  in  Pennsyl- 
vania College,  Gettysburg,  and  graduated  in  1856. 

Mr.  Hoy  read  law  with  the  late  Hon.  H.  N.  Mc- 
Allister, and  was  admitted  April  27,  1858.  Upon 
the  invitation  of  the  late  Judge  J.  T.  Hale,  Mr.  Hoy 
occupied  a  room  in  his  law-office,  and  became  more 
or  less  associated  with  the  judge  in  his  extensive  busi- 
ness up  to  the  death  of  the  latter,  since  which  Mr. 
Hoy's  success  as  a  practitioner  of  law  has  been  fully 
established.  He  was  married  Dec.  26,  1865,  to  Miss 
Louisa  M.,  daughter  of  the  late  James  D.  Harris. 

Hoy,  Charles,  came  from  the  region  of  Little 
Swatara,  Lebanon  Co.,  about  the  year  1793,  and  set- 
tled on  a  tract  of  land  south  of  Millheim.  He  and 
old  Mr.  Daniel  Kreamer  came  at  the  same  time  and 
located  on  adjoining  farms.  Before  bringing  their 
families,  Hoy  and  Kreamer  had  been  up  to  clear 
small  patches  and  build  huts.  Daniel  Kreamer  was 
a  brother  of  John  Kreamer,  who  came  to  Brush 
valley  with  his  son  Jacob  in  1814.  Mr.  Hoy  re- 
moved to  Brush  valley  in  1802,  coming  in  by  way 
of  the  west  end ;  and  he  and  his  brother  George  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  four  hundred  acres  from  Andrew- 
Apple  and  divided  it  among  them  equally.  John 
Hoy  now  owns  his  father's  (Charles)  part  of  the 
above  tract.  Charles  Hoy  died  about  the  year  1815 
or  1816.  Children, — John,  now  about  eighty-seven 
years  of  age  and  owning  the  old  homestead.  His 
son-in-law,  Benjamin  Roush,  is  farming  the  place. 
He  is  hale  and  hardy  at  his  great  age,  and  his  mind 
seems  clear.  He  gave  many  facts  that  are  contained 
in  these  sketches.  Several  years  ago  attempts  on 
two  different  occasions  were  made  to  rob  him,  but 
without  success ;  the  last  time  especially  the  raiders 
came  off  second  best,  if  rumors  are  correct.  Michael, 
dead ;  David,  who  was  shot  near  Washington  Fur- 
nace ;  Adam ;  Elizabeth,  married  to  Simon  Yearick  ; 
Mary,  married  to  Conrad  Rickly ;  Susan,  married  to 
John  Hoy ;  Rebecca,  married  to  David  Johnston- 
baugh  ;  Catharine,  married  to  Adam  Hoover ;  Sarah, 


202 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA; 


died  single.  The  first  three  of  the  daughters  named 
are  also  dead. 

Hoy,  George,  was  a  brother  of  Charles  Hoy. 
He  owned  the  farm  adjoining  Charles'  half  of  the 
four  hundred  acres  bought  by  them  jointly.  (See  pre- 
ceding sketch.)  He  was  born  Sept.  10,  1773;  died 
April  16,  1863.  He  lies  buried  in  the  Lutheran  and 
Reformed  graveyard,  Madisonburg.  Children, — Al- 
bert, George,  Jeremiah,  John,  Henry,  Mary  (married 
to  John  Clay),  Elizabeth  (to  John  Bruugart),  Sarah 
(to  David  Voneda),  Susan  (to  John  Voneda),  Chris- 
tina (to  James  Parkison),  Mary  (to  John  Roush),  and 
Rebecca  (to  Samuel'Kline). 

Humes,  Hamilton,  died  in  Bellefonte,  Feb.  28, 
1859,  aged  seventy-five  years.  He  was  born  in  Lan- 
caster County,  Jan.  7, 1784,  and  removed  to  Bellefonte 
in  the  spring  of  1810.  April  1,1819,  he  succeeded  R.  T. 
Stewart,  Ifeq.,  as  postmaster  of  Bellefonte,  being  ap- 
pointed by  Return  J.  Meigs,  Postmaster-General  under 
President  Monroe,  and  held  that  office  until  January, 
1833,  underGen.  Jackson,  when  he  met  the  fate  of  Jack- 
son's opponents  in  removal  from  office.  His  physical 
and  mental  organization  eminently  qualified  him  to 
become  a  useful  and  enterprising  citizen.  He  estab- 
lished a  large  mercantile  business,  built  mills,  and 
among  other  pursuits  was  that  of  the  manufacture 
of  paper  at  Bellefonte,  on  which  the  Centre  Democrat 
was  printed  for  years.  His  attention  to  business, 
skill,  and  fidelity  to  his  engagements  secured  public 
confidence.  He  was  a  great  friend  and  patron  of 
young  men;  kind  to  the  indigent  and  unfortunate; 
they  never  called  upon  his  beneficence  in  vain.  He 
connected  himself  with  the  Presbyterian  Church  at 
an  early  age,  and  served  acceptably  as  an  elder  for 
many  years  before  his  death.  His  wife,  Ann  E.,  born 
Sept.  28,  1784,  died  in  Bellefonte,  March  31,  1862. 
Their  children  living  are  Edward  C.  Humes,  of  Belle- 
fonte; Mrs.  Elizabeth  McClure,  widow  of  Alexander 
McClure,  of  Lewisburg;  Mrs.  Rachel  Humes,  of  Jersey 
Shore ;  and  W.  H.  Humes,  of  Spring  township. 

Humes,  Edward  C,  was  born  in  Bellefonte,  Aug. 
23,  1810.  He  was  a  son  of  Hamilton  Humes  (of 
whom  notice  is  taken  above).  His  mother's  maiden 
name  was  Ann  Elmira  Bailey,  of  Lancaster  County. 
He  was  educated  at  the  Bellefonte  Academy,  then 
under  the  principalship  of  Alfred  Armstrong,  whence 
he  was  transferred  to  Dickinson  College,  Carlisle, 
where  he  graduated  in  1829.  After  clerking  a  short 
time  for  his  father,  they  became  associated  in  the 
mercantile  business,  under  the  firm-name  of  H. 
Humes  &  Son.  On  the  retirement  of  his  father  the 
firm  became  E.  C.  Humes  &  Bro.  E.  C.  Humes  was 
married  Dec.  7, 1843,  to  Miss  Lucy  Alexander,  a  niece 
of  Mrs.  W.  W.  Potter.  In  1856,  in  connection  with 
Hon.  A.  G.  Curtin  and  the  late  Hon.  H.  N.  McAllister 
and  Hon.  James  T.  Hale,  he  established  the  banking- 
house  of  Humes,  McAllister,  Hale  &  Co.,  to  which 
be  gave  all  of  his  attention  and  which  soon  obtained 
a  first-class  credit  in  the  State.     This  institution  was 


merged  June  8,  1864,  into  the  First  National  Bank  ot 
Bellefonte,  of  which  Mr.  Humes  became  and  still  re- 
mains the  president. 

Huston,  Hon.  Charles,  was  of  Scotch-Irish  de- 
scent, his  grandfather  being  one  of  the  early  emi- 
grants to  Pennsylvania.  He  was  the  eldest  son  of 
Thomas  and  Jane  Huston,  whose  maiden  name  was 


--//^^U^'^ 


Walker,  and  was  born  in  Plumstead  township,  Bucks 
Co.,  Jan.  16,  1771.  A  mere  lad  during  the  Revolu- 
tion, many  of  its  incidents  were  indelibly  impressed 
upon  his  memory.  He  was  educated  at  Dickinson 
College,  Carlisle,  where  he  graduated  in  1789  with 
the  honors  of  his  class.  During  the  years  1790  and 
1791  he  taught  a  select  school  at  Carlisle,  meanwhile 
studying  law  with  Thomas  Duncan,  Esq.,  with  whom 
he  was  afterwards  associated  on  the  bench  of  the  Su- 
preme Court  of  Pennsylvania.  In  1792-93  he  was 
employed  by  the  trustees  of  the  college  as  tutor  of 
the  languages.  Among  his  pupils  was  the  late 
Chief  Justice  R.  B.  Taney,  of  the  Supreme  Court  of 
the  United  States.  In  his  autobiography  the  chief 
justice  says  of  him,  "  I  need  not  speak  of  his  char- 
acter and  capacity,  for  he  afterwards  became  one  of 
the  first  jurists  of  the  country.  He  was  an  accom- 
plished Latin  and  Greek  scholar,  and  happy  in  his 
mode  of  instruction.  And  when  he  saw  that  a  boy 
was  disposed  to  study,  his  manner  to  him  was  that  of 
a  companion  and  friend,  aiding  him  in  his  difficul- 
ties. The  whole  school  under  his  care  was  much 
attached  to  him." 

In  October,  1794,  Gen.  Washington  came  through 
Carlisle  on   his  way  to  quell  the  Whiskey  Insurrec- 


,^^^M^< 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL. 


203 


tion.  Mr.  Huston  joiued  the  expedition,  and  his 
vivid  description  of  its  various  incidents  will  long  be 
remembered  by  the  many  who  had  the  good  fortune 
to  number  him  among  their  acquaintances. 

Jlr.  Huston  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  August, 
1795,  and  after  the  erection  of  Lycoming  County, 
April  13,  1795,  removed  to  Williamsport.  The  land 
titles  of  this  part  of  Pennsylvania  were  then  in  a 
very  unsettled  condition.  In  his  introduction  to  his 
work  on  land  titles  of  Pennsylvania  he  says,  "  In 
Lycoming  County  where  I  settled  were  only  three 
young  lawyers,  admitted  the  same  year  in  the  eastern 
counties,  no  one  of  whom  knew  any  more  of  land 
titles  than  I  did.  No  law  book  had  been  published 
of  decisions  iu  this  State  except  the  first  volume  of 
Dallas'  Reports.  I  did  not  know  in  what  respects 
titles  difl'ered,  but  I  was  determined  to  become  a  law- 
yer and  understand  all  this,  but  how  or  where  I  could 
obtain  the  information  was  the  difficulty.  To  accom- 
plish it  I  made  the  acquaintance  of  men  who  had 
been  deputy  surveyors,  and  I  particularly  mention 
William  Maclay,  afterwards  of  Harrisburg.  From 
him  I  learned  more  than  from  any  I  had  known  be- 
fore. All  ejectments  were  removed  into  the  Circuit 
Courts,  held  only  by  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court. 
Regularly  for  years  I  met  the  Circuit  Court  at  each 
county  in  the  district ;  went  in  with  the  court  and 
came  out  with  it  when  it  rose.  With  paper  before 
me  and  pen  in  hand  I  wrote  down  the  titles  on  each 
side,  the  testimony  of  every  witness,  the  points  made 
as  to  the  admission  of  evidence,  the  decision  made  on 
these  points,  and  the  opinions  of  the  judge  in  his 
charge  to  the  jury.  In  the  interval  between  the 
courts  I  arranged  and  digested  my  notes ;  and  was 
often  called  upon  by  members  of  the  bar  younger, 
and  older  too,  than  myself  to  state  the  precise  point 
decided  in  a  particular  case.  The  usual  effect  of  in- 
dustry and  close  study  began  to  show  itself  in  pro- 
fessional business,  and  in  1807  I  was  retained  in  most 
of  the  ejectment  cases  pending  in  the  district." 

His  papers  show  that  he  was  concerned  in  cases  in 
all  the  counties  of  Central  Pennsylvania,  from  Tioga 
on  the  north  to  Bedford  County.  A  memorandum  of 
fees  in  cash  received  atMitfiin  Court  iu  August  term, 
1801,footsup£31.3s.  8(/.  In  those  days  lawyers  traveled 
the  circuits  on  horseback,  and  there  remains  a  de- 
scription of  Mr.  Huston's  costume :  Slouched  hat,  drab 
three-caped  overcoat,  green  flannel  leggins  tied  around 
the  legs  with  black  tape,  homespun  dress  coat.  Thus 
attired,  with  boots  and  leggins  covered  with  mud,  for 
want  of  time  to  change  his  dress,  he  was  compelled  to 
enter  the  Supreme  Court,  sitting  in  Philadelphia, 
where  to  the  astonishment  of  the  bar  he  delivered  one 
of  the  ablest  arguments  they  ever  listened  to. 

In  the  spring  of  1807  he  removed  to  Bellefonte,  at- 
tending faithfully  to  an  enormous  practice  until  his 
appointment  by  Governor  Findlay  to  the  presidency 
of  the  courts  of  this  district.  He  was  a  powerful  ad- 
vocate before  a  jury,  and  the  memory  of  the  remark- 


able speech  he  made  in  the  Barber  and  Kelly  case  in 
court  at  Bellefonte  still  lingers,  a  traditionary  witness 
of  his  forensic  ability. 

With  all  his  strong  cast  of  character,  moulded  into 
iron  firmness  by  constant  contact  and  conflict,  he  had 
a  kind  heart,  sensitive  to  the  claims  of  the  poor  and 
distressed,  the  widow  and  the  orphan.  One  extract 
from  a  letter  from  Richard  Blodget  we  would  presume 
to  quote:  "  I  pride  myself  on  an  intuitive  knowledge 
of  character,  and  know  that  your  heart  was  formed 
by  that  God  which  gave  to  Berkeley  every  virtue 
under  heaven.  You  will  sleep  well  this  night,  for 
the  orphans'  God  will  hover  round  your  couch."  We 
may  add  Jeremy  Taylor's  beautiful  expression  :  "  God 
is  pleased  with  no  music  below  so  much  as  in  the 
thanksgiving  songs  of  relieved  widows  or  orphans,  of 
rejoicing,  comforted,  and  thankful  persons."  .ludge 
Walker,  in  his  farewell  address,  July  24,  1818,  to  the 
people  of  the  Fourth  District,  says,  "  Charles  Hus- 
ton has  been  appointed  my  successor.  He  is  known 
to  be  a  man  of  plain  manners,  integrity,  learning, 
sound  understanding,  deep  legal  research,  and  natural 
eloquence.  You  have  been  most  fortunate  indeed. 
You  cannot  too  highly  prize,  or  be  too  thankful  for 
such  an  acquisition.  You  will  be  happy  in  my  suc- 
cessor, and  I  most  heartily  rejoice  at  it  on  your  ac- 
count." 

Judge  Huston  presided  over  the  Fourth  District  for 
eight  years  with  distinguished  ability.  Such  was 
his  influence  with  the  jury  that  in  the  course  of  those 
whole  eight  years  he  granted  but  two  new  trials. 

In  1826  he  was  appointed  by  Governor  Shulze  one 
of  the  justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania, 
in  the  arduous  and  responsible  duties  of  which  he 
continued  until  the  expiration  of  his  commission  in 
1845.  How  ably  he  discharged  these  duties  will  be 
best  learned  from  his  numerous  opinions  in  full 
thirty-five  volumes  of  Reports. 

The  last  four  years  of  his  life  were  spent  in  the 
compilation  of  his  work  entitled  "  An  Essay  on  th 
History  and  Nature  of  Original  Titles  to  Land  in  the 
Province  and  State  of  Pennsylvania."  He  says  of 
his  work,  "  At  the  age  of  seventy-five  I  am  engaged 
in  what  was  planned  nearly  fifty  years  ago,  and 
which  thirty  years  ago  I  could  have  completed  in  less 
time  than  now  and  made  it  a  better  book."  After 
spending  a  year  upon  his  work,  and  when  it  was 
about  ready  for  the  printer,  "  nine-tenths  of  it  was 
burnt  by  an  accidental  fire  from  a  candle."  He  con- 
tinued his  labor,  however,  under  great  difliculties  and 
discouragements  from  age  and  infirm  health.  At  one 
time,  after  a  hard  day's  labor,  he  went  to  bed  as  usual, 
and,  although  up  to  that  period  he  had  never  been 
obliged  to  aid  his  eyesight  by  the  use  of  glasses,  on 
awakening  the  next  morning  he  found  he  could  not 
read  a  word.  Again,  after  his  sight  had  been  suifi- 
i  ciently  restored  to  enable  him  to  resume  work,  his 
fingers  became  so  distorted  with  gout  and  rheumatism 
that  he  was  obliged  to  employ  an  amanuensis  to  do 


204 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


all  his  writing.  He  persevered  witli  determined  zeal, 
and  completed  his  work  in  June,  1849,  but  a  short 
time  before  his  death. 

His  wife,  his  only  sou,  and  two  daughters  he  had 
followed  to  the  grave,  and  these  afflictions  weaned  his 
thoughts  from  this  world  and  he  looked  for  a  better. 
He  was  a  communicant  in  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
and  died  as  he  had  lived,  a  iirm  believer  in  the  truths 
of  Christianity.  His  death  took  place  Xov.  10,  1849, 
in  the  eightieth  year  of  his  age. 

His  wife,  Mary  Winters,  was  a  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam Winters,  the  first  settler  upon  the  site  of  the  city 
of  Williamsport.  Her  sister  Ellen  was  married  to 
Hon.  Thomas  Burnside.  Sarah  married  Benjamin 
Harris,  and  Lucy,  W.  W.  Potter,  Esq.  Of  Judge 
Huston's  family,  his  daughter  Jane  married  late  Hon. 
James  T.  Hale ;  Lucy  married  Gen.  E.  W.  Sturde- 
vant,  of  Wilkesbarre.  Mrs.  Sturdevant  died  on  the 
3d  of  May,  1879,  aged  sixty. 

Hare,  Joseph,  Spring,  died  April  7,  1834,  aged 
eighty. 

Harris,  Samuel,  Bellefonte,  died  Aug.  21,  1865. 

Harvey,  Nathan,  in  Illinois,  died  April  12, 1847, 
aged  seventy-three. 

Hastings,  Mrs.  Ellen,  Boggs,  died  Sept.  17, 
1873,  aged  eighty-three. 

Haton,  Enoch,  Boggs,  died  Nov.  16,  1854,  aged 
eighty-four. 

Hays,  Robert,  Bellefonte,  died  Feb.  18, 1843,  aged 
sixty-six. 

Hazel,  Michael,  Madisonburg,  died  June  8, 1877, 
aged  sixty-three. 

Hazlet,  John,  Lamar,  died  Aug.  28,  1830,  aged 
seventy. 

Heard,  Stephen,  Milesburg,  died  Dec.  22,  1831. 

Heckman,  Frederick,  Gregg,  died  Sept.  19, 1858, 
aged  seventy-six. 

Henderson,  Helen,  widow  of  Jonathan,  died  at 
Barre,  April  21,  1850. 

Henderson,  Jane,  sister  of  Mrs.  Robert  Hays, 
died  Feb.  27,  1857,  aged  seventy-five.  The  family 
came  to  Slab  Cabin  in  1802. 

Henderson,  Dr.  John,  died  March  24, 1850,  aged 
seventy-six,  in  Huntingdon  County. 

Henderson,  Jonathan,  Ferguson,  died  May  3, 
1833,  aged  sixty-two. 

Hewes,  William,  Potter,  died  Sept.  3,  1843,  aged 
sixty. 

Holt,  Thomas,  died  Jan.  30, 1868,  aged  eighty-two. 

HuBLER,  Adam,  Haines,  died  February,  1820. 

Hubler,  Henry,  died  May  1,  1838. 

HtTBLER,  George,  Miles,  died  Aug.  2,  1857,  aged 
seventy-two. 

Hunter,  Rachel,  one  of  the  early  settlers,  died 
in  Indiana  County  Dec.  11,  1845,  aged  eighty-seven. 

Huston,  Jane,  wife  of  Thomas,  Potter,  died  June 
29,  1831. 

Huston,  Samuel,  Potter,  died  Jan.  31,  1877,  aged 
eighty-nine. 


Hutchinson,  George  W.,  elder  at  Hublersburg, 
died  June  3,  1846,  aged  forty; 

Irvin,  John,  emigrated  with  his  brothers  William 
and  Guyan  from  Ireland.  After  remaining  in  Lewis- 
town,  where  he  worked  at  the  trade  of  stonemason, 
and  where  he  assisted  in  building  the  stone  bridge 
yet  standing,  he  removed  to  Peun's  valley.  His 
parents  followed  him  to  Lewistown,  where  they  lived 
and  died.  John  Irvin  assisted  James  Duncan  in  his 
store  at  Lewisburg,  and  then  opened  a  store  near  Lin- 
den Hall  (now),  and  married  Ann,  daughter  of  James 
AVatson,  of  that  place,  in  1798.  He  removed  to  Lin- 
den Hall,  erected  a  grist-  and  saw-mill,  and  kept 
store  there  until  his  death.  He  built  the  mills  at 
Oak  Hall,  also  the  stone  mill  on  Sinking  Creek,  and 
at  his  death  was  the  largest  landholder  in  the  valley 
except  the  Potters.  He  was  a  tall,  handsome  man,  of 
few  words,  modest  and  reserved  in  manner.  He  died 
at  Linden  Hall,  Sept.  29,  1843,  aged  seventy-two. 
His  wife  died  March  15,  1855,  aged  seventy-four. 

His  children  were  Gen.  James  Irvin ;  Susan,  who 
married  Thomas  Duncan,  and  after  his  decease  James 
Potter ;  Margaret,  married  to  Hon.  Andrew  Gregg 
(Maryland) ;  Dr.  William  Irvin  ;  John  Irvin  ;  Nancy, 
married  to  Dr.  Benjamin  Berry ;  Mary,  married  to 
Moses  Thompson  ;  Eliza,  married  to  Roland  Curtin, 
Jr. ;  Lot  W.  Irvin ;  Sarah,  married  to  Capt.  W.  Wil- 
son Potter,  of  Bellefonte  ;  George  W.  Irvin,  who  died 
when  young. 

Irvin,  William,  M.D.,  was  a  son  of  John  Irvin, 
and  was  born  at  Linden  Hall,  Nov.  15,  1806.  He  was 
educated  at  Dickinson  College,  Carlisle,  pursued  his 
medical  studies  at  Jefferson  College,  Philadelphia, 
graduating  in  a  class  with  Dr.  Pancoast  and  others. 
He  then  located  in  practice  at  Bellefonte.  In  1836 
he  was  married,  and  removed  to  Milesburg  Iron- 
Works,  having  entered  the  business  partnership  of 
Gen.  James  Irvin,  his  brother,  and  Col.  Andrew 
Gregg.  Martha  M.,  his  wife,  was  the  eldest  daughter 
of  Roland  Curtin,  the  proprietor  of  Eagle  Iron- 
Works.     She  died  in  Lancaster,  August,  1880. 

From  1842  to  1850  Dr.  Irvin  resided  in  Carlisle, 
Pa.,  at  Linden  Hall  (his  birthplace),  Greenville,  Mer- 
cer Co.,  Pa.,  at  Philadelphia,  and  at  Bellefonte,  en- 
gaging in  various  business  enterprises.  In  1853  he 
was  in  the  iron  business  at  Washington  Furnace, 
Clinton  Co.,  Pa.,  in  the  firm  of  James  Irvin  &  Co. 

Business  prospects  declining  at  Washington  Works 
for  him,  in  1862  he  left  Washington  Furnace,  and  was 
appointed  a  clerk  in  the  second  comptroller's  office 
in  the  United  States  Treasury,  Washington,  D.  C.  In 
1864  he  was  appointed  consul  at  Amoy  for  the  United 
States  of  America.  In  full  faith  that  the  war  for  the 
Union  was  soon  to  terminate  in  an  honorable  and 
glorious  peace,  he  accepted  the  mission  so  generously 
tendered,  in  the  hope  that  the  long  voyage  and 
changes  consequent  thereto  might  benefit  his  declin- 
ing health.  He  died  in  China  of  Asiatic  cholera. 
His  tablet  is  inscribed  : 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL. 


205 


"In  Memory  of  William  Irvin,  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania. He  arrived  at  Amoy  Oct.  20,  1864,  where 
he  faithfully  served  his  country  as  United  States  con- 
sul until  his  death,  Sept.  9,  1865. 

Irvin,  Gen.  James,  son  of  John  Irvin  and  Ann 
Watson,  his  wife,  was  born  Feb.  18,  1800,  at  Linden 
Hall.  His  earliest  school-teacher  was  William  Smith, 
who  then  taught  in  the  neighboi-hood.  In  Septem- 
ber, 1822,  he  married  Juliana,  third  daughter  of  Hon. 
Andrew  Gregg,  and  the  following  spring  commenced 
business  as  a  merchant  and  grain  dealer  at  Oak  Hall, 
and  soon  after  moved  into  the  handsome  stone  man- 
sion now  occupied  by  Rev.  R.  Hamill,  D.D. 

In  1832,  Gen.  Irvin,  in  connection  with  his  father, 
purchased  the  interest  of  John  Miles  in  Centre  Fur- 
nace, Gen.  William  W.  Houston  buying  Joseph 
Green's  interest,  and  Gen.  Irvin  commenced  his  ca- 
reer as  an  iron-master.  The  same  year,  July  2d,  he 
was  elected  major-general  of  the  Tenth  Division,  and 
acquired  a  title  by  which  he  was  so  well  known.  In 
1837,  Irvin  &  Houston  in  connection  with  John 
Adams  built  Julian  Furnace,  so  named  in  compli- 
ment to  Mrs.  Irvin,  soon  after  which  Gen.  Irvin 
purchased  Gen.  Houston's  interest  and  removed  to 
Milesburg  Iron-Works. 

In  the  fall  of  1840,  Gen.  Irvin  was  elected  mem- 
ber of  Congress  from  this  district,  taking  his  seat 
May  31,  1841,  at  the  extra  session  called  by  John 
Tyler  after  the  death  of  President  Harrison.  His 
first  effort  in  Congress  in  speech-making  was  in  the  in- 
terest of  American  industries.  And  the  labors  of  him- 
self and  coadjutors*  were  crowned  with  success  in 
the  passage  of  the  act  of  1842.  In  the  fall  of  1842, 
Gen.  Irvin  was  re-elected  to  Congress,  and  served  until 
March  3,  1845,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Hon.  John 
Blanchard.  Gen.  Irvin  had  been  a  great  friend  of 
Gen.  Jackson  prior  to  his  veto  of  the  United  States 
Bank.  That  action  of  President  Jackson  determined 
Gen.  Irvin's  course  in  opposition  to  the  Democratic 
party. 

In  1847,  Gen.  Irvin  was  nominated  by  the  Whig 
party  for  the  office  of  Governor  of  Pennsylvania, 
but  the  opposition  to  the  Democracy  was  distracted 
by  the  Native  American  and  Abolition  elements,  and 
notwithstanding  Gen.  Irvin's  standing  and  charac- 
ter and  his  popularity  with  the  people  he  was  de- 
feated by  Francis  R.  Shunk.  After  this  campaign 
he  resumed  business  with  his  accustomed  energy. 
In  1854  his  business  was  simply  enormous,  being 
interested  in  the  business  and  management  of  ten 
charcoal  blast  furnaces,  the  forge  and  rolling-mill  at 
Milesburg  works,  farms,  and  mills.  He  was  interested 
in  Centre  Furnace;  Mill  Creek  from  1845  to  1862; 
Mercer  Iron- Works  at  Greenville;  Monroe  Furnace, 
1849-55;  Washington  Furnace,  1852-57;  Martha 
Furnace,  1854-57 ;  Julian,  Hecla,  and  Hopewell. 
He  had,  however,  to  succumb  before  the  financial 
disaster  of  1857  and  retire  from  the  iron  business. 

His  former  partner,  Moses  Thompson,  says  of  him 


that  he  was  one  of  the  best  business  men  in  Centre 
County,  and  had  he  not  been  so  benevolent  would 
have  been  its  wealthiest.  He  gave  largely  to  every 
public  enterprise, — the  Bald  Eagle  Canal,  the  Bald 
Eagle  Railroad ;  previous  to  those  to  the  various 
turnpikes  made  in  the  county.  To  the  State  College, 
or  Farmers'  High  School  as  it  was  then,  he  donated 
a  farm  of  two  hundred  acres,  besides  large  contribu- 
tions of  money.  He  was  always  economical,  and  in- 
dustrious and  successful,  until  his  business  became 
too  large  for  his  personal  supervision.  Then  inter- 
vened changes  of  methods  of  the  manufacture  of 
iron,  changes  of  prices  brought  about  by  the  increase 
in  the  manufacture  of  anthracite  iron,  and  its  taking 
the  place  of  charcoal  iron  for  many  purposes ;  the 
consequent  difficulty  of  finding  new  customers  for 
the  large  production  of  ten  charcoal  blast  furnaces, 
crowding  the  market  with  puddled  and  cheaper 
grades  of  iron. 

In  the  prime  of  life  Gen.  Irvin  was  a  noble  speci- 
men of  physical  manhood  ;  as  a  wrestler  and  jumper 
he  had  few  equals.  His  hospitality  and  generosity 
were  unbounded,  and  his  fidelity  to  his  family  and 
friends  he  never  allowed  to  falter.  He  saved  many  a 
fireside  from  execution  and  sale.  In  1856  he  was 
called  to  part  with  the  wife  of  his  early  days.  Mrs. 
Irvin  died  on  the  4th  of  July,  sincerely  lamented  by 
all  who  knew  her.  Gen.  Irvin,  Jan.  1,  1859,  married 
Mrs.  Mary  A.,  widow  of  Dr.  Coustans  Curtia,  and 
after  retiring  from  business  resided  in  Philadelphia, 
managing  an  iron-store  for  McCoy  &  Linn,  his 
former  partners,  and  in  1861  was  appointed  by  Secre- 
tary Welles  naval  store-keeper  at  the  Philadelphia 
navy-yard.  He  died  at  Col.  Andrew  Gregg's,  at 
Hecla,  Nov.  28, 1862.  His  widow  died  at  Hartford, 
Conn.,  Aug.  4,  1878.  He  had  no  children  by  either 
wife.  He  was  from  early  manhood  a  Presbyterian, 
the  faith  of  his  ancestors  for  untold  generations. 

Iddings,  James,  died  in  Boggs  township,  Aug.  13, 
1874,  aged  eighty-two. 

Ingram,  Thomas,  died  in  Union,  Nov.  20,  1853, 
aged  seventy-two. 

Ietin,  Guyan,  came  from  Ireland  in  1793,  died 
March  5, 1850,  aged  eighty-four ;  Elizabeth,  his  wife, 
died  May  17,  1843,  aged  seventy- two. 

Jack,  Andrew,  was  born  in  Chester  County,  near 
old  Chester,  June  30,  1756.  He  volunteered  in  Sads- 
bury  township,  Chester  County,  in  Capt.  Wallis'  com- 
pany of  Associators  in  1776.  After  his  time  was  ex- 
pired he  enlisted  at  Fort  Lee  in  the  regular  service, 
and  participated  in  the  campaign  in  the  Jerseys  in 
1776.  At  Amboy  he  speaks  of  Gen.  Washington  re- 
viewing the  army  in  company  with  two  Indian  chiefs. 
He  was  with  Washington's  array  when  it  crossed  into 
New  Jersey  on  Christmas  night  (1776).  His  relation 
was,  "  It  was  bitter  cold  weather,  snowed  and  hailed 
and  rained,  but  we  marched  right  into  Trenton,  and 
were  there  between  daylight  and  sunrise.  Our  cannon 
were  hauled  to  the  head  of  the  street  and  fired,  and 


20« 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  Hessians  soon  laid  down  their  arms.  The  British 
came  up  in  about  a  week,  and  we  then  went  out  and 
encamped  on  the  back  of  a  hill  over  a  creek.  In  the 
evening  we  were  ordered  to  build  fires,  and  each  took 
fence-rails  and  built  large  fires,  and  in  the  night  were 
ordered  off  and  directed  not  to  speak  a  word.  Just 
after  daylight  we  came  to  Princeton,  where  we  met 
two  regiments  of  Batish,  and  had  a  sharp  fight,  but 
they  laid  down  their  arms  just  this  side  of  town,"  etc. 
Subsequently,  1777-78,  he  assisted  in  making  the  en- 
campment at  Valley  Forge.  Mr.  Jack  lived  some 
years  near  Boalsburg,  then  at  Benner's  iron-works, 
and  subsequently  in  Half-Moon  township. 

Jack,  David,  Harris,  died  Sept.  26,  1849,  aged 
forty-five  years. 

Jack,  Michael,  died  1829. 

Jameson,  Agne.s,  wife  of  John,  Boggs,  died  Jan. 
28,  1851,  aged  seventy-one  years. 

Johnston,  John,  merchant,  Bellefonte,  died  Oct. 
13,  1839,  aged  forty-nine  years. 

Johnston,  Joseph,  Lamar,  died  June  1,  1838, 
aged  seventy -two  years. 

Kelia',  Hon.  James  K.,  son  of  John  Kelly,  and 
grandson  of  Col.  John  Kelly  of  tlie  Revolution,  was 
born  near  Spring  Mills,  Centre  County,  Feb.  16, 1819; 
graduated  at  Princeton  College  in  1839,  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  1842,  and  went  to  California  in  1849,  from 
thence  to  the  Territory  of  Oregon  in  1851  ;  was  elected 
by  the  Legislative  Assembly  of  Oregon  in  1852  one 
of  the  three  commissioners  to  prepare  a  code  of  laws 
for  the  Territory.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Legisla- 
tive Council  from  1853-57  ;  in  1855  he  was  elected 
lieutenant-colonel  of  the  First  Regiment  of  Oregon 
Mounted  Volunteers,  and  was  engaged  in  the  Ya- 
kima Indian  war  in  1855  and  1856  ;  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  convention  which  framed  the  Consti- 
tution of  Oregon  (his  grandfather.  Col.  John  Kelly, 
was  a  member  of  the  convention  of  1776,  which 
formed  the  first  Constitution  of  Pennsylvania)  ;  sen- 
ator in  the  Legislative  Assembly  of  Oregon,  1860-64; 
appointed  United  States  district  attorney  for  Oregon 
in  1860  by  President  Buchanan,  which  he  declined  to 
accept ;  he  was  elected  United  States  senator  from 
Oregon  as  a  Democrat,  serving  from  March  4,  1871, 
to  March  3,  1877. 

KiMPORT,  Daniel,  died  in  Boalsburg,  March  20, 
1881,  aged  eighty-two  years.  He  was  born  in  Leba- 
non County,  and  with  his  brother  John  and  sister 
came  to  Centre  County.  Daniel  followed  the  trade 
of  a  carpenter  for  some  years,  and  in  1849  purchased 
the  old  Dale  property  at  the  end  of  the  mountain, 
where  he  farmed  until  1861.  He  accumulated  a  good 
deal  of  property.  He  belonged  to  the  German  Re- 
formed Church.  His  father,  John,  died  in  March, 
1878.  Daniel  left  a  wife  and  only  child,  Mary,  wife 
of  Andrew  Whitehill,  of  Bradbury. 

Kooken,  Rev.  John  R.,  was  born  in  Ferguson 
township,  and  pursued  his  literary  and  theological 
studiiBS  at  Mercersburg,  Pa.     He  was  licensed  in  1841, 


and  settled  at  Dauphin,  Pa.,  whence  he  removed  to 
Franklin  County  in  1843,  thence  to  Trappe,  in  Mont- 
gomery County.  Thence  he  removed  to  Norristown, 
and  established  a  very  flourishing  church.  In  con- 
nection with  his  labors  as  pastor  he  founded  a  school 
for  young  ladies, — Elm  wood  Seminary.  After  resign- 
ing at  Norristown  he  resided  at  Mercersburg,  engaged 
in  teaching,  and  was  subsequently  appointed  United 
States  consul  at  Trinidad,  island  of  Cuba,  where  he 
remained  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  the  Re- 
bellion. Having  some  knowledge  of  tactics  he  raised  a 
company  of  volunteers,  and  was  killed  while  com- 
manding his  company  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec. 
13,  1862,  aged  forty-seven  years. 

Kreamer,  Andrew,  died  on  the  18th  of  March, 
1878,  aged  eighty-eight  years.  He  came  to  Centre 
County  with  his  parents  when  two  years  of  age,  and 
resided  there  until  his  death.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Lutheran  Church,  and  was  buried  at  Milesburg 
from  the  residence  of  his  son,  0.  P.  Kreamer. 

Kreamer,  Jacob,  moved  into  the  valley  in  1814, 
and  bought  what  is  now  Joseph  Kreamer's  farm — 
but  then  including  more  land — from  William  Kreigh- 
baum,  xVpril  21st,  same  year.  He  came  from  Bethel 
township,  Berks  County  ;  his  aged  parents  came  with 
him,  died  here,  and  are  buried  in  the  Lutheran  and 
Reformed  cemetery.  His  father  was  blind  for  many 
years.  The  brick  house  on  the  place  was  built  by 
Jacob  Kreamer  about  the  time  the  brick  church  was 
erected.  Mr.  Kreamer  was  one  of  the  members  of 
the  committee  having  in  charge  the  building  of  the 
church.  Children, — John,  living  at  Rebersburg;  Jo- 
seph, living  on  the  old  place;  Daniel,  a  resident  of 
Reber.sburg;  Elizabeth,  married  to  George  Harper; 
Sarah,  wife  of  David  Wolf,  of  Wolf's  Store;  Catha- 
rine, married  to  Henry  Smull ;  Mary,  married  to 
Frederick  Burkert;  Hannah,  second  wife  of  Daniel 
Dubbs,  Rebersburg.  Catharine's  and  Elizabeth's 
husbands  are  dead.  Jacob  Kreamer  died  Sept.  5, 
1829,  aged  fifty-two  years. 

Kreighbaum,  William,  migrated  into  Brush 
valley  about  the  year  1799,  and  bought  in  that  year 
the  place  now  owned  by  Joseph  Kreamer.  His 
dwelling-house  stood  a  few  rods  south  of  the  place 
where  now  the  brick  house  is  situated.  He  came 
from  Bethel  township,  Dauphin  County,  according  to 
statement  in  an  old  deed.  There  was  a  distillery 
near  his  dwelling-house,  with  which  he  was  assessed 
as  early  as  the  year  1803.  It  may  have  been  built 
earlier.  He  sold  his  property  to  Jacob  Kreamer, 
April  21,  1814,  and  moved  to  Ohio.  The  Kreigh- 
bauras  and  Garmans  were  related. 

Kryder,  John,  owned  the  farm  on  which  William 
Kreamer  now  lives,  north  of  Gramly's  school-house. 
He  removed  there  from  Penn's  valley  about  the  year 
1792.  He  was  an  intelligent  man  and  useful  citizen. 
He  filled  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  of  Miles 
township  for  a  number  of  years.  It  may  be  worthy 
of  note  that  the  first  cider-mill  in  the  valley  was  de- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL. 


207 


vised  and  operated  by  him.  It  was  somewhat  diflferent 
in  construction  from  those  now  used.  Mr.  Kryder 
moved  to  Ohio  in  1814,  to  a  place  north  of  Cantou 
about  five  miles,  where  he  died  in  1829.  Christopher 
Spangler,  living  on  the  adjoining  farm,  was  married 
to  Mr.  Kryder's  daughter  Margaret ;  consequently 
Jonathan  Spangler,  Sr.,  is  a  grandson.  On  the  male 
side  there  are  no  descendants  in  the  valley  at  present. 
Judge  Jacob  Kryder,  of  Penn's  valley,  and  John,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  were  brothers.  Their  father, 
John  Kryder,  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier ;  he  lived 
a  while  at  Harrisburg,  thence  moved  to  the  David 
Herbst  farm,  west  of  Lewisburg  about  five  miles. 
He  and  his  family  left  with  the  "  Great  Runaway" 
of  1778,  but  returned  and  moved  to  what  is  now  the 
Alexander  place,  south  of  Millheim.  His  wife, 
mother  of  John  and  Jacob,  came  from  Germany 
when  quite  a  young  girl,  and  had  to  serve  two  years 
with  some  citizen  living  on  the  Delaware  to  pay  her 
passage  across  the  ocean.  Her  lot  was  not  an  agree- 
able one;  she  was  subject  to  severe  toil  and  many 
hardships.  Among  other  drudgeries  imposed  upon 
her  she  had  to  carry  the  water  from  the  river,  when 
the  Delaware  was  low,  required  in  her  master's  dis- 
tillery, whatever  quantity  that  may  have  been ;  for 
whiskey  had  to  be  manufactured  though  the  heavens 
fell. 

Kurtz,  Ludwig,  was  born  at  Michelstadt,  Grand 
Duchy  of  Darmstadt,  Germany,  Feb.  23,  1784.  He 
received  a  classical  education,  and  was  manager  of 
his  father's  forge,  near  Michelstadt.  He  married  Jo- 
hanne  S.  Brehm,  who  was  born  at  Erlach,  Germany, 
June  6,  1799,  and  died  at  Milton,  Pa.,  June  3,  1882. 
Ludwig  Kurtz  left  Germany  Sept.  18,  1830,  on  ac- 
count of  the  oppression  and  tyranny  of  the  German 
potentates,  came  to  York,  Pa.,  where  he  established  a 
large  brewery,  and  subsequently-  a  German  weekly 
paper. 

In  the  fall  of  1846  he  came  to  Aaronsburg  to  take 
charge  of  the  Centre  Berichter,  which  under  his  man- 
agement became  an  original,  spirited  German  news- 
paper. Retiring  from  the  paper  on  account  of  old 
age,  he  was  succeeded  by  his  son.  He  died  in  the 
eighty-eighth  year  of  his  age  at  Aaronsburg.  He 
was  a  fervent  Lutheran,  and  had  quite  an  inventive 
genius.  In  1838,  at  York,  he  invented  an  ingenious 
silk-reel,  which  was  patented  and  used  at  the  time  to 
manufacture  silk  from  cocoons.  His  children  were 
Louis,  now  a  merchant  in  Kansas,  previous  to  which 
he  published  a  tri-weekly  newspaper  at  Rochester, 
N.  Y. ;  John  George,  born  March  21,  1829,  founder  of 
the  Central  Press,  at  Bellefonte,  now  of  Milton  ;  So- 
phia, who  married  William  EUinger;  Hon.  Frederick 
Kurtz,  of  the  Centre  Reporter ;  Anna  M.,  married  to 
David  Hershberger. 

Karbaugh,  John,  Benner,  died  March  27,  1876, 
»ged  eighty-four. 

Keckler,  Henry,  Bellefonte,  died  Dec.  20,  1878, 
aged  eighty-eight. 


KooN,  Daniel,  Gregg,  died  .lune  27,  1845,  aged 
sixty-five. 

Kephart,  George,  died  Aug.  3, 1879,  aged  ninety- 
eight. 

Kephart,  Caleb,  died  Aug.  2,  1833,  aged  fifty- 
five. 

Kepler,  Jacob,  Ferguson,  died  March  30,  1874, 
aged  seventy-four. 

Keplinger,  John,  Miles,  died  1826. 

Kerlin,  Peter,  died  Sept.  22,  1878,  aged  sixty- 
six,  in  Nebraska.  He  was  foreman  of  the  paper-mill 
in  Bellefonte  in  1833. 

Knox,  Tasker  J.,  died  Dec.  31,  1865,  aged  sixty. 

Krumrine,  Frederick,  Ferguson,  died  Sept.  4, 
1878,  aged  seventy-eight. 

Kelly,  Ann,  wife  of  John,  died  March  31,  1829, 
aged  forty-eight. 

Lamb,  David,  died  Feb.  12,  1837,  aged  eighty- 
three.  He  enlisted  from  Cumberland  County  in  1775, 
in  Capt.  Hendricks'  company.  Col.  William  Thomp- 
son's regiment,  and  marched  through  the  wilderness 
of  Maine  to  Quebec  in  Gen.  Arnold's  expedition  in 
the  winter  of  that  year ;  was  in  the  assault  on  Que- 
bec on  the  night  of  Dec.  31,  1775,  where  his  captain 
was  killed.  He  came  to  Nittany  valley  after  the 
Revolution,  and  became  a  prominent  citizen. 

Linn,  Rev.  James,  D.D.,  1783-1868.  Died  in 
Bellefonte,  Feb.  23,  1868,  after  a  pastorate  of  fifty- 
eight  years. 

J^mes  Linn  was  born  in  Sherman's  valley,  Cum- 
berland (now  Perry)  Co.,  Pa.,  Sept.  4,  1783,  and 
was  one  of  seven  children.  His  grandfather  came 
over  from  Scotland  in  the  early  part  of  the  last  cen- 
tury, and  was  of  solid  Bresbyterian  stock.  His  father, 
John  Linn,  was  born  in  Adams  County,  Pa.,  in  the 
year  1749,  was  graduated  at  Princeton  College  in  1773, 
studied  theology  with  Rev.  Robert  Cooper,  and  during 
his  entire  ministerial  life,  including  a  term  of  nearly 
forty-four  years,  was  settled  as  the  pastor  of  Centre 
Church,  Sherman's  valley.  He  died  in  1820  in  his 
seventy-first  year.  He  was  married  to  Mary  Gettys, 
daughter  of  the  founder  of  Gettysburg. 

Mr.  Linn  was  graduated  at  Dickinson  College  in 
1805,  and  studied  theology  with  Rev.  Joshua  Williams, 
at  Newville.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  the  gospel 
Sept.  27,  1808,  by  the  Presbytery  of  Carlisle.  He 
himself  considered  it  an  honor  of  no  small  measure 
to  have  been  licensed  by  such  a  body  of  ministers  as 
then  composed  that  Presbytery — "  A  noble  band  of 
venerable  men,  and  men  of  talents." 

In  the  spring  of  1809  he  visited  the  congregations 
of  Spruce  Creek  and  Sinking  valley,  now  in  the 
bounds  of  Huntingdon  Presbytery.  From  there  he 
shortly  after  came  to  Bellefonte.  The  Presbyterian 
Church  in  this  place  had  just  been  left  vacant  by  the 
removal  of  the  Rev.  Henry  R.  Wilson  to  Carlisle. 
His  preaching  here  and  at  Lick  Run  for  a  few  Sab- 
baths resulted  in  unanimous  calls  from  both  churches, 
each  for  one-half  of  his  time.     The  ordination  and 


208 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


installation  took  place  April  17,  1810,  in  the  court- 
house, which  was  then  used  as  the  place  of  worship. 
In  this  service  the  Rev.  Mr.  Coulter  preached  the  ser- 
mon, and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Grier  presided  and  gave  the 
charge  to  the  pastor. 

In  1839,  the  Bellefonte  Ohurch  wishing  to  secure 
his  undivided  labors,  he  was  released  from  the  Lick 
Run  charge,  and  by  a  unanimous  vote  was  chosen  a 
second  time  as  pastor  in  Bellefonte.  In  this  relation 
he  continued  to  the  day  of  his  death.  In  October  of 
the  year  1859,  which  marked  a  half-century  in  his 
pastorate,  the  Presbytery  of  Huntingdon  celebrated 
the  occasion  by  special  exercises  of  great  interest, 
holding  their  fall  meeting  in  Bellefonte  for  this  pur- 
pose. Shortly  after  this  his  strength  began  percep- 
tibly to  fail  to  such  an  extent  that  it  was  decided  to 
relieve  him  from  regular  labors  by  calling  a  co-pastor. 
In  the  spring  of  1861  the  Rev.  J.  H.  Barnard  was 
called  to  the  co-pastorate,  and  remained  until  1866, 
and  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Alfred  Yeomans  in 
December  of  the  same  year. 

During  his  last  illness  his  mind  seemed  to  be  wan- 
dering back  to  the  scenes  of  his  early  life,  about  which 
he  said  so  little  in  the  days  of  his  health  ;  and  when 
asked  if  he  was  thirsty,  he  replied  that  he  wanted  a 
drink  from  "the  old  spring  by  the  church,"  alluding 
to  a  spring  near  his  father's  church  where  he  was 
wont  to  drink  when  a  boy.  His  thirst  is  now  satisfied 
at  a  still  purer  fountain,  where  those  who  drink  shall 
not  thirst  again  forever. 

Dr.  Linn  was  first  married  Feb.  28,  1811,  to  Jane 
Harris,  who  was  the  mother  of  six  children,  and  who 
died  Aug.  14,  1822.  Four  of  her  children,  three  sons 
and  one  daughter,  survive  their  father.  He  married 
April  15,  1829,  Isabella  Henderson. 

The  labors  of  Dr.  Linn  in  Bellefonte  were  greatly 
blessed.  When  he  began  his  ministrations  here 
there  was  no  church  building,  and  the  membership 
of  the  church  probably  did  not  exceed  fifty  names. 
At  Lick  Run  the  services  were  held  in  a  log  building 
without  windows,  and 'with  a  hole  in  the  roof  to  serve 
as  an  outlet  for  the  smoke  in  winter  from  an  open 
fire  in  the  middle  of  the  room.  He  was  permitted  to 
see  the  membership  of  the  Bellefonte  Church  in- 
creased from  fifty  to  two  hundred  and  forty-eight. 
His  preaching  ground  extended  originally  from  Mill 
Hall  to  the  Little  Juniata,  and  from  the  Seven 
Mountains  to  Clearfield.  At  a  later  day  his  cliarge 
reached  from  Julian  Furnace,  or  Glenn's  Meeting- 
house, to  the  lower  end  of  Bald  Eagle  valley,  below 
■  Beech  Creek ;  also  to  the  lower  end  of  ISTittany  valley, 
and  through  its  entire  width.  He  expended  much 
labor  also  in  preaching  at  Horntown  or  Harrisonville. 
He  outlived  all  but  one  of  those  who  were  adult 
church-members  at  the  time  of  his  settlement  in 
Bellefonte,  and  was  before  his  death  baptizing  the 
fourth  generation. 

Punctuality  and  fidelity  to  all  professional  engage- 
ments were  peculiar  traits  of  his  character.     He  has 


been  heard  to  say  that  throughout  his  entire  active 
ministry  he  never  failed  but  once  in  attending  the 
meetings  of  Presbytery  and  Synod,  and  that  one 
failure  was  occasioned  by  sickness  in  his  family. 

He  took  a  very  active  interest  in  the  cause  of  edu- 
cation, and  the  early  years  of  his  ministry  taught  the 
Bellefonte  Academy,  and  was  for  many  years  presi- 
dent of  the  board  of  trustees.  His  labors  in  the 
temperance  cause  and  in  the  interest  of  the  Bible 
Society  and  Sabbath-schools  were  incessant  all 
through  the  years  of  his  long,  active  life.  He  was 
eminently  hospitable,  and  his  generosity  spontaneous 
and  unpretending. 

There  is  a  sublime  eloquence  in  the  career  of  such 
a  man,  and  the  reputation  he  won  he  bequeathed  to 
enhance  the  dignity,  honor,  and  usefulness  of  his 
fellow-laborers  in  the  ministry. 

His  strong  individuality,  clear  mind,  and  sound 
judgment  commanded  the  respect  of  men  of  charac- 
ter, while  his  large-hearted  hospitality,  his  genial 
humor,  and  his  kind  and  cheerful  disposition  won 
upon  all  classes  of  the  community,  and  made  him  a 
man  of  the  largest  influence.  Yet  though  gentle, 
yielding,  and  forgiving  in  his  temper  almost  to  an 
extreme,  his  decision  was  uncompromising  in  all 
questions  of  principle.  His  zeal  for  the  purity  of  the 
church  savored  of  a  past  age  of  discipline.  His 
promptness  and  diligence  in  carrying  through  what- 
I  ever  his  oflicial  duty  demanded  is  abundantly  evi- 
denced by  the  records  of  the  Session  in  his  own  hand- 
writing. 

His  preaching  was  characterized  by  the  pointed 
and  impressive  presentation  of  truth,  and  was  doc- 
trinal and  practical  rather  than  rhetorical.  With  a 
full  round  voice  and  a  commanding  presence,  his 
personal  advantages  were  more  than  ordinary.  His 
manuscript  sermons  show  thoroughness  and  accu- 
racy in  his  preparations  for  the  pulpit.  During  his 
earlier  ministry  he  wrote  and  committed  to  memory, 
but  more  lately  preached  from  his  full  manuscript. 

Dr.  Linn's  children  by  his  first  wife  were  Claudius 
B.  Linn,  of  Philadelphia ;  James  Harris  Linn,  iron- 
master (of  the  firm  of  McCoy  &  Linn),  Hon.  Samuel 
Linn;  Anna,  who  died  March  25,  1847,  wife  of  John 
Irwin,  Jr. ;  Mrs.  Jane  Welch.  His  daughter  by  his 
last  wife  is  Mrs.  M.  H.  Wilson,  widow  of  William  P. 
Wilson,  Esq.  James  Harris  Linn  died  at  Milesburg 
Iron-Works,  April  5,  1876,  aged  sixty-one  years, 
leaving  a  widow,  a  daughter  of  R.  T.  Stewart,  Esq., 
deceased. 

Livingston,  Daniel,  of  Penn's  valley,  died  July 
4,  1838,  aged  eighty-two.  He  had  a  sister  Isabella 
and  a  brother  William,  to  whose  children,  Elizabeth 
and  Jane,  and  his  niece,  Mary  Boyd,  he  willed  his 
estate. 

William  Livingston  died  in  1839.  His  children 
were  Daniel,  George,  Margaret,  and  William.  « 

Livingston,  George,  was  born  at  Earleytown, 
June  18,   1814.     He   was   married   at   Boalsburg   in 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL. 


209 


1836  to  Miss  Eliza  A.  Ford.  He  came  to  Bellefontc 
in  1848,  succeeding  his  brotlier  John  in  the  book  and 
stationery  business.  In  1856  the  opposition  to  the 
Democracy  elected  him  county  treasurer.  He  had 
been  commissioners'  clerk  from  1851-55.  In  1862 
he  succeeded  Bond  Valentine,  Esq.,  as  borougii  treas- 
urer, which  office  Mr.  Livingston  iield  up  until  May, 
1872.  Mr.  Livingston  died  in  Bellef'onte,  June  29, 
1872.     Mrs.  Livingston  died  Sept.  3,  1871. 

Long,  John  .Iacob,  came  from  York  County  with 
George  Bear  in  1803  to  Miles  township.  He  bought 
the  iilace  now  owned  by  Col.  R.  11.  Strohecker,  a  son- 
in-law.  Mr.  Long  and  Mr.  Bear  were  married  to  sis- 
ters. Mr.  Long  was  born  Sept.  18,  1770,  died  June 
25,  1844,  and  is  buried  at  Rebersburg.  He  had  four 
sons, — Jacob,  Henry,  John,  and  David.  They  are 
all  dead.  Daughters, — Barbara,  married  to  George 
Arnold;  Elizabeth,  married  to  David  Stanim,  Lo- 
gansville;  Catharine  died  single;  Christina,  married 
to  William  Bartges;  Susan,  wife  of  Col.  R.  H.  Stro- 
hecker, Rebersburg;  and  Mary.  The  daughters  are 
all  dead  except  Christina  and  Susan. 

LowEEY,  John  G.,  died  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  July  21, 
1861,  aged  eighty-six  years.  He  assisted  in  building 
the  first  house  in  Bellefonte,  erected  by  Col.  Dunlop 
and  James  Harris  in  1795,  and  was  a  resident  for 
nearly  sixty  years.  He  was  a  son  of  Daniel  Lowrey, 
an  elder  brother  of  Col.  Alexander  Lowrey,  of  Done- 
gal, Lancaster  County.  In  early  life  surveyed  lands 
in  Venango  County,  before  that  county  was  erected. 
He  often  mentioned  the  fact  that  they  set  fire  to  the 
water  at  night  to  see  it  burn.  He  was  also  a  soldier 
in  the  Whiskey  Insurrection  army.  For  a  number  of 
years  he  was  accountant  for  Miles,  Dunlop  &  Co.  and 
John  Dunlop,  and  in  1809  was  appointed  prothono- 
tary,  serving  until  1818.  He  was  reappointed  Feb. 
8,  1821,  and  served  until  1824.  When  the  finances  of 
the  county  in  1828  were  in  such  a  depjorable  con- 
dition that  county  orders  were  not  cashed  and  were 
at  a  large  discount,  he  was  solicited  to  take  the  office 
of  county  treasurer,  and  by  his  able  management  soon 
put  the  financial  credit  of  the  county  beyond  scandal. 
As  by  law  be  could  not  hold  the  office  more  than  two 
years,  an  arrangement  was  made  every  other  two 
years  for  the  appointment  of  W.  A.  Tiiomas  as 
county  treasurer,  Mr.  Lowrey  performing  the  duties 
until  the  office  was  made  elective,  and  Mr.  Lowrey 
was  the  first  elected  county  treasurer.  William  Har- 
ris succeeded  him  in  1844,  but  Mr.  Lowrey  succeeded 
Mr.  Harris  in  1846. 

He  was  a  man  of  stern  integrity,  of  correct  moral 
and  religious  character,  and  elder  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Bellefonte  almost  from  the  time  of  its 
organization.  No  elder  was  so  frequently  chosen  to 
represent  the  Presbytery  in  the  General  Assembly. 

He  was  a  good  accountant,  and  did  a  great  deal  in 
settling  estates  and  as  agent  for  unseated  lands,  vast 
bodies  of  which  were  held  by  non-residents  in  this 
the  central  portion  of  the  State. 
14 


In  Mr.  E.  C.  Humes'  pketch  of  Mr.  Lowrey,  pub- 
lished in  Dr.  Gibson's  "  History  of  the  Presbytery  of 
Huntingdon,"  will  be  found  the  salient  traits  of  iiis 
character. 

His  first  wife  was  Abigail,  daugliter  of  Richard 
Miles  (brother  of  Col.  Samuel).  His  only  son,  Ed- 
ward J.,  a  youth  of  great  promise,  died  while  study- 
ing for  the  bar.  His  last  wife,  Rachel,  was  the  widow 
of  Capt.  John  Lightner,  the  daughter  of  John  Hop- 
kins, who  resided  in  Pequca  valley,  Lancaster  County. 
He  removed  with  her  to  St.  Louis. 

Lytle,  Isaac,  died  in  Harris  township,  Sept.  30, 
1854,  aged  eighty-two  years  and  twelve  days.  His 
father,  Andrew  Lytle,  entered  the  Revolutionary  army 
as  quartermaster-sergeant  of  Col.  Samuel  Miles'  regi- 
ment, April  1,  1776,  and  was  promoted  quartermaster, 
serving  as  such  in  the  Thirteenth  Pennsylvania  and 
the  Fifth,  and  at  the  close  of  the  war  was  senior  lieu- 
tenant of  the  First  Pennsylvania,  and  died  of  camp 
fever  shortly  after  (1784).  Isaac  Lytle,  his  son,  was 
born  in  Lampeter  township,  Lancaster  Co.,  in  1772. 
He  was  a  wagoner  by  occupation.  He  stated  he  had 
been  in  Pittsburgh  with  a  wagon  one  hundred  times. 
Wagoned  to  Wheeling,  Martinsburg,  Va.,  Hagers- 
town,  Md.,  Trenton,  N.  J.,  and  one  trip  to  Nashville, 
Tenn.,  which  occupied  three  months.  His  wife  was 
Jennie,  daughterof  Zaccheus  Piersol,  of  Pequea  valley, 
Lancaster  Co. ;  they  were  married  in  1802,  and  moved 
to  Harris  township  in  1814.  He  left  surviving  him 
liis  wife,  two  sons,  and  one  daughter. 

Lamb,  David,  died  July  11,  1874,  aged  seventy- 
eight. 

Lambert,  John,  Bellefonte,  died  May  29,  1830. 

Leslie,  Ann,  died  at  Robert  Gordon's,  Spring, 
March  27,  1827. 

Lee,  Catherine,  widow  of  Abraham,  Milcsburg, 
died  Jan.  26,  1857,  aged  seventy-two;  over  fifty  years 
member  of  Bellefonte  Presbyterian  Church. 

Lee,  John,  Potter,  died  Jan.  20, 1863,  aged  seventy- 
five.  Elizabeth,  his  wife,  died  June  19,  1877,  aged 
eighty-seven. 

Leib,  John  D.,  Bellefonte,  died  Sqit.  16,  1879. 

Levi,  Capt.  William,  Milcsburg,  died  Juno  4, 
1880,  aged  seventy-nine. 

LiPTON,  Samuel,  Esq.,  died  March,  1850. 

Livingston,  Esther,  died  Feb.  11,  1861,  aged 
sixty-three. 

LoNBERGER,  Geoege,  boru  in  York,  Pa.,  July 
2,  1784;  died  March  16,  1875,  aged  ninety. 

LoNGWELL,  Walter,  died  Dec.  5,  1852,  aged 
eighty-one. 

Lourimore,  James,  Spring,  died  Nov.  29,  1839, 
aged  forty-four. 

Love,  David,  Potter,  died  Nov.  23,  1849,  aged 
seventy-eight. 

Love,  John,  Potter,  died  April  2, 1873,  aged  sixty- 
eight,  after  an  illness  of  sixteen  vears. 

Lucas,  Charles,  Sr.,  Boggs,  died  May  5,  1S74, 
aged  eighty-six;  boru  within  two  miles  of  Milcsburg. 


210 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


•  McAllister,  Hon.  Hugh  N.,  died  at  Philadel- 
phia, May  15,  1873.  He  was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent, 
his  great-grandfather  having  emigrated  from  Ireland 
to  Lancaster  County,  Pa.,  about  the  year  1730.  His 
grandfather,  Maj.  Hugh  McAllister,  was  born  in 
Little  Britain  township,  Lancaster  Co.,  in  1736.  He 
enlisted  as  a  private  in  Capt.  Forbes'  company  in  the 
Indian  war  of  1763,  and  served  faithfully  until  the 
close  of  hostilities.  He  served  also  in  the  war  of  the 
Revolution.  At  the  close  of  the  war  Maj.  McAllister 
retired  to  his  farm  in  Lost  Creek  valley,  Juniata  Co. 
He  was  married  to  Sarah  Nelson,  and  raised  a  large 
family.  Hon.  William  McAllister,  son  of  Maj.  Hugh 
McAllister  and  Sarah  Nelson,  was  born  on  the  farm 
of  his  fiither,  in  Lost  Creek  valley,  in  August,  A.D. 
1774.  He  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  and 
was  for  a  long  time  one  of  the  associate  judges  of 
Juniata  County.  He  was  married  to  Sarah  Thomp- 
son. 

Hugh  Nelson  McAllister,  eldest  son  of  Hon. 
William  McAllister  and  Sarah  Thompson,  was  born 
on  the  farm  owned  by  his  father  and  grandfather  in 
Lost  Creek  valley,  Juniata  Co.,  Pa.,  June  28,  1809. 
He  lived  at  home  and  worked  upon  his  father's  farm 
during  his  minority,  receiving  such  elementary  edu- 
cation as  the  schools  of  the  neighborhood  afforded. 
He  received  his  instructions  in  the  rudiments  of  the 
classics  from  Rev.  John  Hutchinson.  He  entered  the 
freshman  class  at  Jefferson  College,  Cauonsburg,  in 
1830,  and  stood  so  high  before  the  end  of  the  year  as 
to  be  chosen  by  his  society  as  one  of  its  debaters,  which 
honor,  however,  his  modesty  and  timidity  induced 
him  to  decline.  He  graduated  in  1833,  high  in  a 
class  in  which  were  many  more  since  distinguished 
in  the  church  and  State.  As  soon  as  he  graduated 
Mr.  McAllister  commenced  the  study  of  law  in  the 
office  of  Hon.  W.  W.  Potter,  in  Bellefonte.  After 
completing  the  ordinary  course  of  studies  pursued  by 
-students  in  an  office,  he  attended  a  law-school  then 
conducted  at  Carlisle  by  Hon.  John  Reed,  president 
judge  of  that  district,  and  author  of  "Pennsylvania 
Blackstone."  On  the  25th  .of  November,  1835,  on 
motion  of  W.  W.  Potter,  Mr.  McAllister  was  ad- 
mitted to  practice  in  the  several  courts  of  Centre 
County.  He  was  at  once  taken  into  full  partnership 
by  Mr.  Potter,  and  the  election  of  the  latter  to  Con- 
gress soon  after  threw  at  once  the  whole  labor  and 
responsibility  of  an  extensive  law  practice  upon 
the  young  partner.  The  early  death  of  Mr.  Potter, 
while  in  Congress,  left  Mr.  McAllister  alone  in  the 
practice,  to  compete  with  one  of  the  ablest  bars  in 
the  State.  He  remained  without  a  partner  until 
Gen.  James  A.  Beaver  was  called  to  the  bar  in  1859. 
From  that  time  the  law  practice  was  conducted  under 
t'.ie  firm-name  of  McAllister  &  Beaver.  During  the 
long  professional  career  of  nearly  thirty-eight  years 
he  had  an  extensive,  laborious,  and  lucrative  practice. 
Until  the  last  eight  or  ten  years  he  regularly  attended 
the  courts  of  Clinton  and  Huntingdon  Counties,  and 


at  times  courts  of  other  counties.  As  a  counselor  he 
was  always  discreet,  careful,  and  safe.  As  an  attorney 
he  was  faithful,  honest,  and  industrious.  As  an  advo- 
cate, was  earnest,  zealous,  and  at  times  impressively 
eloquent.  He  would  embark  in  no  nian's  cause  unless 
thoroughly  impressed  with  its  Justice,  and  then  he 
battled,  as  only  a  man  of  his  temperament  could  bat- 
tle, for  the  right.  In  the  preparation  of  causes  he  was 
most  thorough,  and  frequently  performed  an  amount 
of  labor  which  seemed  beyond  human  endurance. 
His  arguments  before  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State, 
of  which  the  books  of  reports  are  full,  were  always 
strong,  clear,  and  exhaustive. 

During  the  late  war  Mr.  McAllister  was  one  of  the 
most  earnest  and  zealous  supporters  of  the  adminis- 
tration. He  was  ever  foremost  in  contributing  m,eans 
and  performing  work  to  secure  volunteers  and  in  sup- 
porting the  families  of  those  who  were  in  the  service. 
He  did  more  than  any  other  one  man  to  raise  and  or- 
ganize the  many  companies  which  left  Centre  County, 
and  finally,  almost  by  his  unaided  exertions,  raised  a 
full  company,  and  was  elected  its  captain. 

Mr.  McAllister  was  elected  one  of  the  delegates  at 
large  to  the  Constitutional  Convention  of  1873,  and 
was  appointed  chairman  of  the  important  committee 
on  "  Suffrage,  Election,  and  Representation,"  and  a 
member  of  the  committee  on  "  Railroads  and  Canals." 
He  entered  upon  his  work  with  the  energy  and  zeal 
which  ever  characterized  him.  Unfortunately,  he  did 
not  limit  his  labor  by  his  physical  capacity  to  endure 
it,  but  by  his  desire  for  the  permanent  good  of  his 
native  State.  Towards  the  clo-e  of  winter  his  strength 
gave  way  under  incessant  toil,  and  he  was  compelled 
by  his  physician  to  return  home  for  rest.  He  remained 
at  home  four  or  five  weeks,  during  which  time  he  im- 
proved in  strength.  Tiiree  weeks  before  his  death, 
actuated  hy  an  intense  desire  to  take  part  in  the 
important  discussions  then  going  on  in  the  conven- 
tion, and  by  his  improved  health,  he  went  back  to 
Philadelphia  and  at  once  engaged  arduously  in  the 
labor  of  the  convention.  He  made  several  important 
speeches  upon  questions  pending  before  that  body. 
He  had  overestiinated  his  strength,  for  his  intense 
labor  brought  on  the  disease  which  in  a  few  days  ter- 
minated his  earthly  career.  Literally,  he  offered  him- 
self a  sacrifice  upon  the  altar  of  his  Commonwealth. 
He  sacrificed  his  life  in  liis  effort  to  protect  the  peojile 
from  the  corruptions  of  the  times  and  the  evils  of  mis- 
government. 

Mr.  McAllister  was  one  of  the  projectors,  the  con- 
stant friend  and  liberal  supporter  of  the  Agricul- 
tural College  of  Pennsylvania.  He  kept  the  County 
Agricultural  Society  in  existence  for  years  almost 
unaided.  lie  was  the  friend  and  supporter  of  the 
common  schools,  academies,  and  seminaries,  as  well 
as  Sunday-schools.  For  many  years  he  was  the  rec- 
ognized head  of  the  organizations  in  the  county  for 
the  promotion  of  temperance.  As  a  neighbor,  he  was 
ever  considerate,  kind,  obliging,  and  liberal.     As  a 


CL 


CZJy^^L.^^^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL. 


211 


man,  he  was  just,  upright,  and  inflexibly  honest.  He 
was  not  honest  from  policy,  but  from  an  innate  love 
of  right  and  an  intense  hatred  of  everything  wrong. 
As  a  husband  and  father,  he  was  most  kind,  gentle, 
and  affectionate.  As  a  Christian,  he  was  sincere, 
faithful,  and  most  exemplary.  For  a  long  time  he 
was  not  only  a  member  but  an  elder  in  the  Presbyte- 
rian Church  of  Bellefonte,  and  took  an  active  part  in 
the  labors  of  the  Sessions,  Presbyteries,  Synods,  and 
General  Assemblies. 

Mr.  McAllister  was  twice  married,  first  to  Henrietta 
Osman  Orbison,  of  Huntingdon.  Two  daughters 
Mary  A.,  the  wife  of  Gen.  James  A.  Beaver,  and 
Sarah  B,,  wife  of  Dr.  Thomas  K.  Hays,  both  of  Belle- 
fonte, survive  their  father.  The  first  Mrs.  McAllister 
died  April  12,  1857,  and  on  Sept.  12,  1859,  Mr.  Mc- 
Allister married  Margaret  Hamilton,  of  Harrisburg, 
who  died  April  27,  1876,  aged  fifty-three  years.  She 
was  a  daughter  of  Hugh  Hamilton,  a  noted  editor. 

McCamax,  John,  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  in 
Brush  valley.  He  owned  the  farm  now  belonging  to 
George  Weaver,  near  Wolf's  Store.  Died  March  9, 
1829,  aged  eighty-four;  lies  buried  in  the  old  grave- 
yard at  Rebersburg.  Mr.  McCaman  had  several  chil- 
dren, but  none  are  in  the  valley  at  this  date,  1882. 

McCloskey,  Joseph,  Esq.,  died  in  Curtin  town- 
ship, Aug.  5,  1875,  in  his  sixty-fourth  year.  He 
was  born  near  Young  Womanstown,  on  the  Susque- 
hanna River,  and  moved  with  his  parents  at  an  early 
day  to  Howard  township,  ihis  county.  While  quite 
young  his  father  died,  leaving  a  wife  and  five  cliil- 
dren  dependent  on  Joseph  for  support.  Notwith- 
standing he  had  to  endure  the  hardships  and  pl-iva- 
tions  of  a  life  in  an  unsettled  country,  he  discharged 
the  duty  that  rested  upon  him  with  fidelity.  Some 
thirty  years  ago  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land  on  Marsh 
Creek,  not  a  foot  of  which  was  cleared,  and  moved 
on  the  same  shortly  after.  Commencing  at  the  lower 
rung,  by  honest  toil  he  climbed  to  comfortable  cir- 
cumstances. He  was  one  of  the  prime  movers  in 
bringing  Curtin  township  into  existence,  and  al- 
though he  never  craved  the  emoluments  of  otfice, 
he  was  elected  and  re-elected  to  the  most  responsible 
offices  in  the  township  for  a  period  of  fifteen  years  in 
succession.  He  was  elected  county  commissioner  in 
18G9. 

McEwEX,  Henry,  of  Potter  township,  enlisted  at 
Carlisle  in  Capt.  William  Hendricks'  company,  Col. 
AVilliam  Thompson's  regiment,  on  the  11th  of  July, 
1775,  and  on  the  13th  his  company  left  Carli.sle  and 
marched  to  Boston.  McEwen  said  they  arrived  in 
camp  in  front  of  Boston  on  the  8th  of  August.  Hen- 
dricks' company  was  detached  to  go  through  the  wil- 
dcrne.ss  to  Quebec.  The  hardships  of  that  march  he 
often  detailed,  but  they  mounted  the  Plains  of  Abra- 
ham in  the  middle  of  November.  On  the  morning  of 
the  1st  of  January,  1770,  Hendricks  was  killed  at  the 
head  of  his  company  in  the  assault,  and  McEwen 
wounded  through  the  hand.     Captured  with  the  rest. 


he  remained  a  prisoner  until  the  3d  of  August,  when 
he  signed  a  parole.     His  copy  reads : 

"  QuF.DF.r  :!  AiipiiBt,  1770. 
"We  tlie  urider^igripd  do   Bolcmnly  engage  to  liiu  Kxcellonry  Gen. 
Cftiietoii  that  we  win  not  take  tip  arum  against  nor  ilo  ariytliilig  inju- 
rious to  liis  Majesty  liing  George  Tliird  until  ii-gnlaily  excliange.l. 
"IIf.xiiv  McEwkx." 

In  the  fall  of  1778  he  received  information  that  he 
was  exchanged.  His  wounded  hand  disabled  him 
from  service.  He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade  and  a 
man  of  good  education.  His  wife  was  Elizabeth 
Gregg,  a  niece  of  Hon.  Andrew  Gregg.  On  the  day 
Mr.  Gregg  was  being  voted  for  for  Governor,  Oct.  14, 
1823,  Henry  McEwen  was  buried  in  Sinking  Creek 
graveyard  at  Centre  Hill.  His  sons  were  Henry 
McEwen,  of  Hublersburg,  John  McEwen,  of  Lewis- 
town  (father  of  Mrs.  Belford,  wife  of  Hon.  James  Bel- 
ford,  M.C.  from  Colorado),  Mrs.  Uriali  Slack,  Mrs. 
Louver,  and  Mrs.  Martha  Gregg  Goodhart,  wife  of 
John  Goodhart,  of  Centre  Hill.  Henry  McEwen 
was  a  cousin  of  Mrs.  William  Petrikin,  Mrs.  Pettit, 
and  of  Francis  and  William  McEwen,  of  Walker 
township. 

McKee,  Dr.  James,  died  in  Stormstown,  Aug.  3, 
1877.  Dr.  McKee  was  born  Dec.  24,  1813,  near  Ratli- 
friland,  County  Down,  Ireland.  After  completing 
his  classical  education  and  passing  through  the  ele- 
mentary studies  in  medicine  in  1835-36,  he  attended 
lectures  at  the  Royal  Belfiist  Institution,  Belfast,  and 
being  intent  on  acquiring  further  advantages  for  his 
destined  profession,  in  1836-37  he  went  to  Glasgow 
and  entered  the  Andersonian  University.  He  sub- 
sequently went  to  Edinburgh,  where  he  attended  the 
lectures  in  the  University  of  Edinburgh.  In  1840  he 
came  to  this  country  and  located  at  Stormstown, 
where  he  had  an  uncle  living,  Mr.  Adams,  since 
which  time  he  has  practiced  medicine  over  a  very 
large  territory  in  the  upper  part  of  this  county  and 
in  the  adjtiining  counties,  Blair,  Huntingdon,  and 
Clearfield.  On  the  10th  of  January,  1876,  he  re- 
ceived a  stroke  of  paralysis;  his  whole  right  side  be- 
came paralyzed. 

McKiSNEY,  Hox.  Isaac,  was  a  millwright,  and 
came  to  Bald  Eagle  in  1791  from  near  Sunbury, 
where  his  parents  settled  in  1770.  In  1794  he  mar- 
ried Jane  Fleming,  of  Kishacoquillas  valley,  whose 
parents  were  among  the  earliest  settlers  of  that  valley, 
having  removed  there  from  Chester  County.  In  1796, 
Judge  McKinney  moved  to  Bellefonte,  and  in  1800 
he  removed  to  within  two  miles  of  Jticksonville, 
where  he  started  the  first  store  in  that  region  in  1801. 
He  was  commissioned  associate  judge  Jan.  8,  1819, 
built  Hecla  Furnace  in  1825,  and  Heshbon,  on  Lyco- 
ming Ci-eek,  in  1827.  He  ran  Hecla  until  1836, 
when  he  sold  it  to  George  Armstrong  and  W.  W. 
Miles.  He  was  a  man  of  great  industry,  skill,  and 
enterprise,  frequently  piloting  his  own  arks  laden 
with  iron  to  Duncannnn.  He  retained  his  mental 
vigor  and  good  health  until  his  death,  Sept.  11,  1849, 


212 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


at  the  age  of  eighty-three  years,  and  is  buried  at  Jack- 
sonville. His  wife  died  May  15,  1838.  Two  of  their 
children,  David  and  Jolin,  became  ministers  of  the 
gospel.  William  was  an  iron-master,  and  father  of 
John,  late  United  States  district  judge  in  Florida. 

McKixNEY,  David,  D.D.,  was  born  Oct.  22,  1795, 
and  died  May  28,  1879.  He  was  a  son  of  Judge  Isaac 
McKinney.  He  received  his  early  education  at  the 
Bellefonte  Academy,  and  was  for  some  time  a  prac- 
tical surveyor,  but  in  September,  1819,  entered  the 
junior  year  at  Jefferson  College,  where  he  graduated 
in  1821,  and  then  pursued  a  theological  course  at 
Princeton.  May  16,  1825,  he  married  Miss  Eliza  L. 
Finley,  of  Basking  Eidge,  N.  J.,  and  was  established 
in  his  first  charge  at  Erie.  In  January,  1829,  he  re- 
moved to  Meadville,  and  took  charge  of  the  academy 
there,  and  was  soon  elected  Professor  of  Mathematics 
in  Allegheny  College.  From  Meadville  (hearing  of 
his  father's  financial  difiicultics)"he  came  to  Hecla, 
and  assumed  entire  control  of  the  works,  and  after 
four  years'  labor  had  the  satisfaction  of  having  the 
debts  of  the  concern  paid  and  the  works  doing  a 
profitable  business.  Dec.  19,  1834,  he  was  installed 
pastor  of  Sinking  and  Spring  Creek  Churches,  and 
while  there  started  and  superintended  the  academy 
atBoalsburg.  He  removed  to  HoUidaysburg  in  1841, 
■  and  September,  1852,  to  Philadelphia,  where  he 
issued  the  first  number  of  The  Presbyterian  Banner, 
which  he  removed  to  Pittsburgh  in  1855.  He  died  at 
Edgewater  Station,  near  Pittsburgh,  after  a  career  of 
wonderful  industry,  admirably  detailed  in  a  volume 
published  by  his  children  since  his  death. 

McKiNKEY,  Eev.  John,  was  born  Aug.  20,  1797, 
and  spent  his  youth  near  Jacksonville,  where  he  was 
received  as  a  member  of  the  Lick  Run  Church,  then 
in  charge  of  Rev.  James  Linn.  He  passed  through 
Jefferson  College,  studied  theology  at  Princeton,  and 
April  22,  1824,  was  licensed  by  the  Presbytery  of 
Philadelphia.  He  was  called  by  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Frcdericktown,  Ohio,  and  in  April,  1829, 
was  ordained  and  installed  as  pastor  of  the  church. 
In  October,  1837,  the  relation  was  dissolved,  and  in 
May,  1838,  he  was  installed  pastor  of  the  Alexandria 
Church.  He  labored  with  this  church  and  Pine  Grove 
Church  until  July,  1848,  when  he  removed  to  Ohio, 
and  took  charge  of  the  Oswego  Church.  In  a  few 
years  he  returned  to  Avithin  the  bounds  of  Hunting- 
don Presbytery,  and  remained  until  his  death  at 
HoUidaysburg,"  Aug.  25,  1867. 

Mali.ory,  Isaac,  was  a  native  of  Connecticut. 
He  and  his  brother  Calvin  came  to  Milesburg,  Centre 
Co.,  on  their  way  to  Ohio.  Their  journey  westward 
was  interrupted  while  at  Milesburg  by  the  advent  of 
a  little  stranger  in  the  family  of  Isaac.  This  occurred 
in  1810,  and  the  little  fellow  is  now  Mr.  James  Mal- 
lory,  of  Rebersburg.  The  family  moved  to  Aarons- 
burg,  this  county,  thence  soon  after  to  Brush  valley. 
Isaac  lived  for  several  years  in  the  house  now  owned 
by  Mrs.  Christina  Shroycr,  and  superintended  an  oil- 


mill  near  the  place,  which  belonged  to  Mr.  Paul 
Wolf.  He  served  two  years  in  the  war  of  1812. 
Isaac  was  married  to  Mary  Ann  Birch.  He  died  in 
Half-Moon  township  about  the  year  1845,  seventy 
years  of  age.  There  were  the  following  children  : 
Maria,  married  to  Peter  Schreckengast,  Sugar  val- 
ley ;  Mary,  married  to  Michael  Bierly,  Madisonburg; 
James,  living  at  Rebersburg;  Isaac,  in  New  York 
State;  Tobias,  near  Bellefonte;  Jane,  married  to 
Samuel  McGinley;  and  Saul,  Lycoming  County. 
Maria  and  Mary  are  dead. 

Malone,  Richard.  According  to  a  diary  kept  by 
Richard  Miles,  Richard  Malone  lived  in  April,  1773, 
six  miles  from  Foit  Augusta  (Sunhury),  up  the  West 
Branch,  which  would  be  about  two  miles  above  the 
mouth  of  Chillisquaque  Creek.  His  house  was  a 
prominent  place  for  meetings,  notably  those  of  the 
meetings  of  the  County  Committee  of  Safety  during 
the  Revolution.  The  slight  remains  of  an  old  ac- 
count-book show  Maj.  John  Lee,  Dr.  Plunket,  John 
Hambright,  Weitzel,  McCord,  and  other  old  settlers 
about  the  mouth  of  the  West  Branch  his  guests,  in 
charges  for  rum,  toddy,  cordial,  etc.,  and  indicate  his 
occupation. 

As  early  as  1785  he  removed  to  near  "  The  Nest," 
and  settled  upon  the  Charles  Worthington  tract,  be- 
longing to  Samuel  Wall  is  (two  miles  below  Miles- 
burg), which  Mr.  Wallis  deeded  to  him  Sept.  5,  1791. 
In  1793  he  took  up  in  his  own  name  a  tract  of  one 
hundred  and  ten  acres  south  of  the  Worthington,  but 
always  resided  on  that  part  of  the  Worthington 
which  is  south  of  the  creek,  and  where  his  grand- 
daughter, Mrs.  James  Single,  now  (1882)  resides.  His 
first  wife  died  in  May,  1795,  as  appears  by  a  charge 
.made  by  James  Miles  for  making  her  colBn,  and  Mr. 
Malone  married  again.  Dr.  William  Harris  attended 
him  in  his  last  illness,  and  in  an  account  which  Rich- 
ard Miles  presents  to  the  executors,  Thomas  Hamil- 
ton, John  Miles,  and  Samuel  Miles,  there  is  a  charge, 
Aug.  22,  1801,  for  whiskey  for  the  funeral,  £2  9s.  6rf. 
In  the  same  account  there  is  a  charge,  Aug.  1,  1798, 
against  Malone  "  for  his  subscription  towards  bring- 
ing the  water  down  to  the  fountain  in  Milesburg." 

In  his  will,  dated  Aug.  3,  1801,  he  speaks  of  Fred- 
erick and  Morgan  being  his  youngest  children,  and 
wills  the  services  of  his  black  man  Hank,  if  he  chooses 
to  live  with  her,  to  his  widow  for  five  years.  If  he 
behaves  well  then  he  is  to  be  free  at  the  expiration 
of  that  time,  otherwise  he  was  to  be  sold,  and  the 
proceeds  to  go  to  Mrs.  Malone  to  bring  up  the  chil- 
dren with.  Besides  the  above  children  were  Mrs. 
Ann  Armstrong;  Frances,  married  to  Joseph  Alex- 
ander; Francis,  Richard,  Hartley,  Leslie,  Samuel, 
Mrs.  Catherine  Boggs,  Rebecca  Howard,  James 
Ramsay.  His  house  was  known  as"Malone's  near 
the  Nest,"  and  he  died  possessed  of  a  good  deal  of 
personal  property.  His  second  wife  was  Widow 
Shirk.  His  children  by  her  were  Frederick  (father 
of  D.  B.  Malone),  Morgan,  who  was  drowned  at  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL. 


213 


mouth  of  the  Mosliannon,  leaving  children,  and 
Mary,  married  to  A.  Lucas,  and  moved  West. 

Martin,  Rev.  James,  was  born  in  Ireland,  and 
emigrated  to  America  in  1774.  He  was  at  that  time 
an  ordained  minister  of  the  Associate  Secession 
Church,  and  labored  in  that  field  for  a  while  in 
South  Carolina.  In  1776  lie  joined  the  Synod  of 
Philadelphia,  and  June  18,  1777,  was  enrolled  as  a 
I'lember  of  the  Presbytery  of  Donegal.  Jlis  first 
charge  was  at  Pihey  Creek,  in  which  he  was  installed 
Nov.  9,  1780.  His  period  of  service  there  continued 
to  April  15,  1789,  and  in  that  year  he  responded  to  a 
call  from  East  and  West  Penn's  valley,  Warrior's 
Mark,  and  Half-Moon.  He  sustained  his  connection 
with  the  Penn's  valley  charge  until  his  death,  June 
20,  1795.  His  home  was  near  Spring  Mills,  in  Penn's 
valley,  and  in  the  old  graveyard  near  by  his  remains 
now  lie.  Mr.  Martin  was  married  twice.  His  first 
wife  was  Annie  McCullough,  and  his  second,  Ellen 
Davidson,  who  survived  him.  Mr.  Martin's  children 
luimbered  seven, — four  sons  and  three  daughters. 
James,  the  eldest,  was  educated  for  the  ministry,  but 
turned  his  attention  to  school-teaching.  One  of  Rev. 
Mr.  Martin's  daughters  married  Edward  Bell,  of 
Tuckahoe  valley.  Another  daughter  married  Judge 
John  Stewart,  of  Huntingdon  County.  His  widow 
died  in  York  County,  her  early  home. 

Mayes,  Thomas,  of  Potter  township,  died  in  1827. 
He  was  born  in  England,  June  2,  1753,  married  in 
1776.  Children,— William,  born  December,  1778; 
George,  1781;  Elizabeth,  1783;  Michael  Mayes,  born 
Aug.  14,  1797. 

Meek,  John  B.,  died  on  the  28th  of  November, 
1868,  at  his  residence  in  Washington  City.  He  was 
born  in  Centre  County,  June  5,  1797,  and  was  the  son 
of  William  Meek.  His  mother's  name  was  Elizabeth 
Breckenridge,  of  whom  the  following  interesting  in- 
cident is  authentic:  In  July,  1779,  the  Breckenridge 
family,  consisting  of  father,  mother,  two  sons, — John 
and  Thomas,  aged  eighteen  and  sixteen  years  respec- 
tively,— a  daughter  of  fourteen,  another  aged  three 
years,  and  Elizabeth,  then  an  infant  at  the  breast,  re- 
sided about  three  miles  southeast  of  McConnellstown, 
in  Huntingdon  County,  on  the  road  from  Huntingdon 
to  Bedford,  on  the  farm  in  1856  occupied  by  Ludwig 
Hoover.  John  and  Thomas  had  left  the  house,  when 
the  Indians  came  upon  them,  killed  the  father  near 
the  spring-house  and  the  oldest  daughter  in  the  spring- 
house.  The  mother  snatched  the  infant  Elizabeth 
out  of  the  cradle,  and  taking  the  other  child  up  made 
her  escape.  She  took  the  path  towards  Huntingdon, 
but  lost  it,  and  wandered  about  the  woods  with  her 
children  the  entire  day  and  night.  Coming  to  a  rye- 
field  the  next  morning,  she  wrapped  the  infant  in  a 
part  of  her  garments,  laid  it  down,  and  proceeded  to 
rub  grains  of  rye  for  her  starving  child.  Search  was 
made  for  her,  and  late  in  the  afternoon  of  the  next 
day  she  was  found  on  the  edge  of  the  rye-field  with 
the  one  child,  but  anguish  had  so  unsettled  her  mind 


she  could  not  tell  where  the  baby  was  laid.  Late  the 
next  day  she  recovered  sufliciently  to  tell  where  she 
had  put  the  child,  and  it  was  found,  not  having  suf- 
fered apparently,  except  its  entire  face  was  fly-blown. 
The  infant  recovered,  and  became  the  wife  of  Wm. 
Meek.  John  Breckenridge  became  a  distinguished 
Presbyterian  preacher,  and  officiated  for  many  years 
in  the  first  Presbyterian  Church  built  in  Washington 
City. 

William  Meek  died  early,  leaving  John  B.  Meek 
and  four  other  children  deiiendent  upon  the  mother. 
She  was  a  woman  noted  for  great  energy  of  character, 
untiring  industry,  and  eminent  piety.  Under  her 
care  they  received,  by  i)recept  and  example,  the  most 
valuable  lessons  to  form  their  character  and  to  guide 
them  through  life. 

At  the  age  of  nineteen  years  John  B.  Meek  pro- 
fessed religion,  and  for  over  forty  years  he  was  actively 
engaged  as  a  local  preacher  in  the  Methodist  Church. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Legislature  from  Centre 
County  in  1848-50,  acted  as  chaplain  himself,  and  in- 
troduced the  rule  for  having  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives opened  with  prayer.  He  was  the  father  of 
Harriet  J.  Meek,  whose  sweet  poetical  contributions 
to  leading  magazines  made  her  name  widely  known, 
and  whose  death  in  1850,  at  the  early  age  of  twenty- 
three,  5vas  deeply  regretted. 

In  1856  his  health  became  seriously  impaired,  and 
he  was  advised  to  seek  a  warmer  climate,  and  on  the 
incoming  of  his  personal  friend,  James  Buchanan,  to 
the  Presidency  he  received  an  appointment  at  Wash- 
ington City.  This  he  filled  until  the  Rebellion  broke 
out,  when  he  was  appointed  chaplain  of  Howard  Hos- 
pital, which  he  filled  with  acceptability.  At  the  close 
of  the  war  he  again  found  employment  in  public  office. 

Meek,  Reuben  H.,  died  March  7,  1873,  aged 
seventy-one  years  and  five  months.  He  was  a  resident 
of  Patton  township,  and  fiither  of  Hon.  P.  Gray  Meek, 
editor  of  the  Democratic  Watchman.  He  was  buried 
in  ^Meek's  burying-ground  at  Spruce  Creek. 

Mr.  Meek  was  born  in  Ferguson  township,  married 
Miss  Mary  Ann,  daughter  of  Peter  Gray,  of  Half- 
Moon,  and  until  his  death  resided  continuously  in  this 
county.  No  man  in  the  county,  perhaps,  was  better 
or  more  favorably  known  and  respected.  Although 
the  greater  part  of  his  life  was  spent  in  agricultural 
pursuits,  yet  such  were  his  varied  attainments,  his 
many  virtues  and  hospitable  nature,  that  he  always 
enjoyed  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances. 

In  early  life  he  was  a  leader  in  all  movements  in 
this  county  that  had  in  view  the  development  of  its 
material  interests  or  the  advancement  of  society. 
Although  a  partisan,  and  always  taking  an  interest 
in  political  matters,  he  never  aspired  or  was  elected 
to  any  ofiice. 

He  became  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church  at 
the  early  age  of  fourteen,  and  was  a  faithful  and  de- 
voted member  thereof.  His  wife,  Mary  A.,  soon  fol- 
lowed him  to  the  grave;  she  died  April  16,  1873. 


214 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Meyek,  Col.  Heney,  emigrated  into  Brush  valley 
in  1797,  and  located  on  the  tract  of  land  which  now 
constitutes  the  farms  of  Reuben  and  Henry  Meyer, 
sous.  His  brother-in-law,  John  Meyer,  had  been  sent 
as  early  as  1794  to  occupy  and  improve  this  tract. 
The  first  house  on  the  place  was  situated  in  the  "old 
orchard,"  near  Elk  Creek,  half-way  between  Henry 
Gorman's  and  Henry  Meyer's  present  homes.  Among 
the  old  apple-trees  in  this  orchard  is  one  measuring 
eleven  and  one-half  feet  in  circumference  a  foot  above 
the  ground.  It  is  still  flourishing,  and  was  laden  this 
summer  (1881)  with  apples.  It  is  a  giant  among  the 
trees  of  its  kind.  Mr.  Meyer  was  a  millwright,  and 
built  Tobias  Pickle's  mill  in  1802  or  1803,  and,  as  seen 
by  entries  in  his  day-book,  he  did  some  repairing  in 
Mr.  Pickle's  log  grist-mill  in  1798;  also  in  John  Motz's 
mill,  at  the  lower  end  of  Penn's  valley,  in  the  same 
year.  This  shows  that  those  mills  were  put  up  some 
time  prior  to  1798.  Mr.  Meyer  was  commissioned  jus- 
tice of  the  peace  Jan.  5,  1814.  He  was  colonel  of  the 
One  Hundred- and  Thirty-flrst  Regiment  Pennsyl- 
vania Militia,  which  title  is  applied  in  these  sketches 
to  distinguish  him  from  other  persons  of  the  same 
name.  He  was  a  man  of  large  frame  and  great 
strength.  Mr.  Meyer  came  from  Middle  Creek,  Sny- 
der County,  where  his  father,  Jacob  Meyer,  had  his 
home.  There  were  six  brothers,  Philip,  Jacob,  Henry, 
Michael,  Stephen,  and  John  ;  two  sisters,  Barbara, 
who  was  married  to  Michael  Motz,  and  Catharine, 
married  to  John  Meyer.  The  grandparents  came 
from  Germany,  and  settled  at  a  spring  which  they 
named  Millbrook,  now  within  the  limits  of  Lebanon 
County.  They  carried  their  earthly  possessions  in  a 
bundle,  and  began  life  in  the  new  country  under  a 
tree  in  the  forest. 

Henry's  brother  Philip,  the  oldest  of  the  family, 
lived  on  a  farm  about  a  mile  east  of  Wolf's  Store ;  he 
had  been  a  Revolutionary  soldier  in  Capt.  John  A. 
Schaeffer's  company.  Michael,  another  brother,  was 
a  blacksmith  by  occupation,  and  is  said  to  have  been 
the  first  smith  in  the  valley;  he  lived  in  a  small 
house,  still  standing,  back  of  Col.  Royer's  house. 
Philip  died  in  1831.  Michael  moved  away.  Henry 
Meyer  w.as  twice  married,  first  time  to  Mary  Stees, 
daughter  of  Jacob  Stees,  near  present  town  of  Free- 
burg.  She  died  in  1801  of  some  malignant  fever,  and 
was  the  first  victim  in  the  valley  of  the  dreaded  dis- 
ease which  carried  off  so  many  of  the  first  settlers. 
His  second  wife  was  Margaret,  daughter  of  Judge 
Harper,  Penn's  v.alley,  and  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Anthony 
Wolf  Cliildren, — Henry  (living  east  of  Rebersburg 
about  three  miles,  on  part  of  the  old  farm),  Jacob, 
and  Benjamin.  The  last  two  are  dead  ;  the  three  just 
named  are  children  of  the  first  wife.  Those  of  the 
second  are  Judith,  who  is  married  to  Philip  Walker, 
Niltany  valley  ;  Susan,  who  was  married  to  Griffin 
Rote,  Nittany  valley  (her  husband  is  dead)  ;  Abigail, 
who  died  single;  John  (major),  who  lives  east  of 
Rebersburg  three  miles;  Reuben,  who  lives  in  Sugar 


valley ;  William,  who  died  when  about  twenty  ;  Jon- 
athan, who  was  for  many  years  a  physician  of  Logans- 
ville ;  he  died  a  few  years  ago.  Col.  Meyer  was  born 
Oct.  15,  1764,  died  May  17,  1820,  and  lies  buried  in 
the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  cemetery,  Rebersburg. 
His  second  wife  died  Feb.  27,1871,  aged  nearly  eighty- 
four. 

Meyer,  Henry  (son  of  Col.  Henry  Meyer),  came 
into  Brush  valley  with  his  parents  while  yet  a  child. 
He  resided  on  the  farm  owned  by  his  father,  where  he 
passed  his  long  and  useful  life,  and  died  Wednesday, 
Dec.  28, 1881.  He  belonged  to  that  grand  old  German 
stock  which  first  settled  Brush  valley.  Of  robust  body, 
vigorous  mind,  in  freedom  from  the  ordinary  weak- 
nesses of  old  age,  he  was  able  to  communicate  the 
stirring  incidents  of  his  early  days,  and  to  him  the 
local  historian  is  indebted  for  much  valuable  infor- 
mation which  otherwise  had  passed  into  oblivion. 
His  age  was  eighty-six  years,  three  months,  twenty- 
six  days. 

His  wife's  maiden  name  was  Hannah,  daughter  of 
Nicholas  Bierly.  Children, — David,  of  Nittany  valley ; 
Daniel, of  Illinois;  Samuel,  of  Milesburg,  millwright; 
Prof  Henry,  of  Rebersburg,  formerly  superintendent 
of  public  schools;  Mary,  interm.arried  with  Rev. 
George  Weirick,  deceased  (of  the  Evangelical  Asso- 
ciation), and  now  Mrs.  John  F.  Price,  of  Sugar  valley  ; 
Matilda,  married  to  Samuel  Mingle,  of  Lock  Haven  ; 
Judith,  wife  of  Joseph  Bierly,  near  Rebersburg. 

Miles,  James  (brother  of  Col.  Samuel),  settled 
upon  the  Jacob  Solger  tract,  in  the  lower  end  of  Penn's 
valley,  next  Brush  valley,  which  he  purchased  of 
Col.  Miles.  His  wife's  maiden  name  was  Susanna 
Rock.  They  left  Hannah,  who  married  Samuel 
Green  (father  of  Samuel,  who  married  Samuel  Miles' 
daughter);  Ebenezer,  who  moved  to  Oliio;  James, 
who  married  Christena  Pickle,  and  was  killed  by  his 
horse  falling  in  Brush  valley;  Susan,  married  to  Gen. 
Joseph  Miles;  Sarah,  married  to  Col.  Samuel  Miles, 
of  Brush  valley,  inn-keeper;  Abigail,  and  Phcebe. 

Miles,  Capt.  James,  died  Oct.  1, 1797  ;  his  widow, 
Rebecca  Miles,  died  in  August,  1831,  aged  sixty-one 
years. 

Miles,  John  (son  of  Col.  Samuel),  born  Sept.  9, 
1778,  died  Oct.  29,  1829,  was  an  iron-master.  He 
had  four  sons  who  became  Baptist  ministers: 

(1)  Rev.  George  I.,  born  at  Milesburg,  April  2(5, 
1802,  licensed  by  the  Milesburg  Church  in  1826,  serv- 
ing it  as  pastor  subsequently.  He  was  for  a  while 
pastor  at  Harrisburg  and  in  Philadelphia,  and  then 
resided  in  Bellefonte,  keeping  a  drug-store,  until  June 
1,  1856,  he  became  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  at 
Muscatine,  Iowa,  and  died  there  Dec.  10,  1857.  "  He 
was  a  fine  speaker,  sweet  singer,  and  an  untiring 
laborer."  Author  of  "  A  Glance  at  the  Baptists," 
written  while  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  West 
Chester,  1836,  a  condensed  history  of  the  Baptists  in 
all  the  centuries  covered  by  ecclesiastical  history  as 
relates  to  the  denomination. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL. 


215 


(2)  Rev.  Samuel  Miles,  licensed  August,  1834,  be- 
gan his  ministry  as  pastor  of  the  .lay  Church,  Clear- 
fieUl  County ;  removed  to  Jefferson  County,  and  organ- 
ized churches  at  Curwensville,  Lutliersburg,  and 
Brookville,  and  after  various  services  in  Venango 
County  and  in  the  State  of  Iowa  he  returned  to  Clear- 
field County,  where  he  is  still  residing. 

(3)  Rev.  J.  Green  Miles,  licensed  at  Milesburg  in 
1840,  pastor  at  Harrisburg  in  Philadelpliia,  and  after- 
wards on  the  West  Branch. 

(4)  Rev.  Edward  M.  Miles,  ordained  at  Milesburg, 
May  15,  1837,  then  labored  in  Venango  County, 
whence  he  removed  to  the  State  of  Iowa. 

(5)  John  Miles,  who  died  in  Clearfield. 

The  daughters  of  John  Miles,  Sr.,  were  Mary,  married 
to  Frank  Potts ;  Catharine,  married  to  C.  J.  Green,  of 
Milesburg;  Emeline,  married  Samuel  Lucas;  Eliza- 
.beth,  married  James  Cox,  of  Zanesville,  Ohio. 

Miles,  Gex.  Joseph  (son  of  Col.  Samuel  Miles, 
of  the  Revolution,  and  afterwards  mayor  of  Philadel- 
phia), born  April  3,  1780,  died  Aug.  27,  1840,  came 
to  Centre  County  with  his  brother  John,  and  engaged 
in  the  iron  business,  and  for  nearly  fifty  years  was 
prominently  identified  with  the  business  interests  of 
Centre  County.  He  was  baptized  by  Calvin  Philleo, 
July  29,  1821,  the  first  person  immersed  in  Centre 
County,  and  at  once,  with  a  few  others,  organized  the 
Baptist  Church  at  Milesburg.  He  was  a  man  of  great 
zeal,  and  possessed  more  than  usual  ability  and  con- 
secration. He  was  a  zealous  friend  of  the  Sabbath. 
Gen.  Miles  married  his  cousin  Susan,  daughter  of 
Jame?  Miles.  She  soon  followed  him  to  the  grave, 
dy,ing  on  the  6th  of  September,  1840,  aged  sixty-one. 
Mrs.  Catherine  Green,  wife  of  Joseph  Green,  Esq., 
was  their  daughter,  mother  of  S.  Miles  Green,  Esq., 
of  Milesburg,  E.  A.  Green,  of  Huntingdon,  and 
Frank  P.  Green,  druggist,  of  Bellefonte. 

Miles,  Richard  (brother  of  Col.  Samuel  Miles,  of 
the  Revolution),  came  from  Radnor  township,  Chester 
(now  Delaware)  County.  He  visited  Brush  valley  on 
an  exploring  tour  as  early  as  1773,  but  the  details  in 
his  journal  are  very  meagre.  He  bought  the  Richard 
Chubb  warrantee  tract  of  his  brotlier.  Col.  Miles,  in 
1778.  This  tract  was  the  most  western  one  of  Col. 
Miles'  surveys,  now  in  Gregg  township,  and  owned  it 
while  lie  lived.  His  wife's  name  was  Mary  Pugh. 
She  belonged  to  the  Society  of  Friends,  and  he  not 
belonging  an  elopement  resulted.  She  came  with 
him  to  Milesburg,  in  1792,  died  and  was  buried  there. 
Richard  Miles  died  in  Bellefonte,  Oct.  20,  1823,  aged 
eighty-four.  He  was  a  captain  of  militia  in  Chester 
County  during  the  Revolution.     His  children  were: 

(1)  Evan,  married  to  Rebecca  George  (of  tlie  family 
of  George's  Hill,  Philadelphia).  Evan  Miles  died 
May  9,  1838,  aged  sixty-eight;  his  wife,  July  28, 1841, 
aged  seventy-two.  Their  children  were  Richard 
Miles  (father  of  Mrs.  Holmes,  Capt.  Evan  Miles,  of 
the  United  States  army,  Richard  Miles,  of  Harris- 
burg, who  lost  an  arm  in  the  war  of  1SC2.      Richard 


died  in  Milesburg,  in  1880,  at  tlie  advanced  age  of 
eighty-five);  John  George  Miles,  Esq.,  late  of  tlie 
Huntingdon  bar;  Mary,  wife  of  Hon.  John  Blanch- 
ard;  Sarah,  married  to  George  Buchanan,  Esq.,  late 
of  Gregg  township;  Clarissa,  marrieil  to  Abraham 
Valentine;  Adaline,  late  Mrs.  Adaline  Harris;  and 
Joseph  Miles,  of  Bellefonte. 

(2)  Samuel  Miles,  of  Miles  town.sliip,  who  married 
his  cousin  Sarah,  a  daughter  of  James  Miles.  Their 
children  were  Clementina,  married  to  James  Hanna; 
Susan,  married  to  Samuel  Hanna ;  Mary,  married  to 
Samuel  Green  ;  and  Samuel  Miles.  Samuel  Miles, 
Sr.,  died  in  Miles  township,  in  1820,  and  is  buried  at 
Aaronsburg.  He  owned  a  tavern  stand  in  Aarons- 
burg,  farm  and  saw-mill  in  Miles  township. 

(3)  Hannah,  married  to  Henry  Vandyke,  of  Belle- 
fonte. 

(4)  Mary,  married  to  John  Forster,  of  Aaronsburg ; 
their  children, — Jane,  married  to  R.  T.  Barber,  Esq.; 
Sarah,  to  William  Vanvalzah  ;  Emeline,  to  Samuel 
Barber;  Margaret,  to  Dr.  Charles  R.  Wilson,— all 
late  of  Union  County. 

(5)  Sarah. 

(6)  Abigail,  married  to  John  G.  Lowrey,  Esq.  She 
died  in  May,  1823,  leaving  a  son,  Edward  J.  Lowrey. 

Millek,  Isaac,  born  10th  of  lOtb  mo.,  1802,  died 
in  Bellefonte,  Oct.  18,  1881,  a  son  of  Reuben  and 
Tamazine  (Valentine)  Miller.  He  was  from  Chester 
County,  and  a  Friend.  He  came  to  this  county  when 
only  about  fifteen  years  old,  and  obtained  employ- 
ment from  the  Valentines,  in  whose  service  he  re- 
mained a  number  of  years.  He  afterwards  carried 
on  the  mercantile  business  in  Bellefonte.  The  firm 
of  Miller,  Thomas  &  Co.  was  then  formed  for  the 
purpose  of  running  the  Mill  Hall  furnace,  and  Mr. 
Miller  went  to  that  place,  where  he  remained  until 
the  dissolution  of  the  firm.  He  was  afterwards  con- 
nected with  the  Howard  Iron-Works,  but  finally  came 
back  to  Bellefonte. 

MiLLiKEx,  Thompson,  died  of  apoplexy  at  Oska- 
loosa,  Iowa,  Sept.  6,  1871,  aged  forty-nine  years.  He 
had  gone  thither  to  attend  a  meeting  of  the  Society 
of  Friends.  He  was  of  the  firm  of  Valentines  & 
Co.,  and  a  gentleman  of  intelligence,  of  enlarged  and 
liberal  views,  and  a  most  exemplary  and  worthy 
Christian.  • 

Mitchell,  Hon.  John,  was  a  son  of  Gen.  David 
Mitchell,  of  Cumberland  County  (now  Perry),  who 
was  for  some  twenty-two  years  a  member  of  the  Leg- 
islature. John  Mitchell  was  born  about  two  miles 
from  Newport,  Perry  Co.,  March  8, 1781.  When  quite 
a  boy  .he  went  with  his  father  on  his  journey  to  the 
meetings  of  the  Legislature  to  bring  the  horses  home, 
and  returned  for  him  in  the  spring.  He  had  little 
schooling,  but  a  great  capacity  for  mathematics.  One 
of  the  members  gave  him  a  book  and  told  him  he 
must  run  lines  all  over  the  farm  before  his  return  in 
the  spring,  which  he  did,  being  only  about  fourteen 
years  of  age  then. 


2:6 


HISTORY   OF   CENTEE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


He  came  to  Centre  County  in  1800,  and  engaged 
witli  John  Dunlop  as  a  clerk  in  tlie  iron-works.  In 
May,  1814,  lie  was  married  to  the  widow  of  Col.  W. 
AV.  Miles  [nee  Ann  Boggs),  and  then  entered  into 
the  mercantile  business  with  his  brother  David,  in 
Bellefonte.  Jn  October,  1818,  he  was  elected  sheriflT 
of  Centre  County,  and  as  such  became  the  executioner 
of  Munks. 

Mr.  Mitchell's  ability  as  a  surveyor  and  engineer 
was  so  universally  recognized  that  he  became  con- 
stantly employed  in  such  services.  In  1821  he  laid 
out  the  Centre  and  Kishacoquillas  turnpike  and 
superintended  its  construction,  and  subsequently  as 
engineer  located  many  of  the  turnpikes  in  the  middle 
and  northern  portions  of  the  State.  In  the  fall  of 
1822  he  was  elected  to  the  Assembly,  and  re-elected 
in  1823.  When  elected  to  Congress  the  first  time,  in 
1824,  he  was  in  the  mountains  surveying,  and  re- 
turned the  second  day  after  the  election.  He  had 
been  gone  three  weeks,  and  James  M.  Petrikin  was 
about  starting  out  to  hunt  him  up  and  inform  him 
of  it.  In  October,  1826,  when  he  ran  the  second  time, 
there  was  but  one  vote  against  bim  in  the  Bellefonte 
box.  This  was  attributed  to  Mr.  Norris,  brother-in- 
law  of  John  Brown,  one  of  the  opposing  candidates. 
He,  however,  denied  the  impeachment. 

In  the  summer  of  1826,  under  the  directions  of  the 
canal  commissioners,  he  made  a  survey  and  exami- 
nation of  the  proposed  canal  routes  between  the  Sus- 
quehanna and  Potomac,  commencing  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Conedogwinet,  above  Harrisburg,  and  running 
west  as  far  as  Green  village,  in  Franklin  County; 
thence  continued  to  Gettysburg,  etc. 

In  1827  he  was  appointed  engineer  on  the  Erie 
Extension,  connecting  with  the  Beaver  Division 
above  New  Castle,  and  running  to  Erie,  superintend- 
ing the  construction  of  the  French  Creek  feeder, 
which  was  the  first  part  of  the  work. 

In  1829  he  was  appointed  by  the  Legislature  one  of 
the  canal  commissioners,  reappointed  by  Governor 
Wolf  in  1830,  and  continued  in  office  until  the  ad- 
vent of  Governor  Ritner's  administration.  It  was  in 
this  office  that  the  peculiar  talents  of  Mr.  Mitchell 
shone  most  conspicuously.  Possessing  strong  com- 
mon sense,  an  intuitive  sagacity,  and  a  complete 
knowledge  of  mankind,  he  united  with  these  quali- 
ties great  coolness  and  discretion,  an  indefatigable 
perseverance,  supported  by  an  iron  constitution.  Ac- 
customed from  early  life  to  endure  privations,  often 
voluntarily  undergone,  neither  the  storms  of  winter 
nor  the  heat  of  summer  interfered  with  the  steady 
performance  of  liis  duty.  His  habit  was  to  get  up 
before  five  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  do  a  large 
amount  of  brain-work  before  breakfast.  He  was 
Presidential  elector  on  the  Van  Buren  and  Johnston 
ticket  in  1835,  and  after  his  removal  by  Governor 
Ritner  in  1836  he  went  into  the  iron  business,  the 
firm  of  John  Mitchell  &  Co.  owning  and  managing 
Hecla  and  Mill  Hall  Furnaces.     He  failed  in  that 


business  in  1838,  and  in  1839  was  appointed  superin- 
tendent of  the  Beaver  Division  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Canal,  and  in  1842  removed  from  Centre  County  to 
Bridgewater,  Beaver  Co. 

In  1844,  when  Francis  R.  Shunk,  who  had  been 
clerk  of  the  canal  board  under  Mr.  Mitchell,  was 
elected  Governor,  he  promised  Mr.  Mitchell  the  office 
of  surveyor-general,  but  there  being  factions  in  the 
Democratic  party,  and  Mr.  Mitchell  standing  with 
ex-Governor  Porter,  Governor  Shunk  did  not  redeem 
his  promise.  This  Governor  Shunk  regretted  bit- 
terly, saying  he  could  not  help  it,  and  was  forced  by 
circumstances. 

On  the  1st  of  January,  1845,  the  State  transferred 
the  Beaver  Division  to  the  Erie  Canal  Company. 
This  company  reappointed  Mr.  Mitchell,  and  in  the 
performance  of  the  duties  of  the  office  be  p.issed  the 
remainder  of  his  days.  Tlie  last  years  of  his  life 
were  clouded  by  the  death  of  bis  son  David,  who  was 
wounded  in  battle  in  Mexico,  and  died  at  Perote. 

Mr.  Mitchell  died  at  Bridgewater,  Aug.  3,  1849,  of 
cholera.  One  of  his  daughters,  Mrs.  Martha  Kepliart, 
resides  at  Unionville,  Centre  County  ;  the  other,  Mrs. 
N.  H.  Dickson,  wife  of  Dr.  Joseph  Dickson,  at  Pitts- 
burgh. 

Montgomery,  John,  died  in  Bellefonte,  March  3, 
1878.  He  came  to  Bellefonte  in  April,  1838.  He 
left  a  wife  and  four  sons, — W.  W.  Montgomery,  at 
one  time  postmaster  of  Bellefonte;  Capt.  H.  H. 
Montgomery,  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-eighth 
Regiment;  Moses,  teller  of  the  First  National  Bank  ; 
and  Frank,  a  merchant;  one  daughter,  Mrs.  Bul- 
lock, all  residents  of  the  place.  One  son,  William, 
died  in  the  Confederate  prison  at  Salisbury,  N.  C, 
during  the  war.  Mr.  Montgomery  was  sixty-nine 
years  old  on  the  17th  of  January,  1878,  and  was  of 
Irish  descent.  He  came  to  this  place  from  Lancaster 
County,  where  he  was  born,  and  had  several  brothers 
and  sisters.  One  of  the  former,  Moses  Montgomery, 
died  in  Minnesota  a  couple  of  years  ago  at  the  age  of 
seventy-five.  One  of  his  sisters  was  named  Alice. 
Mr.  Montgomery  was  apprenticed  to  the  tailor  trade 
in  Philadelphia,  but  on  accountof  the  hardness  of  his 
master  he  ran  away  from  him  and  returned  to  Colum- 
bia, where  he  carried  on  business  for  himself  until 
1838,  when  he  came  to  Bellefonte.  His  wife,  who 
survives  him,  was  Miss  Catharine  Whiteman,  of  Phil- 
adelphia. 

MussER,  Capt.  John,  was  the  second  son  of  Jonas 
Musser,  of  Gregg  township.  He  was  an  officer  in  the 
Marion  Infantry  in  volunteer  days,  under  Capt.  Fisher. 
He  removed  to  Stephenson  County,  111.,  and  entered 
into  the  mercantile  business.  He  was  elected  a  cap- 
tain of  a  company  in  the  Forty-sixth  Illinois,  and 
was  badly  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Pittsburgh  Land- 
ing, April  6,  1862,  and  died  after  amputation  of  his 
limb  at  Quincy,  111.,  April  24th,  aged  twenty-eight 
years.  Two  younger  brothers  also  belonged  to  his 
company. 


BIOGRAPUICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL. 


217 


McClelland,. Thomas,  Spring,  died  Oct.  31, 1841, 
aged  eighty-one.  His  wife  died  Sept.  17,  1853,  aged 
a2venty-six. 

McClure,  William,  Spring,  died  Oct.  14,  1832. 

McCoNNELL,  Alexander,  died  June  16,  1846, 
aged  sixty-six. 

McKee,  Elizabeth,  wife  of  George,  and  daughter 
of  Jolm  Gregg,  of  Bellefonte,  died  Oct.  11,  1801. 

McLanahan,  J.  D.,  died  Dec.  21,  1853,  aged  fifty- 
six. 

Miles,  Samuel,  Miles  township,  died  Feb.  27, 
1846,  aged  forty-eiglit. 

Miles,  Susan,  Mrs.,  died  July  10,  1830,  aged 
ninety. 

Mitchell,  David,  Bellefonte,  died  Sept.  2,  1859, 
aged  seventy-one. 

Moser,  Jacob,  Harris,  died  -Aug.  28,  1853,  aged 
seventy-nine. 

Musser,  Philip,  Gregg,  died  March  1,  1844,  aged 
seventy-six. 

Newell,  William,  died  July  27,  1875,  in  Clarion 
County,  aged  eighty. 

Neff,  Maj.  John,  died  at  Centre  Hall,  April  4, 
1870,  aged  eighty.  His  eldest  daughter,  wife  of  C. 
Dale,  Sr.,  died  at  Oak  Hall  Mills,  Nov.  5,  1874,  aged 
sixty-six. 

Noll,  George,  died  Jan.  31,  1878,  aged  seventy- 
five,  at  Pleasant  Gap  (father  of  Emanuel  Noll,  Mrs. 
Harnian,  and  Mrs.  C.  Taylor). 

NoRRis,  Mary,  wife  of  John  Norris,  Esq.,  died 
June  26,  1853,  aged  seventy-five. 

Packer,  James,  died  at  Howard,  June  3,  1814, 
aged  forty-two.  He  was  born  in  Chester  County  ;  a 
son  of  James  Packer  and  Rose  Mendenhall.  His 
children  were  Hezekiah  B.  Packer,  late  associate 
judge  of  Lycoming  County,  ex-Governor  William  F. 
Packer,  John  P.  Packer,  late  of  Flemington,  Sarah 
B.  (Mrs.  N.  J.  Mitchell),  and  James  Packer. 

Charity  Bye,  daughter  of  Hezekiah  Bye  and  Sarah 
Pettit,  wife  of  James  Packer,  was  born  in  Bucks 
County  in  1780.  At  the  death  of  her  husband  she 
was  left  a  widow,  in  charge  of  five  small  children,  tlie 
oldest  not  over  nine  years  of  age.  She  was  a  member 
of  the  Society  of  Friends,  and  one  of  its  brightest  or- 
naments, and  had  more  than  ordinary  mental  powers. 
She  continued  a  widow  eight  years,  during  which  time 
she  brought  up  her  children  in  a  manner  wliich  elic- 
ited the  undivided  commendation  of  tlie  community. 
So  praiseworthy  was  her  care  that  in  a  proceeding 
before  the  Orphans'  Court  the  president  remarked 
from  the  bench,  "  Tliat  the  manner  in  which  she  had 
discharged  her  duty  to  them  as  a  mother  was  not  only 
creditable  to  herself  but  honor.able  to  the  county,  and 
that  her  conduct  furnished  a  bright  example  to  her 
whole  sex." 

Her  second  husband  was  Mr.  Job  Way.  Mrs.  Way 
died  in  Howard  township,  April  24, 1839,  in  the  fifty- 
ninth  year  of  her  age.  Her  funeral  was  attended  by 
an  immense  concourse  of  people.    "  Her  children 


arise  and  call  her  blessed,  and  her  own  works  praise 

her  in  the  gates." 

Packer,  William  F.,  died  at  his  residence  in  Wil- 
liamsport,  Lycoming  Co.,  on  Tuesday  afternoon,  Sept. 
27, 1870.  He  was  the  second  son  of  James  and  Charity 
Packer,  and  was  born  in  Howard  township,  Centre 
Co.,  Pa.,  on  the  2d  day  of  April,  1807.  In  January, 
1820,  when  in  his  thirteentli  year,  Governor  Packer 
entered  the  office  of  Samuel  J.  Packer,  a  kinsman  of 
his,  who  publislied  a  newspaper  at  Sunbury,  entitled 
the  Public  Inquirer,  engaging  himself  as  an  apprentice. 
The  paper  was  discontinued  in  the  fall  of  that  year, 
and  he  returned  to  Centre  County  and  completed  his 
apprenticeship  in  the  office  of  the  Bellefonte  Patriot, 
then  under  the  control  of  Henry  Petrikin,  who  sub- 
sequently became  a  distinguished  member  of  the  State 
Legislature  and  was  Deputy  Secretary  of  the  Common- 
wealth under  GovernorShunk.  At  the  meeting  of  the 
Legislature,  in  December,  1825,  he  came  to  Harrisburg 
and  worked  as  a  journeyman  printer  in  the  office  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Intelligencer,  of  which  Hon.  Simon  Cam- 
eron was  at  that  time  one  of  the  proprietors.  Here  he 
remained  till  1827,  when  he  went  to  Williamsport  and 
entered  his  name  as  a  student  at  law  in  the  office  of 
Joseph  B.  Anthony.  He  never  applied  for  admission 
to  the  bar,  yet  the  knowledge  thus  acquired  of  the  ru- 
diments of  the  common  law  was  of  great  value  to  him 
in  the  public  stations  he  subsequently  filled. 

In  the  fall  of  1827  he  purchased  an  interest  in  the 
Lycomincj  Gazette,  and  in  1829  he  became  its  sole  pro- 
prietor. On  the  24th  of  December,  in  this  year,  he 
was  married  to  Mary  W.  Vanderbelt,  daughter  of 
Peter  Vanderbelt,  Esq.,  a  highly-respected  citizen  of 
Williamsport,  who  (1882)  still  survives  him. 

In  1831  he  was  especially  prominent  in  securing 
appropriations  for  the  completion  of  the  West  Branch 
Division  of  the  Pennsylvania  Canal,  and  in  June, 
1832,  was  appointed  superintendent  of  that  division. 
He  disbursed  more  than  a  million  and  a  quarter  of 
the  appropriations  without  any  loss  to  the  Common- 
wealth, and  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  people. 
He  held  this  office  until  the  spring  of  1835,  when  the 
canal  was  completed  to  Fqrrandsville  and  the  office 
abolished. 

In  the  campaign  of  1835,  Mr.  Packer  took  a  leading 
and  active  pare  in  favor  of  the  renomination  and  re- 
election of  Governor  George  Wolf,  and  notwithstand- 
ing the  schism  in  the  Democratic  State  Convention, 
and  his  own  nomination  in  the  Centre  District  for 
State  senator,  he  continued  to  press,  through  the 
columns  of  the  Gazette,  the  claims  of  Governor  Wolf, 
regardless  of  personal  considerations.  When  it  was 
plain  he  could  not  be  himself  elected  without  the  sup- 
port of  the  Muhlenberg  wing  of  the  party,  Ritner's 
friends  promptly  combined  with  the  friends  of  Mr. 
Muhlenberg  upon  Alexander  Irvin,  of  Clearfield 
County,  and  defeated  Mr.  Packer. 

His  connection  with  the  Gazette  continued  till  1836, 
when  he  left  it  in  a  flourishing  condition  and  with  a 


218 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


wide  influence,  and  united  himself  with  Benjamin 
Parlce  and  O.  Barrett  in  establishing  The  Keystone  at 
Harrisburg,  a  paper  which  soon  commanded  the  con- 
fidence and  support  of  the  Democratic  party  of  the 
State.  The  enterprise  was  successful,  and  the  firm  of 
Packer,  Barrett  &  Parke  continued  till  1841,  when 
Mr.  Packer  retired  from  it. 

In  February,  1839,  Mr.  Packer,  who  had  contrib- 
uted largely  to  the  election  of  David  R.  Porter  as 
Governor  the  previous  year,  was  appointed  by  him 
one  of  the  three  canal  commissioners  of  the  State. 
At  the  commencement  of  Governor  Porter's  second 
term,  in  1842,  he  was  appointed  auditor-general,  and 
discharged  the  duties  of  that  oflice  until  May  1,  1845. 
In  1846  he  was  duly  elected  a  member  of  the  House 
of  Representatives  from  the  district  composed  of  the 
counties  of  Lycoming,  Clinton,  and  Potter,  but  by  a 
mistake  in  carrying  out  the  returns  of  Potter  town- 
ship, Clinton  County,  his  opponent  was  returned  as 
elected,  and  actually  served  the  whole  session  before 
the  error  was  discovered.  The  succeeding  year,  being 
again  a  candidate,  he  was  elected  by  a  majority  of 
over  fifteen  hundred. 

Although  this  was  his  first  appearance  as  a  member 
of  a  legislative  body,  his  reputation  was  such  that  he 
was  chosen  to  preside  over  the  House  as  its  Speaker. 
He  was  again  elected  in  1848  by  an  increased  majority, 
although  the  political  tide  ran  heavily  against  his 
party  that  year.  There  was  a  tie  in  the  House,  and 
there  might  have  been  a  protracted  struggle  for  the 
Speakership  if  Mr.  Packer  had  not  been  a  member. 
But  in  fitness  for  the  position  he  towered  so  far  above 
all  the  rest  that  the  chair  was  at  once  given  to  him. 
How  worthy  he  was  of  this  distinction  a  single  fact 
will  show  :  no  decision  of  his_ever  w.as  reversed  by 
the  House.  Once  only  was  an  appeal  from  his  de- 
cision taken,  and  in  that  instance,  after  he  had  stated 
his  reasons,  the  member  who  took  the  appeal  voted  to 
sustain  the  decision,  as  did  the  whole  House. 

Perfectly  posted  in  parliamentary  usage,  always 
right  upon  questions  of  order,  never  at  a  loss,  disre- 
garding personal  and  political  friendships  when 
wielding  the  gavel,  he  w^s  unquestionably  the  best 
presiding  ofiicer  of  the  many  very  able  men  who  have 
occupied  the  Speaker's  chair  in  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives of  Pennsylvania. 

Familiar  with  current  literature  and  with  the  teach- 
ings of  history  and  philosophy,  he  was  in  addition  a 
close  reasoner  and  logical  debater;  of  commanding 
presence,  gifted  with  a  musical  voice,  he  ranked  among 
the  foremost  orators  in  the  State,  speaking  with  great 
power,  deep  pathos,  and  always  to  the  point  at  issue. 

In  1849,  Mr.  Packer  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate 
from  the  district  composed  of  Lycoming,  Clinton, 
Centre,  and  Sullivan  Counties.  His  opponent  in  this 
contest  was  Hon.  Andrew  G.  Curtin,  who  in  18G0 
succeeded  him  as  Governor.  In  this  body  he  at  once 
took  rank  as  a  leading  member,  and  left  his  impress 
upon  the  Legislature  of  the  State. 


When  the  three  hundred  dollars  exemption  law 
was  passed,  April  9,  1849,  Mr.  Packer  supported  it 
with  all  of  his  ability.  In  1850,  being  in  the  Senate, 
he  presented  a  petition  from  some  of  his  own  con- 
stituents for  its  repeal,  but  at  the  same  time  avowed 
his  fixed  determinfltion  to  resist  its  repeal.  "  I  would 
not,"  said  he,  "permit  the  covetous  and  hardhearted 
creditor  to  drive  his  unfortunate  debtor,  naked  and 
penniless,  out  upon  the  cold  charities  of  an  inhospit- 
able world.  The  laws  that  authorize  such  a  proce- 
dure should  be  blotted  from  the  pages  of  the  statute 
books  of  every  State  in  this  Union.  They  are  repug- 
nant to  the  spirit  of  the  age  and  revolting  to  human- 
ity. Like  the  laws  sanctioning  imprisonment  for 
debt,  they  should  be  repudiated  by  every  philan- 
thropic legislator;  they  should  exist  but  in  the  history 
of  the  past,  an  obsolete  idea.  It  has  been  truly  said, 
Mr.  Speaker,  that  he  who  sells  out  the  last  little 
property  of  a  wife  and  family  of  small  children  of  a 
rash,  heedless,  and  perhaps  intemperate  husband  and 
father,  and  afterwards  with  a  cheerful  countenance 
goes  home  to  dine,  goes  home  to  feast  on  human 
hearts.  Sir,  money  thus  obtained  has  a  damning 
curse  upon  it." 

In  the  Senate  he  especially  distinguished  himself, 
and  conferred  an  incalculable  benefit  upon  the  West 
Branch  valley  by  introducing  and  carrying  through 
the  bill  to  incorporate  the  Susquehanna  Railroad 
Company.  This  bill  was  bitterly  opposed  as  contra- 
vening a  supposed  policy  of  Pennsylvania  which  op- 
posed the  building  of  a  road  leading  across  the  line 
of  its  improvements  and  directly  to  cities  of  other 
States. 

Perhaps  the  ablest  speech  of  his  life,  however,  v,'as 
made  on  a  bill  reported  in  the  Senate  to  levy  a  tax  of 
twenty-five  cents  per  ton  on  all  freight  and  fifteen 
cents  on  each  passenger  passing  over  the  York  and 
Cumberland  Railroad,  delivered  on  the  21st  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1851.  It  was  a  masterly  effort,  based  upon 
liberal  and  statesmanlike  ideas,  made  a  profound  im- 
pression at  the  time,  and  carried  a  weight  of  argument 
that  was  conclusive  of  the  question  ;  and  no  true 
Pennsylvanian  can  at;  this  day  read  it  without  being 
proud  of  that  speech  and  of  the  issue  of  that  con- 
test. 

Upon  the  organization  of  the  Susquehanna  Rail- 
road Company,  in  June,  1852,  Mr.  Packer  was  made 
its  first  president.  In  1854,  the  Legislature  having  an- 
nulled the  charter  of  the  Franklin  Canal  Company  and 
assumed  the  control  of  the  railroad  built  by  that 
company  from  Erie  to  the  Ohio  State  line,  Mr. 
Packer  was  appointed  to  take  charge  of  the  road. 
He  continued  to  discharge  the  duties  of  that  appoint- 
ment until  the  Lake  Shore  Railroad  difficulties  were 
finally  and  satisfactorily  settled. 

Mr.  Packer  was  a  delegate  to  the  Baltimore  Conven- 
tion of  1835,  whick  nominated  Martin  Van  Buren  for 
President  and  Richard  M.  Johnston  for  Vice-Presi- 
dent, and  also  to  the  Cincinnati  Convention  of  1856, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL. 


219 


which  nominated  James  Buchanan  for  the  Presidency, 
and  when  the  platform  was  reported  to  the  conven- 
tion, it  was  Mr.  Packer  wlio  moved  its  adoption  "  witli- 
outtlie  crossing  of  a  i  or  tlie  dotting  of  an  /,"  and  liis 
motion  was  unanimously  carried. 

When  the  Democratic  State  Convention  met  at 
Harrisburg  in  March,  1857,  to  nominate  a  candidate 
for  Governor,  William  F.  Packer's  name  was  pre- 
sented to  it,  and  he  received  the  highest  vote  on  the 
first  and  every  subsequent  ballot,  until  he  finally  re- 
ceived a  majority  of  all  the  votes  and  was  declared 
unanimously  nominated.  There  were  two  other  can- 
didates ill  the  field,  Hon.  David  Wilmot  and  Hon. 
Isaac  Hazlehurst.  Mr.  Packer  was  elected,  beating 
Mr.  Wilmot  42,747,  and  having  a  majority  of  14,579 
over  the  combined  vote  of  both  of  his  competitors. 
He  was  inaugurated  as  Governor  on  the  third  Tues- 
day of  January,  1858. 

The  record  of  his  administration  is  a  part  of  the 
volume  of  State  history  very  honorable  to  him,  especi- 
ally the  firm  stand  he  took  upon  the  Kansas  question. 
He  retired  from  public  life  at  the  close  of  his  term, 
and  I'eturned  to  his  home  in  Williamsport. 

In  stature  he  was  six  feet  in  height,  and  weighed 
two  hundred  and  twenty-five  pounds.  He  had  blue 
eyes,  chestnut-brown  hair,  a  fair  complexion,  capa- 
cious forehead,  indicating  great  intellectual  power. 
His  address  was  frank,  open,  and  cordial,  and  his  con- 
versational powers  pleasing  and  attractive. 

He  left  a  widow  and  six  children, — Boyd  C,  Albert 
(since  deceased),  Mary  (wife  of  James  C.  Clarke), 
Sarah  B.  (Mrs.  Elisha  Ellis,  of  Easton),  Anne  (wife 
of  J.  A.  Woodward,  Esq.,  now  living  on  the  old  home- 
stead), anci  Mrs.  Ellen  B.  Eccles,  of  Williamsport. 

Patton,  Col.  John,  was  born  in  Sligo,  Ireland,  iu 
1745,  emigrated  to  Philadelphia,  and  entered  the  Rev- 
olutionary war  as  major  of  Col.  Samuel  Miles'  battal- 
ion March  13, 1776.  He  was,  Jan.  11, 1777,  promoted 
to  colonel  of  one  of  the  sixteen  additional  regiments 
by  Gen.  Washington.  After  the  war  he  removed  to 
Centre  County,  then  Mifflin,  and  built  Centre  Fur- 
nace. He  was  appointed  major-general  April  18, 
1800.  He  failed  in  1802  and  died  in  1804,  and  is 
buried  in  the  churchyard  at  Boalsburg.  His  wife, 
Jane  Davis,  was  a  sister  of  Capt.  Benjamin  Davis,  of 
the  Revolution,  and  of  Capt.  Joseph  Davis,  who  was 
killed  by  the  savages  while  the  regiment  was  on  its 
way  to  join  Gen.  Sullivan  in  Wyoming  in  1779. 
Mrs.  Patton  died  at  Huntingdon  iu  1832,  aged  eighty 
years. 

Their  eldest  daughter,  Rachel,  born  May  9,  1779, 
married  John  Rose,  a  Scotchman  and  lawyer.  She 
died,  and  he  then  married  Miss  Sarah  Scott,  mother 
of  Mrs.  Hon.  R.  C.  Grier.  William  Patton,  born 
Aug.  8,  1781,  married  Henrietta  Anthony,  and  died 
in  Wellsboro'.  John,  born  Feb.  8,  1783,  married  Su- 
sanna Antes.  He  was  associate  judge  of  Clearfield 
County,  succeeding  his  brother-in-law,  Moses  Boggs. 
Gen.  Patten's  other  children  were  Frances,  Benjamin, 


Joseph,  Edward,  Ann,  Jane,  Samuel,  who  married 

Miss  Mary  Norris,  daughter  of  John  Norris,  Esq., 
cashier  of  old  bank  at  Bellefonte,  and  Ellen  Patton. 
John  Patton,  Jr.,  laid  out  Pattonville  (now  Pine 
Grove  Mills)  in  1815  ;  removed  to  Tioga  County  in 
1817,  and  was  prothonotary  of  that  county,  but  re- 
turned to  Milesburg  in  1825,  whence  he  removed  to 
Clearfield  County.  He  was  the  father  of  Gen.  John 
Patton,  of  Curwensville. 

Pearce,  Marmaduke,  was  born  at  Paoli,  Aug. 
18,  177C,  and  in  1805  came  to  Centre  County,  and 
was  engaged  as  a  book-keeper  for  Gen.  Benner.  In 
1808  Methodist  preachers  held  service  at  Rockwell's, 
when  Mr.  Pearce  w.as  converted,  and  was  invited  soon 
after  to  teach  the  Bellefonte  Academy.  This  be  de- 
clined in  order  to  fit  himself  for  the  ministry.  He 
was  licensed  in  1811,  married  in  1815  to  Jane  Potter, 
daughter  of  Fergus,  and  after  a  long  and  successful 
ministry,  died  on  the  11th  of  September,  1852.  Of 
his  children  were  Stewart  Pearce,  of  Wilkesbarre, 
Rev.  John  J.  Pearce,  former  member  of  Coijgress 
from  the  Centre  Di.strict,  by  his  second  wife,  Mrs. 
Frances  Hewes,  of  Bellefonte,  and  Nancy  and  Jane 
Pearce  were  children  of  his  first  wife. 

Peteikin,  Wii-liam,  Esq.,  died  at  Bellefonte  on 
the  2d  of  October,  1821,  in  the  sixtieth  year  of  his 
age.  He  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  and  an  ardent 
love  of  liberty  was  the  cause  of  his  emigration  to  the 
United  States.  He  settled  at  Carlisle,  Pa.,  and  at  an 
early  age  took  great  interest  in  politics.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  convention  which  assembled  at  Har- 
risburg, Sept.  3,  1788,  favorable  to  a  revision  of  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States,  which  had  been 
adopted  the  year  previous.  He  was  appointed  a 
justice  of  the  peace  for  Cumberland  County  in  1795, 
and  at  that  time  commenced  the  study  of  law,  and, 
although  he  never  practiced,  was  well  versed  in  that 
dry  and  abstruse  science.  He  was  raised  and  educated 
in  the  tenets  of  the  Secession  Church  of  Scotland, 
and  was  always  a  member  of  that  church.  He  was 
well  versed  in  the  history  of  sects  and  in  politics,  had 
read  very  largely  in  works  of  merit.  He  removed 
to  Centre  County  when  the  formation  of  the  county 
was  agitated,  January,  1796,  and  was  appointed  one  of 
its  first  justices,  Oct.  22,  1800.  On  the  accession  of 
Governor  Snyder  he  was  appointed  (May  10,  1809) 
register  and  recorder  of  Centre  County,  which  oflSce 
he  held  until  Feb.  8,  1821. 

His  wife,  Elizabeth  (McEwen),  died  Oct.  9,  1832, 
aged  seventy-one  years.  Their  sons  were  all  men  of 
note  and  ability.  Dr.  David,  of  Danville,  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Twenty-fifth  and  Twenty-sixth  Congresses, 
and  died  at  Danville,  March  1,  1847.  He  was  the 
father  of  B.  Rush  Petrikin,  Esq.  Henry  and  James  M. 
Petrikin  are  severally  noticed.  John  D.  was  another 
son,  and  Thomas  J.,  who  died  at  Johnstown,  July  10, 
1881,  upwards  of  eighty  years  of  age.  His  eldest 
daughter,  Elizabeth,  died  Oct.  15, 1846,  aged  sixty-two. 
His  daughter  Nancy  was  married  to  Saniuel  Harris, 


220 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


of  Bellefonte,  liither  of  John  P.  Harris,  cashier  of  the 
First  National  Bank.  William  A.  Petrikin  went  to 
Muncy  in  October,  1819,  and  became  a  leading  man 
in  that  county.  Two  of  his  sons,  J.  M.  B.  Petrikin 
and  Henry  Petrikin,  have  represented  Lycoming 
County  in  the  Legislature,  while  another  son,  R.  B. 
Petrikin,  of  Huntingdon,  has  represented  the  Centre 
District  in  the  State  Senate. 

Petrikin,  Hon.  Henry,  died  at  the  Merchants' 
Hotel  in  Philadelphia,  Nov.  8,  1849.  He  was  the 
first  white  child  born  in  Bellefonte,  in  the  year  1798, 
a  printer  by  profession,  and  for  many  years  editor 
of  the  Bellefonte  Patriot.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
House  in  1828-30,  State  senator  in  1826  for  Judge 
Burnside's  unexpired  term,  and  senator  1831-35. 
He  was  Deputy  Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth 
from  1839-42  and  from  1845-48.  At  the  close  of 
his  life  he  was  superintendent  of  the  railroad  around 
the  Inclined  Plane.  He  was  buried  at  Harrisburg, 
according  to  his  own  request. 

Petrikin,  James  M.,  was  a  son  of  William 
Petrikin.  He  studied  law  with  Judge  Burnside,  and 
was  elected  to  the  Legislature  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
two.  He  married,  May  18,  1830,  Elizabeth,  daughter 
of  Dr.  Thomas  Wallace,  a  former  physician  of  Belle- 
fonte. Mr.  Petrikin  died  April  6,  1838,  leaving  a 
widow  and  two  cliildren, — Lieut.  Hardman  Petrikin, 
of  the  Fifth  Reserves,  who  was  killed  the  night  pre- 
ceding the  battle  of  Antietani,  and  Miss  Marion, 
who  resides  in  Bellefonte  with  her  mother.  Mr. 
Petrikin  was  a  brilliant  lawyer,  a  great  wit,  and 
often  indulged  his  talent  as  an  artist,  which  was 
very  great,  in  drawing  sketches  and  likenesses.  Mrs. 
Petrikin  is  a  granddaughter  of  Adam  McKee,  one  of 
the  first  settlers  in  Bellefonte,  and  still  resides  on  the 
premises  formerly  owned  by  Adam  McKee. 

Mr.  Petrikin  had  a  keen  sense  of  the  ridiculous, 
and  often  indulged  his  fun  at  the  expense  of  even 
his  own  clients.  On  one  occasion  two  neighbors, 
while  under  the  influence  of  liquor,  had  a  fight, 
which  resulted  in  the  biting  of  one's  thumb.  The 
latter  prosecuted  and  employed  Mr.  Petrikin.  The 
client  was  in  the  habit  of  using  rather  big  words, 
and  Mr.  Petrikin  supplied  him  with  more.  The 
prosecutor  said  the  defendant  mendaciously  called 
him  a  whelp,  and  when  he  told  him  he  was  another 
he  audaciously,  ferociously,  and  emphatically  bit  my 
thumb.  Mr.  Petrikin  said  the  abrogation,  of  his 
thumb  was  the  strong  point ;  that  it  appeared  to  be  a 
small  neighborhood  fight,  but  if  he  could  conscien- 
tiously swear  that  the  defendant  had  emphatically 
abrogated  his  thumb  the  jury  would  probably  convict 
him. 

The  case  came  on  and  the  prosecutor  wiis  placed 
upon  the  stand.  He  commenced  to  throw  in  the  big 
words,  and  when  he  came  to  the  emphatical  abroga- 
tion of  his  thumb,  the  uproar  in  the  court-room  was 
tremendous,  and  some  time  elapsed  before  order  could 
be  restored. 


After  military  encampments  the  county  newspapers 
teemed  with  cards  of  thanks  to  divers  persons,  from 
generals  to  captains.     Some  of  them  were  so  very 
fulsome  as  to  afford  material  for  fun  to  Mr.  Petrikin. 
Once  returning   from  a  trip  to  Casper  Peters'  saw- 
mill he  picked  up  a  newspaper  filled  almost  with 
cards,  and  it  occurred  to  him  to  indite  one  himself, 
sic  (for  the  gate-keepers  on  the  turnpike)  : 
"CAno  OF  Thanks. 
"For  lolling  me  tlirough  the  gates, 
My  ttiaiiks  .ire  due 
To  little  Diiii  Bilew 
And  Billy  Adatns  too." 

Pettit,  William,  Esq.,  came  from  Frederick 
County,  Md.,  to  what  is  now  Walker  townsliip  in 
1794,  to  build  a  saw-mill  for  Mr.  McClellan.  He  con- 
cluded to  make  the  county  his  liome,  and  married 
Anna,  a  daughter  of  Henry  McEwen.  In  1807  he 
removed  to  Bellefonte,  and  in  1824  was  appointed 
register  and  recorder.  He  died  at  Bellefonte  after  a 
lingering  illness  July  1,  1836,  aged  sixty-five  years. 
He  was  a  man  universally  respected  for  his  honesty 
and  integrity,  and  beloved  for  liis  amenity  of  man- 
ners and  kindness  of  heart.  He  left  five  children, — 
Elizabeth,  Isabella,  S.imuel,  Henry,  and  Anna, 
widow  of  Charles  McBride,  still  living  in  Bellefonte. 
Henry  M.  died  at  Cumberland,  Md.,  April  27,  1812; 
Samuel,  at  Cedar  Springs,  Oct.  24,  1878,  aged  eighty- 
two  years.  Elizabeth  married  Josiah  Alexander,  of 
Penn's  valley.  • 

Potter,  Fergus,  died  in  Harris  townsliip.  May  26, 
1842,  aged  eighty-nii>e  years.  He  was  a  native  of 
Ireland,  emigrated  in  the  year  1784  to  Lancaster 
County,  and  settled  in  Penn's  valley  in  the  year  1792. 
He  was  educated  in  the  faith  and  doctrine  of  the 
Christian  religion  as  held  by  the  Presbyterians,  and 
continued  firmly  attached  to  that  church  until  his 
death.  He  was  liighly  esteemed  for  liis  probity,  can- 
dor, and  moral  worth.  His  children  were  Jane,  mar- 
ried to  Rev.  Marmaduke  ■Pearce;  Robert,  who  died 
near  Linden  Hall ;  John,  who  died  in  Clarion  County 
in  1881 ;  Samuel,  still  living,  father  of  Mrs.  C.  T.  Alex- 
ander and  Mrs.  Abram  Miller;  Joshua,  father  of 
John  F.  Potter,  Esq.;  and  William,  who  died  in  Los 
Angelos,  Cal.  Fergus  Potter's  w"ife  was  Margaret 
McChesney,  of  Pequea,  Lancaster  Co. 

Potter,  James  (Judge),sonof  Gen.  James  Potter, 
was  born  at  his  father's  place  on  the  Conococheague 
Creek,  Antrim  township  (now  Franklin  County),  July 
4,  1767,  being  a  son  of  the  second  wife,  Mary  Pat- 
terson [n4e  Chambers),  who  was  a  sister  of  Capt.  Wil- 
liam Patterson.  He  married,  Dec.  15,  1788,  Mary 
Brown,  daughter  of  William  Brown,  Esq.,  the  first 
settler  at  Reedsville,  now  Blifilin  County.  He  estab- 
lished himself  at  Potter's  Mills  in  1789,  and  on  the 
death  of  his  father  acquired  large  landed  interest, 
and  carried  on  a  store,  mills,  distillery  at  that  place, 
and  succeeded  him  as  deputy  surveyor  of  the  Sixth 
District  in  the  purchase  of  1784. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL. 


221 


In  1790,  owning  in  connection  with  Capt.  Samuel 
Montgomery,  of  Carlisle,  the  site  of  Lewistown,  he 
laid  out  that  town  that  year.  He  was  commissioned 
one  of  tlie  judges  of  the  several  courts  of  Centre 
County  on  the  2d  of  October,  1800,  which  office  he 
held  during  life.  In  1807  he  was  appointed  major- 
general  of  the  Tenth  Military  District. 

Judge  Potter  died  Nov.  2,  1818,  aged  fifty-one. 
Hi.s  widow,  Jlary  Potter,  died  Jan.  6,  1823;  born 
June  15,  1770.  Their  cliildrcn  were  (1)  James 
Potter,  born  Dec.  1,  1789.  The  latter  married,  first, 
Maria  Wilson,  daughter  of  Gen.  William  Wilson,  of 
Cliillisquaque  Mills,  by  whom  he  had  children, — Mrs. 
Susan  Duncan,  of  Lewisburg  ;  William  Wilson  Pot- 
ter, of  Bellefonte ;  late  John  Potter,  Esq.,  of  Wis- 
consin, attorney-at-law  ;  late  George  L.  Potter,  M.D., 
of  Bellefonte.  Mr.  Potter's  second  wife  was  Susan 
Irvin,  widow  of  Thomas  Duncan,  deceased,  whose 
children, — Mrs.  Mary  Crane  resides  in  Chicago,  Mr.s. 
Annie  Spaulding  at  Watertown,  Wis.,  and  a  number 
are  deceased. 

(2)  William  W.  Potter,  Esq. 

(3)  George  Latimer  Potter,  Esq. 

(4)  Mary  P.,  married  to  Dr.  W.  I.  Wilson. 

(5)  John  Potter. 

(6)  Peggy  Crouch  Potter. 

(7)  Slartba  Gregg  Potter  married  Abraham  Val- 
entine. 

(8)  Andrew  Gregg  Potter. 

All  of  whom  are  deceased  except  Gen.  John  Potter, 
of  Wisconsin,  now  eighty-three  years  of  age. 

Potter,  William  W.,  Esq.  (a  grandson  of  Gen. 
James  Potter  of  the  Revolutionary  war),  was  born 
at  Potter's  Mills,  Dec.  18,  1792.  In  August,  1809, 
he  commenced  attending  the  Latin  school  of  Rev. 
Thomas  Hood,  near  Lewisburg,  from  which  he  was 
transferred  to  Dickinson  College  at  Carlisle.  After 
he  graduated  he  read  law  with  Hon.  Charles  Huston, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  April,  1814,  of  which 
for  twenty-five  years  he  was  an  honored  member. 

Affable,  courteous,  and  kind  to  the  junior  mem- 
bers of  the  bar,  he  was  looked  up  to  by  them  as  a 
father.  He  was  an  able  and  judicious  counselor,  and 
an  industrious  and  successful  practitioner  of  the  law, 
and  his  profession  was  his  pride.  Left  with  an  ample 
patrimony,  no  child  of  penury  and  want  was  more  in- 
defatigable and  industrious  in  legal  pursuits,  and  at 
his  death  he  had  no  superior  in  his  district  in  legal 
standing  and  acquirements.  In  1833  the  grand  jury 
of  Union  County  petitioned  the  Governor  for  the  ap- 
pointment as  president  judge  of  that  district. 

In  1832  be  received  the  unanimous  nomination  in 
the  district  for  a  seat  in  Congress,  which  he  declined. 
In  1836  he  was  again  nominated  for  Congress,  and 
was  elected  by  the  largest  majority  ever  given  in  the 
district ;  and  in  1838,  which  was  a  fierce  and  bitter 
political  contest,  was  re-elected  and  died  in  office. 

During  the  sessions  he  represented  this  district  in 
Congress,  by  his   talents,  clear   and    discriminating 


mind,  his  eloquence,  with  a  mild  and  gentlemanly 
demeanor,  he  gained  for  himself  a  high  reputation, 
and  stood  at  the  head  of  the  Democratic  delegation 
from  Pennsylvania. 

Conjrress  was  convened  in  extra  session  on  the  4th 
of  September,  in  consequence  of  the  financial  condi- 
tion of  the  country,  by  President  Van  Buren,  and  on 
the  27th  of  September  Mr.  Potter  made  his  maiden 
speech  in  Co'ngress  on  the  bill  to  postpone  the  fourth 
installment  of  deposit  with  the  States,  which  placed 
him  in  the  front  rank  of  sagacious  counselors  upon  our 
financial  polity. 

His  next  speech,  Jan.  4,  1838,  in  reply  to  Mr. 
Gushing  upon  the  Hayes  resolution  in  relation  to  the 
United  States  Bank,  was  a  masterly  constitutional 
argument.  On  the  12th  of  April  he  delivered  a  re- 
markably eloquent  speech,  exhibiting  extensive  his- 
torical research,  upon  the  resolution  relative  to  the 
Wyoming  flag.  The  peoi)le  of  Wyoming  valley  had 
asked  for  the  flag  their  fathers  had  fought  under,  be- 
lieving the  one  captured  in  Canada  in  the  war  of 
1812  and  in  the  State  Department  was  it ;  but  it 
turned  out  to  be  the  one  the  British  had  fought  under 
during  the  battle  of  Wyoming.  On  the  13th  of  June, 
1838,  he  delivered  a  very  able  and  exhaustive  speech 
on  the  Independent  Treasury  bill,  which  acquired 
for  him  great  notoriety  and  popularity.  We  shall 
allude  only  to  one  other  speech  of  Mr.  Potter,  that 
which  was  delivered  Feb.  18, 1839,  on  issuing  Treasury 
notes  to  meet  the  expenses  of  the  government,  as  a 
brief,  unanswerable,  logical  argument. 

He  died  at  a  comparatively  early  age,  in  his  forty- 
eighth  year,  in  the  midst  of  his  professional  useful- 
ness, and  when  rising  into  national  fame.  His  remains 
were  conveyed  to  the  family  burying-ground  nt  Potter's 
Mills  on  the  morning  of  the  1st  of  October,  attended 
by  the  judges  of  the  court  and  the  members  of  the 
bar  in  a  body.  He  left  no  children.  His  widow, 
Lucy  (Winters)  Potter,  survived  him  until  May  30, 
1875,  when  she  died  in  Bellefonte,  at  the  advanced 
age  of  eighty-four  years.  They  were  married  March 
20,  1815.  She  was  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Judge  Huston  and 
Mrs.  Judge  Burnside. 

Potter,  Mrs.  Lucy,  widow  of  Hon.  W.  W.  Potter, 
died  in  Bellefonte,  May  30,  1875,  aged  eighty-four 
years,  nine  months,  and  two  days.  Mrs.  Potter  was 
a  member  of  a  large  and  rather  remarkable  family, 
her  father  having  been  born  in  1728,  married  in  1747, 
died  in  1794,  children  to  the  number  of  nineteen 
being  born  to  him,  the  eldest  in  1748,  the  youngest 
in  1790,  their  births  extending  over  a  period  of  forty- 
two  years.  William  Winters,  the  father  of  the  de- 
ceased, came  from  Berks  County  to  Northumberland, 
now  Lycoming  County,  in  the  year  1778,  having  pur- 
chased the  farm  lately  known  as  the  Judge  Gricr 
farm,  near  what  was  called  Newberry,  but  now  within 
tlie  corporate  limits  of  the  city  of  Williamsport.  Mr. 
Winters  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Ann 
Boone,  a  sister  of  Col.  Daniel  Boone,  famous  in  the 


222 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


early  annals  of  Kentucky.  His  marriage  took  place 
in  the  year  1747  in  the  then  province  of  Virginia. 
By  this  union  there  were  issue  eleven  children,  four 
males  and  seven  females.  His  eldest  daughter,  Han- 
nah, married  in  Rockingham  County,  Va.,  Abraham 
Lincoln,  the  grandfather  of  ex-President  Lincoln. 
Shortly  before  his  death,  Lincoln,  who  was  killed  by 
the  Indians,  visited  his  fiither-in-law  at  what  is  now 
Williamsport,  and  John  AVinters,  his  brother-in-law, 
returned  with  him  to  Kentucky,  whither  Mr.  Lincoln 
had  removed  after  his  marriage,  John  being  deputed 
to  look  after  some  lands  taken  up  by  Col.  Daniel 
Boone  and  his  father. 

They  traveled  on  font  from  the  farm  by  a  route 
leading  by  where  Bellefonte  novf  is,  the  "  Indian  path 
leading  from  Bald  Eagle  to  Frankstown."  John 
Winters  visited  his  sister,  Mrs.  Potter,  in  1843,  and 
wandering  to  the  hill  upon  which  the  academy  is 
situated,  a  messenger  was  sent  for  him,  his  friends 
thinking  he  had  lost  himself,  but  he  was  only  looking 
for  the  path  he  and  Lincoln  had  trod  sixty  years  be- 
fore, and  pointed  out  with  his  finger  the  course  from 
Spring  Creek  along  Buffalo  Run  to  where  it  crosses 
the  "  long  limestone  valley"  as  being  their  route. 

Upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Winter's  first  wife  in  the 
year  1771,  he  again  in  1774  married.  His  second  wife 
was  Ellen  Campbell,  who  bore  him  eight  children, 
three  males  and  five  females,  of  which  latter  the  sub- 
ject of  this  notice  was  the  youngest.  The  father  of 
Mrs.  Potter  died  in  1794,  and  in  1795,  Mrs.  Ellen 
Winters,  his  widow,  was  licensed  by  the  courts  of 
Lycoming  County  to  keep  a  "house  of  entertain- 
ment" where  Williams]iort  now  is,  where  she  lived 
and  reared  her  own  children,  as  well  as  several  of 
her  step-children.  Here  all  her  daughters  married, 
Mary  becoming  the  wife  of  Charles  Huston,  who  for 
a  number  of  years  adorned  the  bench  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  this  State;  Ellen,  the  wife  of  Thomas  Burn- 
side,  who  was  a  member  of  Congress,  judge  of  the 
Court  of  Common  Pleas,  and  finally  a  justice  of  the 
Supreme  Court ;  Sarah,  the  wife  of  Benjamin  Harris, 
whose  daughter.  Miss  Ellen  Harris,  resides  on  Spring 
Street,  in  Bellefonte;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Thomas 
Alexander,  a  carpenter  and  builder,  who  erected  one 
of  the  first  dwellings  in  Williamsport,  at  the  corner 
of  what  is  now  Pine  and  Third  Streets  in  that  city, 
and  many  of  whose  descendants  are  still  living  in 
Lycoming  County. 

Mrs.  Potter  continued  with  her  mother's  family  in 
Lycoming  County,  frequently  visiting  her  two  sis- 
ters, Mrs.  Huston  and  Mrs.  Burnside,  who  resided  in 
Bellefonte,  where  in  1815  she  was  united  in  marriage 
by  Rev.  James  Linn  with  AVilliam  W.  Potter,  a  young 
and  rising  lawyer,  and  son  of  Gen.  Jitmes  Potter,  one 
of  the  early  settlers  of  this  county.  Here  with  her 
husband  until  his  death,  and  then,  upon  the  marriage 
of  her  niece.  Miss  Lucy  Alexander,  with  Mr.  Edward 
C.  Humes,  she  made  her  home,  having  lived  continu- 
ously in  this  town  since  her  marriage. 


Pruner,  David  L,  Esq.,  died  July  5,  1880,  aged 
seventy-six  years.  Mr.  Pruner  was  born  in  Brush 
valley,  this  county,  near  what  is  now  known  as  Wolf's 
Store,  on  the  4th  day  of  March,  1804.  He  came  to 
Bellefonte  in  1818,  and  it  was  not  long  before  he  began 
to  be  prominent  in  the  business  affairs  of  the  place.  In 
1826  he  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  Denny.  Their  chil- 
dren were  Mrs.  Jacob  Shrom,  Mrs.  John  Hoffer,  Ed- 
ward J.,  of  Tyrone,  Joseph,  and  Robert,  deceased,  and 
a  daughter  living  in  Bellefonte.  Squire  Pruner  was 
identified  with  the  construction  of  the  Bald  Eagle 
Canal,  Tyrone  and  Clearfield  Railroad. 

Parks,  Samuel,  Ferguson,  died  Dec.  2,  1840, 
aged  eighty-three. 

Parsons,  Abraham,  Boggs,  died  April,  1849, 
aged  sixty-six. 

Passmore,  Enoch,  Boggs,  died  March  15,  1842, 
aged  seventy-seven. 

Peters,  Christian,  died  in  Potter,  Feb.  20,  1880, 
aged  eighty-one. 

Pennington,  Henry,  Potter,  died  April  19, 1879, 
aged  seventy-four. 

Philips,  Jonathan,  Millheim,  died  Dec.  12, 
1879,  aged  eighty. 

Rankin,'  William,  was  born  in  Franklin  County, 
Nov.  5,  1770.  He  removed  to  Centre  County  and 
settled  upon  a  farm  two  miles  west  of  Potter's  Mills. 
Shortly  after  he  was  elected  and  ordained  an  elder  of 
the  Sinking  Spring  Church.  He  was  the  second  sheriff 
of  the  county  in  1803,  and  from  1806  to  1810  repre- 
sented the  county  in  the  Legislature.  In  1828  he  re- 
moved to  Ferguson  township,  near  the  Centre  line, 
and  died  Nov.  29,  1847.  Of  his  eleven  children 
were, — 

William  Rankin,  M.D.,  of  Shippensburg,  deceased. 

John  M.  Rankin,  injured  by  a  threshing-macliine, 
from  the  effects  of  which  he  died. 

James  Rankin,  M.D.,  of  Muncy,  deceased. 

Adam  Rankin,  of  Muncy. 

Joseph  Alexander  Rankin,  of  Bellefonte. 

Archibald,  of  Philadelphia. 

Abigail,  who  married  Ephraim  Bailey,  removed  to 
Iowa. 

Rankin,  John,  Esq.,  died  at  the  residence  of  his 
son-in-law,  John  Irvin,  in  Penn's  valley,  April  22, 
1848,  aged  sixty-nine.  He  was  born  in  Franklin 
County,  May  1,  1779,  and  was  an  early  settler  in 
Penn's  valley,  and  for  some  years  an  elder  of  Mr. 
Stuart's  church.  On  his  removal  to  Bellefbnte,  he 
connected  himself  with  the  Presbyterian  Church.  He 
was  sheriff  in  1812,  prothonotary  of  the  county  in 
1818,  and  justice  of  the  peace  1840-44. 

He  married  Isabella  Dundass,  June  7,  1804.  Their 
children:  Mary,  intermarried  with  Alfred  Armstrong, 
died  in  1836,  leaving  one  child,  Mrs.  Mary  Boyd,  of 

1  On  an  assessment  list  of  Bloiitgonicry  townsliip,  Fr.inkliii  Co.,  in 
1786  are  the  names  of  Jiiraes  Rankin,  Sr.  and  Jr.,  and  William  fiankiii. 
James,  John,  and  Jeremiali  Rankin,  brothors  of  William,  came  to  Penn'a 
valk-j-. 


BIOaRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL. 


223 


Wasliington,  D.  C. ;  Isabella,  married  John  Irvin  ; 
Jane,  married  George  S.  Armstrong,  civil  engineer; 
Eliza,  married  James  Gillihind,  died  in  1854;  Wil- 
liam D.  Rankin,  of  Orbisonia;  Dr.  John  C.  Rankin, 
who  died  in  1848,  Saulsburg,  Huntingdon  Co. ;  James 
H.  Rankin,  Esq.,  of  Bellefonte  ;  J.  Duncan  Rankin, 
who  died  in  Boalsburg  in  1872  ;  L.  Calvin  Rankin, 
Fort  JMadi.son,  Iowa. 

Ream,  John  Fkedericic,  was  a  descendant  of 
Eberhardt  Ream,  who  was  already  in  the  country 
when  William  Penn  landed  at  Chester,  and  among 
those  who  welcomed  him  in  1682.  He  lived  to  be 
one  hundred  and  six  years  old,  and  formed  a  colony 
which  built  Reamstown,  in  Lancaster  County.  Here 
John  Frederick  was  born  Oct.  14,  1754.  In  1776, 
with  an  elder  brother,  he  enlisted  in  the  war  of  the 
Revolution,  and  .assisted  in  building  Fort  Lee,  on  the 
Hudson.  The  elder  brother  was  captured  at  Fort 
Washington,  and  perished  with  many  other  prisoners 
in  an  unfinished  church  in  New  York  City  through 
privation  and  exposure.  John  Frederick  served  in 
the  campaign  of  1776-77  in  New  Jersey,  and  wintered 
at  Valley  Forge.  He  also  served  a  tour  of  duty  in 
1781  guarding  the  British  prisoners.  In  1786  he  re- 
moved to  Centre  County,  and  settled  a  short  distance 
above  Centre  Hall,  where  he  reared  a  family  of  six- 
teen children. 

His  son,  Robert  Lee  Ream,  was  born  on  the  Lyon 
farm  (Centre  Hall),  Oct.  16,  1809,  and  married,  in 
1835,  Miss  Lavinia  E.  McDonald,  of  Hagerstown, 
Md.  Vinnie  (Ream)  Hoxie  was  their  third  child, 
born  in  Madison,  Wis.,  in  1849,  and  when  five  years 
old  accompanied  her  parents  to  Washington,  D.  C, 
where  she  has  achieved  a  world-wide  fame.'  This 
statement  is  taken  from  a  letter  from  Robert  Lee 
Ream,  dated  at  W.ishington,  Aug.  22,  1882. 

Among  John  F.  Ream's  children  living  in  Centre 
County  were  Mrs.  George  Rishel,  Mrs.  Peter  Breon, 
Miss  Jane  Ream,  who  died  at  Unionville,  etc. 

Reber,  Abraham,  lived  on  the  place  now  occu- 
pied by  Israel  Feidler,  near  JIadisonburg.  He  came 
from  York  County.  In  1796  he  bought  his  land  from 
Col.  Miles.  About  the  year  1820  he  erected  a  small 
grist-mill  near  Madisonburg,  but  not  long  after  it 
and  a  distillery  close  by,  which  had  been  operated  as 
early  as  1803,  were  burnt  down.  Mr.  Reber  became 
a  member  of  the  Evangelical  Association  in  1806  or 
1807,  and  his  wife  in  1807.  The  ministers  of  this  de- 
nomination used  to  preach  at  his  and  his  brother 
Jacob's  houses  until  the  school-house  at  Madisonburg 
was  built. 

Mr.  Reber  died  about  the  year  1824  or  1825;  his 
wife  Eva  in  1844.  Both  are  buried  on  his  farm,  a 
few  rods  west  of  Henry  Feidler's  home,  in  a  small 
inclosure  reserved  for  a  burial-ground.  Several  of 
their  children    lie   buried  at  the  same   place.     His 


1  Among  Mis.  Hoxie's  lute  works  of  art  is  a  bust  of  llie  liito  Prcsiilcnt 
Galfli'lJ,  ouu  of  Cliiuf  Jii&tice  Waitc,  and  ouc  of  WiUium  Corcoran. 


children  were  Abraham,  Jacob,  John,  Samuel,  Susan, 
Elizabeth,  Sarah,  and  Christina. 

Reber,  Jacob,  was  a  brother  of  Abraham,  just 
mentioned,  and  came  into  the  valley,  it  is  said,  at 
the  same  time.  He  owned  the  land  on  which  Madi- 
sonburg is  situated,  and  laid  out  the  town.  Mr.  Reber 
moved  West  about  forty  years  ago. 

Reynolds,  John,  died  in  Rebersburg,  June  11, 
1873,  aged  seventy-three.  For  many  years  in  the 
younger  and  more  active  days  of  his  life  Mr.  Reyn- 
olds took  an  earnest  and  prominent  part  in  the  public 
and  business  affairs  of  his  neighborhood,  and  in  the 
year  1847  was  elected  to  and  served  one  term  in  the 
State  Legislature.  Positive  in  his  nature,  he  was  a 
man  of  strong  convictions,  but  of  good  impulses  and 
of  inborn  integrity;  and  in  everything  he  did  was 
open,  frank,  and  honorable.  One  of  his  most  notable 
qualities  was  his  great  attachment  for  his  friends,  than 
which  nothing  was  more  ardent. 

Rhone,  Michael,  was  bom  in  Berks  County,  June 
8,  1759.  He  was  one  of  the  eighteen  children  of 
John  Rhone,  who  was  born  in  Hamburg,  Germany, 
in  1698,  and  attained  the  remarkable  age  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  years,  and  died  in  March,  1823, 
and  is  buried  at  Pleasant  Hall,  in  Franklin  Co.,  Pa. 
When  one  hundred  and  five  years  old,  John  Rhone 
revisited  Germany.  When  he  emigrated  a  law  or 
decree  prevented  carrying  of  specie  out  of  his  native 
country,  and  he  converted  his  money  into  merchan- 
dise and  Bibles.  Of  the  latter  some  still  remain  in 
the  family.  The  family  of  eighteen  children  lived  to 
grow  up,  and  one  daughter  who  lived  at  Cumberland, 
Md.,  lined  to  be  one  hundred  and  three  years  old. 

When  Michael  was  a  boy  he  assisted  his  father  in 
conveying  supplies  to  Washington's  army  at  Valley 
Forge,  and  in  1792  removed  to  Haines  township,  from 
which  he  removed  two  years  later  to  the  old  Rhone 
homestead,  now  occupied  by  Leonard  Rhone,  at  the 
western  end  of  the  manor  of  Nottingham,  in  Potter 
township.  The  attraction  of  this  place  was  the  excel- 
lent spring  known  as  the  "Indian  spring"  on  the  In- 
dian path.  Michael -Rhone  died  there  Sept.  16,  1844. 
His  wife,  Catharine  Wagner,  born  also  in  Berks 
County,  died  Aug.  1,  1836.  Their  family  consisted  of 
two  sons  and  seven  daughters.  Of  the  latter,  Anna 
Maria  married  John  Sholder,  and  removed  to  Ohio  ; 
Jane  married  Joseph  Crotzer,  Sr.,  of  Potter  ;  Catha- 
rine married  Jacob  Grossman,  and  emigrated  to  Ste- 
phenson County,  III.;  Elizabeth  married  Jonathan 
Rishel,  and  resided  on  Penn's  Creek;  Nancy  married 
David  Hershberger  (fiither  of  Hezekiah  Hershberffcr, 
Esq.,  of  Bellefonte) ;  John  married  a  Boddorf,  and 
removed  to  Clinton  County  ;  Jacob  married  Sarah 
daughter  .of  Leonard  Kcrstetter,  who  lived  at  the 
Forks  of  Pine  and  Penn's,  and  died  March  19,  1853  ; 
his  widow  still  survives  him.  Of  their  family,  Mary 
M.  married  W^.  J.  Dale;  Sarah  A.  married  John  G. 
Hess,  of  Pine  Grove;  Elizabeth  married  Henry  P. 
Sankey,  of  Potter's  Mills  ;  Margaret  J.  married  Lewis 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


F.  Mason,  and  now  resides  in  Jasper  County,  Iowa ; 
Alice  married  John  W.  Hixon,  and  is  now  residing 
at  Granite  Falls,  Minn.  John  W.  Rhone  married 
Caroline  E.  Keller,  daughter  of  Henry  Keller,  Esq., 
of  Boalsburg,  and  practices  dentistry  at  Bellefonte. 
Of  Leonard  Rhone,  another  son,  a  biography  is  given 
in  full.  Jacob  Rhone,  the  third  son,  went  to  college 
at  Gettysburg,  but  left  college  and  entered  the  service 
of  the  United  States  in  the  Fifty-third  Pennsylvania. 
After  his  discharge  he  returned  to  Gettysburg,  and 
graduated  tliere  in  1868,  entered  Albany  Law-School, 
where  he  graduated  in  1869,  after  which  he  taught 
Pine  Grove  Academy  for  five  years,  after  which  he 
emigrated  with  his  family  to  Granite  Falls,  Minn. 

RiSHEL,  Col.  Johs,  died  in  Gregg  township,  June 
8,  1878.  He  was  a  prominent  friend  of  the  Lewisburg, 
Centre  and  Spruce  Creek  Railroad,  and  was  elected 
commissioner  of  the  county  in  1850,  and  a  prominent 
member  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  He  was  a  justice 
of  the  peace  in  his  township  for  over  twenty  years, 
and  but  very  lew  cases  that  ever  came  before  him,  if 
any,  were  ever  heard  of  afterwards  in  court.  He  pos- 
sessed the  faculty  of  reconciling  and  compromising 
differences  between  disputing  parties  in  an  eminent 
degree,  and  was  never  backward  in  exercising  it,  and 
thus  saved  the  county  the  expense  of  many  a  trial. 

ROYER,  Christopher,  came  to  Miles  township  in 
1807.  He  came  from  Union  County.  Originajly  the 
Royers  were  from  Berks  County.  Mr.  Royer  built 
the  mill  now  owned  by  William  Meyer,  and  owned 
the  land  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  He  was  born 
June  19,  1768,  died  Oct.  16,  1849.  There  are  a  num- 
ber of  descendants  in  Centre  and  Clinton  Qpunties. 
Sous, — Daniel;  Henry;  Amos,  living  in  Ferguson 
townshii),  this  county;  Jefferson,  near  Rebersburg; 
and  Joel,  resident  of  Rebersburg.  Daughters, — Cath- 
arine; Elizabeth,  married  to  Henry  Smull ;  Sarah, 
married  to  Samuel  Winter;  Barbara,  married  to  Wil- 
liam Bierly.  The  daughters  are  all  dead.  Of  the 
sons,  Daniel  and  Henry  are  dead. 

Royer,  John  S.,  was  a  native  of  Bethel  township, 
Berks  County.  He  came  into  Brush  valley  in  1811, 
and  purchased  the  farm  now  owned  by  his  son.  Col. 
Henry  Royer,  from  Conrad  Reber.  He  was  born  Dec. 
12,  1750,  and  died  July  30,  1820. 

RuHL,  JoHX,  was  a  native  of  York  County,  and 
settled  in  Brush  valley  in  1811.  He  owned  the  farm 
north  of  Rebersburg  now  belonging  to  the  estate  of 
his  son,  John  Ruhl,  deceased.  Mr.  Ruhl  was  born 
Jan.  2,  1766,  died  July  8,  1842. 

Ralph,  Thomas,  Spring,  died  April  26, 1845,  aged 
sixty-three  years. 

Rankin,  Jeremiah,  Potter,  died  Feb.  18,  1874, 
aged  ninety-one  years. 

Reamy,  Conead,  died  in  1829. 

Reasoxer,  Mrs.  Mary,  died  Aug.  26,  1879,  aged 
eighty  years. 

Riddle,  William,  Howard,  died  March  24,  1850, 
aged  eighty-four  years. 


Riddle,  William,  Spring,  died  April  12,  1848, 
aged  seventy  seven  years. 

Ross,  William,  Spring,  died  Nov.  18,  1853,  aged 
eighty-three  years. 

RoTHROCK,  George,  died  Aug.  24,  1851,  aged  sev- 
enty-one years. 

Ruble,  Jacob,  Jacksonville,  died  April  30,  1862. 

RuBEL,  Peter,  Potter,  died  Feb.  16,  1877,  aged 
seventy  years. 

Runkle,  John,  Potter,  died  July  25,  1860,  aged 
seventy-five  years. 

Sankey,  Thomas,  of  Potter  township,  died  in  1797. 
His  children  were  Jeremiah,  Thomas,  Samuel,  Wil- 
liam, Esther,  Jeannette,  James,  and  John. 

Sankey,  William,  died  in  Potter,  1794.  Chil- 
dren,— Jane,  Ezekiel,  William,  Johu,  James,  Rachel, 
Elizabeth,  Mary,  Ann,  and  Esther. 

ScHAEFFER,  Capt.  John  Adam,  immigrated  into 
Centre  County  in  1801,  and  purchased  Valentine 
Ertle's  interests  in  a  lease  for  the  tract  on  which  his 
son,  John  A.  Schaeffer,  now  lives,  east  of  Madisonburg 
half  a  mile.  Part  of  a  barn  which  he  erected  in  1804 
is  still  standing  and  used.  During  the  campaign  of 
Trenton  and  Princeton,  1776-77,  Capt.  Benjamin 
Weiser,  of  Northumberland  County  (that  portion 
which  is  now  in  Snyder  County),  was  in  command 
of  a  company  of  Associators  under  Col.  James  Potter, 
of  which  John  Adam  Schaeffer  was  second  lieutenant ; 
Philip  Meyer,  first  corporal.  Nicholas  Schaeffer,  Peter 
Hosterman,  Tobias  Pickle,  and  perhaps  others  who 
afterwards  moved  to  Centre  County  from  Middle 
Creek  valley  were  privates  in  this  c(jmpany.  Lieut. 
Schaefl^'r  was  a  man  of  herculean  frame,  and  said  to 
have  been  the  strongest  man  in  the  company,  while 
Philip  Meyer  was  the  best  wrestler.  Nicholas  and 
John  Adam  were  brothers.  The  latter  was  born  in 
Berks  County,  Oct.  31,  1752,  and  died  Jan.  14,  1840, 
and  is  buried  in  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  grave- 
yard at  JIadisonburg.  .Cant.  Schaefl^er's  children 
were  Hon.  John  Schaeffer  (associate  judge  1841-46, 
born  Jan.  31,  1780,  died  Sept.  21,  1851);  George; 
Michael,  ex-Sherift' Schaeffer's  father;  Adam,  born 
Nov.  22, 1796,  still  living;  Jacob,  and  Samuel.  Sam- 
uel still  living  (1881).  The  d.aughters  were  Cather- 
ine, Barbara,  Lizzie,  Eve,  and  S'^agdalcna. 

Schaeffer,  Nicholas,  was  one  of  the  pioneer 
settlers,  and  may  have  come  into  the  valley  as  early 
as  1791.  The  Ertles,  Hazels,  and  Mr.  Schaeffer  lo- 
cated in  the  same  neighborhood,  and  arrived  about 
the  same  time  it  is  said.  Mr.  Schaeffer's  name  ap- 
pears in  the  church  records  in  connection  with  the 
date  1794,  but  that  is  no  evidence  that  he  Was  not  in 
the  valley  earlier.  He  owned  what  is  now  the  Feidler 
farm,  and  it  is  related  that  on  his  arrival  his  house- 
hold goods  were  unloaded  under  the  spreading 
branches  of  a  large  oak,  which  afforded  shelter  to 
the  family  until  a  temporary  cabin  could  be  built. 
He  purchased  from  Col.  Miles. 

Mr.  Schaeffer  was  born  in  Berks  County  in  1750; 


BIOGRAPHICAL   AND   GKXKALOGICAL. 


died  ill  1825,  aged  seventy-five.  He  had  been  twice 
married.  There  were  fourteen  children, — John,  Nich- 
ola.s,  Adam,  George,  Jacob,  Juliana,  Catherine,  Eva, 
Kebecca,  Susan,  Mary,  Sarah,  Rachel,  and  Nancy. 
John  lives  at  Zion,  and  is  very  old.  A  number  of 
these  facts  were  given  by  him. 

ScHALL,  John,  was  born  in  Manheim  township, 
York  County,  and  came  to  Brush  valley  in  1807. 
He  bought  what  is  now  the  Schall  place  from 
Thomas  Pickle.  There  was  a  distillery  on  the  farm 
at  the  time,  also  a  school-house,  which  is  alluded  to 
in  another  place.  Mr.  Schall  was  married  to  Miss 
Elizabeth  Wolfart,  daughter  of  Philip  Wolfiirt,  Sr., 
of  York  County,  and  a  sister  of  John  and  Philip,  of 
Miles  township.  Mr.  Schall  died  Aug.  14, 18.51,  aged 
eighty-five  years.  Cbildren, — Pbilip,  Jacob,  Daniel, 
John,  and  Henry.  The  last  two  named  are  residents 
of  the  valley,  and  are  the  only  sons  living.  Eliza- 
beth, married  to  Josiah  Sitz;  Catharine,  married  to 
Felix  Anispocher;  Susan,  married  to  John  Height; 
Lydia,  wife  of  John  A.  Schaefer.  All  the  daughters 
are  living  except  Catharine.  Susan's  husband,  Mr.' 
Height,  died  of  wounds  received  in  the  battle  of 
Gelty.sburg. 

Shannon,  John,  Esq.,  died  at  Centre  Hall,  March 
2,  1882,  aged  sixty-four.  He  was  a  justice  of  the 
peace  for  Potter  township  for  many  years.  In  1863 
he  was  nominated  by  the  Democratic  party  for 
county  treasurer  and  elected,  and  in  1867  and  1869 
elected  jury  commissioner  of  Centre  County.  He 
was  an  elder  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  pos- 
sessed tbe  esteem  and  respect  of  a  large  circle  of 
acquaintances.  His  father,  Samuel,  came  from  Mary- 
hind  in  1816.  Esquire  Shannon's  brother  Samuel  is 
a  minister  of  the  Evangelical  denomination. 

Shoemaker,  John  Kidd,  died  in  Bellefonte,  Sept. 
19,1879.  John  Kidd  Shoemaker  was  an  old  printer 
and  editor,  and  died  in  the  harness.  He  was  born  at 
Muncy  Creek  on  the  13th  of  April,  1812,  and  leanied 
liis  trade  in  Williamsport,  commencing  with  a  Mr. 
Brandon  and  completing  his  trade  with  Mr.  Boyd 
Cummings.  From  tliere  he  went  to  Harrisburg,  in 
which  city  he  worked  in  the  State  office  in  1834,  one 
of  liis  associates  being  Mr.  Bailey,  now  the  foreman 
of  the  Centre  Democrat  office.  In  1840  he  established 
tlie  Democratic  Whig  in  Bellefonte,  and  continued  in 
tbe  editorship  of  that  jjaper  for  about  fifteen  years, 
when  he  sold  out  to  Mr.  John  T.  Johnston,  our 
present  postmaster,  who  had  been  in  partnership  with 
him  for  about  two  years.  He  had  previously  been 
appointed  postmaster  of  Bellefonte  by  President  Tay- 
lor about  1849,  which  office  he  held  for  about  four 
years.  In  1859  he  went  to  Washington,  having  se- 
cured a  position  in  the  government  printing-office,  in 
which  he  continued  until  ill  health  caused  him  to  re- 
turn home. 

Mr.  Shoemaker  was   a  grandson  of  John   Kidd, 
Esq.,  who  was  a  lawyer  of  marked  ability,  and  the 
first  prothonotary  and  clerk  of  the  courts  of  Ly- 
15 


coming  County  in  1795.  Mr.  Kidd  was  a  fini.slied 
scholar  and  the  author  of  various  poems,  a  gentle- 
man in  deportment,  and  one  of  the  best  companions 
for  mirth  in  society.  He  was  a  great  favorite  in  tlie 
community  for  his  whole  souled  kindness  and  winning 
manners.  His  liandwriting  but  few  could  excel.  He 
wore  a  ruffled  shirt  and  cue,  was  a  man  of  good  size, 
and  very  prepossessing  in  appearance. 

Shugert,  Joseph  B.,  Esc^.,  died  Nov.  14,  1853,  in 
Warrior  Mark  township,  Huntingdon  County.  Mr. 
Shugert  held  the  offices  of  deputy  surveyor  and  jus- 
tice of  the  peace  in  tbe  county  many  years.  He  was 
a  man  whose  judgment  was  unbiased  in  the  perform- 
ance of  his  official  duties  by  friendship  or  enmity,  his 
whole  aim  seeming  to  be  to  do  what  he  thought  was 
exactly  right,  and  his  reputation  for  integrity  was 
unblemished.  He  was  the  father  of  Hon.  S.  T.  Shu- 
gert, of  Bellefonte;  Dr.  William  B.  Shugert,  who 
died  at  Titusville,  Feb.  12,  1866,  where  he  com- 
menced practice  in  the  summer  of  1844. 

Smith,  William,  was  a  school-teacher  who  came 
from  Lancaster,  and  lived  near  Boalsburg.  His 
eldest  son,  Franklin  B.,  was  register  and  recorder, 
and  afterwards  merchant  in  Bellefonte,  and  died  in 
1834.  His  second  son,  ^Villiam  L.,  was  auditor  in 
1823,  and  appointed  prothonotary  by  Governor  Wolf 
in  1830,  and  died  in  March,  1831. 

Smyth,  William,  died  near  Jacksonville,  Jan.  23, 
1863,  at  the  age  of  ninety-two;  Mary,  his  wife,  died 
Oct.  16, 1840,  aged  seventy-one.  Mr.  Smyth  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Legislature  1819,  1822,  and  1824,  member 
of  the  Convention  of  1837,  associate  judge  in  1841, 
county  commissioner,  etc.  He  resided  on  a  farm  one 
mile  east  of  Jacksonville.  He  was  a  man  of  medium 
height,  heavy  built  and  muscular,  free  and  alfable, 
plain  and  farmer-like  in  appearance,  upright  and 
honest  in  all  his  business  transactions,  zealous  and 
ardent  as  a  political  partisan,  but  candid,  open,  and 
honorable. 

A  writer,  in  January,  1838,  describing  the  members 
of  the  Constitutional  Convention,  thus  refers  to  Col. 
Smyth  : 

"  Col.  Smyth  is  altogether  a  remarkable  man.  He 
is  the  legitimate  successor  of  Smiley,  of  the  Conven- 
tion of  1790,  and  is  not  behind  that  patriarch  in  intel- 
lect and  integrity.  He  is  the  best  personal  represen- 
tative of  old-fashioned,  inflexible  democracy  in  the 
State.  Habitual  directness  of  purpose,  added  to  a 
persevering  love  of  reform,  renders  his  course  in  the 
convention  very  exemplary.  He  is  ahva\-s  listened 
to  with  respect  and  attention.  There  is  a  striking 
similarity  between  his  hard-featured,  iron  face  and 
the  direct  course  and  operations  of  his  mind, — the  one 
is  not  more  characterized  by  the  indomitable  spirit  of 
democracy  than  the  other  by  its  plain,  practical 
ti-uth.  Col.  Smyth  has  filled  several  public  stations, 
among  which  was  that  of  a  legislator.  His  jihysical 
bearing  indicates  a  hardened,  rugged  constitution, 
and  his  voice  is  stift'aud  shrill  as  the  rattle  of  sheet- 


226 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


iron.  Few  men  in  the  convention  have  a  larger  fund 
of  practical  knowledge.  As  a  speaker  he  is  more  in- 
structive than  attractive.  He  uses  plain,  good  lan- 
guage, delivered  in  a  firm  manner,  and  a  few  words 
irom  him  has  sometimes  more  influence  than  a 
harangue  from  a  more  gifted  orator.  He  is  a  native 
of  Ireland,  but  has  been  many  years  in  this  country, 
a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  his  like  perhaps  would 
be  more  difficult  to  find  in  the  present  than  in  the 
past  generation." 

Col.  Smyth  was  a  great  friend  to  young  men,  help- 
ing them  into  business,  constantly  saying  many  a 
young  man  would  become  rich  and  great  if  he  were 
helped  a  little  at  the  right  time.  But  he  was  unfor- 
tunate in  the  selection  of  the  objects  of  his  beneficence 
sometimes,  as  it  is  well  known  that  some  of  his  pro- 
t'eg'eH  abused  his  confidence  sadly,  and  he  was  nearly 
broken  up  by  indorsements  for  them. 

His  children  were  William  Smyth,  Jr.,  who  gradu- 
ated at  Canonsburg,  and  was  a  candidate  for  the 
Legislature  in  1837  against  Dr.  Strohecker.  William 
Smyth,  Jr.,  was  a  farmer  and  surveyor,  who  resided 
at  Nittany  Hall,  removed  West,  and  died  in  1882. 
John  Smyth,  a  prominent  citizen  of  Clinton  County, 
who  died  in  1864;  David  Smyth  ;  Mrs.  Nancy,  wife 
of  John  Elder;  and  Mrs.  Mary  McKibben. 

Margaret  W.,  wife  of  William  Smyth,  Jr.,  was  a 
daughter  of  John  Watson,  and  a  granddaughter,  on 
the  mother's  side,  of  Col.  Moses  Williamson,  of  Car- 
lisle. She  died  at  Nittany  Hall,  April  1-1,  1850,  aged 
fifty-two  years. 

Spanglee,  Christopher,  came  originally  from 
More  township,  Northampton  Co.  He  owned  a  farm 
east  of  New  Berlin,  Union  Co.,  and  lived  on  it  three 
years  ;  thence  he  removed  to  Brush  valley  in  1794  or 
1795,  and  located  on  the  place  now  owned  by  his  son, 
Jonathan  Spangler.  He  bought  a  Mr.  George  Hoerr- 
ner's  interest  in  a  lease  for  his  tract,  and  received  his 
deed  from  Miles  for  it  in  1798.  It  was  leased  in  1791. 
His  father-in-law,  John  Kryder,  lived  on  the  adjoin- 
ing farm,  now  John  Kreamer's,  and  had  come  into 
the  valley  several  years  before.  Mr.  Spangler  built 
the  stone  house  on  the  place,  which  to-day  is  still  a 
substantial  building. 

Mr.  Spangler  was  a  man  of  strong  convictions, 
moral,  religious,  and  political,  and  fearlessly  carried 
them  out,  caring  little  for  popular  opinion.  The 
Sabbath-breaker  and  the  tippler  slunk  away  at  his 
approach  ;  the  swearer  and  brawling  bully  subsided 
into  silence  as  he  passed;  all  evil-doers  dreaded  his 
reproof.  He  was  an  intelligent  man  and  a  friend  of 
education,  taking  a  very  decided  stand  in  favor  of 
the  common-school  system  when  that  qu«(stion  was 
submitted  to  a  vote  of  the  people.  Mr.  Spangler  be- 
longed to  the  Lutheran  Church  until  about  the  year 
180(5,  when  he  became  a  member  of  the  Evangelical 
Association.  (See  churches.)  There  are  a  number  of 
descendants  in  Miles  and  Potter  townships,  Centre 
Co.,  and  many   in    the  West.     Children  there  were 


nine:  Samuel  and  Jacob,  who  resided  in  Potter 
township,  both  deceased ;  Jonathan,  who  lives  at  the 
old  homestead,  to  whom  the  writer  is  indebted  for 
much  information  on  various  subjects  in  this  sketch; 
Anna  Maria,  who  was  married  to  Conrad  Hare  ;  Su- 
san, who  was  married  to  Solomon  Gerheart ;  Magda- 
lena,  who  was  married  to  Jacob  Weise ;  Christina, 

who  was  the  wife  of  Mr. Evans;  Esther,  who 

was  married  to  John  Betts,  and  Rebecca,  who  was 
married  to  Jacob  Kreamer.  Mr.  Spangler  was  born 
May  17,  1766,  died  Feb.  21,  1855,  and  is  buried  in  the 
Lutheran  and  Reformed  graveyard  at  Rebersburg. 

Some  time  after  Christopher  Spangler  moved  into 
the  valley,  his  father,  George  Christopher  Spangler, 
originally  from  Prussia,  came  also  and  occupied  the 
place  now  owned  by  Jacob  Shultz.  Here  he  died  in 
1802.  Three  of  his  other  sons  came  about  the  same 
time,  probably  with  him.  They  were  Henry,  who 
became  a  pioneer  settler  of  Sugar  valley,  near  where 
Tylersville  is  now  situated;  George,  who  went  to 
Ohio ;  Peter,  who  removed  to  Bald  Eagle  valley  some- 
where about  Eagleville,  thence  to  Ohio ;  another  son, 
John,  settled  along  the  Sinnemahoning. 

SussMAN,  Abraham,  died  May  19,  1878.  Mr. 
Sussman  was  a  resident  of  Centre  County  since  1843, 
a  period  of  thirty-five  years.  He  came  here  in 
humble  circumstances,  and  by  energy  and  integrity 
worked  his  way  up  to  the  highest  position  in  the  con- 
fidence of  the  people.  He  was  educated  in  Eurojie 
as  a  tanner.  He  first  moved  about  among  the  people 
carrying  a  pack  of  choice  goods,  which  he  offered  at 
reasonable  prices.  Soon  he  found  a  home  among  the 
Pletchers,  in  Bald  Eagle  valley,  two  miles  below  the 
village  of  Howard.  His  enterprise  and  honesty  se- 
cured for  him  a  large  patronage.  In  a  few  years  his 
countryman,  Balser  Weber,  now  a  prosperous  mer- 
chant in  Howard,  came  to  this  country  and  joined 
him  in  business.  After  a  brief  engagement  in  business 
in  Philadelphia  he  married  Miss  Dora  Godhelp,  and 
came  to  Bellefonte,  opening  a  large  leather-store,  etc., 
subsequently  taking  as  a  partner  his"  brother-in-law, 
Isaac  Guggenheimer. 

Mr.  Sussman  was  of  Jewish  descent.  Once  on  oc- 
casion of  receivinga  dispatch  from  his  home  in  Ger- 
many that  the  church  there  had  oflx^red  prayers  in  his 
behalf,  he  immediately  sat  down  and  sent  them  a 
check  for  three  hundred  dollars  for  the  benefit  of  the 
church. 

SwANZEY,  William,  Esq.,  came  from  Cumberland 
County,  where  he  married  in  1774  or  1775  Anna  Lusk. 
They  came  to  Nittany  valley  in  1784,  wlien  it  was  yet 
a  wilderness.  There  was  then  only  an  Indian  path 
around  the  mountain,  and  they  had  to  leave  their 
wagon,  pack  their  goods  upon  horses,  and  the  wagon 
remained  there  for  a  year.  William  Swanzey  was 
(with  his  son-in-law,  Robert  Boggs,  and  Andrew 
Gregg)  one  of  the  trustees  named  in  the  act  erecting 
the  county,  and  was  a  prominent,  useful  citizen.  He 
died  at  his  place  below  Jacksonville,  in  Lamar  town- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENEALOGICAL. 


ship,  Aug.  8,  1825,  aged  seventy-nine  years.  Of  his 
children,  Esther  (or  Hetty)  married  Judge  Kobert 
lioggs,  and  after  liis  death  she  married  Ezelciel  Zim- 
merman;  Robert  B.  Zimmerman,  one  of  lier  sons, 
resides  at  Springfield,  111  ;  Mary,  a  daughter  (mar- 
ried Lattimer),  resides  in  Fayette  County,  Iowa,  where 
her  brother,  Wilson  Zimmerman,  also  resides.  Hetty 
Zimmerman,  another  daughter  (married  Jonas 
Hoover),  resides  near  Faribault,  Minn.  The  other 
children  of  Esquire  Swanzey  were  Elizabeth,  who 
married  Samuel  Beck;  William,  who  lived  and  died 
in  Mifflin  County;  Annie,  who  married  James  Har- 
bison ;  Jane  married  James  Aslcey,  who  died,  and  she 
then  married  Col.  William  McKibbeu  ;  Isabella  mar- 
ried James  McNaul;  Hauaniah,  born  in  Nittany  val- 
ley Sept.  14,  1796,  married  Sarah  Harbison  and  lived 
at  the  old  homestead  until  18r)2,  when  he  sold  the 
place  to  Mr.  McDowell  and  removed  to  Illinois,  where 
he  died.  Anna  L.  Swanzey,  a  daughter  of  Hana- 
niah,  who  resides  at  Freeport,  111.,  communicated  the 
above  notice  in  part. 

'Sanicey,  Thomas,  died  July  28,  1865,  aged  sixty- 
four. 

Sellers,  Balser,  died  Feb.  14,  1853 

Sellers,  Mary,  died  Feb.  21,  1857,  aged  eighty- 
three. 

Shoneberger,  Catherine,  wife  of  George,  died 
Sept.  28,  1849,  aged  si.xty-nine. 

Shoemaker,  Jacob,  Gregg,  died  April  25,  1859, 
aged  seventy-five. 

Shope,  Elizabeth,  wife  of  John,  Boggs,  died 
Sept.  10,  1879,  aged  eighty-nine. 

Shivery,  Thomas,  Half-Moon,  died  July,  1819. 

Smith,  Arthur,  Union,  died  June  14,  1865,  aged 
eighty-two. 

Smith,  Stephen,  tavern-keeper  at  the  fort,  died 
1803. 

Spencer,  Mary,  Half-Moon,  died  March  25, 1849, 
aged  eighty-nine. 

Stover,  Col.  Jacob,  Aaronsburg,  died  Sept.  17, 
1858,  aged  seventy-seven. 

Stover,  Thomas  J.,  Potter,  died  July  28, 1871,  aged 
sixty-niue. 

Sweeney',  Mrs.  Martha,  died  Oct.  1,  1853,  aged 
seventy-one. 

Swartz,  John,  near  Hublersburg,  died  July  19, 
1876,  aged  eighty-two. 

Swartz,  Eve,  Penn,  died  Dee.  11,  1878,  aged 
eighty-one. 

Sawyer,  Mary,  wife  of  John,  died  Oct.  15,  1874, 
aged  ninety-three. 

Thompson,  Gen.  John,  was  born  in  Mifflin 
County  in  February,  1783.  He  was  of  Scotch-Irish 
ancestry,  his  grandfather  having  come  from  the  north 
of  Ireland,  Armagh,  about  the  year  1745,  and  settled 
in  Mifflin  Couuty,  which  was  then  an  almost  un- 
broken wilderness. 

His  father,  Moses  Thompson,  was  born  in  Mifflin 
County,  about  one  mile  to  tlie  northeast  of  where 


Milroy  now  stand.s,  where  Gen.  Thompson  wa.s  also 
born.  As  schools  were  scarce  at  that  time  he 
received  a  very  limited  education,  having  been  to 
school  only  tliree  months  in  his  life. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-one  (in  1804)  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Elizabeth  McFarlane,  of  Jacks  Creek,  now 
called  Honey  Creek,  Mifflin  County.  His  fatlier 
having  just  finished  the  construction  of  a  stone  house, 
still  standing  at  the  western  end  of  Milroy,  and 
known  for  a  long  time  afterwards  .as  "  Thompson's 
Tavern,"  removed  into  it,  leaving  the  old  homestead 
to  be  occupied  by  his  son  John,  and  it  was  in  this 
house  that  two  of  his  children — Matthew  and  Nancy, 
afterwards  married  to  William  Cooper — were  born. 

In  1809,  with  his  wife  and  two  little  ones,  .lohn 
Thompson  removed  to  a  farm  in  Centre  County  near 
the  old  Presbyteriaij  Church  on  Slab  Cabin  Branch, 
and  is  now  owned  by  E.  C.  Humes,  Esq.  In  an  old 
log  house  upon  this  farm  he  lived  for  about  five  years, 
during  which  time  two  more  children — Moses  and 
Blary,  afterwards  married  to  George  Jack,  Esq.,  of 
Boalsburg — were  born.  In  the  year^  1813  and  1814  he 
built  a  large  substantial  stone  house  (which  is  still 
standing)  upon  his  farm,  by  the  side  of  the  highway 
from  Bellefonte  to  Huntingdon,  and  occu|)ied  it  from 
1814  until  his  death.  In  this  house  three  more  sons 
— James,  John,  and  William — were  born. 

In  1811  he  was  appointed  justice  of  the  peace  by 
Governor  Simon  Snyder,  and  served  in  this  capacity 
until  his  death. 

In  1829  he  was  elected  m.ijor-general  of  militia. 
Important  business  calling  him  to  Bellefonte  he  con- 
tracted a  severe  cold,  from  the  effects  of  which  he 
died  March  5,  1832. 

He  was  a  public-spirited,  enterprising  man,  and 
soon  after  settling  upon  Slab  Cabin  Branch  he  began 
to  urge  his  neighbors  to  assist  in  building  a  school- 
house,  after  accomplishing  which  he  was  instrumental 
in  securing  as  teacher,  or  "  m.aster,"  as  it  was  then 
called,  a  young  man  named  Ezekiel  Dunbar,  a  siradu- 
ate  of  Dickinson  College.  This  schdol-house  stood 
near  the  old  Branch  Church,  but  no  ti'ace  of  it  now 
remains. 

ToxNER,  John,  Sr.,  died  Oct.  8, 1859,  in  Plainfield, 
111.  He  was  born  in  Ireland,  and  emigrated  to  the 
United  States  in  1802.  He  resided  in  Maryland  for 
five  or  six  years,  whence  he  removed  to  Penn's  val- 
ley, where  he  lived  until  1856.  The  larger  part  of 
his  family  having  removed  to  Illinois,  he  and  his  wife 
followed  them  in  the  fall  of  1856.  For  sixty-two 
years  he  was  a  consistent  member  of  the  Methodist 
Church. 

TONNER,  John,  D.D.,  died  in  Canton,  Ohio,  April 
1,  1874.  He  was  born  in  Centre  County  in  1812,  and 
iu  1832  married  Lydia  Ivreamer,  and  left  a  family  of 
six  daughters  and  one  son,  and  was  a  local  preacher 
of  the  Methodist  Church.  He  was  register  and  re- 
corder of  Centre  County  1839-51.  In  1863  he  went 
to  Canton,  and  became  secretary  of  the  corporation 


228 


HISTORY  OF   CENTEE   COUxXTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


of  C.  Haltman  &  Co.,  which  post  he  held  and  filled 
witli  signal  ability  until  liis  death. 

Teeziyulny,  Charles,  came  from  Poland  in  1791, 
and  was  identified  with  the  early  settlement  of  Phil- 
ipsburg.  He  was  an  engineer  of  abilit}',  and  one  of 
the  first  canal  commissioners  of  the  State  (in  1824), 
and  was  a  stanch  advocate  of  river  improvement  in 
preference  to  canals.  One  or  more  able  reports  of 
Mr.  Treziynlny  are  among  the  records  at  Harrisburg. 
He  filled  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  of  Centre 
County,  and  June  18,  1833,  was  appointed  the  suc- 
cessor of  Hamilton  Humes  in  the  Bellefonte  post- 
office.  He  died  in  Bellefonte  on  the  9th  of  July, 
1851,  at  the  extreme  age  of  ninety-four  years.  His 
wife  Catharine,  born  in  Philadelphia,  died  July  21, 
1858,  aged  eighty  years.  Their  son  Henry  P.,  who 
was  deputy  surveyor  of  Centre  County  a  number  of 
terms,  died  at  Milesburg,  Feb.  21,  1878,  aged  seventy- 
eight  years.  Another  son.  Hyacinth  B.,  was  at  his 
death,  April  2,  1862,  street  commissioner  of  Belle- 
fonte and  superintendent  of  the  water-works. 

Taylor,  Jony,  Boggs,  died  April  16,  1855,  aged 
seventy-nine. 

Taylor,  Mrs.  William,  died  Sept.  26,  1869,  aged 
eighty-five. 

TiERNEY,  P.  H.,  died  at  Bedford,  Aug.  28,  1832. 

Treaibtee,  Thoma.s,  Potter,  died  March  10,  1855, 
aged  ninety.  He  built  the  first  ark  that  ran  down 
Penn's  Creek  from  Spring  Mills  in  1808. 

Turner,  John,  Patton,  Kevolutionary  soldier,  died 
December,  1821,  aged  ninety. 

Twitmeyee,  John,  Walker,  died  Feb.  24,  1851, 
aged  eighty. 

Valentine,  Bond,  Esq.,  was  born  in  Chester 
County,  and  came  to  Centre  County  in  1815  with  his 
brothers,  and  together  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
iron.  Bond  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  represented 
Centre  Couuty  in  the  Legislatures  of  1830-32.  He 
retired  from  the  practice  of  law  in  1842,  and  was 
during  his  latter  years  a  public  friend.  As  a  lawyer. 
Judge  Linn  says  of  him,  he  had  acquired  a  clear  and 
intimate  acquaintance  with  the  principles  of  his  pro- 
fession, and  was  especially  distinguished  for  his  power 
of  oratory.  He  had  a  remarkable  command  of  lan- 
guage, and  his  addresses  to  the  court  and  jury  were 
distinguished  not  only  by  mature  thought,  but  also 
by  the  happiest  choice  of  words  and  modes  of  ex- 
pression. 

He  was  twice  married,  first  to  Miss  Fairlamb,  who 
died  in  1843;  subsequently  to  Julia  Thomas,  who 
still  survives  him.  He  died  very  suddenly;  he  was 
especially  interested  in  Judge  Hale's  election  to  Con- 
gress, and  was  at  the  telegraph-office  as  late  as  ten 
o'clock  making  inquiry  of  the  result,  and  died  at  two 
o'clock  Wednesday  morning.  Get.  15,  1862.  His  only 
son  is  Robert  Valentine,  now  at  the  head  of  the  firm 
of  Valentines  &  Co.,  of  Bellefonte. 

Vandyke,  Henry,  died  Sept.  15,  1864. 

Valentine,  Samuel,  died  Oct.  16, 1820,  ageJ  fifty. 


Wagner,  William,  Se.,  was  bom  in  the  year 
1788.  His  father  was  a  Eevolutionary  soldier,  and 
died  at  Boalsburg,  Feb.  24,  1868,  in  his  eightieth 
year.  He  was  a  volunteer  in  the  war  of  1812  in 
Capt.  George  Records'  company,  and  served  at  Lake 
Erie.  He  resided  on  Buffalo  Run  from  1813  to  1842, 
when  he  removed  to  Bellefonte,  where  he  resided 
until  1867,  when  he  purchased  at,  and  removed  to 
Boalsburg.  He  was  a  worthy  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist Church  for  sixty  years,  and  lived  to  see  his  de- 
scendants of  the  fourth  generation  growing  up  around 
him.  He  left  a  widow,  four  sons,  and  two  daughters 
to  survive  him. 

Walbon,  Henry,  came  into  Brush  valley  with 
Jacob  Kreamer  in  1814  from  Bethel  township,  Berks 
County.  He  bought  John  Kryder's  farm,  but  after- 
wards disposed  of  it  to  Jacob  Kreamer.  He  laid  out 
Henrysburg.  (See  towns.)  There  seems  to  have  been 
a  passion  at  that  period  to  name  towns  after  the  first 
name  of  their  founder.  Aaronsburg  and  Jacobsburg 
afibrd  additional  illustrations.  Mr.  Walbon  kept  tav- 
ern at  Rebersburg  for  a  wliile.  He  died  in  1837,  and 
was  sixty-four  or  sixty-five  years  of  age.  Buried  in 
the  old  cemetery  at  Rebersburg.  Children  arriving 
at  maturity, — Henry;  Mary,  married  to  George 
Gramly,  she  and  her  husband  are  dead;  Catherine, 
married  to  Frederick  Esterline,  her  husband  dead. 

Walbon,  Michael,  was  a  brother  of  Henry,  no- 
ticed above.  He  came  into  the  township  with  John 
G.  Royer  in  1811,  and  located  on  the  place  known  at 
present  as  the  Smeltzer  farm.  He  was  born  May  8, 
1763,  died  Sept.  3,  1827,  and  is  buried  at  Rebers- 
burg. 

Walkee,  John,  became  an  inhabitant  of  Brush 
valley  in  1795  or  1796,  as  near  as  can  be  ascertained. 
He  bought  what  is  now  the  William  Walker  place 
from  his  father-in-law,  Francis  Gramly.  His  wife's 
name  was  Anna  Maria.  Children, — John,  deceased; 
Daniel,  living  at  the  east  end  of  the  valley  ;  William, 
living  at  Rebersburg;  Catharine,  married  to  Jacob 
Snyder ;  Margaret,  married  to  George  Neff ;  and 
Maria,  married  to  Benjamin  Wieland ;  Margaret,- 
deceased. 

Waltsmith,  Christian,  bought  a  tract  of  three 
hundred  and  thirty-four  acres  from  Col.  Miles,  May 
5,  1785,  on  a  part  of  which  Rebersburg  is  now  built. 
He  was  then  in  Heidleberg  township,  Berks  County, 
and  came  to  Brush  valley  as  early  as  1791  or  1792. 
Part  of  his  land  he  sold  in  1796,  perhaps  all,  and 
moved  to  Ohio  some  time  after  1800,  and  carried  on 
extensive  milling  and  manufacturing  operations  along 
the  Miami  River.  Philip  Shenkle,  Stephen  Bollander, 
noticed  in  another  place,  and  Waltsmith  were  broth- 
er--in-law. 

Weaver,  John,  was  a  native  of  York  County,  and 
settled  in  Brush  valley  in  1801  or  1802.  He  bought 
a  tract  of  land  from  a  Mr.  Stout,  and  from  other 
parties  at  a  later  date.  He  built  a  distillery  some 
time  between  the  years  1808  and  1811,  the  ruins  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENEALOGICAL. 


229 


which  were  still  to  be  seen  a  few  years  ago.  It  was 
situated  west  of  Wolf's  mill  a  few  rods.  Mr.  Weaver 
was  a  kind-hearted  man,  loved  and  respected  by  all 
who  knew  him.  He  was  married  twice,  first  time  to 
r>;irbura  Ranch,  with  whom  he  had  one  child,  Sarah, 
married  to  John  Kreamer,  of  Rebersburg.  After  the 
decease  of  his  first  wife  he  was  married  to  Mary, 
daughter  of  Martin  Brungart,  Sr.,  and  had  four  sons, 
viz.,  Jacob,  John,  Henry,  and  George  (Jacob  and 
Henry  are  dead),  and  one  daughter,  Susan,  married 
to  Daniel  Kreamer,  of  Rebersburg.  Mr.  Weaver  was 
born  JIarch  25,  1779 ;  died  Dec.  30,  1807. 

Wilson,  Samuel,  born  in  Irehmd,  married  Catha- 
rine, daughter  of  Michael  Jack,  died  in  Potter  town- 
ship, Sept.  18,  1880,  aged  ninety  years.  He  was  the 
father  of  Mrs.  Joseph  Crotzer,  of  Centre  Hall ;  of 
Jlrs.  Halin,  of  Milesburg,  and  Mrs.  Alexander  Mc- 
Coy, of  Potter's  Bank.  He  was  one  of  the  jury  that 
convicted  James  Munks  of  murder  in  1818.  Mr. 
Wilson  was  a  cousin  of  David  Love,  who  also  came 
from  Ireland. 

Williams,  James,  died  at  Bellefonte,  Oct.  12, 1862, 
aged  eighty-eight  years.  His  children  were  James  C. 
Williams,  Robert,  of  Spruce  Creek,  Mrs.  Judge  Boal, 
Mrs.  Isaac  Ingraham,  of  Kansas,  Mrs.  Robert  Hutch- 
inson, of  Mill  Hall,  Mrs.  Shoemaker,  of  Tyrone, 
Mrs.  John  Williams,  of  Tyrone,  and  Mrs.  Charles 
McCafferty,  deceased. 

Williams,  Joseph,  died  March  31,  1848,  aged 
eighty-three.  He  was  a  native  of  York  County,  and 
removed  to  Bellefonte  in  1797,  and  was  one  of  the  first 
elders  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Bellefonte,  ap- 
pointed at  its  organization.  He  was  a  man  of  good 
mind  and  held  in  high  esteem.  He  was  a  diligent 
reader  of  the  Scriptures,  and  when  sight  was  so  far 
gone  he  could  not  read  he  could  repeat  whole  psalms 
and  chapters  with  accuracy.  His  children  were  Mrs. 
Judge  William  Marshall,  Mrs.  William  Furey,  Sarah, 
wife  of  Christina  Roop,  and  John  F.  Williams. 

Williams,  Capt.  Joshua,  was  an  officer  in  the 
Revolution,  and  a  native  of  York  County.  He  was 
commissioned  May  25,  1775,  adjutaut  of  the  Fifth 
Battalion  of  York  County  Associators,  and  served  as 
a  captain  in  the  Flying  Camp  in  1776.  He  then 
raised  an  independent  company,  which  was  attached 
to  the  Fourth  Pennsylvania,  Lieut.-Col.  William 
Butler's  command,  Oct.  21,  1777.  He  was  mustered 
out  in  July,  1778,  and  after  the  war  was  one  of  the 
earliest  settlers  in  Bald  Eagle  valley.  In  1790  a  road 
was  laid  out  from  Jacob  Jack's  mill,  in  Potter,  by  the 
east  of  Nittany  Mountain  to  Joshua  Williams'  saw- 
mill at  "the  Nest"  (Milesburg).  He  lived  where 
Unionville  now  stands.  He  died  Dec.  12,  1825,  at 
the  age  of  eighty-one,  and  is  buried  in  Bellefonte 
Cemetery.  His  son,  Ephraim  Williams,  died  in 
Bellefonte,  May  10,  1858,  aged  sixty-two.  Mrs.  Mc- 
Quistion,  of  Bellefonte,  is  a  granddaughter  of  Capt. 
Williams.  Mary,  widow  of  Capt.  Williams,  died  May 
21,  1828,  aged  seventy. 


Williams,  Benja.mix,  came  from  Newville,  Cum- 
berland County,  to  Spring  townsiiip;  he  died  March 
10,  1842,  aged  seventy  years.  His  wife,  Nancy,  died 
April  7,  1827.  He  was  father  of  the  late  Mrs.  Wil- 
liam Maclay  Hall,  of  Harrisburg,  and  grandfather  of 
Judge  William  M.  Hall,  of  Bedford. 

Willia.ms,  Georue,  of  Spring  township,  died 
Nov.  28,  1834,  aged  fifty-nine. 

Wilson,  Col.  Philip  Besner,  died  in  Bellefonte, 
March  2,  1878.  Col.  Wilson  was  the  brother  of  the 
late  William  P.  Wilson,  Esq.,  of  Bellefonte,  and  the 
son  of  Samuel  Hunter  Wilson  and  Mary  Benner 
Wilson.  He  was  born  in  Chillisquafiue  Mills,  North- 
umberland County,  Dec.  8,  1822.  He  was  called  for 
his  grandfather.  Gen.  Philip  Benner,  of  Rock  Forge, 
and  received  his  education  in  Milton.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati  as  the  suc- 
cessor of  his  father,  who  inherited  the  position  from 
Capt.  William  Wilson,  the  deceased's  grandfather,  of 
the  First  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Continental  Line. 
The  certificate  of  Capt.  Wilson's  membership  is  dated 
at  Mount  Vernon,  Oct.  31,  1785,  and  signed  by  Ge'n. 
Washington  as  president  of  the  society,  and  by  Gen. 
Henry  Knox  as  secretary. 

"  Col.  P.  B.  Wilson  entered  the  army  in  1861  at  Har- 
risburg, as  captain  of  Company  F,  Second  Regiment 
Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  and  was  soon  promoted  to  the 
majorship  of  the  regiment.  He  was  a  good  soldier 
and  kind  officer.  Towards  the  close  of  the  war  he 
was  in  command  of  the  barracks  in  Elmira.  When 
the  war  closed  he  returned  to  Bellefonte  and  entered 
the  hardware  business  with  John  Irwin,  Jr.,  and  the 
firm  soon  established  a  large  trade  and  built  a  beau- 
tiful building.  Mr.  Irwin  afterwards  retiring,  Mr. 
Thomas  Hicks  became  associated  with  Col.  Wilson 
under  the  name  of  Wilson  &  Hicks.  From  this  con- 
nection the  colonel  eventually  retired,  and  afterwards, 
in  connection  with  Col.  McFarlane,  established  an- 
other hardware-store  in  the  Humes  Block  under  the 
firm-name  of  Wilson  &  McFarlane.  He  was  colonel 
of  the  Fifth  Regiment  National  Guard  of  Pennsylva- 
nia at  his  death. 

Wilson,  William  P.,  was  born  at  Rock  Forge,  in 
Centre  County,  on  the  5th  day  of  December,  1825. 
His  preparatory  studies  were  pursued  at  the  Belle- 
fonte Academy,  and  his  college  course  at  Dartmouth 
College,  where  he  graduated  in  the  same  class  with 
Edmund  Blanchard,  E^q.,  in  June,  1847.  His  legal 
studies  were  pursued  at  McCartney's  law-school  at 
Easton,  and  in  the  office  and  under  the  direction 
of  Hon.  James  Burnside,  before  he  occupied  the 
bench.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  the  August 
term  of  1849,  and  has  continuously  practiced  his  pro- 
fession with  great  fidelity  to  the  interests  intrusted  to 
his  care.  He  was  a  candidate  for  the  office  of  district 
attorney  for  this  county  in  1856,  and  for  the  State 
Senate  in  the  double  district  composed  of  the  coun- 
ties of  Blair,  Centre,  Huntingdon,  Mifflin,  Juniata, 
and  Perry  in  1870. 


230 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


He  was  appointed  chairman  of  the  Kepublican 
State  Central  Committee,  and  conducted  the  cam- 
paign of  1877.  It  may  be  truthfully  said  that  the 
earnest  efforts  to  discharge  faithfully  the  duties  of 
tliis  honorable  position  tended  largely  to  hasten  the 
end  of  his  earthly  career,  having  been  undertaken  at 
a  time  when  an  enfeebled  constitution  required  quiet 
and  rest  rather  than  the  excitement  and  efforts  of  a 
political  campaign.  He  died  Aug.  3,  1878.  At  the 
time  of  his  death  he  was  secretary  and  treasurer  of 
the  Bald  Eagle  Valley  Railroad  Company,  and  treas- 
urer and  sole  manager  of  the  Centre  and  Kishaco- 
quillas  Turnpike  Company. 

Wolf,  Anthony,  moved  from  Penn's  valley  into 
Brush  valley.  He  was  originally  from  Lebanon 
County.  He  purchased  a  large  tract  of  land  from 
his  father,  George  Wolf,  Penn's  valley,  in  1803,  which 
now  forms  the  farms  of  his  sons,  David,  Henry,  and 
Thomas,  and  the  parcel  on  which  are  located  the 
grist-mill  and  saw-mill.  It  is  thought  Mr.  Wolf  came 
into  the  valley  in  1799  or  1800.  The  brick  house  on 
his  farm  was  built  in  1818,  the  sawmill  about  the 
year  1812,  and  the  grist-mill  in  1834.  There  was  an 
oil-mill  situated  near  the  grist-mill,  which  was  oper- 
ated many  years.  Mr.  Wolf  was  a  man  of  influence 
in  the  township,  and  his  name  is  frequently  found  as- 
sociated with  the  projects  of  public  improvements. 
He  was  one  of  the  commissioners  that  located  the 
Brush  Valley  Narrows  road  in  1840,  and  it  was  through 
his  and  Col.  Henry  Meyer's  efforts  chiefly  that  the 
road  from  Wolf's  mill  to  Penn's  valley  was  made. 
Mr.  Wolf  and  Col.  Henry  Meyer  were  brothers-in- 
law,  both  being  married  to  daughters  of  Judge  Adam 
Harper,  of  Penn's  valley.  Mr.  Wolf  was  born  Nov. 
10, 1776,  died  Jan.  21,  1852,  and  lies  buried  at  Rebers- 
burg.  Sons :  John,  Jacob,  David,  Thomas,  and  Henry. 
Thefirst  two  named  are  dead.  Daughters:  Catherine, 
married  to  Isaac  Long ;  Lydia,  married  to  George 
Schaeffer,  Madisonburg;  Priscilla,  married  to  John 
Bierly,  near  Rebershurg;  and  Ann,  married  to  Henry 
Eothermal.  The  daughters  are  all  dead  except 
Priscilla. 

Wolf,  Jacob,  son  of  Paul,  was  born  Jan.  26, 1801, 
died  Oct.  6,  1853.  Children  :  William,  president  of 
the  Penn's  Valley  Banking  Company,  Centre  Hall; 
Catharine,  married  to  Daniel  Bartges ;  Henry  G., 
merchant  at  Mifflinburg,  Union  County ;  John,  living 
on  the  old  J.  Nicholas  Gast  farm,  one  of  the  county 
commissioners-elect;  George,  deceased  ;  Franklin  B., 
was  chaplain  of  the  Ninety-fourth  Illinois  Regiment 
during  the  late  war,  died  while  in  service;  Edmund 
J.,  professor  in  Lutheran  Theological  Seminary  at 
Gettysburg;  Sarali  A.,  wife  of  Daniel  Zeigler;  Simon 
P.,  formerly  merchant. 

Wolf,  Rev.  Frank  B.,  died  at  his  home,  near 
Rebershurg,  Gel.  7,  1865,  aged  thirty-one  years.  He 
was  a  minister  of  tlie  Lutheran  Church,  and  spent 
much  time  in  the  army  as  delegate  of  the  United 
States  Christian  Commission.     In  the  summer  of  1864 


he  accepted  the  chaplaincy  of  the  Ninety-fourth  Illi- 
nois Regiment.  The  severity  of  an  extreme  Southern 
climate,  exposures  of  army  life,  and  over-exertion 
were  too  much  for  his  system,  and  he  reached  home 
with  difficulty  to  die. 

Wolf,  Hon.  S.  S.,  was  elected  member  of  the 
Assembly  in  November,  1873,  but  died  at  Centre  Hall 
of  typhoid  fever,  Jan.  2,  1874,  before  taking  his  seat. 
He  was  a  lieutenant  in  the  army,  and  subsequently 
treasurer  of  Centre  County.  He  was  but  thirty-four 
years  of  age,  a  useful  citizen,  and  highly  respected 
by  the  people  of  Centre  County. 

WOLFART,  John,  brother  of  Philip  Wolfart,  came 
into  Miles  township  in  1806.  He  bought  the  place 
where  now  George  B.  Haines  lives  from  George 
More.  He  died  Oct.  20,  1857,  aged  seventy-four. 
He  had  seven  sons, — John,  George,  Michael,  Henry, 
Philip,  Jonathan,  and  Samuel.  These  are  all  dead 
but  George  and  Samuel.  There  were  six  daughters: 
Margaret,  wife  of  Benjamin  Meyer;  Catharine,  wife 
of  Frederick  Miller;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  George  Brun- 
gart;  Susan,  wife  (first)  of  John  F.  Price,  Sugar  val- 
ley, both  dead;  Sarah,  wife  of  Adam  Brungart;  and 
Anna,  wife  of  George  Brungart,  living  at  the  east 
end  of  Brush  valley;  Catharine  also  dead. 

WoLFAKT,  Philip,  was  one  of  the  early  settlers 
in  the  eastern  section  of  Brush  valley.  He  came 
from  Manheim  township,  York  County,  in  1798.  He 
located  on  the  tract  which  was  later  known  as  the 
Snook  farm,  and  on  it  he  built  a  distillery  in  1803,  or 
before.  It  stood  a  few  rods  west  of  the  spot  where 
the  dwelling-house  of  the  place  is  situated.  He  also 
built  a  grist-mill  about  the  year  1824,  which,  for  want 
of  sufficient  custom,  was  torn  down  long  ago.  Mr. 
Wolfiirt  was  at  one  time  a  justice  of  the  peace.  He 
died  in  April,  1841,  and  is  buried  in  the  Luthei'an 
and  Reformed  graveyard  at  Rebershurg. 

Children  :  Jacob,  Philip,  John,  George,  Henry,  and 
David  (all  dead  but  Henry) ;  Susan,  married  to  Fred- 
erick Freidly ;  Catharine ;  Margaret,  married  to  Levi 

Snook  ;   Mary,  married  to  Wagner.     Catharine 

and  Mary  are  dead. 

Before  Mr.  Wolfart  came  to  the  valley  there  lived 
on  his  tract  a  Hess  family — one  daughter  and  nine 
son.s — who  were  among  the  first  settlers,  and  left  the 
valley. 

Waddle,  Thomas,  died  Feb.  25,  1825,  aged  forty- 
eight;  Hannah,  his  wife,  died  April  11,  1854,  aged 
sixty-seven. 

Walkee,  Andrew,  Sr.,  Boggs,  died  Nov.  27, 1857, 
aged  eighty-nine. 

Walker,  John,  Miles,  died  Feb.  18,  1859,  aged 
eighty-five. 

Wasson,  David,  Potter,  died  Jan.  14,  1859,  aged 
seventy-five;  Agnes,  his  wife,  died  June  26,  1858, 
aged  seventy. 

Wasson,  James,  Half-Moon,  died  Jan.  11,  1839. 

Wasson,  John,  Potter,  died  Sept.  15,  1825,  aged 
seventy-eight. 


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231 


Weavek,  Daniel,  Se.,  Spring,  died  Oct.  20, 1859, 
aged  seventy-eight. 

Weaver,  George  H.,  Esq.,  died  Aug.  19,  1881. 

White,  William,  Bald  Eagle,  died  Dec.  31, 1831. 

Williams,  Job,  Huston,  died  July  31,  1857,  aged 
seventy-eight. 

Young,  Robert,  born  in  1750,  resided  in  Walker 
township,  and  died  there  in  1824.  He  enlisted  in 
Capt.  John  London's  company  (Capt.  Lowdon  lived 
within  sight  of  the  present  borough  of  MifHinburg, 
in  Union  County),  and  marched  to  Cambridge,  Mass., 
in  July,  1775,  to  join  Gen.  Washington's  army  before 
Boston.  His  enlistment  was  for  one  year,  and  when 
discharged  he  enlisted  in  Wilkinson's  company.  Proc- 
tor's artillery  regiment,  serving  notably  at  Brandy- 
wine  and  Germantown.  He  was  discharged  at 
Trenton,  Jan.  1,  1781.  His  children  were  Hannah, 
Jane,  Samuel,  Nancy,  Robert,  and  Elizabeth. 

Zimmerman,  Elizabeth,  wife  of  John,  died  at 
Walker  township  March  10,  1859,  aged  eighty-two. 

Zimmerman,  John,  died  March  5,  1872,  aged 
eighty-eiglit. 


CHAPTER    LXIl. 


BELLEFONTE    BOROCGH. 


The  original  plat  of  the  town  of  Bellefonte  was 
laid  altogether  upon  the  Griffith  Gibbon  warrantee 
application  of  the  3d  of  April,  1769,  No.  248,  surveyed 
July  20,  17G9,  owned  by  William  Lamb,  patented 
Feb.  5,  1794,  aud  conveyed  to  John  Dunlop,  Nov.  3, 
1797.  Subsequent  extensions  of  Brockerhoflf 's  and  the 
Valentine's,  on  the  east  and  south,  are  on  the  William 
Moore  warrant  of  Dec.  1,  1772,  surveyed  May  26, 
1784,  and  patented  to  Col.  Thomas  Hartley  ;  and  on 
the  west  Bush's  extension,  etc.,  on  the  William  Sharon, 
Jr.,  application,  No.  2681,  3d  of  April,  1769,  and  the 
James  Sharon,  No.  1923,  of  same  date,  owned  origin- 
ally by  William  Lamb,  and  deeded  to  James  Harris 
in  1797. 

The  town  was  laid  out  by  Col.  James  Dunlop  and 
James  Harris,  Esq.,  in  1795,  the  streets  running 
parallel  with  and  perpendicular  to  the  south  line  of 
Griffith  Gibbon  (N.  75  east  WO.  to  WO.).  A 
name  for  the  place  readily  suggested  itself  to  Mrs. 
James  Harris,  and  it  was  at  her  instance  it  was  called 
■'Bellefonte,"  from  the  beautiful  spring  within  its 
limits. 

The  first  lot-owners  and  settlers,  besides  the  propri- 
etors, were  William  Petrikin,  Esq.,  lots  Nos.  13  and 
14  (now  David  M,  Wagner),  in  1796  Adam  McKee, 
Nos.  34  and  35  (now  Thomas  R.  Reynolds  and  Mrs. 
J.  M.  Petrikin) ;  Alexander  Diven,  No.  35  (now  Ed- 
mund Blanchard) ;  John  Hall  (1797),  No.  1  (now  Mrs. 
Hastings,  on  Spring  Street,  below  the  Presbyterian 
Church) ;  Hugh  Gallagher,  on  15,  16,  and  17,  now 
D.  G.  Bush's,  Esq.,  residence. 


The  first  house  was  erected  by  Col.  James  Dunlop, 
part  of  which  is  still  standing  on  the  lot  No.  33,  now 
occupied  by  Jacob  Valentine,  and  was  the  house  in 
which  the  courts  were  first  held  in  ISOl.  James 
Harris  erected  his  house  at  Willow  Bank,  just  outside 
the  borough  limits,  and  William  A.  Petrikin  erected 
the  next  house  in  point  of  time,  where  D.  M.  Wagner 
now  resides,  and  McKee's  tavern,  where  T.  R.  Reyn- 
olds now  resides,  was  erected  in  1797. 

John  Plall  came  from  Delaware  at  Mr.  Harris'  so- 
licitation, and  built  a  house  and  erected  the  first 
blacksmith-shop  near  the  footof  Spring  Street  in  1797. 
Alexander  Diven  the  same  year  erected  a  dwelling 
where  Edmund  Blanchard  now  resides.  John  Dunlop 
built  the  Bellefonte  forge  at  the  edge  of  town  in  1797, 
and  in  1800,  James  Smith,  son-in-law  of  Col.  Dunlop, 
built  a  grist-mill  where  Duncan  Hale  &  Co.'s  mill 
now  stands,  and  where  of  old  William  Lamb  had  a 
saw-mill.  The  same  year  Roland  Curtin  came  to 
Bellefonte  and  opened  a  store  where  Josephs  &  Bros, 
now  keep.  In  1801  there  were  residents  in  Bellefonte : 
William  Alexander  (hatter).  Col.  Dunlop,  Hugh  Gal- 
lagher (tavern-keeper),  John  Hall,'  Conrad  Kyler 
(weaver),  John  McCord,  Adam  McKee,  George 
McKee,  Samuel  Patterson,  William  Petrikin,  Esq., 
William  Riddle  (mason),  George  Williams  (carpen- 
ter), Joseph  Williams  (tanner).  Dr.  William  Harris, 
David  Irvine  (lawyer),  Abraham  Lee,  Isaac  Lee, 
John  G.  Lowrey,  John  McKee  (shoemaker),  Jeshur 
Miles,  (cabinet-maker),  John  Miles  (lawyer),  Robert 
T.  Stewart  (lawyer). 

James  Harris  built  1;he  mill  on  the  site  of  the  pres- 
ent Pha?nix  Mill  in  1807. 

Post-Office. — A  post-office  was  first  established  in 
Bellefonte  April  1,  1798,  and  James  Harris  appointed 
postmaster.  He  was  succeeded  by  B.  T.  Stewart,  Esq., 
probably,  as  Mr.  Stewart  was  postmaster  as  early  as 
1810.  Hamilton  Humes  was  appointed  Jan.  4, 1819  ; 
Charles  Treziyulny,  Dec.  15,  1832;  William  Grafius 
July,  1841  ;  William  Graflus  died  March  1,  1845,  and 
succeeded  by  Ellen  Grafius,  who  resigned,  and  Henry 
McLaughlin  was  appointed  in  July,  1845;  J.  Kidd 
Shoemaker,  April,  1849;  Capt.  William  Cook,  ap- 
pointed June  7,  1853  ;  W.  W.  Montgomery,  March, 
1865  ;  John  T.  Johnston,  April,  1869,  who  still  holds 
the  office  (1882). 

In  1800,  when  Centre  County  was  created.  Miles- 
burg  and  Bellefonte  competed  strongly  for  the  honor 
of  becomiug  the  county-seat.  Milesburg  appeared  to 
possess  an  advantage  in  the  fact  that  it  stood  at  the 
head  of  navigation  on  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  and  as  that 
circumstance  seemed  to  operate  materially  in  favor 
of  Milesburg,  the  proprietors  of  Bellefonte  were 
spurred  to  a  more  than  ordinary  effijrt  to  overcome 
it.  In  this  emergency  the  tradition  is  that  those  in- 
terested in  having  the  county-seat,  attached  a  team  to 
a  flatboat  having  on  board  a  lot  of  second-hand  furni- 
ture (borrowed  from  some  man's  house),  and  dragged 
the  boat  up  Spring  Creek  as  far  as  Bellefonte.     That 


232 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


done,  they  hurried  a  messenger  to  Lancaster,  armed 
with  a  properly  attested  affidavit  that  the  first  boat 
of  tlie  season,  with  freight  aboard,  had  arrived  at 
Bellefonte.  Tliis  statement  of  facts  appeared  to  in- 
dicate that  Bellefonte,  and  not  Milesburg,  was  at  the 
liead  of  navigation,  and  being  expeditiously  pressed 
by  parties  in  interest,  it  resulted  in  the  passage  of 
the  act  making  Bellefonte  the  county-seat. 

The  Presbyterian  Church.— The  Bellefonte  Pres- 
byterian Church,  according  to  Dr.  Linn,  dates  its  or- 
ganization with  that  of  the  county,  1800,  though  ap- 
plication had  been  made  for  supplies  for  Bellefonte 
and  Milesburg  as  early  as  1795.  The  first  pastor  was 
Rev.  Henry  R.  Wilson,  who  was  installed  pastor  of 
the  congregations  of  Bellefonte  and  Lick  Run  April 
20,  1803.  The  first  session  consisted  of  Col.  James 
Dunlop,  James  Harris,  Robert  Boggs,  and  James 
Forster.  Additions  were  made  to  the  session  in  Mr. 
AVilson's  time  of  James  Steel,  George  Williams,  John 
G.  Lowrey,  and  Joseph  Williams. 

The  pastoral  relation  of  Mr.  Wilson  with  Bellefonte 
and  Lick  Run  congregations  was  dissolved  Oct.  3, 
1809.  At  the  same  meeting  calls  were  presented  for 
Rev.  James  Linn,  and  he  was  installed  April  17, 1810, 
Mr.  Linn  preaching  from  Rom.  v.  10.  Rev.  John 
Coulter  preached  the  ordination  sermon  from  1  Cor. 
i.  21.  Rev.  Isaac  Grier  delivered  the  charge  to  the 
people. 

Rev.  James  Linn's  pastorate  continued  for  the  al- 
most unexampled  period  of  nearly  fifty-eight  years. 
In  his  time  William  Alexander  was  added  to  the  ses- 
sion, having  been  an  elder  in  West  Kishacoquillas, 
then  Hamilton  Humes  and  Thom.as  McKee,  and  after 
them  Henry  Vandyke,  James  Irvin,  and  James  Har- 
ris, Jr.,  and  after  them  were  added  William  Baird,  Jr., 
Thomas  M.  Giffin,  and  J.  H.  Linn.  Subsequent  mem- 
bers of  session  were  John  Rankin,  William  Marshall, 
James  D.  Harris,  James  Alexander,  Hon.  Samuel 
Linn,  James  Harris,  18.58;  H.  N.  McAllister,  E.G. 
Humes,  and  A.  O.  Furst  in  1862. 

The  first  Sabbath-school  organized  in  Bellefonte, 
Oct.  18, 1818,  was  connected  with  this  church,  though 
called  "The  Bellefonte  Sabbath-day  School  Associa- 
tion." Rev.  Robert  Baird,  D.D.,  subsequently  the 
originator  of  the  American  and  Foreign  Christian 
Union,  at  the  time  principal  of  the  academy,  was  an 
efficient  coadjutor  of  Mr.  Linn  in  all  good  works. 
The  Centre  County  Bible  Society,  organized  in  1818, 
was  one  of  their  conception,  and  did  a  vast  amount 
of  good  in  supplying  the  destitute  with  copies  of  the 
Scriptures.  Of  the  Bible  Society  Hon.  Andrew  Gregg 
was  president;  Rev.  William  Stuart,  vice-president; 
John  Norris,  treasurer ;  and  Rev.  James  Linn,  cor- 
responding secretary ;  John  G.  Lowrey,  recording 
secretary.  Among  the  managers  were  Wm.  Fisher, 
William  Rankin,  William  Cooper,  Joseph  Miles, 
AVilliam  Petrikin,  Francis  McEwen,  John  Rankin, 
John  Patton,  Joseph  Gilliland,  John  M.  Beuck,  John 
McCalmont,  Matthew  Allison,  James  McGhee,  Rev. 


William  Ilgan,  Robert  Elder,  George  Sheneberger, 
etc.  When  the  latter  was  county  commissioner  he 
made  it  a  part  of  the  duty  of  the  assessors  to  ascer- 
tain what  families  in  the  county  were  destitute  of  the 
Bible. 

Of  the  church  building  erected  in  1819,  James 
Harris,  Andrew  Gregg,  and  Joseph  Miles  were  the 
building  committee;  of  that  of  1837-38,  James  Irvin, 
James  Gilliland,  and  John  Hall. 

On  the  5lh  of  October,  1859,  the  congregation  cele- 
brated the  completion  of  Dr.  Linn's  service  of  fifty 
years  in  the  ministry  and  in  the  pastorate  of  the 
■Bellefonte  congregation.  A  memorial  narrative  was 
delivered  by  Dr.  Linn,  a  hymn  of  jubilee,  written  for 
the  occasion  by  D.  X.  Junkin,  D.D.,  was  sung,  and  a 
semi-centenary  sermon  delivered  by  Dr.  Linn. 

Dec.  11,  1860,  Rev.  J.  H.  Barnard  was  called  to  be 
co-pastor  with  Dr.  Linn,  and  installed  on  the  2d  of 
January,  1861.  In  July,  1866,  Mr.  Barnard  removed 
to  the  West,  and  Rev.  Alfi-ed  Yeomans  became  assist- 
ant pastor  Dec.  2,  1866.  Dr.  Linn  continued  senior 
pastor  until  bis  death,  Feb.  23,  1868.  In  January, 
1869,  Mr.  Yeomans  removed  to  Orange,  N.  J.,  and  in 
July,  1869,  Rev.  W.  T.  AVylie  was  called  and  installed 
at  the  dedication  of  the  new  church,  June  28, 1870,  in 
the  evening  of  which  day  the  Synod  of  Harrisburg 
was  constituted  in  the  church  at  Bellefonte.  In  1875, 
Isaac  Lose,  James  L.  Sommerville,  and  Gen.  James 
A.  Beaver  were  added  to  the  session.  Rev.  William 
Lawrie  succeeded  Mr.  Wylie  as  pastor  in  November, 
1876. 

Bellefonte  Academy. — The  founders  of  Bellefonte 
were  mindful  of  the  important  interests  of  public 
education,  and  in  practical  illustration  of  their  senti- 
ments set  apart  in  1800,  for  the  support  of  an  acad-  i 
emy  or  public  school,  certain  lots  and  lands  in  and 
adjoining  the  town  of  Bellefonte.  These  lands  were 
given  in  trust  to  Andrew  Gregg,  William  Swanzey, 
and  Robert  Boggs,  the  trustees  appointed  for  Centre 
County  upon  its  erection.  Bellefonte  Academy  was 
incorporated  Jan.  8,  1805,  and  to  the  trustees  of  that 
institution,  as  appointed  by  law,  the  donated  lands 
were  transferred.  The  trustees  uiimed  in  the  act  were 
Henry  R.  Wilson  (minister  of  the  gospel),  James 
Dunlop,  Roland  Curtin,  William  Petrikin,  Robert 
McClanahan,  and  John  Hall,  of  Bellefonte;  William 
Stuart  (minister  of  the  gospel),  Andrew  Gregg,  and 
James  Potter,  of  Potter  township;  James  Duncan, 
John  Hall,  and  Jacob  Hosterman,  of  Haines  town- 
ship ;  John  Kryder,  of  Miles  township;  Jacob  Tay- 
lor, of  Half-Moon  township;  David  Whitehill,  of 
Patton  township;  Richard  Miles,  Robert  Boggs, 
Joseph  Miles,  and  John  Dunlop,  of  Spring  township; 
William  McEwen  and  Thomas  McCalmont,  of  Centre 
township ;  John  Fearon,  Matthew  Allison,  and  James 
Boyd,  of  Bald  Eagle  township.  The  first  meeting  of 
trustees  was  held  on  the  first  Monday  in  May,  1805, 
at  the  house  of  Benjamin  Patton,  in  Bellefonte. 

The  act  of  Legislature  approved  Jan.  9,  1806,  ap- 


BELLEFONTE   BOROUGH. 


233 


propriated  two  thousand  dollars  for  tlie  erection  of  a 
suitable  academy  building,  and  provided  that  a  num- 
ber of  pogr  children,  not  exceeding  six,  should  be 
educated  gratis,  but  that  no  such  child  should  be 
taught  longer  than  two  years. 

Col.  James  Diinlop  was  the  first  president  of  the 
board  of  trustees ;  Thomas  Burnside,  Esq.,  secretary. 
The  first  principal  was  Rev.  H.  R.  Wilson.  Rev. 
James  Linn  succeeded  him  in  1810,  who,  as  princi- 
pal and  president  of  the  board,  was  connected  with 
the  institution  until  his  death  in  1868,  teaching  in  in- 
tervals of  years  when  the  institution  was  unable  to 
secure  teachers.  Mr.  Chamberlain  was  a  principal 
for  a  while,  and  was  succeeded  by  Robert  Baird, 
subsequently  Dr.  Baird,  celebrated  as  an  author  and 
traveler,  and  the  founder  of  the  Evangelical  Ciiristian 
Alliance,  who  taught  during  the  years  1818  and  1819. 
Rev.  J.  B.  McCarrel,  of  the  Associate  Reformed 
Church,  was  also  an  early  principal.  In  1823,  .John 
H.  Hickok  (fiither  of  Henry  C.  Hickok,  superin- 
tendent of  public  schools  under  Secretary  Curtin) 
taught  the  academy,  succeeded  by  Henry  D.  K.  Cross, 
and  in  October,  182-t,  Alfred  Armstrong,  of  Carlisle, 
became  principal.  Samuel  G.  Callahan  succeeded 
Mr.  Armstrong  in  November,  1831.  William  M.  Pat- 
terson taught  in  1832;  in  1835,  W.  H.  Miller;  James 
B.Payne  in  1837;  and,  in  1838,  John  Livingston,  a 
native  of  Centre  County,  became  principal.  He  was 
a  graduate  of  Jefferson  in  the  year  1836,  and  died 
March  30,  1849,  aged  forty-two  years.  David  Moore 
taught  in  184.5;  and  Sept.  28,  1846,  John  Philips  was 
employed  until  September,  1847,  when  Alfred  Arm- 
strong was  invited,  and  resumed  connection  as  prin- 
cipal for  several  years.  Afterward  a  grammar  school 
was  opened  in  the  building  by  J.  D.  Wingate. 

For  a  number  of  years  after  the  academy  was  used 
for  public  and  select  school  purposes,  and  in  1868 
the  trustees  resumed  possession  of  the  building,  and 
March  23d  elected  J.  P.  Hughes  principal,  who  in 
1882  still  has  charge  of  the  institution,  with  a  large 
corps  of  teachers.  Among  the  academy's  prominent 
scholars  of  early  days  was  the  late  Robert  J.  Walker 
(Secretary  of  the  Treasury  under  President  Buchanan), 
whose  initials  remained  for  many  years  carved  upon 
the  door-jamb. 

Borough  Incorporation. — The  act  of  Legislature 
erecting  the  town  of  Bellefonte  into  a  borough  was 
approved  March  28, 1806.  Section  1  provides  that  the 
town  of  Bellefonte,  in  Centre  County,  including  the 
lots  and  land  attached  and  belonging  to  the  said  town, 
shall  be  ami  the  same  is  hereby  erected  into  a  borough 
which  shall  be  called  the  "  Borough  of  Bellefonte," 
bounded  and  limited  as  follows  :  By  lands  of  John 
Dunlop  and  Nathaniel  Simpson  on  the  south  and 
east,  by  land  of  James  Dunlop  on  the  north,  and 
by  Spring  Creek  and  land  of  James  Harris  on  the 
west,  and  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  for  the  persons 
residing  within  the  borough  of  Bellefonte  to  exercise 
and  enjoy  similar  rights  and  privileges,  and  at  the 


same  times,  under  similar  rules  and  regulations,  shall 
and  may  elect  similar  borough  officers,  which  said 
borough  officers  and  inhabitants  shall  exercise  simi- 
lar and  equal  powers  and  authorities,  and  be  in  all 
things  governed  by  similar  rules  and  regulations  as 
are  granted  to  and  provided  for  the  inhabitants  and 
borough  officers  of  the  borough  of  Will  iamsport,  in  the 
county  of  Lycoming,  by  an  act  of  Assembly  passed  in 
the  present  session  of  the  Legislature."  The  act  cre- 
ating the  borough  of  Williamsport  provided  that  the 
voters  of  the  borough  should  assemble  annually  on 
the  first  Monday  of  May  in  the  court-house,  between 
the  hours  of  twelve  and  six  in  the  evening,  and  elect 
one  reputable  citizen  who  should  be  styled  the  bur- 
gess of  the  borough,  and  five  reputable  citizens  to  be 
a  Town  Council,  and  "  shall  also  elect  a  high  consta- 
ble." 

The  following  is  the  earliest  assessment  list  that  can 
be  found,  and  indicates  the  inhabitants  in  1807  and 
1808: 

INHABITANTS. 

Ale.\ander,  Williiim,  liotel,  wheio  A.  G.  Ciirtin  house  now  st.imls  ;  in 
1809  took  tlie  liotel  where  Carumn's  now  etiiuds,  where  Judge  Walker 
lived  in  180S. 

Beiinier,  Adam,  t.-iveru,  where  Lyon'd  store  now  is,  succeeded  by  Ben- 
jamin Lucas  in  tavern,  1809. 

Beatty,  William,  store-keeper,  single. 

Burnside,  Thomas,  attorney-at-law. 

Cadwalader,  Charles,  store-keeper,  where  W.  P.  Wilson,  Esq.,  deceased, 
house  is. 

Canihridge,  Patrick,  store-keeper. 

Carr,  William,  shoenifiker,  where  Mrs.  Livingston  now  lives. 

Cookson,  Jesse,  mason.  Stover's  residence,  now  on  High  Street. 

Curtin.  Roland,  sherifTand  story-keeper,  Joseph  &  Co.  now. 

Dobbins,  Daniel,  physician. 

Drnry,  Stephen,  silversmith. 

Dnulup,  James,  Col.,  corner  of  Spring  and  Iligh  Streets,  now  Jacob 
Valentine's. 

Fleming,  Jane. 

Gallagher,  Hugh,  blacksmith,  where  D.  G.  Bush's  house  is. 

Grove,  Philip,  wngon-makcr,  J.  M.  Benner  house. 

Hall,  John,  blacksmith. 

Hall,  Thunias,  blacksmith,  single. 

Ilamnier,  Daniel,  tailor. 

Hastings,  Tliomas,  tavern-keeper. 

Huston,  Charles,  attorney-at-law,  Edmund  Blanchard's  now. 

Hutchinson,  Robert,  carpenter. 

Lowrey,  John  G.,  prothonotary,  Samuel  Vuntries  now. 

McClenahan,  Robert,  store.keeper,  Fii-st  National  Bank  lot. 

McCIure,  William. 

McCord,  John. 

McICeo,  Elizabeth,  T.  R.  Reynolds  now. 

5IcKee,'George,  tanner,  Sussanutn's  lot.  , 

IlcKee,  John,  tavern,  T.  R.  Reynold's. 

Minuon,  Jeremiah,  tailor,  Garman's  offices. 

Milt^,  Jcsher,  cabinet-maker,  Presbyterian  parsonage  lot. 

Moore,  Elislm,  W.  F.  Reynolds  &  Co.,  bunk. 

Paltou,  Benjamin,  tavern-keeper,  Firat  National  Bank  lot. 

Pennington,  Israel,  tavern-keeper,  Brockerlioff  House  lot. 

Petrikin,  William,  Esq.,  D.  M.  Wagner's  residence  lot. 

Peilil,  William,  millwright,  Mrs.  David  Mitchell's,  No.  19. 

Pierce,  John,  tanner. 

Riddle,  William,  tanner,  Mrs.  Hastings'  residence,  lot  No.  1. 
,  Rodgers,  William,  forge  hammerer,  57,  old  Masouic  lot. 

St' wart,  Robert  T  ,  attorney-at-law. 

Walker,  Jonalhan,  Garman  lot.  No.  50. 

Wallace,  Dr.  Tliomas. 

Welch,  William,  shoemaker. 

Wilson,  P.ev.  H.  R. 

Wilson,  John,  No.  93,  late  Mi-s.  Mnllan's  resUence,  on  Spiiug  Street 


234 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


,  S.  A.Br. 


,  adjoining  Banking  Company 


Williams,  Iludsoi 
Centre  County. 

Williams,  Isaac. 

Single  Freemen. 

Ball,  Josiali,  raillwiiglit ;  Barrett,  Daniel,  carpenter;  Benson,  Elijah, 
tailor;  ClellanJ,  Hugh,  laborer;  Cole,  Jacob,  wagon-maker ;  Ciownover. 
Benjamin,  batter;  Quigley,  Peter;  Shields,  Patrick,  tailor;  Stewart, 
Alexander,  hatter. 

By  the  act  passed  March  18,  1814,  the  towns  of 
Bellefonte  and  Smithfield  were  erected  into  a  bor- 
ough, and  the  former  act  incorporating  the  borough 
of  Bellefonte  repealed,  the  boundaries  of  the  new 
borough  to  be  as  follows :  Beginning  where  Lamb 
Street  adjoins  Spring  Creek;  thence  up  Lamb  Street 
to  the  end  thereof;  thence  so  as  to  include  all  the  out- 
lots  sold  by  the  proprietors  of  the  town  of  Bellefonte ; 
thence  to  the  head  of  the  big  spring ;  thence  to  Spring 
Creek,  including  the  spring  and  the  creek  therefrom 
in  the  borough  ;  thence  up  Spring  Creek  to  the  lane 
which  divides  John  McKee's  field  from  Benjamin 
Williams'  lots ;  thence  along  said  lane  and  the  road 
leading  to  the  Bellefonte  Mills  to  the  north  side  of 
James  Steele's  lots ;  thence,  including  said  lots,  to 
the  place  of  beginning,  the  name  and  title  to  be 
"  The  Borough  of  Bellefonte." 

By  a  borough  ordinance  passed  June  15,  1814,  in 
Borough  Council,  all  ordinances  heretofore  passed 
were  extended  to  the  town  of  Springfield  and  that 
part  of  Spring  township  then  included  in  the 
borough. 

In  order  to  avoid  encumbering  the  history  with  a 
transcript  of  the  laws  passed  in  reference  to  the 
borough,  reference  only  is  made  to  the  following  acts: 
March  28,  1806,  P.  L.  615  ;  March  18,  1814,  P.  L. 
146;  May  7,  1841,  P.  L.  365;  May  7,  1844,  P.  L. 
571;  April  12,  1851,  P.  L.  443;  May  3,  1852,  P.  L. 
522 ;  April  16,  1857,  P.i  L.  217  ;  March  26,  1859,  P. 
L.  256 ;  Feb.  14,  1863,  P.  L.  36  ;  April  4,  1864,  P.  L. 
279;  March  1,  1867,  P.  L.  319;  April  4,  1868,  P.  L. 
681,  713;  April  23,  1868,  P.  L.  1148;  April  2,  1869, 
P.  L.  661 ;  April  9,  1869,  P.  L.  799 ;  March  18,  1870, 
P.  L.  494;  March  28,  1870,  P.  L.  589;  April  23, 
1870,  P.  L.  1258;  May  10,  1871,  P.  L.  693;  Feb.  6, 
1872,  P.  L.  78;  Feb.  5,  1873,  P.  L.  116. 

JUSTICES  OF  THE  PEACE. 
April  14,  lS40,John  Rankin  (resigned  March  14,1844),  David  J.  Primer; 
.April  9,  1844,  James  Gilliland ;  April  15, 184.5,  D.  J.  Pruuer';  March 
13, 1849,  Daniel  Campbell ;  March  12, 1860,  D.J.  Pruner;  March  17, 
1864,  Thomas  Caldwell ;  March  13,  1855,  George  H.  Weaver;  March 
16,  1839,  William  C.  Welch  ;  March  26,  ISfiO,  George  H.  Weaver; 
March  IS,  1S62,  Thomas  Caldwell;  April  G,  1805,  Jesse  Clinger; 
March  18,  1807,  Samuel  L.  Barr  ;  March  4, 1870,  Samuel  M.  Irwin  ; 
May  28,  1870,  Jesse  Klinger,  S.  and  W.  Ward,  J.  Philip  Gephart ; 
March  13,  1875,  J.  P.  Gephart,  William  Furey,  Samuel  M.  Irwin; 
March  11,  1878,  Charles  Smith;  Dec.  13,  1878,  N.  Ward,  John  I. 
Kankin  ;  April  6,  1879,  N.  Ward,  John  I.  Kankin  ;  March  25,  1878, 
S.  Ward,  Charles  Smith. 

The  Act  of  Legislature  approved  April  23, 1870,  di- 
vided the  borough  of  Bellefonte  into  three  wards,  des- 
ignating all  that  district  lying  on  the  west  side  of 
Spring  Creek  and  Logan's  Branch  of  Spring  Creek 
as  the  West  Ward,  all   east  of  Spring  Creek  and 


Logan's  Branch  and  north  of  High  Street  as  the 
North  Ward,  all  east  of  Spring  Creek  andi  Logan's 
Branch  and  south  of  High  Street  as  the  South  Ward. 
The  jail  and  court-house  were  adjudged  to  be  in  the 
South  Ward. 

Bellefonte  Water-Works.— The .  water-works  of 
Bellefonte,  one  of  the  distinguishing  and  gratifying 
features  of  the  town,  were  in  existence  in  a  rude  form 
as  early  as  1808. 

The  presence  of  the  great  spring  made,  of  course, 
the  project  of  a  water-works  comparatively  easy  of 
fulfillment,  and  naturally  suggested  it.  Wooden  water- 
pipes  were  at  first  laid  in  the  streets,  and  not  until 
years  afterwards  were  replaced  by  iron  ones.  The 
right  to  use  the  water  of  the  big  spring  was  conveyed 
to  the  borough  by  James  Harris,  as  a  donation,  in 
1823,  in  the  following  worded  deed  to  the  Council : 

"  JTnouj  all  men  by  these  presents  that  we,  James  Harris,  of  Spring 
township,  in  Centre  County,  and  State  of  Pennsylvania,  and  Nancy,  liis 
wife,  for  and  on  account  of  the  good  will  they  entertain  towards  the 
borough  of  Bellefonte  and  its  inhabitants,  have  given,  granted,  en- 
feotfed,  and  contirmed,  and  by  these  presents  do  grant,  enfeoff,  and  con- 
firm unto  the  town  council  of  Bellefonte,  for  the  use  of  the  inhabitants 
of  said  borough,  the  right  and  privilege  of  raising  and  conveying  so 
much  of  the  water  of  the  big  spring  as  can,  by  machinery  placed  at  or 
near  the  head  of  said  spring,  be  made  to  pass  through  a  pipe  of  three 
inches  in  diameter  in  the  bore  (not  to  bo  used  towards  the  working  of 
any  steam-engine),  subject,  however,  to  the  restrictions  and  reserva- 
tions! nientiuned  and  contained  in  the  deed  of  James  Smitli  and  Eliza, 
his  wife,  to  this  grantor,  dated  Dec.  1,  1807. 

"Jam lis  Harris, 
•'  Nanci'  Harris. 
"Sealed and  JL-Iivored  this  24tb  of  Jnly,  1823,  in  presence  of 

"  Be.vjamin  Williams, 
"James  D.  Harris." 

The  first  reservoir  was  placed  on  the  academy  hill, 
just  under  what  is  now  the  north  end  of  the  academy 
buildings.  The  new  reservoirs  are  on  the  hill  south 
of  the  borough.  They  have  a  capacity  of  three  hun- 
dred thousand  gallons.  From  the  inception  in  1807 
the  water-works  have  been  owned  and  controlled  by 
the  borough.  Including  engine-house,  reservoirs, 
pipes,  repairs,  etc.,  the  estimated  cost  of  the  works 
and  maintaining  them  since  1807  touches  one  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars.     At  this  present  the  yearly 


I  The  restrictions  and  reservations  were  made  by  James  Smith,  to  this 
effect:  "That  James  Smith  aforesaid  doth  reserve  to  himself,  that  he 
the  said  James  Smith,  his  heirs  and  assigns,  shall  and  may  at  any  time 
and  at  all  times  hereafter  draw  and  convey  to  his  own  lands  and  houses 
so  much  of  the  water  of  the  big  spring  aforesaid  as  will  issue  through 
a  hole  or  jiipe  of  two  inches  diameter,  under  a  head  of  eighteen  inches, 
which  head  he,  the  said*James  Smith,  shall  have  the  right  of  effecting 
by  damming  one-half  of  the  water  of  said  spring  at  its  source  to  such  a 
height,  unless  the  said  Japies  Harris,  his  heii-s  and  assigns,  shall  have 
erected  such  dams;  then  and  in  that  case  the  said  Smith,  his  heirs  and 
assigns,  shall  and  may  draw  the  quantity  of  water  aforesaid  from  such 
dam  by  fi.xing  therein  a  pipe  of  two  inches  in  diameter  in  the  bore,  at  a 
distance  of  uot  greater  than  eighteen  inches  below  the  surface  of  the 
water  in  said  dam.  Aud,  further,  that  the  said  James  Smith  shall  and 
may  at  all  times,  when  to  him  it  shall  seem  nu'et,  erect  and  support  a 
dam  across  the  water  issuing  from  the  big  spring  aforesaid  for  the  pur- 
pose of  drawing  the  water  thereof  into  his  dam,  provided  he  shall  uot 
thereby  dam  or  raise  the  water  to  a  greater  height  than  it  is  at  this 
time." 


BELLEFONTE   BOROUGH. 


235 


revenue  from  water  rates  exceeds  current  expenses  by 
at  least  two  thousand  dollars.  There  are  now  in  use 
about  fifteen  miles  of  pipes,  varying  from  one  and  a 
half  to  six  inches  in  diameter.  The  spring  discharges 
each  minute  fourteen  thousand  six  liundrcd  gallons 
of  water,  and  since  its  utilization  in  1807  has  proba- 
bly scarcely  varied  from  that  quantity.  Between  the 
extremes  of  heat  and  cold,  the  temperature  of  the 
water  varies  but  two  degrees,  or  from  fifty-two  to 
fifty  degrees.  The  decline  in  power  of  the  spring 
from  summer  to  winter  is  equal  to  one  revolution  of 
the  turbine-wheel  per  minute.  The  daily  consump- 
tion of  water  in  the  borough  during  the  summer  is 
three  hundred  thousand  gallons;  or  about  one  hun- 
dred gallons  to  each  inhabitant.  The  water  is  forced 
to  the  reservoirs,  to  an  altitude  of  one  hundred  and 
ninety-six  feet,  through  a  six-inch  raised  pipe  nine- 
teen hundred  feet  in  length. 

Early  Mercliants  and  Business  Men.— AViDiam 
Petrikin  was  the  first  merchant  in  Bellefonte.  In 
1790  he  kept  with  his  tailor-shop  a  stock  of  goods; 
and  Roland  Curtin  was  the  next  in  Bellefonte,  1800. 
Robert  T.  Stewart,  the  next  most  prominent,  with  his 
brother  William,  1809-19.  John  Eankin  opened  a 
store  in  1810.  Hamilton  Humes  came  to  Bellefonte 
from  Lancaster  County  in  1809,  and  rented  of  James 
Smith  the  grist-mill  property  now  owned  by  Duncan 
Hale  &  Co.  Mr.  Humes  carried  on  the  mill  until 
1814,  and  in  the  latter  year  built  the  hotel  now  known 
as  the  Conrad  House.  He  tired  of  tavern-keeping  in 
a  little  while,  and  about  181.5  exchanged  his  hotel  with 
John  Irvin,  of  Penn's  valley,  for  a  store  on  the  Dia- 
mond that  Franklin  B.  Smith  had  been  managing  for 
Irvin.  The  tavern  was  then  taken  charge  of  by 
James  Watson,  and  later  by  Jacob  Rothrock,  who 
rechristened  it  the  Conrad  House,  in  honor  of  one  of 
his  Philadelphia  friends  bearing  that  name. 

John  Irwin,  Jr.,  a  Quaker,  came  to  Bellefonte  from 
Boggs  township  in  1811,  and  opened  a  shoe-shop  on 
the  ■'  Diamond."  He  carried  on  the  business  until 
1822,  when  he  returned  to  Boggs.  In  1859,  when  a 
resident  of  Howard,  he  died  in  his  seat  while  attending 
worship  at  the  Friends'  meeting-house  in  Bellefonte. 

Samuel  Harris  came  to  Bellefonte  from  Lycoming 
County  in  1811,  and  opened  a  furniture-shop  at  the 
corner  of  Bishop  and  Spring  Streets.  He  enlisted  in 
the  Federal  service  in  1812,  and  returning  to  Belle- 
fonte in  1813  resumed  his 'furniture  business.  He 
lost  his  life  by  an  accident  in  1865. 

In  1814,  William  C.  Welch  carried  on  shoemaking 
on  a  large  scale;  Ebenezer  McGee,  cabinet-making; 
William  Keever  and  A.  Vandyke,  saddlery ;  J.  Kline, 
the  tailoring;  and  Thomas  Beatty  had  a  general 
store ;  and  Benner  &  Cambridge  also  kept  store  until 
1817.  Between  1821  and  1829  merchants  and  others 
began  to  advertise  more  liberally,  and  we  find  the 
following  names  of  business  people  in  Bellefonte  be- 
tween these  years:  James  and  Andrew  McClelland, 
proprietors  of  the  Bellefonte  Mills;  J.  Lambert  & 


Bro.,  weavers;  Dr.  Fisher  (who  advised  any  patrons 
not  understanding  or  speaking  German  to  bring  an 
interpreter);  William  Armor  and  Charles  Callahan, 
tailors;  Abraham  Weaver  &  Co.,  tinners;  Stewart  & 
Carland,  tailors;  John  McKee,  general  store;  Rankin 
&  Steel,  wool-carders ;  W.  Robinson,  silversmith ; 
Charles  Johnston,  silversmith;  Charles  Mackey, 
wagon-maker  and  blacksmith ;  Eli  Cadwallader, 
cooper;  William  Wood,  tailor;  James  Rothrock, 
fur-buyer;  S.  W.  Hull,  saddler;  Jacob  Roop, 
gunsmith;  W.  Myers,  tailor;  George  Rothrock, 
saddler;  William  Alloway  and  Elijah  Reeves, 
watch-makers;  John  Hammond,  general  store;  Gil- 
lespie &  Smith,  shoemakers  ;  Hammond  &  Page,  gen- 
eral .store;  James  Kent,  wagon-maker;  Theophilus 
Kekeler,  general  store  ;  William  Patton,  tavern  ;  Jo- 
seph UpdegrafF,  landlord  of  the  Gen.  Jackson  House ; 
William  C.Welch,  shoemaker;  Barr,  Pruner  &  Baker, 
carpenters;  William  Mann,  Sr.,  blacksmith;  Cook 
&  Ammerman,  carriage-makers;  Beatty  &  Humes, 
copper  and  tinsmiths;  P.  Cambridge,  general  store  ; 
Cambridge  &  Black,  gener.al  goods;  John  Rankin, 
tavern-keeper;  C.  F.  W.  Seligman,  druggist  and 
grocer;  Cambridge  &  Petrikin,  general  store;  Peter 
Felmilee,  wagon-maker ;  W.  Ward,  tobacconist ;  Har- 
ris &  Smith,  druggists;  Franklin  B.  Smith  and  Andrew 
Gregg,  Jr.,  general  store ;  Abiel  Davis,  wagon-maker. 

In  1829,  Theophilus  Kekeler  started  a  cotton-fac- 
tory near  where  the  Snow  Shoe  depot  stands,  and  in 
1830,  October  28th,  the  firm  of  BrokerbotT  &  Kekeler, 
merchants  at  Bellefonte,  was  formed. 

Bellefonte  in  1824.— The  following  reminiscences, 
taken  from  an  address  delivered  by  Professor  Alfred 
Armstrong  on  the  10th  of  November,  1874,  present 
an  elegant  pen-picture  of  Bellefonte  and  its  inhabit- 
ants at  this  period : 

"  IIow  well  I  remember  the  appearance  of  the  ol J  town  a3  it  was  on 
that  day  of  my  first  arrival  in  it!  Tlio  academy,  then  a  single,  old- 
fasliioned  stone  bnilding  of  no  large  dimensions,  reared  on  an  eminence 
on  tlio  west.  Bellefonte  coulil  then  in  her  infancy  boast  of  but  few  public 
edifices,  and  they  erected  in  simple  yet  substantial  architecture,  and  with 
ft  view  rather  to  utility  than  oinanient  and  show.  The  old  stone  court- 
house then  stood,  as  it  does  now,  on  the  cast  side  of  the  town,  the  same 
out  of  which  has  been  reared  in  modern  times  your  present  eleg-ant 
structure,  rivaling  in  beauty  and  convenience  any  other  of  the  kind  in 
the  State.  Two  church  buildings  then  adorned  the  town.  TheyHvere 
both  small  stone  edifices.  Tlie  Presbyterian  on  the  northwest,  where 
now  stands  that  elegant,  grand  Gothic  pile,  a  model  of  beautiful  archi- 
tecture, lately  erected.  The  other  the  Methodist,  on  the  north  terminus 
of  the  hill  on  the  e.nst.  The  Catholic  Church,  a  Bne,  substantial  stone 
building  on  the  south  side  of  the  town,  was  erected,  I  think,  some  years 
after  the  time  of  which  I  now  siieak.  These  were  the  first  and  only 
public  edifices  in  the  place,  a  beautiful  and  appropriate  tribute  of  respect 
to  law,  education,  and  religion,  in  their  regard  for  which  the  staid 
inhabitants  of  that  old  town  were  behind  no  other  people.  The  private 
buildings  were  all  stone,  with  a  single  exception,  I  think,  of  one  old 
flame  house  standing  on  the  Benner  property,  near  the  centre  of  the 
town. 

"  Let  me  now  speak  of  individuals.  I  love  to  bring  before  my  mind 
not  only  the  old.ways,  but  the  faces  of  tlie  good  old  people  I  then  knew. 
Every  honorable  profession  was  well  represented.  Let  mo  begin  with 
the  medical.  Wo  had  two  physicians,  Di-s.  Curtin  and  Dobbins,  and  two 
only,  who  did  the  business  of  the  town  and  country  round  with  a  radius 
of  from  ten  to  twenty  miles.  Each  had  their  advocates  and  special  ad- 
mirers.   The  former  was  regarded  as  a  physicuin  of  skill,  and  especially 


236 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


in  the  surgical  depart nieiit.  He  was  a  quick,  ready  man,  quick  in  speech, 
quick  in  action,  a  hard  rider  and  a  rapid  driver.  A  patient  had  not  to 
wait  long  upon  his  coming,  nor  was  he  lon^  in  obtaining  relief,  as  far  as 
medical  skill  and  prompt  attention  coiild  secure  it.  Dr.  Curtiii  was  a 
gentlpman  with  whom  I  liad  myself  not  much  social  iutei'course,  but  he 
had  the  reputation  of  being  a  jovial,  compai'ionable  man, — a  man  of 
warm  lifart  and  ready  to  respond  in  pecuniary  aid  and  sympathy  to  tlie 
puor  and  distn'ssed.  He  was  of  plethoric  habit  and  died  very  suddenly, 
in  a  few  homs  I  think,  by  apoplexy.  Dr.  Dobbins,  though  not  his  infe- 
rior, I'y  any  means,  in  medical  resources  and  skill  and  in  th"se  good 
qualities  that  adorn  the  profession,  was  nevertheless  widely  different  in 
his  hal.its  and  general  character.  Dr.  Dubbins  was  sluw  in  his  mental 
operations  and  slow  in  all  his  pliysical  mntiuns.  He  did  not  so  quickly 
rt-ach  the  result  in  forming  his  judgment  on  any  subject  of  inquiry  or 
investigation,  professional  or  genentl,  but  wlien  formed  and  announced 
it  was  reliable,  and  his  opinions,  especially  in  hi.'?  own  pi'ofehsion,  were 
regarded  with  great  respect  and  confidence.  He  always  visiited  his  pa- 
tients in  the  country  on  horseback.  He  was  seldom  or  ever  seen  in  a 
vehicle  of  any  kind.  He  was,  too,  a  slow  rider,  never  in  a  huiry.  The 
night  to  him  was  the  same  as  the  day,  for  he  rode  almost  as  much  in  the 
(tne  as  he  did  in  the  other.  He  was  a  man  of  devotion  to  his  profession. 
He  never  turned  aside  from  it  to  take  any  special  interest  in  politics  or 
business  operations.  He  was  constantly',  as  they  say,  'on  the  go.'  He, 
unfortunately,  laclcjed  system  in  his  habits,  and  therefore  you  hardly 
ever  knew  just  when  and  where  to  find  Iiim.  He  mounted  Wis  horse 
every  morning,  and  whether  he  should  return  at  noon  or  evening,  at 
midnight  or  cock-crow,  none,  not  even  himself,  could  have  told.  He  was 
out  a  great  deal  at  night,  and  thus  must  have  lost  much  sleep.  It 
has'boen  said  that  he  has  been  found  sleeping  in  his  saddle  while  his 
horse  was  quietly  grazing  by  the  Toadside.  He  was  a  patient  man,  and 
most  tender  and  kind  in  his  feelings.  He  knew  nof  what  enmity  was, 
nor  had  an  enemy  in  the  world.  For  his  own  interests  he  was,  unhap- 
idly,  too  good.  He  was  a  bad  collector  of  money.  I  have  lieard  it  said 
(and  I  btjlieve  it  to  be  true)  that  he  would  often  borrow  a  little  mont-y 
frum  a  fi  iend  rather  than  si-nd  a  bill  to  a  patient.  Thus  he  lived,  wheh 
he  had  thousands  of  dollars  due  him  on  his  books,  in  comparaiively 
straitened  circumstances,  and  when  he  died,  instead  of  leaving  a  largo 
fortune,  which  liislabor,  attention,  and  medical  skill  had  justly  and  ti-uly 
earued,hiBestateamounted  to  but  very  little.  A  monument  should  iiave 
been  erected  to  the  memory  of  Dr.  Dobbins  by  the  old  citizens  of  Bellefonte. 
They  and  their  families  owed  much  to  him  for  his  kind  and  laborious 
attention  in  his  professional  capacity.  Peace  to  his  memory.  He  wore 
out  his  life,  with  very  little  remuneration,  for  the  health  and  life  of  his 
friends.  He  was  a  public  benefactor.  A  large  measure  of  his  medical 
services  was  given  gratuitously  to  the  poor,  and  not  a  little  to  those  able 
ami  willing  to  pay  was  never  noticed  in  his  books. 

"The  legal  profession  was  at  that  time  most  ably  and  honorable  rep- 
resented by  Thunias  Burnaiile  ^ifterwards  district  judge  and  subse- 
qnently  appointed  to  the  bench  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Pcnosylvaniaj, 
Mr.  Pottei-,  John  Ulanchard,  Bond  Valentine,  and  James  Petrikin.  At 
the  courts  other  attorneys  from  the  adjoining  counties  of  Clearfield, 
Mifflin,  and  Huntingdon  usually  attended.  Charles  Huston,  who  was 
al.so  afterwards  honored  with  a  seat  on  the  Supremo  Rench,  was  then 
the  presiding  jud;:e  of  the  district.  I  need  not  to  this  audience  say 
nnicli  of  these  distinguished  men,  for  they  were  well  known  to  you  all, 
and  their  memory  cumes  up  to  you  as  a  sweet  and  fragrant  odor.  It 
does  not  become  me  on  this  occasion,  if  I  were  even  competent  to  the 
task,*  to  analyze  the  legal  characteristics  of  these  g.-ntlemen,— their 
acumen,  their  legal  power,  their  profound  knowledge  of  the  law,  or  their 
skill  in  the  ready  and  appropriate  application  of  its  principles.  Suffice 
it  for  mo  to  8»y  that  in  legal  attainments  and  general  professional 
ability  the  bar  of  Bellefonte,  at  the  time  of  which  I  speak,  was,  in  refer- 
ence to  the  other  courts  of  the  district, /actYe  princeps.  My  purpose  is 
rather  to  speak  of  them  as  men,  as  citizens,  and  as  personal  friends. 

*' Tiie  elder  .Fudge  Burnside  was  distinguished  for  his  kindness  of 
heart,  his  large  hospitality,  and  especially  for  his  public  spirit.  There 
was  nothing  that  affected  the  interest  of  the  community  in  which  he 
did  not  feel  and  take  a  deep  interest,  whether  it  was  the  adornment  of 
the  town,  the  work  of  education,  or  the  general  improvement  of  the 
county.  Monuments  of  his  interest  in  these  causes  are  everywheie 
before  us,  and  some  of  these  whludi  you  now  enjoy,  and  which  ho  did 
not  live  to  behold,  his  eyes  yet  saw  in  prophetic  vison,  and  by  origin- 
ating and  carrying  through  with  undaunted  energy  and  perseveiance 
incipient  works,  laid  the  foundation  for  those  grander  improvements  in 
which  we  all  now  rejoice.  No  man  in  hie  day  did  so  much  for  Belle- 
funte  and  Centie  County,  and  most  deeply  and  widely  was  his  death 
bewailed  by  all  good  citizens.    ^  Requiescut  inpace.^ 


"  William  Potter  was  a  grandson  of  the  distinguished  Gen.  Potter,  of 
Revolutionary  memory,  of  a  family  widely  known  and  as  extensively 
respected.  Not  endowed  with  any  remarkable  powers  of  genius,  with, 
perhaps  it  might  be  called,  moderate  natural  endowmentB,  yet  with  the 
advantage  of  a  good  education,  collegiate  and  legal,  a  stainless  life  of 
vii'tue,  a  hard  student,  and  with  close  attention  to  business,  he  raised 
himself  to  an  advanced  rank  in  his  profession.  He  had,  as  I  have 
understood  from  those  wlio  have  often  heard  him  plead,  great  power  to 
fascinate  and  carry  away  a  jury  by  his  hortatory  skill  and  declamntory 
ability,  after  he  had  cliiic'ied  his  nrgnnient  by  sound  reasoning.  Mr. 
Bianchard  was  considered  his  rival  at  the  bar,  and  they  were  generally 
pitted  against  each  other.  Whenever  a  client  enlisted  either  iu  his 
cause  he  Wius  pretty  confident  of  success. 

"Mr.  Bianchard  wms  originally  from  New  England,  and  was  gnidu- 
aled  in  one  of  tlieir  foremost  colleges.  He  had  also  further  strength- 
ened and  disciplined  his  mind,  after  finishing  the  usual  term  of  legal 
study,  by  teaching  a  year  or  two,  a  practice  common  at  that  lime  with 
the  youth  of  New  England,  Mr.  Dlanclmrd  had  great  command  ..f  hui- 
guage,was  a  very  fluent  speaker, and  had  a  mind  of  more  tlniu  ordinary 
logical  power.  Ho  was  very  ingenious,  too,  and  used  tliis  talent  witli 
much  address  in  propping  up  a  bad  cau.-^e.  He  could  not  be  called  a 
humorist,  and  yet  he  often  spiced  his  addresses  to  the  jury  with  strokes 
of  sparkling  wit.  Mr.  Bianchard  was  a  mun  of  unblemi=*hed  pui  ity  of 
characier,  exceedingly  amiable  iu  his  family  and  private  life,  as  well  as 
pupul-.r  «ith  the  masses.  As  far  as  I  know,  he  was  not  very  warmly 
iutei  ested  in  p  diti.s,  yet  very  decided  in  his  political  views  and  senti- 
ments, and  in  a  Democratic;  district  was  elected  to  Congress  by  a  very 
respectable  majority.  He  died— not  idd— in  the  vigor  of  his  maidiood 
by  a  softening  of  the  brain,  brought  on  prol.ably  by  close  and  long- 
cuntinned  mental  jip|dicati>.n.  Mr.  Blanchard's  ib-alh  was  a  loss  deeply 
felt,  nut  only  in  the  community  where  he  lived,  but,  from  his  national 
position,  by  the  country  at  large. 

"James  Petrikin  had  not  been  long  at  the  bar  when  I  first  came  to 
Belleluhte.  He  was  a  very  handsome  young  man  and  ol  brilliant  taU-uts, 
but  wanted,  as  such  men  mostly  do,  >tea<liness  and  aiipl.xa'ion.  He  had 
a  natural  ta.ste  for  tite  fine  arts,  and  was  himself  quite  an  aitist,  e.xcel- 
ling  in  music  and  painting,  but  he  was  esperially  distinguished  lor  his 
wit  and  humor.  He  relished  a  joke  much, and  always  carried  with  him 
a  fund  of  mirth  for  those  with  whom  he  was  intimately  associated.  His 
habits  were  eminently  social  and  his  company  courted.  He  wivs  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Pennsylvania  State  Legislature  at  one  time,  and  told  some 
very  amusing  anecdotes,  as  will  be  remembered  by  many  of  my  hearers, 
of  some  of  the  sapient  representatives  of  the  people  iu  that  body  during 
his  term.  He  was  cut  off  in  eaily  life  by  consumption,  leaving  a  widow, 
son,  and  daughter.  The  former,  a  most  promising  youth,  fell  in  the  late 
civil  war,  a  siicrifice  to  his  countryV  safety  and  au  houor  to  the  place  of 
his  birth. 

"Bond  Valentine  was  one  of  five  brothers  who  camo  to  Bellefonte 
from  Chester  County,  Pa.  They  were  all  active,  enterprising, and  ener- 
getic young  men.  They  purcliased  the  furnace  and  forgo  property  of 
the  Dunlop  cstute,  repaired  and  fitted  up  those  irou-works,  and  carried 
them  on  with  great  energy  and  succe-s.  They  were  of  the  Quaker  per- 
suasion in  their  religious  opinions  and  proclivities,  and  adhered,  some  of 
them,  very  strictly  to  the  rules  of  their  religious  convictions,  especially 
Bond  iu  the  latter  years  of  his  life.  When  I  first  knew  him  he  was  a 
gay,  spiightly,  yet  moral  young  urin.  He  managed  the  law  business  of 
the  firm,  but  never  seemed  an.xious  to  extend  his  practice  very  largely. 
Enjoying  an  ample  con)petence,ho  was  not  a  slave  to  business,  and  wisely 
united  with  his  business  engagements  a  large  measure  of  literary  and 
social  pleasure.  Some  years  before  ho  died  he  gave  himself  up  almost 
entii-ely  to  the  interests  of  religion  iu  tliat  branch  of  the  church  with 
which  he  was  connected,  and  was^one  of  its  ntost  efficient  supporters. 
He  passed  away  much  beloved  and  respected. 

"I  knew  nothing  of  Judge  Huston  as  a  practicing  lawyer.  My  first 
acquaintance  with  him  was  while  judge  of  the  district  court.  1  have 
often,  however,  heard  him  spoken  of  by  those  competent  to  judge  as  iiu 
eminent  lawyer,  learned  in  the  law  and  eloquent  as  a  pleader.  IJis  plain 
personal  appearance,  awkward  address,  and  carelessness  in  regard  to  at- 
tire, in  striking  contrast  with  his  superior  mental  ability,  legal  attain- 
ments, and  powerful  eloquence,  made  the  latter  on  some  occasions  pecu- 
liarly impressive.  An  anecdote  is  told  of  his  going  to  Philadelphia  in  a 
land  case,  in  which  kind  of  trials  he  excelled,  perhaps,  any  other  lawyer 
iu  the  State.  He  ariived  late,  and  as  he  dismounted  from  his  horse  (for 
they  rode  on  horses  in  those  days),  he  went  straight  to  the  court,  with 
unchanged  dress  and  bespattered  boots.  It  began  soon  to  bo  whispered 
throughout  the  court-room  that  this  was  Charles  Huston,  from  Centre 
County,  who  had  come  to  throw  light  on  the  law  in  the  courts  of  Phila- 


BELLEFONTE  BOROUGH. 


237 


(lelphiit.  ^he  polislied  nttornoyeof  the  bar  of  that  metropolis  nodded  to 
one  niiutlior,  pmiled,nud  huighed,  nnlicipnting  n  fine  field  for  liumoroue 
ctiltciKin  upon  the  legal  performance  of  the  country  lawyer;  but  when 
he  I.ogiiii  to  ppetik  Oiey  litjiene<l,  they  respected,  they  wondered,  wore 
confounded,  and  at  length  qnitf  carried  itway  by  the  strength  of  his  logic 
and  the  jiower  of  his  eloquence.  He  was  transferred  a  few  years  after 
my  acquaintance  with  him  to  the  bench  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Penn- 
sylvania, where  lie  sustained  his  bi^h  position  with  great  dignity  and 
honor,  lie  suffered  from  H-eak  eyes  some  years  before  his  death,  depriv- 
ing h=m  of  tbeph'jiBure  of  reiiding.  lie  was  domiciled  in  the  liouse  of 
his  daughter,  Mrs.  Hale,  where,  in  the  midst  of  loving  friends,  he  en- 
joyed every  comfort  that  affection  and  sympatliy  could  give  in  his  declin- 
ing years.  He  died  after  a  lingering  illness  of  some  standing  at  no  very 
advanced  ago.  Judge  Huston  had  few  superiors  in  the  country  in  thor- 
ough knowledge  of  the  hwv  and  b-gal  acumen.  As  a  man,  in  private 
lifi*,  he  was  much  beloved  by  friends  and  respected  by  all  who  knew  bim. 

"  or  the  ministry  I  have  none  to  notice,  save  one.  Rev.  James  Linn 
WHS  the  only  representative  of  tho  gospel  ministry,  to  my  knowledge, 
then  resident  in  the  town.  It  was,  as  you  all  know,  in  the  formof  Pres- 
byterianism.  He  was  a  strong  Calvinist  of  the  idd  school,  sound  in  doc- 
trine and  as  sound  in  practice.  His  parents  lived  in  what  was  then 
called  Sherman's  valley,  now  Perry  Connty,  Pa.  His  father  was  a  Pres- 
byterian minister  of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  whom  I  recollect  in  my  child- 
hood often  to  have  seen  at  my  father's  in  Carlisle.  He  was  a  well  edu- 
cated minister,  and  held  a  high  standing  among  his  brethren.  Mr.  Linn 
w;is  gmduated  at'Dickinson  College,  Pa-,  and  soon  after,  licensed  ty  the 
(_■arli^le  Presl»ytery,  settled  at  Bellefonte,  taking  the  pastoral  charge  of 
ttie  two  congregations  at  this  place  and  at  Liek  Run.  Mr.  Linn's  pas- 
torate covcreil  a  period,  I  believe,  of  over  fifty  years. 

"Mr.  John  G.  Lowrey  was  a  ruling  elder  in  the  Presbyterian  Church 
and  fur  mnny  years  president  of  bnard  of  irustees  of  the  academy.  He 
tiiidi  a  very  li^■ely  and  active  interest  in  ihe  cause  both  of  education  and 
rLdigion.  Tliougli  not  a  man  of  libenil  Cilucution  himself,  yet  he  highly 
iippretiated  iis  advantages  and  sioight  in  eveiy  way  to  promote  its 
iiitercls.  Ilis  piety  was  not  so  nnuli  of  the  relired  and  devotional  type, 
yet  he  was  a  man  of  strong  religious  prhiciides,  and  made  it  apparent 
in  all  Ids  walk  and  conversation  and  business  operations  that  ho  sought 
fii-st  the  Kingdom  of  God  and  his  lighteousm-ss.  He  was  not  so  much  a 
m:in  of  woids  as  of  deeds,  of  jirofi-ssion  as  jiractice.  While  some  might 
have  showed  their  faith  without  their  works,  he  manifested  his  by  his 
works.  I'mention  a  single  instance:  Ho  had  a  sister  unfortunately 
nianied.  She  died,  leaving  a  family  of  five  ehildren,  two  sons  and  three 
ili.ugljter.-=,  with  a  father  unfit  to  t:die  care  of  rhein.  Mr.  Lowrey,  though 
with  rather  limited  pecuniary  means,  took  this  whole  family  to  his  bouse, 
educated  them,  and  prepared  tbeni  tor  .i  respectable  self-suppurt.  All  of 
them,  I  believe,  turned  out  well,  the  daughter.s  becoming  well  nnirried 
and  the  sons  resi>ectable  and  useful  men.  It  would  be  a  happy  tiling  if 
our  modern  professor  of  religion  would  furnish  such  examples  of  re- 
ligious living  as  this.  In  his  advanced  life  be  was  nuiriied  to  his  third 
wile,  and  with  her  bo  removed  to  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  leaving  with  a  sad- 
dened heart  the  graves  of  his  dead,  the  fiiends  of  his  youth, and  the 
cbuich  of  his  aflections.     He  was  soon  after  called  by  the  Master  to  his 

"  Hon.  Andrew  Gregg,  who  was  one  of  the  trustees  for  many  years, 
felt  a  wiirin  interest  in  the  academy,  and  always  took  an  active  part  in 
the  examination  of  the  pupils  in  the  Latin  and  Greek  languages.  He 
was  one  of  the  hist  of  the  noted  men  of  Revolutionary  limes,  a  man  of 
great  personal  dignity  and  of  eminent  purity  of  character.  He  was  dis- 
tinguished as  a  scholar,  a  statesman,  and  a  patriot.  Ho  left  behind  him 
a  name  that  sbidl  be  honored  through  many  generations. 

"  With  the  elder  James  Harris  I  formed  an  early  acquaintance,  which 
ripened  into  a  friendship  which  lasted  through  life.  He  showed  mo 
niiiuy  marks  of  attention  and  kindness,  and  with  all  his  descendants 
since  to  the  third  generation  this  same  friendship  has  been  entertained 
and  reciprocated.  He  was,  when  I  first  S)\w  him,  a  truly  venerable  pa- 
triarch, eurrounded  by  a  large  family  of  adult  children,  five  sons  and 
one  daughter.  Mrs.  Linn,  bis  eldest,  was  not  then  living.  With  Mrs. 
Dobbins,  the  surviving  daughter,  I  was  honored  w  ith  a  close  and  most 
fiiendly  intimacy.  A  purer,  more  sensitive,  meek,  humble  woman  I 
never  knew.  She  was  refinement  and  delicacy  personified,  a  lady  of 
fine  mind  and  high  intellectual  and  moral  culture.  How  shall  I  com- 
jiare  her  with  that  class  of  ladies,  or  rather  women,  of  our  day  who, 
throwing  Jiside  the  delicacy  of  their  sex,  are  ambitious  to  be  seen  on  iho 
pbitftuni,  and  to  display  the  talents  which  God  gave  them  for  other  pur- 
poses on  the  arena  of  public,  professional,  and  political  life,  leaving  their 
ap|>ropriate  sphere — tho  domestic  circle  nnd  household  cares— for  the 
jostle  and  struggle  with  tlie  rougher  sex  in  the  various  business  pur- 


suits of  the  world.  She  was  not  one  of  that  claiw  who  would  ignore  tbeir 
womanhooil  and  quarrel  with  their  Maker  because  he  luul  not  mode 
them  men,  but  Infinitely  raised  above  it.  But  to  return  to  3Ir.  Harris. 
He  was  one  of  the  earliest  seltlera  in  this  region,  and  through  his  influ- 
ence and  that  of  his  brother-in-law,  Mr.  Dunlop,  secured  from  the  Legis- 
liituro  an  act  of  incorporation  fixing  Dellefontc  as  the  seat  of  justice  of 
the  county  of  Centre.  Mr.  Ilatris,  when  I  knew  him,  wa«  a  retired 
countiy  gentleman,  living  at  his  beautiful  residence  oti  Spring  Creek. 
He  was  a  man  of  culture  and  of  cunsiderablo  knowledge  of  the  times 
and  hi->tory  of  the  country,  a  perfect  gentleman  of  the  old  stamp  and  a 
firm  patriot.  His  father  had  fought  side  by  side  with  my  own  grand- 
father in  the  war  of  the  Revolution  A  man  of  pure  and  uncorrupt 
morals  and  strong  religions  faith,  he  died  beloved  and  respected  by  all. 

"Mrs.  Harris  was  the  daughter  of  Mr.  J.  Uuidop,  from  a  family  of  high 
respectability.  Of  her  early  education  I  know  nothing,  but  inesume  it 
was  such  as  girls  of  good  family  received  at  the  time, — to  spell,  read, 
write,  and  cipher.  She  had,  however,  strong  natural  talents,  and 
cultivated  them  by  reading,  observation,  and  reflection.  She  had  a 
metaphysical  turn  of  mind,  and  directed  her  thoughts  and  attention  a 
good  deal  in  the  channel  of  metajdiysical  research.  About  the  liiuo  I 
formed  her  acquaintance  she  had  prepared  for  Ihe  pi'ess  and  afterwai'ds 
published  her  'Alphabet  of  Thought,'  as  she  modestly  named  it.  It 
was  a  profound  metaphysical  disquisition,  written  in  a  fine,  clear,  phil- 
osophic style,  worthy  of  a  Stewart  or  a  Brown.  In  that  work  she  grap- 
ples with  some  of  the  kui  tlit-st  iioints  of  the  science,  and  draws  the 
sword  of  antagonism  against  the  views  of  some  of  the  greatest  metaphy- 
sicians since  the.days  of  Locke. 

*'0f'  my  pupils,  of  whom,  after  a  lapse  of  half  a  century,  but  tliree 
survive,  were  James  Burnside,  James  Miles,  'William  Lyon,  Edward 
Humes,  Kdward  Lowrey,  Charles  Welch,  John  Nori  is,i  Horatio  Norris, 
Brown  Norris,  Robert  McClelland,  and  William  Miles,  the  stei)-son  of 
John  Mitcbel.  With  the  subsequent  life  and  character  of  my  pupils 
neatly  all  my  audience  are  familiar.  The  firtit  who  was  called  away  by 
death  was  Charles  Welch,  a  very  promising  young  man.  He  had  studied 
medicine,  and  secured  an  honorable  appointment  as  assistant  surgeon  iu 
the  United  States  army.  He  died  at  Fort  Gibson  from  an  attack  of  fever 
a  very  short  time  after  enteiing  upon  bis  officiitl  duties.  The  next  who 
fell  was  a  victim  to  consumption,  the  much-lamented  Edward  Lowry. 
He  was  a  youth  of  great  jiromise  every  waj',  modest,  unassuming,  cor- 
rect in  deportment,  and  amiable  in  disposition.  He  had  just  graduated 
with  credit,  and  returned  home  with  collegiate  honors  and  bright  prus- 
pects,  when  be  was  called  by  the  Saviour  to  go  up  higher,  and  develop 
his  powers  in  a  wider  and  higher  sphere.  I  shall  never  forget  the  deep 
groan  and  heartrending  cry  of  the  aged  and  bereaved  father  as  he  con- 
signed to  the  earth  the  remains  of  this  only  and  beloved  son.  Death,  it 
is  said,  loves  a  shining  mark.  Thus  again  his  shaft  was  sped,  and  an- 
other, Col.  James  Burnside,  fell  by  a  sudden  and  fearful  catastrophe, 
not  in  y<'Uth,  but  in  the  prime  and  fullness  of  manhood,  when  he  was 
wearing  his  blushing  honors  thick  upon  him,  when  his  talents  and  char- 
acter and  influence  were  just  beginning  to  be  appreciated.  He  was  dearly 
beloved  by  his  friends  for  his  amiable  qualities,  and  much  resiiectetl  antl 
admired  by  all  for  his  legal  abilities,  his  cultivated  mind,  and  geiieml 
excellence  of  character.  The  circumstances  of  his  death,  well  knuwn 
to  all  present,  adiled  poignancy  to  the  grief  of  the  occasion,  and  covered 
the  whole  conmiunity  with  a  pall  of  sadness  not  soon  to  be  forgotten. 

"Charles  Huston,  the  only  sou  of  Ihe  Hon.  C.  HustoTi,  died  quite 
young,  probably  about  the  nge  of  twenty  yeare.  I  recollect  liim  well  as 
a  beautiful  and  interesting  hoy,  modest,  tinud,  rather  suiait,  and  well 
behaved.  He  became  an  excellent  classical  scholar,  having  reail  more 
extensively  the  Latin  and  Greek  authors  than  any  scholar  I  ever  bad 
iu  the  academy. 

"  Brown  Norris  died  in  the  meridian  of  life,  holding  a  respectable  po- 
sition in  Washington  under  the  national  administration,  leaving  a  wife 
and  son,  tho  latter  now  liolding  an  honorable  appointment  under  tho 
State  admiin"stration. 

"James  Miles,  William  Miles,  and  Robert  McClelland  were  taken 
away  from  life  comparatively  young. 

"Of  the  teachers,  I  would  name  Rev.  Mr,  McCarrel,  of  the  Associate 
Reformed  Church,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Baird,  of  the  Presbyterian  Unly. 
Among  its  earliest  teachers  w.is  a  young  man  of  the  uamc  of  Williams, 
of  wltom  I  have  often  heard  bis  uncle,  Derijamin  AVilliams,  of  this  place, 
speak.  He  was  the  son  of  a  distinguished  Presbyterian  minister  iu 
Cumberland  County,  Pa.    Ue  had  graduated  at  Cniou  College,  Scheuec- 


1  Capt.  John  Norris  died  at  Milton,  Pa.,  on  the  2d  of  November,  1S74, 
after  the  above  address  was  written. 


238 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


tady,  N.  T,,  and  was  a  j-oiith  of  \inconimonly  fine  promise.  He  taught, 
I  think,  but  for  a  short  time,  falling  early  iu  life  a  victim  to  consump- 
tion. 

"  Of  the  trustees,  Eev.  James  Linn,  John  lowry,  Andrew  Gregg,  Sr., 
Thomas  Burnside,  Charles  Huston,  Hamilton  Humes,  John  Noriis,  Wil- 
liam Potter,  John  Blanchard,  and  Franklin  Smith  composed  the  board 
when  I  was  installed  principal,  and  all,  I  tliink,  lived  througliont  my 
time,  but  now  all  have  passed  away.  You  no  longer  hear  their  voices, 
nor  see  their  forms  in  your  streets.  Tliey  were  your  leading  citizens, 
and  noble  men  they  were." 

Board  of  Health.— At  a  special  meeting  of  the 

Council,  June  24,  1833,  it  was  resolved  that  "it  is 
expedient  to  have  a  board  of  health  for  the  ensuing 
season."  The  borough  was  accordingly  divided  int« 
four  districts  by  the  centre  of  High  and  Allegheny 
Streets,  and  committees  appointed  for  each  ward,  to 
wit:  Hamilton  Humes,  D.  J.  Truner,  and  Henry 
Kothrock  for  the  First  Ward  ;  James  P.  Gregg,  James 
Rothrock,  and  Robert  Hays  for  the  Second  Ward; 
Bond  Valentine,  James  D.  Turner,  and  Edward  Smith 
for  the  Third  Ward;  and  William  Ward,  Roland 
Curtin,  and  Samuel  Harris  for  the  Fourth  Ward. 
Dr.  D.  Dobbins,  Constans  Curtin,  John  Harris,  and 
J.  Armstrong  and  the  chief  burgess  were  selected  to 
constitute  a  board  of  health,  and  empowered  to  pro- 
cure a  hospital  and  such  hospital  furniture  as  might 
be  deemed  necessary. 

Paper-Making. — A  paper-mill  was  established  in 
Bellefbnte  about  1835  by  Beckwith  &  Proud,  near 
where  Duncan  Hale  &  Co.'s  warehouse  stands.  They 
made  yellow  and  white  writing-paper  by  the  primitive 
and  slow  process  of  moulding  by  hand.  Beckwith  & 
Proud  became  involved,  and  turned  'the  business  over 
to  H.  Humes  &  Son,  who  were  the  last  proprietors. 
It  was  at  no  time  a  profitable  enterprise.  In  1875,  J. 
F.  Batcheller  &  Co.  erected  on  Spring  Creek  a  fine 
paper-mill  that  cost  thirty  thousand  dollars.  The 
project  was  an  almost  immediate  failure,  and  the  Vic- 
tory lay  idle  until  1877,  when  it  was  leiised  to  W.  H. 
Gve.  Straw-jiaper  was  made  fit  the  rate  of  one  ton 
daily.  Eight  hands  were  employed.  Gye  was  not 
successful,  and  was  succeeded  by  Crider  &  Valentine. 
The  mill  is  now  idle  and  dismantled. 

The  Public  Schools. — One  of  the  earliest  and  best- 
known  of  the  subscription  school-teachers  in  Belle- 
fonte  was  Miss  Sarah  Tucker,  a  Quakeress.  She  was 
teaching  in  Bellefonte  in  1807,  and  liad  then  been 
thus  engaged  there  for  some  time.  She  was  widely 
popular,  and  is  said  to  have  taught  in  Bellefonte 
about  twenty  years.  Under  the  act  establishing  com- 
mon schools,  in  1834  the  voters  oC  Bellefonte  borough 
chose  John  Rankin,  Charles  McBride,  Constans  Cur- 
tin James  Armor,  Samuel  Harris,  and  Samuel  Pettit 
as  school  directors.  September  27th  the  directors 
held  their  first  meeting,  and  chose  John  Rankin  presi- 
dent, and  Charles  McBride  secretary.  April  20,  1835, 
Constans  Curtin  and  Samuel  Pettit  made  a  committee 
report  to  the  effect  that  the  available  funds  included 
si.Kty  dollars  due  from  the  State,  and  two  hundred  and 
thirty-eight  dollars  from  the  ta.x-roll.  April  28, 1835, 
one  hundred  and  seventy  five  school  children  were 


reported  in  the  borough.  About  the  same  time 
"  Cobb's  Series  of  School-books"  were  adopted.  In 
January,  1836,  four  schools  were  provided  for,  to  be 
taught  four  months.  _Mr.  Hamilton  was  to  teach  one 
at  thirty-three  dollars  per  month,  and  to  find  his  own 
school-room.  George  W.  Wasson,  Charles  McBride, 
and  Mrs.  Duulop  were  to  teach  the  other  schools,  and 
to  be  furnished  with  rooms  by  the  borough.  In  1841 
the  directors  contracted  with  J.  J.  and  G.  Alexander 
for  the  erection  of  a  school-house  with  a  capacity  of 
four  schools.  The  contract  price  was  one  thousand 
two  hundred  and  seventy  dollars.  Upon  the  opening 
of  the  building  for  school  purposes,  two  hundred  and 
seventy-five  scholars  were  reported  in  the  borough. 
In  1862,  the  High  School  department  was  transferred 
to  the  Bellefonte  Academy  buildings,  which  it  occu- 
pied until  1868.  In  that  year  the  directors  took  steps 
to  enlarge  school  accommodations,  and  bought  a  spa- 
cious lot  on  Spring,  Allegheny,  Linn,  and  Lamb,  upon 
which  it  was  resolved  to  erect  a  commodious  building, 
to  contain  nine  rooms.  The  present  public  school 
was  the  result.  Its  cost,  including  the  lot,  was 
twenty-six  thousand  dollars.  In  1865  the  directors 
constituted  the  High  School  principal  the  superin- 
tendent of  all  the  public  schools  in  the  borougli. 

Among  former  teachers  may  be  named  D.  B.  Can- 
field,  W.  H.  Blair,  Thomas  McClintock,  E.  B.  Harvey, 
J.  E.  Cook,  J.  D.  Wingate,  Mr.  Elmer,  James  H. 
Garrah,  Theodore  Muifly,  John  H.  Hoops,  James  H. 
Rankin,  Theodore  Weaver,  H.  Y.  Stitzer,  James  H. 
Rankin  (second  term);  W.  H.  Shoch,  Isaac  T,  Woods, 
B.  B.  Shaub,  D.  H.  Hastings,  W.  C.  Heinle,  T.  F. 
Balliet,  James  H.  Rankin  (third  term),  D.  M.  Lieb. 
Mr.  Lieb,  the  present  principal,  is  a  native  of  Belle- 
fonte, and  a  graduate  of  Princeton,  of  the  class  of 
1878.  The  borough  has  in  addition  to  the  Allegheny 
Street  school  building  a  colored  school  on  High 
Street.     There  the  attendance  averages  about  thirty. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church.— The  first  Metho- 
dist Church  was  completed  in  November,  1822. 
James  McGhee,  Geoi-ge  Kennedy,  William  Ward,  E. 
Purdue,  Jr.,  and  James  Crawford,  trustees.  Of  these, 
Sherifl'  Ward  was,  perhaps,  the  most  energetic,  carry- 
ing timber  up  the  hill  for  the  builders  upon  his 
shoulders  when  needful.  Of  the  early  organization 
of  classes  no  record  has  been  attainable.  The  Sab- 
bath-school was  organized  in  June,  1823.  The  early 
history  of  Methodism  in  the  county  appears  in  con- 
nection with  the  history  of  the  church  in  Boggs  town- 
ship, where  will  be  found  a  list  of  the  earlier  minis- 
ters. 

In  1832  there  were  three  classes  at  Bellefonte,  in 
charge  of  John  Cassidy,  John  Moore,  and  Mr.  Stau- 
ber.  The  pastors  that  year  were  Revs.  Ellis  and 
Sanks.  Bellefonte  Circuit  then  included  Penn's 
valley,  and  had  a  great  number  of  preaching-points. 
In  1853  the  old  stone  church  was  replaced  with  a 
commodious  framed  structure,  which  still  stands  on 
High   Street,  and   serves   as   a   tenement  dwelling- 


BELLEFONTE  BOROUGH. 


239 


house.  The  present  fine  brick  church  edifice  was 
built  iti  1875,  during  Rev.  George  W.  Miller's  pastor- 
ate, and  dedicated  in  July,  187(5.  It  cost  about  fifteen 
thousand  dollars,  and  will  scat  about  si.'c  hundred  and 
fifty.  Following  Mr.  Miller  came  Revs.  John  Dona- 
hue, A.  D.  Yocum,  and  G.  D.  Pennypacker.  Mr. 
Pennypacker,  the  present  pastor,  has  been  in  the  min- 
istry since  1867.  He  took  charge  of  the  Bellefonte 
Church  in  March,  1881.  The  class-leaders  at  Belle- 
fonte are  Joseph  Twitmirc,  Lafayette  Mulholland, 
George  W.  Swartz,  and  George  S.  Lyon. 

St.  John's  Roman  Catholic  Church.— Public  ser- 
vices by  a  Catholic  jiriest  were  first  held  in  I5ellefonte 
in  1824.  From  that  year  to  1828,  Rev.  Father  Hay- 
don,  of  Bedford,  paid  occasional  visits  to  Bellefonte, 
and  held  services  in  a  house  on  High  Street,  at  one 
time  the  residence  of  William  Welch.  Bellefonte 
continued  to  be  a  mission-point  in  charge  of  the  Bed- 
ford priest  until  1828.  In  that  year  the  congregation 
had  reached  a  strength  that  warranted  the  creation  of 
a  parish  and  the  building  of  a  house  of  worship.  In 
the  year  last  named,  Rev.  Father  O'Reily  came  to 
Bellefonte,  and  projected  as  well  as  directed  the  build- 
ing of  the  present  church  edifice  on  Bishop  Street. 
The  church  was  finished  and  consecrated  Sunday, 
Aug.  14,  1831. 

At  the  time  of  the  organization  of  Bellefonte 
parish  it  included  also  Lock  Haven,  Jersey  Shore, 
Howard,  and  Putter.  Subsequently  Hecla  Furnace, 
Washington  Furnace,  Philipsburg,  and  Snow  Shoe 
were  added.  Since  the  establishment  of  St.  John's 
Church  thirty-six  priests  have  rendered  service 
therein.  Of  these  priests.  Rev.  Lewis  Fink  became 
Bishop  of  Leavenworth,  Kansas,  and  Rev.  Father 
Bernard,  prior  of  the  Benedictine  Order  at  Newark, 
N.J.  Rev.  A.  J.  O'Brian  took  charge  of  St.  John's  in 
July,  1875,  and  in  November,  1880,  was  succeeded  by 
the  present  pastor.  Rev.  Patrick  McArdell.  Father 
McArdell  entered  the  priesthood  at  Lewistown,  in 
1S75,  where  for  five  years  he  had  charge  of  the 
Church  of  the  Sacred  Heart.  Thence  he  was  called 
to  Bellefonte.  The  congregation  of  St.  John's  in- 
cludes about  two  hundred  families,  the  Irish  element 
predominating  largely. 

The  Society  of  Friends. — Among  the  early  residents 
of  Bellefonte  were  several  Quaker  families  from  Ches- 
ter County, — the  Valentines,  Thomases,  Millers,  and 
Irwins  being  the  first.  It  was  not,  however,  until 
1832  that  the  numerical  strength  of  the  Friends 
seemed  sufficient  to  warrant  the  erection  of  a  house 
of  worship.  In  that  year  the  brothers  Valentiue,- 
George,  Reuben,  Bond,  and  Abram, — with  their  pan- 
ner,  W.  A.  Thomas,  put  up  at  their  own  expense, 
upon  their  own  land,  a  meeting-house  for  the  free 
use  of  such  Friends  as  might  choose  to  gather  there. 
When  the  building  was  completed,  it  wa.s  Ibrmally 
opened  under  the  direction  of  William  Fisher  and 
others  conspicuously  prominent  as  members  of  the 
Society  of  Friends.     In  1837  a  committee  from   the 


Baltimore  Yearly  Meeting  visited  Bellefonte,  and  on 
that  occasion  the  Bellefonte  society  united  with  the 
body  of  Orthodox  Friends.  They  were  thereupon 
organized  as  a  Monthly  Meeting  and  attached  to 
Dunning's  Creek  Quarterly  Meeting  in  Bedford 
County,  which  is  now  held  alternately  at  Bellefonte 
and  Dunning's  Creek.  Among  the  speakers  in  the 
Bellefonte  society,  beginning  with  1832,  Bond  Valen- 
tine was  most  prominent.  The  society  has  flourished 
uninterruptedly  since  1832,  and  meetings  are  now 
held  as  regularly  as  of  yore,  tw-ice  a  week.  The  con- 
gregation worshiping  in  the  church  includes  U|)wards 
of  fifteen  families.  The  Friends'  graveyard  was  laid 
out  in  1837. 

St.  John's  (Protestant  Episcopal)  Church.— The 
origin  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  Belle- 
fonte may  be  traced  to  the  incident  of  the  arrival  in 
the  town,  in  1825,  of  Mrs.  Harriet  Wilson  and  her 
sister,  Mrs.  James  Gregg,  of  York,  Pa.,  who  visited 
Bellefonte  in  search  of  health.  Shortly  after  their 
arrival  in  Bellefonte  they  were  visited  by  Mr.  Pig- 
gott,  who  finding  in  the  town  two  other  Episcopalian 
families,  those*  of  James  Armor  and  Mr.  Magee, 
determined  to  hold  public  services.  The  place  of 
worship  was  a  room  in  the  second  story  of  Mr.  Ar- 
mor's cabinet-shop,  and  Theophilus  Kekeler,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Moravian  Church,  consented  to  act  in  the 
capacity  of  lay  reader.  After  Mr.  Piggott's  third 
visit  the  congregation  had  grown  great  enough  to 
warrant  a  change  of  quarters,  and  a  new  and  more 
commodious  place  of  worship  was  accordingly  found 
in  the  meeting-room  of  the  Masonic  lodge,  then  oc- 
cupying a  building  still  standing  north  of  the  court- 
house. Bellefonte  was  soon  designated  .as  a  regular 
mission  station,  and  supplied  from  Lewistown  until 
the  organization  of  the  parish  in  1836. 

In  1832  and  1833,  Rev.  Corry  Chambers  was  a  mis- 
sionary here,  and  in  the  latter  year  advertised  for 
proposals  for  building  a  school,  thirty-two  by  forty- 
two,  with  a  gallery,  but  the  enterprise  was  not  carried 
out. 

Aug.  26,  1836,  a  parish  organization  was  effected, 
Rev.  M.  K.  Cushman  presiding  at  the  meeting.  The 
vestrymen  chosen  were  James  Armor  (senior  warden), 
James  T.  Hale  (junior  warden),  James  P.  Gregg, 
George  Buchanan,  Benjamin  Bennett,  William  Irvin, 
James  Burnside,  Charles  B.  Callahan,  and  Constans 
Curtin.  A  rector  was  not,  however,  secured  until 
August,  1838.  At  that  time  Rev.  George  W.  Natt, 
who  had  been  preaching  for  the  parish,  was  settled  as 
the  first  rector  of  St.  John's.  Mr.  Natt  set  about  the 
business  of  obtaining  a  house  of  worship,  and  with 
such  success  that  in  1842  the  structure  was  finished. 
The  lot  was  donated  by  Judge  Hale.  In  1843  a 
rectory  was  built.  The  churcli  records  mention  the 
first  comnuinicants  as  James  Armor,  Mrs.  Mary 
Hunter,  Elizabeth*  Hazen,  Catharine  Hunter,  Mary 
Bennett,  Mary  Ann  Curtin,  Eliza  Gregg,  Harriet 
Wilson,  Cordelia  Hale,  Catharine  Gill;  John  Purdue 


240 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


and  wife,  Margaret  Tlionias,  Rebecca  Thomas,  Mrs. 
Workman,  William  Irvin,  Martha  Irvin,  Jane  Hale, 
Amanda  Thomas,  Lucy  Huston,  Sarah  Buchanan, 
Frances  S.  Natt,  and  Sarah  Thomas.  The  foregoing 
list  embraces  tlie  names  of  those  who  became  commu- 
nicants up  to  July  5,  1840.  James  Armor,  who  was 
senior  warden  from  1836  to  1877,  died  in  the  year  last 
named.  May  15,  1839,  St.  John's  Cliurch  was  incor- 
porated. The  charterissued  to  James  Armor,  James 
P.  Gregg,  George  Buchanan,  George  S.  Armstrong, 
J.  M.  Hale,  James  Burnside,  James  Macmanus,  John 
H.  Morrison,  Constans  Curtin,  Cliarles  B.  Callahan, 
Henry  K.  Kenne,  Benjamin  Bennett,  and  James  T. 
Hale. 

Rev.  Mr.  Natt  preached  for  the  parish  from  1837  to 
1851,  when  he  removed  to  Philadelphia.  Mr.  Natt's 
successor  at  St.  John's  was  Rev.  George  H.  Walsh, 
who  remained  from  1851  to  1854.  He  is  now  in  charge 
of  a  church  at  Bergen  Point,  N.  J.  Rev.  J.  P.  Hilde- 
brand,  the  next  rector,  served  from  1854  to  1859,  when 
Rev.  George  T.  Field  was  designated  to  succeed  him. 
Mr.  Field  married  a  daughter  of  J.  T.  Hale,  and  in 
1863  retired  from  St.  John's. 

Rev.  James  Abercrombie  was  called  in  1863,  but 
only  remained  a  few  months.  The  rector  from  1863 
to  1868  was  Rev.  J.  C.  Laverty,  now  a  chaplain  in  the 
regular  army.  From  1868  to  1870  Rev.  B.  McGann 
was  in. charge.  During  his  rectorship — in  1869 — the 
present  handsome  houseof  worship  was  built  upon  a  lot 
donated  by  Mrs.  J.  T.  Hale  and  Dr.  E.  W.  Hale,  and 
the  old  house  sold  to  the  Lutheran  congregation.  The 
new  church,  costing  about  eighteen  thousand  dollars, 
is  a  stone  edifice,  Gothic  in  design  and  perfectly  ap- 
pointed. It  was  dedicated  by  Bishop  M.  A.  De  Wolfe 
Howe,  June  7,  1872.  Mr.  McGann  remained  at  St. 
John's  until  1870,  when  he  removed  to  Pottstown, 
Pa.  There  he  died.  His  successor,  Rev.  Henry  .1. 
W.  Allen,  remained  from  1871  to  1877.  In  1877 
William  F.  Reynolds  erected  and  presented  to  the 
parish  the'rectory  adjoining  the  church.  Its  cost  was 
two  thousand  two  hundred  dollars.  In  the  spring  of 
the  same  year  Rev.  John  Hewitt,  the  present  rector, 
was  called  to  St.  John's. 

St.  John's  Sunday-school  has  a  flourishing  member- 
ship of  one  hundred  and  twenty  scholars  and  eleven 
teachers.  W.  S.  Zeller  is  the  superintendent.  St. 
John's  vestry  (July,  1881)  is  composed  of  W.  S.  Zel- 
ler, senior  warden,  C.  F.  Montgomery,  junior  warden, 
W.  W.  Montgomery,  T.  R.  Reynolds,  George  W. 
Jackson,  Daniel  Garman,  F.  C.  Richard,  A.  S.  Val- 
entine. 

TJnited  Brethren  in  Christ  had  a  log  church  pre- 
vious to  the  present  building,  and  were  supplied  by 
preachers  of  the  Bellefonte  and  Bald  Eagle  Circuit. 
The  present  church  edifice  was  dedicated  Nov.  4, 
1855.  The  class-leader,  D.  M.  Bartlett;  trustees,  N. 
A.  Lucas,  D.  M.  Bartlett,  and  J.  L.  Rote. 

St.  John's  (Reformed)  Church.— The  St.  John's 
Reformed  Church  of  Bellefonte  was  organized  about 


1836,  by  Rev.  E.  Kieflfer.  Mr.  Kieffer  preached  from 
1836  to  1840,  and  Rev.  .1.  L.  Reber,  his  successor,  from 
1840  to  1844.  In  the  year  last  named  the  Reformed 
and  Lutheran  congregations  joined  in  building  a 
framed  church  on  Linn  Street,  and  used  it  in  common 
until  1869,  when  the  Lutherans  sold  their  interest  to 
the  Reformed  congregation  and  occupied  other  quar- 
ters. The  Reformed  people  used  the  frame  structure 
until  August,  1880,  when  they  removed  it  to  make 
place  for  a  handsome  stone  church,  which  was  dedi- 
cated Oct.  8,  1882.  The  elders  of  the  church  are 
Michael  Fishburn  and  John  Hoffer ;  the  deacons, 
John  Wetzel  and  Jared  Harper ;  the  trustees,  John 

Hoffer  and .     The  membership  of  the  church  is 

ninetj',  and  that  of  the  Sunday-school  forty-five  to 
fifty.  Of  the  latter,  D.  S.  Keller,  Esq.,  is  the  super- 
intendent. 

African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.— In  1836, 
Samuel  Johnson,  of  Chambersburg,  Pa.,  organized 
Zion's  Wesleyan  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
in  Bellefonte,  and  in  1844,  Rev.  Willis  Nazcry  organ- 
ized the  Bellefonte  African  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  In  1848  both  churches  consolidated  as  the 
African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  Bellefonte. 
In  1859  the  present  house  of  worship  was  built.  The 
present  pastor  is  Rev.  John  Palmer. 

St.  John's  Lutheran  Evangelical  Church.— This 
church  was  first  served  by  Rev.  J.  C.  Eggers,  com- 
mencing June  30,  1844,  and  a  building  committee 
appointed  conjointly  with  the  Reformed  people  July 
28th,  to  purchase  a  piece  of  ground  and  erect  a  church 
for  their  joint  use.  Jacob  Lilley,  Michael  Fishburn, 
and  Martin  Meese  were  elected. 

The  first  eighteen  names  on  the  membership-list  of 
the  Lutheran  Church,  as  having  been  received  in  the 
fall  of  1844,  are  as  follows:  Michael  Fishburn,  John 
Musser,  William  Stover,  Jacob  Fishburn,  William 
Smith,  Joshua  Fishburn,  Margaret  Fishburn,  Susan- 
nah Musser,  Anna  Mary  Stover,  Margaret  Fishburn, 
Matthew  Nealy,  Philip  Musser,  Catharine  Musser, 
Jeremiah  Fishburn,  Philip  U.  Fishburn,  Nancy 
Fishburn,  Mary  Fishburn,  Daniel  Undergabler. 

Bellefonte  was  originally  attached  to  the  Nittany 
valley  charge,  which  included  Bellefonte,  Zion,  Sny- 
dertown,  and  Jacksonville.  The  pastors  have  been 
Rev.  J.  C.  Eggers,  Jacob  Albert,  Henry  Zeigler,  L. 
K.  Secrist,  J.  C.  Burkhalter,  W.  L.  H-eisler,  and  J. 
A.  Bright.  In  1867  the  Bellefonte  Church  was  in  a 
languishing  condition,  when  Rev.  J.  A.  Hackenberg 
was  called  to  be  the  pastor.  He  was  a  man  of  energy 
and  ambition.  Under  its  eftbxts  affairs  brightened 
and  prospered  to  an  amazing  extent.  In  1869  the 
society  sold  for  seventeen  hundred  and  fifty  dollars, 
to  the  German  Reformed  Church,  the  interest  that 
the  Lutherans  had  held  in  the  Linn  Street  house,  and 
bought  of  the  Protestant  Episcop,al  Society  the 
church  edifice  and  rectory,  now  the  Lutheran  Church 
property.  Possession  was  taken  in  April,  1869.  The 
purchase  price  was  four  thousand  five  hundred  dol- 


BKLLEFONTE   BOROUGH. 


2tl 


lars.  Repairs  to  the  extent  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars 
were  put  upon  the  premises,  and  in  February,  1870, 
tlie  church  was  rededicated.  Rev.  Mr.  Hackenberg's 
successors  were  Revs.  W.  H.  Lilly,  in  1874;  W.  H. 
Diven,  in  1877;  and  S.  E.  Furst,  in  1878.  The 
Church  Council  in  1881  consisted  of  J.  W.  Rhone 
and  Clement  Dale  as  trustees,  Henry  Beck  and  Frank 
Stover  as  deacons,  H.  Y.  Stitzer  and  George  A.  Har- 
baugh  as  elders.  The  Sunday-school  has  an  average 
attendance  of  one  hundred  and  two.  The  superin- 
tendent is  Henry  Beck. 

Bellefonte  Baptist  Church.— The  Baptist  Church 
of  Bellefonte  was  organized  in  the  old  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  building  May  13,  1876.  The  con- 
stituent members  numbered  twelve.  They  were  Rev. 
W.  A.  Biggart,  F.  M.  Webb,  J.  H.  Adams,  F.  Potts 
Green,  H.  Kechler,  Mrs.  Eliza  Wells,  Mrs.  Worth, 
Mrs.  M.  C.  Adams,  Miss  M.  R.  Adams,  Mrs.  M.  S. 
Biggart,  Miss  Adelaide  Bailey,  Mrs.  A.  E.  Kealsh. 
The  first  deacons  chosen  were  J.  H.  Adams  and  H. 
T.  Farnsworth.  Meetings  were  held  in  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  building  at  first.  Rev.  Mr.  Big- 
gart, who  organized  the  church,  was  its  first  pastor. 
He  remained  until  1879.  After  that  there  was  no 
regular  preaching  until  June,  1881,  when  the  present 
pastor.  Rev.  Edward  Morris,  was  engaged.  He 
preaches  once  a  week  at  Bellefonte  and  Milesburg. 
The  Bellefonte  church  numbers  about  sixty  members. 
The  deacons  are  J.  H.  Adams,  H.  T.  Farnsworth,  and 
Mark  Williams.  The  trustees  are  J.  H.  Adams,  John 
Parks,  H.  T.  Farnsworth,  F.  P.  Green,  David  Klep- 
pcr,  W.  H.  Wagner,  and  Emanuel  Klepper. 

The  Bellefonte  Female  Seminary.— This  institu- 
tion was  incorporated  June  20,  1839;  the  trustees 
named  in  the  act  were  H.  N.  McAllister,  James  Burn- 
side,  Andrew  G.  Curtin,  James  P.  Gregg,  and  Robert 
Hays.  A  supplement  passed  April  12,  1838,  to  the 
common  school  act  of  June  13,  1836,  made  appro- 
priations for  the  support  of  female  seminaries  accord- 
ing to  the  number  of  pupils  taught.  A  seminary 
having  at  least  twenty-five  pupils  was  entitled  to  an 
annual  appropriation  of  four  hundred  dollars.  This 
stimulated  the  establishment  of  a  number  of  female 
seminaries  in  different  parts  of  the  State,  which,  how- 
ever, did  not  outlive  the  repeal  of  the  act  in  Sep- 
tember, 1843. 

The  first  session  commenced  Oct.  23,  1839,  and  the 
teachers  were  Miss  Caroline  M.  Dusinbury,  a  graduate 
of  Miss  Emma  Willard's  celebrated  school  at  Troj", 
N.  Y.,  and  Miss  Catharine  Armstrong.  Miss  Dusin- 
bury had  also  an  assistant  in  Sliss  Rhoda  Sears.  They 
taught  in  what  was  known  as  the  Arcade.  Miss  Du- 
sinbury was  succeeded  by  Miss  Jerusha  Cornwall,  and 
the  latter  by  her  sister.  Miss  A.  E.  Cornwall.  Miss 
H.  L.  Eraser  was  the  last  teacher,  from  January, 
1844,  until  the  close  of  the  school  in  184.5. 

Miss  Sears  married  a  Mr.  Sill,  of  Pittsburgh.  Miss 
Catharine  Armstrong  is  still  living  in  Richmond,  Va. 
Miss  Dusinbury  went  West,  and  married.  All  these 
16 


ladies  are  favorably  remembered  by  the  people  of 
Bellefonte,  and  their  professional  ability  and  noble 
examples  still  elicit  the  commendation  of  the  older 
members  of  society. 

Bellefonte  Cemetery. — When  James  Dunlop  and 
.Tames  Harris  laid  out  Bellefonte,  they  made  among 
reservations  to  public  use  that  of  the  land  now  occu- 
pied by  the  Bellefonte  Cemetery  on  Howard  Street, 
the  which  they  set  apart  to  be  used  as  a  public  burial- 
place  forever.  It  has  ever  since  been  known  as  the 
Bellefonte  Cemetery,  and  the  only  graveyard  devoted 
to  the  use  of  the  general  public.  Among  other  of 
the  older  inscriptions  are  those  of  "John  Gorman, 
died  in  1821 ;  Mary  McDimmy,  1826  ;  James  Harris, 
Dec.  2,  1826  :  William  Petrikin,  1821  ;  Capt.  Joshua 
Williams,  182.5;  Dr.  Daniel  Dobbins,  1844."  Upon 
the* handsome  white  shaft  that  marks  Dr.  Dobbins' 
last  resting-place  appears  the  following  glowing  trib- 
ute to  his  virtues  :  "  In  his  profession  he  stood  high 
in  the  estimation  of  medical  men  ;  in  consultation 
his  opinion  had  much  weight;  in  his  practice  was 
laborious  and  faithful  ;  in  his  morals  he  was  blame- 
less. The  citizens  of  this  borough  and  vicinity  have 
erected  this  monument  as  a  token  of  their  grateful 
remembrance  of  his  useful  services  among  them  dur- 
ing a  term  of  thirty-seven  years."  Within  an  iron 
railing  stands  a  stone  commemorative  of  the  death  of 
Thomas  McKean  Buchanan,  Lieutenant-Commander 
U.S.N. ,  son  of  George  Buchanan.  He  was  killed  in 
battle  on  the  Bayou  Teche,  in  Louisiana,  Jan.  4, 1863, 
on  board  the  "  U.S.  S.  Calhoun,"  while  in  command 
of  a  gunboat  fleet.  His  age  was  twenty-five.  Near 
him  rests  his  brother,  Evan  M.  Buchanan,  who, was 
a  captain  in  the  Third  Division,  Sixth  Army  Corps, 
during  the  war  of  the  Rebelli<jn.  He  was  killed  in 
action  in  the  Shenandoah  valley,  Sept.  27,  1864. 

Bellefonte  Fire  Department.— The  first  mention 
of  any  public  action  lunking  to  jirecautionar}'  meas- 
ures against  fire  in  Bellefonte  will  be  found  in  the 
borough  records  under  date  of  May  23,  1814.  At  a 
Council  meeting  on  that  day  J.  Miles  and  Elisha 
Moore  were  appointed  a  ccnnniittee  to  draft  an  ordi- 
nance for  the  purpose  of  making  it  the  duty  of  the 
owners  of  dwelling-houses  in  Bellefonte  borough  "to 
furnish  them  with  two  leathern  fire-buckets."  In 
January,  1815,  the  Council  instructed  Richard  Miles 
"to  place  a  covering  over  the  fire-ladders,  so  as  to 
secure  them  from  damage  by  the  rain."  At  the 
Council  meeting  in  May,  1815,  the  high  constable 
made  a  return  of  fire-buckets,  from  which  it  appeared 
that  twenty-six  houses  were  provided  with  a  pair  of 
buckets  each.  At  the  Council  meeting  in  June,  1816, 
a  paper  was  read,  signed  by  a  majority  of  the  resident 
freeholders  of  the  borough,  requesting  the  Council  to 
lay  a  tax  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  an  engine,  etc., 
not  exceeding  seven  hundred  dollars.  In  response  to 
the  petition  a  committee  consisting  of  Messrs.  Shugert, 
Williams,  and  Hastings  was  appointed  for  the  purpose 
of  laying  a  tax  as  requested.    At  the  Council  sitting 


242 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


in  March,  1830,  Mr.  Burnside  reported  an  ordinance 
for  the  purcliase  of  a  fire-engine  and  the  necessary 
hose  and  otlier  materials  and  for  protecting  the  houses 
of  the  borough  from  fire,  and  for  laying  a  tax  to  pay 
the  expenses  thereo?,  and  for  building  an  engine- 
liouse.  The  engine  was  purchased,  and  in  March, 
1831,  the  Council  directed  the  transmission  to  the 
county  commissioners  of  a  petition  asking  an  appro- 
priation of  money  to  aid  in  paying  for  the  engine. 
At  the  Council  sitting  in  May,  1833,  Council  resolved, 
that  "  the  young  men  of  the  borough  of  Bellefonte  be 
invited  to  form  themselves  into  a  company  of  firemen 
in  the  borough  of  Bellefonte  and  vipinity,  to  be  duly 
organized  for  that  purpose."  At  the  same  session  it 
ivas  resolved,  that  "  the  Town  Council  of  said  borough 
■will  deliver  to  said  company  alter  their  organization 
full  authority  over  the  engine,  together  with  the  use 
of  the  frame  house  for  said  engine  back  of  the  court- 
house, and  that  the  Council  will  pay  for  ladders,  fire- 
hooks,  and  necessary  repairs  of  the  engine  and  engine- 
house."  The  reference  to  a  fire  company  herein  dealt 
doubtless  with  the  existence  of  the  Bellefonte  Fire 
Company,  organized  Feb.  16,  1831,  at  a  meeting  held 
that  day  in  the  court  house,  of  which  Thomas  Burn- 
side  was  chairman,  and  Franklin  B.  Smith,  secretary. 

The  active  members  of  the  company  were  as  fol- 
lows : 

Engineers,  .John  Bigler,  William  Cook;  Arm-men, 
Benjamin  Bennet,  Joshua  C.  Williams,  James  Mc- 
Cord,  Charles  D.  Treziyulny,  Hyacinth  Treziyulny, 
Josiah  M.  Benner,  George  S.  Armstrong,  Samuel  C. 
Thomas,  Thomas  McKee,  Henry  Williams,  Samuel 
W.Beatty,  William  L.  Moore,  Robert  Beatty,  James 
P.  Gregg,  Isaac  Miller,  and  William  Parker;  Ladder- 
men,  David  J.  Pruner,  James  D.  Turner,  Albert  Am- 
merman,  William  AVard,  John  Blanchard,  and  Ed- 
ward C.  Humes ;  Axemen,  Franklin  B.  Smith,  Thomas 
Moore,  Jesse  Hall,  John  Hall,  William  C.  Welch,  and 
Robert  Hays;  Hookmen,  Hamilton  Humes,  John 
Rankin,  Dr.  Constans  Curtin,  Samuel  Harris,  Fred- 
erick Wheeland,  James  Gilliland,  T.  Kekeler,  and 
Robert  McConnell ;  Directors,  George  Valentine,  Eli- 
jah Reeves,  William  W.  Potter,  James  Rothrock,  and 
James  Williams;  Property-men,  Andrew  Gregg, 
Thomas  Burnside,  Judge  Huston,  Evan  Miles,  and 
Clement  Beckwitli;  Property  Guards,  Charles  Trezi- 
yulny and  James  M.  Petrikin  ;  Alarm-men,  Robert 
Blakely,  Philip  B.  Kephart,  William  L.  Smitli,  An- 
thony W.  Myers,  and  William  Rothrock;  Line-men, 
Dr.  Daniel  Dobbins,  John  G.  Lowrey,  Charles  B.  Cal- 
lahan, William  Pettit,  Isaac  K.  Torbett,  Thomas 
Craighead,  and  Peter  G.  Douglass  ;  Bell-Ringers, 
Samuel  Flack  and  C.  F.  W.  Scligman. 

Thomas  Burnside  w.as  appointed  president ;  John 
Rankin,  treasurer;  and  Franklin  B.  Smith,  secretary. 

The  company  had  a  primitive  "  mud-box"  machine, 
called  the  Little  Belt.  At  fires  it  was  kept  filled  by 
the  bucket-brigade,  which  w.as  usually  under  the  com- 
mand of  John  G.  Lowrey.    Of  the  company  members 


above  named,  the  only  living  in  Bellefonte  to-day  is 
Edward  C.  Humes. 

Logan  Hose,  No.  1. — Previous  to  1868  the  depend- 
ence for  the  extinguishment  of  fires  was  chiefly  upon 
the  bucket-brigade.  In  the  year  named  a  hose-car- 
riage was  purchased  by  the  borough  from  the  Schuyl- 
kill Hose  Company  of  Philadelphia.  Logan  Hose 
Company  was  organized  that  year  with  fifty-three  char- 
ter members.  John  N.  Lane  was  chosen  foreman. 
Meetings  were  held  in  a  stable  that  occupied  the  site 
of  the  present  hose-house.  Logan  Hose  lasted  until 
1870,  and  then,  because  of  a  lack  of  appropriation  by 
the  Council  for  maintaining  the  company,  the  organi- 
zation disbanded.  The  foremen  from  1868  to  1870 
were  John  N.  Lane,  Joseph  Townsend,  L.  A.  Miller, 
and  H.  D.  Yerger.  In  1870  there  was  a  reorganiza- 
tion, and  June  24,  1872,  the  company  was  chartered. 
The  officers  were  Levi  A.  Miller,  chief;  William  F. 
Carpenter,  first  assistant ;  A.  G.  Corbin,  second  assist- 
ant; William  Galbraith, third  assistant;  James  Furey, 
fourth  assistant.  H.  D.  Yerger  was  chosen  president ; 
John  D.  Lieb,  vice-president;  John  Irwin,  secretary  ; 
Daniel  McGinley,  treasurer.  The  charter  members 
numbered  ninety-four.  In  1871,  E.  C.  Humes  built 
the  present  hose-house  and  leased  it  to  the  borough. 
The  old  Schuylkill  carriage  is  still  used  by  the  com- 
pany. Logan's  uniform  is  red  and  black.  In  July, 
1881,  the  active  membership  was  forty-eight.  Then 
the  officers  were  H.  D.  Yerger,  president ;  Thomas 
Shaughnessy,  vice-president;  William  Hillibush,  sec- 
retary; Charles  Heisler,  treasurer;  J.  D.  Souerbeck, 
chief;  John  Dawson,  first  assistant;  Henry  Haupt, 
second  assistant;  Harvey  Judson,  third  assistant; 
James  Hull,  fourth  assistant;  J.  C.  Brachbill  and 
Richard  Houp,  plugmen. 

Undine  Fire  Company,  No.  2. — Undine  Hose 
was  organized  in  August,  1871,  and  incorporated  the 
same  year.  The  first  oflScers  were  W.  P.  Duncan, 
president;  J.  L.  Sommerville,  vice-president;  G.  N. 
Hale,  secretary;  J.  L.  Kurtz,  treasurer;  W.  L.  Cal- 
derwood,  assistant  secretary ;  and  Moses  Montgomery, 
tillerman.     Amos  Mullen  was  the  first  foreman,  and  ■ 

E.  A.  Nolan,  H.  K.  Hicks,  and  J.  W.  Morris  his  as- 
sistants.   The  charter  members  were  C.  E.  Anderson, 

F.  B.  Blair,  E.  M.  Blanchard,  Andrew  BrockerhoflT,  G. 
T.  Brew,  A.  G.  Curtin,  Jr.,  Theodore  Deshler,  J.  C. 
Curtin,  J.  H.  Felleubaum,  Theodore  Gordon,  J.  D. 
Gordon,  J.  B.  Graham,  J.  T.  Hale  (deceased),  G.  F. 
Harris,  J.  P.  Harris,  D.  H.  Hastings,  E.  F.  Hehr  (de- 
ceased), W.  S.  Henry,  O.  L.  Hoover,  W.  V.  Hughes, 
W.  P.  Humes,  Frederick  Jarrett,  J.  G.  Kurtz,  D.  W. 
Keller,  J.  M.  Lane,  J.  B.  Lane,  J.  F.  Larimer,  J.  H. 
Lingle.  J.  G.  Love,  Max  Liveright,  Adolpli  Loeb, 
.lack  McClellan,  W.  P.  Macmanus  (deceased),  C. 
F.  Montgomery,  J.  I.  Potter,  G.  L.  Potter,  Jr.,  Al- 
fred Palmer,  R.  F.  Rankin,  W.  F.  Reynolds,  Jr., 
A.  C.  Valentine,  A.  S.  Valentine,  W.  S.  Wagner,  G. 
M.  Yociim  (deceased). 

The  company  built  the  present  house  in  1871,  and 


BELLEFONTE   BOROUGH. 


243 


bought  their  present  hose-carriage  of  Neptune  Hose 
Company  of  Phihulelpliia.  They  purcliased  also  a 
hand-engine  of  Parsons  &  Son,  Lock  Haven.  The 
carriage  is  supplied  with  six  hundred  feet  of  hose. 
The  active  membership  in  July,  1881,  was  fifty.  The 
company  uniform  is  blue  shirt  and  black  pants. 
Amos  Mullen  was  foreman  of  Undine  from  1871 
to  1880.  The  present  foreman  is  John  N.  Lane,  and 
his  assistants  Robert  Miller,  William  S.  Galbraith, 
and  W.  L.  Malin. 
Societies. — Central   Lodge,  No.   268,  F.  and 

A.  M.— Central  Lodge,  No.  192,  F.  and  A.  M.,  was 
organized  in  tlie  days  of  Bellefonte's  infancy.  A 
newspaper  notice  in  the  Patriot  of  1825  observes  that 
on  the  27th  of  December  Central  Lodge  was  to  iiave 
a  procession,  and  that  the  committee  of  arrangements 
was  composed  of  John  Rankin,  Constans  Curtin,  F. 

B.  Smith,  Thomas  Butler,  and  James  Armor.  The 
chief  officers  of  the  lodge  for  1881  were  Hammou 
Sechler,  W.  M. ;  Robert  Hepburn,  S.  W. ;  William 
Franklin  Reber,  J.  W.  Those  of  the  cliapter  were 
]■>.  S.  Keller,  H.  P. ;  Daniel  Z.  Kline,  K. ;  James  C. 
Harper,  S.  Of  Constans  Commandery  there  were  Lo- 
renzo T.  Muuson,  E.  M. ;  Jackson  L.  Spangler,  G. ; 
Daniel  H.  Hastings,  C.  G. 

Cextee  Lodge,  No.  153,  I.  O.  O.  F.— This  lodge 
was  organized  in  1844.  In  July,  1881,  the  member- 
ship aggregated  about  ninety.  The  officers  were  then 
as  follows:  J.  C.  Brachbill,  N.  G. ;  Henry  Beck,  V. 
G.;  H.  B.  Pontius,  Sec. ;  H.  H.  Benner,  Treas. 

Y.  M.  C.  A.— The  Bellelbnte  Young  Men's  Chris- 
tian Association  was  organized  Oct.  19,  1869.  It  has 
maintained  a  continuous  and  flourishing  existence 
since  that  time,  and  exercises  a  potent  power  for  good 
among  the  youth  of  the  day. 

Gregg  Post,  No.  95,  G.  A.  R.,  was  organized  June 
3,  1879,  by  Comrade  E.  M.  Hale,  of  Philipsburg. 
Post  was  duly  mustered,  when  the  following-named 
comrades  were  chosen  as  officers  for  the  ensuing  year: 
P.  C,  George  F.  Harris;  S.  V.  C,  R.  H.  Forster ; 
J.  V.  C,  E.  A.  Smith  ;  O.  D.,  William  Saylor;  Chap., 
James  H.  Rankin;  O.  G.,  H.  A.  Williams;  Q.M., 
Amos  Mullen  ;  P.  S.,  Dr.  G.  L.  Potter;  Adjt.,  R.  A. 
Laird  ;  Sergt.-Maj.,  R.  C.  Cheesman  ;  Q.M.-Sergt.,  D. 
M.  Glenn.     Total  number  mustered,  sixty-one. 

Bellefoxte  Building  and  Loan  Association 
was  incorporated  Nov.  29,  1871,  by  the  Court  of  Cofii- 
mon  Pleas  of  Centre  County,  in  resjionse  to  a  petition 
signed  by  James  A.  Beaver,  P.  McCaffrey,  Isaac 
Lytic,  C.  T.  Fryberger,  James  Schofield,  John  I. 
Rankin,  P.  Gray  Meek,  John  T.  Johnston,  George  M. 
Yocum,  D.  G.  Bush,  James  H.  Rankin,  M.  W.  Cow- 
drick,  E.  A.  Nolan,  W.  P.  Duncan.  Under  the  char- 
ter the  association  was  organized  Jan.  6,  1872.  Dan- 
iel Rhoads  was  chosen  president,  William  V.  Hughes 
vice-president,  J.  D.  Shugert  treasurer,  William  P. 
Duncan  secretary.  The  history  of  the  association 
has  been  an  exceedingly  prosperous  one.  The  ninth 
report,  issued  in  1880,  gave  the  receipts  for  the  year 


past  as  $13,950.15,  and  the  expenditures  $13,948.33. 
The  assets  represented  $82,489.46  as  the  value  of  424 
shares,  or  $194.55  per  share.  The  officers  for  1881 
were  James  A.  Beaver,  president;  Adam  Hoy,  vice- 
president;  J.  L.  Kurtz,  treasurer;  J.  W.  Gephart,  so- 
licitor; G.  L.  Potter,  secretary;  Daniel  Rhoads,  M. 
W.  Cowdrick,  T.  R.  Hayes,  E.  S.  Dorworth,  and  D. 
K.  Tate,  directors. 

Bellefonte  Fencibles  of  1880.— In  the  spring  of 
1880  the  military  ardor  of  Bellelbnte  witnessed  a 
stirring  revival,  and  as  a  result  a  co'"pany  was  organ- 
ized and  christened  the  Bellefonte  Fencibles  in  re- 
membrance of  the  gallant  old  Fencibles  of  historic 
memory.  The  rank  and  file  numbered  fifty-one. 
The  officers  were  Amos  Mullen,  captain  ;  G.  L.  Pot- 
ter, first  lieutenant;  H.  S.  Hale,  second  lieutenant. 
June  12,  1880,  the  command  was  mustered  into  the 
State  service  as  Company  B,  Fifth  Regiment,  Fourth 
Brigade,  Pennsylvania  National  Guard. 

The  armory  is  in  the  Bush  Arcade.  Regular  drill 
takes  place  every  Friday  night.  In  July,  1881,  the 
original  officers  were  in  command.  The  numerical 
strength  was  sixty-five.  Company  B  has  won  a  well- 
deserved  reputation  for  soldierly  bearing  abroad  as 
well  as  at  home,  and  ranks  with  the  foremost  of  the 
crack  companies  in  the  brigade. 

Mills  and  Manufactures, — Bellefonte  Flour- 
iNG-.MiLLS.— The  Bellelbnte  flouring-mills,  located 
on  Spring  Creek,  and  now  carried  on  by  Duncan, 
Hale  &  Co.,  were  built  in  1800  by  James  Smith,  son- 
in-law  to  James  Dunlop.  John  Dunlop  was  probably 
interested  with  Smith  in  the  mill  business.  The  first 
miller  is  said  to  have  been  Daniel  Weaver.  In  1810, 
Hamilton  Humes  rented  the  mill  property  and  carried 
it  on  until  1814.  Various  persons  were  concerned 
with  the  business  until  1834,  when  W.  A.  Thomas 
purchased  it.  From  that  time  forward  it  came  to  be 
known  as  the  Thomas  mill,  and  by  that  name  it  is 
most  commonly  known  to  this  day.  Wagner  & 
Thomas  succeeded  W.  A.  Thomas,  and  were  iu  turn 
followed  by  John  M.  Wagner  &  Co.  The  latter  sold 
their  interest  in  1874  to  the  present  owners,  Duncan, 
Hale  &  Co.,  composed  of  William  P.  Duncan,  E.  W. 
Hale,  and  C.  T.  Gerbericli.  Mr.  Gerberich,  the  man- 
aging partner,  took  his  first  lessons  in  milling  in  this 
mill  in  1854,  and  since  18G4  has  been  its  miller.  The 
mill  is  fitted  with  five  runs  of  stone  and  a  seventy-five 
horse-power  water-wheel.  The  capacity  is  seventy- 
five  barrels  of  flour  daily.  From  forty  thousand  to 
fifty  thousand  bushels  of  wheat  are  ground  annually. 
The  mill  building,  constructed  of  brick  and  stone,  is 
three  stories  in  height,  and  measures  ninety  by  forty- 
two  feet. 

There  is  also  a  large  warehouse  for  the  storing  of 
grain.  Shipments  of  grain  as  well  as  flour  are  made 
by  Duncan,  Hale  &  Co.  in  considerable  volume. 
They  manufocture  also  at  the  mill  a  superior  quality 
of  plaster. 

Phcenix  Flouring-Mills.— James  Harris,  one  of 


211 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  founders  of  Bellefonte,  built  a  two-story  stone 
grist-mill  on  the  Logan  Branch,  just  above  its  con- 
fluence with  Spring  Creek.  The  mill  continued  to 
be  a  flourishing  industry  under  James  Harris,  and 
after  his  death  under  his  descendants.  About  1845 
the  structure  was  destroyed  by  fire,  and  for  sixteen 
years  thereafter  the  property  was  suffered  to  lie  idle, 
successive  owners  being  W.  A.  Thomas  and  the 
Phcenix  Company.  From  the  latter  Maj.  W.  F. 
Reynolds  purchased  it  in  1861,  and  at  once  rebuilt 
the  mill  upon  a  materially  enlarged  plan.  A  portion 
of  the  old  superstructure  was  used  in  the  new  mill, 
which  was  carried  to  a  height  of  four  stories  and 
fitted  with  five  burrs.  Upwards  of  twelve  thousand 
dollars  were  expended  in  the  construction,  and  a 
finely-appointed  mill  was  the  result.  Maj.  Reynolds 
carried  it  on  on  his  own  account  one  year,  and  in  1862 
leased  it  to  T.  R.  Reynolds  &  Co.  Shortly  thereafter 
he  enlarged  and  improved  the  property,  and  in  vari- 
ous directions  put  upon  it  something  like  ten  thou- 
sand dollars  in  labor  and  material.  In  the  summer 
of  1881  further  and  important  improvements  were 
made  in  the  introduction  of  the  appliances  called  for 
by  the  "  patent  roller"  process  in  the  manufacture  of 
flour,  a  method  generally  in  operation  in  first-class 
flouring-mills.  By  this  plan  a  system  of  rollers  re- 
places the  familiar  burr-stone  in  the  important 
branches  of  manufacture,  and  increase  the  daily  ca- 
pacity of  the  mill  from  eighty  to  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  barrels  of  flour.  Upon  these  latest 
improvements  Mr.  Reynolds  has  expended  fully  ten 
thousand  dollars.  The  number  of  mill-stones  in  use 
is  six,  of  which  one  is  devoted  to  the  grinding  of 
plaster.  Of  this  article  considerable  is  manufactured. 
T.  R.  Reynolds  &  Co.  are  large  shippers  of  flour  to 
Eastern  markets,  where  the  "  Phrenix  Mills"  brand 
ranks  with  the  foremost. 

William  P.  Duncan  &  Co. — This  firm,  carrying 
on  the  Bellefonte  Machine-Shop.grew  out  of  the  firm 
of  Todd  &  Duncan,  who,  in  1864,  started  a  foundry 
and  machine-shop  in  buildings  erected  by  Edward 
McGarvey  in  1840  near  the  jjresent  Reynolds'  mill, 
and  successively  occupied  for  the  manufacture  of 
machinery  by  James  Harris,  James  D.  McClanahan 
<&  Co.,  Welch  &  Leyden,  George  Welch,  Hart  &  Ryan, 
AVelch  &  Wilsou,  Haupt  &  Bro.,  Thomas  &  Harris, 
and  Haupt  &  Co.  In  1869,  Todd  &  Duncan  moved 
their  works  to  the  present  location  of  William  P. 
Duncan  &  Co.,  where  many  years  before  William  and 
Harvey  IMann  had  carried  on  an  axe-factory.  In 
1871,  William  P.Duncan  succeeded  Todd  &  Duncan, 
and  in  1875  he  organized,  with  W.  R.  Jenkins  and  J. 
H.  Lingle,  the  present  firm  of  W.  P.  Duncan  &  Co. 
Mr.  Jenkins  has  been  a  practical  machinist  in  the 
works  since  1866.  The  area  used  for  business  pur- 
poses covers  about  one  and  a  half  acres,  upon  which 
•nre  a  foundry,  machine-shop,  and  blacksmith's  shop. 
The  machinery  is  operated  by  a  twenty-five  horse- 
power water-wheel.     About  thirty  men  are  employed, 


and  about  four  hundred  tons  of  iron  are  used  an- 
nually. The  manufactures  include  stationary  steam- 
engines,  turbine  water-wheels,  ore-washing  and  mining 
machinery,  square-stroke  power-hammers,  etc. 

Gordon  &  Landis. — This  firm  is  extensively  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  steam-engines  and  ma- 
chine castings.  They  have  a  large  trade  in  agricul- 
tural implements  and  mill  machinery.  Their  business 
was  founded  in  May,  1880. 

Bellefonte  Glass- Works.— Under  act  of  As- 
sembly, approved  April  4,  1867,  the  Bellefonte  Glass 
Manufacturing  Company  was  incorporated,  with  a 
chartered  capital  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars. 
An  eight-pot  furnace  (enlarged  soon  afterwards  to 
ten  pots)  was  straightway  constructed  under  the  direc- 
tion of  a  Mr.  Zeller,  a  Pittsburgh  glass-maker,  and  in 
October,  1867,  the  manufacture  of  glass  was  begun, 
James  Cline  being  in  charge  .as  superintendent.  The 
incorporatol's  of  the  company  were  Henry  Brocker- 
hoff",  D.  G.  Bush,  Edmund  Blanchard,  John  Irwin, 
Jr.,  William  F.  Reynolds,  Robert  Valentine,  .lacob 
Valentine,  L.  A.  Mackcy,  W.  P.  Wilson,  E.  C.  Humes, 
A.  T.  Valentine,  and  M.  T.  Millikin.  All  were  enter- 
prising, pushing  men,  and  went  in  to  make  the  afl^air 
a  great  success.  Difiiculties  and  misfortune  seemed, 
however,  to  beset  the  enterprise  from  the  first.  The 
price  of  glass,  standing  at  four  dollars  per  box  when 
the  works  was  projected,  had  declined  to  two  dollars 
by  the  time  the  firstglass  was  blown.  In  1870  thecom- 
pany  acknowledged  the  wisdom  of  a  change  of  policy, 
and  leased  the  works  outright  to  Jacob  V.  Thomas, 
who,  after  a  two  years'  experiment,  ended  with  a  fail- 
ure. Roland  Curtin,  Adam  Hoy,  Adolph  Loeb,  and 
J.  H.  Sands  then  organized  the  firm  of  Curtin,  Loeb 
&  Co.,  and  leased  the  woiks.  A  year's  trial  satisfied 
them.  A  company  of  the  operatives,  styled  as  the 
firm  of  Scliadd,  Seigworth  &  Co.,  then  engaged  to 
carry  on  the  enterprise,  but  came  to  grief  in  less  than 
a  twelve-month  for  want  of  sufficient  capital.  The 
mortgage  creditors  of  the  manufacturing  company 
then  took  possession  of  the  property.  In  1882  the 
enterprise  of  John  Ardell,  Jr.,  put  the  glass-works 
again  in  operation. 

Bellefonte  Car-Works. — Early  in  1873  some  of 
Bellefonte's  leading  capitalists  agitated  the  project  of 
establishing  at  Bellefonte  works  for  the  manufacture 
of  railway  cars.  In  May  of  the  year  mentioned  the 
Bellefonte  Car  Manufacturing  Company  was  organ- 
ized, under  the  general  manufacturing  act,  with  a 
chartered  capital  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars. 
D.  G.  Bush  was  chosen  president,  and  with  Messrs. 
Edmund  Blanchard,  George  C.  Wilkins,  S.  A.  Brew, 
and  John  Strike  constituted  the  first  board  of  direc- 
tors. E.  M.  Blanchard  was  chosen  secretary.  May 
24th  the  president  and  directors  resigned,  and  in  their 
places  were  chosen  William  McClellan  as  president ; 
A.  G.  Curtin,  vice-president  ;  and  Edmund  Blan- 
chard, E.  C.  Humes,  George  C.  Wilkins,  and  D.  G. 
Bush  as  additional  directors.     Uj-on  the  purchased 


o 


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BELLEFONTE   BOROUGH. 


245 


site  stood  the  Blanchard  planing-mill,  operated  by  a 
splendid  water-power,  tlieii  the  property  of  Mr.  D.  G. 
Bush.  The  planing-mill  was  purchased  as  the  nucleus 
of  the  car-works,  and  work  upon  the  erection  of  the 
latter  at  once  begun.  They  were  constructed  of  brick, 
and  supplied  with  perfect  appointments,  at  an  aggre- 
gate cost  of  about  eighty  thousand  dollars.  The 
water-power  was  ultimately  donated  to  the  company 
by  Mr.  Bush,  and  in  addition  to  that  gift  the  people 
of  Bellefonte  gave  the  company  a  bonus  of  ten  thou- 
sand dollars  in  money.  John  McClellan  was  engaged 
as  superintendent  of  the  works,  and  active  operations, 
with  a  force  of  about  forty  men,  begun  in  the  fall  of 
1873.  Before  work  was  fairly  under  way  financial  and 
business  depression  overtook  the  country,  and  affected 
the  progress  of  the  car-works  at  Bellefonte  to  such  an 
extent  that  there  was  a  total  suspension  before  a 
single  car  had  been  completed.  The  property  finally 
fell  into  the  hands  of  ex-Governor  Curtin,  who  sold 
them  to  William  Lawson,  an  English  capitalist,  whose 
representative,  Miller  Tiflin,  caused  the  manufactory 
to  be  put  into  service  at  once.  Mr.  Law  was  called 
to  take  charge  as  general  superintendent  and  practical 
manager,  and  in  a  little  time  the  works  resounded 
with  the  busy  hum  of  lively  industry.  The  first  im- 
portant work  was  in  filling  a  contract  with  the  Penn- 
sylvania Railroad  Company  for  five  hundred  freight 
cars,  the  only  kind  made  at  the  establishment.  The 
standing  investment  of  capital  in  the  works  as  at 
present  fashioned  reaches  one  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars. About  eleven  acres  of  ground  are  occupied. 
There  are  three  brick  buildings  of  one  story  each, 
one  brick  building  of  two  stories,  and  one  framed 
building  of  two  stories.  The  force  of  men  now  em- 
ployed aggregates  one  hundred  and  seventy-five,  and 
the  present  capacity  six  cars  daily.  A  water-wheel 
of  one  hundred  horse-power  and  a  steam-engine  of 
seventy-five  horse-power  are  depended  upon  to  drive 
the  machinery. 

Bellefonte  Nail-Woeks  (Limited). — In  No- 
vember, 1881,  Gen.  J.  A.  Beaver,  of  Bellefonte,  Wil- 
liam Emery,  of  Williamsport,  and  Samuel  Auchen- 
bach  formed  a  limited  partnership  for  the  purpose  of 
engaging  in  tlie  manufacture  of  nails  and  bar-iron  at 
Bellefonte,  under  the  style  of  the  "  Bellefonte  Nail- 
Works  (Limited)."  They  purchased  five  acres  of 
land  just  below  Bellefonte,  and  erected  thereupon  a 
one-story  building  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet 
square.  The  calculation  was  to  begin  manufacturing 
operations  in  the  spring  of  1882,  and  to  give  employ- 
ment to  from  sixty  to  one  hundred  and  twenty  men. 

Phcenix  Planing-Mill  Company.  —  This  en- 
terprise, now  carried  on  by  E.  M.  Sturdevant  &  Co.,  was 
founded  in  1879.  The  business  of  the  mill  includes 
the  manufocture  of  dressed  and  rough  lumber,  sash, 
doors,  frames,  blinds,  shutters,  etc.  Building  con- 
tracts are  also  taken  to  a  large  extent.  Employment 
in  all  departments  is  given  to  about  sixty  hands.  Stur- 
devant &  Co.  have  also  a  large  saw-mill  in  Rush  town- 


ship on  Moshannon  Creek,  wliich  has  been  in  active 
operation  since  18G8.  Its  capacity  is  about  twenty 
thousand  feet  daily.  The  product  of  the  mill  em- 
braces rough  and  dressed  lumber,  shingles,  boxes,  etc. 
At  the  mill  and  in  the  woods  forty  men  are  employed. 
In  addition  to  the  businrss  of  the  two  mills,  Stur- 
devant &  Co.  engage  during  the  logging  season  in  raft- 
ing lumber  on  contract  down  the  Susquehanna  to  the 
Lock  Haven  and  Williamsport  booms.  From  twenty- 
five  to  thirty  millions  of  feet  are  thus  run  by  him 
during  the  season.  Fully  three  hundred  men  are 
employed  in  this  branch  of  his  business.  The  prac- 
tical management  of  Sturdevant  &  Co.'s  mill  and  log- 
ging operations  is  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  John  Ardell, 
of  Bellefonte.  Mr.  Ardell  was  a  lumberman  of  long 
standing  when  he  came  to  Bellefonte  in  1865,  and  has 
since  been  constantly  and  extensively  engaged  in  the 
sajiie  pursuit. 

Oldest  Active  Business  Men  in  1882.— The  oldest 
merchants  now  doing  business  in  Bellefonte  may  be 
named  as  follows :  David  M.  Wagner,  who  came  to 
Bellefonte  in  1840,  and  followed  the  business  of  mill- 
ing. In  1849  he  erected  a  store  on  the  canal  bank  in 
conjunction  with  J.  V.  Thomas.  They  sold  goods 
there  some  years,  or  say  to  1859,  when  Mr.  Wagner 
embarked  in  trade  on  Allegheny  Street,  and  there 
still  remains.  The  firm  of  S.  &  A.  Loeb  is  an  out- 
growth of  the  firm  of  May  &  Dukes.  The  latter 
opened  on  Mr.  Lyon's  corner  in  April,  1851.  In 
1854,  M.  B.  Loeb  became  a  partner  with  May,  and, 
in  1865,  Adolph  Loob  was  admitted.  In  1866  the 
present  firm  of  S.  &  A.  Loeb  succeeded.  F.  Potts 
Green,  now  a  druggist  in  Bellefonte,  has  been  in  the 
trade  in  town  since  1856.  Edward  Graham,  now  in 
the  boot  and  shoe  business  in  Bellefonte,  came  iu 
1840.  J.  H.  McClure,  now  in  the  saddlery  business, 
has  pursued  it  continuously  since  1842, — the  year  he 
came  to  Bellefonte.  J.  C.  Brachbill,  now  in  the  fur- 
niture business,  came  to  Bellefonte  in  1841.  John 
Harris,  druggist,  embarked  in  that  business  in  Belle- 
fonte in  1856,  and  in  1864  entered  the  hardware  trade. 
In  February,  1880,  he  re-entered  the  drug  trade.  Har- 
per &  Brothers  have  been  steadily  engaged  in  general 
merchandising  since  1866,  and  Hammon  Sechler  as  a 
grocer  since  1868. 

P.  B.  Crider  &  Son. — Crider  &  Son,  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  boxes  and  dressed  lumber  at 
Bellefonte,  are  among  the  most  prominent  operators 
in  lumber  in  this  section.  They  own  and  control  up- 
wards of  sixteen  thousand  acres  of  timbered  land  in 
Centre  County,  and  at  Snow  Shoe  and  Glen  Harris 
have  two  great  saw-mills,  whose  capacity  exceeds 
sixty  thousand  feet  of  lumber  daily.  They  are  also 
large  burners  of  charcoal,  and  in  their  various  en- 
terprises employ  more  than  two  hundred  and  fifty 
men. 

Hotels  1882.— The  three  prominent  hotels  of  Bellc- 
fimte  are  the  Bush  House,  the  Brockerhotf  House,  and 
the  Garman  House.     The  first  named  was  built  by  D. 


246 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


G.  Bush  in  18G8-69,  and  ranks  as  one  of  the  most  per- 
fectly appointed,  as  well  as  one  of  the  most  commo- 
dious, hotels  in  Central  Pennsylvania.  The  cost  of  the 
structure  was  about  sixty  thousand  dollars.  W.  R. 
Teller  is  the  present  landlord. 

The  BrockerhofF  House,  located  on  Allegheny 
Street,  occupies  the  front  of  an  entire  block.  It  was 
built  by  the  late  Henry  Brockerhoff,  in  1806,  at  a 
cost  of  fifty  thousand  dollars,  and  ranks  high  as  an 
imposing  architectural  edifice,  while  its  interior  is 
spacious  and  handsomely  embellished.  Landlord,  C. 
G.  McMillen. 

TheGarman  House  has  been  kept  by  Daniel  Garman 
since  18(51.  Mr.  Garman  came  to  Bellefonte  in  1859, 
and  in  1861  purchased  the  old  Franklin  House  prop- 
erty, enlarged  the  premises  to  twice  the  original  size, 
and  renamed  the  hotel  "The  Garman  House." 


BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

HON.  CYRUS  T.  ALEXANDER. 
John  Alexander  and  Margaret  Glasson  Alexander, 
the  ancestors  of  Mr.  Alexander,  were  originally  from 
Glasgow,  Scotland,  whence  they  removed  to  the 
county  of  Armagh,  Ireland,  and  thence  to  America 
in  1736,  settling  in  Nottingham,  on  the  banks  of  the 
Octorara.  Their  second  son,  James,  born  about  the 
year  1726,  married  Rosey  Reed,  a  daughter  of  Robert 
Reed,  of  Lurgan  township,  Cumberland  (now  Frank- 
lin) County, and  settled  in  Kishacoquillas  valley, being 
the  pioneer  settler  of  its  western  portion.  Their  son, 
Robert  Alexander,  born  in  October,  1766,  married 
April  8,  1790,  to  Elizabeth  McClure,  settled  upon  a 
part  of  his  father's  place,  and  died  there  in  1843.  In 
1823  he  was  elected  to  the  Legislature  by  the  largest 
Democratic  majority  ever  given  in  his  district,  yet  he 
refused  to  be  again  a  candidate. 

James  Alexander  (son  of  Robert)  married  Ann 
Lewis,  Nov.  27, 1821,  and  theirsou,  Cyrus  T.,  was  born 
Sept.  10,  1836,  in  Mifflin  County.  He  was  educated 
at  Dickinson  Seminary,  and  graduated  from  that  in- 
stitution in  1853.  He  studied  law,  and  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  of  Centre  County  in  August,  1859,  and  has 
since  then  been  engaged  in  the  active  practice  of  the 
legal  profession,  eleven  years  as  law  partner  of  Hon. 
J.  H.  Orvis,  now  additional  law  judge  of  the  Twenty- 
fifth  District,  and  is  at  present  senior  partner  of  the 
law  firm  of  Alexander  &  Bower,  of  Bellefi)nto.  During 
part  of  the  years  1861  and  1862  Mr.  Alexander  was 
part  owner  of  the  Democratic  Watchman,  and  edited 
its  columns.  In  1864-65,  Mr.  Alexander  represented 
Centre  County  in  the  House  of  Representatives  at 
Harrisburg,  and  in  November,  1878,  was  elected  to 
the  Senate  for  four  years. 


WILLIAM    F.  REYNOLDS. 

William  F.  Reynolds  was  born  in  Mifiiinville, 
Columbia  Co.,  Pa.,  June  9,  1813.  At  the  age  of  six- 
teen he  commenced  the  mercantile  business  in  Ber- 
wick, and  soon  after  removed  to  Danville,  the  latter 
place  seeming  to  offer  a  wider  field  for  his  growing 
enterprise.  In  1841  he  was  induced  to  visit  Belle- 
fonte by  the  suggestion  of  a  friend  that  it  was  a  place 
where  success  must  surely  follow  a  vigorous  and  ener- 
getic prosecution  of  his  chosen  occupation.  Success 
did  attend  his  faithful  and  untiring  devotion  to  busi- 
ness to  such  an  extent  that  in  1856,  weary  of  the  de- 
tails and  annoyances  incident  to  the  trade,  he  was 
able  to  retire  with  a  very  handsome  fortune,  and  for 
three  years  found  great  pleasure  in  the  management 
of  his  iron  and  landed  interests. 

In  1859  he  founded  the  banking-house  of  William 
F.  Reynolds  &  Co.,  which  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a 
century  has  been  the  leading  private  bank  in  Central 
Pennsylvania.  To  the  conduct  of  the  banking  busi- 
ness he  has  always  given  personal  attention,  receiving 
most  valuable  assistance  from  his  partner,  George  W. 
Jackson. 

In  addition  to  the  banking  business  he  is  largly  en- 
gaged in  manufacturing  flour,  owning  the  Phoenix 
Mills  in  the  borough  of  Bellefonte,  now  one  of  the 
most  complete  roller  mills  in  the  State,  and  the  Rock 
Mills  in  Benner  townsliip. 

He  has  made  large  investments  with  a  well-directed 
judgment  in  soine  of  the  finest  farms  in  Centre  County, 
to  which,  when  not  engaged  in  financial  matters  con- 
nected with  his  bank,  he  now  devotes  much  of  his 
time,  ambitious  not  only  to  have  them  productive 
and  profitable,  but  also  to  have  them  beautiful  and 
attractive  in  all  their  appointments. 

Much  might  be  said  of  the  well-known  generosity 
of  Mr.  Reynolds,  but  as  his  charities  have  been  un- 
ostentatious and  to  a  great  extent  of  a  private  char- 
acter,— "  the  left  hand  not  knowing  what  the  right 
did," — it  may  not  be  proper  here  to  mention  them. 
Of  two  we  are  permitted  to  speak.  In  the  year  1877, 
the  Episcopal  Church  being  much  in  want  of  a  par- 
sonage, he  erected  a  handsome  and  convenient  house, 
which  he  presented  to  the  chureh  to  be  used  forever 
for  that  purpose.  In  October,  1879,  he  was  the  owner 
of  one  of  the  largest  as  well  as  the  most  beautiful 
springs  in  the  State,  situated  in  the  borough  of  Belle- 
fonte, from  which  the  town  took  its  name,  and  from 
which,  under  the  Smith  deed  of  1807  and  the  Harris 
deed  of  1823,  it  had  the  right  to  use  "  only  the  amount 
of  water  that  could  be  supplied  through  a  three-inch 
pipe,  and  for  domestic  purposes  only."  Seeing  and 
appreciating  the  fact  that  the  town  was  rapidly  grow- 
ing, that  the  water  from  this  spring  was  of  incalcula- 
ble value  to  the  citizens  of  Bellefonte,  provided  it 
could  be  used  without  restraint  or  limitation  for  all 
and  every  purpose,  Mr.  Reynolds,  animated  by  a  most 
generous  and  noble  spirit,  which  was  properly  ac- 
knowledged at  the  time,  and  will  ever  be  gratefully 


A^  r^^^Z/^^^^y^ 


f(Uy^ 


06^^ 


En^  'byAKtW:'^"'' 


r'^^'^^<ii^  '^'^^'^ 


BELLEFONTE   BOROUGH. 


2-17 


remembered,  conveyed  all  liis  right,  title,  and  interest 
in  and  to  the  spring  and  certain  grounds  surrounding 
it  to  the  Town  Council  as  a  free  gift  to  the  people  of 
his  adopted  town. 

Mr.  Reynolds  is  an  earnest  Democrat,  at  times  taking 
an  active  part  in  politics,  but  never  has  had  any  per- 
sonal political  ambition. 

For  thirty-nine  years  he  has  been  a  member  of  the 
vestry  and  a  warden  of  St.  John's  Episcopal  Church. 
Alw.ays  deeply  interested  in  the  welfare  of  the  church, 
he  has  given  largely  of  his  means  to  secure  its  pros- 
perity, and  to  adorn  and  beautify  the  house  of  the 
Lord. 


HENRY    EROCKERHOFF. 

Henry  Brockerhoff,  one  of  the  leading  business 
men  of  Bellefonte,  was  born  in  the  city  of  Dusseldorf, 
June  11,  1794,  at  which  time  his  father  held  an  im- 
portant legislative  position  under  the  Governor.  As 
it  was  the  intention  of  his  parents  that  he  should  re- 
ceive a  classical  education,  he  commenced  his  studies 
in  the  city  of  Cologne  at  the  early  age  of  six.  In 
consequence  of  war  troubles  he  was  sent  to  Paris; 
when  in  his  sixteenth  year  he  graduated  from  a  com- 
mercial school  in  Aix-la-Chapelle.  In  order  to  com- 
plete his  classical  studies  he  then  went  to  the  Uni- 
versity of  Leipsic,  where  he  remained  until  the 
famous  battle  of  Leipsic,  Oct.  16-19,  1813. 

He  with  several  of  his  fellow-students  then  de- 
termined to  unite  their  fortunes  with  Napoleon  I. 
Being  too  young  to  enter  the  army,  he  went 
into  the  service  as  a  clerk  or  under  secretary  for 
Napoleon,  and  remained  with  that  great  warrior  until 
after  the  battle  of  Waterloo,  June  18,  1815.  At  the 
time  of  that  battle  he  was  filling  the  position  of  roll- 
officer.  After  the  banishment  of  Napoleon,  Mr. 
Brockerhotf  sailed  for  Australia,  but  the  vessel  being 
wrecked  they  were  all  transferred  to  an  American 
sailing  vessel.  They  were  four  months  crossing  the 
ocean.  With  the  assistance  of  papers  and  books  on 
board  he  commenced  the  study  of  English.  Owing 
to  his  linguistic  talent  and  his  command  of  the  Latin 
he  was  able  to  speak  English  fairly  on  his  arrival. 
He  stopped  in  Philadelphia,  where,  through  the  in- 
terest and  assistance  of  the  Mr.  Klitt,  Sr.,  he  com- 
menced merchandising.  He  remained  ■  here  one 
year,  and  then  embarked  in  the  same  business  at 
McKee's  Half  Falls,  now  in  Snyder  County. 

In  1825  he  came  to  Bellefonte,  and  Oct.  28,  1830, 
took  into  business  with  him  F.  Kekeler.  Their  busi- 
ness-place was  where  Garman's  liotel  now  stands. 
Mr.  Kekeler  went  to  Ohio,  and  Mr.  Brockerhoff  re- 
moved the  stock  of  goods  in  rooms  under  the  old 
Pennsylvania  House,  which  property  he  afterwards 
purchased,  he  being  now  again  in  business  for  him- 
self. In  the  years  1843  and  1844  he  made  a  trip  to 
Europe,  remaining  eighteen  months,  leaving  his 
business  in  the  hands  of  John  Irwin,  Jr.,  whom  he 


had  associated  with  himself  in  1841.  •  The  firii*  of 
Brockerhoff  &  Irwin  dissolved  by  limitation  Dec.  20, 
184G.  He  retired  from  business  in  1848,  having  sold 
his  stock  of  goods  to  Tammany  &  Myers,  his  inten- 
tion being  to  again  visit  Europe.  Owing  to  circum- 
stances he  was  obliged  to  resume  his  old  business. 
Mr.  Brockerhoff,  through  his  knowledge  of  French 
and  German,  had  acquired  a  great  influence  among 
the  French  and  German  settlers  not  only  in  Centre, 
but  Clearfield  and  Elk  Counties.  They  applied  to 
him  for  advice  in  all  business  affairs,  and  there  being 
no  banks  in  this  district  deposited  with  him  their 
savings.  He  established  the  town  of  Frenchville, 
and  was  looked  upon  as  the  father  of  the  settlement. 
In  February,  1865,  the  Pennsylvania  House  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire,  and  immediately  afterwards  he  com- 
menced the  erection  of  the  block  of  buildings  which 
still  bears  his  name.  He  may  be  said  at  this  time  to 
have  virtually  retired  from  business.  His  time  and 
attention  were  now  devoted  to  large  investments  in 
real  estate.  Mr.  Brockerhoff  was  married  Nov.  19, 
1849,  to  Miss  Margaret  Mullen,  who  still  survives 
him.  When  the  Centre  County  Banking  Company 
was  founded  in  1868,  Mr.  Brockerhoff  was  one  of 
the  original  stockholders,  and  also  president  of  the 
board  of  directors  for  a  number  of  years.  At  the 
time  of  his  death  he  was  an  extensive  ow-ner  of  real 
estate  in  West  Virginia  and  Indiana,  and  one  of  the 
wealthiest  men  in  Centre  County.  He  was  a  kind- 
hearted  though  a  thorough  business  man,  always  keep- 
ing his  business  transactions  iu  such  a  shape  that  no 
trouble  could  well  intervene  in  the  settlement  of  his 
estate.  He  was  exceedingly  kind  in  his  domestic  re- 
lations. He  died  Oct.  6,  1878,  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
four  years  and  nearly  four  months,  preserving  his 
intellectual  faculties  until  his  days  closed. 


HOX.-  P.    GRAY    MEEK. 

Hon.  P.  Gray  Meek,  of  Bellefonte,  is  a  descendant 
of  Robert  Meek,  who  emigrated  from  Edinburgh, 
Scotland,  before  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  who  had 
six  sons  who  served  in  that  war  in  Maryland,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  New  Jersey  regiments,  three  of  whom 
perished  in  the  service.  Capt.  George  Meek  (son  of 
Robert)  settled  in  what  is  now  Ferguson  township 
and  raised  a  large  family.  He  was  the  companion  of 
James  Harris  in  his  early  surveying  expeditious,  as 
will  be  seen  by  reference  to  the  general  history. 
William  Meek,  son  of  Capt.  George,  was  the  grand- 
father of  P.  Gray  Meek.  Of  the  grandfather  and 
grandmother  mention  is  made  iu  the  biographical 
sketch  of  Rev.  John  B.  Meek. 

P.  Gray  Meek  was  a  son  of  Reuben  H.  Meek  (see 
biographical  sketch  of  the  latter),  and  born  on  his 
father's  farm,  in  Patton  township,  July  12,  1842. 
His  education  was  limited  to  that  afforded  by  the 
common  schools,  and  he  began  life  as  a  school- 
teacher at  Lumber  Citv,  Clearfield  Co.,  in  the  win- 


248 


IIISTORY  OF  CENTEE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


terr)f  1855-56.  The  next  year  he  was  a  clerk,  then 
worked  on  a  farm,  and  followed  what  he  could  find 
to  do  that  would  permit  an  honest  livelihood  until 
May,  1861.  He  then  became  junior  editor  of  the 
Democratic  Watchman. 

Being  too  radically  Democratic  to  suit  the  Repub- 
licans and  the  owners  of  the  paper  (it  was  in  August 
of  that  year  presented  by  a  grand  jury  composed  of 
twenty-one  Republicans  and  two  Democrats  for  pub- 
lishing "treasonable  matter") — under  the  pretext  of 
saving  the  paper  from  being  excluded  from  the  mails, 
Jlr.  Meek  was  requested  by  the  proprietors  to  resign 
liis  position  and  to  take  the  responsibility  for  the  rad- 
ical tone  of  the  paper  during  his  connection  with  it, 
which  he  did. 

Mr.  Meek  then  returned  to  his  father's  farm,  where 
he  worked  until  the  following  July,  when  he  pur- 
chased a  half-interest  in  the  Watchman  and  assumed 
editorial  control  of  it.  In  1863  he  was  arrested  and 
taken  before  Squire  Weaver  on  the  charge  of  high 
treason  and  bound  over,  Samuel  Gilliland,  Esq., 
becoming  his  bondsman.  That  a  justice  of  the' 
peace  had  jurisdiction  in  a  case  of  high  treason,  or 
how  he  could  be  guilty  of  such  an  offense  in  the  pub- 
lication of  a  newspaper  oniy,  or  by  wdiat  authority 
bonds  could  be  required,  Mr.  Meek  has  not  been  able 
to  discover.     The  case  was  never  called. 

It  was  very  difficult  to  keep  the  paper  up.  With- 
out money  when  he  made  the  purchase,  the  paper 
itself  small,  with  a  limited  patronage,  the  most  iu- 
fluential  men  of  the  party  denouncing  it  as  too 
radical  and  outspoken,  the  merchants  of  the  place 
refusing  to  give  it  their  patronage,  Mr.  Meek  was 
running  against  popular  public  opinion,  nevertheless 
he  gained  a  reputation  for  consistency  and  plainness 
of  speech  which  eventually  secured  his  paper  that 
success  which  has  since  attended  it  and  made  his 
reputation  as  an  editor. 

During  the  year  18S4  he  was  twice  arrested  for 
the  publication  of  political  articles  that  grated 
harshly  upon  the  ears  of  those  who  opposed  free- 
dom of  speech  and  the  Democratic  party;  but  both 
cases  were  discontinued  at  the  expense  of  the  prose- 
cutors. In  March,  1865,  he  was  arrested  in  his  office 
by  a  company  of  United  States  troops,  taken  to  Har- 
risburg,  and  imprisoned  in  what  was  known  as  the 
cotton-factory  barracks.  Mr.  Meek  could  never  as- 
certain what  the  charge  was  upon  which  he  was 
arrested,  and  was  released,  after  six  days'  incarcera- 
tion, upon  taking  an  oath  to  report  for  trial  when 
called  on,  and  as  he  has  never  been  called  on  he  is  in 
his  own  judgment  still  a  paroled  prisoner. 

In  May  of  the  same  year  he  was  arrested  by  a 
United  States  marshal  named  Hartshorn,  upon  the 
oath  of  a  Clearfield  postmaster  named  Franke, 
charged  with  having  published  articles  discouraging 
enlistments,  taken  to  Pittsburgh,  and  bound  over  for 
trial.  When  that  time  came  Hartshorn  ofl!'ered  to 
have  the  case  withdrawn  for  three  hundred  dollars. 


This  Mr.  Meek  refused  to  give,  demanded  a  trial, 
whereupon  a  nolle  prosequi  was  entered,  and  he  was 
discharged. 

In  1867  and  1868,  Mr.  Meek  was  nominated  by  the 
Democratic  County  Convention  by  acclamation  for 
member  of  the  Legislature  and  elected  by  large 
majorities,  and  in  1870  and  1871  again  elected, 
serving  four  years  in  all.  While  in  the  House  he 
"was  instrumental  in  having  the  acts  known  as  the 
railroad  fence  law  and  the  lumberman's  lien  act 
passed,  which  added  to  his  popularity  with  the  far- 
mers and  workingmen  of  tlie  county.  In  1872  he 
was  secretary  of  the  Democratic  State  Committee, 
and  1873,  1875,  and  1876  received  the  indorsement  of 
the  County  Convention  for  State  senator,  and  was 
beaten  by  ex-Governor  Curtin  for  the  nomination  for 
Congress  in  1878  in  the  county  by  two  votes  in  the 
convention.  In  1882  he  accepted  the  position  of 
editorial  secretary  of  the  Democratic  State  Com- 
mittee, and  prepared  the  greater  part  of  the  doctT- 
ments  for  the  campaign  of  1882. 

Mr.  Meek  was  married  in  January,  1862,  to  Miss 
Susan  M.,  only  daughter  of  George  W.  Meek,  of 
Ferguson  township,  and  they  have  a  family  of  six 
children. 

DANIEL    G.    BUSH,    ESQ. 

Daniel  G.  Bush,  Esq.,  was  born  in  Granville  town- 
ship, Bradford  Co.,  Pa.,  March  28,  1826.  His  an- 
cestor, John  Bush,  was  a  captain  in  the  French  and 
Indian  war,  and  with  Gen.  Braddock  on  the  memor- 
able 9th  of  July,  1755,  when  the  latter  was  defeated 
near  Fort  Du  Quesne. 

Capt.  John  Bush's  son,  Daniel  Bush  (grandfather 
of  D.  G.  Bush,  Esq.),  was  a  surveyor,  and  as  such  was 
employed  by  the  Spanish  government  to  make  sur- 
veys in  Louisiana  in  the  year  1798.  He  was  a  man 
of  more  than  ordinary  ability,  and  had  received  a 
liberal  education,  but  crippled  by  a  broken  leg  im- 
properly set.  He  settled  down  in  Litchfield,  Bradford 
Co.,  in  the  3'ear  1807.  He  surveyed  that  portion  of 
New  York  where  the  city  of  Auburn  now  stands. 

Joseph  Bush  (father  of  D.  G.  Bush,  Esq.)  was  a 
millwright  by  trade,  and  married  Lucretia  Putnam,  a 
daughter  of  John  Putnam.  The  latter  removed  from 
Great  Barrington,  Mass.,  and  located  in  Granville  in 
the  year  1818.  He  had  served  three  years  in  tiie 
Revolutionary  war,  and  was  a  man  of  great  decision 
of  character,  tenacity  of  purpose,  and  integrity,  not  un- 
worthy of  his  illustrious  kinsman.  Gen.  Israel  Putnam. 

D.  G.  Bush,  the  subject  of  our  sketch,  was  left 
an  orphan  at  the  early  age  of  sixteen  years  without 
means,  his  father  having  exhausted  his  estate  in  some 
unfortunate  investments,  and  in  giving  security 'for 
neighbors,  a  kindness  which  in  those  early  days  of 
our  State  brought  so  many  people  into  trouble  and 
broke  up  many  happy  homes.  Mr.  Bush  was  no  ex- 
ception, and  his  children  were  separated,  Daniel 
going  to  work  upon  a  farm  at  six  dollars  a  month  for 


BELLEFONTE   BOROUGH. 


249 


the  nine  months  of  the  year,  and  attending  the  pub- 
lic schools  in  the  winter  in  an  endeavor  to  better  the 
most  limited  education  of  his  boyhood. 

His  earnestness  and  assiduity  made  up  in  a  large 
measure  for  want  of  means;  and  many  an  evening  he 
spent  in  study,  lying  upon  his  back  upon  a  board,  one 
end  of  which  rested  upon  the  floor,  and  the  other 
upon  the  hearth  of  the  stove,  with  nooSier  light  than 
that  obtained  through  its  open  doors.  In  the  district 
schools  of  that  day  in  the  backwoods  of  Bradford 
County,  reading,  writing,  spelling,  and  arithmetic  as 
far  as  the  "single  rule  of  three"  were  the  sum  total 
of  an  education.  Grammar  and  geography  were 
rarely  entered  upon. 

In  spite  of  these  disadvantages,  with  the  motto 
Labor  omnia  vincit  always  in  mind,  Mr.  Bush  soon 
rose  from  being  scholar  to  the  post  of  teacher,  and 
having  determined  upon  the  law  as  a  profession,  in 
1846  entered  his  name  as  a  student  in  the  office  of 
Ulysses  Mercur,  Esq.,  of  Towanda,  Pa.,  now  Judge 
Mercur,  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania. 

He  pursued  his  studies  and  taught  his  first  school 
during  tlie  winter  of  that  year  in  New  Albany,  Brad- 
ford Co.,  at  ten  dollars  per  month, "  boarding  around.'' 
He  was  not  satisfied,  however,  with  his  attainments 
in  the  preparatory  studies,  and  the  following  spring 
(1847)  determined  to  enter  Whitestown  Academy, 
near  Utica,  N.  Y. 

The  story  of  D.  G.  Bush's  adventures  at  Whites- 
town  in  search  of  an  education  is  well  worthy  of 
record,  by  way  of  illustration  of  his  stern  firmness, 
which  afterwards  raised  him  to  such  high  rank  as  a 
business  man,  as  well  as  an  incentive  to  others  en- 
cumbered in  early  life  by  like  difficulties. 

Having  finished  his  winter  term  (1846—17),  he  re- 
ceived a  school  order  for  his  pay,  but  on  applying  to 
the  district  treasurer  for  his  money  he  was  told  that 
there  was  no  money  in  the  treasury,  and  he  would 
have  to  wait  until  it  was  collected,  which  might  be 
in  three  months,  or  not  for  a  year.  This  was  a 
damper  on  his  aspirations,  but  he  was  not  to  be  over- 
come by  that  difficulty. 

Scraping  together  what  little  money  he  could  col- 
lect of  other  dues,  six  dollars  in  all,  in  opposition  to 
tlie  advice  of  his  friends,  and  with  a  promise  that  the 
money  due  from  the  directors  should  be  sent  him,  he 
put  his  effects  into  an  old  valise,  swung  it  upon  his 
shoulder,  and  staff  in  hand  started  for  the  Mohawk 
River. 

He  traveled  up  the  Chenango  valley  by  Bingham- 
ton,  a  distance  of  two  hundred  miles,  on  foot  to 
Whitestown.  He  arrived  about  the  1st  of  April, 
1847,  and  stopped  at  a  hotel  in  the  suburbs  of  the 
town,  one  of  the  proprietors  of  which,  Maj.  Schofield, 
was  then  assisting  in  enlisting  a  company  for  the  war 
against  Mexico.  Mr.  Bush  applied  at  the  school, 
and  found  that  although  the  rooms  were  furnished 
to  some  extent,  his  first  purchase  would  have  to  be  a 
bed  to  sleep  ui)on.     Here  was  a  dilemma :  out  of  his 


six  dollars  he  had  but  three  dollars  and  fifty  cents 

left,  and  for  the  first  time  he  felt  discouraged. 

He  made  up  his  mind  to  abandon  his  design  to 
better  his  mental  training,  and  concluded  he  would 
enlist  in  the  company  and  join  the  martial  host  bound 
for  the  halls  of  the  Montczumas.  He  accordingly 
opened  his  mind  to  Maj.  Schofield,  but  the  latter, 
after  hearing  a  statement  of  the  difficulties  Mr.  Bush 
had  overcome  thus  far,  and  being  delighted  with  his 
pluck,  told  him  by  no  means  to  give  up  his  intention 
to  obtain  an  education,  and  advised  him  to  let  others 
go  to  war. 

The  major  told  him  to  get  a  bed-tick,  fill  it  with 
straw,  and  he  would  lend  him  a  pillow  and  hap,  add- 
ing some  good  advice  which  helped  shape  Mr.  Bush's 
subsequent  career. 

After  paying  his  bill  at  the  hotel  our  adventurer 
had  but  twenty-five  cents  left.  He  engaged  board  in 
the  hall  at  one  dollar  per  week,  and  commenced 
school.  The  mornings  were  cold,  and  on  applying  at 
the  wood-yard  for  a  dollar's  worth  of  wood  on  credit 
it  was  refused.  He  thereupon,  with  his  twenty-five 
cents,  bought y?i)e  sticks,  borrowed  a  wheelbarrow  and 
axe,  and  by  economy  made  the  wood  last  through  the 
session.  Having  no  money  to  buy  candles  he  went 
in  the  evening  to  the  rooms  of  other  students,  plead- 
ing lonesomeness  as  an  excuse  to  study  by  their  light. 

In  the  course  of  time,  after  repeated  inquiry  at  the 
post-office,  the  postmaster  one  day  told  him  there  were 
three  letters  in  the  office  for  him.  There  was,  how- 
ever, fifteen  cents  po.^age  due  upon  them.  He  told 
the  postmaster  he  had  no  money,  and  would  have  to 
come  the  next  day  for  them.  The  postmaster,  how- 
ever, allowed  him  to  take  them  along  upon  a  promise 
he  would  pay  for  them  the  next  day.  Seizing  the 
letters  with  bright  hopes.  Bush  rushed  to  his  room 
and  opened  them,  expecting  a  remittance  at  least  in 
one  of  them.  But  instead  were  excuses  and  censures 
of  what  they  called  his  "  mulish  propensity"  for  an 
education. 

Here  was  a  real  quandary :  his  word  pledged  for 
fifteen  cents,  and  not  an  acquaintance  in  school  or  any- 
body he  knew  to  borrow  from.  Heaven  favors  those 
who  help  themselves,  and  hearing  that  Mr.  Williams, 
who  lived  just  beyond  the  school  grounds,  was  em- 
ploying help  to  dig  his  garden,  Mr.  Bush  went  directly 
to  him,  informed  him  that  four  hours  were  allowed 
for  exercise  and  he  would  like  to  employ  them  pjofit- 
ably.  Mr.  Williams  offered  six  and  one-fourth  cents 
compensation  for  every  hour  Mr.  Bush  should  work 
for  him.  The  latter  put  in  two  hours  that  night  and 
two  the  next  morning,  and  made  enough  to  keep  his 
word  good  with  the  postmaster. 

We  may  add  Mr.  Bush  had  employment  at  the  gar- 
den until  it  was  planted,  and  employed  every  Satur- 
day working  for  farmers  at  the  rate  of  fifty  cents  a 
day,  yet  the  close  of  the  term  found  him  in  debt  for 
his  board  and  tuition.  Not  discouraged,  he  worked 
during  the  whole  vacation  lor  Mr.  Metcalfe  for  twenty 


250 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


dollars  a  month,  doing  it  so  satisfactorily  that  his  em- 
ployer added  five  dollars  to  his  wages,  saying  that  he 
had  richly  deserved  it.  This,  with  two  weeks  in  the 
harvest-field,  broiiglit  around  the  time  of  opening  of 
his  second  term  at  the  academy. 

On  his  entry  upon  his  second  term  Mr.  Bush  de- 
cided he  must  have  cheaper  board  than  one  dollar  a 
week.  He  accordingly  bought  a  yard  of  muslin,  made 
a  meal-bag,  and  with  a  peck  of  corn-meal  and  a  quart 
of  molasses  commenced  boarding  himself,  which  he 
actually  accomplislied  while  he  continued  at  school, 
at  the  incredibly  low  price  of  thirty-one  cents  a  week. 

The  following  winter  he  spent  in  teaching  near 
Owego,  N.  Y.,  and  in  the  spring  of  1849  came  to 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  taught  one  year  in  White 
Deer  valley,  in  Lycoming  County.  Here  becoming 
acquainted  with  the  method  of  teaching  geography 
from  Pelton's  outline  maps,  it  occurred  to  liim  to  go  to 
Philadelphia  to  see  the  author  with  a  view  to  become 
an  agent  for  the  sale  of  the  maps. 

Pelton  employed  Mr.  Bush  a  few  weeks  in  writing 
up  the  revision  of  his  maps,  and  while  so  employed  a 
circumstance  occurred  which  indicated  the  business 
composition  of  Mr.  Bush's  character,  and  had  a  very 
favorable  reflex  influence  upon  his  then  fortunes. 
An  order  came  for  a  set  of  maps  to  be  delivered  at  the 
depot  by  a  certain  hour.  Pelton  went  out  for  a  wagon 
to  take  them  out,  but  not  being  able  to  find  one  re- 
turned, e.\pressing  much  regret  at  the  disappointment 
that  would  ensue  to  the  consignee.  Mr.  Bush  relieved 
him  by  saying  ''he  would  have  them  at  the  depot  in 
time,"  and  then  and  there  shouldered  the  bo.x,  which 
was  six  feet  long,  delivered  it  in  time,  and  returned 
with  the  receipt.  Pelton  forthwith  made  him  general 
agent  for  the  sale  of  his  maps  in  the  State,  a  position  i 
which  he  held  until  1856,  when  he  settled  in  Belle- 
fonte  to  finish  reading  for  the  bar. 

Meanwhile,  what  money  he  saved  he  placed  in  the 
hands  of  a  cousin,  D.  B.  Colton,  of  Athens,  Pa.,  as 
his  partner  in  investments  in  buildings  and  lots  in 
that  town.  His  first  insight  into  law  practice  was 
looking  up  the  aftiiirs  of  this  concern,  which  he  found 
utterly  insolvent  under  Coltou's  management,  his 
earnings,  three  thousand  dollars,  gone,  and  a  firm 
debt  of  two  hundred  dollars  to  pay,  leaving  him  after 
eight  years'  struggles  where  he  started  in  life, — with- 
out a  dollar. 

After  reading  the  prescribed  period  Mr.  Bush  was 
admitted  to  the  Bellefonte  bar  on  the  29th  of  April, 
1857,  and  commenced  practice,  giving  to  his  profes- 
sion his  unbounded  energy,  stimulated  by  enforced 
poverty.  A  Democrat  in  politics,  he  had  taken  a  very 
active  part  in  the  campaign  of  185G,  and  in  1857  was 
appointed  mercantile  appraiser  by  the  commissioners 
of  the  county.  Far-sighted  as  a  business  man,  coupled 
with  a  daring  disposition,  he  turned  naturally  into 
the  real  estate  business,  in  which  he  has  made  a 
record  as  a  solid  business  man,  and  forgotten  almost 
that  he  ever  was  poor. 


On  the  14th  of  December,  1858,  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Louisa  Tomb,  daughter  of  the  late  George  Tomb, 
Esq.,  of  Jersey  Shore,  and  located  permanently  at 
Bellefonte.  In  18G2  he  took  the  late  George  M. 
Yocum,  Esq.,  into  his  office  as  a  law  partner,  declin- 
ing himself  the  active  practice  of  law,  having  enough 
business  interests  of  his  own  to  occupy  his  whole  time. 

Asa  politicnin,  Mr.  Bush  has  been  prominent  as 
a'u  energetic  worker  without  regard  to  party  reward. 
It  may  be  stated,  however,  in  this  connection  that 
his  name  was  presented  by  the  Democracy  of  Centre 
County  for  Congress  in  1868,  but  at  Mr.  Bush's  re- 
quest it  was  withdrawn  in  favor  of  the  candidate 
named  by  the  Democracy  of  Clinton  County,  Hon. 
L.  A.  Mackey.  In  1870  the  Democracy  of  Centre 
County  again  presented  the  name  of  Mr.  Bush  for 
Congress,  and  he  again  desired  its  withdrawal  in  favor 
of  Mr.  Mackey. 

As  may  be  inferred  from  the  incidents  of  his  life, 
Mr.  Bush  has  been  altogether  the  artificer  of  his  own 
reputation  and  fortunes.  He  has  been  an  intensely 
busy  man  all  of  his  life,  and  has  demonstrated  in  the 
improvements  he  has  made  in  Bellefonte  his  capacity 
for  business  upon  a  large  scale.  He  may  be  charac- 
terized as  a  man  of  great  administrative  ability,  quick 
to  think  and  to  decide,  pushing  with  energy  to  com- 
pletion whatever  he  undertakes. 

To  him  the  borough  of  Bellefonte  is  indebted  for 
its  most  valuable  improvements.  In  1865  he  com- 
menced the  erection  of  his  elegant  private  residence 
(a  view  of  which  embellishes  this  volume),  in  which 
ideas  of  luxury  and  home  comforts  are  notably  com- 
bined. In  the  following  year  he  erected  what  is 
known  as  "  Bush  Arcade"  (a  view  of  which  also  ap- 
pears), a  large  brick  block  on  High  Street  near  Spring 
Creek,  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven  feet  long  and 
sixty  feet  deep,  the  third  story  of  which  is  occupied 
by  a  public  hall  and  the  Masonic  lodge  hall. 

In  1867  he  put  up  six  dwellings,  and  the  next  year 
added  the  most  beautiful  and  valuable  improvement 
in  Bellefonte,  the  "  Bush  House,"  which  has  a  favor- 
able reputation  throughout  the  State.  It  is  located 
near  the  passenger  depot  of  the  Bald  Eagle  Valley 
Railroad,  on  an  island  formed  by  Spring  Creek  and 
the  race  which  conveys  water  from  that  stream  to  the 
mills  below.  The  building  has  a  front  of  one  hun- 
dred and  forty-five  feet  on  High  Street,  with  wings  of 
one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  each.  It  is  built  of 
brick,  four  stories  high,  and  contains  one  liundred  and 
twenty-five  sleeping  apartments,  with  ample  accom- 
modations for  three  liundred  guests.  The  house  is 
supplied  with  all  modern  conveniences,  and  is  thor- 
oughly ventilated.  Halls  twenty  feet  wide  extend 
the  entire  length  of  the  building.  Every  floor  sup- 
plied with  cold  spring  water  and  hot  and  cold  baths. 

The  parlor  is  a  most  attractive  room  on  the  second 
floor,  overlooking  the  swift-running  waters  of  Spring 
Creek,  and  within  a  few  rods  of  the  house  is  the 
celebrated  spring  from  which   the  town  derived  its 


^^^.^^^^^ 


BELLEFONTE   BOROUGH. 


251 


name.  A  cut  representing  this  famous  hostelry  has 
been  added  to  tlie  illustrations  of  this  history. 

In  1868-G9,  Mr.  Busli  also  built  the  fine  brick  block 
opposite  the  "  Bush  House,"  and  added  to  the  dwell- 
ings of  the  town  some  fourteen  buildings.  In  1869 
he  erected  a  block  of  three  dwellings  on  Spring  Street, 
in  all  twenty-seven.  He  is  consequently  without  a 
rival  in  adding  to  the  natural  interests  of  Bellefonte 
and  Centre  County.  In  order  to  show  their  appreci- 
ation of  Mr.  Bush's  public  spirit,  all  the  leading  citi- 
zens of  Bellefonte  on  the  4th  of  May,  1869,  joined  in 
a  letter  of  thanks  to  him  and  the  tender  of  a  public 
dinner  at  the  Bush  House,  which  Mr.  Bush  accepted 
and  designated  June  1st  for  the  occasion,  which  passed 
with  great  I'dat. 

In  187.3,  Mr.  Bush  went  to  Elizabeth  City,  N.  C, 
and  there  with  T.  Conrow,  of  Philadelphia,  made 
large  purchases  of  city  and  country  property.  This 
partnership  became  dissolved  by  the  death  of  Mr. 
Conrow  in  1882.  At  Elizabeth  City  Mr.  Bush  formed 
an  organization  for  the  purpose  of  building  a  railroad 
from  Norfolk,  but  failing  to  get  Northern  capital  in- 
terested he  resigned  the  presidency  in  1875.  He, 
however,  again  took  hold  of  the  project  in  1879,  and 
succeeded  in  forming  a  syndicate  in  New  York,  which 
built  the  road,  and  it  was  opened  through  in  1881. 
Since  the  completion  of  this  road  there  is  more  de- 
mand for  property,  and  his  investments  there,  which 
were  a  source  of  much  trouble,  are  likely  to  prove 
fortunate.  Following  his  bent  for  improvements,  he 
built  fourteen  houses  in  Elizabeth  City  in  1881,  which, 
witli  twelve  houses  in  Bellefonte,  and  inducing  to 
Bellefonte  the  gentlemen  who  with  Gen.  Beaver  have 
put  up  the  nail-works  at  Bellefonte,  rounds  his  work 
up  to  the  date  of  this  history. 


JAMES   MILLIKEN,  ESQ. 

The  ancestors  of  James  Milliken  belonged  to  the 
family  of  that  name  of  which  James  Milliken,  baronet, 
of  Renfrewshire,  Scotland,  was  the  head,  now  merged 
in  the  Napier  family.  The  family  emigrated  to  the 
north  of  Ireland,  and  thence  one  branch  emigrated 
to  the  United  States,  settling  in  Mifflin  County. 

James  Milliken,  third  son  of  Foster  Milliken,  was 
born  in  Mifflin  County,  July  23, 1826.  His  mother  was 
Nancy  Thompson,  only  daughter  of  Moses  Thomp- 
son, of  Mifflin  County,  by  his  second  wife.  Foster  Mil- 
liken was  actively  engaged  in  business,  and  so  extended 
that  upon  his  death,  in  the  prime  of  life,  very  little 
was  realized  for  his  widow  and  her  children.  James 
was  but  four  years  of  age  when  his  father  died,  but 
his  ])rudent  Christian  mother  kept  her  family  to- 
gether as  long  as  she  could  before  sending  the  boys 
out  to  engage  in  the  business  of  life.  James  was  very 
young  when  placed  as  a  clerk  with  the  Messrs.  Val- 
entines, of  Centre  County. 

Before  Mr.  Milliken  was  of  age  he  was  intrusted 
by  the  Messrs.  Valentines  with  the  agency  for  the 


sale  of  their  iron  in  the  State  of  New  York,  and  was 
located  for  that  purpose  at  Elmira,  N.  Y.,  for  several 
years.  When  this  agency  closed  his  uncles,  who 
were  leading  commercial  men  of  Mifflin  County,  per- 
suaded him  to  join  them  in  business  at  Lewistown, 
Pa.,  where  he  was  engiiged  when  the  engineers  of 
that  grand  improvement,  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad, 
reached  Lewistown.  Making  an  acquaintance  with 
John  Edgar  Thomson,  then  chief  engineer,  at  the  lat- 
ter's  solicitation  Mr.  Milliken  took  entire  charge  of  the 
business  of  the  company  at  that  point  for  some  years. 

Not  being  satisfied  with  the  limited  sphere  of  busi- 
ness at  Lewistown,  Jlr.  Milliken  removed  to  Phila- 
delphia in  18.50,  and  engaged  in  the  flour  and  grain 
commission  business,  in  the  firm  of  Richardson  & 
Milliken,  but  after  a  few  years  he  engaged  in  a  busi- 
ness more  suited  to  his  taste,  the  manufacture  of  iron. 
He  was  associated  for  a  number  of  years  with  the 
firm  of  Reeves,  Buck  &  Co.,  which  became,  and  is  at 
present,  the  Pha?nix  Iron  Company,  of  Philadelphia 
and  Plioenixville,  Chester  County,  Pa. 

While  he  resided  in  Philadelphia,  Mr.  Milliken 
took  an  active  part  in  public  affairs,  and  by  his  perse- 
vering ability,  intelligence,  and  high  character  took 
a  prominent  position  among  the  leading  men  of  that 
city.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  war  of  1861  he  was  es- 
pecially prominent.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Board 
of  Trade,  director  of  several  railroad  companies,  and 
was  one  of  the  originators  of  the  great  Union  League 
that  did  so  much  in  behalf  of  the  country  in  sup- 
pressing the  Rebellion.  He  was  made  a  member  of 
the  committee,  of  which  the  mayor  was  chairman, 
which  distributed  a  bounty  of  several  millions  to  the 
vofunteers.  On  the  occasion  of  the  great  city  meet- 
ing to  take  action  upon  the  firing  upon  Fort  Sumter, 
when  excited  masses  of  men  surged  through  the 
streets,  Mr.  Milliken  mounted  a  temporary  platform 
in  frontof  the  old  National  Hall  and  made  a  remark- 
ably able  speech,  commencing,  "  Fellow-citizens, — ■ 
With  this  calamity  upon  us  we  have  ceased  to  be  Re- 
publicans, we  have  ceased  to  be  Democrats;  we 
have  ceased  knowing  party  lines  or  recognizing  party 
ties,  for  in  this  trying  hour,  as  patriots  and  citizens, 
we  should  rise  above  them  all,  and  stand  firm  for  our 
country,  and  for  a  government,  for  ourselves." 

In  this  vein  he  dwelt  at  length  upon  the  issues 
forced  upon  us  by  the  Rebellion,  and  when  he  closed 
a  mass  of  men  that  blocked  Market  Street  as  far  as 
the  eye  could  reach  made  response  to  his  patriotism 
in  cheers  that  resounded  far  and  wide  u[>on  the  mid- 
night air  through  the  city. 

Mr.  Milliken's  excessive  labor  Iti  business  and  in 
public  aflUirs  told  powerfully  upon  his  health,  and  by 
the  time  the  war  closed  he  had  to  retire  altogether 
from  business.  He  then  devoted  a  number  of  yeai-s  to 
study  and  travel.  Diligent  in  everything  he  did,  he 
traveled  several  times  over  most  of  the  countries  of 
Europe,  also  spending  two  winters  in  the  tropics,  one  in 
Spain  and  Italy  and  one  in  Egypt.     He  crossed  the 


252 


HISTORY  OF.  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


great  Arabian  desert,  scaled  Mount  Sinai,  visited  tiie 
ancient  city  of  Petra.  Subsequently  he  traveled 
through  the  Holy  Land,  Greece,  and  Turkey,  and  more 
recently  passed  one  winter  in  Mexico. 

The  straitened  circumstances  of  the  family  de- 
prived Mr.  Milliken  of  even  a  common-school  educa- 
tion, and,  of  course,  classical  training.  Nevertheless 
he  has  acquired  several  foreign  languages,  and  the 
present  fluency  of  his  style  and  his  force  of  diction  are 
on  that  account  surprising,  and  indicate  him  to  be  a 
man  of  genius  and  brain  power. 

His  address  in  the  State  Convention  May  10,  1882, 
in  nominating  Gen.  James  A.  Beaver  as  the  Repub- 
lican candidate  for  Governor,  has  been  described  by 
the  public  press  of  the  day  as  "a  model,  and  one  of 
the  most  eloquent  ever  delivered  in  a  political  body 
of  that  character."  Mr.  Milliken  is  the  author  of 
several  brochures,  to  be  found  in  the  public  libraries 
of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  notably,  "  A  Tour  of 
Travel  in  Lower  Egypt  and  the  Desert  of  Sinai ;" 
"  A  Voyager's  Letters  from  Mexico,"  etc.,  etc. 

His  characteristic  as  a  business  man  was  never  to 
enter  upon  any  work  his  head  and  heart  did  not  ap- 
prove, consequently  he  never  relinquished  anything 
he  set  out  to  do.  An  example  of  this  was  his  resus- 
citation of  a  prominent  railway  and  coal  company  of 
Philadelphia,  whose  fortunes  seemed  to  be  abandoned 
by  nearly  all  deeply  interested  in  it.  Resisted  even 
by  many  whose  interests  he  was  serving,  he  fought 
its  officers  in  court  and  out  of  court,  and  made  the 
corporation  one  entitled  to  the  confidence  of  the 
people.  At  the  close  of  the  controversy  the  stock- 
holders presented  Mr.  Milliken,  as  a  testimonial,  stock 
of  the  company  and  a  service  of  silver,  of  value  alto- 
gether of  ten  thousand  dollars.  He  declined  the 
stock,  but  accepted  the  silver  service  as  a  souvenir  of 
their  regard. 

On  the  death  of  M.  T.  Milliken,  his  older  brother, 
in  1871,  his  good  mother  was  left  without  a  home,  and 
Mr.  Milliken  gave  up  his  residence  in  Philadelphia 
and  again  became  a  citizen  of  Centre  County,  that  he 
might  be  a  companion  to  his  mother  and  a  sister, 
where  he  has  since  resided,  greatly  honored  by  all 
who  know  him. 

He  has  been  one  of  the  successful  men  of  our  times. 
Standing  in  the  first  rank  in  every  relation  of  lil'e,  and 
in  his  life  and  character  exemplifying  the  fullest  illus- 
tration of  the  advice  of  the  celebrated  bishop  of  Eng- 
land, who,  on  being  asked  by  a  noble  lord  what  he 
should  give  his  son  to  enable  him  to  get  on  in  the 
world,  replied,  "  Give  him  poverty  and  parts." 


CALVIN   M.  EOWER,  ESQ. 

Calvin  M.  Bower,  Esq.,  a  member  of  the  Bellefonte 
bar,  was  born  in  Haines  township,  near  Woodward 
village,  April  20,  1849.  Jacob  Bower,  the  first  settler 
of  that  name  in  Haines  township  in  1791,  was  his 


great-grandfather.  Mr.  Bower's  father  is  Jacob  Bower, 
Jr.,  of  that  township,  and  his  mother  is  a  daughter 
of  Jacob  Motz,  of  the  old  Motz  family,  which  first 
settled  where  Woodward  now  stands. 

His  education  was  received  at  the  common  schools, 
whence  he  was  transferred  to  Aaronsburg  Academy, 
and  then  to  Union  Seminary  in  New  Berlin.  He 
commenced  the  study  of  law  in  the  ofiice  of  Orvis  & 
Alexander,  Oct.  17,  1871,  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
Dec.  5,  1873,  and  on  the  Ist  of  January,  1874,  became 
a  member  of  the  law  firm  of  his  preceptors.  By  the 
elevation  of  Judge  Orvis  to  the  bench  the  firm  was 
dissolved,  and  April  16,  1874,  the  law-firm  of  Alex- 
ander &  Bower  succeeded,  commanding  ever  since  a 
large  and  important  practice. 

Mr.  Bower  was  married,  June  9,  1874,  to  Miss  Ella 
E.,  daughter  of  John  Moyer,  late  of  Aaronsburg,  de- 
ceased. Appreciating  Mr.  Bower's  character  and 
standing  in  his  native  county,  the  Reformed  Synod  of 
the  United  States  in  1882  elected  him  one  of  the 
trustees  of  Franklin  and  Marshafl  College  at  Lan- 
caster. 

THOMAS    RENICK    HAYES,  M.D. 

Thomas  Renick  Hayes,  M.D.,  was  born  in  Union 
County,  July  1,  1839.  The  ancestor  of  the  family, 
Patrick  Hayes,  was  born  in  the  county  of  Donegal, 
Ireland,  in  1705,  and  settled  in  Derry  township,  now 
Dauphin  County,  in  1725,  where  he  died  Jan.  31, 
1790,  and  with  his  wife  lies  buried  in  the  old  Derry 
churchyard.  Their  second  son,  Robert  Hayes,  was 
born  in  1733,  married  Margaret  Wray,  of  Derry, 
March  25,  1762.  He  served  as  an  officer  in  the  Rev- 
olutionary war,  and  died  Jan.  6,  1809. 

Robert  Hayes'  oldest  son,  John  Hayes,  Esq.,  was 
the  well-known  deputy  surveyor  of  Northumberland 
County,  and  afterwards  of  Union;  in  the  former 
capacity  he  made  many  surveys  in  the  eastern  end 
of  Centre  County.  John  Hayes,  Esq.,  was  born  in 
1765.  In  1786  he  came  to  Buffiilo  valley  (Union 
County  now),  and  married  in  1796  Margaret,  daugh- 
ter of  Capt.  William  Gray,  who  resided  on  the  river 
about  one-half  mile  above  Lewisburg.  John  Hayes' 
father  (Robert)  bought  the  Andrew  Forster  farm  above 
Mifiiinburg  in  1790,  which  at  his  death  was  purchased 
by  his  son  John.  Robert  Goodlow  Harper  Hayes, 
father  of  Dr.  Hayes,  was  John  Hayes',  Esq.,  oldest 
son,  and  was  born  in  1797,  and  was  married  to  Esther 
Renick  Forster,  Dec.  27,  1827.  He  was  an  elder  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Buffiilo  valley  nineteen 
years,  resided  on  the  old  farm  of  his  grandfather  and 
father,  and  died  there  May  2,  1854.  His  wife  died 
Aug.  2,  1856. 

Their  son.  Dr.  T.  R.  Hayes,  was  educated  at 
Acadenii.'i,  Juniata  Co.,  under  Professor  J.  H.  Shu- 
maker,  whence  he  entered  sophomore  class,  Lafayette 
College.  He  was  graduated  at  Chicago  Medical  Col- 
lege in  1864,  and  practiced  successfully  at  Oconomo- 
woc.  Wis.,  nearly  five  years.     In  1870  he  located  in 


-6.    M-./'^TT^^ 


^ 


a. 


HUlllilL 


^^^^.  ^.  yv4,.y^^ -^^^^- 


BELLEFONTE  BOROUGH. 


253 


the  practice  of  medicine  at  Bellefonte,  and  was  mar- 
ried Dec.  28,  1871,  to  Miss  Sarali  B.,  daughter  of  the 
hite  Hon.  H.  N.  McAllister.  Dr.  Hayes  stands  de- 
servedly high  in  liis  profession,  and  is  at  present 
president  of  the  Centre  County  Medical  Society,  of 
wliicli  he  was  an  original  member  at  its  organization 
in  187G.  He  is  also  vice-president  of  the  Pennsylva- 
nia State  Medical  Society.  As  a  citizen,  lie  lias  con- 
tributed substantially  to  the  interests  of  Bellefonte  in 
the  erection  of  elegant  dwellings  ;  lie  is  a  director  of 
the  Bellefonte  Building  and  Loan  Association,  and 
also  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Bellefonte. 

Adhering  to  the  faith  of  his  ancestors  for  many 
generations  back,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  active  and  zealous  for  its  prosperity,  leading 
the  adult  Bible  class,  and  as  one  of  the  trustees  of  the 
church  at  Bellefonte  careful  of  its  finances. 


ROBERT  L.  DAIITT,  M.D. 
Robert  L.  Dartt,  M.D.,  who  occupies  a  prominent 
place  as  a  physician  in  Bellefonte,  was  born  in  Wells- 
boro',  Tioga  Co.,  Pa.  He  graduated  at  Hahnemann 
Medical  College,  Philadelphia,  where  lie  received  his 
degree,  March  10,  1875.  He  settled  in  Bellefonte, 
where  his  learning  and  assiduous  attention  to  busi- 
ness have  been  appreciated,  and  he  has  obtained  a  i 
very  liberal  patronage.  He  erected  a  beautiful  resi- 
dence upon  Allegheny  Street,  adjoining  the  Episcopal 
Church,  and  married  a  daughter  of  the  late  John  D. 
Leib,  of  Bellefonte.  Mrs.  Dartt  is  a  great-grand- 
daughter of  Hon.  Andrew  Gregg,  who  for  nearly  one- 
third  of  a  century  took  such  a  commanding  position 
in  the  House  of  Representatives  and  the  Senate  of  the 
United  States. 

WILLI.'VM    A.  THO.MAS. 

William  A.  Thomas,  who  was  for  so  many  years  so 
prominently  engaged  in  the  business  of  iron  manu- 
facture in  Centre  County,  was  a  native  of  West  White- 
land  township,  Chester  County,  and  was  born  April 
5,  1795.  He  was  the  youngest  son  of  the  fourth 
Richard  Thomas. 

The  ancestor,  Richard  Ap  Thomas,  of  Whitford 
Garden,  P'lintshire,  North  Wales,  July  21,  1681,  pur- 
chased a  grant  or  location  of  five  thousand  acres  in 
Chester  valley,  came  over  in  William  Penn's  first 
migration,  and  came  to  where  Philadelphia  now 
stands  with  an  only  son,  Richard,  and  died  there  in 
1683.  Richard  (2d)  being  but  eleven  years  of  age, 
and  the  estate  passing  into  trustees,  the  grant  was 
never  all  located;  however,  one  part,  some  six  hun- 
dred acres,  now  embraces  part  of  the  county-seat 
(West  Chester),  and  others  were  located  advanta- 
geously in  the  Great  valley.  Richard  (2d)  returned 
to  Wales  for  a  short  time,  and  subsequently  married 
Grace  Atherton,  an  English  maiden,  and  settled  in 
tlie  Great  valley  (1711),  on  one  of  his  places  called 
Calamornshirf:,  in  West  Whitcland  township,  where 


he  died  in  1744,  and  is  buried  in  the  Malin  grave- 
yard. He  left  issue  one  son,  Richard  (born  April  22, 
1713,  died  Sept.  22, 1754),  and  four  daughters.  Hannah 
(married  James  Mendenhall),  Mary  (married  John 
Harrison,  of  Birdsboro',  Pa.),  Grace  (married  Thomas 
Stalker,  of  East  Cain),  Elizabeth  (married  Jonathan 
Howell,  of  Philadelphia). 

Richard  (3d)  married  Phcebe  Ashbridge,  and  left 
issue,  Richard  and  George,  and  daughters  Lyd la,  Grace, 
Hannah  (married  John,  William,  Joseph  Trimble). 

Richard  (4th),  born  Dec.  30,  1744,  inherited  land 
in  West  Whiteland,  and  married  Tamazine  Downing, 
of  Downingtown.  He  left  a  large  family,  of  whldi 
Richard  (5tli)  was  the  oldest,  and  William  A.  the 
youngest. 

William  A.  worked  at  his  father's  mill,  and  when 
only  seventeen  years  old  rented  a  mill  on  Beaver 
Creek,  above  Downingtown.  In  1815  his  elder  brother 
Jacob  came  to  Centre  County  with  the  Valentine 
brothers,  and  together  they  rented  the  Dunlop  estate, 
works,  and  iron  interests.  Jacob  Thomas,  however, 
returned  to  Chester  County  and  died,  and  thereupon 
(in  1817)  William  A.  Thomas  came  up  and  took  his 
place,  and  thus  became  identified  ever  afterward  with 
the  Valentines.  William  A.  Thomas  first  went  down 
and  took  charge  of  Washington  Iron-Works,  Clinton 
County,  to  ascertain  whether  they  could  be  run  suc- 
cessfully. The  history  of  the  Valentine  business  and 
enterprises  is  given  elsewhere,  and  need  not  be  re- 
peated. In  1827,  Mr.  Thomas,  in  connection  with 
Isaac  Miller,  etc.,  leased  Mill  Hall  Iron-Works, 
Clinton  County.  In  1829,  Howard  Iron-Works  were 
built;  Richard  Thomas,  a  nephew  of  William  A., 
being  of  the  firm  with  Messrs.  Harris,  but  William 
A.  Thomas  soon  became  a  leading  partner.  In  1829 
he  purchased  Willow  Bank,  at  Bellefonte,  following 
this  in  1833  with  the  purchase  of  the  valuable  water- 
power,  mills,  etc.,  of  Smith's  heirs. 

From  this  time  forward  Mr.  Thomas  was  so  vari- 
ously connected  with  the  business  interests  of  the 
county,  so  actively  concerned  in  advancing  its  mate- 
rial prosperity  by  public  improvements, — turnpikes, 
canal,  railroads,  in  the  development  of  its  bituminous 
coal  region, — his  further  biography  would  be  a  mere 
repetition  of  what  will  be  found  in  tliose  connections 
in  the  preceding  liistory.  As  a  business  man,  he  h.ad 
no  superior  in  ability  and  enterpiise  in  Central  Penn- 
.sylvania,  and  has  left  the  impress  of  his  ability  in  the 
training  he  gave  some  of  our  most  distinguished 
business  men. 

William  A.  Thomas  married  in  August,  1817,  Eliza- 
beth Miller  (born  Sept.  23,  1793).  Their  surviving 
children  are  Jacob  V.  Thomas  and  Isaac  Thomas. 
W.  A.  Thomas,  Jr.,  was  killed  by  a  fall  down  a  mine 
bank,  Oct.  26, 1865.  W.  A.  Thomas,  Sr.,  died  Dec.  4, 
1866  ;  his  widow  on  the  16th  of  June,  1879.  She  was 
a  daughtcrof  Reuben  Miller  and  Tamazine  Valentine. 
They  were  both  leading  members  of  the  Society  of 
Friends. 


234 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


EDMUND  J.  PRUNER. 
Edmund  J.  Primer  was  born  in  Bellefonte,  Centre 
Co.,  Pa.,  on  the  22d  day  of  February,  1840.  His  an- 
cestors on  tlie  paternal  side  were  of  German,  on  the 
maternal  of  Scotch-Irish  extraction.  The  Pruners 
came  from  Germany  during  the  latter  part  of  the 
seventeenth  century,  and  settled  on  Manhattan 
Island,  N.  Y.,from  whence  they  removed  to  Lebanon 
County,  Pa.  The  great-grandfather  of  Edmund  J. 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  also  served 
with  Gen.  Wayne,  and  was  with  him  at  the  battle  of 
Paoli.  His  son,  Peter  Pruner,  married  a  Miss  Wolf, 
and  about  the  year  1800  settled  in  Brush  valley, 
where  he  followed  his  trade  of  milling.  To  them  were 
born  two  sons  and  two  daughters.  The  eldest  son, 
David  I.  Pruner,  was  born  near  Wolf's  Store  in  1804, 
and  became  a  carpenter.  He  married  Miss  Sally 
Denny,  daughter  of  Philip  and  Margaret  (McCauley) 
Denny.  Miss  McCauley  was  a  descendant  of  the  old 
and  prominent  Scotch-Irish  family  of  that  name  who 
lived  in  County  Antrim,  on  the  line  between  Ireland 
and  Scotland.  Philip  Denny  left  England  in  the 
ship  "  Roebuck,"  of  which  an  elder  brother  was  com- 
mander, and  landed  in  the  New  World  prior  to  the 
Revolution,  in  which  war  he  served  on  the  side  of 
the'  colonies,  also  with  Gen.  Wayne  at  Paoli.  Some 
time  after  the  close  of  the  war  he  settled  in  Centre 
County  near  Bellefonte,  where  he  died  in  1818.  After 
his  marriage,  David  I.  Pruner  made  his  home  in 
Bellefonte,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  and  as  a 
contractor,  building  some  of  the  finest  houses  in  the 
borough  at  that  time,  many  of  which  are  still  standing. 
He  was  a  Democrat,  and  for  many  years  held  the 
office  of  justice  of  the  peace,  his  first  appointment 
as  such  being  from  Governor  David  R.  Porter. 
About  the  year  1854  he  bought  a  large  tract  of  land 
on  the  Moshannon  Creek  in  Clearfield  County,  on 
which  he  laid  out  the  village  of  Osceola.  He  was 
the  head  of  the  firm  of  D.  I.  Pruner  &  Co.,  and  was 
largely  interested  in  the  lumber  business  of  Clearfield 
County.  The  railroad  in  Philipsburg  had  not  then 
been  built,  and  there  was  no  cheap  and  ready  trans- 
portation for  the  immense  lumber  interests  of  Clear- 
field and  tlie  northern  part  of  Centre  Counties.  Mr. 
Pruner  secured  the  co-operation  of  Governor  Curtiri, 
Judge  Hale,  John  M.  Hale,  Governor  Morgan,  of 
New  York,  and  others,  and  a  bill  was  introduced  in 
the  Pennsylvania  Legislature  asking  for  a  charter 
for  a  railroad  from  Tyrone  to  Osceola.  The  bill  did 
not  become  a  law,  but  at  the  next  session  a  charter 
was  granted  for  the  Tyrone,  Clearfield  and  Erie  Rail- 
road. Mr.  Pruner  was  one  of  the  directors  of  the 
road,  and  through  the  efforts  of  the  parties  named 
above  it  was  graded  as  far  as  Philipsburg,  Pa.  It 
was  finally  sold  on  a  mortgage  and  bought  by  the 


Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company,  who  at  once  pro- 
ceeded to  complete  and  put  the  road  in  running  order. 
To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pruner  were  born  eight  children, 
viz.,  Maggie,  Mary,  William,  Daniel,  Edmund  J., 
Joseph,  Robert  M.,  and  Sally.  Mr.  Pruner  died  in 
Bellefonte  in  1880.  Daniel  Pruner  served  for  a  time 
in  the  Eleventh  United  States  Infantry,  from  which 
he  was  promoted  to  a  lieutenancy  in  the  Twenty- 
second  Pennsylvania  Cavalry.  He  died  in  1864  of 
disease  contracted  in  the  army.  Joseph  D  Pruner 
served  in  Gen.  Sickles'  brigade,  and  for  a  time  in  the 
Signal  Corps.  Robert  M.  enlisted  before  he  was  sev- 
enteen years  old  in  the  Forty-fifth  Pennsylvania  In- 
fantry, afterwards  in  the  First  Pennsylvania  Cavalry, 
in  which  he  served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He 
met  his  death  by  accident  on  the  railroad  in  August, 
1882. 

When  fifteen  years  old,  Edmund  J.  Pruner  started 
out  to  earn  his  own  living.  He  worked  at  whatever 
he  could  get  to  do  until  1855,  when  he  went  to  Phila- 
delphia. He  arrived  there  with  but  little  money,  and 
for  a  time  experienced  many  difficulties,  but,  nothing 
daunted,  he  still  held  on  in  his  determination  to 
make  his  way  in  the  world.  He  finally  obtained  em- 
ployment as  a  clerk  in  a  dry-goods  and  notion  store, 
where  he  remained  nntil  1857,  when  he  came  to  Ty- 
rone and  entered  into  the  mercantile  business.  Two 
years  after  he  built  on  Main  Street  near  the  Juniata 
River  the  building  he  still  owns,  which  was  then  one 
of  the  best  in  town.  Soon  after  this  he  engaged  in 
the  lumber  business  in  the  Bald  Eagle  valley,  where 
he  owned  and  operated  several  steam  saw-mills.  Dur- 
ing the  war  he  furnished  the  Pennsylvania  and  other 
railroad  companies  with  large  quantities  of  lumber 
for  building  cars,  locomotives,  and  bridges,  and  also 
supplied  the  United  States  government  with  a  con- 
siderable quantity.  The  lumber  used  in  constructing 
the  first  engines  sent  from  the  United  States  to  Rus- 
sia was  furnished  by  him.  Mr.  Pruner  was  one  of 
the  original  stockholders  of  the  Northern  Pacific 
Railroad,  with  Jay  Cooke  and  others,  and  he  took  a 
prominent  part  in  the  early  completion  of  the  rail- 
roads centering  at  Tyrone.  He  also  helped  to  open 
up  the  first  bituminous  coal-mines  operated  in  Clear- 
field and  Centre  Counties,  and  the  company  of  which 
he  was  a  member,  the  Osceola  Coal  Company,  intro- 
duced the  bituminous  coal  of  the  Clearfield  region 
into  the  Eastern  cities,  and  was  the  first  shipper  of 
coal  over  the  Tyrone  and  Clearfield  Railroad.  He  is 
an  ardent  Republican,  but  has  never  sought  office,  and 
has  held  only  minor  ones  in  the  town  in  which  he 
resides.  As  a  business  man,  he  has  been  very  success- 
ful, a  fact  due  to  his  untiring  energy  and  force  of 
character.  In  1871  he  retired  from  business  in  Ty- 
rone, and  passes  most  of  his  time  in  New  York  and 
Philadelphia,  where  he  has  business  connections. 


yj. f/ 


BELLEFONTE   BOROUGH. 


254a 


JOHN   DUNLOP   SHUGERT,   ESQ. 

J.  Dunlop  Shugert  was  born  in  Bellefonte,  Centre 
Co.,  Pa.,  June  26,  1837 ;  he  was  the  eldest  in  the 
family  of  four  children  of  Samuel  T.  and  Deborah 
M.  (Dunlop)  Shugert. 

His  grandfather,  Joseph  B.  Shugert,  came  to  Belle- 
fonte from  Chester  County.  He  was  a  surveyor  and 
followed  that  occupation  for  many  years,  being  an 
exceedingly  correct  and  competent  official.  On  the 
7th  of  June,  182-1:,  he  was  appointed  deputy  surveyor 
of  Centre  County,  which  office  he  held  for  six  years. 
He  was  also  for  a  number  of  years  principal  of  the 
Bellefonte  Academy,  and  was  called  to  fill  various 
offices  of  public  trust ;  his  wife  was  a  Miss  Menden- 
hall,  by  whom  he  bad  a  large  family. 

Hon.  S.  T.  Shugert,  their  second  child,  was  born  in 
Bellefonte,  Feb.  20,  1809,  and  married  Deborah  M., 
daughter  of  John  and  Eliza  (Findley)  Dunlop.  Her 
father,  John  Dunlop,  was  a  very  extensive  manufac- 
turer of  iron,  owning  the  wOrks  now  owned  by  Val- 
entine &  Co.,  Washington  Works,  etc.,  who  was  killed 
by  the  caving  in  of  a  mine-bank ;  and  her  grand- 
father. Col.  James  Dunlop,  of  the  Continental  army 
of  1776.  S.  T.  Shugert  is  a  veteran  editor,  having 
been  the  editor  of  the  Centre  Democrat  almost  half  a 
century.  He  is  at  present  editor  and  proprietor 
of  the  Centre  Democrat,  which  he  re-established  some 
three  years  ago.  In  1844  he  went  to  Washington 
City  to  occupy  a  position  in  the  Patent  Office,  and 
before  the  expiration  of  Mr.  Buchanan's  term,  Mr. 
Shugert  becam.e  acting  commissioner  of  patents.  In 
1868,  Mr.  Shugert  had  a  majority  in  the  district  for 
State  senator,  but  partisan  influence  unseated  him. 
In  1875  he  was  a  member  of  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives of  Pennsylvania,  serving  two  years. 

J.  Dunlop  Shugert,  Esq.,  was  educated  in  the 
schools  of  Bellefonte,  and  at  the  early  age  of  fifteen 
received  an  appointment  as  clerk  in  the  prothono- 
tary's  office  of  Centre  County  under  John  T.  Hoover, 
and  soon  after  commenced  reading  law  in  the  office 
of  Hon.  Samuel  Linn,  and  Feb.  2,  1860,  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar.  He  immediately  opened  a  law- 
office  in  Bellefonte,  and  for  two  years  devoted  him- 
self energetically  to  the  practice  of  his  profession. 
Upon  the  election  of  Dr.  J.  B.  Mitchell  to  the  office 
of  county  treasurer,  Mr.  Shugert  took  charge  of  the 
business  of  the  office,  and  continued  in  that  position 
during  Dr.  Mitchell's  term  and  that  of  his  successor, 
John  Shannon,  Esq.  Upon  the  expiration  of  Mr. 
Shannon's  term,  Mr.  Shugert  became  his  successor, 
filling  the  office  of  county  treasurer  during  the  years 
1866  and  1867.  Mr.  Shugert's  administration  of  the 
financial  affairs  of  the  county  was  exceedingly  satis- 
factory, and  the  records  of  the  office  furnish  ample 
evidence  of  his  ability  as  an  accountant,  and  of  his 
thorough  system  of  business  in  the  most  important 
office  of  the  county,  its  transactions  so  seriously 
affecting  land  titles  within  the  county. 

On  the  6th   of   January,   1868,   when   the  Centre 


County  Banking  Company  was  organized,  Mr.  Shugert 
was  elected  cashier,  and  has  filled  that  position  with 
signal  ability  ever  since;  and  to  Mr.  Shugert's  exten- 
sive knowledge  of  the  business  men  and  interests  of 
Centre  County,  his  good  judgment  in  investments, 
his  knowledge  of  land  titles,  his  constant  and  un- 
t  divided  attention  at  his  post,  the  company  is  without 
doubt  indebted  for  its  unvarying  prosperity  as  a 
financial  institution. 

Mr.  Shugert  has  devoted  much  time  and  labor  to 
projects  for  the  development  of  the  resources  of  Cen- 
tre County,  and  to  bringing  to  the  notice  of  business 
meii  the  riches  that  lie  buried  in  our  soil.  All  the 
railroad  enterprises  tending  to  benefit  the  county 
have  received  his  earnest  support,  and  to  him  we  are 
mainly  indebted  for  a  thorough  geological  survey 
of  the  county,  which  has  done  so  much  to  attract 
the  attention  of  capitalists  to  the  iron  and  coal  de- 
posits within  our  borders.  Mr.  Shugert's  prudent 
foresight  was  evinced  in  selecting  one  of  the  best  of 
sites  in  the  borough  for  the  erection  of  a  new  bank 
building  long  before  the  company  was  ready  to 
build,  and  his  good  taste,  liberality,  and  judgment 
are  amply  evidenced  in  the  bank  building  itself, 
which  is  a  model  for  its  convenience  and  security, — 
an  architectural  adornment  of  the  borough,  and  a  judi- 
cious investment  of  funds,  in  that  the  rent  of  its  store 
and  rooms  pays  the  interest  of  the  whole  investment. 

J.  Dunlop  Shugert  was  married  Dec.  23,  1869,  to 
Mary  S.,  daughter  of  Dr.  John  M.  McCoy,  deceased, 
who  after  achieving  an  enviable  reputation  as  a  prac- 
titioner of  medicine,  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
iron  at  Milesburg  Iron-Works,  and  built  up  one  of 
the  most  noted  industries  of  the  county.  By  the 
death  of  Dr.  McCoy  his  son  Frank  and  J.  Dunlop 
Shugert  have  become  the  controlling  managers  of  this 
interest,  which  is  attended  to  with  their  united  energy 
and  ability. 

Mr.  Shugert  has  four  children  living, — John  McCoy 
Shugert,  Frank  McCoy  Shugert,  Jean  Steward,  and 
Kate  Dunlop ;  Deborah  M.  and  William  F.  are 
deceased. 

JOHN   BLAIR   LINN. 

John  Blair  Linn  was  born  at  Lewisburg,  Union 
Co.,  Pa.,  Oct.  15,  1831,  and  inherited  his  inclination 
to  genealogy  and  local  history  from  his  father,  James 
F.  Linn,  Esq.  (deceased),  whose  memoranda  and  news- 
paper files  were  the  sources  from  which  much  of  what- 
ever is  valuable  in  the  "Annals  of  Bufl'alo  Valley'" 
was  derived.  He  was  prepared  for  college  at  the 
Lewisburg  Academy  by  John  Robinson,  Esq.,  now  of 
the  Philadelphia  bar,  and  entered  Marshall  College 
at  Mercersburg,  Pa.,  in  May,  1846,  where  he  gradu- 
ated in  1848,  witli  the  Hon.  Charles  A.  Mayer,  presi- 
dent judge  of  Centre,  Clinton,  and  Clearfield  Counties. 

He  read  law  in  his  father's  office  at  Lewisburg,  and 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Union  County,  Sept.  16, 
1851.     In  1852   and    1853  he  practiced  in   Sullivan 


254b 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


County,  Pa.,  where  he  was  elected  district  attorney, 
but  returned  to  Lewisburg  in  1854,  where  he  practiced 
law  until  his  removal  to  Centre  County  in  April, 
1871.  April  10,  1873,  he  was  .appointed  by  Hod.  M. 
S.  Quay  Deputy  Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth. 

Governor  Hartranft  in  his  annual  message,  Jan.  7, 
1874,  having  recommended  the  publication  of  a  second 
series  of  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Mr.  Linn  and  W. 
H.  Egle,  M.D.,  were  appointed  editors,  and  under 
Hon.  M.  8.  Quay's  supervision  twelve  volumes  were 
issued.  In  1877,  Mr.  Linn  published  his  "  Annals  of 
Buffalo  Valley"  (six  hundred  and  twenty  pages),  a 
local  work  embracing  the  history  of  Union  County 
mainly.  May  15,  1878,  upon  the  resignation  of  Col, 
Quay,  Mr.  Linn  was  commissioned  by  Governor  Har- 
tranft Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth,  and  under 
his  direction  the  volume  entitled  "Duke  of  York's 
Laws,  1676-82,  and  Laws  of  the  Province,  1682- 
1700,"  was  compiled  and  edited  by  Stoughton  George, 
Benjamin  M.  Nead,  Esq.,  and  Hon,  Thomas  Mc- 
Camant. 


HAMMON  SECHLER. 


Hammon  Sechler,  of  the  firm  of  Sechler  &  Co,, 
came  from  Williamsport,  Pa.,  to  Bellefonte  in  the 
spring  of  1868,  and  commenced  business  on  Alle- 
gheny Street  by  opening  the  first  regular  grocery-  and 
provision-store  ever  started  in  Bellefonte,  this  being 
the  first  attempt  to  conduct  the  grocery  business  upon 
its  own  merits  in  Bellefonte.  It  was  by  many  con- 
sidered a  wild  venture,  and  not  a  few  prophesied  cer- 


tain failure.  But  by  energy,  industry,  and  integrit|- 
the  firm  soon  gained  the  confidence  and  good  will  of 
the  people  of  Centre  County. 

In  the  spring  of  1869  the  business  was  moved  to 
its  present  location,  No.  66  High  Street,  near  the 
Pennsylvania  Kailroad  Depot,  in  a  large  new  store- 
room in  the  Bush  House  Block,  then  just  completed. 
Since  that  time  there  has  been  no  partnership  in  the 
firm,  the  business  being  conducted  by  Hammon 
Sechler,  trading  under  the  firm-name  of  Sechler  & 
Co, 

With  the  increased  facilities  and  advantages  of  the 
new  location  the  business  grew  rapidly. 

During  the  summer  of  1877  the  store-room  No.  68 
High  Street  (next  door)  was  leased  and  a  meat- 
market  established. 

This  branch  of  the  business  was  also  a  success  from 
the  beginning. 

The  firm  were  not  only  the  pioneers  in  the  grocery 
business,  but  have  always  been  and  promise  to  con- 
tinue the  leading  house  in  that  line  in  Bellefonte. 

Their  complete  stock  of  fancy  and  staple  groceries, 
fruits,  and  confectionery,  with  their  well-stocked 
meat-market  in  the  adjoining  room,  make  their  place 
a  complete  depot  for  families'  supplies. 

In  the  extent  of  their  business,  the  variety  and 
quality  of  the  goods  they  handle,  and  the  excellent 
order  in  which  their  stock  and  store  is  kept,  will  com- 
pare very  favorably  with  stores  in  the  same  line  of 
business  in  our  larger  cities. 

The  firm  are  enterprising,  are  liberal  advertisers, 
and  their  future  prospects  very  encouraging. 


BENNER  TOWNSHIP. 


255 


CHAPTER  LXIII. 


BEKNER  TOWNSHIP. 


Benner  Township,  so  named  from  one  of  Centre 
County's  most  distinguislied  pioneers,  joins  Spring  on 
tlie  west.  Union  and  Spring  on  the  nortli,  Patton, Har- 
ris, and  College  on  tliesoutli,  Springand  Potter  on  the 
east,  and  Patton  and  Union  on  the  west.  The  town- 
sliip  was  erected  at  April  term,  1853.  In  1875  a  cor- 
ner of  the  southern  portion  was  detached  and  set  off 
to  the  newly-created  township  of  College.  Nittany 
Mountain  lies  on  the  southeast,  and  Muncy  Mountain 
on  the  northern  border.  Otherwise  the  township  is 
rolling.  Spring  Creek  and  Buffalo  Run  pass  through 
tlie  township.  On  the  former  there  is  a  good  water- 
])o\ver.  Lognn's  Branch  rises  in  Benner,  in  what  is 
known  as  the  Blue  Spring.  Ore  is  found  in  some 
jilaces,  and  at  an  early  day  was  mined  to  some  ex- 
tent. 

The  First  Surveys, — The  earliest  survey  made 
along  Bull'alo  Run  in  Benner  township  was  the 
George  Gabriel,  noted  as  seven  miles  from  the  Nest, 
and  including  a  place  known  by  the  name  of  the  Old 
liullalo  Lick  application  of  April  3,  1769,  surveyed 
liv  Thomas  Smith,  June  7,  1770,  now  owned  by  Mrs. 
John  B.  Linn.  North  of  it  James  Resides  laid  a  war- 
rant Feb.  27,  1S12.  East  of  it  was  tlie  Hugh  Means, 
surveyed  in  1788,  and  belonging  to  Galbraith  Knox  as 
early  as  October,  1792 ;  next  east  of  Hugh  Means  was 
the  John  Hendricks  warrant  of  same  date,  Dec.  7, 
1774,  surveyed  in  1788  ;  and  next  east  of  John  Hen- 
dricks the  Andrew  Boggs  warrant,  March  24,  1775, 
surveyed  Nov.  20, 1793,  on  which  John  Boggs  (sheriff) 
settled,  long  known  as  the  Vandyke  farm,  part  owned 
now  by  Mr.  Henderson  ;  south  and  southwest  of  the 
George  Gabriel  were  laid  what  was  called  the  iron 
companies  land  warrants  of  July  1,  1784,  in  names  of 
Benjamin  Davis  (old  Judge  Marshall's  place),  now 
owned  by  William  Tate,  Benjamin  Hunter  Myers,  etc., 
surveyed  Nov.  22,  1784 ;  west  of  George  Gabriel 
was  the  John  Shanks,  surveyed  Oct.  28,  1770,  now 
owned  by  Col.  Robert  McFarlane,  surveyed  by  Thomas 
Smith,  deputy  surveyor  of  Cumberland  County.  Mi- 
chael Shanks'  next  west,  was  surveyed  at  the  same 
time,  and  the  Michael  Greiter  (Kephart  farms,  Fill- 
more, etc.).  The  Indian  path  is  marked  running 
south  through  the  Michael  Greiter,  towards  the  end 
of  Nittany  Mountain. 

Dec.  5,  1774,  Hawkins  Boone  took  out  warrants  for 
twenty-three  locations,  which  are  returned  as  surveyed 
in  October,  1775.  Elijah  Weed,  Henry  Barr,  Uriah 
Woolman  (now  William  F.  Reynolds'  farm),  Henry 
Berkey,  and  Benjamin  Catherell,  two  last  just  north 
of  Oak  Hall ;  Dennis  McGlatton,  north  of  Centre 
Furnace;  Cornelius  Conerly,  on  which  Centre  Fur- 
nace is  situated  ;  and  Joseph  Barr,  weit  of  Cornelius 
Conerly;  Hawkins  Boone,  three  Cooper  tracts,  etc. ; 
also  the  five  tracts,  Isaac   Catherell  (Houscrsville), 


Caleb  Jones,  Christopher  Binks,  William  Lippincott, 
and  John  Gill  (Jacob  Houser's  and  Gen.  Benner's 
land,  latter  known  as  Rock  Forge).  Boone,  who  was 
a  captain  in  the  Twelfth  Pennsylvania,  was  killed  at 
Fort  Freeland,  July  26,  1779,  and  his  interest  in  these 
five  tracts  became  vested  finally  in  Josiali  Matlack, 
who  sold  to  Houser  and  Benner.  This  part  of  the 
country  about  Rock,  as  said  by  one  of  the  judges  of 
the  Supreme  Court  in  Lauman  vs.  Thomas,  4  BinncV, 
51,  was  notoriously  covered  by  surveys.  Tlie  John 
Hubley  and  Michael  Hubley  warrants  of  April  27, 
1774,  surveyed  by  Lewis  Lewis,  May  21,  1774,  were 
where  William  Lii)i)incott  and  John  Gill  were  placed. 
The  Michael  Troy  and  Ludwig  Kaercher  warrants 
were  both  where  the  Binks  and  Jones  are.  Adam 
Guier  was  laid  where  the  Jones  warrant  was  laid,  and 
an  older  survey  in  the  name  of  John  Robinson  inter- 
fered with  Jones  and  Binks  and  Catherell.  The  ex- 
planation is,  Lewis  Lewis,  a  deputy  under  Lukens, 
surveyed  the  Hubleys,  and  when  Boone,  who  was  a 
surveyor  himself  under  Lukens,  laid  his  warrants,  he 
did  not  know  Lewis  had  been  there.  Cornelius  At- 
kinson, whose  deposition  was  taken  in  1798,  says  that, 
in  company  with  Hawkins  Boone,  William  Hammond, 
and  Mansfield  Koontz,  they  went  to  Spring  Creek  at 
the  end  of  Nittany  Mountain,  hunted  up  the  land  and 
corner  of  Reuben  Haines  from  a  drai't  they  liad,  and 
started  at  the  lower  end  of  Haines,'  and  ran  along  the 
land  up  towards  Nittany  Mountain  as  far  as  our  line 
ran,  altered  our  course  and  ran  down  the  mountain, 
and  took  up  as  much  land  as  we  thought  would  make 
twelve  or  fifteen  hundred  acres,  then  we  altered  our 
course  towards  Spring  Creek,  crossed  the  creek,  went 
up  the  creek,  and  recrossed  to  the  place  of  beginning. 
Knew  nothing  of  Lewis  Lewis  being  a  surveyor  at 
that  time,  and  saw  no  marks  or  signs  of  any  other 
surveys.  Gen.  Benner  gained  the  case  before  the  jury, 
but  the  Supreme  Court  reversed,  and  he  finally  bought 
the  Hubley  warrants. 

Early  Reminiscences.— The  Treaster  family  of 
this  county,  the  members  of  which  were  once  noted 

^  By  Haines  land  he  means  the  Joseph  Hopkins  warrant  anti  siirvi-y 
of  17G7,  whose  west  line  was  north  of  Centre  Furnace.  Nc.ith  of  Rock 
lay  the  surveys  under  warrants  of  Jnly  1,  1784,  C.  Gi-ttig,  elc ,  foruieily 
Col.  Siiuiuel  Miles.  East  of  Rock,  includiuj;  Gen.  Bonner's  lower  forgi', 
the  land  was  taken  npin  1794  hy  Thomas  Kvaus,  south  of  which  is  tlio 
Moses  Boggs  warrant,  surveyed  in  ISOG.  Then  came  the  Wistar  war- 
rant of  1774.  John  Fries  surveyed  in  17S4.  In  the  eastern  portion  of 
B<^nnor,  (he  old  Logan  Furnace  tract,  was  the  Lindsay  Coales  warrant  of 
13lh  of  January,  1775,  surveyed  Nov.  20,  178J,  by  Lewis  Lewis.  The 
township  line  between  Benner  and  Spring  townships  runs  through  the 
old  stone  house,  leaving  the  old  furnace  in  Sluing.  A  corner  of  Benner 
and  Spring  is  the  southeast  co.  ner  of  Lindsay  Coates,  on  the  turnpike 
under  a  stone  fence.  South  of  the  Lindsay  Coates  is  the  Isoac  Connelly 
warrant,  51h  of  July,  1784,  surveyed  37st  of  August,  1784,  and  at  Uie 
southeast  corner  of  the  latter  another  Is'uic  Connelly,  taken  up  by  him 
March  28,  17SS,  on  which  is  Blue  Spring  aud  the  J.  D.  Shugert  farm. 
Charles  Drum,  a  warrant  surveyed  Sept.  19, 1784,  patented  to  Isaac  Con- 
nelly, lies  immediately  west  of  the  Isaac  Connelly  last  named,  south  of 
which  are  the  William  Connelly  and- James  Harris  warrants  i>f  l8tXJ  and 
1803.  South  of  the  ■\Villiam  Connelly  and  Isaac  Connelly  lies  Judge 
Larimer  place,  on  the  Henry  Itliller  warrant  of  July  19, 1773,  surveyed 
Sept.  8, 1775,  aud  patented  9Ui  of  April,  1705,  to  H.  McXa;r. 


256 


HISTORY  OP   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


for  their  great  bodily  strength  and  fighting  procliv- 
ities, and  who  associated  very  extensively  with  the 
Indians  of  their  time,  were  very  interesting  people  to 
talk  to,  and  their  recollections  of  the  olden  time^ 
when  the  Cornplanter  tribe  of  Indians  used  to  call 
to  see  the  celebrated  Mingo  chief,  Logan,  on  the 
old  Larimer  farm,  about  five  miles  from  Bellefonte, 
and  one  from  Pleasant  Gap,  are  highly  entertaining. 
Jiany  years  ago  Thomas  and  George  Treaster  gave  a 
statement  of  some  of  their  early  recollections  to  an 
old  friend  of  ours,  which  our  readers  will  find  worth 
reading.  Thomas  said,  "Our  entire  family  was  born 
and  raised  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  the  heirs  of 
James  Larimer,  deceased.  I  can  recollect  before  the 
old  road  was  made  from  Lancaster  to  Erie.  The 
route  of  that  road  ran  along  or  rather  followed  the 
old  Indian  path  from  Philadelphia  to  Pittsburgh." 
The  old  pack-horse  path  is  visible  at  the  present 
time  on  part  of  the  farm  now  owned  by  J.  G.  Lari- 
mer, of  Pleasant  Gap.  Its  course  was  from  over  the 
mountain,  near  the  east  end  of  the  farm,  leading  to 
the  Larimer  spring;  from  that  down  the  hollow, 
passing  through  the  Robert  Kendall  farm,  on  to  the 
Logan  Camp,  near  wli,ere  the  present  buildings 
are  erected  on  the  J.  D.  Shugert  farm,  known  as  the 
Blue  Spring  farm,  the  graveyard  up  at  the  Lari- 
mer farm,  and  on  the  ground  now  known  as  the  sink- 
hole field,  Thomas  Treaster  pointing  out  the  exact 
location.  George  Treaster  said  that  the  first  hotel 
that  was  built  on  the  old  road  was  erected  on  the 
exact  ground  on  which  are  the  present  buildings  on 
the  Shugert  farm.  It  was  built  by  Daniel  Dunlap, 
of  Lancaster,  in  1784,  who  was  an  uncle  of  Capt. 
James  Dunlap,  now  living  in  Pine  Grove,  this 
county.  At  that  house  the  military  "  reviews"  were 
held,  the  people  coming  from  a  distance  of  over  fifty 
miles,  carrying  their  provisions  in  knapsacks.  Mr. 
Daniel  Dunlap,  who  was  a  very  eccentric  man,  died 
at  a  very  advanced  age  in  Boalsburg.  He  told  a 
friend  in  1834  that  he  then  had  his  handspike  and 
"  gambril-sticks"  which  he  had  brought  from  Lan- 
caster fifty  years  prior  to  that  date.  Mr.  Treaster 
said  his  father  had  cleared  two  acres  in  the  old  Lari- 
mer farm  meadow  some  years  before  the  Revolution- 
ary war,  and  about  three  acres  on  what  was  then 
called  the  "Bald  Hill,"  being  a  distance  of  about 
forty  rods  from  the  meadow.  Thomas  and  George  said 
they  could  well  remember  seeing  the  Cornplanter 
tribe  calling  to  see  their  old  friend  Logan.  There 
are  still  some  few  of  the  old  chestnut  rails  on  this 
same  piece  of  meadow,  said  to  be  the  first  that  were 
made  at  the  time  the  ground  was  cleared.  Old 
George  Treaster  said  that  there  v.-as  one  thing  very 
strange  to  his  father,  and  that  was  that  the  Indians 
could  go  up  on  the  "Bald  Hill,"  as  it  was  called,  and 
get  lead  ore,  but  tiiat  his  father  never  could  find  the 
hidden  place. 

Adjoining  Isaac  Connelly  and  the  Treaster  was  the 
clearing  of  Alexander  Adams.    The  entrance  of  Gen. 


Philip  Benner  upon  the  field  as  one  of  the  settley^  of 
Centre  County  was  an  interesting  and  important  inci- 
dent in  the  history  of  the  township.  In  1793  he  had 
completed  his  arrangements  for  a  change  of  residence 
from  Chester  County  to  Mifflin  County,  and  ac- 
cordingly moved  westward  with  supplies  and  a  com- 
pany of  workmen.  For  a  considerable  portion  of  the 
way  a  road  had  to  be  cut,  and  when  the  end  of  the 
journey  was  reached  the  hardy  band  of  pioneers  found 
themselves  upon  the  shores  of  Spring  Creek,  at  tlie 
spot  now  occupied  as  the  home  of  Henry  Benner. 
Their  first  dinner  there  was  eaten  under  a  tree,  whose 
stump  still  stands  on  the  creek  bank.  Among  the 
men  who  came  out  with  Gen.  Benner  were  Thomas 
Waddle  (his  manager),  Conrad  Reemy,  Mordecai 
Benner,  Evan  Williams,  and  Isaac  Jones.  Thomas 
Waddle  exercised  a  general  management  of  Gen. 
Benner's  business  interests,  and  as  a  leading  spirit  in 
iron-making  on  Spring  Creek  was  a  conspicuous  figure. 
He  married  a  daughter  of  Gen.  Benner,  and  left  at 
his  death  many  descendants.  The  name  of  Waddle 
is  borne  to-day  by  many  worthy  citizens  of  Centre 
County.  Conrad  Reemy  was  an  ex-Revolutionary 
soldier.  He  built  a  log  cabin  at  Rock,  and  for  some 
time  kept  a  boarding-house  for  Gen.  Benner's  hands. 
Evan  Williams  was  a  millwright  and  forge-builder. 
He  built  the  mills  and  forges  for  Gen.  Benner,  and 
did  similar  work  for  others  in  various  parts  of  Centre 
County.  He  made  Rock  Forge  his  home  until  1801, 
and  after  that  lived  at  Leinont,  where  he  died  in 
1857.  Isaac  Jones,  the  millwright,  with  whom  Evan 
Williams  learned  his  trade  in  Chester  County,  prob- 
ably came  out  with  Gen.  Benner,  but  did  not  take  an 
active  part  in  events  of  the  time.  Twenty-four  hours 
after  his  arrival  at  Rock  (so  named  by  him  because  of 
the  rocky  hills  thereabout)  Gen.  Benner  had  erected 
a  log  cabin,  and  two  days  afterwards  his  wife  joined 
him,  having  come  out  under  escort  of  a  second  body 
of  workmen. 

Purposing  to  embark  in  the  manufacture  of  iron  as 
soon  as  he  reached  Rock,  Gen.  Benner  erected  a  forge 
on  the  bank  of  the  creek  near  his  house.  The  found- 
ations of  the  old  forge,  as  well  as  the  old  race,  may 
yet  be  seen. 

He  built  at  the  forge  a  log  grist-mill,  and  presently 
built  a  second  forge  about  a  mile  below  the  location 
of  the  first  one.  To  distinguish  them  the  locations  of 
the  forges  were  known  respectively  as  Upper  and 
Lower  Rock.  About  midway  between  the  two  forges 
he  erected  a  saw-mill  and  stone  grist-mill.  The 
foundations  of  the  latter,  as  well  as  |)ortions  of  the 
old  superstructure,  are  contained  in  the  present  Rey- 
nolds mill  that  occui)ies  the  same  site.  Gen.  Benner 
put  up  a  furnace  at  the  grist-mill  location,  and  sup- 
plied it  with  ore  from  his  own  lands,  within  which 
lay  ore  deposits  in  abundance.  At  Lower  Rock  he 
built  also  a  rolling-mill,  slitting-mill,  and  nail-fac- 
tory, and  at  the  same  time  carried  on  two  forges,  a 
rollino;-  and  slitting-mill,  nail-factorv,  saw-  and  grist- 


BENNEE  TOWNSHIP. 


257 


mill,  besides  conducting  extensive  farming  opera- 
tions. The  first  iron  he  manufactured  he  packed  on 
horses  over  the  mountains  to  Pittsburgh.  Transpor- 
tation cost  him  seventy-five  dollars  a  ton,  but  as  iron 
brought  in  Pittsburgh  as  high  as  two  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars  a  ton  there  remained  a  liberal  margin  for 
profit.  Despite  the  great  cost,  therefore,  of  producing 
iron,  the  business  paid  handsomely. 

Gen.  Benner  depended  upon  tlie  pack-horse  route 
for  some  years  in  transporting  his  iron  to  market. 
Later,  when  the  turnpike  made  travel  easier,  six- 
horse  teams  conveyed  the  metal  to  its  destination 
westward,  while  to  other  markets  tlie  route  covered 
turnpike  and  river  to  Louisville,  Philadelphia,  and 
Baltimore. 

The  log  cabin  erected  the  very  day  he  reached 
Rock  served  as  his  home  until  1812,  and  within  it 
six  of  his  children  were  born.  The  stone  mansion 
was  considered  an  aristocratic  affair  for  its  day,  and 
is,  indeed,  to-day  a  handsome,  substantial  structure. 
Upon  a  tablet  let  into  its  front  is  the  date-mark 
"1812,"  and  the  letters  R.  B.  (Ruth  Benner),  P.  B. 
(Philip  Benner),  and  R.  I.  W.  (Rock  Iron- Works). 

There  was  a  local  character  at  Rock  named  Sam 
Hiidebrand,  who  was  brouglit  out  by  Gen.  Benner 
to  do  the  shoemaking  for  the  little  community  about 
the  works.  At  Rock  also  he  ended  liis  days.  There 
were  also  Enoch  Evans,  a  carpenter,  and  Patrick  Mc- 
Donald, a  stonemason.  It  was  the  latter  who  superin- 
tended the  erection  of  Gen.  Benner's  stone  mansion 
in  1812.  He  rented  one  of  Gen.  Benner's  farms,  and 
died  there. 

All  the  clothes  in  these  early  times  worn  at  Rock 
were  made  by  tlie  women  of  the  settlement.  They 
pulled  the  flax,  bleached,  scutched,  and  hackled  it, 
and  then  sent  it  to  the  weavers.  The  same  service 
they  performed  with  the  wool.  The  mainstay  for  the 
table  was  wild  game,  of  which  the  woods  were  full. 
There  were  bears,  panthers,  and  wolves  in  such  pleni- 
tude that  no  man  thought  of  going  out  after  dark 
without  the  protecting  companionship  of  a  gun,  and 
as  a  rule  no  man  allowed  himself  to  travel  alone  after 
niglitfall,  if  he  could  avoid  it.  Boots  and  shoes  were 
luxuries.  Men  and  women  went  unshod  save  in  the 
season  of  cold,  and  when  journeys  to  church  had  to 
be  made,  shoes  were, carried  by  hand  until  the  church- 
door  was  reached,  so  that  the  precious  articles  might 
be  saved  to  all  the  wear  possible  to  get  out  of  them. 
Tow-cloth  and  linen  formed -the  material -for  every- 
day and  Sunday  wear,  the  distinguishing  embellisli- 
ment  of  a  Sunday  suit  being  a  stripe  or  stripes  of 
yellow  color,  made  with  the  native  dye  of  walnut. 

Martin,  Jacob,  George,  and  Michael  Meese,  four 
brothers  living  in  Lebanon  County,  received  from 
their  father  to  be  equally  divided  between  them  a 
tract  of  something  more  than  eight  hundred  acres  of 
land  lying  within  the  present  limits  of  Benner  town- 
ship. Within  that  tract  lies  the  Blue  Spring,  whence 
rises  Logan's  Branch. 
17 


Jacob  lived  a  bachelor,  and  died  at  the  house  of  hiii 
brother  George.  Martin  married  a  daughter  of  George 
Rhinehart,  of  Penn's  valley,  and  lived  on  his  old 
farm  until  his  death  in  1851.  He  had  ten  children, 
of  whom  ten  are  living.  Those  now  living  in  the 
county  are  Martin  Meese,  in  Benner;  Catharine  Jlil- 
ler,  of  Spring,  and  Margaret  Ruble,  of  Potter.  Mar- 
tin Meese  built  in  1829  a  grist-mill  on  Logan's  Branch, 
now  carried  on  by  Christian  Dale.  The  stone  house 
near  by  and  occupied  by  Henry  Sampsell  was  built 
by  Meese  in  1829. 

William  Adams,  with  his  wife  and  step-son,  Wil- 
liam Marshall,  came  from  Ireland  to  America  in  1794. 
On  board  the  ship  were  twenty-three  children,  among 
whom  a  smallpox  epidemic  prevailed.  Of  the  twenty- 
three  only  William  Marshall  and  one  other  child  es- 
caped death.  In  1795,  Mr.  Adams  located  in  Brush 
valley,  and,  being  by  occupation  a  weaver,  set  up  a 
shop  there.  In  1796  he  moved  to  Centre  Furnace, 
and  in  1798  to  what  is  now  Benner  township,  where 
he  leased  of  Gen.  Benner  the  place  now  known  as  the 
Wilson  farm,  lying  on  Buffalo  Run.  Adams  resided 
in  Benner  until  1831,  when  he  moved  to  the  intersec- 
tion of  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  and  Snow  Shoe 
pikes,  and  kept  toll-gate  there  for  many  years.  He 
died  in  Union  township  at  the  house  of  Jesse  Adams. 
Two  of  his  daughters  married  men  named  Adams,  but, 
singular  to  relate,  neither  was  related  to  the  other,  nor 
related  to  his  bride.  One  of  his  sons  was  killed  by  a 
lightning  stroke  in  1821.  In  1798,  when  .\daras 
came  to  Benner,  Peter  Denney  was  on  the  present 
Henderson  place,  Galbraith  Knox  on  the  Whitman 
place,  and  James  Resides  on  the  present  farm  of 
Philip  Resides,  his  son,  who  was  born  there  in  1811. 
William  Marsliall,  the  step-son  of  William  Adams, 
married  in  1820  one  of  the  daughters  of  Joseph  Wil- 
liams, the  jailer  at  Bellelbnte,  and  located  on  the  Me- 
Farlane  farm,  on  Buffalo  Run.  In  1832  he  lived  at 
Roopsburg,  and  until  1834  freighted  goods  between 
Centre  County  and  Pittsburgh.  He  died  in  Benner 
in  18G3.  John  Etters,  a  Berks  County  man,  came 
shortly  after  the  year  1800  to  what  is  now  College 
township,  where  he  died  in  1840.  In  1835  his  son 
David  settled  on  Buffalo  Run,  in  Patton  township. 

The  Fishburns  of  Dauphin  County  were  noted  as 
long-lived.  Philip  died  in  his  ninety-sixth  year,  and 
his  brother  Ludwig  in  his  ninetieth.  Philip's  son 
Jacob  came  to  Spring  township  in  1833,  and  settled 
in  the  woods  upon  the  place  now  occupied  by  J.  H. 
Fishburn,  in  Benner  township.  Before  1833  the  larm 
was  occupied  by  William  Harris.  Jacob  Fishburn 
is  still  living  close  to  the  old  larm,  in  his  eighty-fitih 
year.  George  Straub  settled  near  him  in  1845.  .\ 
year  after  John  Hoy  came  from  Marion  township, 
and  settled  upon  a  tract  of  six  hundred  acres  now 
owned  in  part  by  his  son  Hezekiah,  and  first  im- 
proved by  Jacob  Hawk.  John  Hoy  died  in  Belle- 
fonte  in  the  fall  of  1863.  He  was  born  in  Marion 
township,  to  which  section  his  father  migrated  from 


258 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Union  County  about  the  year  1800.  John  Rishel, 
who  resides  now  upon  a  part  of  the  old  Hoy  tract, 
came  from  Penn's  valley  in  1851,  and  until  1854 
worked  at  Brockerhoff's  mill  in  Spring. 

Robert  Hunter,  now  a  resident  of  Benner,  moved  to 
his  present  abode  in  1850,  which  is  said  to  have  been 
first  improved  by  Peter  Pruner.  Mr.  Hunter  was 
born  in  Ferguson  township  in  1793,  on  the  Slab 
Cabin  Branch.  Andrew  Hunter,  his  fother,  was  a 
Bucks  County  tanner,  and  at  an  early  day  located  in 
Ferguson,  where  he  followed  farming.  He  was  with 
Washington  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  served 
through  the  campaign.  Robert  Hunter  was  one  of 
eleven  children.  In  1815  he  left  Ferguson  and  lived 
on  a  rented  farm  owned  by  Jonathan  Henderson,  and 
lying  in  Patton  township  on  Buffalo  Run.  That  was 
his  home  from  1815  to  1850.  He  married  the  daugh- 
ter of  James  Newell,  the  manager  for  the  Pattons  of 
Centre  Furnace.  Robert  Hunter  is  the  only  one  liv-^ 
ing  of  his  father's  eleven  children.  He  is  nearing  his 
ninetieth  year,  and  is  pretty  hearty.  When  he  en- 
tered upon  the  life  of  a  farmer  in  1815,  Thomas  Mc- 
Pherson,  David  Fulton,  and  James  Resides  were 
neighbors  to  him  on  Buffalo  Run.  Between  Hun- 
ter's and  Bellefonte  the  highway  lay  through  an 
endless  stretch  of  forest,  with  forest  pretty  much  all 
around.  David  Fulton  lived  on  the  present  John 
Armagost  place,  and  had  on  the  run  what  was 
known  as  a  "thundergust  mill." 

John  Armagost  came  from  Penn's  valley  in  1832, 
and  rented  of  Gen.  Benner  the  present  Armagost 
farm.  On  the  mountain  lived  Peter  Denney's  widow. 
William  Brower  lived  on  the  John  Eckley  place. 
Caleb  Kephart  came  from  Barre  to  Rock  Forge,  and 
entered  the  service  of  Gen.  Philip  Benner.  He  mar- 
ried Gen.  Benner's  second  daugliter,  and  died  in  1838 
on  the  farm  in  Patton  township  now  owned  by  his 
son  Caleb.  Of  his  twelve  children  six  are  living, 
Caleb,  J.  M.,  Mrs.  Agnew  Sellers,  and  Philip  B.  re- 
siding in  Centre  County.  The  farm  now  occupied 
by  J.  M.  Kephart  was  first  improved  by  Paulser 
Sellers,  who  at  an  early  day  kept  a  tavern,  known  as 
the  Buffalo  Run  Inn,  on  the  present  Caleb  Kephart's 
place.  It  was  a  stopping-place  on  the  Bellefonte  and 
Tyrone  road,  which  then  passed  directly  in  front  of 
where  Mr.  J.  M.  Kephart's  house  stands.  Buffalo 
Run  post-office  was  established  at  Sellers'  tavern, 
and  Sellers  was  appointed  postmaster.  Four-horse 
coaches  plied  upon  the  road,  and  carried  a  daily 
mail.  When  Buffalo  Run  post-office  was  established 
it  was  the  only  mail  station  between  Bellefonte  and 
Stormstown.  Paulser  Sellers  was  succeeded  as  post- 
master by  Caleb  Kephart,  after  whose  death  his 
widow  was  in  charge  of  the  office  four  years.  She 
resigned,  and  then  the  office  was  moved  up  the  run, 
its  present  location  being  at  Matternville,  in  Patton 
township. 

In  1851,  W.  I.  Furst  built  a  store  at  Kephart's  Cor- 
ners, and  thereupon  a  new  post-office  was  created  at 


that  point,  and  named  Fillmore.  Furst  closed  his 
business  in  1856,  and  was  succeeded  in  1806  by 
George  W.  Furst.  In  turn  came  Peter  Kerlin,  who 
in  1871  built  the  store  now  occupied  by  L.  B.  McEn- 
tire.  In  1875,  Kerlin  sold  out  to  Philip  Kephart, 
and  the  latter  in  1877  to  L.  B.  McEntire. 

Roopsburg. — The  erection  of  forge-mill,  etc.,  by 
Daniel  Turner  on  Spring  Creek,  near  Roopsburg,  is 
referred  to  in  the  general  history  under  the  year 
1795. 

Jacob  Roop  gave  the  name  to  the  hamlet  about 
1825,  wheu  he  settled  there  and  followed  the  gun- 
smith trade.  In  1826  he  put  up  a  clover-mill  and 
erected  a  small  brewery.  The  property  finally  fell 
into  the  hands  of  Henry  Brockerhofl^,  who  sold  in 
1857  the  brewery  to  Louis  Haas,  who  still  lives  there 
engaged  iu  brewing. 

In  1S62,  Henry  Brockerhoff"  erected  upon  Spring 
Creek,  at  Roopsburg,  a  fine  three-story  stone  mill, 
furnished  with  four  runs  of  stones,  and  having  a  daily 
capacity  of  seventy-five  barrels  of  flour.  The  mill  is 
now  carried  on  by  his  sons,  and  does  a  flourishing 
business  in  both  merchant  and  custom  work. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  Fillmore.— In 
1843,  Rev.  Joseph  Lee  being  the  preacher  in  charge 
on  Warrior  Mark  Circuit,  a  Methodist  Episcopal 
class  was  formed  in  a  small  stone  house,  then  the 
home  of  William  Burrows,  and  now  occupied  by  E. 
M.  Rhone,  near  Fillmore.  The  constituent  members 
numbered  five,  and  were  named  P.  B.  Waddle, 
Reuben  Osmer,  Reuben  H.  Meek,  Mrs.  William 
Burrows,  and  Margaret  Kenton.  The  only  one  now 
living  is  P.  B.  Waddle,  who  was  chosen  class-leader 
in  1843.  As  class-leader  he  has  served  uninterrupt- 
edly to  the  present  day.  Rev.  Mr.  Lee  held  services 
regularly  once  in  two  weeks  in  a  school-house  at  the 
foot  of  the  mountain  in  the  Burrows  neighborhood. 
In  1852  the  present  church  was  built.  During  the- 
pastorate  of  Rev.  Mr.  Earnshaw  there  was  a  great 
revival,  and  many  persons  joined  the  church.  The 
class  is  still  on  the  Warrior  Mark  Circuit,  and  ser- 
vices are  still  held  fortnightly.  The  pastor  is  Rev. 
J.  S.  Beyer.  The  trustees  are  P.  B.  Waddle,  J.  M. 
Kephart,  James  Crust,  and  L.  B.  McEntire.  The 
church  membership  is  forty. 

Buffalo  Run  Presbyterian  Church. — In  April, 
1871,  an  adjourned  meeting  of  a  committee  appointed 
by  Presbytery  was  held  for  the  purpose  of  organizing 
the  Buflalo  Run  Presbyterian  Church.  The  commit- 
tee consisted  of  Dr.  Hammill,  Revs.  Wylie  and  Mc- 
Allister. Richard  Conley,  W.  F.  Tliompson,  and 
Joseph  M.  Wilson  were  elected  and  ordained  ruling 
elders.  The  constituent  members  numbered  twenty- 
seven,  and  were  named  William  and  Susan  J.  Irvin, 
Richard  and  Mary  Conley,  Joseph  M.  and  Agnes  Wil- 
son, Ellie  Wilson,  William  F.  and  Sarah  Thompson, 
Louisa  Hughes,  Joseph  W.  and  Mary  Marshall,  Wil- 
liam Marshall,  Robert  Rhone,  Daniel  Leyden,  Mary 
Seibert,   Louisa    Leyden,    Isabella   Hunter,    Nancy 


BENNER   TOWNSHIP. 


259 


Hunter,  Jane  Marshall,  Rachel  and  Mary  Close,  Eliza 
and  Rachel  Knox,  Mary  A.  Knox,  and  Grace  Glenn. 
In  anticipation  of  the  organization  a  church  edifice 
(costing  two  thousand  dollars)  was  erected  in  1870, 
so  that  possession  was  taken  at  once.  Rev.  E.  W. 
Lamb  was  engaged  as  supply,  and  preached  from  the 
first  Sunday  in  May  to  the  first  Sunday  in  September. 
June  10, 1871,  the  membership  was  increased  by  seven, 
and  March  8, 1874,  as  the  result  of  a  ten  days'  revival 
under  Rev.  Mr.  Wylie,  forty-five  members  were  added. 
Until  1874  the  supplies  were  Revs.  J.  V.  R.  Hughes, 
C.  H.  Asay,  Mr.  Roberts,  and  Mr.  McCIain.  To 
Dec.  23,  1874,  only  irregular  and  infrequent  services 
■were  held.  On  that  date  a  union  was  effected  with 
the  Bald  Eagle  Church  for  the  purpose  of  securing 
Rev.  J.  V.  R.  Hughes  as  pastor,  who  was  to  preach 
at  each  church  every  other  Sunday.  He  continued 
the  connection  until  1873.  His  home  is  now  in  Wis- 
consin. Rev.  W.  O.  Wright  preached  as  supply  from 
1878  to  1880,  and  in  July,  ISSO,  Rev.  W.  C.  Kuhn, 
the  present  pastor,  succeeded  him.  He  holds  services 
once  in  two  weeks.  The  membership  is  now  about 
sixty.  The  elders  are  William  F.  Thompson  and  J. 
W.  Marshall ;  the  trustees,  W.  F.  Thompson,  John  M. 
Wilson,  J.  W.  Marshall,  Henry  Powers,  John  Seibert, 
and  Frank  Thompson.  The  Sunday-school  has  a 
flourishing  membership  of  fifty,  and  is  in  charge  of 
W.  F.  Thompson. 

Schools. — One  of  the  earliest  schools  in  Benner  was 
taught  at  Rock  in  a  log  cabin  put  up  by  Gen.  Benner 
for  a  school-house.  He  wanted  a  school  for  his  own 
children,  and  providing  at  his  own  expense  a  school- 
house  and  teacher,  invited  his  neighbors  to  send  their 
chfldren.  Those  who  chose  to  pay  were  allowed  to 
do  so;  those  who  could  not  aftbrd  to  pay  were  as  free 
to  send  their  children  as  any  one  else.  At  this 
school  the  earliest  teachers  were  Robert  Hunter, 
Mr.  McLaughlin,  and  Thomas  Evans. 

EESIDEST  TAX-rAYEKS   OF   BENNEH   IX   1SJ4. 


Snninol  Alio 
Paiiiul  liil.le 
William  UuH 
.lolin  U,nvi-n 

Ill- 


V  Bi'llln-I. 
c-l  Bail.l.. 


344 
13 


Juliii  I'utMif. ISO 

J.  Jl.  Bush Kill 

.T.jhn  C'nrlimigli 7 

C<>iii<t:ins  Cmiibi'iUge 10 

Kflix  Dale 1.50 

John  Diile 02 

John  Kckley m 

David  Elleiii 60 

Jacb  Ett.TS 5 

Joifin.  Kckiuili-,  lai'lieuter 

Jacob  Kisliljurn 178 

ThiAims  M.  Citflii 05 

md  KiL-deiiuk f  217 


Hu 


Riil.i-rt  Hunter 300 


.I..lin  McUiiili-.. 
Jaiiics  .Mhoi.',  til 
Dalm-I  .-iLc-.-.l;, 
Tlioniiis  I'nnlMt' 
Philip  K.M.Irs  . 
Frank  I!..,.m.  ... 
IsiaelRcj-nohls, 
Robert  Uoan,  co 
Alexander  Kuan 


Oli' 


'  Rui 


)b  Rui'ich,  laborer 

George  \V.  Shaffer,  laborer 

William  Stover 

Jacob  Sleel 

John  Sweilzer ; 

George  Stroup 

William  Tate,  laborer 

Zaccheus  Thomas 

Geoige  W.  Thomas 

William  Wilgert 

Geo.  P.  Wormian,  carpenter.. 
Joseph  M.  Wilson 


William  Allen. 

Joslinu  Ai-m.itrong,  laborer. 

John  ArmagaHt,  laborer. 

JanieB  Aston,  laborer. 

Eli  Barney. 

David  Barney. 

William  Bible. 

Alexander  Branon,  forgemai 

Godfrey  Bashore. 

George  Chapman,  laborer. 

Cornelius  Campbell. 

W.  G.  Creamei-.  blacksmith. 

Jesse  dinger,  blacksmith. 

Solomon  Ci'ai)e3. 

Ilngh  Campbell,  laborer. 

A.  Dnnlop,  forgeman. 

Joseph  Dawson. 

Arcliey  Dnnlop,  laborer. 

John  Duffee,  tailor. 

James  Enirick,  laborer. 

Robert  Edmonson,  laborer. 

Joseph  Eakley. 

Eli  Evy. 


,  laborer. 

,  laborei 

,  laborer. 


James  Fulto 
William  TMh 
David  Fulto 
Siimnol  G.irner. 
William  Gates. 
Matthew  Giaham. 
Daniel  Hunter,  laborer. 
Cliiistian  Houts,  laborer. 
John  Haldernian. 
John  Houts,  laborer. 
David  Hackman,  miller. 
Stephen  Harris,  laborer. 
Daniel  Hoover. 
Henry  Holabongh,  labore 
Jacob  Harttnan,  laborer. 
William  Ilartman. 
Henry  Hoy. 
David  Hoy. 
Jarvis  Ilnlbert, 
Tobias  Ingleman. 
Thomas  JoIinstoH,  labo 
Robert  Jackson,  laborei 
Tasker  Knox. 
Amos  Kocli,  slioemaker 
John  Krise,  Sr. 
Ji>hn  Krise,  Jr.,  laborni 
George  Kline. 
William  Keilin,  miller 
John  Longwell. 

David  Lower,  laborer. 
Jolin  Lockort,  laborer. 
Samuel  Miles,  laborer. 


ake 


James  Miller,  laborer. 

Samuel  MuBSer,  laborer. 

David  McMillan. 

Ii^aac  Mulbarger. 

William  J.  Marshall. 

Fredeiick  Meece. 

John  Miller,  laborei-. 

James  Moreley. 

Emanuel  Sleacliley,  laborer. 

Alexander  Miller,  mason.     ' 

Saul  Moist. 

Thomas  Marhlinll. 

Henry  Miller,  wagoner. 

William  Moyer. 

E.J.  McGinley,  laborer. 

Isaac  Myers,  blacksmith. 

Sirs.  Louramore. 

Ileury  Noll,  laliorer. 

Samuel  Noll,  laborer. 

Isaac  Noll,  laborer. 

Samuel  Parker,  laborer. 

Jonathan  Porter,  laborer. 

William  Poo rmaii. 

Saul  Penrose,  laborer. 

Joiin  Reemy. 

John  Uoop,  laborer. 

John  Rheem. 

Frank  Rote. 

Caspar  Rits. 

George  Reiick. 

Joliu  Rishcl. 

Thomas  Rheimey. 

William  Rerick. 

Leonard  Rhodes. 

Peter  Role. 

Jacob  Rockey,  laborer. 

George  Stoiip. 

Uriah  Stover,  laborer. 

Henry  Swartz. 

George  Sheaffer,  laboier. 

Cliiislian  Strong. 

John  Sibeit. 

Daniel  Stov  r. 

Antony  Snovvbarger. 

David  Shadle,  laborer. 

Henry  Stirhler. 

Foster  Tate. 

Wasliington  Talc,  laborer. 

Daniel  Tresler. 

William  Tilbury. 

Benjamin  Terry. 

Thomas  Taylor. 

Isiuic  Thomas,  forgeman. 

Job 


,  Wray. 
Robert  Wilsi 
Johnston  W 


,  laborer. 


Single  Uleit. 
Hinim  Beck,  William  Bener,  John  Coble,  Joseph  Care.is,  Henry  Ecenode, 
Henry  Fishburn,  Michael  Fishburn,  Adam  Garret,  Woods  Graham, 
John  Graham,  Martin  llouser,  Christian  Houser,  Samuel  llouser, 
B.  F.  Hunter,  A.J.  Hunter,  Valentine  Harris,  George  Preown,  Georgo 
Page,  Henry  Poorman,  William  Rowen,  Conrad  Rheimey,  Samuel 
Sickle,  John  Sibert,  Jr.,  George  Sickle,  Daniel  Tresler,  Patrick  Wort. 

CIVIL  LIST. 
Jnslices  of  the  P.-nce.— Daniel  llouser,  Jlaich  17, 1S54;  Thomas  Jk-Gifflii, 
March  13,  ISoo;  M.  Kephart,  March  12,  ISOO;  William  Marshall, 
March  17, 1857;  John  McBride,  March  15,1859;  Daniel  Houser,  A. 

B.  Kishel,  March  20, 1S04  ;  Daniel  C.  Grove,  March  22,  IStiC;  James 
P.  Hughes,  March  18,  1S07;  B.  F.  Hunter,  March  25,  1SG8  :  Daniel 

C.  Grove,  March  7,  ISTl;  George  Jobnsonbangh,  March  24,  1873: 
Daniel  C.  Grove,  March  11,  187G;  William  F.  Thompson,  April  IC, 
ISSO. 


260 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Benner  Grange,  No.  107.— On  the  evening  of  Feb. 
12,  1874,  a  subordinate  grange  of  tlie  order  of  tlie 
Tatrons  of  Husbandry  was  organized  in  Benner  town- 
ship, Centre  County,  by  Special  Deputy  Frank  Por- 
ter, assisted  by  the  Master  and  Secretary  of  Centre 
Hall  Grange,  and  the  following  members  were  elected 
and  duly  installed  to  fill  the  different  ofHces  for  the 
ensuing  year:  Master,  Richard  Conley;  Overseer, 
Joseph  W.  Marshal ;  Lecturer,  J.  P.  Seibert ;  Stew- 
ard, David  Lohr  ;  Assistant  Steward,  Uriah  Stover  ; 
Chaplain,  George  Johnsonbach  ;  Treas.,  Robert  Hen- 
derson ;  Sec,  B.  F.  Hunter;  Gate-Keeper,  J.  A.  Hen- 
derson ;  Ceres,  Miss  Mary  E.  Hughes ;  Pomona,  Bella 
Hunter;  Flora,  Jane  W.  Shivery;  Lady  Assistant 
Steward,  Martha  Henderson.  In  August,  1881,  the 
members  in  good  standing  numbered  thirty.  The 
officers  were  A.  T.  Shivery,  M. ;  Joseph  W.  Marshall, 
O. ;  David  Rothrock,  L. ;  Ephraim  Glenn,  C. ;  Samuel 
Marshal,  Sec. ;  William  Tate,  Treas. ;  J.  P.  Seibert, 
S. ;  John  Lutz,  A.  S. ;  John  F.  Smith,  G.  K. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Purdue,  an  old  resident  of  Benner, 
died  Jan.  24,  1880,  aged  eighty-six  years.  She  was  a 
daughter  of  Jacob  Brower,  a  soldier  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  born  in  Montgomery  County.  While  yet 
an  infant  her  parents  moved  and  located  near  Centre 
Furnace.  She  left  nine  children,  fifty  grandchil- 
dren, seventy-seven  great-grandchildren,  and  one 
great-great-grandchild. 


CHAPTER    LXIV. 


BOGGS  TOWKSriIP. 


BoGGS  was  formed  by  a  division  of  Spring  township 
in  1814,  and  had  in  1880  a  population  of  about  two 
thousand  one  hundred,  and  an  assessed  valuation  of 
three  hundred  and  six  thousand  one  hundred  and 
twenty-eight  dollars.  Its  boundaries  are  Snow  Shoe 
and  Curtin  on  the  north,  Spring  and  Union  on  the 
south,  Curtin  and  Howard  on  the  east.  Union  and 
Snow  Shoe  on  the  west.  Much  of  the  territory  is 
rough  and  a  great  deal  of  it  mountainous  and  much 
yet  a  stranger  to  the  plow  of  the  husbandman.  Tim- 
ber tracts  are  plentiful,  and  from  them  great  quanti- 
ties of  charcoal  are  annually  taken  for  use  at  the  iron- 
works at  Milesburg  and  Curtin.  Charcoal-burning  is 
an  industry  of  no  small  consequence.  Along  the 
course  of  the  creek  passes  the  line  of  the  Bald  Eagle 
Valley  Railroad,  which  at  Central  City  sends  out  a 
branch  line  to  Bellefonte,  and  a  short  distance  above 
Milesburg  intersects  with  the  Bellefonte  and  Snow 
Shoe  Railroad.  At  Milesburg  the  Bald  Eagle  receives 
the  waters  of  Spring  Creek,  and  along  its  length  in 
Boggs  possesses  mill-power  of  no  small  value.  The 
villages  are  Central  City  and  Curtin,  both  stations  on 
the  Bald  Eagle  Valley  Railroad.  The  manufacture 
of  iron  is  carried  on  in  a  very  extensive  way  in  Boggs 


by  McCoy  &  Linn  at  the  Milesburg  Works,  and  by 
the  Curtins  at  the  Eagle  Works. 

A  grand  and  magnificent  view  maybe  had  from  the 
summit  of  the  Bald  Eagle  range  just  south  of  the 
Milesburg  Gap.  Any  person  wishing  to  obtain  this 
view  can  do  so  by  going  from  Bellefonte  nearly  to 
McCoy  &  Linn's  iron-works,  and  then  turning  to  the 
left  and  following  a  rather  rough  wagon-road  which 
leads  up  a  ravine  to  McCoy's  farm.  When  the  farm 
is  reached  the  point  of  observation  is  in  sight, — a 
conical  peak  surmounted  by  an  elevated  platform, 
from  which  the  eye  may  behold  one  of  the  finest 
sights  in  nature.  Facing  the  northeast,  the  observer 
overlooks  the  long,  undulating,  tree-covered  ridge  of 
the  Bald  Eagle  Mountain,  which  of  itself  is  a  fine 
sight  and  well  worth  the  trip  to  see.  On  t]ie  right 
hand,  spread  out  like  a  map,  is  the  beautiful  Nittany 
valley,  checkered  with  farms  and  forests,  and  dotted 
here  and  there  with  buildings  of  various  kinds.  Ten 
or  twelve  miles  away  the  State  College  appears  to 
view,  and  looking  far  beyond  other  buildings  are  seen. 
Bordering  this  valley  on  the  south,  the  dark  propor- 
tions of  the  Nittany  range  loom  up  as  a  mighty  bar- 
rier against  a  further  stretch  of  vision.  Notwith- 
standing the  real  beauty  and  attractiveness  of  this 
scenery,  it  is  far  excelled  by  the  picturesque  loveliness 
and  magnificent  grandeur  of  the  view  of  Bald  Eagle 
valley  and  the  mountains  beyond.  To  the  admirer  of 
nature  very  few  sights  can  be  more  pleasing  than  this. 
The  beauty  of  this  valley  has  long  been  known  and 
praised,  but  the  half  has  not  been  told,  because  per- 
haps not  seen,  and  cannot  be,  except  from  the  eleva- 
tion on  McCoy's  farm,  or  some  other  equally  eligible 
point.  The  Bald  Eagle  valley  is  bounded  on  the  one 
side  by  the  mountain  of  tlie  same  name,  and  on  the 
other  by  the  wild  Alleghanies;  along  the  base  of  the 
former  flows  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  the  winding  course 
of  which  may  be  followed  by  the  eye  for  miles.  Miles- 
burg, Curtin's  iron-works,  Howard,  both  the  Bald 
Eagle  Valley  and  Snow  Shoe  Railroads,  hundreds  of 
farms  and  farm-houses,  and  other  evidences  of  civili- 
zation and  progress  may  all  be  seen  at  a  glance;  but 
the  grandest  feature  of  this  grand  panorama  is  the 
range  of  verdure-covered  hills  extending  as  far  .as  tlie 
eye  can  reach  towards  Lock  Haven,  and  the  loftier 
mountains  in  the  northern  distance. 

Early  Surveys. — Tlie  more  important  early  surveys 
are  specially  described  in  the  general  history  under 
the  year  1769,  as  well  as  the  early  settlements.  The 
early  surveys  embraced  the  good  bottom  land  lying 
north  and  south  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek.  North  of  these, 
and  immediately  north  of  Milesburg  and  Central  City, 
James  Dunlop,  Richard  Miles,  and  Robert  Boggs  took 
up  lands  in  1793  and  1796 ;  north  of  them  are  warrants 
of  Dec.  27,  1792,  surveyed  in  April,  1794,  a  large 
block  ;  north  of  it  a  block  of  warrants  of  Jan.  28, 
1799,  occurs.  Above  the  Skepwith  Cole,  the  Cliarles 
Wilson  warrant  of  Dec.  21,  1722,  was  surveyed  June 
11,  1775.  along  and   including  both  sides  of  Wallis 


BOGGS  TOWNSHIP. 


2G1 


Bun,  west  of  which  came  in  the  William  Parker  and 
other  warrants  of  March  31,  1794,  surveyed  Oct.  16, 
1794.  From  Curtin's  upper  worlcs  eastward  on  tlie 
south  side  of  the  creelc  lie  the  Thomas  Strettel  and 
Mary  Blaine  warrants  of  July  1,  1784,  surveyed  in 
September,  1785,  and  south  of  them  the  Evan  Miles 
and  Samuel  Miles  warrants  of  1792.  Immediately 
south  of  Milesburg  was  surveyed  the  John  Hopkins 
application  (3d  of  April,  1769),  June  8,  1784. 

Early  Incidents. — It  was  customary  at  the  early 
period  of  which  we  write  for  captains  of  vessels 
from  Europe  to  bring  over  emigrants  at  fixed  rates, 
and  if  the  passage-money  was  not  paid  the  emigrants 
were  contracted  or  sold  to  parties  who  paid  the 
charges,  and  would  take  them  for  the  shortest  period 
of  time,  usually  five  years.  Andrew  Boggs  had  one 
fresh  from  Ireland.  One  evening  an  animal  tres- 
passed on  the  pig-sty  and  carried  off  a  pig.  The  next 
night  the  Irishman  was  placed  on  duty  as  sentinel, 
with  orders  to  sound  the  alarm  in  case  of  intrusion. 
Shortly  after  bedtime  the  pigs  commenced  squealing, 
the  Irishman  gave  chase,  and  held  the  animal  with 
the  pig  in  his  possession.  He  commenced  fighting 
with  clubs  and  stones,  and  finally  the  animal  made  a 
spring  at  him,  which  was  met  with  a  blow  on  its 
head.  Whep  ]^r.  Boggs  came  up  a  few  moments 
after  he  discovered  a  large-sized  panther  dead,  and 
the  Irishman  in  possession  of  the  pig.  Upon  being 
informed  of  the  name  of  the  animal  and  the  danger 
he  had  encountered,  the  Irishman  made  a  straight 
track  for  the  house,  and  never  afterwards  was  known 
to  be  out  after  dark  without  some  one  to  accompany 
him. 

Judge  Boggs'  Dog. — The  judge  had  a  dog  well 
advanced  in  years,  when  he  concluded  to  obtain  a 
younger  one,  and  learn  the  latter  to  hunt  by  the  ex- 
ample of  the  older  one.  The  young  one  took  to 
sheep-killing,  and  finall}'  enticed  the  old  one  to  ac- 
company him  on  one  of  his  expeditions.  When  they 
were  detected  the  young  dog  was  killed,  and  the  old 
one  fled  to  the  mountain,  where  he  remained  several 
days.  On  his  return  to  his  kennel  under  the  house 
no  coaxing  could  bring  him  out.  The  judge  finally 
equipped  himself  with  his  powder-horn,  pouch,  and 
rifle,  and  gave  his  usual  call,  or  whistle,  when  out 
camt  the  dog,  bounding  up  to  his  master.  One  look 
and  then  he  jumped  over  the  fence  into  the  lane,  and 
then  into  the  orchard,  when  he  turned  his  face  to- 
wards the  judge,  and  remained  until  he  had  fired  at 
him  twice  before  he  was  killed.  At  the  first  fire  the 
ball  passed  through  his  ear,  and  the  dog  did  not  move, 
giving  time  to  load  and  fire  again.  Our  sympathy  is 
with  the  dog,  and  he  should  have  been  forgiven  after 
the  first  fire. 

Judge  Boggs  Kills  an  Indian. — I  have  the 
following  incident  upon  the  authority  of  John  O. 
Henning,  of  Hudson,  Wis.  Some  six  or  eight  years 
after  the  war  was  over,  and  Judge  Boggs  was  married 
and  living  at  the  old  homestead,  he  heard  what  he 


supposed  was  a  wild  turkey  gobbling  in  the  rear  of 
the  barn.  Taking  his  gun  and  following  the  lane  and 
the  turkey  in  a  roundabout  way,  he  discovered  au 
Indian  behind  a  log  with  his  gun  i)ointed  to  the 
other  or  nearer  corner  of  the  barn.  Having  the 
"  drop"  on  the  Indian  he  fired,  and  buried  him  where 
he  lay,  and  it  was  many  years  afterward  that  he  re- 
vealed the  circumstance  to  his  family. 

The  First  Church.— The  first  Methodist  Society 
formed  in  Bald  Eagle  was  at  the  house  of  Philip 
Antes  (now  Curtin,  Eagle  Works,  in  Boggs  township). 
Philip  Antes  purchased  in  1787,  of  Samuel  Wallis, 
that  part  of  the  Philip  Gower  warrantee  which  was 
south  of  the  creek,  and  the  same  year  began  to  build 
the  mill  known  as  "  Antes'  mill  in  Bald  Eagle."  His 
daughter  Polly,  born  June  3,  1787,  was  just  four 
weeks  old  when  he  moved  there  from  Nippenose,  and 
made  a  home  and  preaching-place  for  the  pioneer 
circuit-riders  of  the  Methodist  Church.  Preaching 
was  held  in  the  mill,  but  no  attempt  was  made  to 
build  a  church  until  Jan.  21,  1806,  when  Philip 
Antes  and  Susanna,  his  wife,  made  a  trust  deed  to 
Richard  Gonsalus,  Frederick  Antes,  William  Forster, 
Lawrence  Bathurst,  Abel  Daugherty,  and  Philip 
Antes,  for  one-fourth  of  an  acre  of  ground  described 
as  "  on  the  road  from  Antes'  mill  to  Penn's  valley,"  in 
trust,  that  they  shall  erect  and  build  and  cause  to  be 
built  there  a  place  or  house  of  worship  for  the  use  of 
the  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

Among  the  early  members  of  this  church  were  the 
above-named  persons  and  Christopher  Helford,  Philip 
Barnhart,  Jacob  Lee,  and  their  respective  families. 

At,a  Conference  held  in  Baltimore  May  6, 1791,  ac- 
cording to  A.  H.  McHenry,  Esq.,  Northumberland 
Circuit  was  formed,  and  extended  up  Bald  Eagle 
Creek  above  Milesburg ;  thence  over  to  Penn's  val- 
ley; thence  down  through  Buffalo  valley.  Each 
preacher  traveled  this  circuit,  which  included  the 
North  Branch  from  Wilkesbarre  to  Northumberland, 
and  up  the  West  Branch,  including  White  Deer  Hole 
valley,  in  four  weeks,  preaching  every  day  except 
when  the  distance  was  too  great,  as  from  Penn's  to 
Buffalo  valley.  Mr.  McHenry  states  that  the  first 
society  was  formed  at  the  house  of  Arad  Sutton,  on 
Lycoming  Creek,  in  1791,  of  which  any  record  could 
be  found,  but  concedes  that  the  one  at  Antes'  (or  Cur- 
tin) was,  perhaps,  earlier.  Richard  Parriot  and  Lewis 
Browning  were  the  first  preachers  appointed  to  this 
circuit  in  1791,  and  Mr.  McHenry  states  that  Mr. 
Parriot  had  previously  explored  the  country  without 
asking  or  receiving  any  compensation  for  his  services. 

The  names  of  the  holy  men  who  made  these  val- 
leys vocal  with  the  beautiful  and  glorious  hymns  of 
John  and  Charles  Wesley,  and  who  were  first  to  ad- 
vance high  the  standard  of  the  cross  against  King 
Alcohol,'  should   be  inscribed   imperishably  on  the 

1  A  postscript  of  n  letter  dated  Bdlefonte,  Marcli  7, 1803,  from  Rolitnd 
Curtin  to  Ju.lgo  James  Potter,  is  as  foUows:  "P.S.— The  major  part  of 


262 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


pages  of  our  annals.     The  following  list  brings  the 
names  of  the  Methodist  ministers  down  to  a  period 
from  which  the  names  of  their  successors  are  readily 
accessible  in  the  published  minutes  of  Conference : 
Baltimore  District,  Northumberland  Circuit  : 
1791-92,  Richard  Parriot  and  Lewis  Browning. 
1792^93,  James  Campbell,  William    Colbert,  and 
James  Paynter. 

1794,  Robert  Manley  and  John  Brodhead. 

1795,  James  Ward  and  Stephen  Timmons. 

1796,  John  Seward,  Richard  Sneath. 

1797-98,  John  Lackey  and  Daniel  Higby,  John 
Leach. 

In  1799,  Wyoming  and  Northumberland  were  con- 
nected. James  Moore,  Benjamin  Bidlack,  and  Dan- 
iel Stevens  performed  a  six  weeks'  circuit. 

1801,  Johnston  Dunham  and  Gilbert  Carpenter. 

1802,  Anning  Owen  and  James  Aiken. 

1803,  Daniel  Ryan  and  James  Ridgwa)'. 

1804,  Thomas  Adams  and  Gideon  Draper. 

1805,  Christopher  Fry  and  James  Saunders. 

1806,  Lycoming  Circuit,  Timothy  Lee  and  Jesse 
Pinel. 

1807,  James  Charles  and  William  Wiese. 

1808,  Anning  Owen  and  Daniel  Stansbury. 

1809,  John  Rhodes,  Jacob  Barnhart. 

1810,  Timothy  Lee  and  Samuel  Ross. 

1811,  George  Thomas,  Abraham  Dawson. 

1812,  John  Hazzard,  James  S.  Lent,  for  Lycoming 
Circuit ;  Northumberland  Circuit,  George  Thomas 
and  Ebenezer  Doolittle. 

1813,  Lycoming,  George  Thomas  and  Israel  Cook. 

1814,  Peter  Jones,  James  Bennett. 

1815,  John  Thomas,  Wyatt  Chamberlin. 

1816,  Israel  Chamberlin,  Rinaldo  M.  Everetts. 

1817,  John  Thomas  and  John  Rhodes. 

1818,  John  Rhodes  and  Benjamin  Bidlack. 

1819,  John  R'.iodes,  Darius  Williams. 

1820,  John  Thomas,  Robert  Minsjiall. 

1821,  Robert  Minshall,  Jacob  R.  Sheppard. 

1822,  Robert  Cadden,  William  McDowell. 

1823,  Robert  Cadden,  Nathaniel  Mills,  John 
Thomas,  superannuated. 

1824,  John  Thomas,  Thomas  McGee. 

1825,  Eald  Eagle,  John  Rhodes. 

1826,  Bald  Eagle  changed  to  Bellefonte,  Marma- 
duke  Pierce,  presiding  elder ;  Bellefonte,  John  Rhodes. 

1827,  Bellefonte,  Amos  Smith  and  Edward  E. 
Allen';  members  reported,  364  white,  11  colored. 

1828,  Amos  Smith,  David  Shaver;  402  white,  16 
colored. 

1829,  Bellefonte,  S.  Ellis,  James  H.  Brown. 

1830,  Bellefonte,  Isaac  Collins,  Oliver  Ege. 

1831,  Bellefonte,  Samuel  Bryson,  H.  Brittain. 

1832,  Bellefonte,  S.  Ellis,  James  Sanks. 

Dunlop*s  hands  .ire  lieconiirig  Methodists,  which  prevents  the  rapid  sale 
of  whiskey  I  have  had  in  November  and  December.  However,  I  empty 
tlie  barrels  tolerably  fast,  and  I  send  a  few  to  Chickteliamouch  and 
Moshannon." 


1833,  Bellefonte,  R.  Barnes,  James  Sanks. 

1834,  Bellefonte,  David  Shaw,  J.  Forest. 

1835,  Bellefonte,  J.  Forest,  A.  G.  Chenoworth. 

1836,  Bellefonte,  John  Rhodes,  Thomas  Myers. 

1837,  Bellefonte,  John  Rhodes,  R.  W.  H.  IJrent. 

1838,  Bellefonte.  Thomas  Taneyhill,  George  Guyer. 
Members,  540  whites;  1  colored. 

1839,  Bellefonte,  Thomas  Taneyhill,  George  Berg- 
stresser. 

1840,  Bellefonte,  William  Butler,  S.  V.  Blake. 
Members,  723  whites  ;  2  colored. 

1841,  Bellefonte,  William  Butler,  Elisha  D.  Owen. 
Members,  829  white  ;  10  colored. 

1842,  Bellefonte,  Francis  M.  Mills,  W.T.  D.  Clemm. 

1843,  Bellefonte,  F.  M.  Mills,  Ephraim  McCollom. 
In  March,  1844,  Bellefonte  Circuit  was  divided  at 

a  point  in  Nittany  valley  about  three  miles  below 
AVashington  Furnace,  and  the  new  circuit  called 
Lock  Haven  ;  and  in  March,  1853,  a  new  district  was 
formed  called  Bellefonte,  taken  from  the  Northum- 
berland and  Huntingdon  Districts.  Altoona  District 
was  created  in  1870,  and  embraces  all  the  churches  in 
Centre  County.  There  are  ten  appointments  within 
the  county,  ninety-one  thousand  nine  hundred  dol- 
lars worth  of  church  property,  thirty-two  Sabbath- 
schools,  having  on  their  rolls  two  thousand  six  hun- 
dred and  fifty-one  children. 

But  this  is  not  all.  When  we  think  of  the  hun- 
dreds who  cherished  the  memories  of  Philip  Antes 
and  Robert  Pennington  in  connection  with  the  holiest 
associations  of  their  earliest  lives,  and  who  have  long 
since  been  with  them  in  heaven  ;  when  we  think  of 
the  united  thousands  who  received  their  religious 
culture  in  the  Methodist  Churches  of  Centre  County, 
and  emigrated  carrying  the  good  seed  with  them  to 
other  homes  and  other  States  ;  when  we  think  of  the 
stream  of  benevolence  that  has  constantly  poured 
these  ninety-three  years  from  the  fountain  dugby  these 
two  pious  men  to  carry  the  gospel  to  the  heathen  and 
support  the  Church  of  Christ  in  our  land;  when  we 
think  of  the  moral  and  religious  influences  that  have 
gone  forth  from  their  humble  efforts  to  fructify  the 
garden  of  the  Lord  and  benefit  to  the  human  race, 
we  are  reminded  of  the  words  of  Holy  Writ:  "  They 
that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firma- 
ment; and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness  as 
the  stars  forever  and  ever." 

In  the  graveyard  by  the  old  church  were  laid  to 
rest  numbers  of  the  Anteses,  Barnharts,  Holts,  and 
others  prominent  in  the  early  history  of  settlements 
on  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek. 

The  names  of  the  soldiers  buried  in  the  cemetery 
are  : 

Pliilip  Barnhart,  Revolution. 

George  Burger,  war  of  1812. 

II.  A.  Bathurst.  war  of  l^l•2. 

John  Funk,  Co.  A,  40th  Kegt.  Pa,  Vol. 

Jacob  Fultz,  Co.  A,  45lh  Regt.  Pa.  Vol. 

Robeit  Doughenbaiigh,  Co.  A,  45tli  Kegt.  Pa.  Vol. 

William  Dougheubaugh,  Co.  A,  45tli  Rogt.  Pa.  Vol. 


BOGGS  TOWNSHIP. 


2G3 


Willlom  Cliepsmnii,  Co.  K,  184tli  Kcgt.  Pii.  Vol. 

.Tnmi-s  Miller,  Co.  E,  Ist  P.  V.  C. 

Ljiwreiice  Batlnnst,  Kevululion. 

Kviiii  Russfll,  Kevoliition. 

John  Ginglior,  wnr  of  1812. 

Bi'iijninin  Siijlor.  Co.  B,  UStli  Dcgt,  T:,.  Vol. 

JoRepli  Kc-elcr,  Co.  B,  I48th  Rpgl.  I'a.  Vol. 

Crct'B  BatliUist,  Co.  E,  4Clb  Uegt.  Pu.  Vol. 

Early  Settlers. — Of  Andrew  Boggs,  Pliilip  Antes, 
Richard  Malone,  and  the  Mileses  special  sketches 
appear  in  the  biographical  addenda.  James  Gilliland, 
Esq.,  writes  of  the  Holts:  "  A  son  of  Sir  John  Holt, 
of  England,  emigrated  to  America  and  settled  in  the 
Cumberland  valley  before  the  Revolution.  He  left 
home  to  go  on  business  to  Philadelphia,  and  never 
was  heard  of  afterwards.  It  is  supposed  he  was  killed 
by  the  Indians.  He  left  one  son,  Thomas,  and  two 
daughters,  who,  with  the  Buchanans,  were  the  first 
settlers  at  Lewistown,  Pa.  Thomas  Holt  had  four 
sons  and  three  daughters.  William,  the  ancestor  of 
Judge  Holt,  Postmaster-General  during  Mr.  Buchan- 
an's administration,  emigrated  to  Kentucky  ;  James 
was  killed  by  the  Indians;  Thomas  went  to  Ohio; 
and  Col.  John  Holt,  the  father  of  John  Holt,  Esq.,  of 
Snow  Shoe,  settled  in  the  Bald  Eagle  valley,  near 
Curtin's  iron-works.  He  raised  a  family  of  four  sons 
— Thomas,  James,  John,  and  Robert — and  six  daugh- 
ters,— Mary,  married  Jacob  Barnhart;  Elizabeth, 
Samuel  Miles;  Jane,  Frederick  Antes  ;  Nancy,  James 
Patterson;  Isabella,  Henry  Barnhart;  Sarah,  William 
Russell."  Of  the  sons,  Robert  and  James  settled  in 
the  valley,  John  moved  to  Snow  Shoe,  and  Thomas 
to  Clearfield  County.  Col.  Holt's  home  was  at  the 
creek  upon  the  land  now  owned  by  Hastings  Lyman, 
and  there  he  lived  until  his  death,  August,  1831,  aged 
seventy-six  years.  Philip  Barnhart  joined  the  Holt 
settlement  soon  after  the  close  of  the  Revolution.  His 
children  were  ten  in  number,  six  girls  and  four  boys. 
Elizabeth  married  Samuel  Bathurst,  and  moved  to  the 
West ;  Catharine  married  Jacob  Neff,  and  located  in 
Clearfield  County  ;  Mary  married  James  McGliee,  of 
Bellefonte;  Anna  married  John  Ross,  of  Clearfield 
County;  Sarah  married  John  Pennington,  of  Penn's 
valley ;  and  Christina  married  Henry  Dopp,  of 
Howard  township,  where  she  and  her  husband  still 
reside.  Of  the  sons,  Jacob  made  his  settlement  in 
Spring  township,  upon  a  farm  still  owned  by  his  two 
sons,  John  and  Philip;  Henry  lived  on  the  old  Holt 
place,  and  died  there  in  the  eighty-fifth  year  of  his 
age ;  John  went  West ;  Philip  lived  and  died  at  Cur- 
tin's. The  living  sons  and  daughters  of  Henry  (known 
as  Judge)  Barnhart  are  Philip  W.  and  Henry,  of 
Boggs;  Mrs.  John  Curtin,  of  Bellefonte ;  Mrs. Thomas 
Sellers,  of  Half-Moon  ;  Mrs.  Irving  Davis  and  Mrs. 
James  Kimport,  of  Hollidaysburg. 

Lawrence  Bathurst,  an  old  Revolutionary  soldier, 
settled  at  or  near  Curtin's.  He  died  in  1848,  aged 
ninety-four,  upon  the  farm  that  had  been  his  home 
during  his  entire  life  in  the  Bald  Eagle  valley.  His 
remains  lie  in  the  Curtin  Cemetery.     Of  his  eleven 


children,  none  are  now  living  in  Centre  County. 
Antes  Bathurst,  one  of  his  sons,  died  at  Julian  Fur- 
nace in  1880,  aged  eighty-two. 

William  Fisher,  a  Quaker,  from  Chester  County, 
settled  in  Boggs  in  1800,  and  in  1812  built  the  stone 
house  now  standing  on  what  is  known  as  the  Downing 
farm. 

Frederick  Leathers  settled'  on  the  Christopher 
Spayd  warrant.  Central  City  (Hoover's  heirs,  etc.), 
as  early  as  1791,  and  died  there  in  1796.  His  chil- 
dren were  Frederick,  Jacob,  John,  Daniel,  Barbara, 
Mary,  and  Susanna. 

The  pioneers  of  the  Shirk  family  in  the  township 
were  the  brothers  John  and  Daniel,  who  came  from 
Berks  County  before  1800.  John  made  his  improve- 
ment on  a  tract  along  the  creek  opposite  the  site  of 
Milesburg.  His  cabin  stood  not  far  from  where  the 
Curtin  House  stands.  There  he  died,  and  after  his 
death  the  property  was  occupied  by  Archibald  Moore, 
who  kept  tavern  there.  The  old  stone  house  just 
above  Milesburg  was  built  by  Jacob  Shirk,  whose 
father  was  Daniel,  already  mentioned.  Daniel's  first 
location  in  Boggs  was  on  that  place,  and  it  was  after 
his  death  that  his  son  Jacob  built  the  stone  mansion. 
Joseph  Shirk  and  R.  L.  Shirk,  of  Milesburg,  lifelong 
resilents  of  the  vallej',  are  representatives  of  the 
family  name  in  Centre  County. 

Andrew  Walker  was  one  of  the  first  (o  make  a  lo- 
cation at  the  foot  of  the  mountain.  His  clearing  was 
on  the  place  now  owned  by  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Eliza- 
beth Fetzer.  Wolves  and  panthers  were  thick  and 
bold  enough  to  come  even  to  Walker's  cabin-door. 
The  cabin-door  was  indeed  at  first  a  not  very  sub- 
stantial affair,  since  it  consisted  of  a  bed-quilt  hung 
ot'er  the  opening  left  for  a  door,  and  similarly  the 
windows  were  sheets.  Mr.  Walker's  family  consisted 
of  a  wife  and  four  children,  of  the  latter  of  whom  the 
youngest  being  Adam.  The  elder  Walker  got  up  a 
cabin  as  best  he  could  and  as  quickly  as  he  could. 
He  had  no  neighbors  nearer  than  the  valley  ;  and  that 
the  situation  was  a  forlorn  one  may  well  be  im- 
agined. Walker  was  a  great  hunter,  and  for  a  time 
made  no  special  effort  to  clear  and  cultivate  his  land, 
preferring  rather  to  trap  and  hunt  for  game  and  furs 
as  a  more  certain  and  expeditious  method  of  gaining 
a  livelihood.  He  cleared  a  nice  farm,  however,  in 
time,  and  built  a  saw-mill  (the  first  one  in  that  vi- 
cinity) on  his  place.  He  carried  on  the  mill  until 
1848,  and  then  turned  it  over  to  his  son  Matthias. 
After  the  latter's  death  the  mill  w.as  abandoned. 
Andrew  Walker  died  on  the  old  farm  in  185?,  at  the 
reputed  age  of  ninety-five.  That  fall  died  also  his 
lifelong  friend  Samuel  Watkins,  who  was  then  said 
to  be  over  a  hundred  years  old.  Of  Andrew  Wal- 
ker's twelve  children,  the  living  are  Polly  Mayes  and 
Elizabeth  Fetzer. 

Andrew  Fetzer  settled  near  Walker,  and  was  pos- 
sessed of  land  enough  at  his  death  to  leave  each  of 
his  children  one  hundred  acres.     James  Middleton 


264 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


and  Michael  Poorman  came  to  the  Ridges  in  1806 
from  Chester  County.  Middleton's  settlement  was 
made  on  what  is  now  known  as  the  Riddle  place. 
He  had  six  children  when  he  moved  in.  He  and 
some  of  his  children  moved  to  the  West.  One  of  his 
daughters  married  Jacob  Poorman,  and  still  lives  in 
Boggs,  aged  eighty-five.  Poorman  lived  on  the  pres- 
ent John  Fetzer  place.  He  died  in  the  valley  near 
Milesburg.  He  had  ten  children,  of  whom  a  number 
moved  West.  It  may  be  said  of  the  Poormans,  as 
well  as  of  the  Walkers,  Heatons,  and  Fetzers,  that 
their  descendants  are  to-day  numerous  in  Boggs 
township  and  in  the  localities. 

James  Hines  built  a  saw-mill  at  an  early  date  near 
the  present  farm  of  Jacob  Yarnall.  A  colored  man, 
by  name  Jacobs,  was  an  early  comer  to  that  neigh- 
borhood. His  place  is  now  occupied  by  Foster  Poor- 
man.  After  he  left  Tommy  Watson  settled  on  it. 
Tommy's  son  Abram,  an  old  man  of  eighty,  still  lives 
in  Boggs.  William  Lucas  was  an  early  settler  in  the 
Ridges  country,  on  the  place  now  occupied  by  William 
Shawley,  whose  grandfatlier  Lucas  was.  Mr.  Lucas' 
children  numbered  eight,  of  whom  five  were  sons. 
The  living  are  Eliza  Watson,  of  Snow  Shoe;  Sarah 
Jane  Shawley  (living  with  her  son  William) ;  Mar- 
gery Walker  in  Boggs,  Belle  Garner  in  Illinois,  and 
Bennet  Lucas  in  Missouri.  William  Shawley,  who 
married  Mr.  Lucas'  daughter  Sarah  Jane,  died  on  the 
present  Shawley  place  in  1860.  One  of  his  sons 
(David)  went  into  the  Rebellion  as  a  member  of  the 
Forty-fifth  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  and 
died  in  the  service. 

Samuel  Yarnall,  of  Chester  County,  came  to  the 
Ridges  about  1820,  and  made  his  home  on  Marsh 
Creek,  at  the  present  D.  Evans  place.  He  set  up  a 
blacksmith-shop  and  cleared  a  good  farm.  Some 
time  even  after  Yarnall  came  he  and  his  neighbors 
tramped  frequently  to  Curtin's  mill  with  grist,  and 
tramped  back  with  supplies.  Mr.  Y'arnall's  children 
were  Henry,  Isaac,  Thomas,  Samuel,  Rachel,  and 
Lavina.  The  only  one  now  living  is  Isaac  Yarnall, 
of  Snow  Shoe.  Thomas  Y'arnall  lived  and  died  on 
the  farm  now  the  home  of  his  son  Jacob.  His  other 
living  children  are  Elizabeth  Thorpe,  Ruth  Zimmer- 
man, and  James  I.  Yarnall.  Reuben,  one  of  his  sons, 
was  a  member  of  Company  A,  Forty-fifth  Regiment 
Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion, 
and  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  South  Mountain.  Jacob 
Eckley,  a  native  of  the  county,  moved  from  Union 
to  Boggs  in  1816,  and  settled  on  a  portion  of  what  is 
now  the  David  Williams  farm,  where  he  died  in 
1850.  He  had  four  children,  of  whom  the  living  are 
John,  Eckley,  and  Mrs.  Phrobe  Yarnall.  Wharton 
Ackley,  one  of  his  sons,  was  killed  before  Richmond 
during  the  late  war.  William,  another  son,  was  like- 
wise in  the  service,  and  died  in  hospital. 

William  Miller  came  to  Boggs  with  Roland  Curtin, 
and  worked  at  iron-making  for  many  years.  He  died 
suddenly  in  1879,  at  the  great  age  of  one  hundred  and 


three.  To  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  moderately 
active  and  hearty.  John  Poorman,  another  old  citi- 
zen and  a  survivor  of  the  war  of  1812,  died  in  1879, 
aged  ninety-eight.  Elizabeth  Harper,  who  died  in 
March,  1881,  aged  eighty-eight,  was  a  great-great- 
grandmother.  John  Taylor  came  to  the  Milesburg 
Iron-Works  from  Barre  in  1819,  and  worked  there  as 
a  refiner  until  his  death  in  1855.  His  son,  I.  B.  Tay- 
lor, still  lives  in  Milesburg,  in  and  about  which  he 
has  resided  since  1819,  being  at  that  time  in  his  seven- 
teenth year.  Daniel  Boileau  came  to  Milesburg  from 
Huntingdon  County  to  make  flour-barrels  at  the 
Milesburg  grist-mill.  He  and  his  father-in-law,  Mr. 
Robertson,  had  fouglit  side  by  side  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary war  as  soldiers  in  the  French  army.  Boileau 
settled  eventually  on  a  bit  of  land  south  of  Milesburg, 
and  died  there  in  1840.  In  front  of  the  old  log  house 
that  was  his  home  at  that  place  stands  a  hickory-tree 
that  he  planted  with  his  own  hands  upon  the  occasion 
of  Gen.  Jackson's  first  campaign  for  the  Presidency. 
Thomas  H.  Eddy  ^d  Reuben  Loveland  came  from 
Connecticut  to  Centre  County  in  1832  to  work  at 
Mann's  axe-factory  on  Spring  Creek.  In  1838  they 
founded  an  axe-factory  on  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  in 
Boggs  township,  and  carried  it  on  until  1846,  when 
they  transferred  their  business  to  Clinton  County. 

Henry  Smith  and  Mary  Harpster,  who  came  over 
from  Germany  with  their  parents  in  the  same  ship  as 
children,  were  married  in  York  County,  Pa.,  and 
settled  at  an  early  day  at  Curtin,  in  Centre  County. 
Of  their  twelve  children  eight  were  born  in  Centre 
County.  Henry  Smith  died  in  Iowa  in  1859.  Five 
of  his  children  are  living.  They  are  W.  H.  Smith, 
of  Unionville;  John  Smith,  of  McKeesport;  Emily 
Wells,  of  Brownsville ;  Catharine  Lytle,  of  Iowa ; 
and  Mary  Lucas,  of  Howard.  Frederick  Summers, 
a  cooper,  lived  at  the  Intersection  and  plied  his  trade 
there  many  years.  There  he  ended  his  days.  David 
Jones  came  from  Bradford  County  in  1818  to  the  Bald 
Eagle  valley,  and  settled  in  Milesburg.  His  father, 
David,  fought  in  the  Revolution,  as  did  Phineas  Car- 
ter, his  wife's  father.  David  Jones,  Jr.,  died  in  Miles- 
burg in  1852.  Of  his  seven  children  five  are  living, — 
C.  D.  Jones,  J.  C.  P.  Jones,  and  Sylvia  Jones,  of 
Milesburg;  Harvey  Jones,  of  Clarion  County;  and 
Henry  Jones,  of  Clinton  County. 

Industries  of  Boggs  Township.  —  Milesburg 
Iron- Works.— March  17,  1792,  Col.  Samuel  Miles, 
of  Montgomery  County,  bought  large  tracts  of  land 
on  Spring  and  Bald  Eagle  Creeks,  in  Centre  County, 
and  sent  his  sons  John  and  Joseph  out  to  lay  out  a 
town  and  to  establish  works  for  the  manufacture  of 
iron.  The  town  they  laid  out  was  Milesburg,  and  the 
works  they  established  in  1797,  known  as  the  Miles- 
burg Iron-Works.  The  works  at  Milesburg  were  car- 
ried on  for  a  time  in  connection  with  the  Centre  Fur- 
nace. Upon  the  death  of  Col.  Miles,  in  1805,  his 
sons,  John  and  Joseph,  came  into  possession,  and 
until  1825  were  the  sole  proprietors.     In  the  year  last 


BOGGS  TOWNSHIP. 


265 


named  Joseph  Green  came  in,  and  tlie  firm-name  was 
changed  to  Joseph  Miles  &  Co.  In  1832,  Joseph 
Miles'  sold  his  interest  to  James  Irvin,  and  until 
18.36  James  Irvin  &  Co.  conducted  the  business.  Jo- 
seph Green  then  retired  in  favor  of  Gen.  Huston,  who 
sold  to  Andrew  Gregg,  whereupon  the  firm-name  was 
changed  to  Irvin,  Gregg  &  Co.  In  1849,  Gregg  re- 
tired, and  J.  M.  McCoy,  J.  H.  Linn,  and  Moses 
Thompson  succeeded  him  as  partners  with  Irvin. 
The  firm  was  then  known  as  Irvin,  McCoy  &  Co. 
To  1852  the  works,  consisting  of  a  forge  and  rolling- 
mill,  were  operated  in  conncetion  with  Centre  Fur- 
nace, which  then  went  out  of  blast.  Irvin,  McCoy  & 
Co.  thereupon  bought  of  the  McKinney  estate  Hecla 
Furnace  (in  Walker  township),  at  which  point  there 
was  a  rolling-mill  (for  boiler  plate)  as  well  as  a  fur- 
nace. The  firm  also  rebuilt  the  Milesburg  forge  and 
mill  in  1850.  In  1860,  Irvin  withdrew.  In  1862  the 
wire-mill  was  added,  and  until  1865  McCoy,  Linn  & 
Co.  were  the  operators.  In  that  year  Moses  Thomp- 
son sold  out  to  his  two  partners.  In  1866,  McCoy  & 
Linn  abandoned  Hecla,  and  built  a  blast  furnace  at 
Milesburg.  The  next  change  in  the  firm  occurred  in 
April,  1876,  with  the  death  of  Mr.  Linn.  Since 
Dr.  McCoy's  death  the  works  have  been  carried  on 
by  his  son,  Frank  McCoy,  for  the  estate  (represented 
by  himself  and  his  sister,  Mrs.  J.  D.  Shugert.) 
The  works  now  include  a  blast  furnace,  charcoal 
forge,  puddling-mill,  rolling-mill,  and  wire-mill.  The 
blast  furnace  has  a  capacity  of  about  sixty  tons  weekly, 
and  the  charcoal  forge  (containing  seven  fires  and  a 
six-ton  hammer)  a  weekly  capacity  of  thirty  tons. 
The  puddling-mill  has  three  furnaces,  in  connection 
with  muck-rolls  and  a  five-ton  hammer.  The  rolling- 
mill  includes  a  bar-mill  and  guide-mill,  each  of  which 
has  a  capacity  of  six  tons  each  twelve  hours.  The 
wire-mill  draws  about  one  ton  of  wire  daily.  The 
annual  capacity  for  each  industry  may  be  stated  at 
3000  tons  for  the  blast  furnace,  1600  tons  for  the  forge, 
3500  tons  for  the  rolling-mill,  and  300  tons  for  the 
wire-mill.  The  manufactured  material  is  shipped 
mainly  to  New  England. 

Curtin. — Eagle  Iron- Works.— Curtin  is  a  man- 
ufacturing village  on  the  Bald  Eagle  Valley  Rail- 
road, and  is  composed  exclusively  of  the  interests 
attendant  upon  the  Eagle  Iron-Works,  founded  by 
Roland  Curtin,  in  whose  honor  the  village  was 
christened  Curtin  and  the  post-office  Roland. 

In  1810,  Roland  Curtin  and  Moses  Boggs  erected 
their  forge,  and  their  first  iron  was  packed  on  horse's 
to  Pittsburgh.     In  1815,  Mr.  Boggs  retired. 

In  1818,  Mr.  Curtin  constructed  the  Eagle  Furnace 
just  south  of  the  forge,  and  in  1821  removed  his  resi- 
dence from  Bellefonte  to  Curtin,  that  he  might  bestow 
closer  attention  upon  his  gradually  developiugenter- 


'  John  Miles  died  1829;  Jusepli,  in  1841.  No  descendants  of  either 
are  living  in  Centre  County.  Tlie  stone  residence  now  occupied  by 
Frank  McCoy  at  the  works  was  luilt  l.y  Josepli  Miles  in  1703. 


prise.  In  1830-  he  built  a  rolling-mill  on  the  creek 
southwest  from  Curtin,  and  erected  at  Curtin  a  four- 
story  .stone  grist-mill  and  the  present  Curtin  mansion- 
house.  In  1830  he  built  Martha  Furnace,  which  he 
carried  on  through  his  sons  .lames  and  John  until 
1848,  the  Eagle  Furnace  having  meanwhile  been 
abandoned  in  1836.  In  1848  the  present  furnace  at 
Curtin  was  built.  In  1828,  Mr.  Curtin  associated  his 
sons  Austin,  James,  and  Roland,  Jr.,  in  business  with 
him,  and  in  1842  himself  retired  from  active  business 
pursuits. 

In  April,  1877,  the  present  firm  of  Curtins  &  Co. 
came  into  possession.  The  members  are  J.  B.  Curtin, 
A.  G.  Curtin,  Jr.,  H.  R.  Curtin,  and  J.  G.  Curtin. 
The  last  named  resides  in  Philadelphia,  the  others 
live  at  Curtin.  Curtins  &  Co.  own  ore  tracts  within 
a  few  miles  of  the  works,  from  which  they  obtain  for 
their  manufacturing  purposes  three  thousand  five 
hundred  tons  annually.  During  a  similar  period 
they  use  three  hundred  thousand  bushels  of  charcoal. 
The  furnace  has  a  yearly  capacity  of  two  thousand 
tons  of  pig  metal.  The  forge,  containing  eight  fires, 
will  yield  fourteen  hundred  tons  of  blooms,  and  the 
rolling-mill  one  thousand  tons  of  bar-  and  rod-iron. 

Wallis  Rdn  Tannery,  now  carried  on  by  James 
L.  Sommerville,  was  built  in  1866  by  James  L.  Som- 
merville  and  Richard  T.  Downing.  It  had  a  capacity 
of  about  two  thousand  five  hundred  hides  yearly. 

James  L.  Sommerville  &  Co.  (who  previous  to  1866 
had  operated  the  Union ville  tannery)  conducted  the 
business  until  1871,  when  Mr.  Downing  retired. 
Since  then  Mr.  Sommerville  has  had  no  partner  in 
the  enterprise.  In  1877  the  tannery  was  destroyed 
by  fire,  but  at  once  rebuilt  upon  a  plan  that  doubled 
the  original  capacity.  It  employs  nine  hands,  tans 
five  thousand  heavy  hides  yearly,  and  consumes  one 
thousand  five  hundred  tons  of  oak  bark  annually. 
Sole-  and  belt-leather  are  the  productions.  Ship- 
ments are  all  made  to  Philadelphia.  Mr.  Sommer- 
ville received  a  diploma  for  his  exhibit  of  leather  at 
the  American  Institute  in  1873,  and  at  the  Philadel- 
phia Centennial  was  awarded  a  medal.  In  addition 
to  the  tannery,  his  business  interests  include  coal- 
mining operations  upon  four  hundred  acres  of  lands 
lying  in  Snow  Shoe. 

Walker  Church  (United  Brethren).— The  United 
Brethren  Church  in  the  Walker  settlement  was 
founded  in  1840  through  the  efforts  of  Adam  Walker 
and  others.  Worship  was  held  in  the  school-house 
until  1865,  when  a  church  building  was  erected.  It 
cost  about  one  thousand  dollars,  of  which  a  large 
share  was  provided  by  Adam  Walker  and  his  son 
Irving.  The  congregation,  though  small,  is  earnest 
in  attendance  and  support.  The  leader  of  the  class 
is  E.  H.  Walker. 

Marsh  Creek  Messiah's  Church.— The  organi- 
zation of  the  Marsh  Creek  Advent  Church  dates  back 
to  1849,  when  Rev.  J.  D.  Boyer,  a  missionary  in  the 
service  of  that  faith,  preached  to  the  Adveutists  of 


266 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  Bald  Eagle  valley,  and  by  his  earnest  zeal  and 
energetic  labors  awakened  a  more  than  passing  inter- 
est. So  successful  was  Mr.  Boyer  in  his  work  among 
the  Adventists  of  Boggs  township  that  the  year  of  the 
organization  of  Marsh  Creek  Church  a  house  of  wor- 
ship was  built,  and  a  wide-spread  religious  influence 
followed.  Among  the  pastors  who  succeeded  Mr. 
Boyer  on  the  work  were  Revs.  Lemuel  Osier,  J.  F. 
Lanning,  J.  Leitch,  and  J.  R.  Gates.  The  church 
building  was  remodeled  in  1872,  and  rededicated  De- 
cember 29th  of  that  year  by  Revs.  John  Zeigler  and 
W.  PI.  Swartz.  The  organization  has  had  a  continu- 
ous active  existence,  and  enjoys  to-day  a  fair  share  of 
prosperity.  Rev.  John  Zeigler  has  been  the  pastor 
in  charge  since  1871.  He  preaches  at  Marsh  Creek 
once  in  three  weeks.  Tlie  deacons  are  Philip  Re- 
sides, T.  Watson,  and  William  Smoyer.  The  trustees 
are  Philip  Resides,  T.  Watson,  and  G.  R.  Quick.  The 
membership  at  Marsh  Creek  is  about  twenty. 

Fairview  Messiah's  Church.— This  church  was 
organized  May  19,  1871,  by  Rev.  H.  P.  Cutter,  in 
the  Pleasant  valley  school-house.  The  constituent 
members  were  L.  H.  Watson,  William  Shawly,  Wil- 
liam Nyman,  Elizabeth  Shawly,  Sarah  A.  Watson, 
Catharine  A.  Watson.  William  Shawly  was  chosen 
the  deacon  at  organization  in  1871,  and  still  fills  the 
office.  The  membership  is  now  thirteen.  Worship 
has  been  held  in  the  Fairview  school-house  since  July, 
1872.  The  Sunday-school  is  in  charge  of  William 
Shawly,  and  has  an  average  attendance  of  thirty 
pupils.  Mr.  Cutter  was  succeeded  in  the  pastorate 
by  the  present  pastor.  Rev.  John  Zeigler.  Mr.  Zeig- 
ler studied  under  Rev.  M.  L.  Jackson,  and  entered 
the  ministry  in  1871,  since  which  time  he  has  done 
most  excellent  work  among  the  Messiah  Churches  of 
the  Bald  Eagle  valley.  He  was  born  in  Cumberland 
County  in  1840,  and  has  lived  in  Centre  County  since 
1871.  His  charge  includes  now  the  churches  of 
Dick's  Run,  Central,  Marsh  Creek,  and  Fairview. 
He  has  also  a  congregation  in  Port  Matilda,  and  a 
second  appointment  on  Marsh  Creek.  During  his 
labors  in  Centre  County  he  has  built  a  church  in  Nit- 
tany  valley  (cost  fifteen  hundred  dollars),  the  Dick's 
Run  Church  (cost  eleven  hundred  dollars),  remodeled 
Marsh  Creek  Church  at  an  expense  of  four  hundred 
dollars,  and  lifted  a  debt  of  nine  hundred  dollars  from 
the  Central  Church.  Mr.  Zeigler  has  been  closely 
and  publicly  identified  with  the  temperance  cause  in 
Centre  County  since  1876. 

Evangelical  Church.— The  Milesburg  Evangeli- 
cal Church  was  organized  at  the  Milesburg  Iron- 
Works  by  Rev.  Mr.  Wagner  in  1867.  The  constituent 
members  were  George  W.  Gray  and  wife,  Aaron  Smith, 
and  Philip  Immel.  Gray  was  chosen  leader,  and  has 
acted  as  such  ever  since.  The  pastors  have  been 
Revs.  Wagner,  Jeremiah  Young,  Bennington,  Reuben 
Young,  Slote,  L.  K.  Harris,  John  M.  King,  and  J. 
J.  Lohr.  To  Mr.  Slote's  time  the  class  was  attached 
to   the   Boalsburg  Circuit,   then    Milesburg    Circuit 


was  formed.  The  circuit  includes  now  four  points, 
Milesburg,  Valentine's,  Curtin,  and  Houserville, 
with  a  respective  membership  of  forty,  twenty-eight, 
thirty-four,  and  seventy.  Wor.ship  by  the  Milesburg 
class  is  still  held  at  the  iron-works.  The  exhorter  is 
Thomas  Wilson.  The  pastor.  Rev.  J.  J.  Lohr,  has 
been  on  the  circuit  since  1879. 

Schools. — Probably  the  earliest  school  in  what  is 
now  Boggs  township  was  taught  in  the  Antes  school- 
house  at  the  Antes  mill.  The  father  of  Lawrence 
Bathurst  was  one  of  the  first  teachers.  He  remained 
in  the  valley  some  time,  and  taught  school  more  or 
less  while  he  remained.  From  the  valley  he  re- 
turned to  his  home  in  England,  where  he  died.  The 
first  school-house  in  the  Ridges  is  supposed  to  have 
been  built  in  1810,  near  the  Fye  place,  on  land  now 
owned  by  Jaeob  Yarnall.  It  was  a  round,  log  struc- 
ture, with  mud  floor  and  greased  paper  for  window 
lights.  The  name  of  the  first  teacher  therein  cannot 
now  be  recalled.  He  is,  however,  remembered  as  a 
preaclier  as  well  as  teacher,  and  as  having  taught  the 
little  ones  the  alphabet  by  means  of  "paddles" 
adorned  with  letters  in  large  characters.  Isaac  Buf- 
fington,  Mr.  Knox,  and  Absalom  Tims  are  recol- 
lected as  having  been  of  the  early  scholars  there. 

CIVIL  LIST. 
Juslkea  of  Ih'.  Peace— James  Alexamlcr,  April  14, 1840,  resigned  April 
20, 1843;  Josepli  Miles,  April  14,  1810;  Jnmes  Miles,  April  12,1842; 
Williiini  A.  Diividson,  April  II,  I84:i;  PiiilipW.  Biirnliart,  April  11, 
1843;  Jesse  Hull, March  14,1848;  .\iistin  Curtin,  March  14,1848;  P. 
W.  Barnh.-irt,  March  13, 1840 ;  William  A.  DaviJson,  Mnrch  12, 1850 ; 
P.  W.  Barnliart,  March  22,  1851 ;  William  A.  Davidson,  March  13, 
1855;  V.  W.  liainhart,  March  12,  1850 ;  A.  S.  Davidson,  March  17, 
1857;  James  .Vitcs, March  10,  1858  ;  Jacob  Walker,  March  15,185'J; 
H.  P.  Treziyuiny,  March  20,  1804;  Philip  Antes,  March  21,1808; 
II.  P.  Treziynlny,  March  22,  1800;  P.  II.  Hanpt,  March  27,  1S72; 
Henry  P.  Treziynlny,  March  14,  1S74 ;  P.  II.  Hanpt,  March  17, 
1877;  NaUiauiel  Beerly,  April  6,  1879;  P.  W.  Barnh.irt,  April  9, 
18S1. 

CoJisiaWcs.— Jacob  Hoover,  John  Maine,  1810;  Jacob  Hoover,  1817;  M. 
Sweeny,  1818;  John  DougbisB,  1S19;  Thomas  Hastings,  1S20;  John 
Hoover,  1821;  James  Alexander,  1822;  John  D.  McMnllcn,  1824; 
John  IJilings,  1825;  Enoch  Passmore,  1820,  Joseph  Sherrick,  1827; 
Joseph  Sherrick,  I.  McKinley,  1S28;  Joseph  Sherrick,  ^829-30;  J. 
D.  McClenaban,  1831 ;  Josiah  De  Long,  1832-33 ;  Joseph  Sherrick, 
1834-35;  Samuel  Lucas,  18:10;  B.  D.  Hale,  1837;  Joieph  Hoover, 
1838  ;  Thomas  M.  Hale,  1839  ;  Joseph  Hanison,  1840-41  ;  A.  B.  Hall, 
1842;  Frederick  Somcrs,  1843;  J.  C.  Thompson,  1844;  C.)nstans 
Tierney,  1845;  Andr^ew  White,  1840^7;  Peter  Bush,  1848;  William 
Smith,  1849:  Andrew  White,  1851 ;  John  Harper,  1852;  John  With- 
erite,  1853;  Michael  Witherite,  1854;  John  Harper,  1855;  P.  W. 
Barnhart,  1850;  Bobert  McMnllin,  1857  ;  John  Sike,  1858-69;  Wil- 
liam Harper,  1800;  John  Harper,  1801-07 ;  William  Swyers,  1808; 
Alfrea  Bazer,  1809;  D.  B.  Malone,  1870;  P.  H.  Hanpt,  1871 ;  D.  B. 
Maloiie,  1872-70 ;  U.  J.  Gibbs,  1877  ;  Ed.  Smith,  1878 ;  James  McMul- 
lin,  1879-8(1;  Daniel  F.  Poonnan,  1881. 

Ovenerrs.—Joha  Miles,  Abraham  Lee,  1810;  William  Brooks,  William 
Alexander,  1817;  P.  A.  Tierney,  D.  Kyman,  1818;  II.  Barnhart, 
William  Fisher,  1819;  George  Ilenniug,  William  Sherrick,  1820; 
Joseph  Green,  Joseph  Sheik,  1821;  James  Foster,  M.  McMullen, 
1822  ;  William  Petlit,  J.  Ketlinger,  1823 ;  John  Miles,  Thomas  Putts, 
1824;  Jacob  Hoover,  Saninel  Patton,1825;  Archibald  Moore,  John 
Adttms,  ISzC  ;  Bobert  Lipton,  John  Irvine,  Jr.,  1827-28 ;  Robert  Lip- 
ton,  John  Irvine,  Jr.,  1829-31;  Samuel  Liptoti,  Joseph  Sherrick, 
1833;  James  Alexander,  Frederick  Antes,  1834;  Thomas  Moore, 
Austin  Curtin,  18.15;  William  Adams,  John  BaOiurst,  1830;  Wil- 
liam IddingB,  James  McMasters,  1837  ;  H.  B.  Yarnall,  J.  Witherite, 
1838;  Cliai  lea  G.  Ityman,  Joseph  Green,  1839 ;  Joseidi  Green,  Charles 


'/  /}ao> 


7 


c^;/. 


^/Jta^eyy/ 


BOGGS   TOWNSHIP. 


2G7 


C.  Rj'mnu,  1840  ;  Joseph  Slierrick,  William  Unilcrwooil,  1841 ;  An- 
drew Gregg,  Jolin  Campbell,  Frederick  Malone,  1812;  .lolin  Baru- 
1iart,J.  D.  McClenahan,  1843;  11.  Hoover,  Barnal.y  Sliope,  184);  II. 
Banilmrt,  J.  Ketliiiger,  1845;  Lewis  Hess,  Fredcridi  Antes,  1840; 
Boland  Curtin,  Robert  Stoel,  1847;  Robert  Steel,  Frederitk  Mnlone, 
1848 ;  Robert  Steel,  Z.  Underwood,  184!) ;  John  Roller,  James  Walker, 
1850;  John  Cnrlin,  John  Wilherite,  ISol ;  W.  A.  Davidson,  James 
Curlin,  ISM;  Alexander  Edmiston,  P.  W.  Barnhart,  1853;  William 
Butler,  Andrew  Felzer,  1854  ;  John  Bornmn,  II.  L.  Barnhart,  1855; 
R.  Leptar,  T.  M.  Hall,  1856;  Alexander  Kdmiston,  Benjamin  Hut- 
ton,  1858;  .lohn  Poorman,  Gideon  Toy,  1809;  John  Felzer,  Rufns 
Devens,  1800;  William  Galbraith,  John  Malono,  1801 ;  8.  A.  Brew, 
Ira  Fisher,  1863;  .lohn  Curtin,  Ira  Fisher,  1804;  William  Campbell, 
J.  Eckenl,  1865;  Martin  Dolan,  John  Holter,  1800;  Frederick  Ma- 
lane,  J.  B.  Shope,  1807  ;  J.  C.  Walker,  John  Holter,  1808 ;  Jonathan 
Eckerd,  II.  P.  Jones,  ISC'J:  J.  0.  Walker,  Henry  Heaton,  1870;  J.  C. 
Walker,  Jonathan  ICckerd,  1871  ;  J.  C.  Walker,  J.  L.  Rutter,  1R72; 
•Tacob  Shope,  J^icob  Yarnall,  1871 ;  J.  C.  Walker,  John  Curtin,  1873 ; 
John  Resides,  John  Fetzer,  1875;  Benjamin  Snyder,  George  Emen- 
lieiser,  1877;  William  Marks,  II.  L.  Barnhart,  1870;  J.  S.  Rownell, 
Robert  Jacobs,  1878  ;  J.  C.  Walker,  J.  L.  Neff,  1879  j  J.  L.  Neff,  George 
Noll,  1880;  J.  M.  Lucas,  Enekiel  Confer,  1881. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 

JOHN   M.   McCOy,    M.D. 

Dr.  McCoy  was  born  in  what  is  now  the  town  ot 
Belleville,  on  the  4th  of  February,  1816.  His  parents 
died  when  he  was  quite  young,  and  he  came  to  his 
uncle,  .Alexander  McCoy,  who  lived  at  Potter's  Fort, 
and  made  his  home  with  him,  attending  Mr.  Breck- 
enridge's  school. 

He  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  W.  I.  AVilson,  be- 
tween whom  and  liimself  there  existed  the  most  inti- 
mate friendship.  In  1837,  Dr.  McCoy  graduated  in 
the  Medical  Department  of  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  located  first  in  the  practice  of  medicine  at 
Penn  Hall,  then  known  as  Centreville,  whence  he  re- 
moved to  Bellefonte  in  1841.  He  occupied  an  office 
upon  Allegheny  Street,  and  had  among  his  students 
Dr.  George  L.  Potter,  Dr.  J.  B.  Mitchell,  and  others, 
who  have  become  noted  practitioners. 

In  1845,  in  connection  witli  Dr.  Potter,  Dr.  Mc- 
Coy purchased  the  drug-store  of  Joseph  Harris,  and 
the  firm  of  McCoy  &  Potter  continlied  until  July  17, 
1848.  At  that  time  Dr.  McCoy  withdrew  from  active 
medical  practice,  and  entered  into  the  iron  business 
with  Gen.  James  Irvin,  Moses  Thompson,  and  James 
Harris  Linn,  under  the  firm-name  of  McCoy,  Linn  & 
Thompson.  After  the  death  of  Gen.  Irvin  and  the 
withdrawal  of  Moses  Thompson,  the  name  and  style 
of  the  firm  was  changed  to  that  of  McCoy  &  Linn. 
James  H.  Linn  died  April  6, 1876,  but  the  firm-name 
has  remained  unaltered  since. 

Dr.  ]McCoy  was  an  excellent  manager  and  first-class 
business  man,  and  to  his  tact,  good  judgment,  and 
general  information  the  success  of  McCoy  &  Linn's 
iron-works  is  to  a  great  extent  to  be  attributed.  He 
was  a  kind-hearted  employer,  and  much  esteemed  by 
the  men  in  his  service.  He  in  everyway  tried  to  add 
to  the  happiness  and  comfort  of  those  over  whom  he 


had  control.  He  kept  the  works  moving  nearly  all 
the  time,  when  financial  distress  and  want  of  orders 
induced  many  to  sliut  down,  in  order  to  give  the  em- 
ployes work,  though  at  a  pecuniary  loss  to  the  firm. 

The  medical  profession  lost  much  by  his  withdrawal 
from  practice,  as  he  was  a  cheerful  and  valuable  adviser, 
never  failing  to  proffer  his  best  advice  upon  all  occa- 
sions. As  a  physician,  he  was  e.xtreniely  pleasant  in 
the  sick-room,  always  encouraging  a  patient,  and  curing 
nearly  as  much  by  his  cheerfulness  as  by  his  medicine. 
He  stood  high  as  a  physician,  and  his  skill  and  suc- 
cess are  still  highly  spoken  of.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  for  many  years,  and  an 
amiable  gentleman,  whose  loss  was  both  a  public  and 
a  private  calamity.  He  died  at  Milesburg  Iron- 
Works,  suddenly,  of  heart  disease,  on  Sunday  morn- 
ing, Jan.  19,  1879. 


COL.  JAMES    F.  WEAVER. 

Col.  James  F.  Weaver  was  born  on  the  6th  day  of 
November,  1830,  near  Bellefonte.  He  was  a  son  of 
John  Weaver,  a  miller  by  occupation,  who,  with  his 
brother,  Daniel,  came  to  Bellefonte  and  engaged  in  that 
business,  and  built,  in  1811,  the  stone  building  at  the 
corner  of  Allegheny  and  Howard  Streets,  so  long  known 
as  the  Centre  Bank  building.  Col.  Weaver's  mother's 
name  was  Elizabeth  Poorman,  and  he  was  educated  at 
the  common  schools  and  the  Bellefonte  Academy. 

At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  was  apprenticed  to  learn 
the  art  of  printing.  He  rose  to  be  editor,  and  con- 
ducted the  Centre  Democrat  from  1852  to  1854.  He 
was  married  Dec.  23,  1851,  to  Miss  Mary  M.  Hall,  a 
daughter  of  T.  Miller  Hall,  Esq.,  of  Milesburg,  late  a 
sheriff  of  Centre  County.  In  the  spring  of  1855  he 
removed  to  Milesburg  and  opened  a  store,  which  he 
kept  until  1861. 

While  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  was  upon  us  in 
1862  he  displayed  untiring  zeal  in  recruiting  a  com- 
pany, which  became  Company  B  of  the  One  Hundred 
and  Forty-eighth  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  and  was 
commissioned  captain  of  that  company  Sept.  1, 1862. 
He  participated  in  the  battles  of  Chancellorsville, 
Bristoe  Station,  and  at  Po  River,  where  he  was 
wounded  May  9,  1864.  He  was  also  engaged  in  the 
battles  at  ^pottsylvania.  Cold  Harbor,  and  in  the 
various  actions  before  Petersburg.  For  his  conduct 
at  Ream's  Station  he  was  complimented  by  Gen. 
Miles,  commanding  the  division.  He  was  promoted 
major  March  7,  1865,  and  afterwards  had  the  succes- 
sive promotions  of  lieutenant-colonel  and  colonel. 
He  commanded  the  regiment  in  the  final  campaign, 
and  returned  with  it  to  be  mustered  out  of  service. 

Properly  appreciating  Col.  Weaver's  business  ability 
and  his  patriotic  services,  he  was  elected  by  the  people 
of  Centre  County  to  the  office  of  county  treasurer  in 
1871,  and  in  1877-78  he  represented  his  native  county 
in  the  House  of  Representatives  of  Pennsylvania. 


268 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Col.  Weaver  has  for  a  number  of  years  past  been 
engaged  in  farming,  and  has  devoted  much  time  and 
attention  to  the  education  of  the  laboring  class,  espec- 
ially the  farmer,  and  to  this  end  has  taken  an  active 
part  in  tlie  organization  known  as  the  Patrons  of 
Husbandry.  Believing  that  the  future  welfare  of  the 
country  depends  largely  upon  the  intelligence  and 
virtue  of  the  people  engaged  in  agriculture,  he  has 
stood  up  boldly  in  the  defense  of  the  Patrons  of  Hus- 
bandry, and  by  his  constant  and  untiring  efforts  has 
contributed  greatly  to  the  success  of  that  order. 


CHAPTER   LXV. 


BURXSIDE    TOAVXSHIP. 


Surveys  and  Land  Suits.— The  wild  and  moun- 
tainous character  of  land  in  Burnside  township  was 
a  bar  to  early  settlers,  and  we  find  no  trouble  in  title 
occurs  there  arising  from  old  settlers'  surveys.  The 
northwestern  portion  was  taken  up  under  warrants  of 
July  31,  1792,  in  the  names  of  Walter  Stuart  (situ- 
ated on  the  south  side  of  the  West  J5ranch,  opposite 
a  deer  lick),  William  Stuart,  Jr.,'  "opposite  the 
mouth  of  Little  Moshannon"  fas  the  creek  coming 
into  the  river  from  the  northward  at  Karthaus  was 
then  called),  Deborah  Stuart,  by  Aaron  Levy  (see 
Snow  Shoe  township  for  notice  by  Mr.  Gilliland). 
Directly  east  of  these  Stuart  warrants  were  laid  the 
Boudinot  surveys, .so  called,  having  been  devised  by 
Mr.  Boudinot  to  the  city  of  Philadelphia  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  poor,  and  which  by  reason  of  much  liti- 
gation has  proved  an  exceedingly  costly  bequest. 
These  warrants  are  dated  Aug.  6,  1794. 

An  engraving  of  these  surveys,  reaching  down  and 
including  the  old  Snow  Shoe  surveys,  will  accompany 
the  history  of  Burnside  township,  and  no  further 
description  is  requisite  other  th^n  some  testimony  in 
regard  to  location,  which  is  taken  from  the  evidence 
given  by  the  late  Joseph  F.  Quay  in  a  suit  of  Gratz 
vs.  Beates,  etc.,  tried  in  November,  1S62,  before 
Judge  Mercur.  ♦  This  ejectment  was  instituted  for 
the  recovery  of  four  hundred  and  thirty-three  acres 
and  one  hundred  and  fifty-three  perches  of  land,  sur- 
veyed by  Joseph  J.  Wallace,  deputy  surveyor,  on  the 
12th  day  of  November,  1792,  in  pursuance  of  a  war- 
rant  dated  3d  July,  1792,  to  Elizabeth  Harris : 

"  Joseph  F.  Quay.— I  am  a  surveyor,  iiiid  liavo  been  between  thirty 
and  forty  yeiiis.  In  October,  ]8;i9,  Jacob  Gnitz  came  to  my  house,  and 
wanted  nio  to  go  with  him  to  Snow  Slioe  to  execute  an  order  of  resurvey 
which  he  liad  with  liini.  Hesliowcdme  tliat  I  was  deputized,  upon  the 
back,  to  execute  tlie  order  of  resurvey.  We  went  togetlier  to  John 
Bowes.  He  lived  on  the  Samuel  Harris,  Sr.  Mr.  Gratz  exhibited  his 
maps  there.  He  had  a  large  collection  of  connected  drafts  from  the 
land-ofBce,  some  thiity  orforty.    Henioro  particularly  wanted  the  Har- 

'  The  natnes  of  the  warrantees,  Stuarts,  are  Philadelphia  names,  and 
not  to  ho  conf(uindeU  with  Dr.  M.  Stewart,  etc.,  present  residents  of 
Burn&ide  township. 


ris  tracts  resurveyed  thereon.  I  had  no  knowledge,  then,  of  these  Har- 
ris surveys,  but  some  years  before  that  I  surveyed  the  Robert  Stuart, 
William  Stunrt,  and  I  think  John  Nicholson,  in  1833.  I  saw  on  the 
draft  of  Gratz  two  chestnut-trees,  marked  pretty  close  together.  It 
struck  me  they  must  be  the  chestnut  corners  to  which  the  Kobert  Stu- 
art was  attached.  Gratz  and  old  Blr.  Bowes,  myself  and  two  chain-car- 
riers went  to  the  living  chestnut  corner,  and  up  the  hill  to  the  dead 
chestnut  stump.  When  I  saw  it  in  1833  the  marks  were  visible  upon 
it,  but  in  1839  it  was  nearly  burnt  away;  but  the  pointers  I  put  there 
were  visible.  We  then  went  out  to  the  southeast  corner  of  the  Eobert 
Stuart,  and  began  to  chain  ;  went  S.  1°  west,  and  by  the  chaining,  at  44, 
we  found  a  large  pine  corner.  We  then  prepared  to  run  east  between 
Bejijamin  Harris  and  Samuel  Harris,  south  88  niin.  east.  Before  we 
left  this  corner  old  Mr.  Gratz  took  iin  old  survey  out  of  his  pocket.  I 
suppose  it  was  the  original  survey  made  of  the  Harris  tract.  'Now,' 
says  he, '  if  this  is  the  true  division  line  of  the  survey  between  Benjamin 
and  Samuel  Harris,  at  about  GO  perches  you  will  find  n  white-oak  coiner 
marked  on  the  line.'  AVe  ran  on  about  64  perches — we  found  the  old 
white-oak.  It  had  marks  upon  it  for  a  corner,  but  no  lines  running 
from  it,  Gratz  said,  when  we  found  it,  he  was  satisfied  that  it  must  be 
the  true  division  line  between  the  two  tracts.  At  23'2  rods  we  crossed 
the  turnpike,  at  29G  a  wliite-pine  corner,  old  marks  all  along  this  line, 
and  welt  timbered.  Then  we  ran  along  a  division  line  of  Benjamin 
Harris,  William  McPherson,  and  Francis  Johnson,  south  2  deg.  west,  on 
an  old  line, — at  98  crossed  the  turnpike,  at  IGO  old  pointei-s,  the  remains 
of  a  yellow-pine  corner  could  just  be  seen,  at  248  corner  gone.  T  made 
pointers.  I  continued  along  the  division  line  of  John  and  William 
Harris,  south  2  sec.  west, — at  2;i8  perches,  old  pine  pointers.  Did  not 
block.  They  bore  evidence  of  original  marks  and  the  resurvey.  On  the 
first  line,  south  88  deg.  east,  I  blocked  pointers  and  found  them  to  cor- 
respond with  the  original  survey,  forty-seven  years  at  that  time.  AVest 
248, 1  found  no  corner;  thence  north  98  deg.  west,  I  made  a  new  line  ; 
north  29G,  I  intersected  the  north  and  south  line,  and  marked  a  stone 
for  a  corner  that  was  aliont  60  peiches  north  of  the  Big  Moshannon 
Creek.  In  1833  I  had  run  that  line  which  I  intersected  on  Francis 
Gurney  tract.  Next  day  we  began  at  the  old  pointers  south  of  the  turn- 
pike, on  a  line  of  the  Benjamin  Harris  tract  and  a  corner  of  tlie  William 
Harris  and  Francis  Johnson ;  thence  along  the  division  line  of  Harris  & 
Johnson,  soulh  89  deg.  east, — at  44  perches  crossed  tlio  turnpike,  at  228 
perches  found  an  old  birch  corner  on  the  east  hank  of  a  small  run,  that 
birch  corner  laid  down  on  the  official  draft.  I  blocked  a  hemUick  pointer 
that  counted  forty-seven  years;  it  was  Uie  right  age.  Tlien  south  till 
we  ran  out  the  whole  di.stanee  of  the  Harris  claim;  south  1  deg.  west, 
along  the  mountain-side  of  the  William  Harris.  At  lOG  perches  I  crossed 
the  turnpike  at  about  ninety  rods  from  Fie's  house  on  the  Hughes  tr.ict. 
At  320  I  made  a  corner;  this  was  a  new  line  between  William  Harris 
and  Hewes;  thence  by  Henry  Harris  and  Henry  Wheeler.  At  30  per- 
ches crossed  a  run  flowing  to  the  rigtit.  At  180  I  crossed  another  flow- 
ing to  the  right.  At  3:JG  perches  we  intersected  an  old  east  and  west 
line  running  between  Henry  Harris  and  tlie  Wheeler  surveys  ;  made  a 
stone  corner;  thence  west  along  between  Henry  Harris  and  Samuel  and 
Joseph  Ti>nipkins,— at  IGJ-i  perches  an  old  white-oak  corner.  At  32  I 
crossed  a  small  run  flowing  to  the  left;  at  14G  a  larger  run  ;  this  line 
well  marked,  original  marks.  I  then  began  at  the  most  southern  of 
these  chestnut  corners,  in  order  to  run  out  the  Samuel  Harris,  Jr.,  tract, 
a  corner  of  the  two  Samuel  Harris  tracts;  thence  by  the  division  be- 
tween Samuel  Ilairis,  Jr.,  and  Walter  and  Henry  Stuart,  north  1  deg. 
east.  At  20  perches  I  found  a  chestnut  corner  of  the  Kobert  Stuart, 
and  a  lino  running  west;  at  44  1  crossed  the  turnpike;  at  250  old 
maple  corner.  Jacob  Gratz  was  along  with  me  in  running  this  lino. 
Did  not  block  it.  I  know  it  was  the  corner.  We  ran  east  from  it  16 
perches;  we  blocked  a  wliite-o:ik  which  counted  forty-seven  years.  At 
274  we  crossed  a  large  run  flowing  north,— Seven  Mile  Run.  That  is  the 
most  northern  boundary  of  Samuel  Harris,  Jr.,  and  John  Barry.  At 
300  perches  found  no  corner.  I  then  went  directly  up  to  tlie  pine  cor- 
ner (which  would  be  within  two  tracts  of  where  I  had  started),  the  niost 
eastern  corner  of  Samuel  Harris,  Sr.,  and  Benjamin  Harris;  tlience 
north  1  deg.  east,  along  the  Samuel  Harris,  Sr.,  by  the  old  line.  At  250 
I  found  no  corner,  but  blazed  hemlock,  burnt  woods,  and  very  stony. 
Continued  on  north  1  deg.  east,  by  Samuel  Harris,  Jr. ;  at  12  perches 
crossed  a  ran  flowing  to  the  left,  west;  at  110  I  crossed  the  same  run 
flowing  to  the  riglit;at  126  crossed  it  running  to  the  left;  at  154  crossed 
it  aifnin  flowing  to  the  right ;  at  208  crossed  it  fl.iwing  to  the  left ;  at  240 
crossed  it  flowing  to  the  right ;  nt  240  crossed  it  flowing  to  the  left ;  at 
254  quite  a  large  run  came  into  it  from  the  east ;  at  280  perches  inter- 
secled  the  east  and  west  line,  about  six  feet  from  where  I  had  set  a  po^t 
in,  in  the  morning,  running  from  a  maple.    This  included  the  outer 


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Enqi'ii  I  (•//   I'.rfu-es.-ili)  tor  tld.s  Hig'Jc 


BURNSIDE   TOWNSHIP. 


2C,9 


linos  ofSuniiiel  Harris,  Jr.  Two  or  three  pins  lost  on  tills  line.  I  tliink 
we  continued  on  to  survey.  I  tlien  went  to  tlie  old  chestnnt  stnmp 
iigain,  nnd  then  by  the  division  of  Snniuel  Harris,  Jr.,  and  Suniuel 
Harris,  Sr,,Eoutli  SO  dog.  eiist;  nt  28U  crossed  a  nin  flowhig  to  tlie 
north  ;  at  2t*G  iiitorsectcd  our  north  and  south  11  no  ;  nitide  n  stone  corner; 
tlien  went  hack  to  tlie  old  chestnut  stump  again,  the  west  corner  of 
the  two  Saninol  Harris's,  suutli  1  dog.  west,  between  Elizabetli  and 
Samnol  Harris,  Sr.;  nt  'M\  into  a  lanrel  swamp;  at  '146,  a  white  oak 
corner,  laying  down.  (1  had  fonnd  tluit  corner  laying  down  in  18M) 
At  28U,  the  (lid  while-pine  corner  of  Benjamin  Harris  and  SanincI 
Harris,  Sr.  Then  went  back  to  the  living  corner  of  Robert  Stuart 
nnd  lilizahoth  Harris.  Botli  call  for  the  same  corner.  Tlien  went  be- 
tween Walter  Stuart  nnd  Elizabeth  Hjirris.  They  call  for  tlio  same 
chestnnt.  West  I  deg.  north,  at  155  crossed  a  small  run,  flowing  to  llio 
right,  north ;  at  321),  found  nothing;  at  320,  found  a  stone  heap,  by  a 
wbite-o.ak  pointer, — marks  all  the  way,  but  not  original ;  tlience  south 
1  deg.  west,  to  the  old  line  of  Uobort  Stuart;  it  was  correct.  At  230, 
I  hunted  for  a  maple  corner  to  suit  the  Elizabeth  Harris  tract.  I  fonnd 
no  evidence  of  it.  I  found  suflicient  upon  the  gi-uunil  to  locate  all  the 
Harris  surveys  without  a  doubt.  Mr.  Gratz  was  satisfied  with  the  loca- 
tion! made  of  (hem.  I  have  no  doubt  of  this  being  tlie  correct  location 
of  the  Elizabeth  Harris.  Those  two  chestnuts  upon  the  ground  and  the 
two  Sumuel  Han-is  tracts  put  it  beyond  a  question.  Gratz  sold  Samuel 
Harris,  Sr.,  to  Jolin  Bowes,  when  I  was  on  tlie  grotind,  iiy  my  location. 
Mr.  Gratz  was  experienced  in  the  location  of  surveys:  had  had  gi-eat 
experience.  I  went  back  the  next  year,  in  September,  and  Mr.  Gratz 
was  there,  and  I  stayed  till  I  flLushed  all  the  resuiveys  for  him;  run 
forty  tracts.  I  located  all  the  others  so  as  to  connect  with  Elizabeth 
Harris,  the  two  Samuels,  and  Benjamin  and  John  Harris.  The  resurvey 
I  made  corresponils  with  the  official  draft,  '.vhicli  he  gave  me  to  run  out 
the  survey  with,  connected  23d  April,  1853.  It  is  a  correct  representa- 
tion, as  I  found  it  marked  upon  the  ground." 

The  following,  taken  from  Judge  Elwell's  charge 
to  the  jury,  April  2-3,  1877,  in  the  case  of  the  City  of 
Philadelphia  vs.  Smith,  Rhodes  &  Smith,  explains 
the  nature  of  tJieir  conflicting  titles,  and  gives  the 
judge's  idea  of  the  proper  location,  and  will  be  easily 
understood  by  reference  to  the  map; 

"  This  is  an  action  of  ejectment  brought  by  the  City  of  Philadel|diia 
against  the  defendants  to  recover',  a-i  described  in  the  summons,  four 
burrdred  and  tbirty-fonr  acres  of  land,  which  wei-o  oiiginatly  graitted 
by  the  Commonwealth  to  Wa-hinglon  Hall  by  wairaut  dated  in  17'J4, 
and  surveyed  in  17115.  Tlie  nioile  of  granting  lands  by  the  Common- 
wealth was  by  warrant  directed  to  the  survey or-goneral  to  make  a  survey 
of  the  quantity  of  land  tliereiu  ileseribed,  and  retnin  the  same  to  the 
Land  Office.  This  was  done  in  tins  cise.  Tlie  survey  was  made  in  pur- 
suance of  the  Hall  warrant,  and  returned  into  the  Land  Office;  subse- 
quently a  patent  was  granted  therefor,  and  the  title  became  vested  in 
the  patentee.  On  the  part  of  the  defendants  it  is  alleged  that  they 
have  sliown  a  belter  riglit  than  the  title  deduced  from  the  Washington 
Hall  survey.  Tliey  have  shown  that  application  was  made  for  forty- 
nine  ti-acts  of  land,  and  that  survey  was  made,  ituroug  others,  on  war- 
i-ants  issued  in  pui'suanee  of  that  application  to  William  Bell,  and  upon 
another  warrant  of  the  same  butch  issued  to  Matthew  Irwin,  and  tliat 
the  surveys  made  in  pursuance  of  these  warrants  wei-e  returned  into 
the  Land  Office  on  the  7th  of  Apiil,  17Ut,  before  the  Washington  Hall 
warrant  was  taken  out,  and  that  the  title  of  the  Bell  and  Irwin  war- 
rants and  surveys,  by  the  patent  from  tlie  Coninionwealth  and  by  sundry 
conveyances,  has  become  vested  in  the  derendaiits;  so  that  llierc  is  here 
gard  to  tlio  matter  of  title  of  tlie  parties  l-i  spectively 
ed  by  them.  I  mean  tlie  paper  title.  The  questiou  of 
material  question  in  the  case. 

B  the  bati  h  of  warrants,  properly  called  a  block,  bud  for 

nt  Walter  Stuart,  lying  upon  and  adjoining  tlie  liver, 

manner  as  to  fix  its  location  beyond  a  question;  and  so 

cts  wliicli  adjoin  it  can  bo  at  the  present  day  located  hy 


no  question  in 
to  the  land  cl.i 
location  is  the 

"In  thiseaiii 
leading  wa 
and  in  such. a  m 
several  of  the  tn 
it,  and  by  marks  upon  the  ground. 

'•The  Waller  Stuart,  Adam  Stuart  being  located  conclusively  as  they 
purport  to  be,  the  next  step  to  be  taken  is  to  ascertain  where  the  block 
or  warrants  of  the  31st  of  July  was  located.  Upon  that  snl.ject  there  is 
a  difference  of  opinion  among  the  surveyors.  As  I  understand  tlio  case, 
there  is  a  difference  between  the  calls  of  tlio  William  Bell  and  tlie  Mat- 
thew Irwiu  and  other  portions  of  the  body.  There  is  a  dfference  be- 
tween that  and  that  whicli  lies  on  the  eastern  Jmrt  o(  the  lo.ly;  and 


there  are  two  theories  set  up  here,— tliat  of  the  plnintilTs  is,  that  tlid 
William  Bell  and  lines  of  Matthew  Irwin  are  located  at  the  southeast 
corner  of  the  Paul  O.ix  warrant,  and  that  tlie  lines  are  extended  east- 
ward from  that,  which  would  be  along  the  north  line  of  tlie  Irwin  to 
Pottits,  and  McCienahan  would  be  along  upon  the  sontli  line  of  these, 
us  claimed  by  tlie  defendants;  and  that  that  line  thus  extended  from 
the  southeast  corner  of  the  Paul  C.x  was  the  north  lioe  of  the  body  of 
the  3Ist  of  July  survey,  and  of  this  part  of  it.  That  is  the  theory  of  the 
plaintiff.  Tliat  of  the  defendants  is,  that  the  tracts  upon  the  eastern 
part  of  the  body  show  that  the  surveyor  located  tlie  soutli  line  upon  the 
3d  of  July  warrants,  bounding  all  of  them  on  the  sontli  and  extending 
north  three  miles,  the  length  of  three  tracts  ;  on  the  east  by  the  3d  of 
July  warrants,  and  that  by  extending  the  line  up  fioiii  the  3d  of  July 
warrants  the  distance  of  three  tracts,  as  called  f.o-  and  returned  by  the 
surveyor  into  the  Land  Office,  that  it  brings  the  north  line  of  tliat  batch 
up  as  high  north  as  the  noitli  line  of  the  Irwin  tiiut,  us  claimed  by  de- 
fendants, and  that  if  it  brings  it  up  as  high  north  as  the  north  line  of 
the  Irwin,  then  the  Bell  tract  which  calls  for  Irwin  on  the  west  is 
brought  up  along  with  it,  and  there  is  no  room  for  tlie  Wa>liiiigton  Hall 
warrants.  Prior  to  the  location  of  the  3d  of  July  warrants,  tliere  had 
been  located  just  south  of  them  several  tracts  called  the  '  Snow  Slioo 
Camp'  surveys,  and  these  snrveysof  the  3d  of  July,  anioilg  other  things, 
were  bounded  upon  those  old  snrveysof  1774.  Ilezekiah  Hibburd  is 
bounded  upon  these  old  warrants,  one  of  six  or  seven,  and  there  are 
marks  Ibnnd  over  one  hundred  ye.ars  old  at  the  time  the  surveyoi-s  were 
on,  going  to  show  that  these  lines  were  there  upon  the  ground.  Tlioie 
is  no  question  about  the  shape  and  location  of  these  tracts.  Tlie  3d  of 
July  wannuls  were  located  upon  that  from  the  sontli;  then  from  the 
two  sugars  north  there  is  a  line,  an  old  line,  with  marks  for  corners  at 
tlie  distance  called  f.>r  in  the  surveys,  and  extending  the  distance  of 
about  five  miles.  I  think  the  last  mark  that  was  found  upon  it  was  a 
little  short  of  five  miles  from  the  biiso  line.  Two  miles  north  of  the 
base  line  there  is  an  old  line  extending  across  more  tlian  five  of  the 
tracts  of  the  3d  of  July.  East  of  the  3d  of  July  survey,  peiliiips  three 
tracts,  Chapman,  Wheeler,  and  Whitaker,  also  claim  that  there  is  the 
line  marks  upon  the  ground;  then  north  of  that  line  two  otiier  war- 
rants, Samuel  Forrest  and  James  Forrest,  carrying  tlie  3d  of  July  survey 
almost  the  length  of  five  miles,  all  of  the  length  of  tlie  five  uiiles  ex- 
cept the  wiilth  of  tlie  Neshitt  survey,  or  about  five  miles. 

"Now,  the  survey  of  July,  1792,  calls  not  only  for  the  north  line  of 
these  four  or  five  warrants— more  than  that,  Whitaker,  and  Betz,  and 
Joseph  Forrest,  George  Forrest,  Wheeler,  and  two  Harrises  call  for  the 
north  line  of  those  and  south  to  Andrew  Bayard ;  Bell,  McCienahan,  and 
Ann  McCienahan  call  for  the  old  survey.  Tlie  oMer  surveys  of  the  3d 
of  July,  as  I  liave  said  before,  almost  the  entire  length  on  the  east,  and 
above  this  line  that  is  in  dispute  as  to  whether  it  is  the  north  or  south 
line  of  the  McCienahan,  Irwin,  and  otlier  tracts.  As  yon  will  see  by 
reference  to  the  map,  it  carries  tlio  Forrest  tliat  is  above  that  more  than 
a  third  of  this  distance  up  tlie  north  line;  and  tlie  Ann  McCienahan  calls 
not  only  on  the  west  for  the  line  running  north,  where  some  oi  the  wil- 
iiessi's  testify  there  is  a  sti-eam  crosses  several  limes,  extending  north  of 
tliese  disputed  lines  and  up  to  where  the  defendants  claim  the  noi-thein 
boundary  is.  So  that  the  calls  on  the  south  and  on  the  east  aiv  largely 
for  the  survey  of  the  3d  of  July.  Now,  the  sni  vejor  has  returned  that 
he  laid  three  tracts  in  length  iioitli  of  where  these  3d  of  July  warniiils 
ale  located.  He  returned  eighty-five  ycara  ago  into  th"  Land  Office  that 
he  had  laid  thr-e  warrants  north  of  that  line,  and  tliat  has  remained 
unquestioned  to  this  day,  except  as  junior  warrants  were  taken  out  in 
1795  and  laid  upon  it,  as  is  claimed  hy  the  defendants.  He  returned  that 
he  had  surveyed,  as  shown  by  these  drafts,  tire  McCienahan  and  Mattliew 
Irwin  and  William  Bell  wai rants. 

"  We  have  no  right,  where  there  is  any  liispnte.  to  say  Unit  the  location 
is  in  any  parlicnlar  place.  It  is  the  provinceof  the  court  to  instruct  as  to 
what  coiislitntes  a  survey  and  what  is  evidence  of  a  survey.  Without 
inlendiug  to  trench  upon  your  province  to  find  the  fact  as  you  think  it  is 
under  the  evidence,  in  my  judgment  the  location  fixed  liy  the  sontli  well 
established  and  well  marked  line  of  the  survey  of  July  3, 1702,  and  by  the 
lilies  andfoniers  on  the  east«'rn  part  of  the  survey,  is  the  true  location. 
This  location  would  place  the  Bell  survey  as  far  north  as  the  Irwin  ti-.icl, 
and  the  Irwin  as  far  iiorl  li  as  the  McCienahan,  and  both  far  enough  up  to 
occupy  the  space  claimed  for  the  Wasliinglon  Hall  tract." 

Settlers  and  Residents,— The  oldest  farm  in 
Burnside  is  probably  the  one  now  owned  and  occu- 
pied by  J.  H.  Beates.  It  is  known  as  the  old  Bowes 
place,  and  was  cleared  by  John  Bowes,  who  kept  a 


270 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


tavern  there,  much  to  the  satisfaction  and  entertain- 
ment of  all  who  passed  that  way  as  travelers  over 
the  Karthaus  road.  Mr.  Bowes  displayed  much  en- 
ergy and  industry  in  clearing  his  land,  and  had  the 
satisfaction  in  the  end  of  knowing  that  he  owned  a 
well-improved  farm.  Several  of  his  sons  won  an 
honorable  record  in  the  civil  war  of  1861-65.  Mr. 
Bowes  died  on  his  ftvrm  in  18.59.  One  of  his  daugh- 
ters married  J.  H.  Beates,  who  now  owns, the  Bowes 
homestead.  Rev.  William  Beates,  of  Lancaster 
County  (father  of  J.  H.  Beates),  made  purchase  about 
1840  of  something  like  three  thousand  acres  of  the 
Gratz  land  tracts,  lying  mainly  at  the  junction  of  the 
Moshannon  Creek  and  West  Branch  of  the  Susque- 
hanna. He  did  not  locate  upon  the  land  himself, 
but  deputized  an  agent  to  engage  in  lumbering  there. 
In  1852  liis  son,  J.  H.  Beates,  came  on  to  take  charge 
of  the  landed  interests,  and  prosecuted  with  consid- 
erable vigor  the  business  of  lumbering  and  farming. 
He  married  John  Bowes'  daughter  in  1853.  Rev.  Mr. 
Beates  had  eleven  children,  of  whom  only  J.  H.  Beates 
came  to  Burnside  township  to  reside.  In  1849,  William 
Stewart  came  to  Burnside  and  built  what  is  said  to 
have  been  the  first  steam  saw-mill  in  Centre  County. 
William  Stewart  owned  in  conjunction  with  Robert 
Dorsey  a  large  tract  of  timbered  land,  and  carried  on 
an  extensive  business  in  the  sawing  of  lumber  and  in 
the  .shipment  of  square  timber.  Until  the  completion 
of  the  Bellefoute  and  Snow  Shoe  Railroad  they  rafted 
their  logs  and  sawed  lumber  to  market  via  the  Mo- 
shannon and  Susquehanna.  In  January,  1854,  Dr. 
M.  Stewart  bought  the  interest  of  Mr.  Dorsey,  and 
until  1864  the  Stewart  brothers  conducted  the  lum- 
bering business  in  partnership.  They  usually  rafted 
from  one  million  to  one  million  and  a  half  of  lumber 
annually.  In  1864,  William  Stewart  retired  from  the 
business,  and  since  then  has  resided  at  Snow  Shoe. 

In  1850,  James  K.  Boak,  of  Cumberland  County, 
came  to  Burnside  to  reside.  He  had  bought  thirteen 
hundred  acres  of  land  of  John  Bowes,  and  engaged 
at  once  in  lumbering.  He  erected  also  a  store  at 
Pine  Glen,  and  until  his  death  in  1874  continued  to 
be  actively  engaged  in  farming,  lumbering,  and  mer- 
chandising at  Pine  Glen.  In  1870  the  store  business 
passed  to  his  son,  George  R.,  who  has  carried  it  on 
since  then,  and  in  connection  therewith  is  largely 
concerned  in  lumbering  and  farming,  the  land  tract 
purchased  by  his  father  in  1850  being  now  George  R. 
Boak's  property.  Since  1870  Mr.  Boak  has  repre- 
sented the  Snow  Shoe  Land  and  Improvement  Com- 
pany in  all  matters  jjcrtaining  to  the  sale  of  timber 
and  lauds.  He  occupies  an  attractive  home  in  the 
midst  of  a  nice  bit  of  improved  country,  and  exer- 
cises much  energy  in  the  development  of  the  country 
as  a  farming  region.  He  has  satisfied  himself  that 
witli  the  expenditure  of  similar  care,  and  attention 
the  mountain  farms  m.ay  be  made  equally  as  pro- 
ductive as  those  of  the  valley.  The  country  is  well 
adapted   to    grazing,   and   in    pursuance   of   a   long 


thought  of  plan  Mr.  Boak  has  established  a  stock- 
farm,  touching  which  his  expectations  are  high.  Mr. 
Boak  is  interested  likewise  to  a  great  extent  in  lum- 
bering operations  in  Snow  Shoe  townsliip  as  the 
senior  member  of  the  firm  of  George  R.  Boak  &  Co. 
(consisting  of  George  R.  Boak,  Cameron  Boak,  and 
Theodore  Boak). 

Pine  Glen  post-office  was  established  in^l854,  after 
the  discontinuance  of  Pine  Swamp  post-office,  lo- 
cated in  the  Stewart  settlement  and  in  charge  of 
James  Irvin.  James  K.  Boak  was  the  first  postmas- 
ter at  Pine  Glen.  His  son,  George  R.,  succeeded  him, 
and  is  still  the  incumbent.  Reuben  Mulholland, 
living  at  Pine  Glen  now  in  his  eighty-first  year, 
hauled  goods  for  Peter  Karthaus  in  1816  from  Lewis- 
town  to  Karthaus  village  over  the  old  Karthaus 
road.  He  followed  that  business  four  or  five  years, 
and  after  a  nomadic  existence  in  various  parts  of  the 
county  settled  in  1845  upon  the  land  he  now  occu- 
pies. He  purchased  six  hundred  acres  at  first,  and 
to  that  tract  has  since  added  four  hundred  acres. 
Lumbering  has  been  his  principal  business  since 
1845. 

Passing  mention  m.ay  be  made  of  Joseph  Keeler, 
Nicholas  Fye,  Jacob  Kunes,  and  Thomas  Lucas  as 
among  the  early  comers  to  Burnside,  but,  save  Fye, 
none  of  them  became  permanent  settlers.  A  small 
German  colony  came  from  Cumberland  County  in 
1847,  and  purchasing  a  few  liundrcd  acres  of  land  in 
the  Gratz  tract,  lying  along  the  southern  line  of  Burn- 
side township,  began  at  once  to  clear  the  tract,  put  up 
improvements,  and  till  the  soil.  There  were  about 
six  families,  all  told,  of  whom  the  prominent  were 
those  of  Barnabas  Viehdorfer  and  Boston  Fisher. 
Their  tract  was  laid  out  into  lots  of  fifty  acres  each, 
and  to  each  family  one  lot  was  apportioned.  The 
locality  has  been  known  as  "  Germania"  since  1847, 
and  remains  to  this  day  the  exclusive  abode  as  it  was 
originally  of  Germans.  They  are  industrious  and 
thrifty,  content  to  live  by  themselves,  "the  world 
forgetting,  by  the  world  forgot,"  and  although  not 
the  most  spirited  or  enterprising  people  in  the  world 
are  most  excellent  citizens. 

The  first  men  to  rait  square  timber  from  Burnside 
are  said  to  have  been  Jacob  Kunes  and  John  Mulhol- 
land. The  first  to  float  saw-logs  into  booms  on  the 
Susquehanna  were  Burton  and  Burrows,  who,  in  the 
spring  of  1850,  cut  the  timber  from  land  on  Beightol's 
Run  owned  by  E.  C.  Burton.  In  1850,  John  Smith, 
a  Jerseyman,  bought  twenty-four  tracts  (or  about  ten 
thousand  acres)  of  the  Levy  lands,  and  on  Miles  Run, 
about  three  miles  south  of  the  river,  built  a  large  saw- 
mill (of  a  capacity  of  six  million  yearly),  equipped 
with  two  circular  saws.  Daniel  Rhoads  purchased  an 
interest  in  the  business  in  1853,  and  managed  it,  the 
firm-name  being  Smith,  Rhoads  &  Smith.  This  was 
an  enterprise  ofsome  considerable  scope,  and  employed 
many  men  in  the  business  of  cutting  timber  and  saw- 
ing and  shipping  lumber.     From  1853  to  1858,  when 


COLLEGE  TOWNSHIP. 


271 


tlieir  mill  was  destroyed  by  fire,  Smith,  Rhoads  & 
Smith  cut  and  shipped  about  three  million  feet  of 
lumber  annually.  A  new  mill  was  built,  but  Mr. 
Rhoads,  who  had  until  that  time  been  giving  his  at- 
tention to  the  management  of  the  business,  went  to 
Philadelphia  to  take  charge  of  the  Market  Street  Rail- 
road. The  tirm  continued  to  operate  in  Burnside, 
however,  and  until  1876  manufactured  considerable 
square  timber  and  sawed  lumber.  After  1S76  they 
got  out  nothing  but  square  timber.  In  1869  the  firm 
sold  to  George  Trullinger  &  Co.,  of  Harrisburg,  the 
eastern  half  of  their  ten-thousand-acre  tract  for  one 
hundred  thousand  dollar*.  In  1881,  Trullinger  &  Co. 
— having  meanwhile  taken  off  much  square  timber 
and  many  logs — sold  the  five  thousand  acres  to  the 
Midland  Coal  Company  for  two  liundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars.  Smith,  Rhoads  &  Smith  still  own 
the  remaining  five  thousand  acres.  Daniel  Rhoads, 
of  the  firm,  was  chosen  superintendent  and  treasurer 
of  the  BcUefonte  and  Snow  Shoe  Railroad  Company 
in  November,  1860,  and  occupied  the  place  until  the 
transfer  to  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  in 
March,  1881. 

In  1852,  Dr.  JamesIrvin,ofMilesburg,and  Augustus 
Hylman,  of  Bellefonte,  engaged  largely  in  lumber- 
ing. They  rafted  a  good  deal  of  square  timber,  and 
carried  on  also  a  store  near  Stewart's  Mills.  Subse- 
quently they  put  up  a  steam  saw-mill  in  Pine  Swamp. 
From  this  mill  they  transported  the  sawed  lumber  to 
the  river  through  a  flume.  The  method  was  a  novel 
one,  but  is  said  to  have  given  much  satisfaction.  Du- 
ring Irvin  and  Hylemau's  time,  Shuck  &  Co.,  of  Lan- 
caster County,  operated  on  the  Big  Moshannon,  where 
they  had  a  steam  saw-mill.  The  lumber  operators  of 
prominence  in  Burnside  at  the  present  are  J.  H.  and 
W.  Holt,  Reuben  Mulholland,  Dr.  M.  Stewart,  and 
George  R.  Boak. 

Messiah's  Church. — The  only  church  building  in 
Burnside  was  erected  at  Pine  Glen,  by  the  Messiah's 
congregation,  in  1874.  The  church  \vas.organized  in 
1873.  There  were  twenty-four  constituent  members. 
The  names  of  the  male  members  were  Jacob  Walker, 
Elias  Eters,  William  Eters,  Jefferson  Forse,  David 
Mulliolland,  William  Mulholland,  John  Mulholland, 
John  Bowes,  and  William  Zimmerman.  The  present 
membership  is  eleven.  The  deacons  are  Jacob  Walker 
and  William  Zimmerman.  The  pastors  liave  been 
Revs.  J.  A.  Ehlred,  M.  L.  Jackson,  George  R.  Reny. 

Township  Organization. — At  the  April  sessions  in 
1856,  ceitain  citizens  of  Snow  Shoe  living  in  the 
northern  half  petitioned  for  a  division  of  the  town- 
ship. The  commissioners  who  were  appointed  re- 
ported at  the  August  sessions  the  same  year  marking 
the  line  of  division  at  a  point  just  west  of  the  resi- 
dence of  J.  H.  Holt.  There  the  township  line  crosses 
the  Karthaus  road,  and  passes  in  a  straight  line  nearly 
southwest  and  northeast.  The  report  was  confirmed 
at  the  November  sessions  in  1856,  and  the  place  of 
election  fixed  at  the  Pine  Glen  school-house. 


TAX-PAYEKS  OF  BUBNSIDE  IN  1857. 


Wniwm  A»koy 100 

.1.  M.  Aski-v 129 

Williiiiii  lii-iclitol 109 

J,  K.  Hunk,  stciim  saw-mill..      3^^ 

.lohn  Buwcs 320 

Thumas  Bonca ]uo 

.lackauu  Uowcs 100 

Hiniin  Beates 160 

WiMiam  Beates , 400 

.1.  Bernioy  &  Bio S80 

Sirah  Uixoii 200 

Peter  Etiets 150 

Geuige  Fje 125 

Sel.a-itian  Kisher 25 

J.  K.  Hall 60 

E.  C.  HimieB 100 

Christopher  Hople 25 

.Tamos  Ii'wiii,  house  and  lota. 
Irvin    &    Hyteman,     steam 


Acres. 

William  Loy etZ 

.lames  Millhollalid 100 

John  MiUer 25 

Joseph  Miller 60 

.Tohii  Mulholland 600 

R.  C.  Mulholland 100 

Daniel  Mulholland 100 

J.  G.  Marshall 350 

David  08W.ilt 100 

A.  W.  Page luO 

Peter  Smith 50 


Kv 


iSle 


400 


lill.. 


275 


Geort;e  Rosa 

{Smith,  Rhoads  &  Smith,  steam 
saw-mill 400 

A.  H.  &  1.  Shock,  steam  saw- 
mill      800 

W.  &  M.  Stewart,  steam  suw- 
mill 113:i 

E.  VedelTer 50 

John  VedelTer 25 

J.B.Walls 100 


Matthias  Kuth 50 

M.  Lour,  Jr 148 

M.  Long,  Sr l-.;5 

TENANTS. 

James  B.  Askey,  Thomas  Barret,  D.  Bermoy,  George  Bucher,  G.  I.  Claf- 
lin,  Jacob  Craft,  Augustus  Craver,  Roland  Bowes,  John  Bowes,  John 
Bower,  George  Bower,  John  Cancomen, Sebastian  Eispnliower,John 
Eisenhower,  John  Eckley,  Henry  Dyke,  Silas  Dixon,  Joseph  Bowes, 
John  Flecker,  Joseph  Foster,  David  Fye,  Alexander  Ge>sey,  R.  S. 
Green,  GrifTy  Griffith,  Snmuel  Gault,  Michael  Garber,  A.  J.  Herehey, 
George  Hiuton.  Charles  Hauk,  Charles  Jacobs,  Michael  Lebkicher, 
Johu  Murphy,  Martin  Murphy,  George  Michaels,  Johu  Miller,  John 
Myers,  Jared  Nichols,  Reuben  Oswalt,  Francis  Olslier,  Patiick 
O'Langhlin,  Levi  Quirk,  Lewis  Seifert,  Barnabas  Slioop,  John  Sar- 
vey,  Sr.,  Seneca  Smith,  William  Tate,  John  Tliomas,  Levi  Ticknor, 
John  Ubengor,  James  Walker,  Jacob  Walker,  Joseph  Wick,  George 
Zimmerman. 

CIVIL  LIST. 

Jiislices  of  the  Pence.— James  G.  Maj-shiill,  George  Michael,  aiarcli  17, 
1S57;  Jaui.s  R.  Boak,  March  16,  ISoli ;  Joseph  Clark,  March  15, 
IMO;  George  Michael,  May  10,  ISOO;  James  G.  Marshall,  March 
26,1664;  George  Micl.aels,  March  22,  1860;  J.  B.  Nswcomor,  Dec. 
29,  1870. 


CHAPTER    LXVI. 
COLLEGE   TOWNSHIP.' 

The  oldest  surveys  are  upon  application  of  Benja- 
min Bayless  and  Samuel  Bayless,  Sr.,  and  Samuel 
Bayless,  Jr.,  dated  Aug.  24, 1766,  and  surveyed  June 
4,  1767,  about  fifty  rods  west  of  Oak  Hall  Foundry, 
which  is  located  on  the  Robert  Roberts  application, 
Dec.  23,  1766,  surveyed  June  2,  1767,  north  of  the 
Benjamin  Bayless,  Sr.,  the  creek  running  northerly 
about  midway  through  it ;  north  of  the  Samuel  Bay- 
less, Sr.,  the  Samuel  Bayless,  Jr.,  and  northwestward 
of  the  latter  the  Joseph  Hopkins,  in  which  Slab 
Cabin  unites  with  Spring  Creek. 

These  last  four  tracts  were  taken  up  by  Reuben 
Haines,  and  to  them  reference  is  made  by  calls  in  the 
applications  of  1769  for  the  Haines  land.  David 
Whitehill,  Esq.,  bought  them  and  settled  on  the 
Samuel  Bayless,  Jr.,  on  which  Lemont  stands. 
North  of  Joseph  Hopkins  is  the  Caleb  Jones  war- 
rantee warrant,  Dec.  5,  1774,  jjurchased  by  Jacob 
Houser  of  Josiah  Matlack,  and  northeast  (and  ad- 
joining) Joseph  Hopkins  is  the  John  Robinson  ap- 


272 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


plication  of  April  3,  1769,  surveyed  June  4,  1774,  on 
which  Robert  Moore  lived,  and  where  William 
Thompson,  Esq.,  now  resides.  Houserville  was  on 
the  Isaac  Catherell  survey,  Dec.  5,  1774,  which  Jacob 
Houser  bought  of  Matlack  in  1787. 

West  of  Joseph  Hopkins  is  the  Dennis  McGlatton 
warrant,  Dec.  5,  1774,  surveyed  in  October,  1775,  and 
south  of  McGlatton  the  Cornelius  Connelly,  surveyed 
at  the  same  time.  These  two  latter  tracts  are  the 
original  "  Centre  Furnace"  tracts,  bought  by  Col. 
John  Potter,  Sept.  29,  1790,  of  Matlack,  with  the 
Joseph  Barr,  which  lies  west  of  them,  now  owned  by 
Moses  Thompson,  Esq.  West  of  these,  and  running 
on  into  Ferguson  township,  are  warrants  of  1792, 
surveyed  in  1793,  taken  up  by  Cols.  Miles  and 
Fatten. 

The  Henry  Berkey,  on  which  are  now  the  farms 
of  Messrs,  Baker,  Markle,  Shuey,  etc.,  corners  at 
what  was  a  pine  of  Samuel  Bayless,  Sr.,  on  north 
line  of  Benjamin  Bayless,  on  the  public  road;  thence 
running  nortli  6°  west  152  perches  to  a  black-oak, 
and  north  80^  east  343  perches  to  the  Benjamin  Cath- 
erell. Both  the  latter  warrants  are  dated  Dec.  5, 
1774,  and  were  surveyed  in  October,  1775. 

College  township  was  formed  in  the  year  1875,  from 
parts  of  Harris  and  Benner.  The  early  settlement, 
however,  dates  back  to  1786,  and  perhaps  farther,  as 
an  attempt  at  settlement  had  been  made  prior  to  that 
time,  but  the  attempf  did  little  more  than  give  name 
to  one  branch  of  Spring  Creek,  viz.,  "Slab  Cabin," 
so  called  from  a  slab  or  log  cabin  having  been  found 
en  the  bank  of  the  stream.  College  lies  partly  in 
Penn's  and  partly  in  Nittany  valleys.  There  is  no- 
thing in  the  character  of  the  land  to  distinguish  it 
from  the  adjoining  townships.  Spring  Creek  and  its 
branches  waters  a  large  portion  of  the  township. 
College  contains  some  of  the  finest  farms  in  the 
county. 

Robert  Moore  was  the  earliest  settler  in  the  terri- 
tory of  College;  he  lived  on  the  John  Robinson  war- 
rantee, now  William  Thompson's  farm,  adjoining 
Houser's  land  on  the  southeast.  He  died  in  May, 
1831,  and  was  buried  on  his  place.  When  Jacob 
Houser  first  moved  up  to  his  land  there  were  two 
squatters  upon  it,  David  Lewis  and  a  man  named 
Connelly. 

In  early  life  Robert  Moore  was  distinguished  for 
active  and  energetic  services  rendered  in  defense  of 
the  scattered  inhabitants  of  this  section  of  the  State. 
Gifted  with  a  constitution  of  muscular  power  of  body 
rarely  found  in  man,  he  was  capable  of  sustaining  the 
hardships  incident  to  the  settlement  of  a  new  country. 
With  a  mind  uncultivated,  yet  uncommonly  bold  and 
vigorous,  and  a  memory  tenacious  of  every  impres- 
sion, he  seemed  formed  by  nature  for  one  of  those 
men  who  make  the  first  settlement  in  the  wilds  of  our 
country.  He  lived  to  see  improvements  in  the  coun- 
try such  as  few  have  ever  witnessed.  The  beach  of 
the  Juniata  River  presented  the  only  pathway  in  as- 


cending the  Long  Narrows  when  he  first  removed  to 
Kishacoquillas  valley,  where  now  is  found  a  canal, 
the  great  thoroughfare  for  the  commerce  of  the  valley 
of  the  Mississippi  to  the  Atlantic;  from  a  wilderness, 
containing  the  log  hut  of  the  Indian  trader  and 
hunter,  a  populous  and  higlily-cultivated  country  has 
sprung  up. 

As  a  packer,  in  the  employment  of  the  late  Judge 
Brown,  he  acquired  a  perfect  knowledge  of  the  man- 
ners and  customs  of  the  natives,  and  as  an  adopted 
son  of  an  Indian  warrior  had  considerable  influence 
in  the  tribe. 

Jacob  Houser,  who,  as  the  inscription  on  his  tomb- 
stone says,  "came  to  Spring  Creek  in  1788."  He  set- 
tled on  the  site  of  the  present  hamlet  of  Houserville, 
which  bears  his  name. 

Jacob  Houser  was  of  German  descent  and  came 
from  Dauphin  County.  His  fiither  came  to  America 
as  a  redemptioncr,  being  compelled  to  work  a  year 
for  one  of  his  more  fortunate  countrymen  to  pay  his 
passage.  He  w.is  a  thrifty,  frugal,  hard-working 
German,  and  the  results  of  these  good  qualities  soon 
began  to  show  themselves.  Fields  were  cleared,  cat- 
tle and  stock  increased,  and  Jacob  became  a  prosper- 
ous and  wealthy  farmer. 

He  erected  a  fulling-mill,  or  woolen-factory,  on  the 
site  of  the  present  factory.  In  that  early  day  dis- 
putes about  land  were  of  frequent  occurrence.  Jacob 
Houser  was  not  exempt  from  these  disputes,  and  as 
his  land  joined  that  of  Gen.  Pliilip  Benner,  he  and 
the  general  were  constantly  in  the  courts.  Many 
funny,  anecdotes  are  related  of  old  Jacob  and  his 
wealthy  neighbor.  At  one  time  a  dispute  arose  con- 
cerning some  land,  and  Mr.  Houser  determined  to 
take  possession.  Benner  warned  him  not  to  do  so, 
and  told  him  that  if  he  did  the  crows  would  bother 
him  so  that  he  could  not  work.  Houser  took  posses- 
sion next  day,  and  sure  enougli  the  crows  came,  and 
kept  up  such  a  constant  cawing  that  Houser  became 
frightened  artd  left.  The  old  general  had  hauled  a 
dead  horse  to  the  disputed  land,  and  that  had  at- 
tracted the  crows.  The  descendants  of  Mr.  Houser 
still  live  in  College  and  Benner  townships.  Jacob 
Houser  had  three  sons  and  five  daughters.  The  sons 
were  Daniel,  Martin,  and  Jacob.  Their  descendants 
still  live  in  the  vicinity  of  Houserville  and  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  county.  One  daughter  married  a 
Haldeman,  another  Cronemiller,  a  third  married  a 
Wertz,  a  fourth  (Barbara)  married  a  Braught ;  Eliza- 
beth married  Jacob  Leathers. 

The  Braughts  moved  to  Dauphin  County,  and  their 
descendants  are  still  there. 

David  Whitehill,  Esq.,  settled  where  tlie  town  of 
Lemont  now  stands,  on  the  Samuel  Bayless  warrantee, 
in  1789,  and  cleared  up  a  large  farm.  He  was  a  very 
prominent,  active  man.  He  died  in  1809,  leaving  a 
widow  Rachel.  His  daughter  Sarah  married  Jeremiah 
Rankin.  His  son  James,  who  made  the  first  double- 
bitted  axes  in  the  valley,  moved  to  Armstrong  County. 


collegp:  township. 


273 


His  other  children  were  David,  Joseph,  Benjamin, 
who  married  Elizabeth  Hastings,  daugliter  of  Tiiomas 
Hastings,  Sr.,  tlieir  son  Joiin  lives  at  Milesburg; 
Clempson ;  John;  George,  who  married  a  Shirlc; 
Chriswell,  who  married  Sarah  Hastings  and  moved 
to  Clarion  County;  Robert  Whitehill,  and  George 
A.  Whitehill,  Esq.  David  Whitehill  was  a  Quaker, 
as  was  also  Thomas  Hastings,  Sr. 

Christian  Dale  was  one  of  the  earliest  permanent 
settlers  in  what  is  now  College.  He  came  about  the 
year  1790,  and  began  a  clearing  on  the  land  owned 
now  by  his  grandson.  Christian,  near  Oak  Hall. 
Christian  Dale  was  a  German,  and  came  up  from 
Buffalo  valley.  He  was  one  of  those  sterling  old 
Germans  to  whom  Pennsylvania  owes  so  much,  and 
whose  walk  in  life  was  measured  by  the  rule,  "Be 
just  and  fear  not."  Christian  Dale  had  seven  chil- 
dren, viz.:  Henry,  Christian,  Philip,  Felix,  Frederick, 
Cornelius,  and  Rachel.  Christian  and  Frederick 
moved  to  Ohio.  The  descendants  of  the  others  are 
still  living  in  College,  Benner,  and  Harris  townships. 
Henry  Dale,  the  oldest  child,  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Revolution,  and  was  a  member  of  Capt.  Forster's 
company,  of  Buffalo  valley,  which  was 'sent  up  to 
Potter's  Fort  to  protect  the  settlers  from  the  ravages 
of  the  Indians.  The  rifle,  powder-horn,  and  fork  used 
by  Henry  Dale  in  his  campaigns  are  still  in  possession 
of  his  descendants.  The  descendants  of  old  Christian 
Dale  are  numerous,  and  have  always  been  exemplary 
citizens.  Two  of  tlie  great-grand.sons  of  Christian 
Dale,  Clement  and  Alfred  Dale,  E-sqs.,  practice  law 
in  Bellefonte. 

Between  1800  and  1820  came  the  Cobles,  Halde- 
mans,  Shueys,  Etters,  Cronemillers,  and  others.  Gen. 
James  Irvin  built  the  brick  mill  at  Oak  Hall  about 
1822,  and  the  Oak  Hall  mansion-house  in  1825.  The 
Thompsons,  a  very  wealthy  family,  who  own  the  Cen- 
tre Furnace  lands,  the  Glenns,  Fosters,  and  others 
came  into  the  township  much  later.  The  Houtzers, 
Groves,  Mitchells,  Wassons,  Gilli lands  are  families 
of  prominence  in  the  township,  Hon.  Samuel  Gilli- 
land  having  represented  his  count)'  in  the  Legislature 
with  great  credit.  He  came  from  Potter  township, 
where  the  family  settled  at  an  early  day. 

The  first  road  in  the  township  was  surveyed  and 
laid  out  on  the  petition  of  Gen.  Philip  Benner  that  a 
road  be  made  from  his  slitting-mill  to  Centre  Fur- 
nace. Jacob  Houser,  John  Roll,  James  Whitehill, 
Robert  Moore,  Christian  Dale,  and  Michael  Jack 
were  appointed  viewers.  This  was  at  the  January 
sessions,  1801.  In  the  names  of  these  viewers  we 
have  the  original  settlers  of  College,  Harris,  and  Ben- 
ner townships.  This  road  has  been  changed  consid- 
erable in  eighty  years,  but  in  many  places  it  occupies 
the  position  of  the  first  view.  This  is  the  first  road 
in  the  township  that  there  is  any  record  of,  though 
there  were  nujnbers  of  trails  or  bridle-paths.  Even 
as  late  as  1821  roads  were  little  more  than  bridle- 
paths, and  unsafe  to  travel  without  being  armed. 
18 


Patrick  Cambridge  was  fond  of  a  drink,  and  all 
hours,  both  large  and  small,  were  alike  to  honest 
Patrick.  Once  when  riding  home  from  the  end  of  the 
mountain,  full  of  spirits,  liquid  and  otherwise,  no 
"auld  haunted  kirk  between  him  and  his  hame,"  hut 
one  of  nature's  primeval  forests,  dark  and  lonely. 
We  can  easily  imagine  that  with  the  inner  man  well 
warmed  with  a  beverage  that  puts  to  shame  the  best 
liquors  of  our  day,  Patrick  was  happy  and  tuneful. 
Suddenly,  in  the  midst  of  one  of  his  wildest  snatches 
of  song,  he  is  startled  by  an  unearthly  scream,  and 
before  he  can  collect  his  scattered  senses  he  imagines 
the  hand  of  death  is  upon  him.  Another  scream,  and 
"Richard  is  himself  again,"  a  heavy  weight  drops  on 
the  horse,  one  plunge  of  the  gallant  beast,  and  she  is 
free.  The  panther  is  unhorsed,  but  Patrick  is  minus 
part  of-his  coat  and  pants,  and  the  mare  of  some  of 
Jier  flesh.  This  circumstance,  a.s  related,  occurred 
sixty  years  ago.  Patrick  lived  long  to  tell  to  an  ad- 
miring crowd  of  children  the  tale  of  his  wonderful 
escape.  It  takes  a  long  stretch  of  the  imagination  of 
a  person  traveling  through  the  beautiful  College 
township  of  to-day,  with  its  rich  farms  and  its  elegant 
homes,  and  its  evidences  of  wealth. and  prosperity,  to 
go  back  to  the  log  cabins  and  little  "clearings"  of 
Christian  Dale,  Jacob  Houser,  Esquire  Whitehill, 
and  Robert  Moore  of  ninety-one  and  ninetv-three 
]  years  ago.  The  pioneer  settlers  of  College  have  left 
J  the  stamp  of  their  character  on  their  descendants  that 
years  will  not  efface. 

The  same  dogged  perseverance,  thrift,  and  frugality, 
and  we  might  add  stubbornness,  that  characterized 
the  original  settler  lingers  still  in  his  family  unto  the 
third  and  fourth  generations.  Among  the  families 
who  came  to  the  township  at  an  early  day  were  the 
Williamses,  who  settled  at  the  end  of  the  mountain. 
The  Shrecks,  Lytles,  and  Mitchells  have  lived  there 
for  many  years. 

The  wills  of  Christian  Dale,  Jacob  Houser,  and 
Robert  Moore  are  on  record.  The  real  estate  of  Jacob 
Houser  amounted  to  seventeen  thousand  four  hun- 
dred and  seventy-nine  dollars,  and  was  divided  among 
eight  children.  To  Martin  Honker  and  his  heirs  he 
bequeathed  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  land, 
valued  at  three  thousand  five  hundred  and  thirty- 
seven  dollars,  "subject  to  the  necessary  repairs,  costs, 
and  charges  of  keeping  in  repair  the  present  mill-race 
so  far  as  it  passes  through  his  land."  To  Jacob 
Houser  he  gave  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  hind, 
including  the  fulling-mill  and  carding-machines, 
valued  at  two  thousand  seven  hundred  dollars.  To 
Daniel  Houser  he  gave  one  hundred  and  ninety-five 
acres,  valued  at  one  thousand  nine  hundred  and  eighty 
dollars,  also  four  acres  of  land,  including  a  saw-mill 
and  the  old  fulling-mill.  To  each  of  his  daughters 
he  gave  land  or  money.  Christian  Dale's  will  be- 
queathed to  Henry  Dale,  his  son,  one  hundred  and 
fifty  acres,  valued  at  four  pounds  per  acre.  To  Philip 
Dale  he  gave  four  hundred  pounds.     To  Felix  Dale 


274 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


lie  gave  fifty  acres,  including  a  grist-  and  saw-mill; 
to  Fred.  Dale  four  hundred  pounds,  and  to  Chris- 
tian Dale  four  hundred  pounds,  and  to  the  others  in 
proportion.  The  value'of  the  real  estate  of  these  two 
old  gentlemen  is  the  best  evidence  of  their  industry 
and  frugality  wc  can  have,  as  both  came  to  a  vast 
wilderness  poor  men,  and  died  at  a  ripe  old  age  com- 
paratively wealthy,  leaving  to  their  children  fine 
tarms  and  the  inheritance  of  names  made  noble  by  a 
long  life  of  toil  and  hardships.  Robert  Moore  and 
James  Whitehill  both  left  valuable  estates,  though 
most  of  it  has  passed  out  of  the  hands  of  the  families. 
Of  the  sons  of  Jacob  Houser  none  are  now  living. 
Jacob  Houser,  Jr.,  died  in  1867,  Martin  having  died 
ten  years  before.  Martin  Houser  was  a  local  preacher 
for 'the  United  Brethren  denomination,  and  was  a 
very  worthy  man.  Jacob  was  a  "  factoryman,"  farmer, 
and  surveyor,  and  was  one  of  the  best-read,  self-made, 
men  of  the  county,  fond  of  a  joke,  and  a  great  lover 
of  the  violin,  on  which  instrument  he  was  an  excel- 
lent performer.  He  died  in  Bellefontc,  at  the  age  of 
seventy  one. 

Christian  Dale,  son  of  Henry  Dale,  and  grandson 
of  the  old  Christian,  is  still  living  in  College  town- 
ship, a  tall,  portly,  gray-haired  old  gentleman,  and  as 
fine  a  type  of  manhood  as  one  can  well  imagine.  He 
is  in  good  health,  and  bids  fair  to  live  a  long  time. 
He  is  a  retired  farmer,  and  can  spend  the  balance  of 
his  days  in  ease  and  comfort,  surrounded  by  a  large 
family  of  children,  who  are  certainly  a  credit  to  so 
worthy  a  sire.  George  Coble,  the  first  of  the  name  in 
the  county,  has  been  dead  for  some  years.  He  was  a 
great  hunter  and  fisherman,  and  possessed  the  happy 
faculty  of  telling  amusing  stories. 

William  Thompson,  a  brother  of  Moses,  is  a  justice 
of  the  peace,  active  in  township  affairs,  and  alive  to 
its  interests.  He  lives  near  where  Robert  Moore,  the 
"  ex  press- rider"  of  early  days,  began  his  little  "clear- 
ing." John  I.  Thompson,  son  of  Moses,  and  who 
gave  the  name  to  "  Lemont,"  resides  in  the  little 
village  he  named.  Besides  his  business  interests  he 
has  taken  a  great  interest  in  the  mineral  wealth  of 
the  county,  and  is  a  practical  chemist.  He  has  a 
fine  chemical  laboratory  in  the  stone  bank  building, 
where  he  analyzes  ores,  etc.,  for  parties  who  desire  it. 
Dr.  J.  Y.  Dale,  of  Lemont,  is  a  graduate  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania,  of  the  "class  of  '67,"  and 
has  been  secretary  of  the  "Medical  Society  of  Centre 
County."  The  doctor  has  a  beautiful  residence  in 
Lemont  and  a  large  practice.  D.  F.  Taylor  keeps 
the  only  drug-store  in  the  town.  He  is  married  to  a 
descendant  of  David  Whitehill,  the  original  settler 
of  the  place.  Lemont  was  the  home  of  "  old  Dr. 
Berry,"  one  of  the  most  widely-known  physicians  in 
the  county,  a  genial  old  gentleman,  who  gave  less 
medicine  and  more  common  sense  to  his  patients 
than  some  of  his  contemporaries.  Dr.  Benjamin 
Jones  Berry  was  a  graduate  of  the  University  of  New 
York.     He  practiced  thirty-four  years  at  Lemont, 


and  died  in  1864.  The  Berry  mansion  is  still  stand- 
ing. Like  "Gil  Bias'"  system  of  medicine,  blood- 
letting was  necessary,  sick  or  well,  and  the  writer  has 
a  vivid  recollection  of  the  doctor's  power  as  a  "blood- 
letter,"  and  "  a  successful  operation"  it  was.  Dr. 
Berry  was  one  of  the  vice-presidents  of  the  first 
County  Medical  Society,  which  was  organized  in  1847. 
J.  Green  Irvin  is  a  prominent  man  in  the  town- 
ship, and  is  a  relative  of  Gen.  Irvin,  who  built  the 
mill  and  stone  mansion  at  Oak  Hall.  He  has  a  very 
handsome  residence  a  short  distance  from  Dr.  Hamil's, 
between  Boalsburg  and  Oak  Hall.  James  Glenn,  a 
sterling  old  Presbyterian,  and  father  of  Dr.  J.  P. 
Glenn,  of  Snow  Shoe,  is  another  of  the  prominent 
citizens  of  the  township.  Hon.  Samuel  Gilliland, 
before  mentioned  as  having  been  once  a  representa- 
tive in  the  Pennsylvania  Legislature,  lives  beyond 
Oak  Hall  a  short  distance.  He  is  the  owner  of  an 
elegant  farm,  which  from  its  high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion shows  that  theory  united  with  practical  farming 
will  produce  great  results. 

Daniel  O'Brien's  log  school-house,  with  its  slab 
benches  and  big  open  fireplace,  has  given  place  to 
the  elegant  little  school-house  at  Lemont  (which 
stands  less  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  where  stood 
its  unpretentious  predecessor),  and  to  the  magnificent 
pile  of  buildings  known  as  the  "Pennsylvania  State 
College."  "The  End  of  the  Mountain"  has  given 
place  to  the  shorter  but  more  euphonious  name  of 
"Le  Mont." 

It  is  traditionary  that  the  Widows  Lewis  and  Con- 
nell}',  mothers  of  the  two  famous  Centre  County  high- 
waymen, were  squatters  upon  Houser's  land,  and  that 
they  held  so  tenaciously  to  what  they  claimed  as  their 
improvement  rights  that  formal  ejectments  were  called 
into  service.  Indeed,  the  Widow  Connelly  would  not 
go  even  then  until  removed  bodily  by  force.  She  was, 
therefore,  bitter  in  her  denunciations  against  Houser, 
and  swore  to  put  upon  his  land  a  weed  that  would  not 
easily  be  got  rid  of.  By  a  strange  coincidence  a  weed 
did  afterwards  appear  upon  Houser's  farm  and  throve 
to  an  amazing  degree.  It  was  variously  known  as 
"  Houser's  flax,"  "  Devil's  flax,"  and  "  Mary  Con- 
nelly's flax."  It  was  not  a  serious  intrusion,  but  an 
annoyance  nevertheless.  The  stalk  grows  to  the  height 
of  about  two  feet,  bears  a  yellow  flower,  and  is  occa- 
sionally to  be  encountered  in  the  vicinity. 

One  of  the  millstones  that  Jacob  Houser  cut  from 
the  sandstone  on  the  south  side  of  Nittany,  at  a  place 
called  Raised  Gap,  broke  in  the  making,  and  there  the 
pieces  are  said  to  be  lying  at  this  day.  The  mill  was 
burned  in  1802.  On  the  site  of  the  old  mill  Daniel 
Houser  built  a  mill  in  1836. 

John  W.agner,  of  Northumberland  County,  came  to 
Centre  in  1812  in  company  with  his  father,  John,  Sr. 
They  settled  in  Gregg  township.  .  John  Wagner  died 
in  College  in  1850.  Of  his  children  three  are  living, 
to  wit:  John,  living  in  Bellefonte;  Jacob,  in  Potter 
township;  and  Elizabeth  Crumrine. 


COLLEGE  TOWNSHIP. 


275 


Schools. — Tlie  first  school  of  which  anything  defi- 
nite could  be  obtained  was  taught  by  Daniel  O'Brien. 
The  school  was  held  in  a  log  school-house  which  stood 
where  Thompson  &  Co.'s  store  now  stands.  Daniel 
O'Brien  was  an  original  character,  and  many  stories 
are  told  of  his  methods  of  managing  his  wild  boys. 
Once,  when  they  had  "  barred"  him  out,  he  climbed 
to  the  roof  and  threw  brimstone  down  the  chimney. 
The  boys  had  to  surrender.  O'Brien  was  followed  by 
Daniel  Reynolds,  and  he  in  turn  by  Patrick  Hughes. 
Hughes  was  fond  of  drink,  but  reformed,  joined  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  and  became  an  honored  member 
of  the  organization.  Schools  were  established  at  an 
early  day  at  Houserville,  Centre  Furnace,  and  the 
Branch.  The  people  manifested  great  interest  in  their 
public  schools,  of  which  there  are  seven.  New  school- 
liouses  are  being  built,  and  improved  furniture  and 
apparatus  being  introduced  as  fast  as  required.  New 
methods  of  teaching  from  those  of  O'Brien  and  Reyn- 
olds are  iu  operation.  Schools  are  maintained  in 
the  summer  in  nearly  all  the  school-houses  by  private 
subscription,  and  many  who  leave  the  public  schools 
avail  themselves  of  the  facilities  offered  by  the  State 
College  to  obtain  an  education.  Quite  a  number  of 
College  township  scholars  have  attended  the  college, 
and  some  are  graduates. 

Villages.— Lemont,  a  pretty  little  village,  situated 
at  the  "  end  of  the  mountain,"  is  the  largest  town  in 
the  township.  It  is  built  on  land  owned  and  cleared 
l)y  David  Whitehill,  Esq.  After  passing  through  two 
or  three  hands  it  was  purchased  by  Moses  Thompson, 
Esq.  In  1870,  Mr.  Thompson  laid  out  the  present 
village.  Among  the  first  buildings  erected  were  the 
store  and  dwelling-house  of  J.  H.  Hahn,  now  owned 
by  Thompson  &  Co.,  tlie  elegant  residences  of  J.  J. 
Thompson  and  Dr.  J.  Y.  Dale,  the  former  built  of 
stone.  The  Presbyterian  Church,  a  building  of  the 
Gothic  style  of  architecture,  is  one  of  the  handsomest 
church  edifices  in  the  county.  The  cost,  including 
furniture,  was  about  fourteen  thousand  dollars.  Le- 
mont,  or,  as  our  liithers  called  it,  "  the  end  of  the 
mountain,"  was  an  important  point  in  the  early  days 
of  the  country,  being  on  the  trail  leading  from  the 
settlements  on  the  West  Branch  and  Bald  Eagle  to 
those  in  Penn's  valley,  and  being  at  the  junction  of 
the  two  valleys.  The  village  contains  a  church, 
school-house,  drug-store,  dry-goods  store,  tin-shop, 
blacksmith-shop,  etc.  It  is  on  the  line  of  the  Lewis- 
burg  and  Tyrone  Railroad,  and  will  be  the  terminus 
of  a  proposed  railroad  from  Bellefonte.  They  have 
recently  organized  a  brass  band,  which,  though  very 
young,  promises  to  be  one  of  the  best  in  the  county. 

A  Grand  Army  post,  designated  as  Post  No.  171,  was 
organized  at  Lemont  on  the  27th  of  November,  1880, 
by  Commander  George  F.  Harris,  of  Gregg  Post,  No. 
t)5.  The  first  officers  of  the  post  were  as  follows :  P.  C, 
Theodore  S.  Christ ;  S.  V.  C,  Andrew  L.  Whitehill ; 
J.V.  P.,  Isaac  Armstrong  ;  Officer  of  the  Day,  George 
K.  Baker  ;  Chaplain,  William  C.  Patterson  ;  Surgeon, 


Henry  A.  Sowers;  Officer  of  Guard,  George  Marts; 
Ordnance-Sergeant,  Anthony  Knopf. 

Theodore  Sterner  Christ,  Lemont,  Pa.,  was  born  in 
Lewisburg,  Union  Co.,  Pa.,  April  21,  1830.  He  re- 
ceived his  academic  education  at  Lewisburg  Acad- 
emy, and  entered  upon  a  course  of  studies  in  medi- 
cine at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  Philadelphia, 
graduating  from  that  institution  March  lo,  1860. 
His  first  place  of  settlement  was  at  Lewisburg,  Pa. 
Upon  the  first  call  of  President  Lincoln  for  volun- 
teers, April  15,  18G1,  he  assisted  in  raising  a  company. 
Three  days  afterwards  he  reported  for  duty  at  Har- 
risburg.  Pa.,  and  was  then  commissioned  assistant 
surgeon  in  the  Fourth  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Vol- 
unteers, to  which  his  company  was  attached.  He  re- 
entered tlie  service  as  assistant  surgeon  in  the  Fortj'- 
fifth  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  Oct.  12, 
1861,  was  promoted  to  surgeon  of  the  regiraenf  Aug. 
4,  1862,  and  for  over  one  year  was  brigade  surgeon. 
During  his  last  year  of  service  he  was  surgeon-in- 
chief  of  the  Second  Division,  Ninth  Army  Corps, 
and  Oct.  20, 1864,  was  again  honorably  discharged  by 
reason  of  the  expiration  of  his  term.  He  established 
himself  in  practice  in  Chester,  Delaware  Co.,  Pa.,  in 
.May,  1865,  and  there  he  continued  to  reside,  con- 
stantly occupied  in  his  professional  labors,  until  May, 
1878,  when  he  moved  to  Lemont.  Dr.  Christ  mar- 
ried, Dec.  6,  1871,  Miss  Sarah  I.,  daughter  of  Moses 
Thompson,  Esq. 

Oak  Hall,  another  little  village,  owes  its  importance 
to  the  energy  and  enterprise  of  Gen.  Irvin.  It  is  not 
a  regularly  laid  out  town,  but  contains  ten  or  twelve 
houses  scattered  about,  exclusive  of  farm-houses.  It 
contains  a  woolen-factory  and  flouring-mill.  The  old 
Oak  Hall  mansion-house,  now  the  residence  of  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Harail_,  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
at  Lemont,  is  one  of  the  finest  old  mansion-houses  iu 
the  county. 

Centre  Furnace  was  once  the  most  flourishing  place 
in  the  township.  It  contains  about  six  or  eight 
houses,  a  saw-mill,  the  ruins  of  the  first  blast  I'urnace 
erected  in  Centre  County,  also  the  residence  and 
private  grounds  of  Moses  Thomjwon,  Esq.  The 
house  has  recently  been  repaired  and  improved  by 
Mr.  Thompson.  A  beautiful  stream  of  spring-water 
runs  through  the  grounds.  Below  the  furnace  some 
distance  is  the  Centre  Furnace  Flouring-Mill,  owned 
by  Mr.  Thompson. 

Houserville  is  a  little  hamlet  on  Spring  Creek, 
about  two  miles  below  Lemont.  It  contains  about  a 
dozen  house-*,  store,  blacksmith-shop,  wagon-shop, 
flouring-mill,  and  woolen-factory,  a  school-house,  and 
two  churches.  Houserville  owes  its  name  and  origin 
to  the  industry  and  energy  of  Jacob  Houser,  the  orig- 
inal settler  of  that  part  of  the  township. 

Quite  a  little  village  has  grown  up  around  the 
college.  The  village  bears  the  name  of  the  college. 
It  contains  two  stores  and  a  hotel,  the  State  College 
Hotel,  now  kept  by  Mr.  George  Holier,  a  descendant 


276 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


of  one  of  the  oldest  of  Centre  County's  families. 
There  are  two  or  three  elegant  private  residences  in 
the  town.  All  the  villages  of  this  township  that  are 
within  three  miles  of  the  college  are  protected  from 
the  influence  of  the  sale  of  intoxicating  liquor  by  a 
law  which  prohibits  the  sale  or  manufacture  within 
three  miles  of  the  college. 

Churches.— The  oldest  church  organization  in 
College  township  is  the  Presbyterian.  Until  1870  or 
1871  this  denomination  worshiped  at  the  "  Slab  Cabin" 
or  "Branch"  Church.  When  the  town  of  Lemont 
was  laid  out,  their  church  being  small  and  out  of  re- 
pair, they  built  the  elegant  little  church  in  which  they 
aow  worship.  The  "  Slab  Cabin"  or  "  Branch"  Church 
is  still  standing,  and  is  perhaps  the  oldest  church 
building. in  the  township.  Rev.  William  Stuart  was 
the  first  pastor ;  after  Stuart  came  Eevs.  Adam  and 
David  McKinney,  then  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hamil,  present 
pastor.  Dr.  Hamil  has  been  pastor  for  many  years. 
The  church  at  Lemont  is  one  of  the  wealthiest  or- 
ganizations, so  far  as  individual  wealth  is  concerned, 
outside  of  Bellefonte. 

The  Lutheran  Church  is  the  strongest  in  numbers, 
and  in  1868  built  a  very  neat  two-story  church  on  the 
turnpike  between  Lemont  and  Bellefonte.  Until 
1868  the  Lutheran  congregation  worshiped  in  the 
public  school-house.  They  called  their  new  house 
"Shiloh  Lutheran  Church."  Since  the  year  1800 
ministers  of  the  Lutheran  Church  have  visited  Col- 
lege township,  preaching  in  private  houses  and  school- 
houses.  In  182.5  the  Lutheran  Church  was  built  at 
Boalsburg;  this  church  was  attended  by  the  Luther- 
ans of  College  (then  Harris)  township.  The  most 
celebrated  and  widely  known  of  the  Lutheran  min- 
isters of  Centre  County  was  Rev.  L.  A.  W.  Ilgen, 
from  Germany.  Mr.  Ilgen  was  pastor  of  the  congre- 
gations at  Aaronsburg,  Rebersburg,  Loop,  and  Penu's 
Creek  until  1823.  On  the  20th  of  August,  Mr.  Ilgen 
closed  his  earthly  labors.  Mr.  Ilgen  preached  a  very 
patriotic  sermon  in  the  Loop  at  the  breaking  out  of 
the  war  of  1812.  He  composed  and  recited  a  war- 
song  or  hymn  of  thirty-seven  verses.  This  hymn  was 
sung  years  after  by  the  younger  portion  of  his  con- 
gregations. Mr.  Ilgen  was  a  tall,  portly  man  of  com- 
manding appearance.  He  was  greatly  beloved  by 
his  people.  He  visited  his  little  flock  in  College 
township  very  frequently,  and  his  visits  were  anxiously 
looked  for.  Two  other  churches,  the  "Reformed" 
and  "United  Brethren  in  Christ,"  have  houses  of 
worship  in  the  township.  The  United  Brethren 
Church  is,  next  to  "Slab  Cabin,"  the  oldest  church 
building  in  the  township.  The  Nazareth  Reformed 
Church  was  built  between  1868  and  1872. 

The  oldest  burying-ground  is  the  Dale  graveyard, 
on  the  hill  back  of  Lemont,  and  above  the  stone 
house  built  by  Henry  Dale,  of  which  mention  has 
been  made.  In  this  spot  lies  Christian  Dale,  the 
oldest  settler  of  the  township.  On  the  tombstone  are 
the  following  inscriptions: 


"  Chrisliiin  Dale  died  July,  1805,  aged  72." 
"  Racliel  Dnle,  aged  7G,  died  December,  1808." 

"  In  memory  of  Feli.\  Dale.  He  was  born  the  2'>""»  of  Feb.,  176Y,  died 
the  V2"'  of  March,  1833,  aged  015  yrs.  1  mo.  4  10  days." 

Houser's  graveyard  is  the  next  oldest.  Old  Jacob 
gave  the  land  "  for  a  public  burying-ground."  The 
first  persons  buried  were  two  children.  The  graves 
marked  are  mostly  those  of  the  Houser  family,  or 
their  connections, — the  Rays,  Haldemans,  Crone- 
millers,  and  Cobles.  Among  the  graves  are  those  of 
Jacob  Houser  and  Barbara,  his  wife.  On  Jacob 
Houser's  tombstone  is  the  following  inscription  : 

"  In  memory  of  Jacob  Houser,  who  came  to  Spring  Creels  in  17S8, 
died  Fob.  14, 1832,  aged  72  years." 

The  children  of  Jacob  Houser,  who  erected  the 
tablet  to  the  memory  of  their  ancestor,  have  put  be- 
yond all  doubt  the  date  at  which  he  settled  in  the 
county. 

The  Branch  graveyard  is  the  next  oldest,  and  con- 
tains the  graves  of  many  of  the  old  settlers.  Shiloh 
graveyard  is  attached  to  the  church,  and  does  not 
date  back  farther  than  1868. 

Pennsylvania  State  College.'— The  college  build- 
ing is  built  of  limestone,  seated  on  a  piece  of  rising 
ground.  It  is  beautifully  located,  and  from  the  cu- 
pola one  of  the  grandest  landscape  scenes  is  pre- 
sented to  view  that  the  imagination  of  man  can  pic- 
ture. 

The  building  is  two  hundred  and  forty  feet  long, 
eighty  feet  broad,  and  five  stories  in  height,  exclusive 
of  the  basement.  It  contain.s  a  chapel,  library,  soci- 
ety halls,  laboratories,  cabinets,  and  armory.  The 
chapel  is  a  large  room,  capable  of  seating  four  hun- 
dred persons.  The  library  belonging  to  the  college 
contains  over  two  thousand  volumes. 

The  geological  collection  made  by  Professor  Rogers 
is  in  possession  of  the  college,  also  the  "core"  taken 
out  of  the  well,  three  or  four  hundred  feet  in  length. 
There  are  two  literary  societies  conducted  by  the  stu- 
dents, the  "  Cresson''  and  the  "  Washington."  These 
societies  have  each  commodious  halls,  library,  and 
reading-rooms  elegantly  fitted  up. 

The  military  department  of  the  college  is  an  im- 
portant feature,  and  is  thoroughly  organized,  instruc- 
tion being  given  in  the  military  tactics  adopted  by 
the  War  Department  for  the  instruction  of  the  army 
and  militia  of  the  United  States.  The  male  students 
are  organized  into  companies  officered  by  cadet.i. 
They  are  inspected,  drilled,  and  reviewed  with  the 
regularity  of  a  military  academy.  The  college  is  in 
possession  of  two  or  four  brass  field-pieces,  and  small- 
arms  enough  for  over  a  hundred  cadets. 

The  men  most  active  and  untiring  in  their  labors 
in  behalf  of  an  agricultural  school  for  the  farmers  of 
Pennsylvania  were  the  Hon.  Frederick  Watts,  of  Car- 
lisle, and  the  late  Hugh  N.  McAllister,  of  Bellefonte. 


1  For  its 
1855. 


iiul  l.istory  of  the  county  under  the  year 


Elff'hyAJin-.cchu 


A 


^TX.:^^ 


COLLEGE  TOWNSHIP. 


277 


These  gentlemen,  in  talking  over  the  wants  of  the 
farmers,  discussed  the  project  of  a  college  for  that 
class  of  our  people.  They  were  not  men  to  let  a 
noble  object  pass  away  in  the  thin  vapor  of  words. 
Action  was  one  of  the  characteristics  of  both.  They 
drew  up  a  charter  incorporating  the  "  Farmers'  High 
School"  of  Pennsylvania.  It  was  passed  by  the  Legis- 
lature, and  signed  by  the  Governor  in  April,  1854. 
Among  the  prominent  men  who  lent  valuable  aid  to 
the  project  of  Messrs.  Watts  and  McAllister  and  their 
farmer  friends  were  the  Hon.  James  T.  Hale,  Hon. 
Andrew  Gregg,  Gen.  James  Irvin,  James  Miles,  Gov- 
ernor Pollock,  Elliot  Cresson,  and  Hon.  A.  G.  Curtin. 

Dr.  Evan  Pugh  was  the  first  president  of  the  insti- 
tution. Dr.  Pugh  was  a  profound  scholar  and  a  man 
of  wonderful  intellectual  powers.  He  spent  three  or 
four  years  in  Europe  at  the  universities  of  Leipsic, 
Gottingen,  Heidelberg,  and  in  the  laboratories 
of  Lawes  and  Gilbert,  where  he  spent  several 
years.  Dr.  Pugh,  by  his  scientific  investigations 
while  in  Europe,  settled  several  important  scientific 
questions,  and  gained  for  himself  a  world-wide  repu- 
tation as  a  scholar  and  investigator.  He  returned  to 
Pennsylvania  in  1859,  after  having  spent  six  years 
abroad  and  over  ten  thousand  dollars  in  his  investi- 
gations, to  take  charge  of  the  "Farmers'  High  School." 
He  was  president  of  the  institution  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  on  the  29th  of  April,  1864. 

In  the  winter  of  1860  the  name  of  the  college  was 
changed  to  the  "Agricultural  College  of  Pennsylva- 
nia." Dr.  Pugh  was  succeeded  by  William  H.  Allen, 
LL.D.,  of  Girard  College.  President  Allen  resigned 
after  two  years'  faithful  service  to  accept  his  old  po- 
sition as  president  of  Girard  College,  where  he  died 
recently.  On  the  resignation  of  Dr.  Allen,  Gen. 
John  Frazer,  A.M.,  Professor  of  Mathematics  and 
Astronomy  and  Lecturer  on  Astronomy,  was  elected 
president.  President  Frazer  was  mainly  instrumental 
in  securing  to  the  college  part  of  the  national  land 
grant.  He  resigned  his  position  in  1868,  and  has 
since  been  president  of  the  University  of  Kansas, 
and  also  State  superintendent  of  public  instruction 
for  that  State. 

In  December  of  1868  Thomas  H.  Burrows,  LL.D., 
became  president.  Dr.  Burrows  served  as  president 
for  two  years,  or  until  his  death.  In  March,  1871, 
Dr.  Calder,  president  of  Hillsdale  College,  Mich., 
was  chosen.  During  Dr.  Calder's  administration 
ladies  were  admitted  to  the  privileges  of  the  institu- 
tion. Dr.  Calder  resigned  in  1880,  and  was  succeeded 
by  President  Shortledge,  and  the  latter  in  1882  by  Dr. 
George  W.  Atherton,  meanwhile  the  title  having 
been  changed  to  that  of  the  "  Pennsylvania  State 
College." 

Township  Organization. — An  order  of  court  under 
date  of  Nov.  22,  1875,  reads,  "  And  now  the  return 
of  the  election  held  Oct.  12,  1875,  in  pursuance  of 
the  order  of  court  made  Aug.  30, 1875,  read  and  con- 
sidered, and  it  appearing  to  the  court  that  a  majority 


of  the  votes  cast  therein  are  for  a  new  township,  the 
court  do  order  and  decree  that  a  new  township,  which 
shall  be  called  College  township,  shall  be  and  is 
hereby  erected  from  the  said  portions  of  the  said 
townships  of  Harris  and  Benner,  agreeably  to  the 
lines  marked  out  by  the  commissioners,  viz. :  Begin- 
ning at  a  hickory  stump  in  McBride's  Gap,  on  the 
line  of  Harris  and  Benner  townships;  thence  north 
40J°  west  232  rods  to  stones;  thence  south  89.]°  west 
275  rods  to  a  small  white-oak ;  thence  soutb  66'  west 
774  rods  to  a  post;  thence  north  63°  west  343J  rods 
to  a  pine;  thence  along  lines  of  Benner  aiid  Potter 
townships,  south  50°  west  750  rods  to  a  post;  thence 
south  222°  east  400  rods  to  a  post;  thence  south  .36i° 
west  110  rods  to  a  post ;  thence  south  24°  east  706} 
rods  to  a  post ;  thence  north  85°  east  283  rods  to  a 
stone;  thence  north  61.]°  east  773  rods  to  a  stone; 
thence  north  80°  east  230  rods  to  a  post;  thence  north 
5°  east  415  rods  to  a  chestnut-oak  on  top  of  Nittany 
Mountain  ;  thence  north  64°  east  24  rods  to  a  stone  ; 
thence  north  92  rods  to  a  chestnut;  thence  north  66° 
east  530  rods  to  the  place  of  beginning.''  George 
Dale  was  appointed  judge,  and  J.  Green  Irviu  and 
D.  F.  Taylor  inspectors. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH. 

MOSES   THOMPSON. 

Moses  Thompson  was  the  second  son  of  Gen.  John 
Thompson  and  Elizabeth  McFarlane  Thompson,  of 
Centre  County,  and  was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  his 
great-grandfather  Thompson  having  emigrated  from 
the  north  of  Ireland  about  the  year  1745,  and  his 
great-grandfather  on  his  mother's  side,  Matthew 
Louden,  being  one  of  the  Scotch  Covenanters  who 
were  driven  from  home  by  persecution. 

He  was  born  on  Sunday,  March  25,  1810,  upon  a 
farm  then  owned  by  his  grandfather.  At  the  time  of 
his  birth  the  farm  was  in  Ferguson  township,  after- 
wards in  Harris,  but  now  in  College. 

His  father  came  from  Mifflin  County  in  1809  and 
settled  upon  this  farm,  in  a  little  old  log  house  with 
a  log  floor,  and  it  was  here  that  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  horn.  In  the  autumn  of  1814  his  father 
completed  the  construction  of  a  substantial  stone 
residence,  about  one  hundred  yards  to  the  north  of 
his  log  house,  and  the  recollections  of  the  moving 
from  the  old  house  to  the  new  have  not  yet  faded  from 
his  memory.  He  also  remembers  distinctly  the  ex- 
citement caused  by  the  troops  p.issing  his  father's 
house  in  going  to  or  returning  from  Erie,  by  the  way 
of  Bellefonte,  during  the  war  of  1812.  His  mother, 
who  was  one  of  the  most  gentle,  loving,  Christian 
women,  broken  in  health  and  burdened  by  the  cares  of 
a  large  family,  diligently  instructed  him  in  the  faith 
of  her  forefathers  until  her  death,  which  occurred  in 
the  spring  of  1822,  when  he  was  twelve  years  old. 


278 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


His  education  was  only  such  as  a  farmer's  son  of 
that  early  clay  obtained,  and  was  very  limited  indeed, 
as  it  was  extremely  difiicult  to  secure  by  subscription 
sufficient  money  to  employ  competent  teachers,  and 
there  being  an  impression  among  the  inhabitants  of 
the  valley  that  any  old,  broken-down  man  who  could 
not  work  and  was  fit  for  nothing  else  would  do  to 
teach  school.  Owing  to  his  father's  declining  health, 
Moses  Thompson,  at  the  age  of  nineteen  or  twenty, 
took  the  entire  charge  of  the  farm.  At  this  time  it 
was  the  univer.sal  custom  to  use  liquor  upon  the  farms 
of  the  valley,  especially  in  harvest-time,  and  one  of 
his  first  acts  was  to  banish  it  from  the  place,  and, 
in  the  face  of  great  opposition  from  friends  and 
neighbors,  cut  his  harvest  without  it.  His  father's 
death,  which  took  place  in  1832,  threw  the  care  of  the 
family  upon  him,  and  this  responsibility,  while  yet  a 
youth,  so  matured  him  that  he  was  at  that  time  con- 
sidered by  his  brothers  and  associates,  and  even  by 
those  of  advanced  years,  as  "  the  old  man."  He  man- 
aged the  farm  with  economy,  energy,  and  industry 
until  he  was  married,  when  he  left  it  to  the  care  of 
his  brothers.  The  farmers  of  this  valley  in  that  early 
time  labored  under  many  serious  disadvantages,  not 
the  least  of  which  was  remoteness  from  market.  It 
was  while  Moses  Thompson  was  still  upon  his  father's 
farm,  in  the  winter  of  1836  or  1837,  that  he  made  a 
trip  to  Philadelphia  which  was  neither  remunerative 
nor  pleasant.  With  five  or  six  horses  attached  to  a 
large  blue  wagon  with  a  white  cover,  and  loaded  with 
clover-seed,  he  drove,  via  tewistown,  Harrisburg,  and 
Reading,  to  Philadelphia  without  serious  incident. 
Disposing  of  his  clover-seed,  he  loaded  his  wagon  with 
goods  for  the  store  of  James  Johnston  &  Son,  of 
Boalsburg,  and  started  upon  the  return  trip. 

After  leaving  Reading  it  began  to  snow,  and  as  the 
snow  continued  falling  all  day  he  made  very  little 
progress,  and  stopped  early  in  the  evening  at  a  way- 
side tavern.  The  storm  raged  all  night,  and  next 
morning  he  found  the  snow  drifted  six  feet  deep 
against  the  door  of  the  shed  in  which  he  had  put  his 
horses.  As  the  storm  did  not  abate,  and  as  it  was 
impossible  to  proceed  against  it,  he  remained  there 
two  or  three  days.  After  the  storm  was  over  and  the 
roads  slightly  broken  he  started,  but  was  not  able  to 
drag  his  wagon,  heavily  loaded  as  it  was,  through  the 
snow  more  than  four  or  five  miles. 

Coming  to  a  tavern  late  in  the  day  he  again  stopped, 
and  having  put  his  team  away  for  the  night  began  a 
search  for  some  one  with  horses  to  assist  him.  Mr. 
Thompson  then  made  another  start,  and  was  dragging 
along  wearily  when  he  was  overtaken  by  a  man  with 
six  horses  and  an  empty  wagon.  Procuring  two  of 
this  man's  horses,  he  had  no  trouble  reaching  the  next 
tavern  that  evening.  The  next  morning,  while  he  was 
still  in  bed  trying  to  decide  what  to  do  with  his  load, 
the  landlord  came  to  his  room  and  informed  him  that 
two  men  had  just  arrived  with  empty  wagons  on  their 
way  to  Lewistown.     To  dress  and  find  them  was  the 


work  of  very  few  moments.  They  proved  to  be  Mil- 
liken's  teams,  which  had  been  to  Philadelphia  and 
were  returning  without  loads.  They  kindly  con- 
sented to  take  a  share  of  his  goods,  after  which  he 
had  no  further  trouble. 

On  the  4th  of  January,  1838,  he  was  married  to 
Mary  Irvin,  daughter  of  John  Irvin  and  Ann  Watson 
Irvin,  of  Harris  township.  Centre  Co.,  Pa.,  and  took 
his  wife  to  his  father's  farm,  where  he  lived  one  year, 
but  on  the  1st  of  April,  1839,  moved  to  a  farm  which 
he  had  purchased  a  short  time  before,  but  which  now 
belongs  to  Dr.  E.  W.  Hale,  and  lies  near  the  Oak 
Hall  factory.  He  lived  here  three  years,  improving 
the  property  greatly,  and  succeeding  in  clearing  from 
the  farm  by  close  economy  and  persevering  industry 
more  than  five  hundred  dollars  each  year. 

On  the  1st  of  April,  1842,  he  removed  to  Centre 
Furnace,  having  sold  his  farm  and  purchased  from 
Gen.  James  Irvin,  his  brother-in-law,  a  one-sixth 
interest  in  Centre  Furnace  and  Milesburg  Iron- 
Works.  In  1848  he,  in  company  with  his  brother, 
William  Thompson,  purchased  of  William  Irvin  a 
one-sixth  interest  in  the  same  works,  but  Moses 
Thompson  bought  his  brother  William's  interest, 
thus  becoming  owner  of  one-third  of  Centre  Fur- 
nace and  Milesburg  Iron-Works.  In  August,  1864, 
he  bought  one-half  of  Gen.  Irvin's  interest,  the 
other  half  having  been  purchased  by  Dr.  J.  M.  Mc- 
Coy and  James  H.  Linn. 

One  undivided  half  of  the  two  properties  now  be- 
longed to  Moses  Thompson,  and  the  balance  to  Messrs. 
McCo)'  and  Linn. 

On  the  23d  of  September,  1865,  he  sold  his  interest 
in  Milesburg  Iron-Works  to  Messrs.  McCoy  and 
Linn,  and  bought  their  interest  in  Centre  Furnace. 
He  thus  became  the  owner  of  the  whole  of  the  Cen- 
tre Furnace  property,  which  he  still  owns. 

Being  of  a  progressive  disposition,  he  contributed 
largely  to  the  various  enterprises  of  his  time.  He  in 
company  with  his  partners.  Gen.  James  Irvin  and 
Hon.  Andrew  Gregg,  subscribed  a  large  amount  of 
the  stock  of  the  Bald  Eagle  Valley  Canal.  He  gave 
liberally  to  the  building  of  the  Bald  Eagle  Valley 
Railroad.  He  contributed  more  than  any  one  else  of 
money,  time,  and  oversight  to  the  construction  of  the 
Boalsburg  and  Bellefonte  turnpike  and  the  Agricul- 
tural College  and  Junction  turnpike. 

He  was  one  of  the  largest,  if  not  the  largest  con- 
tributor in  the  county  to  the  Lewisburg,  Centre  and 
Spruce  Creek  Railroad.  He  was  one  of  the  men  who 
assisted  largely  with  their  means  in  establishing  and 
putting  upon  a  firm  footing  the  Agricultural  College 
of  Pennsylvania,  and  he  was  for  many  years  its 
treasurer. 

He  became  a  communicating  member  of  the  Spring 
Creek  Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  he  had  been  a 
contributing  member  since  his  youth,  and  in  it  he  was 
ordained  a  ruling  elder,  which  position  he  still  occu- 
pies. 


CUllTIN   TOWNSHIP. 


270 


He  never  would  allow  his  name  to  be  used  for  any 
public  office,  but  was  throughout  his  whole  life  thor- 
ouirhly  devoted  to  his  business.  During  the  panic  of 
IS."}?  he  passed  many  an.xious  days  and  nights  when 
the  loss  of  his  whole  property  seemed  almost  inevit- 
able, but  with  resistless  energy,  in  storm  and  rain,  by 
day  and  night,  doing  the  work  of  many  men,  evincing 
shrewd  business  tact,  untiring  industry,  and  careful 
economy,  he  came  safely  through  the  year  so  fraught 
with  disaster  to  the  business  men  of  the  country. 

He  is  now,  at  the  age  of  more  than  threescore  years 
and  ten,  a  man  of  splendid  physique,  just  six  feet 
high,  straight  as  an  arrow,  and  weighing  over  two 
hundred  pounds.  He  is  one  of  Centre  County's  emi- 
nently successful  business  men.  Beginning  life  with 
only  a  one-seventh  interest  in  his  father's  farm,  he 
has  without  any  speculation,  but  simply  by  the  exer- 
cise of  rare  common  sense,  industry,  and  economy, 
coupled  with  courage  to  venture  and  patience  to  wait, 
become  the  largest  land-owner  of  Centre  County, 
owning  among  other  tracts  six  thousand  acres  of  valu- 
able farm  land  lying  in  one  body  in  the  heart  of  the 
valley. 

And  now  in  the  house  which  has  been  his  home  for 
more  than  forty  years,  with  all  his  sons  and  daughters 
settled  near  him,  delighting  in  the  companionship  of 
the  wife  of  his  youth  and  the  grandchildren  who  are 
growing  up  around  him,  he  is  enjoying  a  tranquil  old 
age,  with  the  snows  of  seventy-two  winters  resting 
lightly  upon  his  head,' but  still  active  in  the  manage- 
ment of  his  farms,  and  with  his  iuterest  in  the  public 
welfare  unabated. 

Moses  Thompson  had  eight  children,  two  of  whom 
died  in  infancy;  the  others,  all  living,  are  as  follows: 
Sarah  Irvin,  married  to  Dr.  Theodore  S.Christ;  Eliza- 
beth McFarlane,  married  to  John  Hamilton,  of  State 
College;  John  Irvin,  married  to  Elizabeth  M.  Boal ; 
William,  married  to  Anna  Elliot,  of  Lewisburg ;  and 
James  Irvin  and  Annie,  both  unmarried. 


CHAPTER    LXVII. 

CURTIN   TOWNSHIP. 

CuRTiN  Township  is  mountainous  and  thinly 
settled.  Of  late  years  its  lumber  interests  have  been 
developed,  but  its  settlements  do  not  date  back  to  any 
very  early  date.  The  earliest  surveys  in  it  are  those 
of  1794.  Its  northernmost  ones  are  the  James  Miller, 
James  Irvin,  and  Edward  Hallowell,  on  warrants  of 
the  29th  of  April,  1793,  surveyed  Aug.  20,  1794.  Its 
northeast  corner  is  on  the  Edward  Hallowell,  and  its 
northwest  corner  on  the  James  Miller.  East  it  is 
bounded  by  Clinton  County  down  to  the  Peter  De 
Haven,  a  warrant  of  the  26th  of  November,  1793; 
thence  for  a  short  distance  along  Marsh  Creek  by 
Clinton  County  on  the  north  ;  then  on  the  east  by 


Liberty  township  down  to  a  point  on  the  Sarah  Cus- 
ter warrant  of  the  IGth  of  March,  1794,  resurveyed  Nov. 
20,  1805.  On  the  south  it  is  bounded  by  Howard  town- 
ship to  a  little  west  of  the  Susanna  Rees  warrant  of 
the  25th  of  January,  1794 ;  and  on  the  west  by  Boggs, 
Snow  Shoe,  and  Burnside  up  to  the  James  Miller, 
above  mentioned.  Beech  and  Marsh  Creeks  "both 
traverse  it.  It  has  no  villages  or  post-office,  finding 
both  within  easy  reach  at  Howard  and  Eagleville. 

Organization  of  the  Township.— In  accordance 
with  petition  of  the  citizens  of  Howard  township 
for  a  division  thereof,  the  court  appointed  H.  P.  Tre- 
ziyulny,  Isaac  Buffington,  and  Charles  G.  Ryman  com- 
missioners to  view,  etc.  Nov.  25,  1857,  the  commis- 
sioners reported  a  division  of  the  township,  as  follows: 
"  Beginning  at  a  stone  heap  by  a  dead  white-oak,  on 
the  top  of  the  dividing  ridge  on  the  line  between 
Howard  and  Boggs  townships;  thence  south  8C  de- 
grees east  362  perches  to  a  stone  heap ;  thence  north 
54  degrees  east  94  perches  to  a  black-oak  ;  north  65 
degrees  east  325  perches  to  a  pine  ;  thence  north  55 
degrees  east  480  perches  to  a  chestnut-oak  ;  north  45 
degrees  east  276  perches  to  a  stone  heap  on  the  top 
of  the  dividing  ridge,  and  on  the  Howard  and  Liberty 
township  line."  The  court  accordingly  ordered  a 
new  township  to  be  erected  and  called  "Curtin." 

Early  Settlers.— The  first  settlers  (the  date  of 
whose  coming  could  be  only  approximately  fixed) 
were  John  and  Nicholas  Lucas,  two  brothers,  and 
both  young  men.  They  were  natives  of  Maryland. 
Being  both  young  and  ambitious,  and  becoming  tired 
of  the  routine  duties  of  home-life,  they  shouldered 
their  rifles,  and  accompanied  by  a  single  negro  slave 
wended  their  way  northward  through  the  wilds  of 
Pennsylvania  until  reaching  Centre  County  they 
chose  a  favorable  spot  in  its  woods  and  erected  a 
small  habitation.  The  spot  upon  which  they  located 
is  said  to  be  but  a  short  distance  south  of  the  present 
farm  of  William  H.  Lucas.  Here  they  sojourned  for 
some  years,  leading  a  hunter's  life,  and  subsisting 
upon  game.  The  date  of  their  first  arrival  within 
that  section  was  about  1800,  possibly  a  year  or  two 
later. 

After  living  together   for  a  number  of  years  the 
brothers    separated,    Nicholas    removing    to    Boggs 
township,   and    settling    near   where   Curtin's   iron- 
works are.    John  settled  upon  a  piece  of  land  located 
near  where  Fowler's  saw-mill  is,  now  called  the  Orvis 
property,  which  he  cleared  and  engaged  in  agricul- 
tural duties.     During  his  lifetime  be  was  known  as 
j  "  Mountain  John,"  a  name  given  him  probably  either 
;  for  his  renown  as  a  hunter,  or  to  distinguish  him  from 
I  others  of  the  same  family  name  as  his.     He  died  in 
1862,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-one.     He  had 
j  nine  children.     Those  living  are  John  T.,  William 

H.,  James,  Betsey,  and  Ellen. 
I      The  time  intervening  between  the  Lucas'  coming 
j  and  the  advent  of  other  settlers  w.as  considerable. 
1  Wild   beasts   roamed   rampant   through  the  forests. 


230 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Farming  was  attended  with  no  little  danger,  as 
wolves  and  panthers  prowled  fearlessly  within  sight 
of  the  settler's  cabin.  John  T.  Lucas  informed  the 
writer  that  he  remembered,  while  a  boy,  of  going  to 
the  door  and  meeting  with  them  almost  upon  the 
very  threshold,  attracted  probably  by  the  smell  of 
fresh  meat. 

One  of  the  oldest  living  of  the  early  settlers  is 
Jacob  Mann,  now  in  his  seventy-eighth  year,  who 
came  from  Beech  Creek  nearly  fifty  years  ago,  and 
settled  upon  the  place  where  his  nephew  Nicholas 
lives.  Mr.  Mann  was  accompanied  by  his  wife.  His 
family  were  ten  in  number.  Those  living  are  Sarah, 
married  to  Henry  Thiel ;  Mary,  married  to  Chris. 
Heverly;  Eliza,  married  to  John  McCloskey;  Wil- 
liam, married  to  Magdalena  Lush.  The  foregoing  are 
at  present  writing  residents  of  the  township. 

Probably  the  first  man  to  engage  in  industrial  pur- 
suits in  Cartin  township  was  Jehu  Packer,  who  had 
been  a  resident  of  Howard  township.  He  settled 
upon  the  land  now  occupied  by  his  son  Job.  In 
1840  he  built  the  saw-mill  (the  first  in  the  township) 
which  lately  by  purchase  came  into  the  possession  of 
John  McCloskey.  In  1850  he  built  the  grist-mill 
located  immediately  adjacent  to  the  saw-mill.  For 
many  years  he  plied  his  vocation  as  miller.  In  the 
month  of  November,  1842,  he  raised  the  first  frame 
barn  in  the  township.  His  descendants  are  ten  in 
number,  and  all  living.  They  are  Job,  John,  James, 
Sarah  (now  Mrs.  Brickley),  Maria  (Glossner).  The 
foregoing  are  at  present  living  in  the  township. 
The  others  are  William  (in  Ohio),  Nelson  (in  Clear- 
field County),  and  Isaac  and  Cornelius  (in  Clinton 
County). 

Jacob  Brickley,  now  nearly  eighty  years  of  age, 
dates  his  entry  into  the  township  back  fifty  years.  He 
is  a  son  of  Michael  Brickley  (long  since  deceased), 
who  built  the  first  dwelling  upon  the  site  now  occu- 
pied by  Eagleville,  Liberty  township.  There  Jacob 
spent  the  major  portion  of  his  youthful  days,  and 
learned  the  trade  of  blacksmithing,  which  occupation 
he  pursued  until  1831,  when  he  removed  to  Curtin,  to 
the  place  which  he  at  present  occupies. 

About  1828,  Jonathan  Delong,  who  had  years  before 
settled  upon  the  Bald  Eagle,  at  the  mouth  of  Marsh 
Creek,  and  who  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  that  region, 
removed  to  what  is  now  Curtin  township,  and  located 
just  within  its  present  boundaries.  The  eastern  side 
of  the  farm,  at  present  occupied  by  his  son  David, 
formed  a  part  of  the  township  line,  Jonathan  had 
five  children,  as  follows :  Campbell,  died  at  the  age  of 
seventy-three;  .lonathan,  deceased,  aged  fifty;  Peggy 
(deceased),  forme'rly  wife  of  Jacob  Brickley;  Sarah, 
married  to  John  Beachdel.  David,  still  living,  aged 
seventy-five,  married  to  Elizabeth  Beachdel,  had  sev- 
eral children,  namely,  Elizabeth,  Eliza,  Susan,  David 
B.,  Hugh  S.,  James  C,  William  A.,  Thomas  E. 

John  Robb,  a  native  of  Germany,  first  located  at 
Hublersburg,   afterwards    at   Beech   Creek,   Clinton 


Co.,  and  about  1839  came  to  what  is  now  Curtin 
township.  He  purchased  land,  at  present  owned  by 
his  son  William,  of  an  old  surveyor  named  Joseph  F. 
Quay,  who  at  that  time  was  acting  as  agent  for  Hon. 
Richard  Peters,  of  Philadelphia,  an  extensive  land- 
owner. Robb  was  a  tailor  by  trade.  He  lived  to  the 
age  of  seventy-two,  and  in  after-life  was  a  respected 
citizen  and  active  in  church  affairs.  His  descendants 
are  William  Robb,  keeper  of  the  only  store  in  the 
township;  Frederick,  and  Margaret,  wife  of  Joseph 
Packer. 

One  of  the  early  settlers,  who  is  well  remembered 
by  some  of  the  older  citizens  of  the  present  commu- 
nity, was  Martin  Porringer,  who  used  to  live  upon  the 
place  now  known  as  the  Quay  farm,  where  he  had  a 
small  habitation,  and  followed  the  quiet  occupation  of 
basket-making.  His  usual  mode  was  to  make  as  many 
baskets  as  he  could  conveniently  carry  and  travel 
through  the  country^,  disposing  of  them  wherever  he 
could,  taking  in  exchange  commodities  of  any  kind 
which  his  customers  had  to  offer.  His  territory  cov- 
ered many  miles  of  surrounding  country,  and  he 
became  well  known  to  every  inhabitant.  He  passed 
away  a  great  many  years  ago.  His  descendants  now 
living  in  the  township  are  the  third  generation  of 
that  name. 

Another  of  the  early  settlers  is  John  Wensel,  now 
past  seventy  years  of  age,  who  cleared  the  farm  at 
present  occupied  by  his  son.  He  raised  a  large 
family,  most  of  whom  are  living. 

Joseph  McCloskey  came  from  Howard  township 
forty  years  ago,  and  bought  a  farm,  consisting  of  two 
hundred  acres,  of  Thomas  Hughes  and  John  P. 
Packer,  residents  of  Howard.  Only  three  of  the  two 
hundred  acres  were  cleared  at  the  time  McCloskey 
came  into  possession  ;  the  balance  he  cleared.  His 
children  are  Nathan  and  William,  living  with  their 
mother  upon  the  old  place;  Jacob,  in  Illinois;  John, 
in  the  township,  and  an  extensive  mill-owner;  and 
David. 

Daniel  Leathers  formerly  lived  upon  the  place  now 
occupied  by  the  Quays.  Later  he  removed  to  the 
place  now  occupied  by  Job  Packer,  where  he  lived 
for  many  years.  The  house  he  occupied  as  a  dwell- 
ing was  a  short  time  ago  destroyed. 

David  Bechdol,  a  descendant  of  Christian  Bechdol, 
one  of  the  early  settlers  upon  the  Bald  Eagle,  located 
in  Curtin  township  shortly  after  his  marriage,  and 
was  one  of  the  earliest  to  settle  in  that  region. 

John  H.  Watkins  died  in  Curtin  township,  Jan.  9, 
1879.  He  was  born  on  the  19th  of  May,  1794,  in  the 
State  of  Maryland,  thirty-one  miles  from  the  city  of 
Baltimore.  His  father  moved  to  Centre  County,  in 
this  State,  in  1805,  and  located  at  Howard,  in  a  log 
house  that  stood  near  the  present  Leathers'  mill,  near 
the  canal  lock,  where  Jacob  Leathers  now  lives.  In 
1806  he  removed  with  his  family  to  the  place  where 
Morrison  Watkins  now  lives.  In  1859,  John  H.  Wat- 
kin.s,  the  subject  of  this  notice,  bought  his  late  home- 


CURTIN   TOWNSHIP. 


281 


stead,  about  ninety-six  acres  of  land,  from  the  Messrs. 
Curtin,  cleared  up  his  farm,  and  in  the  course  of  time 
raised  a  family  of  nine  children.  Mr.  Watkins  was 
quite  a  Nimrod  in  his  day.  and  many  a  bear  and  deer 
did  he  slay  and  carry  home  to  his  family.  He  used 
also  to  carry  saddles  of  venison  on  his  back  to  Judge 
Burnside,  W.  W.  Potter,  Esij.,  Drs.  Curtin  and  Dob- 
bins, Sheriff  Ward,  and  many  more  of  the  old  resi- 
dents of  Bellefonte  fifty  years  ago.  Game  of  all  kinds 
was  very  plenty  then,  particularly  deer.  On  one  oc- 
casion while  out  hunting  he  was  very  successful,  kill- 
ing seven  deer  in  one  day.  He  killed  during  his 
hunting-time  about  five  hundred  deer,  besides  a  num- 
ber of  panthers  and  bear.  One  day  a  bear  caught 
and  killed  one  of  his  hogs,  and  after  killing  it  car- 
ried it  away  some  distance  into  the  woods.  Mr.  Wat- 
kins  trailed  it  up  and  found  the  hog.  He  then  went 
to  work  and  put  up  a  "  scaffold"  on  a  tree  near  by, 
went  home  and  got  his  "  old  flint-lock  rifle"  (for  that 
was  the  kind  he  used),  returned,  and  crept  up  to  his 
"scaffold,"  and  sat  waiting  for  the  return  of  the  bear. 
After  nightfall  the  bear  came  for  a  mess  of  pork,  and 
Mr.  Watkins  shot  him  dead.  He  was  also  a  great 
"  weather  prophet,"  and  was  in  possession  of  an  old 
document,  which  he  called  the  "  Book  of  Knowledge." 
Tliis  book  he  seldom  showed  to  any  one,  but  set  great 
store  by  it.  He  was  also  an  expert  with  bees,  raising 
many  a  swarm,  and  selling  a  great  deal  of  honey. 

Disciple  Church. — The  society  or  congregation  of 
the  above  church,  known  as  "  Disciples  of  Christ," 
had  its  germ  in  the  universal  good  influence  which 
characterized  the  efforts  of  Elder  Nathan  J.  Mitchell 
in  his  labors  through  Bald  Eagle  valley.  The  exact 
date  of  the  formation  of  this  body  in  Curtin  town- 
ship could  not  be  ascertained,  owing  to  imperfect 
records,  but  among  the  original  members  we  find 
such  names  as  the  Delongs,  Packers,  Manns,  Brick- 
leys,  and  McCloskeys,  all  early  settlers.  Although 
the  doctrines  and  teachings  of  this  new  sect  was  in 
more  respects  than  one  different  from  any  that  here- 
tofore had  been  known,  nevertheless  its  benign  influ- 
ence was  brought  to  bear  with  such  effect  as  to  take 
deep  root  within  the  hearts  of  its  first  adherents. 
Among  the  first  elders  of  this  church  were  David 
Delong  and  Jacob  Mann.  The  deacons  were  Jacob 
Brickley  and  Job  Packer.  The  congregation,  though 
few  in  numbers  at  the  outset,  gradually  increased  in 
strength  until  they  numbered  some  sixty  members. 
Their  first  pastor  was  the  Rev.  L.  B.  Hyatt,  who  at 
that  time  was  also  serving  the  Eagleville  Church. 
Their  initial  services  were  held  in  school-houses  and 
private  dwellings.  In  1866  it  was  resolved  to  erect 
an  edifice,  to  which  effect  arrangements  were  accord- 
ingly made.  A  plot  of  ground  was  donated  by  David 
Delong,  and  the  present  structure  erected.  It  was 
dedicated  the  same  year  with  appropriate  ceremonies 
by  the  Rev.  L.  B.  Hyatt. 

The  succeeding  pastors  have  been  J.  M.  Streeter, 
Charles  S.  Long,  W.  S.  Lloyd,  and  M.  S.  Blair. 


The  present  elders  are  William  Miller  and  William 
Mann;  deacon,  .lob  Packer.     Attached  to  the  church 

I  is  a  good  Sabbath-schoo',  well  attended. 

'  German  Reformed  Church.— In  the  year  1852  the 
Rev.  W.  R.  Yearick,  wIkj  had  previously  done  some 
good  work   in   Nittany  valley,  visited   what  is  now 

*  Curtin  township,  and  gathered  around  him  the  few 
German  settlers  then  located  there,  expounding  to 
them  the  gospel  as  taught  to  him  by  the  doctrines  of 
his  religious  belief.  The  missionary  labors  of  the 
Rev.  Yearick  at  this  time  were  at  times  performed  in 
dwellings,  and  at  other  times  in  the  old  Quay  school- 
house.  His  hearers,  though  few  as  regards  numbers, 
organized  themselves  the  same  year  (1852)  as  a  con- 
gregate body.  Among  the  first  to  conduct  its  tem- 
poral affairs  were  the  Robbs,  Wensels,  Uhls,  and 
Singers.  Services  were  conducted  as  above  described 
until  1851,  when  the  im])erative  necessity  of  a  church 
building  manifested  itself  in  the  increased  numerical 
strength  of  the  organization,  which  at  this  time 
reached  fifty  communicants.  After  it  became  a  settled 
matter  that  an  edifice  should  be  erected,  David  Bech- 
dol  donated  a  suitable  plot  of  land  for  that  purpose. 
Adjoining  it  is  a  moderately-sized  burial-place,  used 
exclusively  for  the  members  of  the  church.  During 
the  past  few  years  the  church  has  been  in  a  compara- 
tively prosperous  condition,  no  material  change  hav- 
ing occurred  within  that  time.  The  present  elders  of 
the  church  are  Peter  Robb  and  Henry  Thiel,  the  dea- 
cons are  John  Wensel  and  Frederick  Robb.  The 
pastors  serving  this  congregation  since  its  organiza- 
tion were  the  following,  in  the  order  named :  Revs. 
W.  R.  Y'earick,  P.  A.  Schwartz,  I.  S.  Weisz,  J.  K. 
Millet,  H.  D.  Darbaker,  and  G.  P.  Hartzell,  the 
present  pastor. 

Roads. — The  first  road,  which  was  laid  out  when 
Curtin  was  yet  a  part  of  other  townships,  is  probably 
the  one  following  the  course  of  ]\Iarsh  Creek.  The 
township,  after  its  erection  in  1857,  became,  compara- 
tively speaking,  pretty  numerously  settled,  and  the 
want  of  suitable  roads  became  such  a  matter  of 
necessity  that  obstacles  which  at  first  seemed  insur- 
mountable were  overcome  in  their  construction. 
One  of  the  first  roads  laid  out  after  the  township  was 
formed  is  the  road  which  connects  the  road  leading 
from  the  Harris  farm  to  the  Bald  Eagle  with  the 
road  leading  from  Barnhart's  to  Knoll's  saw-mill. 
The  viewers  appointed  by  the  court  were  Jacob 
Leathers,  Henry  Dopp,  and  John  M.  Barnhart,  whose 
report  was  confirmed  by  the  court  Dec.  2,  1859. 

In  1861  the  road  leading  from  A.  C.  Quay's  farm 
to  that  of  P.  Porringer's  was  viewed  by  John  M.  Barn- 
hart,  Thomas  Adams,  and  Jacob  Knoll  ;  their  report 
was  confirmed  by  the  court  Dec.  7,  1861.  The  road 
leading  from  Bechdol's  saw-mill  to  Robb's  fiirni  was 
opened  in  1863.  Other  roads  have  followed  in  suc- 
cession ;  at  the  present  time  the  township  is  supplied 
with  a  goodly  number,  which  are  kept  in  excellent 
condition. 


282 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Schools, — The  first  school-house  iu  the  township 
which  the  children  of  early  days  attended  was  one 
that  stood  upon  the  land  of  Jonathan  Delong,  very 
near  the  present  dividing  line  of  Ciirtin  and  Liberty 
townships.  It  is  spoken  of  as  having  been  an  ex- 
tremely rude  affair,  composed  of  logs,  with  slab 
benches  for  seats.  One  of  the  first  teachers  was  i 
Jonathan  Belong.  The  school-house  stood  in  a  very 
isolated  position,  miles  from  the  homes  of  the  greater 
part  of  the  scholars  ;  consequently  it  was  agreed  by 
those  in  .authority  to  change  the  school  to  a  more 
accessible  location.  Accordingly,  a  house  was  built 
upon  the  land  now  known  as  the  Quay  farm.  One 
of  the  first  teachers  was  John  M.  Barnhart.  One  in- 
cident in  his  career  as  teacher  is  to  the  effect  that, 
returning  to  the  school-house  one  day,  after  having 
been  to  dinner,  he  found  himself  "  barred  out"  by  the 
scholars.  Taking  in  the  situation  at  a  glance  he  said 
not  a  word,  but  returned  to  David  Bechdol's,  where 
he  W.1S  then  boarding,  and  procuring  a  bushel  of 
winter  apples,  carried  them  b.ick  to  the  school-house 
and  distributed  them  among  the  boys.  Barnhart's 
successors  were  William  A.  Ridge,  Wayne  Gardner, 
Larry  Bathurst,  and  a  teacher  named  Davey.  There 
are  at  present  three  school-houses  in  the  township, 
two  of  them  only  in  use.  The  other,  known  as  the 
Knoll  school-house,  was  destroyed  by  fire.  A  new 
structure  h.as  been  begun,  and  is  well  under  way.  The 
secretary  of  the  school  board  is  Nathan  McCloskey. 

John  S.  Lucas,  Esq.,  of  Centre  township,  was 
known  in  this  county  as  one  of  its  best  school- 
teachers. He  attended  the  Millersville  State  Normal 
School  during  the  summers  of  1872  and  1873,  and  in 
the  mean  time  taught  in  the  country.  In  1875  he 
attended  one  term  of  the  State  College.  During  all 
these  years  Mr.  Lucas  applied  himself  to  the  study 
of  law,  reading  with  William  Parsons,  Sr.,  and  S.  D. 
Ball,  Esqs.,  of  Lock  Haven.  In  the  fall  of  1877  he 
and  S.  D.  Ray,  of  this  place,  conducted  a  Normal 
School  at  Howard,  and  on  the  16th  of  January,  1878, 
he  went  to  Florida,  where  he  was  admitted  to  the 
bar.  He  died  in  Gainesville,  Fla.,  of  sickness  caused 
by  handling  some  poisonous  leaves  in  March,  1879. 

Lumber  Business  in  1880.— John  T.  Fowler,  of 
Taylor  township,  purchased  what  were  known  as  the 
Curtin  lands  in  Centre  township,  and  thus  came  in 
1880  into  possession  of  the  largest  and  best  body  of 
timber  in  this  or  any  of  the  adjoining  counties,  and 
for  its  manufacture  has  erected  two  extensive  steam 
saw-mills,  and  manufactures  what  among  lumbermen 
is  known  as  "bill  stuff,"  consisting  of  heavy  building 
timber,  car  timber,  ship  timber, — in  fact,  anything 
that  can  be  made  from  logs,  and  employs,  directly 
and  indirectly,  through  his  stockers,  one  hundred  and 
fifty  men.  Mill  No.  1  is  situated  about  three  miles 
from  Eagleville,  on  Marsh  Creek.  Here  is  also  a 
shingle-  and  lath-mill  in  connection  with  a  daily 
average  capacity  of  twenty  thousand  feet.  George 
W.  Lyon  handles  the  lever  here,  and  as  a  sawyer 


has  no  superior.  A.  R.  Price  is  "  mill  man,"  and 
keeps  the  orders  str.aight,  and  attends  to  the  lum- 
ber after  leaving  the  saw.  Robert  Welsh  is  tiie 
"  boss  chopper,"  and  with  his  crew  gets  out  the  logs 
in  the  wood  and  log  yard  to  suit  the  orders,  and  puts 
them  to  the  mill.  James  McKinney  is  stable  boss, 
and  attends  to  the  care  and  distribution  of  feed  to  the 
stock.  Joseph  R.  De  Hass  and  John  A.  Daily  had 
contracts  for  putting  in  logs  for  this  mill,  in  addition 
to  a  large  stock  cut  and  put  in  by  Mr.  Fowler  himself. 
Mill  No.  2  is  also  on  Marsh  Creek,  near  the  farm 
of  Judge  Orvis,  some  si.'c  miles  from  mill  No.  1,  and 
cuts  .almost  exclusively  oak,  and  has  a  capacity  of 
fifteen  thousand  feet  daily  average.  William  T. 
Fowler  has  charge  of  this  mill,  and  pushes  things  in 
a  characteristic  way.  A  man  of  decided  ability, 
everybody's  friend,  he  understands  all  about  ma- 
chinery, and  keeps  up  repairs  without  sending  them 
to  the  shop.  Addison  Squires  is  sawyer,  and  stands 
A  No.  1  in  his  line.  J.  D.  Gardner  is  contractor  to 
stock  this  mill. 

CIVIL  LIST. 
Justices  of  the  Peace— Zrtia  S.  Welsh,  Thoma-i  AUnms,  Murcli  IC,  1858 ;  0.  P. 
FoiiMger,  Jolm  J.  r;icker,  Miiy  Hi,  1800;  Z^ira  S.  Welsh,  David  Mc- 
Cluskey,  March  20,  1SC4  ;  Z.  S.  Welsh,  A.  S,  Tipton,  March  22, 18G9  ; 
John  J.  Packer,  Juhn  McCloskey,  March  14,  1874;  John  JIcClos- 
kcy,  April  6,  1S79;  JOhn  H.  Long,  April  9,  1881. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH. 


ABKAIIAM   S.   TIPTON. 

Abraham  S.  Tipton  was  born  Jan.  26, 1820,  in  How- 
ard township.  He  was  a  son  of  William  Tipton,  who 
came  to  Centre  County  as  early  as  1796.  William 
Tipton  was  of  English  origin,  but  was  born  in  Cum- 
berland County,  Jan.  13,  1773.  His  wife  was  Eliza- 
beth Shade,  born  May  30, 1780.  Their  children  were 
Mary,  born  Aug.  26, 1802,  married  to  James  Heverly, 
and  died  Dec.  10,  1836  ;  Sarah,  born  Feb.  27,  1806, 
married  Isaac  W.  Meese  ;  William,  Jr.,  lived  at  How- 
ard, and  died  Jan.  21,  1850;  Washington,  died  April 
16, 1839 ;  Nancy,  born  April  22,  1815,  married  Samuel 
Gardner,  and  now  lives  in  Kansas;  Caroline  M.,  born 
Aug.  16,  1817,  married  George  Spearing;  she  died  in 
1879;  Jemima  E.,  born  June  3,  1826,  married  Levi 
Fuller,  and  is  now  living  in  ^Vest  Union,  Kan. 

David  Tipton  was  a  brother  of  William  (the  elder), 
and  was  a  resident  of  Howard  as  early  as  1800.  Wil- 
liam Tipton  was  a  millwright  and  keel-boat-builder, 
running  the  latter  upon  the  river.  He  purch.ased  from 
Job  Packer  part  of  the  Joseph  Wilson  warrantee  and 
part  of  the  AVinston  Dallam,  and  of  John  Miller  the 
site  of  the  borough  of  Howard,  and  built  one  of  the 
first  houses  in  Howard  borough.  He  died  Feb.  22, 
1834. 

Abraham  S.  Tipton  grew  to  manhood  at  the  old 
homesteatl.     In  early  life  his  health  was  poor,  never- 


FERGUSOxV   TOWNSHIP. 


283 


theless,  while  still  youug,  at  his  father's  death  he  as- 
sumed the  management  of  his  estate,  aided  by  his 
mother  and  sisters.  In  184(3  he  bought  out  his  father's 
heirs,  which  estate  he  still  holds,  except  what  has  been 
sold  off  for  lots  in  the  borough.  Mr.  Tipton  laid  out 
the  town  of  Howard,  and  sold  his  first  lot  to  Samuel 
Brickloy. 

He  married  Dec.  27, 1859,  Rebecca  J.  Garman,  who 
was  born  near  Salona,  Clinton  Co.,  June  19,  1836. 
Their  cliildren  were  Mary  E.,  born  Jan.  27,  18C1 ; 
George  W.,  April  28,  18G2 ;  Frances  R.,  Sept.  12, 
1863;  Sarah  C,  April  11,  1865;  Laura  J.,  July  1, 
1866 ;  John  Howard,  Nov.  16, 1867  ;  William  F.,  Jan. 
14,  1870;  and  Isabella  J.,  July  18,  1871.  Of  the.se, 
Sirah  C.  and  Isabella  died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  Tipton  was  early  instructed  in  the  doctrines  of 
Christianity,  attending  with  his  mother  the  preach- 
ing of  Rev.  James  Linn,  the  first  preacher  of  whom 
he  has  any  distinct  recollection.  In  his  boyhood 
there  were  nine  distilleries  within  the  space  of  eight 
miles  along  Bald  Eagle  valley,  and  liquor  was  the 
curse  of  the  community.  He  recollects  well  the  fear- 
ful scourge  of  fever  and  ague  that  prevailed  in  the 
fall  of  1827,  which  shook  his  weakened  constitution, 
already  sapped  by  early  iufirmity.  After  ague,  rheu- 
matism set  in,  and  he  recollects  well  Dr.  Dobbin's 
cure,  which  was  to  plunge  him  suddenly  head  fore- 
most into  the  water,  which  was  followed  by  partial 
relief,  though  he  has  never  had  perfect  good  health 
or  lived  a  day  free  from  some  ache  or  paiu.  He  recol- 
lects that  his  first  wages  for  steering  for  his  brothers 
was  one  dollar  per  day.  He  took  the  craft  through 
the  broken  chute  at  Muncy,  a,  feat  so  difficult  and 
dangerous  that  old  pilots  refused  to  do  it.  When  but 
seventeen  years  of  age  he  piloted  an  ark-load  of  iron 
for  the  Valentines. 

Mr.  Tipton  was  brought  up  to  believe  in  the  prin- 
ciples of  Jeifersonian  Democracy,  but  became  a  sturdy 
advocate  of  the  doctrine  set  forth  in  the  Wilmot  pro- 
viso, and  has  ever  since  ad  vocated  opposition  to  slavery, 
papal  influence,  and  the  liquor  interest. 

Mr.  Tipton  has  done  good  service  in  lumbering  and 
farming,  cleared  and  improved  farms,  and  built  dwell- 
ings and  barns,  and  despite  the  infirmities  of  his  body 
has  been  one  of  the  most  enterprising  citizens  of  his 
township  ;  replaced  the  old  canal  banks  in  places,  and 
restored  to  the  town  the  privilege  of  the  water  of 
Spring  Run,  where  his  father  wintered  his  boats 
eighty  years  ago. 


CHAPTER    LXVIIL 

FERGUSON   TOWNSHIP. 

Ferguson,  so  called  in  honor  of  Thomas  Ferguson, 
Esq.,  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Half  Moon  and 
Patton,  on  the  south  by  Huntingdon  County,  east  by 
Harris  and  College,  and  west  by  Huntingdon  County. 


Surveys. — The  earliest  surveys  made  in  Ferguson 
are  those  of  1766,  made  upon  applications  dated  Aug. 
1,  1766,  for  some  miles  northeast  and  we.st  of  Pine 
Grove  Mill.s.  The  tract  immediately  west  of  Pine 
Grove  Mills  is  the  John  Webster,  west  of  it  is  the 
Ephraim  Gower  warrant  of  Aug.  1,  1766,  surveyed 
May  31,  1767,  formerly  belonging  to  Gen.  Benner, 
now  comprising  the  Ross  farm,  etc.  West  of  the 
Gower  is  the  William  Webb,  surveyed  Oct.  27,  1766, 
part  of  which  the  Drinkers  sold  to  Henry  McWil- 
liams  in  1795;  west  of  that  the  Samuel  Webb,  of  late 
James  Glenn,  and  others.  North  of  the  Samuel  and 
William  Webb,  George  Meek  took  up  a  tract  of  three 
hundred  and  five  acres  Jan.  21,  1790,  surveyed  June 
5,  1790,  still  owned  by  the  Meeks,  and  on  which  the 
Meeks  Church  stands. 

North  of  the  Gower  and  Webster  are  four  warrants 
dated  June  25,  1767,  and  surveyed  by  William  Ma- 
clay,  Feb.  8,  1775.  Charles  Kinkead  is  the  one  north 
of  the  Ross  farm  ;  William  Leard  and  James  Little 
north  of  Bailey,  Mitchell's,  etc.,  farm  ;  the  Robert 
Stewart  is  the  eastern  one  of  the  block. 

The  Robert  Stewart  is  bounded  on  the  east  by  sur- 
veys of  1793,  taken  out  by  Col.  Miles  and  Gen.  John 
Patton.  North  of  the  Stewart,  Little,  etc.,  came  in 
a  large  batch  of  surveys  on  warrants  of  the  26th  of 
June,  1792, — William  McKean,  John  McKean,  Ben- 
jamin Horner,  Jr.,  etc.,  now  owned  by  Moses  Thomp- 
son ;  Pennsylvania  Furnace  Company  lands,  or  old 
Lyon  Shorb  &  Co.  lands.  NortKeastward  of  Pine 
Grove,  along  Slab  Cabin  Branch,  lie  the  James  Cal- 
houn, Cornelius  McClean,  and  James  Boggs  warrants, 
Bottorf,  Ross,  Snyder,  etc.,  places  which  belonged 
formerly  to  Gen.  Patton ;  then  came  the  Michael 
Rodman,  surveyed  June  25,  1766,  sold  to  Daniel 
Ludwig  in  1803. 

Early  Settlers. — Among  the  early  pioneers  of 
Ferguson  whose  enterprise  and  liberality  materially 
aided  and  encouraged  early  settlements  was  Thomas 
Ferguson. 

By  deed  dated  Sept.  5,  1791,  he  came  into  posses- 
sion of  a  tract  of  land  containing  three  hundred  and 
twenty-one  acres,  transferred  to  him  by  Samuel  Wal- 
lis  for  a  consideration  of  three  hundred  pounds.  The 
above  tract  is  situated  a  short  distance  west  of  the 
village  of  Pine  Grove  Mills,  on  the  north  side  of 
what  is  known  as  the  Boalsburg  road,  and  at  present 
includes  the  lands  of  George  Ard,  W.  H.  Bailey,  and 
John  B.  Mitchel.  It  was  surveyed  in  1766,  in  the 
warrantee  name  of  John  Webster,  who  sold  to  Sam- 
uel Wallis,  April  22,  1767.  Ferguson  also  became 
possessor  of  several  other  large  tracts  of  land,  and 
induced  early  settlements  by  several  donations  of 
land. 

In  1800  he  built  the  first  mill,  just  abre.^st  of  the 
dam,  a  short  distance  from  the  present  mill  at  Pine 
Grove.  To  him  is  due  the  credit  of  founding  the 
present  village  of  Pine  Grove  Mills,  he  at  one  time 
owning  the  larger  part  of  the  laud  now  occupied  by 


284 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


it.  He  laid  out  lots  very  soon  after  liis  arrival,  and 
the  liberal  inducements  offered  by  him  were  the 
means  of  promoting  a  generous  influx  of  settlers, 
which  produced  a  marked  and  rapid  growth  and  was 
the  forerunner  of  the  thriving  village  of  to-day. 
Thomas  Ferguson's  daughter  married  John  Barron. 
The  record  of  the  Barron  family,  as  produced  from 
the  old  family  Bible,  now  in  possession  of  John  B. 
Mitchel,  Esq.,  readiias  follows: 

John  Barron,  Sr.,  born  November,  1755 ;  died  Feb. 
9,  1820. 

William  Huston  (son  of  Mrs.  Huston,  afterwards 
Mrs.  Barron,  Sr.),  born  June  14,  1780;  died  Sept.  16, 
1813. 

Rebecca  Huston  (sister  to  William),  born  Feb.  5, 
1782;  date  of  death  not  recorded. 

Agnes  Barron,  daughter  of  Barron,  Sr.,  born  Sept. 
28,  1788. 

Sarah  F.  Barron,  born  Dec.  12,  1790. 

Susanna  Barron,  born  Oct.  24,  1792. 

Mary  Barron,  born  Oct.  27,  1794;  died  March  19, 
1831. 

Margaret  Barron,  born  Oct.  28,  1796. 

Jane  Barron,  born  May  3,  1798. 

John  Barron,  Jr.,  born  Nov.  25,  1799. 

Rachel  Barron,  born  Oct.  7, 1801. 

Eliza  M.  Barron,  born  Dec.  1,  1803. 

Robert  F.  Barron,  born  Oct.  12,  1811;  died  1866. 

John  Barron  was  born  in  Ireland  in  November, 
1755,  emigrated  to  Huntingdon  County,  where  he 
married  a  widow  named  Huston,  whose  husband  had 
been  killed  by  the  Indians.  Mrs.  Huston  had  two 
children  by  her  former  husband, — William,  who  died 
in  1813,  and  Rebecca.  Rebecca  married  a  Patton, 
and  removed  to  Butler  County,  where  her  descend- 
ants are  still  living. 

John  Barron  built  a  mill  at  Pine  Grove,  still  stand- 
ing. He  died  in  Ferguson  township,  Feb.  9,  1820. 
His  eldest  daughter,  Agnes,  born  Sept.  28,  1788,  mar- 
ried Robert  Newell,  who  kept  store  at  Pine  Grove  for 
many  years.  Their  descendants  reside  in  Tennessee, 
Iowa,  and  Clarion  County  in  this  State.  2d.  Sarah 
F.  married  David  Mitchell,  of  Ferguson  township, 
where,  and  in  Bellefonte,  her  descendants  reside.  3d. 
Susanna  married  to  Richard  Watson.  4th.  Margaret 
married  James  Faber;  their  descendants  reside  in 
Clarion  County.  5th.  Jane  married  James  B.  Potter, 
of  New  Jersey.  6th.  John  Barron,  Jr.,  removed  to 
Bedford  County  in  1840,  thence  to  Iowa,  where  he 
died ;  the  living  representatives  of  his  family  are 
Rev.  David  H.  Barron,  William  Barron,  of  Missouri, 
and  John  P.,  of  Iowa.  7th.  Rachel  married  George 
W.  Meek;  children,  W.  E.,  David  G.,  and  Susan, 
wife  of  P.  Gray  Meek,  of  Bellefonte.  8th.  Eliza  Bar- 
ron married  Robert  Huey  ;  their  descendants  reside  in 
Clarion  County.  9th.  Robert  F.  Barron,  the  young- 
est, born  Oct.  12,  1811,  represented  Centre  County  in 
the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania  in  1861  and  1862. 
He  died  in  Ferguson  township  in  1866. 


David  Mitchell,  a  native  of  Mifflin  County,  born 
Nov.  28,  1790,  came  to  Ferguson  during  the  war  of 
1812,  and  purchased  land  of  Samuel  Wilson,  upon 
which  he  settled.  The  effects  of  the  war  were  se- 
verely felt  at  that  time,  in  fact,  so  much  so  that  the 
price  of  provisions  and  all  commodities  ranged  ex- 
tremely high,  the  price  of  land  being  in  proportion. 
He  subsequently  located  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
Meek  settlement,  and  for  a  long  time  carried  on  the 
business  of  a  distiller,  first  at  Rock  Spring  and  later 
near  Pine  Grove  Mills.  He  also  occasionally  taught 
school.  He  afterwards  gave  up  distilling,  and  bought 
a  farm  of  Robert  Allison.  He  died  March  27,  1843. 
His  wife  was  Sarah,  daughter  of  John  Barron,  by 
whom  he  had  eight  children,  of  whom  six  are  living, 
namely,  John  B.,  James  H.,  Eliza,  Sarah,  Rachel, 
and  Nannie. 

John  B.  Mitchel  '  married  Polly  Ann  Murray. 
He  informs  us  that  when  he  was  a  boy  houses  were 
not  built  as  they  are  now.  They  were  mostly  con- 
structed of  green  timber,  which  in  a  short  time  would 
shrink  and  leave  crevices  and  cracks  in  the  walls, 
through  which  in  cold  weather  the  wind  and  snow 
often  found  its  way,  much  to  the  detriment  of  the 
comfort  of  the  dwellers  therein.  One  particular  in- 
stance which  he  relates  is  to  the  effect'  that  sleeping 
at  his  grandmother's  (Barron)  one  winter's  night,  in 
a  room  in  the  upper  part  of  the  house,  he  awoke  in 
the  morning  and  found  his  bed  covered  with  snow, 
which  had  entered  through  the  cracks  in  the  I'oof  and 
walls.  This  incident  serves  to  illustrate  the  manner 
of  hardships  endured  in  earlier  times. 

James  H.  Mitchell  married  Jennie  Baldridge,  and 
is  now  a  respected  citizen  of  Bellefonte. 

Eliza  became  the  wife  of  Washington  Campbell, 
now  of  Haines  township. 

Sarah  married  Conrad  Struble. 

Rachel  married  Felix  Dale,  now  residing  at  Oak 
Hall,  College  township. 

The  farm  now  occu|)ied  by  J.  B.  Mitchell  was  pur- 
chased by  him  and  his  brother,  J.  H.  Mitchell,  of 
John  Barron,  in  1848.  Samuel  Wallis  sold  the  Eph- 
raim  Gower  to  James  Kerr,  and  he  to  Gen.  Philip 
Benner ;  from  him  to  Mrs.  Hunter  Wilson,  who  dis- 
posed of  it  to  James  Irvin  Ross,  the  present  owner 
and  occupant,  whose  parents,  John  and  Susanna 
Ross,  came  from  Mifflin  County  in  1812,  renting  of 
Philip  Benner,  who  at  that  time  was  the  owner.  Here 
they  remained  until  1820,  when  they  purchased  a 
place  of  their  own  of  John  McElroy,  and  shortly 
after  added  to  their  possessions  about  four  hundred 
acres  of  adjoining  land  procured  of  Samuel  Wilson. 
Their  family  numbered  nine  children,  as  follows: 
James  McC.  Robert,  John,  James  Irvin,  William, 
Elizabeth,  Mary  A.,  Matilda,  and  Martha.  Of  the 
above,  James  is  in  Westmoreland  County ;  John,  in 
Huntingdon  County;  William,  in  Reno  County,  Kan. ; 
Robert  died  in  Gregg  township;  James  Irvin  married 
Mary    Caven,  of  Westmoreland   County,   and    has 


FERGUSON  TOWNSHIP. 


285 


seven  children, — Alice,  Agnes,  Ada,  Hale,  Laura, 
Elmer,  and  Mary;  Elizabeth  is  residing  in  Kansas; 
Mary  Ann  married  James  Myton,  and  is  now  living 
in  Huntingdon  County;  Matilda  is  the  wife  of  James 
Clark,  of  Westmoreland  County  ;  Martha,  now  de- 
ceased, was  formerly  the  wife  of  George  Gray. 

Capt.  George  Meek,  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  was  a 
member  of  a  remarkable  family,  remarkable  not  only 
for  valor  displayed  in  war,  but  also  for  the  unusual 
stature  which  they  attained  in  manhood.  Two  of 
them,  John  and  William,  brothers  of  George,  stood 
six  feet  seven  inches  and  six  feet  four  inches  respec- 
tively. They  entered  the  service  together.  John  and 
AVilliam  were  taken  prisoners,  and  died  as  such. 
Capt.  George,  a  few  years  after  the  close  of  the  war, 
settled  in  Ferguson.  George  G.  Meek  occupied  that 
part  of  the  tract  upon  wliicli  Capt.  George  originally 
settled,  and  Robert  Meek  and  the  heirs  of  George  W. 
Meek  occupying  the  other  portions  resj^ectively. 
Capt.  Meek  had  four  sons,  named  Robert,  David, 
William,  and  John,  each  of  whom  left  numerous  rep- 
resentatives of  their  families,  among  whom  may  be 
named  Rev.  John  B.  Meek,  now  dead,  and  P.  Gray 
Meek,  of  the  Democratic  Watchman,  both  of  whom 
represented  Centre  County  in  the  Legislature. 

George  W.  Meek  died  on  the  15th  day  of  May, 
1877.  He  was  the  father  of  P.  Gray  Meek,  Esq. 
Mr.  Meek  was  seventy-eight  years  of  age,  and  was 
one  of  the  oldest  settlers  in  the  upper  end  of  the 
county.  He  was  an  amiable,  kind,  and  hospitable 
old  man,  much  respected  for  his  many  virtues,  and 
honored  and  esteemed  for  his  strict  and  unswerving 
integrity.  He  was  a  man  of  deep  religious  feeling, 
an  ardent  Methodist,  and  had  been  a  member  of  that 
church  from  boyhood. 

Probably  the  oldest  living  residents  of  Ferguson 
township  are  Samuel  McWilliams,  now  eighty-four 
years  old,  and  his  wife,  aged  eighty-two. 

Samuel,  his  father,  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  in 
1790,  or  thereabouts,  settled  near  Pennsylvania  Fur- 
nace. In  1810  he  located  upon  the  place  now  occu- 
pied by  liis  son  Samuel. 

John  Harter,  who  had  been  living  near  Potter's 
Fort,  came  with  his  wife  and  family  about  1820  to 
Ferguson,  and  opened  a  tavern  on  the  place  formerly 
owned  by  Joseph  Shaw.  One  night  Mrs.  Harter,  axe 
in  hancf,  felled  the  sign-post  which  stood  before  the 
door,  eventually  putting  an  end  to  their  tavern  busi- 
ness, although  they  remained  upon  the  place  for  years 
after  engaged  in  fanning. 

Mrs.  Harter,  previous  to  her  last  marriage,  was  the 
widow  of  Jacob  Kepler,  by  whom  she  had  five  chil- 
dren, one  of  whom,  named  Jacob,  married  Catherine 
Musser,  and  had  nine  children.  Elizabeth,  one  of  the 
latter,  became  the  wife  of  John  B.  Shadman,  a  vet- 
eran of  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  and  now  one  of  the 
representative  men  of  the  township. 

The  father  of  John  Campbell  was  a  native  of  Scot- 
land, and   his   mother   of  Ireland.     They  came  to  I 


America  about  1774  and  settled  in  Chester  County, 
but  stayed  only  a  short  time,  as  the  same  year  they 
removed  to  Mifflin  County.  In  1811,  John  came  to 
Ferguson,  and  located  upon  the  spot  now  occupied 
by  liis  daughters, — Susan  F.  and  Hetty  Ann.  He  at 
first  purchased  ten  acres  of  land  and  put  up  a  small 
building,  in  which  he  kept  store  and  tavern,  being 
one  of  the  earliest  to  embark  in  that  business.  He 
Avas  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  a  Miss  Watson, 
by  whom  he  had  two  children, — James  and  Mary;  the 
latter  died  very  young.  James  died  in  1879.  His 
second  wife  was  an  Oliver,  the  issue  of  their  marriage 
being  seven  children, — George  W.,  aged  sixty-one, 
now  living  near  Boalsburg ;  Margaret,  who  married 
John  O.  Campbell,  died  ten  months  after  marriage ; 
Mary  died  in  infancy;  Hetty  Ann  is  yet  living,  un- 
married; Eliza  is  the  wife  of  Henry  McCracken  ; 
John  Oliver  sacrificed  his  life  in  the  late  war  as  cap- 
tain of  Company  E,  Forty-fifth  Regiment  Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteers ;  Susan  F.,  the  youngest,  though 
still  living,  has  been  a  helpless  invalid  for  ten  years. 

Richard  Bailey  came  from  Chester  County  about 
1790  and  settled  where  Robert  Glenn  lives.  He 
bought  extensive  tracts  of  land  and  resold  them  in 
part,  thus  gathering  about  him  a  number  of  settlers, 
who  erected  their  habitations  immediately  about, 
forming  in  time  quite  a  hamlet,  which  in  his  honor 
was  given  the  name  of  Baileyville.  He  is  spoken  of 
as  a  man  of  strict  integrity,  closely  confining  himself 
to  his  pursuits  and  winning  the  esteem  of  his  fellow- 
men.  His  children  were  five  sons  and  one  daugh- 
ter,— John,  married  to  Nancy  Charlton,  had  fifteen 
children,  of  whom  three  are  living,  nnmely,  Ejihraim, 
George,  and  Mrs.  Hannah  Glenn;  William,  married 
to  Jane  McBride  ;  their  only  living  offspring  is  Mrs. 
Robert  Glenn;  Jesse,  to  Jane  McClelland,  of  whom 
W.  H.  Bailey  is  a  descendant;  George,  to  Polly  Mc- 
Clelland; their  offspring  are  Perry  and  Mary  Ann  ; 
Richard  died  childless;  Polly  married  D.ivid  Meek, 
and  removed  to  the  Western  States. 

John  Pattou  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  and 
during  a  part  of  his  service  in  that  struggle  was  a 
member  of  Capt.  Brady's  celebrated  company  of 
rangers,  and  was  but  a  short  distance  from  that 
brave  man  when  he  was  shot  down  by  the  Indians, 
and  with  another  soldier  brought  the  cor|)se  into 
their  fort  at  the  great  risk  of  their  lives,  being  under 
the  fire  of  their  foe.  A  few  years  after  the  close  of 
the  war,  about  179G,  he  settled  near  what  is  now 
called  Erbtown,  at  the  base  of  the  mountain,  rent- 
ing a  farm  of  McBride.  Here  he  stayed  until  1822, 
when  he  purchased  of  James' McElroy  the  place  now- 
occupied  by  his  son  Thomas,  to  which  he  removed 
and  spent  the  remaining  years  of  his  life.  In  1804  he 
was  appointed  justice  of  the  peace,  in  which  capacity 
he  served  until  his  death,  in  1838.  Out  of  a  familv 
of  ten  children  that  he  reared  but  three  are  living, 
all  at  advanced  ages,  namely,  Thomas,  Nancy,  and 
Jane. 


286 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


In  connection  with  the  Kerr  family,  who  were 
mentioned  elsewhere  as  being  occupants  of  ''  the 
Gower  tract,"  many  traditional  stories  are  told.  After 
the  death  of  their  father  the  farm  was  inherited  by 
the  children,  two  sons  and  a  daughter,  Jennie.  The 
shiftlessness  of  the  former  prevented  them  from  at 
tending  to  the  duties  of  the  farm,  and  the  bulk  of 
the  responsibility  fell  upon  Jennie,  who  was  often 
voluntarily  assisted  by  the  young  men  of  the  neigh- 
borhood organizing  what  were  called  moonlight 
"frolics,"  which  were  attended  by  large  parties. 
The  usual  mode  of  proceedings  was  to  march  to  her 
place  and  cut  her  hay  and  grain  by  the  light  of  the 
moon.  She  died  unmarried.  John  Glenn  settled 
upon  the  McWilliams  place  about  1800.  He  was 
owner  of  large  tracts  of  land,  what  were  known  as 
the  "  Glades."  He  left  one  son,  Robert.  Dr.  James 
P.  Glenn,  of  Snow  Shoe,  is  a  descendant. 

Samuel  E.  Shultz  was  a  prominent  resident  of  Fer- 
guson. He  died  Sept.  22,  1877,  in  Cass  County,  Mo. 
Mr.  Shultz  was  for  a  long  time  a  resident  of  Centre 
County,  and  identified  with  the  business  of  the  south- 
western part  of  the  county.  Born  in  Adams  County, 
this  State,  came  when  a  small  boy  with  his  uncle,  the 
late  Anthony  Shorb  (of  the  firm  of  Lyon,  Shorb  & 
Co.),  and  for  a  long  time  assisted  in  conducting  the 
business  of  Pennsylvania  Furnace,  and  subsequently 
formed  a  copartnership  with  the  late  Judge  Burch- 
fleld,  and  carried  on  the  mercantile  business  in  Pine 
Grove  Mills,  after  which,  his  inclinations  always 
leading  to  agricultural  pursuits,  in  the  year  1856, 
he  emigrated  to  Missouri,  where  he  located  and  fol- 
lowed the  drift  of  his  mind  in  the  vast  fields  of  the 
Southwest. 

That  part  of  the  township  about  Gatesburg  and 
vicinity  was  settled  at  quite  an  early  period  by  the 
Gates,  Rider,  and  Rumbarger  families,  who  for  a 
long  time  were  prominent  people,  identified  with  most 
of  the  early  enterprises. 

Foremost  among  them  was  Henry  Gates,  who  came 
from  Dauphin  County,  and  at  one  time  lived  upon 
the  place  occupied  by  Martin  Eyer.  He  was  em- 
ployed in  hauling  iron  ore  to  Pattou's  furnace.  He 
became  an  extensive  land-owner,  and  laid  out  the 
small  village  of  Gatesburg,  which  took  its  name  from 
him.  He  took  an  active  part  in  all  public  affairs, 
and  contributed  largely  towards  the  erection  of  the 
old  Lutheran  Church  at  Gatesburg.  He  reared  a 
large  family  of  children,  seventeen  in  number.  The 
representatives  of  his  family  in  the  township  are 
quite  numerous. 

Michael,  William,  and  George  Rider  were  early 
settlers  in  that  section.  Their  descendants  are  Jacob, 
son  of  Michael,  and  Samuel,  son  of  William. 

Jacob  Rumbarger  came  from  Maryland  about 
1814,  and  settled  upon  the  farm  now  occupied  by  J. 
Grazier.  He  had  fifteen  children,  some  of  whom  are 
yet  living.  His  widow,  now  aged  ninety-three,  is 
still  in  good  health,  though  feeble. 


John  Michael  Rider  died  at  Gatesburg,  Jan.  31, 
1881,  aged  eighty-four  years.  He  was  father  of 
twelve  children,  four  sons  and  eight  daughters. 
Eleven  survive  him.  All  were  at  the  burial.  He 
was  grandfather  of  eighty-five,  sixty-five  of  whom 
are  living;  great-grandfather  of  thirty-one,  twenty- 
six  now  living.  After  the  burial  was  over  two  hun- 
dred relatives  returned  to  the  house  for  refresh- 
ments. 

Schools. — The  first  school  in  the  township  was 
that  which  stood  where  Mr.  J.  B.  Mitchell  now  lives. 
An  old  log  school-house  was  built  at  a  very  early  day 
which  stood  where  Gatesburg  is.  It  is  described  as 
being  about  fifteen  feet  square.  One  of  the  first 
teachers  was  William  Moore.  After  him  came  Levi 
Clerason,  who  is  classed  as  an  early  settler.  He  set- 
tled in  that  part  of  the  township  known  a.s  "  Tad- 
pole," and  after  resigning  his  duties  as  a  pedagogue 
removed  to  Gatesburg  and  built  a  pottery,  which  he 
carried  on  for  a  number  of  years.  His  living  son  is 
A.  C.  Clemson.  The  next  to  wield  the  birch  was 
Barton  Hastings.  The  price  of  tuition  at  this  time 
for  each  scholar  was  twelve  and  one-half  cents  per 
week. 

Gatesburg  Lutheran  Church. —  The  Lutheran 
congregation  at  Gatesburg  was  organized  early  in  the 
present  century.  The  more  prominent  members  were 
the  Riders,  Rumbargers,  and  the  Gates,  who  were 
mainly  instrumental  in  the  erection  of  the  church. 
The  land  for  the  same  was  donated  by  Mr.  Colemire. 
The  original  building  was  twenty  feet  square,  Avhich 
some  years  after  was  enlarged  by  an  addition  of  about 
the  same  size.  The  first  preacher  was  the  Rev. 
George  Smick,  whose  pastorate  covered  a  period  of 
only  a  few  years.  For  a  number  of  years  after  his 
departure  the  congregation  were  without  a  regular 
pastor  until  the  coming  of  the  Rev.  Daniel  Moser, 
who  served  them  for  thirty  years.  During  the  latter 
years  of  his  service  he  was  assisted  by  the  Rev.  Right- 
mire,  the  latter  preaching  his  discourses  in  the  Eng- 
lish language,  and  the  former  in  the  German.  The 
succeeding  pastors  were  the  Revs.  Fletcher,  Kamp- 
fer.  Sell,  and  Kentzle.  The  present  church  edifice 
was  built  in  1869,  at  a  cost  of  three  thousand  six  hun- 
dred dollars.  The  present  elders  .are  Rudolph  Kreider 
and  Solomon  Gates;  deacons,  John  Lemmon  and 
Joseph  Grazier. 

Reformed  Church. — The  Reformed  congregations 
at  Pine  Grove  and  Pine  Hall  both  owe  their  existence 
to  the  preaching  of  Rev.  P.  S.  Fisher.  The  former 
was  organized  in  1837  by  Rev.  E.  Kieffer.  The  present 
church  edifice  was  built  the  same  year  at  a  cost  of 
about  four  thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  The  present 
communicants  number  twenty-eight.  The  elder  is 
George  Kustenbader;  deacons,  George  Eckle  and 
George  W.  Keichline.  The  pastor  is  the  Rev.  W.  H. 
Groh. 

The  congregation  at  Pine  Hall  was  organized  in 
1850,  and   the   church  erected  the  same  year.     The 


FERGUSON   TOWNSHIP. 


287 


elder  is  George  Meyer.  Daniel  M.  Neidigh  and  Adam 
Krumrine  are  the  deaconsi  The  congregation,  which 
is  also  under  the  charge  of  the  Rev.  W.  H.  Groh, 
numbers  about  seventy  members. 

Methodist  Church. — There  are  four  Methodist 
congregations  in  the  townsliip,  one  eacli  at  Pine 
Hall,  Gatesburg,  the  Meek  settlement,  and  Pine 
Grove.  The  Pine  Hall  and  Gatesburg  congregations 
are  under  the  charge  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Byer,  the 
others  are  presided  over  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mendenhall. 

Washington  Grange,  of  Ferguson  township,  was 
organized  March  !t,  1S74.  JIaster,  John  W.  Krumrine ; 
Overseer,  Albert  Hoy;  Lecturer,  Henry  B.  Hartswick; 
Steward,  C.  H.Struble;  Assistant  Steward,  Isaac  Carle; 
Treasurer,  Daniel  Dreibelbis;  Secretary,  D.  H.Young; 
Chaplain,  O.  C.  Housman  ;  Gate-Keeper,  Peter  Lauck ; 
Ceres,  Sallie  E.  Struble;  Pomona,  K.  C.  Krumrine; 
Flora,  S.  Adaline  Meyer;  Lady  Assistant  Steward, 
Susan  R.  Krumrine. 

Leonard  Rhone,  deputy,  organized  another  grange 
in  Ferguson  township.  May  12th.  It  has  a  member- 
ship of  thirty.  The  officers  are:  Master-elect,  R.  G. 
Brett;  Secretary,  G.  W.  Keachline;  Overseer,  W.  H. 
Frye;  Steward,  W.  E.  McWilliams;  Assistant  Stew- 
ard, H.  Ewing;  Lecturer,  C.  B.  Hess;  Chaplain,  Joe 
Johnston ;  Treasurer,  G.  W.  McWilliams ;  Gate- 
Keeper,  David  Miller;  Ceres,  Mrs.  Frye;  Pomona, 
Mrs.  Annie  McWilliams;  Flora,  Miss  Maggie  Camp- 
bell ;  Lady  Assistant  Steward,  Mrs.  M.  A.  Miller. 

There  are  quite  a  number  of  aged  persons  in  the 
township,  most  of  whom  despite  their  years  retain 
their  faculties  to  a  remarkable  degree, — Elizabeth 
Rumbarger,  ninety-three ;  Samuel  McWilliams,  eighty- 
ibur;  Mrs.  McWilliams,  eighty-two;  Jacob  Erb, 
eighty-three;  Hannah  Glenn,  eighty-one;  George 
Bailey,  eighty;  Mrs.  Brett,  seventy-four;  Nancy 
Thomas,  seventy-two;  Thomas  Patton,  seventy;  John 
Shifter,  sixty-six;  George  Ard.  sixty-five. 

Penn's  Valley  Lodge,  No.  276,  I.  0.  0.  F.,  was 
originally  a  fixture  of  Boalsburg,  at  which  place  it 
was  organized  Nov.  8,  1847.  The  first  officers  were 
George  W.  Johnson,  N.  G. ;  Albert  G.  Leech,  V.  G. ; 
Jonathan  Shaffer,  Sec. ;  George  W.  Thompson,  Asst. 
Sec. ;  James  Logue,  Treas. 

It  flourished  for  a  few  years  only,  and  gradually  for 
want  of  supjiort  subsided,  and  became  obsolete  in 
1854. 

It  was  reorganized  Nov.  22,  1871,  by  the  citizens  of 
Pine  Grove  and  vicinity,  under  the  old  charter.  The 
charter  members  at  that  time  were  J.  B.  Erb,  N.  G. ; 
George  Ard,  V.  G. ;  James  Dunlap,  Sec;  Edward 
Kreamer,  Asst.  Sec. ;  Jacob  Erb,  Treas. 

Their  first  meelings  were  held  at  William  Burch- 
field's,  and  after  the  lapse  of  two  months  in  a  meet- 
ing-room in  the  academy  building,  where  they  are 
still  held.  The  present  membership  numbers  seven- 
teen in  good  standing.  The  officers  are  Andrew 
Lytle,  N.  G. ;  W.  H.  Fry,  V.  G. ;  Cyrus  Goss,  Sec. ; 
R.  G.  Brett,  Treas. 


Pine  Grove  Mills  was  laid  out  by  Thomas  Fergu- 
son. In  1810,  William  Patton,asonof  Gen.  John  Pat- 
ton,  built  Tussey  Furnace;  he  took  Jolin  Potts  in  as 
a  partner,  but  in  181.3  Patton  sold  to  Wallace,  Lyon, 
and  Haldeman,  of  Harrisburg,  the  land  on  which 
Pennsylvania  Furnace  was  erected,  and  a  large  quan- 
tity of  ore  leaves,  and  Tussey  ceased  to  operate  about 
1815.  In  July,  1815,  John  Patton,  a  brother  of  Wil- 
liam, laid  out  Pattonville  eastward  of  Pine  Grove 
Mills,  and  the  village  bore  the  name  of  Pattonville 
for  many  years,  finally  resuming  the  old  name. 

Pine  Grove  Academy. — This  institution  traces  its 
origin  to  a  private  school  established  in  1852,  by 
Messrs.  Thomas  F.  Patton,  William  Burchfield,  and 
William  Murray,  citizens  of  Pine  Grove.  Feeling 
the  need  of  a  higher  school,  accessible  to  all,  these 
gentlemen  secured  the  services  of  Mr.  Ward  as  prin- 
cipal, and  in  1856  a  site  was  purchased,  and  a  fine 
two-story  building  was  erected  soon  after.  Mr.  Ward, 
who  remained  two  years,  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Camp- 
bell, who  was  principal  one  year.  Professor  J.  E. 
Thomas,  a  stanch  friend  of  the  common  schools  and 
the  cause  of  education  in  general,  succeeded  Mr. 
Campbell,  and  remained  in  charge  until  his  death  in 
1872.  During  his  administration,  which  extended 
over  a  period  of  sixteen  years,  the  school  reached  a 
high  standard,  and  was  liberally  patronized  by  the 
citizens  of  the  neighborhood,  as  well  as  by  many  per- 
sons from  adjoining  counties.  The  number  of  students 
enrolled  was,  some  sessions,  as  high  as  eighty-five, 
among  whom  were  many  of  the  common  school 
teachers.  During  the  late  war,  however,  the  pros- 
perity of  the  institution  received  a  momentary  check 
as  the  teacher,  Mr.  Thomas,  and  a  number  of  the 
students  entered  the  army.  The  property  has  been 
purchased  by  the  I.  O.  0.  F. 

A  school  was  kept  up  for  a  number  of  years  after- 
wards under  the  principalship  of  Professor  Jacob 
Rhone.  William  P.  Hosterman  was  the  last  principal 
(1881). 

Pine  Grove  Presbyterian  Church.— About  1830 
some  of  the  members  of  the  Spring  Creek  and  Spruce 
Creek  Presbyterian  congregations  formed  the  Pine 
Grove  congregation.  In  1832  the  latter  united  with 
the  German  Reformed  and  Lutheran  congregations  in 
building  a  house  of  worship,  for  which  purpose  an 
acre  of  ground  was  donated  by  Mrs.  John  Barron. 
The  first  elders  of  the  Presbyterian  congregation  were 
William  McWilliams,  Sr..  Eli  Hastings,  and  David 
Mitchell.  No  regular  pastor  was  had  until  1848,  at 
which  time  the  Rev.  D.  L.  Hughes  was  called  to  the 
charge. 

In  1857  the  Presbyterians  disposed  of  their  interest 
in  the  church  edifice  to  the  Reformed  and  the  Luther- 
ans, and  erected  their  own  house  of  worship  upon  the 
west  end  of  the  original  lot,  at  an  expense  of  thirty- 
six  hundred  dollars. 

The  present  elders  are  Thomas  Patton,  Robert 
Glenn,  and  J.  B.  Mitchell.    The  pastor  is  the  Rev.  W. 


288 


HISTOKY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


C.  Kuhn.  The  original  promoters,  tlirougli  whose 
efforts  this  congregation  was  organized,  were  Jolin 
Campbell  and  William  McWilliams.  This  church  at 
present  numbers  sixty  members.  In  the  graveyard 
adjoining  are  buried  John  Patton,  of  the  Revolution- 
ary war;  of  the  war  of  1812  four  soldiers,  to  wit: 
John  Shiffer,  Daniel  Musser,  John  Hunter,  George 
Gronman;  of  the  late  war  thirteen,  to  wit:  Daniel 
O'Bryan,  Daniel  Musser,  Frank  Bloom,  Harry  Shull, 
Wallace  Hunter,  John  Faber,  Sanford  Stonebraker, 
Harry  Stonebraker,  Gilbert  Dunlap,  Professor  J.  E. 
Thomas,  Joseph  Murphy,  George  Tremble,  George 
Allen. 

The  Ard  mill  at  Pine  Grove  was  built  originally  by 
John  Barron,  and  came  into  the  possession  of  Dr. 
Joseph  B.  Ard,  of  Lewistown,  and  is  now  owned  by 
J.  B.  and  W.  P.  Ard.  In  1875,  Washington  Grange 
erected  a  building  for  a  place  of  meeting  at  a  cost  of 
eiglit  hundred  dollars.  They  have  some  eighty  mem- 
bers on  their  rolls. 

The  officers  are  Joseph  Gates,  M. ;  Israel  Corl,  O. ; 
Joseph  Hoy,  Sr.,  L. ;  D.  I.  Johnson,  S. ;  William 
Roup,  A.  S. ;  George  Myer,  Chap. ;  Albert  Hoy^ 
Treas. ;  D.  H.  Young,  Sec. ;  S.  B.  Hartswick,  G.  K. ; 
Margaret  Hartswick,  Ceres;  Kate  Young,  Pomona; 
Helena  Kronoble,  Flora;  Lizzie  Roup,  L.  A.  S. 

Soldiers'  Club. — The  Soldiers'  Club  of  Pine  Grove 
was  organized  May  SO,  1877,  with  about  twenty-five 
members,  mostly  veterans  of  the  late  war.  George 
Eckle,  president,  W.  H.  Fry,  secretary,  were  the 
officers  first  chosen.  They  meet  alternately  at  the 
academy  building  and  the  Meek  school- house.  It  is 
purely  a  social  club.  The  present  officers  are  George 
Heberling  president,  C.  P.  Hess  secretary. 

The  village  has  now  three  churches, — Methodist, 
Presbyterian,  and  one  owned  by  the  German  Reformed 
and  Lutheran  congregations, — two  general  stores,  and 
a  drug-store.  The  mechanical  .arts  are  represented  by 
one  coach-maker  (J.  G.  Hess),  one  wagon-shop,  a 
blacksmith-shop,  a  cabinet-shop,  and  several  other 
shops,  pertaining  to  diffijrent  branches  of  industry. 
The  physicians  are  J.  R.  Smith  and  George  Woods. 
A.  L.  Orndorf  is  a  dentist  and  justice  of  the  peace. 
The  postmaster  is  John  L.  Musser. 

John  Johnston,  of  Lancaster  County,  located  at 
Pine  Grove  Mills  at  a  very  early  day,  and  was  one  of 
the  pioneer  store-keepers  of  that  place  for  years.  He 
afterwards  removed  to  Rock  Spring,  and  kept  store 
and  tavern  there  until  1832.  In  that  year  he  re- 
moved to  Bellefonte,  and  engaged  in  commercial 
traffic  in  a  building  located  upon  a  lot  now  occupied 
by  Brew  &  Co.'s  store.  Here  he  continued  until  his 
death,  in  1839.  His  only  living  son  is  John  T.  John- 
ston, present  postmaster  of  Bellefonte. 

Rock  Spring  is  so  called  from  the  presence  of  a 
large  spring  near  by,  which  is  the  head  of  Spruce 
Creek.  The  water  gushes  forth  from  beneath  a  large 
overhanging  rock.  The  first  store-keeper  was  Calvin 
Goheen.     The  postmaster  is  W.  E.  McWilliams. 


Juniata  Minings  Company  (Limited).— The  Ju- 
niata Mining  Company  (Limited)  operates  in  Centre 
and  Huntingdon  Counties,  and  includes  as  members 
representatives  of  four  of  the  heaviest  iron  manufac- 
turing establishments  in  Pittsburgh.  The  partners  in 
the  mining  company  are  James  I.  Bennet,  J.  W.  Chal- 
fant,  A.  E.  W.  Painter,  Harry  Oliver,  and  James  Pier- 
point.  The  fixed  capital  at  the  outset  was  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars.  Ore  rights  in  one  thousand  acres  in 
Centre  and  Huntingdon  Counties  are  owned, — in  the 
former  at  Gatesburg,  and  in  the  latter  near  old  Hunt- 
ingdon Furnace.  A  majorit}'  of  the  gentlemen  repre- 
senting the  Juniata  Company  were  concerned  in  the 
Celtic  Mining  Company  in  Patton  township,  and 
when  the  latter  company  desisted  for  want  of  encour- 
aging ore  signs  on  their  property,  the  Juniata  Com- 
pany was  formed  for  the  purposes  designated.  They 
began  to  work  at  Gatesburg  in  September,  1881. 
During  the  winter  of  1881-82  about  fifty  thousand 
dollars  were  expended  in  improvements  at  Gatesburg 
and  Huntingdon  Furnace.  Ore  was  mined  at  Gates- 
burg at  the  rate  of  two  thousand  tons  monthly,  and 
at  Huntingdon  at  the  rate  of  about  one  thousand  five 
hundred  tons  per  month.  It  was  then  expected  that 
by  spring  the  yield  would  be  doubled. 

About  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  are  employed  at 
both  banks.  The  ore  is  known  as  brown  hematite, 
and  analyzes  from  forty-two  to  forty-five  per  cent,  in 
metallic  iron.  It  contains  about  one- tenth  phosphorus, 
and  is  rated  as  excellent  mill  iron.  Shipments  of 
all  ores  are  now  made  to  Isabella  Furnace,  under  a 
contract  to  supply  that  concern  with  fifty  thousand 
tons.     The  resident  manager  is  Mr.  James  Pierpoint. 

CIVIL  LIST. 
Jialicea  of  lite  Peace.— James  Glenn,  .Jolin  Aicliy,  April  U,  ISJO ;  Ailnm 
Ranldn,  April  9, 1S44;  Henry  Kreps,  April  13,  1845  ;  Ailani  liankin, 
MKrcli  l:i,  1849;  Ileury  Kreps,  Miircli  \i,  1S50;  Julin  L.  Lonberger, 
Miutli  17,  1S54;  John  Glenn,  Williiim  Mnniiy,  Sliircli  1:1,  IBo.); 
Henry  Goss,  March  12,  1850  ;  Thomas  Mays,  Mareli  17,  1857  ;  U. 
Gates,  March  10, 1858  ;  William  H.  Roiicli,  March  15,  1809  ;  James 
C.  Mnrphy,  April  25,  ISCO;  Hubert  Glenn,  March  20,  1804;  JanicB 
C.  Mnrphy,  April  0, 1S05  ;  Jacob  Kepler,  March  21,  1808  ;  Janu'S  0. 
Mnrphy,  Joseph  Gates,  March  4,1870 ;  William  E.  Bnrchfield,  April 
20,1872;  Joseph  Gates,  March  13,  1876;  A.  J.  Orndorf,  March  11, 
1870  ;  A.  J.  Ormlorf,  March  8, 1881 ;  Robert  Glenn,  April  10,  1880  j 
A.J.  Ormlorf,  AprilO,  ISSl;  W.  E.  Meek,  April  9,  1881. 


CHAPTER    LXIX. 


GREGG  TOWNSHIP. 


Early  Surveys  and  Settlements. — The  first  sur- 
vey was  the  reservation  known  as  the  Manor  of  Suc- 
coth,  which  is  described  under  the  year  17C6.  The 
next,  "  The  Great  Spring"  tract,  on  application  in 
the  name  of  Timothy  Mallack,  surveyed  by  Samuel 
Maclay  Sept.  24,  1766,  and  patented  July  16,  1767,  to 
Reuben  Haines.  Tliis  is  the  upper  or  western  ex- 
treme of  Reuben  Haines'  surveys,  as  they  are  called, 


GREGG   TOWNSHIP. 


289 


extending  from  Woodward  to  a  buttonwood,  south  63° 
west  283  from  the  junction  of  Sinking  Creek  witli 
Penn's  Creek  at  Spring  Mills,  and  in  which  Spring 
Mills  is  partly  located.  It  was  first  settled  by  George 
McC'ormick  in  1773,  who  built  the  first  mill  there. 

The  tract  south  of  the  Timothy  Matlack  was  taken 
up  by  George  McCormick  July  9,  1787.  East  of  the 
Great  Spring  tract,  and  partly  bounded  on  the  north 
by  the  Manor,  is  the  tract  called  Sibbad's  Cave,  sur- 
veyed on  application  of  Titus  Matlack,  Oct.  23,  1766, 
also  patented  to  Reuben  Haines.  Its  eastern  portion 
includes  both  sides  of  Penn's  Creek.  Penn  Hall  is 
on  the  eastern  end  of  this  tract  north  of  Titus  Mat- 
lack,  and  immediately  east  of  the  Manor  of  Succoth. 
Adam  Epler,  another  of  Haines'  warrants,  surveyed 
Oct.  2-1, 1766  ;  next  east  the  Jacob  Epler  warrant,  sur- 
veyed at  the  same  time.  On  this  the  old  Pre.sbyterian 
Church  was  built,  the  graveyard  of  which  only  re- 
mains to  mark  its  site.  East  of  Jacob  Epler  was  the 
Valentine  Epler,  surveyed  Oct.  20,  1766,  patented  to 
Reuben  Haines  also  ;  on  this  tract  Daniel  Long,  a 
blacksmith,  settled,  and  was  living  there  when  Rev'd 
Fithian  visited  the  valley  in  1775.  Long  sold  in 
1794  to  Adam  Reed,  who  also  carried  on  blacksmith- 
ing  there,  and  it  passed  to  Jacob  Herring  in  1809. 
S.  J.  Herring,  Esq.,  and  others  occupy  it.  East 
of  the  Valentine  Epler  was  surveyed  the  Eaton 
Miller  (376  acres)  warrant,  Oct.  25,  1766,  also  patented 
by  Haines,  now  the  farms  of  James  P.  Coburn,  Esq., 
and  others.  The  east  line  of  Eaton  Miller  is  now  near 
the  boundary  of  Penn  township,  and  is  nearly  two 
miles  long.  Running  north  5°  east  603  perches.  North 
of  Eaton  Miller  is  the  Arthur  Howell  warrant,  Feb. 
24,  1774,  surveyed  July  10,  1774,  and  west  of  Arthur 
Howell  the  Charles  Cameron. 

Returning  to  the  western  portion  of  Gregg,  we  find 
the  survey  on  the  application  of  James  Potter,  order 
No.  8,  Aug.  1,  1766,  surveyed  Sept.  26, 1766.  This  was 
patented  to  Thomas  McKean,  afterwards  Governor 
McKean,  and  remained  in  his  family  until  the  death 
of  Gen.  George  Buchanan,  when  "  Auchentorlie," 
as  the  place  was  called,  was  sold  to  Maj.  J.  B. 
Fisher.  J.  Oswald's  farm,  J.  G.  Evans',  etc.,  places 
are  on  this  survey.  South  of  James  Potter  was  sur- 
veyed the  James  Lattimore,  three  hundred  and  twelve 
acres,  surveyed  Sept.  26,  1776,  lying  on  both  sides  of 
Penn's  Creek.  Dunlap,  Rishel,  Snyder,  etc.,  occupy 
this  land. 

West  of  the  Great  Spring  tract  began  Gen.  Potter's 
surveys,  on  warrants  of  1773.  The  Alexander  Long 
is  first  two  hundred  and  thirty-three  acres,  surveyed 
June  15,  1774,  and  north  of  it  the  Isabella  Potter. 
North  of  the  Isabella  Potter  the  William  McCormick. 
East  of  the  William  McCormick  is  the  James  Potter, 
1773,  and  east  of  Potter  and  north  of  the  Manor  the 
Hannah  McMullen.  From  Spring  Mills  westward 
the  Potter  surveys  extend  to  the  Manor  of  Notting- 
ham, which  intervenes,  whence  they  extend  to  the 
Haines  surveys,  near  the  end  of  the  mountain. 
19 


West  of  the  Alexander  Long  and  north  of  Egg  Hill, 
along  Sinking  Creek,  George  Woods  settled  as  early 
as  1775,  and  purchased  of  Gen.  Potter.  This  land  of 
Woods,  and  also  that  of  John  Barber,  Esq.,  adjoin- 
ing it,  was  long  in  contest.  Samuel  Miles  claiming  it 
under  a  warrant  of  Oct.'20,  1772,  surveyed  .Tune  19, 
1785,  and  Gen.  Potter  claiming  it  under  a  warrant  of 
July  28,  1773,  to  include  the  forks  of  the  road  in  Bald 
Eagle  township,  surveyed  Nov.  27,  1787,  and  a  war- 
rant of  July  1,  1784,  including  his  improvement. 
The  case  was  tried  Nov.  .30,  1810,  and  a  verdict  found 
for  defendants.  Barber  and  Potter.  The  notes  of 
evidence  furnish  material  for  facts  about  the  early 
settlement  of  Gregg  and  Potter  townships,  found  in 
the  general  history  under  the  years  1773  and  1777. 

Early  Settlements,  Etc.— Of  the  earliest  settlers, 
George  McCormick,  after  leaving  Spring  Mills,  where 
James  Cooke,  E.sq.,  from  Lancaster  County,  moved, 
went  up  to  the  end  of  Nittany  Mountain  and  built  a 
mill  there,  where  he  died  in  the  spring  of  1814.  His 
children  were  George,  Adam,  Agnes  (married  to  Jo- 
seph McCune),  Eleanor  (married  to  Archibald  Alli- 
son), Margaret  (married  to  Samuel  McCormick),  and 
John  (then  deceased). 

Daniel  Long  left  in  1794,  and  no  further  trace  ap- 
pears of  him.  The  settlement  of  McCormick,  Living- 
ston, Watson,  and  others  in  the  neighborhood  was  the 
nucleus  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  built  as  early 
as  1789,  eastward  of  Penn  Hall  a  short  distance. 
Rev.  James  Martin,  the  pastor,  owned  the  farm' in 
its  immediate  neighborhood.  John  Hall  was  prob- 
ably a  resident  of  Penn  township. 

James  Cooke,  Esq.,  came  to  Penn's  valley  in  1790, 
and  in  1792  erected  a  saw-mill,  and  in  1793  built  a 
grist-mill  at  Spring  Mills,  the  mill  standing  on  the 
old  line  between  Northumberland  and  Mifflin  Coun- 
ties. He  came  from  Lancaster  County,  and  was  a,  man 
of  large  means,  owning  slaves.  He  was  a  tall,  slender, 
and  dignified  gentleman,  a  Federalist  in  politics.  He 
died  in  August,  1818.  Among  his  children  were  Da- 
vid, who  was  killed  by  a  wagon  running  over  him  in 
1806;  Mrs.  Margaret  Hanna;  and  Martha,  who  mar- 
ried a  Craig.  Their  son  Robert  was  a  lawyer  at  Lewis- 
town.  Craig  died,  and  she  then  married  Robert  Mc- 
Clelland, who  moved  to  MitBin  County.  Her  third 
husband  was  James  Duncan,  whom  she  survived.  She 
died  Feb.  13,  1847.  Andrew  Hanna,  the  son-in-law 
of  James  Cooke,  kept  the  hotel  at  Penn  Hall,  below 
Spring  Mills,  or  near  it,  at  an  early  day.  Margaret 
Hanna,  wife  of  Andrew  Hanna,  died  near  Spring 
Mills  Sept.  9,  1841,  aged  sixty-five.  She  was  sixteen 
years  old  when  she  came  up  in  the  wagon  with  her 
father's  family  from  Mount  Joy,  through  Penn's  val- 
ley narrows,  and  was  so  homesick  she  expressed  a 
wish  that  the  wagons  might  never  get  out  of  the  nar- 
rows with  her  alive.     Of  her  children,  Isaac  married 


1  There  is  a  reservation  in  the  deed,  Feb.  8, 1800,  of  Robert,  son  of  Rev. 
.Tames  Martin,  to  Philip  and  Michael  "Musser.'of  one-half  acre,  for  the 
use  of  a  burial-ground  and  meeting-house. 


290 


HISTORY    OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Ann  Mussina,  James  married  Clementina  Miles, 
Samuel  married  Susan  Miles,  and  the  youngest 
daughter  married  Leonard  Leidy. 

Sebastian  Musser,\vliose  wife  was  Anna  M.  Miller,  set- 
tled on  the  place  adjoining  Penn  township  line  as  early 
as  1789.  He  had,  however,  visited  the  valley  in  1778 
and  made  a  purchase,  but  the  depreciation  of  Continen- 
tal money  interfered  with  it.  He  left  a  large  number  of 
descendants.  Among  his  grandchildren  are  William 
L.  Musser,  Esq.,  of  Millheim,  Philip  A.,  John  G., 
Anne  (married  George  Hubler),  Daniel  A.  Musser, 
Esq.,  of  Millheim. 

Philip  B.  Musser,  Esq.,  died  at  Millheim  on  the 
28th  November,  1873,  aged  eighty-eight  years,  seven 
months,  and  twenty-three  days.  He  was  a  son  of  Se- 
bastian Musser,  and  was  born  in  Linn  township, 
Northampton  Co.,  and  removed  to  Centre  when  only 
about  four  years  of  age,  and  had  ever  since  been  a 
constant  resident  of  Penn's  valley.  He  was  for  twenty- 
four  years  justice  of  the  peace  in  Gregg  township, 
was  commissioner  for  three  years  and  auditor  for  three 
years.  He  was  a  man  of  fine  physical  organization 
and  a  great  hunter.  During  his  life  he  had  shot  over 
six  hundred  deer  and  forty  bears,  with  other  game 
too  numerous  to  mention.  Mr.  Musser  was  a  man 
of  great  intelligence  and  a  good  German  scholar. 

Philip  Musser,  a  brother  of  Sebastian,  came  with 
John  Shook  about  the  year  1789.  He  died  July  19, 
1804,  and  is  buried  in  the  Heckman  graveyard.  His 
children  were  Philip,  David,  John,  Elizabeth,  Catha- 
rine, Barbara,  Sarah,  Mary,  Magdelene.  Samuel  Mus- 
ser, still  living  at  an  advanced  age,  is  a  descendant  of 
Philip,  also  Dr.  P.  T.  Musser. 

John  Shook  was  a  native  of  Germany.  The  house 
which  he  originally  built  and  occupied  still  stands. 
He  was  accidentally  killed  in  1799  by  a  falling  tree, 
which  he  was  felling  to  use  in  the  construction  of  his 
barn.'  He  left  a  family  of  eight  children, — John, 
David,  Jacob,  Michael,  George,  Philip,  Mary,  and 
Catherine. 

John  married  Christiana  Long,  and  resided  on  the 
old  farm.  He  had  nine  children, — John,  Jacob, 
David,  George,  William,  Daniel,  Philip,  Elizabeth, 
and  Mary. 

John  and  Jacob  died  while  young.  Most  of  the 
family  removed  to  Ohio.  Philip  remained  in  the  old 
place.     He  married  Catherine  Harter. 

Peter  Heckman  was  also  an  early  settler  after  the 
Revolutionary  war. 

At  his  death  he  left  eight  children, — Peter,  John, 
Jacob,  Michael,  George,  Frederick,  Elizabeth,  and 
Susan.  Peter  settled  at  Penn's  Creek  on  a  farm  now 
owned  by  Shook  and  Neese ;  John  made  his  home  in 
Sugar  valley ;  Jacob  settled  in  Penn  township ; 
Michael  emigrated  to  Ohio ;  George  is  deceased ; 
Frederick  married  Elizabeth  Miller.  He  died  on 
the  old  homestead.  His  family  consisted  of  ten  chil- 
dren,— Peter  and  John  (died  young),  Andrew,  Sam- 
uel, John  F.,  William,  Emanuel,  Sarah,  Amelia,  and 


Amanda.  Andrew  is  in  Ohio,  Samuel  died  in  Illi- 
nois, John  F.  is  living  at  the  old  home,  William  is  at 
Penn  Hall,  Emanuel  was  killed  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
three  by  being  thrown  out  of  a  sleigh. 

About  1774,  George  Woods  ascended  Sinking  Creek 
and  settled  near  the  base  of  Egg  Hill,  and  upon  the 
same  place  now  occupied  by  his  grandson  George. 
He  built  a  fulling-mill,  undoubtedly  the  first  one  in 
the  valley,  at  which  he  worked  for  a  great  many  years. 
It  is  said  that  he  also  combined  the  manufiicture  of 
cow-bells  with  his  other  business.  He  often  said  he 
had  traveled  through  a  great  many  States,  but  never 
came  upon  such  a  dense  wilderness  as  presented  itself 
to  his  sight  upon  his  first  advent  in  Penn's  valley. 
He  died  Aug.  14, 1819,  aged  seventy-three.  Margaret, 
his  wife,  died  March  23, 1822,  aged  seventy-three.  His 
sons  were  John  and  Matthew.  The  latter  built  Far- 
mer's mills  in  1815,  which  he  sold  to  the  Cookes  and 
then  removed  to  the  State  of  Michigan.  One  of 
George  Wood's  daughters  married  James  Hutchin- 
son. George  Woods,  a  son  of  John,  is  now  living  at 
the  old  place. 

John  and  James  Kelly,  brothers,  purchased  adjoin- 
ing farms  in  George's  valley  in  the  early  part  of  the 
present  century.  James  K.  Kelly,  son  of  John,  was 
lately  United  States  senator  from  Oregon,  and  his 
brother  Andrew  is  a  physician,  resident  in  that  State. 

John  Kuntsman  kept  tavern  at  a  very  early  date  at 
the  forks  of  the  road,  two  miles  west  of  Spring  Mills. 
He  was  the  grandfather  of  Rev.  Henry  Wagner,  of 
Union  County,  and  of  John  Wagner,  of  Bellefonte. 

Michael  Mosser,.  who  with  John  Philip  bought  the 
Martin  farm,  had  five  children.  One  became  Mrs. 
Kepler,  and  died  at  Pine  Grove  about  1853.  Mar- 
garet married  George  Herring.  Another  daughter 
married  John  Confer,  and  settled  in  Illinois,  where 
she  died  a  few  years  ago.  Jonas  married  a  daughter 
of  Peter  Durst,  of  Potter,  and  died  at  Penn  Hall  in 
1852.  George  married  a  daughter  of  Philip  B. 
Musser  (father  of  the  Mussers,  of  Penn  township). 
He  died  at  home  some  few  years  ago. 

Another  old  settler  and  pioneer  was  Christian  Mil- 
ler, a  Revolutionary  hero,  who  after  the  close  of  that 
eventful  struggle  wended  his  steps  in  this  direction, 
and  selected  a  home  in  the  mountains  where  the 
Ripkys  now  live.  A  few  years  afterward  some- of  his 
friends  purchased  and  presented  him  with  ten  acres 
of  land  situated  near  the  present  location  of  Penn 
Hall,  where  he  built  a  house.  He  left  one  son  (John), 
who  died  at  the  same  place  in  1862. 

Adam  Sonday,  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  died  in 
George's  valley,  April  24,  1855.  He  was  born  in 
Berks  County,  June  5,  1764,  and  entered  the  army  at 
the  age  of  fourteen,  and  was  present  at  the  surrender 
of  Cornwallis  in  1781.  He  removed  to  Centre  County 
in  1800,  having  married  in  1789.  His  widow  survived 
sixty-six  years  of  companionship.  He  was  interred 
in  Liberty  Association  graveyard  with  military  hon- 
ors, Gen.  Buchanan  and  staff  and  the  Marion   In- 


GREGG  TOWNSHIP. 


291 


fantry,  commanded  by  Capt.  Fisher,  escorting  his  re- 
mains to  the  grave.  He  was  the  last  Revolutionary 
soldier  residing  in  the  county  of  Centre. 

lie  was  a  stanch  Jeffersonian  Democrat,  attended 
all  the  Democratic  meetings,  and  was  made  conspicu- 
ous and  exhibited  as  a  sample  of  pure  democracy. 
The  last  time  he  attended  a  mass-meeting  in  Belle- 
fonte,  not  long  before  his  death,  Col.  Burnside  took 
him  upon  the  stand  and  interrupted  Governor  Bigler 
while  he  was  speaking  to  exhibit  Adam  Sonday,  the 
surviving  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  as  a  relic  of  Jef- 
fersonian Democracy. 

Adam  Sonday  had  at  least  one  grandson,  who  was 
a  gallant  soldier  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion. 

William  Long,  another  Revolutionary  soldier  and 
pioneer  settler,  lived  here  for  a  long  time.  He  died 
1831,  aged  seventy-six  years. 

David  Mark  left  many  descendants,  many  of  whom 
are  still  living.  He  died  April  8, 1844,  aged  seventy- 
eight.  George  Mark  is  at  present  living  upon  the 
place  upon  which  David  originally  settled. 

Recent  Settlers, — Jacob  Herring  was  a  native  of 
York  County,  Pa.,  and  in  the  year  1800,  with  his  wife 
Eve  (Earhart),  settled  at  Aaronsburg.  In  1809  he 
purchased  of  Adam  Reed  the  farm  that  has  since 
then  remained  in  possession  of  his  descendants.  Jacob 
was  a  tanner,  and  probably  the  first  one  to  follow  that 
trade  in  his  neighborhood.  In  the  year  1819  he  con- 
structed for  himself  a  brick  dwelling-house,  which  is 
still  standing  in  an  excellent  state  of  preservation. 
Jacob  followed  his  calling  of  tanner  until  his  death, 
in  1829,  at  the  age  of  fifty-six.  He  was  a  justice  of 
the  peace  until  about  1823.  Nov.  28,  1827,  he  was 
appointed  county  commissioner.  He  was  also  en- 
gaged in  the  milling  business  with  the  Cookes  at  what 
is  now  known  as  Farmer's  Mills,  and  theirs  was  one 
of  the  first  mills  in  that  section.  Jacob  at  liis  death 
left  three  children, — George,  Elizabeth,  and  Re- 
becca. 

Elizabeth  married  Peter  Durst,  now  of  Potter  town- 
ship. Rebecca  married  Peter  Stahl,  now  living  in 
Indiana  County.  George  took  for  his  wife  Margaret 
Musser,  and  had  five  children, — Samuel  J.,  Benjamin 
(now  at  Lock  Haven),  James  P.  (at  Altoona),  Elizabeth 
(married  Rev.  S.  G.  Shannon,  of  Seliug's  Grove),  and 
Caroline  (unmarried).  Samuel  J.,  who  is  still  living, 
at  the  age  of  fifty-three,  ou  the  old  original  home- 
stead. 

About  the  year  1800,  Jacob  Coalman  bought  of 
Adam  Reed  about  thirty-one  acres  of  land,  which 
was  part  of  his  (Reed's)  purchase  of  Daniel  Long. 
Coalman  built  a  dwelling  that  was  for  a  time  after- 
wards used  as  a  tavern. 

Valentine  Breon  died  in  Gregg  township  on  the 
1st  of  April,  1866,  aged  ninety-five  years.  He  came 
to  Penn's  valley  jn  1800,  was  the  father  of  eleven 
children  and  grandfather  of  one  hundred  and  fifteen. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Grermau  Reformed  Church, 
and  an  honest  and  upright  man. 


Robert  Carson,  a  Scotch-Irish  Presbyterian  from 
Chester  County,  lived  on  the  first  farm  above  Spring 
Mills,  on  the  road  leading  into  George's  valley.  He 
had  three  sons, — John,  Josepii,  and  .Tames.  .Tohn 
died  in  Spring  township;  Joseph  married  Nancy 
McCormick,  and  was  killed  between  Jlotz's  and 
Aaronsburg  in  1818.  He  was  returning  from  Lewis- 
burg  with  a  four-horse  team,  which  ran  over  him 
going  down  a  hill.  Joseph  Carson,  of  George's  valley, 
is  his  son. 

Henry  Rishel,  in  1812,  settled  upon  the  present 
land  of  Burrell's,  near  Penn  Hall,  where  he  lived 
until  1832,  when  he  purchased  a  place  at  Farmer's 
Mills  and  made  it  his  permanent  location.  His  wife 
was  Maria  Dorther,  who  bore  him  one  son,  John. 
John  Rishel  became  a  very  popular  man,  and  in 
course  of  time  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace,  which 
office  he  held  for  a  period  of  twenty  years.  It  is  said 
that  during  all  the  years  of  his  service  no  case  tried 
by  him  passed  beyond  his  court.  He  seemed  to  have 
the  faculty  of  adjusting  all  differences  in  such  an 
amiable  manner  as  to  give  the  utmost  satisfaction  to 
all  concerned. 

His  death,  which  occurred  a  few  years  ago,  was 
deeply  mourned  by  his  fellow-men,  and  his  memory 
eulogized  in  many  of  the  county  papers.  He  was 
twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Rachel  Reynolds, 
by  whom  he  had  two  children, — Henry,  who  died  at 
au  early  age,  and  Sarah  Ann  (married  to  William 
Weaver). 

His  second  wife  was  Catherine  Howan.  The  fruits 
of  his  last  marriage  were  Mary  E.  (married  to 
George  Armbruster)  and  Majtin  L.  Rishel,  Esq. 

The  oldest  person  residing  in  Gregg  is  Samuel  Wolf. 
Of  Peter  Wilson,  an  old  resident,  notice  has  been 
made  in  a  special  sketch.  Dr.  Grossman  was  proba- 
bly the  first  resident  physician  of  the  township.  He 
was  succeeded  by  Dr.  McCoy,  after  him  Dr.  Smith, 
then  Dr.  R.  F.  Vanvalzah,  who  died  Nov.  10,  1874, 
and  has  been  succeeded  by  his  son,  F.  H.  Vanvalzah, 
a  graduate  of  Jeflerson  Medical  College. 

Early  Schools. —  The  first  school-house  in  the 
township  is  supposed  to  have  been  built  as  early  as 
1800.  An  old  German  is  known  to  have  taught  school 
for  some  time  previous  to  the  erection  of  any  school- 
house.  He  taught  in  his  own  house,  situated  about  a 
rod  or  two  west  of  the  old  graveyard.  The  first  school- 
house  was  built  near  the  old  Heckman's  graveyard. 

One  of  the  first  teachers  was  Rochhauser,  who 
never  spared  the  rod,  but  laid  it  on  without  reserve. 
Another  teacher  was  a  lame  man  named  Mays.  He 
lived  at  Rebersburg,  and  made  weekly  excursions 
thereto  upon  an  old  gray  horse  which  was  loaned 
him  by  Mr.  Heckman.  The  old  school-house  was 
demolished  about  1848.  Its  site  is  occupied  by  a 
building  erected  by  the  cemetery  association,  and 
used  solely  for  the  preaching  of  funeral  sermons. 

In  1810,  or  perhaps  earlier,  a  log  school-house  was 
built  at  what  is  known  as  the  Cross-Roads.    A  Mr.  Ohl 


292 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


taught  there  at  one  time.  A  brick  school-house  now 
stands  upon  its  site.  The  latter  is  a  graded  school, 
and  was  erected  about  1864  by  the  township  authori- 
ties. It  has  two  stories,  the  upper  part  used  for 
academical  studies,  the  lower  story  devoted  to  the 
primary  scholars.  Those  who  taught  there  were  W. 
H.  Gutelius,  J.  I.  Kossiter,  A.  E.  Trunxal,  W.  C. 
Shaeffer,  J.  B.  Kershner,  and  G.  D.  Gurley. 

About  1840  a  school-house  was  built  upon  the 
Herring  place.  It  was  quite  largely  attended.  It 
was  removed  about  1864.  Of  the  teachers  were 
Samuel  J.  Herring,  five  terms. 

George  Padget  came  up  from  Buffalo  valley  in  1812. 
It  is  said  he  had  to  leave  for  whipping  too  severely  the 
late  Gen.  Abbot  Green,  of  Lewisburg,  one  of  his 
pupils.  He  resided  at  the  foot  of  Brush  Moun- 
tain, north  of  Spring  Mills.  He  was  a  noted  teacher, 
and  taught  until  he  was  over  seventy  years  of  age. 
He  died  Nov.  2,  1834.  Dorothy,  Elizabeth,  Hannah, 
and  Mary  Gregg  Padget  were  his  daughters.  Han- 
nah and  Mary  G.  were  school-teachers.  Hannah 
died  Oct.  28,  1882,  at  her  sister's,  Mrs.  Krise,  in  her 
eightieth  year.  John  McDonald,  who  was  an  excel- 
lent teacher,  taught  at  Spring  Mills  in  1812-13.  He 
went  with  Mr.  Gregg  to  Bellefonte,  and  taught  there 
a  number  of  years.  John  Price,  who  taught  in 
George's  valley,  was  also  a  good  teacher.  During  the 
winter  months  debating  societies  were  organized,  and 
evening  schools  were  popular  and  well  attended,  and 
Mr.  Gilliland  adds  it  is  a  mistake  to  say  that  either 
the  teachers  or  schools  of  the  olden  time  in  Gregg 
township  were  not  of  high  character. 

German  Reformed  and  Lutheran  Churches.— 
The  first  Union  Church  in  the  township  was  the  one 
that  formerly  stood  on  the  Musser  farm.  It  was 
erected  by  the  Presbyterians.  In  1810  it  became  a 
Union  Church,  and  was  remodeled  by  the  addition  of 
a  pulpit  and  seats,  which  necessary  adjuncts  it  had 
lacked  until  then.  The  expenses  were  shared  equally 
between  the  two  sects.  The  earliest  of  the  Reformed 
preachers  was  probably  the  Rev.  G.  Geistweit,  who  is 
believed  to  have  begun  his  labors  about  1801.  In 
1828  the  Rev.  B.  S.  Schneck  had  charge  of  all  the 
Reformed  Churches  in  Penn's  valley.  His  successor 
was  the  Rev.  P.  S.  Fisher.  In  1859  a  dissolution 
took  place  that  resulted  in  the  erection  of  a  new 
church  by  each  denomination  in  1860.  The  first 
Reformed  preacher  installed  in  the  present  church 
was  L.  C.  Edwards,  whose  labors  extended  over  a 
period  of  three  years.  He  was  succeeded  by  S.  Kuhn, 
who  faithfully  labored  with  his  flock  for  five  years. 
Then  came  C.  H.  Reiter  for  six  years,  and  J.  G. 
Shoemaker  for  four  years.  The  latter  was  succeeded 
in  1880  by  the  present  pastor,  C.  W.  E.  Seigel.  The 
first  elders  of  the  church  were  Jacob  Moyer  and 
Michael  Zeigler.  The  elders  in  1881  were  J.  G. 
Evans  and  John  Moyer.  The  Lutherans  erected 
their  present  brick  edifice  in  1859.  Among  the 
earlier  Lutheran  preachers  were  Rev.  J.  T.  Abele, 


Rev.  Daniel  Gottwald,  Rev.  Charles  Reese,  and  Sell, 
Walker,  Falker,  Sahm.  John  Tomlinson  is  the 
present  pastor. 

St.  John's  Church.— On  the  24th  of  January,  1853, 
a  body  composed  of  Reformed  and  Lutheran  met  to 
organize  and  make  the  necessary  arrangements  for 
the  building  of  a  Union  Church,  the  expenses  to  be 
borne  equally  by  each.  A  suitable  plot  of  ground 
was  donated  by  John  Rishel,  Esq.  The  building 
committee,  consisting  of  Michael  Musser  and  George 
Durst,  perfected  their  plans,  and  on  Nov.  13, 1853,  the 
church  was  dedicated.  Those  assisting  at  the  time 
were  the  Revs.  Ruthrauf,  Smith,  Ansbach,  and  Line- 
bach.  On  the  10th  of  November  services  were  begun, 
which  lasted  without  interruption  until  the  day  of 
dedication.  The  present  pastors  are  W.  E.  Fisher, 
Lutheran,  and Rohder,  Reformed. 

Evangelical  Association. — Their  only  church  in 
the  township  was  erected  a  few  years  ago.  It  is 
situated  a  short  distance  east  of  Farmer's  Mills. 

The  old  Decker  Church,  situated  in  George's  valley, 
is  also  occasionally  used  for  services  and  Sabbath- 
school. 

Presbyterian  Churches. — The  first  in  what  is  now 
Gregg  was  organized  before  1789,  erected  on  the 
Musser  place.  After  Rev.  James  Martin's  death  the 
congregation  gradually  decreased,  and  the  church 
passed  to  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  people.  In 
1840  a  reorganization  took  place,  and  the  Presby- 
terians in  conjunction  with  the  Methodists  built  a 
church  on  the  hill.  Subsquently  the  Presbyterians 
erected  a  place  of  worship  for  themselves.  Before 
the  reunion  the  latter  were  connected  with  the  New 
School  branch  of  that  church.  The  Methodist  people 
occupy  the  old  building. 

Methodist  Church. — The  Methodists  at  first  wor- 
shiped in  the  school-house  that  stood  between  Spring 
Mills  and  Penn  Hall.  Pennington  Church,  of  which 
notice  is  taken  in  the  history  of  Potter  township,  was 
the  pioneer  church  of  that  denomination  in  the  val- 
ley. They  also  built  what  was  called  the  Decker 
Church,  which  was  used  prior  to  1840. 

Burial-Places. — The  oldest  burial-place  in  the 
township  is  that  known  commonly  as  Heckman's 
graveyard.  The  ground  was  set  aside  in  1785  by 
John  Shook,  to  be  used  by  him  and  his  neighbors, 
and  thus  came  in  genera!  use.  The  first  burial  is  be- 
lieved to  have  been  a  child  of  Shook's.  There  are  a 
great  many  old  graves  which  have  no  visible  means 
of  identification,  the  marks  having  gone  to  decay 
long  ago.  The  remains  of  most  of  the  old  settlers 
rest  within  it,  viz. :  the  Mussers,  Shooks,  Heck- 
mans,  Marks,  Longs,  Sunday,  and  others.  In  1848 
an  association  was  formed,  and  the  grounds  improved 
and  enlarged  by  the  purchase  of  additional  ground. 
It  is  at  present  kept  in  excellent  order,  the  expenses 
being  defrayed  by  a  nominal  tax  on  those  applying 
for  the  use  thereof.  The  present  trustees  are  Philip 
Shook,  Daniel  Gentzel,  and  Joseph  Smith.    A  trustee 


GREGG  TOWNSHIP. 


293 


is  chosen  every  year,  his  term  being  for  three  years. 
Meetings  are  held  on  Easter  Monday  of  eacli  year. 

An  ancient  burial-place  is  that  located  on  the 
Musser  farm,  where  the  old  Union  Church  formerly 
stood.  It  was  used  as  early  as  1790,  although  all 
traces  of  the  early  graves  have  long  ago  become  ex- 
tinct. The  only  remaining  grave  which  bears  any 
distinguishable  marks  is  the  one  of  the  Rev.  James 
Martin,  the  pioneer  Presbyterian  pastor.  The  fol- 
lowing inscription  appears  upon  his  tombstone  : 

'•  Here  lies  the  body  of  the  Rev.  James  Martiu,  Pastor  of  tlie  first 
Presbyterian  Congregation  in  Penn's  Valley,  who  died  June  20,  a.d. 
1795,  aged  about  65  years. 

"  Deep  was  the  wound,  0  Death,  and  vastly  wide, 
When  he  resigned  his  useful  breath  and  died. 
Ye  sacred  tribes,  with  pious  sorrow  mourn,  - 

And  drop  a  tear  at  your  dear  pastor's  urn. 

"Concealed  a  moment  from  our  longing  eyes, 
Beneath  this  stone  bis  mortal  body  lies. 
Happy  the  spirit  lives,  and  will,  we  trust, 
In  bliss  associate  with  bis  pious  dust." 

Spring  Mills.— In  1805,  Jacob  Maize  was  the 
miller  at  Spring  Mills.  He  removed  to  Miffliuburg 
in  1812,  and  kept  a  noted  hotel  at  that  place.  George 
Sidman  succeeded  Maize  as  miller.  Joseph  Gilliland 
moved  from  Buffalo  valley  to  Spring  Mills  in  1805, 
and  lived  in  a  liouse  which  stood  where  E.  H.  Dun- 
can lately  lived.  John  Kerr,  or  Carr,  a  blacksmith, 
lived  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  road,  and  had  a 
blacksmith-shop  close  to  the  big  spring.  Carr  moved 
to  Potter's  Mills,  and  kept  hotel  there  His  wife  was 
a  sister  of  Commodore  Conner.  The  Widow  Allison, 
mother  of  Archibald,  lived  in  a  large  square  log 
house,  on  what  was  then  the  main  road  (which  crossed 
Penn's  Creek  at  the  head  of  the  dam),  and  kept  a 
hotel.  Near  where  the  church  now  is  was  a  school- 
house  of  round  logs,  clapboard  roof,  and  paper  win- 
dows. The  paper  used  was  John  Binn's  Democratic 
Press,  greased  with  hog's  lard  to  make  it  transparent. 
The  school-house  was  surrounded  with  pine-trees. 
Pine  squirrels  were  numerous,  and  tore  out  the  win- 
dows for  the  sake  of  the  lard,  so  the  windows  had  to 
be  frequently  renewed. — (Recollections  of  James  Gil- 
liland, Esq.) 

The  first  store-keeper  was  Thomas  Huston,  who 
commenced  business  about  1820.  There  may  have 
been  a  store  earlier  than  that,  but  it  is  doubtful.  The 
same  year  the  post-office  was  established,  Huston 
being  postmaster.  He  was  succeeded  in  1822  by 
Thomas  Duncan,  who  in  1825  was  succeeded  by  his 
brother.  David  Duncan  married  Susan  M.  Hayes, 
of  Gettysburg,  by  whom  he  had  four  children.  He 
died  in  1855.  His  son,  Robert  H.,  succeeded  him  in 
1852,  and  during  the  same  year  built  an  extensive 
grist-mill  upon  the  site  of  the  old  one.  Robert  H. 
Duncan  has  held  the  office  of  postmaster  since  1852, 
with  the  exception  of  four  years  of  President  Bu- 
chanan's administration,  when  the  incumbent  was 
Maj.  J.  B.  Fisher.  Robert  H.  married  Mary  L.  Dou- 
gal,  1855.     He  has  three  children, — David  W.,  Alex- 


ander H.,  and  Louisa  D.  Israel  J.  Grenoble  is  at 
present  busily  employed  in  constructing  a  large  and 
beautiful  hotel.  Its  dimensions  are  one  hundred  feet 
long  and  fifty  feet  wide,  and  when  completed  will  oc- 
commodate  one  hundred  guests.  It  is  to  cost  five 
thousand  dollars.  It  is  located  east  of  the  village, 
upon  a  slight  eminence.  From  its  roof  one  can  gain 
a  view  of  the  entire  valley.  Mr.  Grenoble,  the  pro- 
jector, is  a  man  of  unusual  business  enterprise.  Be- 
sides owning  a  large  store,  he  lately  built  an  extensive 
planing-mill,  and  also  deals  largely  in  grain  and  mer- 
chandise. 

Physicians. — Dr.  R.  F.  Vanvalzah,  who  died  at 
Spring  Mills,  Nov.  10,  1874,  was  one  of  the  most 
highly  esteemed  physicians  of  the  county.  He  came 
to  the  county  in  1839,  and  practiced  for  a  year  with 
Dr.  Strohecker,  when  he  removed  into  Penn's  valley. 
He  educated  his  sons  for  the  profession, — Dr.  Frank 
H.,  who  succeeded  his  father  at  Spring  Mills,  and  Dr. 
Henry  Vanvalzah,  of  Clearfield. 

The  Spring  Mills  Union  Sabbath-School  was  organ- 
ized on  the  9th  of  September,  1828.  The  first  meet- 
ing was  in  an  old  log  school-house  which  stood  on  the 
south  side  of  the  turnpike  about  an  eighth  of  a  mile 
east  of  the  mill.  Charles  Pauling  was  chairman  of 
the  meeting,  and  George  Buchanan  secretary. 

A  constitution  was  formed  and  six  teachers  chosen 
— three  for  boys  and  three  for  girls.  Their  names 
were  Lott  Evans,  George  Buchanan,  and  David  Dun- 
can for  the  boys ;  for  the  girls.  Eve  Snyder,  Martha 
Hanna,  and  Jane  Allison.  The  first  superintendent 
was  Charles  Pauling  ;  David  Duncan,  secretary,  and 
Peter  Wilson,'  treasurer.  Of  those  named  above  it  is 
only  known  that  two  now  (1882)  survive, — Mrs.  Riley 
(formerly  Jane  Allison,  of  Adams  County,  Ohio)  and 
the  venerable  Peter  Wilson,  of  Spring  Mills. 

For  ten  years  the  school  was  kept  open  summer 
and  winter.  In  1838  it  was  removed  from  the  old  log 
school-house  to  the  Methodist  Church,  in  the  year 
1842  to  the  new  school-house  on  the  hill,  and  in  the 
same  year  taken  to  the  Presbyterian  Church,  where 
its  sessions  are  still  held. 

The  records  of  the  school  are  carefully  kept ;  one 
item  we  transcribe,  under  date  Nov.  23,  1828  :  "One 
hundred  and  twelve  verses  were  recited  by  Miss  Mary 
Hanna"  (now  Mrs.  Lida).  "  April  26,  1869,  50  chil- 
dren being  present,  there  were  repeated  576  verses  of 
the  Old  and  New  Testament." 

From  this  school  have  sprung  other  schools  in  the 
township,  —  the  Union  Sunday-school  at  Farmer's 
Mills,  the  George's  valley  school,  and  the  Penn's 
Creek  school, — accounting  for  the  fact  that  the  rolls 
of  fifty  5'ears  showed  no  increase  of  scholars  corre- 
sponding with  the  increase  of  inhabitants.  In  that 
period  over  sixteen  hundred  persons  had  been  con- 
nected with  the  school,  and  its  influence  gone  far  and 
wide,  incalculable  in  its  blessing. 

'  Still  living  in  1SS2.     See  biographical  sketch. 


294 


HISTOKY   OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Sujieri7.tei.(ienfe.-Charles  Pauling,  1828;  Solomon  Conser,  1835 ;  Michael 

Knull,1837;  Samuel  Hanna,1839;  Robert  McClellan,  1841 ;  Thomas 

Hulchin8on,1846;  DaTi<lDuncan,lS48-,  Peter  Wilson,  1853;  Thomas 

Hutchinson,  1861;  David  Allison,  1866;  A.  J.  Young,  1868;  Peter 

Wilson,  1869-78. 
AssUlant  S<iperwlende,Us.—D&yii  Duncan,  1842;  Peter  Wilson,  1844; 

Christian  Gann,  1853;  John  Gooilhart,  1854;  George  Kearick,  1861; 

David  Allison,  1862;   Charles  Miller,  1S65;  John  Rinehart,  1867; 

Henry  Krumrine,  1869;  0.  P.  Rearick,  1870:  Elias  Fetteroff,  1870; 

L.  B.  McEntire,  1872;  Hiram  Osman,  1875  ;  John  Minnright,  1877; 

George  Jordon,  1878. 
S«eretari<s.— David  Duncan,  1828;  Joseph  P.  Jewett,  1829;  Mortimer  P. 

Crosthwaite,  1838;  Samuel  B.  Thomas,  1842;  John  F.  Hayes,  1843; 

George  B.  Crawford,  1878;  E.  H.  Duncan,  1866. 
Treasurers -Feter  Wilson,  1828;  Archibald  Allison, 1842;  Elias Clinger, 

1853;    Geoige  Woods,  1864;   R.  H.   Duncan,  1886;   David  Allison, 

1864;  Charles  Miller,  1872 ;  David  BorrcU,  1878. 

The  semi-centennial  of  this  school  was  celebrated 
in  September,  1878,  and  from  a  report  made  by  Rev. 
James  D.  Wilson  (now  Dr.  Wilson,  of  New  York 
City)  and  S.  Albert  Woods,  committee,  we  cull  the 
following  pleasing  reminiscences  of  this  school  and 
beautiful  tributes  to  its  officers : 

This  school  has  furnished  ten  candidates  for  the 
gospel  ministry,  nine  of  whom  still  live  and  are  doing 
good  service  in  the  Lutheran,  Reformed,  Methodist, 
and  Presbyterian  Churclies.  Several  officers  of  the 
army  have  gone  forth  from  our  ranks,  brave  soldiers 
whom  we  might  almost  count  by  the  score,  and  by  the 
side  of  them  among  the  more  distinguished  we  find 
the  name  of  a  Governor  and  of  a  United  States  senator. 

Among  those  who  have  labored  longest  as  teachers 
in  the  school  are  Miss  Mary  E.  Duncan,  Miss  Nancy 
J.  Wilson,  and  Mrs.  Margaret  A.  Woods,  the  latter  of 
whom  has  carried  through  the  Sabbath-school  one  or 
two  generations  of  young  men,  who  from  childhood 
to  early  manhood  have  been  taught  by  her  on  the 
Sabbath.  After  a  service  of  twenty-seven  years  she 
is  still  able  to  engage  with  vigor  in  the  work  she  loves 
so  well. 

In  the  history  of  superintendents  we  find  names  that 
will  long  be  remembered  in  our  society  with  gratitude 
and  affection. 

Among  the  superintendents  who  have  gone  to  their 
rest,  many  who  are  here  to-day  will  recollect  the  sweet 
and  quiet  face  of  Mr.  Samuel  Hanna.  His  words  were 
few  and  always  spoken  with  gentleness,  but  his  life 
had  a  power  whose  influence  was  deep  and  abiding. 
Next  to  him  in  charge  of  the  school  followed  Mr. 
David  Duncan,  to  whom  perhaps  more  than  to  any 
other  man  this  community  owes  a  debt  of  gratitude 
that  cannot  easily  be  discharged.  He  was  a  man 
who,  in  the  later  years  of  his  life  especially,  was 
devoted  to  securing  for  this  valley  the  advantages  of 
a  railroad.  He  was  an  earnest  advocate  of  the  tem- 
perance cause,  and  heartily  engaged  in  promoting  the 
interests  of  education  and  religion.  His  work  has 
long  since  ended.  He  has  long  since  gone,  and  we 
who  remain  to-day  are  enjoying  the  fruitage  of  his 
useful  life. 

And  while  we  pay  our  ti'ibute  of  respect  and  rever- 
ence to  tliose  who  have  departed,  we  are  permitted 


also  to  record  our  sincere  gratitude  to  God  that  we 
still  have  among  us  one,  elected  treasurer  on  the  day 
the  school  was  organized,  who  after  a  service  of  fifty 
years  is  able  to  discharge  the  duties  of  superintendent. 
Mr.  Peter  Wilson,  now  in  his  eighty-first  year,  is 
doubtless  the  oldest  superintendent  in  the  State,  if 
not  in  the  country,  and  we  rejoice  with  him  that  he 
has  been  spared  to  see  this  happy  anniversary. 

Spring  Mills  Grange,  No.  158,  Patrons  of  Hus- 
bandry, was  organized  ^March  10,  1874;  John  Rishel, 
Master;  J.  Wells  Evans,  Overseer;  John  Caldron, 
Lecturer;  J.  R.  Lowyer,  Steward;  J.  P.  Grove, 
Asst.  Steward;  Michael  Hettinger,  Chap.;  Elias 
Fetterhoft",  Treas. ;  William  F.  Reasick,  Sec. ;  Wesley 
Sweetwood,  Gate-Keeper;  Barbara  Lowyer,  Ceres; 
Phebe  Krumrine,  Pomona;  Rose  Rishel,  Flora ;  Flora 
Farion,  Lady  Asst.  Steward.  The  present  officers 
are  John  B.  Ream,  Master;  J.  W.  Evans,  Sec;  J. 
McClintock,  Overseer;  M.  L.  Rishel,  Purchasing 
Agent  and  Treas.  They  meet  once  a  month  over  I. 
J.  Grenoble's  store. 

Spring  Mills  Academy.  —  The  Spring  Mills 
Academy  was  founded  in  1864  by  Rev.  D.  M.  Wolf. 
It  was  formerly  located  at  Penn  Hall.  It  has  an 
average  daily  attendance  of  fifty  pupils,  and  is  in  a 
prosperous  condition. 

Farmer's  Mills  is  a  hamlet  about  two  miles  north- 
east of  Spring  Mills  on  Penn's  Creek.  Matthew 
Woods  built  the  first  mill  there  in  1815.  He  sold  to 
Robert,  James,  and  David  Cooke,  who  in  1832  car- 
ried on  a  mill  there  with  four  run  of  stone,  and  had 
a  store  and  tan-yard.  The  Cooks  sold  to  Michael 
Musser,  and  he  to  Philip  B.  Musser.  Adam  Fisher 
came  in  possession  in  1846,  and  rebuilt  the  flouring- 
mill  in  1864. 

Penn  Hall  is  situated  one  mile  east  of  Spring 
Mills.  James  Cooke  built  the  first  house  there.  John 
Petrikiu  kept  the  first  store,  and  was  succeeded  by  J. 
Pennington,  who  also  kept  hotel.  Isaac  Hanna  also 
had  a  tavern  for  a  number  of  years  in  the  old  house 
built  by  Jacob  Coalman.  He  afterward  removed  to 
what  is  now  called  the  "  White  House,"  where  Daniel 
Keen  and  Adam  Fisher  also  kept  hotel.  The  latter 
was  succeeded  by  James  Mu.sser,  since  whose  time  no 
public-house  is  kept.  Maj.  J.  B.  Fisher  is  the  present 
store-keeper  and  postmaster. 

Dr.  J.  B.  Leitzel  located  in  Penn  Hall  in  the 
practice  of  medicine  in  1869.  His  father  came  from 
Berks  County  to  Penn's  valley  in  1820. 

The  first  tavern  at  Penn  Hall  was  kept  by  the 
widow  of  David  Cooke,  son  of  James,  Esq.,  who  was 
killed  in  1806.  Mrs.  Cooke  was  a  Speer,  of  Hunting- 
don County.  They  had  four  children, — Isabella, 
Robert,  James,  and  David.  After  their  mother's 
death  the  boys  purchased  Farmer's  Mills  of  Matthew 
Woods.  Robert  lived  and  died  in  Gregg.  James 
and  David  went  to  Venango  County. 

Long's  Cave. — The  cave  in  question  is  located  upon 
the  farm  of  John  Long,  about  five  miles  eastward  from 


GREGG  TOWNSHIP. 


295 


Centre  Hall.  The  entrance  thereto  is  gained  hy  a  steep 
descent,  which  when  made  disclcses  a  limestone  cav- 
ern, roofed  to  the  thickness  of  about  twenty  feet.  A 
stretch  of  water  covers  the  cavern's  bottom  and  ex- 
tends a  distance  of  perhaps  aquarter  of  a  mile  through 
the  cavity,  varying  in  width  from  sixty  to  less  than 
ten  feet.  This  miniature  lake  is  the  source  of  Penn's 
Creek,  and  reaches  in  its  deepest  part  to  a  depth  of 
seventeen  feet.  The  tempcratureof  the  cave  is  about 
twenty  degrees  above  the  freezing-point,  and  maintains 
it  uniformly  the  year  through.  Access  to  the  interior 
is  obtained  by  means  of  a  boat,  kept  at  the  command 
of  visitors.  The  limestone  formations  in  the  cavern 
are  exceedingly  plentiful.  In  design  they  are  varied 
and  fantastic  to  an  extraordinary  degree,  and  under  a 
strong  light  present  a  picturesquely  beautiful  specta- 
cle. The  roof  of  the  cave  is  studded  in  every  part 
with  a  succ&ssion  of  seeming  devices  in  frostwork, 
shaded  by  darker  designs  of  a  multitude  of  shapes, 
while  here  and  there  delicate  tracings  mark  the  work, 
as  if  the  hand  of  cunning  man  had  lavished  upon  the 
picture  the  touch  of  a  consummate  skill.  Long's  Cave 
is  a  curiosity  well  worthy  the  attention  of  the  student 
of  nature  or  the  scientific  explorer  after  geological 
curiosities. 

Township  Organization. — In  obedience  to  a  peti- 
tion of  sundry  inhabitants  of  Potter,  Miles,  and 
Haines  townships,  presented  in  January,  1826,  asking 
for  the  erection  of  a  new  township  out  of  portions  of 
those  townships,  the  court  appointed  Francis  Mc- 
Ewen,  James  Harris,  Jr.,  and  John  Thompson  to 
view  and  make  such  divisions  and  alterations  in  the 
said  townships,  and  to  lay  out  a  new  township  if  they 
should  think  proper.  In  November,  1826,  the  viewers 
reported  in  favor  of  the  erection  of  a  new  township, 
in  accordance  with  the  petition,  and  gave  the  boun- 
daries as  follows:  "Beginning  at  Thomas  Huston's 
line,  south  thirty-five  degrees  east  three  thousand  one 
hundred  and  seventy  perches,  north  sixty  degrees  east 
one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  seventy-five  perches, 
north  twenty-one  degrees  west  three  thousand  four 
hundred  and  seventeen  perches ;  thence  south  fifty- 
five  degrees  west  two  thousand  five  hundred  and  fifty 
jjerches  to  the  place  of  beginning."  The  court  there- 
upon confirmed  the  report,  and  named  the  new  town- 
ship Gregg,  in  honor  of  Hon.  Andrew  Gregg. 

TAX-PAYERS  OF  GKEGG  TOWNSHIP    FOR  1827. 


Acres. 

Allison.  Archibald o4G 

Allison,  James 200 

Armegost,  John 94 

Allison,  David  (distillery) 

Amhizer,  Christian 

Armegost,  Michael  (oil-mill)...      6 

Ault,  Henry 15 

Boal,  George 12o 

Brown,  William 

Bertions,  William 122 

BowerBox,  Paul 

Beuck,  William 220 

Barlet,  John  (weaver) 

Bergstresser,  Lewis 

Bechtold,  Jacob 7 

Breon,  Valentine 150 

Borell,  John .TO 

Bear,  David 106 


Acres. 

Bridge,  John 23 

Beck,  John  (saw-mill) 21 

Breon,  Jacob 150 

Crawford,  John  L 

Crawford,  John 

Carson,  James 260 

Cook,  David  (tavern) 150 

Confer,  William 

Cook,  Robert  and  James  (tan- 
yard  and  store) 332 

Dunan,  James  (grist-  and  saw- 

n.ill) 

Duncan,  David  (store) 

Durnmire,  George 5 

Dunlap,  Alexander lu 

Dunkle,  Jacob 

Duck,  Henry  (house  and  lot) 

Deckert,  Michael 3 


Acree. 

Dersheui,  Jacob 175 

Emorick,  George 143 

Emerick,  Paul  (saw-lnlll) 88 

Enierick,  Ja£ob 27 

Emerick,  Adam 5 

Enui ick,  Michuol 

Eaven.  Lot 120 

Kredirick,  Thomas 60 

Fulton,  James 

(iciawen,  William „ 50 

Crenoble,  Jacub,  Sr 126 

Gieiioble,  Jacob,  Jr 

Oi.ist,  Jacob  (house  and  lot) 

I lensil,  George  (saw-mill) 269 

Grove,  Willinm 

Hanna,  James 300 

Iliinna,  Isa-ic 120 

Hoy,  George,  Jr 

Hoy,  George,  Sr 354 

Ilockman,  Frederick 312 

Heckman,  Jacob 130 

Barter,  John 200 

Hoover,  John 

Houseman,  Andrew 135 

Hettinger,  Jacob 100 

Hoy,  John 300 

Hazel,  Jacob 

Hide,  George 

Heckman,  George 250 

Hoover,  Daniel 300 

Housman,  Henry 330 

Honian,  Michael 229 

Herbster,  George 

Homan,  Henry 318 

Herring,  Jacob  (tan-yard) 116 

Hoffman,  John 7 

Howe,  Elias 337 

Holter,  George 

Inuuel,  Jacob 50 

Ilgen,  George 80 

Johnson,  James 

Kreb,  William 150 

Koch,  Jacob 116 

Kemory,  George 225 

Kelly,  John,  Sr.  (saw-mill) 150 

Kelly,  John,  Jr 163 

Kennelly,  Daniel 

Knerr,  Benjamin 

Kuntzman,  Joliti 

Kuntzmau,  Christopher 79 

Kuntz,  Philip 

Keller,  Feli.v 62 

Kremer,  Joseph  (house  and  lot).    ... 

Long,  William 80 

Long,jJohn  (distiller) 

Long,  William  H 

Long,  John  (fanner) 

Lohr,  Solomon 15 

Lohr,  William 30 

Longwell,  John- 

Lee,  John 280 

Mogel,  Valentine 200 

Musser,  Philip 106 

Blark,  William 

Mark,  David 160 

Miles,  Christina 

Miles,  Obediah 100 

Miles,  Jeremiah 100 

Mtisser  &  Cook  (grist-  and  saw- 
mill)     50 

Musser,  Michael ITS 

Moyer,  Frederick 150 

McElheny,  Thomas 250 

Musser,  Sebastian 144 

Musser,  David 100 

Musser,  Catharine 20 

Moyer,  George  (one  bouse  and 

two  lots) 

McCliutock,  Andrew 5 

Miller.  John 8 

McCaltoter,  John 103 

Musser,  Philip,  Jr 

Musser,  Philip,  Sr.  (distillery     ... 

and  saw-mill) 150 

Nees,  Peter,  Sr 228 

Nees,  Peter,  Jr. 

Neidigh,  Jacob  (saw-mill) 124 

Nees,  George  and  Jacob 160 

Oswalt,  David 33 

Parkison,  James 120 

Plotner,  Elizabeth 60 


Pickcl,  Jacob  (saw-mill) 14'.^ 

Price,  Jacob 220 

Price,  Henry 131 

Pauling,  Charlen 

Price,  John  S.  (schoolmanter) 

Padget,  George 200 

Kibge,  John 320 

Bubel,  John 156 

Riahel,  S<domon lim 

Reyman,  John 

Rye,  Robert  (carpenter) * 

Ream,  Henry 3 

Riahel,  George 235 

Rceder,  Levy 100 

Reeder,  Henry 80 

Ream,  David 242 

Rocky,  John 2 

Rudy,  Frederick, 170 

Rishcl,  Henry 106 

Riley,  Widow 200 

Rough,  John 

Rcber,  Abraham 

Rees,  David 10 

Risbel,  Jonas 

Snyder,  Michael   92 

Switzer,  Frederick 

Smith,  George 4 

Smith,  Francis 

Smith,  Henry,  Sr 

Smith,  Henry,  Jr 

Stober,  Valentine 

SliUcker,  George 45 

Snyder,  Henry 

Stover,  William 8 

Shook,  John 118 

Shilling,  .lohn 36 

Soudav,  Andrew 4 

Shilling,  Daniel 

Smith,  Peter 75 

Smith,  Mithael 25 

Smith,  John 

Shannon,  Alexander 129 

Smith,  .John,  Sr 

Swartz,  George 232 

Shook,  Jacob 

Stine,  Peter 150 

Spade,  George 5 

Steffy,  Isaac 100 

Taylor,  Samuel 72 

Wensel,  .Tohn,  Sr 300 

Wensel, -Tohn,  Jr. 

Waltz,  Ludwig 20 

White,  Philip 72 

White,  Christopher 50 

Wilhelm,  Jacob 

Wilhelm,Daniel  (houseandlot)    ...' 

Winkelman,  Philip 3C 

Winkelman,  Henry 52 

Woods,  Widow 250 

Waldbarger,  Adam 75 

Wassou,  Robert 

Terrick,  William 150 

Yerrick,  Widow 

Yearrick l.">0 

Yerger,.Iohn 

Zigler,  Nicholas 200 

Zigler,  Peter 

Zettle,  George 10 

Zerbe,  Philip 28 

Zettle,.Iohn 2t)0 

Kline,     Daniel     (fulling-mill, 

carding  machine) 7 

Tanyer,  David 

Tanyer,  .Tesse 

Smith,  Jacob 100 

Weaver,  Peter 100 

Willeman,  John 46 

Davis,  Susan  (bouse  and  lot) 

Tameny,  Henry,  tavern 

Weaver,  George 80 

Harshberger,  Samuel 

Wenrick,  John 

Wenrick,  Andrew 60 

Sonday,  Adam 100 

Harshberger,  John 30 

Zettle,  Frederick 

Minnigh,  Henry 12 

Adam,  Philip 50 

.\uman,  Peter 200 

Woolf,  Samuel 


Single  Freemen. 

Peter  Snyder,  Jonas  Snyder,  John  Zigler,  Alexander  Fulton,  John 
Mafsker,  George  McCormick,  Adam  Hoy,  Ileury  Suitzer,  John 
Plotner,  Thomas  Lemon,  Jacob  Smith,  David  Long,  John  Bertious, 
William  Nees,  .Adam  Shroyer,  Sanuiel  BrisWn.  Jacob  Housman, 
David  Hanna,  William  Ellis,  Jonas  Musser,  Adam  Kreanier,  George 


296 


HISTORY   OP   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Musser,  Jacob  Immel,  Philip  Ertle,  George  Herring,  Jacob  Nees, 
John  Smith,  Michael  Ream,  David  Mark,  Jonathan  Housman, 
Jonas  Pauly,  John  Armegost,  John  Duck,  George  Gensel,  John 
Geusel,  Jacob  Gensel,  William  Geusel,  Peter  Heckman,  George 
Buchanan,  Esq.,  James  Cuok,  Isaac  Parkison,  James  Parkison, 
David  Duncan,  'William  Faith,  Valentine  Ertle,  Jacob  Aumen, 
George  Emrick,  Richard  Dunlap,  John  Ilgen,  Jacob  Ertle,  David 
Poorman,  Daniel  Huber,  Peter  Auman. 

CIVIL  LIST. 
Juslices  of  the  Pence.— Philip  B.  Mos-ser,  Lot  Evans,  April  14,  1840; 
George  Herring,  John  Eishel,  April  15,  1845;  George  Buchanan, 
John  Rishel,  March  12,  1860;  John  Kishel,  George  Buchanan, 
March  13,  1865;  John  Rishel,  S.  J.  Herring,  March  26,  1860;  S.  J. 
Herring,  Jonathan  Frazer,  April  6,1865;  John  Rishel,  March  18, 
1867;  Samuel  J.  Herring,  March  4,1870;  John  Rishel,  March  27, 
1872  ;  J.  J.  Herring,  March  13, 1875 ;  John  Eishel,  March  28,  1877  ; 
M.  L.  Eishel,  April  9, 1879;  S.  J.  Herring,  April  16, 1880. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


PETER  WILSON. 
Peter  Wilson  was  born  on  the  18th  of  February, 
1798,  on  the  old  Hayes  farm,  a  short  distance  west  of 
Miffllnburg.  His  grandfather,  Peter  Wilson,  came 
with  his  wife  from  York  County  into  Buffalo  valley 
before  the  Kevolution,  retiring  with  the  great  run- 
away of  1778.  They  returned  after  the  war,  and 
finally  moved  up  into  Potter  township,  near  Potter's 
Bank,  where  they  died  in  the  early  part  of  the  present 
century.  Peter  Wilson  is  assessed  on  the  earliest  list 
of  Buffalo  township  that  can  be  found,  of  1775,  with 
thirty  acres  of  land,  two  horses,  and  two  cows. 

His  son  John  when  but  eighteen  years  of  age  served 
with  the  militia  guarding  the  frontiers.  John's  wife 
was  Nancy  Forster,  also  of  one  of  the  oldest  families 
in  Buffalo  valley. 

Peter  Wilson  learned  the  trade  of  a  tanner,  came 
up  to  Spring  Mills  May  18,  1825,  and  started  in  con- 
nection with  James  Duncan  and  John  Forster  the 
tannery  at  Spring  Mills,  which  he  carried  on  jointly 
with  them  until  1832,  when  he  bought  them  out  and 
then  carried  on  the  business  himself  until  1865. 
When  Mr.  Wilson  came  up  their  nearest  Presbyterian 
Church  was  at  Sinking  Creek  (Centre  Hill),  until  the 
church  was  built  on  Spring  Mills  in  1841. 

Jan.  18,  1827,  Mr.  Wilson  married  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  Dr.  Robert  Vanvalzah.  Dr.  Robert 
Vanvalzah,  himself  an  eminent  physician,  was  a  son 
of  Dr.  Robert  Vanvalzah,  of  Buffalo  Cross-Roads, 
who  came  into  Buffalo  valley  as  early  as  1786,  and 
whose  practice  often  extended  into  Penn's,  Brush,  and 
Nittany  valleys,  a  household  name,  that  of  Vanvalzah, 
connected  with  profession  now  almost  one  hundred 
years,  and  will  be  no  doubt  for  years  to  come. 

Mr.  Wilson  died  Sept.  20,  1868,  leaving  the  fol- 
lowing children  :  Dr.  R.  V.  Wilson,  of  Clearfield  ; 
Nancy  and  Mary,  since  deceased ;  Rev.  James  D. 
Wilson,  D.D.,  a  prominent  Presbyterian  minister,  of 
New  York  City;  and  John  F.,  a  merchant  of  Tyrone, 


When  the  Union  Sabbath-school  was  organized  in 
1828,  Mr.  Wilson  was  its  first  treasurer,  and  became 
assistant  superintendent  in  1844,  and  superintendent 
in  1853,  and  is  now,  in  his  eighty-fifth  year,  the  old- 
est superintendent  of  whom  we  have  any  knowledge, 
guarding  the  interests  of  this  institution,  which  has 
been  a  fountain  of  incalculable  benefit  to  the  morals 
and  religion  of  Penn's  valley  during  its  long  ex- 
istence as  a  school.  No  better  monument  can  any 
man  erect  to  his  own  memory.  Always  taking  ad- 
vanced ground  on  the  moral  and  political  questions 
which  have  agitated  the  realm  of  thought,  Mr.  Wil- 
son has  never  swerved  from  any  conviction,  and  has 
his  reward  in  a  calm,  peaceful  old  age,  respected  and 
honored  by  all  who  have  the  pleasure  of  his  acquaint- 
ance. 

Of  Mr.  Wilson's  brothers  and  sisters,  James  still 
resides  in  Philadelphia,  John  F.  Wilson  was  a  prom- 
inent citizen  of  Union  County,  Jane  married  John 
Ray,  Esq.,  the  first  sheriff  of  Union  County  in 
1813,  Mary  married  Simon  Shafl'er,  Nancy  unmarried, 
and  Dorcas  married  J.  B.  Barber. 

R.  V.  Wilson,  M.D.,  was  a  son  of  Peter  Wilson,  of 
Spring  Mills,  and  born  there  in  October,  1828.  He 
studied  medicine  with  his  cousin.  Dr.  R.  F.  Vanval- 
zah, and  graduated  at  Jefferson  Medical  College  in 
1849.  He  first  settled  in  Curwensville,  Clearfield  Co., 
and  then  in  Clearfield  in  1850.  He  was  a  man  of  more 
than  ordinary  attainments.  Gifted  with  a  clear  and 
comprehensive  mind,  he  made  his  influence  felt  among 
all  those  with  whom  he  mingled.  As  a  practitioner  he 
was  eminently  successful.  He  obeyed  promptly  the 
summons  of  the  poor  and  the  rich  alike.  Sacrificing 
personal  comfort  and  unselfishly  devoting  himself  to 
his  patients,  he  spent  the  short  years  of  his  life  min- 
istering to  the  afflicted  often  without  hope  of  re- 
ward. 

He  was  one  of  the  founders  and  the  first  president 
of  the  Clearfield  Medical  Society,  and  died  at  his 
residence  in  Clearfield  Feb.  13,  1878. 


MAJ.  JARED  B.  FISHER. 
Maj.  Jared  B.  Fisher  was  born  in  Berks  County, 
Oct.  3,  1829.  His  ancestors  were  Palatines  from  Ger- 
many, who,  oppressed  by  Romish  intolerance,  first  re- 
moved to  Holland,  and  thence  to  America  via  Eng- 
land, and  as  early  as  1714  moved  through  the  dense 
forest  to  Schoharie,  west  of  Albany,  N.  Y.,  and  seated 
themselves  among  the  Mohawks.  They  succeeded  in 
improving  several  settlements,  but  the  title  to  their 
land  came  in  question,  and  after  much  vexation  they 
left  Schoharie,  wended  their  way  through  the  forest 
to  the  Susquehanna,  came  down  it  in  canoes,  and  set- 
tled near  the  old  Hains'  Church,  now  Lower  Heidel- 
berg township,  Berks  Co.  This  latter  event  took 
place  in  1729.  In  1756,  Peter  Fisher's  name  occurs 
in  the  assessment  of  Heidelberg  township.  He  was 
the   great-grandfather   of  Maj.    Fisher,   and   in   the 


C^O^'&^i^ 


~~  /y 


D.    M.   WOLF. 


GREGG  TOWNSHIP. 


297 


graveyard  of  Hains'  Church,  hard  by  where  they  set-  i 
tied,  lie  Maj.  Fisher's  ancestors  for  five  generations. 

Maj.  Fisher  came  with  his  father  Adam,  to  Penn  ' 
Hall,  then  called  Centreville,  from  Berks  County  in 
1842,  where  his  father  opened   a  general  store,   in  . 
which  the  major  was  an  assistant. 

In  1846,  Adam  Fisher  moved  to  Farmer's  Mills, 
where  he  engaged  in  milling  and  merchandising, 
leaving  his  son  in  charge  of  the  store  at  Penn  Hall. 
Feb.  1,  1849,  he  was  associated  with  his  father  in 
business  at  Centreville  under  the  firm-name  of  A. 
Fisher  &  Son.  In  1853,  having  conducted  tlie  busi- 
ness successfully,  Jared  bought  the  store  at  Penn  Hall 
and  the  property  on  which  he  now  resides.  His  atiairs 
prospered  until  Jan.  4,  1854,  wheu  the  store  took  fire  1 
and  burned.  Nothing  daunted,  having  saved  his  i 
books  and  part  of  his  stock,  he  went  to  Philadelphia, 
laid  in  a  new  stock,  and  in  less  than  a  month  was  in 
full  operation  again. 

In  18(i3,  Maj.  Fisher  purchased  the  Musser  farm 
and  the  store  building  he  now  occupies,  which  he 
remodeled  in  1866.  In  April,  1866,  Adam  Fisher 
died,  and  Jared  leased  Farmer's  Mills  and  commenced 
an  addition  to  his  other  pursuits, — the  milling  busi- 
ness,— which  he  still  continues.  He  also  in  1867,  in 
connection  with  Mr.  Gettig,  opened  a  general  store  at 
Farmer's  Mills,  but  sold  out  his  interest  in  the  store 
there  in  1872. 

In  1881,  Maj.  Fisher  purchased  the  "  Auchentorlie" 
farm,  late  the  residence  of  Gen.  George  Buchanan, 
and  belonging  to  the  family  of  Governor  McKean,  to 
the  improvement  of  which  he  now  gives  much  of  his 
time  and  attention.  Always  enterprising,  the  major 
made  valuable  improvements  at  Penn  Hall,  and  was 
the  first  to  advance  the  project  of  establishing  an 
academy  there  in  1866,  contributing  liberally  of  his 
means  to  the  building,  and  his  hearty  support  to  the 
interests  of  the  school,  thus  conferring  a  lasting  benefit 
on  that  section  of  our  county.  He  also  paid  for  a 
scholarship  in  Franklin  and  Marshall  College,  the 
use  of  which  he  freely  gave  to  students  from  Centre 
County  attending  that  institution. 

He  held  the  office  of  postmaster  of  Spring  Mills 
during  Presidents  Pierce's  and  Buchanan's  adminis- 
trations (the  ofiice  being  removed  to  Centreville,  but 
retaining  the  name  of  Spring  Mills),  and  upon  the  es- 
tablishment of  a  post-office  at  Penn  Hall,  in  1863,  he 
was  made  its  first  postmaster,  and  still  continues 
such.  He  was  one  of  the  building  committee  of  Salem 
Reformed  Church  in  1859.  Maj.  Fisher  was  also  a 
charter-member  of  the  Farmer's  Mutual  Insurance 
Company  of  Centre  County,  and  remains  one  of  its 
directors. 

His  military  career  dates  back  to  his  early  manhood, 
in  May,  1846,  when  he  connected  himself  with  the 
Marion  Infantry,  a  well-known  military  organization 
of  the  county.  In  a  short  time  he  was  elected  second 
lieutenant,  and  elected  captain  in  1850,  and  continued 
captain  until  1859.     This  company  offered  their  ser- 


vices to  the  Governor  during  the  Mexican  war,  but 
were  not  accepted.  In  June,  1852,  Maj.  Fisher  was 
elected  brigade  inspector  of  the  Third  Brigade  14th 
Division,  and  held  the  office  by  successive  election 
until  1859,  when  he  declined  re-election  on  account 
of  his  health.  During  his  terms  of  office  he  organized 
quite  a  number  of  companies,  including  the  Belle- 
fonte  Fencibles,  and  was  very  strict  in  the  observance 
of  military  duty,  and  in  requiring  it  of  those  under 
him.  The  brigade  went  into  camp  every  year  under 
Gen.  Buchanan.     The  last  camp  was  at  Bellefonte. 

His  course  during  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  was 
eminently  patriotic,  thereby  showing  the  Revolution- 
ary blood  which  flows  in  his  veins;  his  ancestors 
being  among  those  who  fought  in  the  Revolution  of 
1776.  Maj.  Fisher  vigorou.sly  espoused  the  side  of 
the  government  in  putting  down  the  rebellion,  and 
was  well  known  as  a  war  Democrat  of  the  most  deter- 
mined character.  War  meetings  were  held  in  front 
of  his  store,  which  were  addressed  by  James  T.  Hale 
and  others,  and  the  major  by  his  large  influence  con- 
tributed largely  to  swell  the  ranks  of  the  soldiery. 
Not  satisfied  with  that  he  looked  after  their  interests 
while  they  were  gone,  and  visited  them  in  the  camps 
aud  hospitals,  giving  encouragement  to  the  sick  and 
wounded.  From  his  old  company  went  such  officers 
as  Thomas  M.  Buchanan,  Capt.  John  Musser,  Sergt. 
B.  Frank  Coats,  Lieut.  Jacob  Breon,  aud  filer  John 
E.  Wilt.  In  1862,  when  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty- 
eighth  went  to  the  field,  he  determined  to  go  with 
them,  but  yielded  to  his  father's  persuasions  to  remain, 
as  he  was  in  feeble  health.  A  wise  conclusion,  as 
Maj.  Fisher  in  those  dark  days  was  a  power  at  home 
in  strengthening  the  measures  of  the  government  and 
doing  work  as  necessary  and  important  as  fighting 
upon  the  field  of  battle. 

Often  solicited  by  his  friends  to  offer  himself  as  a 
candidate  for  public  office,  Maj.  Fisher  has  steadily 
refused,  preferring  to  be  ranked  only  as  an  upright 
and  honest  citizen,  and  a  business  man  of  strict  in- 
tegrity. 

Maj.  Fisher  was  married,  in  1854,  to  Miss  Sarah  L. 
Weaver,  only  daughter  of  the  late  George  Weaver,  of 
Haiues  township,  and  surrounded  by  a  happy  family 
of  three  sons  and  three  daughters.  With  all  the  com- 
forts and  convenience  that  a  large  competency  aflbrds 
Maj.  Fisher  follows  the  even  tenor  of  his  way,  taking 
an  interest  in  all  schemes  for  improvement,  mentally 
and  morally,  and  enjoying  the  respect  and  confidence 
of  his  fellow-citizens. 


REV.  D.  M.  WOLF. 
Rev.  D.  M.  Wolf  is  at  present  the  county  superin- 
tendent of  schools  for  the  county  of  Centre.  He  was 
born  near  Hublersberg,  in  Walker  township,  June  15, 
1837,  and  attended  the  public  school,  still  called 
"  Wolf's  School."  He  began  his  career  as  a  teacher 
when  only  fourteen  aud  oiie-half  years  of  age.     He 


298 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


was  prepared  for  college  at  the  Aaronsburg  Acad- 
emy, then  under  the  principalship  of  J.  Ilgen  Burrell, 
the  second  county  superintendent  of  Centre  County 
(1857). 

Professor  Wolf  made  his  own  way  up  to  the  station 
he  now  occupies,  being  compelled  to  teach  in  order  to 
obtain  means  for  the  prosecution  of  his  studies.  In 
the  fall  of  1860  he  entered  the  sophomore  class  of 
Franklin  and  Marshall  College  at  Lancaster,  and  was 
graduated  in  1863,  receiving  the  first  honor  of  the 
class, — the  Marshall  oration.  He  then  taught  for  a 
year  in  the  Boalsburg  Academy,  after  which  he  en- 
tered the  Theological  Seminary  at  Mercersburg.  He 
was  principal  of  the  Oley  Academy  in  Berks  County 
during  the  years  1865  and  1866,  after  which  he  took 
charge  of  Penn  Hall  Academy  in  Gregg  township, 
Centre  County. 

In  1868  Professor  Wolf  was  chosen  adjunct  profes- 
sor of  languages  and  mathematics  in  his  alma  mater, 
Franklin  and  Marshall  College,  serving  two  years  in 
this  capacity,  when  he  became  pastor  of  St.  John's  Ger- 
man Reformed  Church  of  Bellefonte.  This  pastorate 
he  resigned,  in  1872,  to  enter  upon  the  professorship  of 
ancient  languages  in  Franklin  and  Marshall  College. 

On  account  of  ill  liealth  he  was  compelled  to  re- 
sign the  professorship,  and  resumed  teaching  at  Penn 
Hall  and  Spring  Mills.  In  the  spring  of  1881  he  was 
chosen  county  superintendent,  the  duties  of  which 
office  he  is  at  present  performing. 

As  a  minister  of  the  gospel  he  aimed  more  at  con- 
vincing the  judgment  than  to  move  the  feelings  of  his 
hearers.  Neverthele.ss,  he  was  exceedingly  earnest, 
and  delivered  his  thoughts  in  a  very  impressive  man- 
ner. As  a  pastor  his  memory  lingers  pleasantly 
among  the  people  he  served.  But  after  all.  Professor 
Wolf's  great  force  is  as  an  educator.  He  has  a  gift 
or,  perhaps  one  had  better  say,  an  acquired  tact  of 
developing  whatever  of  abilities  there  may  be  in  any 
of  his  pupils  in  their  proper  direction.  Always  re- 
garding the  ministry  as  the  highest  object  of  a  stu- 
dent's ambition,  he  has  won  some  to  service  at  the 
altar  whom  we  know  are  bright  and  shining  lights  in 
the  church;  and  the  full  measure  of  good  he  has 
done  will  only  be  known  when  the  issues  of  his  life 
are  balanced  by  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  at  the 
resurrection  of  the  just. 


CHAPTER    LXX.    ' 

HAINES    TOWNSHIP. 

Early  Surveys.— The  earliest  surveys  in  Haines 
township  were  made  by  Samuel  Maclay,  deputy  under 
his  brother  William,  for  Reuben  Haines,  in  October, 
1766,  from  the  6th  to  the  10th,  made  upon  orders  or 
warrants  of  Aug.  1,  1766.  The  John  Chandler,  sur- 
veyed Oct.  10,  1766,  and  sold  to  John  Motz,  April  20, 


1785,  commenced  at  a  maple  and  ran  down  Pine 
Creek  to  a  spruce-pine,  269  perches.  From  the 
Spanish  oak  a  line  ran  north  605  perches,  east  line 
of  George  Chandler;  the  latter  was  67  perches  wide ; 
next  west  was  Christopher  Honey,  112]  perches; 
next  Jonathan'  Price,  78  perches  wide,  538  perches 
long;  next  Samuel  Wilson;  next  John  Fox;  next 
John  Thompson  and  James  White,  when  the  sur- 
veys on  warrants  of  July  6,  1773,  are  reached. 

South  of  the  John  Thompson,  the  Thomas  Poe, 
272  acres,  was  surveyed  Oct.  10, 1766.  Philip  Musser 
bought  the  north  half  of  Thomas  Poe,  Nov.  20,  1787. 
Jacob  Musser  owned  the  south  half  in  1800.  South 
of  Thomas  Poe  was  the  Matlack  survey,  running  to 
an  ironwood  on  the  south  side  of  Pine  Creek. 

Returning  to  the  spruce-pine  of  John  Chandler, 
the  Benjamin  Davis  is  run  from  the  spruce-))iue 
westward,  and  includes  Pine  Creek ;  next  west  is  the 
John  Price;  west  of  it  the  Daniel  Topham,  and  the 
Thomas  Poe  and  Matlack  warrants  are  reached. 

Eastof  .lohn  Chandler  (Motz's)  the  William  Cooper 
was  laid,  and  John  Cooper  next  east.  The  south  line 
(running  due  west)  of  William  Cooper  runs  through 
the  present  village  of  Woodward,  which  is  on  the 
William  Cooper  and  the  Shirk  and  Whitmer  warrant 
of  Nov.  7,  1792.  'North  of  William  Cooper  is  the 
Ebenezer  Hopkins  warrant,  Feb.  24,  1767,  surveyed 
8th  of  June,  1774,  and  north  of  it  the  Motz  and 
Neidigh,  taken  up  in  1793.  North  of  the  Shirk  and 
Whitmer,  the  south  line  of  which  runs  from  a  chest- 
nut near  Woodward  1024  perches  on  to  the  Philip 
Gehr  survey  of  1793,  are  the  Snyder  warrants  of 
1794.  Northeastward  of  Philip  Gehr  is  a  large  block 
of  surveys  called  John  Brady's  big  survey,  com- 
mencing with  Daniel  Metzgar,  which  adjoins  Philip 
Gehr,  surveyed  in  May,  1794,  on  warrant  of  March 
11,  1794.  The  county  line  corners  on  the  east  end 
of  Philip  Gehr,  near  where  Haines'  four-mile  tree 
stood  in  the  Narrows. 

The  southern  and  mountainous  portion  of  Haines 
is  principally  taken  up  by  a  block  of  surveys  made 
by  Frederick  Evans  in  June,  1794,  on  warrants  of 
March  24,  1794,  and  March  22,  1793.  They  com- 
mence with  William  Harrison  warrant  of  earlier  date, 
at  the  county  line  of  Mifllin  and  Union,  and  run 
west  along  the  mountains  to  near  Potter's  Mills,  and 
extend  largely  into  Mifflin  and  Union  Counties. 

Returning  to  the  western  portion  of  the  township, 
we  find  the  Terringham  Palmer  of  Aug.  1,  1766,  sur- 
veyed Aug.  8,  1773,  on  Penn's  Creek,  and  including 
it,  immediately  west  of  the  Matlack  survey.  This 
tract  was  purchased  by  Henry  Miller,  June  4,  1790,  of 
Reuben  Haines,  three  hundred  and  seventy -six  acres. 
Winkelpleck  Kreamer's  estate,  J.  Reed,  etc.,  are  on 
tlie  run.  Immediately  north  and  including  the 
run  James  Work  warrant,  three  hundred  and  ten 
acres,  surveyed  Oct.  10,  1774.  Jacob  Bower  was 
owner  in  1806,  and  Michael  and  AVilliara  Bower  live 
on  it.     North  of  Work  the  William  Chestnut,  sur- 


HAINES  TOWNSHIP. 


299 


veyed  Oct.  10,  1774.  Earharts,  Jackson  Stover,  and 
J.  H.  Musser  have  farms  liere.  North  of  William 
Chestnut,  Philip  May,  surveyed  18th  June,  1774. 

West  of  Philip  May  is  the  David  Watts  survey  of 
1774.  This  was  purchased  by  John  McBeth,  April 
19,  1782,  and  he  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  after 
the  war.  John  Keen  got  it  in  1809.  Weavers,  Werts, 
etc.,  own  it  now.  West  of  David  Watts  is  the  Alex- 
ander Grant,  surveyed  18th  June,  1774.  Grant  sold 
to  John  Weitzel,  April  9,  1774,  his  application,  and 
Weitzel  sold  the  land  to  Aaron  Levy  in  June,  1779. 
Aaron  Levy  laid  out  Aaronsburg  upon  it  Oct.  4,  1786. 

West  of  Alexander  Grant  is  the  David  Duncan 
survey,  8th  June,  1774.  David  Duncan  never  occu- 
pied the  land,  and  never  resided  in  the  valley.  His 
son,  James  Duncan,  Esq.,  sold  it.  J.  P.  Gephart, 
Esq.,  and  D.  A.  Musser  have  farms  on  it.  It  is  in  Penn 
township  mostl}'. 

Early  Settlers, — Adam  Harper,  the  elder,  Adam 
Stover,  and  Jacob  Stover  settled  in  Haines,  then  a 
part  of  Potter  township,  as  early  as  1775.  Jacob 
Hubler,  who  was  in  at  that  time,  settled  farther  up 
the  valley  and  moved  down  into  Haines  afterward. 
Abraham  Piatt,  who  died  in  1792,  Adam  Harper,  Jr., 
Jacob  Stover,  Jr.,  Adam  Stover,  and  John  Stover 
are  assessed  as  residents  in  1778.  The  additional 
residents  as  they  came  iu  with  the  time  may  be 
gathered  from  the  assessments  printed  in  tlie  general 
history. 

Barbara  Stover,  the  grandmother  of  the  Miller 
family,  carried  a  small  apple-tree  as  a  switch  when 
they  came  through  the  Narrows  which  slie  planted ; 
the  tree  was  standing  yet  a  few  years  since.  They 
fled  in  the  early  spring  and  overturned  their  sugar- 
kettles,  leaving  them  in  the  woods.  This  agrees  with 
the  time  spoken  of  by  George  McCormick,  spring  of 
1780.  David  Miller  states  as  tradition  that  the  set- 
tlers had  quite  a  contest  with  the  Indians  near  the 
fort,  which  was  on  John  Bowersox's  place,  and  the 
graves  of  the  killed  were  marked  by  quite  a  row  of 
stones. 

Jacob  and  John  were  brothers,  and  Adam,  son  of 
Jacob,  resided  on  the  place  where  the  fort  stood,  near 
Hubler's  Kun.  Mrs.  Burt,  now  residing  in  Aarons- 
burg, is  a  granddaughter  of  Jacob's.  Jacob  died, 
will  proved  Nov.  20,  1811,  leaving  the  following 
children :  Michael,  Christina  married  Neidigh,  Mar- 
garet married  Meyer,  Barbara  married  Miller,  Cath- 
arine married  Oswald,  Eve  married  Bower.  Mr. 
Bower  then  dead,  leaving  two  children, — Jacob  and 
Polly.  Jacob,  Adam,  John,  Valentine,  Michael, 
and  Anne  Maria  married  Weaver.  Jacob  Stover, 
Sr.,  wife  name  was  Eva,  born  Nov.  4,  1749,  died 
Nov.  25,  1845.  Jacob  Stover,  Jr.,  born  Oct.  26,  1769, 
died  May  6,  1817,  married  Catharine  Bower.  (He 
could  not  be  the  Jacob  Stover,  Jr.,  assesed  in  1778.) 
By  his  will  he  leaves  all  his  property  to  his  brothers 
and  sisters  and  his  wife,  Catharine  (Bower),  brothers 
and  sisters. 


John  Stover's  will  was  proved  Aug.  28,  1827.  He 
left  a  large  estate.  His  children  were  Tliomas,  .lacob, 
George,  who  was  then  deceived,  leaving  sons,  Jolin 
and  Jacob ;  Catherine,  married  to  Adam  Harper ; 
John,  Henry,  and  Eva  E.,  married  to  George  Bright. 

Jacob  Hubler  erected  a  grist-  and  saw-mill  as  early 
as  1786;  a  son  of  his,  Adam,  had  a  carding-macliine 
in  1827  near  Millheim,  anotlier  son  married  Christena, 
a  daughter  of  David  Weber,  of  whose  family  Rebecca 
and  Charles  reside,  in  Aaronsburg.  In  1785,  April 
20,  John  Motz,  or  Mootz,  as  he  wrote  his  name,  made 
a  purchase  of  Jacob  Stover,  Sr.,  of  Potter  township, 
for  three  hundred  pounds,  payable  in  gold  or  silver, 
of  a  tract  of  land  situated  in  Penn's  valley,  contain- 
ing two  hundred  acres  and  allowance  adjoining  to 
Jacob  Hubler,  Michael  Motz,  and  others.  John 
Motz  is  then  described  as  being  of  Penn  township, 
Northumberland  Co.,  now  Snyder.  Henry  Miller  is 
assessed  with  a  grist-  and  saw-mill  as  early  as  1787, 
and  John  Motz  is  assessed  with  two  mills  as  early  as 
1791. 

Adam  Harper  was  a  man  of  considerable  ability. 
He  was  associate  judge  and  greatly  esteemed  for  hi.s 
integrity. 

Judge  Harper  was  born  in  1753,  and  died  Nov.  22, 
1827.  His  sons  were  John  and  Adam.  The  former 
built  and  lived  in  the  stone  house  on  the  turnpike 
now  occupied  by  George  Stover.  Adam  lived  where 
Alfred  Kreamer  now  lives. 

The  incidents  related  of  the  distance  people  went 
to  mill  to  Selinsgrove  and  over  to  Lewistown  must 
have  arisen  from  the  want  of  grain  in  the  valley,  as 
the  assessment  indicates  the  early  erection  of  mills  in 
the  valley  ;  one  traditionary  story  will  be  given  : 

It  is  said  that  at  one  time,  in  the  fall  of  the  year, 
very  nearly  all  of  the  male  residents  of  the  eastern 
part  of  the  valley  journeyed  to  Selinsgrove  to  have 
their  winter's  supply  of  flour  ground.  During  their 
absence  an  immense  fall  of  snow  occurred,  which  vir- 
tually cut  off  all  communication  between  them  and 
their  homes  until  the  following  spring.  Their  fami- 
lies are  said  to  have  lived  in  the  mean  time  almost 
entirely  upon  potatoes. 

Among  early  residents  was  David  Weber,  a  Revo- 
lutionary soldier,  who  owned  the  land  on  which  Jacob 
Stover,  Philip  Stover,  and  George  Wolf  reside.  His 
children  were  Philip,  David,  George,  married  to  Sarah 
Harper;  Michael,  Thomas,  Sarah,  married  to  Henry 
Bower ;  Catharine,  to  John  Brown ;  Elizabeth,  to 
Jacob  Musser;  Christena,  to  Thomas  Hubler.  An- 
drew Harter,  a  cabinet-maker  of  Reamstown,  Lan- 
caster Co.,  settled  on  the  Philip  Wensch  place.  His 
children  were  John,  married  to  Barbara  Musser ; 
Jacob,  to  Elizabeth  Kern ;  Andrew,  to  Catharine 
Moyer;  George,  to  Mary  Wolf;  Julia,  to  Henry 
Swartz ;  Lydia,  to  George  Moyer ;  William,  to  Re- 
becca Hess. 

Peter  Flory  was  a  resident  of  Haines  township, 
born  in  the  year  1755.    He  enlisted  in  the  fall  of  1777 


300 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


in  Capt.  Isaac  Van  Home's  company,  Col.  Harmer's 
regiment.  He  was  stationed  at  West  Point,  and  was  in 
the  engagements  at  Blocli  House,  on  tlie  Nortli  Kiver, 
and  at  Elizabethtown,  in  New  Jersey,  and  was  dis- 
charged in  the  fall  of  1780.  He  died  about  the  year 
1826,  and  left  a  wife  and  three  children,  David,  Elijah, 
and  Jonathan.     David  was  lame  for  many  years. 

Christopher  Henney,  the  elder,  died  in  Haiues 
township  in  1790.  His  children  were  Hieronimus, 
Christopher,  Adam,  John,  Eve,  Elizabeth,  and  Fred- 
erick. 

John  Orndorf,  of  York  County,  settled  where  his 
son  David  lately  lived.  He  came  up  about  1790. 
His  sons  were  John,  still  living,  aged  seventy-five; 
Samuel ;  Benjamin,  living  at  Woodward ;  and  Jacob, 
in  Brush  valley.  Jacob  Voneida  settled  where  his 
son  George  now  lives.  Henry  Voneida,  brother  of 
Jacob,  settled  where  his  son  Henry  now  lives.  Mat- 
thias Hess  emigrated  from  Germany,  and  bought  the 
farm  now  owned  by  John  C.  Stover.  His  sons  were 
George,  Michael,  John,  and  Jacob.  George  and  John 
were  hatters  many  years  at  Aarousburg.  Jacob  mar- 
ried Elizabeth  Motz. 

The  original  tract  of  land  purchased  by  George 
Wolf  comprised  an  area  of  about  two  hundred  and 
eighty-four  acres.  It  included  the  old  homestead,  at 
present  occupied  by  Daniel  Wolf,  as  well  as  the  farms 
of  Michael,  Frank,  and Ziegler,  the  present  oc- 
cupant of  the  latter  being  David  Bowersox.  George 
Woll's  family  comprised  seven  children,  only  two  of 
whom  are  living, — Jacob  and  Sarah.  His  representa- 
tives in  the  township  are  George,  Jacob,  Daniel, 
Susan,  and  Polly. 

Jacob  Condo's  father  was  killed  in  the  Revolution- 
ary war.  Jacob,  who  was  a  blacksmith,  came  to 
Haines  township  in  1812.  One  of  his  sons,  Samuel, 
worked  at  the  anvil  for  sixty-two  years,  and  died  at 
the  age  of  ninety-two.  Jacob's  sons  were  John, 
Jacob,  Samuel,  Nicholas,  Joseph,  and  Daniel.  Wil- 
liam Condo,  a  son  of  Joseph,  still  lives  in  Aarons- 
burg. 

Philip  Musser  bought  of  Thomas  McKean  the 
Thomas  Poe  warrantee.  His  son  Jacob  settled  there. 
Michael,  Philip,  and  Jonas  Musser  now  occupy  it. 

Jacob  Bower  (son  of  John  and  Catherine)  came  to 
Haines  township  in  1791  from  Hanover  township, 
York  County.  He  married  Christena  Nase,  daughter 
of  Philip,  and  died  in  1821  or  1822,  aged  sixty-three. 
Their  children  were  Jacob,  married  to  Miss  Ilgen  ; 
Michael  married  a  Miss  Stover,  Adam  married  Miss 
Ox,  Henry  married  Miss  Weaver,  Elizabeth  married 
Joseph  HoUoway,  Catherine  married  Jacob  Stover, 
and  Valentine  Bower. 

Henry  Bower  (son  of  Jacob,  Sr.)  had  a  family  of 
ten  children,— Michael,  who  died  in  1881 ;  Jacob, 
William,  George,  Cornelius,  Adam,  Christena,  who 
married  Daniel  Kerstetter ;  Eve,  wife  of  H.  A.  Min- 
gle, Esq.;  Mary,  married  to  William  Condo,  and 
Julia. 


Burial-PIaces.— The  most  ancient  burial-place  in 

the  township  is  that  adjoining  the  Wolf  school-house. 
It  is  a  part  of  that  land  donated  by  Jacob  Stover  for 
school  purposes.  Its  antiquity  is  made  manifest  from 
the  numberless  moss-covered  and  crumbling  head- 
stones that  mark  the  resting-places  of  many  of  the 
forefathers  of  the  present  generation.  Decay  has 
efiaced  from  the  face  of  many  whatever  inscriptions 
there  may  have  been  upon  them.  .We  present  a  few 
of  the  oldest : 

Adam  Stover,  born  December  22il,  died  Sept.  23,  1824. 
Susanna  Jung,  born  Jan.  23,  1790,  died  Dec.  5,  1826, 
Eva  Margaret  Weber,  born  Sept.  9, 1759,  died  Aug.  21, 1804. 
Christina  Eied,  born  April  20, 1764,  died  June  24, 1822. 

1813,  Benjamin  Kied. 

Eva  Stover,  born  Nov.  4, 1749,  died  Nov.  6, 1825. 

Jacob  Hostprman,  born  Oct.  14,  1749,  died  Feb.  5, 1812. 

1812,  John  Wiest. 

1817,  Daniel  Samsell. 

Daniel  Wolf,  died  May  14, 1827. 

Jacob  Stover,  born  Oct.  26, 1769,  died  May  li,  1817. 

1814,  Michael  Bauer. 

Schools. — The  first  school-house  in  Haines  town- 
ship, and  what  has  always  been  considered  as  one  of 
the  first  in  Centre  County,  had  its  location  on  the 
turnpike,  about  two  miles  east  of  the  village  of  Aarons- 
burg.  On  the  15th  day  of  December,  1789,  Mr.  Jacob 
Stover,  "  for  and  in  consideration  of  promoting  litera- 
ture and  learning,"  donated  a  tract  of  land  contain- 
ing seven  acres,  "  for  the  use  of  a  school  and  the 
master  thereof."  A  short  time  after  a  double  house 
was  erected,  one  room  of  which  was  reserved  for  the 
"  master"  and  his  family.  This  school  for  many 
years  was  the  only  one  in  the  eastern  part  of  Penn's 
valley ;  and  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  many 
scholars  had  to  travel  several  miles  to  reach  it,  it 
was  numei-ou.sly  attended,  and  became  quite  famous 
in  its  day  as  an  institution  of  learning. 

The  earliest  teacher  of  whom  any  tradition  is  pre- 
served was  a  Mr.  Samsell.  After  him  there  was  a 
Mr.  Geistweite,  who  taugnt  mostly  in  the  German 
language ;  theu  Mr.  Musser,  Mr.  Deishley,  Mr.  Rock- 
hauser.     The  latter  was  well  known  throughout  the 

'■  whole  of  Penn's  valley,  and  his  name  is  connected 

{  with  a  great  many  of  the  pioneer  schools.  He  taught 
for  a  great  many  years,  and  was  principally  noted 
for  the  rigid  discipline  which  he  enforced  among  his 

1  pupils.     Other  teachers  were  Henry  Young  and • 

\  Wagner.  The  old  log  school-house  disappeared  years 
ago,  and  its  site  is  occupied  by  a  commodious  building 

I  erected  by  the  school  board  of  Haines  District.  The 
land,  however,  is  still  held  in  trust  for  the  purposes 

;  that  it  was  originally  intended  for. 

I  In  Aarousburg,  three-quarters  of  a  century  ago, 
there  .stood  a  school-house  where  Holloway's  weav- 
ing-shop is.  The  earliest  teachers  were  Pat- 
ton,  ■  Parker,  John  Black,  and  David  X.  Jun- 

kin.  Years  ago  there  stood  an  old  school-house  on 
Pine  Creek,  on  the  side  opposite  to  the  present  school. 
The  names  of  some  of  those  that  taught  there  are 

I  Peter  Ziegler,  George  Weaver,  Otto,  and 


g  Map  of  original  survey  of  Aaronsburg  and  vicinity. 

;  "-^^-^J^"  Kesurvey  of  John  Hayes,  18-9  November,  1801. 

'■^  NEAT 


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HAINES   TOWNSHIP. 


301 


Musser,  who  afterwards  became  a  Lutheran  min- 
ister. In  the  old  school-house  which  stood  near 
where  John  C.  Stover  lives  the  teachers  were  George 
Weaver,  William  Illian,  Jacob  Wilt,  Jonathan  Friese, 
and  a  Mr.  Singer. 

Aaronsburg"  was  laid  out  upon  the  Alexander 
Grant  warrantee  by  Aaron  Levy  in  October,  1786, 
and  therefore  bears  the  earliest  date  of  any  town  in 
the  county.  In  1S04  he  conveyed  all  his  interests  in 
his  large  bodies  of  real  estate,  in  Centre  County  to 
Simon  and  Hynian  Gratz,  and  after  that  titles  to  lots 
were  derived  from  the  Gratzes. 

Its  wide  streets,  its  freshly-painted  white  houses, 
tastefully  ornamented  with  beautiful  flowers;  its 
churches,  the  first  that  is  seen  of  Aaronsburg;  its 
school-houses  and  academy,  please  the  eye  and  im- 
press the  mind  with  admiration.  In  the  busy  month  of 
June  the  scene  from  the  mountain  north  of  Aarons- 
burg is  truly  imposing.  With  its  numerous  fruit-tree^ 
in  the  streets  and  around  the  houses,  the  village  looks 
like  a  town  in  the  midst  of  a  large  orchard,  while  as 
far  as  the  eye  can  reach  lies  Penn's  valley,  dotted 
with  its  green  groves,  waving  grain,  and  fields  of 
corn.  On  the  right  is  Elk  Creek,  which  in  the  dis- 
tance seems  like  a  thread  of  silver,  and  the  mists  of 
Pine  Creek  greet  the  eye  in  the  south. 

The  first  house  of  any  consequence  built  in  the 
town  is  that  now  occupied  by  James  P.  Coburn, 
Esq.  It  was  built  by  Frederick  Henney,  his  initials 
and  the  date  of  the  building  being  cut  in  a  stone 
inserted  in  the  west  gable  end  of  the  house. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  Aaron  Levy's  dedication 
of  the  land,  number  of  lots  running  from  No.  1  to 
612,  60  by  230  deep. 

AARON  LEVY'S  PLAN  OF  THE  TOWN  OF  AARONSBURG. 

"  To  all  people  to  whom  these  presents  shall  come.  I,  Aaron  Levy,  of 
the  town  of  Northumherland  and  county  of  Northumberland,  in  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania,  merchant,  send  greeting.  W'hereas,  by  force 
and  virtue  of  sundry  good  conveyances  and  assurances  in  the  law  duly 
had  and  executed,  I,  the  said  Aaron  Levy,  became  seized  in  fee  simple 
of,  in,  and  to  a  certain  tract  or  parcel  of  land  situate,  lying,  and  being 
in  Potters  township,  in  the  county  aforesaid,  adjoining  David  Duncan, 
David  Watts,  Sheakspear,  and  othei-s,  part  of  which  sai<l  tract  of  land 
hath  been  laid  out  in  small  lots  for  a  town  by  me,  Aaron  Levy,  and  called 
in  the  general  plan  of  said  town, 'Aaronsburgh,' and  in  consequence 
thereto  have  laid  out,  and  lots  of  ground  granted  to  sundry  persons,  ad- 
venturers of  said  town  under  certain  reservations  in  their  several  con- 
veyances mentioned  (except  what  shall  be  hereafter  excepted  and  re- 
served). Now  know  ye  that  I,  the  said  Aaron  Levy,  at  the  request  of 
several  adventurers  of  the  said  town,  do  hereby  acknowledge,  confess, 
and  declare  that  the  several  lanes,  streets,  and  alleys  of  the  said  town  of 
Aaronsburgh  called  Aaron's  Square,  Plume  Street,  Wine  Street,  North 
Street,  White  Thorn  Street  (tlien  West  Streeti,  Pino  Street.  Rachel's 
Way,  Chestnut  Street,  East  Street,  shall  be  hereafter  forever  open  public 
roads  or  highways  for  all  persons  making  use  of  the  same,  and  tliat  the 
several  lanes  and  alleys  of  the  said  town,  to  wit, — Blackberry  Alley, 
Cherry  Alley,  Strawberry  Alley,  Apple-tree  Alley,  Mulberry  Alley, 
Gooseberry  Alley,  Walnut  Alley,  Spruce  Alley,  Union  Alley,  and  Liberty 
Alley,— shall  likewise  remain  open  and  be  forthe  use  and  benefit  of  the 
owners  of  lots  of  ground  bounded  on  and  adjoining  the  same;  and  I  do 
further  declare  this  plan  of  the  said  town  of  Aaronsburgh  to  be  an  accu- 
rate plan,  and  that  the  several  ways,  streets,  tp.nes,  and  alleys  therein 
delineated  shall  be  and  remain  firmly  fixed  to  all  intents,  constructions, 
and  purposes  whatsoever.  But  be  it  remembered  that  the  said  Aaron 
Levy  hath  excepted  and  reserved,  and  doth  hereby  except  and 


ninety  fret  in  breadth,  and  from  Eant  Street  to  West  In  length  in  Aaroo'R 
Square  in  said  town,  allowing  at  the  same  time  thirty  feet  fronting  the 
buildings  on  each  of  said  streets  for  public  usoh.  But  he,  the  said  Aaron 
Levy,  doth  confess  and  declare  for  himself,  his  heirs,  and  assigns  to  sar- 
render  and  deliver  up  the  said  ninety  feet  above  reserved  to  tiie  jjublir 
as  soon  as  he  or  his  heirs  shall  see  the  said  town  of  Aaronsburgh  settling 
and  improving,  and  that  there  is  an  absolute  want  of  said  ground  so  re- 
served for  public  uses  and  buildings.  But  the  said  Aaron  Levy  doth 
hereby  further  confess  and  declare,  from  the  date  of  these  prewents,  thi* 
reserve  of  ninety  feet  in  the  centre  of  Aaron's  Square  as  aforesaid  de- 
scribed shall  not  be  obstructed  by  him,  the  said  Aaron  Levy,  or  his  heirs 
or  assigns,  but  shall  ly  and  remain  free,  clear,  and  unobstructed  for  the 
public  uses  of  the  town  of  Aaronsburgh.  In  testimony  whereof,  I,  the 
said  Aaron  Levy,  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  seal  the  fourth  day  of 
October,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  eighty- 

**  Aaron  Levy.  [Seal.] 

"Sealed  and  delivered  in  the  presence  of  us, 
"JohnAurand, 
"Christian  Gettig." 

INHABITANTS  OF  AARONSBUBG  IN  1802. 


Albright,  Jacob,  gunsmith. 
Allen,  Obediah. 

Armstrong,  Wm.,  wagon-maker. 
Benck,  John  Matthias. 
Bollinger,  Michael,  Esq. 
Bowers,  George. 
Bright,  George,  hatter. 
Brown,  John,  shoemaker. 
Brown,  John,  smith. 
Calighan,  Philip,  tavern-keeper. 
Crisman,  Felix,  tavern-keeper. 
Dewalt,  Philip,  nailer. 
Donner,  Philip,  shoemaker. 
Duncan.  James,  store. 
Fibs,  David,  joiner. 
Frank,  George,  Stiller. 


Henney,  Philip. 
Herring,  Jacob,  tanner. 
Horton,  Christian,  physician. 
Kirk,  Michael. 
Klapper,  Michael,  physician. 
Kreamer,  John,  joiner. 
Kreps,  Christian,  tanner, 
Mcpherson,  John. 
Mitchell,  John. 
Mussina,  Lyo 
Ox,  Peter. 

Sowerwine,  William. 
Storm,  David. 
Wise,  Henry. 
Young,  John,  joiner. 
Zettlemeyer,  Godfrey. 


ADDITIONAL  RESIDENTS  IN  AARONSBUBG,  1810. 


Bollinger,  Jacob,  wheelwright, 
Goldman,  John. 
Haller,  Jacob,  clock-maker. 
Hess,  George,  hatter. 
HoUoway,  Joseph,  cooper. 
Henney,  Daniel,  turner. 
James,  James,  tailor. 
Miles  Samuel,  tavern. 


Miller,  Henry,  tanner. 
Mitchell,  William,  nailer. 
Shearer,  George,  shoemaker. 
Storm,  Widow. 
Spyker,  Daniel. 
Stover,  George. 
Rockey,  Wendle. 
Taylor,  William. 


The  First  Store-keeper.— James  Duncan  was  the 
first  store-keeper  in  1790,  and  April  1,  1798,  a  post- 
office  was  established  at  Aaronsburg,  and  Mr.  Duncan 
appointed  postmaster.  He  was  born  in  Scotland  in 
1758,  and  came  with  his  father  to  the  place  where  Lew- 
isburg  now  stands  some  years  before  the  Revolution. 
His  father  erected  a  cabin  there  in  1773,  in  connection 
with  William  McMurray,  lying  between  Millheim  and 
Aaronsburg.  On  account  of  Indian  troubles,  David 
Duncan  and  his  family  returned  to  York  County  in 
1782,  and  subsequently  removed  to  Fredericksbui^, 
Va.  Two  of  his  sons,  David  and  Enos,  removed  to 
Kentucky  and  were  progenitors  of  well-known  fam- 
ilies in  that  State  and  Louisiana. 

James,  having  had  some  altercation  with  his  father, 
wrapped  his  clothes  in  a  handkerchief,  had  one  of  his 
brothers  row  him  over  the  Rappahannock,  and  walked 
to  Lewisburg,  where  he  worked  as  a  day  laborer.  His 
father  wrote  to  him  to  sell  the  tract  of  land  above  men- 
tioned, and  allowed  hini  all  he  received  over  fiftv  dol- 
lars.    With  this  start  he  went  to  Northumberland,  se- 


302 


HISTORY   OP   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


lected  a  small  stock  of  goods,  which  he  could  carry  on 
horseback,  and  made  his  way  to  Aaronsburg  in  the 
year  1790.  He  w.as  the  first  sheriff  of  Centre  County, 
Oct.  28,  1800,  built  Elk  Mills,  at  Millheim  (now  Mus- 
sers)  in  1817,  and  rebuilt  Spring  Mills  in  1822.    He 


JAMES    DUNCAN. 

took  John  Forster  into  partnership,  and  the  firm  of 
Duncan  &  Forster  was  known  all  through  Western 
Pennsylvania.  Even  after  stores  were  established  at 
Bellefonte,  people  passed  them  by  to  deal  with  Dun- 
can &  Forster,  on  account  of  superiority  in  quality, 
cheapness  in  price  of  the  latter's  goods,  and  long 
credit— usually  a  year— they  gave  their  distant  cus- 
tomers. There  is  yet  a  razor  in  use,  in  possession  of 
Hon.  James  Macmanus,  purchased  fifty  years  ago  at 
their  store,  which  in  times  gone  by  was  borrowed  and 
used  by  lawyers  traveling  the  circuit,  and  which  the 
late  W.  M.  Potter,  Esq.,  always  borrowed  when  he 
left  home  for  other  counties. 

After  conducting  a  successful  business  for  fifty 
years,  James  Duncan,  Esq.,  retired  from  business  in 
1840,  and  died  Oct.  14,  1843,  aged  eighty-five.  He 
was  married  five  times.  His  first  wife  was  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  Thomas  Wilson,  who  lived  half  a  mile 
west  of  Lewisburg.  She  died  at  Aaronsburg,  Feb. 
8,  1797,  aged  twenty-eight,  leaving  two  children. 
Thomas,  who  died  Oct.  S,  1825,  aged  thirty-one, 
leaving  a  widow,  Susan  Irvin,  now  dead,  who  after- 
wards married  James  Potter,  Esq.  (3d).  Her  chil- 
dren by  Thomas  Duncan  were  the  late  Mrs.  John  M. 
Hale,  of  Reading,  and  John  Duncan,  both  deceased. 
David  Duncan,  Esq.,  who  died  Sept.  6,  1855,  at 
Spring  Mills  (father  of  Robert  H.  Duncan),  was  Mr. 
Duncan's  other  Child  by  Elizabeth  Wilson. 


Mr.  Duncan's  second  wife  was  Jane  Cook  (re&  Dun- 
dass),  by  whom  he  bad  the  late  Mrs.  Isabella  Cald- 
well, of  Lewisburg,  Mrs.  Mary  Graham,  late  of  Aarons- 
buro-,  O.  P.  Dunciiii,  now  of  Hastings,  Neb.,  James  M. 
Duncan,  Esq.,  and  W.  Cook  Duncan,  of  Lewisburg. 

After  the  death  of  his  wife  Jane,  Sept.  20, 1820,  Mr. 
Duncan  married  a  Mrs.  Pedan,  of  Columbia,  who 
died  Sept.  15,  1823.  He  subsequently  married  Mrs. 
Sophia  Maxwell  (mother  of  Hon.  William  Maxwell, 
late  president  judge  of  Mercer  County)  who  was  a 
daughter  of  George  Lashell,  of  Union  County,  who 
died  in  1837  ;  when,  fifth,  he  married  Mrs.  Martha 
McClelland,  who  died  Feb.  13,  1847,  aged  sixty-five. 

Notices  of  Some  of  the  Residents. — John  Mat- 
thias Bcuck  was  one  of  the  prominent  citizens  of 
Aaronsburg.  He  was  born  in  Hamburg,  Germany, 
and  emigrated  to  Northampton  County,  thence  to 
Buffalo  valley,  whence  he  came  to  Penn's  valley  in 
1799,  and  was  at  first  a  hotel-keeper.  While  in 
Northampton  County  (now  Lehigh)  he  clerked  in  a 
store.  He  returned  to  Germany,  but  after  breathing 
the  free  air  of  America  he  could  not  abide  the  for- 
mality of  the  Old  World,  or  standing,  as  he  expressed 
it,  "  hat  in  hand  before  a  person  who  supposed  him- 
self his  superior,"  and  shortly  returned  to  North- 
ampton County,  where  he  kept  store,  as  he  did  also 
after  his  removal  to  Lewisburg.  His  wife  was  Chris- 
tina Musser,  sister  of  Philip  Musser,  the  elder.  He 
was  among  the  first  justices  of  the  peace  appointed 
for  Centre  County,  Dec.  2, 1800,  and  held  office  during 
his  life.  Being  a  man  of  superior  education  he  was 
much  employed  at  home  and  abroad  in  the  trans- 
action of  business,  traveling  as  far  as  New  Orleans 
on  one  occasion  in  its  prosecution.  He  was  lively 
and  genial  in  his  disposition,  fond  of  practical  jokes, 
and  when  anything  of  that  character  transpired  about 
Aaronsburg  Squire  Beuck  was  blamed  as  having  a 
hand  in  it.  He  was  apt,  prompt,  and  correct  in  his 
business  transactions,  and  as  a  justice  deprecated  liti- 
gation. His  advice  always  was,  after  hearing  a  com- 
plainant's story,  that  he  should  go  home  and  sleep 
over  it,  and  the  suitor  rarely  came  back.  After  he 
came  to  Aaronsburg  his  pecuniary  circumstances, 
then  low,  were  handsomely  benefited  by  receiving  his 
share  of  an  estate  in  Germany.  He  died  at  his  son 
Matthias',  in  Ohio,  in  1843,  aged  about  eighty  years. 
His  children  were  Matthias,  still  living  in  Ohio,  at 
the  age  of  ninety  years  ;  Daniel,  who  moved  to  Iowa, 
and  died  there ;  William,  who  removed  to  Stephenson 
County,  111.,  and  died  there  in  1882  ;  Samuel,  who 
died  at  McKee's  Half- Falls,  Snyder  Co.;  Elizabeth 
(still  living),  married  to  Emanuel  Ettinger;  and 
Mary  (married  to  John  Homan),  now  deceased. 
Among  Squire  Beuck's  grandchildren  are  Joanna, 
married  to  Maj.  R.  H.  Forster,  of  Bellefonte;  Sarah, 
wife  of  William  Stover,  of  Aaronsburg ;  Ellen,  wife 
of  L.  D.  Kurtz,  of  Aaronsburg ;  and  Louisa,  wife  of 
J.  George  Kurtz,  of  Milton, — children  of  Mrs.  Et- 
tinger. 


HAINES   TOWNSHIP. 


303 


Among  the  earliest  tavern-keepers  of  the  town 
were  Felix  Chrisman,  Philip  Callaghan,  and  Philip 
Frank,  whose  hostel ries  were  in  full  blast  as  early  as 
1801.  Lyons  Mussina,  a  native  of  Poland,  about  the 
same  time  kept  a  store  upon  the  spot  now  covered  by 
Musser's  store.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Henry, 
who  kept  a  tavern  in  the  same  building.  Michael 
Bollinger  came  from  York  County  in  1799,  and  lo- 
cating in  Aaronsburg,  engaged  in  the  nianufiicture  of 
chairs  and  spinning-wheels.  Mr.  Bollinger  at  that 
time  was  a  very  ingenious  mechanic,  and  combined 
with  his  regular  trade  the  manufacture  of  powder- 
horns,  flutes,  combs,  and  clarionets,  the  workmanship 
of  which  bore  evidence  of  much  skill.  The  dwelling 
in  which  he  lived  is  now  occupied  by  Dr.  P.  T. 
Musser. 

In  1809,  Bollinger  was  elected  sheriff  of  Centre 
County,  and  in  1812  served  as  a  member  of  the  State 
Legislature.  He  died  on  the  8th  of  January,  1840, 
in  the  seventy-sixth  year  of  his  age.  He  left  two 
sons,  Michael  and  Jacob.  The  former  married  Sarah 
Goldman,  and  lived  in  the  house  now  occupied  by 
Thomas  Harper,  and  there  successfully  followed  the 
trade  of  his  father.  His  children  were  Mary,  Wil- 
liam, Eliza,  Henry,  and  David  (deceased),  Thomas, 
and  Emanuel  at  PhilipsbuVg,  Michael  in  Ohio,  Perry 
in  Perry  County,  this  State,  and  George,  now  a  re- 
spected citizen  of  Aaronsburg,  who  for  many  years 
followed  the  same  business  as  his  ancestors. 

Jacob  Bollinger  married  a  McKean.  Although 
brought  up  by  his  fother  to  the  same  trade  as  his,  it 
proved  distasteful  to  him,  and  be  removed  to  Brush 
valley,  where  for  a  while  he  conducted  a  store.  He 
afterwards  engaged  in  the  same  business  at  Millheim. 
He  also  learned  the  trade  of  tin-smithing,  and  for 
many  years  followed  the  calling  of  a  surveyor.  The 
representatives  of  his  family  are  two  daughters,  one  a 
resident  of  Madisonburg,  the  other  the  wife  of  John 
Smith  in  Penn  township. 

George  Bright  previous  to  1800  came  from  one  of 
the  lower  counties,  and  lived  in  the  dwelling  now  oc- 
cupied by  Mrs.  Somers,  which  was  built  by  John 
Stover.  On  the  28th  of  March,  1798,  he  was  commis- 
sioned by  Governor  Thomas  Mifliin,  as  ensign  of 
the  fifth  company  in  the  Eighth  Northumberland 
Brigade  State  Militia.  He  married  Eva  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  John  Stover,  and  had  eight  children. 
Those  living  are  Catharine,  wife  of  Samuel  Shafer,  at 
Madisonburg;  John,  on  a  farm  in  this  township;  Mi- 
chael in  Tennessee,  and  George  at  Aaronsburg. 

Michael  McCool  many  years  ago  followed  the  oc- 
cupation of  carpet-weaving  in  a  small  house,  the  site 
of  which  is  now  occupied  by  the  dwelling  of  George 
Bright.  The  same  house  wns  subsequently  occupied 
by  Benjamin  Miller,  a  maker  of  spinning-wheels,  who 
for  many  years  was  a  well-known  character  in  the 
streets  of  Aaronsburg. 

Daniel  Spyker,  a  hatter,  at  one  time  lived  in  the 
dwelling  now  occupied  by  Mrs.  Rogers. 


John  McPherson,  who  is  numbered  among  the  first 
settlers,  lived  in  a  house  which  stood  upon  the  lot  im- 
mediately adjoining  that  upon  which  Dr.  Musser's 
barn  is  situated.  It  has  long  since  become  a  thing  of 
the  past.  The  only  remaining  marks  of  identifying 
its  precise  location  is  a  tansy  bush,  which  is  said  to 
have  stood  just  at  the  door. 

Johannes  Brown,  a  blacksmith,  in  former  years  had 
his  shop  and  dwelling  upon  one  corner  of  the  lot  oc- 
cupied by  the  German  Keformed  burying-ground. 
The  buildings  have  long  since  been  demolished. 

Philip  De  Walt,  a  nail-smith,  at  one  time  resided 
in  the  stone  house  now  occupied  by  J.  P.  Coburn, 
Esq. 

Another  one  of  the  early  settlers  was  Jacob  Krebs, 
who  had  a  dwelling  upon  the  lot  now  owned  by 
Thomas  Edmonds. 

One  of  the  first  resident  physicians  who  practiced 
at  Aaronsburg  was  Dr.  Klepper.  He  was  succeeded 
in  1811  by  Dr.  Charles  Coburn. 

Dr.  Coburn  was  born  in  Connecticut,  Oct.  30,  178.5, 
and  when  a  young  man,  with  his  brother  Andrew, 
visited  Penn's  valley  and  taught  music.  He  read 
medicine  with  Dr.  Woods,  of  Muncy,  and  after  a  short 
practice  at  Jersey  Shore  removed  to  Aaronsburg. 
Hei-e  he  obtained  a  very  extensive  practice.  His  first 
wife  was  Peggy  Crouch  Potter  (daughter  of  Judge 
James  Potter),  whom  he  married  in  January,  1824. 
She  died  Jan.  8,  1825.  He,  June  24,  1830,  married 
Margaret,  daughter  of  Thomas  Huston.  Dr.  Coburn 
died  April  23,  1858.  His  son,  James  P.  Coburn,  Esq., 
has  been  largely  identified  with  the  material  interests 
of  Penn's  valley,  especially  in  connection  with  the 
Lewisburg  and  Tyrone  Railroad,  the  extension  of 
which  to  Spring  Mills  is  largely  due  to  his  indomit- 
able energy. 

Jacob  Stover,  born  in  Williamsport,  located  in 
Aaronsburg  in  1814,  and  immediately  engaged  in 
business  as  a  tanner.  For  his  residence  he  built  the 
house  now  occupied  by  John  Kreamer.  His  sons  and 
grandsons  followed  the  same  business.  He  married 
Catharine,  a  daughter  of  Jacob  Hubler.  Their  son, 
John  H.  Stover,  was  formerly  a  member  of  the  bar  of 
Bellefonte  and  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  army.  He 
removed  to  Missouri,  and  has  represented  that  State 
in  the  National  House  of  Representatives. 

Michael  Kurtz,  a  carpenter  by  trade,  hailing  from 
York  County,  in  1813  occupied  a  small  log  house  which 
stood  where  L.  D.  Kurtz's  dwelling  stands.  His  chil- 
dren were  Charles,  Eliza,  and  Daniel.  The  latter 
married  Susan  Kryder,  daughter  of  Judge  Kryder. 
Their  children  are  Elizabeth,  Susan,  Lavinia,  and 
Luther  D.,  the  latter  a  worthy  citizen,  and  at  present 
secretary  of  the  board  of  school  directors. 

Emanuel  Ettinger  located  at  Aaronsburg  in  1820, 
and  for  forty  years  thereafter  engaged  in  the  occupa- 
tion of  coloring  and  weaving.  Although  now  in  his 
eightieth  year,  he  is  still  active  in  all  matters  jiertain- 
ing  to  public  interests. 


304 


HISTOKY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Salem  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church,— Nov.  16, 
1789,  Aaron  Levy  conveyed  to  Jacob  Stover  and 
Michael  Motz  as  trustees  lot  No.  167,  for  the  use  of 
the  members  in  communion  with  the  church  called 
Lutheran  for  a  school,  church,  and  burial-ground. 
Mr.  Deininger,  of  the  Millhehn  Journal,  has  in  his 
possession  an  agreement  of  building  a  Union  Church 
between  the  Lutheran  and  Eeformed  people,  the 
house  to  be  forty-six  by  thirty-six  feet  in  size.  They 
were  to  build  in  a  fraternal  spirit,  and  neither  party 
to  take  advantage  of  the  other  and  to  build  as  they 
were  able.  No  minister  was  to  be  allowed  to  intro- 
duce any  order  or  doctrine  except  the  doctrine  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  the  pure  and  free  doctrine  of 
the  apostles.  Each  to  elect  two  elders  for  life  of  good 
moral  character  and  two  deacons  for  each  congrega- 
tion for  two  years.  For  incidental  expenses  a  penny 
collection  was  to  be  taken.  Settlements  and  audits 
announced  from  the  pulpit.  There  was  to  be  an  altar 
for  the  communion  service  and  many  other  quaint 
provisions,  showing  the  good  common  sense  as  well 
as  simplicity  of  the  parties.  The  agreement  is  in 
German  and  unfortunately  mutilated,  but  the  names 
of  Jacob  Stover,  Abraham  Ream,  Adam  Harper,  and 
Jacob  Stover,  Jr.,  are  attached  to  the  paper. 

Whether  this  arrangement  was  carried  out  or  not 
does  not  appear.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1793, 
according  to  the  authority  of  Rev.  John  Tomlinson, 
present  pastor.  Rev.  Christian  Espich,  who  was  at  that 
time  at  Sunbury,  visited  Penn's  valley,  and  through 
his  efforts  Salem  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  was 
organized  and  preparations  made  to  build  a  church. 
The  corner-stone  was  laid  on  the  first  day  of  May, 
1794,  the  Rev.  Christian  Espich  officiating.  Among 
the  memorials  deposited  in  it  was  a  copy  of  the 
"  Denkschrift,"  published  in  1794.  In  this  instru- 
ment of  writing  the  word  of  God  and  the  Aug.sburg 
Confession  receive  great  prominence. 

The  first  officers  of  the  church  were :  Elders,  Jacob 
Stover  and  George  Wolf,  Sr. ;  Deacons,  Nicholas 
Schneider  and  Adam  Stover ;  Building  Committee, 
William  Sauerwine,  John  Shuck,  Jacob  Stover,  and 
George  Troutner.  The  articles  of  constitution  and 
by-laws  of  the  congregation  dated  Feb.  8,  1794,  are 
signed  by  Jacob  Harter,  David  Weaver,  Sr.,  George 
Hess,  George  Stover,  Peter  Stein,  Samuel  Schreffler, 
David  Weaver,  and  Adam  Bauer.  The  baptisms  in 
1794  were  Magdalena,  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Mag- 
dalena  Musser;  Daniel,  son  of  William  and  Eliza- 
beth Sauerwine;  Anna  Maria,  daughter  of  George 
and  Elizabeth  Humelong;  Jonathan,  son  of  Martin 
and  Catherine  Rishel ;  George  Michael,  son  of  David 
and  Eva  Weaver;  Maria,  daughter  of  .lohn  and  Eva 
Brown;  Hennrich,  son  of  Hennrich  and  Rebecca  Diel ; 
Susanna,  daughter  of  Nicholas  and  Catherine  Dor- 
meyer;  Salome,  daughter  of  Adam  and  Elizabeth 
Rishel ;  Wilhelm,  son  of  Frederick  and  Elizabeth 
Hening.  The  records  from  1794  to  1799  are  incom- 
plete. 


On  the  third  Sunday  after  Trinity  forty-four  young 
people  were  added  to  the  church  by  confirmation. 
The  number  of  communicants  was  one  hundred  and 
twenty-seven,  among  them  were  Johannes  Wolf,  Jacob 

Stover,  David  Stover,  Frederick  Frank, Einerich, 

Frederick  Mokle,  John  Miller,  John  Hubler,  Chris- 
tian Neidig,  and  John  Weaver. 

The  Rev.  Christian  Espich  performed  pastoral 
duties  in  the  congregation  until  1800,  when  the  Rev. 
Ludwig  Albrecht  Wilhelm  Ilgen,  of  Hehlingen, 
Markgrafschaft,  Germany,  was  called  to  the  pastoral 
charge.  It  is  reported  that  between  the  time  that 
the  Rev.  Espich  ceased  his  labors  and  the  beginning 
of  Rev.  Ilgen's  pastorate,  a  Mr.  Stone  preached. 

The  congregation  in  the  spring  of  1802  numbered 
one  hundred  and  thirty-seven,  but  in  the  fall  of  the 
same  year  they  fell  off  to  sixty-seven.  It'  is  a  matter 
of  remark  in  the  history  of  this  church  that  the 
numerical  strength  of  its  congi'egation  was  always 
considerably  less  in  the  fall  of  the  year  than  in  the 
spring.  The  Rev.  Ilgen  continued  to  serve  the  con- 
gregations connected  with  this  charge,  viz. :  Aarons- 
burg,  Rebersburg,  Loop,  and  Penn's  Creek,  until  his 
death  on  the  20th  of  August,  1823.  His  successor 
was  the  Rev.  J.  T.  Abele,  whose  pastoral  duties  cov- 
ered a  period  dating  from  1823  to  1838.  In  the  latter 
year  the  Rev.  Daniel  Gottwald  commenced  his  labors 
with  this  congregation,  and  faithfully  served  them 
until  1843,  in  which  year  he  was  succeeded  by  the 
Rev.  Charles  Reese.  The  charge  in  the  mean  time 
had  been  changed,  and  now  consisted  of  the  Aarons- 
burg,  Rebersburg,  Madisonburg,  and  Penn's  Creek 
congregations.  In  1852  the  old  church  edifice  was 
torn  down  and  the  present  substantial  and  commo- 
dious brick  structure  erected  in  its  stead,  at  a  cost  of 
five  thousand  four  hundred  dollars.  The  Revs.  J.  M. 
Alliman  and  J.  G.  Anspach  officiated  at  the  laying  of 
the  corner-stone.  The  building  committee  were  John 
Wolf,  Emanuel  Ettinger,  and  Henry  Gross.  The 
elders  at  this  time  were  Jacob  Musser  and  Philip  B. 
Musser  ;  deacons,  William  Harter  and  Jacob  Wolf. 
In  1853  the  Rev.  Reese  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev. 
J.  M.  Alliman.  During  the  period  of  his  charge  the 
history  of  the  congregation  is  noted  for  the  rigid  dis- 
cipline which  he  exercised  during  the  five  years  that 
he  remained  with  them.  Those  following  the  Rev. 
Alliman  were  Rev.  J.  Walker,  1858  to  1862 ;  Rev.  D. 
Sell,  1862  to  1867.     During  the  latter's  time  the  con- 

'  gregation  became  an  incorporation.  The  Rev.  A.  C. 
Falker  served  from  1867  to  1869  ;  the  Rev.  P.  Sahm 
from  1869  to  1873,  during  which  time  the  church 
was  repaired,  at  a  cost  of  twelve  hundred  dollars. 
The  present  pastor  is  the  Rev.  John  Tomlinson,  who 
succeeded    the   Rev.  Sahm   in    1873.       The   present 

i  elders  are  Emanuel  Ettinger  and  William  Harter; 
deacons,  Thaddeus  Stover,  John  Beaver,  and  L.  D. 
Kurtz ;  trustee,   A.   Weaver.      The   congregation   at 

1  present  writing  numbers  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 

1  members. 


HAINES  TOWNSHIP. 


305 


Aaronsburg  Reformed  Church.— The  time  of  the 

erection  of  the  first  church  or  who  the  first  members 
of  this  congregation  were  could  not  be  ascertained. 
The  records  of  the  church  were  burned  with  tlie 
church.  After  the  destruction  of  the  old  church  edi- 
fice, services  of  worship  were  lield  in  the  Lutheran 
Church  until  1842,  in  which  year  the  present  church 
was  built,  at  a  cost  of  several  thousand  dollars.  The 
building  committee  was  Henry  Witmer,  O.  P.  Dun- 
can, and  Jacob  Thomas.  Since  then  a  steadily  in- 
creased prosperity  in  every  respect  has  attended  it. 
The  present  elders  are  A.  J.  Mingle  and  Andrew  Sto- 
ver ;  deacons,  J.  G.  Gutelius,  Simon  Rote,  Thomas 
G.  Erhart,  and  Henry  Kling.  The  congregation  at 
present  numbers  one  hundred  and  thirty  members, 
baptized  and  communicant.  A  well-attended  Sab- 
bath-school of  one  hundred  and  ten  scholars  is  at- 
tached to  the  church,  the  welfare  of  which  is  super- 
intended by  Thomas  J.  Erhart  and  W.  .T.  Myer. 

Presbyterian  Church. — For  a  number  of  years  a 
small  body  of  Presbyterians  have  worshiped  at 
Aaronsburg  in  the  German  Reformed  Church,  agree- 
ably to  an  arrangement  made  with  the  body  of  the 
latter.  One  of  the  first  and  most  active  promoters  of 
this  religious  faith  was  Dr.  Charles  Coburn.  Through 
his  influence  a  small  congregation  was  organized  at 
Aaronsburg,  of  which  he  was  the  ruling  elder.  Only 
two  other  members  beside  him  can  now  be  recalled, 
they  were  James  Duncan  and  Mrs.  Mary  Graham. 
Services  were  held  in  the  old  Reformed  Church. 
About  18.50  a  parsonage  was  secured  at  Aaronsburg, 
mainly  through  the  ettbrts  of  Dr.  Coburn,  Peter  Wil- 
son, Thomas  Huston,  and  John  Foster,  which  would 
indicate  that  quite  a  firm  footing  had  been  obtained 
by  that  time.  Of  late  years,  however,  the  Presby- 
terian element  has  considerably  died  out,  and  but 
few  representatives  of  its  stanch  supporters  of  early 
days  remain.  The  congregation  at  present  numbers 
but  few  members.  Services  are  still  occasionally 
held.     The  ruling  elder  is  Thomas  Yearick. 

Aaronsburg  Academy. — The  first  session  of  this 
institution  was  held  in  the  fall  of  18-34  in  an  old 
school-house  in  the  northern  part  of  Aaronsburg, 
which  had  been  put  up  by  .subscription  for  school 
purposes  under  the  old  system.  In  1858  a  new  build- 
ing was  erected  by  Mr.  Thomas  Yearick,  who  had 
control  of  the  academy  until  near  its  close  in  1868. 
At  present  the  property  belongs  to  the  township,  and 
is  used  for  the  higher  grades  of  the  free  schools.  The 
first  teacher  was  a  Mr.  Schieldknecht,  who  taught  one 
session  in  1854.  Mr.  J.  I.  Burrell,  who  was  afterwards 
county  superintendent,  succeeded  Mr.  Schieldknecht. 
The  other  principal  teachers  that  followed  were  J.  R. 
Dimm,  L.  0.  Foose,  Rev.  Charles  Blake,  Dr.  Jarad 
Hoy,  Rev.  W.  H.  Gotwalt.  The  academy  was  at  one 
time  in  a  flourishing  condition,  having  enrolled  from 
thirty  to  seventy  students  during  its  different  sessions 
of  the  year,  among  whom  were  many  of  the  common 
school  teachers. 
•10 


In  1865  the  academy  was  purchased  by  a  stock 
company,  consisting  of  John  H.  Stover,  William 
Stover,  Dr.  P.  T.  Musser,  and  Emanuel  Ettinger,  but 
the  enterprise  was  not  successful,  and  the  building 
wa-s  finally  sold  to  the  township  authorities,  and  is 
used  for  public  school  purposes. 

Among  the  business  men  of  Aaronsburg  may  be 
named  M.  M.  Musser  (postmaster),  Thomas  Yearick, 
Philips  &  Bro.,  C.  G.  Bright.  The  physicians  are  Drs. 
P.  T.  Musser  and  his  son,  C.  S.  Mu.sser,  E.  J.  and  J. 
J.  Deshler. 

The  teacher  of  the  Aaronsburg  Advanced  School  is 
Franklin  Musser ;  Intermediate,  D.  H.  Rote ;  Primary, 
Miss  Bella  Cronemiller;  Wolf  School,  T.  J.  Erhart; 
St.  Paul's  School,  Z.  D.  Thomas  ;  Voneida  School, 
George  Erhart;  Woodward  School,  William  Keen; 
Pine  Creek  School,  B.  F.  Edmonds  ;  Mount  Pleasant 
School,  Miss  Mary  Bollinger. 

St.  Paul's  German  Reformed  and  Lutheran 
Church. — The  preliminary  steps  for  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  above  church  were  taken  in  1851.  Prior 
to  that  date  those  of  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  de- 
nominations residing  in  the  eastern  part  of  Penn's 
valley  had  no  nearer  places  of  worship  than  those 
established  at  Aaronsburg.  The  rapidly  increased 
settlements,  however,  which  had  taken  place  during 
the  time  up  to  1851  induced  those  of  the  above- 
named  denominations  to  combine  their  efforts  toward 
the  building  of  a  church  edifice,  to  which  purpose, 
after  preliminary  meetings,  a  mutual  agreement  was 
arrived  at.  .Arrangements  were  perfected  and  the 
corner-stone  laid  on  the  13th  of  June,  1852.  The 
officiating  Lutheran  pastors  upon  that  occasion  were 
the  Revs.  J.  M.  Alliman  and  Frederick  Ruthrauf 
The  Reformed  pastors  also  assisting  were  the  Revs. 
D.  S.  Tobias  and  M.  A.  Smith.  The  building  com- 
mittee were  John  Hess  and  John  Hosterman  ;  trus- 
tees, Jacob  Stover  and  John  Hubler. 

The  original  members  of  the  Lutheran  congrega- 
tion numbered  ninety-five.  Among  them  were  John 
Hess  and  wife,  George  Weaver,  Henry  Hess  and 
wife,  Adam  Weaver,  Philip  Stover,  Sr.,  Jacob  Stover, 
Jacob  W.  Stover,  Martin  Stover,  Henry  Stover,  Ben- 
jamin Stover,  David  Miller,  George  Vonada,  Jacob 
Motz,  and  Elizabeth  Motz.  The  first  elder  was 
Adam  Weaver  ;  deacons,  Henry  Weaver  and  Henry 
Stover.  This  congregation,  since  its  organization, 
has  composed  a  part  of  the  Aaronsburg  charge,  and 
consequently  has  been  served  by  the  same  pastors  as 
have  officiated  at  the  Lutheran  Church  at  Aarons- 
burg. The  communicant  members  at  present  num- 
ber about  forty.  The  present  elders  are  William 
Stover  and  Henry  Fidler ;  deacons,  John  W.  Stover 
and  Jacob  Neidigh.  The  Reformed  congregation  of 
St.  Paul's  Church,  although  meeting  for  divine  wor- 
ship at  stated  intervals  after  the  completion  of  the 
church  building,  had  no  regular  organization  until 
May  8,  1853,  when  they  were  constituted  as  a  regular 
organized  body  by  the  Rev.  M.  A.  Smith.     The  first 


306 


HISTORY   OF   CENTEE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


elders  of  the  congregation  were  David  Neidigh  and 
Charles  Smith  ;  elders,  Samuel  Kreamer  and  Daniel 
Warntz.  The  original  members  were  John  Hub- 
ler,  Thomas  Hubler,  Catharine  Orndorf,  Margaret 
Weaver,  Elizabeth  Harper,  Jacob  Orndorf,  John  D. 
Hubler,  David  Orndorf,  David  Voneida,  David  Hos- 
terman,  Sarah  L.  Weaver,  Henry  Reinhart,  Thomas 
Harper,  Jacob  Geistweit,  Maria  Hubler,  Jacob  and 
Sophia  Hostermau,  Juliana  Weaver,  Catharine 
Haines,  Samuel  M.  Motz,  Amelia  Hosterman,  Matilda 
Geistweit,  Mary  A.  Hoffman,  Matilda  Rote,  Rebecca 
Lotz,  Sarah  Hubler,  Susanna  Schneider,  George 
Geistweit,  Susan  Geistweit,  Henry  and  Mary  Ann 
Vonada.  The  pastors  serving  this  congregation 
since  its  organization  are  the  Revs.  M.  A.  Smith,  L. 
C.  Edmunds,  S.  Kuhn,  C.  H.  Reiter,  J.  G.  Shoe- 
maker, and  C.  W.  E.  Siegel,  the  present  pastor.  The 
congregation  in  February,  1881,  numbered  fifty-one 
members.  The  elders  are  Samuel  Snyder  and  John 
Geistweit. 

Evangelical  Association. — There  are  now  two 
classes  of  the  above  faith  in  this  township.  The  older 
of  the  two,  namely,  that  at  Woodward,  dates  its  early 
origin  back  to  1806,  at  which  time  the  leading  mem- 
bers in  that  section  were  J.  A.  Hennig,  John  Wise, 
and  Jacob  Mark.  Later  on  they  were  joined  also  by 
the  Hostermans  and  the  Motzes.  It  is  believed  that 
services  were  conducted  in  private  houses  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  before  the  erection  of  any  house  of  wor- 
ship, for  it  is  recorded  that  the  fourth  General  Confer- 
ence of  the  association  was  held  at  the  "  house"  of 
J.  A.  Hennig,  which  would  indicate  that  there  was 
no  church  as  yet  had  been  erected  up  to  that  date. 
Just  when  it  was  built  could  not  be  learned,  but  it 
was  probably  as  late  as  1840.  The  class  at  that  time 
numbered  about  forty  members.  The  first  presiding 
elder  was  Jacob  Bowes.  In  1871  this  church  was 
destroyed  by  fire,  and  with  it  all  records  pertaining 
to  it.  The  same  year  the  present  edifice  was  built  at 
a  cost  of  three  thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  The 
building  committee  was  Samuel  j\I.  Motz,  J.  L. 
Kreamer,  and  Daniel  Weidensaul.  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Sloat  officiated  at  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone. 
The  first  presiding  elder  was  Martin  Carothers.  The 
class  now  numbers  some  ninety  members.  The  pre- 
siding elder  is  David  Swengel.  The  class  at  Aarons- 
burg,  under  the  same  charge  as  that  at  Woodward, 
was  formed  in  1850  by  the  Rev.  Philip  Wagner. 

In  conjunction  witli  the  Methodists  they  erected  a 
small  meeting-house,  which  was  used  by  them  until 
the  summer  of  1881,  when  a  neat  and  commodious 
house  of  worship  was  erected  by  them  at  a  cost  of 
one  thousand  dollars.  The  class  when  first  formed 
had  but  very  few  members.  During  the  past  few 
years  some  accessions  have  been  made,  and  the 
present  year  reached  its  maximum  number,  thirty- 
five.  The  presiding  elder  is  David  Swengel ;  trus- 
tees, Frederick  Raeger,  David  Werntz,  and  William 
Shafer.     The  pastor  is  the  Rev.  P.  C.  Weidenmeyer. 


Woodward. — The  first  settler  upon  the  site  of 
Woodward  was  John  Motz,  who  came  up  from  Penn 
township,  now  Snyder  County,  in  1786,  and  shortly 
after  erected  a  mill.  He  was  originally  from  Ger- 
many, and  was  a  man  of  education,  and  in  early  times 
manufactured  soda  on  a  small  scale  there.  He  died 
in  1802,  and  his  son  John,  born  Jan.  6,  1792,  when 
he  came  of  age  took  the  mill.  In  1824,  John,  Jr., 
tore  down  the  old  mill  and  built  a  new  one,  and 
commenced  to  do  merchant  work,  conveying  his  flour 
by  arks  down  Penn's  Creek  to  the  river,  and  thence 
to  market.  In  1831  the  mill  burned  down,  the  fire 
consuming  also  a  large  amount  of  wheat  bought  on 
credit.  Mr.  Motz  losing  heavily,  determined  to  sell, 
but  on  persuasion  of  his  neighbors  rebuilt,  and  the 
present  substantial  mill  building — one  of  the  best  in 
the  county,  walls  in  the  foundation  three  and  four 
feet  thick — still  stands  a  monument  of  his  enterprise 
and  energy.  John  Motz's  name  occurs  among  tavern- 
keepers  licensed  in  1801 ;  his  widow  in  1803.  The 
stone  tavern  still  standing  was  built  by  him  and  his 
mother  in  1814.  The  post-office  was  called  Liberty 
Mills,  and  John  Motz,  Jr.,  was  the  first  postmaster. 
Its  postal  facilities  were  soon  shut  off  by  the  abolish- 
ment of  the  office.  The  village  was  first  laid  out  in 
1848,  and  called  then  Taylorville,  in  honor  of  Gen. 
Zachary  Taylor. 

It  is  stated  as  a  fact  that  every  voter  of  the  village 
cast  his  ballot  for  Gen.  Taylor.  Through  Judge 
George  W.  Woodward's  influence  a  post-office  was 
again  secured  for  the  place,  and  it  was  named  in  his 
honor  Woodward.  John  C.  Motz  succeeded  his  father 
as  postmaster. 

Originally  the  place  was  known  as  "  Motz's  Bank," 
a  name  still  adhered  to  by  the  old  inhabitants,  and 
so  called  because  it  was  the  business  point  for  the 
eastern  end  of  Haines  township,  where  produce  was 
turned  into  money,  notes  cashed,  and  money  advanced 
upon  crops  if  desired!  Dr.  Isaac  Neff  was  the  first 
and  only  physician.  He  remained  but  one  year. 
There  is  one  church  at  Woodward,  belonging  to  the 
Evangelical  Association,  and  one  store,  kept  by  Rob- 
ert Wolf,  who  is  now  postmaster.  The  village  is  sup- 
plied with  water  by  pipes  from  a  fine  spring  at  the 
mountain-side.  A  pottery  is  carried  on  by  Daniel 
Voneida. 

CIVIL  LIST  OF  HAINES  TOWNSHIP. 
Coii«(ai)!e.— lSOl-2,  Philip  Frank;  1803-4,  John  Kern;  1805,  Andrew 
Barter;  1806,  Michael  Shaffer;  1807-8,  Andrew  Fellow;  1809,  James 
Kelly ;  1810,  William  Michel ;  1811,  John  Kern  ;  1812-14,  John  Fry- 
herger;  1815,  John  Kerns;  1810,  Daniel  Wolf :  1817,  John  Haines; 
1818-20,  Benjamin  Goodwin;  1821-22,  Jacob  Swentzel;  1823,  James 
Allison;  1824,  James  James;  1825,  Abraham  High;  1826,  Daniel 
Keen;  1827,  Michael  Eibert ;  182S-30,  Benjamin  Hess;  1831,  George 
Eilert;  1832,  George  Hosterman;  1833-35,  Benjamin  Hess;  1836, 
Daniel  Spyker  ;  1837,  Christopher  Reichly;  1838,  J.  Rodgers;  1839- 
40,  J.  B.  Holloway;  1841^2,  Andrew  Kreamer;  1843,  John  Wil- 
liams; 1844,  Jacob  Wolf;  1845,  H.  A.  Mingle;  1S46-47,  George 
Bright;  1848,  John  Harper;  1 849-50,  .Samuel  Bright;  1861,  Jacob 
Schreiber;  1862-63,  Andrew  Bell;  1854-55,  Jacob  Schreiber;  1856, 
Andrew  Bell;  1857,  Jacob  Schreiber;  1858,  Thomas  Harper;  1859, 
Jacob  Schreiber  ;  1860,  Michael  H.  Stover;  1861-63,  Jacob  Schreiber, 


f  XcU^f^^ 


HAINES  TOWNSHIP. 


307 


1864,  Jeremiah  Harper;  1805,  Jared  Harper;  1866,  Jacob  H.  Wile; 
1867-68,  DaDiel  Hosterman  ;  1869-77,  John  Kottner;  1878-81,  Jacob 
Wyle. 
Justices  of  the  Peace, — Henry  B.  Mussina,  Jacob  Harter,  April  14,  1840; 
Jacob  Uoaterman,  Henry  B.  Miissinn,  April  15, 1845  ;  Jacob  Hoetor- 
nian,  Henry  B.  Mussina,  March  12,  18511;  Jacob  Hostorman,  Henry 
A.  Mingle,  March  13,  1855;  Henry  A.  Mingle,  Jacob  Hosterman, 
March  26,  1860;  Jacob  Hosterman,  H.  A.  Mingle,  April  6,  1865 ; 
Edwin  J.  Deshler,  March  22, 1869;  Jacob  Hosterman,  March  4, 1870; 
Aaron  Detweiler,  Marcli  27,  1872;  H.  A.  Mingle,  March  14,  1874  ; 
Henry  Reinhart,  March  17, 1877  ;  Franklin  Detweiler,  April  6, 1879. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


JOHN    C.    MOTZ. 

John  C.  Motz,  of  Woodward,  was  born  at  the  old 
homestead  (where  his  father  was  born,  lived,  and 
died)  on  the  22d  of  June,  1832.  His  grandfather, 
John  Motz,  was  the  first  settler  on  the  site  of  the  vil- 
lage of  Woodward.  He  was  born  in  1758,  and  died  in 
1802.  He  was  a  sculptor  and  highly  educated,  and 
had  to  leave  the  Fatherland  in  consequence  of  his 
principles  and  devotion  to  the  cause  of  liberty.  He 
left  quite  a  valuable  collection  of  books  of  church 
history,  astronomy,  etc.,  at  his  death.  His  wife, 
whose  maiden  name  was  Mary  Whitmer,  was  born 
Oct.  9, 1767,  and  died  March  1.3, 1839.  She  was  a  very 
useful  woman  in  the  neighborhood,  almost  taking  the 
place  of  a  physician. 

John  Motz  came  up  from  Penn  township  (now  Sny- 
der County)  in  the  year  1786,  and  at  his  death  left  seven 
children, — Jacob,  John,  George,  and  James,  and  their 
three  sisters.  Jacob  married  Elizabeth  Hess,  and  their 
children  were  Samuel  M.,  John  A.,  Emanuel,  Simon, 
and  Mary.  John  Motz,  Jr.,  married  Elizabeth  Fisher, 
of  Fisher's  Ferry,  Northumberland  County,  Dec.  11, 
1827,  and  died  Nov.  22,  1849;  their  children  were 
John  C,  Lydia,  Sarah  C,  and  Catherine  A.  Lydia 
married  Dr.  C.  H.  Gutelius,  of  Mifflinburg.  She  was 
an  active  business  woman,  and  on  one  occasion  trav- 
eled six  hundred  miles  by  ox-team  from  Omaha  to 
Denver,  where  she  engaged  successfully  and  exten- 
sively in  the  real  estate  business.  Mrs.  Gutelius  died 
May  4,  1882.  Sarah  married  Dr.  P.  D.  Neff,  who 
died  suddenly  at  Centre  Hall  while  attending  a  pa- 
tient April  7, 1880.  Catherine  married  Dr.  George  P. 
Weaver,  late  of  Hanover,  Pa.,  and  has  two  sons  who 
graduated  at  Pennsylvania  College  at  Gettysburg. 

John  C.  Motz,  after  attending  the  common  schools, 
went  to  the  academy  at  Mifflinburg.  He  early  evinced 
great  business  ability,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty  em- 
barked in  the  mercantile  business  in  his  native  vil- 
lage, and  soon  enlarged  his  activity  to  the  measure  of 
running  a  grist-mill  and  distillery,  and  finally  pur- 
chased the  whole  interest  in  the  Motz  estate.  He 
remodeled  the  mill  in  1852,  and  also  in  1878.  Too 
close  application  impaired  bis  health,  and  after  fifteen 
years  hard  work  he  retired  from  business  ;  and  in  1867 
made  a  trip  to  the  Rocky  Mountains.     This  trip  was 


of  immense  benefit  to  his  health,  and  he  returned  to 
Penn's  valley  to  grapple  with  business  with  renewed 
energy. 

In  1865  he  became  a  member  of  the  Evangelical 
Association,  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  Sabbath- 
school,  of  which  he  was  superintendent  for  many 
years.  On  the  15th  of  March,  1872,  in  company  with 
John  Keen  and  Elias  Kreamer,  he  established  the 
banking-house  of  John  C.  Motz  &  Co.,  at  Millheim, 
of  which  he  was  president.  By  Jay  Cooke's  failure 
they  lost  all  of  their  Eastern  exchange ;  nevertheless 
kept  up  their  credit  by  paying  out  thousands  of  dol- 
lars over  their  counter  when  bankers  would  not  wait 
the  ordinary  return  by  mail,  but  sent  special  mes- 
sengers with  checks.  After  retiring  from  the  banking 
business,  never  idle,  he  has  dealt  in  grain,  lumber, 
and  real  estate,  and  contributed  largely  to  the  im- 
provement of  the  pleasant  village  in  which  he  resides. 
He  shipped  the  first  car-load  of  grain  over  the  Lewis- 
burg  and  Spruce  Creek  Railroad. 

Mr.  Motz  was  for  many  years  the  largest  stockholder 
in  the  Bellefonte,  Aaronsburg  and  Young  Womans- 
town  Turnpike  Company,  and  as  its  president  con- 
ducted the  affairs  of  that  corporation  to  the  great  advan- 
tage of  the  valley  and  the  interest  of  the  stockholders. 
Though  earnestly  devoted  to  his  private  business,  he 
was  always  alive  to  projects  of  public  improvement. 
He  is  social  in  his  disposition,  a  great  advocate  of 
education,  and  a  princely  entertainer  in  his  own  home. 
He  built  a  beautiful  residence  opposite  the  old  "  Motz 
Hotel,"  lives  comfortably,  and  is  always  glad  to  see 
his  friends.  Prematurely  adorned  with  gray  locks, 
he  retains  with  his  industry  and  enterprise  a  rugged 
health  that  promises  a  length  of  days  far  beyond  that 
of  his  father  or  grandfather. 

John  C.  Motz  was  married  on  the  14th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1869,  to  Miss  Miranda  H.  Reighard,  who  was 
born  May  25,  1835.  Their  children  are  William  R., 
born  Sept.  1,  1870  ;  John  C.  F.,  born  April  25,  1872; 
Jacob,  born  Feb.  5,  1874.  Mrs.  Motz  was  the  eldest 
daughter  of  Dr.  Jacob  Reighard,  who  read  medicine 
under  the  noted  Dr.  Bigelow,  of  Millheim.  Dr.  Reig- 
hard removed  to  Freeport,  111.  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Motz, 
mother  of  John  C.  Motz,  died  Jan.  31,  1882,  in  the 
eighty-first  year  of  her  age. 


P.  T.  MUSSER,  M.D. 
Philip  T.  Musser  was  born  in  Gregg  township  Nov. 
10,  1828.  His  ancestors  came  from  Germany  and  set- 
tled in  Linn  township,  Northampton  Co.,  and 
Philip  Musser,  his  grandfather  (a  brother  of  Sebas- 
tian's), came  into  Penn's  valley  as  early  as  1789,  and 
settled  in  the  place  now  owned  by  Samuel  Burrell, 
where  he  died  July  19,  1804.  Among  his  children 
were  Philip,  David,  and  John,  and  five  daughters. 
Philip,  the  oldest,  and  father  to  P.  T.,  was  married 
the  first  time  to  a  daughter  of  Daniel  Kreamer,  with 
"hom    he   had    three   children, — Samuel,   and   two 


308 


HISTOEY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


daughters.  He  was  married  the  second  time  to  Widow 
Catherine  Stover,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  Eeichard,  who 
had  settled  near  Millhoim.  They  were  married  in 
November,  1827,  and  lived  on  the  place  now  owned 
by  Samuel  Musser,  two  miles  east  of  Spring  Mills, 
and  among  their  children  were  Philip  Timothy  and 
Eachel,  who  was  married  to  John  Lord,  and  died 
childless  Nov.  6,  1863.  Dr.  Musser's  father  dying 
when  the  doctor  was  but  six  years  of  age,  he  resided 
with  his  brother  Samuel,  and  in  1847  went  to  school 
at  MifHinburg,  where  he  remained  until  1849.  In 
1850  he  commenced  reading  medicine  with  Dr.  Rob- 
ert Vanvalzah,  an  eminent  practitioner  of  Millheim, 
and  graduated  at  Jefterson  Medical  College  in  1853. 
After  graduation  he  practiced  with  his  preceptor  at 
Millheim  until  1861.  In  1866  he  removed  to  Aarons- 
burg,  where  he  has  been  in  active  practice  ever  since. 

He  was  married  Nov.  30, 1854,  to  Mary  Jane  Mum- 
bauer,  a  daughter  of  Peter  Mumbauer,  of  Millheim. 
His  children  are  Ella,  who  graduated  at  the  Female 
Seminary  at  Lewisburg,  and  married  Rev.  A.  J.  Frey, 
aminister  of  the  Baptist  Church.  Dr.  Musser's  eldest 
son.  Dr.  Charles  Sumner  Musser,  graduated  at 
Franklin  and  Marshall  College,  at  Lancaster,  in  the 
class  of  1878,  and  in  medicine  at  Jefierson  Medical 
College  in  1880,  and  now  practices  with  his  father  at 
Aaronsburg.  His  second  son,  Harvey  Musser,  Esq., 
is  now  a  prominent  member  of  the  bar  at  Akron, 
Ohio,  having  also  been  graduated  at  Franklin  and 
Marshall  College,  after  which  he  went  to  Michigan 
and  graduated  in  the  Law  Department  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Michigan. 

Of  Dr.  Musser  it  may  be  truly  said  he  has  been 
the  architect  of  his  own  fortune.  By  the  early  de- 
cease of  his  father  he  was  thrown  upon  his  own  ex- 
ertions, and  manfully  grappled  with  the  world.  To  a 
good  rudimentary  education  in  the  ordinary  branches 
of  learning,  under  a  careful  preceptor,  he  qualified 
himself  amply  for  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  a 
laborious  and  exacting  profession.  Estimating  highly 
the  advantages  of  education,  he  gave  his  children 
ample  opportunities  to  qualify  themselves  for  the 
highest  positions  in  society,  and  to  their  credit  it 
must  be  said  they  have  rewarded  his  sacrifices  in 
their  behalf. 


CHAPTER    LXXL 


HALF-MOON    TOWNSHIP. 


The  township  of  Half-Moon,  shaped  like  a  wedge, 
borders  upon  Huntingdon  County,  and  occupies  a 
place  upon  the  southwestern  line  of  Centre  County. 
The  name  Half-Moon  is  popularly  supposed  to  have 
been  applied  to  the  township  and  valley  because  of 
the  rude  representations  of  half-moons  found  by  the 
early  settlers  upon  trees,  marking  the  course  of  an 


Indian  trail  passing  through  the  valley.  It  is  held 
that  these  signs  and  others  illustrative  of  the  various 
phases  of  the  moon  were  fixed  upon  trees  by  bodies 
of  wandering  Indians  to  indicate  to  such  of  their 
tribe  as  might  follow  them  that  they  had  encamped 
at  such  places  at  certain  periods  of  the  moon's 
changes.  The  valley  itself  is  a  picturesque  and  fruit- 
ful belt  dotted  with  rich  farms  and  pretty  farm- 
houses. North  of  the  valley  extends  Bald  Eagle 
Ridge,  marking  the  line  of  separation  from  the  Bald 
Eagle  valley.  South  is  a  not  very  fertile  region 
called  the  Barrens,  upon  which  the  settlements  are 
to  this  day  quite  sparse.  That  region  abounds,  how- 
ever, with  valuable  deposits  of  iron  ore,  which  are 
now  being  developed  with  energy.  Near  the  eastern 
extremity  of  the  township  is  a  ridge  extending  north 
and  south,  from  which  the  waters  flow  both  east  and 
west.  The  eastern  stream  is  called  Buffalo  Run,  and 
the  western,  Half-Moon  Run.  There  are  two  small 
villages  known  as  Stormstown  and  Loveville,  each  of 
which  is  a  postal  station. 

Land  Titles  were  for  many  years  in  dispute,  in 
consequence  of  the  title  of  Baynton  Wharton  and 
Morris,  of  whom  Michael  T.  Simpson  was  assignee, 
interfering  with  the  locations  the  settlers  had  pur- 
chased. 

To  January  term,  1803,  Michael  T.  Simpson 
brought  the  ejectments  under  what  was  known  in  the 
neighborhood  as  the  London  Land  Company's  claim 
against  citizens  of  Half-Moon  township.  Among  the 
defendants  were  Caleb  Way,  .Jacob  Taylor,  John 
Thompson,  Frederick  Doughman,  Abraham  Elder, 
Isaac  Moore,  Thomas  Moore,  Elijah  Moore,  John 
Spencer,  Thomas  Kirk,  Benjamin  Fenton,  Harmon 
Fagan,  Thomas  Downing,  Peter  Gray,  Sr.,  Peter 
Gray,  Jr.,  John  Gray,  John  Gearhart,  David  Runk, 
John  Whitson,  Hezekiah  Bye,  Naomi  Way,  George 
Williams,  James  Scott,  Thomas  Hicks,  Jacob  Hicks, 
William  Kelly,  John  Richards,  John  Doughman, 
and  Andrew  Shivery.  John  Thompson  died  in  1806, 
and  May  22d  a  verdict  was  found  for  the  defendants, 
and  judgment  for  all  the  defendants  was  entered  May 
16,  1807.  A  final  arrangement  was  made  July  15, 
1809,  under  which  the  settlers  agreed  to  pay  three 
dollars  per  acre  for  a  release  of  the  Simpson  title. 

Early  Settlers.— Abraham  Elder,  the  first  settler 
in  the  year  1784,  migrated  from  Franklin  County,  and 
located  upon  a  tract  of  land  now  lying  near  the  vil- 
lage of  Stormstown,  and  owned  by  J.  A.  Hunter,  who 
married  one  of  Abraham  Elder's  granddaughters.  Mr. 
Elder  came  probably  to  prospect  more  than  anything 
else,  for  he  came  alone,  considering,  no  doubt,  that  he 
had  better  get  a  taste  of  life  in  the  woods  before  ask- 
ing his  family  to  share  it.  He  found  an  abandoned 
cabin,  the  earlier  temporary  home  of  some  hunter, 
and  making  it  his  abiding  place  for  the  summer,  made 
a  small  clearing  and  put  in  crops  of  turnips  and 
wheat,  so  that  by  the  time  his  family  came  there 
would    be   something  in  the  way  of  subsistence  for 


HALF-MOON   TOWNSHIP. 


309 


them  to  start  upon.     Mr.  Elder  was  a  lonely  tenant 
of  an  unbroken  wilderness. 

An  Indian  path  marked  the  way  through  the 
woods,  but  other  thoroughfares  there  were  none.  In 
the  fall  Mr.  Elder  returned  to  his  family  in  Franklin 
County,  reported  the  result  of  his  niLssion,  and  an- 
nounced that  in  the  spring  they  would  push  forward 
to  take  po.ssession  of  the  new  home  in  the  woods,  and 
make  of  it  a  permanent  habitation.  Accordingly,  in 
the  spring  Mr.  Elder  and  his  family,  together  with 
his  brother  David  and  family,  set  out  upon  horse- 
back {conveying  also  by  that  method  their  household 
effects)  for  Half-Moon  valley.  Upon  his  previous 
visit  Mr.  Elder  had  selected  for  his  brother  David  a 
tract  now  the  home  of  G.  Dorsey  Green,  in  Patton 
township.  They  went  there  for  the  purpose  of  pre- 
paring a  home  for  David,  but  they  had  not  begun 
when  they  received  a  visit  from  a  fierce-looking 
Irishman  (whose  name  has  not  been  preserved),  and 
from  him  the  announcement  that  if  they  had  come  to 
stay  they  had  better  make  up  their  minds  to  leave, 
for  he  lived,  he  said,  only  a  mile  removed  (at  the  lo- 
cality now  known  as  Fillmore),  and  wanted  no  neigh- 
bors that  near  to  him.  There  was  some  discussion  as 
to  the  advisability  of  abandoning  the  location  at  the 
whim  of  an  unpleasantly-disposed  Irishman,  but 
calm  judgment  suggested  that  the  Irishman  might  be 
troublesome,  and  it  was  therefore  thought  best  to 
leave  him  in  peace.  Mr.  Elder  found  his  old  settle- 
ment undisturbed  and  his  wheat  crop  promising. 
He  put  his  family  into  the  old  hut,  and  set  about 
making  it  more  comfortable.  In  a  day  or  two  David 
looked  about  for  a  site,  and  eventually  settled  upon 
the  place  later  taken  up  by  George  Wilson,  and  now 
owned  by  John  Wilson.  David  did  not  take  kindly 
to  the  situation,  and  after  a  not  very  satisfactory  stay 
of  a  few  years  he  moved  into  Huntingdon  County. 

Abraham  Elder  built  a  new  home  of  logs,  a  better 
and  larger  home  than  the  hunter's  hut.  Upon  the 
same  site  he  erected  in  1808  a  fine  stone  mansion, 
regarded  in  that  day  as  an  imjjosing  structure.  In 
1832  his  son  Robert  put  on  a  stone  addition,  and  as 
thus  completed  the  house  still  stands,  and  serves  as 
the  home  of  J.  A.  Hunter.  Abraham  Elder  was  a  man 
of  energetic  temperament  and  liberal  enterprise.  He 
put  up  on  the  run  near  his  house  a  saw-mill,  carried 
on  a  distillery,  and  erected  a  grist-mill  in  Bald  Eagle 
valley,  near  Port  Matilda,  on  the  site  of  the  Wood- 
ring  saw-mill.  He  hauled  his  flour  to  Baltimore  and 
brought  back  goods  in  exchange.  When  the  road  to 
Pittsburgh  was  opened,  Mr.  Elder  established  a  tavern 
in  his  house,  and  kept  also  for  sale  a  small  stock  of 
goods  for  the  accommodation  of  his  neighbors  and 
the  traveling  public.  The  tavern-stand,  known  far 
and  near  as  "Elder's,"  was  the  first  halting-place 
after  leaving  Bellefonte,  and  a  place  much  patronized 
by  freighters,  haulers  of  iron,  and  other  wayfarers. 
It  was  on  the  direct  route  from  Bellefonte  to  Pitts- 
burgh, and  bore  for  a  time  much   traffic,  especially 


by  reason  of  the  transportation  of  iron  from  Centre 
County  and  eastward  to  Pittsburgh.  Mr.  Elder  main- 
tained the  tavern-stand  about  twenty-five  years.  It 
was  a  favorite  place  for  public  meetings,  general  train- 
ings, and  similar  gatherings,  and  rarely  lacked  for 
some  enlivening  incident.  From  his  tavern  Mr, 
Elder  constructed  a  roadway  over  the  Ridge  into  Bald 
Eagle  valley,  and  by  that  route  took  in  his  supplies 
and  held  communication  with  his  mill.  Soon  after 
coming  to  the  valley  he  bought  not  only  the  land 
upon  which  be  originally  located  in  1784,  but  the 
tracts  now  owned  by  P.  B.  Waddle  and  Elijah  Cham- 
bers, on  Buffalo  Run.  He  used  to  say  that  when  he 
settled  in  Half-Moon  his  nearest  neighbor  on  the  east 
was  the  unpleasant  Irishman  already  alluded  to,  at 
what  is  now  called  Fillmore. 

The  first  public  religious  meetings  in  Half-Moon 
valley  were  held  at  Mr.  Elder's  house ;  not  long  after 
he  built  his  log  cabin  the  Presbyterians  of  the  valley 
used  to  gather  there  occasionally  for  worship.  Mr. 
Elder  filled  considerable  space  in  local  history  during 
his  life  in  Half-Moon,  and  commanded  high  esteem  as 
a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  prominence.  He  died  in 
the  old  stone  mansion  in  July,  1827,  aged  seventy- 
three.  Susan  Elder,  wife  of  Abraham,  died  in  Half- 
Moon  township  May  7, 1831,  aged  seventy-two.  Her 
remains  were  placed  in  a  coffin  with  the  body  of  her 
deceased  husband,  which  was  disinterred  agreeably  to 
a  wish  expressed  before  his  decease,  and  conveyed  to 
the  Presbyterian  churchyard  on  Spruce  Creek. 

Their  children  were  three  in  number,  and  of  them 
two  were  sons, — James  and  Robert.  James  died  on 
the  homestead  in  1854,  leaving  no  children.  Robert 
grew  to  be  one  of  the  best-known  and  most  popular 
citizens  of  Centre  County.  When  he  came  to  Half- 
Moon  valley,  in  1785,  he  was  but  three  weeks  old,  and 
rode  in  his  mother's  arms  upon  the  back  of  a  pack- 
horse.  The  cradle  in  which  he  was  rocked  during  his 
babyhood  was  a  hollowed  gum  log  furnished  with 
rude  rockers.  That  ancient  but  valued  relic  is  now 
preserved  among  the  treasures  of  Mr.  John  A. 
Hunter's  family,  as  is  the  cradle  in  which  all  of 
Robert  Elder's  children  were  rocked.  Mr.  Elder  was 
conspicuously  distinguished  as  a  man  of  generous  im- 
pulses and  kindly  disposition.  He  was  always  ready 
to  succor  the  needy,  and  a  strong  friend  and  support 
to  such  as  deserved  the  assistance  for  which  they 
asked.  He  died  in  1871,  at  the  ripe  age  of  eighty-six, 
upon  the  spot  that  had  for  that  number  of  years  been 
his  home.  At  his  death  he  owned  upwards  of  eight 
hundred  acres  of  land.  His  wife  was  one  of  George 
Wilson's  daughters.  Of  his  six  children,  the  living 
are  Mrs.  John  A.  Hunter,  of  Half-Moon  ;  Mrs.  Jacob 
Gray,  of  Patton ;  and  George  W.  Elder,  of  Lewis- 
town. 

It  is  supposed  the  next  settler  after  Abraham  Elder 
was  John  Thompson,  who,  when  he  came  to  America 
from  Ireland,  found  a  home  in  Chester  County  with 
William  Pyle.     Thompson  and  Pyle's  daughter  be- 


310 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


coming  enamored  of  each  other  were  married  despite 
old  Mr.  Pyle's  threat  that  he  would  disinherit  the 
girl  unless  she  abandoned  Thompson.  True  to  his 
word,  the  old  man  did  disinherit  his  daughter,  and 
the  young  couple  decided,  therefore,  to  seek  a  new 
home  iu  tlie  West.  They  strayed  into  the  wilderness 
then  covering  Half-Moon  valley,  found  Abraham 
Elder  already  on  the  ground,  and,  satisfied  to  have 
one  neighbor,  pitched  their  tents  near  by.  The  land 
then  bought  by  Mr.  Thompson  adjoins  Stormstown, 
and  is  still  owned  by  Mr.  Thompson's  descendants. 
He  and  his  sturdy  young  wife  encamped  in  the 
woods  until,  with  the  assistance  of  Elder,  they  put 
up  a  cabin.  With  his  own  hands  Thompson  cleared 
a  farm,  and  in  his  youthful  companion  he  found  a 
helpmeet  eminently  worthy  the  name  of  pioneer's 
wife.  Like  the  herojc  women  of  that  day,  she  took, 
upon  herself  a  full  share  of  the  onerous  burdens  of  a 
backwoods  existence,  and  lived  to  boast  herself  the 
proud  mother  of  eight  children.  Mr.  Thompson  died 
in  1805,  before  he  began  fairly  to  see  the  results 
which  he  and  other  heroic  hearts  had  founded  with 
the  ringing  axe  and  willing  hands.  But  two  of  his 
eight  children  are  now  living, — Isabella  (Mrs.  Hall) 
resides  in  Stormstown,  and  Alice  in  Illinois.  John 
Thompson,  one  of  the  sons  of  John  Thompson  first 
named,  was  sherift'  of  Centre  County  from  1839  to 
1842.  He  died  on  the  old  Thompson  homestead  in 
1876.  He  had  twelve  children,  of  whom  nine  are 
now  living. 

A  very  important  Quaker  settlement  was  made  at 
an  early  day  in  the  lower  end  of  Half-Moon  township. 
The  pioneer  of  the  colony  was  George  Wilson,  of 
Chester  County,  who  came  to  the  valley  in  1792  with 
his  family,  and  located  upon  the  piece  of  land  that 
David  Elder  chose  for  his  home  in  1785,  and  aban- 
doned after  a  brief  stay.  Elder  had  put  up  a  cabin, 
furnished  with  a  puncheon  floor,  but  neither  window 
nor  door,  although  the  openings  for  them  were, 
indeed,  provided.  When  Wilson  reached  the  valley 
the  snow  lay  deep  upon  the  ground,  and  for  one  night 
he  tarried  at  Elder's.  The  next  day  Elder  went  on 
with  Wilson  to  the  latter's  place  and  lent  him  a  hand 
in  shoveling  the  cabin  clear  of  the  snow  that  had 
drifted  in  and  pretty  nearly  filled  the  structure. 
Shift  was  made  to  make  the  habitation  fit  to  live  in, 
and  the  next  day  Mr.  Wilson  with  his  family  made 
a  permanent  lodgment  in  it.  Upon  the  same  spot,  in 
1810,  Mr.  Wilson  erected  the  stone  mansion  now  oc- 
cupied by  John  Wilson  (one  of  his  grandsons).  It  is 
to-day  a  substantial,  comfortable  dwelling,  and  when 
raised  was  regarded  with  much  admiration  as  by  far 
the  handsomest  and  most  imposing  residence  in  those 
parts.  Some  of  the  logs  contained  in  George  Wilson's 
old  cabin  may  yet  be  seen  in  the  structure  of  an  out- 
building on  John  Wilson's  farm.  George  Wilson 
bought  a  good  deal  of  wild  land,  and  for  a  start  set 
out  a  crop  of  clover  by  hand.  Although  he  had  fol- 
lowed the  trade  of  a  weaver  in  Chester  County,  he 


devoted  himself  exclusively  in  his  new  sphere  to  the 
business  of  farming.  His  wife  was  a  Brown,  of  Chester 
County.  Mr.  Wilson  brought  with  him  to  Centre 
County  five  children,  named  Robert,  George,  Esther, 
Orpha,  and  Jane.  Orpha  married  Job  Packer,  Jr., 
Jane  married  Samuel  Downing,  and  Esther  married 
Robert  Elder.  Robert  Wilson  married  one  of  the 
daughters  of  Job  Packer,  Sr.  Her  Christian  names 
were  many  in  number,  as,  to  wit:  Julia  Elmer  Maria 
Springate  Penn,  so  that  she  signed  herself  after  mar- 
riage Julia  E.  M.  S.  P.  Packer  Wilson.  She  died  in 
1871,  aged  seventy  years.  Robert,  who  inherited  the 
homestead,  died  in  1856,  aged  seventy-five  years. 
George  married  Lydia  Packer,  and  died  in  Clearfield 
County.  Thomas  married  Hannah  Downing,  and 
died  in  1879  (on  the  farm  adjoining  John  Wilson's), 
aged  eighty-three  years.  He  had  eight  children,  of 
whom  seven  are  living.  George  D.  and  Mary  live  on 
the  homestead. 

George  Wilson  the  elder  was  a  recognized  leader  of 
the  Society  of  Friends  in  Half-Moon  valley,  and  a 
man  much  in  favor  with  all  classes.  In  his  early  ex- 
perience he  had  to  ride  fourteen  miles  to  mill  over  a 
simple  bridle-path  through  the  woods.  That  same 
bridle-path  was  afterwards  in  part  the  line  chosen 
when  the  Bellefonte  and  Tyrone  road  was  laid.  After 
an  active  and  exemplary  life  he  died  in  1831,  at  the 
age  of  eighty.  He  founded  the  Friends'  Society  in 
Half-Moon,  and  to  that  meeting  his  descendants  yet 
give  their  faith.  Closely  following  George  Wilson's 
lead  into  Half-Moon  valley  came  other  Quakers  from 
Chester  County,  among  whom  the  most  conspicuous 
were  Benjamin  Way,  Caleb  Way,  Isaac  Moore, 
Thomas  Moore,  John  Spencer,  and  Thomas  Down- 
ing. There  were  many  others  of  the  Society  of 
Friends  who  joined  them  later,  but  traces  of  them 
have  disappeared,  so  that  nothing  beyond  the  mere 
mention  of  their  names  can  now  be  made.  An  old 
record  kept  by  the  Monthly  Meeting  cites  the  names 
of  Friends  who  were  in  Half-Moon  and  Bald  Eagle 
valleys  between  1804  and  1820,  and  from  the  list  are 
taken  such  names  as  Robert  Hatton,  Ezekiel  Kirk, 
Joseph  Green,  William  Dewees,  Thomas  Taylor, 
John  Pennington,  Thomas  Dewees,  James  Johnston, 
David  Wall,  John  Iddings,  William  Fisher,  John 
Kirk,  Jason  Kirk,  Thomas  Kirk,  Jr.,  George  Wilson, 
Jr.,  William  Downing,  Isaiah  John,  Thomas  Moore, 
James  Moore,  Thomas  Kirk,  Thomas  McMillan, 
Jeremiah  Downing,  Jacob  Taylor,  Thomas  Moore, 
Jr.,  Jacob  Underwood,  Abraham  Moore,  John  Spen- 
cer, Elijah  Moore,  Samuel  Johnston,  Daniel  Pen- 
nington, Paul  Pennington,  Josiah  Pennington,  Joshua 
Cooper,  Levi  Pennington,  Joseph  Fagan,  George 
Hatton,  Samuel  Dunbar,  Thomas  Ball,  John  McKee, 
Jervise  Hatton,  Harmon  Fagan,  Abram  Elder,  Wil- 
liam Underwood,  George  Wilson,  Samuel  Spencer, 
Robert  Wilson,  Thomas  Spencer,  David  Allen,  Jo- 
siah Pennington,  Israel  Hollingsworth,  Hezekiah 
Bye,  Levi  Lambourne,  Isaac  England,  Joseph  Morri- 


HALF-MOON   TOWNSHIP. 


311 


son,  Robert  Way,  Alfred  Welds,  Samuel  Richard, 
Daniel  Hartsock,  Gideon  Widemire,  John  Whitson, 
James  Stanton,  William  Fisher,  Job  Packer. 

Benjamin  Way  settled  on  the  place  now  occupied 
by  George  Fisher,  and  there  he  died  at  the  age  of 
eighty.  His  children  were  John,  Sarah,  Eli,  .Jacob, 
Ruth,  Robert,  Benjamin.  Caleb  Way  located  upon 
the  tract  now  the  home  of  Wm.  L.  Wilson,  near 
Stormstown,  Isaac  Moore  where  Mrs.  Sarah  Way 
lives,  and  Thomas  Moore  where  Thomas  Way  lives. 
An  old  family  record  testifies  to  the  fact  that  Thomas 
Moore  was  born  in  1760.  When  he  began  prepar.i- 
tions  for  a  home  in  the  wilderness  of  Half-Moon 
valley,  his  first  move  was  to  cut  down  a  good-sized 
tree,  and  across  its  stump  he  nailed  a  board.  This 
was  intended  to  be  the  family  table,  and  about  it  Mr. 
Moore  hurriedly  put  up  a  log  cabin.  For  many  a 
day  the  stump  and  board  served  the  Moore  family  as 
the  only  table  the  household  boasted.  The  Moores 
were  numerous,  and  included  the  brothers  Thomas, 
Isaac,  Jeremiah  (a  deaf  and  dumb  man),  Elijah,  Esq., 
and  Moses.  Moses  was  famed  for  his  muscular  pow- 
ers, as  well  as  for  his  fondness  for  fine  horses  and  the 
sport  of  racing.  Although  a  man  of  peaceful  dispo- 
sition, he  was  ever  prepared  to  maintain  himself 
against  imposition,  as  more  than  one  bully  learned, 
and  in  time  the  so-called  fighters  agreed  to  respect 
and  let  him  alone. 

John  Spencer  lived  on  the  present  Wait  place,  and 
owned  considerable  laud  eastward  from  there.  He 
built  a  saw-mill  on  the  run,  and  in  his  time  was  a 
man  of  much  local  prominence.  To  each  of  his  sons 
and  daughters,  upon  marriage,  he  presented  a  fine 
farm.  Downing's  home  was  on  the  present  Blair 
Stephens  place.  Jacob  Way,  son  of  Benjamin  Way, 
inherited  the  homestead,  where  he  died  in  1851.  He 
had  eight  children,  of  whom  Isaac  and  Joseph  are 
the  only  ones  now  living.  Jacob  Way  was  a  justice 
of  the  peace  fully  forty  years,  and  died  the  possessor 
of  that  office.  Caleb  Way  was  on  the  Wm.  L.  Wilson 
farm  as  early  as  1794.  He  raised  fourteen  children, 
of  whom  Joseph  is  the  only  one  living,  his  home 
being  in  Clearfield  County.  Caleb  Way's  son  Rob- 
ert, who  was  five  years  old  when  his  father  came  to 
Half-Moon,  had  nine  children.  Six  of  them  are 
living  to-day.  Of  the  six,  Robert,  Thomas,  Mary, 
and  Martha  live  in  Half-Moon,  Jane  in  Missouri, 
and  Alice  in  Iowa.  Robert  Way  the  elder  married 
for  his  first  wife  one  of  Thomas  Moore's  daughters, 
and  for  his  second  a  daughter  of  Andrew  Cleaver. 
She  is  now  residing  with  her  son  Robert.  Daniel 
Beck,  a  German,  settled  in  Huntingdon  County  in 
1790,  where  he  died  in  1827.  Of  his  twelve  children, 
the  only  one  living  is  Daniel  Beck,  now  residing  in 
Half-Moon,  aged  eighty-six. 

In  1826,  Daniel  Beck,  Jr.,  married  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  Joseph  Crider,  and  that  year  moved  to 
Half-Moon  township.  He  bought  a  farm  of  Jacob 
Yoder,  and  upon  the  purchase  thus  acquired  he  has 


lived  to  this  day.  He  had  eight  children,  of  whom 
the  living  are  .Joseph,  Susan,  John,  Isaac,  .Jacob,  and 
Isaiah.  About  1808,  Samuel  and  Jona-s  Stine,  two 
young  unmarried  men,  came  to  Half-Moon  from 
Cumberland  County,  and  bought  adjoining  farms 
lying  close  to  the  Huntingdon  County  line.  Samuel 
was  a  member  of  the  United  Brethren  Church,  and 
at  an  early  day  after  his  settlement  was  instrumental 
in  organizing  a  class  of  that  denomination.  Meet- 
ings were  regularly  held  at  his  house  for  some  time. 
His  children  numbered  fourteen.  They  were  named 
Mary  Ann,  Catherine,  Samuel,  Sarah,  Nancy,  Abed- 
nego,  Hannah,  Dorcas,  .John,  Cyrus,  Isaac,  Eliza- 
beth, William,  and  Lydia.  Of  these,  the  first  eight 
named  are  still  living.  Samuel  Stine  the  elder  died 
on  his  farm  in  Half-Moon  in  1867,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-nine.  Jonas  Stine  married  one  of  John 
Gray's  daughters,  moved  to  Buffalo  Run,  and  died 
there.  His  wife  was  eighty-three  years  old  when  she 
died,  in  1878.  Abednego  Stine,  son  of  Samuel  Stine, 
lives  on  the  old  homestead.  He  married  one  of 
Godfrey  Baser's  daughters. 

Jacob  Cronister  migrated  from  Cumberland  County 
in  1813  to  Half-Moon  valley,  and  located  upon  the 
place  now  owned  and  occupied  by  his  son  Cyrus. 
Jacob  Cronister  died  in  1844,  and  his  wife  ten  years 
later.  Their  children  numbered  five.  The  only  one 
living  is  Cyrus,  who  still  lives  on  the  Cronister  home- 
stead, whei'e  he  has  had  his  home  since  1813.  Mr. 
Cronister  possesses  a  fund  of  recollections  touching 
the  incidents  of  life  in  the  Half-Moon  valley  nearly 
seventy  years  ago,  and  delights  to  revive  remem- 
brances of  those  days.  The  old  log  house  now  stand- 
ing on  the  Cronister  place  was  built  by  Jacob  Cronister 
in  1815. 

Richard  Sadler,  an  early  settler  in  Half-Moon,  lived 
on  the  present  Gensamore  place.  In  1811  he  built 
the  stone  house  now  occupied  by  George  Gensamore. 
Sadler  sold  the  farm  to  Jonas  Stine,  and  moved  to 
Adams  County.  George  Gensamore,  Sr.  (born  in 
1797),  was  a  native  of  the  Juniata  valley,  and  in 
middle  life  was  a  resident  at  Huntingdon  Furnace. 
In  1839  he  moved  to  Half-Moon,  and  bought  the  old 
Sadler  place  of  James  McLather.  He  died  on  that 
farm  in  1861.  He  had  nine  children,  named  Eliza- 
beth, Susan,  Mary,  Ann,  John,  Samuel,  George, 
Stewart,  and  Catharine.  Six  of  the  nine  are  living. 
George  and  Samuel  reside  on  the  homestead.  George 
married  Lavina  Nearhoff  in  1865.  Of  their  seven 
children,  five  are  living.  George  entered  the  service 
of  the  government  in  1861,  as  a  member  of  Company 
I,  Fifth  Pennaylvania  Reserves,  recruited  in  Hun- 
tingdon County.  He  participated,  among  other  en- 
gagements, in  the  Seven  Days'  fight,  the  battles  of 
South  Mountain,  Antietam,  Fredericksburg,  Gettys- 
burg, and  the  Wilderness,  and  was  discharged  in  May, 
1864.  He  was  promoted  to  a  sergeantcy  Oct.  1,  1869. 
Sept.  26,  1874,  he  was  commissioned  a  lieutenant  in 
the  Sheridan  troop,  of  Blair  County,  and  recommis- 


312 


HISTOKY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


sioned  in  1880.     Joseph  Eves  has  lived  in  Half-Moon 
since  1844.     He  was  born  in  Cumberland  County  in  '• 
1819,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-five  took  up  his  abode 
■with  Samuel  Downing,  of  Half-Moon.     Mr.  Downing 
died  in  1865,  and  Mr.  Eves,  having  in  1849  married  j 
Mr.  Downing's  adopted  daughter,  continued  to  reside  i 
upon  the  Downing  homestead,  which  is  still  his  home.  1 
He  has  six  children,  all  of  whom  are  living  in  Half-  I 
Moon  township.  - 

John  Buck,  of  Dauphin  County,  came  West  in  j 
1815,  and  located  in  Huntingdon  County,  where  all  I 
of  his  children  were  born.  In  1844,  Mr.  Buck  made  I 
his  home  in  Half-Moon  township,  Centre  County,  at  , 
Centre  Line.  He  died  there  in  1867.  He  had  seven  j 
sons  and  two  daughters.  Benjamin  Buck  lives  on  the  ' 
old  homestead.  Christian,  another  son,  is  one  of  the 
leading  citizens  of  Unionville,  where  he  settled  in 
1868. 

TAX-PAYEKS   OF   HALF-MOON   FOK  1819. 


Acres. 

John  Allen 

David  Allen 

Thomas  Barlow,  Esq.  (weaver) 

Francis  Boice 

Christian  Bylar 73 

Michael  Brown 200 

Thomas  Brown 100 

Lemuel  Gary 

Anthony  Crotzer 200 

Cyrus  Cartwrixlit 300 

Frederick  Cowher 

Adam  Cowher 100 

Jacob  Cronister 70 

Frederick  Doughman 

Thomas  Downing 300 

Jacob  Doughman 151 

Phinehas  I>avid8on 95 

Isaac  England 

Christian  Emy 150 

Peter  Emy 210 

John  Emy 400 

Abraham  Elder  (tavern,  grist- 

aiid  saw-mill) 1264 

James  Elder 

Robert  Elder 100 

Jacob  Prance 

Frederick  Foy 200 

John  W.  Fugate 100 

Henry  Flo.vd 400 

Frederick  France lUO 

Jonah  Griffith 100 

John  P.  Hoyt  (doctor) 

Robert  Henderson 

Isabella  Henderson 70 

Samuel  Hendei-son 100 

Joseph  Ualdaman 104 

Joseph  Haggarty  (grist-mill).    170 

John  Hull 

Thomas  Hastings 230 

Philip  Johnston  (bouse  and 

lot)  

Andrew  Jack 

James  Jackson 

Peter  Jackson 

William  Kirk 

Christian  King 248 

Jacob  Kaufman 206 

Leonard  Kylar 200 

Kobert  Kelley 

William  KoUey 130 

Aaron  Leviugston 200 

James  Levingston 117 

William  Leigbty  (house  and 

lot,  tan-yard) 

John  Linebaugh 

Ephraim  '  Lambourn    [house 

and  lot) 

James  Miller 95 

Stophle  Moore 16G 

Samuel  Moore,  Jr 

Elijah  Meiriman 250 


Thomas  Moore 97 

Isaac  Moore 273J.^ 

Leonard  Melchre  (house  and 
tavern) 5 


I  Mo 


Samuel   Moore    (grist-    and 

saw-mill) 50 

Samuel    McGlathery   (house 

and  lot) 35 

Samuel  McDowel 

William  McNaul  (hdnseand 

lot) 

Catharine  Richards 

Christian  Rees 

Jesse  Richards.  250 

George  Records 100 

Zepbaniah      W.       Robbius 

(house  and  lot) 

Robert  Shaw's  heirs 190 

Zachariah  Shugert 

Henry  Sharrer  (powder-mill)  150 

James  Sheban 130 

John  Spencer 405 


I  Stil 


John  Scott,  Jr 190 

Samuel  Stine, 135 

Joseph    B.   Shugert    (house 

and  lot  and  tavern) 40 

John  Stine 

John  Scott 6961^ 

Thomas  Shivery 94 

Andrew  Thompson 52 

John  L.  Thompson 97 

John  Thompson,  Jr 

Thomas  Vaughn ISO 

John  Vaughn ISO 

Benjamin  Vaughn 200 

Christian  Vanpool  (tan-yard)  644 

John  Way  (house  and  lot) 

Joseph  Williams 400 

Jesse  Whipple 127 

Jacob  Wise 400 

Isaac  Whipple 

Henry  Woomer 400 

Richard  Vaughn 200 

Thomas  Wassan 150 

Benjamin  Way  (house  and 

eight  lots) 400 

George  Wilson 647 

Jacob  W.ay  (tavern  and  two 

lots) 136 

Robert  Way 13 

Caleb  Way 302 

John  Walk 100 

Robert  Way,  Jr 

Edward  Webb 

Thomas  Wilson 

Joseph  Yoder,  Jr 222 

Henry  Yoder 250 

Christian  Yoder 162 

Joseph  Yoder  (saw-mill) 280 


Single  Freemen, 
Robert  Way,  Samuel  Spencer,  Jeremiah   Downing,  Samuel  Downing, 
Elijah  Boice,  John  Way,  Robert  Way,  Jr.,  William  Kelley,  Tliomas 


Brown,  Thomas  Wilson,  Frederick  France,  George  Scott,  Harlin 
Morrison,  John  P.  Hoyt,  Samuel  Doughman,  William  Way,  Wil- 
liam Kirk,  John  Linebaugh,  Jesse  Richards. 

Notices  of  Old  Citizens.— April  30,  1880,  Mr. 
George  Mattern  departed  this  life.  The  day  pre- 
vious he  was  apparently  in  good  health.  He  was 
eighty  years  old,  and  a  consistent  member  of  the 
Methodist  Church.  On  the  same  day  Mrs.  Sarah 
Mattern,  wife  of  Samuel  Mattern,  also  died.  She, 
too,  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church.  Both 
funerals  and  religious  ceremonies  were  held  at  the 
same  time  and  place. 

Thomas  and  Hannah  Wilson,  two  members  of  the 
Society  of  Friends,  living  in  Half-Moon  township, 
died  on  the  15th  and  18th  days  of  December,  1879, 
having  reached  the  venerable  ages  of  eighty-four  and 
eighty-six  respectively.  They  had  been  husband  and 
wife  more  than  fifty  years,  and  were  the  parents  of 
eight  children,  seven  of  whom — six  married  daugh- 
ters and  one  son  verging  upon  old  age — were  present 
at  the  death-bed.  Mr.  Wilson's  father,  George  Wilson, 
Mrs.  Wilson's  father,  Thomas  Downing,  and  Thomas 
Moore  were  the  founders  of  Quakerism  in  Centre 
County,  and  this  old  couple  were  members  of  the 
Society  for  sixty  years. 

Christian  Vanpool  is  thus  noticed  in  1865  by  the 
Democratic  Watchman:  "He  was  born  on  the  22d  of 
June,  1754,  and  was  consequently  one  hundred  and 
eleven  years  old  last  June.  We  do  not  remember  to 
have  heard  lately  of  any  one  living  who  is  older  than 
this.  Mr.  Vanpool  was  in  the  neighborhood  of 
twenty-one  years  of  age  at  the  breaking  out  of  the 
Revolutionary  war,  and  has  a  distinct  remembrance 
of  the  stirring  events  of  that  period.  He  was  in 
Philadelphia  on  the  day  that  Gen.  Sir  William 
Howe,  the  British  commander-in-chief,  made  his 
triumphal  entry  into  that  city,  after  defeating  our 
forces  at  Brandywine  and  Germantown.  He  was 
not  personally  a  participant  in  the  battles  of  the 
Revolution,  but  had  two  brothers  in  the  American 
army,  himself  being  obliged  to  stay  at  home  and  do 
the  farming.  Of  Gen.  Washington  he  has  a  clear 
and  vivid  remembrance,  having  often  had  the  pleas- 
ure of  seeing  him.  He  says  the  general  made  a  finer 
appearance  on  horseback  than  any  man  he  ever  saw. 
He  says  Washington  was  a  large,  finely-formed,  and 
powerfully-built  man,  with  features  handsome,  though 
somewhat  coarse.  Altogether,  he  was  one  of  the 
noblest-looking  men  of  his  time.  He  has  also  a 
distinct  recollection  of  the  Marquis  De  Lafayette, 
the  noble  Frenchman,  who  crossed  the  sea  to  shed 
his  blood  in  the  cause  of  American  independence. 
A  great  many  other  officers  of  that  time  are  well 
remembered  by  him,  and  it  is  extremely  interesting 
to  hear  him  talk  of  the  men  and  scenes  of  that 
illustrious  period. 

"  Mr.  Vanpool  is  a  tall  man,  though  somewhat 
stooped  now.  We  have  seen  many  men  at  sixty-five 
and  seventy  physically  much  older  than  he  is.     His 


HALF-MOON   TOWNSHIP. 


31S 


health  is  still  quite  good,  and  he  looljs  as  though  he 
might  live  ten  or  fifteen  years  yet.  For  the  last  two 
or  three  years  he  has  been  troubled  more  or  less  with 
rheumatism,  which  is  about  the  only  thing  of  which 
he  complains.  Last  harvest  he  worked  in  the  field, 
sometimes  using  the  cradle,  and  cutting  ten  or  fifteen 
dozen  a  day,  which,  considering  his  rheumatism  and 
his  immense  age,  was  certainly  remarkable.  He  is 
somewhat  hard  of  hearing,  and  talks  in  strong  and 
distinct  tones.  He  says  if  it  wasn't  for  the  rheuma- 
tism he  believes  he  would  be  as  good  a  man  now  as 
he  was  twenty  years  ago.  The  old  man  has  always 
been  an  industrious  worker,  and  the  habit  of  labor 
still  clings  to  him,  so  that,  although  in  comfortable 
pecuniary  circumstances,  he  yet  makes  a  hand  at 
whatever  work  is  on  hand." 

Jacob  Ellenbarger  was  the  father  of  eleven  chil- 
dren, of  whom  sis  survive  him.  He  had  eighty  grand- 
children, sixty  great-grandchildren,  and  five  great- 
great-graudchildren.  He  was  a  resident  of  this 
county  and  Half-Moon  township  some  sixty  odd 
years.  In  his  boyish  days  he  lived  in  Dauphin  and 
Lancaster."  He  was  one  of  eleven  men  who  pushed 
twenty-two  tons  of  plaster  on  a  flat-boat  from  Phila- 
delphia to  Huntingdon,  and  drove  a  six-horse  team, 
loaded  with  pig-iron,  from  Huntingdon  to  Pittsburgh, 
and  returned  loaded  with  store-goods.  He  was  a  man 
of  powerful  constitution,  having  survived  three  para- 
lytic strokes,  and  died  of  dropsy.  He  retained  his 
mind  and  hearing  as  good  as  they  ever  were  up  to 
the  last  hours  of  his  life,  and  gave  clear  evidence  be- 
fore he  died  that  death  was  a  welcome  visitor.  He 
had  in  his  possession  a  Bible  that  was  printed  in  1552, 
in  which  the  record  showed  the  names  of  Ellenbarger 
back  for  several  generations.  It  has  very  large  print, 
and  has  a  thick  wooden  back,  with  two  large  brass 
clasps  on  it.  This  book  will  be  left  in  the  hands  of 
John  W.  Ellenbarger,  his  oldest  son,  as  his  is  the  first 
name  in  the  Bible  which  can  be  read,  and  which  was 
written  over  two  hundred  years  ago. 

Cornelius  Welch  was  a  drayman  in  Philadelphia 
prior  to  1794,  when  he  lost  his  wife  by  the  yellow 
fever,  and  moved  to  Half-Moon  township.  When  but 
eighteen  years  old  he  served  at  Trenton,  in  Proctor's 
Artillery.  He  was  afterwards  drafted  into  the  militia, 
and  was  wounded  at  Paoli,  and  was  also  wounded  in 
the  ankle  on  the  4th  of  October,  1777,  at  Germantown. 
He  was  discharged  after  the  battle  of  Monmouth,  in 
June,  1778.     He  died  in  Half-Moon  in  1822. 

The  Society  of  Friends,— As  early  as  1795  jour- 
nals of  traveling  Friends  indicate  that  there  was 
quite  a  settlement  of  Friends  in  Half-Moon.  The 
names  of  the  Wilsons  are  mentioned  among  others. 
As  early  as  1800  a  house  of  worship  was  erected. 
The  structure,  a  homely  one  composed  of  logs,  stood 
upon  the  lot  now  occupied  as  the  Friends'  graveyard, 
and  in  that  section  of  the  country  was  the  pioneer 
church  edifice.  Conspicuously  prominent  among  the 
promoters  of  the  church  enterprise  were  George  Wil- 


son, Caleb  Way,  Isaac  Moore,  Thomaa  Moore,  John 
Spencer,  and  Thomas  Downing.  Descendants  of 
George  Wilson  and  Caleb  Way  are  still  among  the 
leading  spirits  of  the  organization,  which  has  enjoyed 
an  uninterrupted  and  prosperous  history  since  its 
foundation.  There  is  in  existence  a  "meeting  book," 
which  records  the  marriages  performed  among  the 
Quakers  of  Half-Moon  valley,  and  it  bears  date  in 
the  beginning  of  1804.  The  fir.st  marriage  recorded 
was  that  of  Samuel  Johnston,  of  Half-Moon,  and 
Hannah  Fisher,  of  Spring.  The  witnesses  of  the 
marriage  were  Robert  Patton,  John  Erwin,Sr.,  Sarah 
Erwin,  Ezekiel  Kirk,  Hannah  Kirk,  Esther  Wilson, 
Joseph  Green,  Hannah  Green,  Esther  Hiddings, 
Molly  Green,  Ann  Iddings,  Jane  Pennington,  Martha 
Pennington,  William  Dewees,  Thomas  Taylor,  John 
Pennington,  Thomas  Dewees,  Mary  Green,  Sarah 
Taylor,  Magdalena  Shirk,  James  Johnston,  David 
Wall,  John  Iddings,  William  Fisher,  Hannah  Fisher, 
Elizabeth  Kirk,  Mary  Erwin,  Elizabeth  Fisher,  Eliza- 
beth Green,  Martha  Erwin,  John  Kirk,  Jason  Kirk, 
Thomas  Kirk,  Jr.,  Martha  John,  John  Erwin,  Jr. 

As  a  matter  of  interest  it  may  be  stated  that  other 
marriages  recorded  in  the  meeting  book  up  to  1825 
were  those  of  Jason  Kirk  to  Mary  Spencer,  David 
Wall  to  Elizabeth  Fisher,  Levi  Pennington  to  Mary 
Bye,  Levi  Lambourne  to  Mary  Ball,  Isaac  England  to 
Dinah  Moore,  Thomas  Kirk  to  Sarah  Taylor,  Abraham 
Moore  to  Susanna  Taylor,  William  Fisher  to  Sarah 
Moore,  Samuel  Moore  to  Hannah  Shivery,  Jeremiah 
Moore  to  Susanna  Shivery,  Thomas  Downing  to 
Elizabeth  Kirk,  Thomas  Wilson  to  Hannah  Downing, 
Samuel  Downing  to  Jane  Wilson,  Andrew  Moore  to 
Elizabeth  Davis,  Eli  Wakefield  to  Elizabeth  Way, 
Joseph  Davis  to  Rebecca  Moore,  David  Spencer  to 
Rachel  Spencer,  Robert  Way  to  Hannah  Moore. 

The  old  log  meeting-house  that  stood  in  the  grave- 
yard was  erected,  it  is  said,  under  most  unfavorable 
conditions.  The  Friends  prospered  in  their  religious 
undertakings,  however,  despite  their  enemies,  and  in 
due  season  were  left  in  peace.  Their  second  house  of 
w6rship  was  built  in  1830,  about  a  mile  above  the 
graveyard.  In  1841  a  larger  church  edifice  was  built 
upon  the  same  lot,  and  the  smaller  building  was  then 
given  over  to  school  purposes  for  the  use  of  Quaker 
children,  a  Quaker  school  having  been  maintained 
with  more  or  less  regularity  since  the  Friends  first 
came  into  the  valley.  The  church  in  Half- Moon  is 
attached  to  the  Centre  Monthly  Meeting,  which  as- 
sembles alternately  in  Uniouville  and  Half-Moon. 
The  elders  are  Martha  Way,  Rebecca  Fisher,  Ira 
Fisher,  Joseph  Eves,  and  Jeremiah  Way.  The  over- 
seers are  Robert  A.  Way  and  Joseph  Eves,  and  clerk 
Robert  Underwood.  The  trustees  at  H.alf-Moon  are 
Joseph  Eves  and  Jeremiah  Way. 

Stormstown  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  — 
Half-Moon  valley  was  a  rich  field  for  Methodist 
workers  in  the  early  days,  and  the  Warrior's  Mark 
Circuit  a  wide-reaching  one  that  grew  fruitful,  and 


314 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


rapidly  so,  with  Methodist  Episcopal  classes.  School- 
houses  and  dwellings  were  for  a  time  the  only  houses 
of  worship,  but  .as  the  country  received  the  incoming 
tide  of  population,  and  the  Methodists  grew  in  num- 
bers, church  buildings  reared  their  modest  fronts  in 
testimony  of  the  advancing  march  of  religious  cause. 
At  Stormstown  the  Methodists  had  no  church  ediiice 
until  1837.  That  building  still  serves  its  original 
purpose.  Among  the  early  leaders  at  Stormstown, 
John  Griffin,  Samuel  P.  Gray,  and  Sa.muel  Elliott 
were  most  prominent.  William  S.  Wilson,  now 
living  at  Stormstown,  joined  the  class  in  1846,  and  re- 
mains a  member  still.  About  1837  a  United  Brethren 
class  flourished  at  Stormstown,  and  met  in  the  village 
school-house.  The  leading  spirits  of  the  organization 
were  Samuel  Hall  and  Joseph  Gingery.  The  Storms- 
town Methodist  Episcopal  Church  is  now  attached  to 
the  Half-Moon  Circuit,  of  which  the  preacher  in 
charge  is  Rev.  J.  S.  Beyer.  The  circuit  embraces  six 
preaching  points,  at  which  the  aggregate  membership 
is  two  hundred  and  sixty-four.  The  leader  at  Storms- 
town is  J.  H.  Lever.  The  church  trustees  are  Wil- 
liam S.  Gray,  William  S.  Wilson,  J.  W.  Gray,  Sam- 
uel Mattern,  and  A.  J.  Thompson.  .1.  W.  Gray  is 
superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school. 

Centre  Line  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.— 
Methodist  Episcopal  class-meetings  have  been  held 
at  Centre  Line  for  many  years.  The  preachers  of 
Warrior's  Mark  Circuit  organized  classes  in  Half- 
Moon  valley  wherever  they  found  need  and  found 
people  enough  to  supply  them. 

There  was  a  class  in  the  Centre  Line  neighborhood 
at  an  early  day,  and  the  Methodists  managed  to  main- 
tain their  meetings  with  a  show  of  vitality,  and  if 
they  did  not  gain  materially,  they  did  not  lose  ma- 
terially. 

In  1869  the  present  house  of  worship  was  built. 
The  attendance  includes  an  average  of  about  twelve 
families,  and  the  membership  about  twenty  persons. 
The  present  leader  is  William  Cupp.  Among  some  of 
his  early  predecessors  may  be  named  Abednego  Ste- 
vens, Christian  Buck,  Isaac  Wrye,  and  William  Wrye. 
The  present  pastor  is  Rev.  George  Guyer.  Centre 
Line  class  has  always  been  on  the  Warrior's  Mark 
Circuit,  and  has  regular  meetings  once  in  two  weeks. 

Centre  Line  Lutheran  Church. — In  1868  certain 
members  (to  the  number  of  about  twenty-five)  of  the 
Gatesburg  Lutheran  Church,  living  in  Half-Moon 
valley,  were  organized  in  the  Centre  Line  school-house 
as  a  separate  church.  Rev.  Daniel  Tells,  who  offici- 
ated, preached  for  the  new  organization  once  a  month 
for  a  period  of  twelve  months.  His  successors  have 
been  Revs.  M.  G.  Earhart,  R.  H.  Fletcher,  George  S. 
Battersby,  J.  W.  Straub,  D.  Smith,  and  R.  H.  Fletcher. 
The  latter  was  the  pastor  September,  1881,  and  was 
then  in  his  second  term  of  service.  He  preaches  at 
Centre  Line  once  a  fortnight.  A  church  edifice 
was  erected  in  1872,  and  dedicated  October  20th  of 
that  year  by  Rev.  William  A.  Guttwald.     The  mem- 


bership in  September,  1881,  was  thirty-five.  The 
trustees  were  then  Cyrus  Cronister  and  William  Cole ; 
the  elders,  George  Minemire  and  William  Cole ;  the 
deacons,  Isaac  Beck  and  Isaiah  Beck. 

Half-Moon  Grange,  No.  290. — On  Friday  evening, 
June  19,  1874,  Deputy  Rhone  organized  a  grange  of 
the  Patrons  of  Husbandry  in  Half-Moon  township, 
near  Stormstown,  with  the  following  officers :  Master, 
J.  A.  Hunter  ;  Overseer,  Isaac  Beck  ;  Lecturer,  A.  T. 
Gray;  Steward,  Jackson  Thompson  ;  Assistant  Stew- 
ard, Jacob  Beck  ;  Treas.,  Isaiah  Beck  ;  Sec,  Jeremiah 
Way ;  Chaplain,  Michael  Rider ;  Gate-Keeper,  Joseph 
Rumberger ;  Ceres,  Miss  Sallie  Cross ;  Pomona,  Erne- 
line  Beck  ;  Flora,  Mrs.  Ellen  Gates ;  Stewardess,  Mrs. 
Mary  Rumberger.  Regular  meetings  have  always 
been  held  in  the  Centennial  school-house.  The  mem- 
bership in  September,  1881,  was  forty,  and  the  officers, 
J.  A.  Hunter,  M. ;  Isaiah  Beck,  O. ;  J.  W.  Miller,  L. ; 

Johnson,  Sec. ;    Isaac   Beck,   Treas. ;     Martin 

Gates,  Steward ;  J.  N.  Gray,  A.  S. ;  Isaac  Wrye, 
chaplain. 

Schools. — One  of  the  first  schools  taught  in  Half- 
Moon  valley  was  held  in  the  old  Quaker  Meeting 
building  that  stood  in  the  Quaker  burying-ground. 
The  scholars  in  attendance  were  children  of  Quaker 
families,  and  as  the  church  was  erected  about  the  year 
1800,  it  is  fair  to  suppose  that  the  school  entered  upon 
its  history  then.  From  that  time  to  this  the  Quakers 
have  maintained  in  Half-Moon  a  school  of  their  own 
with  more  or  less  regularity,  using  now  for  that  pur- 
pose the  structure  now  occupying  the  church-lot,  and 
itself  originally  a  church.  Thomas  Moore  is  spoken 
of  as  one  of  the  earliest  teachers  in  Half-Moon.  In 
some  things  he  was  eccentric,  albeit  an  excellent  in- 
structor. Upon  the  opening  of  the  school  term  it 
pleased  him  to  lay  a  broom  upon  the  school-room 
floor  at  the  threshold,  and  then  observing  who  of  the 
scholars  would  pick  it  up,  would  commend  them  as 
model  youths,  and  of  the  girls  would  utter  the  proph- 
ecy that  they  would  surely  make  good  housekeepers 
and  excellent  wives.  He  taught  in  a  house  near  the 
Friends'  log  church,  and  likewise  near  where  Thomas 
Gray  lives.  It  is  known  that  he  held  a  school  in 
Stormstown  in  1808,  upon  the  present  site  of  the  vil- 
lage tavern.  The  village  school-house  was  soon  after- 
wards moved  to  where  the  present  house  stands.  In 
it,  about  1812,  Zachariah  Shugert  and  Jacob  Way 
were  teachers.  In  1826,  Aaron  Shugert  was  a  teacher 
at  Centre  Line,  and  about  1830,  Barton  Hastings  and 
a  Mr.  Hubbard  were  among  the  prominent  teachers 
in  the  valley.  Hubbard  is  remembered  as  a  strict 
disciplinarian,  much  given  to  teaching  liis  pupils  the 
forms  of  etiquette,  but  the  extent  to  which  he  sought 
to  carry  his  theories  awakened  considerable  protest. 
Cyrus  Cronister  says  he  went  to  school  in  1814  to 
John  Yoder,  who  taught  an  English  and  German 
school  in  Christley  King's  brick  house.   . 

Village  of  Stormstown. — Stormstown  lies  in 
HalfMoon  valley,  on  the  highway  passing  between 


HALF-MOON  TOWNSHIP. 


315 


Bellefonte  and  Tyrone.  The  stage  road  is  now  but  a 
quiet  thoroughfare,  and  then,  too,  a  disastrous  fire  in 
1867  swept  away  the  entire  business  part  of  tlie  town, 
and  gave  it  a  blow  from  which  it  has  never  recovered. 
The  present  village  tract  is  said  to  have  occupied  in 
part  a  farm  owned  by  Jacob  Storm,  who  bought  out 
Jacob  Taylor,  who  came  from  Chester  County  in 
1799,  and  a  store-keeper  near  Stormstown  in  1800. 
Storm  came  to  the  locality  about  1800,  and  con- 
ceiving the  locality  to  be  a  favorable  one  for  the 
founding  of  a  village,  caused  a  portion  of  his  land  to 
be  laid  out  in  lots,  and  to  the  embryo  town  gave  the 
name  of  Stormstown.  Later  on  an  addition  of  lots 
was  made,  and  upon  that  addition  was  bestowed  the 
name  of  Walkerville.  Abraham  Elder  had  located 
on  the  property  now  owued  aud  occupied  by  John 
A.  Hunter,  and  having  already  established  a  tavern, 
distillery,  grist-mill,  and  saw-mill  hard  by,  furnished, 
as  it  seemed  to  Storm,  a  healthy  start  for  the  pro- 
posed village.  According  to  the  best  obtainable  in- 
formation, Jacob  Lebo  was  the  first  store-keeper,  but 
about  him  or  Jacob  Storm,  the  founder  of  the  village, 
not  much  is  now  known.  William  Smith,  who  was 
probably  the  second  store-keeper,  is  better  remem- 
bered, although  be  moved  away  from  the  place  when 
the  oldest  of  the  present  generation  of  residents  were 
youths.  Abraham  Elder's  tavern  was  a  stopping- 
place  for  a  large  volume  of  travel  passing  toward  and 
from  Pittsburgh,  but  according  to  all  accounts  he 
must  have  given  up  tavern-keeping  about  1810.  To 
supph'  the  place  thus  made  vacant,  Benjamin  Way 
established  an  inn  upon  the  lot  now'  occupied  by  Bid- 
die's  tavern,  and  after  him  the  place  was  carried  on 
by  his  son  Jacob. 

The  first  village  blacksmith  of  whom  there  appears 
to  be  any  recollection  was  Edward  Webb,  who  car- 
ried on  the  smithy  until  1822,  when  he  was  bought 
out  by  John  G.  Hartswick,  who  in  that  year  came  to 
Stormstown  from  Penn's  valley.  Mr.  Hartswick  was 
born  in  Penn's  valley  in  1793,  and,  after  reaching 
man's  estate,  worked  at  the  trade  of  blacksmithing 
at  Centre  Furnace  until  his  father's  death,  in  1821. 
Mr.  Hartswick's  father  came  to  America  from  Prussia 
in  1787.  He  was  a  skillful  mechanic,  and  is  said  to 
have  a.ssisted  in  the  manufacture  of  the  first  electric 
apparatus  used  by  Benjamin  Franklin.  He  came  to 
Centre  County  witli  Gen.  Patton,  and  for  a  time 
made  door-locks  at  Centre  Furnace.  He  was  acci- 
dentally killed  in  the  fall  of  1821.  John  G.  Harts- 
wick's blacksmith-shop  in  Stormstown  stood  upon  the 
site  of  the  present  shop  of  Jacob  Lever,  and  where 
he  worked  until  1866.  He  died  in  Stormstown  in 
1871.  Jacob  Lever,  now  the  village  blacksmith, 
learned  his  trade  in  Philipsburg  (where  his  father 
was  an  early  settler)  in  1844,  and  in  1856  made  a 
location  in  Stormstown.  John  Griflin,  a  wagon- 
maker,  came  to  the  vicinity  of  Stormstown  from 
Huntingdon  County  in  1818,  and  opened  a  shop  on 
the  place  now  occupied  by  William   L.  Wilson.     He 


brought  eleven  children  with  him,  and  of  the  eleven 
the  living  now  number  six.  One  of  them,  Joseph 
Griffin,  now  living  in  Stormstown,  learned  the  shoe- 
making  trade  in  Stormstown  with  John  A.  Bailey  in 
18.32,  and  made  the  first  pair  of  pegged  shoes  ever 
manufactured  in  the  village.  Mr.  Griffin  worked 
steadily  at  the  bench  until  1880.  John  Griftin,  liis 
father,  followed  the  business  of  wagon-making  at 
Stormstown  until  his  death  in  1850. 

Among  others  of  the  earliest  residents  of  Storms- 
town now  called  to  mind  were  Thomas  Barlow,  jus- 
tice of  the  peace  and  a  weaver;  Jonathan  McDowell, 
a  shoemaker;  William  Leigbty,  tanner  and  tavern- 
keeper;  John  Blair,  chair-maker  and  jjostmaster ; 
Henry  Adams,  a  store-keeper ;  and  Isaac  Lambourne, 
a  potter.  Ephraim,  his  brother,  joined  him  in  1836. 
Ephraim  died  in  1853.  Dr.  George  B.  Engles,  living 
just  out  of  the  village,  was  the  first  physician  to  locate 
in  the  neighborhood.  He  practiced  at  and  about 
Stormstown  for  perhaps  forty  years,  until  his  death 
in  1860.  Until  about  1840  he  was  the  only  resident 
physician  in  that  section  of  the  country,  and  rode 
over  bill  and  dale  for  many  miles  around  to  look 
after  his  many  patients.  About  1840,  Dr.  James 
McKee,  a  native  of  Ireland  and  a  graduate  of  the 
University  at  Edinburgh,  in  Scotland,  located  at 
Stormstown  at  the  lower  end  of  the  village.  He 
died  in  1877.  About  the  time  of  Dr.  McKee's  arrival 
came  also  Dr.  Ellis  Green  and  Daniel  Bates.  Bates 
appeared  upon  the  field  as  a  dealer  in  clocks,  and 
after  closing  out  the  clock  business  studied  medicine 
with  Dr.  Green,  whose  partner  he  ultimately  became. 
He  is  now  living  in  retirement  in  Ferguson  township. 
Green  practiced  in  Bellefonte  and  later  in  Boston, 
where  he  died.  Dr.  Bates  was  store-keeper  as  well 
as  doctor  at  Stormstown,  and  subsequently  in  Ohio 
acquired  a  liandsome  fortune  in  merchandising. 
Among  other  village  physicians,  brief  mention  may 
be  made  of  Drs.  Myers,  Potter,  Way,  Swope,  and 
Bullock.  The  present  village  doctor  is  Dr.  Bigelow. 
Henry  Adams,  the  store-keeper,  was  for  many  years 
identified  with  the  business  interests  of  Stormstown. 
He  came  to  this  country  from  Ireland  in  1812,  and 
after  trading  a  while  in  Huntingdon  County,  opened 
a  store  in  Stormstown,  in  1827,  upon  the  lot  now- 
occupied  by  George  Luner's  residence.  Mr.  Adams 
traded  at  Stormstown  about  all  the  time  until  his 
death,  in  1876,  although  during  the  latter  years  of 
his  life  he  did  not  care  to  take  a  very  active  part  in 
business  concerns. 

In  1834,  Gilbert  Lloyd  kept  store  at  Stormstown, 
and  later  the  traders  included  Roland  Curtin  &  Son, 
Frank  Johnston,  and  George  P.  Mattern.  Mattern 
carried  on  also  a  pottery  in  connection  with  his  store. 
John  Blair,  already  referred  to,  was  a  chair-maker 
and  the  postmaster  about  1825.  He  was  accidentally 
killed  at  a  raising  about  a  mile  from  the  village.  The 
first  postmaster  was  probably  John  Bell,  of  whom 
there  is  likewise  a  vague  recollection  that  in  addition 


316 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


to  his  business  as  postmaster,  he  traded  in  a  small  way 
in  plus,  needles,  and  similar  trifles.  The  successive 
occupants  of  the  post-office  from  Bell's  time  may  be 
thus  named:  John  Blair,  Henry  Adams,  John  Griffin, 
William  Meyers,  S.  S.  Sellers,  S.  N.  Hall,  S.  S.  Sellers, 
James  Perdue,  H.  S.  Thompson,  John  Ward,  and 
Hannah  Hartswick.  The  oflSce  was  known  as  Half- 
Moon  until  1880,  when  it  was  changed  to  Stormstown, 
although  not  apparently  in  accordance  with  the  popu- 
lar desire.  William  Leighty,  the  tavern-keeper,  was 
likewise  a  tanner  and  shoemaker.  He  did  not  retain 
the  tavern-stand  many  years.  Among  his  successors 
were  George  Glenn,  Mr.  Adleman,  and  William 
Copely.  The  stand  has  been  occupied  as  a  tavern 
since  Benjamin  Way's  time,  but  there  has  been  no 
licensed  house  there  since  George  Mattern  kept  it  in 
1860.  A  tannery  was  set  up  in  1832  at  Stormstown 
by  Jesse  Way,  with  whom  Adam  Rankin  became 
associated  in  the  enterprise.  Jacob  Daniels  was  the 
last  proprietor,  and  tanned  leather  there  until  about 
1803. 

Stormstown  was  nearly  destroyed  by  fire  April  7, 
1867,  on  Sunday,  at  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  an 
overheated  stovepipe  in  the  village  tavern  ignited 
that  structure.  The  flames  spread  with  great  rapidity, 
and  in  a  little  while  twenty-six  buildings  were  de- 
stroyed and  sixteen  families  left  homeless.  East  of 
the  tavern-stand  every  house  but  three  was  burned. 
The  entire  business  portion  of  the  town,  including 
three  stores,  tavern,  and  post^ffice,  was  swept  away. 
It  was  a  serious  calamity,  from  which  the  village 
never  fully  recovered. 

Loveville. — The  hamlet  known  as  Loveville,  lying 
west  from  Half-Moon  Run,  was  founded  in  1855  by 
James  Love.  Mr.  Love  was  a  tailor  in  Philadelphia 
in  1832,  and  in  that  year  set  out  for  New  Orleans, 
where  he  thought  to  find  a  more  fruitful  field  of  labor 
than  the  one  in  the  Quaker  City.  En  mide,  however, 
he  was  persuaded  to  tarry  in  Huntingdon  County,  Pa., 
where,  in  July,  1836,  he  met  Gilbert  L.  Lloyd,  then 
carrying  on  Hannah  Furnace,  in  Centre  County,  as 
well  as  a  store  at  Stormstown.  Mr.  Lloyd  wanted  a 
tailor  at  Stormstown,  and  pressed  Love  strongly  to 
go  over  and  establish  himself  as  an  adjunct  to  the 
Lloyd  store.  In  1839  he  married  one  of  the  daugh- 
ters of  John  Gray. 

Mr.  Love  purchased  the  Hastings  tract,  now  occu- 
pied in  part  by  the  site  of  Loveville.  The  Hastings 
tract  joined  Thomas  Wilson's  property,  upon  which 
the  Moores  had  built,  years  before,  a  grist-  and  saw- 
mill. Mr.  Love  cleared  up  a  farm,  and  having  in 
1855  built  a  store  and  purchased  the  old  Moore  mills, 
the  foundation  for  a  village  was  satisfactorily  laid. 
Loveville  post-office  was  e.stablished  in  1867  as  the 
successor  of  Centre  Line  post-oflice,  and  Ira  Fisher 
appointed  postmaster.  Love  carried  on  the  store 
until  1867,  when  he  sold  outto  Ira  Fisher,  but  be- 
came repossessed  of  it  in  1870,  in  which  year  he  was 
also  commissioned  postmaster.     In  April,  1881,  Mr. 


Love  removed  to  Huntingdon  County.  Rhoades  & 
Smith  bought  the  store  business.  S.  Smith  was  com- 
missioned postmaster  in  1881.  Centre  Line  post-office 
was  established  on  the  valley  road  about  1850,  when 
Thomas  McCulloch  was  commissioned  postmaster. 
His  successor  was  Thomas  Wusson,  and  upon  his 
resignation  the  office  was  transferred  to  Joseph  B. 
Shugert,  in  Huntingdon  County.  Shugert's  term 
ended,  H.  Bowman,  of  Half-Moon,  was  appointed, 
and  in  1860,  Cyrus  Cronister  became  his  successor. 
From  Cronister  the  office  passed  to  Loveville. 

Deposits  of  Iron  Ore,  although  long  known  to 
exist,  were  not  known  to  abound  in  the  quantity 
shown  by  later  investigations.  Mr.  Love  sold  to  a 
company  of  capitalists — Daniel  Rhoads,  of  Bellefonte; 
R.  H.  Downing,  William  Helme,  Wistar  Morris,  J.  P. 
Jones,  Israel  Morris,  and  Morris,  Wheeler  &  Co.,  of 
Philadelphia.  Their  purchase  embraced  about  four 
hundred  acres,  for  which  they  paid  forty-four  thou- 
sand dollars.  Extensive  improvements  looking  to 
mining  upon  an  enlarged  scale  have  already  been 
effected  at  a  cost  of  about  twenty  thousand  dollars, 
and  according  to  the  present  outlook  the  results  will 
be  greatly  satisfactory  and  profitable.  About  one 
hundred  of  the  four  hundred  acres  are  supposed  to  be 
underlaid  with  ore.  The  vein  averages  from  ten  to 
fifty  feet  deep,  and  in  the  analysis  the  yield  is  from 
forty-six  to  fifty-seven  per  cent,  of  iron.  The  com- 
pany has  constructed  a  siding  at  the  line  of  the  Lew- 
isburg  and  Spruce  Creek  Railroad,  one  and  a  half 
ijiiles  distant,  and  is  thus  within  easy  reaching  distance 
of  railway  transportation. 

Justices  of  the  Peace. — Tliomas  Barlow,  Jacob  Way,  April  14,  1840 ;  Jacob 
Pottsgrove,  April  12, 1842;  Jacob  Way,  April  15, 1845;  Jacob  Potts- 
grove,  MaicL  16, 1847  ;  ChriBtian  Buck,  March  12,  1850  ;  David  H. 
Biirket,  March  16,  1852;  John  Way,  Jr.,  March  13, 1855;  John  C. 
Gray,  March  12,  1856;  David  H.  Burket,  March  17,  1867;  H.  H, 
Kotbrock,  March  12, 1861 ;  David  H.  Burket,  March  18, 1862;  John 
,  H.  Lever,  April  4,  1804:  J.  B.  Newcomer,  March  21,  1868;  J.  H. 
Lever,  March  22,  1869;  I.  H.  Griffin,  April  18,  1873;  J.  H.  Lever, 
March  14,  1S74;  John  H.  Lever,  March  21,  1879;  John  H.  Lever, 
April  5,  1879. 

School  Directors.— 1836,  James  B.  Shugert,  John  Thompson,  John  Griifln, 
Jr.,  John  H.  Jones;  1837,  Daniel  Beck,  Robert  Elder;  1839,  Jesse 
Richards,  William  Spencer;  1840,  George  B.  Bugles,  A.  W.  Myers, 
William  Patterson ;  1841,  David  Adams,  Elias  Turner;  1812,  Andrew 
Lee,  Cyrus  Cronister;  1843,  John  Harpster,  John  L.  Gray;  1844, 
Daniel  Bates,  Elias  Turner;  1845,  S.  McMoiiagle,  William  Walker; 
1846,  Robert  Henderson,  John  L.  Gray ;  1847,  Samuel  Stine,  Thomas 
Wilson,  John  Harpster;  1 848,  Samuel  Sline,  James  Love;  1840,  Rob- 
ert Blakely,  A.  M.  Elder ;  1850,  Daniel  Beck,  William  Spencer;  1851, 
Thomas  Wilson,  James  Love;  1852,  P.  B.  Wilson,  C.  Marks;  1853, 
C.  Buck,  J.  Pottsgrove;  1864,' D.  H.  Burket,  John  Way,  Jr.;  1855, 
William  L.  Wilson,  A.  M.  Elder;  1856,  A.  Stephens,  Simon  Sellers; 

1867,  Thomas  M.  Way,  D.  H.  Burket;  1858,  Joseph  Beekhall,  Wil- 
liam Wilson;  1859,  Isaac  Way,  A.  Stephens;  1860,  D.  H,  Burket, 
Isaac  Wolf;  1861,  James  Burdue,  J.  D.  Eugles;  1862,  Isaac  Beck, 
J.  Thompson;  1853,  D.  H.  Burket,  James  Ebbs,  John  W.  Gray ;  1864, 
Wniiam  L.  Wilson,  J.  D.  Engles;  1865,  Thomas  Way,  Henry  Waite; 
1866,  J.  B.  Way,  A.  M.  Elder;  1867,  P.  W.  Burket,  Thomas  Way ; 

1868,  Isaac  Beck,  Samuel  Way ;  1869,  William  Cole,  Samuel  Mattern ; 
1870,  0.  0.  Way,  S.  Mattern  ;  1871,  Jeremiah  Way,  Isaac  Beck  ;  1872, 
W.  L.  Wilson,  James  Ebbs  ;  1873,  C.  C.  Way,  Henry  Wart;  1874,  T. 
Roop,  P.  W.  Burket;  1876,  H.  C.  Love,  Benjamin  Buck;  1870,  A. 
J.Thompson,  J.  A.  Hunter;  1877,M.  A.  Elder,P,  W.  Burket;1878, 
J.  W.  Noble,  J.  Beck ;  1879,  John  W.  Gray,  Isaac  Beck  ;  1880,  W.  c! 
Ayers,  J.  Way ;  1881,  Jacob  Hicks,  Isaac  Beck. 


(;;y?^  f^  i:^e>^>-H^ 


'i^f'y-t/ 


HALF-MOON   TOWNSHIP. 


317 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH. 


JOHN   THOMPSON. 

John  Thompson,  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
(whose  portrait  appears  in  this  work),  was  born  in 
county  Derr)',  in  Ireland,  and  came  to  America  when 
a  young  man,  and  found  employment  with  a  friend 
named  Joseph  Pyle,  at  or  near  London  Grove,  Chester 
Co.,  Pa.,  who.se  daughter  Elizabeth  he  afterwards 
married.  For  this  act  the  Friends  dismissed  her  from 
the  meeting,  and  her  father,  following  the  e.xaraple 
set  him  by  the  body  of  which  he  was  a  member,  dis- 
inherited his  daughter  for  marrying  the  man  of  her 
choice. 

Although  struggling  against  the  strong  current  of 
poverty,  and  the  equally  strong  prejudice  of  the 
Friends,  he  and  his  young  Quaker  wife  heroically 
braved  the  storm  of  persecution,  and  by  honest  in- 
dustry became  possessed  of  a  small  property.  While 
they  resided  in  Chester  County  a  son  was  born  to 
them,  whom  they  named  Andrew.  While  the  child 
was  still  quite  young,  Mr.  Thompson  moved  from  that 
county,  bringing  his  wife  and  child  on  horseback, 
while  he  walked  by  their  side,  and  located  on  the 
farm  now  owned  by  A.  J.  Thompson  and  H.  S. 
Thompson,  in  Half-Moon  township. 

Here  Mr.  Thompson  commenced  anew,  and  with 
that  perseverance  known  only  to  the  pioneers  of  this 
county,  began  the  life  of  a  farmer,  having  a  yoke  of 
oxen  and  one  horse  with  which  to  do  his  farm-work. 
His  nearest  store  and  grist-mill  were  at  Bellgfpnte, 
sixteen  miles  distant,  to  which  place  he  went  as  often 
as  necessity  required.  He  was  one  of  those  hard- 
working, honest,  industrious  pioneers  that  knew 
nothing  of  the  ways  of  getting  property  without  labor. 
He  soon  became  prominently  identified  with  the  in- 
terests of  his  township,  and  was  honored  with  the 
office  of  justice  of  the  peace.  He  was  the  father  of 
eight  children,  seven  of  whom — Joseph,  Rebecca, 
James,  .John,  Sarah,  Isabella,  and  Alice — were  born 
in  what  is  now  Half-Moon  township.  Only  two  of 
these  are  now  living, — Isabella  and  Alice.  The  for- 
mer, now  in  her  eightieth  year,  is  a  resident  of 
Stormstown,  and  the  latter,  Alice,  lives  in  Illinois. 

John  Thompson  was  the  fifth  child  of  John  and 
Elizabeth  Thompson,  and  was  born  May  13,  1798. 
When  he  was  about  nine  years  of  age  his  father 
died,  leaving  a  wife  and  eight  children.  Thomas 
Moore,  a  Friend,  was  appointed  guardian,  and  took 
quite  an  interest  in  John,  assisting  him  in  many 
ways,  so  that  he  attained  the  equivalent  of  a  com- 
mon-school education.  With  all  his  spare  moments 
applied  to  the  study  of  such  books  as  Moore  could 
supply,  and  with  his  instruction  and  advice,  young 
Thompson  obtained  quite  a  fund  of  knowledge,  and 
laid  the  foundation  of  that  ability  and  skill  which 
afterwards  made   him   the   safe   business   counselor. 


This,  coupled  with  his  inherited  Irish  wit  and  quiclc, 

shrewd  sense,  enabled  him  to  fill  well  the  many  re- 
sponsible positions  to  which  he  was  called  in  after- 
life. Having  inherited  his  parents'  qualities  for  tlirift 
and  industry,  he  never  lost  an  opportunity  of  turning 
an  honest  penny,  and  with  the  industry  and  economy 
characteristic  of  his  whole  life  he  obtained  a  compe- 
tence for  himself  and  family. 

He  was  married,  Sept.  21, 1818,  to  Miss  Lydia  Blake, 
of  Chester  County,  Pa.  From  this  union  were  born 
twelve  children, — eight  sons  and  four  daughters. 
Seven  sons  and  two  daughters  are  still  living  and 
filling  honorable  and  responsible  positions  in  society. 

Mr.  Thompson  was  born  on  the  farm  where  he 
died.  At  a  suitable  time  he  began  the  purchase  of 
the  old  homestead  by  shares  as  his  brothers  and  sisters 
became  of  age,  and  in  a  few  years  became  possessor  of 
the  whole  property,  which  he  owned  at  his  death.  He 
was  not,  in  the  broad  sense  of  the  term,  a  politician ; 
yet  as  a  good  citizen  he  took  an  active  part  in  the  af- 
fidrs  of  his  township  and  county,  and  in  the  fiill  of 
18.39  was  honored  by  an  election  to  the  office  of  sheriff 
of  Centre  County,  which  office  he  filled  with  credit  to 
himself  and  profit  to  the  county.  He  was  a  patriot, 
loving  his  country,  and  in  every  proper  way  seeking 
to  advance  her  interests.  He  was  intensely  anti- 
slavery  in  his  convictions,  and  sympathized  with  his 
country  in  the  late  civil  war.  He  was  strictly  tem- 
perate himself,  and  was  bitterly  opposed  to  the  traffic 
in  strong  drink.  He  was  a  candidate  for  State  senator 
during  the  Maine  law  excitement,  that  he  might  lend 
his  influence  to  the  cause  of  humanity. 

He  was  always  a  moral,  upright,  honest  man,  whom 
all  his  neighbors  trusted.  In  his  later  years  he  made 
a  public  profession  of  Christianity,  and  was  virtually 
a  member  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  in  which  faith 
he  died.  His  hand  was  ever  open  to  the  wants  of  the 
poor  and  needy.  No  man  ever  left  his  house  hungry. 
He  loved  God's  Word,  and  was  a  faithful  and  diligent 
student  of  it.  His  house  was  the  home  for  the  clergy 
of  all  denominations.  His  influence  was  always  on 
the  side  of  good  order,  of  honesty,  and  fair  dealing. 
He  was  frank  and  open  in  all  his  ways,  and  thus  had 
many  warm  personal  friends.  For  those  who  difl^ered 
from  him  in  opinion  he  had  the  broadest  charity. 
Honest  and  sincere  in  his  own  opinions,  he  was  will- 
ing to  accord  the  same  candor  to  others.  He  was 
fond  of  his  home,  and,  unlike  many  others,  was  never 
so  unhappy  as  when  the  demands  of  business  com- 
pelled him  to  leave  it.  He  was  a  kind  father,  tender- 
hearted toward  his  children,  entering  into  their  sor- 
rows and  planning  for  their  welfare.  He  taught  them 
by  exanfple,  as  well  as  by  precept,  to  love  God  and 
keep  His  commandments,  for  this  is  the  whole  duty 
of  man.  He  was  plain,  simple,  and  unostentatious 
in  his  habits,  economical  without  being  penurious 
sincere  without  being  dogmatic,  frank  and  yet  prudent, 
and  died  as  he  had  lived,  a  man  who  loved  God  and 
his  fellow-man. 


318 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


His  death,  the  result  of  heart-disease,  occurredJan. 
22,  1876.  He  was  lamented  not  only  by  his  own  im- 
mediate family,  who  were  now  doubly  bereft,  but  by 
the  community  at  large,  in  which  he  had  led  an  ex- 
emplary life.  "God's  finger  touched  him,  and  he 
slept." 

"  There  is  no  Death  :  What  seems  so  is  transition  ; 
This  life  of  mortal  breath 
Is  but  a  suburb  of  the  life  elysian, 
Whose  portal  we  call  Death." 


CHAPTER    LXXII. 

HARRIS   TOWNSHIP. 

Harris  occupies  a  place  on  the  southern  border 
of  the  county,  with  College  on  the  north,  Huntingdon 
County  on  the  south,  Potter  on  the  east,  Ferguson 
township  and  Huntingdon  County  on  the  west.  Its 
population  in  1880  was  nine  hundred  and  forty-two, 
whereof  the  village  of  Boalsburg  contained  three 
hundred  and  twenty-nine. 

Surveys,  Settlers,  Etc.— The  arable  portion  of 
Harris  township  was  taken  up  principally  by  war- 
rants belonging  to  Reuben  Haines  surveyed  in  1767, 
running  from  Gen.  Potter's  land  west  of  the  manor  of 
Nottingham.  The  major  part  of  the  early  settle- 
ments were  made  in  that  part  of  the  original  town- 
ship now  constituting  the  township  of  College.  The 
erection  of  the  latter  in  1875  curtailed  Harris  of  con- 
siderable territory.  One  of  the  earliest  settlers  and 
one  of  the  most  distinguished,  as  well  as  self-sacrific- 
ing to  the  interests  of  his  fellow-creatures,  was  the 
Rev.  William  Stuart.  He  was  a  native  of  Ireland, 
born  in  a  small  village  near  Londonderry,  in  the 
county  of  Donegal,  on  the  18th  of  July,  1759.  At 
the  age  of  seventeen  he  emigrated  to  the  United 
States,  and  settled  in  Delaware,  and  immediately  en- 
gaged in  school-teaching,  wliich  he  continued  for  a 
considerable  length  of  time.  The  feelings  which  he 
experienced  relative  to  the  spiritual  welfare  of  his 
fellow-beings  induced  him  to  turn  his  attention  to 
the  ministry.  After  going  through  a  preparatory 
course  of  studies  at  Newark  Academy,  he  entered 
Dickinson  College,  then  under  the  presidency  of  Dr. 
Nisbit,  and  graduated  therefrom  in  1795. 

In  1801  he  visited  the  precincts  of  the  Huntingdon 
Presbytery  as  a  candidate,  and  preached  to  the  con- 
gregations of  the  East  Penn's  valley.  Sinking  Creek, 
and  Spring  Creek  churches,  to  which  he  subsequently 
received  a  call  to  become  their  pastor.  He  accepted 
their  call,  and  was  ordained  as  a  pastor  of  ttiese  con- 
gregations by  the  Huntingdon  Presbytery  Oct.  6, 
1801.  The  following  year,  concluding  to  take  up  his 
residence  in  Harris  township,  he  purchased  of  Henry 
Falls  one  hundred  and  forty-five  acres  of  land  (where 
,lohn  Leech  now  lives),  to  the  cultivation  of  which 
he  devoted  much  of  his  time  when  not  engaged  in 


pastoral  labors.  In  1804  he  severed  his  connection 
with  the  East  Penn's  valley  congregation,  and  divided 
his  time  equally  with  the  Spring  Creek  and  Sinking 
Creek  congregations.  He  continued  to  serve  the 
latter  charges  for  a  consecutive  period  of  thirty-three 
years,  having  in  the  mean  time  endeared  himself 
within  the  hearts  of  his  Christian  friends,  and  it  was 
with  a  deep  feeling  of  sorrow  and  regret  that  they 
were  obliged  to  submit  themselves  to  his  resignation 
as  their  pastor,  which  was  an  involuntary  act  on  his 
part,  and  owing  to  his  being  kicked  by  a  vicious 
horse,  and  receiving  a  fractured  leg,  which  incapaci- 
tated him  from  all  further  pastoral  duties.  He  was 
at  this  time  in  his  seventy-sixth  year.  He  continued 
to  reside  within  the  bounds  of  his  former  charge. 
For  some  years  previous  to  his  death  he  became  af- 
flicted with  deafness  and  partially  lost  his  eyesight. 
On  the  20th  of  March,  1848,  he  was  attacked  with 
inflammation  of  the  lungs,  from  the  effects  of  which 
he  steadily  declined,  and  finally  resigned  himself  to 
the  care  of  his.  Maker  on  the  .30th  of  March,  1848,  in 
the  eighty-niiith  year  of  his  age.  His  remains  lie 
buried  in  the  graveyard  of  the  Sinking  Creek  Pre.sby- 
terian  Church  at  Centre  Hill. 

It  is  said  that  he  committed  to  memory  all  his 
public  exercises  and  did  nothing  extemporaneously. 
During  the  long  time  that  he  served  the  Lord,  he 
missed  his  Sabbath  appointments  but  twice. 

An  incident  which  strikingly  illustrates  the  zeal 
and  determination  which  marked  his  character  oc- 
curred one  Sabbath  as  he  was  on  his  way  to  fulfill  an 
appointment.  Meeting  with  a  stream  which  lay  be- 
tween him  and  his  point  of  destination,  he  found  it 
so  swollen  by  recent  rains  as  to  cut  off  all  communi- 
cation with  the  opposite  side,  but,  nothing  daunted, 
he  resolutely  urged  his  horse  into  the  surging  waters, 
and  by  forcing  him  to  swim,  he,  at  the  risk  of  his  life, 
safely  made  his  way  across,  and  thus  was  enabled  to 
keep  his  appointment.  His  family  consisted  of  only 
two  children,  David  and  Isabella.  The  latter  mar- 
ried Dr.  Hugh  Montgomery  ;  David  married  Martha, 
a  daughter  of  Col.  James  Johnson,  by  whom  he  had 
seven  children,  five  of  whom  are  still  living.  David 
is  also  yet  living,  though  at  an  advanced  age,  and  one 
of  the  representative  citizens  of  the  quiet  village  of 
Boalsburg.  Mrs.  Stuart,  the  minister's  widow,  died 
June  4,  1848. 

Jacob  Jack  died  in  Harris  township  (then  Potter) 
in  1812.  He  was  the  father  of  Michael  Jack  and 
Mrs.  Eve  McFaddeu.  Among  his  grandchildren  were 
Jacob  and  James  McFadden,  Elizabeth  Meredith, 
Margaret,  Catherine,  Ann,  and  Jane  McFadden, 
Jacob,  John,  Samuel,  James,  and  Mary  Jack. 

Michael  Jack  came  up  with  his  brother-in-law,  Al- 
exander Dunlap,  from  Lancaster  County,  about  the 
year  1789,  and  purchased  of  Reuben  Haines  the  lands 
now  owned  by  William  McFarlane,  B.  Stem,  and 
George  Jack,  Esq.  He  served  a  short  time  in  the 
Revolutionary  war  at  its  close.     In  1791  he  built  a 


HARRIS   TOWNSHIP. 


HD 


grist-mill  a  mile  or  so  east  of  the  site  of  Boalsburg, 
near  what  is  now  McFarlane  Mill.  He  also  carried 
on  a  distillery.  He  had  twelve  children,  two  of  whom 
were  born  in  Lancaster  County.  His  youngest,  George 
Jack,  Esq.,  is  still  living  at  Boalsburg,  aged  eighty 
years.  Michael  Jack  died  in  the  fall  of  1829.  His 
other  children  were  John,  Jacob,  who  died  before  his 
father;  Samuel,  Michael,  David,  Susanna,  married 
to  .Jeremiah  Culbertson  ;  Catherine,  married  to  Sam- 
uel Wilson  ;  Mary,  married  to  John  Wasson ;  Nancy, 
married  to  Judge  Boal. 

James  Watson  also  settled  in  Harris  (then  Potter) 
as  early  as  1789 ;  died  in  the  spring  of  1822.  Among 
his  children  were  John,  Thomas,  William,  Lot,  Rob- 
ert, Joseph,  Mrs.  Ann  Irvin,  Mrs.  Margaret  John.ston, 
Elizabeth  Riddle,  Eleanor,  Nelly,  Hannah  Campbell, 
who  died  before  her  father,  leaving  a  son,  James 
Watson  Campbell. 

The  land  now  owned  by  the  venerable  Robert  Gal- 
braith  was  a  great  many  years  ago  known  as  the 
"  Banks  of  Jordan,"  deriving  its  name  from  Benjamin 
and  John  Potter  Jordan,  who  in  1787  owned  that 
tract,  containing  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  acres. 
In  the  latter  part  of  the  same  year  they  disposed  of 
it  to  William  Young  for  the  sum  of  ninety  pounds. 
During  the  thirteen  years  following  it  increased 
wonderfully  in  value.  On  the  16th  day  of  May, 
1800,  Young  sold  it  to  James  Galbraith  for  six  hun- 
dred and  twenty  pounds,  who  settled  upon  it  the 
same  year. 

Robert  Galbraith,  the  father  of  James,  was  a  native 
of  Scotland,  and  at  a  very  early  period  settled  in 
what  is  now  Huntingdon  County.  He  was  a  man  of 
some  prominence,  as  the  records  show  that  on  the 
23d  November,  1787,  he  was  commissioned  president 
of  the  County  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  Orphans' 
Court. 

James  Galbraith  had  a  family  of  nine  children, — six 
sons  and  three  daughters, — of  whom  three  of  the  sons 
are  living, — Bertram,  at  Bellefonte,  aged  sixty-five; 
William,  aged  seventy ;  and  Robert,  aged  eighty-four ; 
— the  latter  probably  the  oldest  man  in  Penn's  valley. 

Robert,  who  resides  upon  the  old  place,  was  mar- 
ried to  Rebecca  Hershbarger.  James  McFarlane 
came  from  Mifflin  County  about  1818,  and  settled  on 
Slab  Cabin  Branch,  where  W.  H.  Miller  lives.  His  j 
father  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  and  at  one  time 
was  taken  prisoner  by  the  Hessians,  at  Fort  Wash- 
ington, and,  being  a  blacksmith,  was  obliged  to  manu- 
facture axes  for  the  British.  Shortly  before  the  close 
of  the  war  he  was  released.  He  afterwards  rose  to 
the  rank  of  colonel  of  militia. 

James  had  two  sons,  William  and  Robert.  The 
latter  lives  at  Bellefonte.  William  is  engaged  in  the 
occupation  of  milling,  and  resides  on  land  purchased 
of  J.  B.  McWilliams.  The  mill  situated  near  his 
dwelling  wUs  built  about  1828  by  Samuel  Wilson. 

James  Larimer,  of  Bucks  County,  settled  in  what 
is  now  Harris  township.    He  was  one  of  four  brothers, 


all  of  whom  came  West  in  company,  looking  for 
new  homes,  but  of  the  four  only  James  found  a  home 
in  Centre  County.  On  the  State  road,  known  as  the 
Lancaster  and  Pittsburgh  road  (in  what  is  now 
Benner),  Hugh  Conley  had  the  previous  year  put  up 
a  tavern  at  what  was  known  as  Logan's  Camp. 
James  Larimer's  place  of  settlement  is  now  known  as 
the  Myers'  property.  In  1787  he  married  one  of 
Samuel  McClanahan's  daughters,  and  moved  after 
a  while  to  Ferguson  township,  where  he  died  in  1829. 
Of  his  eleven  children,  all  settled  in  Centre  County. 
James,  Jr.,  settling  in  Benner,  had  nine  children,  of 
whom  four  are  now  living.  Two  of  his  sons  are 
Hon.  J.  G.  Larimer  and  A.  V.  Larimer. 

Prominently  identified  with  the  early  settlements 
was  Barnabas  Hasson,  who  in  1800  settled  on  Cedar 
Creek.  He  had  three  sons  and  one  daughter.  One 
of  his  sons,  John,  in  after-years  attained  a  promi- 
nent position  in  public  affairs,  serving  three  years  as 
a  member  of  the  Legislature.  He  was  at  one  time 
associate  judge.  Other  old  settlers  were  Isaac  Tem- 
ple, who  lived  where  B.  F.  Brown  now  lives  ;  David 
Barr,  who  a  short  time  after  the  Revolution  settled 
upon  lands  one  mile  west  of  Boalsburg,  now  occupied 
by  Hoy  ;  Adam  Miller,  who  has  a  living  representa- 
tive in  the  person  of  William  H.  Miller;  Daniel 
Mosser,  who  first  located  near  what  is  known  as 
Shingletown  ;  Jacob  Sparr,  who  died  a  few  years  ago 
at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-three,  and  whose  sons 
still  farm  the  old  place ;  Fergus  Potter,  who  came 
with  the  Rev.  William  Stuart,  and  settled  upon  the 
farm  adjoining.  He  held  many  township  oflSces,  and 
left  a  long  line  of  descendants. 

Henry  Meyer's  ancestors  were  natives  of  Germany. 
He  was  born  in  Lebanon  County,  and  in  1820  came 
to  Harris  township,  and  engaged  in  farming,  having 
purchased  land  of  Crouch  and  Jordan.  He  had  six 
children,  of  whom  only  two  are  living,— Jacob  and 
Henry,  the  former  at  Linden  Hall  and  the  latter  at 
the  old  homestead.  He  married  Catharine  Hoffer, 
who  died  June  19,  1878,  and  had  eight  children,  all 
living. 

Linden  HaU  is  a  small  collection  of  dwellings 
about  two  miles  north  of  Boalsburg.  It  contains  one 
store  and  post-office,  and  one  church  (Evangelical), 
built  about  1850,  of  which  the  Rev.  George  Hunter  is 
pastor.  The  postmaster  is  Daniel  Hess,  who  is  also 
store-keeper. 

Shingletown  is  a  quiet  and  peaceful  little  village 
of  about  twenty  or  twenty-five  houses,  near  the  moun- 
tain, which  towers  heavenward,  looking  over  the  val- 
ley and  up  and  down  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach  over 
the  level  fields.  This  town  had  many  years  ago  a 
grist-mill  and  still-house,  and  at  the  time  all  was 
merriment,  and  the  town  was  in  a  flourishinf  con- 
dition. But  in  the  year  1844  a  fire  consumed  both, 
which  was  a  death-stroke  to  the  place.  But  it  still 
boasts  of  a  saw-mill  and  a  beautiful  stream,  which 
abounds    in    the   speckled   beauties.      The    Shino-le- 


320 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


towners  take  a  great  pride  in  their  town,  which  other 
places  of  greater  importance  would  do  well  to  imitate, 
and  that  is,  it  is  a  strictly  temperate  town,  at  least 
they  tell  us  so.  It  has  a  hotel  called  the  Bush  House, 
although  it  does  not  entertain  travelers. "  In  this 
house  Messrs.  Philips  &  Glassgow,  from  the  Loop, 
have  opened  an  auction-store.  It  has  also  a  good 
school-house,  which  accommodates  the  children  of 
the  town  and  country.  Religious  services  are  also 
held  in  the  same  building,  the  town  not  being  blessed 
with  a  regular  church  edifice.  The  town  is  well 
represented  in  the  different  trades.  A  Mr.  Shingle 
erected  the  first  building  in  the  place,  in  1820,  which 
still  remains. 

The  oldest  resident  was  Mr.  Fox,  who,  at  the  age 
of  ninety-two,  walked  frequently  to  Bellefonte,  and 
returned  on  the  same  day,  a  distance  of  twenty-eight 
miles.  It  was  also  the  residence  of  Hon.  John  Has- 
son,  one  of  the  first  men  to  urge  the  project  of  a  rail- 
road through  Penn's  valley. 

Victoria  Grange  was  organized  March  10,  1874. 
Master,  (4eorge  W.  Campbell;  Overseer,  John  H. 
Keller;  Lecturer,  George  R.  Baker;  Steward,  Daniel 
R.  Wieland ;  Assistant  Steward,  Henry  Swab ;  Chap- 
lain, R.  H.  Potter ;  Treasurer,  Christian  Dale ;  Secre- 
tary, M.  L.  Sellers;  Gate-keeper,  Jerry  Dressier; 
Ceres,  Mrs.  M.  N.  Potter;  Pomona,  Sallie  E.  Keller; 
Flora,  E.  M.  Campbell;  Lady  Assistant  Steward,  L. 
M.  Baker. 

Boalsburg,— Springfield,  now  Boalsburg,  was  laid 
out  by  Andrew  Stroup,  Dec.  10,  1810,  of  Mifflin 
County,  and  his  plan  is  duly  recorded  in  that  name, 
originating  from  the  large  spring  in  its  immediate 
locality. 

The  appearance  of  the  village  in  the  year  1811,  as 
described  to  the  writer  by  George  Jack,  Esq.,  was 
"one  house  upon  the  site  of  George  B.  Jack's  store, 
one  situated  where  the  academy  building  now  is,  one 
near  to  where  Stover's  store  is,  and  a  tavern  that 
stood  where  David  Sparr  lives."  It  was  kept  by  David 
Boal.  The  latter  was  afterwards  succeeded  as  land- 
lord by  Jeremiah  Culbertson,  who  died  in  1832.  The 
building  was  afterwards  converted  into  a  store,  and 
for  a  number  of  years  kept  by  John  Bell.  It  was 
eventually  demolished  in  1870. 

Until  the  year  1820  the  village  was  known  by  the 
local  name  of  Springfield.  In  1820  a  post-office  was 
established,  and  the  name  of  Boalsburg  adopted,  in 
honor  of  David  Boal,  Esq.,  at  that  time  a  much  re- 
spected and  highly  influential  citizen  of  the  place, 
who  laid  out  an  addition  to  the  town  in  1832.  The 
first  postmaster  was  Col.  John  Hasson.  His  successor 
was  James  Huey,  who  was  followed  by  Charles 
Rainey.  Rainey  retained  the  office  for  a  great  many 
years.  He  gave  place  to  the  venerable  George  Jack, 
who  served  in  the  capacity  for  the  period  of  twenty 
years.     The  present  postmaster  is  James  P.  Stuart. 

One  of  the  first  storekeepers  was  Mr.  Petrikin,  of 
Bellefonte.     In  1818,  Col.  James  Johnson    opened  a 


store,  and  the  following  year  erected  the  substantial 
building  now  occupied  by  S.  H.  Stover,  which  he 
used  as  a  tavern.  The  date  of  the  year  in  which  it 
was  built  can  be  seen  cut  in  a  stone  over  the  main 
entrance.  Another  early  store-keeper  was  John  Jack. 
The  first  school-house  was  built  about  the  time  the 
town  was  laid  out.  It  stood  upon  the  lot  now  owned 
by  Sarah  Johnson.  The  first  teacher  was  Thomas 
Evans,  who  was  of  Quaker  descent,  and  who  for  some 
unexplained  reason  was  dubbed  "  captain."  He  is 
spoken  of  as  having  been  a  man  of  excellent  learn- 
ing, and  as  having  written  a  great  many  deeds  of 
transfer  of  property  that  took  place  in  his  time.  He 
had  formerly  been  in  the  employ  of  Gen.  Philip 
Benner.  Hans  Smith,  George  AVasson,  and  William 
Smith  (the  latter  being  better  known  as"  Billy")  also 
taught  in  the  old  school-house. 

Among  those  that  settled  in  Boalsburg  in  the  early 
days  of  its  existence  were  the  Shenebargers,  Prices, 
Patrick  Mooney,  Barney  Riley,  and  others,  who  were 
mostly  Irish  Presbyterians. 

Boalsburg  Academy. — The  project  of  establishing 
an  academy  at  Boalsburg  was  originated  by  Rev. 
Peter  Fisher,  Hon.  George  Boal,  Henry  Keller,  and 
George  Jack,  and  through  the  generous  efforts  of 
these  men,  seconded  by  other  liberal  citizens  of  the 
town  and  vicinity,  the  undertaking  was  successfully 
accomplished.  Money  was  raised  by  stock  subscrip- 
tions of  twenty-five  dollar  shares,  and  a  two-story 
frame  building  was  erected  in  1853,  the  upper  room 
of  which  was  designed  for  the  use  of  a  school,  the 
lower  for  a  place  of  worship.  The  first  instructor  was 
Mr.  J.  G.  Austin,  who  had  taught  one  or  two  sessions 
in  a  private  house  prior  to  the  erection  of  the  academy 
building.  He  remained  several  years,  and  while  in 
his  charge  the  institution  was  in  a  prosperous  condi- 
tion, having  enrolled  some  sessions  from  seventy-five 
to  eighty  students.  But  the  prosperity  of  this  school 
also  was  seriously  interrupted  during  the  war;  the 
patriotism  of  both  the  teacher  and  a  number  of  the 
students  proving  too  strong  for  the  allurements  of 
classical  studies,  they  enlisted  and  entered  the  army. 
Mr.  James  Patterson,  who  received' a  captain's  com- 
mission, had  been  in  charge.  It  may  be  proper  in 
this  place  to  state  that  the  teachers  of  the  county  had 
been  well  represented  in  the  army.  Mr.  Holahan,  in 
his  report  for  1864,  states  that  about  seventy  per  cent, 
of  the  usual  number  of  male  teachers  had  from  time 
to  time  entered  the  army. 

LTnder  the  principalship  of  Mr.  George  W.  Lesher, 
who  was  one  of  the  successors  of  Capt.  Patterson,  the 
school  regained  its  former  standing.  Among  the 
other  leading  teachers  who  had  charge  at  different 
times  were  Theophilus  Weaver,  D.  M.  Wolfe,  and 
Fleisher.  Among  the  scholars  may  be  mentioned 
Gen.  James  S.  Brisbin,  of  the  regular  army,  who  be- 
came Gen.  Custer's  successor  ;  Hon.  John'  H.  Stover, 
member  of  Congress  in  1868  from  Missouri ;  Col.  B.  F. 
Fisher,  chief  of  the  Signal  Corps  of  the  Army  of  the 


HARRIS   TOWNSHIP. 


321 


Potomac  during  the  Rebellion,  and  now  a  member  of 
the  Philadelphia  bar;  and  George  J.  Boal,  Esq.,  one 
of  tlie  leading  lawyers  of  Iowa  City,  Iowa.  During 
the  last  term  tlie  attendance  of  pupils  averaged 
twenty-five;  the  principal  in  charge  was  Professor 
Vonada ;  the  trustees  are  George  Jack  and  C.  P.  W. 
Fisher.  The  building  is  now  used  for  public  school 
purposes. 

Dec.  14,  1874,  Boalsbukg  Lodge,  No.  894, 
I.  O.  O.  F.,  was  organized,  and  the  following  officers 
were  chosen  :  John  Myers,  N.  G. ;  Israel  J.  Condo, 
V.  G.;  Thomas  McCormick,  Sec.-;  Frank  Taylor, 
Asst.  Sec. ;  S.  F.  Ishler,  Treas.  The  lodge  at  that 
time  had  about  twenty-one  members,  and  held  their 
meetings  in  Daniel  Kimport's  hall.  They  now  have 
about  twenty-eight  members  in  good  standing,  and 
meet  in  Adam  Hess's  building,  which  they  have 
leased  for  five  years.  The  present  officers  are  D.  C. 
Gingerich,  N.  G. ;  John  Carper,  V.  G. ;  Daniel  W. 
Myers,  Sec. ;  C.  J.  Stem,  Asst.  Sec. ;  S.  F.  Ishler, 
Treas. 

Boalsburg  is  pleasantly  situated  in  the  eastern  part 
of  Penn's  valley,  near  Tussey  Mountain.  It  is  twelve 
miles  distant  from  Bellefonte,  and  within  a  mile  and 
a  half  of  the  line  of  the  contemplated  Lewisburg  Cen- 
tre and  Spruce  Creek  Railroad.  Just  south  of  the 
village  are  the  renowned  "  Seven  Mountains,"  covered 
by  dense  forests,  and  abounding  with  deer.  The 
aspect  of  Boalsburg  at  the  present  time  as  com- 
pared with  its  early  existence,  shows  a  marked  im- 
provement for  a  village  of  that  class.  Some  of  the 
present  business  men  are  S.  H.  Stover,  hotel  and 
store;  George  B.  Jack,  general  merchandise;  J. 
Price,  confectioner;  I.  J.  Condo  &  Brother,  black- 
smiths ;  Isaac  Wonier,  saddler ;  L.  C.  Bricker,  shoe- 
maker; Emanuel  Wolf,  hotel;  Daniel  Mosser,  tan- 
ner. The  physicians  are  C.  P.  W.  Fisher  and  John 
F.  Woods.  There  have  been  no  licensed  taverns  in 
the  village  for  a  great  many  years,  to  which  fact  it 
probably  owes  the  major  part  of  its  tranquillity  and 
prosperity. 

The  man  most  prominently  identified  with  the 
interests  of  Boalsburg  in  former  years,  and  who  lived 
to  enjoy  the  success  of  his  effiarts  and  untiring  labors, 
was  David  Boal,  Esq.  .He  was  born  in  Ireland,  and 
in  early  life  emigrated  to  America,  landing  at  Phila- 
delphia. He  started  at  once  for  the  central  part  of 
the  State,  and  located  at  what  is  now  Boalsburg.  He 
had  one  son,  Hon.  George  Boal,  who  was  born  in  the 
county  of  Antrim,  Ireland,  July  16,  1796,  and  came 
with  his  father  to  this  country  in  1798.  He  con- 
nected himself  with  the  Presbyterian  Church  when 
quite  young,  and  was  universally  respected  for  his 
religious  character  and  integrity.  In  May,  1835,  he 
was  installed  elder  of  the  church,  and  served  with  his 
father.  In  1840  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
Legislature,  and  from  April  22,  1846,  to  April  28, 
1851,  was  associate  judge  of  the  county.  In  politics 
he  acted  with  the  Democratic  party  until  the  Amerl- 
21 


can  party  was  formed,  when  he  became  it's  active 
supporter,  and  subsequently  of  the  Republican  party. 
He  died  July  8,  1867.  His  children  were  Mrs.  Susan 
Forster;  Mrs.  Nancy  Y.  Clark;  David  C.  Boal,  Esq., 
deceased,  of  the  Bellefonte  bar ;  Capt.  John  Boal,  who 
was  killed  in  North  Carolina  in  1805;  George  J.; 
James  W. ;  Mary,  married  to  Thomas  Dale  ;  Eliza- 
beth M.,  married  to  John  I.  Thompson  ;  and  Robert 
H.  Boal.  Judge  Boal's  first  wife  was  Miss  Nancy  Jack, 
who  died  in  1843,  and  his  second  wife,  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Johnston,  formerly  Miss  Williams.  George  J.  Boal, 
Esq.,  is  a  prominent  lawyer  in  Iowa. 

One  of  the  early  residents  of  Boalsburg  was  Wil- 
liam Price,  a  native  of  Delav.-are,  who  came  to  Centre 
County  in  1810,  and  married  a  daughter  of  William 
McClaskey,  near  Potter's  Mills.  Shortly  after  his 
marriage  he  moved  to  Boalsburg,  and  engaged  in  the 
business  of  shoemaking,  which  calling  he  followed 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  at  Boalsburg  in  1861. 
Those  of  his  children  who  are  now  living  are  Mrs.  B. 
Waddle,  James  Price,  at  present  keeping  store  at 
Boalsburg,  and  Mrs.  Sarah  Boozer,  of  Mifflin  County. 

John  Wasson,  who  was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  came 
from  Chester  County,  and  settled  at  Boalsburg  in  1810. 
He  married  a  daughter  of  Michael  Jack  in  1814.  He 
continued  a  resident  of  the  village  until  1825,  when 
he  moved  to  near  where  Lemout  now  is.  He  died 
there  in  1857  ;  his  wife  died  at  the  same  place  eight 
years  later.  He  had  seven  children,  of  whom  six  are 
living.  One  of  his  sons  is  J.  U.  Wasson,  of  Patton 
township.  Ellen  Mattern,  of  the  same  place,  is  one  of 
his  daughters. 

Most  of  the  old  residents  of  Boalsburg  still  retain 
within  their  memory  the  once  well-known  figure  of 
Barney  Riley.  Barney  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  and 
about  1800,  or  perhaps  earlier,  settled  at  Boalsburg, 
upon  the  place  now  occupied  by  Alexander  Everhart. 
It  is  said  of  him  that  while  yet  young  he  became  tired 
of  the  scenes  of  his  childhood,  and  ran  away  from  the 
shores  of  his  native  land  to  seek  his  fortune  in  Amer- 
ica. He  at  one  time  taught  school  in  the  old  school - 
house  at  Boalsburg.  His  only  living  descendant  is 
Mrs.  Rankin,  a  granddaughter,  living  at  Boalsburg. 

Patrick  Mooney,  also  a  native  of  Ireland,  came 
about  the  same  time  as  Riley,  and  settled  very  near 
him.  Nothing  further  could  be  learned  of  his  ante- 
cedents, his  descendants  having  long  ago  died,  or 
otherwise  passed  from  this  locality. 

Robert  Potter  at  an  early  day  came  to  Boalsburg, 
aud  for  a  long  time  lived  a  near  neighbor  to  Riley. 
George  Shenebarger,  a  German,  and  probably  one 
of  the  first  of  that  nationality  to  settle  here,  bought 
lots  of  Stroup,  shortly  after  the  l.iying  out  of  the 
town.  He  became  quite  prominent  in  later  years,  and 
held  several  township  offices.  He  had  two  sons  and 
two  daughters,  one  of  the  latter  being  the  wife  of 
David  Keller. 

A  military  organization  styling  themselves  the 
"Spriug  Creek  Phalanx''  was  in  vogue  about  fifty 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


years  ago,  most  of  its  members  being  residents  of 
Boalsburg  and  vicinity.  It  had  some  sixty  or  seventy 
members,  and  flourislied  amazingly  for  a  time.  It 
was  created  for  tlie  purpose  of  obviating  tlie  neces- 
sity of  its  members  serving  in  tlie  militia.  The 
origin.al  captain  was  Gen.  Irvin,  who  afterward.s  was 
succeeded  by  George  Boal.  Thomas  Patton  was  the 
lieutenant. 

John  I.  Mooney  was  killed  in  Newark,  Ohio,  by 
being  run  over  by  a  train  of  cars  in  March,  1877. 
Mr.  Mooney  was  formerly  a  citizen  of  Centre  County, 
and  a  brother  of  the- late  Mrs.  Mary  Laurimore,  of 
Pleasant  Gap.  He  was  born  in  Boalsburg,  and  was 
a.  classmate  of  Gen.  James  Irvin,  having  been  named 
for  the  general's  father,  John  Irvin.  He  was  eighty- 
one  years  old  at  the  time  of  his  death,  and  the  father 
of  four  daughter.*,  but  he  never  had  any  sons.  His 
brother,  Samuel  Mooney,  was  killed  by  the  cars  on 
the  Allegheny  Railroad  in  Clarion  County  one  year 
ago,  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven.  Blr.  Mooney,  when 
quite  a  boy,  helped  a  man  named  John  Rockey  to 
grub  and  clear  the  land  for  the  erection  of  the  first 
furnace  put  up  by  the  father  of  Governor  Curtin. 

George  Murray,  a  native  of  Bucks  County,  ac- 
companied his  father,  Levi  Murray,  and  settled  upon 
Nittany  Mountain,  in  Potter  township.  Arriving  at 
a  proper  age  he  was  apprenticed  to  learn  the  art  of 
wagon-making,  at  which  he  employed  himself  until 
the  outbreak  of  the  war  of  1812.  During  that  event- 
ful epoch  he  served  with  commendable  valor.  After 
the  close  of  the  war  he  settled  in  what  is  now  College 
township,  and  plied  his  old  trade  of  wagon-maker. 
He  left  many  descendants,  notable  among  them  is  W. 
A.  Murray,  Esq.,  now  a  much  respected  and  public- 
spirited  citizen  of  Boalsburg.  In  1878,  W.  A.  Murray 
was  chosen  by  his  constituents  as  their  representative 
in  the  State  Legislature,  which  trust  he  so  faithfully 
fulfilled  that  he  is  now  (1881)  serving  his  second  term 
in  that  capacity.  He  is  also  secretary  of  the  school 
board  of  directors. 

St.  John's  Reformed  Ciurch.— The  above  body 
was  organized  in  the  year  1822,  one  of  the  leading 
spirits  in  conducting  its  temporal  affairs  being  Henry 
Meyer.  Meetings  were  at  first  held  in  an  old  school 
building  at  Oak  Hall,  which  was  used  as  their  place 
of  worship  until  1825,  when  they,  in  conjunction  with 
the  Lutherans,  built  a  substantial  stone  church,  the 
corner-stoue  of  which  was  laid  with  appropriate  cere- 
monies on  the  6th  day  of  June,  182.5.  The  dedication 
of  the  church  took  place  on  the  4th  of  August,  1827, 
the  Rev.  Yost  H.  Fries  officiating.  In  the  early  part 
of  the  year  18(51,  the  Reformed  congregation  had 
grown  to  such  a  flourishing  condition  as  justified  them 
in  entertaining  views,  of  establishing  themselves  in- 
dependent of  the  Lutherans.  Satisfactory  arrange- 
ments were  concluded  whereby  their  interests  in  the 
old  church  were  disposed  of  to  the  latter  denomina- 
tion. A  plot  of  land  was  purchased  of  George  Shene- 
b  '.rger,  and  the  corner-stone  of  the  present  edifice  was 


laid  Aug.  11, 1861,  and  the  church  dedicated  in  May, 
1862.  Rev.  Charles  Leinbach  preached  the  dedicatory 
sermon.  The  cost  of  the  building  was  about  seven 
thousand  dollars.  The  congregation  at  present  em- 
braces about  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  communi- 
cants. The  elders  are  Jacob  Meyer  and  Henry 
Meyer;  deacons,  Dr.  C.  P.  W.  Fisher,  Calvin  Meyer, 
Philip  Wirtz,  and  John  H.  Weber.  The  trustees  are 
Henry  Meyer  and  James  Osman. 

In  October,  1868,  a  fine  organ  was  added  to  the 
church  at  an  expense  of  twenty-two  hundred  dollars. 
Its  introduction  was  attended  by  a  sad  event,  as  the 
following  recital  will  show.  Arrangements  had  been 
made  to  dedicate  the  organ  on  Sunday,  Oct.  11,  1868. 
On  the  Saturday  evening  previous  religious  services 
were  held.  Mr.  George  Meyer  presided  at  the  organ, 
lie  being  mainly  instrumental  in  its  procuring,  and 
contributed  largely  towards  defraying  the  costs.  He 
appeared  supremely  happy,  like  one  whose  one  aim 
in  life  had  been  accomplished.  Upon  that  memor- 
able evening  as  he  sat  before  the  organ,  its  beautiful 
strains  of  sacred  music  rising  and  swelling  in  har- 
monious accord,  the  opening  hymn  had  been  given 
out  and  sung,  the  pastor  arose  to  offer  the  opening 
prayer;  but  few  words  had  been  pronounced,  when 
an  unusual  commotion  was  observed  in  the  organ 
gallery,  which  put  a  sudden  stop  to  the  religious  ser- 
vices. To  the  consternation  of  the  congregation,  it 
was  discovered  that  the  organist,  Mr.  Meyer,  had 
dropped  dead  from  his  seat,  stricken  down,  as  it  were, 
in  the  very  heyday  of  liis  happiness.  The  cause  of 
his  death  was  heart-disease.  The  organ  was  dedicated 
the  next  day.  The  dedicatory  sermons  were  preached 
by  the  Revs.  B.  F.  Schenck,  D.D.,  and  P.  S.  Fisher, 
the  former  discoursing  in  the  English  language,  and 
the  latter  in  the  German. 

In  the  mouth  of  July,  1873,  a  severe  storm  visited 
Boalsburg  and  vicinity,  which  partly  unroofed  the 
church  building.  The  damage  was  immediately  re- 
paired at  an  expense  ofabout  one  thousand  dollars,  and 
the  church  reopened  for  divine  worship  about  Christ- 
mas of  the  same  year.  The  present  pastor  is  the  Rev. 
W.  H.  Groh,  who  has  labored  continuously  since 
1857.  He  is  a  graduate  of  Franklin  and  Marshall 
College,  of  Lancaster,  Pa.,  and  of  the  theological 
seminary  formerly  located  at  Mercersburg,  but  now 
of  Lancaster,  Pa.  He  has  four  congregations  within 
his  charge,  namely,  those  of  Pine  Hall,  Pine  Grove, 
Houserville,  and  Boalsburg. 

The  Lutheran  Cong^regation  of  Boalsburg  was 
formed  in  the  year  1825,  when,  as  before  stated,  they 
united  with  the  German  Retbrmcd  congregation,  and 
built  a  stone  church,  which  they  continued  to  use 
until  the  year  1868,  when  it  was  torn  down  and  the 
present  edifice  erected  in  its  stead. 

The  first  pastor  of  the  old  church  was  the  Rev.  J. 
T.  Abele.  The  building  committee  of  the  new  church 
was  S.  H.  Stover  and  Philip  Shenebarger.  The 
latter  died  before  the  church  was  finished,  and  George 


HARRIS   TOWNSHIP. 


32:5 


Slienebarger  was  appointed  to  fill  tlie  vacancy.  Tlie 
cost  of  the  building  was  nine  thousand  dollars.  The 
present  elders  are  Jacob  Condo  and  Henry  Dale; 
deacons,  John  Fortney  and  Henry  Houtz.  The 
officiating  pastor  is  the  Rev.  Mr.  Youtze. 

The  Methodist  Church  at  Boalsburg  w.ia  organ- 
ized about  1832.  Among  the  first  members  were 
George  .Tack,  David  Jack  and  wile,  Ezra  ISrisbin  and 
wife,  Mrs.  Jeremiah  Culberson  and  daughter,  and  J. 
Doll  and  wife.  The  Revs.  Mr.  Ellis  and  James 
Sanks,  who  were  on  the  circuit  in  1832,  were  zealous 
and  faithful  promoters  of  the  church,  which,  though 
never  strong  in  numbers,  was  generally  in  a  flourish- 
ing condition.  The  present  meeting-house  was  built 
in  1833,  at  a  cost  of  about  eight  hundred  dollars.  The 
present  congregation  contains  but  few  members,  it 
having  suftered  considerably  by  death  and  removals. 
The  present  steward  is  George  Jack,  Esq.  The  pastor 
is  the  Rev.  Henry  S.  Mendenhall. 

A  small  congregation  of  Presbyterians  meet  for 
divine  worship  in  the  academy  building,  in  the  room 
iormcrly  used  by  the  Seceders.  The  pastor  is  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Hammil. 

Burial-Places. — The  oldest  burial-place  in  the 
township  is  the  one  located  on  what  was  in  years 
gone  by  known  as  Benner's  Hill,  near  the  roadside 
leading  from  Boalsburg  to  the  Old  Fort.  The  land  is 
now  owned  by  D.  Musser.  Its  first  days  date  back 
to  the  days  of  Gen.  Potter.  .  He  donated  for  burial 
purposes  an  acre  of  land.  Although  it  was  in  gen- 
eral use  for  a  greqt  many  years,  and  undoubtedly 
holds  the  remains  of  the  greater  part  of  the  old  set- 
tlers, but  very  few  stones  remain  to  mark  the  graves. 
Those  still  to  be  seen  are  the  Jacks  and  Culbertsons. 
At  an  early  date  Reuben  Haines  gave  an  acre  of  land 
to  be  used  for  meeting-house  for  the  Friends  and  for 
burial  purposes.  It  was  part  of  the  land  now  owned 
by  R.  Stein,  and  was  used  for  some  time  by  the 
Friends  for  the  burial  of  their  dead,  but  owing  to  a 
lack  of  sufficient  strength  of  numbers,  the  meeting- 
house was  never  built.  All  traces  of  the  spot  have 
long  since  disappeared,  as  the  plow  for  a  number  of 
years  has  turned  up  the  ground,  and  the  bones  of  the 
few  Quakers  buried  there  have  long  ago  mingled  with 
the  earth. 

Schools. — Vivid  recollections  of  the  old  log  school- 
house  at  Rock  Hill,  built  in  1802,  are  still  retained 
within  the  memories  of  a  few  of  the  older  citizens  of 
the  township.  Light  from  the  outer  world  was  ad- 
mitted through  small  panes  of  glass  set  side  by  side, 
and  extending  the  whole  length  of  the  sides  of  the 
building.  Sutficient  warmth  was  obtained  from  an 
immense  fireplace,  upon  whose  hearth  during  the 
cold  winter  days  immense  logs  of  wood  crackled  and 
blazed,  sending  out  grateful  glows  of  warmth.  On 
extremely  cold  days  the  services  of  an  old  stove  were 
brought  into  use  to  blend  its  heat  with  that  of  the 
fireplace  in  infusing  warmth  into  the  shivering  forms 
of  the  scholars  as  they  reached  the  school  from  their 


long  tramp  through  the  cold  and  snow,  many  of  them 
coming  three  and  four  miles.  Those  attending  t'.ic 
above  school  were  members  of  the  Irwin,  Jack,  Pot- 
ter, Galbraith,  Laurimore,  Rankin,  and  Hastings 
families. 

The  first  teacher  of  whom  any  definite  note  is 
made  was  William  Smith,  Sr.;  others  were  G.  Whyn- 
coop,  John  Brisbin  (who  taught  in  1800),  Jume.; 
Dunn,  and  William  Keatly,  E-q.  Tlie  system  or 
practice  of  barring  out  the  teacher  was  a  custom 
regularly  carried  out  by  the  scholars  at  least  once  a 
term,  and  particularly  careful  preparations  were 
made  to  carry  it  into  effect  in  the  case  of  an  un- 
popular or  unusually  severe  teacher.  Mr.  Robert 
Galbraith,  who  to-day  is  probably  the  oldest  living 
male  resident  of  Penn's  valley,  remembers  with  re- 
markable clearness  the  many  various  modes  resorted 
to  to  compel  the  disciplinarians  of  the  early  days  to 
come  to  the  terms  of  the  pupils.  The  method  usually 
resorted  to  was  to  choose  an  opportune  moment,  gen- 
erally during  the  time  the  teacher  was  partaking  of 
his  noonday  meal,  and  with  a  plentiful  supply  of 
nails  and  hammers  securely  fasten  the  door  and  win- 
dows upon  the  inside,  and  then  intrenching  them- 
selves within  await  his  coming.  The  result  usually 
was  in  favor  of  the  scholars,  who,  for  the  balance  of 
the  term,  generally  had  things  their  own  way. 

Harris  township  at  present  contains  six  scliools, 
three  of  which  at  Boalsburg  are  graded.  The  teach- 
ers for  the  term  of  1881-82  were:  Rock  Hill  school, 
A.  0.  Ripka;  Walnut  Grove,  Fergus  Potter;  Shingle- 
town,  J.  H.  Jacobs.  The  school  at  Boalsburg  is  di- 
vided into  three  departments,  of  which  Professor 
Henry  Keller  has  charge  of  the  first  grade,  George 
W.  Williams  of  the  second,  and  Miss  Florence  Riley 
of  the  third.  The  term  usually  lasts  about  five 
months,  for  which  the  teachers  receive  a  monthly 
compensation  of  thirty  dollars,  with  exception  of  the 
primary  school,  the  teacher  of  which  receives  twenty- 
five.  The  total  average  attendance  of  pupils  iu  all 
the  schools  averages  two  hundred  and  ten. 

Taverns. — The  first  tavern  in  the  township  was 
probably  the  old  stone  building  built  by  William 
Irwin,  at  what  date  is  not  precisely  known.  It  was 
located  upon  the  public  road  about  two  miles  east  of 
Boalsburg.  The  first  landlord  was  James  'Newell, 
who  is  spoken  of  as  having  been  a  great  favorite  with 
the  traveling  public,  and  who  reigned  supreme  as 
Boniface  for  a  great  many  years.  His  successor  was 
James  Watson,  who  afterwards  removed  to  Bellc- 
fonte. 

Of  the  early  physicians  nothing  could  be  learned 
but  the  names  of  a  few.  Tliey  were  Dr.  Wolf,  Dr. 
Fahnestock,  and  Dr.  Coverly.  An  old  German  phy- 
sician is  also  remembered,  who  boarded  with  George 
Shenebarger  the  elder,  and  had  a  particular  fond- 
ness for  reckless  driving. 

Township  Organization.— At  the  November  ses- 
sion, 1834,  the  petition  of  sundry  inhabitants  of  Pot- 


32-t 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUiNTY,  PExNNSYLVANIA. 


ter,  Ferguson,  and  Spring  townsliips  was  presented 
and  rend,  representing  "  tliat  they  labor  under  great 
inconvenience  by  tlie  said  township  being  so  large 
that  many  of  their  citizens  are  deprived  of  the  right 
of  suffrage  on  account  of  the  distance  being  so  great 
to  the  place  of  holding  elections.  Also  the  supervisors 
of  the  highways  have  too  many  roads  to  make,  that 
they  are  not  able  to  get  thera  made  in  good  season, 
with  many  other  inconveniences  too  tedious  to  men- 
tion, and  the  business  of  the  township  is  too  great  for 
any  of  tlie  township  officers  to  attend  to  as  it  should  be 
done,  and  praying  the  court  to  appoint  commission- 
ers to  view  and  lay  out  a  new  township  according 

to  law,  to  be  called     township,  out  of  parts  of 

the  three  aforesaid  townships  to  be  contained  within 
the  following  bounds,  viz.:  Beginning  at  the  Hunt- 
ingdon County  line  in  Ferguson  township  on  Tussey 
Mountain,  and  running  northward  on  the  line  be- 
tween lands  of  Mrs.  Rebecca  Awl  and  Frederick 
Moyer,  on  the  course  of  said  line  to  the  Pattou  town- 
ship line;  from  thence  in  a  straight  line  to  Jacob 
Houscr's  fulling-mill ;  from  said  fulling-mill  a  south- 
ward course  to  the  top  of  Nittany  Mountain  ;  thence 
along  the  top  of  said  mountain  in  an  eastward  course, 
opposite  a  division  line  between  the  lands  of  Fergus 
Potter  and  Joseph  Crotzer  ;  thence  southward  to  the 
division  line  between  lands  of  John  Irvin  and  Jacob 
Hurst,  and  along  said  line  to  the  Mifflin  County  line ; 
thence  along  said  line  to  the  Huntingdon  County  line 
and  place  of  beginning.  Thereupon  the  court  ap- 
pointed Jacob  Bollinger,  Joseph  F.  Quay,  and  George 
Buchanan  to  view  and  make  such  division  and  alter- 
ation in  the  said  townships  to  lay  out  a  township  if 
they  should  think  proper.  At  the  April  sessions,  1835, 
the  court  thus  decreed  upon  the  viewers'  report:  The 
persons  appointed  at  November  sessions  last  past, 
made  report  to  January  sessions  last  that  in  pursuance 
of  an  order  of  court  that  they  have  struck  off  a  new 
township  from  the  western  end  of  Potter,  the  eastern 
end  of  Ferguson,  and  the  southern  end  of  Spring  town- 
ships, containing  an  area  of  about  six  miles  square. 
Whereupon  the  court  at  April  sessions,  1835,  con- 
firmed the  same,  and  the  township  was  named  Har- 
ris, for  the  late  James  Harris,  Esq. 

The  limits  of  Harris  were  materially  contracted  in 
1875  by  the  elimination  of  the  northern  half  of  the 
township  and  its  incorporation  into  the  newly-formed 
township  of  College. 


TAX-PAYERS  OF  HARKIS  IN  1S36. 


m.i  nnil  Jacob 
rv  Allen,  lions 
ci-t     Aaanis, 
iiiwanil  lilt  ... 


Acres. 

Davil  Boal llo 

Geovjje  Dual 147 

ol,  Bergstn-sstT,  niilhvriglit  140 


.Ian 
!  Mar: 


1  Ur. 

liiuaif 

el  liii.s 
>l  Balla 


le  and  lot., 
cniiiiicr!!!!! 


Jolin     Burrows,    pnmp-borer, 

iMHisealal  li.t 

William   Blair 

.Jowiili  Bing 

]>.  (J.  Brnuell  

J.G.  llntler,  clerk 

Jolin  Blair,  house  aii.l  lot 

Fredeii.  k  BeanI,  mason 

SaniM.-l  lilaUe,  fnll.-r 

rhilip  lir.-aii,  linnsc  and  lot... 
TlMinr.s  L.  r.iv.ilv,  ill) 


1  L'nil.. 


ill  Cu 
■r  Coo 


■William  Uiillc 


{Janipliell,  slniemaker 

llcnrv  Campbell,  shoemaker 

John'Coon 

!lI!bTi  Oeanleri'jr"!"!"'!";"!"     50 

Thomas  Crawliiril 

William  Cosgrove 

.lolin  Creamer,  Sr 

George  Creamer,  blacksmith 

Jonathan      Creamer,      black- 

sinilli,  honse  ami  lot 

George  Coble 'JO 

George  Coble,  Jr 

John  Coble 

Marshal  Cox 

Gcoigo     CionimiUcr,     black- 
smith   157 

Daniel      llunlal>,      carpenter, 

lionseandlut 

Amos  Dale,  saw-mill 1(14 

Elizabeth    Dnusmore,    house 

an.l  lot 

Robert  Diinsrnorc,  carpenter 

C.rnelins  Hale 380 

Samnel  Ueeek 

Jacob  Decker l-'i 

ChiWian  Dale,  farmer 150 

Henry  Dale 

Chrislian   Dale,  tanner,  house 

ami  lot 

Thonnis  Davis 

Fretlerrck  linnkle 

John  Dnff.-v 

James  Dearmit.aa.Mler 

Michael  Kilart 

I'eter  Ktter 

JohnKtter 10" 

James  Everliart UJ 

John   Everhart,  oil-mill,  clo- 
ver-mill, sawmill,  fonmJry..     10 

Samnel  Everhart 240 

Eli  Eckley 

Lyilia   Englenian,  house   and 

'lot 

Dale    Dale,   miller,    saw-mill, 

carding-machiiie 50 

Michael  Flesher,  shoemaker...    W 

Joseph  Fesler 

David  Forlnev.cariienler 

Elizabeth  Fisher 

Daniel  Fesler 

Robert  Fuiey,  innkeeper 

John  Fisher 

David  Ford 

George  Glen,  house  and  lot 

Jacob  Garner 

Robert  Gillilanil 

KobeltGalbraith 

James  Gal  braith,  saw-mill, 

Jacib  Gingreck 

Samnel  Garner 

J..hn  Gingreck 

Green,    Iiviii  &  Co.,  furnace, 

grist-mill,  saw-iuill 

Nancy  Hnev,  house  and  lot.... 
John  Hess,  hatter,  house  and 

lot 

John  \V.  Mays,  house  and  lot.. 
James  llarpiwui,  tailor,  house 

and  lot 

Robert   N.  Iluey,  blacksmith, 

hinisejinil  lot 

Wdliam  llarpham,  tailor 

Henry  Hartswick 

David  Ilubler,  fuller 

James   Ilelherington,   mason, 

honse  and  lot 

Charles  llnok 

James  Harsberger,  miller 

Daniel  Hastings 

George  Hinselman 

Henry     Jlnbler,     clover-mill, 
.    fnlling.n.ill,        cardi.ig-ma- 

cbine.spi ng-n,acl,ine 

Abram  Hulderman 

Jacob      Honser,    fulling-mill, 
suw-niill,  carding-machinc... 


smith 

John  Hassmi 

Samuel    Huey,   tailor.    Louse 

and  lot 

Jacob  Hurst,  gentleman 

John    Isliler,    cooper,    house 

and  lot 

John     Irvin,    Sr ,     luerchaut, 

grist-mill 


Guii 
John  Irvin 
mill,  do 
John  W.  I 


chant 

.Ir.,  grist-mill,! 
erni.ll 


250 
145 


h.t 


, 320 

Johnston,  innkeeper...     50 

Jamison,  minister 

1  Johnston,  house   eud 

'.'.'.'.'.'.".  178 
270 


David  Jack 

Jacob  Johnstonban 

Slargaret  Johnston 

itubert  Jacksou 

Jacob  Jackson,  shoemaker 

George  Jack,  merchant,  house 

and  lot 

Willijim  Keatley 

Daniel  KiupeTt 

Andrew  Keller 

Henry    Keller,    clerk,    house 


nd  lot 


John 


Keatley,     blacks] 

?an.l  lo't 

Leonard     Karner,     saw- 

house  and  lot 

John  Kinport 

Philip  Kimple 

I'ctei    Klinginali 

Fiederick  Killiiiger 


ith. 


Ludw 


Knriz 


I  I.ai 


.lames  Leech,  c 
Griffith  Litlle... 
I'eter  Lush,  lid 

and  lot 

J.ilin   Leathers, 
le,  ho 


Thi.ni 
Willi! 

hoii 


i  Lo 

1  M.  Ke 

■  anil  lo 


vheehvright. 


I  Mokle 

Michatd  Mays,  cooper,  house 
and  h.t 

John  MeClellan,  cabinet-ma- 
ker, honse  and  lot 

Margaret  Miller 

Mary  McCormick 

Alex.  McTlhatlan 

Peter  Markle,  wagon-maker, 
house  and  lot 

Hem  y  Markle,  basket-maker.. 

Abel  Moine,  gentleman 

James  McFarland 


60 


31n 


Willii 


.Mil 


150 


430 


Jam.'S  Miller 

William  and  John  Mai 
David  JIcKinney,  mini 
George  51  nrray,  wagon 
Robert  McNab,  Mucks 
William  .Miller,  vveavei 
Wm.  McBath,  weaver 
and  lot 


I  Mile; 


Robert  Moore 70 

Amelia  Btoore 00 

George  Mogg 

Sarah  McEwcn i8 

Chas.  Miller,  mason,  house  and 

hit 

John  Markle,  ma-on 

Solomon  BIyers 

J.  U.  Megry,  chair-maker 

John  Mullmrger A 

Daniel  Mulbarger 3 

Joseph  Newse,  liouse  and  lot 

.lohn  Nutt 

I.  N.  Nodain 

"Wm.  Price,  shoemaker,  house 

and  lot 

Joseph    Peters,    tailor,  house 

and  lot 

.Tnhn  Philips 160 

William  Paine 

Samuel  Potter 150 

Fergus  Potter 


HOWARD  TOWNSHIP. 


325 


Cliiirli'H  Kuiiipy, 


Diiiiiel  Uihy 

Isrnfl  Uhfatii,  tubaccuDist... 

.leieniiah  Kuiikiii 

Daviil  Roail,  niasi.Ti 

.loinillmii  KiKKle 

Davi'l  lihoa.LilaL'ksmilh 

David  Rhea,  .Ir.,blaclisuiilli. 
Goorge  «,: 


Cle 


eii  I!i) 


agon- 


Jospph  Rili-r 

Josejili      Swiiu'liait,      w 

maker,  liuusf  aii.llot.. 
Joliatliaii  SliaftT,  tailor,  houso 

and  tut 

Tliomas  Sankey,  lionse  and  lot. 

AdamShowers 

G«or|xe  Slieniberger i 

D.     Swincliart,     blacksmith, 

housn  and  lot 

Miss  Jane  Sankey 

Miss  fllargarot  Sankey 

Ilannali  !<milh,  lionso  and  lot.. 

Pliili|)  Shfmberger ; 

liewisSwinolniit : 

el    Sliiffer,  miller,   grist- 


lill. 


lill.. 


AcreH. 

Benjamin  Smith 

John  Shnev 220 

Peter  Sliney - 

Joseph  Shirock 

John  Snmmers,  fonjider 

John  Singleton 

lie-  ry  Serender 

Joshna  Stevens 

J(din  Stewart,  slioennikcr 

Nicholas  SI 
Jacob  Stov 
Moses  Tlloi 

Thos.  Lacke>,  carpenter. 
Thos.  Laekey,  Jr.,car|a'ntcr. 
V.  Thomas,  carpenter... 


1-yard.. 


atlni 


sler.. 


Mariah  Waggone 
lot.. 


honsi 


John  Williams,  millwi 
house  and  lot 

Robert  Wliit.'liall 

William      Williams,     fai 

honso  and  lot 

[ust  Wolf, tinner,  housi 


lot- 


John  Sankey,  tan-yard.. 

Jacob  Spar 

Kobert    Spear,    weaver, 

and  lot 

Michael  Shawl,  cooper... 

.7ohnS|.ar 

Revk William  Stewart... 

David  Stewart 

Henry  Struble 

Conrad  Struble 

Jacob  Sheets 


Wolf,  inn-keeper,  house 

and  lot 

John  Wlieeland Ui 

William  William,  millwright..  105 

SamnelWilson,  grist-mill 220 

Thomas  Williams,  mill-wright.    ... 

Uobeit  Wesson,  carpenter 

Evan  Williams 23 

Michael  Wlieeland 200 

Jacob  Wins,  house  and  lot 

J.  V.  Williams,  carpenter 

.lohn  Wnsson 104 

Jacob  Wylaiid 

Albert  Young 

John  Yeager 


CIVIL  LIST. 

^i/rfitors.— 183G,  William  Eee,  Samuel  Wilson,  J.  Irvin,  Jr. ;  1837,  Eobort 
A.  Whitehill,  James  Galbraith ;  1838,  John  Hess;  1839,  John 
Mitchell ;  1840,  Moses  Thompson  ;  1841,  David  Dale ;  1842,  David 
Hess;  1844,  Thomas  Patton ;  1845,  George  W.  Joliiislon ;  1846, 
James  McFarland  ;  1847,  John  Hasson  ;  1848,  George  W.  Boal ;  1840, 
George  Jack;  1850,  Benjamin  Everhart ;  1S51,  Samuel  Gilliland; 
1852,  James  Dunlap;  1853,  G.  W.  Johnston  ;  1854,  Christian  Dale; 
18.55,  Thomas  Dale;  1856,  Joseph  Baker;  1837,  Moses  Thompson; 
1858,  John  Hasson;  1830,  W.  W.  Potter ;  18C0,  Samuel  Gilliland; 
1801,  Adam  Iless;  1862,  Daniel  Hess;  1863,  James  Glenn  ;  1864,  W. 
Thompson;  1863,  J.  S.  Foster;  1866,  W.  J.  Dale;  1867,  Robert 
Goheeu;  1808,  William  McFarland;  1869,  S.  H.  Stover;  1870,  David 
Keller;  1872,  G.  W.  Campbell;  1873,  W.  McFarland;  1S74,  James 
Glenn;  1875,  Robert  Kendall;  1876,  S.  B.  Wilson;  1877,  B.  F. 
Brown ;  1878,  E.  W.  Sweeny ;  1879,  J.  N.  Dinges ;  1880,  William 
Bradford  ;  1S81,  Tliomas  Beily. 

OMIsfuWe!.— 183.5,  George  Boal ;  1S3G,  Pearsol  Lytle;  1837,P.  Ljtle;  1838, 
P.  Lytle ;  1839,  John  McClelland ;  1840,  P.  Lytle ;  1841,  P.  Lytle ;  1842, 
Daniel  Wolf;  1843,  Daniel  Wolf;  1844,  Samuel  Potter;  1845,  Sam- 
uel Potter;  1846,  John  W.Miller;  1847,  Jonathan  Kreamer;  1848, 
Jonatliau  Kreamer;  1849,  Jonathan  Kreamer;  1850,  Jonathan 
Kreamer;  1851,  Jonathan  Kreamer;  1852,  0.  E.  Wasson ;  1853, 
Jno.  Emerick;  1854,  Eeed  Barr ;  1853,  William  Wolf;  1856,  G.  A. 
Jacobs;  1857,  Emanuel  Wolf;  1858,  Samuel  Blair;  1859,  Samuel 
Blair ;  1S60,  W.  P.  Hasson ;  1861,  W.  P.  Hasson  ;  1S62,  W.  P.  Hasson  ; 
1803,  W.  P.  Hasson;  1864,  W.  P.  Hasson;  1865,  J.  H.  Cnrry;  1860, 
Isaac  Sparr;  1867,  J.  H.Curry;  1868,  J.  H.Curry;  ISGO,  Emanuel 
Wolf;  1870,  Emanuel  Wolf;  1872,  William  Moble ;  1873,  G.  A. 
Jacobs;  1874,  G.  A.  Jacobs;  1875,  Adam  Stover;  1870,  Frank  Ken- 
nedy ;  1877,  Israel  Young ;  1878,  John  Meyers ;  1879,  D.  W.  Moyer; 
1880,  Daniel  Myers ;  1881,  William  Myers. 

Jusd'cM  o/ Wie  Peace.— Joseph  Baker,  George  Jack,  April  14,1840;  Philip 
Shenebcrger,  Henry  Keller,  April  15, 1845 ;  George  Johnstonbaugh, 
John  Hassin,  March  12,1850;  James  Keatly,  March  16,  1852;  G. 
E.  Wasson,  George  Jolinstonbaugli,  March  13,1855;  Philip  Sliene- 
berger,  March  17,  1857  ;  George  Johnstonbaugh,  March  26,  1860  ; 
Philip  Shenberger,  March  18,  1802  ;  M.  L.  Sellers,  April  6,  1865 ; 
Jacob  Houser,  March  18,  ISO"  ;  John  Mays,  March  25,  1868;  William 
L.  Sellers,  March  4,  1870  ;  Joseph  Peters,  March  24,  187:1 ;  William 
L.  Sellers,  March  13,  1875;  F.  Potters,  March  11,  1875;  Edward 
ir,  April  3, 1878  ;  Fergus  Potter,  April  9, 1881. 


CHAPTER    LXXIII. 

HOWARD    TOWNSHIP. 

Township  Organization. — ^At  the  April  seasion 
of  court  in  1809  tiie  petition  of  sundry  inliabitants  of 
Centre  townsliip,  in  Centre  County,  was  presented 
and  read,  humbly  setting  forth  that,  "owing  to  the 
peculiar  and  natural  situation  of  said  township,  from 
the  Bald  Eagle  Ridge  passing  through  the  same,  the 
inhabitants  find  it  extremely  inconvenient  and  diffi- 
cult to  attend  township  elections,  and  to  tran-sact  the 
common  business  which  relates  to  the  same.  And, 
therefore,  they  pray  the  court  to  divide  the  said  town- 
ship of  Centre  into  two  townships  by  a  straight  line 
along  the  summit  of  Bald  Eagle  Ridge,  and  that  the 
new  township  on  the  south  side  of  said  ridge  be  called 
'Walker,'  or,  should  they  think  proper,  to  appoint 
viewers  agreeably  to  the  act  of  Assembly  in  such  case 
made  and  provided."  Whereupon  the  court  accord- 
ingly did  appoint  Roland  Curtin,  John  G.  Lowrey, 
and  William  Petrikin  to  inquire  into  the  propriety  of 
granting  the  prayer  of  the  petition,  to  make  a  plot  or 
draft  of  the  township  proposed  to  be  divided,  and  the 
division  line  proposed  to  be  made  therein,  etc.,  and  to 
make  report  thereon  to  August  sessions  next,  together 
with  their  opinion  of  the  same,  etc.,  agreeably  to  the 
acts  of  Assembly  in  such  case  made  and  provided. 

A  report  on  the  division  was  made  to  August  ses- 
sions. At  the  November  sessions  the  confirmation 
of  the  same  was  held  under  advisement  until  January 
sessions,  1810.  At  the  last-named  sessions  the  court 
ordered  as  follows :  "  The  viewers  having  made  a 
plot  of  that  part  of  Centre  township  lying  south  of 
the  Bald  Eagle  Ridge,  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  fol- 
lowing be  the  boundaries  thereof,  and  adjudged  that 
it  is  necessary  and  proper  that  it  be  established  ac- 
cordingly, and  that  it  be  called  Walker  township,  in 
honor  of  the  president  of  this  court,  the  Honorable 
Jonathan  Walker,  Esquire,  agreeably  to  the  desire  of 
the  petitioners  for  the  same,  to  wit :  Beginning  at  the 
line  of  Spring  township,  between  the  two  ridges  of  the 
Bald  Eagle  Mountain  in  Antes' Gap;  thence  north 
about  sixty  degrees  east  twelve  miles  along  the  small 
opening  between  said  ridges  until  it  intersects  the  line 
of  Bald  Eagle  township ;  thence  along  the  line  of  said 
township  south  about  thirty  degrees  east  six  miles  to 
the  line  of  Miles  tosvnship  in  the  middle  of  the  Nit- 
tany  Hills;  thence  along  said  township  line  in  said 
hills  south  about  sixty  degrees  west  twelve  miles  to 
the  corner  and  line  of  Spring  township;  thence  along 
said  line  by  the  ridge  gap  in  Nittany  valley  and 
Lamb's  Run  to  the  place  of  beginning  in  Antes' 
Gap.  And  that  as  the  name  Centre  will  not  have 
any  proper  application  to  the  remaining  part  of  the 
township  lying  north  of  the  Bald  Eagle,  they  recom- 
mended it  to  the  court  to  call  it  Howard  township,  as 
a  tribute  of  respect  to  the  memory  of  the  benevolent 
philanthropist  and  eminently  great   John    Howard, 


320 


inSTOKY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTV,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


vho  spent  the  best  of  his  days  in  searching  out  and 
ministering  relief  to  the  most  distressed  and  wretched 
of  the  human  race,  and  at  last  fell  a  victim  to  his  un- 
bounded goodness  of  heart.  Whereupon  the  court 
at  the  present  sessions  confirmed  the  above  and  fore- 
going report,  with  all  the  circumstances  of  names  and 
boundaries,  and  they  most  cordially  concur  with  the 
viewers  in  the  tribute  of  respect  paid  to  the  memory 
of  the  immortal  Howard." 

Howard  originally  embraced  the  present  townships 
of  Ciirtiri  and  Liberty,  and  a  strip  of  Boggs,  Snow 
Shoe,  and  Burnside,  as  the  west  line  of  Centre  town- 
ship ran  cast  of  Eagle  Works,  or  Curtin. 

Early  Surveys  and  Settlers.— As  stated  in  tlie 
general  history,  the  surveys  along  the  creek  in  How- 
ard township  were  made  in  November,  1769,  on  appli- 
cations owned  by  Samuel  Wallis,  except  the  Askey 
and  Stein  officer's  survey  at  the  east  end  of  the  town- 
ship, and  the  Thomas  Poultney  at  the  mouth  of  Bul- 
let's Rnn.  The  earliest  settler  was  David  Delong, 
who  located  where  the  village  of  Howard  now  stands 
as  early  as  1778.  The  county  was  then  abandoned. 
Delong  was  back  again  in  1784,  with  Jonathan  De- 
long.  They,  witli  Robert  Ritcliie,  who  settled  in 
Bullet's  Run  north  of  where  the  Fletchers  live,  were 
the  only  residents  in  1784.  In  1786,  Derrick  Gun- 
salus  came  in,  and  Benedict  Lucas  settled  on  a  Wal- 
lis tract  just  east  of  Mountain  Eagle,  or  Mechanics- 
ville.  In  1784,  Capt.  Thomas  Erskine  settled  on  the 
tract  he  received  for  his  services  in  the  French  and 
Indian  war.  William  Grossman  settled  where  Me- 
chanicsville  now  stands,  and  Richard  Gunsalus  set- 
tled immediately  west  of  him.  In  1790  came  in  John 
Baker,  John  Gardner,  John  Marsden,  Sr.  and  Jr., 
Christopher  Helford.  In  1793,  Jacob  Leathers  set- 
tled at  the  mouth  of  Bullet's  Run,  and  James  Packer 
built  his  mill. 

Tlie  oldest  graveyard  is  perhaps  the  private  grave- 
yard on  the  Packer  farm,  a  little  north  of  Howard. 
The  old  stones  mostly  have  merely  initials.  One  has 
"J.  P.,  died  1805,  aged  eighty."  Governor  Packer's 
father  is  buried  here ;  the  inscription,  cut  by  the 
Governor  when  he  was  a  small  boy,  "  James  Packer, 
June  3,  1814,  aged  forty-one."  Mrs.  Sarah  B.  Mitch- 
ell, a  sister  of  the  Governor,  is  buried  here,  born  Dec. 
18,  ISIO,  died  Dec.  30,  1874.  Jehu  Packer  died  Jan. 
31,  1852,  aged  fifty-nine  years,  three  months,  sixteen 
days.  William  Blair,  Apvil  27,  1868,  aged  sixty-nine 
years,  eleven  months,  twenty-seven  days. 

Among  the  earliest  settlers  after  the  Revolutionary 
war  was  Capt.  Thomas  Askey.'  He  resided  on  his 
officer's  survey  near  where  Pifer's  house  now  stands. 
His  grandson.  Nelson  Askey,  still  owns  and  resides 
on  the  southeast  end  of  the  tract.     Thomas  Askey 


1  Ciiptiiin  Askey  wrote  Ijh  namo  "  Tlionms  Erskinp."  liut  as  liis  iiiimo 
B  diniod  upon  tlie  militiiry  roc.inls  as  Aski-J,  iiiid  that  is  tlie  spiOling 
low  ilseil  l.y  the  family,  it  Is  iriseited  lliiis  aljovc.  His  rank  uf  laptain 
rag  obtainoil  during  the  Kuvulutiun,  having  served  in  that  war  aa  cap- 
aiii  uf  m  litiu. 


was  commissioned,  July  15,  1763,  ensign  in  Capt. 
James  Piper's  company,  Second  Battalion,  Pennsyl- 
vania Regiment,  commanded  by  Hon.  John  Penn  ; 
Turbutt  Francis,  lieutenant-colonel,  commandant. 

For  services  in  the  French  and  Indian  war,  Ensign 
Askey  received  a  tract  of  land  in  what  is  now  North- 
umberland County,  one  in  what  is  now  Union  County 
(the  thriving  town  of  Mifflinburg  is  erected  on  the 
Askey  tract  in  Union  County),  and  the  tract  north  of 
Bald  Eagle  Creek,  opposite  the  village  of  Howard, — 
the  most  westerly  of  the  "  officers'  tracts."  On  the 
latter  tract  he  settled  subsequent  to  the  Revolution, 
at  least  as  early  as  1784,  and  died  there  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1807.  He  left  a  widow,  Elizabeth,  and  ten 
children, — James,  Robert,  William,  John,  Samuel, 
David,  Catharine  (wife  of  William  Taylor),  Rebecca 
(wife  of  Joseph  Lucas),  Margaret  (wife  of  David 
Lipton),  Anne  (wife  of  Baptist  Lucas).  Capt.  Askey 
is  buried  at  Jacksonville  in  Marion  township. 

The  following  persons  were  old  residents  of  How- 
ard:  Daniel  Schenck,  of  Howard  township,  was  born 
April  2,  1788,  and  died  April  28,  1880,  aged  ninety- 
two  years  and  twenty-seven  days.  Michael  Schenjik, 
Sr.,  of  Liberty  township,  died  April  25,  1880,  aged 
seventy  years,  six  months,  and  five  days. 

Smith  John  died  in  Howard  township,  August  23, 
1858,  aged  seventy-eight.  He  was  one  of  the  pio- 
neers of  Howard,  having  lived  within  its  limits  sixty- 
one  years.  He  was  born  in  Juniata  (now),  and  moved 
to  Centre  (then  Mifllin)  in  1797  with  his  widowed 
mother,  three  brothers,  and  one  sister. 

Frederick  Fletcher  died  Sept.  19,  1871.  He  was 
born  Jan.  9,  1797.  He  was  a  kind  and  generous  man. 
His  sister  Anna  died  before  him,  and  he  left  two  ven- 
erable brothers.  His  father  was  a  Revolutionary 
soldier.  Mr.  Edward  Packer,  of  Howard  township, 
this  county,  died  at  his  residence  on  the  8th  of  May, 
1875,  aged  seventy-nine  years  and  four  days.  Mr. 
Packer  was  born  in  this  county,  and  lived  in  it  all 
his  life. 

Frederick  Schenck,  of  Howard  township,  died  May 
23,  1847,  aged  seventy-seven.  He  was  a  native  of 
Lancaster  County,  and  came  to  this  county  in  1795 
with  his  father,  while  there  were  yet  few  inhabitants 
along  Bald  Eagle  Creek.  He  was  a  Mennonist  in  his 
religious  principles,  and  an  advocate  of  peace,  piety, 
and  virtue.  He  was  hospitable  and  benevolent, 
always  ready  to  assist  the  needy  and  afflicted. 

Joseph  Baker,  born  in  Richland  township,  Berks 
Co.,  Dec.  1,  1782,  resided  in  Howard  forty-two  years, 
and  died  there  in  April,  1847.  Mary,  his  wife,  born 
in  Chatham  Run,  came  to  Bald  Eagle  valley  in  1796, 
died  March  27,  1845. 

CIVIL  LIST  FKOM  1810  TO  1S81. 
Amlilors.—Johw  Miller,  Kichnid  Gonsalus,  Frederitk  Slicnk,  James 
Packer,  ISKI ;  J.siph  Baker,  Jacob  Leather,  James  Gardner,  Jacob 
Becbtel,  ISll;  Fredelick  Slienk,  Joseph  Baker,  'Williani  Tiliton, 
Jacob  Bechtel,  181-2;  Davi.l  Beclitel,  Absalom  Legfjitt,  Michael 
Shank,  William  Tipton,  1S13;  David  Beclitel,  John  Askins,  Daniel 
Coons,  James  Crawford,  1814;    Kichard  Gonzales,  David   Becbtel, 


HOWARD   TOWNSHIP. 


327 


Ilugli  Itiildle,  and  Ilnthcw  Loilch,  1815;  Mallicw  Ltitcli,  Ji)lin 
Uilinim,  J.imcB  Gardner,  Miclmid  SlmTik,  I8IC ;  Frederick  Slinnk, 
Josepli  Baker,  David  neclitel,  Blatliew  Leitcli,  1817  ;  David  Beehtel, 
Jolin  Hajs,  Join;  Smith,  Jacob  Runner,  1818  ;  David  Bochlel,  Julin 
Hajs,  Julin  Shenk,  Jacob  Knnnor,  1819;  Frederick  Shank,  David 
Barber,  Jolin  Iluey,  Iticljnrd  Gonzales,  1820;  William  Ila.vB,  William 
Tipton,  S.  Coppcrwnilh,  IIo:iry  PIctcher,  1823 ;  Hngli  McFadJen, 
Archibald  Batlinrst,  Moses  Leach,  Jacob  Smilli,  182C;  William 
Hays,  John  Greeb,  Koland  Curtin,  David  Bechtel,  1827  ;  D.  Bechlel, 
Jacob  Neifr,  Jacob  Bakor,  Bonz  Parker,  1828  ;  Jacob  Baker,  Joseph 
Harris,  1831 ;  George  P.  Null,  1832;  David  Bechtel.  Samuel  Fletcher, 
Daniel  Shank,  lS:i3;  James  Cmwford,  Absalom  Leggit,  1834;  Jo- 
seph Bunigardner,  Jacob  Baker,  1837  ;  B,  Plelclier,  1838  ;  John  Leg- 
git, 1S40;  D.  Brickley,  J.  Gardner,  1S41  ;  Joseph  Leather,  1842; 
W.  Tipton,  C.  Bechtold,  1843;  John  L»pgit,  1844;  Daniel  Shenk, 
1845;  James  McKimm,  Eniannel  Shenk,  1816;  John  M.  Barnhart, 
1847;  N.J.  Mitchell,  1848;  Samuel  Gardner,  1849;  Hiram  Baker, 
1850;  J.  L.  Williams  1851;  J.  M.  Barjdiart,  1852;  Austin  Lucas, 
1853;  N.J.  Mitchel,  1854;  M.  P.  llines,  1856;  Jacob  Baker,  185C; 
A.  Thomas,  1857;  Jonathan  Schenck,  1858;  J.  R.  Lealheis,  1859 
-on;  R.  Cook,  1801 ;  S.  W.  Fletcher,  1802;  William  Jenkins,  1803; 
William  Randall,  1804;  S.  B.  Leathers,  1805;  Jacob  Leathers, 
1807;  Samuel  Fletcher,  1808; 


le,  1870;  Jacob  Uolter,  1871 ;  Wil- 
I  Anti.s  1873;  R.  Fletcher,  1874; 
?rs,  1870  ;  James  Aiitis,  1877  ;  E.  T. 
1879;  James  Antis,  1880;  John 


Nelson  Askey,  1800;  Austin  Lui 
J.  B.  Newcomer,  1809;  S.  F.  Klin 
•  liam  Montgomery,  1872;  James 
Au.elin  Lucas,  1875  ;  J.  B.  Leathe 
llicklen,  1878;  J.  B.  Leatheri 
Shank,  1881. 

Sit})ervisorg. — John  Bower,  Micliael  Shenk,  1810;  Daniel  Coons,  Joseph" 
Lucas,  1811;  Daniel  Coons,  Micliael  Meese,  1812;  Christian  Beclitel, 
John  Ilelman,  1813;  Jacob  Runner,  Jolin  Smilh,  1814;  Christian 
Doner,  Jacob  Leather,  1815;  Michael  Brickl»y,  Micliael  Meese, 
1810;  Richard  Gonzales,  George  Leggit,  1817;  Jacob  Baker,  Chris- 
tian Neselrod,  1818;  James  McGee,  Abram  Smith,  1810;  Jolin 
Marsden,  Joseph  Leather,  1820;  Hugh  Riddle,  Moses  Leitcli,  1S21; 
Philip  Antes,  Frederick  Shank,  1822;  David  Bechtel,  Jacob  Neiff, 
1823;  Josepli  Montgomer.v.  Samuel  Ilelman,  1821;  William  Tipton, 
'  James  Goliz;iles,  1826;  Hugh  Shaw,  Benjamin  Goodwin,  1827;  T. 
Gardner,  A.  Batlinrst,  1828  :  Daniel  Shank,  Frederick  Leather,  1829; 
Daniel  Shenk,  Job  Way,  1830  ;  John  Askey,  Henry  Isenhour,  1831  ; 
John  Itnpert.  John  Gnibb,  1832;  Samuel  Beckwith.  Joseph  Baker, 
Jr.,  1833 ;  William  Uays,  Daniel  Leather,  1834 ;  Joseph  Baker,  Hugh 
Shaw,  1835;  John  Britton,  John  De  Long,  1F36;  J.  F.  Scherrick, 
William  Mai-sden,  1837;  M.  Riddle,  C.  Bechtel,  1838;  M.  Riddle, 
Emanuel  Shank,  1839;  Frederick  Fletcher,  John  Itnpert,  1840; 
B.  Neir,  John  Packer,  1841;  Henry  Fletcher,  J.  B.  Milliken,  1842; 
John  Bechtel,  S.  Gardner,  Jr.,  1843;  Benjamin  Neff,  Ross  Baker, 
1844;  F.  Pletcher,  Joseph  Hall,  1845  ;  George  Kline,  John  Leathers, 
1840 ;  James  Crawford,  George  Brown,  1847 ;  George  Brown,  William 
Riddle,  1848;  Moses  Dunkle,  Rudolph  Fletcher,  1S49;  George 
Brown,  D.  W.  Hall,  1850;  Mat.  Adams,  Daniel  Shank,  1851 ;  George 
Brown,  Fliilip  Barnhart,  1852  ;  J.  M.  Barnhart,  James  Sayers,  1853; 
John  Houser,  S.  B.  Leathers,  1854;  Michael  Packer,  C.  Bowers, 
1855;  John  Hewes,  J.  F,  Dehass,  1850;  Joseph  McCloskey,  Nel- 
son Askey,  1857;  Nelson  Askey,  James  Batlinrst,  1858-59;  Nel- 
son Askey,  Frederick  Leathers,  1800;  J.  Schenck,  William  Kanp, 
ISCl;  Jacob  Holier,  S.  B.  Leathers,  1802;  Henry  Dopp,  Samuel 
Eeber,  1803  ;  A.  G.  Glenn,  George  Brown,  1804 ;  J.  C.  Smith,  Daniel 
Graham,  Samuel  Fletcher,  1805;  Jonathan  Schenck,  Samuel 
Fletcher,  1806 ;  Jacob  Fletcher,  Frederick  Leathers,  1807;  Samuel 
Wheeler,  Thomas  Adams,  1808  ;  Jacob  Craft,  Adam  Fredericks,  1809 ; 
D.  W.  Schenck,  J.  K.  Leathers,  1871 ;  N.  P.  Riddle,  Daniel  Shank, 
1872;  James  Ueverl.v,  William  T.  Leathers,  1873 ;  James  Hcverly, 
Peter  Haines,  1874;  M.  Confer,  S.  Wheeler,  1875 ;  J.  Fletcher,  M. 
Confer,  1870;  T.  O.  Leathers,  Jonathan  Schenck,  1877  ;  R.  Fletcher, 
Sr.,  Jacob  Deilz,  1878;  Samuel  Bower,  Jacob  Holier,  1879;  R.  C. 
Leathers,  R.  Shank,  1880;  James  Turner,  John  Dunkle,  1881. 

C«m(a(i/e>i.— David  Tipton,  1810-11;  James  Gardner,  1812-13;  Jacob 
Hcldman,  1814-10;  Samnel  Gardner,  1817;  Michael  Meese,  1818-20; 
John  Grube,  1821;  John  Leggit,  1822;  Frederick  Pletcher,  1823; 
Samuel  Gardner,  1824;  Oliver  McClure,  1826-26;  Samuel  Helman, 
1827-2S;  George  Helman,  18.9;  &vniuel  Garner,  1830;  Samuel  Hel- 
man, 1831-32  ;  George  Cline,  1833;  Jacob  Baker,  1834-35;  William 
Tipton,  1830-37;  J.  Baker,  1838;  .lolin  Bickley,  1839;  J.  B.  Milli- 
ken, 1840-41;  J.  M.  Barnhart,  1842-43;  James  McHaffle,  1844-45; 
Robert  Montgomery,  1840;  David  Shank,  1847;  David  Brickley, 
1848-19;  John  Uughes,  1850;  E.  Fletcher,  1851;  A.  Tipton,  1852; 


L.  H.  Mnffl.v,  1833 ;  Wesley  Adams,  1854  ;  Samuel  Brickley,  1855-58; 
John  G.  Waltz,  1859-63;  John  Glusiier,  1804;  Frank  Lyman,  18C5: 
J.  L.  Holtor,  1860;  B  V.  Butler,  1867;  Tiieodore  Lealheni,  1808; 
David  Cox,  1809;  II.  B.  Glover,  187";  M.  P.  Holler,  1871  ;  Ciirlis  De 
Haas,  1872;  Jonathiin  Shank,  1873;  J.  M.  Kline.  1874-76;  F.  S. 
Bower,  1877;  J.  M.  Kline,  1878-79;  J.  M.  Kline,  1880;  B.  Plelclier, 
1881. 

School  Directors.— Michael  Knoll,  John  Rupert,  Joseph  Baker,  1837; 
John  Hall,  Daniel  Shenk,  1838;  Samuel  Bevlitcl,  John  Fox,  IMO; 
W.J.  Mitchell,  John  Hale,  1841  ;  Philip  Barnhart,  Joseph  numgard- 
ner,  1842;  John  Fox,  M.  Shank,  Jr.,  1843;  J.  Baker,  George  Brown. 
1814;  W.J.  Mitchell,  Henry  Dopp,  1845;  Samuel  Weber,  William 
Riddle,  1840;  John  Packer,  Alexander  Miles,  1847;  Samuel  Baker, 
John  M.  liarnbart,  1848;  James  Ileverly,  Calvin  Sandere,  1849;  N. 
J.  Mitchell,  M.  F.  nines,  1850;  O.Baker,  L.  Bathurst,  1851;  Alex- 
ander Miles,  M.  Hogan,  1852;  J.  W.  Clark,  J.  Heverly,  Jonalhan 
Scherrick,  1833  :  J.  P.  Packer, Thomas  Hiiphes,  18.'.4  ;  John  Hughes, 
B.  Taylor,  T.  Montgomery,  1853 ;  D.  W.  Hall,  Mathew  Adams,  185S; 
M.  P.  Ilinos,  1857:  William  Kanp,  Jacob  Baker,  Jacob  Holter,  A. 
Cheesman,  1858;  Samuel  Fletcher,  A.Ciissman,  1859;  Jacob  Holter, 
William  Randall,  1600;  James  Heverly,  George  Meese,  1601 ;  John 
Irwin,  C.  Saunders,  1802;  S.  B.  Leal  hers,  Jacob  Holler,  18C3;  A.J. 
Gardner,  J.  C.  Smith,  1804;  Henry  Holter,  Michael  Confer,  1865; 
H.  Dopp,  Ephraim  Glenn,  1866;  Henry  Glosiler,  Michael  Fletcher, 
1807;  James  Antis,  Jona.  Sliiink,  1868;  J.  K.  Bi.ak,  M.  Stewart,  B. 
Vied.Sers,  William  White,  1869;  John  P.  Hudson,  Balser  Weber, 
1870;  C.  Beamer,  Samuel  Pletcher,  1871:  James  Turner,  James  L. 
Holter,  1873;  A.  L.  Holler,  J.  K.  Lealhei-s,  1872;  M .  Confer,  J.  B. 
Leathers,  1874  :  James  llcverl}',  J.  C.  Smilh,  1875  ;  George  D.  John- 
ston, J.  L.  Hotter,  1870;  Samuel  Stine,  William  Taylor,  1877;  J.  R. 
Leathers,  Ad.  Boyer,  1878;  D.  B.  Pletcher,  D.  W.  Shank,  1879;  G. 
B.  Lucas,  A.  C.  Glenn,  1880;  J.  K.  Leathers,  J.  F.  Montgomery, 
1S81. 

Jmlicea  of  the  Peace. — Jacob  Baker,  Joseph  Montgomery,  1840, 1845, 1850  ; 
JoB-ph  Mahafry,  1852;  Jacob  Baker,  1855;  James  Maliaffy,  1857  ; 
.Tacob  Baker,  1800;  James  Maliaffy,  1802;  John  Leathers,  1800; 
Jonathan  Schenck,  1807;  Jared  Pletcher,  1868;  J.  H.  Beates,  1869; 
F.  S.  Long,  1871;  J.  M.  Kline,  1872;  Austin  Lucas,  1873;  Z.  S. 
Welch,  1874 ;  J.  R.  Leathers,  1870;  James  Antes,  1877 ;  D.  B.  Pletcher, 
1878;  D.  S.  Dunham,  1879;  J.  W.  Adams,  1880. 

Borough  Incorporation.— The  act  approved  May 
3,  1804,  incorporated  the  town  of  Howard  into  a  bor- 
ough. Sec:ion  1  recites  "that  the  town  of  Howard, 
in  tlie  county  of  Centre,  shall  be  and  the  same  is 
hereby  erected  into  a  borough,  which  shall  be  called 
the  borough  of  Howard,  and  shall  be  bounded  and 
limited  as  follows,  to  wit:  beginning  at  the  Bald  Eagle 
and  Spring  Creek  Canal,  at  or  near  where  the  Bald 
Eagle  public  road  crosses  said  canal ;  thence  south 
thirty-five  degrees  cast  one  hundred  and  eighty-one 
perches  to  a  pine-tree;  thence  north  fifty-five  degrees 
east  one  hundred  and  eighty-seven  perches  to  turn- 
pike road  ;  thence  by  a  continued  line  along  said  road 
north  twenty-five  degrees  west  sixty-six  perches  to  a 
stone;  thence  soutli  sixty-two  degrees  west  twenty- 
eight  perches  to  a  stone ;  thence  along  the  lands  of 
the  Howard  Furnace  north  thirty-five  degrees  west 
ninety-three  perches  to  a  stone ;  thence  south  seventy- 
two  degrees  west  one  hundred  and  twenty-one  perches 
to  the  Bald  Eagle  and  Spring  Creek  Canal;  thence 
along  the  north  side  of  said  canal  to  the  place  of  be- 
ginning." 

The  act  provided  further  that  the  borough  officials 
should  be  one  burgess,  five  councilmen,  three  school 
directors,  one  constable,  two  justices,  one  judge  of 
election,  two  inspectors  of  elections,  and  assessors 
agreeably  to  the  laws  of  the  commonwealth.  Elec- 
tions were  directed  to  be  held  in  the  borough  school- 


32S 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


house,  and  further  directions  given  that  the  tax  levy 
annually  for  borough  purposes  should  not  exceed  four 
mills  on  the  dollar  on  the  valuation  assessed  for  county 
purposes.  Following  is  the  borough  civil  list  from 
1864  to  1881 : 

Jiislkes  nf  Ihe  Peace— Jacoh  Baker,  James  SliOmffy,  July  0, 1SC4;  J.ncob 
Baker,  George  Sperring.  March  22,  ISOO;  Jacob  Uakrr,  George  Sper- 
riiig,  Marcli  14, 1S74;  David  W.  Fletcher,  May  31,1880;  GcrfteSpor- 
riiig,  Jacob  Baker,  April  5,  1879;  N.  P.  RiUUle,  April  9,  1681. 

Howard  Borough.— The  borough  of  Howard  is 
situated  in  the  Bald  Eagle  valley,  fifteen  miles  from 
Loclc  Haven,  and  eleven  and  a  half  miles  from  Belle- 
fonte,  the  county-seat.  The  village  is  located  on  a 
survey  made  by  Charles  Lukens  in  1770,  on  an  appli- 
cation of  April  3, 1769,  in  the  name  of  Winston  Dal- 
lam, extending  now  upon  the  Joseph  Wilson  (Packer) 
land,  and  the  James  Jones,  south  of  the  Dallam,  and 
at  the  time  the  town  was  first  started  the  land  was 
owned  by  William  Tipton,  Roland  Curtin,  and  James 
Butler,  each  of  whom  laid  out  and  sold  lots. 

The  pioneer  house  within  the  present  limits  of  the 
borough  was  built  about  the  year  1800  by  William 
Tipton,  and  now  owned  by  his  son,  A.  S.  Tipton. 
About  that  time,  Jacob  and  Joseph  Baker,  natives  of 
Northumberland  County,  each  built  a  house,  the 
former  the  one  owned  and  occupied  by  Rev.  Nathan 
J.  Mitchell,  and  the  latter  the  one  now  owned  by  the 
heirs  of  Samuel  Leathers.  About  the  year  1814, 
James  Crawford  built  the  house  now  owned  by  Mr. 
David  McKinney.  A  year  or  so  later,  Samuel  Cow- 
perthwaite  built  a  house,  now  the  property  of  Jacob 
Z.  Long,  southwest  of  Crawford's.  Not  far  from  that 
time  a  log  church  was  erected  by  the  Mennonites,  a 
sect  of  German  Baptists,  and  stood  near  the  site  of 
the  present  Methodist  Church,  and  was  removed  in 
1825. 

In  1843  the  Methodists  built  a  frame  church  on  the 
same  lot,  which  was  subsequently  removed  to  make 
room  for  the  present  fine  brick  edifice,  erected  in  1875. 
At  a  very  early  day  a  mill  was  built  at  the  east  end 
of  what  is  now  the  borough,  and  operated  for  many 
years  by  John  Miller.  It  was  subsequently  aban- 
doned, and  a  few  years  ago  replaced  by  the  present 
mill,  owned  by  T.  A.  Long. 

The  first  store  in  Howard  was  started  in  1880  by  H. 
B.  Packer,  a  brother  of  Governor  Packer.  When  he 
ordered  his  first  stock  of  goods  he  made  the  trip  to 
Philadelphia  on  horseback.  Soon  after  he  opened 
his  store  he  was  commissioned  postmaster,  the  first  in 
the  borough. 

Among  the  many  highly  respected  citizens  of  the 
borough  may  be  mentioned  the  Rev.  Nathan  J.  Mitch- 
ell, the  head  of  the  Disciples'  Church  in  Central  Penn- 
sylvania. He  was  born  March  2,  180S,  in  Washing- 
ton County,  this  State,  and  came  to  Howard  in  1832 
from  Stark  County,  Ohio,  where  he  had  just  married 
a  sister  of  Governor  Packer.  Mr.  Mitchell  is  a  man 
of  great  intelligence,  being  well  informed  on  general 


topics  as  well  as  the  doctrines  of  his  church,  an|J  has 
many  warm  personal  friends  in  Centre  County. 

Among  the  many  public  improvements  in  and 
around  the  borough,  there  is  none  more  worthy  of 
notice  than  the  county  bridge  spanning  the  Bald 
Eagle  Creek  near  this  place,  and  built  in  1877,  of 
which  the  following  is  a  description  : 

The  bridge  is  a  very  handsome  structure,  and  is  the 
work  of  Murray,  Dougal  &  Co.,  of  Milton,  whose  en- 
gineer is  William  H.  Law,  Esq.,  under  whose  super- 
intendence the  bridge  was  erected.  It  is  a  double 
cancellated  high  truss-bridge  of  eleven  panels,  with 
pin  connections.  Its  length  is  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
five  feet,  with  a  clear  width  of  roadway  of  sixteen 
feet.  The  height  of  the  truss  is  twenty-two  feet  from 
centre  to  centre  of  chord-pins,  and  the  carrying  ca- 
pacity of  the  bridge  is  eighty  pounds  per  superficial 
foot,  with  a  factor  of  five  pounds  for  safety.  It  is 
very  handsomely  designed,  and  the  workmanship  • 
combinas  strength  and  beauty.  There  is  a  neatness 
of  finisH  about  the  whole  concern  seldom  met  with  in 
structures  of  this  kind.  Unlike  the  ordinary  wooden 
bridge,  there  are  no  huge  stone  piers  under  it  to  ob- 
struct the  channel  of  the  creek  or  interfere  with  the 
view  up  or  down  the  stream.  It  is  simply  a  single 
span,  and  the  whole  weight  passing  over  it  is,  by  its 
scientific  construction,  thrown  upon  the  abutments  at 
either  end.  These  abutments  are  magnificent  speci- 
mens of  masonry,  and  are  the  work  of  Mr.  Martin 
McNerny,  or  rather  was  built  under  his  superin- 
tendence and  direction.  It  is  calculated  to  support 
safely  a  weight  of  one  hundred  tons. 

There  were  in  the  borough  in  1877  two  churches, 
Methodist  Episcopal  and  Disciples,  one  public  school 
building  with  accommodations  for  two  schools,  Odd- 
Fellows'  lodge,  three  ministers, — Revs.  N.  J.  Mitchell 
(Disciples),  W.  E.  Detwiller  (Evangelical),  and  J. 
B.  Ackers  (Methodist),  stores,  shops,  etc.,  such  as  are 
usual  in  towns  of  this  size. 

The  business  men  of  the  town  in  that  year  were 
Lucas  &  Brothers,  S.  F.  Kline,  Robert  Cook,  and  B. 
Weber  &  Co.,  dry  goods  and  groceries ;  B.  F.  Troxell 
and  John  Deal,  tinware  and  stoves;  A.  G.  Sharp, 
jeweler ;  H.  C.  Holter,  cabinet-maker  and  undertaker ; 
B.  F.  Holter  and  Thomas  Mallory,  blacksmiths; 
Samuel  Brickley,  shoe-store ;  H.  B.  Grove,  wagon- 
maker  and  butcher;  L.  R.  Hensyl,  physician  ;  D.  W. 
Fletcher,  cabinet-maker  and  stair-builder;  James 
Mahaffy,  confect'oner  and  postmaster;  Howard  A. 
Moore,  druggist,  and  H.  V.  Shaffer,  proprietor  of  the 
"Syracuse  House." 

The  first  plot  of  lots  with  streets  and  alleys  was 
made  under  the  direction  of  A.  S.  Tipton,  who  dedi- 
cated streets  and  alleys  and  sold  the  first  lot  of  the 
plot  to  Samuel  Brickley  July  7,  1853.  George  Sper- 
ring,  one  of  the  ju.stices  of  the  borough,  is  a  native  of 
England,  and  came  to  this  county  in  1835.  Tiie 
other  justice  of  the  peace  is  Jacob  Baker,  of  whom 
the  following  is  a  brief  sketch  of  his   official   life : 


HOWARD    TOWNSHIP. 


329 


Jacob  Baker,  Esq.,  of  Howard,  Centre  Co.,  is  one  of 
the  oldest,  if  not  the  oldest,  justice  of  the  peace  in 
the  State.  He  holds  nine  commissions.  He  was 
elected  in  1840,  when  the  law  was  changed  from  the 
appointing  power,  and  has  served  as  justice  of  the 
peace  ever  since.  When  Howard  was  organized  as  a 
borough  he  still  had  a  portion  of  the  term  to  serve 
for  the  township  ;  but  the  citizens  supposed  that  by 
reason  of  the  change  he  would  not  legally  be  a  justice 
of  the  peace  for  the  borough,  re-elected  him  for  a 
full  term  of  five  years,  which  gives  him  the  nine  com- 
missions. He  was  first  elected  as  a  Whig,  and  re- 
elected by  the  Republicans  wjien  that  party  was 
organized.  Notwithstanding  there  have  been  many 
political  changes  in  the  township  and  town,  he  has 
always  been  successful. 

Howard  Iron-Works. — These  works  are  situated 
in  part  a  half-mile  east  of  Howard  borough.  Lauth's 
new  rolling-mill  being  still  farther  down  the  creek. 
The  old  works  were  built  in  1829  by  Harris,  Thomas 
&  Co, — Joseph  Harris,  James  D.  Harris,  and  E.  M. 
Thomas.  They  built  a  charcoal  blast  furnace,  getting 
their  ore  from  Nittany  valley  at  a  distance  of  three 
and  four  miles.  In  1833,  W.  A.  Thomas  and  Jacob 
Lex  became  interested  in  the  works,  and  the  firm  was 
Harris,  Lex  &  Harris.  In  1837  Joseph  Harris  built 
the  dam  for  the  canal  company,  and  the  canal  was 
finished  from  Marsh  Creek,  and  a  passage  cut  from 
the  creek  near  the  dam  to  the  works.  The  company 
then  built  another  stack.  Lex  went  out,  and  A.  S.  Val- 
entine obtained  an  interest.  In  1840  the  company 
built  a  rolling-mill  at  a  cost  of  ten  thousand  dollars, 
and  began  to  roll  iron  that  fall.  Jacob  V.  Thomas 
&  Co.  rented  the  works  from  1843-48.  In  the  latter 
year  Hon.  John  Irwin,  Jr.,  went  there  as  superin- 
tendent and  part  owner,  carrying  on  the  works  under 
the  firm-name  of  Irwin,  Thomas  &  Co.,  E.  J.  Etting, 
AV.  A.  Thomas,  Sr.  and  Jr.,  being  Mr.  Irwin's  part- 
ners. In  1854,  B.  Etting  went  into  the  company,  and 
the  firm-name  was  changed  to  John  Irwin,  Jr.,  &  Co., 
which  was  succeeded  in  1865  by  Griscom  Bright  & 
Co.  In  1809  the  property  was  purchased  by  the 
First  National  Bank,  and  in  September,  1871,  Ber- 
nard Lauth, the  present  proprietor,  came  there  andhas 
made  it  one  of  the  most  valuable  properties  in  the 
county,  his  rolling-mill  turning  out  a  style  of  iron 
superior,  perhaps,  to  any  in  the  United  States. 


BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCH. 


BERNARD  LAUTH. 
Bernard  Lauth,  now  proprietor  of  Howard  Iron- 
Works,  was  born  in  the  province  of  Alsace  (since  the 
Franco-German  war  included  in  the  German  Empire) 
on  the  23d  of  August,  1820.  He  is  lineally  descended 
from  Dr.  William  Laud,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury 
(1633),  who  was  beheaded  (Jan.  10,  1645)  by  an  arbi- 


trary decree  of  Parliament  during  the  troubled  times 
of  the  latter  years  of  the  reign  of  Charles  I.  Arch- 
bishop Laud's  widow,  with  eleven  sons,  migrated  to 
Alsace,  and  the  name  of  the  family,  through  the  idiom 
of  the  German  language,  changed  to  that  of  Lauth. 

The  grandfather  and  grandmother  of  Bernard 
Lauth,  with  his  father  and  mother,  emigrated  to 
America,  arriving  in  Pittsburgh  in  the  spring  of  1831. 
Mr.  Lauth  was  one  of  seven  children  of  his  parents, 
all  of  whom  lived  to  grow  up,  and  himself  has  all  his 
seven  children  spared  to  him. 

The  worldly  possessions  of  the  family  did  not  ex- 
ceed ten  dollars  when  they  arrived  at  Pittsburgh,  and 
his  father  went  to  work  at  fifty  cents  per  day,  and 
Bernard,  not  having  completed  his  eleventh  year, 
went  to  work  in  Dr.  Peter  Shoenberger's  iron-works 
at  one  dollar  a  week.  Commencing  at  the  lowest  round 
of  the  business,  pulling  up  the  furnace-door,  he  passed 
through  every  stage  until  he  became  a  boss  roller,  and 
was  enabled  to  earn  as  high  as  twenty-eight  dollars 
per  day.  He  remained  at  Shoenberger's  works  for 
seven  years,  and  was  then  employed  as  boss  roller  at 
Hoke  &  Hartman's,  on  the  ea.st  side  of  the  river. 

Mr.  Lauth  was  married  in  1840  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Wilhelm,  and  remained  in  charge  at  Hoke  &  Hart- 
man's  until  1844.  In  1847,  Mr.  Lauth  went  into  busi- 
ness for  himself  at  Zanesville,  Ohio,  and  in  company 
with  others  built  a  rolling-mill.  He  was  there  a  little 
over  five  years,  when  he  removed  to  East  Birmingham, 
Pittsburgh,  and  built  a  rolling-mill  in  connection  with 
his  brother  on  the  site  of  an  orchard.  This  enterprise 
developed  into  the  immense  "American  Iron-Works" 
of  Jones  &  Laughlins,  which  employs  thirty-five 
hundred  men,  the  firm  being  Jones  &  Lauth  until 
Mr.  Lauth  retired.  While  thus  engaged  (in  1857)  he 
made  his  invention  for  the  manufacture  of  cold-rolled 
shafting.  The  one-half  of  the  shafting  used  in  the 
great  Centennial  building  at  Philadelphia,  in  1870,  was 
rolled  at  these  works. 

Mr.  Lauth  sold  his  right  to  Jones  &  Laughlins  for 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  then  went  to  Eng- 
land. While  there  he  made  his  second  important  in- 
vention, which  he  had  patented  in  the  United  States, 
for  rolling  plates, — Lauth's  three  high  ]>late  rolls. 
He  had  his  family  with  him  in  Europe  for  four  years, 
in  order  to  give  his  children  a  good  education.  Mr. 
Lauth's  third  invention  was  a  continuous  mill  for 
rolling  band  iron  of  every  description,  for  hoops, 
bands,  etc.  Its  value  may  be  judged  from  the  fact 
that  he  sold  a  half  interest  in  it  to  the  Bethlehem 
Iron  Company  for  seventy-five  thousand  dollars  and 
a  royalty  of  fifty  cents  per  ton. 

His  fourth  invention,  made  in  1866,  was  for  straight- 
ening and  angling  beam-iron  mostly  cold.  On  his 
return  from  Europe,  Mr.  Lauth  engaged  in  business 
at  Reading,  Pa.,  where  he  built  a  sheet-mill  for  roll- 
ing sheets  and  plates,  which  was  finished  just  as  the 
war  closed.  In  this  mill  he  still  retains  an  interest. 
From  Reading  he  removed  to  Howard  in  September, 


330 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


1871.  The  works  at  Howard  were  very  much  dilapi- 
dated when  he  took  hold  of  them,  and  he  has  re- 
modeled and  renewed  them  almost  entirely,  built  new 
and  handsome  dwelling-houses,  erected  a  beautiful 
Catholic  Chapel,  and  with  a  new  rolling-mill,  erected 
in  1882,  has  one  of  the  best  iron-works  in  Centre 
County.  There  are  six  hundred  and  twelve  acres  in 
the  premises  known  as  the  Howard  Iron- Works,  with 
five  hundred  and  twenty-eight  acres  of  ore  land  ap- 
purtenant. Mr.  Lauth  has  spent  over  two  hundred 
thousand  dollars  in  improvements  at  Howard  and  at 
the  ore  banks  ;  one  well  alone  cost  him  twelve  thou- 
sand dollars.  The  works  consist  of  rolling-mills,  two 
charcoal  blast-furnaces  and  forge,  puddling-furnace, 
etc.  He  uses  steam  and  water-power,  having  three 
steam-engines  and  five  turbine  wheels.  The  charcoal 
is  brought  on  his  own  cars,  mostly  from  Snow  Shoe. 
At  the  works  and  in  the  mines  he  gives  employment 
to  over  two  hundred  men.  Mr.  Lauth's  oldest  son, 
John  N.,  resides  in  California;  his  second  son,  B.  C. 
Lauth,  in  Philadelphia.  His  five  daughters  have  all 
married  and  moved  to  homes  of  their  own. 


CHAPTER  LXXIV. 

HUSTON    TOWNSHIP. 

Surveys. — The  earliest  surveys  in  Huston  were 
made  along  the  creek  under  applications  of  April  3, 
1769.  Martha  Furnace  is  located  on  one  of  these.  The 
James  Lochlin,  surveyed  Nov.  7, 1776,  is  also  located 
here.  Next  below  is  the  Bryan  O'Hara  of  the  same 
date,  also  north  of  the  creek.  Next  below  the  Bryan 
O'Hara  is  the  Joseph  Arbor  warrant  of  July  1,  1784, 
surveyed  Nov.  7,  1784,  known  as  "  Mud  Lick."  Next 
below,  the  William  Hussey,  surveyed  on  an  applica- 
tion of  3d  of  A]iril,  1769,  on  the  north  side  of  the 
creek.  George  Richards  was  the  first  settler  on  this, 
where  John  Campbell,  Esq.,  now  lives.  It  extends 
down  to  Evans'  Run,  at  Julian,  and  part  of  Julian  is 
upon  it.  Next  below  it,  the  run  forming  its  western 
boundary,  is  the  David  Evans,  two  hundred  and 
nineteen  acres,  on  which  is  the  grist-mill  and  part 
of  Julian,  surveyed  Nov.  8,  1770.  Passmore  built 
the  first  mill  here.  Below  the  David  Evans,  and  about 
one  mile  and  a  half  east  of  Julian,  Thomas  Parsons, 
the  first  settler,  made  his  improvement,  marking  his 
own  lines.  North  of  David  Evans  and  Thomas  Par- 
sons are  the  John  Friend  and  Francis  Bailey  warrants 
of  Dec.  24,  1792,  surveyed  in  July,  1793.  North  of 
the  Evans  and  Julian,  along  Evans'  Run,  was  the 
Brown  improvement,  and  west  of  it,  interfering  with 
it,  and  north  of  the  Hussey,  is  the  Richard  Malone 
warrant  of  Feb.  13,  1794.  North  of  them  the  William 
Chancellor,  Bernard  Gratz,  etc.,  warrants  of  24th  De- 
cember, 1792. 

The  whole  of  the  northern  part  of  the  township  is 


covered  by  a  large  block  of  surveys  formerly  belong- 
ing to  the  Gratz  warrants  dated  Dec.  24,  1792,  and 
surveyed  in  July,  1793,  except  a  warrant  of  1784  in 
the  name  of  Jesse  Shoemaker,  north  of  Mud  Lick. 
The  surveys  of  1793  come  down  and  interfere  with 
the  old  surveys  along  the  creek,  the  Jacob  Morgan 
and  John  Singer  covering  the  James  Lochlin,  at 
Martha  Furnace,  etc.  The  southern  base  of  Huston, 
along  Muncy  Mountain,  is  covered  also  by  warrants 
of  Dec.  24,  1792,  in  the  names  of  the  Kuhns,  also 
owned  at  one  time  by  Gratz,  and  sold  out  to  different 
parties,  William  A.  Thomas  in  his  lifetime  buying 
the  residue.  David  Kilgore  was  one  of  the  earliest 
settlers  after  the  Revolutionary  war  upon  the  Samuel 
Mattern  place. 

Township  Organization. — In  November,  1837, 
sundry  inhabitants  of  Patton  township  presented  a 
petition  to  the  court  reciting  that  the  natural  division 
of  the  township  made  by  Muncy  Mountain  caused 
much  inconvenience  to  many  in  the  transaction  of 
township  business,  and  praying  for  a  legal  division  of 
the  township  by  the  mountain  line.  The  court  ap- 
pointed as  commissioners  Joseph  B.  Shngert,  John 
Rankin,  and  Samuel  I.  Green,  who  made  a  report 
April,  1838,  but  the  court  refused  to  confirm  their 
report,  and  appointed  other  commissioners, — David 
Mitchell,  Charles  Carpenter,  and  George  Sheneberger. 
They  made  report  August,  1838,  making  the  division 
line  the  top  of  Muncy  Mountain.  The  court  con- 
firmed this  last  report,  and  named  the  new  township 
Huston,  for  the  Hon.  Charles  Huston,  a  late  i^resident 
judge  of  the  court,  and  one  of  the  judges  of  the  Su- 
preme Court  of  the  State. 


TAX-PATERS   IN    HUSTON,  1840. 


Nil 


•Tames  Ariirey 

Jlichai-1  All.light 

.lohii  A.lains  i  Co.  (saw-mill  and  fnniai-p).. 

Suniiu-I  Ali.r^gl.t 

Eniaiinel  All.riglit 

William  A<iams 

Hci-niaii  Bai-i-tlt 

Andrew  Barrett 

Jacol)  Batlole 

Llltlier  Uarrett 

Cliarles  Bailey 

Thomas  Uenner  &  Brothers 

Sarah  Brown 

Benjamin  Binir 

William  Barrett 

Abram  Bunisarner 

Christian  Bnmgarner 

William  Barnicle 

Peter  Carter 

John  Cook  &Co 

Jesse  Conher 

James    Cnrtin    (postmaster,   fnrnaco     and 

Evel hart  I :liinib;7nvrii"..". !!!.."......... ......... 

Jolin  O.m»tocli '.  

David  Cartwriglit 

John  Cnrtin 

Wasliingtoii  Comstoelc 

Fiedera-k  DoUKhman 

Samnel  Dougliman 

John  Dillon 

James  Dillon,  Jr 

James  Dillon 

William  Dillon 

Alexanrl.-r  Davidson 

Samnel  Davidson 

Hays  Dillon 

Joseph  Davidson 

D.  Donel  

William  El.l.itts 

Henry  Fliek  (saw-mill) 


HUSTON  TOWNSHIP. 


c3l 


Kamc«.  ■*"«»•  H""™-  ^""'° 

Wlllinin  DiiviB I 

.1.  I)oil(-1ienl.oush •■ 

Abrnm  KlUk '■  f  ••  "j 

.l„c..l.  KH.k f'""  *  ^ 

0-mc.'  Kluk ■• 

Ihivi.l  Kliik '■ 

ll,.iir.vFlkk,.Ir •• 

William  0.  Fuley '  V 

Joliu  Kiiik 

Jiic-uli  Fink 

Wiiliiim  llimt.r 

Thomas  Ilam|.t.m •■■  -  "j 

Ilenrv  narlsoL-k  '■^  -  ' 

Al.liiiiiim  Uiulsock ' 

SrvHull^Mn;,;;;;:;::;::;::::::::;;:::-"--:-"::---  ■>»»     '^     '3 

SiininVl  lliitcliinaoii • 

Beiijiiinin  Jolinsun 

Tliomiis  .[..iiiistou 

•loliii  KilliuKov 

FrecliMi.k  Kcllciman 

Jacob  KilliiiKei- 

SHiuuel  Liinen ""  "\ 

H.-nry  T,..nbaigcr } 

Jolm  Miller 

Micliii-1  Miiya 

Jolm  IIUKee V 

^l;;:^;..rM;!ye™!^::::=:::::::::::::::":::::::  ^™     '*     \ 
Ai3MJii\vil^;;;:; 4110     1      1 

liobeitMonii. ■  -  "j 

Mi.liai'l  Mills  1""  -  ' 

James  McUivitt •-  •••  -^ 

John  Mease 300  ^  -! 

Samuel  McGiiib'y 

Ilosw.ll  McLean 

Thomas  MeLelland 

James  McMiilliil ■; 

Daniel  McKivislon , 

James  Ammermnn •■• 

Margaret  Oyles W  -• 

John  MiSeily "V 

^:2fS^n' :::::::::::::::  iSo     i     '2. 

James  I'leison .  9 

Olnislian  Poterf *           -  '■ 

S-iniuel  RicharJs V 

Andrew  Unlch ■ ■••,• "       

Davi.l    I!iehar.ls  (grist-mill,  saw-mill,  and 

clover-mill) 125  i 

John  W  Kichards ••■           "\  o 

Ge.npe  Richards 334            A  i 

John  Roach V 

Isaac  Richards ■■•             '  '  { 

B.  W.  Records 1""           ■•  I 

James  Reed •  ' 

William  Smith "  'j 

Davi.l  Spoils IW          -  ^ 

William  Spotta f"          -  ; 

JohnSpotts Tl".          ■■■  , 

JohnSliver 1'=           -^  ' 

JacobSheik "*  "-j 

Samuel  Stephenson •••          "i  a 

Arthur  Smith 2  »           1  ^ 

John  Smith in 

I.nthcr  Barrett ""^          ■■  "^ 

James  Shannon 

GeorjieSmUb.Jr 

Paniel  Snvder ", 

Ellas  Thompson „■•• 

C:i..ci  R    Tumor /stW-niill')  2    0  ...  ' 

Silas  K.  Inrnei  is.aw-nuu; , 

.Tohn  and  William  Turner «0  ^ 

Robert  Tavlor ', 

Tliomas  Tiernan 

Jesse  Whipple 

•Joseph  Woods 

David  Woods •■ 

Joseph  F.  Williams •  ■  i  ■; 

John  Whinerv  (saw-mill) «"  2 

JobWilliamB 

Gcorse  CI.  Williams ■•• 

David  Williams ^"'^  ■• 

Mark  J.  Will  ams '■ 

William  Williams ••  -,■ 

.Tesse  Williams  (saw-mill)  J«  ^ 

George  Williams,  Jr .;.-■ J™  - 

Mark  Gaud  Sott  Williams  (saw-mill) lai  ' 

Nary  Wagoner ••  ' 

John  F.  Williams ^™  ■^ 

John  W.lsin 

George  Walker 

Paul  Worts "• 

Connid  Yeathers -" 

Albert  Young 

Henry  Yarnell 

George  Bloom 


Acrei   IIone>  Cattle. 


Named 
W  ilium  Birrett 
Il(iir>  Button 
J.ihn  I-ikmbirgcr 
S  mini  I  Kn  hards 
Ti..re  Richalds 
IIlui>    Rulniirls 
Iisso  William-,  Jr 
INrrj  llutchins 
Thomas  K(  I  Iv 
JonnRuunil 
John  •?  \\li:iim3 

CIVIL  LIST. 
JuMcr.oflhe  Peac.-George  Glenu,  John  Smilh,  April  14, 1840;  George 
Glenn,  April  1.5,1845;  Robert  M.  Steel,  April  1".,  IMC;  Joseph  F. 
Williams,  March  W,  1849  ;  John  Smith,  April  14, 1840  ;  John  Smith, 
March  22, 1851 ;  John  Stine,  March  10,1852;  John  Adams,  March 
17  1854;  William  B.  Williams,  March  1:1,18)5;  Th.mias  C.  Beck- 
wi'th  March  17, 1857:  John  Turner,  March  10, 1858;  Samuel  Smith, 
March  12,1801;  John  G.  Shrine,  March  18,1802;  John  J.  Thomp- 
son, March  20,  1804;  R.  Callow,  April  7,  1805;  John  G.  Stine,  March 
18,1807;  John  Adams,  March  2.5,1868;  David  Bai sons,  March  22, 
1809;  John  Craig,  March  7,  1870;  David  Parson.  March  14,1874; 
John  Craig,  March  13,  1875 ;  W.  S.  Williums,  March  18, 1881 ;  John 
Campbell,  April  9,  1878. 

Early  Settlers.— It  is  pretty  well   authenticated 
that  the  first  permanent  settlement  effected  in  Hus- 
ton was  made  by   David  Kilgour.     When  Kilgour 
came  in,  where  he  came  from,  and  what  the  incidents 
attendant  upon  his  pioneer  life,  as  well  as  the  history 
of  his   descendants,  are   subjects  merely  for  vague 
speculation,  since  all  trace  of  him  and  those  who 
bear   his   name  has  disappeared   from   this  region, 
while  no  one  is  at  hand  to  bear  testimony  that  might 
supply  even  a  link  in  the  story.     This  much  is,  how- 
ever, known,  to  wit:  that  Kilgour  came  to  the  valley 
1  not  long  after  the  year  1784;  for  tradition,  as  handed 
'  through  the  Parsons  family,  says  that  when  Thomas 
{  Parsons   returned   to   the   Bald    Eagle   valley   from 
!  Maryland,  in  1784  (after  a  forced  retirement  of  eight 
years),  he  found  no  settlers  west  of  Milesburg;  but 
1  that  in  a  little  while  along  came  David  Kilgour,  who 
'  made  a  clearing  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  Riley 
Mattern,  and  there  made  his  home.    With  that  state- 
ment reference  to  Kilgour  is  necessarily  brought  to 
a  close. 
'      Among  the  earlier  settlers  in  Huston  may  be  named 
Jeremiah  Merritt,  whose  father,  John,  fought  in  the 
Revolution.  Jeremiah  came  from  Sussex  County,  N.  J., 
to  Centre  County  about  1800,  and  made  his  first  clear- 
ing on  the  John  Fugate  form.     His  family  consisted 
then  of  his  wife  and  four  children,  of  the  latter  of 
whom    one,    Mrs.   Catharine   Dillon,   now   lives    in 
Clearfield  County.     In  1833,  Mr.  Merritt  moved  to 
the  place  now  owned  by  Aaron  Thayer,  and  died  in 
1859  on   the   farm  of  his  son  Jeremiah,  Jr.,  aged 
ninety-four.    His  was  a  long-lived  fomily.     All  of  his 
brothers  save  one  participated  with  their  father  in  the 
Revolutionary   struggle.     Of   the   fourteen   children 
born  to  Jeremiah  Merritt,  but  three  are  living.    They 
are  Mrs.  Jane  Johnson,  of  Clarion  County  ;  Jeremiah 
Merritt,  of  Huston  ;   and  Mrs.  Dillon,  of  Clearfield 
County!    Jeremiah  Merritt,  Jr.,  settled  on  his  present 
form    in    1859,  when   there  was   but  little   clearing 
in  the  vicinity. 
In  Huston  the  name  of  Williams  is  a  common  one, 


332 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


and  it  is  borne,  moreover,  by  many  of  the  townsliip's 
most  valued  citizens.  William  Williams,  the  pro- 
genitor of  these  representatives  of  the  name,  was 
born  in  Chester  County,  and  came  from  that  portion 
of  the  State  to  Centre  County  during  the  latter  part 
of  the  eighteenth  century.  He  located  on  Spring 
Creek,  and  there  ended  his  days.  His  sons  were  Job, 
George,  Jesse,  William,  Jr.,  David,  Mark,  and  John. 
Of  them,  Jesse,  George,  David,  William,  and  Job  be- 
came early  settlers  in  the  Bald  Eagle  valley.  George 
was  probably  the  first  of  tlie  family  to  come  to  the 
valley,  and,  as  near  as  can  best  be  ascertained,  he 
came  in  1804.  His  first  location  was  near  the  site  of 
Julian,  but  ultimately  he  removed  to  the  place  now 
occupied  by  J.  W.  Stuart,  who  settled  in  Huston  in 
1852,  where  he  died  in  1835.  His  children  numbered 
thirteen,  of  whom  twelve  grew  to  maturity.  Four 
are  now  living,  to  wit:  Mrs.  J.  W.  Stuart,  of  Huston, 
Hannah  Davis,  George  Williams,  and  John  Williams, 
of  Clearfield  County. 

Jesse  followed  his  brother  George,  and  bought  of 
Joseph  Potter  an  improvement  right  on  a  tract  now 
occupied  and  owned  by  Mark  J.  Williams,  son  of 
Jesse.  Jesse  soon  concluded  he  did  not  like  the  loca- 
tion, and  sold  it  to  his  brother  David,  but  within  a 
year  changed  his  mind  once  more,  and  bought  the 
place  back  from  David  for  "  a  good  fat  hog."  Of  the 
other  brothers.  Job,  David,  and  William  settled  in 
what  is  now  Worth  township.  Job  Williams  married 
one  of  the  daughters  of  William  Kelley,  who  came 
from  Path  valley  to  the  Bald  Eagle  at  an  early  day, 
after  having  served  an  active  campaign  in  the  war  of 
the  Revolution.  Prominent  among  the  arrivals  was 
David  Richards.  He  settled  in  the  Half-Moon  valley 
about  1800,  and  in  1817  bought  a  tract  of  wild  land 
in  what  is  now  Huston,  and  made  his  home  upon  the 
place  now  owned  by  Miss  Hannah  Richards  and  her 
sister,  Mrs.  Miles.  David  Richards  was  a  sturdy, 
active  pioneer  and  a  man  of  enterprise.  He  cleared 
a  farm  and  built  on  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek  a  grist-mill, 
clover-mill,  and  a  saw-mill.  The  small  settlement 
that  clustered  about  those  industries  was  known  as 
Locust  Mills,  and  is  known  by  that  name  at  the 
present  day.  In  1840  the  mills  were  burned,  but  im- 
mediately rebuilt.  At  the  death  of  David  Richards 
the  mill  business  was  continued  by  his  son,  John  W. 
The  property  is  now  owned  by  George  Woodring  and 
the  widow  of  Isaac  Richards.  David  Richards  died  on 
the  old  farm  about  1850.  His  four  sons  were  John  W. 
(who  died  on  the  Richards  homestead  in  1877),  Samuel 
(who  resides  in  Jefferson  County),  David  (who  died 
when  young,  in  Mississippi),  and  Isaac  (who  died  in 
Huston).  The  living  cliildren  of  John  W.  Richards 
are  Hannah  D.  Richards  and  Mrs.  George  Miles. 
The  Richards  grist-mill  is  now  carried  on  by  George 
AVoodring,  who  leased  it  in  1876,  and  owns  now  one- 
third  interest  in  the  property.  The  mill  is  fitted  with 
two  runs  of  stone.  Custom-work  is  the  main  business, 
although  shipments  of  "  Locust  Mills"  flour  are  made 


to  some  extent.  Mr.  Woodring  commenced  milling 
in  August,  1867,  and  to  1876  milled  at  Port  Matilda, 
Curwensville,  Unionville,  and  Roopsburg.  Mr.  Wood- 
ring's  grandfather,  Samuel  Woodring,  came  from 
Berks  County  about  1815,  and  settled  in  what  is  now 
Worth  township,  upon  the  place  now  occupied  by 
John  Woodring.  Of  Samuel  Woodring's  five  sons, 
Peter  died  in  1863,  Abram  died  in  Cambria  County 
in  1881  (aged  eighty),  Samuel  lives  in  Worth,  James 
died  in  Worth,  and  Aaron  lives  in  Huntingdon 
County. 

John  Turner,  a  survivor  of  the  Revolution,  made 
his  home  in  the  forests  of  the  Bald  Eagle  valley  not 
long  after  the  year  1800.  He  died  in  1820,  on  the 
present  Turner  farm,  at  the  age  of  eighty.  His  son, 
John  Turner,  Jr.,  cleared  the  present  Turner  farm, 
having  married  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Brown,  him- 
self an  early  settler  on  the  Parsons  place,  and  later 
on  the  mountains  back  of  the  Turner  place.  John 
Turner,  Jr.,  had  four  sons  and  three  daughters,  of 
whom  the  only  ones  living  are  Mary  Ann  Gaboon 
and  John  Turner,  the  latter  of  wliom  owns  the  Tur- 
ner homestead.  To  the  original  two  hundred  acres 
he  has  added  two  hundred.  The  oldest  farm  in  the 
ridges  back  of  Julian  is  probably  the  George  Rowin 
place  (improved  by  Silas  Brown),  the  second  oldest 
the  one  cleared  by  Thomas  Brown,  and  the  third  old- 
est the  present  Turner  place.  The  John  Craig  farm 
was  cleared  by  Henry  Flick  at  a  moderately  early 
date.  Touching  the  Rowin  place,  Mr.  Rowin  relates 
that  in  1880  he  cut  on  his  place  some  apple-trees  that 
were  to  his  satisfaction  at  least  eighty  years  old,  and 
probably  even  older.  It  seems  a  matter  of  surprise 
at  this  day  that  a  settlement  should  have  been  at- 
tempted so  far  back  in  a  locality  so  far  removed  from 
the  more  inviting  and  more  jjopulous  valley,  almost 
inaccessible,  moreover,  by  reason  of  forest  and  hill, 
but  there  may  appear  a  good  reason  in  the  knowledge 
that  many  early  settlers  were  simply  squatters,  and 
with  many  the  chief  consideration  was  the  selection 
of  isolated  spots,  where  they  might  remain  in  undis- 
turbed possession  until  such  time  as  they  could  ob- 
tain a  revenue  from  the  soil,  and  so  manage  to  com- 
mand the  purchase-money,  which  it  would  have  been 
almost  impossible  to  produce  upon  their  first  entrance 
into  the  territory.  Such,  probably,  was  at  all  events 
the  mdtive  that  urged  Silas  Brown  to  make  his  first 
home  in  the  far-off' ridges.  About  1820,  Daniel  Yoth- 
ers  removed  from  York  County  to  Centre  County,  and 
settled  in  Boggs  township,  upon  the  Snow  Shoe  turn- 
pike, where  William  Smoyer  lives.  There  he  followed 
the  pursuits  of  farming  and  blacksmithing  until  his 
death,  in  1849.  Of  his  seven  children  two  are  living, 
— Daniel  in  Indiana,  and  Benjamin  in  Illinois.  John, 
another  son,  settled  in  Boggs,  and  died  in  Huston  on 
the  old  Flick  farm,  in  1877,  aged  seventy-four. 

Adam  Wagner,  of  Union  County,  migrated  to  the 
Bald  Eagle  valley  in  1825.  He  had  been  a  miller  in 
Union  County,  but  in  Centre  County  devoted  his  en- 


HUSTON   TOWNSHIP. 


333 


ergies  to  lumbering  and  farming.  He  died  at  Martha 
in  1834.  Of  liis  nine  children,  John  D.  Wagner  was 
the  only  one  boru  in  Centre  County.  The  last-named 
served  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  as  a  member  of 
Company  H,  One  Hundred  and  Forty-eighth  Regi- 
ment Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  and  resides  now  near 
Martha.  The  other  living  cliildren  of  Adam  Wagner 
are  Mrs.  Mary  Young  and  Mrs.  Eliza  Williams,  of 
Clearfield  County,  Mrs.  Margaret  Jones,  of  Port  Ma- 
tilda, and  Mrs.  Nancy  Eberts,  of  Worth.  William 
Campbell,  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  in  the  Bald 
Eagle  valley,  married  one  of  the  daughters  of  Thom.is 
Parsons.  He  lived  and  died  in  Union  township,  hav- 
ing occupied  first  the  Iddings  place,  and  lastly  the 
Thompson  place,  which  latter  he  cleared.  There  he 
was  accidentally  killed  in  1818,  while  thrashing.  Of 
his  ten  children,  but  two  are  living, — John  in  Huston, 
and  Thomas  in  Indiana.  Incidental  to  the  period  of 
Thomas  Parsons'  early  experiences  as  a  pioneer  in  the 
Bald  Eagle  valley,  it  is  related  that  more  than  once, 
after  begging  Indians  had  received  their  fill  at  his 
cabin,  they  would  inform  him  that  the  next  morning 
he  would  find  a  deer  at  such  and  such  a  tree  hard  by. 
Sure  enough,  upon  repairing  to  the  spot  at  the  ap- 
pointed time.  Parsons  would  find  the  deer  as  a  gift  in 
return  for  his  kindly  hospitality. 

Tradition  reports  that  six  men  passing  over  what  is 
now  known  as  the  Edmistou  place  were  ambushed  by 
Indians,  and  three  of  their  number  slain. 

The  old  State  road  in  the  valley  crossed  the  moun- 
tains at  the  present  site  of  Julian,  passing  up  Laurel 
Run  hollow.  On  the  road  in  the  ridges  was  the  old 
Fulton  tavern-stand,  and  in  the  valley,  where  the 
highway  turned  towards  the  mountain,  was  a  log  tav- 
ern, of  which  the  builder  and  first  landlord  was  James 
Glenn.  Mr.  Glenn  built  a  log  grist-mill  at  that  point, 
and  the  story  goes  that  the  race  was  dug  wholly  by 
his  two  daughters.  Subsequent  "proprietors  of  the 
tavern  and  mill  were  David  Ryman,  Archy  Moore, 
and  one  Evans. 

Among  other  old  settlers  in  Huston  may  be  men- 
tioned Mr.  Crumbaugh,  a  Hessian,  who  fought  with 
the  British  in  the  Revolution,  and  who,  upon  the  ter- 
mination of  the  conflict,  concluded  to  be  an  American 
pioneer.  He  married  the  Widow  Albright,  whose 
son  Michael,  now  a  I'esident  of  Huston,  is  upwards  of 
ninety  years  of  age.  There  were  also  Andrew  Barrett, 
a  weaver,  Job  Packer,  and  Michael  Brown. 

J.  A.  J.  Fugate,  now  residing  in  Huston,  was  born 
in  Half-Moon  valley,  where  his  father,  John  W.,  be- 
fore him  was  born.  In  1855,  John  W.  Fugate  and 
his  son  opened  the  first  store  known  to  Port  Matilda. 
John  W.  Fugate  died  at  Julian  in  1861.  J.  A.  J. 
Fugate  served  two  years  and  ten  months  during  the 
Rebellion  as  a  member  of  Company  H,  One  Hundred 
and  Forty-eighth  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Volun- 
teers. 

James  Glenn,  who  kept  a  hotel  at  fin  early  day  at 
where  Julian  now  stands,  came  from  Londonderry  on 


the  ship  "  Happy  Return,"  arriving  in  Philadelphia 
May  25, 1790.  He  married  Catherine  Curry,  of  Ches- 
ter County,  in  1795,  and  moved  to  Centre  County  in 
1804-5.  Their  son  Andrew  was  born  Feb.  20,  1796; 
James,  Sept.  3,  1797;  John,  April  8,  1801  ;  George, 
March  8,  1803;  Robert,  July  3,  1805;  Charles,  Dec. 
27,  1807  ;  Mary,  Dec.  10,  1809  (now  Mrs.  Williams), 
is  still  living;  Elizabeth,  Nov.  21,  1811;  William, 
Sept.  17,  1814.  James  Glenn,  the  elder,  died  in  1816  ; 
his  wife,  June  16,  1857.  Robert  Glenn  had  two  sons 
(twin  children),  who  belonged  to  the  Forty-fifth  Reg- 
iment Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  and  were  killed  in 
the  war  of  1861.  George  Glenn  marrried  a  daughter 
of  William  McKee,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Walker 
township.  George  died  at  Rock  Works  in  1840.  His 
son,  David  M.  Glenn,  of  Bellefonte,  lost  an  arm  in 
the  service  of  his  country  in  the  war  of  1861.  Charles 
Glenn  was  killed  by  a  fall  when  painting  McKinney's 
mill,  at  Hecla,  June  16,  1831. 

Schools. — One  of  the  early  schools  taught  in  Hus- 
ton was  kept  in  1817  by  William  Kelly  on  Laurel 
Run,  not  far  from  where  Julian  now  is.  Kelly  taught 
in  the  valley  at  various  places,  and  was  a  widely- 
known  pedagogue.  In  1821  he  had  a  school  near  the 
site  of  Martha,  where  James  Glenn  bad  previously 
taught.  Close  to  the  Union  meeting-house  at  Julian 
stood  a  primitive  log  school-house,  in  which  a  Mr. 
Moran  was  at  one  time  the  teacher.  Slabs  set  upon 
uprights  sufficed  for  benches,  slabs  and  pegs  consti- 
tuted the  desks,  and  greased  paper  the  window-lights. 
The  standard  text-books  were  Barley's  "  Speller,". 
Smiley's  "  Arithmetic,"  and  "  English  Reader."  Jus- 
tus Richards,  now  living  in  Huston,  was  one  of  Mo- 
ran's  pupils,  and  figured  conspicuously  one  day  in  a 
rough-and-tumble  combat  with  Moran,  at  the  close 
of  which  master  and  pupil  tumbled  through  an  open- 
ing in  the  school-room  floor,  much  to  the  merriment 
of  the  balance  of  the  school.  Reports  agree  that  the 
victory  in  that  famous  contest  has  to  this  day  remained 
a  doubtful  one. 

Bald  Eagle  Baptist  Church.— The  Bald  Eagle 
Baptist  Cliurch  was  organized  Nov.  28,  1835,  as  the 
Baptist  Church  of  Patton  township,  with  a  constituent 
membership  of  thirty.  These  tliirty  were  named 
Andrew  Barrett,  Thomas  Davis,  Mark  G.  Williams, 
James  Parsons,  John  Smith,  Moses  Thompson,  Arthur 
Smith,  John  S.  Barrett,  Luther  Barrett,  John  Bar- 
rett, David  Woods,  George  L.  Peters,  Sarah  Barrett, 
Hannah  Davis,  Susan  Denny,  Sarah  Williams,  Eliza- 
beth Smith,  Margaret  Richards,  Patience  Williams, 
Harriet  Williams,  Rachel  Williams,  Elizabeth  Mc- 
Donald, Ruth  Edmiston,  Marie  Calhoun,  Mary  Brown, 
Elizabeth  Brown,  Mary  Peters,  Sarah  Davidson,  and 
Rachel  S.  Barrett.  Of  the  foregoing.  Patience  Wil- 
liams (now  Mrs.  J.  W.  Stuart)  and  Elizabeth  Mc- 
Donald are  still  members.  Nearly  all  of  the  thirty 
are  dead.  Thomas  Davis  (aged  eighty-three)  and 
his  wife,  Hannah  (aged  eighty),  are  now  residents  of 
Clearfield  County  (October,  1881).     A  m.ijority  of  the 


334 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


members  at  the  organization  had  been  members  of 
the  Milesburg  Cliurch  previous  to  1835.  Kev.  George 
I.  Miles  officiated  at  the  organization  ceremonies, 
which  were  lield  in  the  Glenn  school-house,  at  Martha. 
Thomas  B.  Davis  was  chosen  clerk,  and  James  Par- 
sons, treasurer.  During  the  year  1835  members  were 
added  as  follows:  Penina  Williams,  Matilda  Wil- 
liams, Thomas  Martin,  Washington  Barrett,  Priscilla 
Barrett,  Jo.seph  Williams,  Eliza  Corse,  Eliza  Wagner, 
Maria  Williams,  John  Williams,  Sarah  Corse,  Re- 
becca Corse,  Nancy  Williams,  Hiram  McClinsey. 
During  1856  a  spirited  revival  was  conducted  by  Revs. 
Thomas  E.  Thomas  and  Thomas  B.  Brown,  and 
twenty  members  added.  Regular  services  were  at 
first  held  once  a  month  in  the  Union  church  building 
at  Julia'Ann  Furnace,  and  later  in  the  Union  Church 
at  Martha  Furnace.  Revs.  T.  E.  Thomas  and  George 
I.  Miles  were  the  earliest  pastors.  In  August,  1S3G, 
a  Bible  society  was  formed.  The  deacons  first  chosen 
were  Andrew  Barrett  and  Thomas  Davis.  Mark  G. 
Williams  was  the  third  deacon  chosen.  He  served 
many  years  until  his  death,  in  1876.  The  pastors  were 
asfollov.-s:  George  I.  Miles,  1842-43;   Josiah  Jones 

and Marple supplied  in  1845  ;  J.  R.  Morris,  1846- 

53;  F.  HoUen,  1854-58;  J.  W.  Evans,  1859;  F. 
Bower,  1860-63  ;  D.  V.  Kreblen,  1864;  George  Bow- 
man, 1865;  B.  B.  Henshey,  1867-68;  J.  L.  Holmes, 
1869-72;  W.  H.  Ridge,  1876.  In  1864  the  church 
dissolved,  and  reorganized  under  the  name  of  the 
Bald  Eagle  Church. 

In  1871  the  present  church  edifice  was  erected,  and 
dedicated  Aug.  30,  1871.  It  cost,  aside  from  much 
volunteer  labor,  about  four  thousand  dollars.  Ser- 
vices are  now  held  twice  each  month.  The  member- 
ship is  ninety-seven.  The  deacons  are  J.  W.  Stuart, 
Abeduego  Williams,  and  Scott  Miles.  The  trustees 
are  J.  W.  Stuart,  George  Miles,  John  Gingery,  Scott 
Miles,  and  D.  E.  Ardrey.  The  Sunday-school  super- 
intendent is  David  Richards. 

Martha  Methodist  Episcopal  Class.  —  When 
Martha  Furnace  was  founded  a  strong  Jlethodist 
class  was  organized  at  that  point.  Worship  was  held 
in  the  Union  church  building  put  up  at  Martha  by 
the  Curtins.  In  1849  the  present  house  of  worship 
was  built,  and  in  1850  it  was  dedicated  by  Rev.  W. 
F.  Gearhard.  When  J.  D.  Wagner  joined  the  class, 
in  1850,  the  membership  was  thirty,  and  the  leader 
George  Williams.  The  class  was  at  first  attached  to 
Half-Moon  Circuit,  later  to  the  Bald  Eagle  Circuit, 
and  still  later  (to  the  present)  to  the  Port  Matilda 
Circuit.  The  preacher  in  charge  is  Rev.  C.  Graham, 
who  preaches  at  Martha  twice  a  month.  The  mem- 
bers number  now  twenty-five.  J.  D.  Wagner  has 
been  the  class-leader  for  a  greater  part  of  the  time 
since  1861,  and  is  likewise  the  superintendent  of  the 
Sunday-school,  at  which  the  average  attendance  is 
thirty-five.  The  church  trustees  are  Samuel  Gingerj-, 
Joseph  Brown,  James  Eberts,  Elijah  Kellcrman,  and 
J.  D.  Wagner. 


Julian  Methodist  Episcopal  Class.— There  was 
a  Methodist  class  at  Julian  shortly  after  the  furnace 
was  started.  Services  were  held  in  the  log  building 
erected  by  Irvin  and  Adams  for  Union  church  purposes. 
The  circuit  took  in  several  points  in  the  valley,  and 
was  called  Half-Moon.  There  was  no  exclusive 
house  of  worship  until  1875,  when  the  present  temple 
was  reared  at  a  cost  of  three  thousand  dollars.  In 
1879  the  class  membership  was  thirty-five.  In  Oc- 
tober, 1880,  it  had  fallen  to  about  twenty-five.  The 
last  class-leader  was  Levi  Woomer,  who  died  August, 
1880.  Tlie  class  is  on  the  Port  Matilda  Circuit,  now 
in  charge  of  Rev.  Cambridge  Graham. 

The  circuit  has  five  preaching-points,  to  wit:  Julian, 
Port  Matilda,  Hickory  Bottom,  Martha,  and  Bald 
Eagle.  Rev.  Mr.  Graham  was  born  in  Centre  County 
in  1816,  and  entered  the  ministry  in  1843.  Since  that 
year  Mr.  Graham  has  been  continuously  engaged  in 
preaching,  his  field  having  been  confined  to  Pennsyl- 
vania and  Maryland. 

Mr.  Graham's  grandfather  fought  in  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  at  an  early  day  located  on  Spring  Creek, 
Centre  Co.  Francis,  father  of  Rev.  Mr.  Graham, 
lived  to  be  eighty-four  years  old. 

Julian  TJnitsd  Brethren  Class.— The  United 
Brethren  Class  at  Julian  was  organized  in  the  fall  of 
1869,  in  which  year  also  a  house  of  worship  was 
erected.  Its  cost  was  about  fifteen  hundred  dollars. 
Previous  to  1869  the  United  Brethren  met  occasion- 
ally for  worship  in  the  village  school-house.  Alex- 
ander Edmiston  was  until  his  death  a  leading  and 
energetic  spirit  in  the  organization,  and  contributed 
freely  towards  its  financial  support.  In  1871  the  class 
had  fallen  away  iu  strength  to  five  members.  In  Oc- 
tober, 1881,  the  membership  was  about  double  that 
number.  John  Craig  has  been  the  class-leader  more 
or  less  since  1871.  James  Morley  occupied  the  office 
from  1879  to  1881,  in  which  latter  year  J.  C.  Hen- 
derson was  chosen.  Services  are  held  twice  a  month. 
The  church  trustees  are  James  Morley  and  John 
Craig.  James  Morley  is  superintendent  of  the  Sun- 
day-school, wherein  the  average  attendance  is  about 
forty. 

Julian  Furnace. — The  station  on  the  Bald  Eagle 
Valley  Railroad  known  as  Julian  is  a  rural  village  of 
about  two  hundred  inhabitants,  and  the  site  of  a  fur- 
nace where  considerable  pig  metal  was  manufactured 
for  about  twenty  years  subsequent  to  1840.  Gen. 
James  Irvin  and  John  Adams  founded  Julian  Furnace 
in  1837,  at  which  time  the  jiresent  village  site  was 
covered  with  a  dense  growth  of  timber.  Gen.  Irvin 
owned  about  fifteen  hundred  acres  of  land  in  that 
vicinity,  and,  with  John  Adams  as  the  resident  part- 
ner, built  a  furnace,  and  in  the  year  above  named  put 
it  in  blast.  Adams  had  been  a  forgeman  in  the  em- 
ploy of  Valentines  &  Thomas,  and  because  of  his  prac- 
tical knowledge  of  iron-making  was  given  charge  of 
the  enterprise.  The  furnace  was  named  Julia  Ann, 
some  authorities  holding,  after  Gen.  Irviu's  wile,  and 


nUSTON  TOWNSHIP. 


others  tliat  the  name  was  bestowed  in  honor  of  one  of 
Mr.  Adams'  daughters.  At  all  events  Julia  Ann  was 
the  name,  and  remained  so  until  upon  the  completion 
of  the  railway  the  station  was  christened  Julian,  and 
so  the  village,  following  suit,  lilcewise  changed  tlie  old 
appellation.  Julia  Ann  Furnace  was  originally  the 
name  of  the  post-office,  but  Julian  Furnace  it  is  called 
now.  Tlie  furnace  was  of  the  kind  known  as  a  "  quar- 
ter furnace,"  and  stood  back  of  the  present  village 
towards  the  creek.  Until  recently  the  stack  remained 
to  mark  the  spot,  but  decay  tumbled  it  down,  and 
nothing  but  a  jagged  heap  of  stones  tells  the  location. 
The  availability  and  convenience  of  wood  for  coaling 
purposes  suggested  the  location  of  the  furnace,  as 
were  similarly  the  furnaces  at  Hannah  and  Martha 
called  into  existence.  Mr.  Adams  was  a  stirring,  ener- 
getic man,  and  soon  made  Julia  Ann  Furnace  the 
centre  of  a  busy  traffic.  Ore  was  hauled  chiefly  from 
the  Lamborn  bank  in  the  Buffiilo  Run  valley,  and 
the  manufactured  pig  metal  returned  to  Jlilesburg 
for  transhipment  to  market.  Counting  the  liands 
at  the  furnace,  those  engaged  in  coaling,  and  the 
teamsters  engaged  in  hauling  ore,  coal,  and  iron,  Mr. 
Adams  employed  in  the  enterprise  an  average  of  fifty 
men,  and  sometimes  as  many  as  a  hundred.  For  a 
time  "  blooms"  were  made  at  a  forge  built  near  by, 
but  that  department  of  the  business  proving  unsatis- 
factory upon  a  brief  experiment,  was  abandoned  after 
a  flood  in  the  creek  washed  out  tlie  dam. 

Mr.  Adams  was,  as  observed,  a  man  of  pushing  en- 
ergies, and  in  addition  to  the  furnace  improvements 
(including  a  store  and  a  number  of  tenements),  built 
a  grist-mill,  the  one  now  carried  on  by  T.  A.  Ardell. 
Pushing  as  he  was,  however,  he  failed  to  make  tlie 
enterprise  a  profitable  one,  which  remark  may,  in- 
deed, be  applied  to  the  fortunes  of  the  furnace  under 
the  management  of  successive  proprietors.  The  last 
operators  were  Moses  Thompson  &  Co.,  who  aban- 
doned it  in  1858.  After  Mr.  Adams  retired  from  the 
proprietorship  of  Julia  Ann  Furnace,  he  was  for  some 
time  thereafter  concerned  in  its  management,  but  his 
business  reverses  weakened  his  spirit  and  hastened 
his  death,  which  occurred  at  Julian  about  1866. 
After  the  furnace  business  closed,  Julian  still  retained 
a  moiety  of  its  village  existence,  and  thus  J.  I.  Mor- 
ris established  himself  there  as  a  trader  upon  the  dis- 
continuance of  the  furnace  store.  His  successors 
were  J.  B.  Gray  and  Shaffisr  &  Dieflfendeffer.  Their 
respective  terms  of  residence  were  but  sliort.  The 
construction  of  the  Bald  Eagle  Valley  Railroad,  and 
the  location  of  a  station  at  Julian,  led  Messrs.  Blanch- 
ard  &  Bush  (the  then  jjroprietors  of  the  old  furnace 
property)  to  lay  out  a  village  there.  The  first  build- 
ing erected  thereafter  upon  the  site  was  the  store- 
house now  occupied  by  J.  C.  Hoover.  L.  D.  Parker 
built  and  kept  the  store,  and  was  as  well  the  railway 
agent.  Parker  took  in  G.  W.  Hoover  as  a  partner  in 
the  store,  and  in  a  few  months  Hoover  bought 
Parker's    interest.     Hoover    Brothers    succeeded    in 


course  of  time,  and  purchasing  seventeen  hundred 
acres  of  timbered  land,  upon  which  they  erected  a 
saw-mill,  lumbered  and  merchandised  quite  exten- 
sively. 

Daniel  Irvin,  one  of  tlie  leading  merchants  of  Ju- 
lian, was  born  in  Union  County,  and  in  1856  located 
at  Unionville,  Centre  Co.,  where  for  several  years  he 
was  associated  in  business  with  William  Underwood. 
In  1867  he  came  to  Julian  to  succeed  L.  D.  Parker  as 
railway  agent.  In  1870  he  joined  T.  E.  Griest  in  mer- 
chandising at  Julian,  and  in  1872  he  purchased  Mr. 
Griest's  interest.  The  store  building  he  now  occupies 
he  built  in  1881. 

Julian  Furnace  post-office  was  established  doubt- 
less soon  after  the  furnace  was  put  in  blast.  John 
Adams  was  the  first  postmaster,  and  held  the  office  a 
number  of  years.  L.  D.  Parker,  his  successor,  was 
the  incumbent  until  1867,  and,  following  him,  Daniel 
Irwin,  George  W.  Hoover,  Levi  \V'oomer,  and  John 
B.  Parsons.  Mr.  Parsons,  the  present  postmaster, 
was  born  in  the  county.  He  is  the  grandson  of 
Thomas  Parsons,  who  settled  in  the  Bald  Eagle  val- 
ley as  early  as  1774.  Mr.  Parsons  kept  tavern  in  his 
present  residence  at  Julian  in  1866  and  1867,  and  after 
that  carried  on  the  mill.  In  1878,  when  appointed 
postmaster,  he  opened  a  small  store  in  connection  with 
the  post-ofiice.  The  first  tavern-stand  in  Julian  was 
opened  by  John  Q.  Adams,  in  the  liou<e  now  kept  by 
D.  H.  Chandler,  and  built  by  William  Wilson  nearly 
fifty  years  ago,  Thomas  Davis,  now  a  resident  of  Ju- 
lian, taking  part  in  the  construction.  The  house  was 
at  first  the  residence  of  William  Wilson  (who  was  a 
widely-known  surveyor),  and  later  the  home  of  John 
Adams,  the  elder.  When  it  was  opened  as  a  tavern 
the  old  State  road  passed  directly  in  front  of  it.  Mr. 
J.  C.  Henderson,  now  a  prominent  farmer  in  Huston, 
was  the  landlord  of  the  house  for  some  years.  In  1878, 
D.  H.  Chandler  purchased  the  property,  and  until  his 
decease,  in  1881,  kept  the  hotel  as  a  temperance  house. 
Mr.  Chandler  came  to  the  county  in  1865,  and  remained 
at  Beaver  Mills,  in  the  employ  of  John  Ardell,  until 
1878.  In  resident  physicians  Julian  has  not  been  re- 
markably fruitful.  Dr.  Blair,  of  Unionville,  was  the 
reliance  in  the  earlier  days,  and  in  1877-78,  Dr.  Fu- 
gate,  a  graduate  of  Ann  Arbor  University,  Michigan, 
was  the  village  physician,  although  he  lived  a  short 
distance  beyond  the  village  bounds.  From  Julian, 
Fugate  removed  to  Port  Matilda,  where  he  is  now 
located. 

Julian  is  a  point  of  shipment  for  the  lumbering 
mills  of  John  Ardell  at  Beaver  Mills.  About  one 
car-load  daily  is  forwarded,  ordinarily  to  Bellefonte. 
T.  A.  Ardell,  who  manages  Mr.  John  Ardell's  busi- 
ness at  Julian,  operates  the  Julian  grist-mill,  which 
he  leases  from  Bush  &  Tome.  It  is  fitted  with  two 
runs  of  stone,  and  is  devoted  chiefly  to  the  produc- 
tion of  feed-supplies  for  the  Ardell  lumber  camps, 
although,  of  course,  considerable  custom-work  is 
done.     Ira  F.  Davis  is  engaged  iu  the  cutting  and 


336 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


shipment  of  hoop-poles,  of  which  he  ships  from  Ju- 
lian during  the  spring  and  fall  seasons  about  forty 
thousand.  Mr.  Davis  has  followed  this  business  at 
Julian  since  1873.  He  came  to  Julian  in  1868,  and 
from  1871  to  1876  kept  store.  In  the  last-named 
year  he  sold  out  to  J.  C.  Hoover.  His  main  business 
pursuit  is  that  of  undertaking  and  cabinet-making. 
Thomas  Davis,  his  father,  now  aged  eighty-two,  came 
to  Centre  County  from  Chester  County  in  1818  with  j 
his  mother  and  his  grandfather,  Jacob  Steigers.  j 
They  lived  in  the  Bald  Eagle  valley,  on  the  present 
AVilliam  Way  place,  for  two  years,  and  then  moved 
into  the  mountains  in  Union  township.  Thomas 
Davis  married  a  daughter  of  Philo  Lewis,  who  lost 
his  life  in  the  war  of  1812.  Since  the  fall  of  1872, 
Mr.  Davis  has  been  living  in  Julian.  John  Craig 
moved  from  Huntingdon  County  to  Centre  County 
in  1862.  He  entered  the  Federal  service  for  the  late 
war  as  a  member  of  Company  C,  One  Hundred  and 
Forty-eighth  Regiment.  Upon  his  return  from  a 
three  years'  campaign  Mr.  Craig  opened  a  black- 
smith-shop at  the  head  of  Dick's  Run,  and  stopped 
there  from  November,  1865,  to  the  fall  of  1866. 
Thence  he  removed  to  Beaver  Mills,  where  he  re- 
sided until  1869.  Since  then  Mr.  Craig  has  lived  at 
and  near  Julian. 

Martha  Furnace.— A  furnace  was  established  at 
Martha  by  Roland  and  James  Curtin  in  1830.  It 
was  named  Martha  after  one  of  Roland  Curtin's 
daughters.  James  Curtin  took  up  his  residence  at 
the  place,  having  built  as  a  residence  the  house  now 
occupied  by  John  I.  Thompson,  and  managed  the 
practical  details  of  the  business  for  the  firm.  Coal 
in  abundance  was  obtained  from  the  timbered  lands 
adjacent,  whereof  the  Curtins  owned  many  acres. 
The  manufacture  of  iron  at  Martha  was  not  a  profit- 
able undertaking,  because  of  the  expense  attendant 
upon  the  transportation  of  the  ore  from  inconvenient 
distances,  and  the  hauling  of  the  pig  metal  to  the 
forge  at  Curtin.  Still  the  Curtins  carried  on  the  fur- 
nace from  1830  to  1848,  and  made  first  and  last  a 
good  deal  of  iron.  In  1838,  John  Curtin  moved  to 
Martha  to  take  part  in  the  management  of  the  enter- 
prise, and  in  1840,  James  returned  to  Curtin.  John 
was  placed  in  charge  as  sole  manager.  Employment 
was  usually  given  to  fifty  men  or  more.  In  1848  the 
Curtins  abandoned  the  furnace,  and  not  long  after- 
wards sold  it  to  Moses  Thompson  &  Co.,  who  put  it 
in  blast,  and  operated  there  until  1855,  when  the 
business  was  given  up  for  good.  The  furnace  stack 
still  stands,  and  to  the  passing  railroad  traveler  ap- 
pears a  picturesque-looking  object.  Martha  is  now 
simply  a  railway  station  and  post-office,  Mr.  John  I. 
Thompson  having  been  in  charge  of  both  depart- 
ments since  the  completion  of  the  railway. 


CHAPTER  LXXV. 


LIBERTY   TOWNSHIP. 


Early  Surveys  and  Settlers.— The  southern  por- 
tion of  Liberty  township  north  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek 
is  covered  by  the  officers'  surveys  of  1769.  The  Lieut. 
Wiggins,  embracing  the  mouth  of  Beech  Creek  ;  next 
west  the  Capt.  William  Piper,  followed  by  Conrad 
Bucher,  Nicholas  Housaker;  then  Capt.  Samuel 
Hunter,  Ensign  James  Foster.  Eagleville  and  vi- 
cinity (otherwise  known  as  Blanchard  Post-Office)  is 
situated  in  the  Capt.  William  Piper.  The  Capt.  Con- 
rad Bucher  embraces  the  mouth  of  Marsh  Creek,  and 
was  first  settled  by  Christian  Bechdel.  For  a  more 
particular  account  of  the  officers'  surveys  and  their 
adjoiners,  reference  is  made  to  the  general  history  of 
Centre  County,  under  the  year  1769.  Along  Marsh 
Creek  were  laid  application  of  1769,  and  north  and 
west  of  these  surveys  of  1794  on  warrants  of  1793 
and  1794. 

In  July,  1769,  Charles  Lukens  surveyed  the  Mar- 
garet Bradford  application  along  the  creek  on  the 
south  side,  opposite  Eagleville,  and  Joseph  J.  Wallis 
in  1787  located  the  William  Scott  upon  the  eastern 
portion  of  it.  In  a  suit  which  arose  between  Thomas 
Hamilton,  who  owned  the  Scott,  and  John  Marsden, 
who  claimed  under  James  Brown,  whose  application 
of  the  same  date  was  laid  on  the  eastern  portion  of 
William  Scott  and  Margaret  Bradford,  which  was 
brought  in  1795,  and  tried  at  Lewistown  Nov.  22, 
1811,  Elizabeth  Foster,  widow  of  John  Magee,  testi- 
fied that  they  had  moved  to  Bald  Eagle  in  1784  on 
to  the  place  claimed  by  Brown.  Thomas  Hamilton 
came  in  with  Ezekiel  Fleming  and  Alexander  Hunter 
in  1785,  and  compelled  my  husband  to  take  a  lease  of 
him.  In  1784  there  was  a  clever  little  cabin  upon  it 
and  two  fields  cleared,  and  where  a  stable  had  been 
built.  We  sold  to  John  Reed,  and  moved  to  an 
island  near  by,  where  we  lived  two  or  three  years. 
Reed  sold  to  Marsden,  and  Marsden  came  to  live  on 
the  place  before  we  left  the  island.  We  gave  the 
lease  from  James  Brown  to  Reed.  Brown  went  to 
Carlisle,  and  we  heard  died  there.  Reed  lived  more 
than  one  summer  there.  According  to  deposition  of 
William  Samuels,  taken  in  1797,  he  went  with  Brown 
and  others  to  Bald  Eagle,  to  the  place  occupied  by 
Marsden  in  1797,  and  made  a  pen  four  logs  high  (this 
must  have  been  in  1768),  and  soon  after  the  lottery, 
heard  B.  Brown  ask  Lukens  to  survey  that  land  im- 
proved for  James  Brown,  and  Lukens  said  he  had  not 
brought  the  papers  necessary. 

John  Holt  testified  James  Brown  and  B.  Brown 
were  cousins.  In  1783  I  went  to  look  at  Bald  Eagle, 
and  Magee  said  he  had  a  notion  of  taking  Brown's 
place.  We  agreed  to  move  out  to  work  in  1784,  and 
did  go.  He  was  to  work  a  week  with  me,  and  then 
I  was  to  go  to  help  him  on  Brown's  place.  We  found 
a  cabin.    Ashbridge  had  been  buried  in  it.    I  saw- 


MAP  or  OKIGIUAL  SUBVETS 

IN 

LIBERTY   TOWNSHIP. 


BngraTed  BxprcMly  for  this  Work. 


LIBERTY   TOWNSHIP. 


337 


his  fiice.  There  was  a  cabin  and  two  small  fields. 
Our  provisions  ran  out.  Slagee  returned  to  the  Ju- 
niata, and  that  summer  moved  out  his  family  to  the 
same  place.  It  was  twelve  miles  from  me.  John 
Reed  came  next  to  the  place,  and  Marsden  came 
after  Reed.  Magee  moved  on  to  an  island.  It  is 
one  mile  from  Beech  Creek. 

Brown's  deed  to  Justus  and  John  Marsden  is  dated 
May  5,  1788,  two  hundred  and  seventy-eight  acres; 
consideration,  one  hundred  pounds. 

The  testimony  of  William  Holt  is  interesting  as 
showing  improvements  made  before  1769  for  the  pur- 
poses of  application,  and  that  Jonathan  Ashbridge 
must  have  been  a  settler  in  the  neighborhood  before 
the  runaway,  as  he  was  buried  in  Brown's  cabin. 

According  to  tradition,  Peter  Grove  resided  after  the 
war  within  the  bounds  of  what  is  now  Liberty  town- 
ship. One  day  an  Indian  appeared  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, where  Eagleville  now  is,  and  made  inquiries 
respecting  the  whereabouts  of  Grove,  and  was  told 
where  he  could  be  found.  His  informant  upon  second 
thought  concluded  the  Indian's  presence  boded  no 
good  to  Grove,  as  the  former  was  armed.  He  imme- 
diately hastened  to  the  mill,  and  told  Grove  what  had 
occurred.  The  latter  took  it  in  a  matter-of-fact  wayi 
merely  remarking  that  he  had  no  fear  of  being  harmed 
until  sundown.  Towards  the  close  of  the  day  Grove 
quit  his  labors.  Proceeding  to  his  cabin,  he  procured 
his  rifle  and  some  old  clothes.  With  the  latter  he 
made  a  "dummy,"  and,  placing  it  in  position  before 
the  saw,  started  the  latter  on  a  slow  motion,  and  re- 
tired beneath  the  banks  of  the  neighboring  creek  to 
await  developments.  The  Indian  was  soon  seen 
stealthily  approaching,  and  upon  gaining  a  favorable 
position  fired  his  gun  at  what  he  supposed  was  his 
living  enemy.  The  report  had  hardly  died  away 
when  he  fell  dead,  with  his  brain  pierced  with  a  bul- 
let from  Grove's  rifle.  The  spot  where  the  Indian  is 
supposed  to  have  been  buried  is  still  pointed  out  to 
the  curious. 

Christian  Bechdel,  a  native  of  York  County,  made 
his  way  from  there  in  1790,  and  reaching  the  Bald 
Eagle  valley,  located  upon  a  tract  of  land,  and  settled 
down  to  farming.  On  the  15th  of  April,  1793,  he 
purchased  of  John  Philip  and  Eleanor  Dehaas  a 
tract  of  land  embracing  an  area  of  five  hundred  and 
seventy  acres,  which  had  been  originally  surveyed  to 
Capt.  Boucher,  afterwards  conveyed  to  Dehaas.  The 
consideration  which  Bechdel  gave  for  the  above  was 
seven  hundred  and  eight^'-three  pounds  and  fifteen 
shillings.  Feb.  3, 1815,  he  added  by  purchase  thirty- 
four  acres.  He  subsequently  disposed  of  a  part  of  his 
possessions,  and  retained  three  hundred  acres,  which, 
since  his  death,  have  been  equally  divided,  one-half 
being  occupied  at  present  by  Christian  Bechdel  (3d), 
and  the  other  by  a  grandson  of  David  Bechdel. 

At  the  time  of  Bechdel's  coming  everything  was  in 
its  most  primitive  condition.     The  nearest  mill  was 
at  Howard  Gap,  to  which  point  grain  was  carried 
22 


on  horseback,  there  being  no  wagon-roads,  and  tie 
country  at  that  time  being  mostly  covered  with  thick 
patches  of  timber.  The  general  mode  of  travel  was 
the  canoe,  the  Bald  Eagle  at  that  thne  ofl'ering  the 
only  means  of  communication  with  the  lower  settle- 
ments. 

Christian  Bechdel  had  several  children,  namely. 
Christian  (2d),  David,  Barbara,  Susan,  and  Mary. 
They  all  married,  and  were  the  progenitors  of  numer- 
ous families,  who  to-day  represent  large  farming  in- 
terests in  the  township. 

Christian  (2d)  married  Mary  Leathers,  and  reared 
an  equal  number  of  sons  and  daughters,  twelve  in  all. 
The  living  are  Cliristian  (3d),  Joseph,  and  Samuel, 
now  living  in  the  township;  Mary,  in  Ohio;  Eliza- 
beth, in  Clinton  County;  Susan,  wife  of  John  P.  De- 
haas, in  Curtin  township;  Christian  (3d)  married 
Lydia  Bechdel,  and  has  five  children,  all  living; 
David,  son  of  the  elder  Christian,  married  a  Helman, 
and  shortly  after  removed  to  Curtin  township,  where 
he  still  resides,  prominent  in  both  temporal  and  spir- 
itual enterprises. 

Christian  Nestleroad  was  famous  in  his  day  as  a 
fisherman,  having  followed  that  calling  from  boyhood 
up.  His  first  lessons  in  the  art  were  taught  him  at 
Safe  Harbor.  He  applied  himself  so  diligently  as  to 
make  it  to  him  a  remunerative  business.  During  his 
early  life  he  made  a  visit  to  the  then  new  country 
bordering  on  the  Bald  Eagle,  and  finding  it  well 
suited  to  the  pursuit  of  his  calling,  determined  to 
settle  in  the  neighborhood.  It  is  said  that  he  made 
the  journey  from  his  native  place  to  the  Bald  Eagle 
on  foot. 

The  place  selected  by  him  was  on  the  banks  of  Beech 
Creek,  not  a  great  distance  from  the  mouth  of  that 
stream.  It  is  still  retained  in  possession  of  the 
family.  Christian  followed  the  calling  of  fisherman 
for  a  long  time  after  his  arrival  here,  and  so  profitable 
did  he  find  his  employment,  that  he  was  in  course  of 
time  enabled  to  pay  for  his  land. 

Being  a  man  of  some  enterprise,  and  having  the 
requisite  facilities  at  hand,  he  erected  a  saw-mill  upon 
his  premises,  the  cfeek  affording  him  excellent  power. 
This  was  from  all  accounts  the  pioneer  mill  of  its 
kind  in  the  township.  The  mill  in  its  first  few  years 
of  existence  did  not  require  the  whole  attention  of  its 
owner,  consequently  he  devoted  much  of  his  time  to 
farming.  He  was  twice  married,  and  begat  fifteen 
children.  His  son  John  married  his  cousin  Mary, 
and  shortly  after  settled  upon  a  part  of  the  original 
tract,  first  purchased  by  his  father.  It  has  since  de- 
scended to  the  present  occupant,  John  Nestleroad,  a 
son  of  the  John  before  mentioned.  After  coming 
into  possession  of  the  younger  John,  the  mill  was 
found  incapable  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  neighbor- 
hood, and  was  therefore  considerably  enlarged,  but 
even  then  it  was  found  to  be  insuflicient  in  cap.acity, 
and  in  1860  it  was  torn  down  and  the  large,  extensive 
mill  of  the  present  erected  in  its  place. 


338 


HISTORY    OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Accompanying  a  small  party  of  German  settlers, 
who  came  to  the  waters  of  the  Bald  Eagle  shortly  be- 
fore the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century,  was  a  young 
man  named  Daniel  Kunes.  His  first  venture  was 
made  upon  a  place  near  where  Dolan  Gardner  now 
lives,  where  he  followed  farming.  He  married  a 
Eorabaugh.  On  the  17th  day  of  February,  1808,  he 
and  Michael  Brickleyjointly  purchased  of  John  Philip 
Dehaas  the  land  now  occupied  by  Christian  Kunes. 
Daniel  afterwards,  in  1814,  purchased  Brickley's  in- 
terest in  the  property,  and  became  sole  owner.  The 
old  house  which  Daniel  built  is  still  standing,  doing 
good  service,  and  bids  fair  to  shelter  several  genera- 
tions more  of  the  human  family  ere  it  outlives  its  use- 
fulness. 

Daniel's  children  were  John,  married  to  Nancy 
Gardner;  Daniel  married  Mary  Bechdel,  and  after 
her  death  to  Elizabeth  Potts.  Daniel  is  dead.  His 
descendants  are  J.  I.  and  D.  B.  Kunes.  Samuel  was 
married  to  Elizabeth  Chatham,  Christian  to  Caroline 
Stagly,  Elizabeth  to  Campbell  Delong,  Susan  to 
Simon  Lingle,  Mary  to  Jonas  Spangler,  Hannah  to 
Green  Gardner. 

One  of  the  earliest  settlers  on  the  Bald  Eagle  was 
John  Gardner,  who  settled  upon  the  island  which 
still  bears  his  name.  His  sons  were  Washington, 
Samuel,  William,  James,  and  John.  A  daughter  of 
Samuel's  is  the  present  wife  of  J.  I.  Delong.  The 
widow  of  Washington  is  still  living,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-four. 

About  the  same  time  the  Gardners  came,  a  family 
of  French  descent,  named  Delong,  settled  near  the 
mouth  of  Marsh  Creek.  A  son  of  Delong  was  Jona- 
than Delong,  who  in  the  declining  years  of  his  life 
related  many  reminiscences  of  his  youthful  days.  He 
told  how,  in  his  youth,  he  was  accustomed  in  the  dead 
of  winter  to  make  periodical  visits  to  the  Gardners, 
walking  and  sliding  there  on  the  ice  of  the  frozen 
creek  "barefooted,"  and  on  arrival  at  the  Gardner 
dwelling  often  found  their  progeny  engaged  in  the 
same  pleasant  amusement  of  "sliding"  on  the  ice  in 
their  "  bare  feet."  Jonathan  Delong  afterwards  be- 
came a  settler  upon  Beech  Creek,  aijd  a  near  neighbor 
of  the  Nestleroads.  In  1828  he  removed  to  what  is 
now  Curtin  township.  His  memory  has  become  per- 
petuated by  numerous  representatives  of  his  family. 

Absalom  Ligget  and  his  brother  George  came  from 
near  Hagerstown,  Md.  The  former  settled  near 
where  Eagleville  is,  and  lived  where  Simon  Lingle 
now  lives,  and  at  one  time  had  a  distillery  in  that 
locality.  He  became  an  extensive  land-owner.  His 
only  living  representative  is  John  H.  Ligget,  of 
Beech  Creek. 

George  Ligget  settled  in  Marsh  Creek,  and  died 
upon  the  place  where  David  Wagner  lives. 

Michael  Brickley  first  settled  near  the  Bald  Eagle, 
and  afterwards  built  the  first  house  in  what  is  now 
Eagleville.  The  house  still  stands.  He  accidentally 
met  his  death  while  engaged  in  digging  a  well,  which 


caved  in  upon  him.  His  descendants  live  mostly  in 
Curtin  township. 

James,  son  of  Derrick  Gunsalus,  came  from  How- 
ard to  Liberty  township  about  1800,  and  settled  upon 
the  land  now  occupied  by  his  sons  James  and  Ira. 
He  afterwards  purchased  the  place  where  David  and 
John  Gunsalus  now  live. 

James  Gunsalus'  first  wife  was  Molly  Marsdcn. 
His  second  was  Sarah  Masden.  He  had  six  children 
by  each,  all  of  whom  but  three  are  living.  Those 
living  are  Maria,  Mary,  Eliza,  John,  James,  Fanny, 
Emma,  David,  and  Ira.  Matthew  Leach  settled  on 
the  place  adjoining  that  of  Gunsalus,  and  came  about 
the  same  time  as  the  latter. 

Andrew  and  Isaac  Magee,  brothers,  settled  also 
about  the  same  time  on  land  adjoining  Leach's. 
Their  descendants  are  James  and  John  Magee,  both 
at  Beech  Creek,  and  men  of  some  prominence  in 
public  life. 

John  Marsden,  a  veteran  of  the  war  of  1812,  after 
serving  through  that  eventful  struggle  to  the  end, 
settled  on  the  southern  banks  of  the  Bald  Eagle, 
upon  the  place  now  owned  by  Samuel  Kunes.  The 
Marsden  family  is  at  present  represented  by  one  son 
in  Clinton  County  and  two  grandsons  in  Liberty 
township. 

Paul  Lingle,  with  his  wife  and  family,  from  Mifflin 
County,  first  settled  in  what  is  now  Clinton  County, 
and  afterwards  removed  to  Liberty  township,  and  lo- 
cated where  J.  Hawk  lives.  He  died  at  the  age  of 
eighty-two.  His  sons  are  Joseph,  at  Bellefonte; 
James,  at  Milesburg  ;  George,  at  Beech  Creek  ;  and 
Simon,  now  living  near  Eagleville,  who  in  1869  laid 
out  the  lower  part  of  that  village. 

Jonas  Spangler,  while  yet  a  young  man,  came  in  at 
a  very  early  period.  He  followed  the  occuiiation  of 
boatman  for  a  number  of  years,  making  his  home 
with  a  family  named  Shaw  that  lived  near  where 
Tonner's  mill  is.  After  his  marriage  he  purchased  of 
Michael  Brickley  the  place  now  occupied  by  William 
W.  Spangler,  and  engaged  in  farming.  His  sons  are 
William  W.  and  Samuel  K. 

Another  early  settler  was  John  Bitner,  who  settled 
where  his  son  Daniel  now  lives.  His  other  sons  were 
Abram,  John,  and  Christian.  Michael,  Daniel,  and 
Frederick  Schenck,  natives  of  Lancaster  County,  set- 
tled in  Howard  township  at  a  very  early  period. 
They  were  progenitors  of  a  long  line  of  descendants, 
who  in  their  earlier  days  of  manhood  settled  in 
Liberty,  and  were  prominently  identified  with  the 
earlier  interests  of  that  township.  Daniel,  who  died 
a  few  years  ago  at  the  age  of  ninety-three,  has  several 
representatives  living  in  Howard  township.  Fred- 
erick's progeny  were  Emanuel,  Christian,  Frederick, 
and  Michael.  William  and  Irvin  Schenck  are  sons 
of  Michael.  John  and  Frederick  are  sons  of  Fred- 
crick.  William  Blair  came  from  Cumberland  County 
to  Liberty  in  1800  in  company  with  his  widowed 
mother.     In  1824  he  moved  to  Walker,  lived  after- 


LIBERTY  TOWNSHIP. 


339 


wards  in  Spring,  and  died  at  Howard  in  1871.  His 
wife  wa.s  Margaret  Confer.  His  cliildren  numbered 
eleven,— Cliarlotte  (in  Clinton  County),  John  (in 
Illinois),  James  M.  (a  physician  at  Unionville),  Wil- 
liam (in  Patton),  Mary  C.  (deceased),  Jcremiali  (in 
Howard),  Hezekiah  (in  Pliilipsburg),  Joseph  (in 
Bellefonto),  Robert  (in  Patton),  Harriet  (in  Howard), 
and  Henry  (in  Michigan). 

Township  Organization.— Sundry  inhabitants  of 
the  township  petitioned  the  court  in  November,  1844, 
reciting  tliat  the  township  measured  twelve  miles 
by  eighteen,  and  was  so  inconveniently  large  that 
a  division  thereof  was  much  desired.  The  court  ap- 
pointed George  Hoy,  William  McCalmont,  Jr.,  and 
William  Smytl),  Jr.,  commissioners,  who  reported  in 
May,  184.5,  that  they  had  made  the  division  as  follows : 
"  Beginning  at  a  hemlock  on  the  Marion  township 
line,  thence  nortli  forty-one  and  one-half  degrees 
west  six  miles  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  perches  to 
the  summit  of  the  Allegheny  Mountain  at  a  pitcli- 
])ine;  thence  north  twenty-four  degrees  west  one 
mile  two  hundred  and  sixty-eight  perches  to  the 
]>ecch  Creek,  and  to  continue  the  same  course  to  the 
Clinton  County  line."  August,  184-5,  the  court  con- 
firmed the  report,  and  erected  the  division  lying  east 
of  said  line  into  a  new  township,  and  named  it 
Liberty.  Following  are  the  names  of  those  chosen 
justices  of  the  peace  from  1846  to  1881 : 

Justices  of  the  Pt.ici!.— .liimea  Garaiier,  Jusppli  Biimgaiilnoi-,  .^iiiil  14, 
1S4U;  James  M.  C.  lluiiucr,  Mardi  \1,  ISM;  Jusupli  IJimiiiiirdiii-r, 
Jlarcli  -^2,  1S52;  Oiiii  T.  Koble,  Marcli  17,  1854;  Juliii  T.  Chiik, 
Jlarcli  12,  185G;  .Josepli  Biim};arUiiLT,  Jlarch  17,  lSo7  ;  Arlliwr 
Foicsmaii,  Warcli  10,  1SJ8  ;  Jolm  T  Clark,  March  21;,  ISOU;  H.  A. 
Furesniaii,  April  9,  1803 ;  Jolm  T.  Claik,  April  2S,  lSii5;  John  T. 
Chirk,  Slarch  22,  ISliO;  William  V.  Cuurti-r,  April  15,  1S71;  Jolm 
T.  Clark,  March  27,  1672;  W.  F.  Com  ter,  Malch  1),  l»7li;  11.  A. 
Siijilcr,  March  17,  1S77 ;  D.  IS.  Kunos,  .\piil  9,  ISSl. 

Schools. — One  of  the  first  school-houses  in  the 
township  was  located  very  nearly  upon  the  site  now 
occupied  by  N.  James'  house.  One  of  the  first 
teachers  that  taught  witliin  its  walls  was  Philip  De- 
liaas.  Another  school-house  of  remote  times  stood 
near  the  highway  a  short  distance  west  of  Eagleville, 
in  which  Dehaas  taught.  In  the  same  house  Daniel 
Kraus  at  one  time  taught  German.  The  old  school- 
bouse  which  in  former  years  stood  in  Eagleville, 
upon  the  site  of  J.  I.  Kunes'  dwelling,  is  still  remem- 
bered by  some  of  the  older  members  of  the  commu- 
nity in  which  they  received  their  first  instructions 
from  William  Dehaas,  Cline  Quigly,  William  Packer, 
Mrs.  Wright,  and  William  Montgomery.  The  town- 
ship at  present  has  five  school  districts.  The  school 
at  Eagleville,  which  is  divided  into  four  departments, 
was  built  by  the  authorities  in  1867  at  a  cost  of 
twenty-nine  hundred  dollars.  The  first  principal  was 
William  A.  Ridge,  who  afterwards  entered  the  min- 
istry. His  assistants  were  Joseph  Gardner  and  Mrs. 
Searls.  At  that  time  there  were  only  three  depart- 
ments. Mr.  Ridge  remained  as  principal  for  a  period 
of  three  years,  during  which  time  the  average  daily  at- 


tendance was  about  two  hundred.  Mr  Ridge's  suc- 
ces.sor  was  a  Mr.  Beck,  since  whom  Messrs.  Loiier, 
Foresman,  Lucas,  Miss  Fe;iron,  and  >Ir.  Ilershbcrger 
have  presided  in  the  order  named. 

The  teachers  engaged  for  the  coming  term  of  18S1- 
82  for  the  different  schools  in  the  township  ;irc:  For 
the  Eagleville  school.  Grammar  Department,  \V'illi:im 
J.  Weaver;  Second  Department,  Edward  Chirk  ; 
Third  Dei)arti)ient,  Miss  Lizzie  Knnes;  Primary  De- 
partment, Miss  Ida  Dehaas.  Bitner  .school,  Miss 
Annie  Haines;  Big  Run  school,  W.  T.  Anman; 
Wagner  school,  Cline  Haines;  Hunter  Run  school, 
Mary  E.  Clark. 

The  average  daily  attendance  of  i)iii>ils  at  all  the 
schools  for  the  term  ending  in  1878  was,  male-,  141  ; 
females,  140.  For  term  ending  1879,  males,  149;  fe- 
males, 135.  For  1880,  males,  150;  females,  144.  For 
1881,  males,  145;  females,  141.  The  State  appropri- 
ation for  school  purposes  in  the  township  for  the  term 
ending  1882  was  $257. 

Churches. — On  the  site  now  occ.ipied  by  the  Bap- 
tist Church  at  Eagleville  formerly  stood  a  small 
wooden  building.  It  was  built  as  a  house  of  worship 
by  the  united  efforts  of  the  German  Reformed  and 
Lutherans,  although  subscriptions  were  received  from 
the  community  in  general.  It  was  absolutely  impos- 
sible to  gain  any  accurate  information  regarding  this 
church,  as  no  records  have  been  preserved.  Among 
the  early  members  of  the  Reformed  side  were  the 
Glossners,  Ruperts,  and  Ligbthamers.  The  Re- 
formed congregation  was  organized  by  the  Rev.  W. 
R.  Ycarick.  They  were  also  served  by  Revs.  Foy 
and  Moore.  The  only  surviving  member  in  the 
township  is  the  venerable  John  Lighthamer,  now- 
living  at  Eagleville.  Facts  obtained  from  him  go  to 
show  that  the  church  property  eventually  came  into 
the  possession  of  the  Lutherans,  and  by  them  was 
disposed  of  to  the  Baptists.  Thus  the  old  church 
became  a  thing  of  the  past. 

Liberty  Baptist  Church.— Early  in  the  year  1871 
the  Rev.  A.  B.  Runyan,  then  a  very  efficient,  able 
worker  in  the  Baptist  Church,  visited  Eagleville, 
held  religious  meetings  in  the  old  Lutheran  Church, 
and  by  his  efforts  an  organization  was  effected  on  the 
2.3d  of  February,  1871.  The  constituent  members 
were  William  F.  Courter,  John  A.  SU)vcr,  N.  H. 
Lucas,  William  Kunes,  Joseph  Kunes,  Richard  Run- 
ner, Joseph  Buingardner,  and  Charles  Courter.  The 
first  deacons  were  John  A.  Stover,  William  F.  Cour- 
ter, and  N.  H.  Lucas.  During  the  first  year  a  large 
accession  of  members  took  place.  Preliminary  meet- 
ings were  held  discussing  the  feasibility  of  the  erec- 
tion of  a  bouse  of  worship  suitable  to  their  use,  which 
finally  culminated  in  the  purchase  of  ihe  old  church 
and  ground  which  they  thus  far  had  used,  the  price 
paid  being  about  three  hundred  dollars.  In  April, 
1872,  building  operations  were  begun,  and  in  Sep- 
tember of  the  same  year  the  new  church  was  dedi- 
cated.    It  was  built  at  a  cost  of  two  thousand  dollars. 


340 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


In  1876  the  churchyard  was  enlarged  by  an  addition 
of  two  acres  of  ground.  The  church  since  its  organ- 
ization, although  weak  in  numbers  in  the  early  stages 
of  its  existence,  has  been  of  rapid  and  permanent 
growth.  Success  crowned  its  efforts  almost  from  tlie 
very  outset.  From  1871  to  1877  one  hundred  and 
seventy-three  members  were  enrolled  upon  its  ban- 
ners. The  largest  accession  in  any  one  year  was  had 
in  1876,  during  which  forty  persons  were  received. 
The  Rev.  A.  B.  Runyon  continued  his  labors  for 
only  a  brief  time,  his  successor  being  the  Rev.  W. 
A.  Biggart,  who  was  succeeded,  Nov.  1,  1875,  by  the 
present  pastor,  William  A.  Ridge,  during  whose 
pastorate  the  church  has  enjoyed  an  unbroken  season 
of  prosperity.  It  has  at  present  about  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  members.  The  deacons  are  William 
F.  Courier,  J.  A.  Stover,  and  James  Brady. 

Disciples  of  Christ  owe  their  existence  in  Centre 
County  to  Elder  Nathan  J.  Mitchell,  who  in  the 
summer  of  1832  organized  the  first  society  in  the 
county  at  Howard.  They  had  no  creed,  but  claimed 
the  Bible  alone  as  their  guiding  star.  Elder  Mitchell 
was  extremely  zealous  in  his  labors,  and  when  op- 
portunity offered  orally  explained  the  object  and 
principles  of  the  society,  and  exhorted  his  hearers  to 
join  his  standard.  The  same  year  he  extended  his 
field  of  operations,  visiting  the  lower  Bald  Eagle 
valley  as  far  as  Mill  Hall.  By  his  efforts  a  church 
was  organized  in  what  is  now  Liberty  township,  and 
a  small  meeting-house  erected  the  same  year  (1832) 
near  Eagleville.  Among  the  first  members  of  this 
congregation  were  ex-Sheriff  J.  J.  Lingle,  now  of 
Bcllefonte,  Hon.  James  Chatham,  deceased,  Orin  and 
T.  Noble,  Esq.,  of  Lock  Haven,  and  Austin  Leonard. 
The  first  elders,  as  near  as  could  be  ascertained,  were 
John  Bcchdel,  Campbell  Belong,  Vincent  S.  Smith, 
and  Austin  Leonard  ;  deacons,  Joseph  Dehaas  and 
Daniel  Bitner.  During  the  first  few  years  of  its  ex- 
istence the  church  steadily  increased  in  numbers. 

On  the  21st  of  February,  1867,  a  protracted  revival 
meeting  was  held  in  the  church,  with  services  "  from 
day  to  day,  and  evening  to  evening,"  conducted  by 
Brother  Southmade.  They  continued  until  March 
1 3th  following.  The  records  of  the  church  say, 
"  AVhen  this  meeting  commenced,  the  membership 
had  been  reduced  very  much  from  what  it  formerly 
had  been  from  various  causes,  the  main  cause  being  the 
feelings  caused  by  the  Late  war  and  politics  generally. 
This  meeting  had  agood  effect  upon  the  church  and  the 
community  generally."  Brother  Southmade  was  paid 
seventy-six  dollars  for  his  services  in  conducting  the 
meeting,  and  was  credited  with  keeping  the  best  order 
ever  kept  in  theDiscipleChurch  for  so  long  a  meeting. 
On  the  13th  of  March,  1867,  a  business  meeting  of 
the  church  was  held  to  consider  the  erection  of  a  new 
church,  the  old  one  having  become  inefficient  in  ca- 
pacity to  properly  meet  the  demands  of  the  increased 
growth  of  the  congregation.  After  a  preliminary 
discussion  it  was  agreed  to  build  a  suitable  house  of 


worship,  forty-eight  by  seventy  feet,  two  stories  high, 
of  brick.  The  building  committee  appointed  were 
Thomas  H.  Martin,  W.  H.  Fearon,  and  Abraham 
Bitner,  with  whom  was  left  the  control  of  all  neces- 
sary arrangements.  A  plot  of  land  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  road  was  immediately  purchased,  and  the 
erection  of  the  present  elegant  and  commodious  edi- 
fice begun,  which  was  finished  in  February,  1869,  at 
a  cost  of  nearly,  if  not  quite,  eleven  thousand  dollars. 
The  first  regular  service  was  held  within  its  walls  on 
the  7th  of  February,  1869,  the  Rev.  L.  B.  Hyatt  ofii- 
ciating.  Steps  were  subsequently  taken  toward  se- 
curing a  regular  pastor,  and  arrangements  concluded 
with  the  Rev.  J.  M.  Streeter,  who  preached  his  first 
sermon  May  2,  1869.  On  the  9th  of  January,  1870, 
another  revival  meeting  began,  and  lasted  until  the 
24th  of  the  same  month.  Forty-two  members  were 
added  by  immersion  and  thirty-five  reclaimed.  Feb. 
2, 1870,  a  petition  from  the  church,  signed  by  William 
F.  Courier,  Jacob  Crotzer,  W.  H.  Snyder,  S.  S. 
Kunes,  Abraham  Bitner,  Christian  Bechdel,  J.  R. 
Bumgardner,  and  Joseph  Q.  Williams,  was  filed  in 
the  prothonotary's  ofllce  at  Bellefonte,  praying  the 
court  for  a  charter  to  enable  them  to  act  as  an  incor- 
porated body.  On  the  6th  of  December,  1870,  a 
charter  was  granted.  Those  who  have  served  the 
congregation  since  its  organization  are  the  Revs.  L. 
B.  Hyatt,  J.  M.  Streeter,  Charles  S.  Long,  W.  S. 
Lloyd,  and  M.  S.  Blair  (the  latter  since  April,  1880). 
The  members  number  upwards  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty.  The  elders  are  A.  JI.  Dehaas,  Fulton  Miller, 
Abraham  Bitner,  Vincent  S.  Smith,  Samuel  K. 
Spangler,  and  Joseph  Swartz. 

The  deacons  are  Daniel  Bitner,  Joseph  Dehaas, 
Christian  Kunes,  and  H.  H.  Berry. 

The  Sabbath-school  connected  with  the  church  is 
in  a  prosperous  condition,  with  a  large  average  at- 
tendance. The  superintendent  is  Joseph  Q.  Wil- 
liams. 

Burial-Places. — Burials  in  early  days  were  made 
mostly  at  what  is  now  Beech  Creek.  The  custom  of 
some  of  the  earlier  settlers  was  to  set  apart  a  small 
portion  of  their  land  for  their  private  burial  purposes. 
This  custom,  however,  of  late  years  has  become  quite 
extinct.  The  burial-ground  that  formerly  adjoined 
the  old  Lutheran  Church  was  originally  laid  out  as 
a  private  one  by  the  elder  Daniel  Kunes,  but  through 
his  generosity  it  eventually  fell  into  general  use.  It 
contains  the  remains  ofnearly  all  the  deceased  mem- 
bers of  the  Kunes  family.  The  cemetery  opposite 
the  Disciple  Church  was  laid  out  as  such  by  Simon 
Lingle,  and  has  since  come  into  possession  of  the 
church.  Appended  will  be  found  some  of  the  in- 
scriptions upon  tombstones  within  its  inclosure: 

"  Jcisppli  T.  Oiilbreatli,  died  January  )0, 1S07." 
"  David  Bird,  died  July  10, 1857." 

"  In  memory  of  Sarah  E.,  wife  of  Tbomas  S.  .Winslow,  died  February 
C,  1859." 

"  Josiall  W.  Hanscomb,  died  February  Ifi,  1804,  aged  40  years," 
"  William  lieed,  borji  Februa'  y  20,  1800,  died  June  14, 1874." 


LIBERTY   TOWNSHIP. 


311 


"  Entcllii  M.,  ilnuglitor  of  0.  nn(J  M.  I'acker,  died  Jnniinry  7, 1800." 
"Francos,  wile  of  M.  SivartJ,  died  June  17, 18C4,  oged  .04  years." 
"Our  motlier,  Mary  Bowmantcr,  died  Fobrimiy  12,  1605,  aged  40 

"  George  AVinBlow,  died  January  4, 1804,  aged  S2  years." 
"  Mary  C,  daugliter  of  J.  and  S.  Wilson,  died  Novemlier  .1, 1802." 
"  Anslin  C,  son  of  W.  and  F.  Klines,  died  Decemljcr  22,  1803." 
"GeorgeO.  Ilaagan,  burn  in  Pfouslicim,  Get  many,  June  8, 1784,  died 
August  2!),  1863." 

The  following  is  an  account  of  the  great  storm  of 
July  14,  1869: 

The  vicinities  of  Eagleville  and  Beech  Creek  were 
visited  on  Wednesday  evening,  July  14,  1869,  about 
six  o'clock,  by  oue  of  the  most  terrible  thunder-  and 
rain-storms  ever  witnessed  by  the  oldest  inhabitants. 
The  afternoon  of  Wednesday  had  been  very  warm  and 
sultry,  with  occasional  showers,  till  about  five  o'clock 
in  the  evening,  when  a  very  heavy  thunder-cloud 
rose  in  the  northwest  and  came  some  distance  towards 
the  zenith,  when  it  was  met  by  a  strong  south  current 
of  air  driving  a  heavy  cloud  somewhat  lower  than  the 
former,  and  meeting  just  south  of  the  Allegheny 
Mountains  in  Beech  Creek  township.  The  meeting  of 
the  clouds  produced  a  sound  like  a  large  waterfall. 
Shortly  the  rain  began  to  fall  in  such  torrents  in  the 
vicinity  of  Samuel  Hall's  farm,  that  Canoe  and  Sugar 
Euns  became  so  swollen  that  every  bridge  for  two 
miles  along  these  runs  were  swept  away.  The  storm 
then  passed  in  an  easterly  direction  down  the  north 
side  of  Bald  Eagle  valley,  through  the  front  ridges  1 
toward  Lock  Haven.  All  the  runs  from  Beech  Creek  | 
to  Lock  Haven  were  so  swollen  that  all  the  bridges 
and  fences  were  swept  away,  and  the  Bald  Eagle 
Canal  seriously  damaged  at  Beech  Creek.  Beecli 
Creek  rose  about  four  feet  in  half  an  hour.  Portions 
of  the  streets  were  impassable,  being  overflooded  by 
large  currents  of  water.  Cellars  were  filled,  side- 
walks torn  away,  and  pigs  and  chickens  swept  down 
with  the  irresistible  flood.  The  farmers  suffered  still 
more.  Spring-houses,  fences,  grain,  and  hay  were  de- 
stroyed in  large  quantities.  The  storm  was  accom- 
panied with  the  most  terrific  thunder  and  lightning 
ever  known  in  this  vicinity. 

Eagleville. — Eagleville  is  a  station  on  the  Bald 
Eagle  Valley  Kailroad,  and  the  distributing-point 
for  the  extensive  lumbering  interests  so  largely  repre- 
sented in  its  immediate  neighborhood.  It  is  situated 
near  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  at  a  point  between  where 
Beech  and  Marsh  Creeks  have  their  confluence  with 
the  former.  The  large  number  of  men  employed 
in  the  adjacent  lumbering  regions  has  of  late  years 
given  it  considerable  of  an  impetus  in  general  re- 
spects, and  is  to-day  a  thriving  village  of  some  five 
hundred  and  sixty  inhabitants.  Its  early  days  of 
progress  were  not  marked  by  any  features  of  particu- 
lar interest,  and  until  the  opening  of  the  vast  lumber 
country  in  its  vicinity  its  condition  was  mediocre. 
The  land  upon  wliich  tlie  eastern  part  of  the  village 
i^  located  in  former  times  was  owned  by  Absalom 
Ligget. 


In  1832  or  thereabouts,  Solomon  Strong  and  Dr. 
Roberts  laid  it  out  in  town-lots.  The  fir-st  house 
built  after  the  village  was  laid  out  was  erected  by 
Michael  I'rickley,  and  is  still  standing,  occupied  by 
the  Widow  Spanglcr.  Shortly  after,  William  Parks, 
a  son-in-law  of  Absalom  Ligget,  built  the  hou.se  at 
present  occupied  by  J.  Abbott.  In  1834,  Richard 
Riter  built  the  tavern  now  occupied  by  Kunes.  Riter 
was  a  tailor  by  trade,  and  used  to  ply  his  trade  from 
house  to  house  and  drove  a  thriving  business.  After 
building  the  tavern  he  still  worked  at  his  trade,  re- 
serving one  room  for  that  purpose. 

He  was  succeeded  in  the  proprietorship  of  the 
tavern  by  Daniel  Kunes,  who  remained  as  sucli  for  a 
number, of  years  until  his  death.  He  also  at  one 
time  used  one  part  of  his  tavern  as  a  store.  The 
building  now  occupied  by  James  I.  Belong  as  a  tavern 
was  built  by  Mr.  Williams  in  1861  for  a  dwelling  and 
tavern.  He  afterwards  rented  it  to  James  Furey,  who 
used  it  for  the  same  purposes.  The  next  occupant 
was  John  Brickley,  who  used  it  for  store  purposes,  but 
in  a  short  time  disposed  of  it  to  the  present  occupant 
and  built  the  store-room  now  occupied  by  J.  I.  Kunes. 
The  first  store  was  kept  by  Joseph  Bumgardner  where 
T.  Winslow  lives.  The  first  blacksmith  was  David 
Ligget.  In  1854,  Jonas  Spangles  laid  out  some  lots, 
west  of  the  original  plot,  on  lands  which  he  had  pur- 
chased of  Kunes.  Just  what  year  the  post-office  was 
established  at  Eagleville  is  not  definitely  known.  It 
is  said  that  at  one  time  considerable  rivalry  existed 
between  it  and  Beech  Creek  for  an  office,  and  that 
Eagleville  came  out  ahead,  which  made  it  the  mail 
distributing  point  for  both  places,  owing  to  their  near 
proximity  to  each  other.  The  first  postmaster  was 
Dr.  Roberts,  who  lived  in  the  house  now  occupietl  by 
William  StuU.  The  next  postmaster  was  Joseph 
Bumgardner,  and  after  him  Chris.  Bollinger.  During 
the  latter's  administration  it  was  discovered  by  the 
authorities  that  there  was  another  postal  station  of 
the  same  name  which  had  existed  prior  to  this  one,  in 
consequence  of  which  Eagleville  lost  the  post-office 
and  Beech  Creek  gained  it.  Eflbrts  were  made  there- 
after from  time  to  time  to  get  it  back,  but  without 
success,  until  it  was  hinted  that  if  a  suitable  name  for 
the  office  were  suggested  it  would  be  re-established. 
Subsequently  the  name  of  Blanchard,  in  honor  of  a 
member  of  the  Centre  County  bar,  was  chosen,  and 
Miss  Sarah  Snyder  installed  as  postmistress.  She 
still  holds  the  position. 

Eagleville  has  always  had  her  share  of  physicians. 
Notable  among  the  first  was  Dr.  Roberts,  before  men- 
tioned. The  traditions  handed  down  respecting  him 
bespeak  him  as  being  a  man  of  indomitable  energy 
and  enterprising  to  an  unusual  degree.  To  his  fertile 
brain  Eagleville  undoubtedly  owes  its  existence. 
Being  a  large  landowner,  as  well  as  others,  he  was 
the  first  to  take  any  decisive  steps  which  led  in  the 
direction  since  attained.  One  of  his  enterprises  was 
the  manufacture  of  bricks.     His  eflbrts  to  introduce 


342 


HISTORY   OF    CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


their  use  in  the  construction  of  dwellings  met  with 
little  success,  for  in  those  times  settlers  were  so  en- 
grossed in  clearing  their  land  of  timber  to  put  it  in 
jiroper  shape  for  farming  that  logs  formed  the  chief 
article  of  building  material.  It  is  said  that  few  bricks 
were  ever  taken  from  the  doctor's  kiln,  and  it  stood 
until  it  fell  down  and  crumbled  to  pieces.  The  doctor 
was  a  native  of  Bradford  County.  After  practicing 
his  profession  in  Eagleville  and  its  vicinity  for  a 
great  many  3'ears,  he  left  this  for  other  fields. 

He  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  Rothroek,  and  after  him 
came  Dr.  Johns.  The  present  physician  is  Dr.  Hul- 
burt.  Eagleville  contains  a  good  public  school  build- 
ing, an  Odd-Fellows'  Hall,  and  two  churches.  The 
mercantile  interests  are  represented  by  J.  I.  Kunes, 
Hoover  &  Co.,  and  James  Quigley,  general  merchan- 
dise; W.  F.  Courter,  shoemaker;  A.  E.  Graham  and 
Thornton  Williams,  cigar  manufacturers ;  Jacob  Crot- 
zcr, saddler;  John  Williams,  undertaker  and  cabinet- 
shop  ;  D.  W.  Clark,  blacksmith  ;  Thomas  S.  Lingle, 
wagon-maker;  hotels  by  James  I.  Delong,  S.  H. 
Kunes,  and  J.  A.  Stover.  The  re])resentative  men  of 
the  place  are  William  Singer,  D.  B.  Kunes,  and  J.  I. 
Kunes. 

Bi.ANCHAED  Lodge,  No.  427,  L  O.  O.  F.— The 
above  body  was  organized  March  16,  1877,  at  Eagle- 
ville, with  the  following  members:  J.  A.  Clark,  C.  A. 
Courter,  H.  A.  Snyder,  J.  W.  Gunsalus,  Edward  De- 
haas,  D.  W.  Herring,  G.  W.  Bowes,  and  James  Magec. 
The  first  officers  chosen  were  J.  T.  Clark,  N.  G. ;  C. 
A.  Courter,  V.  G. ;  H.  A.  Snyder,  Fin.  Sec;  J.  W. 
Gunsalus,  Asst.  Fin.  Sec;  J.  W.  Gunsalus,  Treas. 
At  the  first  regular  meeting,  presided  over  by  District 
Deputy  Grand  Master  James  Borie,  of  Philadelphia, 
seve'ral  new  members  were  initiated,  since  which  time 
the  lodge  has  steadily  increased  in  numbers  and  pros- 
perity. Those  that  have  served  as  Noble  Grands  since 
its  organization  are  J.  T.  Clark,  C.  A.  Courter,  D.  W. 
Glossncr,  W.  F.  Courter,  H.  A.  Snyder,  J.  W.  Tonner, 
J.  W.  Gunsalus,  A.  C.  Bowes,  Edward  Dehaas,  and 
J.  R.  Runner.  Vice  Grands,  C.  A.  Courter,  D.  W. 
Glossner,  W.  F.  Courter,  H.  A.  Snyder,  J.  W.  Tonner, 
J.  W.  Gunsalus,  A.  C.  Bowes,  Edward  Dehaas,  J.  R. 
Runner,  and  D.  W.  Herring.  The  Secretary  is  H.  A. 
Snyder;  Assistant  Secretary,  James  Magee;  Treas- 
urer, C  A.  Courter. 

Patriotic  Okdee  Sons  of  Ameeica.— The  above 
lodge  was  chartered  March  16,  1875,  with  the  follow- 
ing members:  J.  I.  Delong,  H.  A.  Snyder,  Harry 
Croskey,  J.  S.  Saxton,  John  W.  Tonner,  D.  M.  Long- 
shore, D.  B.  Kunes,  W.  W.  Spangler,  J.  B.  Shaw, 
Luther  Stover,  J.  P.  Linn,  John  J.  Kunes,  D.  W. 

Clark,  W.  R.  Bitner,  D.  M.  Burlcw,  H.  H.  Kunes, 

Bitner,  H.  A.  Foresman,  S.  H.  Kunes,  and  C.  A. 
Courter.  The  encouragement  expected  was  not  met 
with,  and  after  struggling  through  a  feeble  existence, 
the  lodge  became  obsolete  in  1877. 


CHAPTER  LXXVI. 

MARION    TOWNSHIP. 

Surveys. — Nov.  4, 1769,  Charles  Lukens  commenced 
surveying  applications  in  which  he  was  interested  him- 
self, which  are  known  by  surveyors  and  calls  on  many 
surveys  as  the  "  Lemmon  and  Troy"  lands  or  surveys. 
On  a  paper  containing  a  list  of  thirty-seven  applica- 
tions, found  among  Judge  Huston's  papers,  is  in- 
dorsed "Troy  and  Lukens'  partnership,"  and  thus  in 
Charles  Lukens'  handwriting,  "  get  these  laid  if  pos- 
sible ;  one-half  belongs  to  Charles  Lukens.  In  a  letter, 
now  mislaid,  which  was  annexed  to  this,  Mr.  Troy 
promised  me  one-half  of  all  the  land  that  should 
be  surveyed  by  virtue  of  the  within  orders.  Cha' 
Lukens."  Those  surveyed  Nov.  4,  1769,  commenced 
with  the  Andrew  Eakin  tract,  on  which  the  Lick  Run 
Presbyterian  Church  and  the  town  of  Jacksonville  are 
situated,  and  run  for  two  and  one-half  miles.  South- 
west along  and  including  Lick  Run  are  Patrick 
Dougherty,  William  Moore,  and  .lane  Kirk. 

East  and  adjoining  the  Andrew  Eakin  tract,  which 
belonged  to  Thomas  McCalmont  and  Samuel  Milliken, 
was  the  Mary  Dougherty  application  of  31st  of  August, 
1769,  surveyed  Aug.  31 ,  1770,  and  patented  to  Thomas 
Stewartson  ;  and  south  of  the  Mary  Dougherty  and 
surrounding  Andrew  Eakin  on  the  south  is  the  Cath- 
erine Coleman  warrant  of  July  1, 1784,  surveyed  June 
10,  1785.  West  of  the  Jane  Kirk  the  Stewart  Rowan 
warrant  of  Nov.  5,  1797,  was  surveyed  June  26,  1797. 
South  of  the  Jane  Kirk  was  surveyed  the  Robert 
Young  warrant  of  Sept.  3,  1792. 

Settlements  and  Settlers. — The  first  attempt  at  a 
settlement  in  Marion  township  was  made  by  two  men 
by  the  name  of  McEwen,  a  short  distance  from  Jack- 
sonville. Though  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  gloomy 
forests  and  lofty  mountains,  inhabited  by  wild  beasts 
and  prowling  savages,  the.y  succeeded  in  clearing  a 
few  acres  of  ground.  But  in  a  short  time  they  were 
driven  off  by  the  Indians,  and  were  obliged  to  seek 
safety  in  the  older  settlements,  and  never  returned. 

The  first  permanent  settler  in  this  immediate  neigh- 
borhood was  Thomas  Wilson,  who  commenced  an  im- 
provement on  the  place  lately  owned  by  Hon.  William 
Smyth  as  early  as  1785.  Thomas  McCalmont  followed 
him  as  early  as  1787,  and  settled  on  the  improvement 
commenced  by  the  McEwens.  That  Mr.  McCalmont 
was  among  the  first  settlers,  and  that  he  had  but  few 
neighbors,  even  years  after,  is  evident  from  the  (act  that 
he  was  obliged  with  his  own  hands  to  dig  the  grave 
of  his  son  James,  as  also  to  perform  most  of  the  other 
funeral  solemnities.  This  is  believed  to  have  been 
the  first  death  that  occurred  in  the  valley,  and  the 
body  of  James  McCalmont  the  first  that  was  interred 
beneath  its  clay.  Next  to  these  came  the  McKibbcns, 
then  the  Swanzeys,  and  then  the  McClellands.  All 
these  families  settled  in  what  at  least  would  thyi 
have  been  regarded  as  the  same  neighborhood.    About 


iMAllION   TOWNSHIP. 


343 


the  same  time  the  Hazletts  and  the  Porters  and  the 
Boyds  and  the  IJrownlees  emigrated  and  settled  in 
the  east  end  of  the  valley,  along  Fishing  Creek;  and 
soon  after  the  Hayes  and  the  JIuClures  settled  in  the 
adjoining  valley  of  Bald  Eagle,  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Beech  Creek.  These  were  all  men  of  strong  and 
robust  constitutions,  and  most  of  them  were  honored 
of  God  to  live  to  an  old  age,  to  see  the  forests  cleared 
away,  towns  and  villages  springing  up  around  them, 
and  the  valley  taking  its  place  among  the  first  in  the 
State  in  point  of  agriculture  and  produce. 

Most  of  these  families  emigrated  from  the  valley  of 
Cumberland,  and,  I  believe,  were  all  of  Irish  and  Scot- 
tish descent.  They  were,  moreover,  Protestants,  and 
were  all,  in  the  strictest  sense,  what  are  called  Irish 
Presbyterians.  It  is  also  believed  that  some  of  them 
were  the  descendants  of  those  who  fled  to  this  country 
forcoiiscience' sake, determined  to  enjoy  their  religious 
rights  in  the  wild  woods  of  America  rather  than  sur- 
render them  up  iu  the  midst  of  European  ease  and 
refinement.  It  is  also  worthy  of  remark  that  most 
of  them  had  been  soldiers  of  the  Revolution,  and 
consequently  were  inured  to  the  toils  of  the  camp 
and  the  perils  of  the  battle-field.  Hence,  while 
their  minds  were  imbued  with  a  deep  and  ardent 
patriotism,  they  were  prepared  to  endure  the  hard- 
ships and  undergo  the  privations  which  always  be- 
long to  a  first  settlement  and  a  new  country,  and  so 
the  land  for  which  they  had  periled  their  all  re- 
mained as  dear  to  them  as  their  right  hands,  yen,  dear 
to  them  as  their  lives. 

Thomas  McCalmont  died  Sept.  6,  1819,  aged  sev- 
enty-four years.  He  had  three  sons  and  one  daugh- 
ter. Thomas,  the  eldest,  married  a  Harbison ;  .^hn 
married  Jane  Allison,  who  bore  him  eight  children, 
one  of  whom  was  James  A.  McCalmont.  James  A. 
married  Elizabeth  Sterrett,  and  their  children  were 
John  S.,  of  Clinton  County;  Eosa,  wife  of  William 
Shortledge,  of  Bellefonte;  James  S.  married  Emily 
Lowry,  and  still  resides  on  the  old  homestead;  Wil- 
liam T.  lost  his  life  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  ; 
Robert  and  Rebecca  J.  live  on  the  old  place. 

The  stone  marking  the  spot  where  Thomas  McCal- 
mont buried  his  son  bears  the  date  of  1790. 

Henry  Hoy,  whose  ancestors  were  German,  came 
here  in  the  year  1800,  and  settled  at  what  is  called 
Hoy's  Gap,  at  which  place  he  purchased  a  grist-mill 

of Spencer,  and  followed  the  calling  of  miller 

for  a  number  of  years.  In  1836  he  prospered  to  such 
an  extent  that  he  built  a  larger  and  commodious 
structure  a  short  distance  from  tlie  old  mill.  In  con- 
nection with  it  he  erected  a  dwelling,  in  which  he 
lived  until  his  death.  The  ruins  of  both  structures 
are  still  standing.  Henry's  son,  Jacob  Hoy,  succeeded 
him,  and  in  185G  built  the  large  mill  now  standing 
upon  the  site  of  the  original  one.  It  is  now  operated 
by  John  Allen.  Jacob  Hoy  died  August,  1873.  In 
1800,  or  shortly  after,  William  Sayers  came  here  from 
what  was  then  called  Mudtown,  and  for  a  number  of 


years  was  the  village  tailor.  Not  meeting  with  the 
success  merited,  he  purcha-sed  a  farm  in  Curtin  town- 
ship, to  which  place  he  removed,  but  shortly  after 
again  returned,  and  worked  at  his  trade  occasionally. 
He  died  July  27,  18(3.5,  at  the  age  of  eighty-nine.  He 
left  a  family  of  ten  children,  of  whom  three  are  living 
at  the  present  time  (1881), — Mary,  .lohn,  and  Charles. 
Mary,  the  eldest,  married  Edward  Hawks,  and  lives 
now  in  Curtin  township.  John  married  Rel)ecca, 
daughter  of  John  Thompson,  of  Bald  Eagle.  He 
died  in  the  spring  of  1880,  at  quite  an  advanced  age. 
Charles  married  Jane  C,  daughter  of  Mrs.  Jane  Long, 
March  23,  1853.  They  had  five  children,  of  whom 
two  are  dead.  The  living  are  Elizabeth,  Susan,  and 
William.  Mr.  Charles  Sayers  is  still  living  at  Jack- 
sonville, and  follows  the  trade  of  millwright.  Early 
in  the  present  century  George  Hoy  purchased  the 
farm  then  owned  by  Robert  McBride,  and  earlier  by 
Wilson  Bovard.  His  son  George  had  three  chil- 
dren,— George,  John,  and  Margaret.  John  S.  (famil- 
iarly known  as  Squire  Hoy)  married  Rebecca  Yearick. 
Their  family  consisted  of  eight  children.  For  his 
second  wife  he  took  the  Widow  Hockenbury.  He 
still  resides  on  the  farm  first  purchased  by  his  father. 
He  has  held  the  oflSce  of  justice  of  the  peace  for  ten 
successive  terms.  The  Hoys  are  a  numerous  and  a 
representative  family  of  the  township.  It  is  related 
of  one  of  the  ancestors  of  the  family  that  he  at  one 
time  jumped  into  a  well  fifty-three  feet  deep,  which 
contained  only  a  few  feet  of  water,  and  rescued  one 
of  his  children  who  had  accidentally  fallen  in. 

James  Hutchinson,  of  old  Scotch  stock,  came  about 
1800,  and  built  a  stone  dwelling  upon  the  place  now 
owned  by  Henry  Yearick.  For  a  number  of  years  he 
was  the  only  blacksmith  in  the  surrounding  country, 
and  industriously  applied  himself  to  his  trade.  He 
died  Oct.  22, 1845,  at  the  advanced  age  of  seventy-two 
years.  His  remains  lie  in  the  Presbyterian  church- 
yard at  Jacksonville.  His  wife  was  an  Allison  ;  their 
daughter,  Ann,  married  William  Mann ;  Rebecca, 
Thomas  McMinn ;  and  Barbara  married  John  Carner, 
of  Hublersburg. 

Hugh  McClelland,  an  early  settler  and  a  blufl'  old 
Scotchman,  built  what  was  probably  the  first  grist- 
mill in  the  town.  It  was  situated  on  Lick  Run,  at 
what  is  known  as  Hoy's  Gap.  He  came  probably 
about  1795.  Previous  to  that  the  settlers  thereabout 
were  obliged  to  travel  to  mill  a  distance  of  thirty-five 
miles,  through  dense  woods  and  over  mountains,  to 
Mifllin  County.  Sometimes  they  were  put  to  such 
extremities  that  they  ground  their  corn  in  copper 
mills.. 

David  Lamb,  who  was  one  of  the  elders  of  the  old 
Lick  Run  Church,  was  a  settler  here  probably  as 
early  as  1795.  He  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Revolu- 
tion and  ended  his  latter  days  here  quietly.  His 
death  occurred  Feb.  12,  1837. 

Among  the  best  recollected  people  were  James 
McCullough  and  his  wife  Betsey.     He  was  a  strong 


.3U 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Jackson  man,  and  is  credited  with  giving  the  name  to 
the  village.  He  kept  hotel,  and  had  a  sign  on  which 
was  a  rude  portrait  of  Gen.  Jackson  on  horseback. 
He  was  at  one  time  postmaster.  Mrs.  McCullough  was 
a  McEwen,  and  a  great  conversationalist.  He  was 
totally  blind  before  his  death,  which  occurred  April 
11,  1870.     She  died  Feb.  20,  1871. 

The  memories  of  Uncle  Jimmy  and  Aunt  Betsey 
are  held  in  reverence  by  the  present  generation,  and 
annually  they  proceed  in  a  body  to  their  burial-place 
and  carefully  decorate  and  dress  their  graves.  Two 
neat  marble  headstones  indicate  their  resting-place. 
The  house  Uncle  Jimmy  built  in  his  day,  and  which 
is  supposed  to  be  one  of  the  oldest  in  the  town,  is 
still  standing  in  Jacksonville,  at  the  corner  of  the 
road  leading  to  Snydertown. 

Andrew  Harter  came  to  Marion  with  his  parents 
from  Penn's  valley,  and  settled  upon  the  old  Wilson 
place,  which  his  father  purchased  at  that  time,  1835. 
Here  they  continued  until  the  death  of  the  elder 
Harter,  which  occurred  in  1860,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
five.  In  1860,  Andrew  Harter  purchased  his  present 
place.  He  is  a  representative  man  of  the  township 
for  a  number  of  years.  He  has  been  for  a  long  time 
identified  with  the  political  interests  of  his  town, 
having  held  the  several  offices  of  supervisor,  school 
director,  etc.  His  first  wife  was  Eva  Smith.  After 
her  death  he  married  his  present  wife,  who  was  the 
former  widow  of  Jacob  Sharer. 

The  Lick  Run  Presbyterian  Church,  Jackson- 
ville, was  organized  by  Rev.  Isaac  Grier  and  Rev. 
James  Johnston  (a  committee  appointed  by  the  Hun- 
tingdon Presbytery)  in  October,  1798;  the  session 
elected  and  ordained  at  the  time  consisting  of  Wil- 
liam Swanzey,  Thomas  Wilson,  David  Lamb,  John 
Mitchell,  and  James  McClure,  its  members  number- 
ing twenty,  but  the  church  had  no  regular  pastor 
until  1803.  The  deed  for  the  church-lot  and  burial- 
ground,  which  is  on  the  Andrew  Eaken  warrantee 
tract,  was  made  by  Samuel  Milliken,  of  Mifflin 
County,  and  Thomas  McCalmont,  Esq.,  of  Centre 
County,  Aug.  1,  1802,  to  Joseph  McKibben,  John 
Thompson,  and  Matthew  Allison,  Esq.,  as  trustees  for 
the  church  at  Lick  Run,  under  the  care  of  the  Hun- 
tingdon Presbytery,  and  the  first  church  erected  in 
1803.'  Rev.  Henry  R.  Wilson,  of  the  Carlisle  Pres- 
bytery, was  installed  the  first  pastor,  April  20,  1803, 
and  served  until  Oct.  3,  1809.  Towards  the  close  of 
Mr.  Wilson's  ministry,  some  eight  or  nine  members, 
with  John  Mitchell,  one  of  the  session,  withdrew  on 
account  of  Mr.  Wilson's  strict  Calvinistic  views.  Mr. 
AVilson  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  James  Linn,  who  was 

I  Tho  first  cliurcli  was  a  log  bnilJiiig,  and  stood  a  little  to  the  north- 
west of  the  present  huilding;  it  contained  a  gallery.  Much  of  the 
labor  of  building  was  performed  by  the  members  clearing  off  the  ground 
and  hauliug  the  logs.  Joseph  McKibben  was  at  that  time  tho  foremost 
and  most  active  in  what  peitained  to  the  interest  of  the  congregation, 
and  perhaps  it  was  owing  to  his  exertions  more  than  to  any  other  that 
a  house  of  worship  was  erected  at  so  early  a  day— iTcr.  .S'.  M.  Cooper's 
Disoowse,  January,  1840. 


installed  in  April,  1810.  The  church  building  was  of 
logs,  with  low  windows  and  a  high  pulpit,  with  seats 
of  rounded  slabs.  During  Mr.  Linn's  pastorate,  Aug. 
1,  1819,  the  Sabbath-school  was  established.  During 
the  summer  of  1810,  Francis  McEwen  and  John 
McCalmont  were  elected  and  ordained  elders  ;  in  Sep- 
tember, 1818,  David  Watson,  James  Harbison,  and 
Dickey  Hayes  were  elected  elders,  and  in  October, 
1827,  William  Smyth,  Thomas  McCalmont,  and  Rob- 
ert D.  McBride. 

Oct.  23,  1828,  the  congregation  had  increased  to 
such  an  extent  that  a  new  church  was  required.  Mr. 
Smyth,  James  Hutchinson,  Nathaniel  Beck,  James 
Sterrett,  and  Joseph  Montgomery  were  the  building 
committee.  Feb.  16,  1829,  they  contracted  with 
James  Sterrett  for  the  erection  of  a  suitable  frame 
building,  fifty-six  by  sixty-two  feet,  at  the  price  of 
fourteen  hundred  dollars. 

During  Mr.  Linn's  pastorate  some  nineteen  mem- 
bers, through  the  preaching  of  Rev.  John  Loder, 
withdrew,  and  organized  the  New-School  Church  at 
Hublersburg.  When  Mr.  Linn  resigned  tlie  pastorate 
of  Lick  Run  in  the  fall  of  1839  to  preach  exclusively 
at  Bellefonte,  the  church  membership  of  Lick  Run 
numbered  two  hundred  and  thirty-one.  Rev.  Samuel 
M.  Cooper  was  installed  pastor  Oct.  15,  1810.  Dec. 
17,  1840,  Joseph  Harris  was  elected  a  ruling  elder, 
and  William  Clark  and  Matthew  Laird,  already  or- 
dained elders  in  other  churches,  were  accepted  as 
members  of  the  se.ssion.  In  September,  1843,  John 
Watson  was  elected  an  elder,  and  in  May,  1849, 
Thomas McKean  and  William  Smyth,  Jr.,  were  elected 
and  ordained.  Mr.  Cooper  resigned  the  pastorate 
Feb.  21,  1852.  Mr.  Cooper's  labors  were  eminently 
blessed.  In  January,  1843,  thirty-seven  were  added 
upon  examination,  and  in  February,  twenty-one, 
making  a  total  membership  of  three  hundred  and 
seven.  After  that,  in  consequence  of  removal  to  the 
West,  the  membership  decreased  rapidly,  so  that  in 
August,  1848,  after  a  great  revival  in  which  forty- 
three  converts  were  added,  the  total  membership  was 
but  two  hundred  and  seventy-three.  Rev.  W.  J.  Gib- 
son was  installed  pastor  in  August,  1852,  and  in  Oc- 
tober, 1856,  the  session  consisted  of  William  Smyth, 
Sr.,  John  Watson,  Thomas  McKean,  William  Smyth, 
Jr.,  and  William  S.  McCalmont,  ordained  in  April, 
1854,  in  place  of  his  fiither,  the  venerable  John  Mc- 
Calmont. The  number  of  communicants  in  October, 
1856,  was  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven,  including 
the  session  and  twenty-two  admitted  on  examination 
June  22,  1856.  For  this  much  we  are  indebted  to  a 
sketch  written  by  William  Smyth,  Jr.,  of  date  Octo- 
ber, 1856. 

Dr.  Gibson  served  until  October,  1861,  when  he  re- 
signed, with  a  view  to  accept  a  chaplaincy  in  the 
army.  He  was  appointed  chaplain  of  the  Forty-fifth 
Pennsylvania  Oct.  1,  1861.  Rev.  J.  H.  Patterson  suc- 
ceeded him  in  the  pastorate  in  November,  1862,  and 
died  Ln  1865.     Rev.  John  P.  Hudson  was  the   next 


MARION   TOWNSHIP. 


345 


pastor,  succeeded  after  a  considerable  interval  by 
Rev.  S.  S.  Wallen. 

The  congregation  now  numbers  sixty  members. 

The  number  of  scholars  in  attendance  at  Sabbath- 
school  about  fifty.  The  elders  are  Samuel  Aley,  An- 
drew Martin,  and  Jacob  Jlc.Vuley ;  trustees,  Jacob 
Zimmerman,  William  Irwin,  James  McCalmont, 
Jacob  McAuley,  William  Montgomery,  and  Andrew 
Martin. 

About  three  miles  west  of  Jacksonville,  and  stand- 
ing about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  Bellefonte 
road,  is  the  old  Wilson  house.  It  is  one  of  the  oldest 
landmarks  in  the  township.  It  was  built  by  the  Kev. 
Henry  Wilson  in  the  year  1805,  during  his  pastorate 
of  the  Lick  Run  Church.  It  is  a  very  substantially 
and  strongly  built  two-story  stone  building,  and 
shows  no  signs  of  its  age.  It  bids  fair  to  stand  for  a 
long  time  to  come.  The  initials  H.  R.  E.  W.  and  the 
date  1805  are  plainly  visible,  being  cut  in  a  circular 
stone  of  a  very  dark  color  set  in  the  west  wall  of  the 
house.  It  is  at  present  occupied  by  Mr.  Frank 
Yearick. 

Lick  Run  Presbyterian  Cemetery.— This  bury- 
ing-ground  is  situated  in  tlie  village  of  Jacksonville, 
where  the  remains  of  many  of  the  older  inhabitants 
of  the  township  were  deposited,  and  from  their  head- 
stones the  following  inscriptions  were  copied  : 

Jamfs  Mm  tin,  a  soldier  of  llie  wur  of  1812,  died  March  20, 1S2S,  aged 
54. 

Jane,  wife  cf  James  Martin,  died  Sept.  14, 1S6S,  aged  83. 

Thomas  Lucas,  died  March  9,  1S71,  aged  72. 

Alexander  Miles,  died  Oct.  26,  1852,  aged  CO. 

AVilliam  Snij-lh,  died  Jan.  23,  1S03,  aged  02. 

Mary,  wife  of  W.  Snijtli,  died  Oct.  10,  1810,  aged  71. 

John  Smyth,  died  Sept.  25,  1804,  aged  60. 

James  Keil,  died  Sept.  8, 1827,  aged  49. 

Isabella,  wife  of  James  Neil,  died  Nov.  9, 1840,  aged  02. 

Eohert  D.  McBrido. 

John  Fulton,  died  May  2, 1855,  aged  84. 

William  \V.  Watson,  sergeatit  Co.  E,  Fifth  Pennsylvania  Volunteer 
Bcsevve  Coips,  died  Feb.  9,  lS0:i,  aged  35. 

William  Swanzey,  Sr.,  died  Aug.  8, 1825,  aged  79. 

Ann,  wife  of  W.  Swanzey,  Sr.,  died  Nov.  21, 1815,  aged  63. 

James  Hutchison,  died  Oct.  22, 1845,  aged  72. 

Barbara,  wife  of  J.  Hutchison,  died  Aug.  27, 1807,  aged  32. 

Ann,  wife  of  J.  Hutchison, died  April  12, 1851,  aged  74. 

Robert  Beck,  died  July  24,  1828,  aged  04. 

Isabella,  wife  of  James  McNanI,  died  Nov.  8,  1838,  aged  45. 

Lieut.  J.  II.  Cram,  Co.  B,  Eleventh  New  Hampshire  Infantry. 

Thomas  McCalinont,  died  Feb.  7, 1839,  aged  39. 

Nathaniel  Beck,  died  Oct.  13, 18-19,  aged  77. 

Robert  Beck,  died  Aug.  5,  180:i,  aged  03. 

John  Stephenson,  died  July  7,  1835,  aged  80. 

Thomas  Stephenson,  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812,  died  Feb.  20, 1878, 
aged  90  years,  11  mouths. 

Richard  Conley,  died  Sept.  3, 1880,  aged  71. 

John  Irnin,  died  Feb.  25, 1844,  aged  54. 

Mary,  wife  of  J.  Irwin,  died  Jan.  15,  1858,  aged  71. 

James  P.  Hughes,  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  18C1,  died  June  17,  1SG7, 
aged  40. 

Catharine  McClelland,  died  June  9, 1853,  aged  74. 

William  McKibben,  died  Jan.  8, 1837,aged  02. 

David  Watson,  died  Jan.  24, 1869,  aged  82. 

William  S.  McCalmont«dicd  Dec.  17, 1803,  aged  62. 

Thomas  McCalmont,  died  Sept.  0,  1819,  aged  74. 

Mary,  wife  of  T.  McCalraout,  died  M.ay  7, 1803,  aged  58. 

John  McCalmont,  died  Feb.  25, 1856,  aged  80. 
■    William  0.  Wilson,  born  Nov.  25, 1788 ;  died  Dec.  9,  1841. 


Jane  Harbison,  died  Miirch  17, 1832.  aged  TO. 

James  A.  McCalmont,  born  March  18,  1801 ;  died  Ang.  13,  1875. 

Joseiih  McKibben,  died  Feb.  16,  1847,  aged  90. 

Sarah,  wife  of  Joseph  McKibben,  died  Nov.  23,  1833,  aged  74. 

Joseph  McKibben,  died  Blarcli  30, 1800,  aged  05. 

Isaac  McKinncy,  died  Sept.  II,  1849,  aged  8.3. 

Jane, wife  of  J.  McKinney,  died  May  15,  1S38,  aged  72. 

Matthew  Allison,  Esq.,  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  a  soldier  of  the  .\nier- 
ican  Kcvolulionary  war,  died  Feb.  9, 1828,  aged  78. 

Catharine,  wife  of  M.  Allison,  died  Feb.  19, 1817,  aged  58. 

Archibald  Allison,  died  Feb.  11, 1872,  aged  77. 

William  McKean,  died  Jan.  13, 1857,  aged  84  years,  10  months. 

Anna,  wife  of  W.  McKean,  died  March  16,  1844,  ag^d  05. 

Mark  McKean,  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1801,  died  Maich  15,  1873, 
aged  32.  • 

Nancy,  wife  of  Rev.  S.  M.  Cooper,  died  Sept.  13, 1857,  aged  48. 

Joseph  Montgomery,  died  May  10, 1852,  aged  Ii9. 

Sarah  Montgomery,  died  April  30, 1809,  aged  77. 

Robert  Holmes,  born  Nov.  9, 1709,  died  Sept.  10, 1874. 

Rachel  Holmes,  died  Se|it.  30, 1806,  aged  78. 

Andrew  Shields,  died  April  15,  1801,  aged  75. 

John  Henderson,  died  Aug.  2,  1853,  aged  69. 

Body  Logan,  Co.  D,  45th  Pa.  Infantry. 

James  Harbison,  died  May  II,  1850,  aged  05. 

John  Askey,dicd  Sept.  20, 1840,  aged  08. 

Elizabeth,  wife  of  J.  Askey,  died  Aug.  11, 1808,  aged  84. 

Capt.  Thomas  Askey  (or  Eiskine),  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  no  mark. 

William  Sayer,  a  soldier  of  1812,  died  July  27, 1805,  aged  89. 

Elizabeth,  wife  of  W.  Sayer,  died  Aug  29, 1853,  aged  69. 

Capt.  D.  H.  Chesbro,  killed  in  battle  near  Dallas,  Ga.,  May  25, 1864, 
aged  23  years,  10  months. 

Edward  L.  Rogers,  died  Ang.  25, 1807,  aged  74. 

Maria,  wife  of  E.  L.  Rogers,  died  May  16,  1801,  aged  03. 

William  Orr,  died  May  6,  1875,  aged  72. 

Mary  Orr,  died  Aug  19, 1878,  aged  75  years,  11  months. 

Mary  Orr,  died  Deo.  6,  1870,  aged  05.. 

David  Lamb,  Sr.,  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  died  Feb.  12,  1837, 
aged  83. 

James  McCollongh,  died  April  11, 1870,  aged  73. 

Elizabeth,  wife  of  J.  McCollough,  died  Feb.  20,  1871,  aged  73. 

Hugh  McManigal,  died  March  21,  1850,  aged  73. 

Capt.  E.  U.  Rogers,  war  1861. 

Lick  Run  Reformed  and  Lutheran  Graveyard. 

— This  graveyard  is  comparatively  new,  and  the  fol- 
lowing inscriptions  copied  give  the  names  of  a  few 
of  the  earlier  members  of  these  two  denominations 
buried  here  : 

John  Fo.v,  died  March  9,  1850,  aged  62. 

Elizabeth,  wife  of  John  Fox,  late  wife  of  Daniel  Schenck,  died  Dec. 
10,  1802,  aged  73. 

James  H.  Strunk,Co.  A,  45th  Pa.  Vol..  killed  at  South  Mountiun,Md., 
Sept.  14, 1862,  aged  17  years,  9  months. 

Frederick  Glossuci,  sergeant  of  Co.  D,  45th  Pa.  Vol.,  died  July  25, 18C4, 
aged  22. 

James  Strnnk,  cousin  of  above  James,  died  in  the  U.  S.  service  Nov. 
27, 1801,  aged  20  years,  9  months. 

John  Ruber,  born  May  1, 1800,  died  May  1, 1862. 

J.  George  Hoy,  born  Jan.  3, 1805,  died  Nov.  9, 1864. 

German  Reformed  Church.— This  organization  is 
the  outgrowth  of  what  was  some  years  ago  known  as 
the  Union  Church.  The  Union  Church  was  organ- 
ized in  the  year  1811  by  the  Rev.  Henry  Rassman. 
It  was  composed  of  Reformed  Protestants  and  Luther- 
ans, which  fact  gave  it  the  name  of  L^nion.  The  two 
denominations  worked  in  harmony  for  a  long  time, 
and  unitedly  elected  elders  and  deacons.  In  the  early 
days  of  its  existence  it  had  no  regular  pastor,  and 
took  such  as  they  could  obtain,  irrespective  of  creed. 
There  appears  to  have  been  no  meeting-house  until 
1816.     In  th.1t  year  old  Henry  Hoy  deeded  to  Mel- 


346 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


chior  Dunkle  and  Joseph  Baker,  as  trustees,  one  acre 
of  ground  for  the  consideration  of  twelve  dollars.  It 
wiis  cx|)ressly  stipulated  in  the  deed  that  the  ground 
was  to  be  used  "  for  German  Calvinistic  and  Lutheran 
Evangelical  purposes,  and  converted  to  no  other  use 
whatever."  A  short  time  only  elapsed  before  the 
raising  of  a  small  log  meeting-house,  in  which  they 
worshiped  until  the  year  1851.  In  1844,  William  R. 
Yearick  began  his  labors  as  pastor,  he  also  serving  at 
that  time  seven  other  congregations.  A  new  church 
was  built  in  1851,  and  dedicated  upon  Christmas  day 
of  that  year.  In  the  spring  oY  1852  a  new  organiza- 
tion was  effected  by  the  withdrawal  of  the  Lutheran 
faction,  which  left  it  a  German  Reformed  Church, 
and  so  it  exists  to-day.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Yearick  served 
his  flock  until  the  spring  of  1859.  He  was  succeeded 
by  the  Rev.  P.  A.  Schwartz,  who  labored  with  them 
only  one  year.  Rev.  J.  S.  Weisze  was  the  next  in- 
cumbent, whose  term  lasted  one  year  and  six  months. 
Following  him  came  the  Rev.  J.  K.  Millett,  who 
tarried  twelve  years.  Then  the  Rev.  Mr.  Darbecker, 
who  was  succeeded  in  1876  by  the  Rev.  G.  P.  Hart- 
zell,  who  is  the  present  pastor.  The  Sabbath-school 
was  established  in  1854.  In  1874  the  purchase  of 
three  lots  of  ground  was  effected,  and  the  present 
substantial  brick  structure  erected  thereon.  It  is 
situated  in  Jacksonville,  adjacent  to  the  original 
churchyard.  The  trustees  of  the  old  Union  Church 
in  1811  were  Henry  Hoy  and  John  Yarger.  The 
present  presiding  officers  are  Enos  Ertley,  Robert 
Strunk,  and  Henry  Yearick.  Rev.  William  R.  Yearick 
deserves  a  few  words  of  attention,  as  his  has  been  a 
life  of  sore  affliction  from  his  youth.  At  the  age  of 
fifteen  rheumatism  claimed  him  as  a  victim,  since 
which  time  he  has  been  a  constant  and  a  patient 
sufferer.  At  the  ago  of  twenty-seven  he  entered  the 
ministry,  and,  although  crippled  from  the  very  outset 
of  his  duties,  he  managed  to  serve  his  people  up  to 
three  years  ago.  His  zeal  was  remarkable,  and  for  a 
number  of  years,  although  suffering  more  bodily  pain 
than  is  usually  allotted  to  man,  he  preached  from  a 
chair,  being  carried  to  and  from  the  church  by  some  of 
the  members  of  his  congregation.  He  was  born  Oct. 
31,  1817,  and  is  still  living,  and,  although  a  helpless 
invalid,  his  mental  faculties  remain  unimpaired. 

Schools. — The  first  school  in  the  township  is 
geneially  believed  to  have  stood  along  the  roadside, 
between  Jacksonville  and  Bellefonte,  somewhere 
about  where  Daniel  Condo  now  has  his  blacksmith- 
shop.  TJie  precise  location,  as  also  the  date  of  its 
construction,  are  matters  buried  in  obscurity.  There 
was  a  cave  near  the  school  which  can  be  seen  at 
the  present  day.  It  is  said  to  have  been  a  favorite 
resort  of  the  scholars  during  the  time  that  they  were 
not  poring  over  their  books.  The  first  teacher  was  a 
Mr.  Dewey. 

■The  second  school  was  held  at  Jacksonville,  in 
the  log  church  which  stood  upon  the  eastern  end  of 
what  is  now  the  graveyard  of  the  Union  Church. 


The  school  was  opened  about  1830,  and  under  the 
direction  of  William  Harding  flourished.  Harding 
is  said  to  have  been  a  good  teacher  and  strict  disci- 
plinarian, and  was  a  terror  to  the  mischief-makers, 
whom  he  held  in  check  by  his  firm  hand.  Harding 
taught  only  in  the  winter.  During  the  summer 
months  he  plied  his  vocation  of  millwright.  He 
was  the  village  schoolmaster  for  a  number  of  years, 
until  his  varying  fortunes  prompted  him  to  seek  new 
fields  of  enterprise.  BIrs.  McKain  also  taught  there 
during  intervals  through  the  summer,  as  also  did 
Mr.  Buskirk.  There  are  now  four  schools  in  the 
township,  two  situated  on  the  Bellefonte  road,  one  at 
the  extreme  east  end  of  the  township,  and  one  at 
Jacksonville,  the  latter  being  a  graded  school, 
divided  into  an  upper  and  lower  branch.  The  latter 
is  under  the  tutorship  of  Mr.  Ursinus  Yearick. 

A  new  school-house  has  been  lately  completed  on 
the  Lock  Haveu  road,  near  by  where  John  Zigler 
resides. 

The  report  of  1880  gave  the  number  of  school 
children  in  Marion  as  207,  and  the  average  attend- 
ance as  132.  The  total  tax  was  $770.23  ;  the  total 
receipts  from  all  sources,  $1357.65;  the  total  expendi- 
tures, $875.31 ;  and  resources,  $482.34. 

Jacksonville— Walker  Post-Office.— The  hamlet 
of  Jacksonville  is  situated  on  the  Lock  Haven  road, 
ten  miles  distant  from  Bellefonte.  It  is  a  collection 
of  a  few  straggling  dwellings,  and  contains  two 
churches,  two  stores,  one  blacksmith-shop,  and  a 
wheelwright-shop.  It  has  no  organization,  and  was 
never  laid  out  by  any  one  as  far  as  could  be  ascer- 
tained. The  first  house  is  supposed  to  have  been 
built  by  Mr.  Bccbtel  some  seventy-five  or  eighty 
years  ago,  and  is  still  standing.  It  is  occupied  by 
Jacob  Zimmerman,  the  sexton  of  the  Lick  Run 
Church.  The  second  building  was  built  of  logs,  and 
erected  by  Henry  Orndorf,  who  used  it  for  a  number 
of  years  in  pursuing  his  calling  of  cabinet-maker. 
It  stood  on  the  corner  of  the  road  leading  to  Snyder- 
town.  It  was  afterwards  removed  to  the  site  of  Mrs. 
Hoy's  present  residence.  Orndorf  replaced  it  in  a 
few  years  with  a  more  pretentious  building,  which 
was  towards  later  years  used  by  John  Howard  as  a 
blacksmith-shop.  The  first  viUage  blacksmith  of 
whom  any  recollection  is  had  was  William  Yarger, 
who  located  upon  the  spot  now  occupied  by  Miller  & 
Yearick's  storehouse.  Yarger  wielded  the  sledge  for 
a  number  of  years.  He  finally  emigrated  to  the 
West.  Before  Yarger's  departure  Peter  Shoup  ap- 
peared and  built  a  shop  very  near  the  old  Presby- 
terian Church.     He  stayed  only  two  years. 

After  him  came  John  Howard,  who  worked  about 
a  year.  He  was  in  turn  succeeded  by  Enos  Estley, 
who  is  still  following  the  trade  at  Jacksonville.  The 
first  store-keeper  was  Thomas  Huston,  who  came  in 
1830.  Isaac  McKinney  had  a  store  for  a  number  of 
years  prior  in  an  old  stone  building  located  on  what  is 
now  McClintock's  farm.     Huston  supplied  the  sur- 


MABION   TOWNSHIP. 


317 


rounding  settlers  for  a  great  many  years.  He  was 
succeeded  by  McGoniglo.  For  a  while  .Tacksonville 
was  without  a  store,  the  nearest  point  then  being 
Howard.  Henry  Yearick  &  Son  are  the  present 
store-keepers,  and  combine  with  other  of  their  duties 
that  of  tobacco  cultivation,  with  which  they  have  met 
success,  although  this  being  their  first  venture,  they 
having  planted  their  first  crop  in  the  spring  of  the 
year  (1881).  Samuel  Aley,  who  has  been  the  village 
shoemaker  for  twenty  years  or  more,  is  also  post- 
master, which  office  he  has  held  since  1877.  He  suc- 
ceeded R.  F.  Holmes. 

There  are  also  one  large  grist-mill  and  two  saw- 
mills in  the  adjacent  neighborhood.  The  grist-mill 
is  operated  by  John  Allen,  and  does  a  thriving  busi- 
ness. It  is  a  large  substantial  stone  structure,  built 
in  1852  by  Jacob  Hoy.     It  is  located  at  Hoy's  Gap. 

In  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Jacksonville,  and 
situated  upon  the  premises  occupied  by  William 
Lucas,  is  a  somewhat  celebrated  sulphur  spring  of 
local  reputation.  Its  waters  are  freely  drunk,  and  is 
said  to  contain  considerable  virtue  as  to  its  healing 
properties.  It  is  put  up  in  barrels,  and  shipped  to 
Bellefonte  and  other  points. 

The  Evangelical  Association  was  formed  a  few 
years  ago.  Their  house  of  meeting  is  situated  at 
Jacksonville.  It  is  called  Albright's  Church,  named 
after  its  founder.  It  is  also  occasionally  used  by  the 
Lutherans.  John  Irvine  is  the  pastor.  Services  are 
held  every  two  weeks. 

Fairview  Female  Seminary. — In  1845  the  Rev. 
Samuel  C.  Cooper  projected  and  built  the  Fairview 
Female  Seminary  at  Jacksonville.  It  was  quite  a 
large  and  commodious  structure  for  those  days,  and 
proved  quite  a  successful  venture  for  the  time  being. 
It  is  located  upon  a  rise  of  ground,  pleasantly  situated, 
and  commands  a  fine  view  of  the  surrounding  country 
throughout  the  valley.  Dr.  Cooper,  with  the  assist- 
ance of  his  wife,  established  a  flourishing  school  in  a 
short  time,  and  had  numerous  patrons,  his  scholars 
representing  almost  every  section  thereabouts.  The 
community  in  his  neighborhood,  appreciating  his  in- 
defatigable eflbrts,  supported  him  strongly.  He 
boarded  a  number  of  his  scholars,  having  an  average 
of  twenty  boarders  for  some  years,  whose  wants  were 
attended  to  by  Mrs.  Cooper,  she  presiding  over  the 
culinary  affairs,  and  to  her  was  due  almost  entirely 
the  success  of  the  establishment.  The  fame  of  the 
school  spread,  and  for  a  period  of  ten  years  or  more 
continued  uninterruptedly. 

About  this  time  Mrs.  Cooper  was  stricken  with  an 
illness  that  eventually  resulted  in  her  death,  Sept.  13, 
1857. 

After  his  wife's  demise  the  fortunes  of  the  school 
varied.  The  vacancy  caused  by  her  death  was  sorely 
felt.  In  the  year  1859  the  Rev.  William  R.  Yearick, 
then  pastor  of  the  Reformed  Church,  purchased  it, 
and  converted  it  into  an  academic  school,  and  met 
with  encouraging  success  from  the  outset.    He  had  an 


average  attendance  of  seventy  scholars,  boarding  and 
day,  and  under  his  reign  it  regained  the  greater  part 
of  its  former  prestige  and  popularity.  Physical  in- 
firmities compelled  Mr.  Yearick  to  relinquish  what 
promised  to  l)e  a  prosperous  undertaking. 

In  the  fall  of  1860  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  J.  S. 
Weisze,  who  met  with  indifferent  success,  and  in  a 
short  time  gave  way  to  the  Rev.  D.  G.  Kline,  who 
in  1865  enlarged  the  original  building  by  numerous 
additions  and  established  in  the  winter  of  that  year 
a  school  for  the  education  of  orphans  of  soldiers 
killed  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion.  It  was  used  in 
this  capacity  for  a  period  of  four  years.  Since  then 
it  has  had  no  occupant. 

Iron-Mines. — About  the  year  1830,  Joseph  Harris, 
James  D.  Harris,  William  A.  Thomas,  and  Isaac 
Miller  formed  an  association  styled  Harris,  Thomas 
&  Co.,  and  sunk  several  mines  upon  the  land  now 
owned  by  Joseph  Long,  near  Jacksonville.  They 
met  with  considerable  success,  and  took  out  large 
quantities  of  iron  ore  of  good  quality.  A  period  of 
ten  years  sufficed  to  exhaust  the  resources  of  their 
mines.  Later  they  removed  to  Walker  township. 
There  are  now  two  mines  operated  here  by  the  Wash- 
ington and  Lamar  Iron  Companies.  Large  quantities 
of  ore  of  good  quality  are  mined,  and  a  large  force  of 
men  employed. 

Early  Taverns. — The  first  tavern  of  which  any 
authentic  record  can  be  gained  was  set  up  by  William 
Smyth  on  the  Lock  Haven  road.  He  probably  flour- 
ished very  early  in  the  present  century.  The  precise 
date  could  not  be  ascertained.  He  was  followed  by 
Uncle-Jimmy  McCullough,  who  converted  his  dwelling 
to  a  tavern  about  1825.  Uncle  Jimmy  attended  to 
the  wants  of  the  early  wayfarers  for  a  long  time,  his 
reputation  as  an  odd  character  making  it  a  favorite 
resort.     The  last  tavern-keeper  of  whom  mention  is 

made  was  • Spangler.     Since  his  day  (years  ago) 

there  has  been  no  public-house  in  the  town. 

Early  Physicians. — The  first  doctor  of  whom  any 
note  has  been  taken  was  Ira  D.  Canfield,  who  stopped 
but  a  short  time,  as  the  field  for  practice  was  small, 
and  the  inhabitants  thereof  provokingly  healthy. 
After  him  came  Dr.  E.  L.  Walker,  about  1840  or 
thereabouts.  He  is  spoken  of  as  having  been  a  fine- 
looking  man,  and  well  versed  in  the  practice  of  medi- 
cine. He  soon  sought  a  new  field.  No  regular  phy- 
sician made  his  appearance  for  some  time,  until  the 
advent  of  Dr.  Jacob  Rhodes,  who  stayed  until  twelve 
years  ago,  since  which  time  no  permanent  physician 
has  cast  his  lot  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  town- 
ship. 

Organization  of  the  Township.— In  1840  a  peti- 
tion was  presented  to  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions 
for  a  division  of  Walker  township,  whereupon  the 
court  appointed  William  Smyth,  Henry  F.  W. 
Schultz,  and  William  Harris,  commissioners,  and 
ordered  them  to  report  according  to  law.  Aug.  26, 
1840,  the   commissioners   reported   the   township  of 


318 


niSTORY   OF   CE.NTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Walker  should  be  divided  aa  follows:  Beginning  at 
a  pine  on  tlie  top  of  the  Eidge  on  the  Clinton  County 
(formerly  Lamar  township)  line;  thence  south  60 
degrees  west  87  perches  to  a  pine ;  thence  south  53} 
degrees  west  42  perches  to  a  chestnut;  thence  south 
40  degrees  west  276  perches  to  a  hickory ;  south  51 
degrees  west  75  perches  to  a  black  oak  ;  south  55  de- 
grees west  77  perches  to  a  pine;  south  42  degrees 
west  74  perches  to  a  pine  ;  south  62  degrees  west  160 
perches  to  a  black  oak  ;  south  62  degrees  west  60 
perches  to  a  Spanish  oak;  south  75  degrees  west  72 
perches  to  a  pine ;  south  55  degrees  west  80  perches 
to  a  chestnut ;  south  25  degrees  west  52  perches  to  a 
pine;  south  32  degrees  west  140  perches  to  a  pine; 
south  42  degrees  west  224  perches  to  stones ;  south  57 
degrees  west  260  perches  to  hickory  ;  south  50  degrees 
west  16S  perches  to  a  pine;  south  67  degrees  west 
106  perches  to  a  pine;  south  62  degrees  west  2  miles 
115  perches  to  a  pine;  south  80  degrees  west  188 
perches  to  a  pine  ;  south  60  degrees  west  280  perches 
to  the  line  of  Spring  township.  And  also  recom- 
mend that  the  part  lying  north  of  said  line  be  called 
Marion,  and  that  the  part  lying  south  of  said  line 
retain  the  name  of  Walker.  Whereupon  the  court 
confirmed  the  same,  and  the  new  township  called 
Marion,  in  honor  of  Gen.  Francis  Marion,  a  distin- 
guished partisan  officer  of  the  Southern  Revolution- 
ary army. 

MARION'S   EESIDEXT   TAX-PATEES   IN   1S41. 

Names.  Acres.  Hurecs.  Catlle. 

Andrew  Anderson  (house  and  lol) 

.lol.ii  Askey ^ 

llolievt  Beck  SO  

Natlninii.l  lieck 231)  ...  J 

P:Miiiicl  licik 12.j  2  3 

TirnM-ndit  100        

>    I    •  I  r    ■  I  I 1 

^,i.:l!.  I  !      1 115  3  2 

.I..-,l;,  .[ 2 

W.lsun  K.ik 2  3 

HlklKiel  lie.k 1 

Tholuas  r.,e  1 

llev.  Samuel  Coc.per  I  lionsoiiud  lot) 

Joseph  lamiibell I 

Juhu    Elder 110  1  3 

ItuUi-rl  EM.urv 

Jainb  Ei.senlelUniilhvright) 1 

E.  V.  Everluirt 1 

.Iiieub  Ki.sler 5  ...  2 

■laci.li  F..U1I8 1 

Geurge  Oiirl.iiKlit  (carpenter) 1 

JuIju  Garbri^lit 8j  2  2 

.I.isepli  Garl.rick 2(10  2  2 

William  Gail.riek S5  1  I 

Jacob  UarliriKli,  Jr 1 

.T.uiillliau  Unit 1 

Ilviirv  Uov,. Jr.  (house  and  lot) 2 

I'avi.i  ll...iU 

.l:o-,d,  ll.ilir 211.5  5  4 

Itolielt  ll..llue3 150  4  3 

l)a\id   l.aiiil 128  2  1 

Williaiu  I.'.r.- 1 

William  l.aluli,  Jr.  (saddler,  house  and  lot) 2 

.'"liii  I..«e. 6110  4  4 

IMalllou    l.air.l Ijll  4  5 

WillamllrKie  71 

llUKli  JlcJloi.iKle 100  3  3 

.lames  MiCullocli  (house  and  lot) 1 

William    M.Calment IbO  3  3 

James  JUl-aliueut 2  4 

John  Milahmiit 300  1  2 

I'eter  Jluirav 70  

James  Md'amman 

William  Mefalment,  Jr 112  2  2 

IIUBh   Marlin 1 

James  M.Null 3  3 

John  Met'alment.Jr 2  2 

David  I!.  Mill 1 

Samuel  Mclvoe 2  1 


Names.  Acres,  lloises.  Catlle. 

Samuel  McMoniglo 

ll.W.  Marr,  Jr 1 

Wi  11. m  Niseru  (bouse  and  lot) 1  1 

Isabella  Neiil  (house  and  lol) 2 

.b.hii  Neal 2  3 

llenrv  Orndorf(carpenter) 

Cbariea  Osmer  (miner) 1  1 

I'l-lerPrnner 1 

Abiahani  Price 

J,.hu  Mci:alineut  (house  and  lot) 

John   Reese 

John  Ruble 221  3  4 

.lohn  Strnnk, 140  4  3 

James  Hare 1 

JamesHutchins 2 

Geoige  Hoy 280  4  4 

.lames  Harbison  4  2 

Peter  Ih.v,  Jr 153  3  2 

J.diii  Hoy,  Jr.  (irist-mill) 2 

Hepburn'.*  Kuil/.(oie-baidO 13  

Tli.unas  Houston 237  4  4 

lleiiiy  Hoy  (saw-mill) 28  ...  1 

George  WiHnlchinson 300  4  4 

Aar.in  Hanly 

William  Haidv  (millwright) 1 

John  Heiidersou 333  

David  Hawthorn 1 

J.ie.ih  Hoy  (grist-mill) 1 

John  Hull... 

Solomon  Hoy  (meichant) ...  I 

Joseph  Hare 1 

ilariis  Valentine  Jt  Co.  (ore-bank) 14  

John  Irwin 216  4  4 

JohnJamisiMi 232  

Peter  Haines  50  

John  Johnson 25  2  3 

James  J.jhnson 2 

Chi istoi)her  Irwin a 

J.ihn  Irwiii 2  2 

William  Ir«in 

Janifs  1!.  Johnston  (teacher) 1 

J.  C.  Johnston 132  4  U 

D.miel  Johnson 

Patrick  Litile 2 

Thomas  Lewis 

William  I.amb : l.VI  4  4 

William  S«aliz..y 218  

.Saiiinel  Svvaiiz.y 17.S  4  3 

William  Sawyer 100  3  2 

William  Smjtli.Jr 1»3  1 

David  Smith..  IBO  4  3 

J.din  Shearer 2  1 

Michael  Spangler(inn-keeper,housc  and  lot)       2 

GeorgeSlover 100  

Robert  Stenett 1 

KvcSheafer 1 

George  Snyder 7ti  2  2 

Jacob  Siiiiii 

Samuel  Tibbiiis 

HughThomi.son 

James  Tii-L;ait  (houfi Hot) 

Sanllu•lT..^■i;,llt 117  ...  1 

."au.iol  11,  Ta-gart  (carp.uter) 

John  Uii;;alt 

Jacob  Staner 

John  Venada 124  

John  Walker l.W  3  1 

Kdwaid  L.  Walker  (bouse  and  lol) 1 

William  Weight 1 

Joseph  Verger  (house  and  lol) 

William  Yei-ger 

John  Yerger 220  3  4 

William  Yeiger(blacUsiiiilli,houscandlot) 2 

JohnZeiglei 2  2 

Ellis  Zimmerman 1  1 

William  Campbell  (caiiier.tei),  M.  P.  Ilines  (lailor).  Jacob  Harter,  John 
Hart.T.  l»,oir  lIoHll;(sboemaker)..l,-srph  lloiilU,  Daniel   li«iii(car- 

lieiilril,  .l.uu..-  liuiii,  .Xaiiiui-1   Irwin,  Samuel  .Iohiis„u  (si maker), 

John  .b.biis,,i,  . I. .Slab  .liilnison,  Jlailili  Kul|i  (saildlei).  Thomas 
Lewis,  l;,,  :,,.  I,.  WIS.  li.ivid  .MilliUen,  Isaic  jMilliUen,  David  Martin 
(sboeuiakeil.  Win  JleNaull,  Wm.  Saw\er,  Jr.,  John  Swan/.ey, 
ThomasSiii.h.r  (tailor).  John  Sa  wyers,  Jesse  Snvder(.ahinet-niakerl, 
Samuel  Venada  (miller),  James  Taylor,  Michael  Welsh,  Isaac  Yukely 
(blacksmilh),  Siniou  Veagcr,  Chrislian  Yeager. 

CIVIL   LIST. 

Juslices  of  the  Peace—Juhn  McCalmont,  James  Taggiirt,  April  14, 1840  . 
James  Harbison,  April  11,  1843:  John  McCalmont,  April  15,  1845; 
James  Ilaibison,  April  14,  1848;  William  Allison,  March  13, 1849 ; 
J.  B.  Johnston,  March  12,  1850;  J.  B.  Johnston,  March  22,  1861; 

John  Gestrick,  March  17, 1854  ;  James  B.  Johnston,  Ma'rch  12, 185G; 
John  Garberich,  March  15,  l,'s59;  S.  B.  Johnson,  March  18,  1801; 

William  Robi,son,  James  McCullongh,  Match  20,1804;  P.  W.  Mc- 
Dowell, May  3,  1800;  .I.B.Johnson,  May  1,  18C7;  Jacob  Rhoiids, 
March  21.  1808;  John  S.  Iloy,  Dec.  ia,  1S70;  R.  K.  Wilson,  March 
31, 1873 ;  John  S.  Uoy,  March  13, 1870  ;  E.  K.  Wilson,  April  3, 1878. 


M^6Ly^^cC^  C^.  r^( 


r^^z^^^-<j 


MILES  TOWNSHIP. 


3J9 


Marion  Grange  was  organized  April  21, 1874,  by 
Deputy  Leonard  Rhone  and  John  H.  Barnhart,  of 
Logan  Grange.  Tlie  following  were  elected  officers: 
Master,  L  S.  Frain  ;  Overseer,  David  Harter;  Lec- 
turer, George  L  Hoy;  Steward,  Adam  Yearick;  As- 
sistant Steward,  T.  W.  Harper;  Chaplain,  John  I. 
Hoy;  Treasurer,  Andrew  Harter;  Secretary,  W.  W. 
Lamb ;  Gate-keeper,  Henry  J.  Garberich  ;  Ceres,  Jlrs. 
S.  A.  Gross  ;  Pomona,  Mrs.  Susan  Garberich  ;  Flora, 
Miss  L.  C.  Harper;  Lady  Assistant  Steward,  Mi.ss 
Lizzie  Deitrich. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH. 


DANIEL  C.   GROVE,   ESQ. 

Daniel  C.  Grove,  Esq.,  of  Marion  township,  farmer, 
was  born  on  the  19th  of  June,  1835,  in  Haines  town- 
ship. His  ancestry  is  traced  readily  on  the  one  side 
to  John  Michael  Long,  who  emigrated  to  Pennsylvania 
with  his  wife  and  two  children,  leaving  Germany 
March  16,  1752.  His  passport  of  that  date  is  still  in 
Mr.  Grove's  possession.  Christina,  John  Michael's 
daughter,  married  William  Stover,  and  they  had  one 
child,  Catherine,  born  Aug.  25,  1777,  in  Cocalico 
township^  Lancaster  Co.  William  Stover  was  twice 
drafted  during  the  Revolution,  and  was  with  the  mi- 
litia at  Trenton  in  1776,  and  at  Brandywine  and  Ger- 
mantown  in  1777.  He  removed  first  to  Centre  town- 
ship, now  Snyder  County,  and  thence,  in  1810,  with 
his  family  and  four  grandchildren,  to  the  oil-mill 
farm  in  Haines  township,  now  John  Haines',  where 
he  died.  He  had  over  fourteen  hundred  dollars  of 
Continental  money,  which  proved  a  total  loss  to 
him. 

John  Grove  married  the  only  daughter  of  William 
Stover,  Catherine,  May  11,  1794,  and  died  in  1809. 
He  had  by  her  John,  William,  and  George,  and  a 
daughter,  Cliristina.  Christina,  born  June  30.  1795, 
in  Centre  township,  married  Samuel  Weaver,  and 
died  in  Gregg  township  in  1859.  William  and 
George  also  came  up  to  Centre  County  with  their 
grandfather.  William  married  Mary  M.  Hosterman, 
and  died  Nov.  7,  1866,  in  Gregg  township.  He  was 
born  April  21,  1799.  George,  born  Oct.  25,  1800, 
married  Elizabeth  Stover,  daughter  of  Frederick,  and 
lived  in  Harris  (now  College)  township.  He  died 
Jan.  22,  1846. 

John  Grove,  father  of  Daniel  C,  was  born  March 
31,  1797,  and  married  first  Elizabeth  Stover,  March 
29,  1822,  and  had  four  children  by  her, — Catharine, 
John,  Elizabeth,  and  Adam.  Mrs.  Grove  died  Dec. 
25,  1829,  and  John  Grove  then  married,  Dec.  25,  1832, 
Louisa  Clinesmith,  a  daughter  of  Baltzer  Clinesmith, 
Jr.,  and  a  granddaughter,  of  Baltzer  Clinesmith,  Sr., 


who  was  killed  by  the  Indians  in  Buffalo  valley, 
Union  Co.,  near  the  Driesbach  Church,  July  14, 
1780.  See  an  account  of  this  in  Linn's  "  Annals  of 
Buffalo  Valley,"  page  189,  and  a  notice  of  the  Cline- 
smith family  accompanying  it. 

John  Grove's  children  by  Ixjuisa  Clinesmith  were 
Daniel  C,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Mary  Ann, 
now  living  in  Genesee  County,  Mich.,  married  to 
John.ston  Hanna;  Margaret,  now  dead;  William, 
living  in  Benner  township  ;  and  Martin,  who  was  in 
the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-eighth  Regiment,  and 
died  in  the  service,  and  was  buried  in  George's  valley, 
alongside  of  his  father,  in  February,  1863. 

Louisa,  wife  of  John  Grove,  died  Dec.  31,  1842, 
and  John  Grove  married  again,  Dec.  12,  1843,  to 
Mary  Gentzel.  John  Grove  died  Sept.  15,  1860,  and 
is  buried  in  the  George's  valley  German  Reformed 
and  Lutheran  graveyard. 

Daniel  C.  Grove  moved  with  his  parents  to  Gregg 
township  in  1839,  to  the  John  Grove  farm,  two  miles 
southeast  of  Spring  Mills.  He  was  raised  as  a  far- 
mer, and  has  followed  that  occupation  all  of  his  life. 
He  removed  from  Gregg  township  to  Benner  town- 
ship in  1863,  upon  a  farm  purchased  of  Christopher 
Stem,  and  from  Benner  to  Spring  in  1878,  to  a  farm 
purchased  of  Adam  Hoy,  Esq.,  known  as  the  "Tib- 
ben's"  farm.  By  a  change  of  the  township  line  this 
farm  is  now  in  Marion  township. 

Daniel  C.  married  Leah,  daughter  of  William 
Stem,  of  Potter  township,  Aug.  9,  1859.  She  was 
born  Sept.  21,  1842,  in  Potter  township,  and  was  a 
granddaughter  of  Adam  Stem,  who  came  from  Leb- 
anon County  to  Centre  in  1812,  and  died  there  in 
1861.  William  Stem  was  born  in  1813,  and  died  in 
1844. 

Daniel  C.  Grove  has  seven  children,  all  living, — 
Alice  Louisa,  John  W.,  Lydia  H.,  Michael  H.,  Leah 
E.,  Sarah  M.,  and  Franklin  Climesmith  Grove.  Mr. 
Grove  was  commissioned  justice  of  the  peace  of  Ben- 
ner townsliip  by  Governor  Curtin  March  22,  1866, 
and  served  three  terms  of  office  in  Bonner,  and  was 
elected  for  Spring,  and  commissioned  April  5,  1879. 


CHAPTER   LXXVIL 

MILES    TOWXSniP.i 

Surveys.— The  arable  portion  (so  considered  then) 
of  Miles  township,  or  Brush  valley,  was  taken  up  by 
Samuel  Miles  on  warrants  dated  in  1772  and  1773, 
and  surveyed  in  1773  and  1774.  The  extreme  west- 
ern one,  the  Benjamin  Davis  warrant  of  Sov.  24, 
1773,  calls  for  a  white-oak  north  one  hundred  and 


1  Cuntiibulcd  I.J  rrorcsso:  nciirj-  3Io.Vf 


350 


lIISTOrtY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


twenty-six  and  one-half  perches  to  a  wild-cBerry. 
The  C'jl.  Miles'  line  is  about  eighty  rods  west  of  Adam 
M.  Stover's  house  at  the  entrance  of  Brush  Valley  Nar- 
rows, and  the  south  line  of  the  block  runs  south 
seventy-two  west,  and  south  sixty-eight  west  to  the 
proprietor's  reservation  of  eight  hundred  and  forty- 
four  acres,  which  lies  directly  north  of  where  Elk 
Creek  breaks  through  the  mountain  into  Penn's 
valley.  The  reservation  is  over  one-half  mile  wide, 
when  the  Miles  surveys  commence  again  and  run  clear 
up  to  Penn's  valley,  the  last  one  being  the  Richard 
Chubb  warrant  of  2l3t  November,  1772,  sold  to  Rich- 
ard Miles  in  1775,  and  where  James  Miles  afterwards 
lived.  North  of  these,  on  Nittany  Mountain,  lie  a 
large  block  of  surveys  made  by  Frederick  Evans,  in 
December,  1794,  in  the  warrantee  names  of  Henry 
Boyd,  James  Boyd,  Paul  Tripp,  etc.,  William  Housel, 
John  Housel,  etc.,  north  of  the  reservation.  These 
latter  are  largely  interfered  with  by  a  block  of  sur- 
veys coming  down  from  the  north  surveyed  in  the 
warrantee  names  of  William  Parker,  Henry  Toland, 
etc.,  warrants  of  April  27,  1793,  surveyed  in  August, 
1794.  North  of  the  eastern  portion  of  the  Miles  sur- 
veys lie  a  block  of  surveys  under  warrants  of  Sept. 
10,  1794,  in  the  warrantee  names  of  William  Ham- 
mer, John  Tripp,  William  Brady,  etc.  North  of  Sto- 
ver's, in  the  end  of  the  narrows,  lies  a  block  of  sur- 
veys on  warrants  of  March  21, 1793,  and  July  1, 1793, 
in  the  warrantee  names  of  William  Barton,  W.  P. 
Brady,  Jeremiah  Jackson,  et  al.  East  of  these  are 
the  Brady  warrants,  and  the  Sigfried  warrants  lie 
along  the  State  road  through  the  Brush  Valley  Nar- 
rows to  the  Union  County  line.  South  of  these  are 
the  Reese,  Black,  and  Gray  warrants  of  1793. 

General  Sketch. — Brush  valley  lies  in  the  eastern 
part  of  Centre  County.  It  is  a  narrow  valley  about  si.'c- 
teen  miles  long,  and  in  breadth  from  one  to  two  miles, 
lying  between  Nittany  Mountain  on  the  north  and 
Brush  Mountain  on  the  south,  which  are  parallel 
ranges,  whose  gener.al  direction  is  nearly  east  and 
west.  The  extremities  of  the  valley  are  hilly,  but 
the  centra!  part,  from  Yearick's  Church  to  Wolf's 
Store,  a  distance  of  ten  miles,  is  almost  level.  The 
soil  is  limestone,  and  is  very  productive  throughout 
the  entire  length  of  the  valley.  The  principal  stream 
is  Elk  Creek,  which,  rising  in  the  "Narrows,"  flows 
west  along  the  southern  side  of  the  valley  some  dis- 
tance beyond  the  centre,  winds  through  Brush  Moun- 
tiin,  and  empties  into  Penn's  Creek,  south  of  Millheim. 
Numerous  mountain  brooks  are  tributaries  of  Elk 
Creek  along  its  course.  All  of  tlris  stream  sinks,  ex- 
cept during  high  water,  on  the  farms  of  N.  Meyer  and 
William  Walker,  and  flows  underground  a  distance  of 
five  miles,  and  rises  again  in  the  mill-dam  of  J.  R. 
Meyers,  Centre  Mills.  From  this  fact  the  valley  had 
probably  received  its  original  name,  "Sinking  Spring 
Valley,"  as  designated  in  old  deeds  of  1772.  Its  pres- 
ent name  was  derived  later  from  the  character  of  its 
vegetation.    While  iu  many  parts  of  it  there  was  the 


finest  timber  of  white-oak,  white-pine,  hemlock, 
hickory,  maple,  and  walnut,  in  other  sections  there 
was  a  dense  brushwood  of  crab-apple,  thorn,  and 
hazel.  Hence  the  name  "  Brush  valley."  The  de- 
rivation of  the  name  of  the  creek  needs  no  explana- 
tion. The  noble  game  after  which  it  was  named, 
though  at  one  time  quite  numerous,  as  shown  by  the 
many  antlers  found  in  the  valley,  had  fled  before  the 
first  settlers  arrived. 

The  greater  part  of  Brush  valley  is  now  included 
within  the  limits  of  Miles  township,  and  the  rest,  a 
small  portion  of  the  western  end,  belongs  to  Gregg 
township.  Miles  township  is  so  named  in  honor  of  Col. 
Samuel  Miles,  who  at  one  time  owned  all  the  valley 
land  from  Brush  Valley  Narrows,  in  the  eastern  end, 
to  the  source  of  Penn's  Creek,  at  the  western  extrem- 
ity. This  tract  was  surveyed  in  1773,  which  survey 
is  alluded  to  in  an  old  deed,  dated  March  6,  1775, 
"and  in  the  fourteenth  year  of  the  reign  of  our  sov- 
ereign lord  George  the  Third,  King  of  Great  Brit- 
ain," etc.,  conveying  what  became  subsequently  the 
Brungart  tract  to  Samuel  Miles,  in  these  words: 
"  Which  the  Honorable,  the  Proprietaries  of  said 
Province,  by  their  Commissioner  of  Property,  John 
Penn,  Esq.,  by  Warrant  dated  the  24th  day  No- 
vember, 1773,  have  authorized  and  required  to  be 
Located  and  Surveyed  to  the  said  Frederick  Hailer," 
etc. 

The  whole  valley  was  then  laid  out  into  separate 
tracts  varying  in  area  from  two  hundred  and  sev- 
enty-five to  three  hundred  and  fifty  acres,  and  ex- 
tending across  the  valley  from  the  foot  of  Nittany 
Mountain  on  the  north  to  the  foot  of  Brush  Moun- 
tain on  the  south.  These  tracts,  many  of  which  are 
designated  in  old  deeds  and  patents  by  very  peculiar 
names,  such  as  "  Shinkleton,"  "  Riga,"  "  Lexington," 
"Plains  of  Abraham,"  "Straits  of  Magella,"  were 
granted  by  warrant  to  various  persons,  either  real  or 
fictitious,  who  soon  after  conveyed  by  deed  to  Samuel 
Miles.  These  warrants,  twenty-three  or  twenty-four 
in  number,  were  issued  Nov.  21,  1772,  conveying  all 
the  tracts  except  three  or  four  at  the  eastern  end  of 
the  valley,  for  which  warrants  were  taken  out  about  a 
year  later.  Reuben  Haines  must  have  been  associ- 
ated with  Miles  iu  the  purchase  of  at  least  some  of 
the  tracts,  but  he  sold  his  interest  in  them  to  the 
latter  in  1773,  as  appears  from  old  deeds. 

The  first  settlers  leased  their  land  from  Miles,  but 
few  bought  immediately  on  their  arrival.  The  leases 
were  for  a  term  of  seven  years,  and  it  was  expected 
as  one  of  the  conditions  that  the  lessee  should  pay 
for  his  land  during  that  time  and  receive  his  deed 
after  the  expiration  of  the  term  of  the  lease.  But 
not  a  few  of  the  first  settlers  were  unable  to  meet 
their  payments,  and  were  obliged  to  sell  out  to  others 
coming  later,  and  move  West  where  land  was  cheaper. 
A  search  among  piles  of  old  documents  has  revealed 
the  fact  that  copies  of  the  old  leases  are  exceedingly 
scarce.     One  was  found,  however,  which  was  taken 


MILES   TOWNSHIP. 


351 


out  by  Anthony  Bicrly  in  1791,  for  the  "Bierly 
tract,"  containing  then  three  hundred  acres.  Its 
principal  conditions  arc  here  presented  as  being  per- 
haps of  some  interest;  it  is  liicely  that  all  the  other 
leases  were  similar  in  their  provisions.  Mr.  Bierly 
was  required  to  pay  all  taxes  or  assessments  that 
might  be  made;  to  plant  within  four  years  from  the 
date  of  the  lease  an  orchardof  apple-trees  containing 
at  least  one  hundred  trees  of  a  reasonable  size ;  to 
"clear  and  put  into  good  English  grass  seven  acres 
of  ground  at  least  for  meadow,"  and  to  put  in  good 
fence  all  the  improved  parts.  It  was  further  stipu- 
lated that  Mr.  Bierly  should  purchase  the  tract  dur- 
ing the  term  of  his  lease,  and  Mr.  Miles  was  to  con- 
vey on  the  following  terms:  "That  the  purchase- 
money  shall  be  thirty-two  shillings  per  acre,  with 
interest  from  April  1,  1791,  to  the  time  of  making 
purchase;  one-fourth  part  of  the  whole  purchase- 
money  to  be  paid  at  the  time  of  making  the  purchase, 
the  remainder  in  four  annual  payments." 

To  state  definitely  when  and  where  the  first  settle- 
ment in  Brush  valley  was  made  is  now  impossible. 
The  oldest  inhabitants  know  not,  and  records  of  this 
event  there  are  none.  There  are  many  old  deeds,  but 
they  do  not  fix  the  date  of  settlement  of  the  tracts 
for  which  they  were  given,  for  some  of  the  settlers 
bought  before  they  came  into  the  valley,  and  the 
majority  took  out  leases  for  their  land  and  did  not 
receive  deeds  until  after  the  expiration  of  the  term 
of  the  leases.  The  date  of  the  lease,  however,  may 
be  relied  on  as  the  date  when  the  lessee  commenced 
work  on  his  land.  He  would  not  run  the  risk  of 
making  improvements  and  be  ejected  afterwards  for 
want  of  some  legal  right,  nor  would  he  take  out  a 
lease  before  he  was  ready  to  move  upon  his  tract. 
Mr.  Bierly's  lease,  before  mentioned,  was  taken  out 
Oct.  19,  1791,  and  was  in  force  seven  years,  beginning 
with  the  date  April  1,  1791.  In  1798  the  deed  was 
given  Mr.  Bierly  for  the  tract  he  had  leased.  A  con- 
siderable number  of  deeds  were  made  out  in  the 
same  year  (1798)  for  tracts  which  are  known  to  have 
been  leased ;  it  is  therefore  probable  that  in  1791-92 
quite  a  number  of  settlers  came  into  the  valley. 
Tradition,  which,  however,  is  not  always  reliable  as 
to  dates,  corroborates  this  opinion.  Church  records 
of  baptisms  begin  with  July,  1792.  It  is  probable 
that  a  few  pioneers  had  erected  huts  here  and  there 
prior  to  1791.  Thus,  on  Mr.  Bierly's  tract,  Mr.  Ben- 
jamin Strawbridge  had  cleared  a  small  space  of 
ground  and  erected  a  hut  before  the  former  came  into 
the  valley. 

The  first  settlers  were  Pennsylvania  Germans  with 
the  exception  of  a  few  Scotch-Irish  and  English,  who, 
tradition  says,  preceded  the  former.  A  few  names  are 
remembered,  such  as  Hittle,  McClelkn,  Bean,  and  one 
or  two  others  which  are  not  German,  and  it  may  be 
true  that  their  possessors  were  the  first  to  locate  in 
the  valley.  They  must  have  been  few  in  number  and 
their  stay  short,  for  scarcely  any  trace  of  their  exist- 


ence is  left.  It  is  probable  they  neither  bought  nor 
took  out  lea.ses,  and  had  to  leave  when  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Germans  came  provided  with  legal  documents 
for  the  land. 

For  information  in  relation  to  the  arrival  of  indi- 
vidual settlers,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  biographi- 
cal sketches,  where  all  the  facts  on  that  subject  which 
could  be  collected  are  given. 

The  lower  end  of  Penn's  valley,  which  was  first  en- 
tered by  the  Stovers,  Hublers,  Harpers,  and  Hesses, 
some  time  prior  to  the  "Great  Runaway"  of  1778, 
supported  quite  a  numerous  population  before  any 
emigrations  were  made  into  Brush  valley.  The  ter- 
ritory of  the  latter  used  to  be  well  stocked  with  deer, 
and  was  a  favorite  hunting-ground  of  the  Nimrods 
from  the  other  valley,  who  had  a  camp  on  Elk  Creek 
a  few  rods  west  of  site  of  Henry  Meyer's  present  home. 
It  occupied  the  site  of  an  old  Indian  camp,  as  is  shown 
at  this  day  by  the  large  quantity  of  half-finished 
arrow-heads  and  flint  spawls  from  the  manufacture 
of  their  hunting  implements.'  It  is  related  that  on 
a  certain  occasion  two  hunters  were  camping  heje, 
and  separating  one  evening  to  hunt  a  while  before 
retiring  for  the  night,  one  of  them  never  came  back. 
Many  years  after  a  skeleton  of  a  man  was  found  at 
the  foot  of  a  tree  a  mile  west  of  Eebi-rsburg ;  a  rusty 
gun  was  standing  against  the  tree,  and  the  end  of  the 
barrel  had  worn  a  deep  groove  into  its  trunk.  It  is 
supposed  the  remains  were  those  of  the  last  hunter, 
who,  unable  to  find  his  way  back,  sat  down  and  froze 
to  death. 

The  first  inhabitants  of  Penn's  and  Brush  valleys 
were  more  closely  united  by  ties  of  friendship  than 
seems  now  the  case.  Brush  Mountain  was  at  that 
time  no  barrier  to  social  intercourse  between  the  two 
sections.  Several  of  the  pioneer  settlers  came  from 
Penn's  valley,  where  they  had  sojourned  for  a  few 
years  on  their  exodus  westward  from  the  eastern 
counties. 

The  early  settlers  of  Brush  valley  did  not  sutler  from 
depredations  of  hostile  Indians,  yet  some  of  them  had 
a  taste  of  Indian  warfare  while  still  residing  in  the 
lower  counties.  There  are  evidences  that  the  Indians 
frequently  visited  these  grounds  at  a  period  before 
settlements  were  made.  The  site  of  one  of  their 
camps  has  been  alluded  to,  and  it  may  be  worthy  of 
notice  that  there  was  an  Indian  path  across  the  valley, 
parts  of  which  are  visible  this  day,  and  were  seen  by 
the  writer.  This  path  began  somewhere  along  the 
Juniata  River,  coming  through  the  Seven  Mountains 
across  Penn's  valley,  entering  Brush  valley  through 
Minich's  Gap  southeast  of  Wolf's  Store,  thence  cross- 
ing the  valley  obliquely  in  the  direction  of  the  point 
where  Brungart's  road  crosses  into  Sugar  valley.  No 
attempt  has  been  made  to  trace  its  course  farther,  but 
it  is  known  to  have  terminated  at  a  point  opposite  the 


n  some  reminiscences  of  Brady,  speaks  of  tliis  cimp  r 
(Sec  Megiuuess'  "  liislory  of  West  Bmncb,"  p.  41)0.) 


352 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


mouth  of  Pine  Creek,  on  the  West  Branch,  where 
tliere  used  to  be  an  Indian  graveyard.  At  the  foot 
of  Nittany  Mountain,  north  of  George  Brungart's 
farm,  there  was  fitted  tlirough  a  small  tree  a  polished 
stone  eighteen  or  twenty  inches  long  and  about  three 
inches  in  diameter.  It  probably  served  as  a  "guide- 
board"  to  the  path.  Mr.  Oswald  Dubbs,  who  owned 
the  land  on  which  the  tree  stood,  cut  out  the  stone, 
and  it  is  still  a  carefully-preserved  relic  in  the  family. 
On  top  of  Nittany  Mountain  the  figure  of  a  turkey 
was  carved  upon  a  tree  near  the  path,  and  various 
marks  on  trees  and  rocks  were  still  to  be  seen  a  few 
years  ago.  The  path  was  deeply  worn  in  some  places, 
which  shows  that  it  was  used  frequently.  It  is  said 
that  another  path  united  with  the  one  described  some- 
where at  the  foot  of  Nittany  Mountain.  This  entered 
the  valley  through  Daughenbach's  Gap  east  from 
Minich's  Gap.  It  extended  to  Penn's  "Valley  Narrows, 
and  is  crossed  by  the  pike  at  the  Four-Mile  Eun ; 
thence  it  probably  continued  its  course  to  Buffalo 
valley.  Another  path  came  up  through  Brush  Valley 
Narrows.  Could  the  rocks  and  trees  along  these  paths 
speak,  no  doubt  they  could  tell  many  a  horrible  tale 
of  painted  savages  bedecked  with  bloody  scalps  pass- 
ing by  and  leading  groaning  prisoners  reserved  for 
the  stake  and  the  faggot. 

The  early  settlers  endured  many  hardships,  and 
had  many  a  severe  struggle  to  maintain  existence. 
Their  occupation  was  farming  principally,  or  rather 
getting  ready  for  farming.  It  was  a  tremendous  task 
to  build  houses,  barns,  make  roads  and  clear  land,  all 
of  which  crowded  upon  them  simultaneously.  It  was 
a  constant  struggle  to  keep  body  and  soul  together; 
yet,  in  spite  of  their  desperate  exertion,  the  wolf 
often  came  very  near  the  door.  On  more  than  one 
occasion  potatoes  which  had  been  planted  were  dug 
up  again,  pared,  the  parings  replanted,  and  the  rest 
used  for  food.  After  a  time  more  provisions  were 
raised  than  were  required  for  their  own  sustenance; 
this  surplus  was  then  hauled  over  frightful  roads  to 
distant  markets.  Much  of  the  grain  was  converted 
into  whiskey,  which  reduced  the  bulk  of  the  com- 
modity, and  that  portion  which  the  people  did  not 
drink  themselves  was  taken  to  market.  At  an  early 
date  there  was  made  ample  provision  to  manufacture 
whiskey,  as  in  1803  there  were  eight  distilleries  in  the 
valley.  Besides  grain,  wagon-loads  of  apples  and 
peaches  were  hauled  to  the  distilleries  to  be  made 
into  liquor.  The  exports  were  chiefly  flax-seed  and 
clover-seed,  wheat  and  whiskey,  and  were  transported 
in  large  covered  wagons,  to  which  were  hitched  four 
or  six  horses.  Produce  was  thus  hauled  to  Phila- 
delphia, and  it  required  from  ten  to  fifteen  days  to 
make  a  round  trip.  Some  of  the  produce  was  taken 
to  Reading,  Pottsville,  and  later  to  licwisburg,  which 
continued  the  chief  market-place  until  the  railroad 
to  Penn's  valley  was  opened  a  few  years  ago.  Taking 
one  of  those  heavy  teams  over  the  roads  of  that 
period  was   not  a  mere   pastime,  and   those   hardy- 


teamsters  could  many  a  tale  unfold  of  unpleasant 
mishaps  and  narrow  escapes,  how  night  overtook 
them  in  the  mountains,  how  they  drove  down  icy 
mountains  at  full  gallop,  how  they  forded  swollen 
streams,  and  how  they  stuck  fast  in  the  mud,  or, 
worse,  upset  into  it.  An  adventure  of  the  latter 
description  would  be  accompanied  by  a  vast  amount 
of  unnecessary  profanity  in  the  Dutch  and  English 
language  alternately. 

The  early  settlers  were  industrious,  economical,  and 
honest,  charitable  and  sociable,  bearing  kind  hearts 
under  a  rough  exterior.  Necessity  made  them  rigidly 
economical  in  dress,  in  furniture,  and  in  food.  In 
those  days  people  did  not  travel  in  buggies  and 
splendid  carriages.  There  were  no  kid  gloves  and 
luxuries  of  that  sort.  One  pair  of  shoes  had  to  last  a 
year,  and  young  men  did  not  have  their  ambition  to 
wear  boots  gratified  until  they  arrived  at  the  age  of 
twenty-one.  The  men  wore  a  short  coat  or  -wamus 
of  home-made  cloth,  thick  and  tough  as  sole-leather, 
and  fiery  red.  It  used  to  be  a  saying  that  no  man 
was  rich  unless  he  possessed  a  long-barreled  shot-gun, 
a  Brungart  plow,  and  a  red  wamus.  Clothing  was 
nearly  all  home-made,  and  there  was  heard  in  every 
house  the  humming  sound  of  the  spinning-wheel  and 
the  incessant  stroke  of  the  loom.  This  was  the  only 
"  instrumental  music"  then  heard.  No  carpets  cov- 
ered the  floor,  and  articles  of  furniture  were  few  and 
simple  of  construction.  Children  knew  when  Sunday 
had  come  by  the  appearance  of  cofl^ee  on  the  table, 
for  it  was  served  on  this  one  day  of  the  week.  Sugar 
was  kept  to  be  seen  rather  than  to  be  eaten.  But 
those  people  were  a  hardy  race;  their  wholesome 
diet  and  vigorous  exercise  were  calculated  to  develop 
them  physically.  They  were  strictly  honest;  it  is 
said  a  man's  verbal  promise  then  was  of  more  value 
than  a  man's  note  with  bail  at  present.  Their  de- 
pendence on  each  other  made  them  more  helpful  in 
time  of  need  and  more  sociable  as  well. 

Many  customs  that  formerly  prevailed  have  now 
disappeared.  Women  used  to  work  in  the  fields 
during  harvest,  taking  a  hand  at  reaping  with  the 
sickle.  Before  cradles  were  used  wheat  and  rye 
were  reaped  with  the  sickle, — a  slow  process, — so  that 
through  some  seasons  it  required  twenty  or  thirty 
days'  continuous  labor  to  harvest  those  crops.  Whis- 
key was  considered  indispensable  in  the  harvest-field, 
and,  indeed,  it  was  esteemed  almost  one  of  the  neces- 
saries of  life.  Such  must  have  been  the  opinion  of 
one  of  the  old  pioneers  who  made  provision  in  his 
will  that  his  widow  should  have,  among  other  things, 
a  barrel  (or  half  a  barrel)  of  whiskey  annually. 
Whiskey  was  pure  then,  and  less  injurious  to  health 
than  the  adulterated  beverages  now  manufactured ; 
yet  the  excessive  use  of  it  bore  its  legitimate  fruits  of 
evil. 

To  Jonathan  Spangler  and  Francis  Gramly,  Jr., 
must  be  ascribed  the  honor  of  having  been  tlie  first 
farmers  in  the  valley  to  abolish  the  custom  of  giving 


MILES  TOWNSIIIl'. 


353 


whiskey  to  liarvest  hands.  This  occurred  in  1834. 
Tiicy  were  l)itterly  opposed  in  the  course  they  at- 
tempted to  pur.-iue.  Their  hands  were  persuaded  to 
leave  tliein  ;  otiier  farmers  endeavored  to  discourage 
tliem  by  asserting  tliat  no  harvest  could  be  cut  witli- 
out  wliiskey;  yet  their  harvests  were  secured,  as  on 
former  occasions,  and  people  began  to  see  tliat  whiskey 
was  not  an  essentia!  factor  in  the  problem  of  labor. 
Soon  the  good  example  was  followed  by  others,  and 
ere  long  the  custom  died  out.  Tiireshing  was  done 
by  flail  and  tramping  by  liorscs.  It  was  a  whole 
winter's  job  to  thresh  a  large  crop.  The  cooking  was 
done  in  an  open  fireplace.  It  was  inconvenient,  but 
those  blazing  log-fires  in  the  wide  chimney  were  far 
more  cheerl'ul  on  cold  and  stormy  nights  than  the 
lifeless,  sombre-looking  stoves  of  to-day. 

A  mild  belief  in  witchcraft  was  a  form  of  super- 
stition wliich  clung  to  not  a  few  of  the  old  settlers. 
In  some  their  faith  in  it  was  strong  enough  to  remove 
mountains.  These  suffered  much  irom  the  dire  influ- 
ence e.'ierted  by  persons  in  league  with  the  evil  one. 
If  a  cow  or  a  horse  took  sick,  if  the  horses'  manes  got 
tangled,  if  hens  refused  to  lay,  in  short,  if  any  calamity 
befell  either  the  family  or  the  stock  of  the  fiirm,  it  was 
at  once  ascribed  to  the  spells  or  enchantments  of  some 
spiteful  witch.  The  proper  thing  to  be  done  then  in 
the  midst  of  sucli  calamities  was  to  send  for  some  ex- 
pert witchdoctor,  who,  without  delay,  instituted  a 
series  of  counter-charms  equally  harmless  to  neu- 
tralize the  evil  influence  of  the  witches.  If  the  doctor 
failed  to  effect  a  cure  he  usually  succeeded  in  discov- 
ering the  witch,  and  she  most  generally  happened  to 
be  some  poor  old  woman  whose  beauty  had  long  since 
faded,  and  whose  hard  struggle  for  existence  merited 
kindly  ])ity  I'ather  than  scorn  and  persecution.  The 
witch-doctor  was  a  genius;  he  was  versed  in  all  the 
lore  of  the  mysterious  science :  he  was  able  to  out- 
"  hex"  even  professional  witches.  He  claimed  to  be 
able  to  shoot  a  witch,  no  matter  how  far  off,  by  merely 
drawing  her  picture  on  some  object  and  shooting  at  it. 
Of  course  such  a  deed  would  be  preceded  by  incanta- 
tions most  solemn.  A  witch-doctor  of  any  preten- 
sions whatever  could  "  hex"  a  loaded  gun  so  tliat  the 
ball  would  have  no  effect  when  the  gun  was  discharged. 
Some  men  even  possessed  the  power  to  transform 
themselves  into  deer,  and  would  tautalizingly  caper 
in  perfect  safety  around  a  hunter,  who  could  not  hit 
them  unless  his  gun  liappened  to  be  loaded  with  a 
silver  bullet. 

Signs  were  a  matter  of  great  moment.  There  were 
special  days  for  planting  each  of  the  different  vege- 
tables of  the  garden,  sowing  or  planting  tlie  various 
crops  of  the  farm,  building  fences,  covering  a  new 
building,  butchering,  setting  a  hen,  filling  up  the 
vinegar  keg,  in  short,  everything  w-as  performed  in 
its  appropriate  "sign."  It  is  true  there  were  as  many 
different  opinions. as  to  what  was  the  best  sign  in 
which  to  do  certain  things  as  there  were  different  per- 
sons ;  but  that  mattered  not,  the  sign  had  to  be  duly 
23 


respected  nevertheless.  Tlicrc  were  omens,  too,  good 
and  bad.  A  rabbit  crossing  the  patli  of  a  hunter  in 
front  of  liim  wa.s  a  bad  omen,  and  no  game  was  ex- 
pected that  day.  But  to  enunn'rate  were  useless. 
The  world  is  full  of  such  fancies  even  now. 

Although  the  pioneer  settlers  endured  many  hard- 
ships, they  contrived  nevertheless  to  have  their 
amusements.  They  had  their  p.irtics  for  house-rais- 
ing, log-rolling,  and  husking.  Training-days  were 
occasions  of  great  enjoyment.  Shooting-matches  were 
frequent,  and  hunting  was  a  pastime  in  which  nearly 
all  took  part,  arid  it  must  be  confessed  that  some 
devoted  at  times  the  Sabbath  to  this  purpose. 

Roads. — A  chapter  on  roads  may  not  bo  of  very 
great  interest  to  the  reader,  yet  they  have  a  history, 
and  a  brief  notice  of  several  of  the  older  ones  will,  it 
is  hoped,  not  be  inappropriate. 

The  old  road  from  AVest  Buffalo  township,  Union 
County,  through  Brush  Valley  Narrows  to  Elk  Creek, 
thence  through  the  entire  length  of  Brush  valley  from 
east  to  west,  was  cut  out  by  Col.  Samuel  Miles  lor  the 
convenience  of  settlers,  and,  tradition  says,  as  one  of 
the  conditions  of  his  sales  of  land.  Some  person  had 
contracted  with  Miles  to  open  the  road,  and,  it  seems, 
made  a  poor  job  of  it,  for  some  time  after  its  comple- 
tion the  proprietor  came  over  it  in  some  kind  of  a 
conveyance,  and  was  very  much  displeased  with  its 
bad  condition.  The  length  of  the  road  w.as  over 
thirty  miles,  beginning  at  what  is  now  Ifeberling's 
mill.  Union  County,  and  terminating  at  the  west  end 
of  Brush  valley.  Half  of  this  distance  is  taken  up  by 
the  Narrows, — continuous  mountains  forfilteen  miles. 
The  road  must  have  been  opened  prior  to  1791,  for  in 
the  spring  of  that  year  Anthony  Bierly  came  over  it 
when  moving  his  family  into  the  valley.  He  was  the 
first  man  who  drove  through  with  a  wagon.  On  ac- 
count of  the  poor  condition  of  the  road  it  was  slow 
traveling,  and  they  were  obliged  to  camp  over  night 
in  the  mountains.  The  situation  was  not  pleasant : 
mountains  and  deep  forests  for  many  miles  in  every 
direction,  and  wolves  howling  around  the  i'rightencd 
family  all  night.  The  road  through  the  valley  keeps 
near  the  centre,  and  is  nearly  straight,  turning  neither 
to  the  right  nor  the  left,  but  takes  the  weary  traveler 
over  the  summits  of  the  highest  hills.  Its  unbending 
directness  suggests  the  stern,  unconiiiromising  charac- 
ter of  the  people  who  first  used  it.  Changes  in  the 
route  of  the  old  Narrows  road  were  made  at  different 
times,  but  it  remained  steep  in  many  places  and  dilfi- 
cult  to  travel,  and  much  of  the  heavy  teaming  was 
done  through  Penn's  Valley  Narrows  until  the  present 
road  was  made.  In  reference  to  the  latter,  the  follow- 
ing is  copied  from  Linn's  "Annals  of  Bulfalo  Val- 
ley:" (May  26,  1840),  "the  commissioners,  Anthony 
Wolf,  of  Centre  County,  Henry  Noll,  of  Union  County,- 
and  Jacob  Stitzel,  of  Northumberland  County,  com- 
menced locating  the  SUite  road  from  Heberling'sraill, 
West  Buffalo  township,  to  Elk  Creek  in  Miles  town- 
ship. Centre  County,  through  Brush  Valley  Narrows. 


354 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


James  F.  Linn  was  the  surveyor;  David  Wolf  and 
Henry  Peters,  chain-carriers  ;  and  Col.  Samuel  Reber, 
a.xeman."  Although  the  road  was  located  in  1840,  it 
was  not  opened  until  1846  and  1847  ;  the  intervening 
time  was  spent  in  wrangling  with  the  Union  County 
folks  to  compel  them  to  make  their  portion  of  it. 
Miles  township  was  defeated  for  want  of  proper  legis- 
lation granting  tlie  road.  James  Burnside,  Esq.,  who 
was  representing  Centre  County  in  the  liCgislature, 
was  then  intrusted  with  the  matter  of  securing  the 
passage  of  an  act  sufficiently  potent,  and  he  managed 
it  so  adroitly  that  the  member  from  Union  County, 
and  some  other  individual  whom  Hartley  township 
had  stationed  at  Harrisburg  all  winter  to  watch  for 
any  attempt  that  might  be  made  to  pass  such  an 
act,  never  suspected  anything  until  the  work  was 
accomplished.  Miles  townshij)  raised  by  subscription 
nearly  a  thousand  dollars,  which  was  paid  over  to 
Hartley  township  as  a  bonus  for  the  building  of  the 
road  through  the  latter. 

The  road  from  Aaronsburg  across  the  mountains, 
and  entering  Brush  valley  through  Kleckner's  Gap, 
■was  confirmed  in  1802.  But  it  must  have  been  open 
for  travel  before  that  time.  A  number  of  the  settlers 
came  into  the  valley  by  this  road.  It  used  to  be  trav- 
eled very  much,  but  is  now  abandoned. 

The  old  road  bfetvveen  Spring  Bank  and  Millheim, 
which  is  still  visible  in  many  places,  was  made  in 
1811.  The  pike  along  the  present  route  was  opened 
in  1842.  It  was  incorporated  in  1834,  under  the  title 
"  Bald  Eagle,  Nittany  and  Brush  Valley  Pike." 

The  road  across  from  Wolf's  Store  to  Woodward 
was  granted  Aug.  31,  1815.  It  and  the  old  Indian 
path  through  Minich's  Gap  cross  the  second  or  "  Big 
Mountain,"  at  nearly  the  same  place. 

Brungart's  road  to  Sugar  valley  was  granted  by 
court  in  1806.  People  may  have  crossed  there  earlier, 
though  at  that  date  there  was  not  much  use  for  a 
road  to  Sugar  valley,  for  Mr.  George  Brungart,  who 
came  into  Brush  valley  in  1802,  used  to  remark  that 
"  they  often  started  in  the  morning,  visited  all  the 
inhabitants  of  Sugar  valley,  and  returned  in  the 
evening." 

The  old  roads  which  are  seen  on  the  mountains 
between  Rebersburg  and  Tylersville,  Sugar  valley, 
were  traveled  at  an  early  date.  The  oldest  granted 
by  court  was  in  1806.  The  second  was  opened  about 
the  year  1811  and  1812,  and  the  jjresent  one  in  1851 
and  1852.  All  of  these  vary  somewhat  in  their  loca- 
tion. Here  the  first  settlers  of  Sugar  valley  crossed 
over,  and  it  is  said  they  frequently  hired  extra  horses 
from  the  farmers  in  the  vicinity  to  drag  their  wagons 
up  the  steep  side  of  the  mountains. 

There  are  several  old  roads  from  Madisonburg  to 
Nittany  valley,  the  first  of  which  was  granted  in  1814, 
a  second  in  1830,  and  the  pike  before  mentioned  was 
opened  about  the  year  1842.    . 

The  road  from  the  east  end  of  the  valley  from 
Stover's  to  Sugar  valley  was  opened  in  1855. 


Some  of  the  old  roads  were  cut  out  and  used  before 
the  townships  took  them  under  supervision. 

Grist-Mills. — The  first  grist-mill  in  the  valley  oc- 
cupied the  site  of  tlie  mill  now  owned  by  J.  K.  Meyer, 
Centre  Mills.  It  was  a  small  log  building  having  but 
two  pairs  of  home-made  millstones,  one  pair  of  which 
was  used  for  chop  and  the  other  for  flour.  The  bolt- 
reel  was  turned  by  hand.  It  was  built  and  owned  by 
a  Mr.  Kreamer,  states  Mr.  John  Hoy  (who  is  now 
eighty-seven  years  of  age,  and  gave  a  number  of  facts 
mentioned  in  this  sketch).  When  this  mill  was  built 
cannot  be  ascertained  definitely,  but  it  was  prior  to 
1798,  for  in  that  year  Col.  Henry  Meyer  did  some  re- 
pairing in  it,  as  is  seen  by  eutries  in  his  old  account- 
book.  In  the  same  year  Mr.  Meyer  made  some  re- 
pairs at  John  Motz's  mill,  Penn's  valley. 

The  old  mill  was  purchased  by  Tobias  Pickle  when 
became  into  the  valley,  and  it  was  replaced  by  the  pres- 
ent stone  mill.  It  was  built  in  1802  or  1803,  accord- 
ing to  recollection  of  Henry  Meyer,  whose  father.  Col. 
Meyer,  made  the  millwright  work.  The  story  that  it 
took  seventy-five  barrels  of  whiskey  to  build  his  mill 
is  probably  an  exaggeration. 

The  mill  now  owned  by  Daniel  Walker  was  built 
in  1819.  It  occupies  the  site  of  one  built  about  the 
year  1802,  which  was  burned  down.  Mr.  Daniel 
Dubbs,  of  York  County,  built  it  in  the  first  place, 
and  it  was  subsequently  owned  by  his  son  Oswald. 

The  first  mill  on  the  site  of  William  Meyer's  present 
mill  was  built  by  Christopher  Royer  in  1819.  In  the 
year  following  (1820)  Abraham  Reber  erected  a  grist- 
mill near  Madisonburg,  on  tlic  farm  now  owned  by 
Reuben  Grimm.  It  was  burned  down  not  long  after, 
and  a  distillery  along  with  it,  which  had  been  in  op- 
eration as  early  as  the  year  1803. 

Philip  Wolfart  erected  a  grist-mill  on  his  farm 
(later  Snook's)  in  1824.  It  was  not  kept  in  repair 
for  want  of  custom.  At  Gramly's  Gap  used  to  be  a 
small  flouring-mill,  which  was  subsequently  changed 
into  a  fulling-mill.  At  Madisonburg  there  is  at  pres- 
ent a  small  grist-mill  in  operation. 

Wolf's  mill  was  erected  in  1834  by  Anthony  Wolf. 
It  is  a  fine  stone  mill,  and  in  good  repair.  An  oil- 
mill  used  to  be  at  the  same  place. 

Before  there  were  any  grist-mills  in  Brush  valley 
the  early  settlers  took  their  grain  to  Kishacoquillas 
valley  to  have  it  ground.  They  went  by  way  of  Penn's 
Creek  Springs,  at  the  west  end  of  the  valley.  The 
Ertles, — Valentine,  Daniel,  and  Philip, — who  were 
among  the  first  settlers  about  the  present  neighbor- 
hood of  Madisonburg,  cut  a  path  across  the  moun- 
tains into  Penn's  valley,  and  took  their  grain  on  horse- 
back to  the  valley  above  stated.  Their  route  through 
the  Seven  Mountains  and  the  pike  from  Stover's 
across,  it  is  said,  followed  nearly  the  same  general  di- 
rection. Later  Mr.  Hubler  erected  a  small  mill  some 
distance  below  Aaronsburg,  and  the  grain  of  Brush 
valley  was  then  taken  there  to  be  ground  until  the 
1  small  mill  at  Centre  Mills  was  put  in  operation. 


MILES   TOWNSHIP. 


3r.5 


First  Stores. — The  first  store  in  the  valley  was 
opened  by  John  McGhee  in  1809,  if  not  earlier,  at 
the  old  stand  near  what  is  now  Centre  Mills,  on  a  lot 
taken  from  the  Jacob  Hazel  tract,  but  now  belonging 
to  the  farm  of  Joseph  Bierly.  At  that  time  the  road 
from  the  Aaronsburg  mountain  road  passed  down  to 
the  mill  on  the  north  side  of  the  creek  close  by  the 
northern  side  of  the  houses  now  occupied  by  John 
Wolf  and  Joseph  Bierly.  The  building  in  which  the 
store  was  kept  was  situated  on  this  road.  Here  was 
born  Thomas  McGhee,  the  well-known  auctioneer  of 
Clinton  County.  John  Forster  succeeded  Mr.  Mc- 
Ghee at  this  stand,  and  when  he  came  in  possession 
of  the  old  Pickle  property  he  built  a  store-room  at 
Centre  Mills,  wliere  the  present  building  is  located, 
and  was  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  for  many 
years.  Mr.  Forster  possessed  fine  business  qualifica- 
tions, he  was  strictly  honest  in  all  his  dealings,  and 
highly  esteemed  by  his  numerous  customers.  People 
from  all  parts  of  Brush  valley,  and  from  Sugar  valley 
during  its  first  years  of  settlement,  patronized  his 
store.  The  second  store  was  that  established  at  Re- 
bersburg  in  1812,  of  which  mention  is  made  in  an- 
other place.  A  store  was  in  existence  a  few  years 
later  near  where  Reuben  Gramly  now  lives.  It  was 
kept  by  Jacob  and  Peter  Berry.  A  Mr.  Hockenberg 
had  a  store  at  Madisonburg  as  early  as  the  year  1830. 
About  the  year  1835,  William  Bear  and  his  brother 
Martin  opened  a  store  near  Wolf's  Mill.  In  1844  it 
was  taken  to  its  present  location  on  the  main  road, 
where  the  business  was  carried  on  for  many  years  by 
Thomas  Wolf.  He  and  his  father,  Anthony  Wolf, 
had  been  associated  in  the  business  at  the  old  stand 
near  the  mill  for  about  four  years. 

Towns. — Rebeesburg  is  the  principal  town  in 
Brush  valley.  The  western  half  of  this  town  was 
laid  out  in  1809  by  Conrad  Reber.  The  tract  of  land 
on  which  this  part  is  situated  was  conveyed  by  Sam- 
uel Miles  to  Christian  Waltsmith,  Oct.  5,  1785,  and 
deeded  by  the  latter  to  Stephen  Bollander,  Dec.  1, 
1791.  Bollander  sold  to  Conrad  Reber  May  7, 1801. 
The  eastern  section  of  town  was  named  "Henrys- 
burg,"  the  street  running  south  from  the  Evangelical 
Church  being  the  dividing  line.  That  portion  lying 
north  of  the  main  road  was  laid  out  by  John  Ruhl 
in  the  spring  of  1819.  According  to  records  in  old 
deeds,  it  appears  Henry  Walbon  owned  and  laid  out 
a  part  of  it  in  the  same  year.  That  part  of  Henrys- 
burg  lying  south  of  Main  Street  was  also  laid  out  in 
1819.  Such  seems  to  be  the  case,  for  Henry  Walbon, 
who  laid  out  this  section,  bought  the  tract  Dec.  26, 
1818,  and  sold  lots  April  24,  1819.  There  ^  is  no 
record  of  the  event.  The  tract  from  which  Henrys- 
burg  is  a  part  contained  originally  three  hundred  and 
thirty-four  acres,  and  was  denominated  "  Straits  of 
Magella."  Probably,  when  Col.  Miles,  of  Philadel- 
phia, was  hunting  up  names  for  his  many  tracts  in 
the  distant  wilderness,  he  had  an  old  geography  be- 
fore him,  from  which  he  appropriated  whatever  names 


first  presented  themselves.  The  traniirersof  this  tract, 
and  the  part  thereof  which  became  the  site  of  Hen- 
rysburg  south,  are  as  follows:  Commonwealth  by 
patent  to  Samuel  Miles,  May  24,  1782;  Miles  to 
Philip  Jacob  Shenkle,  July  10,  1798;  Shcnkle  t.) 
Frederick  Albright,  May  8,  1800  ;  Albright  to  Jacob 
Kreamer,  May  3,  1817;  Kreamer  to  Henry  Walbon, 
Dec.  2G,  1818.  In  1871  the  executors  of  the  estate  of 
Jolin  Bierly,  deceased,  laid  out  a  number  of  lots  south 
of  the  main  road  and  joining  Henrysburgon  the  east, 
and  in  1877,  Peter  S.  Bierly  laid  out  another  series  of 
lots  opposite,  on  the  north  side  of  the  road.  All  these 
separate  sections  go  under  the  name  of  Rebersburg. 

The  first  building  in  Rebersburg  was  the  old  log 
church  erected  in  1804  or  1805,  but  the  first  dwelling- 
house  was  built  later,  either  in  1807  or  1808,  by  Adam 
Bollander,  and  occupied  the  site  of  John  A.  Miller's 
present  house.  It  was  soon  after  used  as  a  tavern, 
and  the  election  poll  was  fixed  there  which  had  been 
up  to  this  time  at  Mr.  John  N.  Cast's.  The  house 
was  burned  down  and  rebuilt  during  its  early  history. 
Bollander  was  the  first  landlord ;  Godfrey  HarlofF  suc- 
ceeded him  about  the  year  1812.  This  HarlofT  was  some- 
thing of  a  character ;  he  served  several  terms  i  n  the  pen- 
itentiary, and  had  a  disposition  to  appropriate  things 
to  which  he  had  no  legal  title.  Among  the  other 
landlords  who  had  charge  of  this  house  are  remem- 
bered Christian  Clevanstine,  Henry  Walbon,  Daniel 
Couser,  Henry  SniuU,  Isaac  Zeigler,  Jacob  Bierly, 
John  Clapp,  and  a  Mr.  Strouse.  The  next  building 
erected  was  the  old  tannery  at  the  lower  end  of  town, 
by  a  Mr.  Hileman.  The  house  now  occupied  by  Hon. 
Samuel  Frank,  one  of  the  associate  judges  of  Centre 
County  at  present,  is  one  of  the  oldest  in  the  town. 
It  was  built  by  Lyons  Mussina,  of  .\aronsburg,  about 
the  year  1811,  and  in  it  Jacob  Bollinger  opened  a 
store  for  Mr.  Mussina  in  1812.  This  was  the  first 
store  in  the  town.  The  house  in  which  James  Stover 
now  lives  was  built  in  1811  or  1812  by  Leonard  Stump, 
who  kept  tavern  in  it  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  1826.  For  a  number  of  years  the  town  supported 
two  hotels,  if  not  three  for  a  short  time.  The  present 
tavern  was  opened  about  the  time,  or  before,  Mr. 
Stump  died.  The  western  half  of  his  house  was 
built  by  John  Weaver,  and  Later  the  other  part  by 
Philip  Reitzell  (1827).  Mr.  Jacob  Long  was  the  first 
landlord  here,  and  was  succeeded  by  Philip  Reitzell, 
who  also  had  a  store  in  the  building.  The  subse- 
quent owners  in  succession  were  George  Dubbs.  Sam- 
uel Dubbs,  Michael  Roush,  Frederick  Esterline,  Dan- 
iel Kreamer,  Andrew  Acher,  Harter  and  Mever.  and 
J.  E.  Roush.  Among  the  early  inhabitants  of  the 
town  not  mentioned  already  are  remembered  John  G. 
Couser,  who  built  the  house  in  which  now  resides 
Cyrus  Erheart;  Robert  Tate,  who  built  the  stone 
house  now  owned  by  Daniel  Kreamer;  Henrv  SmuU 
built  the  stone  house  in  which  Adam  Bear  lives  ; 
Peter  Yearich  lived  in  the  house  now  occupied  bv 
William  ^V'alkcr;  Dr.  Samuel  Strohccker  lived  at  the 


356 


HISTORY  OF    CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


same  place  for  many  years ;  Abraham  Weber,  sur- 
veyor, built  the  houses  now  owned  by  Jerry  Haines 
and  Jacob  Burkert;  Christopher  Painter  owned  the 
Reformed  parsonage,  built  it,  and  lived  there ;  Samuel 
Frasher  lived  where  now  resides  Cook  Condo;  tlie 
Burkerts, — Frederick,  George,  Jacob,  and  John, — and 
their  father,  George,  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812, 
came  into  Rebersburg  in  1830;  Henry  Flickinger, 
tanner,  in  the  same  year;  John  Kleper  built  the 
house  now  owned  by  Aaron  Leitzell,  he  was  a  chair- 
maker  by  occupation;  George  Walkey,  shoemaker, 
built  Harvey  Miller's  house;  Joseph  Scliaeffer  built 
Daniel  Dubb's  house,  and  Samuel  Yearick  the  one 
now  owned  by  John  Kreamer.  Maj.  John  Reynolds, 
deceased, an  old  citizen  widely  known  atone  time,lived 
for  a  number  of  years  where  now  resides  his  widow, 
Mrs.  Christiana  Reynolds.  He  was  a  saddle-  and 
liaruess-maker  by  trade,  he  served  a  term  in  the  Leg- 
islature, and  was  an  intelligent  man.  His  house  was 
erected  by  Henry  Nearhood.  James  Mallony  built 
his  own  house,  in  which  he  now  lives;  John  Work 
built  Melchoir  Bierly's ;  Philip  Reitzell,  Col.  R.  H. 
Strohecker's ;  and  a  Mr.  Kline,  Henry  Meyer's.  To 
give  dates  would  hardly  be  possible. 

Rebersburg  contains  at  present  two  hundred  and 
twenty  inhabitants.  There  are  four  churches,  three 
stores,  owned  respectively  by  J.  R.  Brungart,  William 
Stover,  and  Samuel  Frank  &  Son,  a  tan-yard  owned 
by  J.  A.  Miller,  and  a  number  of  shops.  Two  schools, 
graded  in  1867.  The  town  boasts  of  two  corporations, 
created  by  legislative  enactment,  whose  duty  it  is  to 
supply  the  town  with  water,  but  it  is  to  be  regretted 
that  frequently  they  are  not  equal  to  the  task,  tlie 
pipes  freeze  up,  and  the  people  have  to  rely  on  their 
cisterns. 

Madisonbitrg  is  located  near  the  western  end  of 
Miles  township,  four  miles  west  of  Rebersburg.  It 
was  laid  out  by  Jacob  Reber  in  1816,  and  was  called 
at  first  "  Jacobsburg."  The  first  house  stood  od  the 
lot  now  owned  by  Simon  Hazel  along  the  main  road, 
and  was  built  by  George  Elliuger.  The  house  in 
which  Michael  Bierly  lives  is  one  of  the  oldest,  and 
was  built  by  Jacob  Stager.  In  it  was  kept  the  first 
store  in  the  town,  and  was  owned  by  Samuel  Hack- 
enberg.  It  was  opened  about  the  year  1830.  Mr. 
Hackenberg  built  afterwards,  in  1836,  the  present 
tavern,  into  which  he  took  his  store.  Subsequently 
he  removed  to  Milton.  Jacob  Spade,  blacksmith,  was 
one  of  the  first  inhabitants,  and  he  built  the  house  in 
which  Simon  SmuU  now  lives. 

Frederick  Wise  was  one  of  the  early  residents. 
Adam  Leufler  built  Israel  Wolf's  house,  and  the  stone 
liouse  on  the  main  road  was  erected  in  1833  by  Simon 
Pickle;  it  was  the  first  tavern  in  Madisonburg.  For 
information  on  schools  and  churches,  the  reader  is  re- 
ferred to  subsequent  pages. 

Madisonburg  contains  at  present  about  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty-five  inhabitants.  There  is  a  small 
o-rist-mill  in  the  northern  end  of  it,  owned  by  Tobias 


Kleinfelter.  There  are  two  stores,  one  in  the  southern 
end  of  town,  owned  by  Andrew  Acker,  and  the  other 
near  the  centre,  owned  by  Ira  Schaeffer.  There  are  a 
number  of  shops.  The  town  is  supplied  with  excel- 
lent water  through  pipes  from  the  mountain  brook 
north  of  town. 

Besides  the  towns  described  there  are  several 
smaller  villages  in  the  valley,  viz.,  Kreamerville, 
south  of  Rebersburg,  Rockville,  Spring  Bank,  and 
Wolf's  Store. 

Post-Ofiices. — The  first  post-office  in  the  valle.y  was 
established  at  Rebersburg  about  the  year  1828,  mainly 
through  the  efforts  of  Philip  Reitzell,  who  came  to 
the  town  the  year  before.  Previous  to  that  date  the 
nearest  offices  were  at  Aaronsburg  and  Millheim.  Mr. 
Reitzell  owned  what  is  at  present  the  tavern,  in  which 
he  kept  tavern  then,  a  store,  and  the  post-office.  The 
ofl!ice  was  kept  for  a  number  of  years  in  the  store- 
room now  occupied  by  S.  Frank  &  Son,  a  few  years  in 
William  Stover's  store-room,  and  for  the  past  ten  or 
twelve  years  in  Philip  Woodling's  shop.  The  post- 
masters in  succession  were  Philip  Reitzell,  Samuel 
Dubbs,  Frederick  Burkert,  George  Wolf,  John  Bur- 
kert, Samuel  Frank,  and  Philip  Woodling.  Mr. 
Woodling  ]\as  been  in  office  for  twelve  years. 

The  post-ofSce  at  Madisonburg  was  established, 
according  to  recollection  of  Adam  Schaeffer,  Jr.,  in 
1830  or  1831.  It  was  at  first  kept  in  Samuel  Hack- 
enberg's  store, — now  Michael  Bierly's  house, — but 
was  taken  afterwards  to  the  tavern  building,  which 
for  many  years  contained  a  store  and  the  post-office, 
besides  being  used  as  a  tavern.  The  office  h«d  been 
discontinued  for  a  while,  and  was  re  established 
through  Mr.  William  Bear,  who  had  a  store  in  the 
building  just  mentioned.  The  postmasters  in  suc- 
cession were  Samuel  Hackenberg,  Daniel  Hacken- 
berg, William  Bear,  John  B.  Schaeffer,  Andrew 
Acker,  and  Lewis  Grimm. 

The  mail  route  to  Wolf's  Store  was  first  traveled  in 
1858,  as  near  as  can  be  ascertained.  The  mail  was 
brought  up  through  Brush  Valley  Narrows  at  first. 
Various  changes  in  time  and  the  route  have  since 
been  made.  Thomas  Wolf  was  the  first  postmaster, 
and  was  in  the  position  many  years.  His  son,  T. 
Newton  Wolf,  was  deputized  and  a  number  of  others 
in  succession.  Jasper  R.  Wolf,  also  a  son  of  Thomas, 
is  the  present  postmaster  by  appointment. 

The  last  oflSce  established  in  Miles  township  was 
the  one  at  Centre  Mills  about  the  year  1860,  it  is 
supposed.  Maj.  R.  H.  Forster  was  the  first  postmaster 
there,  who  was  succeeded  by  Aaron  Earhart. 

Schools. — Children  of  the  early  settlers  were  in- 
structed at  private  houses  before  any  school-houses 
were  built.  It  is  remembered  that  Christopher 
Spangler,  Philip  Wolfart,  and  others  furnished  ac- 
commodations in  their  dwelling-houses  for  such  pur- 
poses. 

The  first  school-house  in  the  valley  undoubtedly 
was  the  one  on  what  is  now  William  Walker's  farm. 


MILES  TOWNSHIP. 


357 


on  the  main  road,  east  of  S.  M.  Spangler's  present 
lioiise  about  half  a  mile.  It  was  a  small  log  cabin, 
built  in  1800,  if  not  before.  Henry  Meyer  recollected 
going  to  school  there  in  1802.  It  \v.is  built  jointly, 
as  was  the  rule  then,  by  the  citizens  of  the  neighbor- 
liood,  viz.:  Christopher  Spangler,  Philip  Schott,  Col. 
Henry  Meyer,  John  Kryder,  and  Francis  Gramiy. 
It  disappeared  long  ago.  A  school-house  of  the  same 
description  and  nearly  the  same  antiquity  used  to 
stand  on  the  Reber  farm  some  distance  west  of  the 
present  village  of  Spring  Bank.  The  old  school- 
house  at  Rebersburg  was  built  about  the  year  1806; 
but  a  small  cabin  situated  on  the  southern  extremity 
of  the  same  lot  (church  lot)  had  been  used  for  school 
purposes  several  years  prior.  John  F.  Krouse  is  re- 
membered by  Mrs.  Christina  Reynolds  as  one  of  the 
teachers  there.  There  used  to  be  a  school-house  on 
Mr.  SchoU's  farm,  a  few  rods  west  of  the  dwelling- 
house  in  the  corner  of  the  "  meadow"  near  the  public 
road.  It  w.as  built  before  the  year  1807,  and  con- 
tinued in  use  until  about  the  year  1822.  On  Bern- 
hard  Hazel's  farm  (now  Benjamin  Royer's),  near 
Madisonburg,  a  log  school-house  was  in  use  prior  to 
1815. 

There  are  at  present  seven  sub-districts,  eight 
school-houses,  and  nine  schools  in  Miles  township. 
Beginning  at  the  eastern  end,  and  naming  them  in 
order,  the  first  is  Stover's  sub-district.  The  first  school- 
house  was  built  there  in  1842,  according  to  recollec- 
tion of  Judge  S.  Frank.  The  first  house  in  Brungart's 
sub-district  was  built  in  1824;  the  present  one  is  the 


second  school-house  in  the  place.  The  exact  date 
when  the  first  house  at  Wolf's  was  erected  could  not 
be  ascertained  definitely,  but  probably  soon  after  the 
school  at  SchoU's  was  discontinued,  about  the  year 
1822.  The  present  building  is  the  second  or  third  in 
the  place.  Gramly's  school-house  was  built  in  1838, 
and  the  first  teacher  was  Daniel  P.  Breyfogel.  It  and 
several  others  were  built  by  Daniel  Beck,  carpenter, 
in  the  same  year.  At  Rebersburg  there  are  two  school- 
buildings,  one  at  the  lower  end  of  town,  which  was 
erected  in  1861,  and  is  occupied  by  the  grammar 
school,  and  the  other,  the  brick  house,  near  the  Evan- 
gelical Church,  which  was  built  in  1867,  and  is  occu- 
pied by  the  primary  school.  There  used  to  be  a 
school-house  opposite  the  old  brick  church  across  the 
road  ;  it  was  built  in  1852,  and  continued  in  use  until 
the  brick  house  was  erected,  in  1867. 

The  school-house  at  Harter's  was  built  in  1838,  but 
it  was  preceded  by  an  old  log  house,  which  had  been 
built  as  early  as  1818  or  1820.  At  Madisonburg 
there  is  a  double  house,  which  was  erected  in  1874. 
The  one  which  preceded  it  was  also  a  double  house, 
and  was  built  in  1863.  It  was  burned  down  in  the 
winter  of  1873-74.  The  school  lot  was  donated  by 
Jacob  Reber  in  1816,  and  the  first  building  on  it  was 
erected  in  1817  or  1818. 

In  1843  the  common  schools  went  into  opera- 
tion permanently.  Among  its  stanch  friends,  who 
labored  for  its  adoption,  are  mentioned  Christo- 
pher Spangler,  John  Forster,  the  Reitzells,— Philip, 
George,  and  John. 


TABULAR 

STATEMENT 

OF 

THE  SCHOOLS 

OF 

MILES  TOWNSHIP  UNDER  THE  PKESENT 

SYSTEM. 

Schools. 

Teachers. 

Scliolars. 

Tax  and  Rate 
I"er  Cent. 

Receipts. 

ExpenditnreB. 

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i 

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252 

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474 

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$416.00 
025.00 

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115.15 

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7 
R 

* 

$!iV6!l5 

•$30.0G 
1.00 

$424.00    $4-'.00    f49GO0 
632.00       80.00  '    013.00  ; 

1855 

19.7.T 

208  200 

8 

S 

7 
7 

1 

I 

2U..'i7  16.00|2-2ri  1911 
22.5G  lG.00  24|iv!OI 

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V77 

.... 

717.5G 
73i.l5 

115.15 

115,15 

100.00 
1.00 

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1857 

.301  2 

7311.15 

845.30 

1858 

8 

r. 

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20.07;lS.00  2:W  183 

233 

.42  2 

1  5 

1 -.III  11,'. 

rj'.i.'jii 

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512,10 

Glll.OOi      04.00  1  1210.10 

1859 

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20.01)    22'.)  182 

9.58 

44 

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1''^  III, 

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358 


HISTOKY   OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


The  law  for  tlie  education  of  poor  children  was 
passed  April  4,  1809.  Miles  township  did  not  take 
advantage  of  its  provisions,  however,  until  the  year 
1822,  when  some  teacher  drew  two  dollars  and  sixty- 
two  cents  from  the  county  treasurer  for  tuition  of 
children  whose  parents  were  unable  to  jjay  for  their 
"schooling."  From  that  time  various  sums,  ranging 
from  five  to  seventy  dollars,  were  drawn  annually,  until 
1838  the  common-school  system  was  adopted  by  the 
township,  and  revenue  from  this  source  ceased  for  a 
time  ;  but  in  the  year  1840  the  system  was  voted  down 
again,  which  made  the  friends  of  the  public  schools 
furious.  Then,  out  of  pure  malice  and  revenge,  they 
reported  to  the  assessors  as  many  "  poor  children"  as 
they  possibly  could,  and  the  county  paid,  in  conse- 
quence, two  hundred  and  seven  dollars  and  sixty-nine 
cents  tuition.  The  whole  amount  received  by  the 
township  for  tuition  and  stationery  from  1822  to  1843 
was  six  hundred  and  forty-fourdoUars  and  sixty  cents. 

The  schools  of  Madisonburg  were  graded  in  1863, 
two  grades ;  those  of  Rebersburg  in  1867,  also  two 
grades.  For  the  past  twelve  or  fifteen  years  the 
schools  of  Miles  township  have  been  in  good  stand- 
ing, steadily  improving  from  year  to  year  to  the  pres- 
ent. The  teachers  rank  among  the  most  efficient  in 
the  county.  The  Rebersburg  Select  School,  in  exist- 
ence since  1858,  has  turned  out  quite  a  number  of 
teachers,  and  has  been  a  means  of  infusing  life  and 
energy  into  the  schools  of  the  township  and  beyond. 
Several  names  of  old  teachers  are  here  presented, 
some  of  whom  were  connected  with  the  schools  as 
early  as  the  year  1800:  John  F.  Krouse,  Frederick 
Gettig,  Joseph  Hunt,  Henry  Rassman,  later  Re- 
formed minister;  a  Mr.  Ruland,  who  for  a  long  time 
led  singing  in  the  old  log  church,  Rebersburg,  in  con- 
nection with  his  duties  as  teacher;  John  S.  Proudfoot, 
afterwards  filling  the  ofDce  of  associate  judge  of  Cen- 
tre County  ;  Jonathan  Meyer,  subsequently  physician 
at  Logansville;  Henry  Walborn,  and  Asa  Cobb. 

Among  the  early  teachers  under  the  free-school 
system  were  the  Burkerts,— Frederick,  Jacob,  George 
H.,  and  John  R. ;  Solomon  Meyer;  Daniel  P.  Brey- 
fogel;  Samuel  Gramly*  William  Magee ;  George 
Haines;  John  Stamm  (Dr.) ;  later,  R.  M.  Magee,  af- 
terwards county  superintendent;  .Henry  Meyer,  suc- 
cessor of  R.  M.  Magee  in  the  office  of  county  super- 
intendent; T.  P.  Meyer,  now  teaching  at  Lock  Haven; 
C.  L.  Gramly. 

Literary  Societies.— Societies,  literary  and  scien- 
tific, never  took  very  deep  root  in  the  soil  of  Brush 
valley ;  none  that  had  been  organized  at  different 
periods  were  permanent.  The  Rebersburg  Literary 
Association,  organized  in  1856,  enjoyed  the  longest 
lease  of  life,  and  it  suddenly  collapsed  in  the  fall  of 
1865,  at  which  time  a  raid  was  made  upon  its  library, 
and  nearly  all  the  books  were  carried  off.  It  was  in 
a  prosperous  condition  until  after  the  civil  war  began 
in  1861,  when  a  number  of  its  members  enlisted. 
Many  a  profound   question   that   has   bothered   the 


heads  of  the  world's  most  learned  men  was  here  dis- 
cussed, decided,  and  duly  recorded  in  the  minute-book 
during  an  evening's  session. 

The  following  list  contains  the  names  of  nearly  all 
its  members:  Erastus  Burkert,  Samuel  Gramly, Peter 
S.  Bierly,  Willis  R.  Bierly  (now  representative  in  the 
State  Legislature  from  Lycoming  County),  Absalom 
Harter,  J.  A.  Miller,  J.  K.  Meyer,  AVesley  Bierly  (en- 
listed in  Company  A,  One  Hundred  and  Forty-eighth 
Regiment  Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  was  promoted  to 
first  lieutenant,  died  of  wounds  received  in  battle  near 
Petersburg,  Va.),  Samuel  Winter,  Cyrus  Burkert  (now 
United  Brethren  minister),  Henry  G.  Conser,  S.  S. 
Wolf  (was  elected  member  of  the  Legislature  in  1874, 
died  before  he  entered  upon  his  duties  at  Harrisburg), 
Reuben  D.  Bierly,  R.  M.  Magee  (subsequently  super- 
intendent of  schools  in  Centre  County),  George  Burk- 
ert (died  while  in  the  three  months'  service,  in  1861). 

Physicians. ^Drs.  Klepper,  Rose,  Bigelow,  of  Mill- 
heim,  Robert  Vanvalzah,  of  Bufl^alo  Cross-Roads,  were 
among  the  first  physicians  who  extended  their  prac- 
tice to  Brush  valley.  But  the  first  resident  physician 
was  Samuel  Strohecker,  who  came  to  Rebersburg  in 
1825.  He  was  a  son  of  Daniel  Strohecker,  and  was 
born  near  Reading,  Berks  Co.,  March  5,  1799.  His 
parents  moved  to  Northumberland  County,  near  the 
river  opposite  Lewisburg,  in  1816,  and  he  studied 
medicine  with  Dr.  William  Joice,  of  Lewisburg.  He 
was  a  resident  gf  Rebersburg  from  1825  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  Aug.  26,  1869,  and  for  forty- 
one  years  he  practiced  medicine  in  Brush,  Peun's, 
and  Sugar  valleys.  During  that  period  he  was  elected 
to  the  State  Legislature  three  times  in  succession,  and 
filled  the  office  of  associate  judge  for  fifteen  years, 
once  by  appointment,  twice  by  election.  Dr.  Stro- 
hecker was  twice  married, — first  lime  to  Miss  Mary 
Ann  Meese,  of  Aaronsburg,  and  after  her  death  to 
Mrs.  Jane  Hunter,  of  Harrisburg.  He  died  of  apo- 
plexy, and  lies  buried  in  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed 
Cemetery.  With  his  second  wife  he  had  no  children. 
By  his  first  wife  were  five  who  arrived  at  maturity, — 
Alice,  married  to  Jonathan  Kreamer;  Barbara  Jane, 
first  wife  of  Dr.  D.  J.  Hilbish  ;  Emma,  wife  of  Henry 
W.  Kreamer;  Charles,  the  only  son;  Dellar,  married 
to  Austin  Brungart,  Nittany  valley.  Dr.  Strohecker 
was  a  skillful  physician  and  faithful  in  the  discharge 
of  his  duties.  He  never  failed  to  respond  to  a  call, 
but  through  rain  or  snow,  heat  or  cold,  over  moun- 
tains at  all  hours  of  the  night,  he  hastened  to  reacli 
the  bedside  of  the  sick  to  alleviate  their  suffering. 
He  was  a  great  reader,  and  made  an  Index  Rerum  of 
subjects.  He  also  had  a  great  knowledge  of  human 
nature,  which  with  his  solid  ability  made  him  a  suc- 
cessful politician. 

In  his  practice  he  had  associated  with  him  and  was 
finally  succeeded  by  his  son-in-law  Dr.  D.  J.  Hilbish, 
who  is  still  following  the  profession  in  the  valley.  In 
the  fall  of  1880,  Dr.  J.  W.  Bright  also  located  at 
Rebersburg,  and  is  now  practicing  in  the  place.    Other 


MILES   TOWNSHIP. 


353 


physicians  had  established  themselves  in  the  valley 
at  different  periods  within  the  past  twelve  years,  but 
none  ])erni;uiently. 

Jttilitary  Organizations.— The  Brush  Valley 
Guards  was  a  company  organized  in  the  spring  of 
1838,  and  continued  in  existence  until  the  beginning 
of  the  late  civil  war,  when  it  disbanded,  but  many  of 
its  members  went  to  the  army.  It  was  the  first  vol- 
unteer company  in  the  valley  that  w.ns  composed 
chiefly  of  her  own  citizens.  The  first  officers  were, 
Henry  Mark,  captain  (succeeded  a  year  later  by  Fred- 
erick Burkert) ;  George  Schaeffer,  first  lieutenant; 
Jacob  Burkert,  orderly  sergeant;  Samuel  Frank  was 
commissioned  first  lieutenant  in  1842,  and  in  1849 
major,  in  the  Union  Regiment  of  Centre  County. 
The  term  of  service  was  seven  years,  and  after  the 
expiration  of  that  period  new  men  would  take  the 
place  of  those  discharged.  In  1854  an  election  was 
held  of  which  a  record  has  been  found,  and  officers  as 
follows  were  chosen :  Captain,  John  S.  Faust;  First 
Lieutenant,  Absalom  Horter;  Second  Lieutenant, 
William  J.  Hosterman  ;  Orderly  Sergeant,  Daniel 
Hockman.  Later,  Wesley  W.  Bierly  was  elected 
orderly  sergeant.  Absalom  Horter  was  commissioned 
captain  June  6,  1859,  and  about  the  same  date  major 
of  the  Union  Regiment  of  Centre  County. 

A  list  of  the  members  belonging  to  the  Guards  from 
1854  to  the  time  of  its  collapse  is  here  presented,  but, 
as  just  stated,  some  changes  in  the  officers  occurred  at 
different  times: 


John  S.  FiiuBt.  captain. 

Absaluin  Hiirter,  1st  lieut. 

William  J.  Hosterman,  iA  lieut. 

Daniel  Hockman,  oril.  sergt. 

Bell,  WiHium. 

Beck,  Samuel. 

Beck,  Benjamin. 

Beck,  David  F. 

Beck,  Henry. 

Bierly,  Wesley  W. 

Bierly,  Josejih  C. 

Bierly,  Jacob. 

Bierly,  Cornelius. 

Bierly,  Jonathan. 

Burkert,  Erastus, 

Burkert,  Edwin  A. 

Bnrkert,  W.  S. 

Bnrkert,  George  H. 

Creep,  Jacob. 

Creep,  Aaron. 

Conscr,  Henry  G. 

Condo,  Joseph. 

Fravel,  Isniel. 

Faust,  Samuel  K. 

Fullmer,  Levi. 

Glantz,  William. 

Grimm,  Adam. 

Hufely,  William. 

Hockman,  Reuben, 

Herlaclier,  John  J. 

Hockman,  Reuben. 

Joliuslon,  William  C. 

Kreamer,  IL  W. 


Kr 


,  JC38( 


Krouse,  Samuel. 
Krouse,  John. 
Krouse,  James. 
Ketner,  Daniel. 
Kesler,  Peter. 
Klinefelter,  John. 
Klinefelter,  Emanuel. 
Long,  Thomas. 
Long,  Jonathan, 
Long,  Georgo. 
Magee,  William. 
Mechtly,  Isaac, 
SIcLain,  Daniel, 
Minich,  William, 
lilitiich,  Joel, 
Miller,  James, 
Pickle,  John. 
Rishel,  Michael. 
Royer,  John, 
SchaelTer,  William, 
Schaeffer,  Daniel. 
Snook,  Reuben. 
Snook,  Jacob. 
Schott,  Jonathan, 
Smull,  John. 
Stover,  John  A, 
Stover,  Lawrence, 
Weber,  Joseph  K. 
Weber,  William. 
Weber,  I\Ilcliael. 
Weaver,  Thomas, 
Weight,  Samuel, 
Weight,  William, 
Winter,  Samuel  M. 


The  Pennsylvania  Troop,  a  cavalry  company 
mainly  composed  of  citizens  of  Miles  township,  was 


organized  about  the  year  1836.  The  first  officers 
were,  Michael  Harper,  captain  ;  Thomas  Wolf  and 
Jacob  Wolf,  lieutenants;  William  Walker,  quarter- 
master-scrgeant.  At  a  later  date  it  changed  its  name 
to  Waahinf/lon  Tronp,  at  which  period  Jonathan  Wolf 
was  the  leading  spirit  of  the  organization,  and  was 
captain  until  promoted  to  higher  positions.  It  dis- 
banded shortly  before  the  breaking  oiit  of  the  late 
war,  and  many  of  its  members  went  to  the  army. 

Soldiers  of  the  Revolution. — As  far  as  can 
be  ascertained,  only  four  of  the  old  permanent  set- 
tlers of  the  township  were  soldiers  in  this  war.  They 
were  Capt.  John  A.  Schaeffer,  Philip  Meyer,  Jacob 
Kehl,  and  Anthony  Bierly.  The  first  two  are  noticed 
in  another  place,  Mr.  Bierly  belonged  to  the  militia 
branch  of  the  service.   (See  sketch  of  Anthony  Bierly. ) 

Soldiee.s  of  the  War  of  1812. — There  were 
also  four  Miles  township  citizens  in  this  war,  viz.: 
Henry  Harper,  Henry  Stumpmyer,  Daniel  Miller, 
and  George  Burkert. 

Civil  War.— Miles  township  performed  its  full 
share  of  the  duty  of  suppressing  the  late  rebellion. 
Company  A,  One  Hundred  and  Forty-eighth  Regi- 
ment Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  was  made  up  almost 
wholly  of  her  young  men,  besides  a  number  she  con- 
tributed to  other  organizations. 

Religious  Denominations  and  Houses  of  Wor- 
ship.— The  early  settlers  of  Brush  valley  had  come 
from  places  w'here  religious  training  and  worship  re- 
ceived due  attention,  and  it  is  to  be  presumed  this 
matter  was  not  entirely  neglected  when  they  were  es- 
tablished in  their  new  homes,  thougli  one  might  be 
pardoned  for  entertaining  doubts  as  to  the  existence 
of  a  very  exalted  degree  of  religious  sentiment  in 
those  early  times,  when  the  fact  is  known  that  eight 
distilleries  were  in  operation  in  the  valley  in  180.3, 
and  no  church  or  house  of  public  worship  was  built 
until  1804  or  1805.  The  first  step  to  provide  for  a 
place  of  public  worship  was  taken  May  20,1795,  when 
Stephen  Bollander  conveyed  a  lot  of  ground  to  John 
Buchtel,  Sr.,  and  Jacob  Walter,  and  their  successors, 
"  for  the  use  of  members  in  communion  with  the 
church  called  Luthern  and  Prespyterian  or  Calvin- 
ists,  jointly  with  one  another,  to  and  for  the  purpose 
of  a  site  of  school  or  schools,  or  church  or  churches, 
or  houses  of  religious  worship,  and  for  a  burying- 
ground  for  the  members  aforesaid  within  Brush  val- 
ley congregation,  or  any  other  person  or  persons  that 
diath  a  natural  death."  This  lot  is  the  same  one  on 
which  is  now  situated  the  Lutheran  Church  atRebers- 
burg.  It  is  a  rectangular  piece  of  ground  running 
along  Main  Street  six  and  a  half  rods,  and  south  fifty 
rods,  containing  about  two  acres,  being  part  of  a  tract 
for  which  Col.  Samuel  Miles  took  out  a  patent  May 
24,  1782.  Miles  conveyed  to  Christian  Waltsmith, 
Oct.  5, 1785,  and  the  latter  to  Stephen  Bollander,  Dec. 
1,  1791.     It  was  bought  for  two  pounds. 

A  church  was  built  on  his  lot  in  1804  or  1S05,  ac- 
cording to  recollection  of  Mrs.  Reynolds.     It  was  the 


360 


HISTORY   OF   CExXTKE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


first  house  in  the  locality  which  subsequently  became 
the  site  of  Rebersburg,  and  the  first  church  in  the 
Viilley.  It  was  a  small  log  building,  and  was  put  up 
by  Anthony  Bierly,  one  of  the  first  settlers.  There 
was  neither  stove  nor  fireplace  in  it  for  a  number  of 
year.-),  and  the  officers  of  the  church  used  to  make  a 
fire  outside,  in  cold  weather,  for  people  to  warm  them- 
selves before  and  after  divine  service.  It  is  related  how 
some  of  the  members  used  to  warm  themselves  at  the 
bar  of  the  tavern  across  the  street,  and  a  certain  minis- 
ter occasionally  drew  his  inspiration  from  the  same 
source.  The  Lutheran  and  Reformed  congregations, 
which  were  about  the  only  denominations  represented 
in  the  neighborhood,  worshiped  in  this  house  until 
1822,  at  which  date  the  "  brick  church"  was  com- 
pleted, and  continued  the  place  of  worship  until  the 
division  of  the  two  congregations  in  1876,  when  it 
in  turn  w.is  torn  down  to  make  way  for  the  present 
building  erected  by  the  above-named  congregations 
in  1877.  The  old  log  church  was  torn  down  in 
1826,  and  its  material  used  in  the  construction  of 
Mr.  J.  G.  Conser's  house,  now  owned  by  Cyrus 
Erhart.  The  brick  church  was  one  of  the  promi- 
nent landmarks  of  the  valley.  It  was  modeled  after 
one  at  Rehrersburg,  Bethel  township,  Berks  County, 
to  which  place  the  building  committee,  including 
'Jacob  Kreamer,  was  sent  to  secure  the  pattern. 
Mr.  Kreamer  had  been  on  the  committee  which 
built  the  church  at  Rehrersburg  before  he  cam.e  to 
Centre  County.  It  is  said  this  church  at  Rehrers- 
burg, one  at  Milton,  one  at  New  Berlin,  erected  in 
1825,  one  at  Harrisburg,  and  the  Rebersburg  church 
were  exact  imitations  of  each  other.  John  Kreamer, 
of  Penn's  valley,  was  the  architect  of  the  brick 
church,  and  was  engaged  three  years  in  building  it. 
Henry  SmuU  and  his  brothers,  Peter  and  Jacob,  had 
charge  of  the  mason-work  and  brick-laying.  Col. 
Henry  Meyer  dressed  the  corner-stone.  The  first 
sermon  preached  in  it  was  on  the  occasion  of  tlie 
funeral  of  Paul  Wolf,  who  died  June  6,  1822.  This 
was  before  the  building  was  quite  finished,  but  it 
was  dedicated  soon  after.  Mr.  Wolf  had  been  a 
member  of  the  building  committee,  and  one  of  the 
most  liberal  subscribers.  The  old  bell,  which  for 
more  than  half  a  century  summoned  the  worshipers 
to  the  sanctuary,  or  proclaimed  the  sad  tidings  of  the 
departure  of  some  loved  one  to  that  "bourn  whence 
there  is  no  return,"  has  been  transferred  to  the  cupola 
of  the  Lutheran  Church,  where,  as  of  yore,  its  deep 
tones  peal  forth,  reverberating  from  mountain  to 
mountain,  touching  hidden  chords  of  memory  in  the 
hearts  of  the  aged  which  call  up  troops  of  familiar 
faces  and  scenes  of  long  ago. 

The  bell  on  the  Reformed  Church  was  presented 
by  Col.  Henry  Royer  and  his  nephew,  Joel  Royer. 

A  second  lot,  containing  about  the  same  quantity 
of  land  and  joining  on  the  eastern  side  the  one  al- 
ready described,  was  deeded  by  Conrad  Reber  to 
Francis  Gramly  and  Jacob  Walter,  trustees,  for  sim- 


ilar purposes.  The  transfers  were  the  same  as  those 
of  the  first  lot,  with  the  addition  that  Bollander  con- 
veyed to  Conrad  Reber  May  7,  1801,  and  the  latter 
to  the  trustees  May  13,  1806.  The  Reformed  Church 
is  now  built  on  this  lot.  The  ground  was  bought  for 
thirty-eight  dollars. 

There  is  no  record  of  the  early  members  of  the 
Lutheran  and  Reformed  congregations  of  Brush  val- 
ley in  existence  now,  except  in  so  far  as  their  names 
appear  in  an  old  record-book  of  births  and  baptisms 
dating  back  to  July  9,  1792.  In  connection  with  the 
names  and  dates  of  children  baptized,  and  dates  of 
births,  it  gives  the  names  of  their  parents  and  usually 
two  witnesses  who  were  present  at  the  ceremony  of 
baptism.  Since  for  many  years  there  were  but  these 
joint  congregations  in  Brush  valley,  this  record  con- 
tains the  names  of  nearly  all  the  first  adult  members, 
or,  what  is  about  the  same  thing,  the  names  of  the 
early  settlers.  With  a  view  of  preserving  as  inany 
of  the  names  of  the  old  inhabitants  as  possible,  a  list 
of  them  is  here  presented,  beginning  with  the  first 
record,  July  9,  1792,  and  including  all,  or  nearly  all, 
t!ie  names  that  occur  from  this  date  to  the  close  of 
the  year  1809.  Most  of  the  records  are  in  German, 
some  in  English,  a  few  neither  the  one  nor  the  other, 
but  simply  illegible.  The  records  make  no  distinc- 
tion between  members  of  the  different  denominations. 
It  appears  our  great-grandparents  had  a  fondness  for 
the  names  Catharine  and  Elizabeth,  as  the  former  oc- 
curs forty-four  times,  and  the  latter  thirty-one  times 
in  this  list  of  one  hundred  and  eighty  ladies'  names. 

Some  of  the  names  in  the  foUow-ing  list  occur  oft-en 
in  the  old  records,  but  they  are  inserted  here  only 
once,  and  with  the  date  of  their  first  appearance. 


nu2.. 


ITiislianJ.  AVife. 

...Iiicnl,  Hpli-lpr Elizalicllj. 

..rinli].SIi.iikIe lulianna. 


Caduuine. 

..(Jlir  stian  (jast Blargaret. 

...racobStraub I'lalliia. 

...John  Apiilc- Catharine. 

..Aiiiliciv  Applo  Calbariiie. 

..lliMiry  A|i|ik' Catliarine. 


Br. 


..I..I11.  BaiMPr  ... 
.IVtL-r  lli..bi,'l.. 
...toliii  liiu^lilel... 
,..T„ 


..Calliar 
..Harbai 


Ilk.. 


.I.mhviK  FivbaiKc 
..Haiiiel  Oainiaii..., 
..Geurge  U..erinei-. 
...I.ihn  lli.eniier.... 
.A<lan 


arah. 


I'l  Ki 


..Mil 


,rct. 


..Iiici.b  K.plf 


..Mirliai-I  Wall, 


I  SlariA. 
..Elizabi-lh. 
..Catliiiiiiio. 
..Bail.ara. 
..Anna  Maria. 
..RfarKiiret. 

..Margaret. 
...Calhaiiiio. 
..Catliarilie. 
..Margant. 
..Maj;.lali-lia. 


..I..I111  PliilipSlienkbv 


..Oath 
..Bar  1 .11 


r.stnpli.-r  Kolvey Anna. 

Ill'  lli'iTv Clirislina. 

roliurt  Hazel Maria. 


MILES   TOWNSHIP. 


361 


DmIc.                Illislniid.  Wife. 

17U7 Ii.hii  Ki.v.lcT Anun. 

"    lull II  IMiilips niiii-Raret. 

"    riiilipScliutt SlnritHiet. 

"    lolMi  Sclicniy Aniiii  Maria 

*'    CliiotiipIicrSpiiiigliT DlHrpin't. 

"    (■■"•'V-  (-■Ini»t..],h>..i-  .Simnt'l.T.  Si- Aiinii  Mnriiv 

"   larnl.  W  ooliiiiin Siii^aniiftli. 

"   luliii  Wa^'ii.T Snrnli. 

'•    Iiiciih  Uiiltrr Ciitlinrino. 

"    JiiciliGiuiiiftii llpginn. 

1708 Ofoige  ll..ninu MHiia  linrlm 

"    Juliu  Kiplor Klugrliilona. 

"    Iiilin  F.  Krouse Miirgnri-t. 

"    I. .III!  I'i.kic Ciillli.rino. 

170!l I,.|iii  Albright Eliznbulll. 

••    Xiilioliis  BiiTlj- Lilcv. 

"    siiiiMii  I'iclilc Callmrinc. 

1800 loliii  riikle Evil. 

"    Inlili  Gcurtte  Spanglor Itarbnra. 

"   KraiicisGriimly HarKiirit. 

'*    IVtcr  Sl-aiiglcr Barbara. 

"  '.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'..Lhi,  W,ill,,r..!'!'"!!!""!!Z]!!!!!Z"!!!.''..Aima  Mana 

IWll r.-l,i  liiiiiiiiir Eliziibflli. 

"  11. 11 IV  liiulicr Elizabeth. 

"  G...llioy  Ilarlcifr Surah. 

"  Ki  fil.  .lohiistonlmiigh V.Viu 

"  Miiitlipw  Kern' Chri«liina. 

"  b.lin  G.  Kri-iger Cliristimia. 

"  ClMisl,.|,li|.r  Laiilz Ciitharine. 

"  Alin.li;iiii  Ruber Eva. 

■'  HiiiiRl  Sniitli Elizabeth. 

"  I'liilipWcllurt Catliarilie. 


...I.ilni  Wii 
...li.lui  \Vc 


..Siih.liM 
..Barbiii 


..\Villi;iin  Apple Catharili 

..Mailiii  Uriingait Calharin 

..Miliobis  Busth Maria. 


..Ti-tL-r  B.-rry. 
.Ailiim  Gniiiil 


..Elizabeth. 


"  J..I111  Ge..li;c  lYiai  .k> Klizulietll. 

"  William  Kii-i:;lil.aniii Jlaria  Catharine. 

,    "  .luliii  KreaiiiiT Kusina. 

"  Andri-vv  Kepler Maria. 

■'  .„ Jaeiib  Kreamer Magilnlena. 

*'  Adam  Magel Elizalieth. 

"  Conrad  Neighart Elizabeth. 

"  Tobias  Pickle Siisaiinah. 

"  Andrew  Butish Catharine. 

"  Krederiek  ftahl Elizabeth. 

"  lobn  A.  SchaeiTer Elizabeth. 

"  John  Spangler Magdalena. 

"  Andrew  Sdiott Margaret. 

"  George  Weber Barbara. 

"  Anthony  Wolf. Catharine. 

"  Krederiik  Witidnoglc Eva. 

"  I. dm  Wilhelm Catharine. 

1803 G.'orge  Bear Elizabeth. 

"  Cliristopber  Brown (.bristin.a. 

"  lacob  Botloif. Catharine. 

"  Michael  Bottorf Catliariiie. 

"  Adam  George Maria  Elizabeth. 

"  Nicholas  Hittle Eva  Elizabeth. 

"  George  Hov Elizabelli. 

"  .lolin  Kiplinger Rebecca. 

"  H^niy  Ketner Elizabeth. 

*'  Jacob  Long Catharine. 

"  Philip  Meyer IMargaret. 

'*  lobn  Michael Susannah. 

"  Christian  Pickle itiagdalena. 

"  John  Pickle Maria. 

"  lohn  Roiish Maria. 

1804 I^uniad  Eveibart Elizabeth. 

"  l.din  Iler.sbberger. Cblistian.t. 

"  lacob  Hazel Catharine. 

"  Charles  Hoy Eliz. belli. 

"  Albeit  Hoy Susannah. 

"  John  Hetericl Soidiia. 

"  ..John  Kreighbaum Susannah  Catharin 

"  Zachariah  Leasch Elizabeth. 

**  Henry  Slever Margaret. 

"  John  Pickle Susannah. 

"  Andrew  Pickle Catharine. 

ob  Pickle Maria  Magdalena. 


..Tobias  Pickle 


.Ciillo 
..Margaret. 


"  George  Stein 

"  lohn  ShaelTer 

"  Ph. lip  Schreckengast^ Elizabeth. 

1S05 lacob  Brungart . 

"  Thomas  Bryan Elizabeth. 

"  Aaivn  Bush Margaret. 

"  John  Eli..... Eva  Catliaii 

"  lohn  Glnntzl Catharine. 

"  Chiistian  Granily Rosina. 

"  Abraham  Hof Elizabeth. 

"  Michael  KehH Catlmrine. 


1  ResideDts  of  Sugar  valley,  Clinton  County. 


Dato.               Iliialnnd.  Wife. 

1805 Jacob  Kablel Klizjibelh. 

"   Sehaxtian  Kcrstctler. JIaria. 

'•    lohn  Keclillne Sarah. 

"   Daniel  Otio ISarbara. 

"    Conrad  Heber chrimina. 

"   George  Bothenbach  • Oalharinc. 

"    John  a.  Smith .Eva. 

"   Adam  Neidig Cliri^itianA. 

-    dig.. 


1800  . 


Buihtel.. 


Itiilv 


Aiitli. 


Mierlv 


Catha 


....Nicholas  Folk 

.....Henry  Grenninger' Sar 

Henry  Herring  1 Ma 

....Henry  Siiangleri Ma 

....William  Mever Cat 

....Michael  Itoush Sii.- 

ob  KrebM .\n 


i.b  Ke 


...III 

..Killi Kern 

.Ibnrv  K.hle 
..SobiiiiMij  Crot 

■■'-■• -■■  K'lde 

..James  Mill's.. 
..Samuel  Mills. 
..Michael  Mevc 
George  Mever 


..Margaret. 
..Catharine. 
..Klizjil.eth. 


.Cliiistopber  Roye 

John  S.lioH 

.John  Woltoit 


..Michael  Ketn 
..Jajob  Kipliiis 
..Mebhoir   Pom 


"    Philip  Walker B.irbara. 

Communicants  in  May,  1806. — Copied  from  a 
list  found  in  the  old  record-book  of  baptisms,  it  prob- 
ably includes  only  those  members  actually  present  on 
the  date  mentioned : 


John  Pickle. 

Barbara  Pickle. 
George  Hanman, 

wife,  Blaria  Barbara. 
Jacob  Redman. 
Henry  Spangler. 

wife,  Magdalena. 
Heniy  Siiangler,  Jr. 
George  Spangler. 
Anthony  Bierly. 

wife,  Anna  Maria. 
Antboi-y  Bierly,  Jr. 
Sarah  Bierly. 
Anna  Bierly. 
William  Kreighbaum. 

wife,  Catharine. 
John  Kreighbaum. 
George  Kreighbaum. 
Catharine  Kieighbaum. 
Baibnia  Kreighbaum. 
Christiana  Rel.er. 
Adam  Schaefrer. 

wife,  Elizabeth. 
Elizabeth  Schaeffer. 
Elizabeth  Bear. 
Jacob  Hazel. 
Jacob  Long. 

wife,  Catharine. 
Barbara  Dunkle. 
Christopher  Spangler. 

wife,  Margaret. 
Nicholas  Schaeffer. 

wife,  Regina. 
Christian  Miller. 
John  Bierly. 

wife,  Catharine, 


Anthony  Wolf. 
John  Phillips. 

wife,  Margaret. 
Elizabeth  Schreckengast. 
Henry  Zarlman. 

wife,  Barbara. 
Christian  Gramly. 

wife.  Rosina. 
John  N.  Gast. 

wife,  Catharine. 
Elizabeth  Gast. 
John  Brown. 

wife,  Elizabeth. 
Elizabeth  Leasch. 
Barbara  Emich. 
Elizalieth  Fohrman. 
Susan  Kreigher. 
Sarah  Kern. 
Blargaret  Stein. 
Elizabeth  Ketner. 
Elizabeth  Jergin. 
Christiana  Heims. 
Elizabeth  Jlohr. 
Susan  Brown. 
Catharine  Busch. 
Elizabeth  Bnsch. 
Susan  Gromly. 
Maria  Messiuger. 
Susan  Crotzer. 
Christian  Gast. 

wife,  Margitret. 
Catharine  Gast. 
Christian  Gast 


3fi2 


HISTORY  OF   CENTEE  C0UNT1\  PENNSYLVANIA. 


The  brick  church  at  Rebersburg  was  the  only  place 
of  public  worship  in  Brush  valley  until  1833,  and  all 
its  inhabitants,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  at  the 
western  end,  attended  divine  service  at  this  church  for 
nearly  thirty  years.  They  came  great  distances  over 
rough  roads,  on  horseback,  in  clumsy  wagons,  and  on 
foot.  The  early  settlers  of  Sugar  valley  attended 
church  at  Rebersburg,  except,  perhaps,  on  Sabbaths 
during  the  hunting  season. 

In  1833  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  Church  at 
Madisonburg  was  erected  by  the  members  in  that 
town  and  vicinity,  and  from  that  time  on  they  wor- 
shiped under  their  own  "  vine  and  fig-tree." 

In  1880  the  Reformed  members  withdrew,  and 
erected  a  church  of  their  own.  There  are  now  no 
joint  congregations  in  the  valley. 

A  brief  sketch  of  the  existing  denominations  in  the 
valley  will  here  be  presented,  of  which  there  are  four, 
viz. :  Lutheran,  Reformed,  Evangelical,  and  United 
Brethren.  To  avoid  repetition,  the  first  two  will  be 
noticed  but  briefly  in  reference  to  their  more  recent 
history. 

Lutheran  Denominations. — Besides  the  Lu- 
theran Churches  at  Rebersburg  and  Madisonburg, 
there  is  one  at  the  eastern  end  of  the  valley,  situated 
near  the  place  where  the  old  Brungart's  road  branches 
off  from  the  main  road  to  Sugar  valley.  It  was  built 
in  1868,  on  a  lot  donated  for  the  purpose  by  Mr. 
George  Brungart,  deceased. 

Membership. — The  congregation  at  Rebersburg  num- 
bers eighty  members,  the  one  at  Madisonburg  forty, 
and  Brungart's  fifty.  LTntil  the  year  1866  the  Brush 
valley  congregations  belonged  to  the  Aaronsburg 
charge  ;  at  present  they  constitute  a  charge  by  them- 
selves. 

Refoemed  Denomination. — This  denomination 
has  three  churches  in  the  valley, — those  of  Rebers- 
burg and  Madisonburg,  before  mentioned,  and  one  at 
the  eastern  end  of  the  valley,  located  on  a  lot  do- 
nated by  Mr.  Adam  Stover.     It  was  built  in  1875. 

Membership. — The  Rebersburg  congregation  has 
seventy-five  members,  Madisonburg  sixty-two,  and 
Stover's,  thirty-five.  Several  congregations  of  Sugar 
valley  belong  to  this  charge. 

Lutheran  Ministers  from  1795  to  the  Present. — Chris- 
tian Espich,  1795-1800;  Ludwig  Albrecht  Wilhelm 
Ilgen  (pronounced /%»).  1800-23;  J.T.  Abele,  1823- 
38;  Daniel  Gottwald,  1838-43;  Charles  Reese,  1843- 
53 ;  J.  M.  Alliman,  1853-58 ;  Joseph  Walker,  1858- 
62;  Daniel  Sell,  1862-66  (charge  now  divided);  W. 

S.  Poor,  ;  Henry  Seifert,  1871-73;  Frederick 

Aurand,  1874-80;  W.  R.  Wieand,  1880-81. 

Reformed  Ministers. — Jacob  Diefenbach,  1808-10 
Yost  H.   Fries,  1812-27;    B.  S.  Schneck,   1828-32 

Peter  S.  Fisher,  1832 ;   Joel   L.  Reber,  1843-44 

W.  R.  Yearick,  1844-47;  J.  D.  Zehring,  1847-51 ;  D. 
S.  Tobias,  1851-64;  C.  F.  Hoffmyer,  1865-68;  Wil- 
liam G.  Engle,  1868-72;  William  Landis,  1872.  Rev. 
Henry  Rassman,  it  is  said,  was  the  first  Tieformed 


minister  in  the  county.  He  taught  school  at  Rebers- 
burg, and  preached  occasionally  there  before  he  be- 
came a  regular  minister. 

Evangelical  Association.  —  Rev.  Jacob  Al- 
bright, the  founder  of  this  denomination,  came  to 
Christopher  Spangler's  house,  and  preached  here  the 
first  sermon  of  this  association  in  Brush  valley.  This 
was  Sept.  17,  1806.  Mr.  Spangler  was  the  first  mem- 
ber in  the  valley,  if  not  the  first  in  the  county.  He 
was  the  main  pillar  of  the  church  until  his  death,  in 
1855,  and  his  house  was  one  of  the  regular  "  appoint- 
ments" from  the  first  visit  of  Rev.  Albright  until  the 
Evangelical  Church  at  Rebersburg  was  built  in  1834. 
Abraham  and  Jacob  Reber  joined  soon  after  Mr. 
Spangler,  and  preaching  was  had  regularly  at  their 
houses  until  the  school-house  at  Madisonburg  was 
built  in  1817  or  1818.  Later.  John  G.  Conser,  of 
Rebersburg,  opened  his  house  for  public  services.  A 
class  was  formed  in  1806,  of  which  Christopher  Span- 
gler was  the  leader.  It  was  sinall ;  but  about  the  year 
1833  additions  were  made  of  the  following  fiimilies  : 
Gramlys,  Meyers,  Becks,  Feidlers.  At  present  there 
are  four  churches  in  the  valley  belonging  to  the  asso- 
ciation, located  respectively  at  Rebersburg,  Madison- 
burg, Wolf's  Store,  and  Yearick's.  Tlie  church  at 
Rebersburg  was  dedicated  in  1834,  and  was  the  first 
in  the  county  of  this  denomination.  Mr.  J.  G.  Conser 
built  it.  The  church  at  Madisonburg  was  built  in 
1854 ;  Yearick's  in  1869.  It  is  situated  on  the  main 
road  west  of  Madisonburg  a  little  over  two  miles. 
The  church  at  Wolf's  was  dedicated  Oct.  18,  1874. 

Membership. — The  Rebersburg  congregation  num- 
bers forty-five  members,  Madisonburg  fifty,  Year- 
ick's thirty-nine,  and  Wolf's  seventeen.  These 
congregations  constitute  Brush  Valley  Circuit  at 
present.  Formerly  it  was  a  part  of  Centre  Circuit, 
and  was  separated  from  it  in  1877. 

Ministers  are  supplied  on  the  itinerant  system, 
hence  it  w'ould"  require  too  much  space  to  name  all 
that  have  traveled  the  circuit  for  seventy-five  years. 
A  k\^  of  the  first  that  preached  in  the  valley  will  be 
mentioned.  They  are  also  among  the  first  of  the  de- 
nomination :  Jacob  Albright,  John  Walter,  A.  Liesser, 
Alexander  Jamison,  George  Miller,  J.  Erb,  Leonard 
Zimmerman,  F.  Shauer,  John  Dreisbach,  Jacob Klein- 
felter,  John  Stambach,  A.  Longsdorf. 

United  BEETHREN.^There  is  but  one  congrega- 
tion of  this  denomination  in  Brush  valley.  It  had 
its. origin  about  the  year  1842,  when  Rev.  Noon  came 
to  Rebersburg  and  held  meetings.  The  first  services 
were  held  in  the  school-house,  and  in  1850  the  church 
at  the  lower  end  of  town  was  built.  The  first  mem- 
ber of  the  congregation  was  a  Mr.  John  Farling ;  later, 
John  Bierly,  George  Harter,  and  several  others  be- 
came members.  At  present  there  are  thirteen  mem- 
bers. 

Sunday  Schools. — The  first  Sunday-schools  were 
union;  none  denominational  prior  to  1866.  The 
oldest  school  is  the  union  school  at  Rebersburg,  which 


MILES   TOWNSHIP. 


363 


was  organized  in  1838  by  George  Burkert.  It  lias 
continued  up  to  this  date  witliout  interruption,  and 
lias  at  present  one  hundred  and  fifty  members  en- 
rolled. Sir.  Burkert  organized  a  Sunday-school  in 
the  following  year  (1839)  at  Granily's  school-house, 
vhieh  was  kept  up  until  about  the  year  1873,  but  only 
during  the  summer  .seasons. 

The  Rebersburg  Reformed  Sunday-school  was  or- 
ganized April  1,  1866,  during  Rev.  C.  H.  Hoffmyer's 
pastorate  in  the  charge.  There  are  at  present  about 
seventy  members. 

The  Rebersburg  Evangelical  Sunday-school  was 
organized  May  3,  1874.  Rev.  W.  H.  Stover  was 
preacher  in  charge  at  the  time.  It  has  enrolled  about 
eighty-five  members. 

There  are  two  schools  atMadisonburg, — the  Union, 
which  has  enrolled  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  mem- 
bers, and  the  Evangelical,  which  was  organized  in 
1870,  and  has  enrolled  seventy-five  members. 

There  is  a  school  at  Stover's  of  about  forty  mem- 
bers, one  at  Brungart's  (Lutheran)  of  about  seventy 
members,  and  one  at  Wolf's  of  about  seventy  mem- 
bers. 

Sunday-schools  had  been  in  existence  prior  to  1830, 
but  they  were  not  permanent.  Before  denominational 
schools  were  organized,  union  schools  were  kept  up 
in  nearly  all,  if  not  all,  the  school-houses  in  the  town- 
ship during  the  summer  season. 

Burial-Grounds. — All  the' houses  of  worship  in 
the  valley  have  lying  adjacent  to  them  burial-grounds, 
which,  however,  are  all  comparatively  new  except 
the  old  Lutheran  and  Reformed  Cemetery  at  Rebers- 
burg. It  is  noted  elsewhere  when  this  ground  was 
purchased.  It  is  impossible  to  s!vf  when  the  first 
burials  were  made  here,  but  it  was  while  the  locality 
was  still  woods  and  without  inclosure.  On  the  old 
or  western  part  of  the  cemetery  all  interments  were 
made  prior  to  1806.  Persons  from  the  east  end  of  the 
valley,  and  from  the  west  end  as  far  as  Murray's 
school-house,  were  brought  to  this  ground  for  burial. 
Some  were  brought  from  Sugar  valley.  A  few  fami- 
lies set  apart  small  plots  on  their  own  farms  for 
burial-places,  as  the  Rebers  and  Tobias  Pickle.  In 
the  old  section  of  the  graveyard  there  are  but  few 
tombstones  with  inscriptions,  and  these  were  brought 
to  the  valley  at  considerable  expense  and  inconveni- 
ence. There  are  several  hundred  graves  that  have 
merely  small  flat  stones  at  the  head  and  foot,  or  no 
mark  whatever.  Such  has  not  been  the  fate  of  the 
poor  alone,  but  some  of  the  richest  and  at  one  time 
most  influential  pioneer  citizens  of  the  neighborhood 
"sleep  their  last  sleep"  in  unknown  graves.  Among 
these  may  be  mentioned  Francis  Gramly,  Sr.,  Philip 
Wolfart,  Martin  Brungart,  Sr.,  Christopher  Spangler, 
Sr.,  Anthony  Bierly,  Sr.,  Henry  Walbon,  and  the  first 
wife  of  Col.  Henry  Meyer,  who  died  in  1801. 

During  the  present  year  (1881)  Mrs.  Christina 
Reynolds  had  erected  a  tombstone  at  the  graves  of 
her  grandparents  bearing  the  following  inscription  : 


*'  III  memory  of 
airMian  CaH  mid  liis  wife  Chritliva  Brnndl 

Bum  Horn 

Apr.  23,  1720  Oct.  29,  1729 

DIod  ntout  180.'i  Died  about  1803 

Butli  I'liiigrnted  in  onrly  life  from  WUiieniburg,  Germnny. 

Erected  by  tlieir  grandchibJ, 

Blrs.  Christiim  Iteyuolds, 

1881." 

The  oldest  monument  with  an  inscription  is  that  of 
Philip  Schott,  who  died  April  26,  1802.  JIany  of 
the  first  tombstones  were  made  by  Peter  SinuU,  a 
stone-mason.     They  are  brown  sandstone. 

.Biographical  Memoranda.  — So  many  f;»cts  re- 
lating to  township  history  are  mentioned  in  the  fol- 
lowing notices  of  early  settlers  that  it  wa.s  judged 
best  to  insert  the  sketches  here.  Notices  of  others 
will  be  found  in  the  general  biographical  portion  of 
the  history. 

Mrs.  Mary  Hartzel.' — Jacob  Geis  (Guise),  one 
of  the  early  settlers  of  Penn'.s  valley,  was  a  son 
of  a  noble  family  of  refugees  from  the  Alsace  district, 
on  the  Rhine.  He  came  to  Penn's  valley  in  1798, 
I  from  Tulpehocken  Creek,  Berks  County,  where  they 
!  had  first  settled.  Anna  Mary  (Mrs.  Hartzel)  was 
I  born  April  28,  1796.  When  they  came  to  Penn's 
valley  there  were  but  a  few  clearings  where  Millheim 
and  Aaronsburg  now  are.  The  houses  they  lived  in 
then  were  built  in  the  woods,  without  window-lights 
or  floors,  except  loose  slabs.  Sometimes  unwelcome 
visitors  of  the  snake  kind  would  come  in  and  sleep 
on  the  beds.  At  night  the  wolves  howled  around  the 
doors,  and  their  eyes  gleamed  through  the  cracks  of 
the  cabins.  Once,  when  her  father,  Jacob,  was  away 
from  home,  the  wolves  came,  and  her  mother,  Eliza- 
beth, took  down  the  rifle  from  the  hooks  and  defended 
her  flock  of  children  like  a  man.  The  family  was 
ten  in  number.  Catharine  Barbara  was  the  oldest. 
They  had  a  German  school  at  Aaronsburg,  and 
studied  the  A  B  C's,  Psalter  and  Testament,  and 
ciphered.  The  pastor  of  the  church  at  Aaronsburg 
was  Rev.  Ilgen,  a  Lutheran.  The  first  settlers  in 
Penn's  valley  liad  been  driven  oS"  by  the  Indians, 
and  a  few  were  massacred.  When  she  was  young 
(Mrs.  Hartzel),  women  worked  like  the  men.  At 
twelve  years  of  age  she  reaped  grain,  making  a  full 
hand,  and  continued  to  reap  up  to  1860,  working 
from  fifteen  to  twenty  days  each  harvest.  The  women 
pitched  hay  in  the  field  and  broke  flax,  spun,  and 
wove.  She  followed  weaving  for  profit.  She  once 
won  a  wager  as  the  best  reaper  over  a  lot  of  Buflalo 
valley  men  who  came  up  to  Brush  valley  to  show 
their  agility  in  handling  the  "sharp  sickle."  Her 
mother  lived  to  be  more  than  ninety-five  years,  and 
was  a  very  muscular  woman  in  her  last  days.  "Aunt 
Polly"  kept  boarders  during  the  sessions  of  the 
county  Normal  at  Rebersburg  up  to  within  a  few 

'  This  skelcli  was  kindly  fnrnislicd  by  Hon.  W.  B.  Bierly,  of  Williams- 
port,  who  received  the  facts  from  Mrs.  Hartzel  several  years  before  ber 
death. 


364 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


years  of  her  death,  and  is  a  character  well  known  to 
many  of  the  educators  of  Centre  County. 

The  Geises  and  Kreamers  of  Penn's  valley  are  de- 
scendants of  Jacob  Geise  mentioned. 

Mrs.  Hartzel  died  June  15,  1878,  aged  eighty-two 
years.     Her  husband  died  several  years  before. 

Tobias  Pickle  was  an  early  settler,  but  not  among 
the  first.  There  were  three  Pickle  brothers  who  came 
about  the  same  time, — Thomas,  who  owned  what  is 
now  the  Scholl  farm  near  Wolf's  Store;  John,  who 
owned  the  tract  which  is  now  known  as  the  Smeltzer 
farm,  west  of  Madisonburg ;  and  Tobias,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  who  purchased  a  tract  containing 
nearly  a  thousand  acres  excellent  soil  then  called  Pro- 
prietors' Manor,  and  including  the  land  which  now 
constitutes  the  following  farms:  William  Forster's, 
Emanuel  Harter's,  Samuel  Loose's,  H.  W.  Kreamer's, 
Jared  Kreamer's,  and  Rishel's.  Harter's  school-house. 
Centre  Mills,  and  Spring  Bank  are  on  this  tract.  There 
was  a  small  log  grist-mill  on  the  property  when  Mr. 
Pickle  bought,  but  in  1802  or  1803  he  put  up  the 
present  mill  (see  grist-mills).  Tobias  and  John  had 
each  a  number  of  big  boys,  who  were  wild  and  rough. 
Fighting  was  an  accomplishment  in  which  they  ex- 
celled. Recently  the  writer  paid  a  visit  to  the  aged 
Mr.  John  Hoy,  near  whose  house  are  the  ruins  of  an 
old  saw-mill  which  had  been  built  by  John  Pickle, 
and  noticing  the  enormous  ditch  which  bad  belonged 
to  the  mill,  inquired  the  reason  why  the  building  was 
put  in  a  place  where  it  required  so  much  digging. 
Mr.  Hoy  replied  in  substance  that  the  Pickle  boys 
were  great  fighters,  and  in  order  to  worry  out  of  them 
some  of  their  exuberant  strengtli  and  pugilistic  spirits 
the  millwright  located  the  mill  on  a  site  where  it 
required  a  long  tail-race  twelve  feet  deep.  Tobias 
Pickle  had  six  sons,  whose  exploits  would  fill  a  small 
volume.  On  a  certain  occasion  Benjamin  Strawbridge, 
a  tenant  near  Mr.  Pickle's  mill,  not  feeling  well,  put 
some  straw  into  a  heated  oven  and  crept  in  after  to 
"  sweat"  himself;  the  Pickle  boys  closed  up  the  mouth 
of  the  oven  and  set  fire  to  the  straw.  Mr.  Straw- 
bridge,  who  was  a  big,  muscular  man,  escaped  from 
the  fiery  furnace  by  bursting  through  the  vaulted  roof. 
Driving  down  a  steep  hill  or  mountain  with  a  big 
team  at  full  gallop  was  a  mere  pastime  for  the  Pickle 
boys,  and  one  of  them  used  to  say  that  it  must  be  a 
poor  team  that  could  not  keep  ahead  of  the  wagon. 
They  sometimes  came  in  contact  with  the  Buchtel 
boys,  and  usually  got  fearfully  pounded.  John  had 
six  sons, — Jacob,  Simon,  Tobias,  Andrew,  John, 
Christian  ;  these  had  divided  among  them  the  six 
farms  into  which  the  manor  was  cut  up,  containing 
from  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven  acres  to  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  acres  each.  But  it  appears  the  boys  did 
not  all  own  their  farms,  for  their  father  sold  a  large 
tract  and  the  mill  property  to  Paul  Wolf  This  was 
in  the  spring  of  1811.  Mr.  Pickle  and  his  wife  re- 
mained on  the  property,  however,  until  their  death, 
which  occurred  in  1813  or  1814,  according  to  recollec- 


tion of  Col.  Henry  Royer.  They  lived  in  a  small  log 
house  which  stood  back  a  few  paces  of  the  place 
where  now  stands  the  store-room,  Centre  Mills.  Mr. 
Pickle  bought  back  from  Mr.  Wolf,  in  1S12,  a  small 
plot  for  a  burial-ground.  This  lies  directly  south — ■ 
across  the  first  field — of  Samuel  Loose's  residence, 
and  there  are  buried  the  old  folks.  A  stone  wall  used 
to  inclose  the  spot,  but  it  has  disappeared  ;  thorns  and 
heaps  of  stones  mark  the  last  resting-place  of  a  man 
and  wife  who  one  time  were  the  wealthiest  couple  in 
the  valley.  One  of  the  daughters  was  married  to 
James  Miles,  a  nephew  of  Col.  Samuel  Miles;  they 
lived  at  the  western  end  of  Brush  valley.  The  sons 
all  left  soon  after  the  sale  of  the  Pickle  property,  and 
at  present  there  is  not  a  citizen  in  the  valley  of  the 
name. 

Conrad  Reber  came  to  Miles  township,  it  is  said, 
in  1801 ;  he  remained  some  eight  or  ten  years,  and 
then  removed  to  Ohio.  He  owned  the  farm  now  be- 
longing to  Col.  Henry  Royer,  and  lived  in  the  house 
in  which  the  latter  now  resides.  Mr.  Reber  laid  out 
the  western  part  of  Rebersburg  in  1809,  and  the  town 
was  named  after  him. 

Henry  Royer  (Col.)  came  into  the  valley  with  his 
father,  John  G.,  in  1811,  and  now  owns  and  occupies 
the  old  homestead.  He  is  eighty-four  years  of  age, 
and  is  in  the  enjoyment  of  good  health.  To  his  kind- 
ness and  good  memory  the  local  historian  is  indebted 
for  many  facts  relating  to  the  history  of  Miles  town- 
ship. 

Mr.  Royer  is  married  to  Miss  Mary  Gross,  of  New 
Berlin.  They  had  five  children, — one  son,  George, 
who  died  about  a  year  ago  ;  four  daughters  :  Eliza- 
beth, married  Tlysmas  Wolf;  Phoebe,  married  to  Dan- 
iel Brungart;  Elvina,  married  to  Aaron  Creep,  Sugar 
valley  ;  and  Isabella,  who  was  married  to  J.  P.  Kry- 
der.  All  the  daughters  are  living.  Elvina's  and  Isa- 
bella's husbands  deceased. 

Philip  Sciiott  and  Col.  Henry  Meyer  purchased 
a  tract  of  land  in  partnership,  and  then  divided.  Mr. 
Schott  died  April  26, 1802,  of  the  terrible  fever  which 
carried  off  so  many  of  the  early  inhabitants.  His 
brothers  Ludwig  and  John  died  a  few  weeks  before, 
and  were  buried  in  one  grave.  There  was  another 
brother,  Andrew.  There  are  at  present  no  descend- 
ants on  the  male  side  in  the  valley,  and  but  a  few  on 
the  female  side. 

Philip  Shenkle  held  a  patent  for  the  tract  of  land 
in  which  is  now  included  the  Joseph  Kreamer  farm, 
south  of  Rebersburg,  dated  M.ay  15,  1786,  and  signed 
by  Benjamin  Franklin,  president  of  the  Supreme  Ex- 
ecutive Council  of  Pennsylvania.  The  document  is  a 
curious  relic,  and  is  in  care  of  the  writer.  Mr.  Shen- 
kle's  name  appears  in  the  old  church  records  in  con- 
nection with  the  date  1792,  and  he  may  have  been  in 
the  valley  even  earlier.  He  sold  some  of  his  land  in 
1800,  if  not  all,  and  emigrated  to  Ohio  several  years 
later.  Mrs.  Reynolds,  who  was  born  in  1800,  recol- 
lects having  seen  him. 


MILES   TOWNSHIP. 


3G5 


Benjamin  Strawbkidge  lived  in  a  small  hut  on 
the  Anthony  Bierly  tract  in  Brush  valley,  when 
Mr.  Bierly  took  possession  of  it  in  1791.  He  was 
therefore  an  early  settler.  He  re.sidcd  at  different 
places  in  tlie  valley  at  different  periods,  and  finally 
located  at  Yankee  Run,  Brush  Valley  Narrows.  Mr. 
Strawbridge  was  a  Yankee,  from  which  fact  tlie  little 
stream  derived  its  name.  (See  sketch  of  Tobias  Pickle 
and  liis  adventure  in  the  bake-oven.) 

Jacob  Walter  was  an  early  settler,  and  his  name 
occurs  frequently  in  records  and  documents  of  an  early 
date.  He  must  have  been  an  inhabitant  of  the  valley 
prior  to  179G.  He  lived  in  a  house  which  was  situ- 
ated at  a  place  between  Jefferson  Royer's  and  Reuben 
Granily's  present  homes.  (See  sketch  of  Jacob  Berry.) 
Mr.  Walter  dro])))ed  down  dead  near  the  old  cemetery 
on  the  occasion  of  a  funeral.  This  occurred  about 
the  year  1S15  or  1S16.  No  male  descendants  in  the 
valley. 

Paul  Wolf  purchased  in  1811  from  Tobias  Pickle 
the  mill  property  and  large  tract  of  land  lying  north 
across  the  valley,  known  later  as  the  John  Forster 
property,  containing  nearly  four  hundred  acres,  and 
now  divided  up  into  several  separate  farms.  The 
amount  paid  for  the  whole  was  ten  thousand  three 
hundred  (£10,300)  pounds  (Pennsylvania  currency). 
In  the  following  year  Mr.  Pickle  bought  back  a  small 
plot  for  a  burial-ground.  Mr.  Wolf  was  a  native  of 
Bethel  township,  Berks  County.  His  father  and  Col. 
Henry  Royer's  father  lived  on  adjoining  farms  there; 
but  after  his  marriage  Paul  Wolf  moved  to  his  father- 
in-law's,  in  Bethel  township,  Lebanon  County,  thence 
to  Brush  valley  in  1812.  He  soon  was  extensively 
engaged  in  business  in  his  new  home,  keeping  store 
and  o])erating  a  grist-mill,  saw-mill,  fulling-mill,  oil- 
mill,  and  distillery.  The  last  three  named  were  situ- 
ated on  his  land  nearShroyer's  Gap,  at  the  footof  Nit- 
tany  Mountain.  These  have  long  since  disappeared. 
His  store  was  kept  in  his  dwelling-house,  the  old 
stone  house  at  Centre  Mills.  Mr.  Wolf  was  for  a 
number  of  years  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  his  name  is 
frequently  met  with  in  old  deeds  and  documents  of 
other  kinds.  He  was  an  enterprising  citizen,  and  as  a 
man  universally  esteemed. 

He  had  brought  a  large  amount  of  money  into  the 
valley,  but  becoming  involved  in  debt  to  some  extent 
through  his  various  business  enterprises,  and  dying 
at  a  time  of  financial  depression,  his  large  estate  had 
to  be  sold  at  a  great  sacrifice,  and  very  little  remained 
after  the  liabilities  were  met. 

Mr.  Wolf  was  born  July  30,  1772;  died  June  6, 
1822.  The  funeral  rites  on  the  occasion  of  his  burial 
were  the  first  religious  exercises  in  the  brick  church 
at  Rebersburg.  The  church  was  then  not  finished, 
but  was  dedicated  soon  after.  Mr.  Wolf  leaves  a  nu- 
merous train  of  descendants,  most  of  whom  reside  in 
Centre  and  Union  Counties.  He  had  seven  children, — 
Jacob  (see  notice  of) ;  Paul  died  Dec.  22,  186G,  aged 
sixty-two;   George  died   about  the  year   1835,  aged 


twenty-eight;  Catliarine  married  J.  A.  Ga.st;  Sarah 
married  George  Walkey  ;  Margaret  married  Henry 
Freeze  ;  and  Mary  died  single.  Hon.  S.  S.  Wolf,  son 
of  Paul,  Jr.,  was  a  grandson  of  Paul  Wolf. 

Miscellaneous  Subjects. — Na.mes  coi'iei>  fro.m 
Miles  Township  Ahsessmext-Book  for  1803.— 
Adam,  William  ;  Albright,  Frederick;  Anmen,  Peter; 
Berry,  Jacob,  distillery  ;  Berry,  Peter;  Bierly,  John  ; 
Bierly,  Nicholas;  Bierly,  Anthony;  Buchtel,  Jolin  ; 
Buchtel,  John,Sr. ;  Buchtel,  Martin  ;  Buchtel,  Peter; 
Bucher,  Henry  ;  Barber,  Jo.seph,  blacksmith  ;  Bod- 
dorf,  Jacob;  Connelly,  Israel;  Clark,  John;  Ertle, 
Valentine,  distillery;  Gramly,  Francis,  saw-mill; 
Gast,  Christian;  Gast,  Nicholas;  George  (now  Year- 
ick),  John,  distillery  ;  George,  Adam  ;  Hittle,  Nicho- 
las ;  Howman,  George;  Haines,  Peter;  Harloff,  God- 
frey ;  Hazel,  Jacob,  Sr. ;  Hazel,  Jacob,  Jr.;  Hazel, 
Bernhart;  Hay  (Hoy),  Charles;  Hay,  George;  Huey, 
William;  Johnstoubaugli,  Frederick;  Kryder,  John, 
E.sq. ;  Kepler,  John,  smith;  Kreighbaum,  William, 
distillery;  Kreamer,  Abraham;  Kreamer,  Daniel; 
Kreamer,  Jacob;  Kreamer,  John;  Kreiger,  Jacob; 
Leasch,  Zachariah  ;  Lamy,  Daniel;  Meyer,  Philip; 
Michael,  John  ;  McCaman,  John  ;  McKinney,  John  ; 
Meyer,  Henry;  Miles,  Susannah;  Miles,  Samuel ; 
Miles,  James;  Miles,  Evan,  distillery;  Moore, 
George  (Middle  Creek);  McMullen,  Rebecca;  Miles, 
Alinger;  Mogle,  Adam;  Nigliart,  Conrad;  Nedy, 
John  ;  Brungart,  Martin  ;  Pippinger,  John  ;  Pickle, 
Tobias,  Sr.,  grist-  and  saw-mill ;  Pickle,  Christian  ; 
Pickle,  Tobias,  Jr.;  Pickle,  John,  Sr. ;  Pickle, 
Thomas,  Jr. ;  Pickle,  Simeon ;  Pickle,  Thomas, 
Sr.,  distillery;  Price,  Henry;  Reber,  Abraham,  Jr., 
distillery;  Roush,  John  ;  Reber,  Abraham,  Sr.  ;  Re- 
ber, Conrad  ;  Roush,  Andrew;  Reber,  John  ;  Shank, 
Devault;  Schott,  Anthony  ;  Schott,  Widow  ;  Schaef- 
fer,  Adam  ;  SchaefFer,  Nicholas;  Strawbridge,  Benja- 
min ;  Spangler,  Christopher ;  Spangler,  Henry  ;  Span- 
gler,  George;  Smith,  Daniel,  grist-  and  saw-mill; 
Shinely,  John  ;  Wolf,  Anthony ;  Wolfart,  Philip, 
distillery  ;  Walter,  Jacob  ;  Walter,  Michael  ;  Work, 
Henry  ;  AValker,  John  ;  Windnogle,  Frederick  ;  Wag- 
ner, John  ;  Weaver,  John. 

Single  Freemen. — Apple,  Andrew  ;  Pickle',  Simon  ; 
SchaefFer,  John  ;  SchaefFer,  Adam  ;  Corstetter,  Sebas- 
tian ;  Pickle,  Andrew  ;  Pickle,  Jacob ;  Hare,  Robert; 
Gramly,  Adam;  Stover,  George;  McCaraan,  Mat- 
thew; McDormat,  William;  Reber,  John;  Burket, 
Solomon  ;  Douglas,  John  ;  Levy,  John. 

Jacob  Hosterraan  was  assessor. 

Variations  in  spelling  the  name  of  an  individual 
are  quite  frequent  in  old  deeds  and  documents,  and  in 
some  cases  the  change  is  so  great  that  one  would  not 
suspect  the  same  person  was  meant.  Some  of  these 
are  given  : 


Albrecht— Albright. 
Bherly — Byerly — Bierly. 
Bolaner — Bollaner — Bol- 
lander. 


Braun — Brown. 
Barry — Berry. 
Brumgard — Brungart. 
Bair — Bear. 


366 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Moy  er — May  er — My  er- 

Meyer. 
Bickle— Pickle. 
Reaner— Reber. 
Rousch — Roush. 
Rayer — Royer. 
Shhikle— Shenkle. 
Shat'er — Scliaeffer. 
Wacker — Walker. 
Weber — Weaver. 


Busch — Bush. 
Kornman — Gorman. 
Artie— Ertle. 
Cromlich — Gramly. 
Franck — Frank. 
George — Yearick. 
Hasel — Hassell — Hazel. 
Kolbe — Kolvey. 
Crider — Kryder. 
Crouse — Krouse. 
Kibblinger — Kiplinger. 

Acknowledgments.— Much  of  the  information 
contained  in  the  sketch  of  Brush  valley  was  obtained 
from  old  deeds  and  records,  but  most  of  it  was  com- 
municated by  the  older  inhabitants  of  the  valley, 
among  whom  are  those  named  below,  and  to  whom 
are  due  special  acknowledgments. 

Hon.  Samuel  Frank,  Rebersburg,  aged  sixty ;  Jon- 
athan Spangler,  Sr.,  Joseph  Kreamer,  John  Wolf, 
Centre  Mills:  William  Wolf,  Centre  Hall;  Anthony 
Bierly,  aged  seventy-five;  Jacob  Steffey,  aged  eighty; 
Mrs.  Christina  Reynolds,  aged  eighty-one;  John  A. 
Schaeffer,  Madisonburg,  aged  eighty-four;  Col.  Henry 
Royer,  Rebersburg,  aged  eighty-four;  Henry  Meyer, 
Sr.,  aged  eighty-six;  Johu  Hoy,  Madisonburg,  aged 
eighty-seven  ;  Mrs.  Sallie  Corman,  aged  eighty-nine. 

Jusliccs  of  the  /'eiKf.— Frederick  BurUert,  George  Bear,  April  14,  1S40; 
Thomas  Wolf,  Fi'cderidc  Burkert,  April  15,  1S45;  Sumuel  Fjiink, 
Jiicob  BerkLTt,  Maich  12,  ISSiO;  Jacob  Burkert,  March  13,  1855; 
Jeremiah  Uaines,  March  20,  ISCO;  BeiijaQiin  Svvritzer,  E.  M.  Magee, 
April  C,  ISnS;  Jeremiah  Uaines,  March  18,  18C7;  Samuel  Gramly, 
March  4,  1S70-,  W.  H.  Corman,  March  27,1872;  Samuel  Gramly, 
March  i;!,  1875;  W.  H.  Corman,  March  17,  1877;  Samuel  Gramly, 
April  10, 1880. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH. 


DANIEL    J.  IIILBISII,   JI.D. 

Dr.  Hilbish's  ancestors  came  from  the  Rhine,  and 
settled  in  Montgomery  County.  He  was  a  son  of 
John  Hilbish,  who  was  born  Feb.  9,  1789,  in  Fred- 
erick township,  Montgomery  County,  and  died  at 
Freeburg  Sept.  9,  18-10.  Salome  Hilbish  {nee  Gross), 
mother  of  the  doctor,  was  born  Sept.  4,  1793,  married 
April  27,  1813,  and  died  June  19,  1862.  Their  eldest 
son,  John  A.  Hilbish,  was  born  in  Freeburg,  and  died 
in  Liverpool,  Perry  County,  March  8,  1850,  aged 
thirty-six  years.  Phoebe,  born  Jan.  16,  1818,  died 
Feb.  19,  1845.  Another  daughter  married  John 
Swineford,  Esq.  (now  deceased),  and  now  lives  in  Se- 
litisgrove. 

Dr.  D;tniel  J.  was  born  in  Freeburg,  Union  County 
(now  Snyder),  Sept.  23,  1824.  He  read  medicine 
with  Dr.  Josepli  R.  Lotz  at  New  Berlin  in  1843, 
having  for  fellow-students  Dr.  Charles  R.  Wilson, 
Dr.  John  P.  Seebold,  and  Dr.  Mauck. 

Dr.  Hilbish  graduated  at  Jefferson  Medical   Col- 


lege, in  Philadelphia,  March  25,  1847,  and  practiced 
with  his  preceptor.  Dr.  Lotz,  at  New  Berlin  one  year. 
In  April,  1848,  lie  came  to  Rebersburg,  and  became 
associated  in  practice  with  Hon.  Samuel  Strohecker, 
a  prominent  medical  practitioner  of  Brush  valley. 

On  the  8th  of  April,  1853,  Dr.  Hilbish  was  married 
to  Jane  Barbara  Strohecker,  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Stro- 
hecker,'who  bore  him  four  children, — John  Forbes, 
Horace  Hayden,  George  Merrill,  and  Mary  A.,  of 
whom  all  but  the  latter  preceded  Mrs.  Hilbish  to  the 
tomb.  Mrs.  Hilbish  died  on  the  24th  of  February, 
1875,  aged  forty  years,  ten  months,  and  nine  days. 
Born,  raised,  and  living  all  her  life  in  Rebersburg, 
she  was  an  ornament  to  society,  loved  and  respected 
bv  all  who  knew  her.  She  lived  aconsistent  Christian 
life  in  the  Lutheran  Church, — that  of  her  parents. 
Her  great  aim  was  to  live  a  Christian  life,  as  she  said, 
so  that  when  death  came  she  would  be  ready,  and  her 
end  was  peaceful  and  full  of  hope.  No  woman  ev.er 
died  in  the  valley  more  highly  esteemed  or  more  uni- 
versally regretted. 

Dr.  Hilbish  practiced  in  partnership  with  Dr.  Stro- 
hecker for  some  twelve  years,  doing  a  vast  amount  of 
labor,  and  relieving  Dr.  Strohecker  from  the  onerous 
labors  of  their  very  extensive  practice,  which,  being 
over  a  large  territory,  embraced  all  manner  of  cases, 
surgical  or  otherwise,  requiring  practical  skill  and 
constant  medical  research.  It  is  the  testimony  of 
the  community  that  Dr.  Hilbish's  professional  ability 
is  of  the  highest  character. 

On  the  29th  of  March,  1877,  Dr.  Hilbish  married 
Miss  Emma  K.,  daughter  of  Daniel  P.  Hilbish,  who 
resided. one  mile  west  of  Freeburg.  In  1851  the  doc- 
tor was  made  a  Free  and  Accepted  Mason  within 
Lafayette  Lodge,  of  Lock  Haven,  of  which  he  still 
cherishes  his  membership,  fulfilling  his  obligations 
of  kindness  and  charity  upon  all  proper  occasions. 
Placid  and  kind  in  his  disposition,  he  has  few  ene- 
mies, and  in  the  afternoon  of  his  life  lives  contented 
and  happy  among  the  jieople  whom  lie  has  so  long 
served. 

Of  his  father's  family  there  are  still  living  Col. 
Philip  Hilbish,  of  Snyder  County,  and  Mrs.  Sallie, 
wife  of  George  Merrill,  Esq.,  of  Topeka,  Kan.  Cal- 
vin G.  Hilbish,  M.D.,  the  doctor's  youngest  brother, 
graduated  at  Dartmouth  College,  read  medicine  with 
Dr.  Hilbish  at  Rebersburg,  and  graduated  in  medi- 
cine in  March,  1856,  and  in  November,  1856,  was 
appointed  surgeon  in  the  United  Stages  Army  and 
ordered  to  California,  where  he  remained  three  years, 
meanwhile  contracting  the  disease  of  which  he  died. 
In  JIarch,  1861,  he  was  surgeon  of  the  garrison  of 
Fort  Pickens.  On  its  reinforcement  he  was  ordered 
to  Governor's  Island,  but  the  hand  of  death  was  upon 
him.  He  started  for  his  old  home  at  Fteeburg,  where 
he  died  Aug.  0,  1861,  at  the  early  age  of  thirty-one 
years. 


-Eng  ^IryAH-BiXcy"^ 


v 


MILESBTJRG  BOROUGH. 


36T 


CHAPTER    LXXVIII. 

MILESBURG    BOROUGH. 

The  village  of  Milesburg  was  founded  in  1793, 
and  in  1843  received  a  borougli  charter.  The  survey 
of  town  lots  was  made  in  1793,  and  covered  at  first 
that  part  of  the  present  borough  included  within  the 
boundaries  of  Limestone,  Creek,  Mill,  and  Catharine 
Streets.  A  good  many  town  lots  were  sold,  but  num- 
bers of  them  returned,  by  default  of  non-payment,  to 
the  Mileses,  as  unsatisfied  notes  now  held  by  the 
Miles  descendants  bear  witness. 

Roland  Curtin  came  to  Milesburg  from  Philips- 
burg  in  1799,  and  opened  a  store,  and  Joseph  Miles 
had  already  built  a  grist-  and  saw-mill  on  Spring 
Creek,  and  had  established  a  store,  but  the  latter  was 
located  at  the  iron-works.  Curtin  closed  his  Milesburg 
store,  and  transferred  his  field  of  operations  to  Belle- 
fonte  in  1800.  The  next  storekeeper  was  Peter  Kin- 
caid  (in  1809),  and  the  third  one  doubtless  Samuel 
Patton.  The  old  log  house  in  which  he  traded  was 
burned,  but  his  log  residence  still  stands. 

In  1809  the  county  bridge  was  built  at  Milesburg. 
About  1825,  Franklin  B.  Smith,  of  Bellefonte,  opened 
a  store  in  a  log  building  owned  by  James  Foster,  and 
standing  on  a  corner  opposite  the  Franklin  House. 
Squire  James  Foster  was  a  weaver  and  a  property- 
holder  of  some  consequence.  He  owned  the  building 
now  known  as  the  Franklin  House,  which  was  one  of 
the  dozen  or  so  houses  boasted  by  Milesburg  in  1819, 
and  one  of  the  only  two  that  at  that  time  were  not 
log  houses.  The  other  was  a  building  part  frame  and 
part  stone,  now  owned  and  occupied  by  Caroline  Wat- 
son. In  that  house  a  tavern  had  been  kept  previous 
to  1819.  In  the  Foster  house  Henry  R.  Brolasky, 
who  came  from  Poland  in  1793,  kept  a  store  before 
Mr.  Foster.  The  Franklin  House  was  kept  in  1819 
by  John  Lucas,  and  successively  thereafter  by  Samuel 
Lipton,  William  Mason,  and  Thomas  M.  Hall.  The 
house  now  kept  by  Daniel  Boilleau  was  built  by 
Robert  Lipton,  who  opened  it  as  a  tavern  at  an  early 
day.     Since  1859,  Boilleau  has  been  the  landlord. 

The  Black  Horse  tavern,  at  the  corner  of  Water 
and  Limestone  Streets,  was  at  various  times  presided 
over  by  Hannah  Green,  Robert  Lipton,  and  John 
Lucas.  George  Facklin  had  a  brewery  on  the  Bald 
Eagle  in  1819,  but  it  was  burned  soon  afterwards. 
The  old  Miles  mill  was  replaced  by  a  stone  structure, 
and  upon  the  death  of  Col.  Samuel  Miles,  in  1805, 
came  into  possession  of  Thomas  Potts  under  the  will. 
Upon  the  death  of  Thomas  Potts  the  mill  was  car- 
ried on  by  Frank  Potts  and  Joseph  Miles,  who  built 
a  fine  brick  mill  upon' the  site  of  the  present  mill, — 
which  latter  is  a  counterpart  of  the  brick  first  erected 
there, — burned  iu  1875,  and  at  once  replaced.  J. 
Miles  Green  took  possession  in  1873,  and  still  con- 
tinues th€  business.  The  mill  is  a  three-story  struc- 
ture, contains  three  runs  of  stone,  and  is  perfectly 


appointed  throughout.  David  Ryman  came  from 
Montgomery  County  in  1809  to  take  charge  of  the 
stone  mill.  He  remained  some  years,  and  left  to 
carry  on  the  Evans  mill  at  Julian  Furnace, — a  mill 
that  was  remarkably  small,  but  boasied  of  a  remark- 
ably large  wheel  measuring  twenty-two  feet  in  diam- 
eter. After  milling  at  Julian  four  years  and  at 
Curtin's  three  years,  he  returned  to  Milesburg  and 
re-entered  the  mill  there.  He  and  his  son,  Henry  T., 
were  for  nineteen  years  millers  together  in  the  brick 
mill.  David  Ryman  died  in  Slilesburg  in  1860,  in 
his  eighty-first  year.  His  children  numbered  four. 
The  living  are  Elizabeth,  in  Ohio,  and  Henry  T.,  of 
Milesburg.  The  latter,  now  the  miller  at  the  Green 
mill,  has  been  a  miller  since  his  boyhood,  having 
received  his  first  lessons  upon  the  very  spot  of  his 
present  labors. 

Franklin  B.  Smith  disposed  of  his  store  business  to 
Smith,  Gregg  &  Co.,  and  they  to  Samuel  Lipton,  with 
whom  became  associated  John  Irvin,  Jr.,  now  a  resi- 
dent of  Bellefonte.  Samuel  Lipton  had  for  years  been 
a  shoemaker  in  Milesburg.  He  put  up  a  store-house 
on  the  opposite  corner  after  a  while,  and  was  for  many 
years  a  village  merchant.  He  died  about  1850. 
Samuel  Patton  kept  store  near  the  mill,  and  after 
him  Miles  &  Potts.  Enos  Miles  was  perhaps  the  first 
village  tailor.  He  came  from  Chester  County  in 
1810,  and  opened  a  shop  on  the  creek.  After  a  stay 
of  six  years  he  moved  to  Howard,  and  in  1830  re- 
turned. He  died  in  Milesburg  in  1850.  His  son 
Zachariah  is  still  a  resident  of  the  village.  In  1819, 
Daniel  Hildridge  and  Anthony  Peters  made  shoes  for 
the  villagers.  Archie  McMullin  was  blacksmith  and 
wagon-maker,  and  had  his  shop  on  the  present  site 
of  Miles'  store.  James  McMasters  was  also  a  wagon- 
maker  and  blacksmith  on  Main  Street,  where  Joseph 
Rogers  now  lives.  Later  he  kept  tavern  in  Snow 
Shoe,  on  the  pike.  He  resides  now  in  Iowa.  In 
1819,  Joseph  Shirk  carried  on  a  tannery  on  the  creek. 
His  bark  he  ground  by  means  of  a  rough  mill-stone, 
which  was  turned  by  horse-power.  George  I.  Miles 
had  a  tannery  on  the  property  now  owned  by  Wil- 
liam Baird,  and  when  he  entered  the  ministry  leased 
it  to  Shirk,  who  tanned  there  about  twenty  years. 
In  1845,  Miles  sold  the  property  to  Samuel  SIcKean, 
whereupon  Shirk  built  the  tannery  now  operated  by 
Joseph  Shirk  (his  son),  and  tanned  there  until  his 
death,  in  1868.  Among  the  early  industries  of  Miles- 
burg mention  may  also  be  made  of  Ephraim  Wil- 
liams, who  built  a  fulling-mill  at  an  early  day,  and 
lost  it  subsequently  bj'  fire. 

In  1794  Robert  Fleming  moved  to  Milesburg,  where 
he  died  in  1796.  One  of  his  daughters  married  Judge 
Thomas  Burnside.  Notices  of  the  Miles  and  Green 
families  appear  among  the  biographical  addenda. 

Milesbarg  Post-Office. — The  post-office  at  Miles- 
burg was  the  first  one  established  in  what  is  now  the 
territory  of  Centre  County.  It  was  established  March 
13, 1797,  and  Joseph  Green  was  appointed  postmaster. 


36S 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


.Tosopli  Green  was  postmaster  in  1832,  probably  the 
son  of  the  former,  and,  according  to  the  post-office 
records  at  Washington,  Isaac  Buffington  succeeded 
him  in  1839,  though,  according  to  tradition,  Samuel 
Patton  and  C.  G.  Rynian  intervened.  In  1841,  Buf- 
fington was  again  appointed,  and  lield  it  to  1845,  when 
he  was  succeeded  by  Joseph  Snell.  J.  S.  Proudfoot 
followed  him  in  1853.  After  Proudfoot,  the  Miles- 
burg  postmasters  were  J.  B.  Ilahn,  1865;  Richard 
Miles,  1865-66 ;  Samuel  Bing,  1866-68  ;  David  Glenn, 
1868-69 ;  Zuchariah  Miles,  1869-80  ;  Joshua  Mitchell, 
1880  to  the  present. 

Revolutionary  Soldiers,— Anthony  Peters  joined 
the  army  when  he  was  only  sixteen  years  old,  in  the 
spring  of  1777,  in  Jacob  Weaver's  company,  Tenth 
Regiment  Pennsylvania  line. 

Peters  joined  the  army  at  White  Marsh,  Montgom- 
ery Co.,  and  took  part  in  the  skirmish  at  "  Rising 
Sun,"  below  Germantown.  He  was  also  in  the  battle 
of  Monmouth,  and  at  the  attack  on  the  "Block- 
House,"  under  Wayne.  His  company  was  kept  in 
service  one  year  longer  than  it  had  enlisted  for, 
and  was  in  Col.  Humpton's  brigade  when  it  revolted 
and  went  on  to  Trenton.  He  was  then  discharged, 
and  served  for  eighteen  months  as  a  substitute  in 
Capt.  Andrew  Lytle's  company.  Col.  Butler's  regi- 
ment, and  was  discharged  at  Lancaster.  He  then  en- 
listed at  Carlisle  under  Maj.  Green,  but  was  only  in 
service  six  months,  when  he  was  discharged  by  reason 
of  the  war  terminating.  He  was  a  shoemaker  and 
the  father  of  a  family. 

Charles  McClain  was  born  in  1752.  He  enlisted 
from  Centre  County  (then  Northum'oerland)  on  the 
30th  of  September,  1775,  in  Capt.  Wilson's  company, 
who  was  succeeded  after  his  death  by  Capt.  John 
Robb.  He  marched  from  Centre  County  to  Marcus 
Hook,  and  from  thence  to  New  York,  and  took  part 
in  the  battle  of  Long  Island,  27th  August,  1776.  He 
was  wounded  in  several  places,  taken  prisoner  by  the 
British,  but  made  his  escape  the  next  night.  He  took 
part  in  all  the  actions  after  that, — Brandywine,  Ger- 
mantown, and  was  discharged  at  Valley  Forge,  1st 
January,  1778. 

He  afterwards  enlisted  in  a  company  of  light  dra- 
goons at  Carlisle,  and  served  until  the  discharge  of 
the  army,  in  1783.  He  resided  in  a  house  in  Miles- 
burg  his  father-in-law  had  given  his  wife.  In  1820  his 
wife  was  still  living  and  five  children.  McClain  died 
in  1823  or  1S24. 

Graveyard.— On  June  80,  1804,  Col.  Samuel  Miles 
conveyed  to  Hon.  Robert  Boggs,  Joseph  Green,  Sam- 
uel Miles,  Jr.,  and  Joseph  Miles  one  acre  and  one- 
fourth  for  the  use  of  the  inhabitants  of  Miles  borough 
for  a  burial-ground,  and  such  others  as  the  trustees 
would  allow,  and  for  erecting  a  house  of  worship  upon 
the  same. 

Burials  appear  to  have  been  made  there  in  1794, 
but  no  house  of  worship  was  erected  until  1830,  when 
a  Baptist  church  was  built  in  the  yard.     The  oldest 


headstones  now  to  be  seen  are  two  recording  respect- 
ively the  deaths  of  Capt.  James  Miles,  in  1794,  and 
Mary,  wife  of  Richard  Miles,  in  the  same  year. 
Other  old  inscriptions  are  Jerusha  Green,  1804; 
Sanuiel  Miles,  1805;  Harriet  Green,  1819;  Richard 
Miles,  1823,  aged  eighty-five.  Samuel  Green  died 
August,  1798.  Upon  his  tombstone  appears  the  fol- 
lowing : 

"  AW  ye  tliat  p.iss  I>y, 

To  think  at  vvliat  l«r 
Yuii  souti  must  iipin.'jir." 

Baptist  Church.— The  first  notice  we  have  of  any 
effort  to  spread  Baptist  tenets  in  the  Bald  Eagle  re- 
gion is  in  the  minutes  of  the  Philadelphia  Baptist 
Association  of  1792,  when  the  Association  recom- 
mended that  Elders  John  Patton,  Williatn  Cling- 
hani,  and  Vaughn  travel  for  three  months  about  the 
Juniata  and  West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna  to 
preach  the  gospel  to  the  destitute;  and  this  Associa- 
tion recommend  that  a  sufficient  sum  be  subscribed 
by  the  church,  and  paid  immediately  into  the  hands 
of  Col.  Samuel  Miles,  to  bear  their  expenses.  Noth- 
ing has  come  down  to  us  relating  to  their  labors,  and 
it  would  seem  this  region  was  first  effectively  reached 
by  Baptist  ministers  from  New  York  State. 

The  first  remembered  was  Joseph  Smith,  a  general 
missionary,  who  preached  along  Bald  Eagle  Creek 
and  at  Birniinghain.  Then  came  two  brothers 
named  Gilbert,  in  1819  or  1820,  ^nd  they  were  fol- 
lowed in  July,  1821,  by  Calvin  Philleo,  of  Oneida 
County,  N.  Y.  A  local  in  the  Bcllefoiile  Patriot  is  as 
follows:  "Sabbath,  July  29th,  the  ordinance  of  bap- 
tism, according  to  the  views  of  the  Baptist  denom- 
ination, was  administered  in  Bald  Eagle  Creek  at 
Milesburg  to  four  persons, — one  male'  and  three 
females, — by  Elder  Calvin  Philleo,  who  preached  for 
several  weeks  previous  in  that  neighborhood  and 
along  Bald  Eagle  as  a  missionary.  This  being  the 
first  occasion  on  which  the  ordinance  by  immersion 
has  been  administered  in  this  neighborhood,  the  con- 
course of  people  was  very  great,  between  twelve  and 
fif.een  hundred  persons  present."  In  the  Patriot  of 
August  4th  the  Confession  of  Faitli  and  Covenant 
adopted  by  the  Baptist  Conference  in  the  Bald 
Eagle  is  printed  in  full. 

In  July,  1822,  Elkanah  Comstock,  sent  by  the  New 
York  State  Convention,  came  to  Milesburg.  He  was 
appointed  to  labor  three  months  in  the  region  of  Bald 
Eagle  Creek,  at  seven  dollars  per  week,  one-fourth 
cash.  From  tlic  Baptists  gathered  and  baptized  by 
these  brethren  the  Milesburg  Church,  with  fourteen 
members,  was  constituted  Aug.  18, 1822,  and  the  next 
week  admitted  into  the  Juniata  Association.  The 
Patriot  of  Aug.  21,  1822,  states  that  "  on  the  18th  the 
ordinance  of  baptism  was  administered  in  Bald  Eagle 
Creek  at  Milesburg  to  three  males  and  two  females, 

1  Gun.  Josoiih  lliU'S. 


MILESBURG  BOROUGH. 


369 


©»e  of  the  latter  upwards  of  eighty  years  of  age  ;  the 
iconcourse  was  immense.  Rev.  Mr.  Comstock  and 
Thilleo  officiated.  A  few  years  since,  and  there  was 
ibut  a  solitary  member  of  the  Bapti-st  Churcli  in  this 
neighborhood,  but  through  the  efforts  of  the  above 
ministers  a  church  of  tliat  denomination  has  been 
constituted." 

In  1830  a  stone  meeting-house  was  built  at  Miles- 
burg,  which  was  in  1859  replaced  by  the  present 
building.  Pastors  at  Milesburg, — Elkanah  Comstock, 
1822;  Charles  Hopkins,  1825;  George  I.  Miles,  licen- 
tiate 1826,  pastor  1827-31;  J.  P.  Thompson,  1831; 
Tihomas  B.  Brown,  1834-35  ;  Charles  Tucker,  1836-39 ; 
Eliada  Tuttle,  1840;  George  I.  Miles,  1842-44;  E. 
Haydock,  1845-47  ;  D.  W.  Hunter,  1849-51 ;  Frederick 
Bower,  1856-62;  George  Bowman,  1863-68;  B.  W. 
'Thomas,  1869;  A.  B.  Runyan,  1872-74;  W.  A.  Big- 
•gart,  1875-79.  Forty-four  baptized  previous  to  1830, 
.fifty-five  in  1832,  fifty-two  in  1840;  total  number 
baptized  to  1880,  five  hundred  and  forty-one.  The 
membership  numbers  now  (October,  1881)  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty.  The  deacons  are  R.  L.  Shirk  and 
J.  E.  Thomas ;  the  trustees,  R.  L.  Shirk,  Joseph 
Shirk,  C.  K.  Essingtou,  John  Smith,  and  J.  E.  Thomas. 
C.  K.  Essington  is  superintendent  of  the  Sunday- 
school,  which  has  an  average  attendance  of  from  one 
hundred  and  ten  to  one  hundred  and  fifteen.  It  is 
worthy  of  notice  that  the  Milesburg  Church  has  sent 
leight  pastors  into  the  field  from  its  membership. 
'They  are  named  George  I.  Miles,  Samuel  Miles,  Ed- 
ward Miles,  J.  Green  Miles,  J.  B.  Hutton,  F.  E.  Clapp, 
Fj.  C.  Baird,  W.  S.  Holt. 

Milesburg  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.— A 
'Class  was  formed  at  Milesburg  about  the  year  1818. 
Thomas  B.  Taylor,  now  living  in  Milesburg,  is  the  old- 
est member  of  the  church,  having  joined  it  in  1824. 
He  came  to  Milesburg  in  1819,  and  remembers  that 
the  Milesburg  Methodist  Episcopal  class  held  regular 
meetings  at  that  time  in  a  log  school-house  that  stood 
upon  what  is  now  the  canal  bank.  He  was  told  that 
the  Methodists  had  been  holding  meetings  there 
about  two  years,  under  the  leadership  of  Isaac  Lee. 
In  1819,  Archie  McMulliu,  the  blacksmith,  was  as- 
sistant leader,  and  in  1822  he  succeeded  Lee  as  leader. 
That  oflice  he  held  pretty  regularly  until  1855.  The 
log  school-house  served  as  a  place  of  worship  until 
1845,  when  the  present  church  edifice  was  erected. 
For  the  latter  the  first  trustees  and  building  com- 
mittee were  Charles  G.  Ryman,  Thomas  B.  Taylor, 
and  Archie  McMullin.  A  Union  Sabbath-school, 
composed  of  Baptists  and  Methodists,  met  in  the  Bap- 
tist Church  until  1840,  in  which  year  a  Methodist 
Episcopal  school  was  founded  by  the  pastor  and  Dr. 
Bair.  Among  those  who  served  as  class-leaders  in 
the  church  were  Isaac  Lee,  Archie  McMullin,  David 
Webber,  C.  G.  Ryman,  Chandler  Brooks,  William 
Davidson,  John  Rhinehart,  J.  F.  Weaver,  Archibald 
Bathurst,  J.  T.  Lucas,  Joseph  Twitmire,  C.  L.  Green- 
ough,  and  T.  T.  Taylor,  The  class  was  attached  to 
24 


the  Bellefonte  Circuit  until  1853,  when  it  wa«  set  off 
as  a  separate  charge.  From  1831  to  1840  inclusive 
the  preachers  in  charge  were  Revs.  Samuel  Ellis, 
James  Sanks,  Robert  Barnes,  David  Sliafer,  .losiali 
Forrest,  A.  G.  Chenowith,  .John  Rhodes,  Thomas 
Myers,  R.  W.  Brent,  Thomas  Tan  neh  ill,  George  Guy  er, 
George  Bergstrasser,  William  Butler^  Samuel  V. 
Blake.  The  church  has  now  three  classes,  with  a 
combined  membership  of  one  hundred  and  fifty. 
The  leaders  are  B.  B.  Else,  C.  H.  Else,  and  Lyman 
T.  Eddy.  The  trustees  are  B.  B.  Else,  Lyman  T. 
Eddy,  A.  A.  Shroyer,  H.  H.  Mu.sser,  S.  B.  Orvis,  F. 
G.  Matter!.,  and  William  Marks.  Lyman  T.  Eddy  is 
superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school,  which  has  an 
average  attendance  of  one  hundred  and  eight.  The 
pastor  is  Rev.  J.  A.  Woodcock. 

Milesburg  Presbyterian  Church.— An  order  of  the 
session  of  the  Bellefonte  Presbyterian  Church,  dated 
March  5,  1868,  certified  that  in  accordance  with  the 
action  of  the  Huntingdon  Presbytery,  and  with  the  re- 
quest of  the  persons  named,  the  following  members  of 
the  Bellefonte  Church  were  set  off  to  form  the  Miles- 
burg Church :  John  B.  Thomas,  Nancy  A.  Thomas, 
Sarah  C.  Thomas,  Anna  E.  Thomas,  Henrietta  P. 
Thomas,  Sarah  I.  Blair,  Mrs.  J.  B.  Hahn,  Mrs.  C.  O. 
Holmes,  James  Alexander,  Jacob  Hahn,  William 
Holmes,  John  Parsons,  A.  D.  Hahn,  Mary  Parsons, 
Sarah  Levy,  Mary  Keye,  A.  M.  Lipton,  Mrs.  Kate 
Jones.  James  Alexander  and  W.  M.  Holmes  were 
chosen  elders.  April  12, 1868,  Rev.  William  Prideaux 
began  a  season  as  stated  supply,  and  during  1868  was 
succeeded  by  Rev.  W.  O.  Wright.  In  1869,  Mr. 
Wright  was  called  to  be  the  pastor,  and  in  that  rela- 
tion has  served  continuously  to  the  present  time.  A 
church  building  was  erected  at  Milesburg  by  the 
Bellefonte  Church  in  1856,  since  which  time  the 
Milesburg  congregation  has  used  it.  The  elders  of 
the  Milesburg  Church  since  1868  are  named  here- 
with :  James  Alexander,  appointed  March,  1868,  died 
1878,  aged  eighty-seven ;  W.  M.  Holmes,  appointed 
March,  1868,  dismissed  1868;  J.  H.  Hahn,  appointed 
1869;  J.  H.  Linn,  appointed  1871,  died  1876;  D.  P. 
Shope,  appointed  1871 ;  W.  B.  Thomas,  appointed 
1871. 

The  membership  in  1881  was  fifty-four.  In  1876 
the  membership  was  seventy-five.  Since  1868  the 
admissions  have  numbered  seventy-one.  In  1881  the 
trustees  were  S.  T.  Shugert,  Frank  McCoy,  Elias 
Zimmerman,  William  Robison,  Michael  Lebkicher, 
David  Furey.  The  church  is  now  free  of  debt,  and 
owns  besides  a  church  edifice,  a  parsonage,  which  was 
left  by  James  Alexander  as  a  legacy.  W.  B.  Thomas 
is  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school.  Rev.  W.  O. 
Wright,  the  pastor,  obtained  his  college  course  at 
Lafayette  and  his  theological  education  at  Princeton, 
graduating  from  the  former  in  1857  and  from  the 
latter  in  1863.  He  was  born  in  Ireland,  and  came  to 
America  in  1848.  He  entered  the  ministry  as  stated 
supply  at  Philipsburg,  in  Centre  County,  and  Kyler- 


370 


HISTOEY   OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


town,  in  Clearfield  County,  which  churches  he  served 
as  such  from  May  17,  1863,  to  June  15,  1864.  Upon 
the  latter  date  he  was  ordained  pastor  of  both 
churches  by  the  Huntingdon  Presbytery,  at  Philips- 
burg.  In  April,  1868,  he  was  released  at  his  own  re- 
quest. Thenceforward  until  April  5,  1869,  he  acted 
as  stated  supply  at  Milesburg  and  for  three  other  con- 
gregations. Upon  the  date  last  named  he  was  chosen 
pastor  for  the  churches  at  Milesburg,  Snow  Shoe,  and 
Moshannon.  Since  then  he  has  remained  in  charge 
of  the  three  congregations. 

Schools.  —  Milesburg's  first  school-house  was  a 
framed  structure,  and  stood  close  to  the  old  burying- 
ground,  indeed,  partly  in  it.  The  first  teachers  in 
that  school,  as  far  as  present  human  recollection  goes, 
were  Patrick  Kenney  and  Isaac  BuflEington  (father  to 
Isaac  BufEngton,  now  residing  in  Milesburg).  Among 
their  immediate  successors  were  Mr.  Hurd,  Mrs. 
Dimpsey,  Abigail  Miles,  Mrs.  McKean,  Mr.  Wetsler, 
and  C.  G.  Kyman.  In  1825  a  stone  house  replaced 
the  old  temple  of  learning  upon  a  site  near  by.  The 
first  election  for  school  directors  after  the  incorpora- 
tion of  the  borough  occurred  March  17,  1843,  when 
Edward  McGarvey  was  chosen  for  three  years,  and 
Zachariah  Miles  for  two  years,  and  Charles  T.  Hoover 
for  one  year.  Oct.  20,  1843,  John  Weaver  was  en- 
gaged to  teach  school  No.  1  at  twenty-five  dollars  per 
month,  and  Caleb  Green  school  No.  2  at  eighteen 
dollars.  The  report  made  in  1843  presented  the  fol- 
lowing details : 

Highest  number  in  school  No.  1,  63;  average  at- 
tendance, 44;  months  taught,  5J.  Highest  number  in 
No.  2,  56  ;  average,  34;  cost  of  teaching  each  scholar 
per  month,  26  cents. 

School  No.  8  was  established  November,  1844,  and 
Miss  Blakely  engaged  to  teach  it.  In  February, 
1845,  the  aggregate  number  of  scholars  was  eighty- 
seven,  and  the  average  attendance  fifty-six.  The 
subject  of  building  a  new  school-house  was  agitated 
in  April,  1854,  but  not  until  November,  1859,  was 
anything  like  positive  action  taken  in  the  premises, 
when  J.  F.  Weaver's  plans  were  adopted.  There  was 
a  further  delay,  however,  until  July,  1860,  when  a 
contract  was  made  with  A.  C.  Iddings  to  erect  a  two- 
story  brick  building  fifty  by  forty  for  two  thousand 
five  hundred  dollars.  The  present  house  was  the 
result.  The  departments  are  high  school,  grammar, 
and  primary,  taught  respectively  by  A.  M.  Schenck, 
Carrie  Green,  and  Alida  Taylor. 

Manufactures,  —  Milesburg  Axe  -  Factory.  — 
This  enterprise,  conducted  now  by  C.  K.  Essington, 
Jr.,  &  Co.,  was  founded  by  C.  K.  Essington,  whose 
father,  Kephart  Essington,  was  a  hammerer  at  Gen. 
Miles'  iron-works,  and  drew  under  a  six-hundred 
hammer  a  bar  of  iron  thirty  feet  long  and  five-eighths 
of  an  inch  square,  a  feat  that  was  considered  remark- 
able. C.  K.  Essington  entered  upon  the  business  of 
axe-making  on  Bald  Eagle  Creek  with  Archibald 
McMuUin  in  1841.    Their  business  gave  employment 


to  seven  men,  and  produced  about  two  hundred  axes 
per  week.  In  1851,  McMullin  moved  to  the  West, 
leaving  Essington  to  continue  the  business  alone. 

Wagner's  Mill. — J.  M.  Wagner  has  a  fine  brick 
steam  grist-mill  on  the  creek  opposite  Milesburg.  It 
is  three  stories  and  a  half  in  height,  was  built  in  1875, 
and  cost  about  eleven  thousand  dollars.  It  is  fur- 
nished with  four  burrs,  with  a  capacity  for  grinding 
one  hundred  bushels  daily,  and  a  feed-chopper  that 
can  dispose  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  bushels  each 
day.  Mr.  Wagner  came  to  Centre  County  in  1848  to 
take  charge  of  the  old  Thomas  mill  at  Bellefonte, 
where  he  remained  for  about  eighteen  years,  having 
meanwhile  carried  on  Hoy's  mill  and  the  Green  mill 
at  Milesburg.  In  1864  he  retired  to  his  farm  near 
Milesburg,  retaining,  however,  an  interest  in  the 
Bellefonte  mill  until  it  was  sold  to  Duncan,  Hale  & 
Co.  In  1875  he  returned,  as  has  been  seen,  to  active 
milling  life. 

Baird's  Tannery.— William  Baird  came  to  Miles- 
burg in  1855,  and  engaged  as  a  tanner  with  Joseph 
Shirk.  Mr.  Baird  was  born  in  Clinton  County,  and 
previous  to  1855  carried  on  a  woolen-factory  at  Bell's 
Mills,  in  Blair  County,  for  six  years.  His  great- 
grandfather came  from  New  Jersey  to  Centre  County 
before  the  Revolution,  and  settled  below  Lock  Haven. 
Mr.  Baird  remained  with  Mr.  Shirk  six  years,  and  for 
sixteen  years  thereafter  tanned  in  Clearfield  County ; 
then  he  returned  to  Milesburg,  and  purchased  the 
property  he  now  occupies,  where  George  Miles  oper- 
ated a  tannery  in  the  early  days  of  Milesburg's  his- 
tory. Mr.  Baird  manufactures  harness-leather,  kip, 
upper,  etc.,  and  finds  a  market  for  a  majority  of  his 
product  in  Philadelphia.  He  uses  six  hundred  hides 
annually,  and  about  seventy-five  tons  of  hemlock-  and 
oak-bark. 

Shirk's  Tannery. — Since  1868,  Joseph  L.  Shirk 
has  conducted  in  Milesburg  the  tannery  his  father, 
Joseph,  built,  in  1845.  Joseph  Shirk  the  elder  was 
one  of  the  pioneer  tanners  of  Centre  County,  and  in 
keeping  with  the  spirit  of  the  times  pursued  his  busi- 
ness in  accordance  with  rude  and  primitive  methods, 
albeit  the  manufactured  leather  is  said  to  have  been 
every  whit  as  good  in  quality  as  the  leather  of  the 
present  day.  Joseph  L.  Shirk  was  bred  to  the  busi- 
ness, and  claims  that  he  has  been  a  tanner  in  Centre 
County  longer  than  any  other  resident  therein.  He 
tans  now  about  five  hundred  hides  annually,  making 
what  is  known  as  Union  leather. 

Bald  Eagle  Lodge,  No.  410,  LO.O.F.,  was  organ- 
ized July  18,  1850.  The  charter  oflicers  were  T.  M. 
Hall,  N.  G. ;  John  M.  McCoy,  V.  G. ;  Roland  Cur- 
tin,  Sec.  ;  J.  D.  McClenachan,  Asst.  Sec. ;  Robert 
Lipton,  Treas.  The  membership  November,  1881, 
aggregated  fifty-four.  Then  the  officers  were  James 
McCulley,  N.  G. ;  J.  S.  Smith,  V.  G. ;  W.  H.  Musser, 
P.  S. ;  Isaac  Shirk,  A.  S. ;  L.  Fulton,  Treas. 

Borough  Incorporation.— By  act  No.  19,  approved 
March  3,  1848,   Milesburg  was    incorporated  as  a 


PATTON   TOWNSHIP. 


371 


borough.  Section  1  of  the  act  provides :  "  That  the 
town  of  Milesburg,  in  the  County  of  Centre,  and  ter- 
ritory included  in  the  following  boundaries,  to  wit: 
Beginning  at  the  junction  of  Bald  Eagle  and  Spring 
Creeks  at  low  water  mark  ;  thence  up  the  banks  of 
the  said  Spring  Creek  to  the  line  of  James  Irvin  & 
Co.'s  land;  thence  along  the  same  south  eighty-two 
degrees  east  thirteen  perches  to  the  corner  of  Joseph 
Miles'  meadow  ;  thence  south  sixty-nine  degrees  east 
forty-five  perches  to  turnpike  road ;  thence  north 
fifty-two  degrees  east  along  the  division  fence  of 
Joseph  Miles  forty-four  perches;  thence  north  twenty- 
seven  degrees  west  fourteen  perches  to  the  corner  of 
William  Lees'  lot;  thence  north  sixty-four  degrees 
east  sixteen  perches  to  back  line  of  town  lots;  thence 
north  fifty-five  degrees  east  along  the  same  forty- 
three  perches  to  the  east  side  of  Catharine  Street ; 
thence  north  thirty-five  degrees  west  along  the  east 
side  of  Catharine  Street  forty  perches  and  five-six- 
teenths to  the  corner  of  the  Baptist  Church  lot ; 
thence  north  fifty-five  degrees  east  twelve  perches  to 
the  east  corner  of  school-house ;  thence  north  thirty- 
five  degrees  west  ten  perches  to  the  north  corner  of 
graveyard ;  thence  north  eighty-six  degrees  west 
along  the  line  of  graveyard  sixteen  perches  to  Cath- 
arine Street ;  thence  north  thirty-five  degrees  west 
along  the  east  side  of  Catharine  Street  thirty-two 
perches  to  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek  ;  thence  along  the 
same  to  the  place  of  beginning ;  is  hereby  erected  into 
a  borough  which  shall  be  called  and  styled  the 
borough  of  Milesburg."  Appended  is  the  civil  list, 
dating  from  1842  to  1878 : 

Justices  of  the  Peace. — James  Miles,  April  12,  1842 ;  James  Alexander, 
April  11, 1843;  Samuel  J.  Green,  April  9, 18*4;  James  Alexander, 
March  14,  1848;  James  Miles,  March  13,1849;  B.  D.  Hall,  March 
12,  1850  ;  James  Alexander,  March  16,  1863;  R.  L.  Shirk,  March  13, 
1866;  Henry  Kinne,  March  16, 1858;  Joseph  Adams,  April  25, 1860; 
Daniel  P.  Shope,  March  23,  1863;  Richard  Miles,  April  6,  1865; 
Richard  Miles,  March  IS,  1867  ;  Daniel  P.  Shope,  March  21, 1868 ;  J. 
M.  Green,  March  27,  1872;  Daniel  P.  Shope,  March  24,  1873;  J. 
Miles  Green,  March  17, 1877  ;  William  Baird,  April  3, 1878. 


CHAPTER    LXXIX. 

PATTON  TOWNSHIP. 

Patton  Township  was  erected  while  its  territory 
was  in  MiiHin  County.  No  record  of  its  erection  could 
be  found,  but  it  was  in  existence  as  early  as  1794,  and 
was  called  after  Gen.  John  Patton,  who,  with  Col. 
Miles,  owned  a  large  quantity  of  land  within  its  terri- 
tory. 

The  northern  tier  of  surveys  from  the  Banner  line 
west  to  the  Isaac  Lambourne  warrant  of  Dec.  29, 1801, 
was  made  by  Thoma-s  Smith,  deputy-surveyor  of  Bed- 
ford County,  in  October,  1770,  upon  application  of 
April  3, 1769.  The  Indian  path  is  marked  through  the 
northern  portion  of  them,  near  Muncy  Mountain,  and 
called  the  path  to  Frankstown.    Through  the  south- 


ern portion  Buflfalo  Run  is  marked,  but  called  in  the 
returns  "Trout  Run."  The  western  one  is  the  Roger 
Flanahan  (P.  B.  Waddle's  place  now) ;  north  of  Roger 
Flanahan  the  Kuhn  warrants  of  Dec.  24, 1792,  are  con- 
nected. They  cover  Muncy  Mountain,  running  over  to 
Julian.  The  Robert  Kuhn  is  tbe  connecting  warrant 
with  Flanahan.  South  of  Flanahan  the  Thomas  West, 
John  White,  etc.,  warrants  of  July  1,  1784,  surveyed  in 
November,  1784,  are  located.  These  are  parts  of  what 
were  known  as  the  Iron  Company  block,  covering 
the  whole  southern  portion  of  Patton  township,  late 
the  estate  of  Gen.  James  Irvin.  West  of  Roger  Flan- 
ahan were  surveyed  warrants  of  1766,  covered  by  war- 
rants taken  out  by  Isaac  and  Josiah  Lambourne. 
The  name  of  "Great  Pine  Barren,"  as  lying  south  of 
Buflalo  Run,  occurs  on  the  returns  of  surveys  made  by 
Thomas  Smith  in  1770.  The  Lambourne  ore-bank 
and  Pond  Bank  are  on  the  surveys  of  Lambourne  and 
the  Wests. 

Early  Settlers, — The  Gray  and  Hartsock  families 
were  the  earliest  settlers  of  whom  there  is  any 
rcQord.  They  came  in  as  early  as  1788  from  Fred- 
erick County,  Md.,  to  what  was  then  known  as  the 
Half-Moon  country,  and  were  assessed  and  regarded 
as  belonging  to  Franklin  township,  Huntingdon 
Co.,  not  appearing  upon  any  of  the  assessments  of 
Mifllin  as  far  as  we  can  ascertain.  Peter  Gray  and 
Conrad  Hartsock  were  the  heads  of  these  families. 
Gray  had  four  sons, — John,  Peter,  Jr.,  Adam,  and 
George.  Hartsock's  sons  were  Henry,  Christopher, 
Abraham,  and  Daniel.  John  Gearhart  and  David 
Runk,  sons-in-law  of  Peter  Gray,  with  their  families, 
were  of  the  emigrating  party.  Jacob  and  Thomas 
Hicks  were  in  Patton  before  the  arrival  of  the  Grays 
and  Hartsocks,  but  left  soon  after.  The  Lambournes 
were  also  of  the  early  settlers,  but  the  father  of  the 
family  soon  died,  and  the  children  have  removed  to 
the  West  except  Isaac  and  Ephraim,  who  settled  in 
Stormstown.  Valentine  Fflegal  was  one  of  the  early 
settlers  in  Buffalo  Run,  but  removed  to  Clearfield 
County.  He  has  descendants  in  Philipsburg.  One 
of  his  daughters,  widow  of  Ephraim  Lambourne, 
died  in  1880  at  the  age  of  eighty-eight.  The  surveys 
claimed  by  what  was  known  as  the  London  Land 
Company  extended  into  Patton,  and  the  settlers  were 
involved  in  litigation  with  Michael  T.  Simpson  for  a 
number  of  years,  but  succeeded  in  defeating  the 
claims,  or  at  all  events  effecting  a  compromise  for  a 
small  amount. 

Peter  Gray,  shoemaker  by  trade,  selected  for  his 
home  the  place  now  known  as  the  old  R.  H.  Meek 
farm.  Conrad  Hartsock,  carpenter  and  wagon- 
maker,  made  his  location  near  the  foot  of  the  moun- 
tain, back  of  where  S.  P.  Gray  now  lives.  His  son 
Henry,  of  the  same  trade  as  his  father,  settled  on 
the  present  site  of  Matternville.  Abraham  Hart- 
sock, a  carpenter,  lived  in  Patton  only  a  short  time 
before  removing  to  Clearfield  County.  The  Hart- 
socks  were  recognized  masters  at  wood-working,  and 


372 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA; 


are  said  to  have  won  much  popular  admiration  and 
fame  for  their  skill.  John  Gray  lived  on  a  farm 
where  S.  P.  Gray  now  lives,  and  Peter  Gray,  Jr., 
near  his  father's  place.  Near  the  house  of  Peter 
Gray,  Sr.,  David  Runk  set  up  the  pioneer  black- 
smith-shop in  Patton.  John  Gearhart  owned  and 
lived  on  a  farm  now  occupying  portions  of  the  lands 
of  S.  T.  Gray  and  George  Behrer. 

The  early  settlers  of  Pattnn  experienced  the  usual 
hardships  of  pioneers  in  a  new  country.  At  first 
their  nearest  mills  were  at  Huntingdon  Furnace  and 
Milesburg.  To  the  latter  place  the  journey  was 
made  over  an  Indian  trail  on  horseback.  As  late  as 
1811,  John  Gray  had  to  go  as  far  as  Lewisburg  for  a 
ton  of  plaster,  and  when  he  did  get  it,  it  cost  him 
twenty-six  dollars. 

The  children  of  Peter  Gray,  Sr.,  included  four  sons 
and  four  daughters.    Those  of  Conrad  Hartsock  were 
four  sons  and  one  daughter.     There  are  to-day  many 
descendants  of  Peter  Gray,  Sr.     They  include  in  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania  the  heads  of  twenty  families, 
as  follows:  George  L.,  Wesley,  Samuel  P.,  Samuel  T., 
Jacob,  J.  Green,  Isaac,  George  S.,  Thomas,  William, 
J.  W.,  Pierce,  Samuel,  Miles,  Z.  B.,  I.  V.,  John  S., 
Miles  G.,  George  T.,  Edward  J.     The  only  one  out  of 
the  State  is  John  P.,  president  of  the  Insane  Asylum 
at  Utica  N.  Y.     Two  of  the  above  named  are  minis- 
ters of  the  gospel.     Henry  G.  Hartsock,  grandson  of 
Conrad,  and  father  to  J.  C.  Hartsock,  now  of  Patton, 
died  in  1879.     He  and  Rush  Petrikin  are  said   to 
have  been  the  first  two  Abolitionists  in  Centre  County. 
Mr.  Hartsock  was  a  fearless  and  unflinching  advocate 
of  the  principles  that  taught  him  slavery  was  wrong. 
Despite  the  popular  prejudice  against  his  theory,  and 
despite,  too,  the  social  ostracism  to  which  his  course 
subjected  him,  he  never  flagged  in  his  outspoken  and 
active  zeal  on  behalf  of  the  American  slave.     He  lies 
buried  in  the  Stormstown  Cemetery,  and  upon  his 
tombstone  stands  the  eulogy,  "  A  friend  to  the  Amer- 
ican slave  during  American  slavery."   Runaway  slaves 
seeking  a  route  to  Canada  ever  found  protection  and 
aid  at  his  home,  and  as  this  fact  was  not  slow  of  dis- 
semination he  was  frequently  called  upon  to  exercise 
his  humanely  charitable  impulses.     In  1846  a  party 
of  runaway  slaves,  numbering  ten,  called  at  Hartsock's 
one  Sunday  morning,  and  in  a  trice  found  not  only  a 
hearty   welcome  but  a   capital  breakfast.      Fearful 
that  the  neighbors  might  discover  and  seek  to  return 
the  fugitives,  Hartsock  concealed  them  in  the  woods 
near  his  house  until  nightfall,  and  then  conducted 
them  to  the  house  of  a  colored   man   by  name   of 
Samuel  Henderson,  whose  place  was  recognized  as 
one  of  the  stations  on  the  Underground  Railroad. 
Henderson  put  them  safely  on  their  route  to  Canada, 
and  soon  afterwards  both  he  and  Hartsock  were  re- 
ioiced  to  learn   that  their  wards   had   reached   the 
happy  land  without  further  hindrance. 

A  man  and  his  wife  escaping  from  Virginia  slavery 
passed  by  way  of  Cross'  tavern  en  route  to  Hartsock's 


house.  At  the  tavern,  however,  the  slave- catchers 
came  up  with  them  and  bore  them  away  towards  the 
South.  Word  of  the  affair  coming  to  Hartsock's 
ears,  he  shouldered  his  gun  and  set  out  to  rescue  the 
captives ;  but  his  chase  proved  hopeless,  and  he  was 
at  last  compelled  to  abandon  it.  A  party  of  Aboli- 
tionists rescued  the  unfortunates  at  Hollidaysburg, 
and  returned  them  to  Patton  township,  where  they 
settled  and  there  lived  for  many  years  afterwards. 
When  the  American  negro  was  freed  by  Presidential 
proclamation  of  emancipation,  Mr.  Hartsock  rejoiced 
with  an  exceeding  great  joy  to  see  the  fulfillment  of 
a  dream  that  he  had  cherished  for  years. 

The  Shivery  settlement,  in  Patton,  was  made  in  1792 
by  Andrew  Shivery,  who  was  born  in  Chester  County 
in  September,  1760.  He  located  in  Patton,  in  the 
year  first  named,  upon  land  lying  about  two  miles 
east  of  Stormstown,  and  now  on  the  line  between 
Half-Moon  and  Patton  townships.  He  used  to  tell 
his  children  and  grandchildren  how,  when  a  youth, 
he  lived  within  sound  of  the  battle  of  the  Brandy- 
wine,  and  how,  on  the  third  day  after  the  fight,  he 
walked  over  the  field,  and  saw  something  of  the 
fearful  results  of  a  carnage.  He  was  poor  when  he 
came  to  Patton,  and  for  a  time  worked  for  others 
until  he  could  get  his  head  far  enough  above  water 
to  help  himself  to  an  independence.  He  was  by 
trade  a  weaver,  but  did  not,  as  far  as  known,  set  up  a 
shop  in  Patton,  although  it  is  likely  that  he  worked 
at  his  trade  for  his  neighbors  at  odd  times.  He  died 
on  the  Shivery  homestead  in  1843,  aged  eighty-three. 
His  children  numbered  twelve,  of  whom  three  are 
living.  They  are  Rachel  Spencer,  of  Illinois ;  Jane 
Moore,  of  Clearfield  County ;  and  Mrs.  Lydia  Gear- 
hart,  of  Clearfield  County.  Mrs.  Gearhart  is  aged 
now  upwards  of  ninety,  and  boasts  one  hundred 
and  sixty-four  descendants,  of  whom  one  is  a  great- 
great-grandchild.  David  Shivery  was  born  in  1794, 
and  died  in  1873.  His  son  Andrew,  now  living  in 
Benner  township,  was  born  in  Patton  in  1828,  and 
located  in  Benner  in  1856. 

Thomas  and  Jacob  Hicks  are  supposed  to  have  come 
from  Maryland  to  Centre  County  as  early  as  1790,  and 
located  on  Buffalo  Run,  in  Patton  township,  adjoining 
land  now  owned  by  S.  P.  Gray.  Jacob  Hicks  married 
one  of  the  daughters  of  Josiah  Lambourne,  himself  one 
of  the  earliest  settlers.  The  Hicks  brothers  moved  to 
Indiana  eventually,  and  there  ended  their  days.  Isaac 
Hicks  did  not  come  to  Patton  until  just  before  the  year 
1800.  He  made  his  home  on  Muncy  Mountain,  and 
died  there  in  1845.  Of  Isaac  Hicks'  twelve  children, 
seven  are  now  living.  They  are  Elizabeth  Hardin, 
Abraham  Hicks,  and  John  Hicks,  of  Patton ;  Jacob 
Hicks,  of  Half-Moon ;  and  three  others  living  without 
the  bounds  of  the  county.  Abraham  Hicks,  living 
near  Scotia,  bought  his  present  farm  of  Moses  Thomp- 
son in  1846. 

In  1816,  Paulser  Sellers,  of  Chester  County,  came  to 
Rock  at  the  solicitation  of  Gen.  Philip  Benner.    He 


PATTON   TOWNSHIP. 


373 


was  employed  at  Rock  about  a  year,  and  in  1817 
moved  to  the  present  Caleb  Kephart  place,  which  he 
rented  of  Gen.  Benner.  About  1820  he  opened  at 
Kephart's  Corners  the  Buffalo  Run  Inn,  on  the  stage- 
road  that  passed  his  place  and  reached  from  Tyrone 
and  Bellefonte.  There  was  a  good  deal  of  traffic  on 
that  highway  by  freight-vans  as  well  as  maii-coaches,- 
and  the  Buffalo  Run  Inn  being  a  stopping-place  for 
stages,  and  being  as  well  a  post-office.  Sellers  drove  a 
flourishing  business.  He  remained  there  until  Gen. 
Benner's  death,  in  1832,  when  he  moved  to  the  place 
now  occupied  by  the  farms  of  Davis  and  Agnew  Sel- 
lers, his  sons.  The  place  was  first  improved  by  a  Mr. 
Shorts,  and  after  that  occupied  by  Maj.  Andrew  Hun- 
ter, who  died  in  1870,  aged  eighty-seven.  When  Sel- 
lers took  possession  there  was,  however,  but  a  small 
portion  of  the  tract  cleared.  Mr.  Sellers  died  on  his 
Buffalo  Run  farm  in  1853.  Of  his  four  children,  the 
living  are  Davis  and  Agnew  Sellers,  of  Patton. 

Bartholomew  Bush  came  to  Centre  County  in  1818 
from  Berks,  his  native  county.  He  settled  in  Fer- 
guson township,  and  engaged  in  mining  for  Gen.  Jo- 
seph Miles.  In  1828  he  moved  to  Mifflin  County, 
and  died  in  that  county  in  1868.  He  was  married  in 
Ferguson  township,  hi^  wife  being  one  of  Jacob  Brew- 
er's daughters.  His  son.  Dr.  J.  M.  Bush,  graduated 
as  a  doctor  of  medicine  in  1848  at  Miami  College, 
in  Cincinnati,  and  in  1850  settled  in  Benner  township, 
where  he  married  a  daughter  of  Edward  Purdue,  one 
of  the  pioneers  of  that  section.  After  practicing  in 
Benner  five  years.  Dr.  Bush  removed  to  his  present 
home  in  Patton  in  1855,  where  he  lives  upon  land 
first  improved  by  Mr.  Ercheimer. 

James  Ross  located  in  Ferguson  in  1821,  and  the 
next  year  in  Patton,  near  the  Gray  Church.  There 
be  died  in  1870.  Of  his  six  children,  five  are  living. 
John  Roler  made  Milesburg  his  home  in  1840,  and 
in  1860  married  the  widow  Rumbarger.  She  now 
survives  Mr.  Roler,  and  resides  in  Patton,  near  Fill- 
more. William  B.  Norris  and  John  Sampson  came 
from  England  together  in  1828.  They  had  worked 
in  English  mines,  and  coming  to  Centre  County, 
sought  employment  with  Gen.  Green,  then  mining 
upon  the  land  now  worked  in  Patton  by  McCoy  & 
Linn.  While  mining  for  Gen.  Green,  John  Sampson 
was  killed  by  the  caving  of  a  bank.  William  Norris 
still  lives  in  College  township.  His  son,  H.  T.,  lives 
in  Patton,  where  he  has  followed  the  business  of 
blacksmithing  since  1870.  He  was  born  at  Pennsyl- 
vania Furnace.  Soon  after  the  close  of  the  war  of 
1812,  Stephen  Beans,  a  Marylander,  came  to  Patton 
with  his  family,  and  settled  on  Buffalo  Run,  above 
the  Gray  neighborhood.  He  .soon  moved  to  Taylor, 
where  he  set  up  a  saw-mill  and  still.  He  died  in 
Half-Moon  in  1848.  Elijah  Chambers  came  into 
Mifflin  Run  Centre  as  early  as  1790.  He  moved  from 
New  Jersey  with  his  family,  and  located  at  what  is 
now  Boalsburg.  He  owned  a  piece  of  land  at  that 
point,  and  in  addition  to  his  labors  as  farmer  worked 


at  carpentering  and  cabinet-making.  Mr.  Chambere 
was  in  the  military  service  during  the  Revolution, 
and  participated  in  the  battle  of  Monmouth.  In 
1834  he  removed  to  Patton,  and  in  ]8')3  died  at  the 
home  of  his  son  Elijah,  aged  ninety-four.  Of  his 
twelve  children,  the  living  are  Elijah  Chambers,  Mrs. 
Henry  Hartsock,  and  Mrs.  Henry  Meek.  His  sou 
Elijah,  now  of  Patton,  was  received  into  the  Balti- 
more Methodist  Episcopal  Conference  as  a  traveling 
preacher  in  1838,  and  almost  directly  was  transferred 
to  the  Virginia  Conference.  Mr.  Chambers  traveled 
and  preached  from  1838  to  1860,  and  at  times  acted 
as  missionary  in  the  mountains  of  Patrick  and  Carroll 
Counties,  Virginia. 

In  1794,  John  Mattern  was  born  in  Huntingdon 
County,  and  in  1818  he  joined  the  tide  that  then 
flowed  toward  Centre  County.  In  1820  he  married 
a  daughter  of  John  Gray,  of  Patton  township,  and 
soon  purchasing  of  his  father-in-law  a  tract  of  three 
hundred  acres  of  land  lying  a  mile  south  of  the 
present  village  of  Matternville.  His  home  was  there 
from  1828  until  his  death,  in  1877,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-four.  His  children  numbered  eight,  and  all 
are  to-day  living  in  Pennsylvania.  It  is  worthy  of 
mention  that  of  Mr.  Mattern's  six  sons,  not  one  ha.s 
ever  used  tobacco  in  any  form.  Two  daughters, 
Catharine  Shaunk  and  Elizabeth  Kreider,  live  in 
Huntingdon  County.  The  six  sons  reside  in  Centre 
County,  and  are  named  Samuel,  John  B.,  George, 
Jacob,  David,  and  Miles.  They  own  an  aggregate 
of  two  thousand  and  thirteen  acres  of  land,  divided 
as  follows  :  Samuel,  365 ;  John  B.,  620 ;  George,  454  ; 
Jacob  and  Miles,  347  ;  David,  227.  Jacob  and  Miles 
live  on  the  homestead,  and  with  them  resides  their 
mother,  now  in  her  eighty-third  year.  In  1863,  John 
B.  and  Jacob  bought  at  the  place  now  called  Mat- 
ternville a  piece  of  land  of  John  Gray,  who  had  for 
some  years  been  carrying  on  a  foundry  there, — the 
foundry  being  managed  in  1863  by  J.  C.  Hartsock. 
The  brothers  Mattern  bought  foundry  as  well  as 
landed  interest,  and  in  1 867  built  a  store-house.  It  was 
destroyed  by  fire,  but  was  immediately  rebuilt,  and 
again  burned  in  1873,  to  be  replaced  by  the  present 
store.  The  Matterns  were  partners  until  the  spring 
of  1879,  when  John  B.  bought  out  his  brother's  inter- 
est in  the  Matternville  enterprises,  and  since  then 
has  controlled  them  for  his  sole  account.  The  old 
Gray  foundry  at  Matternville  has  been  in  active 
operation  since  Gray  built  it.  In  the  summer  of 
1881,  John  B.  Mattern  opened  a  store  at  Scotia,  and 
gave  it  in  charge  to  his  sons.  He  has  been  post- 
master at  Matternville  (or  Buffalo  Run  Post-Office) 
since  1867.  Buffalo  Run  Post-Office  was  established 
at  what  is  now  Fillmore.  The  first  postmaster  was 
Paulser  Sellers,  after  whose  removal  from  the  locality 
Caleb  Kephart  was  appointed.  Upon  his  death, 
Kephart's  widow  was  made  the  incumbent,  and  re- 
mained so  four  years.  She  resigned,  and  the  office 
was  moved  up  the  run  to  Paulser  Sellers',  who  was 


374 


HISTORY  OP  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


reappointed.  W.  B.  Henderson  succeeded  Sellers, 
and  was  in  turn  succeeded  by  Christian  Hartsock. 
In  1854,  Peter  Murray  received  the  appointment,  and 
in  1867  gave  place  to  John  B.  Mattern.  The  office 
receives  now  a  daily  mail. 

George  Clark,  now  living  in  Patton,  was  born  in 
England,  and  in  1851  located  in  Centre  County, 
making  his  home  near  the  site  of  the  State  Agricul- 
tural College.  In  1853  he  married  one  of  Reuben 
Osman's  daughters.  He  resided  a  while  in  Benner, 
and  in  1870  made  Patton  his  home.  He  has  ten 
children,  most  of  whom  live  at  his  home.  David 
Behrer,  a  German,  came  to  Patton  in  1840,  and 
bought  fifty-six  acres  of  wild  land.  He  died  in  1860 
upon  the  old  farm,  which  is  now  the  property  of  his 
son  Jacob.  The  other  living  sons  of  David  Behrer 
are  George  and  David.  Levi  Murray,  one  of  the 
early  settlers  in  Potter  township,  died  in  Brush  val- 
ley, aged  eighty-eight.  Mrs.  Hannah  Dewey,  living 
near  Bellefonte,  is  the  only  one  of  his  children  now 
living.  Peter  Muri'ay,  one  of  his  sons,  came  from 
Nittany  valley  to  Patton,  and  was  for  some  years 
postmaster  at  Buffalo  Run.     He  died  in  1874. 

George  Furst  and  his  son  Thomas  located  in  La- 
mar township  (now  in  Clinton  County)  about  1812. 
They  were  farmers  in  the  summer  seasons  and  weav- 
ers in  the  winter.  William  I.  Furst,  son  of  Thomas 
Furst,  and  now  a  resident  of  Patton,  farmed  in  Clin- 
ton County  in  1840,  and  in  1850  opened  a  store  at 
Fillmore,  in  Patton.  He  closed  it  in  18.56,  and  until 
1863  lived  in  Milroy.  In  February  of  the  year  last 
named  he  moved  to  his  present  home  in  Patton. 

Churches, — In  the  Half-Moon  valley  Methodism 
took  earliest  root  among  the  religiously  inclined,  and 
Methodism  has  prevailed  since  the  pioneer  era  as  the 
popular  creed  in  the  valley  region.  The  first  settlers 
of  Patton  were  Methodists,  and,  like  the  great  body 
of  those  who  marched  in  the  advance-guard  of  Cen- 
tre County's  pioneers,  were  zealously  inclined  towards 
religious  worship.  At  first  pilgrimages  to  church 
were  made  to  Warrior's  Mark,  twelve  miles  distant, 
and  for  six  years  after  the  arrival  of  the  Gray  and 
Hartsock  colony  Warrior's  Mark  was  the  nearest  and 
most  convenient  place  of  worship  for  the  people  of 
Half-Moon  valley.  About  1790,  Peter  Gray  so  ar- 
ranged it  that  Methodist  Episcopal  circuit  preachers 
stopped  at  his  house  occasionally  to  hold  services,  and 
for  nearly  thirty  years  his  home  was  a  temple  where 
the  surrounding  community  gathered  once  a  month, 
and  sometimes  oftener,  to  enjoy  the  privilege  of  wor- 
ship. Sometimes  the  preacher,  coming  in  the  even- 
ing, would  tarry  all  night,  content  to  get  for  a  bed  a 
bundle  of  straw  on  the  floor,  not  because  his  host 
slighted  him  in  accommodations,  but  simply  because 
a  bundle  of  straw  and  blanket  comprised  the  very 
best  the  house  afforded.  Circuit  preachers  were  phi- 
losophers in  those  days,  and  likely  enough  felt  grate- 
ful for  even  a  bundle  of  straw  to  lie  upon.  Some- 
times the  preacher  would  arrive  in  the  middle  of  a 


harvest-day,  and  thereupon  messengers  were  de- 
spatched to  announce  services  and  to  summon  the 
faithful.  Despite  the  pressing  duties  of  the  hour,  the 
harvest-field  was  speedily  forsaken  for  the  house  of 
God,  and  solemn  worship  replaced  for  a  few  hours  the 
ordinary  thoughts  and  busy  cares  of  existence.  In 
1826  a  rude  log  church  was  built  near  Peter  Gray's 
home.  The  builders  were  Joseph  Atley,  John  L. 
Gray,  William  J.  Meek,  and  others,  although,  truth 
to  tell,  but  little  skill  was  demanded  in  the  erection 
of  the  structure. 

In  1816,  Revs.  Jonathan  Monroe  and  Robert  Min- 
chell  were  on  the  Warrior's  Mark  Circuit,  and  in  that 
year  Peter  Gray  was  leader  of  the  Gray  class.  He 
was  chosen  leader  when  the  class  was  formed  in  1790, 
and  for  full  thirty-five  years  stood  faithfully  at  the 
helm.  His  successor  was  his  son  Peter  B.,  who  was 
likewise  a  local  preacher.  After  him  followed  Samuel 
P.  Gray,  Jacob  Gray,  and  J.  G.  Gray.  At  present 
the  leaders  are  Isaac  Gray  and  J.  C.  Hartsock.  Since 
the  formation  of  the  class  a  Gray  has  been  one  of  its 
leaders.  The  church  has  had  many  fruitful  revivals, 
of  which,  perhaps,  the  most  successful  was  the  one 
conducted  by  Rev.  George  Guyer,  when  upwards  of 
thirty  members  were  received.  The  old  log  church 
stood  and  served  as  a  meeting-house  from  1826  to  1851, 
when  it  was  burned.  In  1853  the  present  house  of 
worship  was  built.  It  was  dedicated  by  Rev.  (now 
Bishop)  Thomas  Bowman,  then  of  Williamsport.  The 
membership  is  about  fifty.  The  trustees  are  Isaac 
Gray,  Jacob  Gray,  and  Jacob  Mattern.  The  super- 
intendent of  the  Sunday-school  is  Isaac  Gray.  The 
class  is  attached  to  the  Half-Moon  Circuit,  in  charge 
of  Rev.  James  Beyer,  who  holds  services  at  Gray's  once 
every  fortnight.  The  circuit  includes  the  six  preach- 
ing points  of  Stormstown,  Gray's,  Ross,  Scotia,  Fill- 
more, and  Buffalo  Run. 

Buffalo  Run  Methodist  Episcopal  Class.— The 
class  now  worshiping  in  the  church  at  Stevenson's  was 
established  in  1831  or  1832  by  William  B.  Henderson, 
then  mining  and  residing  at  what  is  now  known  as 
the  Pond  Bank  Mine, — the  locality  being  popularly 
called  "the  land  of  Canaan"  at  that  period.  Mr. 
Henderson  took  an  earnest  interest  in  the  prosperity 
of  the  organization,  and  was  the  class-leader  as  well 
as  leading  spirit  in  maintaining  regular  worship  and 
in  providing  for  such  support  as  was  otherwise  re- 
quired. When  he  removed  his  residence  to  a  point 
farther  up  the  valley,  the  meeting-place  of  the  class 
was  likewise  changed,  and  although  similar  changes 
followed  frequently  the  organization  continued  unin- 
terruptedly in  active  existence.  For  many  years  pre- 
vious to  1880  meetings  were  held  in  the  Waddle 
school-house.  In  the  summer  of  that  year  the  present 
church  edifice  was  erected,  and  October  5th  it  was 
dedicated  by  Rev.  Hamlin,  of  Altoona,  and  Rev. 
Edward  Gray,  president  of  Dickinson  College,  at 
Williamsport.  It  cost  eleven  hundred  dollars,  exclu- 
sive of  much  volunteer  labor.     John  Biddle  has  been 


PATTON   TOWNSHIP. 


376 


class-leader  nearly  all  of  the  past  sixteen  years. 
Wesley  Gray,  his  predecessor,  served  ten  years.  The 
class  has  now  sixty-five  members,  and  is  on  the  Half- 
Moon  Circuit,  in  charge  of  which  is  Kev.  James 
Beyer.  The  trustees  are  John  Biddle,  P.  B.  Waddle, 
and  Robert  Stine.  William  Wasson  is  the  Sunday- 
school  superintendent. 

United  Brethren  in  Christ.— The  United  Brethren 
class  of  Patton  was  formed  in  the  summer  of  1880 
by  Rev.  Mr.  Stahl,  of  Stormstown,  preaching  on  the 
Port  Matilda  Circuit.  There  were  butseven  members, 
to  wit:  Mrs.  Catharine  Kuapp,  George  Meese,  Ma- 
tilda Meese,  George  Clark  and  wife,  Joseph  Rumbar- 
ger  and  wife.  George  Clark  was  chosen  class-leader, 
and  still  serves.  A  church  was  built  in  1880,  and 
dedicated  in  September  of  that  year  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Spangler.  It  cost  eleven  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 
During  the  winter  of  1880-81,  Rev.  Mr.  Stahl  held  a 
series  of  revival  meetings,  and  added  many  to  the 
membership.  The  membership  in  September,  1881, 
was  forty-two.  The  pastor  was  then  Rev.  Lazarus 
Stahl,  in  charge  of  the  Port  Matilda  Circuit.  The 
trustees  are  George  Clark,  Joseph  Rumbarger,  and 
Fabian  Matts.  The  Sunday-school,  which  has  an 
average  attendance  of  fifty  scholars,  is  in  charge  of 
Joseph  Rumbarger. 

Schools. — The  first  public  school  to  which  the 
people  of  Patton  sent  children  was  doubtless  the  one 
located  at  Stormstown, — at  least  it  was  the  only  school 
available  for  some  time  to  the  people  of  the  Gray 
neighborhood.  The  recollections  of  Jacob  and  Sam- 
uel Gray  go  back  to  a  log  school-house  that  stood 
near  where  Isaac  Gray  lives.  It  was  a  very  rude 
affair,  boasting  nothing  better  than  greased  paper  in 
lieu  of  window  panes,  slabs  for  seats,  and  rough 
boards  for  desks.  Alfred  Wells,  the  first  teacher  in 
that  old  log  school-house,  was  a  terribly  cross  and 
fiery  chap,  who  took  much  delight  in  knowing  that 
the  scholars  stood  in  mortal  fear  of  him,  and  well 
they  might,  for  he  was  quick  and  free  to  lay  the  birch 
upon  their  shoulders  with  much  lusty  vigor  and  sav- 
age delight.  The  boys  tried  to  bar  him  out  one  day, 
but  old  Wells  smoked  them  with  brimstone  into  ca- 
pitulation, and  after  that  they  gave  up  experimenting 
upon  him,  satisfied  that  he  must  win  every  time  they 
brought  on  a  contest.  In  1826  one  Aaron  Shugert 
taught  school  in  a  shanty  that  stood  near  James  Ross' 
house.  In  the  same  shanty  Bradley  and  Carey  (the 
latter  also  a  millwright  and  manufacturer  of  corn- 
shellers)  were  likewise  teachers. 

Iron-Mining. — Iron-mining  in  Patton  was  begun 
at  an  early  day,  for  the  rich  ore-fields  naturally  at- 
tracted attention  as  soon  as  the  iron-workers  of  Cen- 
tre County  began  operations.  The  localities  now 
known  as  Scotia,  Celtic,  and  Lambourne's  were  called 
upon  in  the  pioneer  era  to  furnish  supplies  for  the 
Centre  Furnace,  Curtin's,  and  others.  William  B. 
Henderson  and  William  Hunter  were  among  the 
earliest  miners  in  Patton,  and  in  that  business  they 


continued  for  a  good  many  years  as  employfis  of 
various  iron-manufacturers.  The  Milesburg  Iron- 
Works  is  supposed  to  have  mined  iron-ore  in  Patton 
since  shortly  before  1800.  McCoy,  Linn  &  Co.,  the 
present  operators  at  the  Milesburg  Iron-Works,  own 
in  Patton  the  ore  right  in  upwards  of  ten  thousand 
acres.  They  control  also  extensive  iron-mining  in- 
terests in  Ferguson,  College,  Potter,  and  Walker 
townships.  In  Patton  they  work  several  openings. 
Frank  Letterman,  their  mining  superintendent  in 
Patton,  is  a  native  of  Centre  County.  He  engaged 
in  iron-mining  for  the  Washington  Furnace  in  18-53, 
and  remained  there  until  1878,  when  he  entered  the 
employment  of  McCoy,  Linn  &  Co.  For  nearly  thirty 
years  he  has  been  engaged  in  mining  and  engineer- 
ing. 

CIVIL  LIST. 
1797._ABBe68or,  David  Barr;  Auditors,  Jolin  Hastings,  James  Hamil- 

1798.— Assessors,  George  McCormiclt,  Jolin  Barron;  Auditors,  Cliriatian 
Dale,  David  Barr ;  Constable,  Peter  Gray ;  Superintendents  of  Roads, 
J.  Dooknian,  William  Eichards;  Overseers  of  Poor,  P.  Gray,  Jr.,  G. 
McCormick. 

1799.— Assessors,  James  Whileliill,  William  Richards;  Auditors,  D. 
Whitehill,  James  Ardrey;  Constable,  Ttiomas  Clemson;  Superin- 
tendents of  Roads,  J.  Hamilton,  John  Goheen  ;  Overseers  of  Poor, 
J.  McCormick,  Thomas  Hicks. 

1800.— Assessors,  William  Wiley,  Thomas  Hicks  ;  Auditors,  G.  McCor- 
mick, Jr.,  P.  Gray,  Jr. ;  Constable,  Christian  Dale;  Superintendents 
of  Roads,  David  Barr,  James  Ardrey;  Overseers  of  Poor,  William 
Brisbin,  Josiali  Lambourne. 

Cons(a6!es.— Thomas  Hicks,  1802;  William  Turner,  180S-4;  Andrew 
Shivery,  1805;  Peter  Gray,  Jr.,  1806;  Joseph  Lambourne,  1807-8; 
James  Glen,  1809 ;  John  Gray,  1811;  Thomas  Brown,  1813;  Jaraea 
Dillon,  1814-16;  Ephraint  Lambourne,  1817;  Isaac  Lamborn,  1818; 
John  Adams,  1820;  Jeremiah  Merrit,  1821-22;  A.  Shivery,  1824; 
Isaac  Lambourne,  1825-26;  James  Dillon,  1828;  Andrew  Hunter, 
1829 ;  Peter  Gray,  1830 ;  George  Williams,  1831 ;  John  Gray,  1831-32 ; 
James  Chambei-s,  1833;  Henry  Hartsock,  1834;  Jacob  Gray,  1836; 
John  Gray,  Jr.,  1837 ;  H.  Hartsock,  1838 ;  Robert  Steel,  1839 ;  Thomas 
S.  Nicholson,  1840;  H.  G.  Hartsock,  1841;  John  G.  Stine,  1842^3! 
M.  Meyers,  1844;  Isaac.  Lambourne,  1845;  Christian  Hartsock,  1846; 
Samuel  P.  Gray,  1847;  P.  B.  Waddle,  1848;  David  Shivelry,  1849; 
James  McCartney,  1850;  Jonas  Stine,  1852;  Peter  Murray,  1853; 
W.  B.  Henderson,  1864;  Abram  Hicks,  1855;  C.  Hartstock,  1866; 
J.  W.  Wassou,  1857-68;  Ablam  Hicks,  1859-61  ;  David  Bodle,  1862 ; 
William  H.  Reed,  1803-65;  H.  G.  Hartsock,  1866;  George  W.  Gray, 
1867 ;  John  Biddle,  1868 ;  P.  E.  Sellers,  1869-70 ;  Miles  Mattern, 
1871 ;  D.  J.  Reed,  1872 ;  C.  Hartsock,  1873;  R.  H.  Stine,  1874;  W. 
H.  Reed,  1875. 

Justices  of  the  Peace.— Peter  B.  Gray,  Isaac  Lambourne,  April  14, 1840; 
John  G.  Stine,  Peter  B.  Gray,  April  16, 1845;  Peter  B.  Gray,  Agnew 
Seller,  March  12,  1850;  James  McCartney,  March  27, 1861 ;  George 
Glenn,  March  16,  1862  ;  R.  H.  Meek,  Marcli  16,  1853 ;  Peter  B.  Gray, 
March  12,  1860;  HenlV  Pennington,  March  16,  1858;  Samuel  T. 
Gray,  Sept.  3, 1861;  G.  W.  Rumbarger,  March  23,  1863;  George  M. 
Rumbarger,  S.  T.  Gray,  March  11, 1868 ;  G.  W.  Rumbarger,  April  3, 
1878  ;  William  J.  First,  April  3, 1878;  R.  H.  Stine,  April  30, 1880. 

Scotia  Mines,  Etc.— At  the  locality  known  as 
Scotia  the  firm  of  Carnegie  Brothers  &  Co.  (limited) 
have  set  on  foot  extraordinary  and  important  iron- 
mining  operations,  whose  extent  and  breadth,  now 
only  meagrely  foreshadowed,  promise  to  become  a 
valuable  factor  in  the  industrial  interests  of  not  only 
the  township  but  of  the  county  as  well.  In  the 
spring  of  1881,  Carnegie  Brothers  bought  of  Moses 
Thompson  three  hundred  acres  of  land  now  covering 
Scotia,  and  began  at  once  to  establish  permanent  and 


376 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


costly  improvements  as  a  step  toward  the  develop- 
ment of  the  rich  iron-ore  deposits  there  known  to 
exist  iu  abundance.  They  employed  an  army  of  two 
hundred  or  more  workmen,  and  these,  busying  them- 
selves in  clearing  land,  erecting  tenement-houses,  and 
setting  up  machinery  and  other  devices  for  the  prose- 
cution of  ore-mining,  soon  converted  the  wilderness 
into  a  bustling,  energetic,  and  pushing  town.  The 
improvements  effected  and  contemplated  are  of  the 
most  approved  description,  framed  moreover  with  an 
eye  to  the  prosecution  of  the  business  of  mining  upon 
a  liberal  and  progressive  plan.  These  improvements 
include  among  others  equally  extensive  upwards  of  a 
mile  of  narrow-gauge  railway  track,  communicating 
with  various  mine-openings  and  running  for  a  greater 
portion  of  the  way  upon  high  trestle-work.  To  meet 
the  requirements  created  by  the  establishment  of 
Scotia,  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  has  es- 
tablished a  branch  railway  from  the  main  line  at 
Tyrone  to  Scotia,  and  thus  affords  an  easy  and  con- 
venient outlet  for  the  considerable  volume  of  traffic 
which  must  flow  from  the  mines  to  the  receiving 
depot  at  Pittsburgh  for  the  Carnegies.  These  mines 
are  regarded  as  among  the  richest  in  the  county,  and 
are  likely  to  yield  their  bounteous  wealth  for  many 
years  to  come.  Scotia  is  now  (October,  1881)  a  busy 
hamlet  with  a  population  of  about  four  hundred,  con- 
tains three  stores,  will  soon  be  established  as  a  postal 
station,  and  bids  fair  to  expand  in  strength  and  adorn- 
ment without  much  delay. 

In  Patton  and  Half-Moon  townships  the  Celtic  Ore 
Company  of  Pittsburgh  (composed  of  James  I.  Ben- 
nett, John  Chalfant,  August  Painter,  and  John  F. 
Wilcox)  are  preparing  now  (October,  1881)  to  engage 
in  extensive  ore-mining  operations.  They  own  the 
ore-right  in  seventeen  hundred  acres,  and  thus  far 
have  found  ore  to  the  depth  of  fifty-nine  feet,  and  a 
quality  of  ore  that  averages  forty-five  per  cent,  of 
pure  metal. 

The  Lewisburg,  Centre  and  Spruce  Creek  Railroad 
line  passes  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  lands  of 
the  company.  The  present  operations  of  the  com- 
pany, dating  from  April,  1881,  are  merely  preliminary 
to  the  actual  business  of  mining  and  shipping,  which 
will  be  carried  on  with  much  vigor  wlien  once  begun. 
The  members  of  the  company  are  all  wealthy  iron- 
masters of  Pittsburgh,  and  will  use  the  product  of 
their  Centre  County  mines  at  their  works  in  Pitts- 
burgh. Their  representative  at  Celtic  is  James 
Pierpoint. 


CHAPTER    LXXX. 

PENN    TOAVNSHIP. 

The  first  surveys  in  the  territory  of  the  present 
township  were  made  for  Reuben  Haines  in  October, 
1766.     That  at  the  mouth  of  Elk  Creek,  on  the  west 


side,  was  upon  an -application  of  George  Young, 
dated  Aug.  1,  1766,  surveyed  Oct.  1,  1766,  and  pat- 
ented to  Haines,  two  hundred  and  fifty-one  acres. 
Next  west  was  the  Philip  Young,  of  the  same  date; 
next  west  the  Warnick  Miller,  of  same  date;  next 
the  Jacob  Miller,  same  date ;  next  the  George  Beck- 
ell,  same  date;  next  the  John  Schryner,  of  same 
date;  all  patented  to  Haines,  July  23,  1767,  and  re- 
turned as  being  in  Cumberland  County.  Haines  sold 
the  greater  portion  of  the  last  five  surveys  to  John 
Livingston,  one  of  the  early  settlers,  June  17,  1775. 
These  tracts  run  north  from  Penn's  Creek  nearly  one 
mile.  At  a  white-walnut  on  the  bank  of  the  creek, 
southwest  corner  of  John  Schryner's,  commences  the 
Michael  Taylor,  running  along  Penn's  Creek  three 
hundred  and  seventy-one  jjerches  to  at  or  near  the 
western  line  of  Penn.  It  is  also  a  Haines  survey  of 
same  date  of  above,  October,  1766.  North  of  Michael 
Taylor  is  the  Joseph  Funk  survey,  of  the  same  date, 
three  hundred  and  fifty-five  perches  long. 

West  of  the  Michael  Taylor  was  the  George  Tay- 
lor, another  of  Haines'  surveys,  of  same  date,  and  im- 
mediately north  of  George  Taylor  the  Adam  Kemmil, 
of  same  date,  belonging  to  Haines,  and  north  of  Adam 
Kemmil  the  Ludwick  Sheetz  was  surveyed,  lying 
partly  in  Penn  and  partly  in  Gregg ;  this  Haines  sold 
to  John  Watson,  April  3,  1773,  and  was  no  doubt  the 
spot  where  John  Watson  lived,  the  earliest  settler  of 
that  immediate  neighborhood.  North  of  Sheetz  was 
the  Adam  Zinn,  another  of  Haines'  surveys,  surveyed 
Sept.  28, 1766,  and  the  upper  one  of  the  tier.  East  of 
Adam  Zinn  was  the  Thomas  Richardson,  of  the  same 
date,  belonging  to  Haines.  East  of  Richardson  was  a 
warrant  in  the  name  of  Benjamin  Long,  8th  of  January, 
1773.  East  of  Benjamin  Long  was  surveyed  the  war- 
rant of  Christian  Troutman,  warrant  6th  January, 
1773.  This  was  where  Abraham  Piatt  settled  at  an 
early  date.  North  of  Long  and  Troutman  the  John 
Harris  warrant  of  6th  of  December,  1774.  Adam 
Kreamer  bought  the  John  Harris  tract,  Dec.  26,  1789, 
and  twenty-eight  acres  of  the  northeastern  end  of  it  are 
within  the  borough  of  Millheim.  The  latter  is  prin- 
cipally on  the  John  Cash  warrant  of  Nov.  24,1772, 
surveyed  June  18,  1774.  East  of  John  Cash  was  the 
William  McMurray  and  David  Duncan  warrant  of 
11th  of  September,  1773,  surveyed  the  same  day,  and 
on  which  the  present  farms  of  J.  P.  Gephart,  Esq., 
and  D.  A.  Musser,  Esq.,  are  located.  North  of  John 
Cash  and  William  McMurray  was  surveyed  a  warrant 
in  the  name  of  Aaron  Levy,  Sept.  7,  1786. 

South  of  John  Cash,  Elk  Creek  running  partly 
through  it  and  partly  on  the  east  side  of  it,  the  Fred- 
erick Uberlin  warrant  of  Jan.  16,  1773,  was  surveyed 
Aug.  18, 1773.  Millheim  is  partly  in  the  north  end  of 
this  survey.  David  Shakespeare  conveyed  the  Fred- 
erick Uberlin  to  Michael  Gunckle,  Dec.  30,  1794. 
South  of  Frederick  Uberlin  was  the  MelchiorZiegler, 
surveyed  Oct.  8,  1766,  for  Reuben  Haines ;  Elk  Creek 
bounds  it  on  the  east. 


PENN  TOWNSHIP. 


377 


East  of  Frederick  Uberlin  the  Charles  Seitz  war- 
rant was  laid  ofl'  Jan.  6, 1773,  surveyed  June  18, 1774. 
East  of  Seitz  the  Melchior  Naetf,  of  same  date. 

On  the  east  side  of  Elk  Creek,  and  at  the  mouth 
where  it  enters  Pine  Creek,  was  laid  the  Thomas  Af- 
flick  application  of  Aug.  1,  1766,  surveyed  in  1773, 
and  patented  to  Martin  Miller  and  others  Nov.  4, 
1801.  Dinges'  estate,  etc.,  are  on  this  tract.  East  of 
Thomas  Afflick,  and  along  the  north  side  of  Pine 
Creek,  was  the  George  Shoemaker  application  of  Aug. 
1,  1766,  patented  to  Moore,  Miller,  and  others. 

The  southern  portion  of  Penn  township  is  moun- 
tainous, and  was  all  taken  up  on  warrants  of  March 
24, 1794,  in  the  names  of  various  parties, — John  Ken- 
nedy, Andrew  Kennedy,  Albright  Swineford,  etc. 
The  Gephart  &  Musser  saw-mill  is  at  the  northeast 
corner  of  the  Andrew  Kennedy  and  northwest  corner 
of  the  Albright  Swineford. 

Early  Settlers.  —  Samuel  Hoy  was  one  of  the 
earliest  settlers  in  the  territory  of  Penn,  and  is  said 
to  have  cleared  up  the  place  now  occupied  by  P. 
Breon.  Hoy's  name  occurs  in  the  assessment  list 
prior  to  the  Revolution.  John  Hall  was  also  an  early 
settler  of  the  territory.  His  name  appears  in  the 
assessment  of  Bald  Eagle  of  1773-74,  and  he  was  a 
prominent  man.  He  represented  Potter  township 
upon  the  Committee  of  Safety  in  1776.  The  Kerr 
and  Rankin  families  are  connected  with  him  either 
by  marriage  or  descent,  but  his  history  and  name 
have  disappeared.  The  John  Hall  who  represented 
the  county  in  the  Legislature  of  1801,  etc.,  was  no 
connection.  John  Livingston,  a  settler  before  the 
Revolution,  came  from  New  Jersey,  and  was  a  rela- 
tive of  Governor  Livingston,  of  that  province. 

After  the  Revolution  came  in  the  Millers, — Martin, 
Henry,  Jacob,  John, — locating  at  the  mouth  of  Elk 
Creek.  Daniel  Kreamer  came  in  about  1790,  and 
located  upon  a  tract  of  land  adjoining  Hoy's  on  the 
east.  Daniel  Kreamer,  the  second,  is  now  ninety-one 
years  of  age.  The  latter  had  a  family  of  eight  chil- 
dren,— John,  Daniel,  William,  Elias,  Henry,  Jona- 
than, Jacob,  and  Elizabeth.  Henry  and  Jonathan 
still  reside  in  Millheim,  Elias  in  Union  County,  and 
Elizabeth  married  William  Gutelius,  of  Mifflinburg. 
This  Kreamer  family  is  remarkable  physically  for 
size  and  weight. 

Jacob  Evert  came  from  Lehigh  County,  and  located 
first  in  Brush  valley  and  then  upon  the  land  now 
occupied  by  Andrew  Harter,  and  finally  upon  the 
property  now  owned  by  his  son  Michael.  Of  his 
children,  Michael  married  Amanda  Walters ;  Jacob 
married  Mary  Dennis ;  Samuel,  Sarah  Kerstetter ; 
Susan,  Daniel  Eisenhuth ;  and  Lydia,  Francis  Long. 

Peter  and  Philip  Neese  settled  in  Penn.  Peter's 
place  is  now  occupied  by  his  grandchildren, — William 
and  David.  Peter's  children  were  David,  Peter, 
William,  Jacob,  Elizabeth,  Polly,  Catharine,  and 
Lydia.  Philip  Neese's  eldest  daughter  married  Se- 
bastian Musser,  who  owns  the  Philip  Neese  estate. 


George  Swartz  erected  one  of  the  first  saw-mills  on 
Elk  Creek,  still  standing.  He  settled  upon  the  place 
now  occupied  by  W.  H.  Smith.  He  was  a  leading 
member  of  the  Evangelical  Church,  and  it  was  upon 
his  place  the  early  camp-meetings  of  that  denomina- 
tion were  held.  His  children  were  David,  Michael, 
George,  Andrew,  Henry,  Jacob,  John,  William,  Sarah, 
and  Catherine,  Mrs.  Dormeyer,  of  Cambria  County, 
and  Mrs.  Moore,  of  Ohio.  S.  M.  Swartz,  of  Tussey- 
ville,  store-keeper,  and  G.  M.  Swartz,  dentist,  of 
Bellefonte,  are  sons  of  George  Swartz  (2d). 

William  Krape  settled  upon  the  land  now  occupied 
by  his  grandson,  Samuel  Krape.  William  Krape's 
descendants  were  Adam,  William,  Jacob,  Abraham, 
and  three  daughters.  Adam  married  Margaret  Fisher, 
William  married  Susan  Gramly,  Abraham  married 
Polly  Neese.  The  daughters  married  Adam  Gramly, 
Jacob  Bear,  and  Mr.  Long. 

Jacob  Fiedler  settled  on  Penn's  Creek,  upon  the 
place  now  occupied  by  Jacob  Kerstetter.  Jacob 
Fiedler  is  a  grandson.  Adam  Zerby,  a  weaver,  settled 
near  where  his  son  Andrew  lives,  and  operated  also  a 
saw-mill  erected  by  Jacob  Neidigh.  John  Detweiler 
settled  upon  the  place  now  occupied  by  Jacob  Det- 
weiler. 

Francis  Smith  was  a  tenant  of  James  Duncan  upon 
land  afterwards  purchased  by  his  son,  John  Smith. 
The  latter,  still  living,  was  a  member  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Legislature  in  18.57. 

The  most  prominent  of  the  early  citizens  of  Penn 
township  was  Hon.  Jacob  Kryder.  He  was  a  brother 
of  John  Kryder,  of  Brush  valley,  of  whom  a  sketch 
is  given,  and  to  which  reference  is  made  for  Judge 
Kryder's  ancestry.  Jacob  Kryder  was  a  member  of 
the  Legislature  from  Centre  County,  1815-19 ;  asso- 
ciate judge,  1827,  etc.  According  to  the  recollection 
of  James  Gilliland,  he  was  a  small  man,  stoop-shoul- 
dered, ruddy  complexion,  with  a  pleasant  expression 
on  his  countenance,  always  neatly  dressed  in  blue 
broadcloth.  He  belonged  to  the  Lutheran  Church, 
and  was  a  member  of  the  Centre  County  Bible  So- 
ciety from  its  organization.  He  was  a  close  observer 
of  men  and  occurrences,  clear-headed,  and  had  a 
well-balanced  mind.  He  talked  fluently  and  well, 
and  always  to  the  point.  He  was  candid,  conscien- 
tious, and  honest,  and  never  talked  upon  a  subject  he 
did  not  fully  understand. 

Judge  Kryder  died  May,  1852,  on  the  farm  lately 
owned  by  Amos  Alexander,  a  mile  and  one-half 
southwest  of  Millheim.  He  had  a  large  family,  of 
whom  were  Catharine,  married  to  John  Sankey ; 
Elizabeth,  married  to  George  M.  Wasson,  died  Jan. 
11, 1874,  age  seventy-two,  buried  at  Salona;  Rebecca, 
married  James  G.  Evans,  they  reside  near  Spring 
Mills ;  John ;  Samuel,  residing  near  Cedar  Springs, 
Clinton  Co. ;  Daniel ;  Susan,  married  Daniel  Kurtz ; 
Mary,  married  to  Michael  Eilert;  Sarah,  to  John 
Stout ;  and  Mrs.  Godfrey  Lowrey. 

Judge  Kryder  has  two  grandsons  who  are  ministers 


3T8 


HISTORY   OF   CENTEE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


of  the  German  Reformed  Church, — Rev.  L.  Kryder 
Evans,  of  Pottstown,  and  Rev.  John  M.  Evans,  Curlls- 
ville.  Clarion  Co.,  Pa. ;  J.  Wells  Evans,  another  grand- 
son, farms  the  old  place  of  his  grandfather,  Lott  Evans, 
in  Gregg  township. 

Paradise  Church  (Evangelical).— This  class  was 
organized  in  the  year  1830  by  the  Rev.  Philip  Wag- 
ner. The  first  members  were  John  Fiedler,  Sebas- 
tian Musser,  John  Falkert,  Adam  Zerby,  Conrad 
Epple,  James  Magee,  and  Benjamin  Epple,  with 
their  wives,  and  Mrs.  Neese  and  Jacob  and  Eliza- 
beth Neese. 

The^flrst  pastor  was  the  Rev.  Jacob  Barber.  In 
1835  an  edifice  was  erected  which  cost  six  hundred 
dollars,  mainly  at  the  expense  of  Sebastian  Musser, 
Conrad  Epple,  Jacob  Neese,  and  John  Falkert.  The 
ground  was  donated  by  Sebastian  Musser  and  Jacob 
Neese.  This  church  was  always  designated  as  Mus- 
ser's  Church,  and  has  become  historical  from  the  fact 
of  a  bishop  of  the  society.  Rev.  John  Seybert,  having 
been  elected  within  its  walls,  which  event  occurred  on 
the  25th  of  March,  1839.  There  were  present  at  that 
time  thirty-one  ministers. 

The  first  elder  that  presided  over  the  spiritual 
affairs  of  this  church  was  John  Seybert.  The  class 
increased  rapidly  in  numerical  strength  until  it 
reached  a  membership  of  seventy.  In  1869  the 
old  church  proved  inadequate.  It  was  accordingly 
replaced  by  the  present  structure,  at  a  cost  of  sixteen 
hundred  dollars,  that  amount  being  realized  by  sub- 
scription among  the  supporters  of  the  church. 

Sebastian  Musser  has  been  the  pillar  of  this  church 
for  a  period  of  nearly  fifty  years.  He  entered  the 
ministry  while  yet  a  young  man.  Although  a  farmer 
by  occupation,  he  has  served  his  Christian  brethren 
with  never-flagging  zeal  during  the  term  of  his  min- 
istry. During  his  pastoral  charge  of  this  class  it  at- 
tained its  greatest  degree  of  prosperity,  the  benign 
influence  of  his  religious  discourses  serving  as  a 
medium  througli  which  a  large  number  of  converts 
to  the  evangelical  faith  was  made.  Now  well  ad- 
vanced in  years,  he  has  retired  from  active  pulpit 
duties. 

The  present  members  are :  Liuderman  Wingert, 
class-leader;  Elias  Hoover,  exhorter;  Sebastian  Mus- 
ser, Andrew  Zerby,  Jacob  Snavely,  John  Musser, 
Peter  Zettle,  Louis  Snavely,  Mary  Emerick,  and 
Emanuel  Bauer. 

The  presiding  elder  in  this  district  is  David  Swen- 
gel.  Services  are  conducted  in  both  the  German  and 
English  languages. 

The  pastors  are  the  Revs.  P.  S.  Weidemeyer  and 
J.  M.  Dick. 

Township  Organization.— In  April,  1844,  sundry 
inhabitants  of  Haines  township  presented  to  the  court 
a  petition  asking  for  a  division  of  the  township  be- 
cause of  its  inconveniently  large  territory.  Sugges- 
tion was  likewise  made  that  the  new  township  might 
be  culled  out  of  a  part  of  Haines  and  about  a  mile  in 


width  of  Gregg.  The  court  appointed  as  commis- 
sioners Samuel  Pettit,  Michael  Shaeffer,  and  William 
Smyth,  Jr.,  who  in  August,  1844,  reported  a  survey 
of  the  proposed  township  as  follows :  Beginning  at 
the  Miles  township  line ;  thence  south  ten  degrees 
east  five  miles  through  the  settlement  to  be  continued 
about  five  miles  farther  to  the  Mifflin  County  line; 
thence  by  the  same  four  miles  and  fifty  perches; 
thence  north  ten  degrees  west  ten  miles  to  the  Miles 
township  line  ;  thence  by  the  same  four  miles  and 
fifty  perches  to  the  place  of  beginning.  November 
30,  1844,  the  court  confirmed  the  report,  and  named 
the  new  township  Penn.  The  civil  list  is  appended 
herewith : 

School  Directom. — 1845,  Peter  Mumbower,  Francis  Smith,  J.  J.  Rogers, 
S.  Mussner,  Philip  Dinger,  A.  Gross ;  1846,  John  Smith,  John  Alters ; 
1847,  Robert  Smith,  P.  B.  Musser;  1848,  Charles  Harkison,  John 
Detwiler  ;  1849,  John  Wise,  William  C.  Duncan;  1850,  John  Haster, 
Henry  Smith;  1S5I,  A.  Hoover,  George  SwartK;  1852,  D.A.  Euhl, 
Henry  Fidler;  1853,  Michael  Gephart,  William  Bauck  ;  1854,  John 
Detwiler,  Adam  Zerby  ;  1855,  John  Sankey,  Daniel  Kreamer  ;  1856, 
P.  Gephart,  John  Moyer;  1857,  A.  Alexander,  S.  Haupt,  Martin 
Drublense  ;  1858,  Samuel  Lose,  Jacob  Eishuth  ;  1859,  S.  Haupt,  G. 
W.  Stover;  1860,  H.  Krumrine,  Adam  Zerby  ;  ISO  1,  P.  T.  Musser, 
John  Detweiler;  1862,  A.  Alexander,  J.  Gephart;  1863,  William 
Smith,  David  Hosterman ;  1864,  John  Kerstetter,  Eeuben  Hart- 
man  ;  1865,  Daniel  Miller,  Jacob  Snavely  ;  1866,  Peter  Keen,  Philip 
Kryder  ;  1807,  William  Mauck,  Henry  Bollinger  ;  1868,  William 
Neese,  J.  Detwiler;  1869,  J.  B.  Mattern,  J.  M.  Bush;  1870,  D.  P. 
Houser,  E.  C.  Campbell;  1871,  Daniel  Gentzel,  B.  Kerstetter;  1872, 
H.  G.  Smith,  Adam  Hosterman;  1873,  Jacob  Alter,  H.  H.  Weiser  ; 
1874,  J. T.  Gentzel,  E.  Kel-stetter ;  1875,  C.  Alexander,  B.  F.  Fran- 
ken  berger;  1876,  F.  Kuarr,  John  Breon;  1877,  Samuel  Neese,  D.  S. 
Kei-stetter;  1878,  J.  H.  Frank,  J.  S.  Moyer;  1879,  G.  W.  Barter, 
Jacob  Sandei-s;  1880,  D.  K.  Gentzel,  Elias  Hoover;  1881,  Conrad 
Immel,  H.  E.  Duck. 

Justices  of  the  Peace.  —  Jacob  Barter,  Robert  Smith,  April  15,  1845 ; 
Robert  Smith,  Jacob  Harter,  March  12, 1850;  Samuel  Haupt,  Jr., 
March  13,  1855;  G.  W.  Stover,  March  I,  1855;  David  Hosterman, 
March  26,  1860;  B.  O.  Dcininger,  May  9,  1860;  Daniel  C.  Wilt, 
David  Hosterman,  April  6,1805;  James  P.  Smith,  March  22,1869; 
John  H.  Eeifsnyder,  Dec.  29, 1870;  Jacob  Emerick,  March  27, 1872; 
John  H.  Reifsnyder,Oct.  28, 1876;  J.  H.  Reifsnyder,  March  11,1876; 
Jacob  Emerick,  March  17, 1877;  H.  E.  Duck,  April  9, 1879. 

ConstaWc!.— 1845,  H.  A.  Zellers;  1846,  Henry  Smith;  1847,  Henry 
Smith;  1848,  John  Miller';  1849,  P.  Mesinger;  1850,  W.  H.  Smith  ; 
1861,  Michael  Zeigler;  1852,  George  Deisinger;  1863,  George  Deisin- 
ger;  1864,  George  Deisinger;  1855,  John  Miller;  1856,  John  Miller; 
1857,  John  Miller;  1858,  John  Miller;  1869,  John  Miller;  1860,  H. 
H.  Weiser;  1861,  H.  H.  Weiser ;  1862,  H.  H.  Weiser;  1863,  Henry 
Smith;  1864,  John  Reifsnyder;  1866,  J.  Reifsnyder;  1866,  J.  Reif- 
snyder; 1867,  J.  S.  Stover;1808,  J.  H.  Stover;  1669,  John  Miller; 
1870,  John  Miller;  1871,  John  H.  Auman;  1872,  John  W.  Zeigler; 
1873,  J.  H.  An  man  ;  1874,  Samuel  Otto:  1875,  Daniel  Geary  ;  1876, 
D.  Geary;  1877,  Michael  Lawrey;  1878,  M.  Lawrey;  1879,  D.  L. 
Geary  ;  1860,  D.  L.  Geary ;  1 881,  D.  L.  Geary. 

TAX-PAYERS   OF   PENN   IN  1845. 

Names.                                             Acres.  Horses.  Cattle. 

Henry  Alexander 83  2  3 

JamesAllison 200  4  3 

Philip  Auman 500  1  4 

John  Brosius.  ...  1 

Nicholas  Bressler 50  ...  1 

George  Bracht 28  1  1 

Christopher  Beam 27  2  2 

Joseph  Bricker  (house  and  lot) 

Matthew  Bechtel ...  1 

John  Boyer 110 

Samuel  G.  Bollinger  (house  and  lot) ...  1 

Solomon  Confer 75 

John  Coey ...  1 

John  Dutwiler 170  4  4 

'  John  Wise  appointed  instead. 


PBNN  TOWNSHIP. 


379 


Names. 
Philip  Dinges,  Jr.  (rulliag-niill,  cardirig- 

mill) 

John  DIngeB 

Philip  Dinges.Sr.  (saw-mill) 

Samuel  Dingos 

David  Dittou - 

George  Dininger  (house  and  lot) 

0.  P.  Dunciiu  (grist-mill,  saw-mill) 

John  Kmart 

Jacob  Ebert 

Beigamin  Epley  (house  and  lut) 

George  Etne  (house  and  lot) 

Jacob  Fitler 

Henry  Filler 

Samuel  Fisher 

Susanna  B'ieher 

John  Frank,  Sr.  (house  and  lot) 

Susanna  Fernsler  (house  and  lot) 

Michael  Gephart 

Samuel  Grabe 

Adam  Grabe 

Abram  Grabe 

"William  Grabe 

Jacob  Gauble 

Daniel    &    Henry  Gentzol    (clover-mill, 

saw-mill) 

George  Gentzel 

Abram  Ginirich 

Jacob  Heckman  (gentleman) 

C.  &  R.  HarkiBon  (wool  en -factory) 

George  Hoffman  (house  and  lot) 

David  Hanna  (house  and  lot) 

J.  K.  Hubler  (woolen-factory) 

John  Hoffman 

John  Herman 

Samuel  Hoover  (house  and  lot) 

Abram  Hoover  (house  and  lot) 

Daniel  Hoover  (house  and  lot) 

Andrew  Harter.Jr 

Peter  Hockman 

Edward  Harrison  (house  and  lot) 

John  Hubler 

Philip  Heunigh  (house  and  lot) 

Andrew  Immel 

Jacob  Immel  (house  and  lot) 

Daniel  Kreamer 

John  Kerstetter 

Leonard  Kerstetter  (saw-mill) 

Leonard  Kerstetter,  Jr 

Jacob  Kryder 

Daniel  Kreamer 

Rosina  Kreider 

John  Keen 

Adam  Krumrine  (house  and  lot) 

George  Keen 

Christopher  Kern 

William  Kramer 

Leonard  Kramer 

J.  L.  H.  Krumrine 

George  Kaup 

Jacob  Kreator,  Jr 

Jacob  Kreator,  Sr 

John  Kerstetter 

Widow  Koonz  (house  and  lot) 

George  Kopp 

Henry  Love  (house  and  lut) 

William  Lutz 

John  Louze  (house  and  lot) 

Solomon  Long 

Henry  Miller 

George  Miller 

Peter  Mumbower 

Frederick  Mochle 

John  and  Jacob  Moyer  (saw-mill) 

Christopher  Moyer 

Jacob  MT)yer 

Jacob  Moyer,  Sr * 

Sebastian  Mosser 

Daniel  Hinich 

George  Moyer 

Jonas  Phillips 

Peter  Neese,  Sr.  (house  and  lot) 

David  Neese ; 

John  Nerhuth  (house  and  lot) 

Philip  Neese 

Daniel  Rearicb  (house  and  lot) 

William  Rearich : 

Daniel  Rearich  (house  and  lot) 

George  Reider . 

George  Reider,  Jr 

Francis  Roush 

Solomon  Rutherotf  (clover-mill,  saw-mill) 

William  H.  Smith  (house  and  lot) 

Jacob  Snevely 

John  Snevely 

Robert  Shaw  (house  and  lot) 

John  Shaw 

Jacob  Smith  (house  and  lot) 

Michael  Stover 


HorseH,    Cattle 


Names.                                          Acrea.  Horaen.  Cattle. 

Barbara  Shroyor 22 

John  Shwartz  (house  and  lot) 

David  Stover 150  3  3 

John  Smith 30  ...  2 

Henry  Shraff  (house  and  lot) ...  1 

George  Swartz  (clover-mill,  saw-mill) 223  &  6 

Michael  Swartz  (house  and  lot) ...  1 

Jacob  Shafer ...  1 

Daniel  Strunk  (house  and  lot) ...  2 

Peter  Snyder  (house  and  lot) ...  I 

Henry  Smith,  Jr 55  ...  1 

Francis  Smith    50  1  2 

Robert  Smith 50  ...  2 

David  Shartzer 66  ...  1 

JohnShnevely.Jr 1 

Joseph  Smith 

Christina  Shroyer 

Samuel  Sliroyer  (house  and  lot) ...  1 

Adam  Wilt 153  3  4 

John  Wise 152 

Jesse  Wise  (house  and  lot) ...  1 

Joseph  Weaver 

John  Weis  (blacksmith) 7  12 

Andrew  Wenrich 200 

Henry  Yutz  (house  and  lot) 

Jacob  Yeatley 109  4  3 

Jonathan  Xander 136  3  2 

Adam  Zerby  (house  and  lot) 1  2 

Henry  Zerber 

Coburn. — Coburn  is  a  small  village  that  has  sprung 
into  existence  since  the  completion  of  the  Lewisburg, 
Centre  and  Tyrone  Railroad,  and  is  a  station  upon 
that  road.  It  is  the  main  distributing-point  for  Mill- 
heim,  Aaronsburg,  Woodward,  Madisonburg,  and 
Rebersburg.  It  is  named  in  honor  of  James  P.  Co- 
burn,  Esq.,  one  of  the  directors  of  the  aforesaid  cor- 
poration. It  is  distant  two  and  one-half  miles  from 
Millheim.  Further  than  its  being  a  shipping-point, 
no  particular  importance  is  attached  to  it.  It  contains 
one  hotel, — the  "  Forks  House," — one  store,  a  tailor- 
shop,  and  a  grain  elevator.  It  was  originally  known 
as  "  The  Forks,"  so  called  from  the  confluence  of 
Penn's  and  Pine  Creeks. 

Millheim  Turnpike  Road  Company.— On  April 
3,  1879,  J.  W.  Snook,  J.  H.  Reifsnyder,  J.  C.  Motz,  S. 
D.  Musser,  James  C.  Smith,  E.  C.  Campbell,  Frank- 
lin Knarr,  and  Jonathan  Kreamer  were  granted  a 
charter  for  the  construction  of  a  turnpike  road  to  lead 
from  Millheim  to  Coburn,  a  distance  of  two  and  one- 
half  miles.  They  immediately  advertised  for  propo- 
sals for  the  building  of  a  part  of  the  road,  and  in 
May,  1879,  awarded  the  contract  to  J.  H.  Reifsnyder 
and  H.  Z.  Bierly.  Later  on  the  contract  for  finishing 
the  road  and  building  of  toll-house  and  bridge  was 
awarded  to  J.  W.  Snook.  The  total  cost  of  the  road 
was  about  three  thousand  three  hundred  dollars.  The 
first  regular  election  was  held  Nov.  21,  1879.  J.  W. 
Snook  was  chosen  president ;  J.  H.  Reifsnyder,  secre- 
tary and  treasurer;  and  J.  W.  Snook,  J.  C.  Motz, 
Jonathan  Kreamer,  F.  Knarr,  and  E.  C.  Campbell, 
board  of  directors.  The  road  at  present  is  kept  in 
good  order,  and  a  considerable  revenue  is  derived 
therefrom.  The  officers  for  1881  are  the  same  as 
elected  in  1879,  except  Jonathan  Kreamer  and  F. 
Knarr,  who  withdrew  from  the  board  of  directors. 
The  superintendent  is  J.  W.  Snook. 

Sorough  Incorporation.— At  the  November  ses- 
sions in  1878  certain  citizens  of  the  village  of  Mill- 
heim presented  an  application  to  have  the  town  in- 
I  corporated  as  a  borough.     The  grand  jury  approved 


380 


HISTOKY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


of  the  application  November  27,  1878,  and  at  the 
sessions  in  January,  1879,  the  court  rendered  a  de- 
cree incorporating  the  borough  in  accordance  with 
the  petition. 

The  chief  borough  officials  chosen  in  1879,  1880, 
and  1881  are  here  named  : 

1879.— Burgess,  D.  L.  Zerby ;  Oouncil,  S.  G.  Gutelius,  William  Mauclt, 

Jonathan  Barter,  W.  R.  Haney,  E.  C.  Campbell,  Frank  Knarr;  Ae- 

lessor,  Jacob  Alters ;  Auditors,  F.  P.  Musser,  B.  F.  Miller,  B.  A.  Bu- 

miller;  School  Directors,  Aug,  Huey,  S.  H.  Moyer,  W.  K.  Weiser, 

H.  0.  Musser,  W.  P.  Cathermao,  Thomas  Frank. 
1880.— Burgess,  J.  C.  Smith ;  Couucil,  D.  H.  Mingle,  A.  C.  Musser,  D.  I.. 

Zerby,  F.  Catherman,  George  Eoyer,  K.  A.  Bumiller;  Assessor,  J. 

Alters;   Auditor,  J.  R.  Bair;    School  Directors,  S.  D.  Musser,  A. 

Walters. 
1881. — Burgess,  E.  0.  Campbell ;  Council,  J.  H.  Breon,  A.  C.  Musser,  J. 

Stoner,  G.  W.  Hartman,  H.  N.  Weiser,  F.  D.  Lose;  Assessor,  D.  L. 

Zerby;  Auditor,  B.  0.  Deininger;  School  Directors,  A.  Luckenbach, 

W.  R.  Weiser,  J.  Gephart. 
Justices  of  the  Peace.— J.  H.  Eeifsnyder,  March  11, 1876;  J.  H.  Eeifsny- 

der,  Feb.  18, 1881 ;  Jacob  Eisenhuth,  April  5, 1879. 

]IIilllieiin. — This  town  was  laid  out  by  Philip 
Gunkle,  who,  Nov.  1,  1797,  bought  eight  acres  and 
twenty-six  perches  of  the  Frederick  Uberlin  war- 
rantee of  Michael  Gunkle,  and  laid  out  part  of  the 
town  thereon.  The  main  portion  is  upon  the  John 
Cash  warrant,  which  was  sold  by  David  Shakespeare 
to  Michael  Gunkle,  also  Dec.  3, 1794.  The  western  end 
is  on  the  John  Harris  warrant  for  twenty-eight  acres 
and  one  hundred  and  fifteen  perches.  A  deed  was 
executed  by  Adam  Kreamer  to  Philip  Gunkle,  Feb. 
21,  1800.  At  the  time  (1798)  there  were  two  mills, 
— the  old  Hubler  mill,  which  stood  near  D.  A.  Mus- 
ser's  present  residence,  and  the  Gunkle  mill,  site  of 
D.  A.  Musser's  mill.  This  fact  suggested  the  name 
Millheim  ("home  of  the  mills"). 

The  earliest  separate  list  of  its  inhabitants  is  that 
of  1802:  Bre.ssler,  Michael,  tailor;  Confer,  Adam; 
Crotzer,  John,  Sr. ;  Crotzer,  John,  Jr. ;  Danneker, 
Peter ;  Hess,  Samuel ;  Killinger,  Jacob ;  Loyer, 
George;  Shaffer,  Jacob,  wagon-maker;  Shaeffer, 
Michael  (tavern  in  1806);  Smith,  Adams;  Smith, 
Charles;  Stephens,  Leonard ;  Wise,  Henry. 

In  1810  there  were  the  following  additional  resi- 
dents in  Millheim  : 


Baughman,  Paul,  shoemaker 
Betz,  John,  joiner. 
Buth,  widow. 
Breyfogle,  Jacob. 
Eelter,  Andrew,  tailor. 
Goodwin,  Benjamin,  tavern. 
Jones,  John,  tanner. 
Kreamer,  Michael,  saddler. 


Meese,  Christian. 

ShreiHer,  Charles,  bine  dyer, 

Shaffer,  Henry,  cooper. 

Straw,  Frederick. 

Troutman,  John. 

Weaver,  George,  nailer. 

Wentzel,  John. 

Westhover,  William,  physician. 


From  Maynard's  "  Industries  of  Centre  County" 
we  learn  that  Benjamin  and  Henry  Lees  formerly  had 
a  store  in  the  building  occupied  by  Elisha  Campbell. 
A  school-house  for  German  scholars  occupied  the  site 
of  Snooks'  store,  and  an  English  school-house  stood 
where  the  United  Brethren  Church  now  stands.  The 
earliest  dwellings  were  on  the  site  of  Jacob  Gephart's 
residence,  Daniel  Reighard's  house  (the  one  now  oc- 
cupied by  the  post-office),  and  John  Keene's  house. 
In  1812  a  company  was  organized  in  Millheim  and 


its  neighborhood.  Philip  Gunkle  was  first  chosen 
captain,  but  declined,  and  Capt.  Kleckner  was  chosen 
in  his  stead  ;  John  Jones  was  first  lieutenant,  and 
Daniel  Lutz  ensign.  The  names  of  the  privates  have 
not  been  preserved.  Among  them  were  John  Shaw, 
Joseph  Reighard,  Charles  Schreffler,  Charles  Fryer, 
who  is  said  to  have  been  the  last  survivor,  and  died 
in  1879.  Their  dress  was  blue  coats  with  red  trim- 
mings, and  buff  vests,  high  boots,  and  cockades.  This 
company  marched  to  Erie  early  in  September,  1812, 
and  thence  to  Black  Rock.  They  were  under  the 
command  of  a  Gen.  Smythe,  who  failed  as  an  officer, 
and  the  militia  came  off  without  being  discharged 
early  in  December,  and  with  such  speed  that  they 
were  stigmatized  years  afterwards  as  ""  the  Black 
Rock  Racers." 

Among  more  recent  inhabitants  were  Jacob  and 
John  Harter.  Jacob  Harter  was  a  justice  of  the 
peace  for  many  years,  and  died  at  the  age  of  ninety- 
one  years.  John  Harter,  a  wagon-maker,  served  his 
apprenticeship  at  Bellefonte,  and  then  entered  the 
employ  of  Jacob  Shaffer,  at  Millheim.  He  has 
reached  the  age  of  eighty-nine,  and  had  a  family  of 
ten  children.  One  of  his  daughters  married  J.  R. 
Purman,  of  Chester  County,  father  of  Hon.  W.  J. 
Purman,  late  member  of  Congress  from  Florida. 

In  1820  a  lot  had  been  donated  for  school  purposes 
by  James  Duncan  on  which  a  log  school-house  was 
erected.  In  18.57  a  town  hall  was  erected  by  subscrip- 
tion upon  this  lot.  It  is  of  two  stories,  the  lower  used 
for  school  purposes  and  the  upper  by  the  town 
authorities.  The  postmasters  of  the  place  have  been 
Daniel  Keen,  Jacob  Bollinger,  James  J.  Redgers,  M. 
N.  Roush,  W.  S.  Harter,  W.  C.  Duncan  ;  1853,  W.  L. 
Musser,  William  Thompson,  D.  A.  Ruhl.  Samuel 
Musser  is  the  present  incumbent. 

Dr.  Israel  Biglow  practiced  medicine  in  Millheim, 
succeeding  Dr.  Westhover.  In  1837,  Dr.  Biglow  re- 
moved to  Punxatawney.  After  him  came  Dr.  R.  A. 
Vanvalzah,  who  removed  to  Spring  Mills.  Dr.  P.  T. 
Musser  succeeded  him,  but  removed  to  Aaronsburg. 
Dr.  J.  P.  Kryder  succeeded  Dr.  Musser,  but  removed 
to  Ohio  in  1875;  then  came  Dr.  Stam,  who  remained 
but  a  short  time.  D.  G.  Mingle,  M.D.,  a  graduate  of 
Jefferson  College,  is  the  present  physician  resident  at 
Millheim. 

The  Millheim  Hotel  was  kept  as  early  as  1806  by 
Michael  Shaeffer.  He  was  succeeded  by  John  Gold- 
man, the  latter  by  Frederick  Mockley.  Jacob  Wert- 
ner  kept  in  1844.  In  1856,  William  L.  Musser  be- 
came landlord,  and  has  been  succeeded  by  his  son,  W. 
S.  Musser. 

The  site  of  Jonathan  Kreamer's  hotel  was  occupied 
by  a  log  tavern  built  by  Jacob  Schwentzel.  This 
building  was  burned.  After  some  time  John  Lash 
bought  the  lot  and  built  a  commodious  hotel.  W.  C. 
Duncan  purchased  it,  and  made  a  private  residence  of 
it,  but  it  was  again  turned  into  a  hotel  by  Tobias  Wet- 
zel. 


PENN  TOWNSHIP. 


381 


Of  the  earliest  stores  was  that  of  Keen  &  Mussina. 
Jacob  Bollinger  had  a  store  upon  the  site  of  the  print- 
ing-office, and  was  the  first  postmaster.  .James  James 
was  also  a  store-keeper  in  Millheim,  and  John  Toner 
erected  a  store  building  where  Mr.  Stam  is  now  lo- 
cated. Among  succeeding  merchants  were  William 
Roush,  Peter  Fisher,  George  Roush,  and  William  C. 
Duncan,  now  a  resident  of  Lewisburg. 

In  1826,  Michael  Gephart,  of  Union  County,  located 
at  Millheim.  Michael  died  in  1873.  His  children 
are  Jacob  and  J.  P.  Gephart,  Esq.,  late  member  of 
the  Legislature. 

D.  A.  Musser,  Esq.,  former  county  treasurer,  son  of 
Philip  B.,  and  grandson  of  Sebastian  Musser,  is 
a  prominent  resident  of  Millheim,  and  served  one 
term  as  county  treasurer.  The  Millheim  Journal  is 
noticed  in  the  general  history,  under  the  year  1827. 
The  Millheim  Marble- Works  were  established  by  Mr. 
Deininger  in  1843.  B.  O.  Deininger  and  A.  C.  Mus- 
ser carry  them  on  at  present. 

The  Millheim  Banking  Company  was  established 
March  15,  1872,  by  John  C.  Motz,  John  Keen,  and 
Elias  Kreamer,  under  the  firm-name  of  John  C.  Motz 
&  Co.  John  C.  Motz  was  chosen  president,  and  A. 
AValter  cashier.  Feb.  1,  1878,  the  capital  was  in- 
creased, as  also  was  the  number  of  stockholders.  They 
effected  a  reorganization  by  the  election  of  David 
Krape  as  president,  J.  H.  Reifsnyder  vice-president, 
and  A.  Walter  cashier,  and  changed  their  firm-name 
to  that  used  at  present. 

Evang'elical  Association. — The  organization  of 
this  body  dates  back  to  the  year  1806,  at  which  time 
a  class  was  formed  by  Paul  Bachman,  Abraham 
Ream,  David  Mark,  and  George  Swartz.  Meetings 
were  held  for  a  number  of  years  in  the  barn  of  the 
latter.  In  1814  a  camp-meeting  was  held  on  the 
same  ground.  Services  were  conducted  in  private 
houses  also,  and  up  to  1841  they  made  use  occasion- 
ally of  the  old  school-house  which  stood  on  the  site 
of  the  town-hall.  In  that  year  the  present  church 
was  built,  the  ground  having  been  donated  by  James 
Duncan.  Those  who  joined  the  association  in  later 
years  were  the  Barters,  Deiniugers,  Kreamers,  Gep- 
harts,  Hostermans,  and  Motzes. 

Methodist  Churci. — The  Methodists  had  no  regu- 
lar organization  until  about  1840,  at  which  time  they 
worshiped  in  the  Evangelical  Church,  under  an  agree- 
ment to  conduct  their  services  so  as  not  to  interfere 
with  those  of  the  Evangelicals.  It  is  not  positively 
known  who  founded  the  Methodist  body  at  Millheim, 
but  it  is  generally  credited  to  a  Mr.  Bachman,  who 
was  a  pioneer  itinerant  preacher,  and  very  zealous  in 
his  gospel  duties. 

The  present  Methodist  Church,  which  is  of  brick, 
was  built  in  1856.  The  present  pastor  is  J.  B.  Akers, 
with  residence  at  Pen n  Hall,  Gregg  township. 

United  Brethren  Church. — The  United  Brethren 
Church  was  organized  at  a  very  early  day.  They 
formerly  worshiped  in   the  old  school-house   which 


stood  where  their  church  now  stands.  The  latter  was 
built  about  1863.  One  of  their  first  preachers  was 
named  Gingrich.      Those   who   labored   there  later 

were Hommel,  J.  M.  Smith,  and  J.  F.  Tallhelm, 

the  latter  being  the  last  to  preside.  There  is  no  reg- 
ular preacher  at  present.  The  officers  are  Dennis 
Lose,  Freeman  Lose,  and  Reed  Alexander,  tru.stees ; 
class-leader,  Henry  K.  Lose;  assistant  class-leader, 
Dennis  Lose. 

St.  John's  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church.— April 
28,  1877,  the  first  meeting  was  held  to  form  the  above 
church,  but  nothing  definite  was  arrived  at  until  a 
second  meeting,  when  an  organization  was  effected. 
A  charter  was  granted  Dec.  1, 1877,  to  Thoma.s  Frank, 
B.  O.  Deininger,  H.  E.  Duck,  A.  A.  Frank,  A.  O. 
Deininger,  Frederick  Catherman,  Jonathan  Harter, 
S.  D.  Musser,  R.  A.  Bumiller,  and  W.  P.  Catherman. 
Their  first  election  of  officers  was  held  May  5,  1878, 
at  which  time  John  Tomlinson  was  chosen  pa.stor, 
Henry  E.  Duck  and  Thomas  Frank,  elders;  S.  D.  Mus- 
ser and  B.  O.  Deininger,  deacons ;  Jonathan  Harter, 
trustee.  The  membership  at  the  outset  numbered  fif- 
teen. They  held  their  services  at  the  United  Brethren 
Church,  and  still  continue  to  do  so,  their  Sabbath- 
school  being  united  to  that  body.  During  the  spring 
of  1881  the  congregation  had  largely  increased,  and 
a  suitable  place  of  worship  was  needed.  Accordingly 
a  plot  of  ground  was  donated  to  the  church  by  J.  H. 
Musser,  J.  W.  Snook,  B.  0.  Deininger,  and  J.  H. 
Reifsnyder,  and  the  erection  of  a  handsome,  modern- 
built,  brick  edifice  was  immediately  begun. 

Burial-Places. — At  a  very  early  period,  as  early 
probably  as  1800,  Joseph  Reighard  set  apart  a  small 
plot  of  land  adjoining  his  farm  to  be  used  by  him  as 
a  burial-place;  by  his  permission,  however,  it  soon 
came  in  general  use.  It  is  said  to  contain  the  re- 
mains of  most  of  the  old  settlers. 

Millheim  Cemetery  Associatiox.— The  Mill- 
heim Cemetery  Association  was  organized  April  24, 
1857.  May  1st  of  the  same  year  the  present  location 
was  purchased,  consisting  of  about  one  and  one- 
quarter  acres,  and  laid  out  in  lots.  At  the  first  elec- 
tion, held  May  24,  1857,  the  following  officers  were 
chosen  :  Jesse  Mauck,  president ;  W.  H.  Young,  sec- 
retary ;  W.  C.  Duncan,  Samuel  Lose,  and  Daniel 
Kreamer,  trustees. 

The  present  officers  of  the  association  are  William 
Mauck,  president;  J.  H.  Reifsnyder,  secretary;  W. 
R.  Weiser,  E.  Lose,  Jacob  Alter,  B.  O.  Deininger,  and 
J.  H.  Reifsnyder,  trustees. 

The  Merchants'  BuUding  and  Loan  Association 
was  incorporated  Dec.  1,  1874.  An  organization  was 
efi'ected  Feb.  8,  1875,  by  the  election  of  the  following 
officers  :  A.  Walter,  president ;  S.  K.  Faust,  vice- 
president ;  B.  O.  Deininger,  secretary;  J.  H.  Reif- 
snyder, treasurer.  The  association  met  encourage- 
ment from  the  outset,  and  is  to-day  in  a  flourishing 
condition.  The  object  is  mainly  to  assist  the  working 
classes  in  obtaining  homes  of  their  own. 


382 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Millheim  Lodge,  I.  0.  0.  F.,  was  organized  March 
26, 1878.  The  following  are  the  present  officers :  R.  B. 
Hartman,  N.  G.  ;  B.  F.  Stover,  V.  G.  ;  C.  W.  Hartman, 
Sec. ;  W.  L.  Bright,  A.  S.  ;  W.  N.  Aunian,  Warden. 

Providence  Grange,  No.  217,  P.  of  H.,  was  organ- 
ized April  14,  1874.  Tlie  original  promoters  were  C. 
Alexander,  A.  O.  Deininger,  W.  R.  Alexander,  J. 
Kerstetter,  Jonathan  Harter,  Andrew  Stover,  Wni. 
Wolf,  and  some  others.  The  officers  elected  at  the 
first  meeting  were  C.  Alexander,  M. ;  F.  Bowersox, 
O. ;  T.  G.  Earhart,  L.  ;  Jacob  Kerstetter,  S.  ;  Eman- 
uel ^Kerstetter,  A.  S. ;  Elias  Kreamer,  Chaplain ; 
Andrew  Stover,  Treas. ;  D.  L.  Zerby,  Sec.  ;  John 
Love,  G.  K. ;  A.  Maggie  Keen,  Ceres;  Elmira  Sto- 
ver, L.  A.  S. ;  Harriet  Kerstetter,  Pomona  ;  Fannie 
Kreamer,  Flora. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH. 


HON.   WILLIAM    KELLER    ALEXANDER. 

Hon.  William  Keller  Alexander  was  born  in  Har- 
ris township  May  10,  1840.  His  great-grandfather 
was  Josiah  Alexander,  of  whom  a  notice  will  be 
found  in  the  biographical  portion  of  this  history. 
James  Alexander  (grandfather  of  William  K.)  came 
to  Penn's  valley  from  Maryland  in  1795,  and  settled 
as  a  tenant  upon  one  of  the  Potter  farms,  one  mile 
east  of  the  Old  Fort,  and  he  and  his  sons  lived  there 
for  fifty-five  years.  James  Alexander  died  in  July, 
1830,  leaving  the  following  children  :  Josiah,  Francis, 
Amos,  James,  Elizabeth,  and  Rachel.  Josiah  married 
a  daughter  of  William  Pettit,  Esq.  ;  Francis  married 
Letitia  McElroy,  and  remained  upon  the  old  place 
until  1847  ;  Amos  was  married  Feb.  20,  1837,  to  Eliz- 
abeth, daughter  of  Christian  Keller,  and  moved  to 
the  Potter  place  in  1847,  which  he  left  in  1850  for  one 
of  Dr.  Wilson's  farms.  In  1854  he  purchased  and 
moved  to  what  was  known  as  the  Judge  Kryder  farm, 
in  Penn  township.  In  1861  he  was  elected  county 
commissioner,  serving  until  1865.  After  that  he  pur- 
chased the  property  of  John  V.  Forster,  in  Millheim, 
and  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits.  He  died  in 
Millheim,  March  1,  1881,  aged  sixty-nine  years,  six 
months,  and  twenty-nine  days. 

William  K.  Alexander  was  born  on  the  Van  Tries 
farm,  and  in  his  boyhood  assisted  in  the  labors  of  the 
farm,  and  when  fifteen  years  of  age  was  sent  to  school. 
After  attending  a  number  of  terms  at  different  acade- 
mies,— Aaronsburg,  Jacksonville,  and  Academia, — 
he  was  sent  to  Dickinson  Seminary,  at  Williamsport. 
Ill  health  compelled  him  to  abandon  his  studies  there 
in  1863,  and  he  entered  into  the  employ  of  John  V. 
Forster,  then  the  principal  merchant  of  Millheim. 
In  1864,  on  account  of  his  health,  Mr.  Alexander 
traveled  through  the  West,  visiting  Chicago  when  the 
convention  which  nominated  Gen.  McClellan  met 
there. 


In  1865,  when  liis  father  purchased  the  John  V. 
Forster  property,  William  K.  became  associated  with 
him  in  the  mercantile  and  grain  business,  and  by 
careful  business  habits  and  conduct  he  rose  in  the 


_/^^^^^   ^^^^t^^^^-^u^^ 


esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens,  and  upon  the  death  of  S. 
S.  Wolf  (who  died  before  taking  his  seat  in  the  House 
of  Representatives  of  Pennsylvania),  at  a  special  elec- 
tion held  Feb.  16,  1875,  William  K.  Alexander  was 
elected  to  fill  the  vacancy.  In  the  fall  of  1876  he 
was  re-elected  for  the  further  term  of  two  years,  al- 
together representing  Centre  County  four  years  in  the 
legislative  halls  at  Harrisburg.  In  1881,  Mr.  Alex- 
ander made  another  extensive  tour,  going  as  far  south 
as  Texas,  and  visiting  the  Indian  Territory,  Kansas, 
etc.  At  present  he  is  extensively  engaged  in  the 
grain  and  coal  business  at  Coburn  Station  in  connec- 
tion with  F.  P.  Musser. 

Mr.  Alexander  married  Sarah  E.,  daughter  of  Jesse 
Mauck,  of  Millheim,  April  30,  1872.  They  have  but 
one  child, — Lydia  Florence  Alexander. 


CHAPTER    LXXXI. 

PHILIPSBURG    BOROUGH. 

Philipsbueg  Borough,  lying  in  the  mountain- 
ous region  of  Rush  township,  on  theMoshannon  Creek, 
five  hundred  and  forty-five  feet  above  Tyrone,  and 
six  hundred  below  the  mountain  summit,  is  a  stirring, 


PHILIPSBURG   BOROUGH. 


383 


enterprising  town  of  about  eighteen  hundred  inhab- 
itants. The  interests  that  sustain  it  lie  chiefly  in  the 
lumbering  and  coal-mining  operations  carried  on  in 
the  adjacent  territory,  covering  portions  of  Centre 
and  Clearfield  Counties.  Benefit  is  likewise  derived 
from  a  near-by  agricultural  region,  but  this  latter  is 
found  almost  wholly  in  Clearfield  County.  There  is 
railway  communication  with  Tyrone  and  Clearfield 
by  the  Tyrone  and  Clearfield  Railroad,  and  by  a 
branch  road  with  Morrisdale,  in  Clearfield  County. 
The  coal  mined  on  the  Moshannon,  in  Clearfield 
County,  near  Philipsburg,  is  shipped  from  the  latter 
point,  and  reaches  yearly  a  vast  volume,  upwards  of 
two  hundred  thousand  tons.  As  an  evidence  of  the 
amount  of  freight  traffic  passing  over  the  Tyrone 
Division  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  it  may  be 
stated  that  during  the  year  1880  there  were  forwarded 
689,163  tons  of  coal.  The  weekly  shipments  of  lum- 
ber reach  one  hundred  and  forty  cars,  and  of  miscel- 
laneous freights,  one  hundred  and  sixty-four  cars. 
The  borough  contains  numerous  handsome  resi- 
dences and  fine  business  blocks.  Among  the  latter 
are  the  following :  the  bank  block,  built  by  Julia  and 
Mary  Hale  in  1879,  at  a  cost  of  fifteen  thousand  dol- 
lars ;  the  two  Potter  blocks  and  Potter  House,  built 
respectively  in  1869,  1871,  and  1876,  at  a  total  cost  of 
twenty-four  thousand  dollars ;  the  Taylor  &  Mc- 
Cousland  blocks,  costing  eight  thousand  dollars,  and 
built  in  1876  ;  the  Foster  block,  costing  eight  thou- 
sand dollars  ;  the  Kepler  &  Huflington  block,  built 
by  Dr.  Hoop  in  1859 ;  the  Loyd  House,  by  Robert 
Loyd  in  1861 ;  the  Nelson  block,  in  1861 ;  the  Car- 
lisle block,  in  1862 ;  the  Gray  block,  and  the  Gray, 
Wolf  &  Co.  building,  completed  in  the  fall  of  1881 
at  a  cost  of  fifteen  thousand  dollars.  The  hotels  of 
Philipsburg  are  the  Potter  House,  Loyd  House, 
Passmore  House,  Taylor  House,  and  Ramsdale 
House. 

Philipsburg  has  frequently  been  visited  with  disas- 
trous fires,  of  which  the  most  severe  occurred  June 
30,  1876.  It  swept  away  more  than  twenty  buildings, 
and  involved  a  loss  of  upwards  of  seventy-five  thou- 
sand dollars.  Among  the  brick  edifices  burned  was 
the  Moshannon  House,  and  the  three-story  brick 
mansion  built  by  Dr.  John  McGirk  in  1873.  Dr. 
McGirk's  house  is  said  to  have  been  at  that  time  the 
finest  residence  in  Centre  County. 

The  Founders  of  Philipsburg.— The  compiler  is 
indebted  to  George  Shultz,  Esq.,  for  the  following 
notices  of  Philipsburg  in  early  times  and  its  first  in- 
habitants : 

A  large  tract  of  wild  land,  situated  in  what  is  now 
known  as  Centre,  Clearfield,  Cambria,  and  Indiana 
Counties,  Pa.,  was  owned  by  some  Englishmen  by  the 
names  of  Philips  and  Baker,  who,  about  the  year 
1794,  decided  to  make  a  settlement  upon  it.  Two 
surveyors,  named  Behe  and  Treziyulny,  were  sent  out 
to  lay  out  a  town.  They  selected  a  spot  on  the  east- 
ern bank  of  a  creek  by  the  Indian  name  of  Mo-shan- 


non, some  distance  above  the  mouth  of  Cold  Stream 
Creek,  and  called  it  Mo-shan-non  town.  To  induce 
settlers  to  emigrate  to  this  new  town,  Messrs.  Philips 
offered  each  of  the  first  twelve  a  premium  of  a  town 
lot  and  four  acres  of  ground.  After  some  delay  the 
agents  induced  the  required  twelve  to  emigrate  to  the 
wilderness  where  this  town  was  located.  Their  names 
were  as  follows :  Dr.  Conrad  Bergman,  from  Upper 
Saxony  ;  Joseph  Barth,  of  Strasburg,  in  Alsace ;  Jacob 
Deimeling,  of  Wiirtemburg;  Klumbach,  from  some 
part  of  Germany  ;  Christian  Rees,  from  Hesse  Castle; 
Shilloh,  from  Germany ;  Leary,  from  the  north  of 
Ireland ;  Rev.  Leipoldt,  from  Germany ;  McAuley, 
from  Scotland ;  Jacob  Meyer,  from  Germany ;  John 
H.  Simler,  from  Saxe  Coburg  ;  and  John  G.  Shultz, 
from  Madgeburg,  in  Lower  Saxony.  It  will  be  ob- 
served that  these  men  were  all  from  Europe,  and  not 
one  American  among  them.  They  did  not  emigrate 
direct  from  Europe  :  Simler,  for  example,  came  over 
in  1780  as  a  volunteer  in  Armand's  Corps,  and  fought 
for  American  independence,  and  most  of  them  had 
no  doubt  been  in  the  country  for  some  time,  probably 
in  Huntingdon  County,  on  which  point  perhaps  the 
following  advertisement  throws  some  light : 

'*  SETTLEMENT  OF  PHILIPSBURG,  ON  THE  MCSHAN.VON. 

*'  Whereas  several  persons  bave  left  the  above  Settlement,  and  are  now 
supposed  to  be  in  Huntingdon  oi*  the  Neighborhood. — This  is  to  give  no- 
tice that  unless  they  return  on  or  before  the  first  of  January  next,  their 
improvementB  will  be  considered  as  forfeited  to  the  Company  and  dis- 
posed of  conformably  with  the  agreements. 

"James  Philips. 
"Huntingdon,  26th  Nov.,  1S02." 

When  they  reached  Moshannon  town  they  found 
it  a  howling  wilderness,  covered  with  a  heavy  forest, 
the  habitation  of  wild  animals,  there  being  no  indi- 
cations of  civilization  save  a  few  axe-marks  on  the 
trees  showing  the  location  of  the  streets.  The  high- 
way leading  to  this  mountain  town  or  village  was  a 
foot-path  leading  from  Bellefonte,  which  place  had 
been  settled  a  few  years  previous,  and  the  only  meaus 
of  transportation  was  on  horseback  or  the  shoulders 
of  footmen.  Some  of  these  pioneers  soon  became 
discouraged  and  turned  their  faces  eastward. 

Others  remained,  built  dwellings  which  they  occu- 
pied some  time,  and  then  journeyed  eastward.  Rees 
and  Simler  stayed  a  long  time  and  finally  left.  Shultz 
is  the  only  one  of  the  twelve  who  remained  to  the  end 
of  his  life.  The  first  house  (with  the  exception  of  a 
few  huts  for  temporary  shelter)  was  built  of  round 
logs  by  John  G.  Shultz.  This  was  followed  soon  after 
by  John  Henry  Simler,  who  built  the  first  house  of 
hewn  logs.  Shultz's  house  was  situated  on  the  south- 
east corner  of  Presque-Isle  aud  Second  Streets,  and 
Simler's  on  the  corner  of  Laurel  aud  Front  Streets 
(now  Pierce's  corner).  There  was  at  that  time  a 
number  of  Indians  in  this  locality,  who  had  an  en- 
campment on  the  right  bank  of  the  Moshannon,  just 
below  where  the  turnpike  now  crosses  it.  Thev 
belonged  to  the  Cornplanters  tribe,  were  generally 
peaceable,  and  gave  the  settlers  little  or  no  trouble. 


384 


HISTOKY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


The  Philipses  offered  a  premium  of  a  town  lot  with- 
out any  out  lot  to  the  second  twelve,  provided  they 
would  each  build  a  house  of  hewn  logs.  Samuel 
Turner  is  the  only  one  now  known  who  received  that 
premium.  His  house  stood  on  the  southeast  corner 
of  Presque-Isle  and  Front  Streets,  where  G.  Munson's 
residence  now  stands.  Jacob  Wise,  Carothers,  Dill- 
man,  Fetters,  Peter  Young,  Joseph  Earls,  and  others 
followed  the  pioneers  and  settled  here. 

During  the  year  1796  the  State  road  was  opened, 
and  in  1797  Henry  and  James  Philips  came,  bring- 
ing with  them  a  number  of  men,  whom  they  set  to 
work  clearing  land  and  making  other  improvements. 
They  built  for  themselves  a  house  of  hewn  logs  on 
the  southeast  corner  of  Front  and  Pine  Streets  (op- 
posite the  Loyd  House),  and  farther  down  on  the 
opposite  side  of  Front  Street,  on  the  State  road,  they 
built  a  large  barn  of  hewn  logs,  which  was  known 
for  years  as  the  "  big  barn."  They  also  built  a  grist- 
mill and  saw-mill  on  Cold  Stream.  Henry,  James, 
and  Nat.  Philips  left  their  business  to  a  foreman, 
Treziyulny,  while  they  spent  most  of  their  time  in 
hunting  and  fishing,  of  which  they  seemed  very  fond. 
After  some  time  they  left  Moshannon  town,  leaving 
their  business  with  two  agents  named  Barlow  and 
Fetwell.  In  1809,  Hardman  Philips  came,  and  caused 
the  first  improvements  to  be  made. 

In  addition  to  those  who  settled  immediately  in 
the  town  and  at  Cold  Stream  mills,  there  were  those 
who  bought  land  and  cleared  farms  in  1803,  as  fol- 
lows: Kylers,  Schmel,  Shimmel,  and  Weiser,  who 
cleared  farms  beyond  the  Moshannon  Creek,  on  the 
old  State  road.  John  Coulter  cleared  a  farm  and 
built  a  house  at  what  is  now  known  as  Troy's  bridge, 
and  farther  down  the  creek  Anderson  cleared  some 
land.  Abraham  Goss,  Valentine  Flegal,  John  Crowel, 
Nicholas  Kephart  and  a  man  by  the  name  of  Winters 
cleared  farms.  Flegal's  place  is  now  known  as  "Stein- 
er's,"  and  Winters'  farm  is  the  town  of  Osceola. 

During  the  year  1817,  Hardman  Philips  built  a 
forge  on  Cold  Stream,  near  the  old  mill,  which  gave 
employment  to  a  number  of  men.  About  this  time 
William  Bagshaw  came  and  became  general  manager, 
holding  the  position  many  years. 

During  the  war  with  Great  Britain,  in  1813,  a  de- 
tachment of  soldiers  on  their  way  to  the  northern 
frontier  encamped  in  Philipsburg  about  a  week,  wait- 
ing for  other  companies  to  join  them  here.  During 
that  time  they  raised  a  pole,  on  which  they  displayed 
the  Stars  and  Stripes,  much  to  the  disgust  of  several 
Tories  who  lived  here,  and  who  by  their  outspoken 
demonstration  would  have  been  severely  punished  by 
the  soldiers,  but  for  the  earnest  entreaty  for  mercy  by 
the  loyal  inhabitants. 

The  first  tavern  was  kept  by  John  G.  Shultz,  the 
next  by  Simler,  and  the  next  by  an  Englishman  named 
Wrigley,  who  bought  two  squares  of  town  lots  on  both 
sides  of  Presque-Isle  Street,  between  Front  Street  and 
Moshannon  Creek,  and   built  the  largest  house  in 


town.  He  also  bought  a  large  tract  of  meadow  land, 
a  part  of  the  "  Beaver  Dam."  In  the  spring  of  1817, 
Jacob  Test  and  James  McGirk  came  from  Bellefonte 
and  bought  the  Wrigley  property,  and  kept  the  only 
tavern  in  town  for  many  years.  They  built  a  tannery 
at  the  same  time. 

The  first  attempt  at  keeping  store  was  by  Mr. 
Treziyulny.  He  was  followed  by  Wrigley,  who  gave 
place  to  John  Loraine,  who  was  the  first  justice  of  the 
peace  in  Philipsburg. 

In  1820  the  turnpike  to  Curwensville  was  made. 
In  1821  the  bridge  across  the  Moshannon  was  com- 
pleted, and  a  turnpike  made  from  Philipsburg  to 
Bellefonte,  and  a  stage  line  was  started  from  Phila- 
delphia to  Erie. 

Hardman  Philips  built  a  screw-factory  at  what  is 
now  known  as  Point  Lookout,  which  was  the  first 
screw-factory  in  the  United  States. 

In  1844,  Hardman  Phillips  sold  his  estate  in  Amer- 
ica to  Ulmann  &  Stanley,  of  New  York,  and  returned 
to  England.  The  new  firm  abandoned  their  project 
of  engaging  in  the  manufacture  of  iron,  on  account  of 
the  repeal  of  the  tariff,  and  in  about  two  years  threw 
up  their  bargain  and  returned  to  New  York.  The 
estate  a  few  years  afterwards  was  sold  to  Morgan,  Hale 
&  Co.,  of  New  York,  who  still  own  what  is  left  of  it. 

Hardman  Philips  at  an  early  day  made  an  attempt 
to  get  a  railroad  across  the  mountain,  and  had  a  corps 
of  engineers  to  survey  the  route.  His  efforts  did  not 
succeed,  and  not  till  1863  did  the  iron  horse  make  his 
appearance  in  Philipsburg. 

Mr.  Schultz,  the  writer  of  the  above  sketch,  is  a  son 
of  John  Shultz,  one  of  the  original  twelve  settlers. 
Dr.  Bergman,  after  practicing  a  number  of  years  in 
Centre  County,  returned  to  Huntingdon  County.  The 
first  child  born  in  the  settlement  was  a  daughter  of 
McCauley,  who  lived  on  the  lot  now  occupied  by  Al- 
fred Jones'  wagon-shop.  In  1800  three  boys  were 
born  in  the  place, — Jacob  Wise,  George  Turner,  and 
Henry  Treziyulny.  George  Turner  Is  still  living  in 
Clearfield  County. 

John  Henry  Simler  was  a  Frenchman,  who  en- 
listed in  the  first  partisan  legion,  Gen.  Armand's,  In 
November,  1780,  in  the  city  of  Paris,  being  then 
twenty-nine  years  old.  Armand  was  a  French  mar- 
quis, who  had  been  ten  years  in  military  service  be- 
fore he  came  to  this  country,  and  was  commissioned 
a  colonel  in  1777.  After  Gates'  defeat  at  Camden, 
Aug.  16,  1780,  Armand  returned  to  France  to  recruit 
men  and  procure  clothing.  He  recruited  and  brought 
over  a  large  number  of  men,  and  among  them  Simler. 
The  only  actions  Simler  participated  In  were  at  James- 
town Island,  Va.,  under  Lafayette,  and  the  capture  of 
Cornwallis  at  Yorktown,  In  1781.  He  was  wounded 
In  the  forehead  and  eye  by  a  sabre,  and  retained  the 
scar  until  his  death.  He  was  discharged  from  the 
service  in  Philadelphia  in  1783.  He  married  and 
settled  in  Philadelphia.  In  1793  he  lost  his  wife  by 
the  yellow  fever,  and  married  a  second  time. 


nilLIPSBUllG  BOROUGH. 


385 


In  1797  lie  removed  to  Pliilipsburg,  where  he 
erected  the  first  house.  This  he  sold  to  Hardinan 
Philips  in  1822.  He  was  a  shoemaker  by  trade. 
He  went  to  Philadelphia  in  1829,  and  died  there. 
He  was  a  sober,  frugal,  and  industrious  man  (so  said 
Hardman  Philips),  had  three  children,  all  married. 
Capt.  Henry  Simler,  a  grandson,  resides  in  Philips- 
burg,  and  the  grandfather's  sword  is  still  in  posses- 
sion of  the  family. 

Josepli  Earls  was  a  famous  hunter,  and  the  hero  of 
an  elk-chase  that  lasted  three  days.  He  is  said  to 
have  killed  the  last  elk  seen  in  this  region.  He 
lived  to  be  more  than  ninety. 

Dr.  John  Plumbe  was  connected  with  Hardman 
Philips  in  developing  the  business  interests  of  Phil- 
ipsburg.  He  went  to  England  in  1820,  and  returned 
that  year  with  several  persons,  whom  he  had  secured 
as  screw-makers,  forge,  and  farm  hands.  Cliarles 
Loyd  was  among  the  number,  and  after  working 
a  while  in  the  screw-factory  took  charge  of  Philips  & 
Plumbe's  farm  near  the  factory,  and  kept  also  a 
boarding-house  for  the  hands.  Philips  &  Plumbe 
were  extensively  engaged  in  farming  and  in  the 
raising  of  stock.  Squire  Matley  was  for  many  years 
their  farmer.  Dr.  Plumbe  occupied  the  house  now 
the  home  of  W.  W.  Hale.  Hardman  Philips  built 
and  lived  in  the  house  now  known  as  the  Hale  man- 
sion. Loyd,  the  father  of  Robert  Loyd,  died  on  the 
Moshannon.  Dr.  Plumbe  removed  to  the  far  West 
in  183G.  He  committed  suicide  at  Dubuque,  Iowa, 
in  July,  1857.  Thomas  Lever  was  brought  over  from 
England  by  Dr.  Plumbe  to  take  charge  of  the  screw- 
factory,  and  for  him  Mr.  Philips  caused  to  be  built 
the  stone  house  now  occupied  by  Alfred  Jones, — the 
first  and  only  stone  dwelling  ever  erected  in  Philips- 
burg.  William  McLellan  was  one  of  Philips  & 
Plumbe's  trusted  employes  about  1820.  Mrs.  Ath- 
erton  and  Mrs.  Chester  Munson  are  his  daughters. 

Daniel  Ayers,  now  the  oldest  resident  of  Philips- 
burg,  came  to  the  town  in  1818  with  his  fatlier,  Jacob 
Ayers,  from  Bedford  Oounty.  Mr.  Ayers  remembers 
that  at  that  time  there  were  in  thetown  eight  families 
besides  those  of  Mr.  Philips  and  Dr.  Plumbe.  Chris- 
tian Walters,  a  collier,  was  the  only  one  of  the  eight 
that  lived  in  a  framed  house.  Besides  Walters,  there 
were  J.  H.  Simler,  the  village  shoemaker ;  Philip  Pen- 
cer,  a  laborer  ;  Andrew  Kephart,  a  teamster ;  Test  & 
McGirk,  the  tavern-keepers  ;  Job  England,  the  village 
blacksmith  ;  John  Lorain,  store-keeper,  justice,  and 
postmaster;  and  John  Shultz.  The  latter,  of  whom 
mention  has  already  been  made,  died  near  Philips- 
burg  in  1844.  His  sons,  Henry  and  George,  now  re- 
side in  Clearfield  County. 

James  Allport,  whose  widow  now  resides  in  Philips- 
burg,  came  from  England  in  1828,  and  bought  largely 
of  lands  in  Clearfield  County,  near  Philipsburg.  In 
1831  he  married  a  daughter  of  Andrew  Hunter,  one 
of  Centre  County's  pioneers,  and  made  his  home  in 
Clearfield  County.     He  died  in  Morrisdale  in  1853. 


Mr.  Allport  has  left  a  journal  of  the  we'stern  trip  he 
made  in  1828,  from  which  is  taken  the  following  ex- 
tract : 

"  Wednesday,  May  7,  1828.— Left  Bellefonle  for 
Philipsburg  in  company  with  Messrs.  Clyde,  John- 
son, Squire  Shaw,  McNall,  and  '  Mosey'  (stage-<lriver), 
all  gentlemen  from  Clearfield.  We  dejiarted  at  one- 
thirty  P.M.,  and  reached  Philipsburg  at  11  p.m.  Slept 
two  in  a  bed  and  four  in  a  room  at  the  Philipsburg 
hotel,  kept  by  James  McGirk.  We  were  kindly  re- 
ceived by  Mr.  Philips.  He  then  conducted  us  to  his 
forge  and  screw-mill,  and  showed  us  his  native  heaver- 
dams.  At  dinner  we  met  Dr.  Plumbe  and  Dr.  Mc- 
Leod  and  their  wives,  Mr.  Smith,  and  Mr.  Eytinge. 
We  took  tea,  played  billiards,  etc." 

Mr.  J.  B.  Runk  has  placed  in  our  hands  a  copy  of 
"A  Bill  of  Rates  for  to  regulate  Carpenter  work  in 
the  Town  and  vicinity  of  Philipsburg,  Centre  County, 
agreed  upon  by  the  undersigned  subscribers  the  eighth 
day  of  July,  A.D.  1826,"  which  was  picked  up,  strange 
to  say,  fifty-eight  years  after  it  was  signed,  in  Kandi- 
yohi County,  Min.,  by  W.  O.  Graham,  and  by  him 
given  to  Mr.  Runk.  It  is  an  exhaustive  schedule,  giv- 
ing the  price  for  making  eavh  particular  large  timber 
required  in  building  a  house,  and  but  for  its  length  we 
would  produce  it  entire.  A  few  selections  may  pos- 
sess a  novelty,  for  instance  :  "  Quartering  and  rabbit- 
ing weatherboarding,  per  sq.,  $2.00  ;  ditto,  without 
rabbiting,  $1.12J;  panel  doors  with  six  [)anels,  double 
worked,  per  sq.  yard,  SI. 50;  ditto,  with  four  panels, 
75  cts. ;  i)utting  on  locks,  each  121  c. ;  ditto  latch,  01 
c.  ;  cutting  doors  and  windows,  each  .W  c.  ;  sawing 
down  corners  of  log  houses,  per  story,  §2.00;  water- 
troughs  for  eaves  of  houses,  pr.  ft.,  E.  M.,  6}  c. ;  fram- 
ing Yankee  fashion,  pr.  sq.,  50  c. ;  planking  Yankee 
fashion, S2. 25."  The  paper  is  signed  as  follows :  James 
Kinnear,  George  Rawl,  .lacob  F.  Senser,  Thomas  Tate, 
John  Shimmel,  George  Lizier,  William  Waterhouse, 
John  B.  Meek,  William  McCellan,  Christopher  Crot- 
zer,  Samuel  A.  Morrell,  John  ICinnear,  Christian  Ania. 

Of  these  old  residents,  most  of  whom  have  gone  to 
their  graves,  but  one  now-  resides  in  this  place, — Mr. 
William  McClellan, — and  when  the  paper  was  shown 
him  he  recognized  it  at  once,  and  recollected  as  if  it 
were  but  yesterday  the  night  that  it  was  signed  in  a 
back  room  of  the  brick  hotel,  now  the  Moshannon 
House,  then  kept  by  the  venerable  James  McGirk. 
The  sight  of  those  old  names  brought  to  Mr.  McClel- 
lan's  recollection  incidents  of  olden  time,  and  he  had 
something  to  say  of  each  one.  James  Kinnear  was 
justice  of  the  peace,  a  stern,  inflexible  administrator 
of  the  law,  before  whom  Sabbath-breakers  were  ar- 
raigned and  fined.  Mr.  McClellan  relates  that  when 
he  was  overseer  of  the  poor  with  Hardman  Philips, 
they  levied  only  a  light  tax,  because  the  receipts  from 
fines  imposed  for  swearing,  which  went  to  the  over- 
seers, were  almost  sufficient  for  the  purpose.  George 
Rawl  n^as  a  genius.    Jacob  F.  Senser  was  killed  at 


386 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRE  COUNT!',  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  corner  of  Front  and  Presqiie-Isle  Streets  while 
moving  a  house.  John  B.  Meek  was  a  Greel»;  and 
Latin  scholar  and  a  mathematician.  Christopher 
Crotzer,  now  living  in  Clearfield,  made  the  wood- 
work (the  screw  being  made  by  Isaiah  Jones,  father 
of  Joseph  Jones,  who  carries  on  the  blacksmith 
business  here  now)  of  the  first  printing-press  ever 
brought  into  Clearfield  ;  so  Clearfield  is  indebted  to 
Philipsburg  for  something  at  least.  Poor  Samuel 
Morrell  is  still  alive,  an  unfortunate  man  who  wears 
a  hat  decorated  with  a  flag,  and  talks  of  Cuba  and  her 
war.  Christopher  Crotzer,  William  McClellan,  George 
Lizier,  and  Samuel  Morrell  coustitute  a  quartette  of 
the  only  knowu  living  ones  of  the  thirteen  whose 
names  have  come  to  us  from  the  far  West  so  long  after 
they  were  written. 

Mr.  H.  AUport  has  in  his  possession  two  pistols, 
the  history  of  which  dates  back  to  the  early  days  of 
the  Revolution.  They  are  large  flint-lock  horse-pis- 
tols, with  a  bore  like  a  shot-gun,  a  very  long  barrel, 
and  heavy  stock  which  extends,  like  the  stock  of  a 
gun,  clear  to  tl'.c  end  of  the  muzzle,  and  contrasts 
very  strongly  with  the  modern  cartridge  revolver, 
being  about  as  clumsy  as  it  is  possible  to  imagine. 
They  were  captured  from  a  Hessian  officer  at  the  cele- 
brated battle  of  Trenton — when  Washington  crossed 
the  Delaware  amid  the  December  ice,  in  1776,  to  sur- 
prise and  beat  the  British  forces — by  the  captain  of 
the  company  in  which  Eleazer  Hunter,  great-grand- 
father of  Mr.  Allport,  served  as  ensign,  a  position 
similar  to  that  of  orderly  sergeant  at  the  present  day. 
The  captain  presented  them  to  his  ensign,  and  they 
were  inlierited  by  the  late  Andrew  Hunter,  of  Buffalo 
Run,  this  county,  grandfatlier  of  Mr.  Allport,  who 
presented  tliem  to  the  latter  during  his  lifetime. 

PMIipsburgPost-Office.— Jolin  Loraine,  the  village 
storekeeper,  was  appointed  the  first  postmaster.  Mail 
was  brought  once  a  week  from  Bellefonte  by  Peter 
Dysel,  a  one-handed  man,  on  horseback.  Dysel  an- 
nounced his  approach  by  sounding  a  horn,  and  at 
the  signal  the  villagers  would  hurry  to  Loraine's  store 
with  the  glad  salutation,  "  Dysel's  coining."  Henry 
Loraine  succeeded  his  father  as  postmaster  about  1824, 
and  in  1831,  James  McGirk  was  the  incumbent,  keep- 
ing the  office  in  his  tavern.  The  succeeding  post- 
masters, as  can  best  be  ascertained,  were  John  G. 
Runk,  1837-41;  Alexander  Neilson,  1841-45;  James 
McGirk  (second  term),  1845-50;  Joliu  G.  Runk  (sec- 
ond term),  1850-53;  J.  A.  Ganoe,  1853-58;  Chester 
Munson,  1858-61;  Wesley  Runk,  1861-64;  W.  H. 
Wagner,  186-^68;  George  W.  Daicy,  1868-74;  R.  D. 
McKinney,  1874-80;  J.  W.  Mattern,  1880  to  the 
present.  The  office  issues  every  quarter  two  thousand 
five  hundred  dollars  in  money-orders,  disburses  twelve 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  and  sells  stamps,  etc.,  to  the 
amount  of  one  thousand  dollars. 

Physicians. — Philipsburg's  first  doctor  was  Dr. 
Conrad  Bergman,  who  was  one  of  the  twelve  pioneer 
settlers  of  the  town,  in  1796.     Like  a  majority  of  his 


companions,  however,  Dr.  Bergman  soon  weai-ied  of 

life  in  the  backwoods,  and  departed  for  a  more  favored 
locality.  He  made  Huntingdon  his  home,  and  be- 
came there  a  physician  of  note.  Although  two  of 
Hardman  Philips'  early  partners  were  physicians, — 
Dr.  Dewees  and  Dr.  Plumbe, — it  does  not  appear  that 
they  attended  to  the  practice  of  medicine  while  living 
in  the  town.  Urgent  calls  for  medical  aid  were  made 
upon  Dr.  Ingalls,  of  Half-Moon,  and  upon  the  phy- 
sicians of  Bellefonte.  This  custom  continued  until 
1822,  when  Mr.  Philips,  determining  to  have  a  village 
physician  at  all  hazards,  arranged  with  Dr.  Alexander 
McLeod,  of  Philadelphia,  to  locate  at  Philipsburg 
and  undertake  the  doctoring  of  the  community  at  a 
certain  stated  sum  per  year,  Mr.  Philips  getting  his 
return  of  expenditure  in  part  from  such  families  as 
were  willing  to  contribute  towards  the  doctor's  sup- 
port. All  the  villagers  were,  however,  entitled  to  free 
medical  attendance  whether  they  contributed  or  not. 
Dr.  McLeod  dispensed  physic  to  the  towns-folk  from 
1822  to  1830,  and  then  moved  to  a  broader  field. 
Later  he  studied  for  the  ministry,  and  in  18-50,  locat- 
ing in  Clearfield  as  rector  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church,  was  rector  also  at  Philipsburg.  Dr.  McLeod 
was  an  army  chaplain  in  the  Federal  service  during 
the  late  Rebellion,  and  died  in  1878  in  the  East. 

Dr.  McLeod's  successor  as  village  practitioner  was 
Dr.  Frederick  Horner,  who  came  in  1830  under  en- 
gagement to  Mr.  Philips,  who  promised  him  support 
similar  to  that  given  to  Dr.  McLeod.  It  is  said  that 
one  of  the  villagers,  a  collier,  subscribed  towards  the 
doctor's  support  iu  these  words,  "  If  the  doctor  keejjs 
me  well,  I  will  give  him  fifteen  dollars  this  year;  if 
he  lets  me  get  sick,  I  will  give  him  nothing."  Dr. 
Horner  couldn't  have  fancied  the  situation  overmuch, 
since  a  stay  of  two  years  satisfied  him.  His  successor 
was  Aristotle  Rodrigue,  a  Frenchman,  whose  misfor- 
tune it  was  to  lose  a  few  patients  soon  after  reaching 
the  field,  and  as  a  consequence  public  confidence  in 
his  skill  waxed  so  weak  that  a  withdrawal  from  the 
town  was  the  only  thing  left  hijn.  Dr.  Henry  Loraine 
followed  Dr.  Rodrigue  iu  1834,  but  practiced  only 
until  1837.  Subsequently  he  located  in  Clearfield, 
where  he  died  in  1861.  Dr.  W.  P.  Hill  practiced  in 
Philipsburg  a  short  time  after  Dr.  Rodrigue  left;  and 
succeeding  Dr.  Loraine  came  Dr.  Baird,  whose  stay 
was  likewise  brief.  Dr.  John  C.  Richards,  now  in 
practice  in  Philipsburg,  was  born  in  Half-Moon  town- 
ship, and  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine  in 
Philipsburg  in  1843.  Retiring  soon  afterwards,  he  re- 
turned in  1861,  and  has  remained  continuously  ever 
since.  From  1844  to  1865,  Dr.  C.  R.  Foster  was 
Philipburg's  doctor.  Dr.  G.  F.  Hoop  became  one  of 
the  village  physicians  in  1854,  and  until  1865  gave 
close  attention  to  medical  practice.  He  still  lives  in 
the  town  (October,  1881),  but  since  1865  has  been 
more  or  less  engaged  in  lumbering  and  other  business 
enterprises.  Dr.  T.  B.  Potter  came  (in  1856)  from 
Half-Moon,  where  he  had  been   pursuing  his  pro- 


PHILIPSBURG  BOIIOUGH. 


3S7 


fessional  duties  since  1851.  He  was  born  in  Potter 
township,  and  graduated  at  the  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania in  1851.  Dr.  James  H.  Pierce  came  in  1866, 
and  remained  until  1881.  Israel  Clever  practiced 
from  1870  to  1874.  Besides  the  physicians  now  in 
Philipsburg  already  named,  there  are  John  D.  McGirk 
(1871),  Hobart  Allport  (1872),  S.  M.  Lytel  (1875),  and 
D.  E.  Bottorf  (1881). 

Schools. — According  to  the  best  obtainable  testi- 
mony, the  first  school  taught  in  Philipsburg  was  kept 
by  Mrs.  McCloskey  (grandmother  to  Robert  Loyd) 
in  a  log  house  that  stood  on  the  lot  now  occupied  by 
the  residence  of  Mrs.  Jones.  About  the  same,  how- 
ever, Henry  Simler  taught  a  night-school  in  his 
house.  The  first  regular  school-house  in  the  village 
was  the  Union  meeting-house  and  school-building 
erected  by  the  citizens  on  a  lot  donated  for  that  pur- 
pose by  Hardman  Philips.  It  was  a  log  structure, 
and  is  to-day  contained  in  part  in  the  old  church 
building  that  stands  in  the  old  graveyard.  It  was 
the  only  school-house  for  many  years,  aud  there  in 
1818  taught  William  Keliy.  Among  other  early 
teachers  the  best  remembered  are  John  Matthias  and 
a  Mr.  Ward.  July  13,  1866,  the  schools  were  divided 
into  two  grades,  and  a  tax  of  ten  mills  was  ordered 
for  building  purposes.  In  November,  1866,  the  bor- 
ough purchased  a  lot  of  George  D.  Morgan  for  one 
thousand  dollars,  and  erected  the  present  school-build- 
ing at  a  cost  of  three  thousand  seven  hundred  dollars. 
It  is  a  two-story  framed  edifice,  and  with  a  one-story 
building  on  the  same  lot  constitutes  the  school  prop- 
erty of  the  borough.  There  are  six  schools,  with  an 
average  attendance  of  one  hundred  and  eighty  scholars 
out  of  an  enrollment  of  two  hundred  and  thirty.  The 
departments  and  teachers  in  1881  were  as  follows: 
High  School,  C.  B.  Sandford;  Grammar  School, 
Edward  Gearhart;  Intermediate,  Miss  Ella  Howe, 
Miss  Norah  Osman ;  Primary,  Miss  Clara  Lukens, 
Miss  M.  M.  Cross.  Mr.  Sandford,  the  principal  of 
the  schools,  was  first  called  to  the  position  in  1870. 
He  remained  until  1873,  and  then  embarked  in  trade. 
In  1876  he  resumed  his  charge  of  the  Philipsburg 
schools,  and  has  continued  in  it  to  the  present.  He 
has  been  a  teacher  in  Clearfield  and  Centre  Counties 
upwards  of  twenty-two  years,  having  entered  upon 
the  service  in  1856. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  school  directors  of  Philips- 
burg was  held  June  12,  1865.  They  were  Owen  Han- 
cock (president),  Oscar  Adams  (secretary),  C.  R. 
Foster  (treasurer),  L.  G.  Kessler,  W.  H.  Jones,  and 
G.  H.  Steiner.  Mr.  Kessler  was  appointed  to  teach 
the  first  school  and  Miss  L.  Harris  the  second. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church.— The  first  public 
religious  services  in  Philipsburg  were  in  all  likeli- 
hood held  as  early  as  1796  by  Rev.  Mr.  Liepoldt,  a 
German  Lutheran  minister,  who,  in  the  year  named, 
came  as  one  of  the  twelve  pioneer  settlers  of  Philips- 
burg. It  is  not  blown  that  Mr.  Liepoldt  conducted 
jiublic  worship  in  the  new  settlement,  but  it  is  quite 


reasonable  to  assume  that  he  did.  However,  Mr. 
Liepoldt  didn't  remain  in  his  new  home  very  long, 
so  that  whatever  part  he  took  in  conducting  worship 
left  no  tangible  results  as  to  the  organization  of  a 
church. 

Methodist  circuit-riders  appear  to  have  penetrated 
into  Philipsburg  shortly  alter  the  year  1800.  The 
first  one  of  these  of  whom  th<?re  appears  to  be  any 
record  was  Rev.  Mr.  Matthews,  who  visited  the  town 
occasionally  in  1807.  Mr.  Matthews,  like  the  trav- 
elers of  that  day,  carried  his  horse's  provender  with 
him,  but,  unlike  many,  he  owned  no  saddle-bags. 
Wherefore,  compelled  by  necessity  to  invent  a  sub- 
stitute, he  filled  his  boots  with  oats,  slung  them 
across  his  horse,  and  rode  in  his  slippers. 

Rev.  Mr.  Davis  is  also  spoken  of  as  one  of  the  ear- 
lier Methodist  Episcopal  preachers  in  Philipsburg. 
His  place  for  holding  services  was  the  bar-room  of 
Jacob  Test's  tavern.  In  May,  1818,  Rev.  Thoma.s 
Peeks,  preacher  in  charge  on  the  Huntingdon  Cir- 
cuit, held  services  in  the  kitchen  of  Christian  Wal- 
ter's house.  In  the  previous  autumn  services  were 
held  by  Rev.  J.  L.  Brumhall  at  the  house  of  Valen- 
tine Flegal,  at  "Stiners,"in  Clearfield  County.  At 
the  conclusion  of  Beeks'  sermon  a  Methodist  Episco- 
pal class  of  eight  members  was  formed.  Their  names 
were  William  and  Rebecca  Kinnear,  Christian  and 
Mary  Walters,  Valentine,  John,  Christian,  and  Jacob 
Flegal.  William  Kinnear  was  chosen  the  leader,  but 
moving  away  shortly  afterwards,  was  succeeded  by 
Christian  Walters. 

From  this  date  forward  Philipsburg  became  a  regu- 
lar preaching  point,  and  from  1818  to  1820  was  sup- 
plied by  preachers  on  the  Huntingdon  Circuit.  From 
1820  to  1825  it  was  on  the  Bald  Eagle  Circuit,  and  in 
1825  on  the  Clearfield  Circuit.  From  1826  to  1836  it 
was  attached  to  the  Philipsburg  Circuit;  returned  to 
Clearfield  in  1836,  and  remained  to  1858;  in  the 
Philipsburg  charge  again  from  1858  to  1867,  and  from 
the  last-mentioned  date  designated  as  a  separate 
charge.  Mr.  Beeks  paid  a  second  visit  to  Philips- 
burg in  four  weeks  after  his  first,  and  found  six  per- 
sons ready  to  join  the  class.  In  1820,  John  and  Lydia 
A.  Gearhart  were  received  into  membership.  John 
Gearhart  was  leader  of  the  class  for  a  period  of  fitly 
years,  and  remained  so  to  his  death.  Lydia  Gearhart 
(aged  ninety-one)  is  still  a  member  of  the  church. 
Rev.  Mr.  Beeks'  assistant  was  Rev.  Robert  Vinton. 
In  1819  the  preachers  were  Revs.  David  Stevens  and 
William  Hamilton.  The  compensation  they  received 
at  Philipsburg  was  one  hundred  dollars  annually.  In 
1822  the  ministers  were  Revs.  Robert  Minshall  and 
Samuel  Bryson,  their  predecessors  havin»  been  Mc- 
Ghee  and  Dawson.  In  1822,  Daniel  Avers  united 
with  the  church,  and  in  1832  was  licensed  as  a  local 
preacher.  He  is  still  a  local  preacher,  and  still  a 
member  of  the  Philipsburg  Church.  The  Union 
Church  building  was  occupied  as  a  place  of  worship 
to  1831,  in  which   vcar  the  Methodists  built  a  log 


3S3 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


cliurcli  twenty-four  by  thirty-three  feet.  A  c.irpen- 
ter's  bench  was  the  first  pulpit,  and  slabs  and  planks 
set  upon  uprights  th&first  seats. 

Mention  should  have  been  made  that  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Missionary  Society  was  formed  in  1819.  In 
1835,  during  the  term  of  Rev.  Eli  Nicodemus,  a  Sun- 
day-school with  fifty  scholars  was  organized,  Francis 
Neil  being  appointed  superintendent.  A  Union  Sun- 
day-school had  been  in  existence  since  1818.  In  1837 
a  spirited  revival  set  in,  and  many  members  were 
added  to  the  church. 

In  1857  a  new  church  costing  two  thousand  dollars 
replaced  the  old  edifice.  In  1860  a  parsonage  was 
erected,  and  in  18G.5  a  revival  brought  in  seventy 
members.  Rev.  E.  W.  Kirby  was  the  first  preacher 
in  the  new  church,  which  was  dedicated  by  Dr.  C.  P. 
Tippet,  presiding  elder.  In  1869,  Rev.  George Guyer 
Avas  the  pastor.  He  incepted  the  effort  that  resulted, 
in  1871,  under  Rev.  R.  E.  Wilson,  in  the  completion 
of  the  fine  house  of  worship  now  in  use.  It  cost 
seventeen  thousand  dollars,  and  was  dedicated  in 
December,  1871,  by  Rev.  R.  L.  D.ishiel.  From  1872 
to  1874,  Rev.  Thomas  Barnhart  was  the  pastor;  Rev. 
M.  L.  Smyser  from  1875  to  1877;  Rev.  Hiles  Pardoe 
from  1877  to  1879.  In  the  latter  year  Rev.  A.  M. 
Creighton,  the  present  pastor,  was  assigned  to  the 
charge.  Mr.  Creighton  entered  the  ministry  in  1857, 
and  since  then  has  preached  in  Pennsylvania.  The 
church  had  in  August,  1881,  a  membership  of  three 
hundred  and  thirty  appoftioned  to  ten  classes.  For 
1880  the  missionary  contributions  aggregated  two 
hundred  and  sixty  dollars,  and  those  for  benevo- 
lences, four  hundred  and  seventy-five  dollars.  The 
church  trustees  are  Alton  Steincr,  J.  W.  Mattern, 
John  Nuttall,  C.  Munson,  O.  Hancock,  L.G.  Kessler, 
D.  Gearhart,  E.  A.  Davis,  W.  V.  Hughes,  O.  Adams. 
J.  W.  Mattern  is  superintendent  of  the  Sunday- 
school,  which  has  an  attendance  of  about  three  hun- 
dred and  eighty  scholars. 

St.  Paul's  Protestant  Episcopal  Cliurch.— The 
history  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  Philips- 
burg  deals  in  a  more  or  less  interesting  way  with  the 
history  of  Hardman  Philips  and  of  early  religious 
movements  in  Philipsburg. 

A  letter  written  in  1865  by  Rev.  Alexander  McLeod 
to  Rev.  Francis  J.  Clerc  (the  present  rector  of  St. 
Paul's)  contains  much  valuable  matter  touching  the 
subject,  and  is  therefore  given  as  follows: 

"Mr.  Hardman  Philips  made  overtures  to  me, 
through  Drs.  Chapman  and  Dewees,  of  Philadelphia, 
to  join  him  in  Philipsburg  to  be  his  family  physi- 
cian in  1822.  I  arrived  there  in  July  of  that  year. 
I  continued  there  for  eight  years.  Lived  at  first  and 
for  some  time  in  his  family,  so  that  I  knew  much  of 
all  that  passed.  It  is  a  fact  that  he  had  some  time 
before  (the  exact  time  I  cannot  name)  conveyed  a 
lot  of  ground  for  the  use  of  the  people  of  Philipsburn- 
and  neighborhood  as  a  burying-ground.  Upon  the 
lot  stood  a  new  log  building  of  rather  large  size,  M-ell 


clinked  and  daubed,  and  used  as  a  school-house  and 
meeting-house.  It  was  built  by  the  people  of  the 
settlement,  all  contributing  material  and  work,  some 
more,  some  less,  but  Mr.  Philips  largely,  especially  in 
materials  costing  money.  A  town-meeting  had  been 
called  and  trustees  were  elected  to  take  charge  of  the 
place.  We  never  for  years  went  there  on  Sundays. 
We  had  services  at  the  '  big  house,' '  as  it  was  called. 
The  church  worship  was  rendered  in  full,  and  con- 
ducted at  first  by  Mrs.  Philips.  I  here  take  occasion 
to  say  of  that  lady,  who  still  survives  in  England, 
that  in  a  long  life  and  after  living  in  many  countries  • 
I  never  knew  her  equal.  She  was  the  daughter  of  an 
English  clergyman  of  the  name  of  Lloyd.  Admirably 
did  she  live  and  conduct  all  her  manifold  affairs. 
The  Methodists  chiefly  used  the  log  house,  but  it  was 
not  absolutely  given  up  to  them.  Episcopal  ministers 
occasionally  came  that  way.  Dr.  Bull,  of  Chester 
County,  came  to  visit  Mr.  Philips,  and  he  was  among 
the  first  to  conduct  services  and  preach  iu  that  historic 
log  house. 

"  Mr.  Adderly  was  the  first  Episcopal  clergyman 
called  there,  in  1831  or  1832.  I  think  he  died  there. 
I  left  Philipsburg  in  1830,  and  by  the  guidance  of 
Providence  returned  to  that  part  of  the  country  as  a 
minister  myself  in  1849.  I  organized  and  established 
a  parish  in  Clearfield  in  that  year.  The  next  year  I 
built  a  church,  and  in  a  short  time  I  had  gathered  a 
respectable  congregation.  The  present  Judge  Barrett 
was  my  chief  helper.  In  1850,  Bishop  Potter  di- 
rected me  to  hold  an  every  third  Sunday  service  in 
Philipsburg,  making  it  a  missionary  appendage  to 
Clearfield.  I  ought  to  have  stated  that  Rev.  Tiffany 
Lord  (now  of  Crawford  County)  succeeded  Rev.  Mr. 
Adderly  as  rector  in  Philipsburg.  This  must  have 
been  in  1835  or  1836.  It  was  during  my  long  absence 
from  the  country  that  Trinity  Church  was  built  in 
Philipsburg,  chiefly  at  the  instance  of  Mrs.  Philips. 
She  certainly  gave  it  the  church-like  character  and 
beauty  it  has.  She  ever  had  a  gentle,  wise,  and  happy 
influence  on  her  husband.  She  ultimately  brought 
him  (who  was  a  proud  and  high-toned  man,  and  care- 
less of  personal  religion)  to  be  an  humble,  well-in- 
structed, and  consistent  churchman,  zealous  and 
generous  withal.  JMr.  Philips  was  admirable  as  a 
scholar  and  polished  gentleman.  He  had,  besides, 
superior  business  ability,  and  yet  he  made  sad  mis- 
takes in  building  his  church, — his  beautiful  chapel. 
The  old  school-  and  meeting-house  was  but  partially 
dismantled.  The  foundation  and  the  log  part  were 
left,  and  upon  these  he  raised  his  superstructure. 
This  was  a  great  blunder.  Another  was  his  building 
on  that  lot  at  all ;  but  perhaps  the  explanation  was 
that  his  own  dead  reposed  there.  But  he  had  con- 
veyed it,  and  it  was,  in  fact,  beyond  bis  control. 
However,  he  set  about  the  building,  all  unconscious 
of  the  trouble  to  follow.     When  the  time  came  to 

1  Hiii-dmnn  Philips'  rcsiJi-ucc. 


PIIILIPSBURG   BOROUGH. 


389 


have  his  chapel  consecrated,  and  the  hishop's  atten- 
tion had  been  called  to  it,  the  trustees,  acting  for  the 
community  (who  all  the  while  had  been  watching  his 
movements),  objected.  They  were  not  willing  to  ad- 
mit his  claim  to  the  exclusive  occupancy.  He  remon- 
strated ;  they  proved  defiant.  'Did  I  not  build  the 
church?  Who  of  you  gave  a  dollar?'  said  he.  And 
they  retorted,  '  We  did  not  require  it  of  you.'  Mr. 
Philips  thereupon  threatening  to  sell  the  building, 
levied  upon,  and  did  sell  it.  The  case  came  up  before 
Judge  Woodward,  then  in  that  district,  and,  church- 
man though  he  was,  he  had  but  a  plain  case  before 
him.  He  set  the  rule  aside.  Various  efforts  at  com- 
promise were  made,  but  they  all  failed.  Judge  Burn- 
side,  and  after  him  Judge  Hale  (tliat  excellent  man), 
tried  to  recover  it.  They  failed,  and  so  it  remains." 
Episcopal  Church  services  were  held  in  Mr.  Philips' 
house  from  time  to  time  by  Mrs.  Philips.  Occasion- 
ally a  visiting  clergyman  of  the  Episcopal  denomina- 
tion preached  in  the  meeting-house.  The  first  rector 
was  Rev.  Corry  Chambers,  who  took  charge  Decem- 
ber, 1831,  and  remained  until  1834.  May  15,  1834, 
Trinity  parish  was  incorporated.  Previous  to  that, 
Feb.  13,  1832,  a  vestry  was  chosen  composed  of  Dr. 
John  Plumbe,  Sr.,  Hardman  Philips,  William  Bag- 
shaw,  John  Matley,  James  McGirk,  R.  C.  Taylor, 
Joseph  Glen,  John  Plumbe,  Jr.,  Joseph  Hale,  Jr. 
May  1,  1834,  the  members  of  the  church  were  Hard- 
man  and  Sophia  Philips,  John  Plumbe,  Sr.,  Mrs. 
Fanny  Plumbe,  Mrs.  Esther  Atherton,  John  and  Julia 
Shimmel,  Samuel  and  Mary  Way,  James  and  Ellen 
McGirk,  William  and  Martha  Philips,  Isaac  Hol- 
kins,  Joseph  and  Sarah  Glew,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William 
Waring,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Shaw,  John  and  Anne 
Hudson,  Abraham  Kyler,  John  and  Mary  William- 
son, Hugh  Henderson,  William  McClelland,  James 
McClellan,  John  Matley,  Joseph  and  Samuel  Dale, 
Thomas  Hancock,  John  Morrow,  Isaiah  Jones,  James 
Pontel,  William  Hughes,  George  Young,  Samuel 
Birmingham,  Mary  Buck,  Thomas  Roberts,  William 
Hiles,  Jonas  Spering.  The  congregation  at  that  time 
appears  to  have  been  quite  numerous.  The  records 
give  the  number  of  adults  as  eighty-six  and  the  chil- 
dren seventy-seven.  From  1834,  when  Rev.  Mr. 
Chambers  left,  the  rectorship  was  vacant  until  1839, 
when  Rev.  George  W.  Natt  was  called  to  fill  it.  He 
remained  until  1843.  During  Mr.  Natt's  term  Bishop 
Onderdonk  confirmed  twelve  persons  at  Philipsburg. 
The  succession  in  the  rectorship  to  1869  may  be  given 
thus:  Rev.  Samuel  J.  Lord,  1843-45;  Rev.  William 
Cloteworthy,  1847-49;  Rev.  A.  McLeod,  1850-54; 
Rev.  A.  J.  Berger,  1854-55;  Rev.  A.  McLeod,  18G0- 
C4  ;  Rev.  Edward  Hale,  1865-66 ;  Rev.  S.  H.  Meade, 
M.D.,  1868.  Dec.  22,  1869,  the  name  of  the  parish 
was  changed  by  legal  action  to  St.  Paul's,  and  the 
new  church  (built  upon  ground  donated  by  Mrs.  R. 
C.  Hale)  consecrated  March  18,  1870,  by  Bishop  Ste- 
vens. Rev.  Mr.  Meade  officiated  until  1872,  in  which 
year  a  rectory  was  built  as  the  result  of  a  donation  of 


five  thousand  dollars,  transmitted  for  that  purpose  by 
Mrs.  Hardman  Philips,  then  residing  in  England. 
Rev.  T.  G.  Gilliland  officiated  from  April  27,  1872,  to 
September  30th  of  the  same  year,  and  Rev.  William 
Marshall  from  Sept.  30,  1872,  to  Oct.  15,  1875.  Rev. 
James  N.  Hume  was  the  rector  from  1875  to  1877,  and 
July  22, 1877,  Rev.  Francis  J.  Clerc,  D.D.,  the  present 
rector,  entered  upon  the  charge.  The  present  vestry 
of  St.  Paul's  consists  of  W.  W.  Hale,  W.  P.  Duncan, 
wardens;  J.  M.  Hale,  J.  A.  Mull,  A.  J.  Graham,  J. 
O.  Loraine,  O.  P.  Jones,  J.  N.  Casanova,  Robert 
Loyd. 

Presbyterian  Church. — In  accordance  with  act  of 
Presbytery  passed  Jan.  9,  1844,  the  Philipsburg  Pres- 
byterian Church  was  organized  Jan.  19,  1845,  occa- 
sional supplies  having  been  sent  in  for  some  little  time 
before  that.  Rev.  W.  J.  Murphey  was  installed  as 
the  first  pastor,  and  continued  to  give  one-third  of  his 
time  until  Oct.  5,  1847.  From  1847  to  1862  the 
church  maintained  a  feeble  existence,  and  depended 
upon  supplies.  Fresh  interest  was  awakened  in  the 
year  last  named,  and  on  September  27th  a  reorgani- 
zation was  effected,  and  eleven  members  received  as  a 
constituent  body.  George  H.  Steiner  and  William  H. 
Roberts,  who  had  served  as  such  in  the  old  organiza- 
tion, were  chosen  ruling  elders.  In  April,  1864,  A. 
O.  Wright  was  called  for  one-half  his  time,  and  in- 
stalled June  12th  following.  After  Mr.  Wright's  de- 
parture the  pulpit  was  vacant  until  Rev.  Mr.  Sargent 
occupied  it  as  stated  supply.  Rev.  Thomas  Thomp- 
son followed,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  N.  H.  Mil- 
ler. Until  1878  worship  was  held  in  the  Union 
Church.  In  that  year  the  present  house  of  worship 
was  built  at  a  cost  of  two  thousand  five  hundred  dol- 
lars. Rev.  W.  Woodend,  the  present  pastor,  began 
his  term  of  service  Feb.  1,  1881.  He  has  been  in  the 
ministry  since  1844,  having  graduated  at  Jefferson 
College.  His  first  charge  was  at  Saltsburg,  where  he 
was  stationed  thirty-four  years.  The  Philipsburg 
Church  has  now  a  membership  of  seventy-seven. 
The  elders  are  O.  S.  Fleming,  E.  Bolinger,  and  L. 
G.  Dorn ;  the  deacon,  George  W.  Ganoe;  and  the 
trustees,  G.  W.  Hoover,  George  W.  Ganoe,  Jacob 
Dimeling,  Silas  Reese,  B.  J.  La  Porte.  George  W. 
Ganoe  is  the  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school 
which  has  an  average  attendance  of  eighty  scholars 
and  seven  teachers. 

Baptist  Church.— Ftb.  29,  1868,  Rev.  R.  B.  Hen- 
shey,  missionary  of  the  Pennsylvania  General  Associ- 
ation (who  had  for  two  weeks  been  holding  a  series  of 
Baptist  meetings  in  Philipsburg),  gave  notice  that,  in 
accordance  with  the  general  desire  of  Baptists  in  Phil- 
ipsburg and  vicinity,  there  would  be  a  meeting  at  the 
Union  Church  that  day  for  the  purpose  of  organizing 
a  Baptist  Church.  The  organization  was  accordingly 
effected  by  fifteen  members.  They  were  G.  F.  Hoop, 
Albert  and  Susan  F.  Reeder,  Lewis  Hess,  Anna  M. 
Leisering,  Isabella  Elliott,  George  W.  Warfel,  Har- 
riet  A.  Lloyd,  Irene   Eckley,  Isabella   E.   Phillips, 


390 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Catharine  Peightal,  William  Peightal,  W.  H.  Jones, 
Agnes  W.  Lukens,  Mrs.  Margaret  Stevenson.  The 
New  Hampshire  Confession  of  Faith  was  adopted,  G. 
F.  Hoop  and  Lewis  Hess  chosen  deacons ;  William 
Jones,  clerk;  Albert  Reeder,  treasurer;  and  Mr. 
Henshey,  pastor. 

The  first  persons  baptized  were  J.  A.  Lukens  and 
Wm.  P.  Spriggle.  May  14,  1868,  the  church  was 
recognized  by  council,  and  Sept.  2,  1868,  it  was 
admitted  to  the  Centre  Association. 

The  present  house  of  worship,  costing  seven  thou- 
sand dollars,  was  built  in  1870,  and  dedicated  Decem- 
ber 2.5th  of  that  year.  The  succession  of  pastors  has 
been  Revs.  B.  B.  Henshey  (1868),  J.  L.  Holmes  (1869), 
J.  M.  Perry  (1871),  G.  H.  Dunlap  (1874),  D.  T.  Davis 
( 1876 ),  W.  H.  Eldridge  (1877),  and  J.  W.  Evans  (1879). 
Mr.  Evans,  the  present  pastor,  has  been  in  the  minis- 
try since  1848.  His  first  charge  was  in  Schuylkill 
County,  and  second  at  TJnionville,  Centre  Co.  After 
that  he  preached  ten  years  in  Cambria  County  and 
eight  years  in  Huntingdon  County.  The  Philips- 
burg  Church  has  a  membership  of  eighty-eight,  and 
the  Sunday-school  an  attendance  of  fifty-five.  The 
deacons  are  Lewis  Hess,  Daniel  Shontz,  and  John 
Howorth;  the  trustees  are  Lewis  Hess,  Austin  Ather- 
ton,  John  Ashcraft,  Thomas  Lewis,  Lewis  Morgan, 
and  John  Haworth :  the  Sunday-school  superin- 
tendent, Daniel  Shontz. 

SS.  Peter's  and  Paul's  (Roman  Catholic)  Church. 
— Previous  to  1868  tlie  Catholics  of  Philipsburg  at- 
tended religious  worship  at  Osceola.  Father  Butskus 
founded  a  church  at  Philipsburg  in  1868,  and  in  that 
year  caused  the  erection  of  a  house  of  worship. 
Father  Butskus  was  famous  as  an  organizer  of 
Catholic  churches.  He  preached  at  Philipsburg  and 
Snow  Shoe  about  one  year,  having  at  the  former  place 
about  thirty  families  in  his  congregation.  That  is 
about  the  size  of  the  congregation  now.  Numerous 
priests  have  officiated  at  Philipsburg  as  supplies  since 
Father  Butskus  left.  Rev.  Bernard  Lynch,  of  Osceola, 
now  officiates  twice  a  month. 

Burial-Places. — The  first  burying-ground  laid  out 
in  Philipsburg  was  the  out-lot  donated  to  John  Shultz, 
one  of  the  pioneers  of  1795.  When  Mr.  Philips 
wanted  a  lot  for  a  cemetery,  he  elected  to  use 
Shultz's  lot,  and  to  give  Shultz  another  one  in  ex- 
change. In  the  burial-lot  the  towns- people  built  a 
Union  meeting-house,  and  then  Mr.  Philips  con- 
veyed the  property  as  a  donation  to  the  town  for  a 
burial-place  Ibrever.  The  old  church  and  the  old 
cemetery  are  still  conspicuous  village  sights.  The 
memory  of  Mr.  Philips  is  commemorated  by  a  mar- 
ble shaft,  upon  which  appears  the  following : 

"  In  hocHgno  vinces.  In  nu-mory  of  lliirUman  Philips,  tlie  foiiniler  and 
benefiictor  of  tlio  sotllemoiif  of  I'liilipslMirg,  tliis  cross  is  oreclcd  liy  liis 
poirowing  widow,  Sopliia  Pliiliira.  Ue  ivaa  born  Sept.  21, 1784,  and  died 
Dec.  6,  1S54." 

The  tombstone  erected  to  the  memory  of  David 
Wesley  Runk  has  the  following  : 


"  Pain  was  my  potion, 
Pljysic  was  my  votion, 
Drugs  did  me  no  good. 
Christ  was  my  physician  ; 
ITe  knew  what  was  best : 
lie  eased  me  of  my  pain 
And  took  my  soul  to  rest." 

A  third  stone  has  this  record  : 

"  In  memory  of  Snsannah  and  Wm.  Philips.  The  former  died  Ang. 
20,  1830,  aged  82;  the  latter  Feb.  9,  1H34,  aged  95. 

"  'Tis  but  a  few  whose  days  amount 
To  threescore  years  and  ten, 
And  all  beyond  that  short  account 
Is  sorrow,  giief,  and  pain." 

Upon  the  tablet  erected  to  the  memory  of  James 
Morgan,  Sr.,  is  this  : 

"  When  death  -Tppeared  before  mine  eyes 
He  diti  not  me  tlie  least  surprise; 
I  left  the  world  both  calm  and  free, 
,  In  hopes  a  better  world  to  see." 

This  old  burying-ground  being  full  of  graves,  a  new 
burial-place  was  provided  by  the  Philipsburg  Ceme- 
tery Association,  incorporated  August,  1874,  and 
composed  of  C.  Munson,  D.  W.  Holt,  E.  Perks,  J.  F. 
Steiner,  Robert  Loyd,  W.  L.  Harper,  George  H. 
Zeigler,  T.  B.  Potter,  J.  D.  McGirk,  John  Nuttall. 
Eight  acres  of  land  were  purchased  just  northeast  of 
the  borough  limits,  at  a  cost  of  four  hundred  dollars. 
Much  pains  are  taken  in  the  care  and  adornment  of 
the  property,  so  that  it  may  become  what  the  projec- 
tors intended, — a  beautiful  city  of  the  dead. 

Banking  in  Philipsburg.— The  first  bank  in  Phil- 
ipsburg was  founded  in  1864  by  Judge  Leonard  and 
A.  K.  Wright,  of  Clearfield.  Tlieir  banking-house 
was  in  the  Carlisle  building.  In  September,  1865,  the 
firm  was  changed  in  name  to  Foster,  Perks,  Wright 
&  Co.,  and  the  banking-office  changed  to  the  residence 
of  Dr.  Foster.  O.  P.  Jones  was  appointed  cashier  to 
succeed  W.  V.  Wright,  cashier  under  the  old  firm. 
In  1866  the  firm-name  became  Foster,  Perks  &  Co., 
and  thus  remained  until  the  death  of  Dr.  Foster,  when 
the  firm  of  McGirk  &  Perks  was  organized.  Their 
bank  occupied  a  corner  of  Presque-Isle  and  Front 
Streets  until  1870,  when  they  built  and  occupied  the 
house  now  occupied  by  the  Moshannon  Banking  Com- 
pany. In  1871,  McGirk  &  Perks  failed.  In  Feb- 
ruary, 1871,  O.  P.  Jones  resigned  the  place  of  cashier 
in  McGirk  &  Perks'  bank,  and  was  succeeded  by 
James  Perks.  In  April,  1871,  Mr.  Jones  organized, 
with  Mrs.  S.  J.  Hale,  the  Philipsburg  Banking  Com- 
pany, witli  a  capital  of  twenty-five  thousand  dollars, 
and  located  it  in  a  one-story  building  standing  where 
the  Potter  House  now  stands.  In  1872  it  was  moved 
to  a  room  in  Albert  Owens'  house,  and  in  1880  to  the 
present  quarters.  In  1872,  Mrs.  Hale  retired  from 
the  banking-firm,  which  was  then  increased  by  the 
admission  of  Jonathan  Boynton,  D.  W.  Holt,  J.  C. 
Allport,  Benjamin  Jones,  G.  F.  Hoop,  Albert  Owen, 
and  Hobart  Allport.  The  capital  stock  was  thereupon 
increased  to  fifty  thousand  dollars,  and  in  March, 
1873,  further  increased  to  seventy-five  thousand  dol- 


STRaygl,    HlKlBSiaiKl    i'.    ©©.. 


PHILIPSBURG    BOROUGH. 


391 


lars.  In  1875  it  was  agreed  to  increase  the  stock  to 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars.  Since  1871,  O.  P. 
Jones  has  been  the  cashier.  The  present  stockholders 
are  O.  P.  Jones,  Jonathan  Boynton,  D.  \V.  Holt, 
Albert  Owen,  Benjamin  Jones,  G.  T.  Mull,  C.  A. 
Miller,  M.  Allport,  C.  Holt,  and  the  H.  A.  Fitch 
estate. 

The  Moshannon  Banking  Company  was  organized 
in  February,  1881,  with  an  authorized  capital  of  one 
hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  a  cash  capital  of  sixty 
thousand  dollars.  The  banking-house  is  on  Front 
Street.  William  P.  Duncan  is  the  president,  and 
William  H.  Sanford  the  cashier.  The  stockholders 
are  John  Nuttall,  George  W.  McGaffey,  Robert  Loyd, 
Jacob  F.  Steiner,  William  P.  Duncan,  and  E.  W. 
Hale. 

ManTifactiiriiig  Industries. — The  present  firm  of 
Hoover,  Hughes  &  Co.,  largely  engaged  in  lumbering 
and  building  enterprises,  has  existed  since  1880. 
Hoover,  Harris  &  Co.  bought  out  Hoop,  Humes  & 
Co.  in  1870,  and  continued  until  1880,  when  the 
change  was  made  to  the  present  name.  In  1870, 
Hoop,  Humes  &  Co.  purchased  a  large  tract  of  tim- 
bered land  in  Clearfield  County,  from  which  material 
has  since  been  furnished  for  the  firm's  mills.  Since 
1870  the  business  has  largely  increased.  Hoover, 
Hughes  &  Co.  own  and  operate  four  saw-mills  in 
Clearfield  County  and  a  large  planing-niill  in  Philips- 
burg.  At  the  saw-mills  and  in  the  timber  they  em- 
ploy one  hundred  and  fifty  men  ;  at  the  Philipsburg 
mill  about  seventy-five.  From  their  saw-mills  they 
can  run  about  one  million  feet  of  lumber  monthly. 
Three-fourths  of  that  product  they  ship  in  the  rough; 
the  residue  is  supplied  to  their  planing-mill.  They 
engage  extensively  also  in  building  contracts  of  more 
than  ordinary  magnitude.  One  of  their  most  notable 
achievements  was  the  erection,  in  1876,  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania Railroad  passenger-station  in  Philadelphia. 
That  important  work  they  accomplished  in  the  re- 
markably short  time  of  sixty  days.  In  1881  they 
built  the  great  hotel  at  Cresson  Springs,  on  the  Penn- 
sylvania Railroad.  Hoover  &  Fryberger  have  in 
Clearfield  County  a  saw-mill  of  a  capacity  of  twenty 
thousand  feet.  In  1878,  Irwin  &  Lindsey  formed  a 
partnership,  and  began  the  manufacture  of  lumber  ou 
Cold  Stream  Creek,  in  a  mill  formerly  owned  by 
Chester  Munson,  and  operated  by  Hoop,  Humes  & 
Co.  to  1876.  Messrs.  Irwin  &  Lindsey  cut  their  timber 
from  a  tract  of  three  thousand  acres  owned  by  Judge 
Leonard.  The  mill  capacity  is  from  fifteen  thousand 
to  twenty  thousand  daily,  or  about  three  millions 
yearly.  From  ten  to  thirty  hands  are  employed,  as 
business  warrants. 

Chester  Munson  has  been  engaged  in  lumbering 
on  the  Moshannon  and  vicinity  since  1842.  In  1845 
he  operated  a  mill  nine  miles  below  Philipsburg,  and 
about  1850  transferred  his  operations  to  Clearfield 
County.  In  1855  he  operated  on  the  present  site  of 
Irwin  &  Liudsey's  mill,  and  the  same  year  embarked 


in  the  mercantile  trade  in  Philipsburg.  In  1862  he 
gave  up  his  store,  but  continued  his  lumbering  enter- 
prises. In  1872  he  started  a  tannery  in  Philipsburg. 
In  1880  he  re-embarked  in  merchandising,  and  in 
connection  with  tiiat  interest  is  now  lumbering  on 
the  Moshannon.  Jones,  Mull  &  Co.,  now  ranking 
among  the  prominent  lumbermen  of  the  region,  have 
been  thus  concerned  since  1873.  Benjamin  Jones, 
the  senior  member  of  the  firm,  came  from  Tyrone  in 
1861,  and  engaged  as  superintendent  for  E.  J.  McCann 
in  lumbering.  In  1871  he  became  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Munson,  Jones  &  Co.,  and  in  1871  one  of  the 
firm  of  Hoop,  Jones  &  Co.  Jones,  Mull  &  Co.  have 
a  saw-mill  iu  Clearfield  County  of  a  capacity  of  twelve 
thousand  feet  daily  and  a  planing-mill  in  Philipsburg 
where  from  fif;een  to  twenty  hands  are  employed. 
They  do  considerable  business  in  building,  and  are 
concerned  also  in  coal-mining  in  Clearfield  County. 
Reference  to  D.  W.  Holt's  operations  will  be  found 
in  the  history  of  Bush  township. 

MosHANXOX  Tasxery. — This  manufacturing  in- 
dustry was  founded  in  1876  by  Messrs.  J.  B.  Hoyt  & 
Co.,  of  New  York,  who  invested  about  fifty  thousand 
dollars  in  the  erection  of  a  perfectly  appointed  estab- 
lishment, occupying  about  eight  acres  of  land.  The 
improvements  include  seven  tenement-houses,  two 
dry-houses,  one  leach-house,  one  hide-house,  four 
bark -sheds,  furnaces,  bark-mills,  blacksmith's  shop, 
carpenter's  shop,  beam-house,  etc.  About  twenty- 
five  cords  of  bark  daily,  or  seven  thousand  six  hun- 
dred yearly,  are  used,  the  bark  being  chiefly  hemlock. 
Thirty-four  thousand  four  hundred  hides  are  tanned 
yearly.  The  manufactured  product  is  known  as 
Union  crop-leather.  Shipments  are  all  made  to  J.  B. 
Hoyt  &  Co.,  New  York.  The  employes  at  the  tan- 
nery average  from  forty  to  fifty.  The  fuel  used  to 
feed  the  furnaces  is  composed  exclusively  of  wet  tan- 
bark,  a  practice  somewhat  out  of  the  common.  The 
resident  manager  for  Messrs.  Hoyt  &  Co.  at  Philips- 
burg is  J.  B.  Childs,  who  has  been  iu  charge  since 
1877.  His  predecessors  were  W.  H.  Lingenfelter  and 
M.  H.  Paxon. 

Gowlaxd's  Foundry. — About  1867,  Jacob  Mock 
started  in  the  business  of  making  small  machiue- 
castings.  In  1869  he  leased  the  property  to  Matthew 
Gowland,  previously  of  Williamsport,  who  the  same 
year  enlarged  the  capacity  of  the  foundry  and  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  mill  machinery.  He 
employed  from  seven  to  eight  men.  About  1874,  Mr. 
Gowland  purchased  the  property,  and  carried  on  the 
business  until  March,  1881.  J.  and  T.  D.  Gowland 
(sons  of  the  former  proprietor)  leased  the  establish- 
ment of  Matthew  Gowland  in  March,  1881,  and  ma- 
terially added  to  its  capacity.  They  employ  from 
sixteen  to  twenty  hands,  and  manufacture  mill  ma- 
chinery, mine-cars,  etc.,  in  the  production  of  which 
they  use  annually  about  sixty  tons  of  pig  iron  and 
forty  tons  of  wrought  iron. 

Messrs.  Jones  &  Son  entered  in  1856  upon  thebusi- 


302 


IITSTOllY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


iiess  of  wagon-making  and  general  blacksmilhing  in 
Pliili])!-buig.  In  1877,  Alfred  Jones  succeeded  to  the 
business.  Messrs.  Jones  &  Gray  inaugurated  in  1879 
tlie  business  of  carriage-making  in  Philipsburg.  They 
manufacture  all  kinds  of  carriages,  wagons,  sleighs, 
etc.,  and  handle  yearly  two  hundred  and  fifty  ve- 
hicles. 

Duncan,  Hale  &  Co.  carry  on  the  grist-mill  built 
in  1868  by  Edward  Perks,  and  now  owned  by  E.  W. 
Hale.  The  mill  contains  six  runs  of  stones,  and  man- 
ufactures forty  barrels  of  flour  daily.  The  firm's 
choice  brand  is  known  as  "  Sea  Foam." 

The  oldest  merchant  in  Philipsburg  continuously 
in  trade  in  the  town  is  L.  G.  Kes.sler,  of  the  firm  of 
Kessler  &  Huflington.  Mr.  Kessler  began  the  busi- 
ness of  storekeeping  in  Philipsburg  in  partnership 
with  J.  M.  Hale  in  1859.  Chester  Munson  opened  a 
store  in  the  town  in  1855,  but  has  not  been  continu- 
ously in  trade.  John  Nuttall  &  Co.  have  been  in 
business  since  1869,  and  G.  S.  Flegal  since  1864. 
Among  other  leading  merchants  may  be  named  John 
Peighta)  (in  Philipsburg  since  1861),  Alfred  Jones, 
J.  M.  Hale,  Gray,  Wolf  &  Co.,  Strouse,  Lehman  & 
Co.,  G.  Lyon  &  Co.,  Mrs.  K.  Pierce,  Daniel  Ayers, 
Fleck  &  Miller,  C.  G.  Hirlinger,  J.  W.  Mattern,  K. 
F.  Mull,  K.  &  L.  Switzer,  A.  R.  Feistel,  J.  N.  Schoon- 
over,  H.  0.  Hoffer,  William  D.  A.  Naugle,  E.  0. 
Mattern,  E.  A.  Davis  &  Son,  Underbill  &  Co.,  J.  H. 
Waple,  Robert  Hudson,  Jeremiah  Sankey,  and  E. 
Bellinger. 

Philipsburg  Water  Company.— The  Philipsburg 
Water  Company  was  incorporated  June  15, 1881,  with 
a  capital  of  thirty  thousand  dollars.  The  incorpor- 
ators were  J.  N.  Casanova  (president),  D.  W.  Holt, 
O.  P.  Jones,  George  McGaffey,  Chester  Munson,  Rob- 
ert Loyd,  F.  B.  Potter,  Robert  Taylor,  James  Pass- 
more,  L.  G.  Lingle,  and  others.  Twenty  thousand 
feet  of  pipes  supply  the  town  with  excellent  water 
obtained  from  Cold  Stream  Creek.  A  reservoir  with  a 
capacity  of  two  hundred  thousand  gallons  is  located 
one  hundred  and  forty-six  feet  above  the  creek.  To 
this  reservoir  a  steam-pump  forces  every  ten  hours 
one  hundred  and  thirty  thousand  gallons  through  six 
hundred  feet  of  ten-inch  pipe.  The  oflicers  of  the 
company  are  J.  N.  Casanova,  president;  J.  A.  Lind- 
sey,  secretary  ;  and  Chester  Munson,  treasurer. 

Secret  Societies.— Moshannon  Lodge,  No.  391, 

F.  AND  A.  M.,  was  chartered  June  6, 1867.  The  char- 
ter members  were  John  Lawshee,  W.  M. ;  William  J. 
Long,  S.  W. ;  John  D.  McGirk,  J.  W. ;  Chester  Mun- 
son, Trea^. ;  G.  H.  Zeigler,  Sec. ;  J.  T.  Steiner,  G.  F. 
Hoop,  and  George  H.  Long.  Meetings  are  now  held 
in  Potter's  block,  the  upper  portion  of  which  was 
built  expressly  for  the  use  of  the  lodge.  The  mem- 
bership in  August,  1881,  was  seventy-five,  and  the 
oflicers,  D.  H.  Waring,  W.  M. ;  J.  A.  Lindsey,  S.  W. ; 

G.  Freeman,  J.  W. ;  E.  A.  Davis,  Treas. ;  W.  E.  Irwin, 
Sec;  Henry  Lehman,  S.  D. ;  John  Iluftington,  J.  D. ; 
Isaac  Shimmell,  Tyler;  C.  G.  Hirlingtou,  P.  W.  M. 


Magnoi.ia  Lodge,  No.  602, 1. 0.  O.  F.,  was  organ- 
ized July  5,  1867,  with  L.  G.  Dorn,  Geo-ge  Mofl^at,  A. 
J.  Graham,  J.  S.  Bradley,  W.  H.  McCausland,  Joshua 
M.  Beisel,  Abraham  Fieldhouser,  Robert  Giles,  An- 
drew Giles,  and  W.  F.  Benford.  L.  G.  Dorn  was  N.G. ; 
George  Moflat,  V.  G. ;  A.  J.  Graham,  Sec;  J.  S.  Brad- 
ley, Asst.  Sec. ;  and  W.  H.  McCausland,  Treas.  Meet- 
ings were  at  first  held  in  Foster's  building,  and  later 
in  the  I.  0.  O.  F.  hall  in  the  Lyon  store  building, 
which  is  the  property  of  the  lodge.  The  members 
now  number  ninety-six.  The  officers  are  W.  F.  Ben- 
I  ford,  N.  G. ;  J.  S.  Funk,  V.  G. ;  Sol.  Schmidt,  Sec; 
D.  H.  Parker,  Asst.  Sec;  Charles  Dennis,  Treas. 

Philipsburg  Lodge,  No.  324,  K.  of  P.,  was  or- 
ganized Dec  22,  1871,  with  thirty-five  members. 
Dec.  4,  1871,  a  dispensation  was  granted  to  George 
Mofl^at,  Solomon  Schmidt.  Michael  Johnston,  W.  H. 
Hemphill,  J.  F.  Lucas,  W.  F.  Bower,  Jacob  Gunther, 
David  James,  and  J.  K.  White.  James  Lucas  was 
chosen  C.  C.  In  August,  1881,  the  lodge  membership 
was  sixty.  The  officers  are  J.  J.  Bishop,  C.  C. ;  John 
Graham,  V.  C. ;  William  Rodgers,  K.  of  R.  and  S. ; 
Samuel  Robbins,  M.  F. ;  Charles  Long,  M.  E. ;  Scott 
Herd,  Prelate  ;  George  Hicks,  M.  at  A. ;  Jacob  Clett, 
O.  G.  Meetings  were  at  first  held  in  Hoover's  build- 
ing. The  lodge  headquarters  are  in  the  McCausland 
block. 

John  W.  Geary  Post,  No.  90,  G.  A.  R.,  was 
organized  Aug.  15, 1878,  with  twenty-six  charter  mem- 
bers. In  the  evening  of  the  same  day  eleven  mem- 
bers were  added.  The  membership  is  now  seventy- 
seven.  The  officers  in  1878  were  James  G.  Wigliman, 
P.  C;  W.  E.  Beals,  S.  V.  C. ;  Henry  Stockbridge, 
J.  V.  C. ;  Rev.  N.  H.  Miller,  Chaplain ;  E.  W.  Hale, 
Adjt.  Since  its  organization  the  post  has  mustered 
in  one  hundred  and  seventy-eight  members.  Sleet- 
ings  are  now  held  in  Foster's  block.  The  oflicers  in 
1881  were  A.  H.  Smith,  P.  C. ;  James  Dennis,  S.  V.  C. ; 
John  Fish,  J.  V.  C. ;  George  Parker,  Chaplain;  Geo. 
Heimack,  Adjt.;  John  Gowland,  Q.-M. 

Moshannon  Encampment,  No.  173,  I.  0.  O.  F., 
has  now  a  membership  of  thirty-four.  The  officers 
are  C.  A.  Faulkner,  C.  P. ;  Joseph  Lehman,  S.  W. ; 
W.  F.  Benford,  J.  W. ;  T.  H.  Harker,  H.  P. ;  Sol. 
Schmidt,  Scribe;  Charles  Dennis,  Treas. 

Philipsburg  Journal.— Philipsburg  has  had  but 
one  reliable  newspaper,  The  Journal,  although  a 
futile  attempt  was  made  in  July,  1881,  to  launch  a 
paper  called  the  Laborer's  Guide.  Tlie  Journal  was 
established  by  Ellsworth  &  Dutcher  in  1868.  They 
were  succeeded  in  1869  by  E.  H.  Ellsworth,  and  he 
in  turn  by  D.  W.  P.  Murphey  &  Co.,  Bender  &  Beck, 
and  E.  C.  Bender  &  Co.  In  1881,  W.  T.  Bair  (who 
has  been  engaged  upon  the  paper  since  1879)  became 
the  editor  and  publisher. 

Philipsburg  Militia.— The  pioneer  militia  com- 
pany of  Pliilipsbiirg  was  a  command  known  as  the 
Fenciblcs.  The  organization  was  effected  in  1827. 
John  Matthias  (an  umbrella-maker  and  a  famous  mili- 


J 


PniLIPSBURG   BOROUGF. 


393 


¥ 


tiaman)  was  cliosen  captain  ;  William  McLellan,  first 
lieutenant;  Richard  PI umbe,  second  lieutenant;  and 
Daniel  Ayers,  orderly  sergeant.  The  company  uni- 
form was  blue  and  white,  surmounted  with  a  woolen 
cap  tipped  with  a  white  feather.  Tlie  rank  and  file 
numbered  about  eighty.  The  periodical  parades  of 
the  Fencibles  were  gala  events  in  village  history,  and 
to  the  rising  generation  beamed  with  a  lustre  that 
awakened  an  almost  wild  enthusiasm.  The  second 
captain  was  Daniel  Ayres ;  the  third,  Jacob  Weis  ; 
the  fourth  and  last,  John  Kinnear.  In  1836  the  com- 
pany was  disbanded. 

During  the  existence  of  the  Fencibles  a  company 
called  the  Philipsburg  Rangers  was  organized  by 
George  S.  Irwin.  The  uniform  of  the  Rangers  was 
strikingly  picturesque.  It  consisted  of  yellow  shirt 
and  pants,  with  fringe  of  the  same  color.  The  cap 
was  black,  ornamented  with  a  pompon.  Sixty  men 
were  usually  in  the  ranks.  The  captain  was  George 
S.  Irwin,  the  first  lieutenant,  George  Luzier.  Irwiu 
was  the  captain  three  years,  or  until  he  removed  from 
the  town,  when  the  command  fell  to  Vincent  Holt. 
The  next  year  the  Rangers  disbanded. 

In  1855  the  Philipsburg  Guards  were  organized, 
about  sixty  strong;  J.  A.  Ganoe  was  the  captain,  Wil- 
liam Hudson  the  first  lieutenant,  and  John  D.  Mc- 
Girk the  second  lieutenant.  Capt.  Ganoe  resigned  in 
1858,  and  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  Foster.  The  uniform 
was  dark  blue,  with  slouch  bat.  Dr.  Foster  was  in 
command  until  1861,  when  the  outbreak  of  the  Re- 
bellion drawing  many  of  the  Rangers  into  the  service, 
the  company  was  disbanded.  The  last  military  com- 
pany boasted  by  Philipsburg  was  Company  E,  Fifth 
Regiment,  organized  June  25,  1875.  The  captain  was 
George  C  Davidson  ;  first  lieutenant,  Henry  Simler; 
and  second  lieutenant,  Washington  Heimack.  Tiie 
roster  bore  about  forty  names.  The  armory  was  the 
old  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  building.  Henry 
Simler  succeeded  as  captain  July  27, 1876,  and  was  in 
command  until  Nov.  30,  1880,  when  the  disbandment 
of  the  company  was  ordered.  At  that  time  there 
were  sixty  men  in  the  ranks.  J.  C.  Duncan  was  the 
first  and  J.  S.  Jones  the  second  lieutenant. 

Probably  the  first  band  organized  in  the  t.own  was 
the  cornet  band  formed  in  1864  as  the  result  of  the 
location  near  the  village  of  John  J.  Bishop,  J.  W. 
Bishop,  and  James  Dumbleton,  who  came  from  Pitts- 
burgh, and,  being  musicians,  created  by  their  occa- 
sional performances  a  general  desire  for  a  regularly- 
organized  corps.  Wilkes  Thomas,  of  Huntingdon, 
was  engaged  to  supply  needed  instruction,  and  in  a 
little  while  the  band  found  matters  so  prosperous  that 
a  band  ball  was  erected.  The  present  village  band 
was  organized  in  1878  by  J.  N.  Casanova,  now  the 
president  thereof,  and  in  August,  1881,  was  under  the 
leadership  of  Edward  Bender. 

Borough  Incorporation. — The  borough  of  Philips- 
burg was  incorporated  Nov.  29,  1864.  The  petition 
for  the  incorporation  of  the  borough   reads  thus : 


"The  petition  of  the  undersigned  inhabitants  of  the 
town  of  Philipsburg,  in  the  county  of  Centre,  respect- 
fully represents  that  the  said  town  contains  a  collec- 
tion of  houses,  collocated  after  a  regular  plan  in 
regard  to  streets  and  lanes,  and  that  the  petitioners 
reside  within  the  limits  thereof,  as  hereafter  set  forth 
and  described,  and  that  the  same  contains  not  more 
than  forty-five  freeholders;  that  they  are  desirous 
that  said  town  should  be  incorporated  by  the  style 
and  title  of  the  borough  of  Philipsburg,  according  to 
the  following  boundaries,  viz. :  Beginning  at  a  post 
on  the  Moshannon  Creek  on  a  line  of  lands  between 
Chester  Munson  and  the  limits  of  the  old  Philipsburg, 
as  surveyed  by  Hardman  Philips,  and  running  north 
fifty-seven  degrees  east  seventy-seven  and  five-tenths 
perches  to  a  post  on  the  east  side  of  South  Fourth 
Street ;  thence  by  South  Fourth  north  thirty  degrees 
west  eighty  perches  to  a  post  on  the  south  side  of 
Presque-Isle  Street ;  thence  by  Presque-Isle  Street 
north  fifty-seven  degrees  east  thirty-two  perches  to  a 
post  on  South  Sixth  Street ;  thence  across  Presque-Isle 
Street  north  thirty-three  degrees  west  eighty-one  and 
twenty-two-hundredths  perches  along  North  Sixth 
Street  to  a  post ;  thence  south  fifty-seven  degrees  west 
one  hundred  and  forty  perches  to  a  post  on  the  Mo- 
shannon Creek;  thence  along  the  Moshannon  Creek 
two  hundred  and  ten  perches  to  the  place  of  begin- 
ning, and  also  to  include  Munson's  addition  and  along 
Bellefonte  turnpike  to  Atherton's  Lane ;  thence  along 
same  north  thirty-three  degrees  east  to  the  northeast 
line  of  the  town  plot  extended  to  lane  aforesaid.  The 
petitioners  further  represent  that  they  are  a  majority 
of  the  freeholders  residing  within  said  limits,  etc. 

(Signed)  "Charles  R.  Foster,  Wesley  Runk,  C. 
Munson,  L.  W.  Munson,  T.  B.  Potter,  Margaret 
Meyers,  Oscar  Adams,  Thomas  Hancock,  G.  F.  Hoop. 
E.  F.  Lloyd,  Emily  H.  Jones,  Margaretta  Dueroys, 
Martha  A.  Williams,  James  C.  Williams,  J.  C.  Ha- 
berrocker,  Martha  Ammerman,  Samuel  Fleck,  Jesse 
L.  Test,  Mrs.  Hannah  Glosby,  Christina  Ross,  D.  C. 
Nelson,  Joseph  Ferguson,  Jane  E.  Steiner,  Ellen  J. 
Nelson,  James  Graham,  Mary  M.  Ganoe,  and  John 
D.  McGirk." 

At  the  August  sessions,  1864,  the  grand  jury  re- 
ported favorably  upon  the  petition,  and  in  November, 
1864,  the  report  was  confirmed  by  the  court.  The  first 
election  was  ordered  to  be  held  at  the  public  school- 
house  on  the  third  Friday  of  February,  1865.  Jesse 
L.  Test  was  appointed  judge  and  John  Hancock  and 
James  C.  Williams  inspectors  of  election. 

Jusllces  n/  the  Pence.— J.  L.  Test,  A.  A.  Briidin,  Sept.  27,  1S65;  J,.hn  R. 
Herd,  March  18,1867;  D:ivid  H.Parker,  March  4,  1S70;  Will  am 
Kiihllcs,  March  27,  1S72;  William  0.  McCilthccun,  March  13,  1S75; 
William  Riddles,  March  17,  1877  ;  Thomas  M.  Crissmaii,  William 
H.  McCauslaud,  July  22, 187S ;  Lewis  Hess,  Tliomas  M.  Crissman, 
April  5,  1879. 


394 


HISTORY   OF   CENTKE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


DR.    HENRY    LORAINE. 

As  the  name  implieis,  the  Loraines  are  of  French 
extraction,  their  ancestors  having  been  of  that  brave 
but  unfortunate  people,  the  French  Huguenots.  They 
were  driven  from  France  by  the  Roman  Catholics, 
and  fled  to  England,  where  some  of  their  descendants 
still  live.  Prior  to  the  Revolution  John  Loraine  and 
his  brother  (name  not  known)  came  to  the  New  World 
and  settled  on  the  Eastern  shore  of  Maryland.  He 
was  a  land-  and  slave-owner.  The  first  he  sold,  the 
latter  freed  after  he  moved  to  Germantown,  near 
Philadelphia,  which  was  for  a  time  his  home.  Soon 
after  the  settlement  of  Philipsburg  Mr.  Loraine  moved 
there  with  Ids  family  and  opened  a  general  store, 
which  was  among  the  first  in  the  town.  He  was  a 
Democrat  in  his  political  belief,  as  are  and  have  been 
all  his  descendants.  He  was  one  of  the  first  justices 
of  the  peace  in  Philipsburg,  and  he  is  still  remem- 
bered by  the  older  residents  as  a  man  whose  honesty 
and  integrity  were  above  reproach.  He  was  born  in 
1753,  and  died  in  Philipsburg  July '52,  1823. 

Dr.  Henry  Loraine,  son  of  John  Loraine  above 
named,  was  born  near  Philadelphia  in  1797,  and  with 
liis  father  came  to  Philipsburg,  where  he  grew  to  man- 
hood. His  predilections  were  in  favor  of  the  medical 
profession,  and,  arrived  at  the  proper  age,  he  com- 
menced the  study  of  medicine  under  the  instruction 
of  liis  brother-in-law.  Dr.  William  B.  DeWees,  who 
was  one  of  the  professors  in  the  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania, and  one  of  the  eminent  physicians  of  his 
day.  We  next  find  Mr.  Loraine  attending  lectures 
in  Philadelphia,  going  to  and  returning  from  the  city 
on  horseback,  a  trip  he  often  made  in  after-years,  and 
one  he  delighted  in,  as  he  was  a  fine  horseman.  He 
graduated  at  the  University,  and  at  once  opened  an 
ofiice  in  Philipsburg,  where  he  soon  had  an  extensive 
practice.  In  1837  he  moved  to  Clearfield,  where  he 
continued  in  his  profession  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred on  the  8tli  day  of  March,  1859.  His  practice 
extended  over  a  large  scope  of  country,  and  it  is  said 
of  him  that  during  a  sickly  season  he  rode  almost 
night  and  day,  getting  his  sleep  while  a  fresh  horse 
was  being  brought  for  him  and  in  the  saddle,  as  his 
horse  picked  his  way  along  the  mountain-paths. 

In  many  hearts  the  old  doctor  is  still  held  in  grate- 
ful remembrance,  and  men  still  tell  of  his  going  as 
far  and  as  often  to  see  the  poorest  man  in  the  moun- 
tains as  the  most  wealthy  patient  on  his  list.  He  was 
a  very  poor  collector,  and  was  never  known  to  press 
a  claim,  and  after  his  death  many  thousands  of  dol- 
lars were  found  in  his  books  in  unpaid  bills.  On  this 
account  he  made  but  little  wealth  by  his  profession, 
but  by  judicious  investments  in  lands,  bought  when 
they  were  of  but  little  value,  he  left  to  his  heirs  a 
valuable  estate.     He  was  a  prominent  politician,  and 


was  the  nominee  of  his  party  for  Congressional  honors, 
but  the  Republican  majority  in  liis  district  was  too 
strong  for  him  to  overcome,  as  popular  as  he  was. 

He  married  Miss  Maria  Taylor,  of  Clearfield,  and 
the  union  was  blessed  with  four  children,  viz. :  J. 
Oscar  Loraine  (also  a  physician),  Mary  .lane,  Lorenzo, 
and  Martha  E.  Lorenzo  was  appointed  a  cadet  at 
West  Point  by  Hon.  Alfred  Gilmore,  and  graduated 
therefrom  before  the  war  of  the  Rebellion.  He  was 
commissioned  a  second  lieutenant  of  artillery,  and  or- 
dered to  California  and  the  far  West,  where  he  re- 
mained until  the  commencement  of  hostilities,  in 
IStil,  when  he  returned  East,  and  was  assigned  to  the 
Third  United  States  Artillery,  which  became  a  part 
of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  On  tlie  Thursday  be- 
fore the  first  Bull  Run  battle  he  was  severely 
wounded  in  a  skirmish  at  Culp's  Run.  He  never  re- 
covered from  the  effects  of  the  wound,  and  did  not  see 
any  more  active  service.  For  several  years  he  was 
stationed  at  West  Point  as  assistant  professor  of 
chemistry.  This  position  he  asked  to  be  released 
from,  and  he  then  joined  his  regiment  at  the  Dry  Tor- 
tugas.  He  wiis  afterwards  for  one  year  a  professor  in 
the  University  at  South  Bethlehem.  He  died  in  Balti- 
more on  the  2d  day  of  March,  1882,  then  holding  the 
rank  of  major  of  First  Artillery. 

For  some  years  prior  to  his  death  he  (Lorenzo), 'to- 
gether with  Col.  Lodor,  U.  S.  A.,  were  in  charge  of 
the  artillery  school  at  Fortress  Monroe,  and  whilst 
there  was  promoted  to  major  First  Artillery,  with 
post  at  Fort  Preble,  to  which  post,  on  account  of  his 
health,  he  never  reported,  but  remained  absent  on 
sick-leave,  dying  in  Baltimore. 


GEN.    REUBEN    CHARLES    HALE. 

The  ancestors  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  emi- 
grated from  Wales  at  an  early  period.  Samuel  Hale, 
the  first  of  them  known  in  this  country,  is  mentioned 
as  having  been  in  Hartford,  Conn.,  in  1037,  and  died 
in  Glastonbury,  Conn.,  Nov.  9,  1G93.  Samuel,  his 
son,  was  born  in  1645,  and  died  Nov.  18,  1711,  and 
his  son  Benjamin  was  born  July  22, 1707.  Benjamin's 
son  was  named  Gideon,  and  his  grandson,  Elias 
White  Hale,  was  the  father  of  Reuben  Charles  Hale. 

Elias  White  Hale  was  born  in  Glastonbury,  Conn., 
April  18,  1775.  He  graduated  at  Yale  College  in 
1794;  soon  after  he  began  the  study  of  law  with 
Charles  Hall,  at  Sunbury,  Pa.  After  completing  his 
studies  there  he  removed  to  Lewistown,  Mifflin  Co., 
Pa.,  where  he  practiced  his  profession,  and  was 
esteemed  one  of  the  ablest  lawyers  of  the  section  of 
the  State  in  which  he  lived.  He  was  married  to  Miss 
Jane  Mulholland,  an  estimable  lady,  who  survived 
him  many  years.  He  died  on  the  3d  of  February, 
A.D.  1832. 

Reuben  Cliarles  Hale  was  the  second  son  of  Elias 
White  Hale,  and  was  born  in   Lewistown,  Pa.,  on 


)^;,' 


PHILIPSBURG  BOROUGH. 


395 


the  13th  of  October,  a.d.  1812.  He  first  began  liis 
studies  under  the  instructions  of  the  Rev.  John 
Huchesou  at  Mifflin,  Juniata  Co.,  Pa.,  then  spent 
some  time  at  tlie  military  academy  of  Capt.  A. 
Partridge,  at  Middletown,  Conn.,  and  afterwards  two 
years  at  Yale  College. 

Having  a  preference  for  the  profession  in  which 
his  father  was  distinguished,  he  entered  the  law- 
office  under  the  instruction  of  the  Hon.  W.  W.  Potter, 
of  Bellefonte,  Pa.,  who  was  prominent  at  the  bar, 
and  on  the  27th  of  August,  1833,  was  admitted  to 
practice  law  in  the  several  courts  of  Centre  County. 
He  then  removed  to  Lewistown,  Mifflin  Co.,  where 
he  permanently  settled  with  the  view  of  practicing 
his  profession.  Being  adapted  to  the  business  of  the 
law,  and  his  good  habits  and  high  character  securing 
the  confidence  of  the  public,  he  succeeded  in  an  emi- 
nent degree,  and  ultimately  obtained,  it  is  believed, 
the  largest  and  perhaps  the  most  lucrative  practice  of 
any  lawyer  at  the  Mifflin  County  bar.  As  an  equity 
lawyer  he  had  no  superior  in  the  county.  His  in- 
dustry, promptness,  and  efficiency,  together  with 
extraordinary  untiring  energy,  gave  him  capacity  to 
accomplish  more  legal  business  than  any  two  or 
three  of  his  most  talented  competitors.  In  addition 
to  his  other  professional  duties,  for  some  years  he 
held  the  office  of  deputy  attorney-general,  now 
district  attorney  under  the  revised  constitution,  to 
which  he  was  appointed  by  the  Governor  of  the 
State.  Although  giving  faithful  attention  to  his  large 
law  practice,  he  was  not  entirely  confined  to  it,  but 
was  equally  prominent  as  a  citizen,  and  was  a  leader 
in  many  of  the  projects  for  the  improvement  of  the 
place  in  which  he  lived.  He  was  eminently  a  public- 
spirited  man,  and  was  looked  up  to  as  a  leader.  He 
was  an  ardent  supporter  of  the  temperance  cause ; 
indeed,  no  moral  or  religious  movement  languished 
for  want  of  his  support.  His  active  sympathy  was 
freely  extended  to  every  effijrt  which  had  for  its  object 
the  removal  of  Rum  and  Slavery,  the  twin  curses  of 
the  age.  He  was  an  ardent  supporter  of  the  govern- 
ment in  its  prosecution  of  the  Mexican  war,  and  was 
instrumental  in  sending  gallant  men  to  the  distant 
theatre  of  action. 

Gen.  Hale  was  a  man  of  Christian  life  and  charac- 
ter of  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  entered  into  all  the 
departments  of  church  work  with  his  characteristic 
zeal  and  devotion.  He  was  personally  no  less  active 
than  liberal  in  supporting  the  institutions  of  the 
church,  and  frequently  appeared  as  a  representative 
in  Diocesan  Conventions.  As  a  friend  he  was  most 
remarkable  in  his  promptness  to  extend  his  aid  and 
wide-extending  influence,  and  there  are  those  who 
survive  him  who  can  testify  to  this  admirable  trait 
in  his  life  and  character.  In  person  he  was  of 
medium  stature,  of  dignified  demeanor,  with  a  de- 
cided military  bearing. 

In  politics  Gen.  Hale  was  a  Democrat,  and  as  a 
party  man  was  active  and  influential.     In  the  great 


political  struggle  of  1861,  just  preceding  the  war,  he 
was  associated  and  sympathized  with  the  Douglas 
wing  of  the  party,  and  when  the  war  began  he 
entered  heart  and  mind  with  the  war  Democrats  in 
support  of  the  government.  Indeed,  after  the  very 
existence  of  the  government  was  in  peril  by  the 
slave  power,  he  knew  no  party  but  that  of  the  loyal 
people  who  rallied  around  the  old  flag  of  the  Union. 

On  the  12th  of  May,  1836,  Gen.  Hale  wa-s  married 
to  Miss  Sarah  Jane  Mills,  of  West  Hartford,  Conn. 
Mrs.  Hale,  three  sons,  and  three  daughters  survive 
him.  He  most  affectionately  loved  his  home  and  his 
family,  was  a  devoted  father,  and  was  very  happy  in 
his  domestic  relations.  - 

His  education  being  partly  of  a  military  charac- 
ter, the  martial  spirit  was  ever  manifest,  and  this 
prompted  him  to  take  an  active  interest  in  military 
afi"airs,  fitting  him  for  any  position.  The  uniformed 
militia  found  in  him  a  most  efficient  supporter.  His 
first  position  of  rank  was  that  of  captain  of  the  old 
Lewistown  Guards,  to  which  he  was  commissioned  by 
Governor  Ritner  Sept.  12,  1836.  In  a  few  years 
thereafter  the  famous  "Brady  Regiment"  was  organ- 
ized out  of  the  uniformed  volunteer  companies  of 
Mifflin  and  adjacent  counties,  of  which  he  was  com- 
missioned the  colonel  by  Governor  Porter,  in  Octo- 
ber, 1841.  His  military  intelligence  and  efficiency 
were  so  manifest  in  these  several  positions  that  when 
an  appointment  was  to  be  made  of  major-general  of 
the  Fourteenth  Military  Division,  composed  of  the 
counties  of  Centre,  Clearfield,  Huntingdon,  Mifflin, 
and  Juniata,  he  received  the  honor  and  well-merited 
promotion.  The  military  knowledge  and  spirit  im- 
parted and  cultivated  by  Gen.  Hale  and  the  officers 
under  his  command  in  these  counties  had  much  to 
do  in  fitting  and  preparing  the  volunteer  militia  for 
the  great  struggle  impending,  involving  the  life  of 
the  nation,  around  whose  flag  many  thousands  of 
them  rallied  aud  gallantly  fought  through  four  years 
of  bloody  war,  in  which  they  triumphed  in  vindi- 
cating the  laws  and  preserving  to  posterity  the 
great  palladium  of  our  liberties, — the  government  of 
the  Uuion. 

Gen.  Hale  was  gifted  with  too  large  an  enterpris- 
ing spirit  to  be  content  with  his  profession  and 
the  limited  sphere  of  the  Juniata  valley.  In  addi- 
tion to  investing  quite  largely  in  lands  and  rail- 
roads in  the  West,  in  1854  he,  in  company  with  the 
Hon.  James  T.  Hale,  of  Bellefonte,  his  brothers, 
John  M.  Hale  and  Dr.  E.  W.  Hale,  Governor  E.  D. 
Morgan  and  George  D.  Morgan,  of  Now  York,  and 
I.  Carter  Brown,  of  Providence,  R.  I.,  bought  the 
interest  of  Hardman  Philips  in  lands  in  Cambria, 
Centre,  and  Clearfield  Counties,  Pa.,  amounting  to 
thirty-six  thousand  acres.  The  company  composed 
of  these  men  did  business  and  operated  in  the  name 
of  Morgan,  Hale  &  Co.  In  order  to  make  this  val- 
uable property  profitable  to  its  owners,  lying  away 
oS'  as  it  did  from  any  railroad  facilities,  it  was  de- 


396 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


termined  to  construct  a  railroad  over  the  Allegheny 
Mountains  from  Tyrone  to  Philipsburg.  This  road 
Avas  completed  as  far  as  the  latter  place  in  the  au- 
tumn of  1863.  The  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company 
stocked  the  road,  and  the  result  of  their  action  is  that 
for  some  years  the  Tyrone  and  Clearfield  road  has 
been,  as  far  as  Philipsburg,  one  of  the  most  profitable 
branches  of  the  Pennsylvania  Company.  Gen.  Hale 
was  the  president  of  this  railroad  company  during 
the  time  of  constructing  its  most  diflicult  parts.  In 
April,  1853,  he  was  appointed  by  President  Pierce 
surveyor  of  the  port  of  Philadelphia,  to  which  place 
he  soon  after  removed.  When  his  term  of  oflSce  ex- 
pired he  resumed  the  practice  of  his  profession  in 
the  city  of  Philadelphia,  which  he  continued  until 
the  war  broke  out  in  1861.  Governor  Curtin,  well 
knowing  Gen.  Hale's  high  character,  his  patriotic 
and  energetic  spirit,  as  also  his  military  talents  and 
experience,  appointed  him  quartermaster-general  of 
the  State  under  a  late  act  of  Assembly,  which 
had  been  passed  at  the  previous  session  in  view  of 
the  war-clouds  then  darkening  the  horizon.  It  was  a 
most  wise  and  timely  enactment,  for  without  it  Penn- 
sylvania could  not  have  equipped  and  prepared  her 
soldiers  for  the  field.  The  Pennsylvania  Reserve 
Corps,  now  of  historic  fame,  was  in  all  its  first  sup- 
plies and  equipments  the  creation  of  this  department, 
of  which  Gen.  Hale  took  charge  a  few  days  after  the 
first  gun  was  fired  upon  Sumter,  and  when  the 
whole  State  was  in  a  blaze  of  patriotic  excitement. 

Gen.  Hale  soon  realized  the  great  difficulty  of  or- 
ganizing a  new  department  having  no  previous  ex- 
istence, while  thousands  of  patriotic,  gallant  men 
were  literally  flocking  to  the  capital  of  the  State, 
clamoring  in  their  zeal  for  the  military  supplies  that 
were  not  in  the  country,  and  had  yet  to  receive  the 
stamp  of  the  mill  and  the  factory,  that  they  might  be 
fitted  to  march  to  the  defense  of  the  old  flag.  It  was 
not  possible  to  accomplish  real  impossibilities  even 
in  this  great  emergency,  but  all  that  patriotic  ardor 
and  business  skill,  backed  by  governmental  power 
and  influence,  could  do  was  done  to  meet  the  great 
demands  of  an  occasion  unprecedented  in  the  history 
of  the  commonwealth. 

The  extraordinary  labors  and  efforts,  the  toils,  in- 
cidents, and  the  beneficial  results  to  the  State  and  the 
nation  of  Gen.  Hale's  two  years'  administration  of 
the  Quartermaster-General's  Department  would  re- 
quire a  volume  to  record,  and  it  may  be  truly  said 
that  he  was  as  virtually  a  victim  of  the  war  as  if  he 
had  fallen,  sword  in  hand,  in  front  of  a  division  at 
Antietam  or  upon  the  heights  of  Fredericksburg. 

His  marvelous  zeal,  labors,  exposures,  and  devotion 
in  the  discharge  of  his  official  duties  at  length 
brought  on  hemorrhages  of  the  lungs,  from  which  he 
died  on  the  2d  of  July,  1863,  at  the  residence  of  his 
brother.  Dr.  E.  W.  Hale,  in  Reedsville,  Mifflin  Co., 
Pa.,  his  spirit  passing  into  the  realms  of  peace  and 
glory,  beyond  this  sphere  of  sin  and  strife,  while  the 


great  culminating  battle  of  the  Rebellion  was  in  full 
progress  around  and  upon  the  heights  of  the  historic 
field  of  Gettysburg.  A  multitude  of  mourning  friends 
witnessed  his  burial  at  Lewistown  on  the  4th  of 
July,  1863,  and  there  at  the  place  of  his  nativity,  in 
the  beautiful  Episcopal  Cemetery  on  the  banks  of 
the  Kishacoquillas,  an  appropriate  monument  marks 
his  last  resting-place. 


JOHN    MILLS    HALE. 


Among  the  members  of  the  Centre  County  bar  we 
find  the  name  of  John  Mills  Hale.  He  was  born  in 
Lewistown,  Mifflin  Co.,  Pa.,  on  the  18th  day  of  Feb- 
ruary, A.D.  1839,  and  is  the  second  son  of  Gen.  R.  C. 
Hale.  From  school  age  until  1853,  Mr.  Hale  attended 
the  common  and  select  schools  of  his  native  town, 
then  with  his  parents  went  to  Philadelphia,  where 
for  a  time  he  attended  the  private  schools  and  the 
Philadelphia  Academy.  After  this  he  studied  under 
a  private  tutor  until  he  was  fitted  for  college.  In 
1859  he  entered  the  sophomore  class  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Pennsylvania.  In  1862  he  graduated  from  the 
university,  after  which  he  resided  in  Harrisburg,  and 
commenced  the  study  of  the  law  under  the  direction 
of  his  father.  He  also  during  this  time  did  some 
work  as  a  clerk  in  the  Quartermaster-General's  Office 
of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  his  father  at  that  time 
holding  the  office.  In  the  summer  of  1863  he  moved 
to  Philipsburg,  Centre  Co.,  Pa.,  where  he  has  since 
resided.  He  still  continued  the  study  of  the  law 
under  the  direction  of  Judge  Hale  and  Adam  Hoy, 
Esq.  In  April,  1847,  Mr.  Hale  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  Bellefonte,  and  immediately  commenced  the 
practice  of  his  profession  in  Philipsburg.  Soon  after 
he  was  appointed  a  notary  public  by  Governor  Geary, 
who  reappointed  him  for  a  second  term.  He  was  also 
commissioned  a  notary  public  by  Governor  Hartranft, 
and  for  two  terms.  Mr.  Hale's  first  vote  was  for  Stephen 
A.  Douglas,  but  during  the  war  he  became  convinced 
that  the  Republican  party  represented  more  than  any 
other  the  progressive  and  patriotic  element  of  the 
country,  and  he  cast  his  fortunes  with  it,  as  he  has  ever 
since  done.  He  is  not  and  has  never  been  an  office- 
seeker,  though  he  has  held  minor  offices  in  his  town- 
ship. In  religious  belief  he  is  an  Episcopalian,  and 
is  a  member  of  the  church  of  that  denomination  in 
Philipsburg,  and  generally  represents  his  parish  in 
the  Diocesan  Convention.  In  June,  1878,  he  bought 
out  the  hardware-store  of  George  H.  Zeigler,  in  Phil- 
ipsburg, the  management  and  financial  afl!'airs  of  which 
he  has  since  attended  to  in  addition  to  his  other  busi- 
ness. He  owns  considerable  real  estate  in  Philips- 
burg, and  takes  great  interest  in  the  growth  and  de- 
velopment of  the  borough.  He  has  invested  in  the 
water-works,  telephone  exchange,  and  electric  light, 
and  is  a  stockholder  in  each  of  these  enterprises. 


C<^^^£^ 


PHILIPSBURG  BOROUGH. 


397 


HON.  CHARLES  R.  FOSTER. 
Hon.  Charles  R.  Foster  was  born  at  Cape  May, 
N.  J.,  on  the  30th  day  of  June,  1822.  His  ancestors 
were  from  England,  though  the  date  of  their  coming 
to  America  is  not  known  to  us.  Leroy  Foster,  the 
father  of  our  subject,  was  also  born  in  New  Jersey. 
He  was  a  farmer,  and  on  the  farm  of  his  father, 
Charles,  passed  tiie  first  nine  years  of  his  life.  At 
that  age  the  death  of  both  father  and  mother  left  him 
without  a  home.  He  was  the  youngest  of  five  chil- 
dren, and  too  young  to  earn  for  himself  a  livelihood, 
and  for  a  few  years  his  home  was  with  tv.-o  married 
sisters,  dividing  his  time  between  the  homes  of  the 
two.  As  soon  as  old  enough  he  started  out  in  life  for 
himself,  with  no  assistance  but  a  good  constitution 
and  a  stout  heart.  He  educated  himself,  and  in  1838 
we  find  him  in  the  ofBce  of  Dr.  Wiley,  at  Cape  May 
Court-House,  studying  medicine.  He  afterwards  at- 
tended several  courses  of  lectures,  and  in  1844  grad- 
uated at  Jefferson  College,  Philadelphia.  In  the  class 
with  him  was  Dr.  Woods,  who  graduated  the  same 
year,  and  with  whom  he  became  very  intimate.  Dr. 
W^oods  located  at  Curwinsville,  Ckarfield  Co.,  Pa., 
and  through  his  influence  Dr.  Foster  joined  him  in 
the  spring  of  1844,  and  for  a  short  time  they  practiced 
together.  At  that  time  Clearfield  County  and  a  large 
part  of  Centre  County  was  very  new.  Philipsburg, 
on  the  line  between  the  two  counties,  was  then  in  its 
infancy,  and  had  no  regular  physician,  the  nearest  one 
being  Dr.  Loraine,  at  Clearfield.  At  Philipsburg,  in 
1844,  the  young  doctor  established  himself,  and  by 
close  attention  to  his  business  and  with  more  than 
ordinary  success  he  soon  had  a  very  fine  practice. 
The  newness  of  tiie  country  and  the  want  of  roads 
and  bridges  made  his  duties  very  arduous.  He 
thought  nothing  of  going  twenty-five  miles  to  see 
patients,  as  his  practice  extended  to  Glenhope,  Bald 
Eagle  valley,  and  Frenchville.  In  going  to  the  latter 
place  when  the  streams  were  high,  he  always  took 
hammer  and  nails.  He  would  ride  to  the  bank  of  the 
river,  and,  leaving  his  horse,  would  cross  over  on  a  raft 
of  boards  hastily  nailed  together,  and  would  then 
walk  several  miles  to  see  his  patients.  As  above  set 
forth.  Dr.  Loraine  was  then  practicing  at  Clearfield, 
and  between  the  two  there  sprung  up  a  warm  friend- 
ship which  lasted  through  life.  They  often  met  in 
consultation,  and  the  old  and  experienced  doctor  was 
ever  ready  to  assist  the  young  doctor  at  Philipsburg. 
Dr.  Foster  continued  in  his  profession  until  1856, 
when  becoming  very  weary  of  it  he  gave  up  his  prac- 
tice and  went  into  the  lumber  and  mercantile  busi- 
ness with  E.  Perks.  They  got  out  rafts  of  round 
timber  which  they  .sent  to  Port  Deposit  and  other 
points.  Their  lumber  trade  was  in  connection  with 
the  mercantile  business  in  Philipsburg,  where  they 
had  a  general  store.  Mr.  Foster  continued  in  the 
lumber  and  mercantile  business  with  unvarying  suc- 
cess until  his  death.  lu  politics  he  was  a  Democrat, 
and  became  prominent  in  the  political  circles  of  his 


county.  In  1852  he  was  nominated  by  his  party  and 
was  elected  to  represent  his  district  in  the  lower 
branch  of  the  Pennsylvania  Legislature.  He  filled 
the  office  two  terms,  and  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of 
his  constituents. 

In  1864,  his  health  becoming  impaired,  he  with- 
drew partially  from  business,  with  the  hope  of  recov- 
ering his  health,  but  grew  gradually  worse.  In  the 
winter  of  18G6  he  went  South,  thinking  to  be  bene- 
fited by  a  warm  climate.  It  did  not  improve  his  con- 
dition any,  and  he  returned  home  in  tlie  spring,  and 
in  July  following  went  to  Philadelphia  to  consult 
with  eminent  physicians  there.  He  grew  worse,  and 
died  in  that  city  July  23,  1867.  Dr.  Foster  was  a 
man  of  warm  and  generous  impulses,  his  genial  ways 
and  his  fine  conversational  powers  making  him  the 
favorite  of  every  circle  in  which  he  moved.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Henrietta  McGurk,  daughter  of  James  and 
Eleanor  (Ashman)  McGurk.  To  them  was  born  one 
child, — Helen  L. 

Mrs.  Foster's  father,  James  McGurk,  was  born  in 
Ireland,  and  when  six  years  old  came  to  America 
with  his  father,  who  settled  at  Shippensburg,  Frank- 
lin Co.,  Pa.  He  settled  in  Philipsburg  in  1820,  and 
kept  the  first  hotel  kept  in  the  town.  In  connection 
with  the  hotel  he  kept  a  general  store,  and  was  prob- 
ably the  first  dealer  in  drugs  and  medicines  in  I'liil- 
ipsburg.  The  town  had  no  physician  then,  and  Mr. 
McGurk  made  so  thorough  a  study  of  diseases  and  the 
remedies  therefor  that  he  was  often  consulted  by  the 
residents  of  the  town  and  surrounding  country,  and 
in  time  he  became  a  successful  practitioner  of  medi- 
cine, though  he  never  graduated  at  any  medical  or 
other  college  or  school.  • 


DAVID    W.   HOLT.  • 

Prior  to  the  Revolutionary  war  there  came  from 
England  to  this  country  one  Thomas  Holt,  who  set- 
tled near  Carlisle,  Pa.  He  reared  a  family  of  chil- 
dren, one  of  whom,  John  Holt,  married  a  Miss  Milli- 
gan,  and  located  in  Centre  County,  near  where 
Milesburg  now  stands.  He  was  a  man  of  large  stat- 
ure, as  the  Holts  have  always  been.  He  became  a 
large  land-owner  and  wealthy,  and  lived  the  life  of  a 
gentleman.  He  served  in  the  patriot  army  during 
the  war  for  independence,  and  rose  to  the  rank  of 
colonel.  After  the  war  he  held  the  same  rank  in  the 
State  militia,  with  which  he  )vas  for  many  years  iden- 
tified. His  family  consisted  of  nine  children, — four 
sons  and  five  daughters.  The  eldest  of  these,  Thomas 
Holt,  was  born  Feb.  5, 1786.  He  married  Miss  Sarah 
Meek,  of  Ferguson  township.  Centre  Co.,  and  in  1815 
moved  to  Clearfield  County,  Pa.,  and  on  the  farm 
which  became  his  permanent  home,  and  ou  which  he 
died,  built  a  cabin  among  the  trees  with  which  his 
laud  was  then  covered.  The  cabin  in  time  gave  way 
for  a  better  and  more  pretentious  house,  and  the  for- 
ests to  cleared  fields,  fences,  and  out-buildings.     He 


398 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


was  a  Democrat  in   politics,  and  for  many  years  a 
justice  of  the  peace.     He  died  Jan.  31,  1868,  leaving 
a  family  of  four  sons  and  two  daugliters,  of  whom 
Vincent  B.  was  the  oldest,  and  was  born  Aug.  21, 
1810.     He  married  Miss  Nancy  Wilson,  of  Hunting- 
don  County,   and   settled   in   Decatur,   now   Morris 
township,  in  Clearfield  County,  where  he  lived  until 
1843,  when  he  moved  to  Bradford  township,  Clear- 
field Co.,  on  the  farm  which  he  still  owns,  and  on 
which   he  resided   until  the  fall  of  1882,  when  he 
moved  into  Philipsburg,  where  he  expects  to  pass  the 
declining  years  of  his  life.     He  early  identified  him- 
self with  the  Democratic  party  of  his  county,  and  by 
whom  he  was  elected  an  assoeiatejudge,  which  posi- 
tion he  has  held  five  years.     In  early  life  Mr.  Holt 
was  for  many  years  connected  with  the  State  militia, 
and  was  a  major.     He  took  a  deep  interest  in  military 
affairs,  and  was  one  of  the  best  drill-masters  in  the  mi- 
litia service.     There  has  been  born  to  Mr.  Holt  twelve 
children,  of  whom  David  W.  Holt  was  the  second. 
He  was  born  on  the  home-farm  in  Morris  township 
on  the  5th  day  of  October,  183.5,  and  made  it  his  home 
until  he  had  passed  his  majority.     On  the  9th  day  of 
September,  1862,  he  was  married,  in  St.  John's  Epis- 
copal Church  in  Bellefonte,  to  Miss  Catherine  All- 
port,  who  was  born  in  Patton,  Centre  Co.,  Pa.,  on  the 
11th  day  of  December,  18-11.     Mr.  Holt  commenced 
life  without  a  dollar,  his  first  money  being  earned  in 
hewing  timber,  at  which  he  was  an  expert.     He  as- 
sisted in  preparing  rafts  for  lumber-dealers,  until  he 
finally  entered  into  a  partnership  with  his  uncle,  John 
Holt,  their  business  being  in  the  same  line  he  had 
previously  been  engaged  in.     They  were,  owing  to 
the  fall  in  prices,  unsuccessful  in  their  business  ven- 
tures, and  at  its  close  Mr.   Holt  found   himself  no 
better  off  financially  than   when   they   commenced. 
After*his  marriage  he  still  continued  in  tlie  lumber 
business,  his  operations  being   mostly  in  Clearfield 
County.     In  1855  he  became  associated  with  Herman 
Mather,  of  Troy,  N.  Y.,  in  the  lumber  business.     At 
the  death  of  Mr.  Mather,  Mr.  Holt  bought  out  the 
Mather   interest   in  the  business   and   timber-lands. 
In  1868  he  consolidated  the  lands  with  those  owned 
by  the  heirs  of  his  wife's  father.     In  August  of  that 
year  (1868)  the  lands  were  all  sold,  but  the  minerals 
reserved.     In  the  summer  of  1869,  through  the  ef- 
forts of  Mr.  Holt,  the  railroad  was  extended  from 
Philipsburg  to  the  Morrisdale  mines,  which  are  on 
the  lands  formerly  owned  by  him^ind  the  Allport  heirs. 
They  were  opened  and  the  buildings  built  under  his 
supervision,  and  in  January,  1870,  he  shipped  from 
these  mines  the  first  car-load  of  coal  shipped  over 
the  Morrisdale  Branch  of  the  railroad. 

In  1875  the  mines  were  sold  to  Messrs.  Wigton  & 
Dorris,  soon  after  which  he  bought  the  mills  of  Jones, 
Allport  &  Co.,  and  again  becafne,  and  is  still,  a  heavy 
dealer  in  lumber.  Mr.  Holt  is  also  connected  with 
the  mercantile  firm  of  Gray,  Wolf  &  Co.,  a  director 
and  stock  owner  in  the  Philipsburg  Banking  Com- 


pany, and  interested  in  several  mines  which  are  now 
in  operation.     He  is  president  of  the  Driving-Park 
Association,  and  Electric  Light  Company.     He  gives 
employment  to  a  large   number  of  men,  whom  he 
manages  with  skill  and  success.     There  are   those 
who  have  lived  longer  in  Philipsburg  than  Mr.  Holt, 
but  none  that  have  done  more  for  its  advancement 
and   general   prosperity  than  he,  and  he  is  rightly 
ranked  among  the  most  successful  business  men  of 
Centre  and  Clearfield  Counties.   Mrs.  David  W.  Holt 
is  a  daughter  of  James  and  Matilda  (Hunter)  Allport. 
Her  father  was  born  in  Martley,  Worcester  County, 
England,  May  11,  1799,  and  was  raised  by  his  uncle 
Charles,  who  was  a  commissary-general  in  the  Eng- 
lish army.   He  went  with  his  uncle  in  his  campaigns, 
and  was  educated  by  private  tutors,  who  were  some  of 
the  time  Protestants,  at  other  times  Roman  Catholic. 
He  was  with  his  uncle  in  the  Peninsular  campaign 
in  Spain,  and  with  the  Iron  Duke  in  the  campaign 
which  resulted  in  the  defeat  and  final  overthrow  of 
Napoleon  at  Waterloo.     The  boy  James  was  an  eye- 
witne.ss  of  the  battle  of  Waterloo,  and  brought  away 
many  interesting  relics  of  the  battle-field,  which  are 
still  owned  and  highly  prized  by  the  family.   Through 
the  influence  of  his  uncle  he  was  pensioned  by  the 
English  government,  which  pension  was  to  descend 
to  his  heirs  so  long  as  he  or  they  remained  sultjects  of 
the  crown.      After  making  America  his  permanent 
home  Mr.  Allport  became  a  naturalized   citizen  of 
the  United  States,  declaring  that  he  would  not  for 
any  pension  forego  his  rights  as  a  citizen  of  the  land 
of  his  adoption.     In  1816  his  uncle  sent  him  to  New 
York  as  an  importer  of  hardware,  which  business  he 
followed  until  1828,  crossing  the  ocean  sixteen  times. 
Prior  to  1828  the  firm  of  Corp,  Ellis  &  Shaw,  with 
whom  he  had  been  doing  business,  failed,  and  he  was 
compelled  to  take  of  them  as  pay  for  money  due  him 
large  tracts  of  land  in  Clearfield  County,  near  Philips- 
burg.    In  1828  he  came  in  from  New  York  to  see  his 
lands,  arriving  in  Philipsburg  on  the  7th  of  May,  and 
after  a  short  time  passed  in  looking  over  the  country 
he  returned  to  New  York.     The  following  year  he 
again  visited  Iiis  lands,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  forests 
he  built  a  cabin,  and  alone  commenced  life  in  the 
new  country.     In  time  the  cabin  was  dispensed  with, 
and  a  better  home  was  erected.     On  the  29th  day  of 
November,  1831,  he  was  married  to   Miss  Matilda 
Hunter,  daughter  of  Maj.  Andrew  and  Mary  (Evans) 
Hunter,  who  were  among  the  early  settlers  of  Centre 
County.     Mr.   Allport   identified   himself  with   the 
Democratic  party,  and  was  a  sturdy  advocate  of  its 
principles,  and  became  one  of  its  leaders  in  Clear- 
field County  and  the  surrounding  country.     The  first 
railroad  speech  made  in  Philipsburg  was  delivered 
by  him  when  the  question  was  first  being  agitated, 
and  in  favor  of  its  construction.     In  the  latter  years 
of  his  life  he  lost  the  use  of  his  limbs,  which  greatly 
impeded  his  physical  but  not  his  mental  activity.     It 
prevented  him  from  taking  the  active  part  in  public 


^i^iiy  AKSxicf^^- 


PniLIPSBURG  BOROUGH. 


399 


affairs  which  his  qualifications  so  well  fitted  him  to 
fill.  The  Allports  trace  their  genealogical  line  back 
to  the  time  of  Charles  the  Second,  and  it  was  their 
ancestors  who  hid  that  monarch  in  the  oak-tree  when 
pursued  by  the  minions  of  Cromwell.  After  the  king 
ascended  the  throne  he  bestowed  on  the  family  the 
coat-of-arms  which  still  distinguishes  them  in  the 
mother-country.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Allport  there  were 
born  seven  children,  five  of  whom  are  still  living,  as 
is  Mrs.  Allport.  He  died  on  the  4th  day  of  October, 
A.D.  1854. 


CHESTER   MUNSON. 


The  great-grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
was  born  in  England,  and  came  to  America  previous 
to  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  located  in  Windham 
County,  Conn.  At  the  commencement  of  hostilities 
by  the  British  against  the  then  weak  colonies,  in  1775, 
Mr.  Munson  and  three  of  his  sons  took  up  arms  in 
defense  of  their  adopted  country,  and  performed  ac- 
tive service  all  through  that  eventful  period.  The 
father  and  one  son,  Almond,  grandfather  of  Chester, 
served  as  privates,  while  the  other  two  boys  served 
respectively  as  fifer  and  drummer. 

After  the  declaration  of  peace  the  soldier-boy. 
Almond,  moved  to  Great  Bend,  Susquehanna  Co..  Pa., 
where  he  lived  for  many  years  previous  to  his  death. 
He  was  married,  however,  previous  to  his  leaving 
Connecticut,  where  his  son  Almond,  father  of  Ches- 
ter, was  born,  and  came  with  his  parents  to  Great 
Bend  when  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age.  He  subse- 
quently married  Miss  Polly  Tarbell,  of  Great  Bend. 
From  this  union  eleven  children  were  born,  of  whom 
Chester  Munson,  now  of  Philipsburg,  was  the  second, 
he  having  been  born  June  1, 1815,  at  Great  Bend,  Pa. 

As  is  seen  by  the  foregoing,  Mr.  Munson's  ancestry 
were  of  that  hardy,  honest,  industrious  class  of  people 
characteristic  of  New  Englanders  generally,  inured 
to  toil  and  hardship,  a  trait  that  has  been  transmitted 
from  father  to  sou  down  to  the  present  generation. 

During  Chester's  minority  he  was  employed  at 
farming,  lumbering,  and  such  other  work  as  was 
usually  performed  by  the  pioneer  boys  of  that  day. 
He  was  also  employed  to  some  extent  at  milhvrighting 
till  he  became  quite  proficient  in  that  line  of  trade. 
He  came  to  Centre  County  in  1843  or  1844,  and  en- 
gaged in  the  millwright  business  ;  also  in  lumbering, 
merchandising,  and  farming,  in  which  vocations  he 
has  continued  to  the  present  time,  except  that  of 
millwright,  which  was  abandoned  soon  after  coming 
to  Centre  County.  He  is  still  engaged  in  the  other 
branches,  having  a  farm  and  lumber-mill  near  Phil- 
ipsburg, and  an  extensive  store  in  the  borough,  con- 
ducted under  the  firm-name  of  C.  Munson  &  Son. 
He  has  also  an  interest  in  a  planing-mill  in  Hunting- 
don, Pa. 

Mr.  Munson  married,  Jan.  11,  1844,  Jliss  Letitia 
McClellan,  daughter  of  William  McClellan,  late  of 


Philipsburg.  Their  children  liave  been  Richard  Ed- 
ward, who  married  Miss  Emma  Robinson,  and  now  a 
coal  operator,  civil  engineer,  and  insurance  agent  at 
Philipsburg;  Ellen,  now  deceased;  Gertrude  Ann, 
married  to  Lycurgus  G.  Lingle,  now  of  Philipsburg, 
Pa. ;  James  Hale,  who  married  Miss  Carrie  Sturde- 
vant,  of  Philipsburg,  and  is  now  the  junior  member 
of  the  mercantile  firm  of  C.  Munson  &  Son  ;  and 
Carrie  Bowman  Munson,  unmarried. 


JACOB   F.  STEINER. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Mont- 
gomery County,  Pa.,  Aug.  26, 1828.  His  grandfather, 
John  Steiner,  emigrated  to  America  from  Wiirtem- 
berg  (Germany)  about  the  year  1792,  and  settled  in 
Bucks  County,  where  he  i-esided  till  his  death,  in  1821. 
His  father,  whose  name  was  also  John  Steiner,  was 
born  in  Bucks  County,  Pa.,  Jan.  17,  1799,  and  resided 
there  till  the  year  1822,  when  he  removed  to  Mont- 
gomery County.  Here  he  settled  on  Perkiomen 
Creek,  near  Zeiglersville,  where,  with  his  brother,  he 
built  a  small  flouring-mill.  M.ay  11,  1823,  he  mar- 
ried Christina  Fulmer,  of  Bucks  County,  and  the 
realities  and  responsibilities  of  life  were  begun  in 
their  new  home. 

The  first  mill  was  a  small  striicture  of  stone,  but 
enlarged  and  improved  at  different  periods  until  it 
became  one  of  the  most  important  and  extensive  at 
that  time  in  Montgomery  County.  He  also  con- 
structed in  connection  with  it  an  oil-mill,  both  of 
which  he  conducted  successfully  until  his  death.  His 
family  consisted  of  two  children, — one  daughter  and 
the  subject  of  this  sketch.  The  daughter  married 
Elias  Swartley,  and  died  about  the  year  ISGS.  This 
left  Jacob  F.  Steiner  the  only  living  representative 
of  the  family,  his  father  having  died  Aug.  12,  1860, 
aged  sixty-one  years. 

In  order  to  be  practically  educated  and  prepared 
for  the  active  duties  of  life,  Jacob  was  sent  by  his 
father,  when  only  twelve  years  of  age,  to  the  conihier- 
cial  house  of  Curwin  Stoddart  &  Bro.,  450-454  North 
Second  Street,  Philadelphia.  Mr.  Steiner  was  then 
a  lad  who  could  not  speak  a  word  of  English,  and 
was  first  employed  by  the  house  as  an  interpreter. 
He  remained  in  the  employ  of  this  firm  for  a  period 
of  three  years,  during  which  time  he  learned  to  speak 
good  English,  aud  was  advanced  to  higher  positions 
in  the  establishment.  For  the  first  year  he  received 
no  wages,  and  his  father  paid  his  board  ;  but  being 
very  acceptable  to  his  employei"s,  he  was  subsequently 
liberally  rewarded  for  one  of  his  age. 

After  his  return  home  his  father  sent  him  to  school 
at  Trappe,  Montgomery  Co.,  an  academy  at  that  time 
under  the  supervision  of  Professor  Henry  S.  Roden- 
baugh,  where  he  remained  a  diligent  student  for  three 
years,  and  acquired  a  good  education.  At  the  age  of 
eighteen  he  went  to  Water  Street,  Huntingdon  Co., 
where  he  engaged  in  the  employ  of  his  cousin,  George 


400 


HISTORY  OP  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


H.  Steiner,  the  surviving  member  of  the  late  firm  of 
Moore  &  Steiner,  where  he  remained  till  his  marriage 
with  Miss  Elizabeth  Harnish,  Feb.  1,  1849,  who  now 
.survives  him.  A  few  months  subsequent  to  his  mar- 
riage he  came  to  what  is  now  Steiner  Station,  near 
Philipsburg,  where  he  began  to  carve  out  his  career, 
which  ultimately  resulted  in  his  prominence  as  one 
of  the  wide-awake  citizens  of  the  community. 

He  first  purchased  of  Keller,  Harnish  &  Huyett  a 
tract  of  ninety-five  acres  of  land,  and  during  the  same 
year  another  tract  of  four  hundred  and  thirty-three 
acres  of  timber-land  from  the  Hardman  Philips  es- 
tate. The  original  purchase  was  the  old  Valentine 
Flegal  property,  near  Philipsburg,  which  was  the 
first  improvement  made  on  this  border  of  the  county. 
The  first  year  he  built  a  small  house  and  barn,  and 
in  1850  brought  in  his  wife  and  began  house-keeping. 
Like  his  father,  Mr.  Steiner  never  moved  after  he  be- 
came settled,  remaining  here  till  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred Sept.  16,  1882.  The  beautiful  home  he  left 
indicates  tlie  natural  taste  and  culture  of  Mr.  Steiner 
while  living.  His  place  was,  and  is  still,  known  as 
"  Hillside  Home,"  and  the  locality  as  Steiner's  Sta- 
tion, three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  Philipsburg,  on 
the  Tyrone  and  Clearfield  Railroad. 

At  the  time  he  made  his  original  purchase  there  was 
au  old  saw-mill  on  the  property,  which  he  remodeled 
and  operated.  The  lumber  business  was  his  principal 
vocation  from  the  time  that  he  first  entered  Philips- 
burg and  vicinity  to  the  time  of  his  death,  lie  having 
been  one  of  the  most  energetic  and  successful  opera- 
tors in  lumber  in  this  section,  purchasing  at  different 
periods  other  and  larger  tracts  as  opportunity  offered 
or  necessity  required.  His  farm  contained  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty-two  acres  of  cleared  land,  and  was  con- 
sidered one  of  the  best  in  the  vicinity  of  Philipsburg. 
The  beautiful  mansion  in  which  his  family  still  reside 
was  built  in  18G7.  In  1870  he  purchased  the  Heilman 
&  Hesser  tract  of  timber-land,  and  known  as  the  Bea- 
ver Dam  Saw-Mill,  and  took  into  partnership  in  this 
transaction  Messrs.  Weiser  &  Bender,  of  York,  Pa., 
and  during  his  connection  with  this  firm  had  the  prin- 
cipal management  of  the  property  and  business,  and 
in  April,  1872,  sold  his  interest  in  this  property  to  the 
other  members  of  the  firm. 

May  21, 1872,  he  associated  with  himself  in  business 
his  son,  Alton  G.  Steiner,  who  on  that  day  had  attained 
his  majority,  and  from  that  time  to  the  death  of  Mr. 
Steiner  the  lumber  business  was  carried  on  under  the 
firm-name  of  J.  F.  Steiner  &  Son. 

During  the  year  1872,  Mr.  Steiner  constructed  the 
present  dam  and  built  the  mills,  which  are  now  among 
the  best  improvements  on  the  Moshannou  Creek,  the 
capacity  of  the  mills  being  twenty-five  thousand  feet 
per  day.  From  that  time  to  the  date  of  his  death  he 
paid  more  attention  to  farming,  leaving  the  m.anage- 
ment  of  the  lumber  business  more  to  his  son  Alton, 
who  at  the  death  of  his  father  succeeded  to  the  en- 
tire business  management  of  the  mills  and  farm. 


The  great  secret  of  Mr.  Steiner's  success  in  life  was 
his  exercise  of  proper  sagacity,  close  application  to 
business,  and  a  rigid  adherence  to  the  principles  of 
honest  dealing.  He  was  a  man  who  had  many  friends, 
and  those  who  knew  him  best  loved  him  most.  He 
possessed  a  noble  and  generous  spirit ;  none  ever  went 
to  him  in  distress  and  returned  empty  away.  He  was 
a  consistent,  faithful,  and  devoted  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  an  honored  member  of 
the  Masonic  fraternity.  He  had  a  kindly  feeling  to- 
wards everybody,  and  his  amiable  disposition  made 
him  admired  by  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact. 
In  his  death  the  widowed  wife  has  lost  a  devoted  hus- 
band, his  children  a  loving  and  indulgent  father,  the 
poor  a  true  friend,  and  the  community  one  of  its 
best  citizens.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the 
Moshannon  Bank  at  Philipsburg,  organized  in  1881, 
and  one  of  its  directors. 

The  names  of  his  children  are  Alton  G.  Steiner, 
born  May  21,  1851 ;  Ida,  born  Dec.  22,  1852  ;  Ella  M., 
born  July  8,  1854;  Harry  H.,  born  Sept.  4,  185G; 
Elizabeth,  born  Sept.  9,  1857  ;  lone  G.,  born  March  9, 
1859;  Effie  M.,  born  May  26,  1862;  Rachel  H.,  born 
Nov.  24,  1865;  and  Fanny  H.,  born  Dec.  29,  1868, 
and  died  Jan.  20,  1873. 


JOHN    KUTTALL. 


The  subject  of  this  sketch,  one  of  the  principal 
business  men  of  Philipsburg,  Pa.,  was  born  in  Lan- 
cashire, England,  April  9,  1817,  of  poor,  honest, 
industrious,  and  frugal  parents.  His  father,  Thomas 
Nuttall,  married  Miss  Alice  Crabtree,  and  i'rom  this 
union  were  born  six  children,  of  whom  John  w.as  the 
fifth.  His  parents  both  died  in  England,  his  father 
Jan.  3,  1820,  and  his  mother  in  1852,  at  the  age  of 
fifty-two  years,  she  having  outlived  all  her  family  ex- 
cept John  and  his  young  sister,  Alice,  whose  death 
occurred  subsequent  to  that  of  her  mother. 

When  John  was  about  eight  years  of  age  he  was 
employed  in  a  calico  print-works  at  Love  Clough, 
England,  as  a  tier-boy,  where  he  remained  about  three 
years,  when  he  left  the  print-works  and  commenced 
work  in  the  coal-mines  at  Goodshaw  Hill,  where  he 
remained  till  he  was  seventeen  years  of  age,  when  he 
was  apprenticed  to  a  calico  print-works  at  Love 
Clough,  where  he  remained  four  and  a  luilf  years, 
then  again  in  the  coal-mines  for  four  years,  then  in 
the  print-works  for  three  and  a  half  years,  then  again 
in  the  coal-mines  till  he  was  thirty-two  years  of  age. 

During  this  time  Mr.  Nuttall  had  become  a  husband, 
and  the  father  of  three  children,  with  all  the  cares 
and  responsibilities  attendant  upon  the  proper  rearing 
of  a  family.  Having  learned  the  two  occupations  of 
miner  and  calico  printer,  he  was  yet  toiling  in  the 
vale  of  poverty,  and  seeing  nothing  in  his  native  land 
as  an  inducement  to  remain  in  it,  and  hearing  of  the 
golden  opportunities  across  the  ocean,  he  determined, 


^/h>AnaJ 


POTTER  TOWNSHIP. 


401 


like  thousands  of  others,  to  seek  his  fortune  in  Amer- 
ica. 

Therefore,  leaving  his  little  family  with  friends,  he 
set  sail  for  the  better  land,  arriving  in  New  York 
May  27,  1849,  where  he  soon  found  employment  with 
Messrs.  Crabtree  &  Wilkinson,  silk  handkerchief 
printers,  on  Staten  Island,  in  whose  employ  he  re- 
mained for  a  term  of  seven  years.  After  working  for 
this  firm  about  a  year  he  sent  for  his  family,  who  ar- 
rived in  the  spring  or  early  summer  of  1850. 

Mr.  Nuttall  being  a  practical  coal-miner,  as  well 
as  calico  printer,  became  anxious  to  seek  his  fortune 
among  the  bituminous  coal-fields  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  removed  to  what  is  now  Powelton,  Centre  County, 
in  April,  1856,  where  he  purchased  of  William  Crab- 
tree  two  hundred  acres  of  laud,  the  tract  upon  which 
the  village  of  Powelton  is  now  situated. 

Previous  to  the  purchase  by  Mr.  Nuttall  coal  had 
been  discovered  and  mined  by  Mr.  Colburn.  The 
Tyrone  and  Clearfield  Railroad  had  also  been  sur- 
veyed, and  in  1862  was  completed  to  Powelton,  in 
which  year  Mr.  Nuttall  made  the  first  shipment  of 
coal  ever  carried  over  the  then  new  road. 

In  the  original  purchase  of  this  tract  Jonathan 
Crabtree  was  a  partner  with  Mr.  Nuttall,  and  in 
1862,  Robert  H.  Powell,  of  Philadelphia,  purchased 
of  Mr.  Crabtree  his  interest  in  the  tract  and  mines. 
He  also  purchased  six  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  coal- 
lands  adjoining  the  original  two  hundred  acres,  and 
Mr.  Nuttall  becamesuperintendent  of  the  whole  eight 
hundred  and  fifty  acres,  receiving  for  his  services  a 
royalty  on  all  the  coal  mined,  and  at  the  end  of  four 
years  sold  to  Mr.  Powell  his  entire  interest  in  the 
Powelton  mines. 

Mr.  Nuttall  having  at  the  same  time  an  interest  in 
the  Decatur  Coal  Company,  became  its  superintendent. 
He  is  also  the  owner  of  one-third  of  the  Laurel  Run 
Mines,  back  of  Osceola. 

Since  his  first  operations  in  the  coal  trade  Mr.  Nut- 
tall has  been  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  in 
connection  with  the  mines  in  which  he  has  had  an 
interest,  his  present  store  being  located  in  the  borough 
of  Philipsburg,  and  has  been  in  operation  since  1868. 
He  is  also  largely  interested  in  coal-mining  at  Nut- 
tallburg,  Fayette  Co.,  W.  Va. 

Mr.  Nuttall  has  been  twice  married,  and  by  the 
first  union  were  born  unto  him  Elizabeth  Alice, 
Thomas,  Susannah,  and  Martha,  the  first  three  in 
England  and  the  latter  in  America.  Mrs.  Nuttall 
died  in  1854,  and  in  November,  1856,  he  was  again 
married,  and  from  this  union  there  has  been  born 
one  sou, — Lawrence  William.  His  oldest  son, 
Thomas,  was  drowned  in  the  Ohio  River  in  August, 
1868. 

Of  his  other  children,  Elizabeth  Alice  married 
George  McGaffy,  now  a  partner  with  Mr.  Nuttall 
in  the  Philipsburg  store ;  Susannah  married  John 
Todd,  a  mine  superintendent,  now  residing  in  the 
borough  of  Philipsburg;  Martha  married  Jackson 
26 


Taylor,  who,  with  Mr.  Nuttall's  son,  Lawrence  Wil- 
liam, is  now  operating  a  mine-store  and  superin- 
tending the  Nuttallburg  mines,  in  Fayette  County, 
W.  Va. 


CHAPTER    LXXXIL 

POTTER   TOWNSHIP. 

First  Surveys  and  Settlers.— Potter  township, 
erected  in  1774,  embraced  all  of  Penn's  valley,  and 
therefore  its  early  history  is  inseparably  connected 
with  the  general  history,  to  which  reference  is  made. 
As  therein  stated,  the  manor  of  Nottingham  was 
the  first  survey  made  within  its  present  bounds, 
23d  and  24th  of  September,  1766.  From  the  manor 
east,  leaving  an  interval  of  two  hundred  and  eighteen 
perches,  Samuel  Maclay  surveyed,  Sept.  26,  1766,  the 
John  Croyle,  then  the  Thomas  McKean  and  the  Wil- 
liam McKee.  Along  Sinking  Creek,  commencing  at 
the  west  line  of  the  old  Squire  Barber  place,  he  sur- 
veyed another  Thomas  McKean ;  next  west,  John 
King  and  a  William  McCormick,  west  of  John  King; 
then,  running  on  west,  the  George  Latimer,  George 
Thompson,  and  Godfrey  Twells.  In  October,  1766, 
the  John  Smith,  south  of  George  Latimer,  and  Wil- 
liam McCormick,  was  surveyed,  and  the  William 
Nesbit,  called  the  Long  Meadows,  including  Sinking 
Creek.  The  greater  part  of  these  surveys  Gen.  Potter 
afterwards  owned.  The  best  land  in  George's  valley 
was  taken  up  by  Capt.  Callender  in  1767,  surveyed  in 
1768,  commencing  with  the  Francis  Silver  applica- 
tion, late  David  Gilliland's  place,  and  running  three 
miles  north  sixty-seven  east.  North  of  the  manor 
what  were  known  as  the  Wistar  lands,  a  batch  of  ap- 
plications in  the  names  of  Joseph  Knight,  Peter  Smith, 
John  George  SanfF,  and  John  Gumming,  were  sur- 
veyed in  June,  1774.  The  Janet  Sharron,  on  which 
Centre  Hall  is  now  located,  was  surveyed  in  June, 
1774,  and  patented  to  William  Maclay,  and  remained 
in  his  family  until  Mr.  Lyon  sold  to  Mr.  Hofier.  The 
Old  Fort  farm  and  Dr.  W.  I.  Wilson  farm,  north  of  it 
and  lying  between  the  manor  and  John  Croyle  of  1766, 
were  taken  up  by  Gen.  Potter  in  1772  and  1773. 
East  of  Janet  Sharon,  Centre  Hall,  lay  the  David 
Harris  warrant  of  27th  of  July,  1774,  and  James 
Potter  of  5th  of  January,  1773,  the  inferences  of  which 
produced  long  litigation  between  Capt.  Harris  and 
Gen.  Potter  and  his  heirs.  North  of  all  these,  all 
along  Nittany  Mountain,  the  land  was  appropriated 
by  warrant  of  1793,  except  the  Moses  Felmsly  war- 
rant of  Oct.  12,  1811,  and  the  James  Moore,  north  of 
it,  in  1811,  also  embracing  the  present  turnpike  across 
Nittany.  The  James  Potter,  on  top  of  the  mountain, 
now  farm  of  Mr.  Hofier,  was  taken  up  by  Judge  Potter 
in  1793.  Between  the  Old  Fort  and  Centre  Hill  the 
Wistars  had  a  batch  of  surveys  made  in  1774  on 
warrants  of  Jan.  22,  1773,  George  Bakeoven,  John 


402 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Michael   Clingman,   John  Kline,  and   Peter  Smith, 
running  from  Earleystown  eastward. 

According  to  George  McCormick's  testimony,  re- 
ferred to  iu  the  general  history,  John  Wilcot  was  the 
first  settler  of  the  present  township  of  Potter,  at  Ear- 
leystown, in  1772.  Earleystown  was  on  the  northern 
portion  of  the  George  Bakeoven,  in  dispute,  how- 
ever, as  it  was  claimed  that  Bakeoven  did  not  run  that 
far  north.  McCorraick  speaks  of  Potter,  McGrew,  J. 
McMillan,  and  Hubler  as  in  before  him.  Capt.  Potter, 
however,  only  moved  his  family  up  in  1774.  Hubler 
was  no  doubt  in  what  is  now  Haines  township,  Mc- 
Corraick in  Gregg,  McMillan  somewhere  near  the  old 
Barber  place.  Joseph  McGrew  took  out  a  warrant 
Jan.  27,  1773,  for  the  place  where  the  Red  Mill 
now  is,  adjoining  William  Nesbit  and  John  Smith, 
owned  by  Capt.  Potter,  and  built  his  mill.  He  did 
not  return  after  the  war,  but  June  7,  1783,  sold  to 
William  Lamb.  Lamb  sold  to  Thomas  Gordon,  Feb. 
28, 1790.  Gen.  Potter  sold  to  William  Lamb,  Nov.  20, 
1787,  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  acres  off  of  the 
William  Nesbit  and  John  Smith  tracts.  This  was 
included  in  the  sale  of  Lamb  to  Gordon,  the  mill- 
tract  being  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  acres. 
Thomas  Gordon  moved  to  Washington  County,  and, 
Nov.  22,  1796,  sold  to  Thomas  Spencer  ;  Spencer  sold 
to  Tye,  July  20,  1803,  and  Tye  to  Jacob  Keller.  An 
old  log  mill  stood  there  when  Keller  purchased,  and 
another  old  mill  is  said  to  have  stood  where  the  dam 
now  is.  Keller  tore  down  the  old  mill  and  built  a 
larger  one,  and  in  1824,  Christian  Keller  erected  the 
present  structure. 

Gen.  James  Potter. — A.  Boyd  Hamilton,  Esq., 
of  Harrisburg,  the  best  living  authority  upon  the 
lineage  of  the  Scotch-Irish  of  Midland,  Pa.,  says 
that  John  Potter  and  wife,  the  parents  of  Gen.  Potter, 
came  to  America  with  John  Hamilton  and  Isabella 
Potter  Hamilton  (sister  of  John  Potter)  iu  1741 
"  aboard  the  good  ship  '  Dunnegall,' "  landing  at  New 
Castle,  Del.,  in  September  of  that  year.  Mrs.  Ham- 
ilton died  at  New  Castle,  leaving  one  child,  Catherine, 
who  married  James  Chambers,  afterwards  Col.  James 
Chambers,  famous  in  history  as  the  commander  of  the- 
First  Regiment  of  the  Pennsylvania  Continental 
Line. 

John  Potter  removed  west  of  the  river  as  early  as 
1746,  and  settled  in  what  was  afterwards  Antrim  town- 
ship (Franklin  County),  near  Greencastle.  Upon 
the  erection  of  Cumberland  County,  in  1750,  he  was 
commissioned  its  first  sheriff  Oct.  6,  1750,  and  was 
also  sheriff  in  1754  and  1755.  The  date  of  his  death 
is  unknown.  That  of  his  wife  occurred  at  Gen.  Pot- 
ter's, on  Middle  Creek  (Snyder  County),  some  time 
after  the  runaway  of  1778. 

John  Potter  left  the  following  children;  it  is  im- 
possible now  to  give  them  in  order  of  age,  but  it  was 
probably  as  follows :  Thomas,  killed  by  the  Indians 
in  April,  1758;  Samuel  Potter,  who  n^irried  Susanna 
Poe. 


Samuel's  son  (1)  John  lived  and  died  in  Mercer 
County.  (2)  Thomas  lived  and  died  in  Westmoreland 
County  ;  he  was  county  surveyor  of  that  county.  (3) 
Anne  married  Robert  Brown,  father  of  Dr.  S.  P. 
Brown.  (4)  Martha  married  William  Hill,  father  of 
State  Senator  Hill,  of  that  county.  Catherine  mar- 
ried Capt.  James  Carnahau,  of  Eighth  Pennsylvania 
(1776),  father  of  Dr.  James  Carnahan,  president  of 
Princeton  College  1823-54;  after  Capt.  Carnahan  was 
drowned  she  married  Matthew  McClauahan,  father 
of  William  P.  McClanahan,  late  ex-associate  judge 
of  Westmoreland  County. 

Catherine,  daughter  of  Sheriff  John  Potter,  mar- 
ried James  Carothers,  and  they  removed  to  Westmore- 
land County  at  a  very  early  date.  J.  V.  Thompson, 
Esq.,  cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank,  Uniontown, 
Fayette  Co.,  is  a  grandson  of  Catherine's  son  Samuel. 

Hannah  married  John  McMillan,  and  removed  to 
Westmoreland  County  at  an  early  day.  After  Mc- 
Millan's death  she  married  Thomas  Robinson,  leaving 
descendants.  Gen.  Potter  in  his  will  names  two  other 
sisters  in  making  bequests  :  "  unto  James  Young,  son 
of  my  sister  Anne  Young,  and  John  Jordan,  .son  of 
my  sister  Isabella  Jordan."  He  also  mentions  "  John 
Latimer,  son  of  my  sister  Margaret  Latimer,  and 
James  Potter  Beard,  son  of  my  sister  Mary  Beard." 

Gen.  James  Potter,  according  to  Mr.  Hamilton,  was 
born  on  the  bank  of  the  river  Foyle,  Tyrone,  Ireland, 
in  1729,  and  was  twelve  years  old  when  his  father 
landed  at  New  Castle.  Feb.  17,  1756,  he  was  com- 
missioned ensign  in  a  company  of  which  his  father 
was  captain,  in  Lieut.-Col.  John  Armstrong'sbattalion, 
and  served  as  such  in  Armstrong's  expedition  against 
Kittanning  Sept.  7,  1756,  and  was  wounded  in  the 
attack.  Oct.  23,  1757,  he  was  commissioned  lieuten- 
ant of  the  Second  Battalion,  and  promoted  captain 
Feb.  17,  1759,  and  Oct.  2,  1764,  was  commandant  of 
three  companies  on  the  northern  frontiers.  He  was 
in  command  of  a  company  July  27,  1764,  which  pur- 
sued the  Indians  who  had  killed  a  schoolmaster 
named  Brown  and  his  ten  scholars,  near  where  Green- 
castle now  stands. 

Capt.  Potter  removed  to  Sunbury  soon  after  the 
purchase  of  1768,  and  was,  March  24, 1772,  appointed 
one  of  the  justices  of  Northumberland  County  at  its 
organization,  and  was  one  of  the  commissioners  ap- 
pointed to  run  its  lines.  Soon  afterwards  he  settled 
upon  and  improved  the  John  Potter  warrantee  tract, 
about  one  mile  above  New  Columbia,  in  Union 
County,  where  he  resided  until  the  spring  of  1774, 
when  he  removed  to  Penn's  valley. 

According  to  the  statement  of  Hero  Wade,  his 
army  servant,  who  died  in  1842,  Capt.  Potter  made 
his  first  improvement  at  the  spring  a  little  north  of 
where  the  "  Old  Fort  Hotel"  now  stands  on  the  turn- 
pike in  Potter  township,  where  he  built  a  log  house, 
which  was  fortified  in  1777,  and  known  as  the  Upper 
Fort  in  Penn's  valley. 

On  the  24th  of  January,  1776,  he  was  elected  colonel 


POTTER  TOWNSHIP. 


403 


of  the  Upper  Battalion,  and  in  July  a  member  of  the 
Constitutional  Convention.  He  was  in  command  of 
a  battalion  of  Northumberland  County  militia  at 
Trenton,  Dec.  26,  1776,  and  at  Princeton,  Jan.  3, 
1777,  and  on  the  5th  of  April,  1777,  was  appointed 
third  brigadier-general  of  the  militia  of  the  State, 
and  in  command  of  his  brigade  at  Brandywine  and 
Germantown,  and  served  with  great  ability  upon  the 
outposts  of  Gen.  Washington'.s  army  while  encamped 
at  Valley  Forge,  and  by  particular  request  of  the 
State  Council  remained  in  the  field  during  that 
winter.  He  obtained  leave  of  absence  on  the  9th 
of  January,  1778,  on  account  of  his  wife's  illness. 
During  the  summer  of  1778  he  was  in  Penn's  valley 
assisting  and  repelling  inroads  of  the  Indians.  He 
remained  in  Penn's  valley  as  late  as  July,  1779,  when 
he  retired  with  the  rest  of  the  inhabitants,  and  took 
his  family  to  Middle  Creek,  in  Snyder  County. 

Nov.  16,  1780,  when  he  became  a  member  of  the 
State  Council,  he  still  resided  in  Middle  Creek.  On 
the  14th  of  November,  1781,  he  was  elected  vice- 
president  of  the  State,  and  May  23,  1782,  was  unani- 
mously elected  major-general.  In  1784  he  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  Council  of  Censors,  taking  his  seat 
July  7,  1784.  Meanwhile  he  had  resumed  his  resi- 
dence on  his  farm  above  New  Columbia,  in  Union 
County  (now).  In  a  letter  dated  White  Deer,  April 
26,  1785,  he  says,  ''  I  have  just  came  home  from 
Philadelphia,  and  will  have  to  return,  whicTi  will 
prevent  my  visiting  Penn's  valley  at  this  time."  He 
was  appointed  this  year  one  of  the  deputy  surveyors 
of  the  "  Old  Purchase." 

In  1786  and  1787  he  was  largely  interested  with 
Hon.  Timothy  Pickering  in  lands  in  the  purchase  of 
1784,  and  in  1788  turned  his  attention  to  improve- 
ments in  Penn's  valley,  erecting  the  first  house  at 
Potter's  Bank  and  the  mills  there. 

He  was  injured,  as  stated,  in  raising  a  barn  on 
what  was  lately  Foster's  farm,  east  of  the  Old  Fort, 
some  time  in  the  fall  of  1789;  went  to  Franklin  County 
for  the  benefit  of  Dr.  McClelland's  advice,  and  died 
there  in  the  latter  part  of  1789. 

His  first  wife  was  Elizabeth  Cathcart,  who  died  in 
Franklin  County  (then  Cumberland),  near  Green- 
castle,  leaving  two  children, — John,  who  died  at  Mid- 
dle Creek,  aged  about  eighteen  years,  and  Elizabeth 
C,  who  married  Hon.  James  Poe,  of  Franklin  County. 
Mrs.  Poe  died  Sept.  11,  1819,  and  Hon.  James  Poe  in 
Antrim  township,  Franklin  Co.,  June  21, 1822.  Only 
one  of  their  children  came  to  Penn's  valley. — Susan 
M.,  wife  of  Samuel  Van  Tries,  Esq.,  who  died  in 
Bellefonte,  Dec.  10,  1882,  aged  seventy-seven  years. 

Gen.  Potter's  second  wife  was  Mary,  widow  of 
Chambers,  daughter  of  James  and  Mary  Patter- 
son, of  Fermenagh  township,  now  Juniata  County. 
She  was  a  sister  of  Capt.  William  Patterson.  The 
second  Mrs.  Potter  died  in  1791  or  1792,  in  Penn's 
valley,  and  is  buried  in  the  old  Staudford  or  Cedar 
Creek  graveyard,  near  Linden  Hall. 


Their  children  were  Judge  James  Potter,  born  July 
4, 1767  ;  Martha,  born  on  the  Conococheague,  April  10, 
1769,  married  to  Hon.  Andrew  Gregg ;  Mary,  mar- 
ried to  George  Riddles,  a  merchant  of  Middletown. 
After  his  death  she  married  William  McClelland. 
Her  daughter  Mary  H.  (by  George  Riddles)  married 
W.  H.  Patterson  ;  her  daughter  Eliza  married  Dr. 
Joseph  B.  Ard,  of  Lewistown,  whose  heirs  owned  the 
old  Potter  place,  in  White  Deer,  Union  Co.  Marga- 
ret, the  youngest  daughter  of  Gen.  Potter,  married 
Edward  Crouch,  of  Dauphin  County.  Her  grandson. 
Gen.  Thomas  J.  Jordan,  was  a  colonel  of  cavalry  dur- 
ing the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  and  is  now  Indian 
agent  among  the  Nez  Perces. 

Gen.  Potter  was  a  stout,  broad-shouldered,  plucky, 
active  man,  five  feet  nine  inches  in  height,  of  dark 
complexion.  He  had  a  hopeful  disposition,  which  no 
troubles  could  conquer.  In  a  letter  dated  May  28, 
1781,  he  says,  "  Look  where  you  will,  our  unfortunate 
country  is  disturbed  ;  but  the  time  will  come  when 
we  shall  get  rid  of  all  these  troubles."  He  was  one 
who  had  no  advantages  of  education,  but  his  judg- 
ment and  energy  overcame  that  want. 

John  McConuel  bought  the  William  Rankin  war- 
rantee tract  of  Geu.  Potter  as  early  as  May  15,  1777. 
At  his  death  he  left  a  widow,  Elizabeth,  and  children, 
— John,  Elizabeth  (married  to  Dr.  .lohn  Andrews), 
Catharine  (married  to  William  Smith),  Mary  (mar- 
ried to  John  Love),  Ann,  Jesse,  and  Sarah.  David 
Love  bought  the  property  April  24,  1802. 

Presbyterian  Cturches.— The  first  settlers  of 
Penn's  valley  were  Scotch-Irish  Presbyterians.  Mr. 
Fithian,  in  his  journal  (1775),  upon  information  of 
Gen.  Potter,  records  the  fact  that  at  that  date  there 
were  only  twenty-eight  families  in  the  valley,  of 
whom  twenty-two  were  subscribers  to  the  fund  to  pay 
supplies.  These  scattered  Presbyterians  were,  as  Dr. 
Gibson  says,  "as  sheep  without  a  shepherd,"  and 
voluntarily  united  in  congregations  without  any  for- 
mal organization.  The  aged  and  godly  men  would 
first  call  the  people  together  in  social  meetings  for 
prayer  and  praise,  and  out  of  these  meetings  sprang 
the  larger  gatherings  and  churches.  In  this  state  the 
first  supplies  and  ministers  found  them,  and  without 
at  all  disturbing  their  voluntary  organizations,  pro- 
ceeded to  preach  the  Word  and  administer  the  ordi- 
nances to  them. 

They  brought  with  them  their  Bibles,  Confession  of 
Faith,  and  psalm-book  in  Rouse's  version,  and  their 
love  of  the  church  of  their  fathers  ;  and  usually 
elders  ordained  elsewhere  were  in  the  company  of  the 
emigrants ;  to  these  the  people  paid  reverence  and 
gathered  about  for  social  worship,  and  to  that  extent 
the  remarks  of  Dr.  Gibson  about  the  informality  of 
church  organization  are  to  be  qualified. 

Rev.  William  Linn,  of  Lurgan  township,  after- 
wards of  Big  Spring  Church  (Newville  now),  was  the 
first  supply  who  ever  penetrated  Penn's  valley.  The 
history  of  the  organization  of  the  earlier  churches  is 


404 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


unrecorded  and  now  lost.  It  may  be  stated  briefly 
that  the  country  generally  was  abandoned  up  to  about 
1784  or  1785,  when  settlers  resumed  their  occupation 
in  the  valley,  and  a  flood  of  additional  settlers  poured 
in.  On  the  15th  of  April,  1789,  when  Rev.  James 
Martin,  the  first  settled  pastor  in  Centre  County,  was 
called,  there  were  in  existence  the  East  and  West 
Penn's  valley  and  Half-Moon  congregations  or 
churches.  The  East  Penn's  Valley  Churcli  was  a  log 
building  on  the  Musser  farm,  east  of  Penn  Hall.  That 
known  as  the  West  Penn's  Valley  Church  wasintended 
to  be  near  the  head  of  Cedar  Creek,  near  the  line  of 
Harris  and  Potter  townships. 

Gen.  James  Potter  gave  two  acres,  for  church  and 
burial  purposes,  of  the  Catharine  Potter  warrantee, 
near  Linden  Hall,  to  the  Cedar  Creek  Church.  The 
logs  were  hewn  and  hauled,  but  a  dispute  arising 
about  the  location,  the  church  was  never  roofed,  and 
the  logs  were  used  in  the  erection  of  a  house  near  by. 
In  the  graveyard  some  of  the  Potter  family— Kings 
and  Jacks, — were  the  earliest  entombed,  and  it  only 
remains  to  indicate  the  site  of  the  proposed  church. 

In  Half-Moon,  Presbyterian  services  were  held  at 
the  house  of  Abraham  Elder,  and  in  Brush  valley, 
near  where  Rebersburg  now  stands. 

The  Huntingdon  Presbytery  was  organized  at  Rev. 
James  Martin's  Church,  in  Penn's  valley,  on  the  14th 
of  April,  1795.  It  was  constituted  with  prayer  by 
Rev.  John  Hoge  after  he  had  preached  from  John  i. 
12,  and  he  was  elected  the  first  moderator  John 
Watson  and  George  McCormick  were  of  the  first 
elders  of  Mr.  Martin's  church.  Mr.  Martin  died  on 
the  20th  of  June,  1795.  Meanwhile,  April  4,  1794, 
Rev.  David  Wiley  had  been  ordained  and  installed 
pastor  of  Cedar  Creek  and  Spring  Creek  Churches, 
the  latter  perhaps  better  known  as  Slab  Cabin,  and 
as  such  appears  on  the  minutes  of  1795. 

David  Vandyke  was  Mr.  Wiley's  ruling  elder  at 
the  first  meeting  of  Presbytery  in  1795,  and  Robert 
McKim  and  William  Rankin  were  among  the  early 
elders.  The  names  of  some  of  the  members  of  Mr. 
Wiley's  congregation  as  early  as  April,  1794,  are 
Hon.  Andrew  Gregg,  David  McKim,  Samuel  Wilson, 
Peter  Wilson,  M.  Long,  James  Graham,  Samuel  Gra- 
ham, Thomas  Sankey,  James  Potter,  John  Reynolds, 
William  Reynolds,  John  Mayberry,  James  Cook, 
David  Cook,  William  Pastorius,  George  Robinson, 
John  Barber,  Esq.,  Henry  Thompson,  James  Wilson, 
John  Pedan. 

Of  Slab  Cabin  the  early  elders  were  David  White- 
hill,  Esq.,  Thomas  Ferguson,  George  McCormick,  and 
David  Barr.  A  site  for  a  church  and  burial-ground 
was  given  at  Slab  Cabin  by  David  Whitehill,  Esq., 
and  Cedar  Creek  became  extinct,  its  eastward  mem- 
bers withdrawing  to  Sinking  Creek,  which  was  organ- 
ized before  1797,  as  Mr.  Wiley  obtained  a  release  from 
that  part  of  his  congregation  as  early  as  Oct.  4,  1797. 
April  11,  1798,  Mr.  Wiley  resigned  the  pastoral 
charge  of  Sinking  Creek,  and  the  congregation  was 


declared  vacant,  and  with  East  Penn's  Valley  Church 
seems  to  have  remained  vacant  until  Mr.  Stuart's 
call.  On  the  12th  of  June,  1799,  Mr.  Wiley  was  re- 
leased from  the  congregation  at  Spring  Creek.  Mr. 
Wiley  continued  a  member  of  the  Presbytery,  supply- 
ing vacancies  until  April,  1801,  when  he  removed  to 
Georgetown,  D.  C,  where  he  was  engaged  in  teaching 
for  years  afterwards. 

Shortly  after  Mr.  Wiley's  removal  Rev.  William 
Stuart  visited  the  congregation  of  East  Penn's  valley, 
Sinking  Greek,  and  Spring  Creek,  and  received  a  call 
to  become  their  pastor.  He  was  installed  Oct.  6, 1801. 
In  April,  1804,  he  gave  up  the  charge  of  the  East 
Penn's  valley  congregation.  By  this  time  it  had 
probably  become  decimated  by  the  death  of  the  older 
members  and  the  removal  of  the  younger  to  the 
West  before  the  steady  advance  of  the  German  ele- 
ment from  the  east  end  of  the  valley.  At  all  events 
the  church  became  extinct  about  1810,  and  the  build- 
ing and  lot  passed  over  to  the  Lutheran  and  Re- 
formed people. 

Among  the  members  of  Mr.  Stuart's  congregation 
from  1803  to  1810  were  James  McClintock,  Samuel 
Speer,  David  Beer,  David  Love,  John  McClintock, 
Andrew  Smith,  Jeremiah  Sankey,  Joseph  Allen,  Rob- 
ert McKim,  Jr.,  Samuel  Shiver,  Mary  McMullan, 
George  Welch,  Mary  Cottle,  George  Eaken,  John 
Barber,  Esq.,  George  Woods,  William  Reynolds,  Wil- 
liam Keau,  James  Alexander,  Andrew  Hanna,  James 
Duncan,  James  Boal,  Robert  McCormick,  Mary 
Cooke,  Jesse  Tanger,  James  Cooke,  George  Padget, 
Aaron  Hardin,  Robert  Carson,  Mr.  McElhenny,  Adam 
Potter, — a  very  imperfect  list,  but  taken  from  an  old 
duplicate  of  stipends  due. 

Mr.  Stuart  continued  pastor  of  Sinking  and  Spring 
Creek  Churches  until  the  spring  of  1834,  when  he  was 
disabled  by  the  fracture  of  a  limb  (caused  by  the 
kick  of  a  horse)  in  returning  from  preaching  on  Sab- 
bath. He  resided  during  the  remainder  of  his  life 
within  the  bounds  of  the  congregation,  and  died 
March  30,  1848,  aged  eighty-nine,  and  is  buried  in 
the  graveyard  of  Sinking  Creek  Church. 

The  Rev.  David  McKinney  succeeded  Mr.  Stuart 
in  1834,  and  served  until  May,  1841,  when  he  ac- 
cepted a  call  to  Hollidaysburg.  In  1842,  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Adams  was  installed  pastor,  remaining  until 
June,  1845,  when,  on  account  of  declining  health,  he 
resigned  and  removed  to  Baltimore.  In  the  spring  of 
1846  calls  were  made  for  Rev.  Robert  Hamill,  and  he 
was  in^alled  in  June  of  that  year.  The  present 
elders  are  Joshua  Potter,  Joseph  Carson,  and  Wil- 
liam Goodhart. 

In  1805  the  land  for  a  church  and  burial  purposes 
were  purchased  at  Centre  Hill  of  Alexander  John- 
ston. In  1845  an  additional  plot  of  ground  was  pur- 
chased of  John  Spangler,  and  the  present  church  ed- 
ifice erected  at  a  cost  of  five  thousand  five  hundred 
dollars. 

Sinking  Creek   Sabbath-school   was   organized   in 


POTTER  TOWNSHIP. 


405 


1820,  with  William  Eankin  as  superintendent.  The 
first  Sabbath-school  in  the  valley  was  organized  at 
Earleytown  a  short  time  previous,  with  Jacob  Singer 
as  superintendent. 

The  church  on  Slab  Cabin  (Spring  Creek)  was 
burned  in  1846,  and  no  church  rebuilt  for  more  than 
a  year,  as  the  question  of  location  again  arose,  the 
people  of  Boalsburg  contending  for  its  location  there. 
This  difficulty  was  settled  by  an  agreement  to  build 
churches  at  both  places.  The  one  at  Slab  Cabin  was 
built,  but  no  progress  was  made  with  the  one  at  Boals- 
burg. The  people  gradually  reunited  at  the  former 
location,  which  of  late  years  has  been  abandoned  for 
the  one  at  Lemont. 

Early  Settlers. — Robert  McKim  was  an  Irishman, 
who  came  into  the  valley  in  1777.  He  lived  at  the 
foot  of  the  mountain,  about  one  mile  west  of  Potter's 
Mills.  He  was  among  the  first  elders  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church  in  the  valley,  and  was  precentor,  and 
was  .succeeded  as  such  by  his  son  David.  Robert 
McKim's  granddaughter,  Mrs.  Alexander  (daughter 
of  Robert  McKim,  Jr.),  is  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Gen. 
Hylyer,  of  Washington,  D.  C. 

William  King,  who  was  a  settler  in  Potter  as  early 
as  1778,  and  lived  a  mile  or  so  southeastward  of  Lin- 
den Hall,  died  in  1811.  His  children  were  John  H. 
(then  deceased),  Marinus,  William,  Jacob  King,  and 
Catherine  Lamb.  He  was  a  man  of  wealth,  and 
owned  slaves. 

The  First  Methodist  Church  in  Potter  Town- 
ship,— Robert  Pennington,  who  came  from  Mary- 
land, and  Henry  Benn,  Jr.,  were  the  pioneers 
of  Methodism  in  Penn's  valley.  They  settled  as 
tenants  of  Capt.  James  Poe  on  the  William  Mc- 
Cormick,  etc.,  warrantees,  just  west  of  the  Manor 
(now  the  Samuel  Vantries,  etc.,  farms,  a  little  east  of 
Linden  Hall,  in  Harris  and  Potter  townships),  as 
early  as  the  year  1786,  Henry  Benn  (in  1787),  and 
soon  formed  a  class,  and  Robert  Pennington's  dwell- 
ing became  a  station  on  the  circuit.  The  first  Meth- 
odist Church  in  Penn's  valley  was  built  on  Henry 
Pennington's  place,  a  few  rods  east  of  Centre  Hall, 
near  the  Brush  valley  road,  in  1814.  Ebenezer  Doo- 
little  preached  the  first  sermon  in  that  church  from 
the  text,  Prov.  ix.  1:  "Wisdom  hath  builded  her 
house.     She  hath  hewn  out  her  seven  pillars." 

The  church  has  disappeared,  and  an  overgrown 
graveyard  only,  with  the  foundation  of  the  church, 
mark  its  site.  A  few  graves  are  marked.  Robert 
Pennington  died  April  22,  1826,  aged  seventy-two 
years ;  Rev.  John  Pennington,  son  of  Henry,  died 
Jan.  22,  1830,  aged  twenty-nine ;  Robert  Pennington 
died  Feb.  3,  1854,  aged  fifty-five ;  Henry  Pennington 
died  March  26,  1838,  aged  sixty-three;  Margaret, 
wife  of  Henry,  died  Jan.  5,  1853,  aged  seventy-seven ; 
Rebecca,  wife  of  Robert,  died  Oct.  17,  1824,  aged 
sixty-eight. 

Robert  Pennington  (the  elder)  had  but  one  son, 
— Henry.     The  latter  married  Margaret  Potter. 


The  Centre  Hall  Methodist  Church,  the  outgrowth 
of  the  old  Pennington  congregation,  was  erected 
about  1875,  and  cost  three  thousand  five  hundred 
dollars.  The  trustees  are  J.  A.  Reesman,  Andrew 
Gregg,  Frank  Herlacher.  The  pastor  is  the  Rev.  J. 
B.  Akers.  The  congregation  numbers  about  twenty- 
five  members. 

The  Methodist  congregation  at  Sprucetown  was  or- 
ganized about  1830,  and  held  their  first  meetings  in 
an  old  house  on  the  Sankey  farm.  Their  first  house 
of  worship  was  erected  in  1840.  The  building  com- 
mittee were  George  Michael,  Daniel  Livingston,  John 
Toner,  and  James  Sankey.  The  Rev.  Haughawaut 
presided  at  the  dedication.  The  earlier  preachers 
were  those  who  presided  over  the  other  congregations 
in  that  circuit. 

In  1872  the  old  church  was  torn  down  and  the 
present  edifice  erected. 

Notices  of  Settlers  Subsequent  to  the  Revolu- 
tion.— William  Kerr,  a  school-teacher  and  surveyor, 
came  to  Penn's  valley  in  1789.  He  was  a  native  of 
Ireland,  and  emigrated  at  first  to  Carlisle,  Pa.  He 
was  the  first  clerk  of  the  county,  commissioner  from 
1800-9,  and  was  deputy-surveyor  of  the  county  from 
1809-21.  He  was  county  commissioner  in  1828.  In 
1804  was  appointed  justice  of  the  peace.  He  married 
Mary  Johnston,  a  daughter  of  Alexander  Johnston, 
who  came  up  from  New  Jersey,  and  settled  in  Potter 
township  as  early  as  1789,  living  on  the  Neff  place. 

William  Kerr  died  April  28, 1841.  Of  his  children, 
Margaret  married  John  Forster,  William  married 
Margaret  A.  Alexander,  Nancy  married  Joseph  A. 
Gilliland,  Catherine  married  John  H.  Rankin, 
Alexander  married  Mary  A.  Love,  Oliver  married 
Eliza  Davis,  Mary  married  John  Love,  and  Eliza- 
beth married  Adam  Rankin.  William  Kerr,  Jr.,  re- 
sides on  his  fether's  place,  in  Potter  township,  and 
Alexander  Kerr,  Esq.,  adjoining  him.  The  latter  was 
also  a  deputy-surveyor. 

Christopher  Henney  served  in  Capt.  John  Clark's 
company  of  militia  in  1776,  and  on  the  frontiers.  He 
bought  of  John  Nelley  part  of  the  John  Smith  war- 
rant, and  located  on  the  place  now  owned  by  William 
Kerr.  He  removed  with  his  family  to  the  West  in 
1811  or  1812.  His  son  John  remained  in  the  valley, 
and  followed  blacksmithing.  His  grandson,  David, 
follows  the  same  pursuit  at  Potter's  Mills. 

Jeremiah  and  Thomas  Sankey  bought,  March  10, 
1801,  part  of  the  John  McConnel  tract,  one  hundred 
acres,  for  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  pounds.  They 
came  from  York  County.  Henry  P.  Sankey,  a  grand- 
son of  Jeremiah,  still  lives  on  it. 

The  Widow  Van  Home  lived  where  the  stone  mill 
on  Sinking  Creek  now  is.  She  had  two  sons,  Espy 
and  Joseph.  Espy  Vanhorne  was  a  lawyer  of  con- 
siderable distinction,  and  was  a  member  of  Congress 
from  the  Lycoming  District.  Polly  Van  Home  mar- 
ried David  Love.  Jonathan  Kearsley,  who  was  quite 
a  classical  scholar,   taught  at  the  Long  Bridge  on 


406 


HISTORY  OP  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Sinking  Creek.  He  was  appointed  an  officer  in  the 
army,  and  lost  a  leg  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  after- 
wards United  States  marshal  at  Detroit,  Mich.  His 
wife  was  a  Valentine.  He  had  among  his  pupils  W. 
W.  Potter,  Esq.,  and  Espy  Van  Home.  Joseph  Van 
Home  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Wilson,  and  re- 
moved to  Venango  County.  Mrs.  Jane  Van  Home 
died  March  2,  1824,  aged  sixty-seven  years.  John 
McClean,  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  lived  near  Potter's 
Bank,  and  died  there  in  1827.  He  was  a  soldier  in 
the  Third  New  York  Regiment,  and  came  to  Centre 
County  after  the  war  and  followed  shoemaking. 

William  Pastorius  came  up  from  Gerraantown  in 
1794-95,  and  lived  between  Centre  Hill  and  the  turn- 
pike. John  Roll,  who  lived  where  Jacob  Meyer  now 
does,  went  to  Clarion  County,  where  he  died.  Wil- 
liam Monks,  who  had  been  with  Gen.  Potter  as  a 
hostler  during  his  campaign,  after  the  murder  com- 
mitted by  his  son  moved  to  Clarion  County.  Jacob 
Earley,  son  of  William  Earley,  Esq.,  removed  to 
New  Philadelphia,  Ohio,  where  he  became  eminent 
as  a  physician. 

Joseph  Gilliland  was  born  in  Chester  County,  near 
Downingtown,  Nov.  4,  1770,  and  married  to  Eliza- 
beth Cowden,  May  1,  1794.  He  was  a  cooper  by 
trade,  and  removed  from  Chester  County  to  White 
Deer  township  (now  Union  County)  in  1796,  and  in 
1805  to  Centre  County.  He  kept  hotel  a  while  at 
Spring  Mills,  but  spent  most  of  his  life  on  the  farm 
in  George's  valley.  James  Gilliland,  Esq.,  in  a 
letter  states, — 

"My  father  and  my  mother  both  having  had 
Scotch-Irish  Presbyterian  training,  adhered  to  it 
strictly  in  the  training  of  their  children.  The  child 
as  soon  as  it  could  lisp  was  taught  the  Mothers' 
Catechism,  Apostles'  Creed,  and  talked  to  about 
God  and  the  Saviour;  and,  as  soon  as  he  could  read, 
was  required  to  commit  to  memory  the  Shorter  Cate- 
chism, and  every  Sabbath  evening  a  part  of  the  re- 
ligious exercises  was  to  answer  the  questions.  I  do 
not  think  that  as  long  as  I  remained  at  home  a 
Sabbath  ever  passed  without  having  this  attended 
to." 

He  was  an  active  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  elected  elder  of  the  Sinking  Creek 
Church  in  1815,  and  quite  prominent  in  politics, 
and  was  elected  county  commissioner  in  1823. 

He  died  on  the  19th  day  of  December,  1840,  aged 
seventy  years.  His  children  were  David,  William 
S.,  Adams,  Robert,  Mrs.  Jane  Sankey,  James,  Samuel, 
and  John.  His  wife  (Mrs.  Catherine  Gilliland)  died 
July  18,  1850,  aged  sixty-one.  James  Gilliland, 
Esq.,  was  prothonotary  from  1831-1836,  and  Samuel 
was  member  of  the  House  in  1857.  John  resides  at 
Sandy  Lick,  Clearfield  Co.  David  Gilliland  died 
Oct.  21,  1880,  aged  seventy-one  years. 

Levi  Murray,  whose  ancestors  were  from  Ireland, 
came  from  Bucks  County,  and  erected  a  tannery  at 
New  Berlin,  now  Union  County.     In  1801  he  settled 


upon  the  top  of  Nittany  Mountain,  where  he  built 
a  tannery  and  dug  vats  (Peter  Hoifer's  place).  His 
family  consisted  of  five  sons  and  five  daughters. 
William,  one  of  his  sons,  served  under  Perry,  and 
helped  gain  the  memorable  victory  upon  Lake  Erie. 

Jacob  Keller,  born  Feb.  15,  1753,  came  to  Potter 
township  in  1806,  from  Bethel  township,  Dauphin 
Co.,  and  purchased  the  Red  Mill  property.  His 
sons  were  Jacob,  John,  Christian,  Philip,  and  Peter, 
who  married  a  daughter  of  George  Minnich,  and 
died  in  1840 ;  Christian  married  Catherine,  daughter 
of  Christopher  Henney ;  Christian  died  Aug.  12, 
1831,  and  left  a  large  family,  among  them  Christian 
Keller,  of  Philadelphia;  William,  who  died  while 
county  commissioner;  John  H.,  who  lives  on  the 
farm  traded  by  the  Potters  for  the  Red  Mill  property 
in  1828 ;  Elizabeth,  widow  of  Amos  Alexander ; 
Catherine,  wife  of  John  Boozer,  at  Centre  Hall ; 
Lydia,  married  to  Peter  Hofl'er ;  Rebecca,  wife  of 
Watson  Pennington,  now  residing  in  Illinois  ;  Sarah, 
to  Isaac  Pennington. 

In  connection  with  the  present  homestead  of  the 
Kellers,  a  slight  incident  which  occurred  in  the  life  of 
Christian  may  be  of  some  interest.  When  yet  a 
young  man,  in  1806,  he,  accompanied  by  some  com- 
panions, among  them  Catharine  Henney,  his  future 
wife,  proceeded  to  the  house  of  Conrad  Dillman  to 
have  a  tooth  extracted.  Dillman  at  that  time  lived 
upon  the  present  Keller  farm,  and  was  known  for 
miles  around  for  his  dexterity  in  the  use  of  the  for- 
ceps. After  the  completion  of  their  errand  the  party 
returned  home,  intending  to  proceed  by  the  way  of 
the  Old  Fort  and  inspect  it,  as  none  of  them  had  ever 
looked  upon  that  historic  spot.  Upon  reaching  a 
slight  elevation  of  ground  a  short  distance  from  Dill- 
man's,  Christian  looked  back,  and,  turning  to  Catha- 
rine, pointed  at  Dillman's  place,  remarking,  "  If  you 
and  I  had  that  place  it  would  be  all  I  should  wish 
for."  She  smiled,  but  said  nothing.  Twenty-five 
years  after  that  (his  wish  was  accomplished  in  the 
mean  time)  he  related  the  circumstance.  Jacob  Kel- 
ler was  a  soldier  in  the  militia  during  the  Revolu- 
tionary war.  His  discharge,  dated  Nov.  2,  1777,  at 
Lebanon,  after  two  months'  service,  is  still  in  the  pos- 
session of  the  family;  it  is  signed  by  Daniel  Olden- 
bruch,  captain. 

William  McMinn,  Esq.,  who  died  in  Potter  town- 
ship Jan.  5,  1873,  at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-two, 
came  from  Tuscarora  valley.  He  married  a  daughter 
of  the  elder  John  McCalmont.  He  was  a  teacher  at 
Long  Bridge  school-house  and  a  practical  surveyor. 
In  religion  he  was  a  Seceder;  in  politics,  an  Anti- 
Mason  and  Whig,  very  self-willed  and  tenacious  of 
his  opinions,  which  he  never  changed,  opposing  the 
Democratic  party  until  his  death. 

John  Barber,  one  of  the  first  associate  judges  of  the 
county,  was  a  native  of  Scotland.  He  lived  about 
midway  between  Spring  Mills  and  Centre  Hill.  By 
his  first  wife  he  had  three  children, — James,  married 


POTTER  TOWNSHIP. 


407 


to  Miss  Huston  ;  Sarah,  to  William  Johnston ;  and 
Jane,  to  Thomas  Huston.  His  second  wife  was  a 
Mrs.  Robinson,  mother  of  John  and  William,  who 
lived  at  Bloomsburg ;  Ario  Pardee's  wife  was  a  daugh- 
ter of  William  Robinson.  Judge  Barber  had  three 
children  by  his  second  wife, — Maria,  who  married 
Thomas  Hutchinson,  Andrew,  and  David.  David 
Barber,  brother  of  the  judge,  kept  a  tavern  after  the 
war  of  1812  in  Penn's  valley,  at  the  foot  of  Nittany 
Mountain,  on  the  old  road  to  Bellefonte. 

Joseph  Davis  came  up  from  New  Jersey  among  the 
first  settlers  after  the  war.  He  had  been  in  the  Revo- 
lution, and  was  related  by  marriage  to  the  Johnstons. 
He  had  two  sons,  Joseph  and  Cornelius.  Polly  mar- 
ried James  Eakins,  who  died  in  Haines  township. 
Mrs.  Eakins  moved  to  Doylestown,  Ohio.  Her  oldest 
daughter  married  Samuel  Blair,  and  Mrs.  Alexander 
Rankin,  of  Bellefonte,  is  his  daughter. 

William  Irvin  (brother  o£  John  and  Guyan)  came 
from  Ireland,  owned  land,  and  died  on  the  Irvin  farm, 
between  Earleystown  and  the  mountain,  Jan.  25, 1831, 
aged  sixty-six  years.  His  wife,  Margaret,  died  May 
24,  1857,  aged  seventy-nine  years.  His  sons,  John, 
William,  and  Alexander,  became  prominent  men  in 
Clearfield  County.  Alexander  was  member  from 
Clearfield  and  senator,  member  of  Congress,  and  mar- 
shal for  the  Western  District.  John  also  represented 
Clearfield  and  Centre  in  the  Legislature  (1831).  Wil- 
liam Irvin,  Jr.,  was  a  successful  business  man ;  died, 
leaving  a  large  estate.  His  son  Edward  was  a  colonel 
in  the  war  of  1861. 

Moses  Felemslee  had  a  place  at  the  foot  of  Nittany, 
adjoining  Centre  Hall,  and  had  a  distillery.  When 
the  turnpike  was  opened,  in  1823,  he  opened  a  tavern. 
One  of  his  daughters  married  Thomas  Cunningham, 
who  was  a  blacksmith  for  a  long  time  at  Bellefonte. 
A  son,  Jacob  Felemslee,  was  a  United  Brethren 
preacher. 

Andrew  Hunter,  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  who  was 
with  Washington  at  Valley  Forge,  settled  at  Potter's 
Old  Fort,  and  followed  farming.  He  had  six  sons, — 
William,  John,  Andrew,  Robert,  James,  and  Craig. 
The  latter  died  in  Indiana  County.  Andrew  and 
John  died  in  Centre  County.  Robert  is  still  living 
near  Fillmore,  Centre  Co.,  now  in  the  eighty-eighth 
year  of  his  age. 

Uriah  Slack  came  to  Penn's  valley  in  1817  from 
Newark,  Del.,  and  settled  near  Potter's  Mills,  and 
died  March  13,  1881,  at  the  age  of  eighty -seven  years, 
four  months,  two  days. 

John  Dauberman,  who  was  a  quite  early  settler  in  the  I 
valley,  lived  midway  between  Centre  Hill  and  Spring 
Mills,  a  native  German,  and  a  man  of  the  hishest  ' 
character.     He  was  an  Albright,  and  his  barn  was  i 
where  their  religious  services  were  held.     His  son 
John,  Jr.,  owned  a  farm  near  Centre  Hall. 

Valentine  Stover  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution, 
in  Capt.  Jones'  company  of  militia  in  August,  1776,  j 
from  Lancaster  County,  in  company  with  John  F.  I 


Ream.  After  his  emigration  to  Penn's  valley  he  re- 
sided until  1814  at  the  end  of  Egg  Hill,  now  occupied 
by  Joseph  Gilliland.  Valentine  Stover  died  near 
Pine  Grove  Mills,  and  left  a  son  Jacob. 

Emanuel's  Church. — As  early  as  1797,  William 
Earley,  Esq.,  deeded  the  land  upon  which  the  present 
church  is  built  in  "  the  Loop"  to  Conrad  Dillman  and 
Christopher  Henney  in  trust,  for  the  use  of  the  Lu- 
theran and  German  Reformed  Churches.  In  1810  a 
small  log  church  was  constructed,  and  the  Reformed 
congregation  formally  organized  by  Rev.  Henry  Ross- 
man  in  1812.  In  the  year  1837  a  new  church  was 
erected,  the  building  committee  consisting  of  John 
Durst,  Jonas  From,  John  NefT,  and  John  Stover.  In 
1879  a  spire  and  bell  were  added.  Rev.  S.  M.  Roeder 
is  the  present  pastor  in  charge  of  the  Reformed  con- 
gregation, and  its  elders  are  David  Henney  and  J.  K. 
Runkle ;  of  the  Lutheran,  Michael  Ulrich  and  Jona- 
than Royer ;  of  the  Sabbath-school,  Adam  Martz  and 
William  Ishler  are  superintendents. 

St.  Luke's  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church.— The 
above  body  was  organized  at  Centre  Hall  Jan.  18, 
1854,  at  the  house  of  Frederick  Stover,  and  arrange- 
ments made  to  hold  services  of  worship  in  the  Re- 
formed Church  until  a  sufficient  time  had  elapsed  to 
enable  them  to  secure  or  build  a  house  of  their  own. 
A  purchase  was  made  of  a  plot  of  ground  of  Samuel 
Youtz,  and  on  the  27th  of  July,  1862,  the  corner- 
stone was  laid  with  imposing  ceremonies,  conducted 
by  Rev.  W.  S.  Parr,  assisted  by  Revs.  D.  Mosser  and 
L.  K.  Secrist.  The  committee  was  composed  of  Peter 
Durst,  Joseph  Dasher,  William  Emerick,and  William 
Wolf.  The  first  two  named  were  the  elders  of  the 
church,  and  latter  two  deacons. 

The  first  meeting  for  worship  was  held  in  the  lec- 
ture-room of  the  new  building  Jan.  25,  1863.  The 
following  month  the  edifice  was  completed,  and  dedi- 
cated on  the  21st  by  Rev.  W.  S.  Porr,  assisted  by  J. 
G.  Anspach  and  D.  Sell.  The  cost  of  the  building 
was  four  thousand  dollars.  In  1874  it  became  appa- 
rent that  the  church  building  was  becoming  unsafe 
by  reason  of  the  settling  of  the  foundation. 

Not  being  deemed  advisable  to  repair,  it  was  con- 
cluded to  sell  the  old  lot  and  buy  a  new  one.  Accord- 
ingly, William  Wolf  and  Michael  Derstine  were  ap- 
pointed a  committee  to  solicit  subscriptions.  A  lot 
was  purchased  of  the  Penn's  Valley  Company,  and 
on  May  16,  1875,  the  corner-stone  of  the  new  church 
was  laid,  the  ceremonies  being  conducted  by  the 
Revs.  W.  H.  Lilly  and  J.  K.  Miller,  the  latter  having 
been  a  former  pastor  of  the  congregation.  The  dedi- 
catory sermon  was  preached  by  Prof.  E.  J.  Wolf,  D.D., 
Nov.  14,  1875.  The  cost  of  the  church  building  was 
about  six  thousand  dollars. 

The  present  pastor  is  the  Rev.  W.  E.  Fischer,  who 
has  officiated  since  September,  1875.  The  members 
number  about  one  hundred.  The  Sabbath-school  has 
an  average  attendance  of  eighty  scholars.  The  pastor 
is  superintendent,  assisted  by  Michael  Derstine. 


408 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


The  Trinity  Reformed  Church  at  Centre  Hall 
was  organized  Dec.  11, 1853,  by  the  Rev.  P.  S.  Fisher, 
with  the  following-named  members:  Christian  Hoffer, 
George  Hoffer,  Peter  Hoffer,  William  Keller,  John 
H.  Keller,  Daniel  Faber,  Jacob  Bitner,  John  Faber, 
David  Keller,  Leah  Keller,  Magdalene  Hoffer,  Mary 
A.  Hoffer,  Lydia  Hoffer,  Mary  A.  Keller,  Elizabeth 
Alexander,  Mary  Faber,  Elizabeth  Witmer,  Annie 
Witmer,  and  Margaret  Witmer, — nineteen  in  all,  of 
whom  only  ten  are  at  present  living. 

The  present  house  of  worship,  erected  at  a  cost  of 
two  thousand  three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  was 
dedicated  Christmas  day,  1853.  The  sermon  was  de- 
livered by  B.  S.  Schneck,  D.D.  Assistance  was  given 
by  Revs.  M.  A.  Smith,  William  Yearick,  and  F.  Ruth- 
rauff,  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church.  The  Rev. 
P.  S.  Fisher  was  the  first  regular  pastor,  and  remained 
in  charge  until  18.57,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
W.  H.  Grow,  and  he  in  1878  followed  by  Rev.  S.  M. 
Roeder,  the  present  pastor.  The  congregation  num- 
bers one  hundred  and  nine  members.  The  Sabbath- 
school  has  a  membership  of  one  hundred  and  fifteen, 
under  the  charge  of  the  pastor,  assisted  by  Simon 
Harper. 

Zion  Evangelical  Church.— Though  the  date  of 
the  organization  of  this  church  runs  back  to  that  of 
other  evangelical  churches  in  the  county,  it  was  not 
until  1858  that  a  permanent  and  suitable  house  of 
worship  was  secured.  In  that  year,  by  deed  bearing 
date  October  4th,  about  one-half  an  acre  of  ground 
was  conveyed  by  Daniel  Kerr  and  wife  Rebecca  to 
Jacob  Spangler,  Jacob  Strohm,  and  William  Rishel, 
trustees. 

Among  the  earliest  members  are  noted  the  names 
of  Samuel  Spangler,  Rev.  Daniel  Kerr,  a  local 
preacher,  Jacob  Spangler,  Jacob  Strohm,  William 
Rishel,  and  William  Boal.  The  first  steward  was 
Samuel  Spangler.  The  first  regularly-installed  pas- 
tor was  the  Rev.  Jacob  Young,  who  ofliciated  two 
years.  He  was  followed  by  Samuel  Smith,  Peter 
Graham,  and  George  Hunter,  who  is  the  present  in- 
cumbent. 

The  present  stewards  are  William  Rishel  and  John 
Slack;  trustees,  Jacob  Miess,  Jacob  Strohm,  and 
William  Rishel.  Those  that  preached  at  a  very 
early  day  were  the  Revs.  Kreamer,  Mayes,  Barber, 
and  Farnsworth. 

Evangelical  Church  at  Centre  Hall.— The  con- 
gregation comprising  this  church  was  formed  about 
1855  by  the  Rev.  B.  Hengst,  and  consisted  at  that 
time  of  but  a  handful  of  members,  who,  like  many  of 
their  predecessors,  conducted  their  services  in  private 
dwellings.  Permission  was  later  obtained  to  worship 
in  the  old  public  school -house.  The  present  church 
was  built  in  1873.  The  building  committee  were  J. 
O.  Deininger,  William  Rishel,  J.  T.  Ross,  Jacob 
Spangler,  and  Jacob  Dinges.  The  coat  of  the  church 
was  about  three  thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  Of 
the  several  pastors  who  have  served  this  congregation 


are   the   Revs.  Samuel   Smith,    J.  M.   Price,   Jacob 

Young,  Wagner,  and  George  Hunter,  who  is 

the  present  pastor.  There  is  no  Sabbath-school  at 
present,  but  suitable  quarters  are  being  prepared  for 
one. 

Schools. — It  is  said  that  the  first  school  stood  at  a 
point  between  Centre  Hill  and  Potter's  Mills,  and 
during  its  existence  went  by  the  name  of  the  "Long 
Bridge  school."  The  early  pedagogues  were  William 
Kerr,  Vincent  Whitehill,  Jonathan  Kearsley,  Robi- 
son,  Robert  McKim,  John  Henderson  (an  Irishman), 
Gilbert  L.  Lloyd,  Joseph  Van  Home,  James  Rankin, 
Alexander  Alexander  (a  Scotchman),  Lewis  Long- 
well,  Timothy  Ladd,  James  Byrne,  and  John  Liv- 
ingston. Of  the  foregoing,  Timothy  Ladd  was  the 
most  noted  for  his  rigid  and  strict  discipline  in  en- 
forcing rules.  He  was  a  learned  grammarian,  and- 
never  failed  to  correct  any  breaches  of  grammar  made 
by  those  conversing  with  him.  It  is  related  of  him 
that  while  attending  divine  service  at  the  old  Sinking 
Creek  Presbyterian  Church  he  fell  into  a  doze.  The 
pastor  in  the  course  of  his  sermon  committed  a  gram- 
matical error,  which  fell  upon  the  ears  of  Timothy 
sufficiently  loud  enough  to  rouse  him  to  the  extent 
of  springing  up  from  his  seat  and  publicly  correcting 
the  pastor,  much  to  the  latter's  and  the  congregation's 
consternation. 

The  public  schools  commenced  in  December,  1831, 
at  which  time  eight  teachers  were  employed  for  eight 
schools.  The  term  continued  three  months.  In  the 
month  of  September,  1838,  the  same  number  of 
teachers  were  employed,  and  taught  five  months.  Be- 
fore the  public  school  commenced  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  children  attended  school.  In  March,  1839, 
there  were  three  hundred  and  forty-five  male  and 
two  hundred  and  thirty-two  female  scholars  in  the 
public  schools.  The  expense  of  teaching  per  scholar, 
thirty-seven  and  a  half  cents  per  month,  and  eight 
comfortable  school-houses  built.  This  is  from  a  re- 
port made  by  Robert  Pennington,  James  Potter, 
James  Barber,  George  Emerick,  David  Workinger, 
and  Samuel  H.  Wilson,  directors  for  1839. 

After  the  establishment  of  the  new  school  laws  the 
old  Long  Bridge  school  ceased  its  usefulness,  and  was 
eventually  demolished  about  1835.  A  great  many 
years  ago  an  old  log  school-house  stood  upon  the 
Keller  farm,  which  is  said  to  have  been  built  about 
1790,  and  in  which  George  Padget  for  many  years 
taught  the  rising  generation  the  rudiments  of  speech 
and  arithmetic. 

Another  old  school  stood  near  where  Longwell's 
tavern  was.  It  has  long  since  become  a  feature  of 
the  past.  One  of  its  prominent  teachers  was  a  Mc- 
Minn. 

Centre  Hall. — Centre  Hall  is  built  on  the  Janet 
Sharon  survey  patented  to  William  Maclay,  Nov.  13, 
1787,  and  was  originally  the  farm  of  John  Lyon,  iron- 
master (son-in-law  of  Hon.  William  Maclay).  John 
Lyon  was  born  in  Cumberland  County  (now  Juniata) 


POTTER  TOWNSHIP. 


409 


Aug.  11, 1782,  and  was  a  nephew  of  William  Lyon,  one 
of  the  early  prothonotaries  of  Cumberland.  He  resided 
in  his  early  youth  with  his  relative,  Lieut.  Robert 
Lyon,  at  Northumberland,  and  afterwards  at  Carlisle 
and  Harrisburg.  He  married,  April  29,  1808,  Jane, 
youngest  daughter  of  Hon.  William  Maclay,  and  re- 
moved to  Centre  County  in  1813,  and  in  connection 
with  Jacob  Halderman  and  William  Wallace,  of 
Harrisburg,  built  Pennsylvania  Furnace.  In  1818 
he  acquired  Colerain  and  Sligo,  in  connection  with  R. 
T.  Stewart,  and  with  him  built  Sligo  rolling-mill  in 
Pittsburgh  in  1825.  His  first  wife  died  in  1809,  leav- 
ing one  son, — William  M.  Lyon,  Esq.,  of  Pittsburgh, — 
and  in  1820  he  married  Margaret  Stewart,  by  whom 
he  had  a  large  family, — Patton  Lyon,  J.  P.  Lyon, 
James  B.,  S.  S.  Lyon  (of  Bellefonte),  Mrs.  J.  R.  Low- 
rey,  George  W.  Lyon,  Mrs.  Bucher  Ayres,  Mrs.  Rev. 
Robert  Hamill,  Mrs.  George  B.  Porter,  and  Thomas 
Lyon. 

William  Lyon  sold  the  Janet  Sharon  and  land 
adjoining  Feb.  1,  1864,  to  Christian  Hoffer,  of  Leb- 
anon County.  An  old  log  school-house  marked  the 
site  of  the  present  hotel,  when  Mr.  Hoffer  came  in, 
where  Dennis  Murray,  Josiah  Alexander,  and  others 
taught ;  Peter  Zeigler  turned  it  into  a  dwelling,  hav- 
ing Lis  shop  on  the  other  side  of  the  road.  Zeigler 
had  his  feet  badly  frozen  coming  from  the  Old  Fort, 
and  died  from  the  effects  of  it.  Hoffer  erected  the 
first  building  of  any  size,  which  is  now  used  as  a 
blacksmith-shop. 

In  1847,  Henry  Whitmer,  who  had  moved  from 
Lebanon  County  to  Aaronsburg  in  1828,  renjoved  to 
the  site  of  Centre  Hall,  where  he  had,  in  1846,  built 
the  large  building  now  occupied  as  a  hotel  and  store. 
Mr.  Whitmer  lived  at  this  place,  naming  it  "  Centre 
Hall,"  as  being  midway  between  the  eastern  and 
western  end  of  Penn's  valley.  Mr.  Whitmer  died 
July  3, 1880,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two  years.  Aug.  24, 
1880,  an  application  was  made  for  a  borough  charter, 
but  it  was  remonstrated  against,  and  the  project  de- 
feated. Main,  Hoffer,  and  Whitmer  are  the  names  of 
the  streets  running  north  and  south.  Locust,  Church, 
and  Sarah  of  those  running  east  and  west.  It  is  one 
of  the  prettiest  villages  in  Centre  County,  the  private 
dwelling-houses  being  tastefully  built  and  very  at- 
tractive in  appearance. 

Christian  Hoffer  left  five  children, — Mary  (married 
to  Henry  Meyer),  Peter  (married  to  Lydia  Keller), 
John  Hoffer  (merchant  of  Bellefonte,  formerly  pro- 
thonotary  of  the  county),  George  (of  State  College), 
Mary  Ann  (married  Jacob  D.  Murray,  druggist  at 
Centre  Hall). 

De.  P.  D.  Neff,  of  Centee  Hall.— Dr.  Neff' 
was  a  son  of  Maj.  John  Neff,  and,  after  reading  med- 
icine with  Dr.  W.  I.  Wilson,  graduated  at  Jefferson 
College,  Philadelphia,  in  the  spring  of  1848.  He 
practiced  at  Aaronsburg  a  number  of  years,  and 
married,  Feb.  18,  1851,  Sarah  C,  daughter  of  John 
Motz,  deceased.    He  subsequently  settled  at  Centre 


Hall,  where  he  died  suddenly  April  7,  1880,  aged 
sixty-three  years,  four  months,  and  fifteen  days,  leav- 
ing a  widow  and  one  daughter, — Flora  C.  The  fol- 
lowing is  an  account  of  the  remarkable  circumstances 
surrounding  his  death:  On  Wednesday  morning,  7th, 
the  doctor  left  his  home  to  visit  Mrs.  Bumgardner,  in 
confinement,  about  a  mile  below  Centre  Hill.  Before 
leaving  our  town  he  seemed  in  his  usual  health,  and 
in  the  morning  assisted  the  carpenters  in  the  repairs 
of  a  portico  at  his  house.  Finding  Mrs.  Bumgardner 
(a  daughter  of  Mr.  Willow,  of  this  town)  in  a  critical 
condition,  he  remained  with  her  till  the  afternoon, 
and  partook  of  a  hearty  dinner.  The  condition  of 
the  lady  being  very  serious  he,  late  in  the  afternoon, 
sent  for  the  assistance  of  Dr.  Jacobs.  At  about  four 
o'clock,  while  at  the  bedside  of  his  patient,  he  sud- 
denly sank  back  into  a  chair,  and  expired  almost 
without  another  breath,  supposed  from  heart-disease 
caused  by  excitement  induced  from  the  condition  of 
the  lady  he  was  attending.  Dr.  Jacobs  arrived  about 
five  minutes  after,  and  a  sorrowful  scene  presented 
itself — the  attending  physician  stricken  with  almost 
instant  death  upon  a  chair  at  the  bedside  of  a  dying 
mother,  with  her  dead  babe,  all  in  the  same  chamber 
— a  scene  of  sadness  and  sorrow  that  our  pen  fails  to 
picture;  and,  to  add  to  it  all,  Mrs.  Willow,  mother  of 
the  patient,  thrown  into  convulsions  by  the  fearful  vis- 
itation, and  the  young  mother  in  a  frenzy  of  agony, 
render  the  whole  sadder  than  ink  can  portray.  A 
sister  of  the  patient  was  likewise  completely  pros- 
trated in  the  sick-room  by  the  heart-rending  scene, 
the  mother  of  Mr.  Bumgardner  remaining  in  the 
chamber  of  woe,  not  entirely  unnerved.  There  was 
scarce  any  other  assistance  at  immediate  command 
until  Dr.  Jacobs  arrived,  and  to  find  upon  the  chair 
the  corpse  of  the  one  who  had  sent  for  him  to  help 
save  the  life  of  another.  When  the  news  was  brought 
to  our  town  in  the  evening,  it  came  like  a  thunder- 
clap from  a  cloudless  sky,  driving  Mrs.  Neff"  and 
daughter  almost  frantic  with  grief,  as  may  well  be 
imagined.  The  corpse  reached  here  about  10.30. 
Mrs.  Bumgardner  died  in  great  agony  about  five 
o'clock  the  following  morning,  in  spite  of  all  the 
efforts  of  Drs.  Jacobs  and  Vanvalzah  to  save  her. 

Penn's  Valley  Banking  Company  was  organized 
April  1,  1873,  by  Gen.  James  A.  Beaver,  J.  D.  Shu- 
gert,  J.  P.  Harris,  John  Hoffer,  and  Peter  Hofltr. 
The  first  four  were  residents  of  Bellefonte.  The  capi- 
tal stock  was  fifty  thousand  dollars.  At  the  first 
meeting  of  the  stockholders  Peter  Hoffer  was  chosen 
president  and  W.  B.  Mingle  cashier,  which  latter 
office  Mr.  Mingle  has  held  continuously  ever  since. 

A  reorganization  was  efl!ected  in  1876,  when  Peter 
Hoffer,  John  Hotter,  J.  P.  Harris,  and  J.  D.  Shugjrt 
retired. 

The  present  stockholders  are  William  Wolf  (presi- 
dent), James  A.  Beaver,  Daniel  Hess,  and  W.  B.  Min- 
gle (cashier). 

The  present  bank  building  was  erected  in  1877,  at 


410 


HISTORY   OP   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


a  cost  of  eight  thousand  dollars.  Its  affairs  are  in  a 
flourishing  condition. 

The  Centre  Hall  Water  Company  was  incorpor- 
ated June  30,  1858,  by  Henry  Witmer,  Peter  Durst, 
William  Wolf,  George  Durst,  J.  D.  Murray,  James 
P.  Wilson,  and  John  Neft'.  The  original  capital 
stock  was  five  hundred  dollars,  which  in  March,  1868, 
was  increased  to  five  thousand  dollars.  It  supplies 
the  citizens  with  pure  spring-water,  conducted  from 
the  foot  of  Njttany  Mountain  through  iron  pipes. 
The  present  officers  are  Fred.  Kurtz,  president;  Wil- 
liam Wolf,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

Progress  Grange,  No.  96,  P.  of  H.,  was  organized 
by  Frank  Porter,  of  Lycoming  County,  Feb.  12, 1873, 
with  about  thirty  members.  The  first  officers  chosen 
were  John  Arney,  M. ;  Leonard  Rhone,  O.;  John 
Sankey,  Steward ;  David  Reinsmith,  Asst.  Steward; 
Daniel  Flisher,  Chaplain  ;  Dr.  Peter  Smith,  Lecturer; 
James  Keller,  Sec. ;  George  Boa!,  Treas. ;  Lafayette 
Neflf,  G.  K. ;  Mrs.  L.  Rhone,  Ceres ;  Maggie  Keller, 
Flora;  Susan  Hoff'er,  Pomona;  Mrs.  M.  A.  Neff", 
Lady  Asst.  Steward. 

Connected  with  the  grange,  and  under  its  immediate 
control,  is  a  business  co-operative  association,  estab- 
lished with  a  view  of  facilitating  the  sale  of  produce 
and  purchase  of  supplies.  It  has  met  with  unquali- 
fied success,  and  has  proven  an  excellent  medium  for 
the  transaction  of  all  business  by  the  members  of  the 
grange.     William  Boal  is  its  business  manager. 

The  grange  at  present  writing  numbers  eighty 
members,  with  the  following  as  officers :  William  A. 
Boal,  M. ;  James  McCormick,  O. ;  L.  Neff',  Steward ; 
Samuel  Crotzer,  Asst.  Steward ;  J.  Crotzer,  Treas. ; 
Daniel  Fleisher,  Chaplain  ;  George  M.  Boal,  Lecturer ; 
Henry  Keller,  G.  K. ;  Mrs.  Ellen  Keller,  Ceres ;  Mrs. 
Kate  Connelly,  Pomona  ;  Mrs.  Isabella  Stonk,  Flora  ; 
Mrs.  Mary  A.  Neff,  Lady  Asst.  Steward. 

Their  meeting-room,  in  the  public-school  build- 
ing, is  very  neatly  furnished,  with  library,  organ, 
carpet,  etc.     Meetings  are  held  once  in  two  weeks. 

Fairview  Grange,  No.  296,  P.  of  H.,  was  organ- 
ized on  the  Ith  of  July,  1S74,  in  the  school-house 
situated  at  the  end  of  Egg  Hill.  Fifteen  names  were 
enrolled  as  members,  and  the  following  selection  of 
officers  made:  Henry  P.  Sankey,  M. ;  John  Grove, 
O. ;  George  L.  Goodhart,  Sec. ;  John  S.  Dauberman, 
Treas. ;  J.  E.  Royer,  Steward.  Meetings  were  held 
in  the  school-house  until  the  following  spring,  after 
which  a  part  of  a  house  was  rented  at  Centre  Hill. 
Later  on  the  basement  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
was  secured,  and  retained  until  the  spring  of  1881. 
Meetings  are  now  held  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Dauber- 
man pending  the  completion  of  a  new  meeting-house, 
wbich  the  society  are  erecting  at  their  own  expense. 
When  completed  it  will  cost  three  hundred  dollars. 
They  have  at  present  about  thirty  names  on  the  rolls. 
The  following  are  the  officers  for  1881 : 

Jonathan  Royer,  M. ;  William  Spangler,  O. ;  Wil- 
liam Kerr,  Sec. ;  John  Dauberman,  Chaplain ;  Wil- 


liam Royer,  Treas ;  William  Lucas,  Steward ;  John 
Breon,  Asst.  Steward  ;  George  L.  Goodhart,  Lecturer ; 
Sarah  Arnold,  Lady  Asst.  Steward  ;  Mrs.  Dauberman, 
Ceres ;  Mrs.  Royer,  Pomona ;  Mrs.  H.  P.  Sankey, 
Flora. 

Old  Fort  Lodge,  No.  537,  F.  and  A.  M.— Old  Fort 
Lodge  was  organized  June  2,  1875,  by  the  election  of 
the  following  officers,  who  constituted  all  the  mem- 
bers at  that  time :  W.  B.  Mingle,  W.  M. ;  Julian  A. 
Fleming,  S.  W. ;  D.  C.  Keller,  J.  W. ;  R.  McCor- 
mick, Treas. ;  C.  F.  Harlacher,  Sec. ;  H.  R.  Smith,  S. 
D. ;  J.  P.  Odenkirk,  J.  D. ;  0.  P.  Rarick,  Tyler. 

The  order  has  flourished  to  a  considerable  extent,. 
and  now  numbers  about  forty  members  in  good 
standing.  They  have  elegantly-furnished  meeting- 
rooms  in  the  bank  building,  at  which  they  meet  on 
the  first  Monday  on  or  before  full  moon  in  each 
month.  The  present  officers  are  W.  M.  Krise,  W.  M. ; 
J.  F.  Alexander,  S.  W. ;  J.  T.  Lee,  J.  W. ;  D.  C.  Kel- 
ler, Treas. ;  C.  F.  Harlacher,  Sec. 

Centre  Hall  Lodge,  No.  895,  I.  0.  of  0.  F.,  was 
organized  Jan.  15,  1875,  with  the  following  officers  : 
H.  P.  Sankey,  N.  G. ;  S.  S.  Farmer,  V.  G. ;  J.  M. 
Gilliland,  Sec. ;  B.  D.  Brisbin,  Asst.  Sec. ;  J.  G.  San- 
key, Treas. 

The  lodge  is  in  a  flourishing  condition,  and  num- 
bers about  forty  members.  The  officers  in  1881  were 
J.  G.  Sankey,  N.  G. ;  D.  R.  McClintric,  V.  G. ;  G.  L. 
Goodhart,  Sec. ;  B.  D.  Brisbin,  Treas. 

Centre  Hill  was  made  a  post-office  station  in  1846, 
the  first  postmaster  being  James  A.  Boozer.  A  store 
was  opened  here  in  1844,  established  by  the  farmers 
on  the  co-operative  plan,  but  it  did  not  meet  with 
success,  and  passed  into  the  hands  of  Boozer  &  Gilli- 
land. Col.  Reuben  Keller,  of  Snyder  County,  did  a 
large  mercantile  business  in  1861,  and  for  a  few  years 
subsequently,  but  his  adventure  was  not  successful. 
Sinking  Spring  Presbyterian  Church  is  included  in 
this  hamlet.  Near  it  Christopher  Henney  kept  a 
tavern  as  early  as  1801. 

Of  the  burial-places,  one  of  the  oldest  is  that  at- 
tached to  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Centre  Hill. 
The  following  inscriptions  are  as  they  appear  upon 
the  tombstone : 

"  Sarah  Woods,  died  1807." 

"  George  Woods,  died  August  14, 1819,  aged  73  years." 

"John  Woods,  died  Oct.  14, 1821,  aged  46  years." 

The  oldest  of  the  old  gravestones  bearing  distin- 
guishable marks  is  that  of  Mrs.  Sarah  Barber,  whose 
resting-place  is  marked  by  a  massive  tablet,  upon 
which  appears  the  following  inscription  : 

"  Here  lies  the  body  of  Sarah  Barber,  wife  of  John  Barber,  Esq.,  of 
Centre  County,  and  daughter  of  James  McCIenahan,  of  Northumberland 
County,  who  departed  this  life  Sept.  9, 1801,  aged  33  years. 

"  In  charity  we  will  agree 
Her  flesh  shall  slumber  in  the  ground 
Until  the  last  trumpet's  joyful  sound, 
Then  break  the  chains  with  sweet  surprise, 
And  in  her  Saviour's  image  rise." 


POTTER  TOWNSHIP. 


411 


John  Barber,  the  husband  of  the  above,  lies  buried 
beside  his  wife.  His  tombstone  bears  the  date  of  his 
death,  Oct.  14,  1814. 

Earleysburg  was  laid  out  by  William  Earley,  Esq., 
in  1795  or  1796,  and  was  called  indifferently  Wil- 
liamsburg and  Earleystown.  It  never  amounted  to 
more  than  a  hamlet  on  the  old  Sunbury  and  Hunt- 
ingdon road,  which  ran  along  south  of  the  Manor. 
Earley  was  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  not  being 
familiar  with  the  form,  on  one  occasion  declared  the 
parties  "  in  the  presence  of  God  and  Judge  Potter" 
man  and  wife.  A  noted  hotel-keeper  of  Earleysburg 
was  Walter  Longwell,  who  came  from  Maryland  and 
kept  there  as  early  as  1818.  His  brother  Lewis  was  a 
school-teacher  in  the  valley.  Dr.  Wilson's  old  aban- 
doned house  and  one  house  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  road  mark  the  site  of  this  hamlet. 

The  Old  Fort. — This  was  situated  on  the  elevation 
a  little  north  of  the  present  Old  Fort  Hotel,  now  kept 
by  George  P.  Odenkirk,  and  on  the  site  of  the  present 
frame  dwelling.  By  the  fort  was  a  spring  where,  ac- 
cording to  Hero  Wade,  Gen.  Potter's  body-servant,  the 
general  built  a  cabin  when  prospecting  for  lands  in 
1773.  The  fort  was  known  as  the  upper  fort,  and  was 
built  in  1777,  the  stockade  including  the  spring.  It 
was  kept  as  a  tavern  after  the  war  by  Stephen  Smith, 
who  was  succeeded  by  John  Benner,  a  relative  of  Gen. 
Philip  Benner,  in  1801.  In  1825,  when  the  turnpike 
was  being  made,  J.  &  J.  Potter  built  the  present  stone 
tavern  by  the  turnpike.  The  first  landlord  of  the  lat- 
ter was  George  Withington.  He  died  July  13,  1830, 
and  the  hotel  was  kept  for  some  years  by  his  widow. 
In  1887,  May  10,  Capt.  S.  Hunter  Wilson  took  posses- 
sion of  the  Fort  Hotel.  Judge  Wilson  died  in  1841, 
and  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  McCoy. 

In  front  of  the  Fort  Hotel  were  racing  grounds, 
and  it  was  much  frequented  by  sportsmen,  and  much 
money  changed  hands  there. 

Potter's  Mills.— Potter's  Mills  is  located  on  the 
John  McConnel  survey,  which  belonged  to  Gen. 
Potter.  The  Malcolm  Andrew  warrant  of  Feb.  11, 
1794,  lies  at  the  southwest  corner  of  the  John  Mc- 
Connel. In  1788,  Gen.  Potter  built  the  first  log 
house,  long  used  as  a  tavern,  the  foundation  remains 
of  which  may  still  be  discovered  in  the  field  in  front 
of  Mr.  McCoy's.  John  Barber,  Esq.,  was  the  car- 
penter, and  the  first  mill  and  saw-mill  were  erected 
by  him  for  Gen.  Potter  in  1788-89.  Gen.  Potter 
died  in  1789,  and  the  property  passed  to  his  son,  after- 
wards Judge  James  Potter,  who,  before  his  death,  in 
1819,  erected  the  houses  occupied  by  the  widow  of 
William  Allison  and  Mr,  McCoy.  Judge  James  Pot- 
ter opened  the  first  store  there  in  November,  1790, 
and  in  1813  he  built  the  stone  grist-mill  lately  owned 
by  W.  J.  Thompson,  and  destroyed  by  fire  a  few  years 
ago. 

In  1833,  J.  and  J.  Potter  and  S.  R.  Patton  erected 
"  Potter's  Woolen-Mill,"  and  in  1837  enlarged  its  ca- 
pacity and  refitted  it.    On  the  8th  of  March,  1839,  it 


was  burned  down,  but  rebuilt  the  subsequent  year. 
On  the  Messrs.  Potter's  failure,  in  1848,  it  passed  into 
the  hands  of  Gen.  James  Irvin,  and  in  1850  was  pur- 
chased by  William  Allison,  Esq.  Its  successive  oper- 
ators were  Samuel  E.  Patton,  1850;  Irvin  &  Weirick, 
1855;  Patton,  to  1857;  H.  P.  Cadwallader,  to  18G0  ; 
Boozer  &  Allison,  18 — .  During  the  war  its  capacity 
was  still  further  enlarged  by  improved  machinery,  and 
in  1866  steam-power  was  introduced.  Since  1876  it  has 
been  under  the  management  of  William  &  E.  Allison, 
who  do  a  large  wholesale  business.  A  log  mill  existed 
previous  to  the  Potter  woolen-mill,  which  was  carried 
on  by  Azariah  Evans,  using  dye-stuff  extracted  from 
walnut-  and  butternut-hulls  gathered  in  the  vicinity. 

The  first  hotel-keeper  at  Potter's  Mills  was  John 
Wagner,  who  kept  the  old  log  building.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Evan  Miles,  and  he  by  John  Carr,  in  1811, 
and  who  kept  there  until  1824,  when  he  removed  to 
Brown's  Mills,  in  Mifflin  County.  In  1824,  John  C. 
Coverly  came  to  Potter's  Bank,  and  was  the  first  to 
occupy  the  brick  hotel  built  by  J.  &  J.  Potter  about 
that  time.  Wagner  was  miller  at  Potter's  Mills  (Wag- 
ner was  succeeded  by  Daniel  Weaver  as  miller,  the 
latter  by  George  Emerick),  and  kept  tavern  also  ;  he 
removed  to  Mifflin  County.  He  was  the  grandfatlier 
of  John  T.  Johnston,  postmaster  (1882)  at  Bellefonte. 
Coverlj'  was  the  best-known  landlord  ;  be  set  an  ele- 
gant table,  and  was  always  ready  to  entertain  his 
guests  with  remarkable  stories.  He  signalized  his  first 
year  by  getting  up  a  demonstration  on  the  Fourth 
of  July,  and  himself  delivering  the  oration.  His 
story  of  rattlesnakes  coming  down  Nittauy  Mountain 
to  drink  at  the  spring  at  Taylor's  tavern,  above  Pleas- 
ant Gap,  induced  a  number  of  Philadelphia  gentlemen 
to  ride  hard  to  reach  that  point  before  twelve  o'clock, 
to  be  disappointed  by  Taylor's  declaration  that  they 
had  just  been  down  at  the  spring,  and  had  re- 
turned up  the  mountain.  Mr.  Diehl,  of  Philadelphia, 
who  had  landed  interests  in  Centre  County,  often 
stopped  with  him.  Coverly  removed  to  Harrisburg, 
and  Diehl,  after  many  years,  stopped  at  the  Coverly 
House  in  Harrisburg,  and  not  recognizing  his  old 
host's  son,  Wells,  he  remarked  that  he  used  to  stop  in 
Centre  County  with  a  man  named  Coverly,  who  kept 
one  of  the  best  hotels  in  that  county.  Wells  said  he 
knew  him,  but  he  was  a  man  of  no  account,  de- 
siring to  draw  Mr.  Diehl  out.  Diehl  insisted  on  the 
fact  that  he  kept  an  excellent  hotel.  "  Yes,"  Coverly 
said,  "  that  might  be,  but  he  was  not  thought  much 
of"  Diehl  scratched  his  head,  and  remarked, "'  When 
I  come  to  think  of  it,  he  was  the  infernalest  liar  I  ever 
heard  talk !" 

Coverly  (Roger,  as  he  was  nicknamed  to  such  an 
extent  that  everybody  supposed  it  his  real  name) 
would,  in  the  presence  of  Gen.  John  Potter,  repre- 
sent to  his  guests  that  be  (Coverly)  owned  the  store 
and  mills,  and  that  the  Potters  were  his  tenants. 
Gen.  John  remonstrated  with  him  one  day  on  this 
wholesale  lying.    "  You  are  very  uncharitable,  Mr. 


412 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Potter,"  said  Coverly,  "  in  not  allowing  a  man  to  be 
happy  a  little  while."  Coverly  remained  till  July, 
1838,  then  kept  Coverly  Hall,  in  the  east  end  of 
Walker  township,  whence  he  removed  to  Harris- 
burg.  He  died  at  his  son's.  Wells  Coverly,  Aug. 
18,  1856,  aged  seventy-nine  years.  He  was  born  in 
Centre  County,  and  in  early  life  served  an  appren- 
ticeship at  the  printing  business.  He  was  the  father 
of  Dr.  Thomas  Z.  Coverly,  who  studied  medicine  with 
Dr.  W.  I.  Wilson,  and  died  Aug.  11, 1837,  at  the  early 
age  of  thirty-one. 

.T.  C.  Coverly  was  succeeded  at  Potter's  Mills  by 
Jacob  G.  Lebo.  Potter's  Mills,  or,  as  it  was  most 
generally  known,  Potter  Bank,  was  up  to  the  failure 
of  J.  &  J.  Potter,  in  1848,  one  of  the  most  noted 
places  among  the  traveling  community  in  the  State. 
The  Potters  were  noted  for  their  easy  and  elegant 
hospitality,  and  during  the  summer  season  the  "  Bank" 
was  as  gay  as  a  "  watering  place." 

Among  its  well-known  residents  was  Dr.  William 
Irvine  Wilson,  who  commenced  practice  in  1818  in 
Penn's  valley,  and  after  practicing  a  number  of  years 
at  Earleystown,  built  a  large  residence,  having  ample 
grounds  at  Potter's  Mills,  where  he  and  his  family 
dispensed  a  profuse  hospitality  for  many  years.  Dr. 
Wilson's  ancestor  was  the  first  person  to  cross  Boyne 
water  when  William  of  Orange  defeated  the  Papists. 
For  his  services  he  received  two  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land.  He  resided  within  a  mile  of  Coatshill, 
county-town  of  Cavan,  in  the  north  of  Ireland ; 
owned  beside  a  large  body  of  land,  having  sixty  ten- 
ants. His  grandson,  Hugh,  born  in  1689,  to  whom 
his  estates  descended,  emigrated  to  America  and  set- 
tled in  the  Forks  of  the  Delaware,  and  died  in  the 
Irish  settlement  in  1773,  aged  eighty-four  years.  In 
1737,  in  connection  with  Col.  Martin,  he  laid  out  the 
town  of  Easton,  and  with  Judge  Craig  organized 
and  held  the  first  court  of  Northampton  County,  in 
1752.  He  was  married,  before  he  left  Ireland,  to 
Sarah  Craig.  Thomas,  grandfather  of  Dr.  Wilson, 
was  twelve  or  thirteen  years  of  age  in  1730,  when  his 
father  came  over.  He  was  actively  engaged  in  busi- 
ness during  the  Revolution,  and  lost  heavily  by  the 
depreciation  of  Continental  money,  and  moved  to 
Buffalo  valley,  one  mile  west  of  Lewisburg,  where  he 
died.  Hugh  Wilson,  son  of  Thomas,  married  Cathe- 
rine Irvine,  and  first  settled  on  Col.  Hartley's  place, 
near  Hartleton,  where  Dr.  Wilson  was  born,  Nov.  10, 
1793.  Hugh  Wilson  afterwards  removed  to  Lewis- 
burg, where  he  kept  store,  and  in  1803  moved  to  the 
farm,  about  one  mile  west  of  Lewisburg,  still  owned 
by  Francis  Wilson's  heirs,  where  Dr.  Wilson  spent 
his  early  life  before  his  removal  to  Centre  County. 
A  further  notice  of  him  appears  in  the  article  on 
the  physicians  of  Centre  County.  Of  his  family,  his 
daughter,  Catherine  I.,  is  the  wife  of  ex-Governor  A. 
G.  Curtin.  One  of  his  sons,  Col.  William  P.  Wilson, 
went  out  in  1862  as  lieutenant  in  the  One  Hundred 
and  Forty-eighth  Regiment,  and  served  during  the 


greater  part  of  the  war  upon  Gen.  Hancock's  staff'. 
He  is  now  a  resident  of  Trenton,  N.  J. 

Tusseyville,  so  called  from  its  close  proximity  to 
Tussey  Mountain,  was  formerly  known  as  Church ville, 
but  upon  the  location  of  the  post-office  it  was  found 
that  the  name  conflicted  with  that  of  another  village 
of  the  same  name.  Consequently,  to  facilitate  mat" 
ters,  it  was  changed  to  Tusseyville.  It  boasts  of  only 
a  few  dwellings,  a  store,  one  church,  and  a  school- 
house.     The  postmaster  is  S.  M.  Swartz. 

CIVIL  LIST,  1774-1881. 

1774.— Constable,  John  McMulIiu. 

1775.— Constable,  John  MoMuUin. 

1776.— Constable,  J.  McConnell ;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  J.  McGrew,  G. 
McCormick  ;  Supervisors  of  Roads,  George  Woods,  Adam  Harper. 

1777. — No  returns. 

1778.— Constable,  J.  Watson;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  J.  McConnell,  J. 
Stover,  Sr. ;  Supervisors  of  Boads,  J.  Alexander,  Adam  Harper. 

1778  to  1785. — No  records. 

1786. — Constable,  Joseph  Alexander;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  George 
Woods,  Adam  Stover;  Supervisors  of  Roads,  J.  Richards,  William 
King. 

1786.— Constable,  J.  McCormick;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  John  Watson, 
R.  McKini ;  Supervisors  of  Roads,  J.  McConnell,  D.  Livingston. 

1787.— Constable,  D.  Livingston  ;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  Adam  Harper, 
John  McCormick  ;  Supervisors  of  Roads,  J.  Hubler,  William  Lamb. 

1788  and  1789.— No  record. 

1790.— Constable,  B.  Mcliim;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  J.  Hastings, 
James  Huston  ;  Supervisors  of  Roads,  C.  Hendrickson,  Abel  Moore. 

1791.— Constable,  Thomas  Thompson ;  Oveiseers  of  the  Poor,  George 
Woods,  James  Jack ;  Supervisors  of  Roads,  William  King,  James 
Potter. 

1792.— No  returns. 

1793.— Constable,  Thomas  Thompson;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  J.  Roll, 
Alex.  Johnston;  Supervisors  of  Koads,  J.  Rankin,  Michael  Jack. 

1794. — Constable,  Thomas  Thompson;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  Thomas 
Sankey,  Robert  Moore  ;  Supervisors  of  Roads,  J.  Watson,  Thomas 
Gordon. 

1795.— Constable,  D.  Nicholson  ;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  Ch.  Dale,  Wil- 
liam Rankin  ;  Supervisors  of  Roads,  D.  Whitehill,  R.  McKim. 

1796.— Constable,  Michael  Jack;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  Ch.  Hening,  E. 
Hastings;  Supervisors  of  Roads.  A.  Johnston,  A.  Leaver. 

1797.— Constiible,  J.  Watson;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  A.  Sandford,  J. 
Watt ;  Supervisors  of  Roads,  J.  Roll,  William  Irvin. 

1798.— Constable,  George  Woods;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  J.  Rankin,  H. 
Falls;  Supervisors  of  Roads,  C.  Young,  Ch.  Ketley. 

1799.— Constable,  J.  Livingston;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  G.  Rinehart, 
Abel  Moore;  Supervisor  of  Roads,  N.  Franipton,  J.  Benner. 

1800.— Constable,  T.  Sankey  ;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  T.  Meredith,  C.  Dil- 
man ;  Supervisors  of  Roads,  William  Monks,  L.  Grossman. 

Justices  of  the  Pface.— William  Hewes,  Thomas  Mayes,  1840  ;  John  H 
Hahn,  William  McCloskey,  1845  ;  Thomas  Mayes,  March  14, 1848  ; 
William  McCloskey,  March  13,  1S49 ;  Jacob  Rhone,  March  16,  1853 ; 
John  Shannon,  William  McCloskey,  March  17,1854;  John  Shan- 
non, March  15,1869;  William  McCloskey,  May  16,  1859;  Samuel 
Shannon,  H.  B.  Smith,  March  26,  1864;  Alex.  Shannon,  Aaron 
Luckenback,  March  22,  1869;  Aaron  Luckenback,  D.  C.  Keller, 
March  14,1874;  John  Shannon,  March  13,  1875;  John  Shannon, 
March  20,  1880;  T.  B.  McElroy,  April  5, 1879;  John  Shannon,  April 
10,  1880;  W.  J.  Thompson,  April  22, 1880. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 

WILLIAM    WOLF. 
William  Wolf,  president  of  the  Penn's  Valley  Bank- 
ing Company,  is  a  grandson  of  Paul  Wolf,  of  whom 
notice  is  taken  in  the  history  of  Miles  township,  and 
a  son  of  Jacob  Wolf.    The  latter  was  a  man  of  ster- 


^^^Act 


POTTER  TOWNSHIP. 


413 


ling  character  and  traits.  He  was  an  open  and 
avowed  friend  of  popular  education,  and  courageously 
advocated  the  public  school  system,  although  he  made 
enemies  thereby.  His  son,  AVilliam,  was  born  near 
Rebersburg,  April  30, 1824,  was  educated  at  the  public 
schools,  and  worked  upon  his  father's  farm  until  he 
was  twenty-two  years  of  age. 

Mr.  Wolf  then  entered  the  store  of  Henry  Whit- 
mer,  at  Aaronsburg,  as  a  clerk  at  a  salary  of  fifty-two 
dollars  a  year;  and  giving  the  satisfaction  his  con- 
tract provided  for,  on  the  following  year  he  went  with 
Mr.  Whitmer  to  Centre  Hall,  where  he  continued  in 
his  employ  for  six  years,  when  he  had  six  hundred 
dollars  due  him. 

Mr.  Whitmer,  having  decided  to  retire  from  the 
mercantile  business  after  an  experience  of  thirty 
years,  offered  to  sell  his  stock  to  Mr.  Wolf;  the  latter 
had  no  capital  except  six  hundred  dollars,  but  his 
father  going  his  security,  Mr.  Wolf  took  the  respon- 
sibility, and  by  persevering  industry  and  economy 
paid  the  debt  of  twenty-four  hundred  dollars,  and 
built  up  a  profitable  and  permanent  business. 

On  the  26th  of  September,  1854,  Mr.  Wolf  married 
Miss  Anna  M.  Whitmer,  daughter  of  Henry  Whit- 
mer. In  1858  he  was  appointed  the  first  postmaster 
of  Centre  Hall,  which  position  he  held  for  twelve 
years.  He  is  a  prominent  member  of  the  Lutheran 
Church,  and  was  the  largest  contributor  to  the  erec- 
tion of  their  church  at  Centre  Hall.  For  a  number 
of  years  he  was  one  of  the  trustees  of  Gettysburg 
Theological  Seminary. 

In  1876  he  became  president  of  the  Penn's  Valley 
Banking  Company,  and  has  administered  its  affairs 
in  such  manner  as  to  establish  its  credit  upon  a  firm 
basis,  as  well  as  to  greatly  benefit  the  community  in 
which  he  resides  and  stimulate  the  improvement  of 
the  village.  Mr.  Wolf  has  never  sought  office,  pre- 
ferring to  follow  up  his  private  business  and  acquire 
means  which  he  has  not  hoarded,  but  dispensed  in  a 
way  of  beneficence  to  the  cause  of  religion  and  the 
good  of  others.  He  has  materially  assisted  others  to 
obtain  education,  and  was  instrumental  in  aiding  two 
of  his  brothers  in  securing  an  education  which  made 
them  prominent  as  ministers, — Rev.  Frank  Wolf,  now 
deceased,  and  Rev.  E.  J.  Wolf,  D.D.,  professor  at  Get- 
tysburg. 

One  great  secret  of  Mr.  Wolf's  success  has  been 
that  he  attended  personally  to  that  part  of  business 
which  other  merchants  sometimes  neglect, — keeping 
his  own  books  and  accounts.  In  keeping  accounts 
during  his  business  career  he  has  written  more  than 
fifteen  thousand  pages.  Ever  devoted  to  his  family, 
he  has  been  a  kind  husband  and  father,  generous  and 
considerate,  but  not  foolishly  indulgent.  It  is  the 
men  of  the  type  of  Mr.  Wolf  who  have  established 
the  character  which  Penn's  valley  bears  abroad,  and 
of  whom  the  people  of  Centre  County  are  always 
proud. 

His  son,  J.  Whitmer  Wolf,  graduated  at  Pennsylva- 


nia College,  Gettysburg,  and  is  now  a  partner  with 
his  father  in  the  mercantile  business  and  assistant 
cashier  in  the  bank. 


UON.  FREDERICK    KURTZ. 

Hon.  Frederick  Kurtz  was  born  at  York,  Pa.,  Dec. 
28,  1833,  and  came  from  there  to  Aaronsburg  in  the 
fall  of  1846.  After  conducting  the  Centre  Benchter 
for  upwards  of  ten  years  he  removed  to  Centre  Hall. 
Here  he  established  the  Centre  Reporter  on  the  1st  of 
April,  1868.  From  the  start  Mr.  Kurtz  conducted 
the  business  of  his  office  in  business  style,  editing  its 
columns  in  a  vigorous  style  and  to  the  best  interests 
of  his  party,  and  diversifying  his  reading-matter  with 
more  original  matter  than  is  contained  in  the  majority 
of  inland  journals. 

Success  has  crowned  his  efforts,  and  the  Reporter  is 
now  one  of  the  largest  of  the  county  papers  and 
widely  circulated,  and  is  a  dominant  factor  in  county 
politics.  Mr.  Kurtz  has  at  all  times  stimulated  pub- 
lic enterprise,  and  is  the  embodiment  of  a  go-ahead 
man. 

He  was  elected  to  the  Legislature  in  1866  over 
Gen.  James  A.  Beaver,  and  re-elected  in  1867  by  a 
largely  increased  majority,  and  the  highest  vote  upon 
the  Democratic  ticket.  His  record  as  a  legislator 
was  unsullied,  and  rendered  him  still  more  popular 
among  his  constituents. 

Among  other  indications  of  this  is  the  fact  that  at 
a  public  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  the  county,  irre- 
spective of  party,  held  at  Bellefonte  in  the  winter  of 
1867,  his  course  in  opposition  to  the  railroad  monop- 
oly was  heartily  indorsed  by  Hon.  H.  N.  McAllister 
and  other  leading  citizens. 

It  is  to  the  credit,  too,  of  Mr.  Kurtz  that  he  was 
one  of  the  hardest  and  most  earnest  workers  for  rail- 
road facilities  for  Penn's  valley,  devoting  days  and 
weeks  canvassing  for  subscriptions,  and  giving  the 
enterprise  continued  editorial  support,  and  he  was 
also  one  of  the  most  liberal  subscribers  for  the  stock. 

Mr.  Kurtz  alwa3-s  has  taken  high  ground  in  support 
of  educational  interests,  especially  advocating  the  es- 
tablishment of  teachers'  institutes,  and  speaking  on 
that  behalf  at  various  points  in  the  valley. 

His  own  town.  Centre  Hall,  is  indebted  to  him  for 
the  reconstruction  of  its  water-works  and  change  of 
the  wooden  pipes  to  iron  pipes  of  the  best  modern 
style,  and  he  has  added  to  the  improvement  of  the 
town  itself  a  very  handsome  private  residence.  Cen- 
tre Hall  owes  much  of  its  reputation  abroad  to  the 
columns  of  the  Reporter,  through  which  its  exceed- 
ingly beautiful  and  healthful  location  has  become  far 
famed. 

Mr.  Kurtz  married  Anne  (born  Sept.  6,  1S35), 
daughter  of  William  Harter,  of  near  Aaronsburg. 
Children:  William  L.,  born  April  12,  1862;  Charles 
R.,  born  Oct.  31,  1864;  John  F.,  May  23,  1868; 
George  W.,  March  21,  1874. 


414 


HISTORY    OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


LEONARD  RHONE,  ESQ. 

Leonard  Ehone,  Esq.,  was  born  on  the  farm  on 
which  he  now  resides,  part  of  the  old  manor  of  Not- 
tingham, once  owned  by  the  Penns,  on  the  21st  of 
July,  1838.  The  farm  is  a  part  of  No.  1  of  the  divis- 
ions of  the  manor  sold  by  the  Penns  to  Jacob  Straub 
by  deed  of  June  24, 1794.  Michael  Ehone,  Leonard's 
grandfather,  purchased  it  Sept.  15,  1794,  removing 
thither  from  the  eastern  end  of  Penn's  valley,  and  it 
has  been  in  possession  of  the  family  ever  since. 

Leonard  was  one  of  the  sons  of  Jacob  and  Sarah 
Ehone,  and  during  his  early  life  worked  upon  his 
father's  place  during  the  summer  and  attended  a 
public  school  in  the  winter,  thus  acquiring  a  taste  for 
farm-life,  to  which  he  is  devotedly  attached,  and  at 
the  same  time  obtaining  the  rudiments  of  an  educa- 
tion which  he  has  not  failed  to  vastly  improve. 

His  father  died  in  1853,  and  Leonard  remained  on 
the  farm  with  his  mother,  who  with  true  womanly 
courage  continued  to  carry  on  its  operations,  keeping 
the  family  together,  and  securing  for  them  all  the  ed- 
ucational advantages  the  neighborhood  afforded  until 
its  members  arrived  at  a  proper  age  to  enter  upon 
higher  courses  of  study  at  seminaries  and  colleges. 

In  1857,  Mr.  Ehone  served  a  voluntary  apprentice- 
ship of  some  months  in  a  coach-maker's  shop,  in  order 
to  acquire  a  knowledge  of  the  use  of  tools,  with  a  view 
to  enable  him  to  make  ordinary  farm  repairs.  He 
readily  acquired  a  knowledge  competent  for  all  such 
purposes.  Deeming  a  better  education  in  the  sciences 
and  learning  of  the  schools  of  great  importance,  in  No- 
vember, 1857,  he  entered  Kishacoquillas  Academy  as 
a  student.  When  asked  by  Mr.  Alexander,  the  princi- 
pal, what  pursuit  or  profession  he  proposed  to  select 
for  life,  he  promptly  responded,  "  that  of  a  farmer." 

After  pursuing  his  studies  (in  which  he  made  great 
progress)  for  a  year,  he  was  again  approached  with 
the  que.stion  of  his  intended  pursuit,  with  the  sugges- 
tion that  greater  opportunities  for  distinction  awaited 
professional  men.  But  firm  to  his  resolution,  he  re- 
fused to  give  up  his  choice  of  a  calling.  His  bent  was 
shown  in  his  essays,  which  were  upon  agricultural 
subjects,  and  his  exhibition  oration  had  for  its  topic 
"Agriculture." 

During  the  winter  of  1858-59  he  taught  school, 
thus  firmly  grounding  his  knowledge  in  efforts  to  in- 
struct others,  and  at  the  close  of  his  school  returned 
to  his  home  and  assisted  his  mother  on  the  farm. 

In  1864,  Mr.  Ehone  was  married  to  Miss  Maggie 
Sankey,  daughter  of  James  Sankey,  Esq.,  of  Potter's 
Mills,  a  lady  of  extraordinary  energy  of  character  and 
rare  mental  worth.  His  mother  relinquishing  charge 
of  the  farm,  he  became  lessee  of  the  old  homestead,  and 
in  May,  1865,  upon  a  sale  of  the  place  on  mutual  agree- 
ment of  the  family,  he  became  sole  proprietor  of  his 
father's  property. 

During  these  years  of  farm-life,  while  actively  en- 
gaged in  his  favorite  pursuit,  he  began  to  feel  the  im- 
portance and  necessity  of  some  organization  among 


farmers  of  a  social  and  educational  character,  for  the 
purpose  of  breaking  up  the  monotony  of  rural  life 

and  cementing  the  tillers  of  the  soil  together  in  one 
fraternal  brotherhood.  This  was  not  only  a  theory 
with  him,  but  a  real  principle.  He  felt  it,  and  as  he 
pondered  over  the  situation  the  idea  burned  itself  into 
his  very  soul,  and  he  longed  for  the  day  when  the  iso- 
lation of  the  farmer  and  his  family  should  be  broken 
up,  and  they  could  meet  upon  a  fraternal  platform  for 
mutual  benefit  and  protection.  He  saw  other  pursuits 
and  professions  banding  together  for  like  purposes, 
realized  the  benefits  of  combined  efforts  to  their  re- 
spective classes,  and  earnestly  desired  to  see  the  same 
principles  introduced  among  the  farmers.  Whilst  ab- 
sorbed with  this  thought  the  Patrons  of  Husbandry 
began  to  formulate  their  ideas  in  the  same  direction. 
Aa  their  work  untblded  he  discerned  the  wisdom  of 
the  new  organization,  and  he  watched  its  rise  and 
progress  with  the  most  intense  interest.  As  it  ex- 
panded, and  like  a  tidal  wave  rolled  on,  he  saw  its 
adaptation  to  the  situation,  and  determined  to  enter 
into  the  work.  In  connection  with  a  few  of  his  neigh- 
bors, application  was  made  for  a  charter,  and  on  the 
3d  day  of  February,  1874,  Progress  Grange,  No.  96, 
was  duly  organized  at  Centre  Hall,  he  being  a  char- 
ter member  of  the  first  subordinate  grange  instituted 
in  Centre  County. 

Once  inside  the  gate,  he  saw  still  more  clearly  the 
power  of  the  organization  for  good.  He  applied  him- 
self with  great  zeal  and  energy  in  the  new  field.  So 
faithful  and  earnest  were  his  efforts  that  on  the  9th 
of  April  following  he  was  commissioned  by  D.  B. 
Waugen,  Master  of  the  Pennsylvania  State  Grange, 
deputy  for  Centre  County,  which  position  he  con- 
tinued to  hold  by  consecutive  annual  appointment 
for  seven  years,  during  which  time  he  displayed  most 
untiring  activity  and  performed  an  immense  amount 
of  labor  in  behalf  of  the  organization.  And  so  suc- 
cessful were  his  labors  that  the  organization  in  Centre 
County  to-day  is  admitted  to  be  more  complete  than 
in  any  other  county  in  the  State. 

At  the  organization  of  Centre  County  Pomona 
Grange,  No.  13,  Sept.  15,  1875,  he  was  elected  Master 
for  one  year,  and  re-elected  five  consecutive  terms. 
In  December,  1877,  he  was  chosen  Master  of  his  own 
grange.  No.  ;  a,  and  served  his  term  with  great  accep- 
tability. 

In  December,  1878,  he  was  elected  Overseer  of  the 
Pennsylvania  State  Grange,  which  position  he  held 
for  two  years,  and  at  the  close  of  his  term,  at  the 
session  of  the  State  Grange  held  in  Greensburg  in 
December,  1880,  was  unanimously  chosen  Master,  to 
succeed  Col.  Piollet. 

In  June,  1880,  he  was  elected  a  trustee  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania State  College,  located  in  Centre  County, 
which  position  he  has  filled  with  marked  ability  and 
faithfulness,  and  impressed  his  ideas  to  some  extent 
upon  the  workings  of  the  institution. 

In  September,  1880,  the  National  Greenback-Labor 


(J^-Z.^.-^^^/       /^^C-T^-T-^ 


POTTER  TOWNSHIP. 


415 


party  nominated  him  for  the  State  Legislature,  but 
having  no  proclivities  for  political  life  he  declined  on 
account  of  private  business  and  other  pressing  engage- 
ments in  connection  with  his  position  as  an  officer  of 
the  State  Grange. 

Some  time  prior  to  the  assembling  of  the  National 
Agricultural  Convention,  vifhich  met  in  the  city  of 
New  York  in  January,  1882,  Governor  Hoyt,  unso- 
licited, appointed  him  a  delegate  to  that  body.  Pre- 
vious engagements,  however,  prevented  him  from 
attending. 

In  stature  Mr.  Rhone  is  five  feet  eight  inches  high, 
erect,  compactly  built,  and  capable  of  great  endur- 
ance. The  immense  amount  of  labor  he  performs  as 
Master  of  the  State  Grange,  in  correspondence,  public 
addresses,  etc.,  in  connection  with  his  own  private 
business,  is  sufficient  to  break  down  an  ordinary  man, 
but  he  bears  it  well,  and  seems  to  improve  under  the 
severe  tension  to  which  his  physical  ability  is  sub- 
jected. 

Intellectually,  Mr.  Rhone  is  a  plain,  practical 
thinker.  He  only  arrives  at  conclusions  after  ma- 
ture consideration.  He  may  justly  be  considered  a 
safe  counselor.  His  administration  of  the  State 
Grange  has  been  eminently  successful.  As  a  presid- 
ing officer  he  is  calm,  courteous,  and  firm,  and  wields 
the  gavel  with  grace.  As  a  speaker  he  is  diffident, 
but  only  appears  before  an  audience  after  mature 
preparation.  Some  idea  of  his  style  may  be  obtained 
by  a  short  quotation  from  one  of  his  addresses : 

"  Agricultural  success  is  pre-eminently  essential  to 
national  prosperity.  It  affijrds  employment  to  over 
six  hundred  millions  of  the  human  race,  and  subsist- 
ence to  all  the  multiplied  millions  that  dwell  upon 
the  earth.  Should  Heaven  for  a  single  season  frown 
upon  the  efforts  of  the  farmer,  by  withholding  its  rain 
and  sunshine,  or  by  sending  mildew  and  blight,  the 
general  round  of  prosperity  in  every  department  of 
government  and  trade  would  be  silent  as  death  ;  ma- 
chinery would  become  motionless ;  vessels  would  be 
tied  in  their  moorings ;  the  efforts  of  genius  would 
be  paralyzed  ;  the  distortions  of  want  and  despair 
would  fill  the  places  of  departed  plenty  and  gladness. 
Yet,  notwithstanding  all  these  facts,  the  importance  of 
agriculture  is  not  properly  appreciated.  Our  govern- 
ment is  slow  to  recognize  its  real  magnitude  and  worth. 
Appropriations  of  money  for  its  promotion  and  devel- 
opment are  small  and  insignificant  compared  with  the 
fostering  care  and  protection  afforded  to  other  and 
minor  interests." 

Personally,  Leonard  Rhone  is  a  warm  hearted, 
generous,  and  true  man.  Never  forgets  a  favor  or 
forsakes  a  friend.  Appeals  to  his  generosity  are 
never  made  in  vain.  His  moral  character  is  un- 
sullied and  his  Christian  conduct  above  reproach. 
In  a  word,  he  is  one  of  Nature's  noblemen. 


DANIEL  C.  KELLER. 
Daniel  C.  Keller,  Esq.,  at  present  county  treasurer 
of  Centre  County,  was  born  on  the  18th  of  July, 
1841.  He  is  a  great-grand.son  of  Jacob  Keller,  who 
is  noticed  in  the  history  of  Potter  township,  and  who 
was  the  Elder  Keller  who  did  so  much  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  German  Reformed  Churches  in  Centre 
County.  (Harbaugh's  "  Fathers  of  the  Reformed 
Church,"  vol.  iii.  page  221.) 


c^/^^- 


Jacob  Keller  (2d),  grandfather  of  D.  C.  Keller,  had 
seven  children, — John;  Jacob;  Catherine,  married 
to  John  Stauffer,  and  removed  to  Ohio;  George,  de- 
ceased ;  Henry  Keller,  of  Boalsburg ;  David  Keller,  of 
Boalsburg  ;  and  Daniel  Keller,  of  Illinois. 

Jacob  Keller  (3d),  born  Jan.  28,  1803,  was  married 
to  Christena  Diuges.  He  died  Feb.  10,  1848,  and 
Mrs.  Keller,  born  April  22,  ISO",  died  Nov.  25,  1850. 
They  also  had  seven  children,— Samuel,  who  married 
Elizabeth  Wright,  and  died  Oct.  5,  1876 ;  Andrew, 
who  married  Sarah  Bubb,  and  died  Dec.  8,  1881 ; 
Catherine,  who  married  John  Mover;  Elizabeth,  who 
died  in  infancy  ;  Christena,  who  married  Isaac  Gift, 
and  died  Aug.  23, 1881 ;  Daniel  C. ;  and  Lydia  Keller. 

Daniel  C.  Keller,  Esq.,  was  married  Dec.  23,  1862, 
to  Miss  Julia  A.  Stump  (born  June  8, 1844),  of  Snyder 
County.  Four  children  were  born  unto  them, — Jacob 
W.,  James  D.,  John  R.,  and  Mary  Agnes.  Jacob  W. 
died   in   infancy.      Mr.   Keller's   father  died  when 


416 


HISTOEY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Daniel  C.  was  not  yet  seven  years  old,  and  he  found 
a  home  with  his  brother  after  his  mother's  death, 
which  occurred  only  about  three  years  after  his 
father's.  He  was  therefore  thrown  upon  his  own 
resources  very  early  in  life,  and  with  a  very  limited 
education  commenced  the  struggles  of  life.  In  1864 
he  removed  to  Milroy,  Mifflin  County,  where  he  kept 
the  Union  Hotel  three  years,  after  which  he  removed 
to  Centre  Hall,  and  always  busy  and  industrious,  he 
followed  a  variety  of  occupations  until  he  was  elected 
county  treasurer  in  November,  1881,  after  which  he 
took  up  his  residence  in  Bellefonte.  A  careful,  con- 
scientious business  man,  polite  and  accommodating, 
he  is  exactly  the  kind  of  man  who  should  be  custo- 
dian of  the  county  funds. 


CHAPTER    LXXXIII. 
.  RUSH  TOWNSHIP. 

Rush  Township,  the  largest  in  respect  to  area,  lies 
upon  the  southwestern  border  of  the  county ;  is  a 
mountain  township.  Its  surface  is  wild  and  rugged, 
and  still  scarcely  acquainted  with  the  touch  of  the 
husbandman's  hand.  Forest-crowned  crags  and  peaks 
stretch  far  away  into  the  distance  upon  every  hand, 
while  the  eye  looks  in  vain,  except  in  rarely  occa- 
sional spots,  for  the  cheering  sight  of  cultivated  farms. 
The  lumberman  and  the  coal -miner  are  kings  of  the 
domain  in  Rush,  and  will  be  for  years  to  come. 
There  is  a  vast  acreage  of  rich  land,  but  years  must 
elapse  before  it  can  be  cleared  sufficiently  to  convert 
it  in  even  a  slightly  important  way  to  the  uses  of  ag- 
riculture. With  all  its  reach  of  territory,  the  town- 
ship bears  an  assessed  valuation  of  but  one  hundred 
and  forty-one  thousand  five  hundred  and  sixty-five 
dollars.  In  the  undeveloped  and  unreachable  por- 
tions lie  the  great  bodies  of  coal. 

There  is  some  coal-mining  along  the  route  of  the 
railway,  but  lumbering  is  the  great  interest,  in  which 
much  capital  and  many  people  are  employed.  The 
mill-streams  are  Moshannon,  Black  Moshannon,  Black 
Bear,  Cold  Stream,  and  Six-Mile  Creek,  all  of  which 
possess  valuable  power. 

The  Tyrone  and  Clearfield  Division  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad  ascends  the  mountain  on  the  western 
border  of  the  township,  and  from  Osceola  to  Philips- 
burg  follows  the  course  of  the  Moshannon.  The  sur- 
vey of  this  road  was  begun  May  17, 1856,  and  although 
it  was  expected  to  be  made  within  two  months,  the 
difficult  features  of  the  undertaking  prolonged  the 
actual  time  to  six  months.  The  first  surveying-party, 
numbering  eighteen,  included  J.  E.  Montgomery, 
chief  engineer;  J.  W.  Way,  principal  assistant;  W.  P. 
Macmauus,  second  assistant;  Charles  H.  Hale  and  G. 
Lingle,  rodmen;  Daniel  Primer,  ohainman;  together 
with  Messrs.  Bachelor,  Rook,  Runk,  Hudson,  Bates, 


Twiggs,  and  others.    The  survey  began  at  the  summit 

of  the  mountain  near  Sandy  Ridge  Station,  the  ele^ 
vation  at  that  point  being  eleven  hundred  and  forty- 
five  feet  above  Tyrone.  Although  the  railway  survey 
was  begun  in  1856,  the  road  was  not  completed  until 
1863.  Agricultural  settlements  in  Rush  are,  as  has 
been  indicated,  few  and  far  between.  There  are 
some  farms  on  the  Bellefonte  and  Philipsburg  turn- 
pike and  along  the  road  between  Tyrone  and  Philips- 
burg, but  tlie  total  value  of  farm  products  within  the 
township  may  be  summed  up  within  a  small  compass. 
Osceola  Station,  Powelton,  and  Sandy  Ridge  are  sta- 
tions on  the  Tyrone  and  Clearfield  Railroad,  and  are 
maintained  by  manufactories  and  mines,  producing, 
respectively,  iron  and  lumber,  coal  and  fire-brick. 

Early  Surveys. — The  survej's  in  the  southwestern 
portion  of  Rush  township  were  made  upon  warrants 
of  Dec.  27, 1793,  in  November,  1794.  The  corner  red- 
oak  is  upon  the  survey  in  the  warrantee  name  of 
Joseph  Stroud.  North  of  these  is  a  block  of  surveys 
on  warrants  of  March  13, 1794.  North  of  these  were 
the  lands  of  Lowdon  &  Co.,  warrants  of  Dec.  24, 1792, 
surveyed  in  April,  1793,  warrants  of  May  15,  1793, 
etc.  Philipsburg  is  on  a  warrant  in  the  name  of  Wil- 
liam Potter,  of  March  24,  1794,  and  there  does  not 
appear  to  have  been  any  surveys  returned  as  made  in 
Rush  township  prior  to  1792.  South  of  the  creek,  at 
Osceola,  the  Hardman  Philips  warrant  of  Dec.  2, 
1820,  connects  with  the  warrants  of  Jan.  16,  1793, 
surveyed  in  April,  1793. 

TAX-PAYERS   Or   RUSH   IN   1830. 

Names,                                  Acres.  Horses.  Cattle. 
I),iiiiel  Ayres 

Widow  Atherton 100  '. 

William  Alexander  (tavern) 

William  Ayres 

.Tacob  Ayres 

Abel  Benton 

Joseph  Bunibarger ...  1 

William  Beaumont 

Geoigo  Campbell 

James  Collins 

George  Catlow 100  

Samuel  Dale  (house  and  lot) 

James  Dale 

John  Dale  (house  and  lot) 

Joseph  Dale 100  4  4 

Margaret  Doris  (house  and  lot) ...  1 

William  Davidson 

Jacob  Demeling 

John  Flegal  (house  and  lot) 1 

Peter  Grey 

Joseph  Glue ...  1 

William  ferev 1 

William  Harner 

John  Hudson 

Aliiu  Hald 

Joseph  Herd 

George  Hall 

Christian  Hartaock •. 1  2 

John  Hald 

Thomas  Hall 1 

Hugh  Henderson ...  1 

Thomas  Hancock 

Vincent  Hawkins 50 

JohnKinnear 1 

George  Kephart 

James  Kinnear 

William  Kinnear  (tan-yard  and  tavern) 1 

Martha  Lorain  (tavern) ...  1 

Henry  Lorain 1 

Charles  Lloyd 

Thomas  Lever ...  1 

James  McGirk  (tavern  and  tan-yard) 2  3 

William  Miller 

William  McLeUan,  Jr 30  1  1 

John  Matley ...  1 


KUSII   TOWNSHIP. 


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.-cliiillz,  .liiriiHn  Allp,iil,  .liiliM  riiiMibc,  Jr.,  UichiirdPhiuibo,  Thomas 
Jioherls.  G..,„igt.  Liiser,  Jaiiit-s  Dali'. 

Early  Settlement. — The  early  settlements  in  Rush 
were  made  at  Philipsburg,  on  the  Moshannon.  Apart 
Irom  that  district  Rush  was  left  for  many  years  to 
the  loneliness  of  the  primeval  forests,  except  so  far 
as  concerned  the  intrusion  of  lumber-camps  and 
sparse  settlements  along  the  State  road  to  Tyrone 
and  the  Beliefonte  pike.  One  of  the  oldest  farms  in 
the  township,  if,  indeed,  not  the  oldest,  is  the  Twigg 
place,  near  Powelton.  It  was  first  improved  by  Rich- 
ard Catlow,  and  lies  on  the  State  road  reaching  be- 
tween Tyrone  and  Philipsburg.  The  State  road  was 
opened  in  179C,  and  the  Beliefonte  pike  in  1821. 
Such  locations  as  were  made  outside  of  Philipsburg 
were  fixed  along  these  routes,  albeit  the  business  of 
making  habitations  in  those  then  dense  wilds  was 
one  that  required  much  hardy  courage  and  more 
heroic  determination.  That  settlers  would  penetrate 
the  almost  inaccessible  mountains  with  intention  of 
making  homes  therein,  while  fertile  valleys  lay  within 
easy  reach  and  command,  was  scarcely  to  be  expected. 
That  they  did  not  come  forward  was  therefore  no  dis- 
appointment. On  the  Tyrone  road  the  first  tavern  is 
supposed  to  have  been  erected  and  opened  by  Richard  ' 
Copeland.  It  stood  upon  the  summit.  The  State 
road  toll-gate  was  establislied  about  one  and  a  half 
miles  beyond  Copeland's  towards  Philipsburg,  and 
there  at  one  time  William  Parker  was  gatekeeper  as 
well  as  tavern-keeper  in  a  snu\ll  way.  Stage  coaches 
passed  over  the  route,  and  for  a  while  there  was  a 
good  deal  of  travel.  The  Beliefonte  and  Philipsburg 
portion  of  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  pike  was  opened 
to  traffic  in  1821.  The  toll-gate  was  set  up  at  the 
Black  Bear  crossing,  but  the  first  tavern-stand  was 
established  at  the  Black  Moshannon  crossing  in  1821 
by  Thomas  Craddock,  who  was  one  of  the  early 
27 


tavern-keepers  on  the  State  road.  James  Antes  suc- 
ceeded Craddock  as  landlord,  and  improved  the  prop- 
erty materially.  It  was  popularly  known  for  year.< 
as  the  Antes  tavern,  and  is  said  to  iiave  been  a  well- 
kept  and  inviting  jilacc. 

About  1837  a  road  was  constructed  from  Antes' 
place  in  a  northwesterly  direction  to  Clearfield,  as 
the  result  of  a  strong  rivalry  between  Clearfield  and 
Pliilipsburg,  the  design  being  by  the  Clearfield  people- 
to  force  stage  and  mail  travel  over  the  new  route 
from  Antes'  .stand,  and  thus  give  Philipsburg  the  cold 
shoulder.  The  plan  succeeded,  and  as  a  consequence 
coaches  passed  around  Philipsburg,  while  the  mail 
for  the  latter  point  was  dumped  ofl'at  Morrisdale  and 
taken  irom  that  [ilace  to  Philipsburg,  by  special  con- 
veyance, much  to  the  annoyance  and  inconvenience 
of  the  citizens  of  Philipsburg.  They  sought  urgently 
to  remedy  matters,  but  without  success  until  1841, 
when  the  old  condition  of  things  was  restored  and 
continued  until  the  completion  of  the  Tyrone  and 
Clearfield  Railroad  led  to  the  abandonment  of  the 
pike.  The  toll-gate  on  the  new  route  near  the  i)ike 
was  kept  by  John  Barnes  for  many  years,  and  there 
John  devoted  also  his  spare  time  to  the  manufacture 
of  cigars.  Mr.  Barnes,  now  a  veteran  of  more  than 
eighty  years,  takes  toll  on  the  Lewiston  pike  at  Pleas- 
ant Gap,  where  for  two  decades  he  lias  taken  toll  and 
followed  his  old  trade  of  cigar-making.  The  toll-gate 
on  the  ]iike  at  the  Black  Bear  was  the  only  one  upon 
a  twenty-mile  sti-etch  of  the  road,  the  reasonable  con- 
clusion being  that  no  traveler  could  possibly  contem- 
plate or  have  made  less  than  a  twenty-mile  journey, 
since  he  could  find  within  that  distance  neither  turn- 
ing-off  spot  nor  abiding-place,  save  in  the  woods. 

The  first  toll-gate  keeper  is  supposed  to  have  been 
a  man  named  Woods,  for  whom  the  tiirni>ike  com- 
pany built  a  tavern  at  the  gate,  and  called  it  the  Black 
Bear.  Mr.  Woods'  successor  was  A.  K.  Wright,  who 
afterwards  became  a  prominent  lumberman  in  Clear- 
field County.  In  the  spring  of  1835,  William  Parker 
was  the  toll-gate  keeper.  There  was  a  great  deal  of 
travel  between  Philadelphia  and  Erie  iu  the  palmy 
days  of  the  old  pike,  and  roadside  inns  drove  a  thriv- 
ing and  profitable  trade.  Stage-coaches  made  fre- 
quent trips,  iVeight- wagons  carried  iron  eastward  ami 
supplies  westward,  while  in  thick  profusion  came  the 
wagons  of  moving  pioneers,  bound  for  new  homes  in 
the  freshly-developed  country  on  the  Moshannon. 
William  Parker  kejit  the  Black  Bear  until  1840,  when 
he  removed  to  Philipsburg  to  take  ])ossession  of  the 
Moshannon  House.  He  was  succeeded  at  the  Black 
Bear  by  Alexander  Pattou.  The  completion  of  the 
railway  to  Philipsburg  was  of  course  a  death-blow 
to  the  prosperity  of  the  pike,  and  it  became  there- 
upon a  township  road.  The  ascent  of  the  mountain 
over  the  pike  was  no  small  undertaking  for  freighters, 
who  usually  increased  their  force  of  horses  from  six 
to  twelve  when  enteiing  upon  that  portion  of  the 
trip. 


418 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Upon  the  pike,  where  it  crosses  Six-Mile  Run,  Dr. 
riumbe  built  a  forge  in  1835.  He  obtained  his  ma- 
terial from  Centre  County  furnaces,  and  manufactured 
it  chiefly  into  blooms,  although  he  made  some  bar- 
iron.  Dr.  Plumbe's  son  John  managed  tlie  business; 
but  it  yielded  no  profit,  and  after  being  conducted  at 
an  almost  constant  loss  for  about  eight  years,  closed 
in  consequence  of  Dr.  Plumbe's  failure.  The  prop- 
erty was  bought  by  J.  B.  Ingalls,  David  Adams,  and 
John  Adams,  who,  after  a  four-years'  trial  at  iron- 
making,  came  to  financial  grief.  After  that  no  one 
cared  to  undertake  the  apparently  hazardous  enter- 
prise, and  the  forge  therefore  lay  idle  until  one  of  the 
periodical  forest-fires  swept  it  away. 

The  land  upon  which  Powelton  stands  was  in- 
cluded in  the  Hardman  Philips  tract,  and  at  that 
point  Philips  opened  a  mine,  but  aimed  to  do  noth- 
ing beyond  obtaining  sufficient  fuel  for  local  use. 
Joseph  Dale  bought  the  land  covering  the  mine,  and 
put  on  some  farm  improvements,  but  gave  himself 
chiefly  to  the  mining  of  coal.  Of  that  business  he 
made  a  stirring  industry,  and  carted  the  product  of 
his  mine  to  various  and  sometimes  far-away  places. 
Dale  sold  out  after  a  while  to  William  Colburn,  whose 
interests  were  in  turn  purchased  by  John  Nuttall,  of 
New  York.  Mr.  Nuttall  made  his  home  near  the 
mine,  and  after  his  coming  the  little  hamlet  of  store, 
school,  and  miner's  cottages  was  called  Nuttallville. 
Mr.  Nuttall  did  not  push  the  development  of  the 
mine  very  strongly  until  the  completion  of  the  Ty- 
rone and  Clearfield  Railroad  to  that  point  in  1861,  in 
which  year  he  made  the  first  shipment  of  coal  ever 
carried  over  that  road.  During  the  latter  days  of  his 
possession  Mr.  Nuttall  mined  and  shipped  about  four 
thousand  tons  of  coal  monthly.  In  1866,  Mr.  Nut- 
tall disposed  of  his  mining  and  lauded  interests  to  R. 
H.  Powell,  of  New  York,  who  continued  the  business 
through  a  resident  manager,  but  himself  remained  in 
New  Y^ork.  In  1879,  Mr.  Powell  leased  for  ten  years 
the  property  to  W.  J.  Jackson,  who  had  for  ten  years 
or  more  been  carrying  on  the  store  business  at  Powel- 
ton. Mr.  Jackson  has  one  opening  extending  into 
the  mountain  about  one  mile  and  a  quarter,  from 
-\vhich  he  obtained  for  shipment  about  forty-four 
hundred  tons  of  coal  monthly.  From  seventy-five 
to  eighty  men  are  employed  by  Mr.  Jackson  the  year 
round  in  mining  coal.  He  operates  also  in  coal  at 
Coaldale,  in  Clearfield  County,  from  which  he  for- 
wards from  fifteen  to  twenty  cars  daily.  Since  the 
summer  of  1879,  Mr.  Jackson  has  been  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  fire-brick  at  Powelton.  There 
are  two  down-draft  and  four  open-top  kilns,  the 
former  having  a  capacity  of  forty  thousand  bricks, 
and  the  latter  of  from  twenty  to  thirty  thousand  each. 
The  daily  yield  at  the  works  aggregates  sixteen 
thousand  bricks  every  twenty-four  hours,  and  the 
averan'e  number  of  men  employed  about  seventy- 
five.  Clay  of  excellent  quality  and  in  great  abund- 
ance is  found  about  a  mile  distant  from  the  works, 


which  latter  are  connected  with  the  clay-pits  by  a 
tram  railway. 

In  connection  with  the  coal-mine  and  brick-works 
1  Mr.  Jackson  conducts  a  large  store  business  at  Pow- 
!  elton  for  the  exclusive  benefit  of  his  employes,  all  of 
I  whom  reside  at  the  village,  in  which  there  are  forty- 
!  eight  tenements.      Each  house  is  comfortably  con- 
structed, and  has  also  adjacent  to  it  a  patch  of  land 
from  which  the  occupants  of  the  domicile  gather  an 
abundant  supply  of  garden  products.     A  church  and 
!  scliool  give  the  villagers  the  benefits  of  secular  and 
religious  education,  and  impart  to  the  place  a  whole- 
some and  humanizing  influence.     Mr.  Jackson  him- 
self resides  at  Osceola.    His  superintendent  and  book- 
keeper at  Powelton  is  Mr.  A.  C.  Moyer. 

At  Sandy  Ridge  the  exclusive  business  interest 
centres  in  William  R.  Miller's  fire-brick-works,  the 
most  extensive  enterprise  of  the  kind,  perhaps,  in 
America.  They  were  established  in  1866  by  John 
Miller,  of  Altoona,  then  engaged  in  coal-mining  in 
Clearfield,  County,  Pa.  Mr.  Miller  bought  a  large 
tract  of  land  at  Sandy  Ridge,  and  put  up  a  small  es- 
tablishment, including  a  mill  of  the  capacity  of  four 
thousand  bricks  daily.  In  1867,  Mr.  Miller's  son, 
William  R.,  came  from  Baltimore  to  Sandy  Ridge, 
and,  becoming  a  partner  in  the  business,  assumed  the 
entire  management  thereof.  Affairs  did  not  prosper 
very  bravely  at  first, — indeed,  the  industry  dragged 
for  a  while, — but  Mr.  Miller  displayed  such  persistent 
zeal  and  energy  in  his  administration  of  affairs  that 
success  came  presently,  and  pretty  soon  after  that  he 
enlarged  the  works  to  their  present  capacity.  In  1876, 
John  Miller  retired  from  the  firm.  Since  that  time 
William  R.  Miller  has  conducted  the  business  in  his 
own  name.  The  kilns  number  ten,  and  are  of  the 
open-top  pattern.  Their  combined  capacity  is  about 
three  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  bricks.  The  in- 
tention in  August,  1881,  was  to  change  the  kilns  to 
the  down-draft  pattern.  The  daily  yield  of  fire-brick 
at  Sandy  Ridge  is  twenty-five  thousand,  and  for  the 
year  seven  million  five  hundred  thousand,  wdiich  is 
said  to  be  equaled  by  no  works  in  the  country,  and 
approached  only  by  the  Star  Works,  of  Pittsburgh. 
In  connection  with  the  works  Mr.  Miller  carries  on 
also  a  store  at  Sandy  Ridge.  There  are  in  the  village 
thirty-six  tenant  houses  occupied  by  Mr.  Miller's 
workmen.  There  is  also  a  school,  but  no  church. 
For  public  worship,  such  of  the  Sandy  Ridge  people 
as  are  inclined  go  to  the  little  Methodist  Episcopal 
Chapel  at  Powelton.  Sandy  Ridge  is  also  a  postal 
station,  W.  R.  Miller  being  the  postmaster.  His  clerk 
at  the  works  is  A.  B.  Hurd. 

Beaver  Mill,  on  the  Black  Moshannon,  represents  a 
very  important  lumbering  enterjirise  now  carried  on 
by  E.  M.  Sturdevant.  William  Underwood  bought 
a  tract  of  fifteen  thousand  acres  of  timber-land  in  that 
vicinity  in  1850,  and  built  a  mill  near  the  present  site 
of  the  Beaver  mill.  In  1869  the  Underwood  tract 
was  purchased  by  John  Ardell,  of  Bellefontc.     The 


RUSH   TOWNSHIP. 


419 


mill  situated  on  the  property  was  soon  destroyed  by 
fire,  and  similarly  the  one  that  replaced  it  was  burned. 
The  present  capacious  and  well-appointed  structure 
(containing  twenty  saws)  was  built  in  1879.  It  has  a 
capacity  of  about  four  million  feet  of  lumber  annually, 
and  turns  out  also  shingles,  lath,  and  pickets.  It  con- 
tains also  a  full  box-factory  and  planer. 

On  Six-Mile  Run  Mr.  Sturdevant  is  now  engaged 
in  filling  a  contract  with  the  Prentiss  heirs  to  stock 
thirty-five  million  feet  of  pine  to  the  Williamsport 
boom.  Mr.  Ardell,  who  is  the  manager  of  all  of  Mr. 
Sturdevant's  business  enterprises,  has  taken  from  Six- 
Mile  Run  for  various  parties  during  the  past  sixteen 
years  upwards  of  one  hundred  millions  of  feet  of 
lumber.  At  the  Beaver  mill,  and  in  the  timbered 
lands  tributary  thereto,  the  employes  number. about 
forty. 

One  of  the  heaviest  of  lumber  operators  on  the 
Moshannon  is  D.  W.  Holt,  who  embarked  in  the 
business  in  that  region  in  1865.  In  1874,  Jlr.  Holt 
purchased  a  large  timber  tract  lying  on  the  Moshan- 
non, within  the  counties  of  Clearfield  and  Centre,  and 
acquired  also  from  Jones,  AUport  &  Co.  the  present 
Loch  Lomond  Mill.  It  has  a  capacity  for  cutting 
forty-five  thousand  feet  every  twenty-four  hours,  and 
contains  also  a  planer.  The  rough  lumber  finds 
markets  at  Philadelphia  and  Wilmington.  Employ- 
ment is  given  to  seventy  men  at  the  mill  and  in  the 
woods.  Mr.  Holt  is  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Holt  & 
Ramey,  who  have  in  Rush,  above  Osceola,  a  fine  saw- 
mill, where  fifty  men  are  employed,  and  where  forty- 
five  thousand  feet  of  lumber  are  cut  each  twenty-four 
hours.  The  firm  now  occupies  a  recently-purchased 
timber  tract  covering  two  thousand  acres.  They  have 
also  a  shingle-mill  at  Osceola.  Mr.  Holt  is  president 
of  the  Victor  Coal  Company  of  Clearfield  County, 
and  with  J.  M.  Holt  carries  on  a  steam  mill  at 
Morrisdale. 

Other  lumbering  operati(ms  carried  on  in  Rush 
township  will  be  found  detailed  in  the  history  of 
Philipsburg borough.  They  are  conducted  by  Hoover, 
Hughes  &  Co.,  D.  W.  Holt,  and  Munson  &  Crawford. 
The  latter  firm  were  building  during  the  summer  of 
1881  a  saw-mill  on  the  Moshannon,  north  of  Philips- 
burg. They  expected  to  start  it  in  October  with  a 
capacity  for  cutting  twenty  thousand  feet  of  timber 
daily.  The  material  from  which  they  were  to  draw 
supplies  was  embraced  within  sixteen  hundred  acres 
of  timbered  land.  Coal  has  been  prospected  for  in 
Rush,  near  Philipsburg,  with  varying  success.  The 
Derby  Coal  Company  found  coal  on  the  Moshannon, 
but  failed  to  prosecute  the  search.  Mr.  J.  N.  Casa- 
nova, of  Philipsburg,  owns  two  thousand  six  hundred 
acres  of  coal-lands  on  both  sides  the  Moshannon,  and 
has  within  that  tract  the  lands  once  owned  by  the 
Derby  Coal  Company.  Upon  the  Clearfield  side  of  the 
tract  mining  is  profitable,  and  indications  point  to  the 
conclusion  that  it  will  be  equally  so  upon  the  Centre 
County  side  when  the  occasion  for  working  that  ter- 


ritory arrives.  There  is  coal  all  along  the  creek  and 
in  the  interior,  but  the  development  of  such  coal 
strata  must  await  the  extension  thereto  of  railway 
transportation.  A  company  of  New  York  capitalists, 
known  as  the  Philipsburg  Coal,  Oil,  and  Iron  Com- 
pany, prospected  for  coal  just  east  of  Phili[)sburg  in 
1870,  but  their  plans  miscarried.  They  found  plenty 
of  coal,  such  as  it  was,  but  the  quality  was  not  ac- 
ceptable, and  after  expending  about  twenty-five 
thousand  dollars  in  improvements  and  experiment- 
ing retired  in  disgust. 

At  Osceola  Station,  on  the  Clearfield  and  Tyrone 
Railroad,  there  were  no  improvements  or  business 
interests  (except  those  of  the  railway  company)  until 
1872.  In  that  year  Walker  Brothers,  of  Westmore- 
land County,  bought  two  acres  of  land  at  Osceola 
Station,  and  built  a  planing-niill.  In  1873,  J.  J.  Pie 
built  a  machine-shop  at  this  point,  aod  in  1875  a  con- 
flagration swept  away  all  the  improvements  that  had 
been  made  at  the  station.  The  Walkers  rebuilt  their 
mill  without  delay,  and  since  then  have  pushed  their 
business  prosperously.  They  employ  fifteen  hands, 
and  use  annually  two  million  feet  of  lumber  in  the 
manufacture  of  siding,  flooring,  shingles,  sash,  doors, 
blinds,  mouldings,  brackets,  etc.  They  have  also  two 
shingle-mills  and  a  saw-mill  in  Clearfield  County. 
Notice  has  already  been  made  of  the  building,  by 
Justin  J.  Pie,  in  187.3,  of  a  machine-shop  and  foundry 
at  Osceola  Station.  Mr.  Pie  has  built  up  a  business 
of  no  inconsiderable  importance.  His  manufactures 
include  steam-engines,  boilers,  pulleys,  shafts,  car- 
wheels,  etc.  His  em.ployes  number  twenty-four. 
Mr.  Pie  is  likewise  interested  with  Mr.  Gamier  in  a 
saw-  and  planing-mill  in  McKean  County.  S.  B. 
Stine,  one  of  Mr.  Pie's  partners,  concluding  to  enter 
business  on  his  own  and  sole  account,  began,  in  July, 
1878,  the  enterprises  now  conducted  by  him  at  Os- 
ceola Station.  He  makes  now  steam-engines  and 
boilers,  mill  machinery,  coal-cars,  car-wheels,  and 
castings  of  various  descriptions.  He  employs  from 
eight  to  ten  hands.  Osceola  Station  is  a  very  im- 
portant point  on  the  Clearfield  and  Tyrone  Railroad 
for  the  transhipment  of  coal  coming  in  from  the 
Clearfield  County  mines.  The  Moshannon  Branch 
connects  here  with  the  main  line.  Each  month  about 
two  thousand  four  hundred  car-loads,  or  from  forty- 
five  to  fifty  thousand  tons,  of  coal  are  forwarded  from 
this  place  to  the  eastern  and  western  markets.  These 
shipments,  come  mainly  from  Clearfield  County. 
Powelton,  on  the  main  line,  furnishes  upwards  of  four 
thousand  tons  monthly,  and  the  Reliance  Mine  (oper- 
ated by  J.  H.  Orbison,  of  Huntingdon)  about  four 
cars  daily. 

Ovencrs  of  the  Poor. — Job  England,  John  Lorain,  ISU  ;  Ilenr)-  Simlcr, 
John  Sdniltz,  tS15-10;  John  Shnlu.  Christian  Walters,  1SI9;  Wil- 
liam Ayers,  James  Kinncar,  1821 ;  Hinry  Lorain,  McFlegle,  ISSti; 
James  Collins,  John  Meek,  1S23;  William  Bagslonv,  James  Colliu«, 
1884;  William  Bag^haw,  David  .\ilnnis,  1825;  David  .\Uams,  Jacob 
Test,  1S2C;  William  Dagslmw,  William  SlcLellan,  1S2T-2S;  J.  L. 
Thompson,  S.  Bnrris,  1837;  George  R.-icol',  Samuel  Bu-ris,  1839; 


420 


HISTORY  OF  (;]<:ntke  county,  Pennsylvania. 


Diivkl  niinli,  Kiclinvd  Ciillnw,  1S40;  T.  IliiiicocU,  W.  FaKsliiiw, 
1841 ;  R.  Allieitciii,  Jolin  G.  lluiik,  184-2  ;  W.  P.  Hills,  E.hvalil  Telks, 
1843;  VVillhim  JIcLelliin,  Jeaso  Test,  1844;  J.isciih  Jones,  George 
Dorse.v,  lS4i ;  M.  N.  Stiiiilfy,  Ui.nicl  Uilmaii,  1840;  lluilou 
Gliislij-,  John  llmlson,  1847;  J.  M.  Jeffii.s.  A.  H.  Slmw,  184S;  C. 
Howe,  Henry  Slinltz,  184'.l;  John  How.-,  II.  S.  Elirenfelt,  180(1; 
raniel  Ayei-s,  John  Howe,  1851  ;  Josi'lih  Jones,  Thomas  Mnrr.iw, 
18.J2;  J.  L.  Jeffries,  J.  G.  Rnnk,  1863;  J.  G.  Itnnk.  Willhim  Dag- 
Bhaw,  ISol-^IO;  K.  Allierton,  J.  G.  RiM.k,  lt-5f.;  A.  Jaekson,  J.  C. 
Williams,  1M7;  James  Test,  J.  C.  William.,  IMS;  liieh:irj  Coplin, 
Thomas  Morrow,  18j9;  J.  A.  I.nkens,  Samiivl  Fleek,  1860;  G.  F. 
Hooper,  George  Sline,  1801  ;  Thomas  Jlorrow,  J.  C.  Richards,  1802  ; 
William  Myers,  J.  C.  Richards,  ISO!;  G.  F.  Hoop,  R.  J.  Maloney, 
1804  ;  Richanl  Atljerton,  Williiini  Wa-hburn,  1805  ;  Richard  Allier- 
ton, \V.  W.  H  ,1c,  ISOO  ;  J.  rx  SiMislovv,  Uohert  Manley,  1807;  Charles 
Melus,  J.  D.  Snilcr,  ISOS;  Levi  is  Hes-,  ISOO;  D.  W.  Holt,  Georjie 
Goldman,  1870-71;  David  Holt,  Lewis  Hess,  1872  ;  D.  W.  Holt,  E. 
M.  Sturdevant,  IS".! ;  S.  P.  BurUhart,  J.  R,  McKinncy,  1874;  H.  B. 
Wilcox,  J.  C.  Allport,  1875-70;  J.  Hiiy.s,  D.  W.  Hult,  1877-78  ;  Jeff- 
Hayes,  B.  Cojle,  1870;  Jeff-  Hayes,  J.  M.  Hale,  1880;  Jeff'  Hayes, 
William  CuUen,  1881. 

ComUihlfs.—Ueiiry  Siniler,  1814;  Charles  Simlcr,  1815-10;  James  Mc- 
Girk, 1817;  Thomas  McCloskey,  1818-19;  James  Collins,  1821-22; 
John  Slmltz,  1823;  David  Adams,  1821;  John  Flegle,  1825  ;  William 
McLellanii,  1820;  D.  Rank,  1828-29;  John  Mallcy,  1830;  J.  F.  Cen- 
soV,  1831 :  John  Dale,  1832;  Wdliam  Ayere,  1833;  Tlamias  Hancock, 
1834;  John  G.  Rnnk,  1830;  John  Flegle,  1830;  Barney  McGirk, 
18qj7;  H,  Shullz,  1838;  Richard  Catlow,  1839;  Tlionnis  Hancock, 
1840;  James  McLelland,  1841  ;  Wesley  Kunk,  1S4-2;  Andrew  David- 
son, 1843;  R.  Callow,  1844;  Isaac  Potter,  1845;  John  Test,  1840; 
John  M.  Teal,  1847^8;  John  Matley,  183U;  II.  Glasl.y,  1801  ;  J.  A. 
Ganoe,  1852-')3  ;  Richiird  Atherton,  1854;  J.  0.  Rnnk,  1855;  Robert 
Hndson,  1850  ;  Eojd  Wilson,  18J7-58  ;  Robejt  Howe,  1859-00  ;  T.  J. 
Bachelor,  1801  ;  Robert  Manley,  1S62;  William  Myers,  1803;  Geo. 
Cunningham,  1804;  John  Harper,  ISCi ;  William  Simler,  1800; 
leander  Stenwick,  1807;  J.  A.  Matthews,  1808;  J.  Shoemaker, 
1869 ;  J.  C.  Mason,  1870-71  ;  J.  W.  Collins,  1872  ;  J.  C.  Mason,  1873 ; 
James  W.  He.lth,  1874;  William  Askey,  1870-70;  John  Hayes, 
,         1877  ;  John  Kennedy,  1878-81. 

Justices  of  the  PeLice.— Joh n  Matley,  Daniel  Ayrei,  April  14, 18-10  ;  James 
McClelland,  April  11,  1843;  Joseph  Jones,  A]iril  9,  1844;  John 
Matley,  March  4,  1840  ;  Chester  Mnnson,  April  14,  1840;  B.  B.  Bow- 
man, March  13,  1810;  Chester  Mnnson,  James  McClellan,  March 
12,1850;  David  Johnson,  May  10,1851;  Edward  Perks,  March  10, 
1852;  Henry  Sliullz,  Jesse  L.  Test,  March  13,  1855  ;  Thomas  Mor- 
row, March  17, 1857  ;  Thomas  Morrow,  Chester  Mnnson,  March  10, 
1858;  Thomas  Hancock,  March  15, 1859 ;  A.  A.  Bradin,  March  20, 
1800  ;  Chester  Mnnson,  March  2i,  1803  ;  J.  F.  Slioop,  July  23,  1809  ; 
Christian  L.  Recch,  May  27,  1872;  I.  W.  Collins,  March  24,  1873; 
James  F,  Shoop,  March  14,  1874;  James  Dnncaii,  Apr.l  3,  1878; 
Sanlord  Lipppy,  Aiail  10,  IS80. 


CHAPTER    LXXXIV. 

SNOW   gUOE    TOWNSHIP. 

From  a  pamphlet  entitled  "  Histoi-ical  Sketches  of 
the  Snow  Shoe  Region,"  written  by  Jaine.s  Gilliland, 
Esq.,  we  quote  the  following  notices  of  early  surveys 
and  owners  of  land  : 

"  The  first  surveys  were  made  in  pursuance  of  six 
warrants  dated  May  14, 1773.  Three  of  them,  Samuel 
Wetheril,  Samuel  Clark,  and  Daniel  Tyson,  are  re- 
turned as  surveyed  July  7,  1778 ;  the  Ilezekiah  Hub- 
hard,  Richard  Jones,  and  Josiah  Matlack,  are  returned 
as  surveyed  May  11,  1774,  though  no  doubt  surveyed 
at  the  earlier  date,  as  the  Samuel  Wetheril  calls  for 
the  Jones  and  Matlack.  They  were  patented  to  Sam- 
uel Pleasants,  April  27, 1776.    The  most  northern  one, 


Hezekiah  Hubbard,  is  designated  as  two  miles  from 
the  sleeping-place  on  the  path.  South  of  it  is  the 
Richard  Jones;  east  of  the  Richard  Jones  the  Josiah 
Matlack,  'on  the  path  about  one  mile  from  the  sleep- 
ing-place.' South  of  the  Matlack  is  the  Samuel 
Wetheril ;  east  of  the  lower  end  of  the  Wetheril  is 
the  Samuel  Clark,  'a  quarter  of  a  mile  west  of  the 
sleeping-place.'  Northeast,  and  adjoining  the  Clark, 
the  Daniel  Tyson.  The  path  from  the  Great  Island  to 
Chinklacamoose  is  marked  as  entering  the  Tyson  about 
where  the  turnpike  now  cro.sses  the  eastern  line  of  the 
Tyson.  Snow  Shoe  borough  is  on  tiie  Samuel  Butcher, 
east  of  the  Tyson,  and  Moshaunonon  the  Hugh  Slack 
warrantee  of  April  15,  1794,  just  south  of  the  Richard 
Jones  and  west  of  the  Wetheril.  These  surveys  were 
executed  by  Thomas  Smith,  afterwards  justice  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania,  who  died  March  31, 
1809." 

The  "Snow  Shoe  Camp  Surveys,''  as  they  were 
designated  by  Judge  Smith  on  his  return,  were  located 
on  the  Indian  path  a  short  distance  beyond  the  Old 
Snow  Shoe  Tavern,  and  extending  west  a  short  dis- 
tance beyond  J.  H.  Holt's.  On  the  map  returned  to 
the  land-office  the  Indian  path  is  neatly  and  correctly 
laid  down,  as  also  the  Indian  camp,  the  site  of  whicli 
is  near  the  spring,  and  a  few  rods  from  the  house  now 
occupied  by  Calvin  Rankin.  On  the  surface  of  the 
map  a  semicircular  line  is  drawn,  on  which  is  written 
in  a  neat,  bold  hand,  "Snow  Shoe  Camp  Surveys." 

The  tradition  that  the  camp  took  its  name  "from 
the  adventure  of  a  party  of  white  hunters  wlio  were 
out  on  the  old  Chinklacamoose  trail,  were  overtaken 
there  by  a  snow-storm,  waited  until  their  provisions 
were  exhausted,  and  then  made  snow  shoes  and  walked 
into  the  Bald  Eagle  settlement,"  is,  in  the  opinion  of 
the  writer,  not  correct.  It  seems  to  him  that  a  mo- 
ment's reflection  deprives  it  of  plausibility.  Previous 
to  1773  there  were  but  few  settlers  in  Bald  Eagle  val- 
ley ;  Indians  were  roaming  through  the  country,  so 
that  it  was  perilous  to  travel  away  from  the  settlement ; 
game  was  abundant  in  the  valleys,  and  no  necessity 
to  travel  over  the  Alleghany  Mountains  to  hunt.  Col. 
John  Holt  claimed  to  be  the  first  white  man  that  fol- 
lowed the  Indian  trail  to  Snow  Shoe  to  hunt  game. 
The  conclusion,  therefore,  seems  to  be  that  Thomas 
Smith  found  at  the  Indian  camp  snow  shoes  left  there 
by  the  Indians,  and  hence  named  the  surveys  "  Snow 
Shoe  Camp  Survey." 

Bishop  White,  of  Philadelphia,  became  the  owner 
of  these  tracts  at  a  very  early  day,  and  sold  the  D. 
Tyson  tract  to  Valentines  &  Thomas,  who  opened 
coal-mines  a  few  rods  from  the  site  of  Snow  Shoe 
Camp.  The  otlier  tracts  were  divided  by  John  G. 
Lowrey,  agent  for  the  heirs  of  Bishop  White,  iu  1841, 
and  sold  to  settlers. 

The  next  surveys  were  made  in  pursuance  of  war- 
rants issued  to  Phebe  Morris,  John  Shoemaker,  and 
Daniel  Shoemaker  in  1784,  and  are  described  as  being 
"  ou  the  Cliinklacamoose  path,  north  of  the  Moshau- 


SXOW   SHOE   TOWNSHIP. 


421 


nons,"  and  the  path  is  laid  down  upon  the  map.  No 
resurvey  has  been  made  of  them.  Tlie  owner  in  1826 
sent  out  William  McMinn  to  look  for  them,  but  he 
did  not  succeed  in  finding  the  lines;  they  were  dropped 
from  the  tax-books,  and  junior  surveys  covering  them 
were  afterwards  sold  for  taxes,  so  that  the  title  has 
been  lost. 

About  the  same  time,  or  a  few  years  later,  some  four 
or  five  tracts,  known  as  the  Lewis  Lewis  surveys,  were 
made,  and  claimed  to  be  in  Snow  Shoe,  because  a  stream 
called  Beech  Creek  was  represented  as  passing  through 
them,  but  as  it  was  put  down  as  running  south,  which 
was  up  the  mountain,  there  was  not  much  reason  to 
hope  that  they  would  be  found  on  that  creek,  and 
although  much  time  was  spent  in  hunting  them  they 
were  never  found. 

The  remainder  of  the  land  was  unappropriated  until 
1792  and  1793.  These  were  two  lively  years  in  locat- 
ing warrants.  Aaron  Levy,  of  Philadelphia,  and 
Samuel  Wallis,  a  prominent  man  in  colonial  times, 
were  competitors  in  locating  warrants  in  Snow  Shoe. 
By  explorations  both  ascertained  the  extent  of  terri- 
tory, and  in  the  spring  of  1792  commenced  surveying. 
Levy  superintended  his  personally,  and  Wallis  had 
an  agent  named  McClure.  They  did  not  get  through 
that  year,  and  returned  in  the  following  spring.  As 
an  evidence  of  the  rivalry  that  existed  between  them, 
a  copy  of  a  letter  from  McClure,  found  among  Wallis' 
papers,  is  given,  written  at  their  camp,  near  Little 
Moshannou  Creek : 

*'  Samuei-  Walms,  Esq.  : 

"Dear  Sir, — I  send  the  bearer  to  Imrry  up  the  warrants.  Levy  and 
his  party  have  gone  np  the  Susqwehauna  from  the  Great  Island  in  a 
canoe;  and  as  these  lands  are  ricli  in  qnality,  hurry  on  the  warrants. 
Pay  liini  for  tlie  hear's  meat,  but  if  lie  charges  for  honey  don't  pay  him, 
for  he  promised  to  furnish  it  for  nothing. 

(Signed)  "  McClure." 

The  surveyors  einployed  by  the  parties  were  Mc- 
Clure, Daniel  Turner,  William  Wilson,  and  Squire 
Hanna,  who  died  at  a  very  old  age,  in  Clinton  Count}', 
some  years  ago.  Turner  and  Wilson  were  citizens  of 
Centre  Counly.  The  writer  is  indebted  to  Squire 
Hanna  for  much  of  his  information  in  relation  to  the 
original  surveying  in  Snow  Shoe.  The  two  parties 
came  in  contact  near  where  Dr.  Stewart  now  resides 
before  they  had  exhausted  their  supply  of  warrants, 
and  when  about  to  engage  in  a  fight  Levy  proposed 
to  make  equal  distribution  of  the  land  yet  unappro- 
priated, and  thus  the  war  ended.  And  strange  to  say, 
that  notwithstanding  both  parties  had  a  surplus  of 
warrants,  they  left  a  gap  of  over  two  thousand  acres, 
which  the  writer  covered  with  warrants  sixty  years 
afterwards. 

The  Levy  lands  of  1793,  connecting  with  the  Wallis 
lands  on  the  south,  were  sold  in  1837  by  the  Gratzes, 
of  Philadelphia,  who  had  become  the  owners  of  them, 
to  St.  John  Smith  and  others,  of  Portland,  Me.,  and 
by  them,  in  1855,  sold  to  E.  C.  Burton  and  others,  and 
are  now  owned  by  Samuel  Crist,  of  Lock  Haven.    The 


Levy  tracts  of  1792,  connecting  with  the  Wallis  lands 
on  the  north,  are  owned  by  Smith  and  Rhodes.  Ad- 
joining the  latter,  and  perhaps  overlapping  them  to 
some  extent,  are  the  Boudinot  lands,  now  owned  by 
the  city  of  Philadelphia,  and  were  surveyed  in  pur- 
suance of  warrants  of  1794. 

Nathaniel  Simpson,  who  lived  near  Bellcfonte  in 
1815,  located  several  warrants  covering  Wallis'  lands. 
James  Harris,  Sr.,  county  surveyor,  refused  to  re- 
turn them  because  they  covered  land  not  vacant. 

The  Gratzes  became  the  owners  of  all  the  Levy 
lands,  except  a  few  tracts  bordering  on  the  river, 
which  Levy  retained,  and  what  remains  of  these 
tracts  unsold  are  now  owned  by  his  heirs. 

Samuel  Wallis,  being  reduced  in  circumstances, 
failed  to  pay  the  taxes  on  his  hands,  or  to  look  after 
theiTi,  and  they  disappeared  from  the  county  records. 
About  1825  the  Messrs.  Gratz  employed  John  Mitch- 
ell, of  Bellefonte,  to  resurvey  the  Levy  lands,  and 
finding  the  Wallis  lands  connecting,  resurveyed 
them  also.  They  were  returned  taxed,  and  in  1834 
and  1836  were  sold  at  the  tax  sales,  and  purchased 
by  Joseph  and  Jacob  Gratz. 

In  or  about  1850,  when  Snow  Shoe  was  awakening 
from  its  slumbers  and  rising  in  importance,  the 
heirs  of  Samuel  Wallis  awoke  also,  and  brought 
ejectment  suits  against  the  Messrs.  Gratz  for  forty 
or  more  tracts,  all  the  Wallis  lands,  except  what  the 
Gratzes  had  previously  sold  and  received  the  pay 
for.  These  suits  were  compromised  by  the  parties. 
The  Wallis  heirs  released  their  claim  for  a  consider- 
ation paid  them  in  money.  Ex-Governor  Curtin 
and  Judges  Hale  and  Mallory,  the  attorneys  of  the 
Gratzes,  became  joint  owners  with  them  in  pursu- 
ance of  an  agreement  by  which  they  were  to  have 
an  interest  in  the  event  of  a  compromise. 

The  lands  involved  in  these  suits,  together  with 
all  other  lands  owned  by  the  Messrs.  Gratz  in  Snow 
Shoe,  are  now  owned  by  the  Snow  Shoe  Land  Asso- 
ciation, including  the  interests  of  the  attorneys  of 
the  Gratzes  above  named. 

First  Settlers. — No  permanent  settlement  was 
made  until  the  spring  of  1818.  For  a  few  years 
previous  thereto  coal  was  used  in  the  valleys  to  a 
limited  extent,  and  some  mining  was  done  by 
persons  who  remained  no  longer  than  necessary  to 
supply  the  demands.  The  first  permanent  settler 
was  John  Betchtol,  who  went  out  from  Nittany 
valley  in  May,  1818,  and  built  a  cabin,  in  which  he 
died  on  the  loth  day  of  April,  1842.  He  raised  a 
family  of  nine  sons  and  two  daughters.  Two  sons, 
Jacob  and  Abraham,  and  the  daughters,  and  several 
of  his  grandchildren  and  great-grandchildren,  are 
residing  in  the  neighborhood  where  he  died.  John 
Betchtol  was  an  honest,  peaceable,  and  industrious 
citizen ;  he  cleared  land  and  cultivated  the  soil, 
raised  his  own  bread,  killed  his  own  veni.son, 
attended  to  his  own  business,  and  did  not  interfere 
with  the  concerns  of  his  neighbors. 


422 


HISTORY  OF   CENTKE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Samuel  Askey,  from  the  Bald  Eagle  valley,  fol- 
lowed Betchtol  in  September  of  the  same  year.  He 
was  a  son  of  Capt.  Thomas  Askey,  of  whom  a  notice 
will  be  found  in  the  history  of  Howard  township. 

Samuel  was  fond  of  hunting  game,  and  frequently 
followed  the  Indian  path  to  Snow  Shoe  on  hunting 
excursions,  and  thus  became  familiar  with  the  coun- 
try, which  resulted  in  making  it  his  home.  In  the 
war  of  1S12  he  entered  the  military  service  under 
Gen.  Harrison,  from  which  he  received  an  honor- 
able discharge  at  the  expiration  of  his  term,  and  re- 
turned to  his  home.  Much  of  his  time  was  spent  in 
the  forest,  and  his  succsss  in  killing  game  attracted 
such  attention  that  he  acquired  fame  as  a  hunter. 
The  Rev.  F.  B.  Boyer,  who  attended  hira  on  his  death 
bed,  published  an  obituary,  from  which  the  follow- 
ing is  an  extract: 

"The  life  of  Mr.  Askey  as  a  pioneer  and  liunter 
will  compare  with  that  of  Daniel  Boone  or  David 
Crocket.  Many  of  the  most  thrilling  adventures 
with  and  hair-breadth  escapes  from  the  wild  deni- 
zens of  the  forest  have  been  heard  from  his  own  lips 
by  the  writer.  He  carried  with  hira  to  tlie  grave 
scars  the  result  of  wounds  received  in  several  con- 
tacts with  panthers,  in  which  his  life  depended  on 
his  own  presence  of  mind  and  the  faithfulness  of  his 
dog.  He  killed  during  the  time  he  lived  in  Snow 
Shoe  sixty-four  panthers  and  ninety-eight  wolves 
(to  this  the  records  of  the  county  bear  testimony), 
and  about  eight  hundred  deer  and  a  large  number 
of  bears,  the  exact  number  not  recollected.  In  one 
•season  he  sold  two  thousand  seven  hundred  pounds 
of  bear's  meat." 

His  fame  as  a  hunter  was  known  by  the  writer  long 
before  he  became  acquainted  with  him,  which  was  on 
his  first  visit  to  Snow  Shoe,  in  June,  1S40.  He  then 
heard  him  relate,  in  his  own  terse  language  and  im- 
pressive manner,  some  of  his  adventures  and  encoun- 
ters with  wild  animals.  Afterwards  he  was  fre- 
quently his  companion  and  guide  in  his  explorations 
of  the  country,  and,  traveling  over  his  hunting- 
ground,  often  pointed  to  the  spot  where  he  had  killed 
a  deer  or  a  bear,  and  to  the  tree  on  which  he  had 
shot  a  panther.  The  following  are  a  few  of  his  ad- 
ventures, related  as  near  as  can  be  recollected  in  his 
own  words : 

When  we  were  traveling  through  the  forest  on 
the  Indian  path  he  said :  "  Stop  a  moment  while  I 
tell  you  an  amusing  and  ridiculous  scrape  I  had  with 
a  big  buck  near  to  yonder  tree  [pointing  to  it].  It 
was  a  long  shot,  but  when  the  gun  cracked  he  fell 
flat  in  his  tracks.  Supposing  it  to  be  a  dead  shot,  I 
approached  him  without  any  fear  of  trouble.  I 
had  on  a  loose  blouse  with  wide  sleeves.  I  stooped 
over  him,  and  with  my  left  hand  took  hold  of  a 
horn,  and  with  the  right  was  about  to  apply  the  knife 
to  his  throat,  when,  to  my  utter  dismay  and  aston- 
ishment, he  jumped  up  with  great  violence,  a  prong 
of  one  of  his  horns  went  through   the  blouse,  and 


he  gave  me  a  tremendous  whirl ;  in  doing  which  he 
relieved  me  of  the  blouse  and  departed,  leaving  me 
in  my  shirt-sleeves  to  look  after  him  going  through 
the  brush  at  the  top  of  his  speed,  with  the  blouse 
spread  out  to  the  wind  like  the  flag  of  a  conquering 
hero.  I  did  not  begrudge  him  the  blouse,  because  I 
thought  if  I  had  not  been  relieved  of  it  the  result 
would  have  been  more  serious. 

"  In  watching  the  Big  Moshannon  licks  my  custom 
was  to  start  in  time  to  get  there  before  sunset,  as  I 
often  found  deer  in  about  that  time.  On  this  occa- 
sion I  was  sliding  down  the  hill,  looking  out  for 
deer,  when  I  heard  a  stirring  of  the  leaves  behind 
me,  and  looking  back  over  my  shoulder,  I  saw  a  very 
large  panther  sliding  after  me  and  about  to  pounce 
upon  me.  Knowing  that  there  was  no  time  to  be 
lost,  I  quietly  and  quickly  turned  half-around,  and 
put  a  bullet  plump  between  his  eyes,  and  he  turned 
over  dead,  you  may  well  believe  to  my  great  joy. 
My  exposure  to  danger  was  the  more  apparent  when 
I  discovered  that  I  was  within  a  few  feet  of  the  car- 
cass of  a  deer,  covered  with  leaves,  which  he  was 
watching,  it  being  one  of  the  occasions  when  they 
will  attack  a  man.  Venison  is  a  panther's  choice 
meat,  and  when  he  kills  one,  after  satisfying  his  ap- 
petite, he  covers  the  carcass  and  lays  near,  taking  his 
meals  regularly  until  all  is  consumed,  or  the  meat 
becomes  tainted.  A  panther  will  not  eat  tainted 
meat. 

"  A  good  tracking  snow  had  fallen.  I  started  with 
my  dog  and  came  on  a  fresh  track  between  the  Mo- 
shannons.  1  tied  my  dog  to  my  body  so  as  to  keep 
him  with  me  until  the  proper  time  to  let  him  loose. 
The  trail  led  to  a  high  point  on  the  brow  of  the  Big 
Moshannon  hill,  which  was  very  steep.  Passing  in 
front  of  a  large  projecting  rock,  a  huge  panther 
jumped  from  under  upon  the  dog,  and  panther,  dog, 
and  myself  went  down  the  hill,  sometimes  the 
panther  uppermost,  sometimes  the  dog,  and  some- 
times myself  The  cord  being  tied  with  a  slip-knot, 
I  succeeded  in  effecting  a  separation.  The  dog  and 
panther  went  to  the  foot  of  the  hill,  when  the  panther 
ran  up  a  tree.  I  looked  around  for  my  gun,  which  I 
had  let  go,  and  finding  it  all  right  I  went  down,  and 
having  a  fair  shot,  the  panther  fell  dead  to  the  ground. 
It  was  a  female,  and  with  indications  of  having  young 
ones.  I  returned  to  the  rock.  The  cavity  was  large 
enough  to  admit  my  entrance,  and  I  brought  out  four 
young  panthers  as  large  as  full-grown  cats.  After 
handling  them  for  a  short  time  they  fondled  on  me 
like  young  kittens.  It  was  a  hard  day's  work,  but 
the  premiums  I  received  for  the  scalps  rewarded  me, 
but  did  not  compensate  me  for  the  disabling  of  my 
dog, — he  was  of  no  use  to  me  afterwards. 

"Col.  John  Holt  and  myself  were  returning  from 
the  Big  Moshannon  licks.  We  had  a  horse  loaded 
with  venison,  and  when  near  the  top  of  the  hill,  on 
the  north  side  of  Little  Moshannon,  on  the  Indian 
path,  my  dog  commenced  barking  on   our  left  at  or 


SNOW   SHOE  TOWNSHIP. 


423 


near  tlie  foot  of  the  hill.  I  left  Holt  with  the  horse, 
and  on  my  route  to  the  dog  encountered  large  rocks. 
I  crossed  over  one  and  jumped  down  some  four  or 
five  feet  at  the  lower  side,  and  lit  upon  ground  so 
thickly  covered,  for  some  distance  all  around,  with 
rattlesnakes  that  every  step  I  made  I  tramped  upon 
them.  It  seemed  to  me  like  tramping  oi'er  beef  en- 
trails on  a  butchering  day.  They  were  all  moving 
towards  a  cavity  under  the  rock.  You  may  be  sure  I 
handled  myself  lively.  I  escaped  from  them  without 
injury,  excepting  a  brief  sickness  of  stomach,  occa- 
sioned by  the  stench  which  arose  from  the  snakes. 
I  did  not  stop  to  count  nor  to  kill,  and  have  no  desire 
ever  to  come  across  another  rattlesnake  den.  I  soon 
found  my  dog,  with  a  panther  on  a  tree,  which  I  shot, 
and  returned  with  it  to  Holt,  leaving  the  snake  den  oft" 
my  route." 

The  incidents  connected  with  the  killing  of  so 
many  wild  animals  would  be  interesting  and  amus- 
ing, especially  to  those  who  are  familiar  with  the  lo- 
calities where  they  occurred,  and  it  is  a  matter  of 
regret  that  they  were  not  committed  to  paper  while 
he  was  living. 

He  died  on  the  28th  day  of  May,  1857,  at  the  resi- 
dence of  his  son,  in  Snow  Shoe,  in  the  eighty-first 
year  of  his  age,  leaving  twelve  children,  forty-two 
grandchildren,  and  five  great-grandchildren.  Mrs. 
Hinton  (bis  eldest  daughter,  and  wife  of  Austin  Hin- 
tou),  bis  son  William,'  and  several  of  his  grandchil- 
dren and  great-gi-andchildren  reside  in  Snow  Shoe. 

There  was  no  further  settlement  until  the  spring  of 
1822,  when  John  Holt,  Esq.,  from  Bald  Eagle  valley, 
located  about  a  mile  equidistant  from  Betchtol  and 
Askey. 

John  Holt,  Esq.,  of  Moshannon,  died  Nov.  23, 
1869,  while  on  a  visit  to  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Hugby,  in 
Princeton,  111.  He  was  a  son  of  Col.  John  Holt,  who 
was  an  early  settler  in  Bald  Eagle,  near  Milesburg, 
where  Esquire  Holt  was  born  April  15,  1795,  on  the 
Judge  Barnhart  farm.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Mary 
Harbison  in  1819.  They  were  both  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  at  Bellefonte.  Esquire  Holt  re- 
moved to  Snow  Shoe  in  1822.  He  and  his  wife  were 
the  first  two  members  of  the  Moshannon  Church 
when  it  was  organized,  Sept.  25,  1852,  and  he  was 
elected  a  ruling  elder  June  16,  1866.  Three  of  their 
seven  children  survived  them.  Mr.  Holt's  remains 
were  brought  to  Snow  Shoe  and  interred  Dec.  18, 
1869. 

John  Holt,  Esq.'s,  oldest  son  William  was  killed  by 
the  breaking  down  of  a  trestle  across  Miller's  Hollow, 
when  on  his  way  to  a  political  meeting.  He  was  one 
of  the  most  enterprising  men  of  the  country.  J.  H. 
Holt  is  a  prominent  and  useful  citiiien  of  Snow  Shoe. 
Mrs.  Hugh,  the  only  daughter  living,  resides  in  Illi- 
nois. 

In  1825,  John  Mayes  came  in  from  Miles  township. 


1  Died  siDce  this  was  written. 


and  settled  upon  the  farm  now  occupied  by  J.  H. 
Holt.  He  was  a  shoemaker  and  farmer,  and  died 
about  1851. 

About  the  same  time,  or  soon  after,  Perry  John 
Lucas,  from  the  Bald  Eagle  valley,  settled  on  a  Wal- 
lace tract,  adjoining  the  "  Snow  Shoe  Camp  Surveys." 
His  ancestors  emigrated  at  an  early  period  from  the 
State  of  Maryland  to  Centre  County,  and  their  de- 
scendants are  almost  as  numerous  as  the  descendants 
of  Jacob.  Perry  John  served  his  country  faithfully 
in  the  war  of  1812  ;  was  on  board  of  Perry's  fleet,  and 
had  a  foot  severely  injured  by  a  cannon-carriage 
wheel  passing  over  it.  After  his  discbarge  from  the 
army  and  his  return  home,  be  was  called  Perry  John, 
to  distinguish  him  from  the  many  other  Johns  among 
bis  kindred.  He  opened  and  cultivated  a  farm,  on 
wliich  he  lived,  and  where  he  died  on  the  27th  day 
of  September,  1858,  aged  sixty-nine  years.  He  raised 
a  family  of  six  sons — Nelson,  McCalmont,  Samuel  Y., 
Isaac,  Thomas,  and  Jesse — and  several  daughters. 
The  family  was  strongly  represented  in  the  war  to 
preserve  the  Union.  Nelson  was  killed  at  second 
Bull  Kun  ;  McCalmont  died  in  camp  at  Langley ; 
Thomas  died  of  disease  contracted  in  the  service  after 
his  discbarge;  Isaac  and  Jesse,  after  serving  their 
country  faithfully,  were  honorably  discharged,  and 
returned  to  Snow  Shoe,  where  they  now  reside;  and 
Samuel  Y.  also  resides  in  Snow  Shoe,  and  is  one  of 
its  most  highly-respected  citizens.  The  eldest  daugh- 
ter is  the  wife  of  Meese  Gunsalus,  who  purchased 
from  Bishop  White's  heirs  one  hundred  acres  of  land, 
through  which  the  Indian  path  passed,  his  house 
being  but  a  few  rods  west  of  the  site  of  the  Snow 
Shoe  Camp,  and  in  the  decline  of  life  be  is  enjoying 
a  comfortable  home,  the  fruits  of  persevering  indus- 
try. The  second  daughter  is  the  wife  of  Capt.  Wil- 
liam White,  a  good  and  useful  citizen  of  Burnside 
township. 

John  Singleton  and  John  Long  are  classed  with 
the  first  settlers.  They  were  employed  in  the  coal- 
mines, but  did  not  remain  long  in  the  country. 

Baptist  Lucas  went  out  from  the  Bald  Eagle  valley, 
and  located  on  a  Levy  tract,  now  owned  by  E.  C. 
Humes  and  others.  After  living  here  a  few  years  he 
built  a  bouse  near  Beech  Creek,  and  moved  into  it, 
where  be  died  in  1833,  leaving  a  large  family  of  sons 
and  daughters  and  a  widow,  who  was  a  sister  of  Sam- 
uel Askey. 

Samuel  Gunsalus,  also  from  the  Bald  Eagle  valley, 
located  on  land  adjoining  the  Snow  Shoe  Camp  Sur- 
veys on  the  east.  He  opened  and  mined  coal,  and 
kept  a  tavern  for  the  accommodation  of  coal-haulers 
and  others  who  might  happen  to  pass  that  way.  He 
sold  the  property  to  his  son-in-law,  William  Loy,  who 
improved  it  and  occupied  it  for  a  few  years,  and  then 
exchanged  with  James  McMasters  for  property  in 
Milesburg.  Mr.  McMasters  made  further  improve- 
ments, and  in  1857  sold  to  the  Bellefonte  and  Snow 
Shoe  Railroad  Company,  which  is  now  the  owner. 


424 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUJ^TY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Following  Samuel  Gunsalus  were  Joseph  Keeler, 
Jolin  Bowes,  Nicholas  Fye,  William  Miilhollan, 
Jacob  Klines,  anil  River  Tom  Lucas,  as  he  was  called, 
completing  the  list  of  those  who  are  considered  first 
settlers.  Joseph  Keeler  did  not  remain  and  become 
a  permanent  settler.  John  Bowes  was  a  son  of  Thomas 
Bowes,  an  Irishman,  who  was  an  early  settler  of  Bald 
Eagle  valley,  and  who  purchased  a  Wallace  tract  from 
the  Gratzes,  and  expended  much  labor  in  opening  a 
large  farm  in  the  midst  of  the  forest,  and  did  his  part 
in  contributing  to  the  improvement  of  the  country. 
He  raised  a  large  family  of  sons  and  daughters.  Sev- 
eral of  the  sons  enlisted  at  the  commencement  of  the 
late  civil  war,  and  were  honorably  discharged  at  its 
close.  Mr.  Bowes  kept  a  hotel  for  many  years.  He 
died  in  1859.  Hiram  Bates,  who  married  a  daughter, 
owns  and  occupies  the  homestead,  a  beautiful  and 
well-improved  farm. 

Nicholas  Fye  was  an  early  settler  in  Penn's  valley, 
from  whence  he  removed  to  Snow  Shoe,  and  lived  on 
the  tract  of  land  now  owned  by  Dr.  Stewart.  He  died 
many  years  ago. 

William  Mulhollan  went  out  from  the  Bald  Eagle 
valley  and  located  near  the  river.  He  was  a  son  of 
Rudolph  Mulhollan,  who  was  an  early  settler  in  the 
Bald  Eagle  valley,  and  he  emigrated  to  Ohio. 

Jacob  Kunes,  previous  to  his  settling  in  Snow  Shoe, 
was  a  resident  of  Bald  Eagle  valley.  He  lived  sev- 
eral years  on  Karthaus  road,  cleared  some  land,  made 
a  few  square-timber  rafts  every  winter,  and  finally 
left  and  located  in  Clearfield  County. 

River  Tom  Lucas  did  not  remain  long,  but  returned 
t6  Bald  Eagle  valley,  whence  he  came. 

Austin  C.  Hinton  settled  where  J.  C.  Rankin  now 
lives,  on  the  D.  Tyson  warrantee,  in  1838.  Mr.  Hinton 
found  but  little  cleared  land,  and  before  he  left  the  place 
had  himself  cleared  seventy  acres,  and  erected  the  im- 
provements upon  it.  In  1872  he  moved  to  his  present 
home  near  Moshannon.  Mr.  Hinton  married  one  of 
the  daughters  of  Samuel  Askey,  the  famous  hunter. 
Samuel  Gunsalus  was  among  early  settlers.  He 
moved  thither  from  the  Bald  Eagle  valley,  and  opened 
a  tavern  on  the  pike.  He  mined  coal  on  his  place, 
and  between  that  business  and  providing  entertain- 
ment for  travelers  and  coaT-haulers  kept  himself  bu=y. 
The  property  was  subsequently  owned  by  William 
Loy  and  James  McMasters. 

Roads. — Peter  Ain  Karthaus,  of  Baltimore,  being 
the  owner  of  a  large  body  of  mineral- and  timber-lands 
on  the  Susquehanna  River,  in  Clearfield  County,  and 
desiring  to  develop  them,  made  a  road,  in  1815,  from 
Milesburg,  through  Snow  Shoe,  to  the  river  opposite 
his  lands.  This  road  was  laid  out  without  regard  to 
grades,  following  the  Indian  path  pretty  closely,  up 
and  down  steep  hills  to  Askey  school-house,  where  the 
path  diverged  to  the  south,  leaving  the  route  to  Kar- 
thaus. From  this  point  to  the  river  being  on  the 
summit,  there  could  be  no  mistake  as  to  grades.  The 
distance  from  Milesburg  to  the  Susquehanna  River  is 


twenty-six  miles.  Whether  the  township  of  Boggs  as- 
sisted in  making  the  road  or  not  cannot  be  ascertained 
from  the  county  records.  Karthaus  made  imjirove- 
ments  on  his  property,  built  several  dwelling-houses, 
furnace,  grist-  and  saw-mills,  but  being  in  advance  of 
the  times,  several  years  after  their  erection  abandoned 
his  improvements  and  returned  to  Baltimore.  The 
place  was  called  Karthaus,  and  still  retains  the 
name. 

In  1824,  on  petition  of  the  citizens  of  Boggs  town- 
ship, the  court  appointed  viewers  to  lay  out  a  road 
from  the  Karthaus  road,  near  the  Askey  school-house, 
to  Big  Moshannon  Creek,  at  or  near  where  the  In- 
dian path  crosses  the  same.  The  viewers  reported  a 
road,  which  was  confirmed  by  the  court.  The  view- 
ers followed  the  Indian  path,  which  passed  over  the 
highest  points.  The  supervisors  worked  some  in 
opening  the  road,  but,  doubtless  because  of  the  steep 
grades,  abandoned  the  work,  and  it  remained  a  hunt- 
er's path. 

April  11, 1825,  the  Legislature  incorporated  a  com- 
pany to  make  a  clay  turnpike  from  Milesburg  to 
Smithport,  in  McKean  County.  The  route  passed 
most  of  the  distance  through  a  wilderness  country, 
and  the  stock  subscribed  was  insufficient  to  make  a 
road  on  which  toll  could  be  collected.  Subsequently 
parties  interested  in  the  improvement  of  the  country 
had  an  act  of  the  Legislature  passed  authorizing  a 
subscription  of  additional  stock,  and  an  effort  was 
made  to  improve  and  put  the  road  in  condition  to 
collect  toll  on  the  whole  route.  Failing  in  getting 
additional  subscriptions,  and  the  tolls  taken  on  the 
Snow  Shoe  section  being  insufficient  to  make  and 
keep  up  the  whole  route,  it  has  been  abandoned  as  a 
turnpike,  and  the  townships  of  Snow  Shoe  and  Burn- 
side  keep  it  in  repair  within  their  limits.  It  is  a 
pleasant  road  to  travel,  especially  in  the  summer  and 
autumn  seasons. 

Among  the  most  noted  taverns  was  the  McMasters 
stand.  James  McMasters  was  the  landlord,  and  for 
some  years  carried  on  a  profitable  business.  Stages 
stopped  at  his  house,  and  coal-haulers  and  other 
freighters  gave  him  much  patronage.  His  stabling- 
room  for  seventy-five  horses  was  generally  in  demand. 
After  McMasters'  retirement  Capt.  William  White 
kept  the  tavern.  Other  taverns  were  kept  by  John 
Flack,  George  Graham,  Jr.,  and  William  Forsiman. 
Forsiman's  was  a  temperance  house.  It  stood  near 
Beech  Creek,  and  was  erected  in  1850  by  William  and 
John  Bard,  who  built  also  a  saw-mill  on  the  creek 
near  by.  After  Forsiman  gave  up  the  hotel  Daniel 
Wolf  became  the  landlord,  and  proved  the  last  one. 
Roadside  inns  on  that  road  are  now  things  of  the 
past. 

Schools. — The  pioneer  school-house  in  Snow  Shoe 
was  the  Askey  school-house,  built  of  unhewn  logs, 
surmounted  with  a  clapboard  roof.  The  second 
Askey  school-house  was  a  two-story  framed  structure 
of  some  architectural  pretensions.     The  second  story 


SNOW  SEIOE   TOWNSHIP. 


425 


was  provided  as  a  place  for  religious  worship,  and 
was  at  the  command  of  all  denominations  free  of 
charge.  In  1857  the  third  Askey  school-house  was 
erected. 

Township  Organization. — The  petition  of  sundry- 
inhabitants  of  Bognfs  townsliip  was  presented  to  the 
court  in  August,  1839,  setting  forth  "that  they  labor 
under  great  inconvenience  on  account  of  the  extended 
limits  of  the  said  townsliip,  which  extends  from  the 
Muncy  Ridge  to  the  river  Susquehanna,  a  distance  of 
upwards  of  twenty  miles,  many  of  the  inhabitants  are 
compelled  to  travel  a  distance  of  twenty  miles  to  the 
place  of  holding  township  and  other  elections,  and 
thereby  deprived  of  their  rights,  unless  at  a  great  ex- 
pense and  loss  of  time.  They  believe  that  making 
Beech  Creek  the  dividing  line,  and  forming  a  new 
township  north  of  the  same,  would  remedy  the  evil 
complained  of,  and  praying  the  court  to  appoint 
proper  persons  to  view  and  report  on  the  same." 
Whereupon  the  court  appointed  Samuel  J.  Green, 
John  Mitchell,  and  Gen.  James  Irvin  commissioners. 
And  now,  the  27th  day  of  January,  1840,  report  of 
commissioners  read  as  follows  :  "  In  pursuance  of  the 
above  order,  we,  the  subscribers,  having  made  a  plot 
of  that  part  of  Boggs  township  lying  north  of  Beech 
Creek,  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  following  be  the 
boundaries  thereof,  and  we  adjudge  that  it  is  neces- 
sary and  proper  that  it  should  be  established  accord- 
ingly: Beginning  where  the  line  between  Boggs  and 
Howard  townships  crosses  Beech  Creek,  west  of  the 
Allegheny  Mountain ;  thence  westward  up  Beech 
Creek,  and  along  the  branch  of  the  same  which 
crosses  the  turnpike  road  near  B.  Lucas',  to  the  line  of 
Huston  township;  thence  northward  along  the  line 
of  said  township  to  the  west  branch  of  the  Susque- 
hanna ;  thence  down  the  said  west  branch  of  the  Sus- 
quehanna to  the  line  between  Howard  and  Boggs 
townships  ;  thence  southward  along  the  line  of  said 
townships  to  the  place  of  beginning."  Whereupon 
the  court  confirm  the  same,  and  the  township  named 
Snow  Shoe. 

The  general  desire  of  the  people  of  the  township 
appears  to  have  been  in  favor  of  Susquehanna  as  a 
name  for  the  township,  but  Judge  Burnside  deferred 
rather  to  the  tradition  of  the  snow  shoes,  and 
guided  doubtless  by  what  he  may  have  considered 
poetic  justice,  bestowed  the  name  of  Snow  Shoe. 
The  township  boundaries  remained  intact  until  1857, 
when  an  elimination  of  the  northern  half  was  ordered 
for  the  purpose  of  erecting  Burnside  township. 


ASSESS.MEXT-LIST   IN   1841. 


Niii 


S^tniiel  Askej- UR) 

David  Askey 

Daiiifl  Biiilitol 2110 

Aliraham  llcchtel Hill 

J..I111  Rc'clitel 4110 

Jolinndiis 800 

Kiiliotiis  Fvc 2U0 

Siinnicl  Kvi- 

Jrihii  Fliuk  (inn-kceiioii lr>!) 

Willhoil  DiU'hI.il 200 

IMiilipGri-en 2liO 

Haniiltou  Uumcs 1732 


Names.  Acres.  Iforeos.  Cattle. 

.lolmHolt 40(1  2  2 

J.wpipli  IIinisliT 

Austin  Hiiiton 2  2 

.I.ilin  lligjiiua 

Piivid  llashlinrger 400  2  I 

Jiilin  Jitiiif^B ...  1 

Anrlrew  Wiilker.Jr 400  

Willifim  Lucfts 

SiinuicI  Giiiizaless....: 2i'0  1  2 

.Tuliii  liiicas 2110  2  1 

Baptist  Lucnii 100  ...  I 

Jiimes  Lucas 1 

.lacnh  Stnjier 200 

Isa.ic  Yarnal 

JiiroliKiinz 43:1  3  3 

J..I111  MnlllDllilMd 4  1 

.loliii  Slavs 200    .        2  2 

W..T,.nMilis.. 2110  

William  Jlillli.illan.l 2M>  2  2 

liii.Iolpli  Miilli..llaiMl,Jr 800  

.I..I111  Mavs.  .Ir CO  

TliiiniasMavs 4liO  ...  1 

.lacobGra'z (HOr,  

A.  Lew. 111. I  family 13(lil  

Kdwari'l  S.  Diinl  11.72  

VakMltiiiPS  &  Thomas 340  

P.  A.  Karlliaus 1)00  

David  Sliniik 1  1 

Josepli  BowiTs.  Tlminas  Buwers.  .lames  Askpv.  .Tolm  Askov,  Thomas 
I'ai-snn.  .lacoli  Baclitol,  Matlliias  Baclitol.  Diiiiiid  Lai  id.. Joseph  Tay- 
lor. William  Cuisori.  .Inrob  Kiv,  Heiirv  Sliiilh.  Adam  Walker,  John 
(all,  Peler  O'Dniuiidl,  liees  Evans,  .lames  Cochran,  John  Rush,  \Vd- 
liam  Ley  (inn-keeper),  John  Buner  (inn-keeper). 

Jusfices  of  the  Peace.— John  Beiglitol,  John  Holt,  April  14,1840;  Jolin 
Flack,  John  Holt,  April  ir.,  1815  ;  William  Ilolt,  .John  McCorniick, 
March  12,  IS.'iO  ;  Evan  Steer,  M.arcli  1G,1850 ;  James  JIarsUall,  Marcli 
16,1863;  William  Eoreman,  March  13,1855;  John  R.  Iiwin,  Marcli 
12,  185r,;  L.  C.  Rankin,  March  17,  1857;  D.  H.  Yeager,  March  17, 
1S58;  David  W.  Weaver,  March  21,1801;  D  II.  Yeager,  May  5,1SG3; 
A.C.IIinlon.  Apiil2,18C4:  .losiali  II.  Brown,  March  22, 1806,  M.arch 
21,  1801,  April  20, 1871  ;  J.  H.  Crissman,  March  24,  l.s73  ;  D.  H.  Yea- 
pcr,  March  11,1870;  R.  J.Uaynes,  April3,lS7S;  J.  H.  Brown,  April 
9,  1S81. 

Moshannon  Village. — In  the  spring  of  1 847,  James 
Gilliland  jjurchased  from  Joseph  and  Jacob  Gratz 
three  tracts  of  the  Wallace  lands,  on  the  Little  Mo- 
shannon Creek  ;  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Henry 
Vandyke  and  John  McCormick,  and  in  Xovember 
following  completed  and  put  in  operation  a  first-class 
saw-mill,  with  a  sixteen-foot  over-shot  wheel  con- 
nected with  a  dam  twenty  feet  in  height ;  opened  the 
first  store  in  the  county,  established  a  blacksmith- 
shop,  and  in  the  spring  of  1850  completed  a  grist-mill 
equal  in  all  its  equipments  to  the  best  mill  in  the 
county,  and  made  flour  from  Snow  Shoe  wheat  of  a 
superior  quality.  This  removed  another  serious  difli- 
culty  which  prevented  people  who  were  seeking 
homes  from  locating  in  Snow  Shoe  ;  and  from  this 
time  forward  settling  increased  more  rapidly,  and  the 
improvement  and  development  of  the  country  became 
more  active.  The  mills  were  accidentally  destroyed 
by  fire  Feb.  14,  1857. 

In  1849  the  Hon.  Samuel  Linn,  W.  W.  Hayes,  and 
Alfred  Hayes  purchased  a  water  privilege  and  grounds 
for  the  necessary  buildings  from  Gilliland  &  Van- 
dyke, and  erected  a  large  tannery,  which,  with  the 
improvements  above  mentioned,  combined  to  make 
Moshannon  Mills  a  centre  of  much  business.  A  con- 
siderable trade  was  established  with  the  adjoining 
townships  of  Clearfield  and  with  Elk  County. 

The  town  of  Moshannon  was  laid  out  in  1849  by 
Gilliland  &  Vandyke.  The  first  house  built  was  by 
George  Breon,  now  owned  by  the  heirs  of  Edward 


426 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Ide  ;  the  second  was  by  Arcliy  Dean,  on  a  lot  donated 
to  the  Presbyterian  Church  by  Gilliland  &  Van" 
dyke  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  thereon  a  sexton's 
house. 

It  is  laid  out  upon  the  northwest  corner  of  the 
Hugh  Slack  warrant  of  April  15,  1794.  The  Indian 
path  passes  through  it  near  the  centre.  The  Ide 
house  is  on  the  path.  At  this  point,  Mr.  Gilliland 
states,  the  trees  for  some  distance  around  bore  marks 
of  the  Indians,  indicating  that  it  was  a  stopping- 
place. 

In  1880,  A.  C.  Histon  &  Co.  rebuilt  the  Gilliland 
saw-mill.  They  were  succeeded  by  the  present  owners, 
A.  M.  McCIaiu  &  Co.  (A.  M.  McClain,  S.  A.  Brew, 
and  I.  B.  Hamilton),  who  carry  on  also  the  store  in 
the  village  established  by  F.  P.  Hurxthall.  The  mill 
has  a  capacity  of  twelve  thousand  feet  daily,  contains 
a  circular  saw,  shingle-machine,  bolting-saw,  and  box- 
board  machine. 

A  steam  grist-mill  was  started  in  December,  1881, 
at  Moshannon,  by  J.  T.  Lucas,  formerly  of  Curtin. 
The  postmaster  at  Moshannon  is  J.  H.  Brown.  The 
first  postmaster  at  that  point  was  Edward  Ide,  the 
office  having  been  transferred  from  Daniel  Yeager's, 
during  whose  incumbency  it  was  called  Snow  Shoe. 
Moshannon  boasted  at  one  time  a  match-stick  factory, 
now,  however,  a  thing  of  the  past.  As  a  matter  of 
historic  interest,  it  may  be  noted  that  the  first  house 
in  the  village  was  built  by  George  Breon,  and  the 
second  by  Archibald  Dean. 

Moshannon  Presbyterian  Church.— Rev.  James 
Linn,  of  Bellefonte,  made  occasional  visits  to  the 
Snow  Shoe  region  previous  to  1848,  and  at  such  visits 
preached  to  the  Presbyterians  in  the  Askey  school- 
house.  At  one  of  these  times  J.  H.  Holt  was  bap- 
tized by  Mr.  Linn.  That  baptism  was  the  first  cere- 
mony of  the  kind  dispensed  in  Snow  Shoe.  In  1848 
the  Presbytery  sent  supplies  to  Snow  Shoe,  aud  in 
1851  a  church  building  was  founded  at  Moshannon, 
upon  land  donated  by  James  Gilliland  and  Henry 
Vandyke.  The  structure  cost  fourteen  hundred  dol- 
lars. The  "  Church  Erection  Fund"  supplied  two 
hundred  dollars.  The  balance  was  contributed  by 
Messrs.  Henry  Vandyke,  James  Gilliland,  Sarah 
Miles,  James  Marshal,  John  Holt,  William  Baird, 
and  John  Baird.  Sept.  25,  1852,  the  Moshannon 
Church  was  organized  in  the  Askey  school-house  by 
Rev.  James  Linn.  The  constituent  members  were 
Andrew  McClellan,  Elizabeth  McClellan,  James  Wil- 
liams, Eliza  H.  Gilliland,  James  Harris,  James  Mar- 
shal, Sarah  Marshal,  John  Holt,  Mary  Holt,  Eliza 
Forsiman,  and  Letitia  Cull,  from  the  Bellefonte 
Church  ;  Archibald  McClellan  and  Jane  McClellan, 
from  the  Hollidaysburg  Church  ;  Maria  Buchanan, 
from  the  Washington  Church ;  Ann  Lucas,  Letty 
Holt,  and  David  Askey,  from  the  Lick  Run  Church. 
James  Marshal  and  James  Gilliland  were  chosen 
elders,  and  James  Gilliland  clerk  of  the  session. 

The  church  building  was  completed  in  1854,  and 


dedicated  July  23,  1854,  by  Rev.  James  Linn  and 
Robert  Hamill.  Rev.  Mr.  Pratt  supplied  until  April 
29,  1855,  when  Rev.  B.  E.  Collins  began  his  labors. 
Mr.  Collins  was  installed  Sept.  4,  1855,  and  April  4, 
1858,  preached  his  farewell  sermon.  Rev.  John  P. 
Clark  supplied  from  April,  1860,  to  October  of  the 
same  year,  and  in  February,  1861,  he  was  chosen 
pastor.  Feb.  6,  1864,  James  Forsiman  and  W.  M. 
Holmes  were  elected  ruling  elders,  and  Jacob  Wolfe, 
Edward  Ide,  and  F.  P.  Hurxthall,  trustees.  Rev. 
William  Prideaux  supplied  the  church  until  April, 
1868.  In  1869  Moshannon  Church  joined  with  Miles- 
burg  in  a  call  to  Rev.  W.  0.  Wright,  who  began  his 
labors  July  17,  1869.  A  Presbyterian  Church  had 
been  erected  at  Snow  Shoe  the  previous  year,  and  in 
1869  the  congregation  joined  the  Moshannon  Church, 
so  tliat  Mr.  Wright  was  engaged  to  preacli  at  Mo- 
shannon, Snow  Shoe,  and  Milesburg.  Since  1869 
Mr.  Wright  has  continued  in  the  same  charge.  The 
elders  at  Moshannon  are  J.  H.  Holt  and  Thomas  D. 
Weaver.  John  Sommerville  (who  died  in  May,  1880) 
was  for  ten  years  an  elder.  Since  1852  the  church 
has  received  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  members. 
Seventy-one  were  remaining  in  tlie  spring  of  1881, 
and  of  them  forty-three  worshiped  at  Snow  Shoe.  T. 
D.  Weaver  is  the  Sunday-school  superintendent. 

Village  of  Snow  Shoe. — Snow  Shoe  is  one  of  the 
termini  of  the  Bellefonte  and  Snow  Shoe  Railway, 
and  is  promised  for  the  near  future  additional  railway 
conveniences  by  way  of  a  new  line  across  the  AUe- 
ghenies,  to  pass  over  a  route  not  far  removed  from  the 
village.  Coal-mining  and  lumbering  are  the  imports 
ant  industries  upon  which  Snow  Slioo  depends  for 
support,  and  the  agricultural  resources  of  the  sur- 
rounding region  are  beginning  to  show  a  gradually 
increasing  expansion  and  value.  Snow  Shoe  has  for 
many  years  been  a  popular  summer  resort,  where 
mountain  air  and  mountain  scenery  invite  and  charm 
hundreds  of  visitors  yearly.  The  village  occupies  an 
elevation  of  eight  hundred  and  fifty  feet  above  Belle- 
fonte and  about  two  thousand  feet  above  tide-water. 
The  water  is  excellent,  the  roads  superb,  and  hotel 
accommodations  ample  as  well  as  agreeable, — the 
"Mountain  House"  being  by  common  consent  con- 
sidered the  leading  hotel,  although  the  "Washington 
House"  is  in  high  favor  with  visitors.  Actual  tests 
have  shown  that  during  the  summer  season  the  tern 
perature  at  Snow  Shoe  ranges  seven  degrees  cooler 
than  it  does  at  Bellefonte.  Tlie  winters  are  cold,  but 
easily  endurable,  while  storms  are  neither  more  violent 
nor  frequent  than  in  the  valleys. 

The  town  was  laid  out  upon  the  Samuel  Butcher 
warrantee.  Date  of  the  warrant,  April  15,  1794;  sur- 
veyed Sept.  1,  1794;  patented  Dec.  9,  1836;  adjoin- 
ing the  Daniel  Tyson  warrant  of  1773,  which  is  west 
of  the  Butcher.  North  of  Samuel  Butcher  is  the 
Joseph  Wheeler  warrant  of  3d  of  July,  1792  ;  east, 
the  Hugh  Warner  warrant,  June  24,  1793,  and  Samuel 
Hoopes'  warrant  of  15th  April,  1794;  and  south,  the 


SNOW   SIIOE  TOWNSHIP. 


427 


Samuel  Horner.  At  the  southeast  corner  of  the  Sam- 
uel Butcher  was  located  the  William  Loy  warrant  of 
Nov.  9,  1843,  patented  to  the  Bellefonte  and  Snow 
Shoe  Railroad  Company,  which  takes  up  the  vacancy 
left  by  the  surveys  of  September,  1794,  between  them 
and  the  "  Snow  Shoe  Camp  Surveys." 

The  first  clearing  upon  the  site  now  occupied  by 
the  borough  was  made  by  James  Uzzell,  who  came 
to  the  neighborhood  in  1850  and  engaged  in  coal- 
mining. When  the  Bellefonte  and  Snow  Shoe  Rail- 
road Company  laid  out  Snow  Shoe  village,  in  1858, 
Mr.  Uzzell  engaged  his  brother  John  to  grub  and 
clear  for  him  a  portion  of  a  fifty-acre  tract  that  cov- 
ered the  property  now  occupied  by  William  Stewart's 
residence.  There  James  Uzzell  intended  to  build  a 
hotel,  but  changing  his  mind  before  the  lot  was  fairly 
grubbed,  he  selected  the  site  on  which  the  City  Hotel 
stands,  and  put  up  the  Snow  Shoe  House,  the  one 
now  called  City  Hotel.  Uzzell's  was  the  first  house 
of  more  pretensions  than  a  cabin  erected  in  Snow 
Shoe.  The  second  one  was  erected  by  one  Bascom,  a 
plasterer,  almost  simultaneously  with  Uzzell's  tavern. 
The  house  built  by  Bascom  is  a  portion  of  the  dwell- 
ing known  as  the  Sommerville  mansion.  The  same 
year,  and  soon  afterwards,  Edward  Pullman  built  the 
large  framed  house  known  now  as  the  Watson  resi- 
dence. The  Mountain  House  was  built  by  .the  rail- 
way company  in  1859.  Its  first  landlord  was  Daniel 
Wolf  Harris  &  Thomas  opened  the  pioneer  store  at 
the  railway  depot.  Adam  Crissman  succeeded  them 
in  the  same  storehouse,  and  afterwards  built  the  store 
now  occupied  by  George  R.  Boak  &  Co.  John  and 
James  Sommerville  erected  the  store  building  now 
occupied  by  Grauer  &  Co.  May  &  Loeb  were  the 
first  to  sell  goods  in  the  building,  and  when  they  re- 
tired were  succeeded  by  Wolf  &  Potter.  Sommer- 
ville &  Crider  traded  there  until  the  fall  of  1881, 
when  they  sold  out  to  John  Grauer  &  Co.  Hofter  & 
Bauer  were  traders  at  the  stand  now  occupied  by 
John  Reagan. 

Mr.  Reagan  came  to  Snow  Shoe  in  1859  to  take 
charge  of  the  coal-mines  then  being  operated  by  the 
Bellefonte  and  Snow  Shoe  Railroad  Company.  He 
was  "  mine-boss"  for  the  company  from  1859  to  1881, 
and  so  has  been  thoroughly  and  closely  identified 
with  coal-mining  in  Snow  Shoe  for  a  period  covering 
nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century.  Mr.  Reagan  h.as 
grown  with  the  village,  and  is  now  one  of  its  repre- 
sentative men.  Since  the  spring  of  1881  he  has  been 
one  of  the  village  merchants.  John  Uzzell  has 
already  been  mentioned  as  having  grubbed  the  lot 
upon  which  his  brother  James  put  up  the  first  house 
in  Snow  Shoe.  John  Uzzell  came  to  the  mountains 
in  1850,  and  took  the  smithy  at  McMasters'  tavern- 
stand.  Mr.  Uzzell  went  into  the  war  of  the  Rebel- 
lion as  a  member  of  Company  H,  One  Hundred  and 
Forty-eighth  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Volunteers, 
and  during  thirteen  months  of  his  service  shod  the 
horse  rode  by  Maj.-Gen.  W.  S.  Hancock.     Upon  the 


death  of  his  brother  James,  in  1864,  John  Uzzell  be- 
came the  landlord  of  the  latter's  hotel,  called  the 
Snow  Shoe  House,  which  he  kept  till  1865.  In  that 
year  he  built  a  hotel  on  a  lot  above  the  Snow  Shoe 
House,  and  called  it  the  Washington  House.  He 
was  its  landlord  until  1880,  when  he  erected  the 
present  commodious  and  well-appointed  Washington 
House,  of  which  he  is  the  landlord.  The  Mountain 
House  was  first  kept  by  Daniel  Wolf  The  next 
landlord  was  Col.  Cull,  and  the  third,  John  Essing- 
ton.  In  1869,  Robert  J.  Haynes  took  charge  of  the 
hotel  and  conducted  it  with  much  success  until  1877. 
Squire  Haynes  used  to  come  out  from  Philadelphia 
to  Snow  Shoe  on  hunting  excursions  as  early  as  1854. 
Similarly  he  visited  the  country  more  or  less  until 
1869,  when  he  lease  1  the  Mountain  House,  and  be- 
came a  permanent  resident  of  Snow  Shoe.  In  1877 
he  retired  from  business,  and  in  1879  was  chosen 
justice  of  the  peace.  He  still  retains  his  fondness 
for  hunting,  and  regularly  roams  the  mountains  when 
the  hunting  season  comes  around.  Edward  A.  Nolan 
succeeded  Mr.  Haynes  as  landlord  in  1877;  after  Mr. 
Nolan  relinquished  it,  and  in  the  fall  of  1881,  Charles 
H.  Fletcher,  book-keeper  for  Berwind,  White  &  Co., 
came  into  possession.  Mr.  Fletcher  was  born  in  Ver- 
mont. He  served  in  the  United  Stales  navy  for 
eighteen  months  up  to  1865,  when  he  removed  to 
Centre  County. 

The  first  postmaster  at  Snow  Shoe  was  Hutchinson, 
the  tailor,  who  iu  1859  kept  the  office  in  his  house, 
just  back  of  where  Grauer  &  Co.'s  store  is.  His  suc- 
cessors were  Adam  Crissman,  Hudson  Crissman,  and 
George  Shiver.  Mr.  Shiver,  who  was  commissioned 
postmaster  in  1878,  has  been  blacksmith  and  wagon- 
maker  in  Snow  Shoe  since  1870. 

The  first  resident  physician  was  Dr.  Hobbs,  who 
made  the  village  his  home  in  1863.  Dr.  Campbell 
practiced  in  and  abouc  the  village,  but  lived  in  the 
country.  Dr.  J.  P.  Glenn,  a  graduate  of  Jeflerson 
College  in  1SG9,  located  in  Snow  Shoe  in  that  year. 
He  was  born  in  Centre  County  in  1846.  His  grand- 
father came  from  Ireland  in  1800,  and  settled  in  Fer- 
guson township.  Dr.  James  A.  Thompson,  now  the 
physician  in  charge  for  Berwind,  White  &  Co.,  gradu- 
ated at  Jeflerson  College  in  1878.  His  ancestors  were 
the  Thompsons,  of  Harris  township.  He  was  invited 
to  Snow  Shoe  to  be  the  medical  attendant  for  the 
families  of  the  men  employed  by  the  Snow  Shoe  Coal 
Company.  His  services  are  now  given,  as  remarked, 
in  a  similar  capacity  for  the  people  employed  by  Ber- 
wind, W^hite  &  Co. 

St.  Mary's  (Roman  Catholic)  Church.— The  first 
Roman  Catholic  services  in  Snow  Shoe  were  held  in 
1861  by  Rev.  Thomas  McGovern,  of  Bellefonte,  al- 
though Rev.  Father  Killean,  of  Clearfield  County, 
made  occasional  pastoral  visits  to  the  people  engaged 
iu  constructing  the  Bellefonte  and  Snow  Shoe  Rail- 
way, in  1858  and  1S59.  Mr.  John  Reagan  took  an 
earnest  «ud  active  part  in  fostering  the  interests  of  the 


428 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Catholic  Church  at  Snow  Shoe,  and  toward  the  close 
of  1861  incepted  measures  looking  to  the  erection  of 
a  house  of  worship.  The  project  was  pushed  so  ener- 
getically that  in  1862  a  handsome  church,  costing 
three  thousand  six  hundred  dollars,  was  completed. 
At  that  time  the  attendance  at  worship  included 
from  thirty  to  forty  families.  Mr.  Reagan  has  ever 
been  a  leading  spirit  in  the  organization,  and  since 
the  erection  of  the  house  has  been  the  trustee  in 
charge.  Rev.  Jlr.  Gallagher,  of  Huntingdon,  suc- 
ceeded Father  McGovern  as  priest,  and  after  him  Rev. 
Father  Bastius  was  the  resident  priest.  Successive 
priests  have  been  Revs.  O'Reilly,  Maher,  Kinney, 
Shanahan,  O'Brien,  Kennedy,  and  Powers.  Until 
the  summer  of  1880  supplies  were  furnished  mainly 
from  Bellefonte.  Since  the  summer  of  1880  priests 
have  come  from  Lock  Haven.  About  fifty  families 
are  now  represented  at  the  regular  periods  of  worship. 
Services  are  held  twice  a  month. 

Messiah's  Church  of  Snow  Shoe.— The  Messiah's 
Church  of  Snow  Shoe  was  organized  in  the  Presby- 
terian Church  in  October,  1809,  by  Rev.  H.  P.  Cutter, 
as  a  branch  of  the  Marsh  Creek  Messiah's  Church. 
The  constituent  members  were  Michael  Mitchell, 
Elizabeth  Mitchell,  William  Resides,  Sarah  Crider, 
and  Nancy  Watson.  Nancy  Watson  was  chosen  clerk. 
The  first  persons  admitted  to  membership  after  the 
organizing  meeting  were  Elizabeth  Eraser  and  Cathe- 
rine Reese.  William  Resides  was  chosen  deacon. 
Advent  services  had  been  occasionally  held  previous 
to  1869  by  Revs.  J.  D.  Boyer,  J.  T.Lanning,  J.  P. 
Farrar,  and  M.  L.  Jackson  in  the  Askey  school-house 
and  at  Snow  Shoe.  Rev.  Mr.  Cutter  continued  on  the 
charge  (which  included,  with  Snow  Shoe,  six  preach- 
ing-points) upwards  of  two  years.  His  successor, 
Rev.  J.  A.  Aldred,  was  on  the  work  five  years,  and 
in  1877,  Rev.  M.  L.  Jackson  (a  native  of  Massachu- 
setts) was  engaged  a.s  supply.  In  1879  he  was  formally 
installed  as  pastor.  Mr.  Jackson  came  to  Centre 
County  in  1856  as  an  evangelist  in  the  service  of  the 
Advent  Church.  He  resided  at  Milesburgand  Union- 
ville,  and  for  eleven  years  preached  at  various  points 
in  the  county.  His  charge  included  an  average  of 
six  congregations.  In  1867  he  removed  to  near  Harris- 
burg,  and  in  tliat  section  continued  his  ministerial 
labors  until  1878,  when  he  returned  to  Centre  County. 
The  Snow  Shoe  Church  was  at  the  height  of  its  pros- 
perity in  1874  and  1875,  when  the  membership  aver- 
aged from  fifty  to  sixty.  In  the  winter  of  1873  and 
1874  the  present  house  of  worship — costing  thirteen 
hundred  dollars— was  completed,  and  Jan.  25,  1874, 
was  dedicated.  The  dedication  services  were  con- 
ducted by  Elder  W.  H.  Swartz,  assisted  by  Elders 
Zeigler,  Wright,  and  Aldred.  The  membership  in 
October,  1881,  was  fifteen.  The  deacon  then  was 
James  Watson. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church.— Previous  to  1870 
there  was  no  regular  worship  by  Methodists  at  Snow 
Shoe.     In  1871,  Rev.  W.  S.  Hamlin  organized  a  class 


of  which  the  constituent  members  included  Joseph 
Thompson  and  wife,  George  Shiver  and  wife,  M.  V. 

Briggs  and  wife,  Maggie  Binn, Rhodes  and  wife. 

George  Shiver  was  chosen  class-leader.  Public  meet- 
ings were  held  sometimes  in  the  village  school-house 
and  sometimes  in  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Rev.  Mr. 
Hamlin  preached  at  the  village  twice  a  month  for  two 
years.  In  1872  the  church  building  now  used  was 
completed.  In  1877  a  parsonage  was  erected.  Fol- 
lowing Mr.  Hamlin  in  the  pastorate  came  Revs.  Guss, 
Gray,  Craig,  Edwards,  Lundy,  and  Carver,  the  latter 
being  in  charge  in  October,  1881.  At  that  time  the 
class  membership  was  about  twenty.  Joseph  Thomp- 
son is  the  class-leader.  The  trustees  are  Jesse  Lucas, 
George  Shiver,  and  George  Weaver.  Meetings  are 
held  twice  a  month. 

Snow  Shoe  Baptist  Church. — Snow  Shoe  Church 
w.is  organized  in  1847  with  sixteen  members,  under 
the  care  of  Rev.  E.  Haydock,  pastor  at  Milesburg. 
F.  Hollen  supply  1854,  pastor  1855.  The  church  be- 
coming extinct,  it  was  stricken  from  the  minutes  in 
1858;  whole  number  baptized,  four. 

Presbyterian  Church. — In  1868  a  church  for  the 
use  of  Presbyterians  was  erected  at  Snow  Shoe, 
mainly  through  contributions  from  the  Bellefonte 
and  Snow  Shoe  Railroad  Company,  John  Sommer- 
ville,  and  James  Sommerville.  The  purpose  was  to 
make  the  organization  a  strictly  independent  one, 
and  Aug.  24,  1868,  a  society  was  formally  incorpor- 
ated. In  March,  1869,  however,  it  w.as  determined  to 
merge  the  church  organization  with  the  Moshannon 
Church,  and  since  that  time  the  Snow  Shoe  congrega- 
tion has  belonged  to  the  Moshannon  Church.  At  the 
time  of  the  consolidation  the  only  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  at  Snow  Shoe  are  said  to  have 
been  John  Sommerville  and  wife.  On  the  day  of  the 
consolidation  sixteen  members  were  .added  at  Snow 
Shoe.  The  membership  at  Snow  Shoe  of  the  Mo- 
shannon Church  aggregate.^  forty-three. 

Coal-Mining. — It  is  currently  understood  that 
Snow  Shoe  coal  was  first  discovered  by  a  hunting- 
party  composed  of  Col.  John  Holt,  his  son,  John 
Holt,  Samuel  Askey,  Charles  Lucas,  Baptist  Lucas, 
and  Joseph  Lucas.  The  year  has  been  fixed  at  1819, 
and  the  story  goes  that  the  hunters  observed  the  out- 
cropping close  by  a  spring  on  Samuel  Askey's  land, 
now  owned  by  the  W.  A.  Thom.as  estate.  Daniel 
AVeaver  was  engaged  to  haul  a  load  of  the  coal  to 
Bellefonte,  and  at  the  blacksmith's  shop  of  John  Hall 
it  was  tested,  much  to  everybody's  satisfaction.  This, 
it  is  said,  was  the  beginning  of  coal-mining  in  Centre 
County.  Valentines  &  Thomas  were  the  first  to  make 
an  effort  towards  important  coal-mining  operations  in 
Snow  Shoe.  Mines  were  opened  from  time  to  time 
for  local  supply,  notably  by  Samuel  Gunsalus, 
Thomas  Mayes,  John  Lucas,  George  Graham,  and 
Meese  Gunsalus,  but  the  coal  developments  in  Snow 
Shoe  may  be  said  to  have  moved  with  slow  progress 
until  the   completion   of  the  Bellefonte   and   Snow 


SNOW  SHOE   TOWxXSIIIP. 


429 


Shoe  Railroad,  in  1859.  Enterprise  and  capital 
having  hut  awaited  the  provision  of  an  outlet  for 
the  material,  at  once  set  ahout  the  task  of  disembow- 
eling the  coal-beds,  and  in  a  trice  there  arose  a  great 
traffic,  that  rapidly  swelled  the  population  of  that 
quarter,  created  the  village  of  Snow  Shoe,  and  dis- 
closed the  possibilities  of  a  fruitful  and  profitable 
future  in  the  almost  immediate  foundation  of  a  sub- 
stantial prosperity,  that  has  continued  to  strengthen, 
and  which  promises  to  widen  and  grow  greater  as 
time  rolls  on. 

In  1S4S,  John  Sommerville  mined  coal  for  Meese 
Gunsalus  near  the  site  of  Snow  Shoe,  and  remained 
thus  employed  until  1850.  Absenting  himself  there- 
after from  the  Snow  Shoe  region  until  1859,  he  re- 
turned in  that  year  as  the  mining  contractor  at  Snow 
Shoe  for  the  Bellefonte  and  Snow  Shoe  Railroad 
Company,  that  corporation  having  about  a  forty- 
thousand-acre  tract  in  Snow  Shoe.  Operations  were 
at  first  experimental  in  a  sense,  and  not  more  than 
ten  miners  were  employed.  The  enterprise  gradually 
developed,  however,  and  by  1862  the  output  averaged 
from  si.x  thousand  to  seven  thousand  tons  monthly, 
while  the  force  of  miners  aggregated  about  one  hun- 
dred. That  continued  to  be  about  the  amount  of 
business  done  at  the  mines  until  March,  18S1.  John 
Sommerville  was  the  mining  contractor  continuously 
from  1859  to  1865,  when  his  son  James  became  a 
partner  with  him.  The  firm  was  dissolved  only  by 
the  death  of  the  elder  Sommerville  in  May,  1880,  but 
the  bu.siness  was  continued  by  the  surviving  partner 
until  the  transfer  to  Berwind,  White  &  Co.,  in  March, 
ISSl.  The  latter  change  was  simultaneous  with  a 
change  of  ownership  in  every  interest  previously  held 
by  the  Bellefonte  and  Snow  Shoe  Railroad  Company 
and  other  corporations  dealing  with  and  having  com- 
mon interests  with  the  company.  The  interest  of  the 
Bellefonte  and  Snow  Shoe  Railroad  Company  in  the 
railway  line  between  Bellefonte  and  Snow  Shoe  was 
transferred  to  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company, 
while  the  Moshannon  Railroad,  owned  by  the  Mo- 
shaunon  Coal  and  Lumber  Company,  was  similarly 
transferred,  both  i-ailroad  companies  having,  however, 
just  before  that  transfer  been  merged  into  the  Bald 
Eagle  Valley  Railroad  Company.  The  lands  owned 
by  the  Bellefonte  and  Snow  Shoe  Railroad  Company, 
aggregating  three  thousand  three  hundred  acres,  and 
five  thousand  acres  of  lands  owned  by  the  Moshan- 
non Coal  and  Lumber  Company,  were  bought  by  the 
Snow  Shoe  Coal  Company.  This  latter  comiDany  was 
incorporated  in  March,  1881,  with  a  capital  of  five 
hundred  thousand  dollars.  The  officers  were  Ed- 
mund Blauchard,  president;  C.  A.  Mayer,  secretary 
and  treasurer;  A.  J.  Cook,  assistant  secretary  and 
treasurer;  B.  K.  Jamison,  Allison  White,  W.  M.  Stew- 
art, C.  F.  Berwind,  E.  J.  Berwind,  Edmund  Blauch- 
ard, and  C.  A.  Mayer,  directors.  The  Snow  Shoe 
Coal  and  Improvement  Company  was  formed  in 
March,  ISSl,  and  bought  the  forty  thousand  acres  of 


Snow  Shoe  lands  held  by  the  Snow  Shoe  Land  Asso- 
ciation. The  officers  of  the  new  company  are  B.  K. 
Jamison,  president;  A.  J.  Cook,  secretary  and  treas- 
urer; Allison  White  and  W.  M.  Stewart,  trustees. 
March  17,  1881,  the  Snow  Shoe  Coal  Company  and 
tiie  Snow  Shoe  Land  Association  leased  to  Messrs. 
Berwind,  White  &  Co.  the  coal-rights  in  the  forty- 
eight  thousand  acre.s  of  lands  owned  b_v  both  corpor- 
ations. Timber-rights  are  assigned  to  various  heavy 
operators  in  lumber. 

Berwind,  White  &  Co  ,  one  of  the  heaviest  coal- 
mining firms  in  the  country,  with  offices  at  New  York 
and  Philadelphia,  came  into  possession,  as  stated,  in 
March,  1881,  of  the  coal-rights  lying  within  the  forty- 
eight  thousand  acres  of  land  in  Snow  Shoe  formerly 
controlled  and  mined  by  the  Bellefonte  and  Snow 
Shoe  Railroad  Company.  The  new  company  took 
possession  March  17th  through  Mr.  W.  J.  Nicolls, 
who  took  complete  charge  of  afl'airs  on  Iheir  behalf 
as  resident  manager  at  Snow  Shoe.  The  change  in 
control  and  management  disclosed  a  sharp  and  pro- 
nounced imi^rovement  in  business  signs  all  along  the 
line.  Coal  shipments,  which  early  in  March  had 
averaged  from  one  hundred  and  twenty  to  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  tons  per  day,  were  nearly  doubled  soon 
after  Berwind,  White  &  Co.  got  fairly  under  way  in 
the  new  departure.  The  fifteen  coke  ovens  operated 
by  the  old  company  were  increased  by  Berwind, 
White  &  Co.  to  sixty-five,  and  the  daily  yield  from 
twenty-five  tons  to  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  tons. 
The  contemplation  in  the  fall  of  1881  was  that  one 
hundred  additional  ovens  would  be  put  up  by  the 
spring  of  1882.  The  Snow  Shoe  coal  is  regarded  as 
especially  adapted  to  the  manufacture  of  the  best 
quality  of  coke. 

The  yield  of  coke  from  the  coal,  as  the  result  of 
actual  experiment,  is  seventy-one  per  cent.  The  coal- 
veins  worked  by  Berwind,  White  &  Co.  lie  north  and 
west  of  Snow  Shoe,  and  are  three  in  number.  No.  9 
measures  five  and  a  half  feet  in  thickness.  No.  8 
measures  five  feet,  with  a  six-inch  slate-vein  in  the 
middle.  No.  10  measures  four  and  a  half  feet. 

Berwind,  White  &  Co.  have  mined  from  March  17, 
1881,  to  Nov.  1,  1881,  with  an  average  force  of  three 
hundred  men,  within  a  fraction  of  87,000  tons  of  coal, 
divided  as  follows:  March  (beginning  17th),  4.356; 
April,  10,775;  May,  11,375;  June,  12,304;  July, 
12,404;  August,  11,316;  September,  11,325;  October, 
13,173.  They  have  a  capacity  for  mining  filteen 
thousand  tons  monthly,  and  are  kept  below  that 
simply  because  railway  transportation  facilities  are 
not  equal  to  their  requirement!!.  Three  hundred 
names  are  usually  carried  on  the  pay-roll,  and  about 
eight  thousand  dollars  disbursed  monthly  in  wages. 
The  miners  occupy  about  one  hundred  tenements 
owned  by  the  Snow  Shoe  Coal  Company  and  Ber- 
wind, White  &  Co.  Freights  paid  by  Berwind,  White 
&  Co.  to  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  on 
Snow  Shoe  coals  amount  to  from   fifteen  thousand 


430 


HISTOKY  OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


dollars  to  twenty  thousand  dollars  monthly.  As  an 
evidence  of  the  coal-mining  interests  of  this  firm  in 
the  country  at  large,  it  may  be  stated  that  they  pay 
the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  about  fifty- 
seven  thousand  dollars  weekly  for  freights  on  coal 
shipments. 

In  October,  1881,  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Com- 
pany began  the  construction,  for  Berwind,  White  & 
Co.,  of  a  branch  railway  track  of  three  miles  to  Sugar 
Camp,  the  basin  of  the  Snow  Shoe  coal  deposits.  The 
completion  of  that  work  was  fixed  at  Dec.  1, 1881. 
Thus  expanded  by  the  addition  of  a  rich  field  of  oper- 
ations, the  mining  enterprises  of  the  firm  in  Snow 
Shoe  were  counted  upon  to  produce  a  total  out-put  of 
about  one  thousand  tons  of  coal  daily,  and  that,  too, 
with  an  increase  of  only  about  fifty  men  in  the  usual 
force  of  employes.  The  office  of  Berwind,  White  & 
Co.  for  their  Snow  Shoe  business  is  located  at  Belle- 
fonte,  where  all  transactions  concerned  with  their 
operations  in  that  region  are  conducted  independent 
of  the  home  offices,  and  whence  sales  and  shipments 
of  all  products  are  made  directly  to  purchasers.  En- 
terprise and  energy  mark  the  progress  of  this  import- 
ant industry,  and  that  the  local  benefits  felt  therefrom 
are  bound  to  increase  as  time  and  opportunities  pre- 
sent themselves  appears  a  foregone  conclusion. 

Coal- and  Ore-Beds. — The  latest  "  State  Geological 
Report"  thus  deals  with  the  coal-beds  of  Snow  Shoe: 

It  has  already  been  stated  that  the  first  coal-basin 
is  subdivided  into  two  distinct  sub-basins  by  an  anti- 
clinal sub-axis,  which  runs  along  its  centre  parallel 
to  its  two  sides.  This  sub-axis  passes  between  Snow 
Shoe  and  Karthaus,  making  the  Snow  Shoe  basin  the 
eastern  subdivision  of  the  first  basin,  while  the  Kar- 
thaus coal-basin  is  the  western  subdivision. 

The  serai  conglomerate  of  Rogers  (No.  XII.),  the 
base  rock  of  the  lower  productive  coal  measures, 
forms  the  crest  of  the  Allegheny  Mountain  at  the 
Snow  Shoe,  and  is  made  up  at  that  point,  as  at  Kar- 
thaus, of  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  of  massive 
sandstones,  with  some  pebble  rock-layers  of  rounded 
white  quartz  pebbles  of  various  sizes,  from  a  pea  to 
an  egg.  These  conglomerate  rocks  dip  very  slowly  to 
the  northwest,  in  fact,  are  almost  horizontal,  and  no 
coal  outcrop  of  any  con.sequence  is  found  for  several 
miles  northwest  of  the  mountain  crest,  the  nearest 
one  being  some  three  or  four  miles  from  it. 

One  and  a  half  miles  southeast  of  Snow  Shoe  vil- 
lage the  bottom  conglomerate  shows  on  the  surface 
in  lumps  and  bowlders,  and  the  basin  is  sharply  edged 
up  in  that  direction.  To  the  northeast  of  Snow  Shoe 
the  map  shows  the  lower  productive  coal  measures 
continued  in  Sugar  Camp  Hill,  alid  two  miles  still 
farther  to  the  northeast  the  shales  and  thin  sandstones 
exposed  take  in  Bed  A,  and  perhaps  Beds  A  and  B, 
of  the  same  measures.  At  the  Beech  Creek  crossing 
massive  conglomerate  bowlders  show  in  the  stream 
bed.  On  the  north  of  the  basin  the  bottom  conglom- 
erate shows  east  of  Gcrmania,  cutting  off  the  pro- 


ductive measures  to  the  north  and  northwest,  while 
the  Little  Moshannon  Creek  may  be  roughly  taken 
as  the  limit  to  the  south  and  southwest;  for  the 
basin  rises  iyi  nearly  all  directions  from  its  centre  at  or 
about  the  Snow  Shoe  mines,  and  though  a  small  black 
slate  show  is  found  high  on  the  hill-crest  south  of 
the  little  Moshannon,  there  can  only  be  there  the 
lowest  of  the  productive  coal  measures.  The  basin, 
therefore,  as  already  stated,  terminates  to  the  north- 
east in  the  narrowing  and  interrupted  basins  leading 
towards  Farrandsville,  and  to  the  southwest  in  the 
narrow  and  shallow,  and  in  most  cases  worthless,  line 
of  coal  measures  which  connect  it  with  the  Philips- 
burg  and  Osceola  coals. 

The  centre  of  the  basin  is  somewhere  near  Lucas 
and  Askey  hills,  and  it  is  at  that  point,  therefore,  that 
the  deepest  exposure  of  measures  is  found. 

Appended  is  a  table  of  the  analyses  of  coals  and 
cokes  from  the  Snow  Shoe  Basin  : 

SNOW  SHOE   COALS. 


;! 

1 

> 

1 

-a 

"E. 

< 

Color  of  Ash. 

1 

a! 
6 

1 ,. 

.88 
1.28 

.m 

.75 

2;i.G2 
21.87 
2.5.S8 
21.511 
23.44 

70.089 
71.108 
68  .',137 
70.410 
64.3T4 

.661 
.012 
.OH 
.964 
.986 

4.7.5 
4.V3 
3..59 
3,41 
10.45 

? 

;i 

4 

5 

Giiiy,  with  red  liijjje.. 

74.7'J 
7G.80 

No.  1.  William  Holt's  mine,  west  of  Holt's  hill, 
two  miles  northwest  of  Snow  Shoe  City.  Bottom 
bench  of  bed,  lower  hard  part  of  bench. 

No.  2.  William  Holt's  mine,  Snow  Shoe  basin,  two 
miles  northwest  of  Snow  Shoe  City.  Upper  part  of 
bench. 

No.  3.  Snow  Shoe,  mine  No.  5,  Upper  Bed. 

No.  4.  Snow  Shoe,  mine  No.  6,  Middle  Bed. 

No.  5.  Snow  Shoe,  mine  No.  4,  Lower  Bed. 


SNOW  SHOE 

COKES. 

No. 

Water. 

Volalile 
Matter. 

Fixed 

Carbon. 

Sulphur. 

Ash. 

Color  of 
Ash. 

1 

.990 

2.950 

82.626 

1.104 

12.330 

Bed. 

No.  1.  Snow  Shoe  Railroad  Company's  Colliery, 
mine  No.  6,  Middle  Bed,  coked  in  open  air  from  coal-, 
slack. 

The  vertical  section  of  the  Snow  Shoe  measures 
shows  the  Freeport  iron  ore  resting  on  top  of  the 
Freeport  limestone,  the  black-band  iron  ore  in  the 
shales  overlying  coal-bed  C,  and  the  iron  ore  over- 
lying coal-bed  A. 

The  Freeport  iron  ore,  as  found  in  the  shaft  and 
seen  upon  the  outcrops,  averages  about  two  feet  (in 
all)  of  "ore  and  some  coal,"  the  Middle  Freeport 
coal,  two  feet  thick,  resting  directly  on  top  of  it.     A 


\\\  ,  §Wv^  \^^  .VS. 


SPRING  TOWNSHIP. 


431 


specimen  of  the  ore  from  Yeager's  place,  west  of 
Snow  Shoe  City,  on  analysis  at  the  laboratory  of  the 
survey,  yielded  (McCreath) : 

Irnn 30.2.10 

Sulphur 11-2 

I'liosiihonis 211 

lusulultle  rcsiilue 19.030 

A  specimen  of  iron  ore  from  McMaster's  place,  near 
Snow  Shoe  City,  yielded  (McCreath) : 

Iron .l.i.SOO 

SiiliOmr Time 

Phusplinrus 204 

Insoluble  residue 10.0.50 

A  fiiir  specimen  of  the  Freeport  limestone  of  the 
Snow  Shoe  Basin  was  forwarded  to  Mr.  McCreath  for 
analysis,  and  yielded : 

Carlionate  of  lime 61.153 

Ciiilponate  of  niii{^ncsiii l:i.2G5 

Sulphur Trace 

.     Phosphorus 287      _; 

The  iron  ore  underlying  the  lower  Freeport  coal 
D,  or  rather  overlying  bed  C,  is  a  black-band  iron  ore 
of  good  quality.  It  is  called  a  twenty-inch  to  thirty- 
six-inch  ore-bed,  as  found  in  the  shaft. 

,Tust  west  of  the  summit  of  the  Allegheny  Moun- 
t.iin,  and  in  the  bottom  of  the  serai  conglomerate 
of  XII.,  pieces  of  hematite  iron  ore  cover  the  surface, 
and  are  found  a  little  below  it,  over  a  limited  area. 
The  line  of  ore  is  not  found  extending  along  the 
strike  of  the  measures,  and  there  is  no  indication 
that  a  regular  and  persistent  workable  deposit  is  to 
be  looked  for. 

The  above  descriptions  and  analyses  indicate  a 
very  favorable  outlook  for  the  iron  ores  of  the  Snow 
Shoe  basin.  They  are  in  considerable  quantity,  and 
from  the  openings  at  different  points,  apparently 
fairly  regular  in  thickness;  and  their  percentages  of 
metallic  iron  and  low  percentages  of  phosphorus  and 
sulphur  suffice  to  make  them  of  excellent  quality. 

For  with  the  carbonate  iron  ores,  and  especially 
the  "  black-band"  iron  ore,  in  position  to  be  supplied 
cheaply  to  furnaces  in  the  Bald  Eagle  valley,  with  tlie 
rich  hematite  iron  ores  of  the  Lower  Silurian  lime- 
stone valley,  east  of  Bellefonte,  in  abundant  supply, 
and  with  the  Snow  Shoe  coals  at  hand  to  make  a 
cheap  and  good  coke,  it  seems  clear  that  the  time  for 
the  use  of  the  Snow  Shoe  iron  ores  in  large  quantities 
cannot  be  far  off. 

Lumbering. — Coal-mining  and  lumbering  have 
long  been,  and  will  continue  to  be  for  a  good  while 
to  come,  the  chief  industrial  interests  of  the  Snow 
Shoe  region.  The  first  saw-mill  was  put  in  motion 
by  James  Gilliland  in  the  winter  of  1841,  on  Beech 
Creek.  The  completion  of  this  enterprise  marked  a 
new  era  in  the  history  of  the  settlement,  for  previous 
to  that  event  sawed  lumber  could  not  be  obtained 
save  from  a  great  distance,  and  at  the  expense  of 
much  time,  labor,  and  money.  The  rafting  of  lum- 
ber has  been  carried  on  for  many  years,  and  upon  an 
extensive  scale.  George  R.  Boak  &  Co.  are  now  the 
heaviest  lumber  operators  in  Snow  Shoe.     They  own 


the  timber-right  upon  sixteen  thousand  acres  of  land, 
operate  two  large  mills,  and  employ  from  one  hun- 
dred to  one  hundred  and  fifty  men.  One  of  their 
mills  has  a  capacity  of  four  millions  annually,  con- 
tains gang-  and  circular-saws,  a  shingle-mill,  and 
planer.  The  second  mill  cuts  three  million  shingles 
annually.  Messrs.  Boak  &  Co.  have  a  fine  supply- 
store  at  Snow  Shoe  borough.  Mr.  Theodore  A.  Boak 
has  charge  of  the  firm's  lumbering  operations  as  man- 
aging partner.  Messrs.  Crider  &  Son,  who  operate 
largely  in  lumber  in  Snow  Shoe,  have  their  mills  in 
Boggs  township  and  Bellefonte  borough. 


BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCH. 


DR.    M.    STEWART. 

Dr.  M.  Stewart,  of  Moshannon,  was  a  son  of  Robert 
Stewart,  and  grandson  of  Matthew  Miller,  of  Barre 
township,  Huntingdon  County.  He  was  born  in 
Penn  Manor,  Huntingdon  Co.,  Oct.  1,  1819.  When 
but  nine  months  old  his  father  died,  and  at  the  age  of 
eighteen  he  left  his  home  to  make  his  own  way  in  the 
world.  In  1837  ho  clerked  for  Shoenbergers,  at  Ju- 
niata Forge,  and  in  the  spring  of  1839  was  appointed 
a  clerk  in  the  collector's  office  at  HoUidaysburg, 
where  he  remained  until  the  fall  of  1841,  when  sick- 
ness compelled  him  to  leave  the  office. 

In  1842  he  commenced  the  study  of  medicine  with 
Dr.  William  Swope,  of  Huntingdon,  and  in  the  s])ring 
of  1845  graduated  at  Jefferson  Medical  College,  in 
Philadelphia.  He  practiced  in  his  native  county 
until  1849,  and  in  1851  removed  to  Virginia,  where 
he  practiced  until  the  fall  of  1854.  In  September, 
1853,  he  was  married  to  a  daughter  of  Maj.  Shaw,  of 
Alleghany  County,  Md.,  and  returned  to  Pennsylvania 
in  January,  1854,  and  entered  into  partnership  with 
his  brother  William,  in  the  lumber  business.  In  1864 
his  brother  William  retired  from  the  firm,  and  since 
that  time  the  doctor  has  been  carrying  on  the  busi- 
ness in  his  own  name.  He  resides  upon  a  beautiful 
farm  containing  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  acres, 
on  which  he  erected  a  haudsome  and  commodious 
residence  in  1864. 


CHAPTER    LXXXV. 

SPRING  TOWNSHIP. 

Early  Surveys. — There  are  very  few  surveys  of 
Spring  township  territory  earlier  than  those  under 
warrants  of  1784.  East  of  Bellefonte  the  two  Samuel 
Simpsons  (Armor  place,  Esq.  Kline's,  etc.)  were  made 
by  Charles  Lukens  in  1775.  A  survey  in  the  name 
of  Patrick  Traverse  (Weaver  place)  was  made  as  early 
as  1770  at  Curtin's  Gap  and  in  the  valley  just  north  of 
Nittany  Mountain,  extending  from  Pleasant  Gap  to 


432 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  Gordon  place,  at  Hecla  Gap.  At  Logan's  Gap,  a 
block  of  eight  surveys  was  laid  by  Charles  Lukeus 
in  May,  1770.  North  of  these  came  the  warrants  of 
1784,  interfering  with  the  former  to  some  extent. 
The  Mann's  a.xe-factory  works  are  on  the  Joseph  Evans 
warrant  July  7, 1792.  The  old  Waddle  place  is  on  the 
survey  in  the  name  of  Edward  Crawford,  warrantee, 
of  July  1,  1784.  Korlh  of  the  latter  is  the  Thomas 
Ball  warrant  Dec.  1, 1772,  but  surveyed  in  May,  1784. 
On  this  survey  the  Indian  path  from  the  "Nest"  is 
marked,  crossing  the  creek  near  Sheriff"  Waddle's. 
North  of  the  Thomas  Ball  is  the  William  Moore  sur- 
vey warrant  of  Dec.  1,  1772,  surveyed  in  1784,  on 
which  Valentine  &  Co.'s  works  now  stand.  The 
Michael  Halin  warrant  (E.  C.  Humes'  farm,  etc., 
south  of  Pleasant  Gap)  dates  July  19,  1777,  and  the 
William  Wilson,  on  both  sides  of  the  turnpike  south 
of  Mr.  Humes'  l\irm,  is  dated  Jan.  16,  1794.  The 
large  block  along  Nittany  (spoken  of  before)  belonged 
to  the  Wistars,  of  Philadelphia,  and  their  earliest  sale 
was  perhaps  that  of  the  Townscnd  Speakman  war- 
rantee, sold  to  Mr.  Gordon,  March  IG,  1795.  Fithian, 
who  traveled  along  the  Indian  path  in  1775,  says  there 
was  then  no  improvements,  nothing  but  deserted  In- 
dian lodges  meeting  his  gaze.  Spring  township  as  at 
present  bounded  had  no  settlers  prior  to  the  return  of 
tlie  inhabitants  in  1784  and  1785,  and  did  not  have  any 
of  whom  we  have  any  account  before  1793  and  1794, 
or  the  arrival  of  John  Dunlop.  The  Waddle  farm, 
owned  by  Joseph  AUender  at  his  death  and  sold  to 
Gen.  Benncr  in  1805,  was  probably  one  of  the  oldest 
settled  places  on  Logan's  Branch.  Allender  bought 
of  Col.  Thomas  Hartley  in  1793. 

Revolutionary  Soldiers  of  Spring  Township.— 
William  Mason  was  a  soldier  in  Capt.  Pry's  company, 
Col.  Moses  Hazen's  regiment.  He  enlisted  April  3, 
1777,  and  served  six  years  and  three  months,  and  was 
at  the  capture  of  Cornwallis  at  Yorktown.  After 
tliat  his  regiment  had  charge  of  the  prisoners  who 
were  taken  to  Lancaster.  He  was  a  witness  in  1782 
of  the  event  which  excited  so  much  interest  at  the 
time, — the  chopsing  by  lot  of  an  officer  for  execution 
in  retaliation  for  the  murder  of  Capt.  Huddy,  in  New 
Jersey.  The  lot  fell  upon  Capt.  Asgill,  a  young  Brit- 
ish officer,  son  of  Sir  Charles  Asgill.  Washington 
postponed  the  execution,  and  receiving  a  pathetic 
letter  from  Lady  Asgill,  the  mother  of  the  captain, 
and  one  from  the  French  Minister  on  his  behalf,  he 
referred  them  to  Congress,  which  ordered  the  cap- 
tain's discharge.  In  1822,  Mason  became  a  town- 
ship charge. 

John  Garrison,  of  Spring  township,  was  originally 
from  New  York,  near  Haverstraw,  where  he  enlisted 
in  Capt.  Pell's  regiment,  Second  New  York,  Col. 
Philip  Courtland,  in  1776.  He  was  at  the  capture  of 
Burgoyne,  Oct.  17, 1777.  He  was  also  engaged  in  the 
battle  of  Monmouth,  1778,  and  accompanied  Gen. 
Sullivan's  expedition  against  the  Indians  in  1799, 
and  followed  the  fortunes  of  the  army  to  their  grand 


closing  at  Yorktown,  with  the  surrender  of  Cornwal- 
lis, being  discharged  at  Newburgh  in  the  spring  of 
1782.  Garrison  was  a  day-laborer,  left  a  wife,  but 
no  children. 

Notices  of  Residents. — Among  those  who  came 
to  Centre  County  with  Gen.  Philip  Benner  in  1792 
were  Thomas  Waddle  (his  business  manager),  Evan 
Williams,  Mordecai  Benner,  and  Conrad  Drimmey, 
the  latter  a  Revolutionary  soldier.  Williams  was  a 
millwright  and  forge-builder.  He  built  not  only 
forge  and  mill  for  Gen.  Benner,  but  did  similar  ser- 
vice for  others  in  various  portions  of  Centre  County. 
He  had  learned  his  trade  with  Isaac  Jones,  who  came 
to  Centre  County  about  the  time  of  Gen.  Benner's 
coming.  Williams  made  his  home  at  Rock  Forge 
until  1801,  when  he  moved  to  Lemont.  There  he 
lived  (chiefly  at  the  home  of  Cornelius  Dale)  until 
his  death,  in  1857,  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven.  Of 
Evan  Williams'  twelve  children,  six  arc  still  living, 
those  in  Centre  County  being  Mark  Williams,  of 
Spring  township,  Levi,  James,  and  Sarah  Williams, 
of  Lemont.  Evan  Williams'  wife  died  in  1854,  aged 
eighty-seven.  Thomas  Waddle,  mentioned  as  having 
come  to  the  county  with  Gen.  Benner,  married  one 
of  Gen.  Benner's  daughters.  He  had  nine  children, 
of  whom  seven  are  living.  They  are  Ruth  B.  \Vi\- 
son,  of  Bellefonte;  P.  B.  Waddle,  of  Patton;  Thomas 
Waddle,  of  Jersey  Shore  ;  Hannah  Hamilton,  of  Ben- 
ner ;  Sarah  Williams;  Mary  Griffith  ;  and  Mm-decai 
Waddle,  of  Spring  township.  '  Mordecai  Waddle  was 
sheriff  of  Centre  County  from  1854  to  1857.  He  set- 
tled in  Spring  township  in  1834,  upon  the  place  he 
now  occupies.  On  Logan's  Branch,  Gen.  Benner 
built  a  woolen-mill  and  saw-mi!l  and  a  few  tenement 
houses.  Ephraim  and  William  Williams  rented  the 
woolen-mill.  The  sawmill  was  carried  on  by  Ben- 
ner himself.  The  woolen-mill  was  destroyed  by  fire, 
and  at  once  replaced  with  a  stone  structure.  The 
Williams  brothers  gave  up  the  business  in  1832, 
when  Henry  BrockerhofF  rented  the  building,  and 
conveited  it  into  a  distillery.  Harvey  Mann  subse- 
quently occupied  it  as  a  polishing-shop  in  connection 
with  his  axe-factory.  Upon  the  place  now  the  home 
of  Mrs.  Harvey  Mann  the  first  settler  is  supposed  to 
have  been  a  Mr.  Kinnear.  He  is  spoken  of  as  "the 
old  gentleman  who  delighted  in  wearing  knee- 
breeches  and  silver-buckled  shoes."  An  ardent  and 
devout  Methodist  was  he,  moreover,  and  whenever 
he  could  get  a  circuit  preacher  to  come  that  way, 
would  have  public  worshij)  in  his  house,  to  which  he 
would  call  his  neighbors  bj'  personal  notice  before- 
hand. 

The  kitchen  portion  of  Mr.  Kinnear's  old  house  is 
still  standing,  and  in  use  on  Mrs.  Mann's  place.  John 
Long  bought  the  property  of  Kinnear,  who  sold  to 
Judge  Thomas  Burnside. 

Philip  Barnhart,  a  survivor  of  the  Revolution,  in 
which  he  served  througli  three  campaigns,  moved 
from  Eastern  Pennsylvania  to  Lycoming  County  in 


SPRING  TOWNSHIP. 


-JC3 


]7S2,  and  in  1806  changed  liis  habitation  to  Boggs 
township,  in  Centre  County.  He  rented  land  from 
Judge  Huston,  and  while  his  sons  worked  the  farm 
lie  followed  his  trade  of  weaving  in  a  shop  that  he 
had  set  np  on  the  property.  He  lived  in  Boggs  town- 
ship until  1840,  and  died  in  Howard  township  in  1844, 
at  the  age  of  eighty-four.  His  children  were  eleven 
in  number.  Of  them,  one  died  at  the  age  of  eleven. 
When  the  next  death  occurred  among  them  the 
youngest  of  the  ten  was  sixty-five  years  old.  There 
were  four  sons,  whose  names  were  Jacob,  Henry, 
Philip,  and  John.  These  sons  are  dead,  but  of  the 
eleven  children,  two  daughters  are  still  living, — Mrs. 
Judge  Dopp,  of  Howard,  and  Mrs.  J.  W.  Clark,  of 
Iowa.  The  four  sons  married,  and  all  but  one  died 
in  Centre  County.  Mrs.  Johu  Curtin,  of  Bellefonte, 
Mrs.  T.  R.  Sellers,  of  Pattou,  Philip  Barnhart  and 
Henry  L.  Barnhart,  of  Boggs  township,  were  children 
of  Henry.  John  moved  to  Iowa  with  his  family  in 
185G,  and  died  there.  Jacob  and  Henry  married  in 
1814  daughters  of  John  Holt,  one  of  the  pioneers  in 
Boggs  township.  In  1818,  Jacob  moved  to  Spring 
township,  and  occupied  as  a  renter  land  owned  by 
John  G.  Lowrey,  and  first  improved  by  Philip  Shreek. 
Tills  land  was  surveyed  on  Samuel  Simpson's  appli- 
cation of  April  3, 17G9,  and  in  1810,  Mr.  Lowrey  built 
upon  it  the  house  now  occupied  by  John  H.  Barn- 
hart. Jacob  Barnhart  was  a  sturdy  pioneer,  and 
pushed  his  way  bravely  on  in  the  work  of  clearing 
up  an  almost  new  country.  He  found  upon  his  ar- 
rival in  1818  that  his  nearest  neighbors  were  Daniel 
and  John  Weaver,  on  the  present  Weaver  place  (sur- 
veyed in  1770  to  Patrick  Traverse),  and  John  Lamb, 
on  the  Brockerhoff"  farm.  Mr.  Barnhart  rented  the 
farm  from  1818  to  1850,  in  which  year  his  sons  Philip 
N.  and  Johu  H.  bought  it.  They  still  own  and  oc- 
cupy it,  having  all  told  about  four  hundred  acres  in 
one  tract.  Upon  that  farm  Jacob  Barnhart  died  in 
1876,  aged  ninety-one.  Of  his  six  children,  five  are 
living.  Philip  and  John,  with  two  sisters,  live  on  the 
old  place.     Jacob  S.  lives  in  Iowa. 

Alexander  Biggs  died  in  Spring  township  Nov.  1, 
1S21,  aged  ninety  years.  He  was  a  remarkable  in- 
stance of  the  strange  vicissitudes  of  life.  He  was  an 
Englishman,  and  in  early  life  held  a  commission  of 
lieutenant  in  the  British  army,  and  served  in  the  East 
Indies,  where  he  was  taken  prisoner,  and  became  inti- 
mately acquainted  with  Oriental  manners  and  customs. 
For  many  years  he  was  employed  in  a  military  capacity 
on  the  continent  of  Europe  and  in  the  Mediterranean. 
Being  a  republican  in  principle  he  came  to  this  coun- 
try, being  in  affluent  circumstances,  but  was  unfortu- 
nate, and  after  experiencing  the  blessing  of  riches  and 
the  miseries  of  poverty,  he  died  in  a  lonely  cottage 
among  the  Allegheny  Mountains.  After  traversing 
the  banks  of  the  mighty  Ganges  his  remains  now  re- 
pose in  the  silence  of  deatli  on  a  bleak  hiU  near  the 
banks  of  Logan  Branch.  His  widow,  very  aged,  sur- 
vived him,  but  his  children  had  all  long  since  left  him. 
28 


Biggs  purchased  and  lived  on  the  tract  where  Mann's 
axe-factory  now  stands,  and  when  — —  Allen  married 
his  daughter,  her  portion  was  a  half-gallon  coffee-pot 
filled  with  gold. 

In  1810  two  brothers,  John  and  Daniel  Weaver, 
bought  three  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  land  lying  in 
Spring  township,  near  Bel'efonte,  and  forming  a  part 
of  the  old  Jliles  tract.  Both  were  millers.  Daniel 
worked  at  Roland  Curtin's  mill,  and  John  at  Magee's 
mill.  Of  John's  eight  sons,  the  living  ones  are  George, 
in  Bellefonte;  James,  in  Boggs  township;  John,  in 
Iowa;  and  M.  P.,  in  Spring  township.  M.  P.,  the 
last  named,  married  a  daughter  of  Thomas  McClelhin, 
who  is  said  to  have  built  the  sixth  house  erected  in 
Bellefonte.  From  Bellefonte  Mr.  McClellan  moved 
to  the  land  in  Spring  township  now  occupied  by  M.  P. 
Weaver.  When  McClellan  located  upon  the  place 
there  was  scarcely  any  cleared  land  in  that  portion  of 
Spring.  From  Boiling  Spring  to  his  farm  the  path' 
was  through  a  dense  forest.  He  had  to  build  fires  to 
keep  the  wolves  from  his  cabin,  and  even  then  the 
beasts  would  at  times  howl  all  night  at  the  cabin's 
very  door.  George  Weaver,  of  Bellefonte,  is  the  only 
surviving  son  of  Daniel  Weaver,  in  Centre  County. 

George  Swartz  located  at  Millheim  about  1792. 
His  children  were  twelve  in  number,  of  whom  John 
now  lives  in  Millheim  and  William  in  Bellefonte. 
Henry,  one  of  the  sons,  married  one  of  the  daughters 
of  Andrew  Harter,  of  Haines,  and  in  1820  moved  to 
a  farm  in  the  Nittany  valley,  in  Spring'township,  that 
his  father,  George,  had  purchased.  There  were  three 
hundred  acres  in  the  tract,  known  as  the  Malcolm 
Ross  warrantee,  sold  to  Andrew  Glenn  in  180.5,  from 
whom  George  Swartz  purchased  it.  Upon  one  hun- 
dred acres  of  the  three  hundred  A.  J.  Swartz  (son  of 
Henry)  lives  now.  He  moved  with  his  family  into  a 
collier's  cabin  on  the  mountain-side,  and  set  himself 
to  clearing  away  the  forest.  The  charcoal-burners 
had  been  in  and  burned  off  a  good  deal  of  the  timber, 
but  there  was  nevertheless  a  good  bit  left.  The  Nit- 
tany road  was  then  open,  and  upon  it  Swartz  found  a 
few  neighbors,  but  they  were  indeed  few  and  far  be- 
tween. Ohl  Mr.  Pickle  lived  on  land  now  occupied 
by  the  Kauflman  and  Sharer  farms.  A  mau  by  name 
Krise  was  near  Pickle,  and  the  Gordons  lived  along 
the  mountain's  base.  Later  came  the  Kauffraans, 
Nolls,  Sharers,  Millers,  Jacob  Gill,  James  Brown, 
Frederick  Nofsinger,  and  James  Ralston. 

James  Brown  kept  tavern  on  the  pike,  where  David 
Bell  now  lives.  Jacob  Gill  bought  of  Henry  Swartz 
a  lot  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  and  lived  there  un- 
til his  death,  in  the  summer  of  1880.  His  asc  was 
ninety-three.  Mr.  Swartz  lived  three  years  in  the 
collier's  hut,  and  then  built  a  log  cabin.  In  1840  he 
erected  the  brick  mansion  now  occupied  by  his  son, 
the  only  one  now  living  of  Henry  Swartz's  eight 
children.  The  Mr.  Pickle  spoken  of  as  living  neigh- 
bor to  Henry  Swartz  owned  four  hundred  acres,  which 
he  sold  to  Jacob  Sharer  in  18.37.     In  that  veir  Sharer 


434 


IIISTOriY    OF   CENTKE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


made  his  settlement  upon  the  tract.  Pickle  had  been 
there  several  years,  and  had  improved  a  good  share  of 
the  land.  In  1836,  Jacob  and  David  Kautfinan  came 
to  Nittany  from  Union  County.  Jacob  died  in  1875 
and  David  in  1878.  George  Kauffman,  son  of  Jacob, 
lives  now  in  Spring  township.  The  sons  of  David 
now  in  Spring  township  are  Israel  and  Benjamin. 

Henry  Rothrock  set  np  a  tannery  in  Bellefonte  on 
the  creek  in  1827.  In  1837  he  moved  into  Brush 
valley,  and  in  1838  to  the  place  in  Spring  township 
where  his  son  Henry  lives.  There  the  elder  Henry 
died  in  1873.  His  early  neighbors  were  the  Rockeys, 
Jodons,  Gordons,  Millers,  and  Hoys.  Joseph  Ross 
and  William  Baird,  brothers-in-law,  came  from  Ire- 
land to  America  shortly  after  1800,  and  after  a  time 
settled  in  Spring  township,  where  they  cleared  the 
land  now  owned  by  Joseph  Ross.  Upon  the  death 
of  Joseph  Ross  first  named,  in  1822,  his  brother  Wil- 
liam came  from  Ireland,  and  under  the  will  took  pos- 
session of  the  Spring  township  farm.  There  he  died 
ill  1857.  Samuel  Tibbens,  now  living  on  Logan's 
Branch,  came  to  Centre  County  in  1836.  He  lived 
in  Marion  township  until  1840,  and  in  that  year 
moved  to  Spring.  He  married  a  daughter  of  Joseph 
Gerberich,  whose  parents  settled  in  Brush  valley  in 
1832.  Joseph  Stover  came  to  Spring  from  Penn's 
valley  in  1845,  and  in  1852,  J.  S.  Ro'ckey  located  on  a 
part  of  the  Jacob  Sharer  farm. 

George  W.  Lonberger  has  lived  on  Nittany  Moun- 
tain since  1834,  where  he  assisted  his  father  in  clear- 
ing up  a  farm  there,  and  in  1869  cleared  for  himself 
the  farm  he  now  occupies.  When  he  first  made  his 
home  on  Nittany  the  region  was  a  wilderness.  Now 
a  mountain  farm  is  valuable  property.  George  Lon- 
berger (father 'to  George  W.)  came  from  York  County 
in  1809,  and  settled  in  Bellefonte.  He  is  said  to  have 
set  up  the  first  butcher's  shop  known  to  Bellefonte, 
and  for  twenty  years  carried  on  the  business  in  the 
village.  In  1829  he  moved  to  the  head  of  Logan's 
Branch,  and  in  1834  to  Nittany  Mountain,  in  Benner 
township.  In  1838  he  returned  to  Bellefonte  to  re- 
sume his  old  trade.  He  died  in  Milesburg  in  1875, 
aged  ninety-one.  When  he  came  to  Centre  County 
he  had  but  one  child,  a  daughter.  She  married 
Henry  Williams,  of  Potter.  George  Lonberger's  liv- 
ing children  are  George  W.,  of  Spring  township; 
Mrs.  Mary  Steele,  of  Benner;  Godfrey,  of  Ohio; 
John,  of  Kansas;  Margaret  Switzer,  in  Indiana;  and 
Matilda  Richards,  in  Armstrong  County,  Pa. 

John  Furey,  of  Carlisle,  moved  from  there  to  Centre 
County  in  1810,  and  made  a  new  home  about  one 
mile  east  of  the  site  of  Pleasant  Gap,  on  a  piece  of 
wild  land  he  bought  of  John  Dunlop.  With  him 
came  his  four  sons, — Jeremiah,  William,  Robert,  and 
John.  The  latter  entered  the  military  service  for  the 
war  of  1812.  John  Furey  the  elder  died  in  Spring 
township  in  1826.  There  are  living  at  Pleasant  Gap 
four  of  Jeremiah's  sons  and  daughters, — John  M. 
Furey,   Mrs.   Swanoy,    Mrs.   Larimer,   and   William 


Tate.  William,  a  son  of  David  Furey,  lives  at  Miles- 
burg. Mrs.  James  Rankin,  of  Bellefonte,  was  one  of 
Robert  Furey's  daughters.  When  the  Fureys  jour- 
neyed, in  1810,  to  their  valley  home  on  pack-horses, 
they  were  entertained  the  night  of  their  arrival  by  a 
Mr.  Harbison,  who  was  living  on  the  Gentzel  place. 
Mr.  Moore  was  the  only  other  person  living  near 
enough  at  hand  to  be  called  a  neighbor. 

James  Hamilton,  of  Pleasant  Gap  neighborhood,  is 
a  descendant  of  tlie  Carr  family,  early  settlers  near 
Pine  Grove.  AVhen  a  boy  he  worked  in  the  furnace 
for  Boggs  &  Royer,  and  rose  to  be  manager  under 
the  Valentines,  until  Logan  Furnace  was  abandoned. 
He  married  Hannah  Waddle,  daughter  of  Thomas 
Waddle,  Esq.,  and  granddaughter  of  Gen.  Benner. 
Mr.  Hamilton  retired  to  his  present  place,  which  is  a 
portion  of  a  tract  cleared  by  George  Mease.  The 
stone  house  was  built  by  Mease  in  1824. 

Churches. — Spring  township  contains  but  three 
church  organizations  and  four  church  buildings,  the 
latter  including  a  Methodist,  Lutheran,  Advent,  and 
Union  Church  edifices.  Bellefonte,  with  its  abundant 
supply  of  temples  of  worship,  is  so  easily  accessible 
from  all  points  in  the  township  that  popular  desire 
for  church-going  is  easily  met.  The  first  church 
building  erected  in  the  township  was  put  up  by  the 
Methodists  at  Pleasant  Gap  in  1850  or  thereabouts. 
A  Methodist  Episcopal  class  was  organized  in  the 
Horntown  school-house  about  1836,  under  the  leader- 
ship of  William  Hunter,  after  whom  William  Furey 
and  Frost  McGinley  officiated  as  leaders.  The  class 
was  attached  to  the  Bellefonte  Circuit,  and  usually 
met  for  public  worship  once  in  two  weeks.  In  1850  a 
society  was  formed  and  a  church  built  at  Pleasant 
Gap.  M.  P.  Weaver  and  James  Hamilton  were  ap- 
pointed the  building  committee.  The  cost  of  the  edi- 
fice was  one  thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  At  the 
occupation  of  the  church  .building  Rev.  Mr.  Mills 
was  the  pastor  and  M.  P.  Weaver  the  class-leader. 
Just  previous  to  1850,  Rev.  Mr.  Guthwalt  lield  a  series 
of  revival  meetings  in  the  Horntown  school-house, 
and  gathered  fifty-six  converts  into  the  fold.  In  1875 
the  house  now  used,  costing  three  thousand  dollars, 
was  built  upon  the  old  site.  The  church  property  is 
now  owned  by  James  Hamilton  and  M.  P.  Weaver. 
The  class  numbers  at  present  about  twenty  members, 
and  is  connected  with  the  Pleasant  Gap  Circuit,  which 
has  five  preaching-points.  The  class-leader  is  M.  P. 
Weaver.  Services  are  held  at  Pleasant  Gap  once  in 
two  weeks.  The  preacher  in  charge  is  Rev.  E.  W. 
Warner. 

St.  Mark's  (Lutheran)  Church.— St.  Mark's 
Church  was  organized  in  March,  1868,  by  Rev.  J.  A. 
Hcckenberg,  of  the  Bellefonte  Lutheran  Church. 
The  constituent  members  numbered  thirty-six.  In 
1870  a  house  of  worship  was  built  at  Pleasant  Gap. 
Until  1877  the  church  was  on  the  Bellefonte  charge; 
it  is  now  included  in  the  Boalsburg  charge.  The 
successive  pastors  have  been  Revs.  Hcckenberg,  Tom- 


si'iaxG  TOWNSHIP. 


■435 


linson,  Miller,  Furst  (supply),  and  Jacob  Gutzy. 
Mr.  Gutzy,  the  present  pastor,  began  his  term  of  ser- 
vice in  June,  187!).  He  preaches  at  Pleasant  Gap, 
Shiloli,  and  Boalsburg.  Services  at  Pleasant  Gap  are 
held  once  a  fortnight.  The  church  membership  aver- 
ages about  forty-five.  The  Sunday-school,  in  charge 
of  William  J.  Dale,  has  a  membership  of  from  ninety 
to  one  hundred.  The  church  elder  is  William  J.  Dale, 
the  deacons  B.  S.  Miller  and  C.  Dale,  Jr.,  the  trus- 
tees A.  J.  Swartz  and  William  J.  Dale. 

Messiah  Church.— The  Messiah  (or  Advent) 
Church  was  organized  in  1871  by  Rev.  Henry  Cutter. 
As  early  as  1860  services  were  held  by  ministers  of  the 
Advent  Church  in  and  about  the  Nittany  valley.  The 
earliest  preachers  were  Eevs.  M.  L.  Jackson  and  I.  R. 
Gates.  The  organizing  male  members  numbered  six, 
to  wit:  John  Bilger,  J.  N.  Brooks,  James  Brooks, 
Henry  Sharer,  Jacob  Sharer,  and  Jacob  Sharer,  Jr. 
The  first  deacon  chosen  was  Jacob  Sharer,  Sr.  In 
the  spring  of  1873  a  framed  church  was  completed. 
Since  the  organization  the  preachers  in  charge  have 
been  Revs.  John  Zeigler,  J.  Aldred,  M.  L.  Jacksou, 
and  George  L.  Penney.  Services  at  the  Messiah 
Church  are  held  once  in  three  weeks.  The  member- 
ship is  now  fifteen  ;  John  Bilger  is  the  deacon,  J.  N. 
Brooks  and  John  Bilger  the  trustees. 

Besides  the  churches  mentioned,  there  is  at  Valen- 
tine's Forge  a  Union  Church  edifice,  in  which  services 
are  held  by  Methodist  and  Lutheran  ministers. 

Schools. — The  first  school-house  built  on  Logan's 
Branch  was  put  up  on  the  land  owned  by  AVilliam 
Baird  and  Joseph  Ross  as  early  as  1808.  The  first 
teachers  were  James  Harbison,  Malcolm  Ander, 
Charles  Nabb,  and  Lewis  JIcKean.  About  1817  or 
1818  the  school  building  was  removed  to  Logan  Fur- 
nace. A  second  school-house  was  thereupon  erected 
upon  John  Furey's  farm.  Among  the  children  at- 
tending the  Logan  school  were  those  of  the  Bairds, 
Meeses,  Swaneys,  Fureys,  Nulls,  Hamillons,  Wad- 
dles, and  Moores.  At  the  Furey  school-house  were 
those  of  the  Swartz,  Furey,  Pooman,  and  McLellan 
families.  In  the  last-named  school  the  earliest  teachers 
were  Joseph  Williams,  Miss  Blakney,  and  David  Kel- 
ler. At  the  Logan  Furnace  school  they  included 
John  Thompson,  Rev.  Mr.  Ketalow,  James  Moreland, 
Harvey  McClanahan,  Charles  Larimer,  and  Miss 
Blakney. 

The  official  report  concerning  the  public  schools  of 
Spring  township  for  the  year  ending  June,  1881,  gave 
the  number  of  schools  as  thirteen,  and  fifteen  as  the 
number  of  teachers  employed.  The  enrollment  was 
040,  the  average  daily  attendance  407,  and  amount  of 
tax  levied  for  school  purposes  $2357.46. 

Industries. — Valentines  &  Co.'s  Iron- Works. 
— John  Duulop  erected  a  forge  upon  the  present  site 
of  these  works  as  early  as  1798.  Logan  Furnace,  on 
the  borders  of  Bcnner  and  Spring,  was  erected  by  him 
in  1802,  and  run  by  Royer  &  Boggs  for  a  number  of 
years.     Among  those  who  came  with  Mr.   Dunlop 


were  John  G.  Lowrey,  Sol.  McCormick,  a  superin- 
tendent, John  and  Matthew  Adams.  In  181.'),  the 
year  subsequent  to  John  Dunlop's  death,  the  Valen- 
tine brothers  and  William  A.  Thomas  leased  the 
works  of  the  adniiiiintrator,  and  purchased  them  in 
1821. 

In  1824  the  new  firm  erected  tl:e  first  rolling-mill 
in  Centre  County,  and  this,  with  additional  forge.", 
greatly  increased  the  capacity  of  the  works.  On  ac- 
count of  its  great  distance  from  the  works  proper,  in 
1842  Logan  Furnace  was  abandoned,  and  a  new  one 
(now  in  use)  built  below  the  ibrges.  The  late  Abrain 
S.  Valentine,  Esq.,  who  was  a  member  of  the  firm, 
revolutionized  the  ore-mining  industries  of  the  country 
by  inventing  the  ore-washer  now  so  generally  used. 

In  1850  the  firm  of  Valentines  &  Thomas  was  dis- 
solved, and  a  new  company,  composed  of  sons  of  the 
members  of  the  old  firm  and  M.  T.  Milliken,  Esq., 
who  learned  the  business  with  the  former  jiroprietors, 
was  formed.  Mr.  Milliken  remained  a  member  of  the 
firm  until  his  death,  in  1871.  He  was  a  man  of  superior 
ability  in  his  business.  The  present  firm  is  composed 
of  Jacob,  Robert,  Abram,  and  George  Valentine,  who 
manage  the  business  in  person.  They  are  men  of 
large  experience,  shrewd  in  their  transactions,  and 
energetic  in  business  matters.  In  1850  the  concern 
was  turning  out  about  twelve  to  fourteen  hundred 
tons  of  pig-metal  and  about  nine  hundred  tons  of 
finished  iron  annually.  '  At  present  the  works  are 
producing  four  thousand  tons  of  pig  iron  and  two 
thousand  tons  of  finished  iron. 

The  iron  ore  used  is  secured  from  lands  leased  or 
owned  by  the  company,  and  is  chiefly  hematite.  The 
larger  proportion  of  the  ore  is  found  in  '■  |)ockets" 
rather  than  in  veins,  and  this  is  often  mixed  with 
limestone  or  clay,. so  that  separation  is  necessary. 
This  was  formerly  accomplished  by  mixing  with  the 
earth,  spreading  it  upon  floors  or  levels,  and  after  be- 
coming dry  it  was  broken  or  pulverized  by  hauling 
large  cast-iron  breakers  over  it.  This  trouble  and  ex- 
pense was  obviated  afterwards  by  the  invention  of 
Abram  Valentine,  mentioned  above,  which  consists 
of  a  shaft  upon  which  are  fastened  cast-iron  teeth. 
These  teeth  act  as  a  screw  when  in  operation,  and  as 
the  shaft  revolves  in  a  long  trough  filled  with  water 
the  ore  passes  through  the  whole  line  of  teeth  and  is 
thoroughly  cleansed. 

The  ore  is  hauled  from  the  mines  to  the  furnace  in 
huge  wagons  drawn  by  six  and  sometimes  eight  mules. 
The  furnace  is  thirty-two  feet  high  from  the  hearth, 
and  has  an  eight-foot  bosh.  It  is  run  by  water- 
power,  and  has  a  capacity  of  from  seventy-five  to 
eighty  tons  a  week.  The  fuel  used  is  charcoal,  for 
the  storage  of  which  there  are  two  large  buildings, 
one  seventy-five  by  eighty,  the  other  two  hundred  by 
fifty.  These  are  filled  during  the  summer  for  winter's 
use.  The  ore  is  hauled  to  the  mouth  of  the  furnace 
on  inclined  planes,  dumped  into  the  furnace,  and 
goes  through  what  is  termed  the  smelting  process,  or 


436 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


converting  ore  into  pig-metal,  wliicli  is  accomplished 
us  follows :  The  furnace  being  filled  from  the  hearth 
to  the  top  with  alternate  layers  of  charcoal  and  ore, 
the  charcoal  is  ignited,  and  a  powerful  blast  applied. 
The  combustion  of  tlie  charcoal  produces  carbonic 
oxide  gas,  being  a  combination  of  carbon  and  oxj'gen 
in  equal  proportions.  Tin's  gas  is  forced  up  tlirough 
the  cliarcoal  and  ore,  until,  coming  in  contact  with 
air  at  the  top  of  the  furnace,  it  takes  fire,  and  passes 
off  in  tliat  continuous  flame  so  often  seen  issuing 
forth.  The  carbon  of  this  gas,  acting  upon  the  ore 
(which  in  the  upper  part  of  the  furnace  has  become 
heated  to  a  temperature  at  which  it  most  readily  de- 
composes), combines  with  the  oxygen  contained  in 
the  ore,  thus  reducing  it  to  the  condition  of  impure 
wrought  or  bar  iron.  Nearly  at  the  same  time  the 
iron  in  this  condition  takes  up  and  combines  witli  a 
certain  proportion  of  carbon,  which  replaces  the  oxy- 
gen it  had  lost,  and  is  called  carbonate  of  iron,  cast 
iron,  or  pig  iron.  In  this  state  it  is  easily  fused,  and 
passing  down  till  it  meets  the  blast  at  the  tuyeres,  it 
melts  and  falls  down  as  a  fluid  to  the  bottom  of  the 
hearth  or  crucible,  where  it  continually  accumulates. 
When  the  crucible  becomes  filled  an  opening  is 
made,  called  the  notch,  which  is  kept  stopped  with 
fire-clay  while  the  hearth  is  filling,  is  pierced  with  a 
sharp  iron  bar,  and  the  molten  metal  flows  out  into 
moulds  made  in  a  bed  of  sand  or  ore  dust.  Mean- 
while the  furnace  is  kept  filled,  and  thus  the  opera- 
tion goes  on  from  year  to  year. 

The  forge  building  is  located  a  short  distance  above 
the  furnace,  and  consists  of  a  main  building  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  by  seventy-five  feet,  with  an  addition 
at  right  angles,  the  dimensions  of  which  are  one  hun- 
dred by  seventy-five  feet.  The  machinery  of  the 
forge  is  propelled  by  two  steam-engines  of  about  forty 
horse-power  each. 

The  next  process  is  the  conversion  of  the  pig  metal 
into  what  is  known  as  wrought  iron.  This  is  effected 
in  a  quadrangular  hearth  or  fireplace,  formed  of  cast- 
iron  plates  and  operated  by  one  or  two  tuyeres,  or 
blow-pipes.  The  tuyere  plates  of  the  hearth  are 
slightly  inclined  inward,  and  the  back  plate  out- 
ward, while  the  front  is  vertical.  The  bottom  of  the 
hearth  is  covered  with  charcoal,  and  above  it  is  piled 
a  charge  of  pig  iron.  Tlie  charcoal  is  ignited,  and  a 
blast,  at  a  pressure  of  about  one  and  a  half  pounds  to 
the  square  inch,  is  applied,  producing  sufficient  heat 
to  melt  the  charge  of  metal,  which  flows  down  through 
the  charcoal  to  the  bottom  of  the  fire.  As  it  flows 
past  the  blast  it  is  partially  oxidized,  and  the  oxide 
thus  formed,  with  the  melted  slag  or  oxide  remaining 
from  previous  operations,  assists  in  decarbonizing  the 
metal.  The  workman  now  raises  the  partially  refined 
iron  from  the  bottom,  bringing  it  repeatedly  in  con- 
tact with  the  blast,  until  the  oxygen  of  the  air  com- 
bining with  the  carbon  of  the  pig  metal  carries  it  off 
as  a  carbonic  oxide,  at  the  same  time  leaving  in  the 
slag  or  cinder,  which,  at  a  certain  stage  of  the  process, 


is  tapped  and  drawn  off  from  the  hearth.  By  this 
operation  the  "charge"  under  treatment  is  converted 
into  a  tough,  malleable  mass  of  wrought,  or,  as  the 
workmen  say,  "  natured"  iron. 

Finally,  the  mass  of  natured  iron  is  again  brought 
repeatedly  in  contact  with  the  blast.  The  oxygen 
then  begins  to  combine  with,  or,  in  other  words,  to 
burn  up  a  portion  of  this  mass  of  iron,  producing 
more  oxide  or  slag,  and  in  so  combining  gives  out  a 
heat  so  great  as  to  bring  the  iron  to  a  semi-fluid  condi- 
tion, in  which  it  drops  down  something  like  melted 
sealing-wax,  cementing  into  a  lump  at  the  bottom  of 
the  fire.  This  is  the  last  operation,  and  this  mass,  or 
"  loup,"  as  it  is  called,  is  taken  to  an  immense  ham- 
mer and  reduced  to  a  shape  suitable  for  being  rolled 
in  the  rolling-mill,  which  is  some  distance  below  the 
furnace.  The  building  is  one  hundred  and  twepty- 
five  b}'  sixty  feet,  and  contains  a  train  of  14-inch 
rolls.  The  iron  as  it  comes  from  the  forge  is  thrown 
into  a  heating  furnace  and  there  kept  until  it  reaches 
a  white  heat,  when  it  is  pulled  out  and  put  through 
the  rolls  by  dexterous  workmen.  The  iron  is  made 
into  difl'erent  shapes  for  the  market.  The  machinery 
in  the  rolling-mill  is  operated  by  water. 

The  Valentines  employ  more  men  than  any  other 
firm  in  Centre  County,  about  three  hundred  persons 
finding  employment  at  their  hands.  During  the  many 
years  the  works  have  existed  no  time  has  been  lost 
for  want  of  work,  and  operations  have  ceased  only 
when  repairs  were  necessary.  In  short  it  has  been 
one  of  our  most  reliable  industries,  and  the  people 
of  Bellefonte  and  vicinity  have  felt  its  influence  for 
good. 

The  firm  liave  the  ore-rights  to  ten  or  twelve  thou- 
sand acres  of  land,  and  own  about  three  hundred 
acres  in  connection  with  the  works.  Their  mines 
turn  out  about  forty  tons  of  ore  per  day,  all  of  which 
is  secured  in  Nittany  valley.  Two  engines  are  used 
at  the  mines  for  pum])ing  water,  etc.,  for  the  washers. 

The  charcoal  used  is  produced  within  a  radius  of 
twenty-five  miles,  and  is  brought  by  rail  and  wagon 
in  beds  constructed  especially  for  that  purpose.  They 
are  hoisted  from  car  or  wagon  by  a  crane,  emptied 
from  the  bottom,  and  replaced. 

The  Iron -Workers'  Church. —  This  building, 
erected  for  purposes  of  worship  at  Valentine  Forge, 
was  dedicated  July  20,  1879.  A  beautil'ul  anthem 
was  sung  by  the  choir  invited  and  formed  for  the  oc- 
casion, and  consisting  of  Miss  Clara  Lyon,  Miss  Mary 
Lyon,  Mr.  Evan  Blanchard,  and  Mr.  Keller,  after 
wdiich  Rev.  J.  M.  King  read  the  opening  hymn,  "All 
Hail  the  Power  of  Jesus'  Name."  Prayer  was 
offered  by  Rev.  W.  A.  Biggart.  Rev.  William  Laurie 
then  read  the  Scripture,  when  another  anthem  fol- 
lowed. Rev.  John  Hewitt  made  the  address,  in 
wdiich  he  stated  the  object  for  which  the  iron-workers' 
building  had  been  erected,  and  urged  the  faithful 
support  and  co-operation  of  all  concerned  in  the  en- 
terprise.    The  address  was  followed  by  prayer  offered 


SPRING  TOWNSHIP. 


437 


by  Rev.  S.  E.  Furst.  An  anthem  was  sung,  when 
Mr.  E.  M.  Blanchard  read  the  lease  of  tlie  property 
on  wliicb  the  house  stands.  Gen.  Beaver's  address 
and  appeal  for  funds  to  wipe  out  the  debt  was  re- 
sponded to  by  a  subscription  and  partial  payment  of 
ninety-three  dollars. 

The  bujlding  will  comfortably  seat  two  hundred 
and  fifty  persons  in  the  audience-rooms  down-stairs. 
The  three  rooms  of  the  upper  floor  are  to  be  used  for 
reading,  talking,  and  innocent  amusements  of  various 
kinds. 

Maxn's  Axe-Factoey. — J.  Fearon  Mann's  Axe- 
Factory  is  located  on  Logan's  Branch,  about  two  miles 
from  Bellefoute.  The  name  of  Mann  has  been  iden- 
tified in  America  with  the  manufacture  of  edge-tools 
through  four  generations,  and  is  known  to-day  the 
country  over  as  the  synonym  for  all  that  is  perfect  in 
the  art  of  axe-making.  Thomas  Mann,  great  grand- 
father to  J.  Fearon  Mann,  was  born  in  Ireland  in 
1750,  and  came  to  America  when  a  lad.  He  engaged 
in  the  business  of  making  edge-topls  at  Braintree, 
Mass.,  and  removing  eventually  to  New  York  State, 
died  there  in  1820.  His  son  William  followed  the 
same  business  at  Johnstown,  N.  Y.,  and  with  him 
until  1823  was  associated  William  Mann,  Jr.  In  1S23 
William,  Jr.,  decided  to  remove  to  Centre  County, 
Pa.,  then  coming  to  general  notice  as  an  iron  country, 
and  upon  his  arrival  obtained  employment  with  Jere- 
miah Heberly,  a  blacksmith,  whose  shop  was  on  Lo- 
gan's Branch.  William  remained  with  Heberly  a 
year,  and  then  worked  a  year  for  John  Hall,  the 
Bellefonte  blacksmith.  In  1825  he  returned  to  New 
York,  and  in  July  of  that  year  came  back  to  Belle- 
fonte accompanied  by  his  brother  Harvey.  They 
worked  at  blacksmithiug  in  Bellefoute  three  years, 
and  in  1828  put  up  a  small  shop  on  Logan's  Branch, 
near  the  site  of  the  present  Mann  axe-factory.  There 
they  began  to  make  axes.  In  1832  they  established 
a  branch  factory  at  Bellefonte,  and  took  in  Franklin 
B.  Smith  as  a  partner.  The  Bellefonte  venture  was 
not  a  success,  and  in  1833  was  given  up.  After  Wil- 
liam and  Harvey  Mann  gave  their  attention  to  the 
Logan's  Branch  works  exclusively,  they  enlarged  the 
factory  to  about  its  present  capacity.  In  1S34,  Wil- 
liam sold  his  interest  to  his  brother  Harvey  and 
moved  to  Mauch  Chunk,  where  that  year  he  founded 
a  Mann  axe-factory.  He  was  burned  out  in  1835, 
and  soon  changed  his  location  to  Lewistown.  There 
he  established  the  present  axe  manufactory  of  Wil- 
liam Mann,  Jr.,  &  Co.  He  died  in  Lewistown  in 
1855.  Harvey  Mann  continued  the  business  on  Lo- 
gan's Branch  on  his  own  account  until  his  death,  in 
1870.  He  was  succeeded  by  Harvey  Mann,  Jr.,  who 
conducted  the  enterprise  until  his  death,  Feb.  27, 
1875. 

The  incident  of  the  death  of  Harvey  Mann,  Jr., 
called  to  the  control  and  proprietorship  of  the  Belle- 
fonte axe-factory  J.  Fearon  Mann,  son  of  William 
Mann,  one  of  the  founders  of  the  works.     J.  Fearon 


Mann  had  been  associated  with  his  brother  William 
in  the  axe-making  business  at  Lewistown,  and  brought 
to  his  new  field  a  thorougli  practical  knowledge  and  a 
ripe  experience  in  that  industry.  Since  taking  charge, 
in  1875,  Mr.  Mann  has  steadily  and  prosperously  con- 
ducted the  Logan's  Branch  factory.  He  manufacture^ 
single-  and  double-bitted  axes,  employs  fifty  men,  and 
turns  out  about  three  hundred  finished  axes  daily. 
His  brand,  "the  Red  Mann  Axe,"  is  known  the 
country  over.  His  works  include  two  forges,  one  fin- 
ishing-shop, and  one  grinding-shop.  About  two  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  tons  of  bar  iron  are  used  annu- 
ally. The  motive  power  used  includes  both  steam 
and  water.  The  "  Mann"  axe  finds  a  market  in  nearly 
every  State  in  the  Union,  and  even  in  foreign  coun- 
tries. Not  long  ago  two  thousand  were  shipped  to 
the  Brazilian  government. 

William  Mann,  Sr.,  came  West  late  in  life,  and 
founded  an  edge-tool  factory  at  Unionville.  He  lived 
a  while  at  Lewistown,  and  died  at  Boiling  Spring,  on 
Logan's  Branch.  Feb.  19,  1860. 

During  the  present  year  (1882)  Mrs.  Jane  Mann, 
widow  of  Harvey  Mann,  Sr.,  erected  a  beautiful 
church  at  Boiling  Springs,  completing  and  furnishing 
it  at  her  own  expense  as  a  memorial  to  her  husband, 
who  was  so  long  identified  with  the  works.  The 
church  is  open  for  services  to  all  evangelical  denomi- 
nations. 

Villages. — Pleasant  Gap. — The  village  of  Pleas- 
ant Gap,  lying  on  the  Lewistown  and  Bellefonte 
pike,  at  the  base  of  Nittany  Mountain,  was  laid 
out  in  1845,  on  land  owned  by  William  Riddle 
and  John  Swaney.  Harrisonville,  just  east  of 
Pleasant  Gap,  was  laid  out  by  Thomas  Harrison  in 
1840,  on  the  old  pike.  When  the  route  of  the  pike 
was  changed  to  its  present  course  Pleasant  Gap  was 
called  into  existence.  The  first  house  in  Harrison- 
ville is  said  to  have  been  put  up  by  Ellis  Horn,  a 
shoemaker.  Thomas  Harrison  built  a  tavern-stand, 
but  it  was  a  rudely-appointed  affair.  The  first 
blacksmith  at  Harrisonville  was  Tom  Taylor.  A 
few  lots  were  sold  and  a  few  dwelling-houses 
erected  at  Harrisonville,  but  the  hamlet  never  rose 
to  the  dignity  of  possessing  either  a  store  or  post- 
office.  The  first  house  at  Pleasant  Gap  was  built 
in  1845  by  John  Swaney.  In  it  he  kept  the  Green 
Tree  tavern,  and  in  it  Ije  lives  to  this  day.  The 
second  house  was  built  by  John  Aramerman.  It  is 
now  the  home  of  J.  G.  Larimer.  The  tavern-stand 
now  carried  on  by  Gottlieb  Haag  was  built  by  Wil- 
liam Riddle  in  1852.  Matthew  Riddle  kept  the  first 
store  in  1840,  having  been,  in  1845,  appointed 
Pleasant  Gap's  first  postmaster.  The  pioneer  black- 
smith of  Pleasant  Gap  was  John  A.  S.  Mallory, 
now  a  resident  of  Marion  township.  The  successive 
store-keepers  at  Pleasant  Gap  after  Matthew  Riddle 
were  Larimer  Bros.,  John  Campbell,  J.  G.  Stone, 
Lawrence  Mclntyre,  and  Stine  &  Co.  In  1875  the 
i  store  building  was  burned.     A  new  one  was  erected 


4n8 


IIISTOIIY    OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


at  once  near  the  old  site.  In  the  new  building 
Conover  &  Son  were  the  last  store-keepers.  They 
closed  it  in  1880,  and  since  then  Pleasant  Gap  has 
been  without  a  store.  The  succession  in  the  post- 
office  has  been  ]\ratthe\v  Riddle,  J.  G.  Stone,  J.  G. 
Larimer,  Jacob  Miller,  Henry  Eckenroth,  Howard 
Barnes,  and  Robert  Barnes.  The  oldest  residents  at 
pleasant  Gap  are  .1.  G.  Larimer,  J.  M.  Furey,  John 
Swaney,  the  Harrisons,  John  Barnes,  and  John  R. 
Tate. 

Michael  Swaney,  father  to  John  Swaney,  located 
upon  the  farm  at  Pleasant  Gap  as  early  as  1800.  That 
part  of  the  county  was  then  very  wild  indeed.  John 
Swaney  says  he  can  well  remember  how  his  father 
used  to  get  up  at  night  and  chase  wolves  from  his 
cabin  door. 

John  Barnes,  tlie  toll-gate  keeper  at  Pleasant  Gap, 
is  a  veteran  of  over  eighty.  He  has  been  a  keeper  of 
toll-gates  in  Centre  County  for  a  half-century. 

CoLEViLLE  is  the  name  of  a  village  on  Buffalo 
Run,  just  outside  the  borough  limits  of  Bellefonte, 
laid  out  in  March,  1869,  by  John  Cole,  who  purchased 
several  acres  from  the  trustees  of  \V.  A.  Thomas  estate. 
Ten  or  twelve  houses  were  built  in  that  year,  and  tlie 
village  has  been  steadily  growing  since. 

Lime, — Tlie  first  lime  shipped  by  rail  from  Centre 
County  was  forwarded  by  William  Shortlidge  in  1863. 
He  burned  it  in  one  of  the  kilns  now  operated  by  A. 
G.  Morris.  Alexander  &  Co.  are  engaged  in  lime- 
burning  just  out  of  Bellefonte,  upon  land  once  in- 
cluded within  the  Simpson  estate.  They  own  about 
thirty  acres  of  limestone  lands,  and  burn  four  kilns, 
with  a  capacity  of  four  hundred  and  fifty  bushels  daily. 
Fifteen  men  are  employed  by  the  firm.  A.  G.  Morris, 
of  Tyrone,  purchased  of  Shortlidge  &  Valentine  in 
1878,  five  acres  of  limestone  lands  and  two  kilns  near 
Bellefonte.  He  burns  now  about  four  hundred  bushels 
daily  in  each  kiln.  Hamilton  Humes  &  Son  built  in 
1856  a  fine  stone  grist-mill  on  Logan's  Branch.  It  is 
now  owned  and  carried  on  by  E.  C.  Humes.  It  con- 
tained originally  four  runs  of  stones.  It  has  now 
three,  and  is  devoted  exclusively  to  custom  work. 

Logan  Grange,  No.  109,  was  organized  in  1874,  at 
the  house  of  Cliristian  Gale,  Jr.,  with  a  membership 
of  about  thirty.  The  first  Master  was  M.  P.  Weaver, 
the  Overseer,  William  Tibbins,  and  Secretary,  Chris- 
tian Dale,  Jr.  Meetings  are  regularly  held  on  the 
first  and  third  Saturdays  of  each  month,  at  Mr.  W. 
Dale's.  The  officers  in  1881  were  Philip  Dale,  M. ; 
John  Roush,  0.;  William  Dale,  L. ;  John  Musser, 
Chaplain ;  George  Dale,  Sec. ;  Philip  Barnhart,  Treas. 

ContaMm—VriUinm  Coniipny,  1801;  Jumps  Foster,  1802-3;  nudson 
Willi.ims,  1SU4;  JoliTi  Mi-Conl,  ISO.");  GiilbraUU  Knnx.  1800;  I'liilip 
Uonnei-,  1807  ;  Richiira  Cnrpy,  1808-0;  Williiiin  Biiii-d,  1810;  Williiim 
Smilli,  1811  ;  .ToliM  DiMiKlas,  1812-13:  Juliu  Furey,  1814-10  ;  JiicoU 
HoMsor,  ISH;  llidiiinl  C^i.y,  1818-211 ;  Miuliii  JU-osf,  1821  ;  Julin 
Leltcniiiiii,  lS2i;  Itiilmrd  CiiH'V,  ISJIi;  (i.j.irKi-  Culirl,  1821;  .Tiimos 
lieaidw,  182.i-'Ji;;  Willi. nil  Unn-i^.  1S2T-28;  (.ic.rKt-  Williiims,  1829; 
John  liiirr,  i8:lO;  Jolui  Jiidoon,  1831  ;  Tlioiiris  Ad;iiii.,  18:i2;  Jainua 
Gordon,  1833;  Henry  Swartz,  18.4;  William  l)uvirls.,i,,  ls:l,-,-:l(;; 
Taskcr  Knox,  1837;   G.  Taylor,  1838;  William   Uiddle,  Jr.,  1830; 


Jeremiah  Furey.  1840;  C.  Itoop,  1841;  Thomas  Caldwell,  1842-44; 
J.  S.  Paisons,  1845;  William  T.  BrisWn,  1840;  John  Furey,  1847-50;; 
James  Furey,  1851  ;  George  IJoy,  Francis  Jodon,  1854;  R.  B.  Valen- 
tine, George  Hoy,  1855 ;  Kichard  Brooks,  1850  ;  Isaac  Lose,  185T-lifl; 
Francis  Steel,  1801-02;  Albert  Hoy,  1803  ;  Noah  Husser,  Alexander 
Miller,  1804;  A.  J.  Swart/.,  1805;  C.  BuniRardner,  1800;  .Tereniiah 
Eekeiirotli,  1867;  C.  C.  Taylor,  1808;  'William  Orner,  1800;  Jacob 
Barlot,  1870;  John  K.  Tate,  1871;  Lot  Strnble,  1872;  Benjamin 
Conily,  1873  ;  John  Swaiin,  1874  ;  James  Ginter,  1873  ;  John  Harri- 
son, 1870;  J.  W.  Weaver,  1877;  Nelson  Lucas,  1878;  J.  M.  Kline, 
1879;  Nelson  Lucas,  1880-81. 
Jiisfiees  of  the  Piece.— William  Marshall,  William  Furey,  April  14, 1840; 
William  Beard,  William  Marshall,  April  15,  1845;  William  Beard, 
Jesse  C.  Klinger,  March  12, 1850;  H.  B.Tate,  William  lingers,  March 
17,  1854;  Samuel  Potter,  Francis  Jodon,  March  13,  1856;  David 
Weaver,  March  12,  1850;  A.  F.  Boalick,  March  17,  1867;  Kohert 
Thompson,  March  24,  1859;  Francis  Jodon,  April  10,  1800;  Mark  G. 
Williams  March  20,  1804;  Francis  Jodon,  April  0,  1805;  Henry 
Eckenroth,  March  18,  1807  ;  Henry  Eckenroth,  March  27,  1872;  M. 
r.  Weaver,  March  31,  1873;  Henry  Eckenroth,  March  28,  1877; 
Daniel  C.  Grove,  April  5, 1879. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH. 


LIEUT.    ABRAII    V.    MILLER. 

Abram  V.  Miller's  ancestors  were  Quakers,  and 
among  the  early  settlers  of  Chester  County,  then  in 
the  Province  of  Pennsylvania.  His  father,  Robert 
Valentine  Miller,  born  12th  of  8th  month,  1795,  son 
of  Reuben  and  Tamazine  (Valentine)  Miller,  came 
to  Centre  County  with  the  Valentine  brotiiers  in 
1815.  He  married  Elizabeth  Lytle,  of  Union  County, 
and  was  engaged  in  Mill  Hall  Iron-Works,  after 
which  he  removed  to  Lexington,  Ky.,  where  he  had 
charge  of  an  iron-store  and  of  the  interests  of  the 
Valentine  brothers.  While  in  the  West  he  served  in 
the  United  States  army,  and  was  discharged  by  his 
captain  (late  Gen.),  W.  J.  Worth,  of  Company  A, 
First  United  States  Artillery,  May  18, 1830.  Return- 
ing to  Centre  County,  he  died  in  August,  186.3. 

His  son,  Abram  V.,  was  born  in  Spring  township 
April  24, 1838,  where  he  was  brought  up,  and  at  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion  he  volunteered  with 
the  Bellefonte  Fencibles,  which  became  Company  H, 
Second  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  in  the  three-months' 
service.  After  his  return  from  that  service  he  en- 
listed in, the  First  Pennsylvania  Reserves  Cavalry 
Regiment,  in  which  he  served  nearly  two  years,  and 
was  discharged  on  account  of  wounds  received  in  the 
service,  liaving  two  ribs  and  his  arm  broken.  These 
wounds  did  not  keep  him  out  of  the  service  long. 
He  went  to  work  recruiting  for  the  One  Hundred  and 
Eighty-fourth  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  was  promoted 
a  lieutenant,  and  on  the  22d  of  June,  1864,  was  terri- 
bly wounded  in  front  of  Petersburg,  Va.  His  left 
shoulder  was  broken  by  a  minie-ball,  he  was  wounded 
on  the  head,  and  lost  his  under  jaw  and  eleven  teeth, 
receiving  five  distinct  wounds  in  that  engagement. 

Lieut.  Miller  was  married  Sept.  25,  1865,  to  Jane, 
daughter  of  Samuel  Potter,  who  was  a  son  of  Fergus 
Potter,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Potter  township. 


'V//^  v^. 


TAYLOR  TOWNSHIP. 


439 


Since  1874,  Lieut.  Miller  has  been  a  United  States 
ganger  and  store-keeper  for  this  collection  district. 
His  brother,  Jacob  V.  Miller,  a  member  of  Company 
H,  Forty-fifth  Pennsylvania,  was  killed  in  the  battle 
of  South  Mountain,  Sept.  14,  1862.  Lieut.  Miller  is 
noted  as  a  farmer,  for  the  excellent  stock  he  keeps, 
and  for  his  model  farm,  and  with  his  wife,  for  their 
generous  hospitality.  From  the  front  porch  of  his 
house,  near  Pleasant  Gap,  one  of  the  finest  views  is 
presented  that  the  eye  need  wish  to  look  upon. 
From  the  towering  mountain  on  the  left,  overshadow- 
ing the  premises,  as  it  were,  the  landscape  is  unob- 
structed from  the  State  College  to  Jacksonville,  and 
the  scene  is  superb  beyond  description. 


CHAPTER    LXXXVL 

TAYLOR  TOWNSHIP. 

Surveys. — The  earliest  surveys  made  in  the  terri- 
tory of  this  township  were  made  along  Bald  Eagle 
Creek  in  the  southeastern  portion  of  the  township. 
They  were  on  warrants  in  the  name  of  Joseph  Down- 
ing, Samuel  Downing,  Richard  Downing,  Abner 
Webb,  Isaac  Webb,  warrants  of  Dec.  8, 1784,  surveyed 
22d  and  23d  of  April,  1785.  The  Webbs  are  described 
as  about  thirty  miles  from  the  Nest.  Samuel  Lewis 
and  J.  McMarkley  live  on  the  Joseph  Downing. 
Logan  Station,  Tyrone  and  Lock  Haven  Railroad,  is 
on  the  Samuel  Downing,  and  John  T.  Fowler's  resi- 
dence is  on  the  Abner  Webb.  Southeastward  of 
Richard  Downing  and  Abner  Webb,  on  Muncy  Moun- 
tain, lies  the  Christian  Vanpool  warrant  April  8, 
1863.  East  of  Isaac  Webb  lies  the  James  Irvin  war- 
rant Aug.  4,  1784,  surveyed  Sept.  10,  1784;  and  east 
of  James  Irvin  the  Thomas  McKean,  William  Brad- 
ford, James  Carothers,  and  Jared  Ingersoll  surveys, 
known  of  old  as  the  Billington  lands.  The  southern 
tier  of  the  large  block  known  as  the  Gratz  lands, 
which  extend  beyond  Julian, — i.e.,  the  Charles  Pettit, 
Aaron  Levy,  of  that  tier,  warrants  of  Dec.  24,  1792, 
surveyed  in  July,  1793 — interfere  largely  with  the 
Billington  lands. 

North  and  west  of  the  Downing  surveys,  covering 
nearly  the  whole  of  Taylor  township,  lies  a  large 
block  of  surveys  known  as  the  Morgan  lands,  or 
Daniel  Turner  block.  This  block  extends,  including 
the  Daniel  Turner  warrant  of  Jan.  18,  1794,  surveyed 
June  1,  1794,  on  which  the  city  of  Tyrone  is  built. 
No.  30  west  nine  miles,  about  to  what  are  known  as 
the  Lowdon  &  Co.  lands,  or  Hardman  Philips  lands. 
In  the  centre  of  the  Turner  block  the  space  of  five 
tracts  is  left  unsurveyed  as  occupied  by  the  Moore  set- 
tlement. The  county  line  runs  through  this  settle- 
ment (or  space  left).  A  Spanish-oak  corner  of  Han- 
nah Turner  and  Daniel  Turner  on  the  west  line  of  the 
vacant  space  is  now  (1882)  a  well-known  monument 


of  this  block  ;  and  a  maple  corner  known  as  "  Fink's 

Maple,"  southeast  corner  of  Charles  Lowdon,  on  the 
eastern  line  of  the  block,  and  a  maple  corner  knowti 
as  "Huff's  Maple,"  northeast  corner  of  the  John  Mil- 
ler warrant  March  13,  1794  (of  Turner  block),  the 
most  northerly  survey, — common  corner  of  the  Miller 
and  the  Daniel  Witmore  warrant  of  Jan.  16,  1793, 
surveyed  April  7,  1793  (of  the  Lowdon  &  Co.,  or 
Philips  lands),  were  testified  to  in  a  recent  ejectment 
(1882),  Mcrryman  vs.  Fowler,  as  identified  corners  of 
the  Turner  block. 

North  of  the  Turner  block  lie  the  Lowdon  &  Co. 
lands.  Immediately  north  of  Barbara  Snyder  and 
Thomas  Arthur  warrants  of  March  13,  1794  (Turner 
block),  lie  the  George  Slough,  Jacob  Slough,  Matthias 
Slough  warrants  of  Dec.  24,  1792,  surveyed  April  8, 
1793  (of  Lowdon  &  Co.,  Philips  lands).  Accord- 
ing to  the  testimony  in  the  Merryman  !\?.  Fowler  case 
(Common  Pleas  Centre  County),  tried  Dec.  8,  1882, 
there  is  not  land  enough  for  the  Turner  block,  and 
the  Barbara  Snyder  and  Thomas  Arthur  would  give 
way  to  the  block  north  of  it,  or  the  deficiency,  as  de- 
cided by  Judge  Mayer,  of  the  Turner  block  be  appor- 
tioned among  its  warrants. 

Of  the  Turner  block  (southeast  end),  all  of  the 
Samuel  Lamb  and  Susannah  Laiiib  warrants  Jan.  18, 
1794,  lie  upon  the  surveys  of  1785,  Baldwins,  Down- 
ings,  as  does  part  of  the  Catherine  Lamb,  west  of  Sam- 
uel Lamb.  The  three  last  are  located  almost  entirely 
south  of  the  Centre  County  line.  Nearly  one-half  of 
the  John  Harrison  and  John  Lowdon  tracts  of  the 
Turner  block  interfere  with  the  Baldwins  and  Down- 
ings.  On  the  Thomas  Maston  and  Richard  White- 
head surveys  of  Turner  block  is  located  a  well-marked 
survey  in  the  name  of  Moses  Coates  warrant  of  Jan. 
28,  1800,  surveyed  March  1,  1800,  but  relating  to  a 
settlement  made  upon  it  by  Thomas  Vaughan  in  1792, 
and  therefore  superior,  and  admitted  to  be  so,  to 
Wliitehead  and  Maston  surveys.  On  an  old  survey, 
Jacob  Vanpool's  cabin  and  Daniel  Carahen  improve- 
ment are  marked  as  the  John  McCammand  ;  north  of 
the  Thomas  Maston,  John  Vanpool's  improvement  is 
marked  as  on  the  eastern  line;  Richard  Whitehead 
by  a  run  called  John  Vanpool's  Run  ;  Richard  Cop- 
Iain's  improvement  is  marked  on  the  William  Wilson 
warrant.  Robert  Henderson  and  Leonard  Merryman 
improvements  are  marked  as  on  the  Charles  Lowdon  ; 
Elijah  Merryman's  as  on  Joseph  Clark  and  Charles 
Lowdon;  Jlichael  Weidner,  March  20,  1851,  and 
George  Markley  warrants  March  10,  1851,  are  marked 
as  laid  on  the  Thomas  Maston  and  Joseph  Clark  ; 
Peter  Moore  is  located  on  the  John  Lee ;  and  the  Vin- 
cent Stevens  warrant  is  located  on  the  John  Sherrick 
warrant  of  Jan.  18,  1794,  where  John  Copenhaver's 
hotel  stood. 

John  Copenhaver's  saw-mill  is  on  the  John  Hoover 
warrant  of  Jan.  18,  1794.  On  the  western  portion  of 
John  Hoover  and  partly  on  the  Moore  settlement 
space  are  the  lands  of  George  Woomer's  heirs  and 


440 


HISTORY    OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


"William  Woomer's  heirs.  On  the  Joshua  Williams 
warrant  and  Thomas  Maston  and  Joseph  Clark  sur- 
veys is  located  a  warrant  of  Joseph  Drake  433  a.  159 
p.  of  July  G,  179o,  and  south  of  it,  on  the  Lee,  Clark, 
Sherrick,  and  McGee,  is  located  a  warrant  of  Margaret 
Craig,  409  a.  40  p.  of  April  17,  1793. 

Pioneer  Settlers. — The  earliest  settlements  in  Tay- 
lor of  which  information  can  be  had  were  made  by 
persons  who  came  for  the  purpose  of  hunting,  and 
who,  being  charmed  with  the  natural  beauty  of  the 
country  and  apparent  fertility  of  the  soil,  tarried  and 
followed  the  chase  for  some  time,  built  small  log  huts 
or  cabins,  cleared  little  plots  of  land,  marked  off 
tracts,  and  after  twenty-one  years  claimed  tliem  by 
improvement  right.  At  this  time  and  for  years  after 
deer,  bears,  wolves,  panthers,  and  wild-cats  were 
numerous.  On  a  foggy  or  cloudy  day  the  wolves 
could  be  heard  howling  for  two  hours  before  night. 
Many  wolves  were  shot  and  trapped,  and  as  there  was 
a  bounty  of  twelve  dollars  per  scalp,  the  earlier  set- 
tlers derived  therefrom  a  considerable  revenue.  Wil- 
liam Birge,  or  Billy  Bird  as  he  was  commonly  called, 
was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers,  and  from  the  meagre 
facts  to  be  gleaned,  he  came  to  the  western  part  of  the 
township,  and  m.ade  an  improvement  during  the  latter 
part  of  the  eighteeiith  century.  It  is  not  possible  to 
determine  the  exact  time  of  his  coming,  but  it  was 
probably  as  early  as  1790.  He  was  a  hunter  and 
trapper. 

Peter  Jackson  came  to  Taylor  about  the  same  time, 
or  probably  with  William  Birge.  He  found  farming 
more  congenial  to  his  taste,  and  finally  settled  on  the 
Pool  property. 

A  party  of  hunters  came  from  Maryland  about  the 
year  1792.  They  encamped  on  the  Alleghenies,  and 
roamed  over  Black-Oak  Ridge  and  surrounding  coun- 
try in  quest  of  game,  but  finally  chose  this  as  their 
abiding  place;  and  erecting  houses  of  the  primitive 
style,  they  dwelt  here  the  remainder  of  their  days. 
TheVaughn  brothers — Richard,  Benjamin,  and  Joseph 
— were  of  this  party.  Joseph  settled  in  Worth  town- 
ship, and  is  spoken  of  in  its  history.  Richard  and 
Benjamin  settled  in  Taylor  and  made  improvements, 
but  spent  considerable  time  in  hunting. 

Elijah  Merriman  came  also  with  them.  After  fol- 
lowing the  chase  for  some  time  he  built  a  little  log 
house  on  the  red-shoal  lands  of  Black-Oak  Ridse, 
cleared  a  small  piece  of  ground,  and  in  due  time  laid 
claim  to  the  tract  of  land  he  had  "  marked  in." 

This  farm  is  now  owned  by  his  son  Thomas.  He 
used  to  tell  how,  when  he  was  hunting  on  a  steep  hill 
near  by,  he  would  start  large  stones  rolling  down  the 
hill  for  sport,  little  thinking  that  he  should  afterward 
own  the  same  lands  and  be  compelled  to  haul  them 
off.  His  children  were  George,  Mary,  Keziah,  Lija, 
Phoebe,  Leonard,  William,  John,  Charles,  Nancy, 
Thomas,  Rebecca,  and  Isabel. 

Tliomas  Vaughn  moved  to  Taylor  at  an  early  date, 
and  followed  farming.     His  son  Thomas  was  born  in 


1808,  married  in  1835,  and  died  1862.  His  wife, 
Susanna,  is  a  daughter  of  the  late  Henry  Sharrer, 
and  is  yet  living.  Henry  Sharrer  came  to  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  township  prior  to  1806.  He  erected 
a  powder-mill  and  afterward  a  saw-mill. 

Other  early  settlers  were  Robert  Henderson,  Abrani 
Tippery,  and  Freddy  Foy.  George  Gepheart,  of  Tay- 
lor township,  this  county,  died  on  the  3d  of  August, 
1879,  in  the  ninety-eighth  year  of  his  age.  The  old 
gentleman  had  lived  about  fifty  years  in  Taylor 
township,  but  during  all  that  time  never  ventured 
upon  a  railroad  train.  He  lived  by  himself,  and  was 
eccentric  in  his  habits. 

Roads. — For  several  years  after  the  settlement  of 
Taylor  there  were  no  roads  deserving  the  name,  they 
were  mere  bridle-paths.  The  roads  of  a  later  day 
were  made  by  chopping  away  the  trees  to  a  width  of 
fifteen  or  twenty  feet.  The  stumps  and  rocks  which 
were  in  the  way  were  not  disturbed.  These  roads  led 
through  creeks,  boggy  places,  over  hills  and  moun- 
tains, and  in  the  spring,  when  the  streams  were 
swollen  and  the  ground  between  I'ocks  and  stumps 
converted  into  sloughs,  the  reader  can  imagine  the 
difficulties  of  the  traveler.  Wagons  were  not  used 
in  that  day,  but  the  loads  were  placed  on  pack-horses 
and  conveyed  to  their  destination  by  tedious  jour- 
neys. 

Taylor  township  now  has  good  roads.  The  public 
road  through  the  valley  was  completed  in  1852,  and 
farms  were  opened,  mills  erected,  and  business  in- 
creased. The  opening  of  the  Tyrone  and  Philipsburg 
turnpike  increased  trade  and  travel  to  an  extraordi- 
nary degree.  Township  roads  and  private  roads  have 
been  constructed,  and  all  points  of  the  township  are 
accessible  by  passable  highways. 

Industries. — The  first  manufacturing  interest  in 
the  township  was  the  making  of  powder.  As  stated, 
the  pioneers  were  hunters,  and  as  game  was  plenty 
they  enjoyed  the  sport  as  long  as  they  could  procure 
ammunition.  Mr.  Henry  Sharrer  erected  a  rude  mill 
some  years  after  he  came  to  this  township,  which  was 
about  1806,  and  began  the  manufacture  of  this  article. 
It  was  in  great  demand  among  the  pioneers  for  many 
miles  around.  It  is  spoken  of  as  having  been  of  ex- 
cellent quality. 

When  the  making  of  powder  ceased  to  be  profitable, 
Sharrer  dismantled  the  powder-mill,  and  erected  a 
saw-mill  about  the  year  1831.  It  was  of  very  primi- 
tive construction,  and  had  a  sawing  capacity  of  five 
hundred  feet  per  day.  It  was  the  first  saw-mill  in 
Taylor.  This  was  a  heavily-timbered  region,  and 
several  mills  have  since  been  erected,  but  as  their 
history  would  be  neither  interesting  nor  profitable  we 
note  but  few. 

The  first  steam  saw-mill  was  owned  and  operated 
by  John  Taylor.  At  present  there  is  a  saw-mill  near 
Sharrer's  Run,  which  is  carried  on  by  Christian 
Sharrer.  It  has  a  capacity  of  about  ten  thousand 
feet  per  day. 


TAYLOR   TOWNSHIP. 


441 


John  Copenhaver  came  to  the  southwestern  part  of 
the  township  in  1862  and  built  a  hotel.  When  the 
turnpike  was  completed  through  this  section  travel 
increased  so  that  lie  was  obliged  to  enlarge  his  build- 
ings to  accommodate  all.  He  opened  a  distillery 
about  1875,  and  continued  to  distill  strong  drink  until 
the  spring  of  1880,  since  which  time  the  distillery  has 
been  closed,  and  he  now  keeps  a  temperance  house. 

Schools.— The  first  school-house  of  which  we  can  get 
information  was  built  near  where  the  Mount  Pleasant 
Church  now  stands,  prior  to  1828,  and  was  known  as  the 
Bald  Eagle  school-house.  It  was  a  small  log  structure, 
with  open  fireplace,  wooden  chimney,  seats  of  primi- 
tive style,  and  would  not  be  called  more  than  a  cabin 
now,  but  it  served  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  erected 
quite  as  well  to  the  children  of  the  SLturdy  yeomanry  of 
that  day  as  our  modern  school-houses  do  the  children 
of  the  present.  The  teachers  were  Mr.  Mahalley,  Mr. 
Reynolds,  George  Fry,  and  Daniel  Duvinney.  The 
next  school-house  was  built  south  of  Hannah  Furnace. 
It  was  provided  with  a  stove  cast  at  Hannah  Furnace. 
John  Weaver,  Sr.,  who  moved  to  Hickory  Bottom  in 
1833,  sent  his  children  a  distance  of  about  seven 
miles  to  this  school.  The  dense  growth  of  hickory-  i 
trees  darkened  the  path  so  that  the  children  had  to  i 
start  by  pine-light  in  order  to  be  at  school  on  time,  i 
In  the  evening  one  of  the  boys  would  feed  the  stock 
while  others  hunted  "rich  pine"  and  split  it  into 
convenient  size  to  light  them  to  school  next  morning. 
The  teachers  were  Eobert  Suggers  and  Mr.  Wilson. 
At  present  this  township  comprises  what  is  known  as 
Taylor's  school  district,  and  has  five  schools,  viz.: 
Belle  Hollow,  Mount  Vernon,  Hannah,  Henderson, 
and  Wildwood.  The  houses  range  in  value  from  five 
hundred  to  seven  hundred  dollars.  In  1880  the  num- 
ber of  pupils  was  one  hundred  and  fifty-nine,  and  the 
percentage  of  attendance  seventy-one. 

Religious. — The  traveling  itinerants  held  services 
in  the  pioneer  dwellings  at  an  early  day.  The 
pioneers  also  attended  divine  worship  in  Elder's  grist- 
mill, in  Worth  township,  as  early  as  1815.  Daniel  Du- 
vinney was  a  minister  in  the  United  Brethren  church, 
and  when  he  came  to  teach  the  Bald  Eagle  school  he 
held  meetings  in  the  school-house  and  settlers'  houses. 
Revs.  James  Linn,  White,  Taylor,  and  Sidman  were 
some  of  the  early  ministers. 

Services  are  held  regularly  at  Hickory  Bottom  and 
at  Henderson's  school-house  by  the  Methodists,  but 
they  have  no  church  edifice. 

The  United  Brethren  worshiped  for  several  years 
in  the  Henderson  school-house,  and  then,  through 
the  efforts  of  S.  H.  McMunagle,  David  Henderson, 
and  others,  funds  were  secured,  and  they  built 

Mount  Pleasant  Church. — This  frame  edifice  was 
built  on  Black-Oak  Ridge.  Work  upon  it  was  com- 
menced in  1859.  The  board  of  trustees  at  this  time 
was  Thomas  Vaughn,  David  Henderson,  and  Stephen 
McMunagle.  The  church  was  dedicated  by  Rev.  W. 
S.  H.  Keys  in  the  spring  of  1860,  during  Rev.  R.  G. 


Rankin's  pastorate.  It  was  repaired  during  the  pas- 
torate of  Rev.  J.  M.  Smith,  in  1873,  and  was  remod- 
eled in  1881,  at  a  cost  of  four  hundred  dollars,  under 
the  pastorate  of  Rev.  L.  W.  Stahl.  It  was  reopened 
Sunday,  Sept.  18, 1881,  Rev.  M.  Spangler,  of  Altoona, 
officiating. 

The  constituent  members  were  S.  H.  McMunagle, 
Eve  McMunagle,  D.  Henderson  and  wife,  Polly 
Henderson,  Nancy  Henderson,  Lydia  Vaughn,  and 
Polly  Vaughn. 

The  following  preachers  have  served  the  people 
since  the  society  was  first  organized,  about  1841 : 
Revs.  Henry  Keppart,  C.  Crowel,  J.  L.  Holmes,  H. 
Lowel,  R.  G.  Rankin,  J.  Potts,  Isa  Potter,  D.  Sheerer, 
J.  Walker,  James  Grant,  J.  A.  Clemm,  J.  Reynolds, 
C.  F.  Bowers,  W.  Stephenson,  D.  Speck,  W.  S.  H. 
Keys,  A.  Crowel,  J.  L.  Baker,  H.  Moore,  J.  G.  Steiner, 
James  M.  Smith,  D.  Strayer,  and  L.  W.  Stahl,  the  lat- 
ter being  the  pastor  in  1881. 

Present  membership  is  sixty.  The  trustees  in  1881 
were  D.  Henderson,  Thomas  Merriman,  S.  Nearhoof, 
A.  Burns,  and  George  W.  Merriman. 

Burial-Places. — The  only  burial-place  in  Taylor 
township  is  Mount  Pleasant  Cemetery.  It  is  part  of 
the  plot  of  ground  on  which  Mount  Pleasant  Church 
stands,  and  was  occupied  as  a  burial-place  several 
years  before  the  church  was  built. 

In  this  city  of  the  dead  lie  many  of  the  pioneers  of 
AVorth  and  Taylor  townships.  Their  last  resting- 
places  are  marked,  in  some  instances,  by  stones, 
which  the  pioneers  selected  sometimes  years  before 
death,  and  on  which  their  names  are  cut  in  rude  let- 
ters. The  inscriptions  of  some  have  been  obliterated. 
Among  the  inscriptions  .are  the  following  : 

"  B.  Vaughn,  D.  M.  10,  IS-ll." 

■William  Merriman,  born  March  9,  1814,  died  Nov.  H,  1S7S,  aged  04 
yeai-s,  8  months,  and  5  days. 
Mary,  wife  of  Thomas  McCoy,  died  March  16,  1S44,  aged  ahout  43 

David  Henderson,  died  July  25,  lS5t,  aged  35  years,  11  months. 

In  memory  of  our  father,  Steplien  H.  McMunagle,  died  July  30, 1S7J, 
aged  81  years  and  9  months. 

John  Melcher,  died  Dec.  27,  1SG2,  aged  47  ycare,  1  month,  and  11 
days. 

Susannah  Markley,  wife  of  Geoi*ge  Markley,  died  Sept.  16, 1853,  aged 
Gl  years,  5  months,  and  6  d.ays. 

Samuel  Beamer,  died  May  26,  1SG3,  aged  OG  years,  3  months,  and  6 
days. 

John  S  Fink,  Co.  K,  110th  Eegt.  Pa.  Vols.,  died  Jan.  21,  ISSO,  aged  69 
years,  10  monllis,  and  1  day. 

Hannah,  wife  of  J.  S.  Fink,  died  Jnne  4, 1864,  aged  52  years. 

John  Vanpool,  died  July  4,  lS6:i,  aged  55  years,  11  months,  and  5 
days. 

John  Amiegh,  died  May  27,  1867,  aged  68  years,  1  month,  and  2 
days. 

Esther  E.,  wife  of  J.  Amiegh,  died  .^ug.  27,  185S,  aged  57  years. 

IndustHes. — H.axxah  Fuexace. — This  hamlet  is 
situated  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  township.  It 
is  touched  by  the  Bald  Eagle  Valley  Railrotxd  and 
the  public  road  through  the  valley,  and  contains  nine 
private  residences  and  one  school-house. 

Since  the  furnace  ceased  operations  the  place  has 
been  without  historical  interest.     In  1832  the  firm  of 


442 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Lloyd  &  McNamara  started  their  furnace,  on  a  beau- 
tiful Sabbath-day  for  luck,  and  in  the  presence  of  a 
"crowd"  of  about  twelve  named  it  Hannah  Furnace, 
in  honor  of  Hannah  Filoyd,  a  daughter  of  one  of  the 
owners.  It  went  out  of  blast  in  the  year  1850,  under 
the  management  of  Campbell,  Stevenss  &  Co.  Wood 
was  coaled  on  lands  in  the  township,  the  limestone 
was  quarried  on  Muncy  Mountain,  and  the  iron  ore 
was  hauled  over  this  mountain  from  Half-Moon  and 
vicinity. 

Fowler  is  situated  on  the  line  of  the  Bald  Eagle 
Valley  Railroad,  nearly  twenty-four  miles  west  of 
Bellefonte.  The  railway  officials  had  a  neat  little 
depot  built,  and  for  several  years  there  was  a  regular 
agency  here.  Fowler  was  once  an  important  lumber- 
shipping  point.  The  agency  was  withdrawn  in  1881, 
and  it  is  now  a  flag-station. 

This  hamlet  contains  a  post-office,  store,  owned  by 
John  T.  Fowler,  and  eight  private  residences.  It  is 
also  accessible  through  the  public  road  to  the  valley. 

John  T.  Fowler,  residing  at  Fowler  Station,  was  born 
in  Maryland  in  1839.  His  maternal  ancestors,  the 
Stockhams,  were  English  Quakers,  and,  coming  to 
America  with  William  Penn,  settled  at  Penn's  Manor, 
in  Bucks  County.  His  paternal  ancestors  (the  Fow- 
lers) were  early  settlers  in  the  State  of  New  York. 
Mr.  Fowler's  father  was  a  blacksmith,  and  in  1846  was 
killed  by  the  kick  of  a  mule.  In  1848  the  widow  and 
her  family  removed  to  Philadelphia.  His  mother  was 
poor,  and  from  that  time  forward  young  John  began 
to  earn  his  own  living.  He  was  bred  to  the  house- 
carpenter's  trade,  and  in  1866  engaged  in  business  on 
his  own  account  at  Old  Chester.  In  1868  he  moved  to 
Clearfield  County,  where  he  lumbered  two  years,  and 
then  changed  his  base  to  Rush  township,  in  Centre 
County.  In  1871  he  bought  a  tract  of  twelve  hun- 
dred acres,  now  occupied  by  his  farm  at  Fowler,  and 
bought  also  the  timber-right  upon  thirteen  thousand 
acres  of  land  in  the  Bald  Eagle  valley.  Mr.  Fowler's 
location  upon  his  present  home  was  made  when  the 
place  was  a  thick  forest,  and  when  no  one  seemed  to 
care  much  about  either  clearing  land  there  or  living 
there.  With  his  accustomed  energy  he  set  about 
making  a  garden-spot  in  the  wilderness,  and  as  a 
result  he  has  to-day  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  the 
county.  In  1877  he  began  the  erection  of  his  present 
residence  and  farm-buildings,  for  which  he  himself 
drafted  the  designs,  and  gave  his  personal  superin- 
tendence to  the  work.  In  1878  the  home  was  com- 
pleted, and  by  all  who  have  observed  it  ranks  as  a 
model  of  its  kind.  To  the  passing  railw.iy  traveler  Mr. 
Fowler's  residence  and  farm-buildings  appear  as  one 
of  the  most  striking  pictures  in  the  valley  along  the 
line  of  the  road.  No  handsomer  or  more  perfectly- 
appointed  similar  collection  can  be  found.  Mr.  Fow- 
ler has  been  engaged  in  lumbering  since  his  youth. 
His  operations  in  that  field  are  now  very  extensive. 
Besides  owning  twelve  hundred  acres  of  farm-lands 
at  Fowler  and  the  timber  on  thirteen  thousand  acres 


in  the  valley  adjacent,  he  owns,  in  fee  simple,  four 
thousand  acres  in  timbered  lands  lying  in  Liberty, 
Curtin,  Howard,  and  Boggs  townships.  He  owns 
also  three  large  saw-mills,  at  which  he  turns  out  from 
fifty  thousand  to  sixty  thousand  feet  of  bill  timber 
daily,  or  nearly  twenty  millions  annually.  Mill  No. 
1  is  located  within  three  miles  of  Eagleville,  and  was 
established  in  1871.  It  has  a  capacity  of  from 
twenty-five  to  thirty  thousand  per  day.  No.  2, 
started  in  1871,  is  in  Curtin,  and  cuts  from  ten  to 
fifteen  thousand  daily.  No.  3,  at  Fowler,  has  been 
in  operation  since  1880.  Its  capacity  is  from  ten  to 
fifteen  thousand  a  day.  Mr.  Fowler  cuts  nothing  but 
bill  timber,  and  only  for  railway  companies  and  a  few 
private  firms,  the  latter  of  whom  have  dealt  with  him 
for  the  past  twenty-five  years.  He  gives  steady  em- 
ployment to  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  men,  and 
disburses  monthly  from  four  to  five  thousand  dollars 
in  wages.  He  is,  moreover,  reckoned  the  largest  single 
real-estate  owner  in  Tyrone,  his  property  there  in- 
cluding, among  other  items,  the  Ward  House  and 
the  Presbyterian  Church.  At  Fowler  he  carried  on 
also  a  store.  Mr.  Fowler's  mother,  now  residing  with 
him,  is  in  her  eighty-fourth  year.  She  was  thrice 
married,  and,  singular  to  remark,  each  of  her  hus- 
bands met  an  accidental  death.  Her  children  have 
numbered  twenty-three,  of  whom  she  raised  seven- 
teen ;  seven  of  the  .seventeen  are  still  living.  Mrs. 
Smith,  one  of  Mr.  Fowler's  grandaunts,  died  in  Bucks 
County  in  1879,  at  the  age  of  one  hundred  and  thirteen, 
upon  the  very  farm  that  she  and  her  husband  cleared 
when  the  country  was  new. 

ASSESSMENT-LIST   OF   TATLOE  TOWNSUIP   IN   1S49. 

Niinies.  Acres.  '  Nampi.  Acres. 

William  Adilleman 4-211  '  Lcmiiivil  IMfnim.in .'.0 

Jucob  Bluck's  jieirs 7i;      l-anM, .,-,,.    200 

.I.B^cli rm     M.  ;.'i.  II  M.  MiiMiigle 236 

lilicll,  Stephens  &  Co  ... 


Willi; 


Ililln 


J..hii  Ell 
J.ilni  Kii 
Ailarii  IM 


Daviil  Ileiide 


II    M  Mil 


84 


!&  ISfclcwith.. 


60  I  KicliuKl  Vaiiglin,. 
l:iO  '  Siiiiiiicl  Wooniiui.. 
170  1  John  Weaver 


20 


TENANTS. 
Oriin  Austin,  Mordecai  Austin,  Philip  Branetli,  Samuel  Beamer,  John 
Beamer,  Daniel  Buyers,  Charles  Cartwright,  Eohert  Corwell,  J.  G. 
Cartwright,  llobert  Campbell,  Jos.  Campbell,  Henry  Copenhaver, 
Levi  Dickson,  Samuel  Dickson,  John  Gill,  Jr.,  Thomas  Hampton, 
David  Jones,  George  Kephart,  Charles  Lego,  Thomas  Lego,  George 
Laird,  Jos.  Lego,  George  Blarkley,  Charles  MtUer,  Thomas  BIcCoy, 
William  McCoy.  Clinton  Mitchell,  William  Merriman,  Stephen 
Monre,  Samuel  McNew,  Samui  1  Markley,  Philip  Newman,  Kichard 
Newman,  William  Newman,  William  Kohinson,  John  Barney,  H. 
Iteed,  John  Stonebreaker,  Edward  Stonebreaker,  George  Shnrrer, 
Robert  Taylor,  Lewis  Tiuis,  Thomas  Vaughn,  John  Vaughn,  Chris- 
tian Vatighn,  Abram  Woolislagle,  Solomon  Weaver,  Benjamin 
Wolk,  George  Wilson,  Richard  W.lson. 

Township  Organization. — At  the  August  sessions 
in  1845  the  petition  of  divers  inhabitants  of  Half- 


UNION   TOWNSHIP. 


413 


IMoon  township  was  presented,  setting  forth  the  in- 
convenience attendant  upon  tlie  great  extent  of  terri- 
tory in  the  township,  and  urging  that  the  territory  be 
divided  by  Muncy  Eidge  into  two  townships.  The 
court  appointed  as  commissioners  Benner  Waddle, 
Reuben  H.  Meek,  and  Henry  Treziyulny.  Nov.  26, 
184.'),  the  commissioners  rejjorted  that  tlie  township 
should  be  divided  by  a  line  running  on  the  top  of 
Muncy  Mountain,  to  wit :  Beginning  at  a  pine  on  the 
top  of  said  mountain  on  the  line  between  Centre  and 
Huntingdon  Counties;  thence  along  the  top  of  said 
mountain  north  forty-nine  degrees  east  eight  miles 
and  eighty  perches  to  the  line  between  Patton  and 
Half-Moon  townships.  Jan.  27,  1847,  the  court  con- 
firmed the  report,  and  called  the  townsliip  lying  north 
of  the  mountain  by  the  name  of  Taylor.  The  chief 
township  officials,  chosen  yearly  from  1847  to  1881, 
are  here  mentioned  : 

CbnsMW^— 1847,  Philip  IVillinms;  184S,  ■William  Cator;  1840,  Stephen 
McMuiinglo;  1850,  S.  H.  McMiinngle;  1851,  Geoi'so  Miilkley;  1853, 
George  Malkley;  1853,  William  McCoj';  1854,.)olin  Fink;  1855,  M. 
T  Rumlmlger;  185C,  Samuel  Jloore  ;  1867,  Samuel  Beamei-;  18.58, 
Samuel  Steplieus;  1860,  Benjamin  Vaughn;  ISCO,  .John  Emigh; 
1801,  Jiihn  Emigll;  1862,  William  McCoy;  ISO:),  William  McCoy; 
1804,  Richard  Vaughn  ;  1805,  W.  McCoy ;  ISCO,  John  Emigh;  1SC7, 
W.  McCoy ;  180S,  G.  W.  Merryman  ;  1809,  B.  Vaughn  ;  1870,  B. 
Vaughn;  1872,  John  Beclnvilh  ;  187a,  John  Bcckwilh;  1874,  John 
S.  Fink  ;  1875,  V.  Beckwilh  to  1881. 

Jm'ices  of  the  Peace— 1/1.  A.  Elder,  R.  Campbell,  March  10,  1847  ;  Sam- 
uel Moore,  March  14,1848;  John  II.  McMnnagle,  March  10,  1852; 
Samuel  Moore,  March  10, 185:5;  Robert  Campbell,  March  17,  1854; 
George  Markley,  March  13,  1855  ;  S.  H.  McMuuagle,  Jtarch  17,  1857 ;  j 
William  R.  riumer,  March  12,  1801;  George  Markley,  March  20,  \ 
1804;  Jacob  Snyder,  May  3,  1800;  Jacob  Snyder,  April  10,  1871; 
Benjamin  Vaughn,  March  31,  1S73;  Benjamin  Vaughn,  April  3, 
1878;  D,  G.  Gauoe,  April  5,  1879. 


CHAPTER    LXXXVII. 

UNION   TOWNSHIP. 

Early  Settlements. — The  first  settler  in  what  is 
now  Union  township,  and  the  third  in  the  Bald  Eagle 
valley  west  of  the  present  Clinton  County  line,  was 
Thomas  Parsons,  who  is  said  to  have  come  from  Mary- 
land with  his  family  in  1770.  He  took  up  two  hun- 
dred and  thirty  acres  of  land  lying  now  partly  in 
Union  and  partly  in  Huston.  The  valley  was  then  a 
vast  forest  swarming  with  Indians  and  wild  beasts, 
while  the  only  roads  were  narrow  bridle-paths  ;  but 
Parsons,  hardy  pioneer  that  he  was,  had  made  up  his 
mind  to  the  trials  and  privations  of  a  backwoods  life, 
and  in  the  encouraging  companionship  of  his  wife 
faltered  not  at  the  somewhat  dreary  prospect  offered  by 
a  life  in  the  then  wild-looking  valley  of  the  Bald  Eagle. 
Besides  his  own,  there  were  then,  as  far  as  he  knew, 
but  two  families  in  the  valley  ;  they  were  at  Miles- 
burg.  One  of  them  was  the  family  of  Andrew  Boggs. 
Parsons  built  his  cabin  upon  the  bank  of  the  creek 
close  to  the  present  township  line,  and  for  si.K  years 
lived  in  the  woods  a  solitary  settler,  his. nearest  neigh- 


bors during  that  time  being  the  families  at  Milesburg. 
It  is  not  likely  that  he  did  more  than  ordinary  work 
during  that  six  years, — that  is,  he  cleared  a  little  land, 
raised  about  sufficient  produce  to  keep  his  family  in 
supplies,  and  hunted  more  or  less.  When  he  went  to 
njill  he  journeyed  with  pack-horse  to  Lewistown,  and 
took  two  days  to  make  the  round  trip.  The  Indians,  al- 
though abundant,  were  not  troublesome  in  the  earlier 
days,  albeit  Mrs.  Parsons  could  never  satisfy  herself 
that  they  were  not  dangerous.  One  day,  while  her 
husband  was  away,  she  was  terrorized  at  the  sudden 
appearance  at  the  cabin  door  of  two  painted  and 
feather-bedecked  savages.  Her  quick  mother's  im- 
pulse flew  to  her  two  little  children,  and,  covering 
them  hastily  with  the  folds  of  her  dress,  she  trem- 
blingly awaited  the  result  of  the  visit,  which  to  her 
excited  apprehensions  forbode  serious  harm  to  her 
and  liers.  The  redskins  were,  however,  far  from 
evilly  disposed  towards  her,  and  assuring  her  that  she 
need  feel  no  alarm,  informed  her  that  they  were  in 
search  of  a  renegade  of  their  tribe  whom  they  were 
resolved  to  kill.  After  a  while,  however,  Jlrs.  Par- 
sons allowed  herself  to  fraternize  with  Indian  women 
so  far  that  one  season  she  boiled  sugar  in  partnership 
with  a  squaw  ;  but  to  like  the  Indians,  or  bear  to  see 
them  even,  was  something  she  could  not  bring  her- 
self to. 

By  and  by,  as  the  first  rautteringsof  the  Revolution 
were  heard,  reports  of  Indian  atrocities  in  other 
quarters  came  to  the  little  household  on  the  Bald 
Eagle,  and  then  what  had  been  apprehension  broke 
out  as  a  wild  alarm.  No  one  could  say  how  soon  the 
Indians  on  the  Bald  Eagle  might  throw  off  the  mask 
of  friendship,  and  so,  thinking  only  of  safety  from  im- 
pending peril.  Parsons  collected  his  effiscts,  and,  with 
his  wife  and  little  ones,  made  his  way  back  to  Mary- 
land. While  the  war-clouds  shadowed  the  land  Par- 
sons remained  in  the  sheltering  regions  of  Maryland, 
but  the  year  following  the  close  of  hostilities  giving 
assurance  that  peace  was  permanently  abroad,  he  re- 
turned with  liis  family  to  his  Bald  Eagle  clearing, 
and  reoccupied  his  home  in  the  woods.  There  he 
lived  until  his  death,  at  the  ripe  age  of  eighty-five,  his 
wife  dying  the  previous  year  at  the  same  age.  As  far 
as  is  known.  Parsons  found  upon  his  return  in  1784 
no  settlers  in  the  Bald  Eagle  other  than  those  at 
Milesburg,  but  they  came  along  in  due  season  after 
that  time,  one  of  the  earliest  being  David  Kilgour, 
who  made  his  location  upon  the  present  Samuel  Mat- 
tern  place,  in  Huston.  Tliomas  Parsons  had  nine 
children.  The  sons  were  James,  Isaac  (both  settled 
in  the  valley),  David,  John  (these  two  moved  to 
Clarion),  and  Thomas  (who  moved  to  Ohio).  James 
occupied  the  farm  now  owned  by  T.  and  J.  Parsons, 
his  sons,  of  Huston  township.     He  died  in  1863. 

In  the  autumn  of  the  year  1800,  William  Fisher, 
who  was  born  Jan.  21, 1754,  in  Chester  County,  came 
to  the  Bald  Eagle  valley.  His  grandfather,  Thomas 
Fisher,  was  among  the  purchasers  of  laud  from  the 


441 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Penns,  and  to  William,  here  named,  that  land  de- 
scended, in  Chester  County.  Mr.  Fisher  brought  a 
family  of  eight  children  to  Centre  County.  The 
daughters  were  named  Mary  (who  married  John  Ir- 
win), Lydia  (married  John  Kirk,  and  afterwards  re- 
moved to  Clearfield  County),  Hannah  (married  Sanj- 
uel  Johnston,  and  moved  to  Clearfield  County),  Eliza- 
beth (married  David  Wall,  and  moved  to  Clearfield 
County),  Beulah  (married  John  Iddings,  and,  after 
his  death,  Andrew  Thompson,  Jr.),  Sarah  (married 
James  Hammond,  of  Mercer  County).  Mr.  Fisher's 
sons  were  William  Jr.,  and  Thomas.  The  latter  did 
not  marry.  William  will  be  spoken  of  later  on. 
William  Fisher  the  elder  was  a  member  of  the 
Society  of  Friends,  and  during  his  life  in  the  Bald 
Eagle  valley  took  a  conspicuous  and  earnest  part  in 
the  work  of  fostering  the  interests  of  the  society.  He 
bought  a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  di- 
vided now  by  the  Hoggs  and  Union  line,  and  built  a 
saw-mill  on  the  neigliboring  run.  He  ibund  a  small 
clearing  on  the  jilace  and  a  rude  hut,  into  which 
latter  he  moved  his  i'amily.  That  habitation  served 
them  as  a  dwelling  for  twelve  years,  but  in  1812  they 
exchanged  it  for  the  then  imposing  stone  mansion  that 
Mr.  Fisher  had  built  upon  the  farm  during  that  year. 
It  is  yet  a  substantial  structure,  and  is  known  as  the 
"  old  stone  house,"  standing  near  the  intersection. 
Mr.  Fisher  was  a  most  excellent  citizen  and  a  man  of 
stirring  energy,  known  and  esteemed  far  and  near. 
He  lived  on  the  place  of  his  early  settlement  until 
his  death,  July  2,  1S45.  His  age  was  ninety-one 
years  and  six  months.  Mary,  one  of  his  daughters, 
lived  to  be  ninety-two. 

His  son  William  was  born  in  July,  1789,  and  mar- 
ried Rachael  Meredith  in  1811.  William  Fisher 
located  alter  his  marriage  upon  that  portion  of  the 
Fisher  homestead  now  lying  in  Union  township. 
His  daughters  were  Hannah  (married  William  Way), 
Rachael  (married  Jacob  Hoover),  Beulah,  and  Mary 
J.  The  sons  were  William  P.,  Elijah,  John  I.,  and 
Ezra.  William  P.  was  born  in  1818,  and  married  one 
of  Thomas  Wilson's  daughters  in  1846.  In  1848  he 
located  upon  his  present  property,  then  a  portion  of 
the  Underwood  tract.  Eight  years  before  he  founded 
a  nursery  on  his  father's  old  place,  and  when  he 
moved  to  his  present  abode  he  entered  upon  the  busi- 
ness of  fruit-growing  with  much  vigor.  He  has  fol- 
lowed it  to  a  greater  or  lesser  extent  ever  since,  and 
as  the  proprietor  of  the  Bald  Eagle  Nursery  has 
identified  himself  largely  with  the  fruittrade  of  Centre 
County. 

Martin  and  John  Hoover,  of  York  County,  came 
to  the  valley  about  1800.  Martin  purchased  a  large 
land  tract  and  made  his  home  near  what  is  now  the 
Boggs  township  line.  John  lived  a  while  on  the  pres- 
ent Blair  Alexander  place,  and  later  kept  tavern  on 
the  pike.  He  died  on  the  place  where  his  tavern 
stood.  He  had  sixteen  children,  of  whom  two  sons 
and  four  daughters  are  living.    Among  the  settlers  in 


Centre  County  from  Chester  County  in  1800  was  John 
Iddings,  a  blacksmith.  He  bought  the  tract  of  land 
now  owned  liy  Blair  Alexander,  and  there  put  up  a 
small  smithy,  in  which,  however,  he  did  not  do  much 
business  except  such  work  as  was  necessary  for  his 
own  purposes.  Mr.  Iddings  built  in  1813  the  stone 
house  (now  Blair  Alexander's  home),  and  died  on  the 
farm  in  1838.  He  had  six  children.  They  were 
Joseph  (who  married  one  of  James  Henry's  daughters, 
and  moved  to  Clearfield  County),  James  (who  moved 
to  Elk  County),  William  (who  died  near  Milesburg), 
Esther  (who  married  John  Antes,  and  moved  to  Clear- 
field County),  Hannah  (married  Ellis  Irwin,  and 
moved  to  Clearfield  County),  Lewis  (who  became  a 
physician,  practiced  in  Clearfield  County,  and  died  in 
Elk  County).  William,  Henry,  and  John  Iddings, 
sons  of  Joseph  Iddings,  live  in  Union  township. 
Their  mother,  the  widow  of  Andrew  Mooje  (her 
second  husband),  is  still  living,  hale  and  hearty  (Oc- 
tober, 1881),  in  her  eighty-eighth  year.  Her  home  is 
in  Clearfield  County.  Her  father,  James  Henry, 
came  from  Chester  County  to  the  Bald  Eagle  valley 
in  1800,  and  settled  on  the  place  now  owned  by  Jacob 
Taylor.  He  brought  with  him  a  family  of  five  chil- 
dren, of  whom  the  only  one  living  is  Mrs.  Andrew 
Moore,  above  mentioned.  She  married  Joseph  Idd- 
ings in  1811,  and  removed  to  Clearfield  County. 
Wlien  Mr.  Henry  penetrated  the  valley  country  he 
found  it  a  vast  forest.  LTpon  his  place  he  found  a  hut 
that  had  been  built  by  a  Mr.  McCormick,  who  had 
also  erected  a  saw-mill  at  the  mouth  of  McCormick's 
Run.  James  Henry  moved  to  Milesburg,  then  to 
Clearfield  County,  and  back  to  the  Bald  Eagle  valley, 
where  he  died  on  the  Reuben  Iddings  place,  in  his 
ninety-first  year.  One  of  his  daughters,  who  married 
William  Lucas,  died  in  Unionvillein  1878,  at  the  age 
of  ninety-one,  and  another,  Mary,  died  in  1870,  aged 
eighty. 

John  Irwin,  a  Chester  County  Friend,  came  to  the 
valley  in  1801,  and  settled  upon  the  place  now  known 
as  the  McLaughlin  farm.     He  owned  four  hundred 
acres  south  of  the  creek,  composed  of  bottom-  and 
mountain-lands.     Mr.  Irwin  died  upon  the  farm  in 
1829,  aged  eighty.    His  sons  were  William  and  John. 
The  former  was  well  known  as  one  of  the  early  school- 
teachers in  the  valley.     He  died  in  Unionville,  aged 
upwards  of  eighty.       Two  of  his  sons — Wilson  and 
William  T. — live  in  Union  township.     John  Irwin, 
Jr.,  married  one  of  William  Fisher's  daughters.     He 
died  suddenly  and  quietly  in  his  pew  in  the  Belle- 
fonte  Friends'  meeting-house  one  Sunday,  in  1859. 
His  living  sons  are  Ellis  and  William,  of  Clearfield 
County ;  John,  of  Bellefonte ;  and  James,  of  Colorado. 
John  Graybill  came  from  Union  County,  to  which 
j  part  of  the  country  he  returned  eventually  and  ended 
1  his  days.     He  fought  in  the  wars  of  1776  and  of  1812, 
I  and  lived  to  be  one  hundred  years  old.  .  One  of  his 
I  daughters    reached    her   ninety-first    year.      Robert 
I  Hall,  who  is  supposed  to  be  the  oldest  native  of  Cen- 


UNION  TOWNSHIP. 


445 


tre  County,  lives  in  Union  township,  near  Unionville. 
He  was  born  in  1800,  in  Beliefonte,  to  whicii  place 
his  fatlier,  John  Hall,  moved  from  the  State  of  Dela- 
ware in  1797,  and  set  up  the  first  blacksmith's  shop  in 
the  town, — having  been  brought  out  by  James  Har- 
ris, one  of  the  founders  of  Beliefonte.  Mr.  Hall 
blacksmithed  in  Beliefonte  until  1817, — having  mean- 
while been  twice  chosen  to  the  State  Legislature, — 
when  he  removed  to  the  Bald  Eagle  valley,  and  occu- 
pied the  place  that  is  now  the  home  of  Robert  Hall, 
his  son.  There  he  ended  his  days  (1830).  In  1817,  Mr. 
Hall  found  living  on  Dick's  Run  John  Hutton,  Ar- 
thur Smith,  Abraham  Lee,  Henry  McGinnis,  Law- 
rence Peters,  and  William  Campbell. 

After  John  Hall  left  Beliefonte,  his  son  John,  Jr., 
carried  on  the  shop,  and  with  John,  Jr.,  Robert 
learned  bis  trade.  John  Hall,  Jr.,  moved  to  Howard, 
where  he  died.  Robert  Hall  soon  followed  his  father 
to  the  Bald  Eagle  valley,  and  there  has  continueft  to 
reside  ever  since.  His  mother  died  on  the  old  farm 
in  1853,  aged  eighty-nine  years.  Robert  Hall  speaks 
of  Thomas  Par.sons,  one  of  the  valley's  earliest  set- 
tlers, and  says  he  recalls  the  circumstance  of  hearing 
Mr.  Parsons  say  that  when  he  first  came  to  the  valley 
he  saw  the  remains  of  Bald  Eagle's  wigwam,  that 
stood  upon  the  point  made  at  Milesburg  by  the  con- 
fluence of  Spring  and  Bald  Eagle  Creeks.  That  spot, 
Mr.  Hall  says,  was  designated  by  Mr.  Parsons  as  Bald 
Eagle's  Nest,  although  various  authorities  have  lo- 
cated it  in  various  places. 

Leonard  Peters,  of  Lancaster  County,  cauieto  Dick's 
Run  in  1808,  and  bought  four  hundred  acres  of  land, 
now  owned  in  part  by  G.  L.  Peters.  In  1812,  Leonard 
sold  out  to  his  brother  Lawrence,  but  continued  to 
live  on  the  place  until  his  eightieth  year,  when  he 
moved  to  Clearfield  County,  where  he  died  at  the  age 
of  eighty-six  years.  Lawrence  Peters  came  out  to 
Centre  County  with  his  brother  Leonard  in  1808,  but 
did  not  stay.  In  1812  he  returned,  bought  his  brother's 
lands,  and  remained  until  his  death.  Lawrence  Pe- 
ters built  a  saw-mill  and  distillery  on  hi.s  place,  and, 
until  he  was  convinced  that  distilling  liquor  was  a  sin,, 
manufactured  whiskey  and  peach  brandy  at  a  great 
rate.  He  was  a  strictly  conscientious  man  and  a  de- 
voted churchman.  Every  day  at  a  certain  hour  he 
would  retire  to  a  secluded  nook  in  his  distillery,  and 
for  an  hour  thereafter  would  devote  himself  to  prayer 
and  a  perusal  of  the  Bible.  Hearing  one'Sunday  in 
a.  sermon  that  the  maker  of  strong  drink  was  equally 
as  bad  as  the  seller  of  the  same,  Mr.  Peters  resolved 
at  once  to  quit  distilling.  On  the  very  next  day  he 
gave  up  the  business  and  sold  the  still-fixtures  for  lit  tie 
or  nothing,  but  he  declared  the  sacrifice  stood  for 
nothing,  since  he  was  determined  to  do  what  he 
th'Oaght  was  right,  and  whiskey-making  he  knew 
wa&n't  right.  Mr,  Peters  was  the  father  of  sixteeni 
children,  and  lived  on  the  old  farm  until  his  death,  in 
1847,  His  wife  died  in  1877,  aged  eighty-six  years, 
and  to  the  last  was  sprightly  and  hearty.     The  first 


of  Lawrence  Peters'  sixteen  children  born  in  Centre 
County  was  G.  L.  Peters,  now  living  on  the  home- 
stead. He  recollects  that  in  1812  a  body  of  five  hun- 
dred Federal  troops  marching  towards  Erie  encamped 
in  the  valley  at  the  point  where  the  railway  now 
crosses  Dick's  Run,  and  that  he,  carried  in  his  mother's 
arms,  accompanied  his  mother  and  father  to  the  camp. 
The  elder  Peters  carried  two  tin  pails  full  of  whiskey 
to  the  soldiers,  who,  strange  to  say,  did  not,  among 
the  five  hundred,  consume  more  than  a  third  of  the 
quantity  provided.  Mr.  Peters  recites  the  circum- 
stance as  a  striking  illustration  of  the  total  abstinence 
sentiments  of  the  soldiers  of  that  day,  and  doubts 
whether  a  similar  example  could  be  furnished  in  the 
history  of  to-day.  Besides  George  L.,  the  living  chil- 
dren of  Lawrence  Peters  are  Jacob,  of  Unionville  ; 
AVilliam,  of  Freeport,  111. ;  Ellen  Williams,  of  Martha 
Furnace;  Sarah  Chaney,  of  Port  Matilda;  and  Re- 
becca, of  Danville.  George  L.  Peters  has  had  the 
numerous  family  of  fifteen  children,  of  whom  nine 
are  living. 

Above  Mr.  Peters'  place  resides  Harvey  Hoover, 
whose  father,  George,  was  born  on  the  old  Iddings 
place  in  1801.  His  children  numbered  ten.  The 
living  are  Sarah  Ludwig,  of  Kansas;  Harvey  and  H. 
W.  Hoover,  of  Union ;  Mary  J.  Parker,  of  Unionville; 
John  C,  at  Julian;  G.  W.  Hoover,  of  Philipsburg; 
Martha  Eiistman,  of  Houtzd:ile  ;  and  Clarissa  Reese, 
of  Port  Matilda. 

William  Blaircame  from  Ireland  to  Chester  County, 
and  about  the  year  ISOO  became  a  pioneer  in  Boggs 
township,  near  Milesburg,  where  he  died.  He  had 
eleven  children.  One  of  his  sons,  David,  came  to 
Union  in  1820,  and  made  his  home  near  L'nionville. 
He  resided  there  until  1841,  when  he  moved  to  Miles- 
burg, and  there  died  in  1853.  Of  his  children,  the 
only  one  living  is  Mrs.  John  Alexander,  of  L'nion- 
ville.  About  1810,  Jacob  Hug-g  came  from  New  Jer- 
sey to  the  Bald  Eagle  valley,  and  labored  as  a  farm- 
hand for  several  years.  In  181(1  he  married  one  of 
Abraham  I^^e's  daughters.  He  died  in  1872,  at  the 
home  of  Enoch  Hugg,  his  son,  aged  eighty-two.  His 
wife  dietl  in  1853.  Of  their  twelve  chidreu,  four  are 
living.  They  are  Rachel  Cartwright,  of  Union; 
Elizabeth  Cogan,  of  Snow  Shoe;  William  P.  Hugg, 
of  Snow  Shoe;  and  Enoch  Hugg,  of  Union.  Enoch 
Hugg  married  Emeline  Brower  in  1857,  and  settled 
in  I8(J5  on  the  present  Brower  place.  In  1877  he 
moved  to  hi&  present  farm,  formerly  the  old  Brower 
homestead. 

William  Campbell,  already  briefly  mentioned,  lived 
on  the  present  Thompson  place,  at  the  mouth  of  Dick's 
Run.  He  married  one  of  Thonws  Parsons"  daughters. 
Old  Grandma,  Campbell  had  lier  shareof  pioneer  ex- 
periences, ami  during  the  latter  years  of  her  life  took 
much  interest  in  visiting  the  scenes  of  her  girlish  ad- 
ventures, and  in  pointing  out  historic  spots  identified 
by  her  with  some  adventurous  or  otherwise  remark- 
able incidents  in  the  early  history  of  the  Bald  Eagle 


446 


IITSTORY   OF   CP:NTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


vallej'.  Indians,  she  used  to  tell  them,  troubled  her 
father  not  a  little,  and  more  than  once  she  herself  as- 
sisted the  members  of  the  family  in  burying  the 
household  valuables  upon  the  note  of  warning  being 
given  that  the  savages  were  approaching  and  likely 
to  commit  depredations. 

The  oldest  man  in  Union  township,  and  one  of  the 
oldest  men  in  Centre  County,  is  William  Spotts,  Sr., 
familiarly  known  as  Uncle  Billy.  Mr.  Spotts  was 
born  in  Berks  County  in  1797,  and  is  now,  therefore 
(1882),  in  his  eighty-sixtli  year.  Despite  his  ad- 
vanced age  he  is  pretty  hearty,  quite  active,  and 
a  familiar  presence  in  every  jiart  of  the  township, 
for  he  is  now  and  has  been  for  the  past  seventeen 
years  the  township  collector.  In  that  official  capacity 
he  has  established  a  reputation  for  correct  business 
method  and  promptness  quite  remarkable.  His 
father,  David  Spotts,  came  to  Centre  County  in 
1804,  and  worked  at  blacksmithing  for  Gen.  Philip 
Benner,  at  Kock  Forge.  Soon  after  that,  with  tlie 
assistance  of  his  sons,  he  cleared  the  farm  now  occu- 
pied by  Joseph  Jlarshall,  in  Benner  township,  and 
occupied  it  until  about  1822.  In  1822  he  moved  to 
the  Bald  Eagle  valley,  and  kept  tavern  on  the  old 
Philadelpliia  and  Erie  pike,  at  the  place  now  occu- 
pied by  Horace  Way.  His  career  as  a  tavern-keeper 
covered  a  period  of  but  two  years.  He  died  on  Dick's 
Eun.  He  had  sixteen  children,  of  whom  five  are 
living,  all  residing  in  Centre  County.  David  Spotts, 
one  of  his  sons,  went  into  the  mountains  of  Union 
in  1840,  and  cleared  the  farm  now  occupied  by  Henry 
Spotts.  There  he  died  in  1855.  His  sons, — Henry, 
Jacob,  John,  David,  and  William,  Jr., — are  well- 
known  citizens  of  Union  township.  Three  of  his 
daughters  are  Mrs.  P.  H.  Bush,  of  Union;  Mrs. 
James  Parsons  and  Catharine  Dillon,  of  Huston. 

In  the  mountainous  regions  of  Union  the  settle- 
ments were  of  course  later  than  they  were  in  the 
valley,  for,  quite  naturally,  no  one  cared  to  penetrate 
the  forbidding  forests  of  the  ridges  while  there  was  a 
chance  to  make  a  favorable  location  in  the  valley. 
But  the  valley  filled  up,  and  the  pioneer  gradually 
pushed  into  the  interior.  There  was  not  the  bright- 
est prospect  before  him,  since  the  valley  itself  had 
not  been  regarded  by  early  comers  with  any  too  much 
confidence  as  a  fertile  region,  and  how,  therefore, 
could  the  hill-tops  and  rough  mountain-sides  be 
looked  upon  as  other  than  a  forlorn  hope?  Never- 
theless, the  brave  hearts  went  in  and  heroically  solved 
the  problem  with  the  ringing  axe.  To-day  there  are 
in  Union  many  valuable  and  productive  mountain 
farms,  and  many  thrifty  mountain  farmers.  Amon" 
the  earlier  ones  in  the  interior  were  William  Resides, 
P.  H.  Bush,  Isaac  Parsons,  David  Spotts,  Mr.  Boggs, 
the  Steres,  Mr.  Woolslag*le,  Henry  Keese,  Mr.  Mc- 
Ginnis,  and  others  earlier  noticed  in  this  chronicle. 
Aaron  R.  Hall,  son  of  Robert  Hall,  moved  to  his 
present  location  on  the  mountain  in  1850,  when  he 
bought  of  John  Huttou's  heirs  five  hundred  and  ten 


acres,  of  which  but  sixty-five  were  then  cleared.  Of 
the  tract  he  has  to-day  upwards  of  two  hundred  and 
forty  cleared  acres,  and  owns  altogether  eleven  hun- 
dred acres  in  one  body,  of  which  three  hundred  are 
cleared.  In  the  summer  of  1870  he  built  upon  his 
farm  a  handsome  brick  mansion.  His  children  are 
eight  in  number,  and  named  Alem,  Samanlha,  Mi- 
nerva, Miles,  Mary,  David,  Celesta,  and  Sarah.  Dan- 
iel Ammernian,  of  Union  County, located  on  the  pike 
pretty  early,  but  moved  to  the  West  in  1840.  Henry 
Ammernian,  one  of  his  sons,  made  his  borne  on  the 
pike  until  his  death.  His  sons  living  in  Union  are 
James,  Allen,  and  David. 

The  highway  known  as  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie 
turnpike  jiassed  through  Union  along  the  valley  to 
where  Unionville  now  is,  and  there  making  a  turn 
northward  up  the  Dewitt's  Run  liollow,  crossed  the 
Alleghenies  towards  Pliilipsburg.  It  was  a  most  ex- 
cellent road  in  its  day,  and  although  not  known  as  a 
pike  for  many  years  is  still  in  capital  condition.  The 
portion  here  referred  to  was  opened  about  1821,  and 
until  the  railway  pushed  aside  the  common  roadway 
traflBc  there  was  a  constant  stream  of  passenger  and 
freight  wagons  on  this  famous  old  thoroughfare. 
Lo;ig  before  the  pike  was  opened  the  valley  road 
(whose  course  followed  Bald  Eagle  Creek  closer  than 
did  the  pike)  was  much  in  demand,  and  to  meet  the 
natural  requirement  of  travel  William  Fisher  opened 
a  house  of  entertainment  in  his  dwelling,  on  the 
property  known  as  the  Downing  farm.  Mr.  Fisher 
kept;  open  house  after  the  pike  was  constructed,  and, 
in  common  with  other  stopping-places  on  that  busy 
road,  carried  on  a  brisk  trade.  Mr.  William  P. 
Fisher  says  lie  recollects  tliat  his  grandfather's  house 
was  pretty  well  crowded  with  travelers  every  night, 
and  that  it  was  no  uncommon  thing  to  see  in  the 
winter  season  fifty  teams  there  at  one  time.  Farther 
up  the  road  John  Hoover  kept  tavern  in  a  log  house 
on  the  present  Davidson  place,  and  at  the  same  spot 
George  Hoover,  his  son,  carried  on  a  public-house  at 
a  later  period.  Up  Dewitt's  Run,  and  at  the  foot  of 
tlie  mountain,  stood  the  Allegheny  House,  first  kept 
by  William  Hinton,  and  afterwards  by  Archy  Moore, 
who  was  its  best-known  landlord,  since  he  was  the 
presiding  genius  during  the  tavern's  most  prosperous 
era.  Archy  Moore's  was  a  favorite  stopping-place, 
especially  for  freighters  going  West,  since  it  was  at 
Moore's  that  the  weary  ascent  of  the  mountain  was 
to  begin,  and  there,  indeed,  seemed  the  natural  place 
for  a  halt  for  a  good  rest  against  the  i)ull  up  the  hill. 
Moore  sold  the  stand  to  Samuel  Lucas,  who  died 
while  in  possession.  Foster  Lucas  succeeded  him, 
and  after  him  followed  Thomas  Loughry.  Mr. 
Loughry  was  the  last  landlord,  and  kept  the  tavern 
until  about  1863.  He  still  resides  on  the  place.  The 
best  known,  perhaps,  of  the  pike  taverns  in  LTnion 
was  the  Rattlesnake  Hotel  (so  called  because  of  the 
abundance  of  rattlesnakes  in  that  region),  that  stood 
right  in  the  heart  of  the  mountains,  close  to  tiie  Rush 


UNION   TOWNSHIP. 


447 


township  line.  Jacob  Flick  was  its  first  landlord, 
and  John  Wood  its  second,  but  it  won  most  of  its 
fame  under  old  Ben  Lucas,  its  third  and  last  land- 
lord. Old  Ben  and  his  wife  were  noted  characters 
not  only  among  the  regular  travelers  on  the  road, 
but  with  the  people  of  the  county;  for  their  house 
was  chosen  by  common  consent  as  a  place  of  local 
popular  resort,  towards  which  the  steps  of  many 
turned  for  a  jolly  time  or  a  brief  enjoyment  of  moun- 
tain atmosphere.  The  stories  told  of  gatherings  at 
old  Ben's,  and  the  merry  times  born  upon  the  spot, 
would  not  only  fill  a  volume,  but  make  the  volume 
rich  with  entertaining  reading.  One  of  Centre 
County's  most  distinguished  jurists  was  a  familiar 
visitor  at  the  Rattlesnake,  and,  with  others  not  un- 
known to  Bellefonte's  early  history,  contributed 
largely  to  make  old  Ben  and  his  wife  as  noted  as  the 
Rattlesnake  itself  Ben  lived  there  until  his  death, 
after  which  the  tavern-stand  was  abandoned,  and  the 
buildings  removed.  The  property,  now  owned  by 
Aaron  R.  Hall,  is  admirably  adapted  for  the  location 
of  a  mountain  hotel,  and  did,  indeed,  in  1876,  attract 
the  attention  of  Philadelphia  capitalists  so  far  that 
there  was  strong  talk  of  building  at  that  point  a  com- 
modious summer  retreat.  There  is  an  abundance  of 
most  excellent  spring-water,  a  wonderfully  engaging 
stretch  of  landscape,  and  the  inviting  as  well  as  in- 
vigorating air  of  a  high  mountainous  elevation.  The 
approach  is  easy,  and  by  a  good  road  from  either 
Unionville  or  Philipsburg. 

T.\X-PAYEES  OF  UNION  TOWNSHIP  IN  1851. 


.Tr'sse  Adnms,  polte 
Josi-pli  Al.-xiiii.lei-, 


J..lin  AlPXMii.l. 
Josel.h  Alixun. 
.I..I  ..t  G.  Al.-x: 
Willi.im  lii-,.M. 
.I,.liM  Ill-ii«i-r.. 
Peter  A.  I!.l-li. 


Foster  Lucas... 
J..I111  D.  Lia-.is. 
niiiini  Jl.-l,.ii. 
Saniiul  SlrK.M 
N.  W.  M.li.-;u, 
J..lin  M.  Jlr.Mii 
Williiii.i  SltEn 
&^,.ar  P.teis... 
.Iue..l.  Peters.... 
Tl...lli;i5Piiison: 


J.ilni  Dusli. 


Wi 


Amliew  Ciilh.iiin  

Jacel.  D..«i,iii;,- 

Tliora.is  Ii^niH  

William  P.  ti»her 

William  Fishei,  tailur 

Tbomas  J.  Geary 

George  Huston,  slioeniaker, 
George  Hoover,  carpenter.. 

Jesse  Hall 

Jacob  Hoover 

Joseph  Hoov.-r 

Aiiron  HHll.carii.-iiter 

J. .Ill 


John  Stivi 
Eii.icli  L. 
William  S 
Elizabetli 


3lln 


Kolit 


Ha 


-^ 


William  I.l.iili,;s ' 

Joseph  IdJiofs 2CG 

Tbomas  Irivin  100 

Jamc-f  G.  Lucas U 

Samuel  Lucas 173 

Jieiijainiii  Lncas,  Sr 400 

James  Lucas 400 


I         Joseph  Sti-.-r 

V!  James  Smill, 

^     James  Sp'H.-. 

Barnali..»Slii|,lrv 

John  Sens>.r 

Teets  L.'tl.  i..ill,-i 

Andrew  Tli..iiii.«..ii 

Mary  Thompson 

Z.  Underwood 

Jesse  Underwood,  miller 

Underwood,  Kirk  &'Co 

Will.  Underwood,  merchant. 

Charles  Underwo.id 

John  Underwood 

Underwood  &  Co 

Hugh  S.  West,  potter 

John  Wcstley 


Joseph  Alexander,  Jr. 


HalTis  Ammerl 


Tenants. 

Allen  An 

Joseph  Biiig,  cahine 

David  Bennct,  colli. 


S.  A.  Brew,  clerk. 

Wilson  Calhoun. 

Robert  Crosswhile,  sad.ller. 

J.  C.  Calhoun,  carpenter. 

Alexander  Davi.lson,  colliel 

Elijah  BI.  Fisher,  laborer. 

John  Forver,  collier. 

James  Flick,  collier. 

Jacob  Gardner,  laborer. 

Guthrie  Iddings,  plasterer. 

Henry  Gates. 

John  Holderman,  laborer. 

Kobert  Hall,  blacksmith. 

Christian  Hooker,  laborer. 

John  Huston,  sawyer. 

Israel  Hoover,  laborer. 

Jacob  Hug. 

Willi.im  Irwin. 

John  Iddings,  laborer. 

Henry  Iddings. 

John  JI.  Katen,  carpenter. 

John  D.  Lucas. 

Sleplien  Lewis. 

Itenjainin  Lucas. 

Foster  Lucas. 

Charles  McLaughlin,  collie 

Henry  Morrison,  collier. 

Jacob  Mitchel. 

Samuel  S.  SIcEwen. 

Thomas  McEwen. 


George  Moyer. 

Amos  Pine. 

Wiirani  B.  Peters,  sawyer. 

WilliamP.eece,  c.llier. 

David  lieese,  tanner. 

Charles  lleeoc. 

Henry  lUcce. 

William  Ban.lall,  millwright. 

John  Roller. 

Anthony  Snyder. 

William  H.  Siiiylh,  carpenter. 

John  Seilgwick,  cooper. 

Daniel  Smith,  tailor. 

D.ivid  Spotls. 

John  Sheets. 

Thomas  Slowey,  stage-driver. 

Samuel  Sheets. 

David  Si«ills,  Jr. 

Frederick  Sensor,  collier. 

George  Taylor,  inn-ke.per. 

Thomas  J.  Taylor,  school-teache 

John  Thompson,  carpenter. 

JI.)S.-s  Tliouipson. 

Hin.niTolbeit,  collier. 

J.  W.  Van  Valleii,  carpenter. 

Thomas  Watson,  eidlier. 

John  WalsonfC.llicr. 

John  Witherite,  Jr.,  collier. 

O.  P.  Wilson. 

George  Wil.-.on. 


Singh  Jl/tn. 
Joseph  Ammerman,  William  Adams,  Jacob  Blower,  William  Brovver,  Jr., 
Heniy  Bush,  Jr.,  James  L.  Cook,  Fr.incis  Davis,  John  Davis,  Theo- 
dore Green,. lohn  T.  Hall,  Aaron  P..  Hall,  J.din  Hall,  Amos  Unlton, 
Kobert  A.  Hall,  Wilson  Irwin,  Taylor  Irwin,  Jason  Kirk,  James 
Katen,  Samuel  Kepler,  John  Lucas,  Henry  Lucas,  P.  G.  Lewis, 
Franklin  Reese,  Jacob  Shunkwile,  James  S.-lherland,  Archibald 
Stiver,  John  Spotts,  Jacob  Woods,  David  P.  Walter,  Cliailes  McGavy. 

Schools. — The  scope  of  present  human  recollection 
touching  township  schools  goes  back  as  far  as  1801. 
Mrs.  Andrew  Moore  remembers  that  in  that  year  she 
made  daily  pilgrimages  to  a  log  school-house  that 
stood  in  one  of  the  fields  of  the  present  Blair  Alex- 
ander farm.  Her  first  teacher  was  a  "  little  Irish- 
man" named  James  Hall,  but  fivmiliarly  known  as 
"old  Jimmy."  Jimmy  was  a  little  eccentric  in  his 
habits,  and  one  bitter  cold  day  was  frozen  to  death 
on  the  highway,  where  he  had  fallen  exhausted  with 
travel.  In  that  same  school-house  William  Irwin, 
uncle  to  John  Irwin,  of  Bellelbute,  w.is  one  of  the 
pioneer  wielders  of  the  birch,  and  report  hath  it  that 
he  was  a  teacher  of  much  skill  and  learning.  That 
the  school-houses  of  that  time  and  place  must  have 
been  rough  and  ill-conditioned  structures  will  be  con- 
ceded when  it  is  understood  that  as  late  even  .-is  1815 
a  school  was  taught  (near  William  P.  Fisher's  present 
home)  in  a  log  hut  that  had  greased  paper  in  lieu  of 
windows,  and  simple  slabs  for  desks  and  benches. 
School  was  taught  at  an  ear-lj-  period,  and  for  a  con- 
siderable circuit  of  territory,  in  the  house  used  by  the 
Society  of  Friends  as  their  first  place  of  worship. 
There  was  an  early  school  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
old  William  Fisher  place,  but  nothing  can  be  recalled 
concerning  it.  The  best  remembered  of  the  early 
teachers  appears  to  be  Esther  Guthrie. 

The  school  report  for  1880  has  the  following  about 
the  schools  of  Union  : 


448 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Number  of  schools 6 

Number  of  teiichei-s 6 

Male  scholars 3H 

Female  scholars- 1*^9 

Total  tax t94S.;a 

Total  receipts $l;t7(J.82 

Total  expenilltures Si:i7().82 

Resources Sl'JOlS 

Average  uttendaoce l-^S 

Churches.— Aside  from  the  church  established  by 
the  Society  of  Friends,  Union  township  does  not  ap- 
pear to  have  done  much  at  an  early  day  towards  or- 
ganizing religious  bodies  or  building  houses  of  wor- 
ship. The  reason  for  this  may  be  found  in  the  de- 
claration that  the  population  along  the  valley  in 
Union  was  very  meagre  until  a  comparatively  recent 
date,  while  there  were  churches  near  by  in  Miles- 
burg  and  Bellefonte,  so  that  there  was  really  no 
strong  reason  why  the  struggling  few  should  under- 
take the  task  of  keeping  up  home  churches  upon  the 
feeble  prospect  in  view.  The  Friends  held  regular 
meetings  in  the  valley  after  1823,  but  the  history  of 
their  church  comes  now  within  the  history  of  Union- 
ville.  Since  the  first  days  of  the  old  Union  Church 
at  Unionville  the  borough  has  been  the  place  where 
many  of  the  people  of  the  township  have  worshiped. 
In  the  township  to-day  there  are  but  three  religious 
organizations, — two  Messiah  Churches  and  a  small 
Methodist  Episcopal  class. 

Central  Messiah's  Church.  —  In  1861,  Revs. 
Lemuel  Osier  and  Jacob  D.  Boyer,  missionary 
preachers,  organized  the  Central  Advent  Church  in 
the  Bush  school-house,  with  an  encouraging  list  of 
members.  Rev.  Mr.  Boyer  was  chosen  to  be  the 
pastor,  and  held  regular  services  every  Sunday  in  the 
Bush  school-house  until  about  1865.  Shortly  after 
the  organization  the  name  of  the  church  was  changed 
from  Advent  to  Messiah.  The  first  deacons  chosen 
were  Alexander  Davidson  and  Jacob  Mitchell.  In 
1868  the  present  house  of  worship  on  McCormick's 
Run  was  built.  It  was  dedicated  by  Rev.  M.  L. 
Jackson,  then  the  pastor.  The  first  trustees  chosen 
were  James  Flick  and  Henry  Spotts.  They  still  serve 
in  the  same  capacity,  with  an  addition  to  the  board 
of  Jacob  Mitchell.  Succeeding  Mr.  Jackson,  to  1871, 
the  pastors  of  the  church  were  Revs.  Thomas  Hol- 
land and  H.  B.  Cutter.  In  the  year  named  Rev.  John 
Zeigler  was  called  to  the  charge,  and  to  the  present 
day  has  continued  to  preach  and  labor  zealously  for 
this  congregation  in  connection  with  his  other  pas- 
toral duties.  Under  his  care  there  has  been  a  grati- 
fying show  of  steady  prosperity.  The  attendance  at 
worship  averages  about  sixty  persons.  The  member- 
ship is  twenty-six.  A  Sabbath-school  meets  regularly 
once  a  week.  The  average  attendance  is  about  fifty. 
Henry  Spotts  is  the  superintendent. 

Dick's  Run  Messiah's  Church.— In  March,  1867, 
Rev.  Thomas  Holland,  then  pastor  of  the  Central 
Messiali's  Church,  organized  the  Dick's  Run  Messiah 
Church  in  the  Dick's  Run  school-hou«e.  The  mem- 
bers, who  were  chiefly  i'rom  the  Central  Church,  were 
William  and  Phoebe  Smith,  James  Steere,  Sophia 


Steere,  Philip  Steere,  Love  Ann  Hunter,  L.  P.  Hall, 
Isaac  Lucas,  Elizabeth  E.  Smith,  John  Steere,  Sr., 
Ann  E.  Steere,  James  Parsons,  Eliza  Parsons,  P.  H. 
Iddings,  Wilson  Irwin,  William  Steere,  Thomas  Wool- 
ford  and  wife,  E.  A.  Hall.  The  first  deacon  chosen 
was  Jesse  Parsons.  The  school- house  was  used  for 
meetings  until  1873,  when  a  church  w.as  built  upon 
an  adjoining  lot.  The  building  was  dedicated  Feb.  1, 
1874,  by  the  pastor.  Rev.  John  Zeigler.  Rev.  Thomas 
Holland,  the  first  p.astor,  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  H. 
B.  Cutler.  The  present  pastor.  Rev.  John  Zeigler, 
has  been  in  charge  since  1871.  The  church  deacons 
are  now  Thomas  Woolford,  Thomas  Steere,  and  Jesse 
Parsons.  The  trustees  are  Jesse  Parsons,  Thomas 
Steere,  and  Wilson  Irwin. 

The  farmers  of  Union  township  united  themselves 
with  the  Patrons  of  Husbandry  on  the  18th  of  August, 
1874.  The  organization  was  made  near  Unionville 
by  State  Deputy  Rhone,  assisted  by  Patrons  from 
Bald  Eagle  Grange.  The  following  were  elected  offi- 
cers: Master,  Jacob  Taylor ;  Overseer,  E.  M.  Fisher; 
Lecturer,  R.  T.  Comley ;  Steward,  Joseph  Davidson ; 
Assistant  Steward,  J.  B.  Taylor;  Chaplain,  W.  T. 
Irwin;  Treasurer,  Jacob  Hoover;  Secretary,  Miles 
ShuU;  Gate-Koeper,  Enoch  Hugg ;  Ceres,  Mary  Tay- 
lor ;  Flora,  E.  A.  Irwin  ;  Pomona,  Elizabeth  Iddings ; 
Stewardess,  Sarah  Iddings. 

Township  Organization.— At  the  January  sessions 
of  court  in  1849  the  [letition  of  divers  inhabitants  of 
Boggs  township  was-  presented,  setting  forth  that  they 
labored  under  great  inconvenience  for  want  of  a  new 
township,  to  be  stricken  off"  said  township  of  Boggs, 
embracing  the  western  end  of  said  township,  to  be 
called  Union  township,  and  pr.iying  the  court  to 
appoint  proper  persons  as  commissioners  to  view,  etc. 
Thereupon  the  court  appointed  Charles  Carpenter, 
Henry  P.  Treziyulny,  and  James  Ward  commis- 
sioners. On  the  25th  of  November,  1850,  the  viewers 
made  a  report  as  follows : 

"The  undersigned  commissioners,  appointed  by 
order  of  court  for  the  purpose  specified  in  the  an- 
nexed order,  respectfully  repo^'t  that  by  virtue  and 
in  pursuance  of  the  annexed  order  they  did,  after 
having  been  sworn  according  to  law,  and  having 
given  notice  to  the  inhabitants  of  Boggs  township 
by  at  least  ten  written  handbills  put  up  in  the  most 
public  places  in  said  township  for  at  least  six  da3-s 
previously  of  the  time  and  place  at  which  we  should 
meet  for  the  purpose  of  performing  the  duties  of  our 
said  appointment,  on  the  11th  day  of  November,  1850, 
met  at  the  house  of  William  Fisher  pursuant  to  said 
notice,  and  then  and  thence  proceeded  to  perform  our 
said  duties,  and  we  do  hereby  annex  a  plot  or  draft 
of  Boggs  township,  showing  the  lines  of  said  town- 
ship and  the  division-line  proposed  to  be  run  therein. 
And  they  do  further  report  that  in  their  opinion  it  is 
entirely  expedient  and  proper  to  grant  the  prayer  of 
the  petition  mentioned  in  the  annexed  order,"  etc. 

Nov.  29,  1850,  the  court  confirmed  the  report,  and 


'^ 


^C,^U-^  '  <f<^^ 


UNION   TOWNSHIP. 


449 


ordered  tliatthe  new  township  should  be  called  Union. 
The  chief  township  officials  chosen  from  1851  to  1881 
are  named  herewith. 

Con$UMe».—lS:i1,  \V.  II.  Slnilli  ;  I8."<2.  Jolin  Biisb  ;  1853,  Li)t  Tents;  1804, 
II.  S.  West ;  1865,  W.  II.  Siiiitli ;  IS.'iO,  Iliigli  S.  West;  1857,  W.  H. 
Smith;  18.i8-50,  B.  V.  Brisbili  ;  1800,  G.  h.  Peters;  18GI-62,  Peter 
II.  Bush;  1803,  Julin  Idcliiigs;  1804,  Harvey  Hoover;  1805,  A.  B. 
Hull;  1800-08,  Jolili  linger;  1 809,  George  W.  Fleck;  1870,  D. Oinip- 
bell;  1872,  W.  Idiliiige;  187!,  George  Ilissell;  1874,  Thom.is  Wc- 
Ewen  ;  1875,  B.  V.  Bi  i»liin  ;  1870,  Joseijli  Ainmemiiin  ;  1877,  Jiicub 
Hoover;  187.S,  Willmni  Mdings;  1879,  Miller  Hoover;  1880,  E.  E. 
Krliiirt;  1881,  Austin  Hoover. 

Juslicet  nf  ihe  r«icf.— Nonli  Vf.  McKenn,  Mnrcli  18,  1851 ;  Jesse  Iliill, 
Wareh  10,  1853;  Lot  Tents,  Miirili  17,  1854;  Samuel  McKenii,  July 
3,1855;  Jesse  Hall,  Miireli  10.  1858;  George  W.  Fleck,  March  20, 
1804;  David  Camlihell,  March  21,  1808;  Harvey  Hoover,  March  13, 
1875;  J.  M.  Blair,  Aliril  3,  1878. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


JOSEPH    ALE.XANDER,    JK. 

Joseph  Alexander,  Jr.,  was  born  in  Union  town- 
ship, Centre  Co.,  Pa.,  March  26,  1814,  and  died  Nov. 
13,  1876,  aged  sixty-two  years,  seven  months,  seven- 
teen days,  on  the  farm  where  he  was  born.  He 
possessed  a  contented  and  happy  disposition,  and 
was  full  of  life  and  sport  in  boyhood,  and  retained 
his  love  of  innocent  jokes  and  youthful  pleasures 
while  he  lived.  He  labored  on  the  farm  with  his 
brothers,  William,  George,  John,  and  James,  until 
one  after  another  had  gone  to  some  other  business. 
He  also  had  one  sister,  Eliza  Jane,  who  married 
Franklin  B.  Leathers,  and  resides  in  Unionville. 
He  was  ever  active  and  earnest  in  youth,  gathering 
for  himself  as  much  knowledge  as  possible  in  the 
short  school-term  of  that  day,  as  well  as  much 
useful  information  from  his  daily  labor,  which  he 
did  not  fail  to  store  away,  laying  a  good  foundation 
ibr  the  sound  judgment  and  great  usefulness  that 
characterized  his  future  life. 

He  neither  smoked  nor  chewed  tobacco,  nor  drank 
liquor  or  any  intoxicating  beverage  at  any  time  in 
his  life,  nor  did  he  contract  any  of  the  many  bad 
habits  so  prevalent  among  our  young  people  of  the 
present  day ;  as  a  result,  he  possessed  a  well-developed 
I'rame,  a  good  constitution,  and  a  clear  bead,  and 
retained  them  up  to  his  last  sickness.  He  was 
married  on  May  5,  1842,  to  Eleanor  A.  Blair,  born 
in  Mile.^burg,  Pa.,  March  5,  1819.  He  continued 
with  his  father,  and  through  steady  and  persevering 
efibrt,  cleared  the  farm  of  some  debt  with  wliich 
it  had  been  encumbered,  after  which  he  purchased 
adjoining  land  for  himself,  cultivating  it  in  addition 
to  his  father's.  His  working  force  was  enlarged, 
and  timber  for  rafting  was  prepared  while  clearing 
his  land  was  being  pushed  vigorously  along.  When 
the  railroad  was  laid  out  through  the  valley  he 
contracted  for  and  built  one  mile  of  it,  and  after- 
wards completed  an  unfinished  mile,  thereby  giving 
2'J 


employment  to  a  number  of  men,  and  also  cnablinjr 
the  railroad  company  to  make  use  of  the  track  at  a 
specified  time. 

After  this  he  turned  his  attention  to  lumbering, 
bark-peeling,  manufacturing  charcoal,  and  clearing 
off  his  land,  besides  farming,  in  order,  ius  it  seemed, 
to  give  employment  to  the  men  who,  from  time  t.i 
'  time,  had  gathered  about  him.  The.se  at  one 
time  (during  the  panic)  numbered  forty.  The  great 
amount  of  labor  caused  by  so  much  busine.ss,  for 
one  of  his  age,  wtis  a  .source  of  uneasiness  to  hi.s 
family,  and  when  begged  to  lay  txside  a  great  portion 
of  it,  he  made  answer,  "  Who  would  give  employ- 
ment to  all  these  men?  If  I  could  see  some  one  to 
take  my  place,  I  would  willingly  resign  some  of  it." 

At  one  time  the  school  finances  had  gotten  into 
arrears,  until  orders  were  held  by  the  teachers  a 
year  or  two  unpaid.  He  acted  as  collector,  treasurer, 
and  secretary,  until  all  the  old  orders  were  p:iid  and 
new  ones  at  par,  and  during  his  remaining  years 
he  was  often  connected  witli  the  board,  and  always 
manifested  great  interest  in  its  proceedings. 

In  his  early  years  he  connected  himself  with  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  being  the  one  which 
his  father  so  zealously  served.  Their  home  w.as  ever 
open  to  the  minister  of  the  gospel,  and  prayer- 
meetings  and  church  services  were  sometimes  held 
there,  and  the  place  mentioned  as  the  "  Preacher's 
Home."  The  poorest  beggar  never  was  turned  away 
unsheltered  or  unfed.  This  shelter  must  be  provided 
in  the  house,  unless  already  too  full  of  occupant-". 

His  undaunted  energy  and  firm  principles  of  piety 
and  duty  found  expression  not  only  in  words,  but  a 
ready  response  in  actions.  His  church  needed  a 
house  of  worship,  the  old  Union  Church  being 
too  often  occupied  with  other  denominations  to 
permit  the  holding  of  regular  meetings,  as  desired. 
The  people  were  poor,  and  slow  to  pay  ;  but  he  took 
the  contract,  and  pushed  ic  to  completion,  receiving 
the  subscriptions  whenever  it  suited  the  subscriber, 
and  what  he  never  received  he  considered  a.s  given 
to  the  church.  Some  years  later  he  did  the  same 
for  the  Adventists,  who  had  been  holding  services 
in  the  Bush  school-house, — a  neat  structure,  from 
which  songs  of  praise  go  forth,  and  the  gospel  is 
proclaimed,  silently  speaks  of  labors  performed  by 
him. 

No  project  for  doing  good  failed  to  receive  help 
from  him.  Thus  a  useful  lifetime  was  sjjent,  which 
exerted  an  influence  for  good  upon  all  with  whom 
he  came  into  contact.  His  measure  of  right  and 
wrong  being  the  golden  rule, — "  Do  unto  others  as 
you  would  that  they  should  do  to  you."'  He  was 
blessed  with  a  goodly  portion  of  this  world's  goods, 
and  left  to  each  of  his  five  children  not  only  a  farm, 
but  a  noble  example  of  honesty  and  its  reward, — an 
example  expressive  of  the  wealth  of  a  mind  at  peace 
with  its  Maker  and  all  mankind,  and  filled  with  the 
consciousness  of  a  right-doing, — and  in  passing  away 


450 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


he  left  his  assurance  of  heaven  in  these  last  words : 
"All  is  clear,  all  is  bright;  not  a  cloud,  not  a 
doubt." 

His  children  were  as  follows  : 

(1)  Francis  Mills,  born  July  21,  3843,  married 
Hannah  Iddings.  Issue  :  Charles  Alexander  (died  at 
about  ten  years),  Ellen,  and  JIary. 

(2)  Nannie  J.  Alexander,  born  April  20,  1845, 
married  W.  T.  Twitniire,  March  29,  1870.  Issue: 
Fannie  J.  Twitmire,  born  April  4,  1871 ;  Alton  Alex- 
ander Twitinire,  born  Dec.  29,  1872;  Ellen  Turbott 
Twitmire,  born  Nov.  27,  1874;  Joseph  Wilber  Twit- 
mire, born  Oct.  23,  1881 ;  all  residing  in  Bellefonte, 
Centre  Co.,  Pa. 

(3)  Kate  E.,  born  April  27,  1848,  married  John 
H.  Stover.  Issue:  Alfred  Homer  Stover,  born  Oct. 
3,  18G8;  Stella  May  Stover,  born  March,  1871 ;  Jere- 
miah Clayton  Stover,  born  June,  1879;  Joseph  Alex- 
ander Stover,  born  October,  1880. 

(4)  Julia  Ann,  born  Sept.  23,  1851,  married  S.  K. 
Emerick,  January,  1879. 

(5)  Joseph  Blair,  born  Aug.  26, 
Jemima  Calhoun  in  spring  of  1877. 
Alexander,  and  Lee  Roy  Alexander. 


1854,   married 
Issue  :  Joseph 


SAMUEL  BRUGGER. 
Johann  Rudolph  Brugger,  son  of  Samuel  Brugger, 
was  born  in  October,  1772,  in  tlie  district  of  Brugg, 
canton  Aargan,  in  Switzerland.  He  was  a  linen- 
weaver  by  trade.  He  married  Miss  Catherine  Wildi, 
and  took  up  his  residence  in  Veliheini,  canton  of 
Aargan,  where  they  resided  until  1817,  when,  with  his 
wife  and  six  children  (three  sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters), he  emigrated  to  America.  One  of  the  sons 
(Casper)  died  during  the  three  months'  voyage,  and 
was  buried  in  the  ocean.  Landing  in  Philadelphia, 
he  worked  his  way  up  the  Susquehanna  River  to 
McKee's  Half  Falls,  'and  settled  down  at  Grubb's 
Church,  about  five  miles  out  in  the  country  from  the 
river,  where  he  resided  for  several  years,  then  moved 
to  the  southwestern  corner  of  Union  County  (now 
Snyder),  a  few  miles  from  the  mouth  of  Mohantongo 
Creek,  where  he  ended  his  days,  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
two  years.  His  son  Gabriel,  the  father  of  tlie  subject 
of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  Veltheim,  above  named, 
on  the  1st  day  of  June,  1804.  He  was  married  to 
Catherine  Arnold,  daughter  of  George  Arnold.  She 
was  born  in  Chapman  township.  Union  Co.,  Pa., 
May  19,  1805.  After  his  marriage  he  moved  to  the 
old  Stone  Valley  Church,  in  Lower  Mahanoy  town- 
ship, Northumberland  Co.,  Pa.,  where  he  resided 
until  October,  1839,  when  he  moved  to  Perry  town- 
ship. Union  Co.  (now  Snyder),  near  Mount  Pleasant 
Mills,  and  lived  on  a  small  farm.  They  had  twelve 
children,  of  whom  Samuel  Brugger  was  the  third. 
He  was  born  near  the  old  Stone  Valley  Church,  above 
named,  on  the  26th  day  of  August,  1830.  In  the 
home  of  his  birth  he  spent  the  days  of  his  childhood. 


attending,  as  soon  as  old  enough,  a  German  school 
part  of  the  year.  The  public  school  system  was  not 
adopted  in  that  county  until  long  after  that  time. 
The  last  two  years  of  his  school-life  there  he  began  to 
learn  a  little  of  the  English  language.  He  soon 
learned  to  read  it,  but  could  not  understand  its  mean- 
ing. In  Union  County  the  public  school  system  had 
been  adopted,  and  for  several  winters  Mr.  Brugger 
attended  the  three  months'  school,  which  was  then 
the  length  of  the  winter  term.  By  the  provision  of  a 
law  then  existing,  the  citizens  of  any  district  could 
take  a  vote  once  in  three  years,  and  reject  or  adopt 
the  public  school  system.  This  the  people  of  Mr. 
Brugger's  district  did,  and  rejected  the  system,  and 
for  several  years  they  had  no  public  schools.  When 
nearly  ten  years  old  he  was  put  out  to  work  for  his 
board  and  clothing  with  an  uncle,  with  whom  he  re- 
mained three  years  and  a  half.  After  returning  home 
he  attended  a  private  school  two  months  during  the 
winter  for  a  couple  of  years,  studying  reading  and. 
arithmetic,  which,  with  a  little  penmanship  inci- 
dentally, was  all  that  wa.s  taught  in  the  public 
schools  of  that  day.  In  August,  1846,  he  taught  a 
two  months'  term  of  school  in  Greenwood  township, 
Juniata  Co.  This  was  his  first  school,  and  the  begin- 
ning of  a  long  experience  in  school-teaching.  After 
closing  his  school  he  for  a  short  time  attended  school 
at  Freeburg,  Pa.,  and  from  that  time  on  for  several 
years  he  spent  his  time  in  teaching  and  going  to 
school.  In  1849  he  attended  one  session  of  the  Dick- 
inson Seminary,  at  Williamsport,  Pa.,  under  the  prin- 
cipalship  of  Rev.  Thomas  Bowman  (now  one  of  the 
bishops  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church).  Prior 
to  this  (1848)  his  father  gave  him  his  time  and  told 
him  to  go  and  do  the  best  he  could.  He  made  a 
small  trunk,  and  putting  in  it  all  his  worldly  posses- 
sions, consisting  of  a  little  extra  clothing  and  his 
small  stock  of  books, — namely,  a  copy  of  "Murray's 
English  Reader,"  "  Kirkham's  Grammar,"  "Com- 
stock's  Philosophy,"  "  Rose's  Arithmetic,"  and  "Gum- 
mere's  Surveying," — lie  went  to  Boalsburg,  in  Centre 
County,  Pa.,  and  clerked  in  a  general  store  for  George 
Jack,  at  five  dollars  per  month.  Here  he  remained 
three  months,  then  went  into  the  woods  in  Clearfield 
County,  and  for  a  short  time  cooked  for  a  party  of 
lumbermen  for  his  board.  The  winter  of  1848-49  he 
taught  in  Grahamton,  and  in  the  spring  following 
went  back  to  his  father's,  and  the  next  fill,  as  above 
stated,  attended  the  Williamsport  Seminary.  His 
funds  being  exhausted,  he  again  taught  school,  this 
time  at  Mount  Pleasant  Mills,  in  Union  County  ; 
afterwards  near  Unionville,  in  Centre  County.  In 
the  summer  of  1851,  Mr.  Brugger  traveled  on  foot 
through  Pennsylvania,  Michigan,  Wisconsin,  Illinois, 
and  Ohio,  and  back  to  his  home  in  Pennsylvania,  all 
the  way  on  foot,  except  crossing  Lake  Erie  and  fi-om 
Chicago  to  Cleveland.  He  then  taught  school  until 
1853,  when  he  attended  for  five  months  Joshua 
Hoopes'  school  for  boys,  at  Westchester.     He  then 


-'V'oy  A^R. 


cdL. 


'XA^ 


^^^3^.^^^ 


UNION VILLE   BOKOUGir. 


451 


went  back  to  Unionville,  and  worked  as  a  chainman 
on  Ihe  Bald  Eagle  Valley  Railroad.  In  1854  he 
worked  aa  rodman  on  the  Tangascootak  Railroad, 
during  the  winter  taught  in  Unionville,  and  the  next 
April  went  to  Minnesota,  and  worked  for  the  city  en- 
gineer on  the  streets  of  St.  Paul.  In  the  fall  was 
engineer  in  charge  of  the  survey  of  the  Minnesota 
and  Northwestern  Railroad  from  St.  Paul  to  Cannon 
River,  which  was  the  first  railroad  projected  in  the 
territory.  On  the  14th  day  of  February,  1856,  he 
married  Miss  Margaret  Peters,  daughter  of  Jacob 
Peters.  She  was  born  at  Unionville  Feb.  29,  1836. 
Their  union  has  been  blessed  with  the  following- 
named  children  :  Walter  M.,  born  Nov.  1, 1856  ;  Nora 
Isabella,  Jan.  21,  1859;  Carrie  Asenath,  July  27, 
1861;  Joseph  Edward,  May  6,  1863;  John  Peters, 
March  14,  1865;  and  Elizabeth  C,  born  June  8,  1870. 
After  his  marriage  he  built  him  a  house  in  Union- 
ville, in  which  village  he  has  ever  since  made  his 
home.  He  helped  build  the  Bald  Eagle  Valley  Rail- 
road, commencing  in  October,  1856,  when  the  first 
stake  was  driven,  and  remaining  thereon  until  its 
completion,  in  November,  1864.  He  finished  the 
construction  of  the  Sterling  Mountain  Railroad,  in 
New  York,  and  in  1866  located  about  fifty  miles  of 
the  Winslow  Colliery  and  Clarion  River  Road.  In 
1867  helped  construct  the  Western  Maryland  Rail- 
road, and  in  January  following  went  to  New  York 
on  the  Boston,  Hartford  and  Erie  Railroad  as  prin- 
cipal assistant  engineer,  where  he  remained  until 
February,  1870,  when  the  want  of  funds  stopped  the 
work.  He  then  went  back  to  the  Western  Maryland 
Road,  and  for  three  years  and  a  half  was  resident 
engineer.  After  the  completion  of  the  road  he  re- 
turned home.  We  next  find  him  in  charge  of  the 
Pennsylvania  and  Western  Railroad,  where  he  re- 
mained several  years,  and  is  now  in  charge  of  the 
Susquehanna  and  Southwestern  Road.  In  politics 
Mr.  Brngger  is  a  Democrat,  but  not  a  politician.  He 
has  never  desired  office,  but  has  been  elected  to  town 
offices,  and  in  1880  was  elected  county  surveyor. 


Amanda,  daughter  of  Dr.  William  Underwood.  Upon 
her  decease  he  was  married,  in  September,  1859,  to 
Miss  Martha  J.  Griest,  of  Adams  County.  He  has 
six  children  living. 


A.  .1.  GRIEST. 

Mr.  Griest  is  a  resident  of  Unionville  borough,  and 
at  present  one  of  the  county  commissioners  of  Centre 
County  elected  in  November,  1881.  He  is  a  native 
of  Dauphin  County,  and  was  born  at  Harrisburg 
Jan.  19,  1837,  where  his  parents,  Mahlon  and  Mary 
A.  Griest,  then  resided.  His  mother's  maiden  name 
was  Paulding,  from  Franklin  County.  Shortly  after 
Mr.  Griest  was  born  they  removed  to  Latimore  town- 
ship, Adams  Co.  In  April,  1856,  they  removed  to 
Centre  County.  The  ancestor  of  Mr.  Griest,  John 
Griest,  emigrated  from  England  in  1712,  and  settled 
near  Wilmington,  Delaware,  and  in  1744  moved 
to  York  County,  and  settled  on  the  banks  of  the  Ber- 
mudian,  in  what  is  now  the  northeast  corner  of  Adams 
I  County. 

Mr.  Griest  was  married  Nov.  26,  1861,  to  Miss  S. 
M.  Catherman,  of  Union  County,  and  has  been  en- 
gaged in  the  mercantile  business  since  1870  at  Union- 


BENJAMIN  RICH. 
Benjamin  Rich,  Esq.,  was  born  in  Millville,  Colum- 
bia Co.,  July  25,  1829.  His  father,  John  G.  Rich, 
came  from  New  Jersey,  and  his  mother,  Lydia  Lundy, 
was  born  in  the  same  house  her  children  were  ;  her 
parents,  however,  also  came  from  New  Jersey.  Mr. 
Rich  was  educated  at  IMillville  Seminary,  and  after 
working  on  farms  removed  to  Centre  County  in  1852, 
and  -was  engaged  by  the  firm  of  Underwood,  Hicklen 
&  Co.  as  an  assistant  in  the  lumber  business.  In  1858 
he  bought  out  John  Ring's  store,  and  started  in  the 
mercantile  and  lumbering  business  on  his  own  ac- 
count, in  which  he  has  continued  ever  since.  March 
14,  1874,  Mr.  Rich  was  commissioned  justice  of  the 
peace  of  Unionville,  and  is  now  serving  his  second 
term   of  office.     He   was   first   married   in    1855,   to 


CHAPTER    LXXXVIII. 

UNIONVILLE    BOROUGH. 

Unionville  contains  a  population  of  about  four 
hundred,  and  has  enjoyed  borough  privileges  since 
1859.  It  lies  in  the  Bald  Eagle  valley,  on  the  Bald 
Eagle  Creek,  and  is  a  station  on  the  Bald  Eagle  Val- 
ley Railroad,  twenty-five  miles  eastward  from  Tyrone. 
It  wiis  at  one  time  a  lumber  shipping-point  of  impor- 
tance, but  in  that  traffic  has  ceased  to  cut  a  figure  be- 
cause of  the  exhaustion  of  the  raw  material.  It  is  a 
prosperous  business  centre  and  market  town  for  a  rich 
agricultural  district,  and  occupying  an  elevation  of 
about  seven  hundred  and  sixty  feet  above  ocean  level, 
possesses  a  salubrious  and  healthful  climate.  Manu- 
factures are  confined  to  the  production  of  leather  and 
flour.  Three  excellent  and  well-stocked  stores  repre- 
sent the  town's  mercantile  interests.  There  are  four 
churches  and  a  commodious  public  school.  The  town 
wears  an  air  of  thrift  and  substance,  and  boasts  among 
its  citizens  men  of  enterprise  and  stirring  energy. 

The  village  owes  its  foundation  to  the  Underwood 
family,  but  more  especially  to  William  Underwood. 
The  land  upon  which  the  greater  portion  of  Union- 
ville stands  was  patented  to  James  Johnston  in  1794 
and  1803.  Successive  owners  were  Andrew  Boggs, 
John  Dunlop,  James  Dunlop,  Jane  Paxton,  and 
Zephaniah  Underwood.  Until  Zephaniah  Under- 
wood's time  no  attempt  was  made  to  utilize  the  land, 
and  it  remained  a  thick  wood  until  Undcrwoo  1  catr>«^ 


452 


IIISTOKY  OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


into  possession.  Underwood  was  by  trade  a  butcher, 
and  came  from  York  County  to  the  Bald  Eagle  valley 
in  1843,  in  which  year  hepurchased  the  present  Union- 
ville  site,  and  established  his  home  in  a  log  cabin  that 
stood  on  the  spot  now  occupied  by  Jacob  Smith's  resi- 
dence. Underwood  farmed  a  little  and  butchered  a 
little,  but  did  not  make  much  headway  in  tlie  im- 
provement of  his  property. 

Meanwliile,  his  son  William  was  engaged  in  car- 
riage-making at  Bellefonte  and  IMilesburg,  and  in 
1848,  joining  his  father  at  the  Unionvijle  place,  in- 
duced the  latter  to  consent  to  the  laying  out  of  a 
town  upon  his  property.  William  Underwood's  sug- 
gestion as  to  founding  a  town  came,  perhaps,  from 
the  fact  that  the  well-traveled  pike  left  the  valley  at 
liis  father's  place,  and  passed  on  toward  the  moun- 
tain, and  that  tlierefore  the  spot,  being  a  favorable 
one  for  the  establishing  of  a  tavern,  ought  also  to 
offer  reasons  for  creating  other  business  resources 
that  would  supply  the  natural  demands  of  a  popular 
thoroughfare.  Be  tliat  as  it  may,  the  fact  remains 
that  William  Underwood  caused  the  new  town  to  be 
surveyed,  and  christened  it  Unionville.  Shortly 
thereafter  Jacob  Peters  laid  out  an  addition  on  De 
Witt's  Run,  upon  land  that  he  had  bought  of  Judge 
Burnside.  A  log  churcli  had  been  erected  (by  people 
living  in  the  neighborhood)  upon  the  lot  now  occu- 
pied by  the  Union  or  Baptist  meeting-house.  This 
church  lot  had  been  donated  by  William  Paxton  for 
Union  Church  purposes  forever,  and,  as  recorded,  the 
people  erected  a  Union  Church.  Adjoining  the 
church  stood  a  log  school-house.  North  of  the  church 
the  land  was  owned  by  Judge  Thomas  Burnside,  who, 
when  Paxton  gave  the  church  lot,  donated  a  lot  ad- 
joining it  for  a  burial-ground.  The  date  of  the  erec- 
tion of  the  church  cannot  be  positively  fixed,  but 
1830  is  doubtless  pretty  near  to  it.  The  school-house 
was  put  up  a  little  time  before  that.  The  first  im- 
provement of  any  consequence  whatever  on  Zephan- 
iah  Underwood's  property  was  made  in  1844  by  L.  C. 
Peters,  a  blacksmith.  Mr.  Petersjudged  the  location 
a  good  one  for  a  smithy,  and  buying  a  small  patch  of 
land  of  Underwood,  erected  the  house  now  occupied 
by  H.  W.  Hoover  as  a  residence.  Adjoining  his 
house  Blr.  Peters  built  his  shop,  and,  true  to  his  con- 
victions, found  the  place  an  excellent  one  for  business. 
The  contracting  carpenter  for  Peters'  house  was  John 
Campbell,  now  living  in  Julian.  W.  H.  Smith,  now 
of  Unionville,  assisted  in  the  work. 

Since  1842,  Mr.  Smith  has  been  engaged  continu- 
ously in  business  as  a  carpenter,  and  personally  super- 
intended the  erection  of  a  great  number  of  Union- 
ville stores  and  dwellings.  Mr.  Smith  built  more 
than  one-half  of  Unionville, — perhaps  two-thirds, — 
beginning,  in  1844,  with  L.  C.  Peters'  house.  He 
has  built  upwards  of  one  hundred  barns  in  Clearfield 
County,  and  enjoys  the  further  distinction  of  being 
the  oldest  resident  in  that  portion  of  the  borough  laid 
out  bv  Underwood. 


L.  C.  Peters  lived  in  Unionville  until  his  death,  in 
1878,  and  won  a  worthy  name  as  a  valuable  citizen. 
He  married  one  of  William  Fisher's  daughters  in 
1845.  His  widow  survives  him,  and  makes  her  home 
upon  her  farm,  below  Unionville.  Her  sons,  Oscar 
and  Alfred,  reside  with  her  and  manage  the  farm. 
Her  other  children  are  Mrs.  Smith,  of  Bellefonte; 
Milton  and  William,  of  Unionville  ;  Edward,  of  Phil- 
ipsburg;  and  Joseph,  of  Bellefonte.  In  the  summer 
of  1845,  Jesse  Hall,  a  carpenter,  bought  a  bit  of  land 
on  the  pike  of  Underwood  (just  below  Peters' house), 
and  put  up  a  small  dwelling.  In  1848,  William  Un- 
derwood determined  to  found  the  town  for  which  he 
had  already  the  nucleus  of  a  carpenter  and  black- 
smith. An  auction  sale  of  lots  was  held  upon  the 
ground,  and  a  few  sales  made  the  first  day,  William 
N.  Mason,  the  tavern-keeper,  being  one  of  the  buyers. 
When  the  lots  were  surveyed  the  only  buildings  on 
the  site  were  the  dwellings  of  Peters,  Hall,  and  Un- 
derwood, the  church,  and  school-house.  Jacob  Peters 
had  for  some  years  been  living  on  the  place  now 
owned  by  Samuel  Brugger.  That  portion  of  the  bor- 
ough was  laid  out  by  Mr.  Peters. 

The  first  store  was  put  up  by  Cyrus  Jeffries,  who 
was  a  preacher  as  well  as  trader,  and  was  commonly 
known  as  Eev.  Jeffries.  His  store  building  was  a 
pretty  substantial  improvement.  It  is  now  occupied 
by  John  and  George  Alexander.  Jesse  Hall  was  the 
first  village  carpenter.  Jacob  and  Lewis  Peters  kept 
houses  of  entertainment  in  the  village  before  Mason 
came  on,  but  the  first  licensed  tavern  was  built  and 
kept  by  William  N.  Mason  in  1849.  Mason  kept  it 
but  a  year.  In  1850,  George  Taylor  became  its  land- 
lord. Since  1872  it  has  been  kept  as  a  temperance 
house.  George  Taylor  and  his  son  Thomas  liave 
managed  the  house  since  1850,  the  latter  being  now 
the  landlord.  William  Underwood  was  a  man  of 
stirring  energy,  and  with  his  brother  Jesse  engaged 
liberally  in  enterprises  for  the  advancement  of  the 
town's  interests.  Later,  Jason  Kirk  joined  them, 
and  as  Underwood,  Kirk  &  Co.  the  firm  carried  on  a 
large  business  in  lumbering,  milling,  and  store-keep- 
ing. In  1848,  Jesse  and  William  Underwood  built 
the  grist-mill  now  owned  by  William  D.  Smith. 
William  Underwood  was  likewise  a  practicing  phy- 
sician of  what  was  known  as  the  Thompsonian  school. 
He  maintained  his  practice  at  Unionville,  however, 
only  until  1852,  for  at  that  time  his  other  business 
interests  so  grew  in  importance  as  to  demand  all  his 
time,  and  he  therefore  abandoned  the  field  of  medi- 
cine. In  1848,  Fleming  post-olfice,  which  had  been 
located  at  Sam  Lucas'  Allegheny  House,  on  the  pike, 
was  transferred  to  Unionville,  and  in  1860  a  second 
village  store  was  opened  by  Kisley  &  Walter.  Their 
career  was,  however,  brief.  William  Underwood 
continued  to  reside  at  Unionville,  and  to  take  an  ac- 
tive part  in  the  business  interests  of  the  town,  until 
1868.  He  resides  now  at  Elizabeth  City,  in  North 
Carolina.     His  home  in  Unionville  was  the  residence 


JJNIONVILLE   BOROUGH. 


453 


now  owned  by  Jesse  Clever.  Of  the  other  Under- 
wood brothers,  Jesse  died  at  Unionville,  Charles  lives 
near  the  village,  and  John  in  Ohio. 

The  store-keepers  of  Unionville  have  been  numer- 
ous since  Cyrus  Jefl'ries'  time.  His  successors  may 
be  mentioned  in  brief  as  W.  H.  Smith,  W.  &  J.  Un- 
derwood, Underwood  &  Kirk,  Underwood,  Kirk  & 
Co.,  Risley  &  Waller,  Williams  &  Bing,  Bing  &  Bush, 
Rich  &  Gricst,  Hicklen,  Kirk  &  Co.,  Hicklens  &  Co., 
B.  Rich  &  Co.,  B.  Rich,  Giiest  &  Rumbarger,  S.  H. 
Brown,  Wertimer  Bros.,  J.  &  G.  Alexander,  Leathers 
&  Buck,  A.  J.  &  T.  E.  Griest,  A.  T.  Leathers  &  Co., 
B.  F.  Leathers  &  Son.  T.  E.  and  A.  J.  Griest  came 
to  Unionville  from  Adams  County  in  I80G.  A.  J. 
Griest  was  one  of  the  firm  of  Griest  &  Rumbarger 
from  18G9  to  1874,  when  the  firm  of  A.  J.  &  T.  E. 
Griest  succeeded  to  the  last-mentioned  firm.  Benja- 
min Rich  came  to  Unionville  from  Columbia  County 
in  November,  1852,  and  engaged  in  lumbering  for 
Hicklens  &  Co.,  at  Unionville  and  Beaver  Mills.  In 
1858  he  purchased  the  store  business  of  John  Bing, 
and  was  one  of  Unionville's  leading  merchants  from 
1858.  B.  F.  Leathers  came  to  Unionville  in  1848, 
departed  after  a  brief  stay,  and  returned  in  1852  for 
a  permanent  residence.  He  followed  the  business  of 
carpentering  from  1852  to  1868,  when  he  gave  his  at- 
tention to  lumbering.  In  June,  1880,  he  joined  his 
son,  A.  T.  Leathers,  in  forming  the  present  mercan- 
tile firm  of  B.  F.  Leathers  &  Son. 

About  1852,  Samuel  McKean  founded  the  Union- 
ville tannery.  In  1859  he  associated  Jason  Kirk 
with  him,  and  in  that  year  steam-power  was  added  to 
the  establishment.  In  1860,  Christian  Buck  pur- 
chased the  property,  and  after  carrying  it  on  about  a 
year  on  his  own  account,  leased  it  to  Summerville  & 
Downing.  In  1866,  Christian  Buck  and  J.  S.  Bush 
took  possession,  and  from  1868  to  1880,  Mr.  Buck  was 
the  sole  operator.  In  May,  1880,  Mr.  Buck  sold  out 
to  B.  F.  Leathers  &  Son,  the  present  proprietors. 
They  manufacture  chiefly  sole-  and  belting-leathers, 
employ  six  hands,  use  about  thirty-seven  hundred 
liides  annually,  and  consume  yearly  about  eight  hun- 
dred tons  of  bark.  Six-sevenths  of  the  bark  used  is 
rock-oak,  the  residue  is  hemlock.  The  manufactured 
leather  finds  a  market  at  Philadelphia. 

The  grist-mill  built  by  the  Underwoods  in  1848  was 
bought  by  William  D.  Smith,  the  present  proprietor, 
in  1867.  Mr.  Smith  was  born  in  Mifflin  County  in 
1832,  and  in  1834  came  to  Centre  County  with  his 
father,  John  H.  Smith.  John  H.  Smith  was  by  trade 
a  miller,  and  came  to  Centre  County  to  take  charge 
of  the  Wilson  mill,  near  Boalsburg.  From  there  he 
went  to  Linden  Hall  to  take  the  Gregg  mill,  and  in 
1844  moved  to  Bellefonte,  where  for  two  years  he  was 
the  miller  at  the  old  Harris  mill.  Failing  health 
compelled  him  to  retire  from  milling  in  1846,  in 
which  year  he  moved  to  a  farm  in  Spring  township. 
In  1848  he  resumed  milling  at  Port  Matilda,  and  in 
1856  retired  from  milling  for  good.     He  was  born  in 


1805,  and  died  in  Clearfield  County  in  1877.  His 
children  were  William  D.  and  Jacob  (in  Unionville), 
John  (in  Spring  township),  George  and  Mary  (in 
Clearfield  County),  Sarah  (in  Bellefonte). 

In  1856,  William  D.  Smith  took  charge  of  the  Beck- 
with  &  Humes  mill  at  Port  Matilda,  and  in  1860  en- 
gaged in  milling  in  Clearfield  County.  In  1867  he 
purchased  the  Underwood  Mill,  at  Unionville,  and  in 
1868  made  his  home  in  the  borough.  Mr.  Smith  has 
enlarged  the  mill  to  double  its  former  size,  fitted  it 
with  steam  apparatus,  and  expended  upon  it  upwards 
of  four  thousand  dollars  in  improvements.  The  mill 
has  since  been  doubled  in  size,  and  now  doesn't  suf- 
fice to  meet  the  demands  made  upon  it.  Mr.  Smith 
grinds  about  thirty  thousand  bushels  of  grain  annu- 
ally, giving  his  attention  chiefly  to  custom  work. 
The  annual  production  of  flour  for  sale  at  home  and 
shipment  to  other  markets  aggregates  one  thousand 
barrels.  Upon  the  property  adjoining  the  mill  Mr. 
Smith  has  put  one  thousand  dollars  additional  im- 
provements, besides  erecting  a  fine  residence  at  a  cost 
of  four  thousand  dollars.  Mr.  Smith  is  also  inter- 
ested in  coal-lands  and  a  grist-mill  on  Morgan's  Run, 
in  Clearfield  County. 

Fleming  Post-Oflice  was  established  before  Union- 
ville was  laid  out,  and  kept  at  the  Allegheny  House, 
on  the  pike.  Samuel  Lucas,  landlord  of  the  tavern, 
was  the  first  postmaster.  When  L.  C.  Peters  estab- 
lished himself  upon  the  present  site  of  Unionville, 
and  opened  a  house  of  entertainment  about  1846,  the 
oflice  was  transferred  to  him.  The  name  of  the  post- 
office  was  originally  bestowed  as  a  mark  of  honor  for 
Judge  Fleming.  When  the  oflice  was  kept  at  the  vil- 
lage the  name  was  retained,  because  the  State  held 
already  one  Unionville  Post-Office.  Fleming,  there- 
fore, it  remains  to  this  day.  Jesse  Hall  was  the  post- 
master in  1850,  and  was  succeeded  by  Thomas  Taylor. 
In  1856,  John  Bing  took  charge,  giving  way  in  1861 
to  A.  N.  Russell.  Russell's  successor,  in  1865,  was 
Charles  Smith,  who  held  the  place  until  1869.  In  the 
latter  year  A.  H.  Russell  received  his  second  appoint- 
ment, and  continues  yet  to  hold  the  oflice.  Mr.  Rus- 
sell came  to  Unionville  from  Adams  County  in  1852, 
and  clerked  for  Underwood  &  Co.  until  1857.  Mr. 
Russell  was  appointed  express  agent  at  Unionville 
upon  the  completion  of  the  Bald  Eigle  Valley  Rail- 
road, in  1864.  Joseph  Underwood  was  appointed  the 
first  station  agent. 

Unionville's  first  physician,  as  noted,  was  William 
Underwood,  who  practiced  medicine  according  to  the 
Thompsonian  theory  until  1852.  Upon  Dr.  Under- 
wood's retirement  from  the  field.  Dr.  A.  T.  Walters, 
who  had  studied  under  Underwood,  entered  it,  re- 
maining, however,  but  one  year.  T.  G.  McGuire,  his 
successor,  came  in  1853,  and  in  1854  sold  out  his  prac- 
tice and  effects  to  Dr.  J.  M.  Blair,  and  moved  away. 
Dr.  Blair  was  born  in  Centre  County  in  1823,  and, 
graduating  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in  1854, 
engaged  in  practice  at  Unionville  that  year  as  Dr 


454 


HISTORY   OF  CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


McGuire's  successor.  Dr.  Blair  has  continued  in  ac- 
tive practice  at  Unionville  since  18.34.  Dr.  A.  P. 
Heller  came  to  Unionville  in  1854,  but  departed  in 
1856.  Dr.  Abiah  John  appeared  in  1856,  remained 
two  years,  and  left.  Dr.  E.  A.  Russell,  now  one  of 
the  village  physicians,  studied  with  Dr.  Tappan,  of 
Ohio,  graduated  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  has  practiced  at  Unionville  since  1870.  Dr.  Con- 
stance Cambridge  studied  with  Dr.  Blair,  graduated 
at  the  New  York  University,  and  has  been  in  village 
practice  since  1876. 

BDrough  Incorporation. — At  the  November  ses- 
sions of  court  in  1858  "  the  petition  of  sundry  citizens 
of  Unionville  was  presented  and  read,  praying  for  the 
incorporation  of  said  village,  which  petition  was  re- 
ferred to  the  grand  jury.  And  now,  November  ses- 
sions, 1858,  the  grand  inquest  inquiring  for  the  said 
county  made  the  following  report,  viz.  :  We,  the  ma- 
jority of  the  grand  inquest  for  the  county  of  Centre, 
unanimously  agree  that  the  within-named  village  of 
Unionville  should  be  incorporated  March  9, 1859,  the 
proceedings  of  the  grand  jury  confirmed,  and  Union- 
ville declared  to  be  a  borough  according  to  law. 
Third  Tuesday  in  May  fixed  for  holding  the  election 
for  borough  officers.  Benjamin  Rich  to  give  notice 
of  the  election  to  be  held  at  the  school-house  in  said 
borough.  Jesse  Hall,  Esq.,  appointed  judge,  and 
Thomas  S.  Geary  and  George  Taylor,  inspectors. 
Dec.  3,  1859,  the  petition  of  the  citizens  of  the  bor- 
ough of  Unionville  was  presented,  praying  the  said 
borough  should  be  erected  into  a  separate  election 
and  school  district.  And  now,  Dec.  3,  1859,  the 
court  do  order  and  decree  that  the  borough  of  Union- 
ville, in  the  county  of  Centre,  be,  and  the  same  is 
hereby,  erected  into  a  separate  election  district,  and 
appoint  Mahlon  Grice  to  be  judge,  and  John  Bing 
and  S.  N.  Russell  to  be  inspectors  of  the  first  election 
to  be  held  in  the  public  school-house  in  said  borough 
on  the  third  Friday  of  February  next,  within  the 
usual  hours,  notice  to  be  given  of  said  election  by 
the  constable,  as  in  township  elections.  And  they 
do  further  order  and  decree  that  the  said  borough 
be,  and  the  same  is  hereby,  erected  into  a  separate 
school  district,  in  accordance  with  the  act  of  Assem- 
bly in  such  cases  made  and  provided. 

JiulicM  of  the  Peace— J^ha  S.  Bush,  March  2G,  ISCO;  Jonatlinn  D.  Tar- 
sona,  March  2:1,  180;! ;  Tlioiiiiia  J.  Geary,  April  0,  1805 ;  J.  M.  Bhiir, 
Sliircli  21,1808;  Thomas  J.  Grarj-,  July  20,1870;  Benjamin  Rich, 
March  14,  1874;  J.  M.  Blair.  March  U,  1875;  W.  H.  Smith,  March 
II,  1870;  Beujamiu  Rich,  April  5,  1879;  W.  H.  Smith,  April  0, 
1S81. 

Schools.— Some  of  the  older  people  of  Unionville 
and  neighborhood  remember  that  they  attended  school 
in  1830  in  a  log  school-house  that  occupied  the  site  of 
the  present  house.  One  of  the  first  teachers  in  that 
log  school-house,  as  now  remembered,  was  Wilson 
Burritt.  In  1838,  Maria  Mann  was  the  teacher. 
Other  than  these,  no  names  are  recalled  from  the  list 
of  the  pedagogues  who  held  sway  in  the  early  days  of 


Unionville's  school.  The  second  school-house  was  a 
framed  building  that  stood  on  land  now  owned  by 
Christian  Buck.  In  1869  the  present  house  was  built. 
It  cost  about  two  thousand  two  hundred  dollars.  It 
contains  a  grammar  and  primary  departments,  with 
an  average  attendance  of  ninety.  For  the  term  be- 
ginning in  1881,  A.  D.  Wirtz  was  in  charge  of  the 
graminar  department,  and  R.  E.  Cambridge  of  the 
primary.  The  school-directors  in  October,  1881,  were 
A.  T.  Leathers,  John  Bing,  A.  J.  Griest,  Christian 
Buck,  Daniel  Hall,  and  E.  A.  Russell. 

The  Society  of  Friends.— William  Fisher,  John 
Irving,  and  John  Idding^s,  who  came  from  Chester 
County  about  1800,  and  located  in  the  Bald  Eagle 
valley,  were  members  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  and, 
energetic  in  the  faith  that  nursed  them  in  old  Chester, 
bestirred  themselves  as  soon  as  possible  in  their  new 
homes  in  the  work  of  establishing  the  old  church 
upon  new  ground.  In  this  task  they  were  joined  by 
Friends  in  Half-Moon  valley,  and  inasmuch  as  the 
latter  locality  contained  a  greater  number  of  Friends 
than  the  Bald  Eagle,  a  meeting  was  established  in 
Half-Moon  and  a  meeting-house  erected  there  late  in 
1803.  The  meeting  was  called  Centre  Monthly  Meet- 
ing, and  held  its  first  meeting  in  Half-Moon,  at  Centre 
Line,  Dec.  17,  1803.  Israel  Hollingsworth  was  the 
clerk,  Ezekiel  Kirk  and  Thomas  Moore  the  overseers. 
At  this  Monthly  Meeting  all  the  Friends  in  Centre 
County  assembled  for  a  few  years,  for  it  was  the  only 
one  in  Centre  County.  The  first  movement  looking 
to  the  establishing  of  a  Preparative  Meeting  in  the 
Bald  Eagle  valley  was  made  in  May,  1823,  when  the 
Monthly  Meeting  received  a  request  to  establish  such 
a  meeting.  It  was  accordingly  organized  in  August 
of  that  year.  The  first  meetings  were  held  in  a  school- 
house  near  the  old  Fisher  place,  and  directly  after  that 
William  Fisher  fitted  up  one  of  his  farm-buildings  as 
a  house  of  worship.  A  meeting-house  was  built  farther 
up  the  road,  and  used  until  1869,  when,  for  the  greater 
convenience  of  the  members,  the  present  house,  stand- 
ing in  the  borough,  was  erected.  Regular  meetings 
are  now  held  twice  each  week.  The  elders  are  Wil- 
liam P.  Fisher,  Jacob  Peters,  Henry  Iddings,  Alvina 
Hicklen,  Susanna  Underwood,  and  Elizabeth  Iddings. 
The  overseers  are  Owen  Underwood,  William  Cadwal- 
lader,  Annie  Peters,  and  Annie  Underwood.  The 
usual  attendance  averages  about  twenty.  The  Friends' 
graveyard  was  laid  out  on  the  creek,  along  the  old  line 
of  the  State  road.  It  is  on  the  present  Blair  Alexan- 
der farm. 

Unionville  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.— The 
Methodists  held  services  in  the  old  Union  Church 
building  as  soon  as  the  latter  was  erected  in  1830. 
But  little  can  now  be  gleaned  touching  the  early  his- 
tory of  the  class.  In  1841  the  membership  was  fairly 
numerous.  David  Jones  was  then  the  class-leader. 
The  Union  Church  was  used  for  meetings  until  1860, 
when  the  present  house  was  built.  The  organiztition 
has  been  prosperously  maintained  from  its  inception. 


UNION VILLE   BOROUGH. 


455 


and  lias  now  a  flourishing  membership  of  seventy. 
It  is  attached  to  the  Milesburg  Circuit,  now  in  charge 
of  Rev.  J.  A.  Woodcock.  The  pastors  since  1866  have 
been  Revs.  J.  W.  Cleaver,  William  M.  Meminger, 

William  Gwynn,  Shafer,  and  J.  A.  Woodcock. 

The  class-leaders  in  October,  1881,  were  William 
Alexander  and  Christian  Buck.  The  trustees  were 
William  D.  Smith,  A.  J.  St.  Clair,  Daniel  Hall,  John 
H.  Stover,  B.  F.  Leathers,  Samuel  Brugger,  and 
Christian  Buck.  Samuel  Brugger  is  superintendent 
of  the  Sabbath-school,  which  is  particularly  pros- 
perous. 

Bald  Eagle  Presbyterian  Church.'— Unionville 
was  selected  as  one  of  the  preaching-points  of  that 
church  when  the  Bald  Eagle  Valley  Church  was 
organized,  in  1859.  Jan.  17, 1860,  the  Bald  Eagle 
Church  congregation  met  at  Unionville,  in  the  Union 
Church,  to  witness  the  installation  of  Rev.  Samuel  M. 
Moore  as  pastor  of  the  church.  Rev.  Dr.  Gibson 
preached  the  sermon.  Rev.  Dr.  Linn  delivered  the 
charge  to  the  pastor,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Hamill  the 
charge  to  the  people.  Feb.  27,  1860,  at  a  meeting  of 
the  congregation  in  Unionville,  the  ordinance  of 
baptism  was  administered  to  James  Linn  Biddle  and 
Caroline  Brown  Biddle.  Sept.  10,  1860,  at  a  congre- 
gational meeting  of  the  church  held  in  Unionville, 
the  propriety  of  building  a  Presbyterian  Church  at 
that  place  was  discussed,  whereupon  subscriptions  to 
the  amount  of  nine  hundred  dollars  were  pledged 
towards  the  project.  It  was  proposed  to  build  the 
house  upon  the  lot  occupied  by  the  Union  Church, 
provided  a  clear  title  could  be  obtained,  but  inquiry 
revealing  that  the  Union  Church  lot  could  be  occu- 
pied only  by  a  Union  Church,  Messrs.  J.  M.  Blair, 
George  Alexander,  and  Henry  J.  Mead  were  ap- 
pointed a  committee  to  obtain  a  suitable  building  lot, 
and  instructed  likewise  to  act  as  a  permanent  building 
committee.  At  this  time  the  subscription  list  reached 
twelve  hundred  dollars.  The  result  was  the  erection 
of  the  present  church  edifice,  and  by  January,  1862, 
was  so  far  along  that  the  lower  portion  was  used  for 
public  worship.  To  that  time  sixteen  hundred  dol- 
lars had  been  expended  upon  the  structure.  Jan.  1, 
1864,  the  building  was  dedicated.  Rev.  Mr.  Patterson 
preaching  the  dedicatory  sermon.  The  total  cost  of 
the  church  was  two  thousand  two  hundred  dollars. 
July  2,  1865,  George  Taylor  was  installed  at  Union- 
ville as  a  ruling  elder  of  the  church.  Since  1860  the 
pastors  have  been  Revs.  S.  M.  Moore,  W.  B.  McKee, 
W.  O.  Wright,  James  P.  Hughes,  J.  V.  R.  Hughes, 
W.  W.  Campbell,  L.  T.  Burbank,  and  W.  C.  Kuhn. 
The  present  elders  are  J.  M.  Blair  and  John  Alex- 
ander.   The  trustees  are  J.  M.  Blair,  George  Alex- 


1  A  fon  ]iistory  of  the  Bald  Eaglo  Valli'y  Church  wHl  bo  fouud  iu  the 
liislory  of  Worth  township. 


ander,   and   John   Alexander.     The  Sunday-school 

superintendent  is  J.  M.  Blair. 

Unionville  Baptist  Church.— In  the  spring  of 
1864  jnembers  of  the  Baptist  Church  of  Martha  Fur- 
nace residing  at  and  near  Unionville  (whore  they  had 
for  some  time  been  worshiping,  in  the  Union  Church, 
as  a  branch  of  the  Martha  Furnace  organization)  re- 
quested to  be  set  otT  as  a  separate  church.  April  16, 
1864,  the  organization  was  effected  as  desired.  The 
constituent  members  were  George  L.  Peters,  Emily 
Peters,  L.  C.  Peters,  John  Sheets,  Beulali  Peter.-*,  D.  A. 
Smith,  Susan  Peters,  W.  H.  Smith,  Ellen  Taylor,  Ke- 
ziah  Smith,  Jonathan  Yothers,  Jonathan  Bimy,  Maria 
Gates,  Adaline  Peters,  G.  W.  Hoover,  Elsie  Peters, 
J.  D.  Parsons,  Rebecca  Peters,  H.  W.  Hoover,  and 
Laura  F.  Smith.  L.  C.  Peters  and  G.  L.  Peters  were 
chosen  deacons.  The  Union  Church  building  was 
materially  improved  and  enlarged,  and  since  1860  has 
been  occupied  almost  exclusively  for  Baptist  worship. 
The  membership  in  October,  18S1,  was  about  forty. 
The  pastor  then  was  Rev.  W.  A.  Ridge.  Previous  to 
the  organization  of  the  church  Revs.  Miles,  Evans, 
Bowers,  and  Dauiels  preached  to  the  Baptists  at 
Unionville.  The  first  pastor  after  the  organization 
was  Rev.  D.  V.  Krevlin.     His  successors  have  been 

Revs.  B.  B.  Henshey, Holmes,  A.  B.  Runnion, 

and  W.  A.  Ridge.  The  latter  took  charge  in  1877. 
The  church  trustees  are  W.  F.  Peters,  G.  L.  Peters, 
and  Wilson  Calhoun.  The  deacons  are  H.  W.  Hoover 
and  G.  L.  Peters.  H.  W.  Hoover  is  superintendent  of 
the  Sabbath-school. 

Union  Grange,  No.  325,  was  organized  in  Janu- 
ary, 1873,  in  the  Plum  Grove  school-house.  Jacob 
Taylor  was  chosen  W.  M. ;  W.  M.  Scholl,  Sec. ;  E. 
M.  Fisher,  0. ;  and  R.  T.  Comley,  L.  The  member- 
ship in  October,  1881,  was  forty-seven.  Meetings  are 
held  in  a  hall  on  Jesse  Cleaver's  property,  in  Union- 
ville. The  official  list  is  A.  L.  Scholl,  W.  M. ;  Jesse 
Cleaver,  Sec. ;  Robert  Hall,  O. ;  Thomas  Parsons,  L. ; 
Wilson  Irvin,  Chapl.  ;  D.  C.  Hall,  Treas. ;  George  P. 
Hall,  Stew. ;  W.  T.  Irwin,  A.  S. ;  John  Alexander,  G. 

Unionville  Temperance  Union. — Unionville  felt 
the  temperance  wave  in  1872,  and  straightway  put  an 
embargo  upon  licensed  public-houses.  Since  that 
time  no  strong  drink  has  been  sold  within  the  borough 
limits.  In  1879  the  Unionville  Temperance  Union 
was  organized,  and  since  then  has  gone  on  prospering 
and  to  prosper.  The  membership  in  October,  1881, 
was  about  three  hundred.  E.  A.  Russell,  the  Union's 
first  president,  still  serves  in  that  capacity.  W.  D. 
Smith  is  V.  P. ;  Thomas  J.  Taylor,  Sec. ;  and  Henry 
Iddings,  Treas.  Christian  Buck,  Samuel  Brugger, 
Thomas  P.  D.  Kephart,  Henry  Iddings,  and  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Iddings  compo.se  the  executive  committee. 
Meetings  are  held  fortnightly  in  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church. 


436 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE    COUx\TY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


CHAPTER    LXXXIX. 
WALKER   TOWNSHIP. 

This  township  was  erected  in  1810,  and  its  bound- 
ary then,  with  a  list  of  its  inhabitants,  will  be  found 
in  the  general  history  of  the  county  under  that  year. 
The  earliest  surveys  were  made  in  the  eastern  portion 
of  the  township,  along  the  south  side  of  Fishing 
Creek,  including  it  and  a  small  portion  north  of  it. 
These  surveys,  running  from  near  the  county  line 
westward  to  Hublersburg,  were  made  by  Charles 
Lukens  in  November,  1770,  upon  applications  in  the 
names  of  Joseph  Cassin,  John  Sheridan,  George 
Bray,  etc.,  of  date  31st  of  August,  17(59.  The  northern 
portion  of  the  township  from  Hublersburg  east  was 
taken  up  upon  a  batch  of  warrants  of  Dec.  24,  1792, 
surveyed  in  1793.  These  lands  belonged  to  the 
Tilghman  estate,  and  some  of  them  still  remain  in 
that  estate.  A  vacancy  occurring  between  these 
blocks  of  1770  and  1793,  where  Henry  Beck  now  re- 
sides, east  of  Snydertown,  was  taken  up  under  a  war- 
rant in  the  name  of  Elizabeth  McEwen.  dated  March 
2,  1792.  The  western  portion  of  the  township  was 
taken  up  in  warrants  of  1784.  The  town  of  Zlon  is 
in  the  Benjamin  Garrigues  warrant  of  6th  of  July, 
1784;  the  Gorden  Mills,  at  Hecla,  on  the  Mary 
Miller  warrant  of  Oct.  14,  1784,  surveyed  June  13, 
1785.  South  of  the  Mary  Miller,  and  along  and 
covering  Nittany  Mountain,  east  and  west  of  Hecla 
Gap,  is  a  large  block  of  surveys  under  warrants  of 
March  11,  1794,  in  the  names  of  Samuel  Robinson 
and  others,  surveyed  in  October,  1794.  The  land,  be- 
ing owned  principally  by  Wistar  and  Tilghman,  was 
not  sold  at  a  very  early  date,  and  consequently  set- 
tlements do  not  date  back  yery  far  in  the  present 
township  of  Walker.'  The  old  bounds  (see  Marlon 
township  history)  included  some  of  the  very  early 
settlements. 

Early  Settlers.— Among  the  most  noted  of  these 
was  the  JIcEwen  family.  A  certificate  in  possession 
of  the  family,  of  which  Mrs.  Charles  McBride,  of 
Bellefonte,  has  a  photograph,  reads: 

"GII.I.T  CoRBFT,  Slay  17,  1730. 
"The  lienrer,  Jiimes  McEwen,  witli  liis  wire,  Isabolbi,  .ana  tlieir  cliil- 
ilreu.Williiiin,  Juiin,  Hi-nry.and  Miil-giVlet  McEwen,  Inivo  l.een  ordeily 
memlici-s  of  this  rungivg.ation,  he  from  infiincy,  she  ti-Bni  nmni.igp,  still 
freo  from  nil  puhlic  scandiil  or  clmrcli  censnio,  in  good  rejinte,  and  now 
designing  to  tmnsport  llieniselvcs  with  Divine  concnnence  into  some 
of  the  Protestant  colonies  of  America,  we  heartily  recommend  them  to 
tlio  care  and  Christian  fellowship  of  any  religious  societie  whore  God's 
I>rovidonce  shall  cast  tlicir  lot. 

"Cerliftcdliy 

"  II.  Thomson,  Min." 

Henry,  of  the  sons  above  mentioned,  came  to  Cum- 
berland, thence  to  Nittany  valley,  and  died  in  the 
summer   of  1802.     His   wife's  name  was  Elizabeth, 


1  A  large  tract  oflandlielween  Zion  and  Bcll<.f,inte,  Uien  owned  l>y 
Mr,  Wlito,  wai  only  sol.l  as  late  as  1820  for  fonr  dollars  per  acre,  and 
Jami'S  Gorden  only  paid  seven  dollars  per  acre  fur  his  farm  below  Zion 
at  a  later  date. 


and  his  family  consisted  of  William,  Francis  (who 
died  at   the  age   of  ninety-eight),    James   C,  Jane 

(married  Williamson,   of   Venango    County), 

Elizabeth  (married  William  Petrikin,  Esq.),  Sarah 
(married  Thomas  McCalmont),  Anna  (married  Wil- 
liam Pettit,  Esq.),  Mary  (married  John  Fleming,  of 
Mifflin  County),  and  Isabella  (married  David  Lamb). 
William  McEwen,  Esq.,  died  at  the  residence  of 
Samuel  Pettit,  in  Kishacoquillas  valley,  Dec.  25, 
1837,  aged  eighty-two  years.  He  removed  with  his 
father  and  family  from  Cumberland  County  to  Centre 
County,  Bald  Eagle  township,  in  1791.  He  had 
served  two  terms  with  the  militia  in  the  Revolution- 
ary war,  and  upon  the  organization  of  Centre  County, 
in  1800,  was  appointed  a  justice  of  the  peace,  the 
duties  of  which  office  he  has  discharged  with  great 
regard  to  mercy  and  charity. 

Henry  McEwen,  Esq.,  born  in  the  territory  of 
Walker  township  Aug.  9,  1802,  died  there  Jan.  17, 

1880,  on  the  farm  where  he  had  lived  all  his  life. 
Although  an  old  man,  he  volunteered  during  the  war 
of  the  Rebellion  to  go  out  to  fight  for  his  country. 
His  wife,   Mrs.  Catherine   McEwen,  died   Nov.  25, 

1881.  She  was  born  in  Northampton  County,  but 
came  to  Centre  County  in  her  youth.  They  had  five 
children, — one  son  and  four  daughters.  One  of  the 
daughters  resides  in  Tennessee. 

William  McKee  was  the  first  settler  at  Logan's 
Gap.  He  emigrated  from  Ireland  in  1791,  first  set- 
tling in  Cumberland  County.  He  had  two  brothers, — 
Andrew,  who  settled  at  McKeesport,  Allegheny  Co., 
and  Thomas,  who  settled  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

William  McKee  was  living  at  Logan's  Gap  (Hecla) 
as  early  as  1795,  and  owned  a  large  amount  of  real 
estate  there,  which  afterwards  went  into  the  posses- 
sion of  Judge  McKinney.  He  left  a  large  fiimily, — 
Elizabeth,  who  married  a  McGou,  and  went  West; 
Hugh  McKee,  of  Lewistown  ;  Mrs.  Mary  Crook,  of 
Indiana;  William,  who  married  Sarah  Cloyd,  and 
lived  at  Boalsburg  ;  Sarah  Taylor,  who  married  Jacob 
Bergstrcsser ;  Samuel,  who  married  Jane  McKinney, 
and  died  at  Jacksonville  in  1868,  father  of  Mrs. 
James  Martin  ;  Anne,  who  married  George  Glenn. 

.lohn  Harbison,  an  Englishman,  settled  in  the  ter- 
ritory of  Walker,  where  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Mary 
Holt,  was  born,  near  Zion,  July  10, 1796.  She  united 
with  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Bellefonte  in  1812, 
and  in  1819  married  John  Holt,  Esq.,  and  moved  to 
Snow  Shoe  in  1822.  She  attended  the  first  funeral  in 
that  settlement,  and  was  at  the  second  birth,  and  for 
forty-three  years  administered  to  all  cases  of  sickne.ss 
and  distress  within  her  reach.  She  died  on  the  9th 
of  July,  1867,  near  Moshannon. 

Jacob  Miller,  who  was  a  shoemaker,  enlisted  at 
Rending  in  Capt.  Spohn's  company.  Col.  Magaw's 
Fifth  Penn.^ylvania  Battalion,  and  was  captured  at 
Fort  Washington,  Nov.  16,  1776.  After  his  release 
he  enlisted  in  Col.  Hartley's  regiment,  when  it  was 
'  merged  in  the  new  Eleventh.     He  was   placed  in 


WALKER   TOWNSHIP. 


457 


Capt.  Burke's  company,  where  he  served  until  dis- 
charged at  Trenton,  in  1781.  He  died  in  Walker 
township  in  1822,  aged  sixty-seven.  He  left  three 
sons  and  three  daughters. 

John  Snyder,  who  was  a  teamster  during  the  Revo- 
lution, died  in  Walker,  .July  31,  1850,  aged  ninety- 
two  years. 

William  McKean  was  a  brother  of  Samuel  Mc- 
Kean,  Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth  under  Gover- 
nor Wolf.  1829  J  United  States  senator,  183-5-39.  Came 
from  Mifflin  County,  and  after  living  a  wliile  on  Sink- 
ing Creek,  bought  a  farm  near  Hublersburg,  where 
he  died.  He  was  a  Federalist  in  politics.  His  brother 
Samuel  was  a  Democrat. 

Villages. — Hublersburg  is  situated  on  the  main 
road  leading  from  Bellefonte  to  Lock  Haven,  nine 
miles  cist  of  the  former,  and  sixteen  miles  west  of  the 
latter,  and  has  a  population  of  one  hundred  and  sev- 
enty. Jacob  Hubler,  from  whom  the  town  derives 
its  name,  owned  the  land  on  which  the  village  is  lo- 
cated, and  on  May  10,1832,  Jacob  Bolauder  surveyed 
for  him  the  land  into  town-plots,  when  Hubler  started 
a  village.  At  that  time  there  was  no  land  cleared  in 
the  neighborhood  except  a  few  acres  occupied  by 
William  McEwen,  and  now  owned  by  John  Miller. 
The  pioneer  store  of  the  place  was  opened  about  1830 
by  John  Fehnle,  in  a  small  log  house,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded in  the  mercantile  business  by  Boozer  &  Mc- 
Kean. 

The  pioneer  citizens  of  the  place  were  Jacob  Mil- 
ler, William  McEwen,  Henry  Reed,  Henry  Divins, 
(father  of  Associate  Judge  John  Divins),  and  Henry 
McEwen.  The  pioneer  farmers  in  that  vicinity 
were  Andrew  Weaver,  W.  McEwen  (for  many  years 
a  justice  of  the  peace  and  surveyor),  .Tacob  Johnson- 
burg,  William  Garner,  Abraham  Reigel,  Francis 
McEwen,  and  Adam  Decker. 

Previous  to  1812,  Samuel  McKinny  built  a  carding- 
mill  a  mile  and  a  half  east  of  where  the  town  is  lo- 
cated. McKinny  served  in  the  war  of  1812,  and, 
with  Henry  McEwen,  was  with  Perry's  fleet  on  Lake 
Erie.  A  tavern  was  opened  here  as  early  as  1835  by 
Andrew  McKee,  and  in  1840  the  pioneer  church  was 
built  by  the  Presbyterians. 

In  1839  the  Logan  post-office  was  removed  to  Hu- 
blersburg, and  B.  D.  Hall  appointed  postmaster  in 
July  of  that  year.  His  successors  liavebeen  Anthony 
Garner,  John  R.  Burkett,  Henry  Brown,  who  was  ap- 
pointed in  1851,  and  held  the  ofl!iee  continuously  till 
the  spring  of  1882,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Moses 
Komig,  who  had  the  office  for  a  few  months,  when 
Mrs.  Sophia  McEwen,  the  present  postmistress,  was 
commissioned,  and  now  keeps  the  office  in  the  store 
of  S.  H.  Goodhart. 

In  1882  there  were  in  Hublersburg  two  general 
stores,  Henry  Brown  (the  principal  one)  and  S.  H. 
Goodhart;  three  churches, — Presbyterian  (built  in 
1840),  Evangelical  (in  1873),  and  Reformed  (in  1875)  ; 
foundry,  by  J.  R.  Kessinger;  foundry  and  machine- 


shop,  by  George  Swartz  ;  one  hotel,  two  blacksmith- 
shops,  two  shoe-shops,  school-house,  and  twenty-nine 
dwellings. 
Presbyterian  Church  at  Hublersburg.  —  This 

church  wasaresult  of  the  action  of  the  General  Assem- 
bly of  1837,  excluding  certain  Synods,  which  resulted 
in  a  division  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  into  two  bo- 
dies, the  Old  School  and  the  New.  On  the  9th  of  May, 
1837,  a  number  of  the  members  of  Lick  Run  congre- 
gation assembled  at  the  church  of  Jacksonville  (Mr. 
Charles  Dingee.  chairman,  Jesse  Beck,  secretary),  and 
resolved  to  organize  themselves  into  "  a  constitutional 
church,"  and  attach  themselves  to  the  Harrisburg  or 
some  other  constitutional  Presbytery.  Tliis  resolution, 
with  its  preamble  setting  forth  reasons  agd  their  pro- 
test against  the  action  of  the  General  Assembly,  was 
signed  by  Thomas  Huston,  Charles  Dingee,  George 
W.  Hutchinson,  J.  B.  Milliken,  John  Shearer,  Joseph 
Hawk,  John  Ruble,  J.  McCuUough,  J.  S.  Beck,  Wil- 
liam IMcKean,  George  Kahler,  John  Zimmerman, 
Samuel  McKean,  James  Hutchinson,  and  John 
Irwin. 

The  next  meeting  w.is  held  in  the  German  Church, 
June  10th,  wdien  and  where,  after  a  sermon  by  Rev. 
John  Loder,  a  meeting  was  constituted,  and  a  paper 
circulated  and  signed,  addressed  to  the  session,  of 
Lick  Run  Church,  requesting  letters  of  dismission. 
This  paper  was  signed,  in  addition  to  some  of  the 
above,  with  the  names  of  James  Somerville,  Barbara 
Hutchinson,  Macoda  Dingee,  Jane  Milroy,  Nancy 
Hutchinson,  Elizabeth  J.  Ruble,  Ely  H.  Huston, 
Elizabeth  McCullough,  Elizabeth  Zimmerman,  Re- 
becca Hutchinson,  Nancy  R.  McKean,  and  Margaret 
Dingee.  This  the  session  of  Lick  Run  (William 
Smyth,  John  McCalmont,  Thomas  McCalmont,  David 
Watson,  and  James  Harbison,  moderated  by  Rev. 
James  Linn)  refused,  for  reasons  as  set  forth  in  their 
refusal,  five  in  number.  On  the  14tli  of  June  this 
communication  was  received,  and  it  was  resolved  to 
withdraw  from  Lick  Run  Church,  and  Articles  of  as- 
sociation and  covenant  were  adopted  the  same  day 
under  the  title  of  "  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Nit- 
tany  valley."  The  church  was  then  duly  organized, 
and  Mr.  Charles  Dingee  elected  a  ruling  elder  and 
installed,  having  been  previously  ordained  to  the 
office  in  Philadelphia.  Rev.  Franklin  D.  Harris 
being  invited,  entered  upon  the  pastorate  for  six 
months,  Oct.  1,  1840.  In  November,  George  W. 
Hutchinson  and  John  Zimmerman  were  elected  elders 
and  ordained.  In  1845,  James  McCullough  (Jan. 
11th)  became  a  member  of  the  session.  George  W. 
Hutchinson,  died  prior  to  the  meeting  of  session 
of  Dec.  12,  1846.  Mr.  Harris'  pastorate  closed  May 
1, 1847,  and  Oct.  17, 1847,  the  pastoral  relation  of  Rev. 
Charles  F.  Diven  commenced ;  he  resigned  Oct. 
17,  1850,  and  went  to  Waterford,  Erie  Co.  The 
church  then  had  supplies  for  a  number  of  years. 
Jan.  10,  1858,  James  Watson  and  John  Carver  were 
ordained  ruling  elders.     March  28,  1863,  Hon.  John 


433 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUNTY,  PENxXSYLVANIA. 


Diven  was  elected  a  ruling  elder.  In  1867  the  total 
number  of  members  was  fifty.  Oct.  1,  1862,  Kev.  J. 
E.  Long  began  to  preach  as  stated  supply  ;  Rev.  L. 
K.  Berridge,  Rev.  William  Sterling,  and  Rev.  C.  M. 
Blake  preached  here  as  supplies.  Mr.  Long  remained 
until  1869,  after  which  the  church  was  visited  by 
supplies  until  Dec.  3,  1879,  when  Rev.  S.  S.  Wallen 
was  called  as  pastor. 

Hublersburg  Graveyards.— There  are  two  burial- 
places  at  Hublersburg,  irom  which  the  following  in- 
scriptions were  copied : 

Charles  B.  Wilson,  n  soldier,  born  May  IC,  1S44,  died  March  20, 18C2. 

Henry  Myers,  died  M.iy  24,  ISOII,  aged  73. 

Francis  Carner,  (lied  Dec.  10,  1802,  aged  ?5. 

William  Carner,  died  Juno  18, 1851,  aged  02. 

William  W.  Kogers,  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1801,  was  born  June  19, 
1832;  died  Aug.  20,  1877. 

Tlionws  Iluslon,  born  Aug.  23,  1792;  died  Dec.  20,  1870. 

Samuel  Huston,  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1801,  born  Nov.  22, 1849  ;  died 
Aug.  30,  1870. 

Charles  B.  Callahan,  died  .Tune  20, 1804,  aged  04. 

Xicut  J.  S.  Lauder,  Co.  0, 148th  Pa.  Vols.;  killed  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va., 
Juno  3, 1804. 

George  Vanada.  died  July  18,  1870,  agi'd  72. 

Hiram  Gildy,  died  July  24, 1877,  aged  GO. 

Samuel  Snyder,  Co.  F,  oOtli  I'a.  luf. 

John  Zimmerman,  ili.d  March  5,  1872,  aged  87. 

Elizabetli,  wife  of  John  Zimmerman,  died  March  10, 1SC9,  aged  81. 

Christian  Clevenstine,  died  Oct.  10,  IS09,  aged  77. 

Adam  Dicker,  Sr.,  boru  Juno  17,  170G;  died  Jan.  11,  1878. 

Peter  Mailcle,  dieil  Slay  19,  ISSI),  aged  79. 

George  M.  Was.^ar  and  Henry  McEweii,  war  of  ISOl. 

Snydertown  Union  Burial-Ground.— Among  the 

many  interments  at  this  place,  the  following  inscrip- 
tions on  tombstones  were  copied,  giving  the  names 
and  date  of  death  of  some  of  the  pioneer  and  later 
settlers  of  Walker: 

Daniel  Pealer,  died  Dec.  12, 1879,  aged  71. 

Henry  W.  Markle,  Co.  C,  1481b  Pa.  Vols. ;  died  June  7, 1803,  aged  22. 

Capt.  John  Dornblaser,  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812;  died  Oct.  17,1802, 
aged  75  years,  10  months. 

Jacob  Emerick,  died  April  25, 1868,  aged  03. 

Jacob  Gobbler,  died  Fob.  4,  1808,  aged  79. 

John  Schwartz,  died  July  19,  1870,  aged  82. 

Michael  Shatf,  died  July  7,  1879,  aged  87  years,  8  months. 

John  Miller,  died  Sept.  5,  1873,  aged  73  yeara,  9  months. 

Heniy  Markle,  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812,  born  Jan.  9,  1772 ;  died 
May  14, 1833. 

Philip  Walker,  died  Oct.  25, 1853,  aged  81  years,  8  months. 

Eve  Baibara  Walker,  died  Jan.  3, 1804,  aged  84  years,  10  months. 

D.miel  Sw;irtz,  died  Feb.  13, 1857,  aged  78  years,  8  months. 

John  Snyder,  boru  Oct.  IS,  1757  ;  died  July  31,  1850. 

Anim  Jlargaret,  wife  of  John  .Snyder,  died  May  18, 1842,  aged  84. 

William  Warner,  Co.  C,  140th  Pa.  Vols. 

Henry  Kossnmu,  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1801,  died  Sept.  14,  1882. 

Sarah  liossnmn,  died  June  11,  1875,  aged  77. 

Jacob  Snyder,  war  of  1801,  and  Ellas  Kossman,  war  of  1801. 

The  Reformed  and  Lutheran  Church  at  Snyder- 
town was  commenced  in  1824  and  completed  in  1828. 
John  Beck,  who  came  to  the  valley  in  1806  from 
Northampton  County,  was  one  of  the  first  Lutheran 
elders.  Valentine  Meyer  (on  the  Reformed  side), 
George  Snyder,  and  John  Emeroch  were  of  the  build- 
ing committee.  The  third  school-house  erected  was 
at  Snydertown. 

Zion.— This  village  is  in  the  west  end  of  Walker 
township,  and  derived  its  name  from  Zion  Church, 


built  by  the  Lutheran  and  German  Reformed  denomi- 
nations in  1845,  on  a  lot  conveyed  to  them  by  George 
Shaffer,  Esq.,  February  22d  of  that  year.  This  church 
edifice  was  removed  in  1882,  and  in  its  place  a  brick 
church  edifice  was  erected  by  the  Lutherans.  The 
Evangelical  Church  building  was  erected  in  1859,  and 
the  Presbyterian,  near  the  graveyard,  was  built  not 
long  since. 

The  land  on  the  south  side  of  Main  Street  was 
originally  owned  by  Jacob  Struble,  who,  with  his 
brothers  Daniel  and  Conrad,  came  from  Union 
County  and  located  in  this  vicinity  many  years  ago. 
Struble  sold  to  Jackson  Cleverstine,  who  laid  out  and 
commenced  selling  lots  as  early  as  1852.  Mr.  Clever- 
stine was  the  pioneer  shoemaker  of  the  place,  and 
subsequently  removed  to  Hublersburg,  where  he 
carried  on  the  same  business.  The  pioneer  house, 
upon  tlie  present  site  of  the  village,  was  built  in 
1840  by  Jacob  Pifer,  and  is  now  owned  and  occupied 
by  David  Solt.  The  north  side  of  Main  Street  w;is 
formerly  owned  by  Samuel  F.  Rodman,  who,  in  1847, 
engaged  in  the  blacksmith  business  on  the  lot  now 
owned  by  John  Royer.  Mr.  Rodman  was  also  the 
pioneer  merchant  of  this  town,  he  having  opened  a 
store  here  in  1848.  Besides  Pifer  and  Rodman,  the 
pioneer  settlers  of  the  village  wore  the  Wormers, 
Cleverstines,  and  Friedleys.  The  pioneers  in  the 
vicinity  of  Zion  were  Thomas  McKean,  George 
Shaffer,  the  Struble  brothers,  Thomas  Lcsh,  and 
Thomas  McCalmont;  William  McKean  .settled  three 
miles  farther  down  the  valley.  Thomas  McKean 
was  descended  from  a  distinguished  Scotch  family,  a 
grandson  of  Governor  Thomas  McKean,  and  served 
for  many  years  as  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  Walker 
township.  He  died  of  paralysis  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
seven. 

The  pioneer  postmaster  at  Zion  was  John  G.  Shaffer, 
who  was  succeeded  by  Thomas  McKean.  David  Solt 
is  the  present  postmaster.  There  are  at  present  (1882) 
three  churches,  school-house,  two  stores  (David  Solt 
and  Samuel  Dorman),  two  blacksmiths  (Frank  Hoff- 
man and  Jacob  Stam).  There  are  in  the  village 
twenty-one  dwellings. 

Burial-Places.— Zion  Peesbyteeian  Geave- 
YAED. — The  following  are  a  few  of  the  inscriptions 
to  be  found  iu  this  cemetery  : 

Jacob  Struble,  died  Oct.  12,  1S74,  aged  79. 

Conrad  Struble,  died  Aug.  28,1880,  aged  74  years  and  9  months. 

David  Kiuifman,  died  Nov.  22,  1878,  .-iged  73. 

Frederick  Knofsinger,  born  April  20, 1795;  died  April  24,  1876. 

David  Hjirshberger,  died  Feb.  12, 1881,  aged  70  years,  11  months. 

Nancy  Har.shberger,  died  May  27, 1878,  aged  08. 

John  L.  Roekey,  died  Jan.  7, 1881,  aged  00  yeai-s,  9  months. 

Jacob  Kaufman,  born  Feb.  20,  1811 ;  diod  Aug.  20,  1875. 

William  Gasbrick,  dicMl  Blay  27,  1875,  aged  03. 

Jacob  Sharer,  died  March  12, 1878,  aged  72  years,  11  months. 

George  Noll,  Sr.,  died  July  5, 1862,  aged  80  years,  10  mouths.  Ho  was 
a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812. 

Benjamin  F.  Bicklc,  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1801,  died  Jan.  2,  1809, 
aged  23. 

William  Call,  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812,  died  Oct.  3,  1805,  aged  75. 

Joseph  Stover,  died  May  10,  18S0,-aged  03. 


WORTH   TOWNSHIP. 


459 


Ma 


o,  Sr.,  (licrl  Fi-b.  24,  18.il,  ngcd  05. 

wife  of  Peter  Kockeii,  liorn  Oct.  3,  1758;  died  Feb.  3, 


Sulomon  lialienold,  died  Feb.  18, 1871,  nged  SO  yenrs,  0  months. 

Juliiin,  wire  of  Ileiiry  Swiiru,  died  .Ian.  18, 1871,  aged  70. 

George  Mojer,  died  April  12,  1870,  aged  70. 

Eve  Mojer,  died  Oct.  13,  1808,  aged  73. 

Samuel  Gilbert,  Co.  A,  148lli  P.  V.  Inf. 

Tlionias  McCalniont,  died  51ny  24, 1848,  aged  09. 

Henry  W.  MeCalmont,  died  Sept.  10, 1850,  aged  65. 

Tliomas  Gephart,  Co.  11,  148tli  P.  V.  Inf.,  died  March  5,  1803,  aged  27. 

Jonatlian  U.  Jolmson,  died  May  1, 1874,  aged  84. 

Matthew  Moore,  war  of  ISUl. 
Omslaliks.—lSVi,  John  Thompson  ;  1811,  John  I.amb  ;  1812,  James  Ful- 
ton ;  1813,  John  Neal;181-t,  James  Hutchinson;  1813-10,  Alexander 
Fulton  ;  1817-19,  Samuel  Beck;  1820,  Andrew  Weber:  1821,  John  Em- 
rick.;  1822,  William  Kean ;  1823,  John  Zimmerman  ;  1824,  Hugh  Ncal; 
1825,  Henry  Hoy;  1820,  John  Beck;  1827,  Nathaniel  Beck;  1828, 
Thomas  McCalmont;  1829,  John  Ilulston ;  183U,  John  Rossman; 
1831,  Nicholas  Sheep;  1S32-.33,  James  Harrison;  1834-35,  Benjamin 
Goodwin  ;  1830-37,  John  McKinuey  ;  1S38,  M.  Spangler ;  1 839,  Henry 
Dunkle;  1840,  Benjamin  D.  Hall;  1841,  M.  Oyer;  1842,  William 
Wells;  1813,  Martin  Oyer;  1844-47,  Henry  McEwen ;  1848,  Henry 
Dunkle,  Jr.;  1S19,  Henry  Dnnkle;  1S30,  Adam  Decker;  1851-52, 
John  A.  Stover;  1853-54,  Joseph  Swyrcs  ;  18.35-50,  John  Teats;  1S.')7, 
P.  C.  Johnston  :  1858,  Joseph  Shaeffer ;  1859,  George  Bartholomew  ; 
ISOU-fll,  Sanitiel  McKee ;  1802,  James  McKec  ;  1803-60,  Samnel  SIc- 
Keo  ;  lS07-eS,  George  Bartholomew  ;  1809-78,  Joseph  Malkle;  1879, 
-80,  Israel  Clevenstino;  1881,  Samuel  E.  Showers. 
Jiislicn  0/  the  Totcc— William  Smyth,  William  Carncr,  April  14, 1840; 
Peter  Uelk-r,  Apiil  12,  1842;  Anthony  C.  Geary,  April  15,  1845; 
Peter  Ueller,  March  10, 1847  ;  Anthony  C.  Geary,  March  12, 1850; 
Peter  Heller,  March  10, 1852;  J.  Strubble,  March  17,  1854;  William 
Smyth,  Jr.,  March  13, 1853;  Thomas  McKean,  March  12, 1866;  Jef- 
ferson Lauder,  March  17, 1837;  Thomas  McKean,  March  15, 1801; 
A.  C.  Geary,  May  22,  1802;  William  Pennington,  May  3, 1800;  A.C. 
Geary,  May  2, 1807  ;  Samnel  C.  Thompson,  March  25, 1808;  Anthony 
0.  Geary,  April  20,  1871;  Samuel  C.  Tbompsim,  March  24,  1873; 
Thomas  JIcKean,  March  13,  1875;  M,  ShatTer,  Mai-ch  11,  187G; 
Samnel  P.  Tliomiison,  April  3, 1678;  Michael  Shaffer,  April  9, 1S81 ; 
William  H.  Gearich,  June  3,  ISSl. 


CHAPTER    XC. 


WORTH    TOWNSHIP. 


Surveys. — The  earliest  survey  in  the  territory  of 
Worth  was  on  an  application  of  3d  of  April,  1769,  in 
the  name  of  James  Lnchlin,  surveyed  the  7th  day  of 
May,  1770.  It  extends  nearly  two  miles  up  the  north 
side  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek  from  Martha  Furnace  up 
to  the  Joseph  and  Philip  Williams  survey  of  10th  of 
March,  1853.  North  of  the  west  end  of  the  Lochlin 
was  the  William  Kelly  improvement,  late  Samuel 
Stevens  place.  Kelly  also  owned  the  west  end  of  the 
Lochlin,  having  purchased  of  Hardman  Philips  in 
1816. 

West  of  the  Williams  improvement  intervened  a 
survey  in  the  name  of  Azariah  Horton, Warrant  dated 
1st  July,  1784;  then  the  Billington  lands.  North  of 
these  surveys  the  whole  township  almost  is  covered 
by  the  Gratz  block,  surveys  of  July,  1793,  sixty-one 
tracts,  covering  Worth  and  Huston  townships,  sold 
by  Aaron  I>evy  Nov.  29,  1804,  to  Simon  and  Hyman 
Gratz,  for  three  thousand  and  fifty  dollars,  as  con- 
taining twenty-six  thousand  four  hundred  and  forty- 


two  acres,  warrants  of  24th  December,  1792.  Along 
Laurel  Run  a  survey  in  the  name  of  Edward  Bard, 
warrant  10th  of  September,  1784,  was  laid.  The  Ben- 
jamin Chew,  Jr.,  and  John  Mifflin,  of  the  Gratz 
block,  on  Laurel  Run,  interfere  with  it,  and  Abra- 
ham Elder  built  a  mill  at  an  early  day  on  the  John 
Mifflin  tract. 

Port  Matilda  is  located  on  the  Aaron  Levy  tract, 
of  the  Gratz  block,  and  the  Jared  Ingersoll,  of  the 
Billington  tract. 

Adam  Cowher  and  Christian  Reese  settled  on  the 
Andrew  Pettit,  of  the  Gratz  block,  the  west  survey 
(in  Worth  township)  of  that  block;  Daniel  Frantz 
on  the  Charles  Pettit,  south  of  them ;  John  Jones 
and  John  Walk  on  the  Aaron  Levy,  and  George 
Scott  on  the  Benjamin  Chew,  east  of  Laurel  Run. 
Between  Martha  Furnace  and  Port  Matilda  are  Ar- 
dry's  Run,  Elder's  Run,  Laurel  Run,  and  west  of 
Matilda  Frantz  Run  and  Cowher  Run,  the  latter  near 
and  on  the  western  boundary  of  Worth  township. 
Samuel  AVoodring  was  an  early  settler  on  the  Henry 
Clymer  warrantee,  next  west  of  the  John  Mifflin. 

Early  Settlers. — From  marks  of  rudely-drawn 
hali'-inoons  left  upon  trees  came  the  name  of  the  ter- 
ritory of  which  Worth  was  once  a  part,  and  the  many 
implements,  such  as  stone  hatchets  and  arrow-heads, 
yet  found  show  that  this  region  was  once  a  favorite 
hunting-ground  of  the  red  man.  For  years  after  the 
first  pioneer  settled  here  Indians  occasionally  came 
and  went,  but  they  mostly  belonged  to  the  Corn- 
planters,  a  peaceable  tribe,  and  never  molested  their 
white  brethren. 

Cyrus  Cartright  made  the  first  improvement  in  this 
township  about  1785,  near  where  Daniel  Frantz  now 
lives.  He  erected  a  log  dwelling  of  the  primitive 
style,  and,  clearing  land,  engaged  in  farming. 

John  Roles,  Sr.,  made  an  improvement  on  lands 
now  owned  by  the  Morrison  heirs  as  early  as  1809, 
but  did  not  remain  there  long. 

George  Records  came  to  the  northern  part  of  the 
township  in  1811,  and  cleared  some  land,  but  soon 
after  he  had  commenced  to  build  he  was  drafted  for 
the  war  of  1812.  He  left  his  work,  went  to  Erie,  was 
promoted  captain,  rendered  important  service  in 
guarding  the  navy-yard  till  Perry  had  built  and 
manned  his  fleet,  when  he  was  honorably  discharged, 
and  returning  home,  completed  his  dwelling.  His 
son  Ebenezer  now  lives  on  this  farm,  and  his  resi- 
dence is  only  about  forty  rods  from  the  first  improve- 
ment. 

George  Ardry  and  William  Kelly,  Sr.,  made  a  set- 
tlement previous  to  the  time  that  Records  had  moved 
here,  and  Michael  Brown,  Sr.,  came  soon  after.  The-se 
last  three  families  settled  in  the  northern  part,  and 
were  of  Irish  extraction. 

Joseph  Vaughn,  a  hunter  and  trapper,  built  a 
dwelling  in  a  gap  of  the  AUeghenies  at  an  early  day. 
He  cleared  a  little  land,  but  made  his  living  princi- 
pally by  hunting. 


463 


HISTORY  OF   CENTRE  COUxNTY,  PENXSYLVANIA. 


Bear,  deer,  wolves,  and  wild-cats  were  plenty,  and 
he  pursued  his  favorite  sport  with  great  success.  Men 
who  have  shared  his  hospitality  say  that  their  couch 
was  covered  with  bear-  and  deer-skins,  and  lie  had 
large  quantities  of  dried  meats,  such  as  jerked  venison 
and  bear.  His  old  and  trusty  rifle  was  worn  through 
to  the  ramrod,  where  it  rested  on  his  shoulder.  Ad 
interim  to  the  hunting  seasons  he  worked  as  a  cooper, 
making  tubs,  barrels,  wooden  buckets,  and  other  very 
useful  articles  for  the  settlers.  He  also  tilled  the  soil 
a  little.  Mrs.  Vaughn  used  to  scold  terribly  because 
he  spent  so  much  time  in  the  chase.  The  following 
story  is  told  at  his  expense:  Going  one  day  to  one  of 
his  bear-pens,  he  found  the  door  would  not  fall  when 
the  bait  was  touched,  so  he  went  inside  to  fix  the  ap- 
paratus, when  the  door  fell,  making  him  a  prisoner. 
A  pen  wliich  will  hold  a  bear  will  resist  the  strength 
of  a  man,  and  he  was  therefore  compelled  to  remain 
an  unwilling  prisoner  for  two  or  three  days,  when 
some  one  liappened  along  and  released  him. 

Jacob  Frantz  came  to  Worth  April  1,  1815,  and 
moved  to  the  Elder  farm,  where  he  operated  a  grist- 
mill in  connection  with  farming.  He  remained  here 
for  two  years,  when  he  moved  near  where  Henry 
Spanogle  now  lives,  and  there  cleared  out  a  farm  and 
spent  tlie  remainder  of  his  days.  He  had  eleven 
children,  of  whom  the  boys  were  Frederick,  Daniel, 
Reuben,  and  John.  The  seven  girls  (here  named  as 
they  were  married)  were  Betsy  Halterman,  Evie 
McMaunigle,  Susie  Beele,  Mary  Walkman,  Sallie 
Rose,  Katie  Reese,  and  Leah  Woodring. 

Daniel,  who  is  seventy-six  years  of  age,  boasts  of 
having  trapped  nine  wolves  in  his  time.  The  last  one 
he  dragged  home  by  the  chain  holding  the  trap,  and 
it  never  offered  to  resist,  but  showed  great  cowardice. 

Among  other  settlers  in  1815  were  Leonard  Kiler, 
Michael  Brown,  Jacob  Wise,  Mr.  Smith,  William 
Kelly,  George  Records,  and  James  Ardry,  Sr. 

John  Christian  Reese  moved  to  Elder's  grist-mill 
and  farm  in  1817.  He  was  born  in  Germany;  was 
sold  to  King  George  III.  for  thirty  shillings  to  fight 
against  the  Americans ;  captured  at  Trenton,  where 
lie  enlisted  in  the  American  naval  service,  and  fought 
on  the  Federal  side  until  the  close  of  the  Revolution- 
ary war.  He  moved  to  Philipsburg  about  1795,  being 
one  of  the  twelve  men  who  were  induced  to  go  to 
that  place  by  the  Philips  brothers.  His  family  en- 
dured great  hardships,  and  were  at  times  compelled 
to  subsist  upon  potatoes  and  water.  He  removed 
from  Philipsburg  to  Bald  Eagle  valley,  where  he  died 
in  1840.  He  liad  nine  children.  Abel  Reese,  one  of 
his  sons,  settled  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  town- 
ship, and  has  a  large  family  of  children,  all  of  whom 
are  farmers  or  farmers'  wives.  A.  W.  Reese,  one  of 
the  business  men  of  Port  Matilda,  is  a  grandson. 

Samuel  Woodring  moved  to  a  farm  in  the  western 
part  in  1822.  He  had  eight  children,  viz. :  Samuel, 
Jr.,  Betsy,  Peter,  Polly,  Aaron,  James,  Catherine, 
and  Hannah. 


John  Jones,  Sr.,  came  April  3,  1824,  with  wife  and 
family,  and  squatted  on  a  piece  of  land  a  short  dis- 
tance west  of  town. 

Other  persons  living  in  Worth  in  1824  were  Fred- 
erick Cowher,  John  Sharrer,  Richard  Newman,  John 
Walk,  Job  Williams,  James  Morrison,  Sr.,  and  others. 

Charles  Hamilton,  a  weaver,  made  an  improve- 
ment in  the  southern  part  of  the  township,  on  the 
Muncy  mountain,  in  1825.  Being  intoxicated  one 
day,  in  1826,  he  took  a  pole-axe,  went  to  the  residence 
of  his  brother-in-law,  Andrew  Thompson,  in  Half- 
Moon  township  (against  whom  he  had  an  old  grudge), 
cut  up  a  one-horse  wagon,  then  broke  the  wash-kettle 
to  pieces,  and  then,  tiring  of  this  sport,  chased 
Thompson  for  his  life.  Thompson  ran  around  the 
house  several  times  and  twice  through  the  house,  the 
last  time  seizing  his  gun  and  running  down  through 
the  meadow,  thinking  to  elude  him,  but  Hamilton 
continued  the  pursuit,  and  when  Thompson  reached 
the  lower  fence,  which  was  made  of  brush,  he  found 
he  could  not  get  over  in  time.  Then  he  turned  and 
shot  Hamilton  in  the  breast,  killing  him  instantly. 
Some  of  the  neighbors  were  collected  by  this  time, 
and  finding  that  Hamilton  had  fallen  upon  his  face, 
with  the  axe  grasped  in  such  a  position  that  it  looked 
like  a  ruse  to  get  some  one  to  approach,  they  formed 
a  circle  round  him,  and  with  measured  step  all  ap- 
proached and  pounced  upon  him,  but  they  found  him 
lifeless,  and  that  the  tall  grass  had  concealed  the 
blood  as  it  ran  from  him.  Thompson  was  acquitted, 
the  jury  returning  a  verdict  of  justifiable  homicide. 

Pioneer  Roads.— The  early  roads  in  the  township 
were  made  by  cutting  off  the  trees  as  close  to  the 
ground  as  possible,  and  were  from  fifteen  to  twenty 
feet  in  width.  Stumps  and  rocks  were  not  removed, 
and  the  condition  of  such  roads  in  the  spring  can  be 
imagined.  Wagons  were  not  used  in  those  days,  loads 
being  carried  in  pack-saddles  on  horses,  and  sleds 
were  used  in  doing  farm-work. 

Hills. — The  pioneer  grist-mill  was  erected  by 
Abraham  Elder  in  1806,  and  was  located  in  the  west- 
ern part  of  the  township.  It  was  a  primitive  log 
building,  with  a  run  of  stones  roughly  hewn  from  the 
mountain  rocks,  and  could  grind  but  few  bushels  per 
day,  yet  it  was  a  great  boon  to  the  settlers  who  came 
for  miles  around  to  get  their  grain  ground.  A  moun- 
tain stream  supplied  the  water-power,  but  during  the 
summer  at  times  got  too  low  ;  then  the  water-wheel 
would  be  turned  by  tramping  it.  The  wheat  was 
always  ground  twice  in  order  to  get  all  the  flour. 
This  mill  was  abandoned  after  many  years  of  service. 

The  first  water-powersaw-mill  was  erected  by  Elder 
soon  after  the  completion  of  his  grist-mill,  and  one 
description  will  be  sufficient  for  all  the  earlier  saw- 
mills, of  which  there  were  several.  They  were  all 
water-power,  using  generally  the  overshot  water- 
wheel.  The  machinery  was  simple,  and  they  used  the 
up-and-down  saw,  as  it  was  called,  which  was  placed 
in  a  frame  in  a  vertical  position,  and  moved  slowly  up 


WORTH  TOWNSHIP. 


4GI 


and  down.  Those  mills  rarely  cut  over  five  hundred 
feet  of  lumber  per  day,  and  one  man  could  "  set," 
roll  in  the  logs,  carry  and  pile  the  boards,  and  attend 
to  the  saw.  One  young  man  in  the  township  who 
worked  upon  such  a  mill,  applied  himself  so  closely 
to  his  books  that  he  afterwards  made  one  of  our  most 
efficient  county  officers.  A  saw-mill  of  this  kind  was 
erected  by  Beckwith  &  Humes,  and  Philip  Williams 
at  dilTerent  times  erected  two.  The  last  one  is  yet 
standing  upon  his  place.  It  has  a  circular  saw,  tur- 
bine water-wheel,  and  is  modern  in  construction. 
Aaron  Richards  built  a  saw-mill  of  this  description 
in  1849,  near  Flat  Rock.  He  hauled  lumber  to 
Tyrone  for  some  time  after  the  completion  of  the 
plank  road.     The  mill  is  still  in  running  order. 

The  first  steam  saw-mill  in  Worth  was  erected  in 
the  southern  part  of  the  township  in  1859.  It  was 
owned  by  Pruner  &  Burley.  Samuel  Stevens  was  the 
engineer. 

Schools. — The  first  school-house  in  Worth  was 
erected  by  the  settlers  in  the  western  part  of  the  town- 
ship in  the  year  1820.  It  was  a  small  affair,  built  of 
logs,  hewed  slab  benches,  roofed  with  clapboards 
kept  on  by  logs,  and  with  a  large  wooden  chimney 
and  open  fireplace  at  one  end.  Jacob  Wise  was  the 
teacher.  He  was  an  Englishman,  and  taught  his 
pupils  ihe  three  R's  for  the  sum  of  two  dollars  per 
term  of  three  months.  He  taught  the  old  English 
pronunciation  of  words.  This  school-house  had  a  brief 
existence,  for  on  the  second  winter  it  caught  fire 
from  the  chimney  and  burned  to  the  ground.  The 
next  school-house  was  located  back  of  where  Susie 
Lago  now  lives,  and  was  completed  in  182.3.  It 
was  in  most  respects  like  its  predecessor.  Joseph 
Earles,  an  old  hunter  and  tranper  from  Clearfield 
County,  was  the  first  teacher.  Among  the  pupils 
were  George  Wise,  Daniel  Wise,  Dina  Cowher,  Katie 
Frantz,  Reuben  Frantz,  Samuel  Wise,  Elias  Walk, 
John  Reese,  Sr.,  Nancy  Cowher,  Betsey  Cowher, 
Jesse  Cowher,  Frederick  Cowher,  and  Able  Reese. 
Mr.  Earles  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Greenwood,  a  New 
York  State  Yankee.  This  house  was  afterwards  used 
as  a  dwelling  by  Charles,  Cartright  until  it  burned. 

A  school-house  was  then  built  on  grounds  loaned 
for  school  purposes  by  Lloyd  &  McLamar,  near  where 
Elias  Turner  now  lives.  George  W.  Botsford  taught 
the  first  term,  and  was  succeeded  by  William  M. 
Kelly,  who  is  elsewhere  spoken  of.  This  house  was 
afterwards  abandoned,  and  the  land  exchanged  with 
Lloyd  &  McLamar  for  a  better  site,  where  a  new 
house  Wiis  erected.  It  was  known  as  the  William  Mc- 
Divitt  school-house,  and  by  some  calle'd  Elias  Cow- 
her's  school,  since  it  was  near  that  gentleman's  farm. 
Here  several  well-known  personages  taught, — Thomas 
Bean,  in  1858,  who  was  an  old  and  experienced  teacher 
from  Half-Moon  township  ;  A.  C.  Bowman  ;  then  E. 
T.  Hicklen,  in  1860;  G.  E.  Griest  also  taught  part  of 
a  term.  W.  Wallace  Borst  taught  the  school  in  1862, 
receiving  twenty  dollars  per  month  for  the  term  of 


four  months.  The  whole  number  in  attendance  dur- 
ing this  term  was:  males,  twenty  ;  females,  twenty  ; 
total,  forty  ;  and  the  total  ])erceiitage  of  attendance 
was  sixty.  Mr.  Borst  was  succeeded  by  Jacob  Shirk. 
Other  teachers  were  George  W.  Miller,  Lizzie  Light, 
and  Beckie  F.  Canan.  The  highest  total  percentage 
of  which  we  have  record  was  seventy-two.  Tliis 
house  was  sold,  and  a  building  more  in  accord  with 
modern  architecture  was  erected  on  an  eminence 
near  Simler  Cowher's  in  187.3. 

The  first  school-house  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
township  was  built  in  Ardry  Hollow  about  1825.  It 
was  constructed  of  hewed  logs,  with  a  log  cut  out  at 
each  side,  in  which  place  a  long  row  of  glass  was 
put.  At  one  end  was  a  large  chimney  and  open  fire- 
place, while  ventilation  through  the  numerous  places 
where  the  daubing  had  fallen  out  was  all  that  could 
be  desired.  William  M.  Kelly,  a  local  educator  of 
great  repute  in  his  day,  taught  one  of  the  first  terms, 
if  not  the  first  term.  Mr.  Kelly  taught  several  terms 
in  different  schools  in  this  township,  and  after  he 
abandoned  teaching  was  elected  school  director,  and 
served  several  years  as  secretary  of  the  school  board. 

Stern  as  he  was,  he  was  loved  by  his  scholars,  and 
he  is  remembered  kindly  by  the  men  and  women  who 
were  once  his  ])upils.  Jefferson  B.  Way  taught  the 
same  school.  Mark  Sloan,  an  Irishman,  taught  here 
at  an  early  day.  He  was  a  good  teacher,  but  a  little 
eccentric,  and  followed  the  old  practice  of  "  boarding 
around." 

Among  the  children  who  attended  this  school  were 
Robert  Brown,  Michael  Brown,  Jr.,  William  K.  Wil- 
liams, Jostph  F.  Williams,  Scott  Williams,  Ebcnezer 
Records,  and  a  Mr.  Packer's  children.  This  house  was 
abandoned  after  several  years'  use,  the  children  going 
to  the  Union  Church,  a  short  distance  over  the  line, 
in  Huston  township. 

Half-Moon  township,  of  which  Worth  was  then  a 
part,  adopted  the  common-school  system  in  1836,  and 
shortly  after  a  school-house  was  erected  near  Records'. 
It  was  a  plank  building,  and  was,  with  the  house  built 
near  Cowher's,  a  great  improvement  on  previous 
houses,  being  plastered,  supplied  with  a  ten-plate 
stove,  and  more  comfortable  desks.  The  teachers 
were  William  M.  Kelly,  Lawrence  Bathurst,  Kate 
Reese,  Mr.  Cantner,  Lizzie  Light,  James  Hewitt,  Mr. 
Shugert,  John  McAlarney,  Samuel  Brugger,  James 
Morrison,  and  E.  A.  Russell.  This  house  was  burned 
by  an  incendiary,  and  in  the  year  1864  a  new  one  was 
erected  on  a  lot  near  the  public  road.  It  is  still  in 
use. 

Local  historians  in  writing  of  the  first  schools  almost 
invariably  speak  of  them  as  being  of  no  importance. 
This  is  a  mistake.  In  settling  a  new  country  the  pio- 
neers have  many  hardships  and  privations  to  endure, 
often  having  to  carry  food  for  their  families  for  sev- 
eral miles  during  the  first  year,  or  until  their  own 
fields  produce  grain  sufficient  for  them.  The  atten- 
tion of  the  pioneer  is  thus  directed  to  clearing  up 


462 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


lands,  building,  and  striving  often  to  "  keep  the  wolf 
fropi  the  door."  Yet  our  pioneers  went  to  work, 
erected  a  school-house,  engaged  the  best  talent  they 
could  procure,  and  thus  provided  a  way  by  which 
their  children  could  get  the  rudiments  of  an  educa- 
tion. The  house  was  primitive  in  construction,  but 
the  building-material  and  implements  at  hand  did  not 
admit  of  its  being  better.  The  teachers  were  too  often 
ignorant  pedagogues,  but  the  rudiments  which  they 
taught  were  much  better  than  total  ignorance.  Be- 
sides, it  showed  that  the  pioneers  of  Wortli  ever  kept 
in  mind  the  words  of  the  founder  of  our  common- 
wealth :  "  That  which  makes  a  good  constitution  must 
keep  it, — viz. :  men  of  virtue  and  wisdom, — qualities 
which,  because  they  descend  not  with  worldly  inheri- 
tance, must  be  propagated  by  a  virtuous  education  of 
our  youth." 

Worth  now  has  si.x  schools,  two  of  them  being  in 
Port  Matilda.  The  district  is  divided  into  six  sub- 
districts,  and  the  schools  are  numbered.  Tlie  total 
valuation  of  school  property  is  two  thousand  five 
hundred  dollars. 

Relig'ious. — The  first  religious  services  were  held 
in  Elder's  grist-mill  and  in  the  pioneers'  liouses  by 
traveling  itinerants,  who  came  from  Bellefonte  and 
other  distant  places  on  horseback  for  that  purpose. 
They  were  always  welcomed  by  the  settlers,  who  came 
from  the  vicinity  and  miles  around,  and  gave  their 
respectful  attention.  These  itinerants  were  of  differ- 
ent denominations,  but  all  were  hospitably  received. 
Rev.  Linn  was  one  of  the  first.  He  preached  in  this 
township  as  early  as  1815.  The  United  Brethren 
held  services  for  a  number  of  years  at  th(?  residence 
of  Jonathan  Laird  and  in  the  Reese  school-house. 
These  two  appointments  united  and  built  the  sub- 
stantial frame  structure  named. 

United  Brethren  Chapel.— Black-Oak  Chapel  of 
the  United  Brethren  in  Christ  is  located  in  the  west- 
ern part  of  the  township.  The  building  of  it  was  com- 
menced in  1859,  Rev.  Robert  G.  Rankin  being  pastor, 
and  it  was  completed  and  dedicated  during  the  autumn 
of  1861,  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  D.  Sheerer.  Rev. 
Isa  Potter  officiated  at  the  dedication.  The  board  of 
trustees  at  that  time  was  A..C.  Cowher,  John  Melcher, 
and  Henry  I.  Sharrer.  It  was  a  great  undertaking  for 
the  members,  circumstanced  as  they  were,  but  they 
went  at  this  work  with  a  will,  and  success  crowned 
their  labors.  The  membership  at  that  time  was  small. 
The  present  membership  is  thirty-six.  The  services 
are  attended  by  a  large  congregation.  Arrangements 
are  being  made  to  remodel  and  repair  the  building. 
The  present  board  of  trustees  comprises  Jonathan 
Laird,  John  Harpster,  Jos.  S.  Harpster,  Henry  Gates, 
and  George  W.  Gates.  The  following  have  served  as 
pastors  since  the  appointment  was  taken  in  1854: 
Revs.  Isa  Potter,  R.  G.  Rankin,  D.  Sheerer,  J. 
Walker,  James  Grant,  J.  A.  Ciemm,  .1.  Reynolds,  C. 
F.  Bowers,  W.  Stephenson,  D.  Speck,  W.  S.  H.  Keyse, 
H.  Lovell,  A.  Crowel,  J.  L.  Baker,  H.  Moore,  James 


M.  Smith,  D.  Strayer,  J.  F.  Tallhelm,  J.  G.  Steiner, 
and  the  present  pastor,  L.  W.  Stahl. 

Burial-Places. — There  are  four  places  of  interment 
in  use  in  Worth. 

Black-Oak  Cemetery  is  in  the  Black-Oak  Chapel- 
yard.  The  lot  was  donated  by  Robert  Elder  and  wife. 
Capt.  John  A.  Hunter  and  wife  donated  an  additional 
fourth  of  an  acre  December,  1880.  The  earliest  in- 
terment, so  far  as  known,  was  that  of  Mrs.  William 
Laird.  Here  William  Laird,  a  veteran  of  the  war  of 
1812,  is  buried,  as  are  three  or  four  soldiers  of  the 
late  war. 

WooDRiNG  Cemetery  is  one  of  the  oldest  in  the 
township.  It  is  located  on  a  hill  on  the  farm  of 
Michael  Woodring.  The  first  interment  was  that  of 
Frederic  Cowher's  child,  which  was  buried  on  the 
ground  that  had  been  cleared  for  school  purposes, 
but  which  was  abandoned  when  the  house  burned. 
The  date  of  this  interment  could  not  be  ascertained, 
but  was  soon  after  1820.  John  Jones,  Sr.,  a  Revolu- 
tionary soldier,  and  several  of  the  early  settlers  are 
buried  here. 

Brown's  Burial-Ground  is  located  on  Michael 
Brown's  farm,  and  is  probably  the  oldest  in  the  town- 
ship. The  first  interment  was  made  about  1819,  and 
was  that  of  Thomas  Brown,  a  brother  of  Michael 
Brown,  Sr.  Among  the  early  settlers  buried  liere  are 
James  Ardry,  Sr.,  and  wife,  George  Records  and 
wife,  and  Michael  Brown,  Sr.,  and  wife. 

Port  Matilda.— The  village  of  Port  Matilda  is 
situated  in  the  picturesque  Bald  Eiigle  valley,  near 
the  base  of,  and  partly  upon  the  slope  of,  the  Muncy 
Mountain.  At  the  foot  of  the  mountain  the  Bald 
Eagle  Creek  sparkles  by,  and  on  the  west  a  range  of 
hills  extends  back  to  the  Alleghenies,  a  distance  of 
over  four  miles.  A  fine  view  of  the  village  and  sur- 
roundings can  be  had  from  the  Muncy  Mountain. 
The  village  had  a  population  of  three  hundred  and 
nineteen  at  the  census  of  1880.  It  is  touched  by  the 
Bald  Eagle  Valley  Railroad,  and  is  intersected  by 
turnpike  from  Philipsburg  to  Half-Moon  valley  and 
the  public  road  running  through  Bald  Eagle  valley. 

In  the  year  1850,  when  Squire  Beckwith  formed  the 
town-plot,  he  named  the  straggling  village  in  honor 
of  his  eldest  daughter,  Matilda. 

The  first  settlement  on  the  siteof  Port  Matilda  was 
made  prior  to  1836  by  Israel  Dehaas,  near  where  Wil- 
liam Beckwitli  now  resides.  He  erected  a  log  dwell- 
ing-house and  another  building  below  this  in  which 
he  put  a  turning-lathe,  and  fitting  up  the  shop,  fol- 
lowed his  trade,  that  of  chair-maker.  A  large,  never- 
failing  spring  near  by  furnished  abundant  water- 
power.  The  water-wheel  was  erected  by  Lemuel 
Carey. 

Grier  Cartright  erected  a  plank  house  some  time 
after  this,  which  he  used  as  a  dwelling  till  the  flour- 
ing-mill  was  built,  when  it  was  juirchased  by  Beck- 
with &  Humes  for  the  use  of  their  miller,  hence  it 
was  afterward  known  as  the  "mill  house."     About 


WORTH   TOWNSHIP. 


4C3 


1839,  William  Gill  erected  a  log  house  where  Reese's 
store  now  stands.  He  was  a  cooper  by  trade,  and  was 
afterwards  called  Cooper  Gill  to  distinguish  him  from 
John  Gill,  Sr.,  who  was  a  blacksmith. 

Clement  Beckwith  was  born  in  Delaware,  moved  to 
Belletonte,  where  he  resided  nearly  twenty  years,  then 
purchased  eighteen  hundred  acres  of  land  in  this  vi- 
cinity, and  in  the  spring  of  1841  moved  to  the  house  pre- 
viously occupied  by  Dehaas,  whom  he  had  dispossessed, 
the  latter  being  a  squatter.  Beckwith  was  a  public- 
spirited  man,  and  soon  after  made  a  partial  town-plot, 
and  set  to  work  making  improvements.  One  of  the 
first  buildings  he  erected  was  a  two-story  frame  house, 
one  room  of  which  was  used  for  a  wagon-maker's 
shop,  two  rooms  for  dwelling  purposes,  and  one  room 
on  the  second  floor  for  religious  worship.  The  house 
was  therefore  called  the  "  church  house." 

Beckwith  and  E.  C.  Humes  formed  a  partnership, 
and  built  the  flouring-mill  and  a  water-power  saw- 
mill. The  latter  stood  about  half  a  mile  northeast 
of  town,  on  the  bank  of  the  Bald  Eagle. 

Mr.  Beckwith  served  as  justice  of  the  peace  for 
several  years,  and  was  widely  known  as  Squire  Beck- 
with. He  died  Dec.  24,  1868.  His  body  rests  in 
Williams'  cemetery. 

With  the  completion  of  the  public  road  in  1852, 
and  the  turnpike  a  few  years  afterwards,  a  new  era 
dawned  upon  the  straggling  village. 

John  Fugate,  Sr.,  built  the  first  tavern  in  1854. 
Four  stages  were  run  daily  through  the  valley,  one  of 
them  stopping  overnight  at  the  village.  As  this 
was  the  only  hostelry  for  several  miles,  and  was 
nearly  midway  between  Tyrone  and  Bellefonte,  it 
was  filled  to  overflowing.  The  hauling  done  over 
these  roads  at  this  time  was  almost  incredible.  The 
following  persons  kept  the  hotel  at  different  times, 
till  it  was  burned  by  an  incendiary  in  1872:  John 
Fugate,  Thomas  Cummings,  Mr.  Cyrus,  Robert  Cum- 
mings,  W.  W.  McKinney,  Mr.  Black,  John  H.  Mor- 
rison, and  Brooks  Butler. 

Village  Merchants. — A.  W.  Reese  built  a  small 
store-room  on  High  Street,  and  in  the  spring  of  1877 
opened  a  store.  lu  1881  he  moved  this  store-room  to 
corner  of  Spruce  and  High  Streets,  built  a  large  ad- 
dition, and  opened  a  large  assortment  of  goods. 

S.  S.  Miles  &  Co.  purchased  the  stock  of  goods 
owned  by  A.  J.  Smith  in  spring  of  1881,  and  have 
since  been  dealing  in  general  merchandise.  Their 
store-room  is  situated  on  High  Street,  and  was  erected 
by  Robert  Campbell  in  1863. 

The  first  merchandise  kept  for  sale  in  the  village 
was  by  Squire  Beckwith.  Some  years  after  he  moved 
to  what  is  now  Port  Matilda.  He  had  a  room  fitted 
up  for  this  purpose  in  a  house  which  had  been  erected 
near  the  large  spring  not  far  from  his  dwelling.  He 
kept  but  a  small  stock  of  goods ;  but  some  years 
later  he  opened  a  store  in  a  room  of  the  hotel,  where 
he  kept  a  full  line  of  such  goods  as  are  found  in 
country  stores.    Later  he  removed  his  goods  to  his 


large  building  near  the  railroad,  where  he  kept  until 
his  death,  in  1868,  when  his  goods  were  sold  by 
auction. 

John  Fugate  &  Son  opened  a  village  store  in 
1855. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  persons  who  have  been 
general  merchants  in  the  village:  Fugate  &  Hender- 
son, in  room  in  William  Walker's  house;  Fugate  & 
Barlow,  R.  D.  Cummings,  Robert  Campbell.,  then 
Squire  Beckwith,  in  hotel. 

Squire  Campbell  erected  a  storehouse  in  1863,  and 
removed  to  it.  He  sold  to  Daniel  Frantz,  and  it  w.as 
afterwards  owned  by  the  following  :  J,  G.  Jones,  I.  V. 
Gray,  Gray  &  Gingery.  A.  J.  Smith  next  purchased 
this  stand,  and  he  sold  the  stock  to  Miles  &  Co., 
present  owners. 

Barlow  &  McKinney  opened  a  store  in  1867  in 
room  in  house  now  owned  and  occupied  by  W.  W. 
McKinney.  They  sold  to  John  Simpson,  and  each 
in  turn  to  the  following:  H.  W.  Hoover  &  Co., 
Hoover  &  Reese,  John  C.  Hoover. 

Village  Schools. — The  children  of  the  vill.ige 
during  its  earlier  existence  attended  Cowher's  school, 
about  one  mile  west  of  the  village,  but  as  it  increased 
in  population  it  became  necessary  to  build  a  school- 
house,  and  in  1867  a  commodious  building  was  erected 
on  lot  near  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Aaron 
Williams,  afterwards  attorney-at-law  and  prothono- 
tary  of  Centre  County,  taught  the  first  term  during 
the  winter  of  1867-68.  This  school  was  well  attended 
and  carried  oh,  successfully  for  several  years,  when 
the  number  of  school-children  increased  so  rapidly 
that  it  was  determined  to  erect  another  edifice.  Ac- 
cordingly, a  lot  was  purchased  north  of  Alvin  Price, 
on  the  Muncy  Mountain,  and  a  liouse  built  in  1872. 
The  schools  were  divided  into  primary  and  grammar 
departments.  Among  the  teachers  of  the  grammar 
school  were  Lizzie  Meyers,  Jennie  Swartz,  Laura 
Graham,  Stephen  Fugate  (since  M.D.),  R.  E.  Cam- 
bridge, and  W.  G.  Morrison. 

Churches. — Religious  services  were  held  in  the 
room  reserved  for  church  purposes  by  the  Methodists, 
Avho  established  a  church  membership  consisting  of 
Miss  Susan  Beckwith,  Mrs.  Susanna  Stevens,  Mrs. 
Sarah  J.  Beckwith,  Grandmother  King,  Squire  Beck- 
with, Cyrus  Carlright,  William  Gill,  and  William 
Walker,  the  latter  being  chosen  class-leader.  The 
following  served  as  ministers:  Revs.  Hoffman  (in 
1850),  McKce,  Charles  Cleaver,  Sr.,  Plotncr,  Stans- 
bury,  William  Stevens,  and  PI.  M.  Ash.  The  house 
burned  down  in  1863,  after  which  the  Methodists 
worshiped  in  the  Presbyterian  Church  for  a  number 
of  years,  going  from  thence  to  the  school-house  when 
it  was  built,  and  from  thence  to  the  Methodist  Church, 
which  is  situated  on  grounds  donated  for  that  pur- 
pose by  Squire  Beckwith,  on  Church  Street.  It  is  a 
commodious  frame  structure,  and  was  dedicated  in 
1869,  Bishop  Scott  and  Rev.  Thomas  McMurray, 
P.  E.,  officiating.     Rev.  Elislia  Butler  was  the  pastor 


46-t 


HISTORY   OF   CENTEE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 

» 


at  the  time  of  building,  and  the  following  have  been 
the  pastors  from  the  dedication  until  this  writing: 
Revs.  Clark,  J.  Benson  Akers,  John  Craig,  John 
Guss,  Lewis  Chandler,  Joseph  Gray,  W.  W.  Reese, 
J.  W.  Houghawout,  J.  R.  King,  and,  in  1881,  Cam- 
bridge Graham.  A  church  debt  was  contracted, 
Avhich  hung  over  the  church  until  1879,  when  Rev. 
J.  R.  King,  assisted  by  Professor  Johnson,  held  a 
series  of  concerts,  and  from  the  proceeds  paid  the 
indebtedness. 

Presbyterian  Church.— The  first  religious  services 
of  which  we  can  obtain  any  record  were  held  by  Rev. 
James  Linn,  elsewhere  spoken  of.  Rev.  Linn  was  a 
Presbyterian,  and  was  stationed  at  Bellefonte,  from 
whence  he  came,  on  horseback,  up  the  Bald  Eagle 
valley,  and  held  religious  meetings  in  the  settlers' 
dwellings  and  other  convenient  places.  At  the  request 
of  Rev.  McKee,  one  of  the  early  ministers  of  the 
present  Presbyterian  Church,  Rev.  Linn  wrote  a 
historical  sketch  of  Presbyterianism  in  Bald  Eagle 
valley  in  those  days,  and  as  it  is  full  of  interesting 
information,  we  will  give  such  portions  as  relate  to 
Port  Matilda  Church  :  "  Rev.  William  B.  McKee.— 
At  yonr  request  I  give  you  a  brief  historical  account 
of  the  state  of  society  in  a  religious  point  of  view  in 
Bald  Eagle  valley  from  my  earliest  acquaintance  with 
it  up  to  recent  times.  When  I  commenced  preaching 
in  Bellefonte  all  Bald  Eagle  valley  from  what  is  now 
Unionville  to  where  Tyrone  City  is  was  a  kind  of 
moral  waste.  There  were  no  associations  for  public 
worship,  no  church  buildings,  no  regular  meetings  of 
the  people  of  any  denomination.  The  inhabitants 
were  the  descendants  of  professors  in  other  places. 
They  had  lived  out  whatever  they  had  known  in 
younger  days  of  religion  except  the  names  of  denomi- 
nations of  the  former  generations.  There  were  some 
families  thai  claimed  to  have  Presbyterian  descent, 
but  their  denominational  religion  was  only  a  name. 

"From  Unionville  westward  there  was  only  one 
professing  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  on 
the  whole  extent  of  the  valley,  so  far  as  I  know,  and 
I  had  the  means  of  knowing  pretty  extensively  the 
religious  state  of  the  whole  community.  Up  the 
creek  was  a  family  (Kellys)  not  professors ;  they 
were  near  Port  Matilda ;  whether  they  are  now  or  not 
I  do  not  know.  The  Williamses  were  nominally,  and 
by  descent,  Baptists,  but  had  no  religious  meetings. 
I  preached  at  diflerent  times  and  places  along  the 
valley  on  week-days,  not  having  any  regular  appoint- 
ments, but  as  circumstances  made  it  convenient. 
Several  years  after  I  had  been  going  among  them  in 
this  irregular  way  I  began  to  make  regular  appoint- 
ments on  week-days  in  the  neighborhood  of  Julian 
Furnace." 

After  speaking  of  the  building  of  theUnion  Church, 
near  Martha,  Rev.  Linn  says  further,  "  Things  went 
on  in  this  way,  still  growing  in  interest,  until,  at  the 
request  of  members  in  that  locality,  they  were  dis- 
missed from  their  connection  with  Bellefonte,  and  or- 


ganized in  a  church  of  the  Bald  Eagle  valley.  Port 
Matilda  was  becoming  a  place  of  some  numbers,  and 
they  were  desirous  of  sharing  the  benefits  of  the  or- 
dinances of  Christ's  house.  They  have  shown  a 
laudable  zeal  in  erecting  a  house  of  worship  for  the 
benefit  of  those  in  that  vicinity,  and  at  two  jioints  in 
the  valley  between  that  and  Unionville  the  gospel  is 
regularly  preached  by  the  regular  appointed  minister 
at  such  times  as  are  known  to  all.  The  church  is  one, 
with  four  places  of  preaching  for  the  accommodation 
of  those  who  live  along  that  named  valley.  When 
the  church  was  organized,  and  a  call  accepted  by  Rev. 
Samuel  M.  Moore,  an  eldership  was  chosen  and  set 
apart,  one  residing  at  each  of  the  aforesaid  localities 
of  preaching.  That  church  is  yet  in  its  infancy.  To 
what  it  may  grow  is  yet  to  us  among  the  uncertainties 
of  the  future.  Dear  brother,  you  have  an  important 
field  to  cultivate;  Christ  can  make  your  labors  suc- 
cessful. Work  with  hope  and  patience,  and  let  your 
prayer  be  daily  to  Him  to  whom  you  have  dedicated 
it,  that  He  may  give  you  a  large  increase. 

"  James  Linn." 
A  committee  appointed  by  the  Presbytery  of  Hun- 
tingdon to  organize  a  church  in  Bald  Engle  valley 
met  at  Martha  Furnace,  Aug.  30,  1859.  Dr.  Gibson 
and  Rev.  R.  Hamill,  and  Moses  Thompson  and  Hugh 
L.'irimer,  elders,  were  present.  After  a  sermon  from 
Rev,  Dr.  Gibson  the  committee  organized,  and  after 
stating  the  object  of  the  meeting,  proceeded  to  take 
the  names  of  persons  presenting  certificates,  and  de- 
siring to  be  connected  with  the  Bald  Eagle  Presby- 
terian Church.  The  following  twenty-eight  ])crsons 
were  admitted  into  church  fellowship:  Casper  Peters, 
John  Sedgwick,  Mrs.  Sarah  Sedgwick,  Miss  Lucy 
McKean,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  McKean,  Miss  Sarah  Mc- 
Kean,  Mrs.  Susan  Blair,  Mrs.  Mary  Taylor,  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Bing,  Mrs.  Diana  Adams,  Mrs.  Matilda 
Fleck,  Mrs.  Hetty  Feathers,  Mr.  Martin  Adams,  Mrs. 
Mary  Beckwith,  Mrs.  Isabella  Adams,  BIrs.  Rachel 
Cumniings,  Samuel  McKean,  John  I.  Thompson,  Mrs. 
Mary  K.  Thompson,  John  Adams,  Robert  Campbell, 
Mrs.  Jane  Campbell,  Mrs.  Sarah  Biddle,  Mrs.  Lucy 
Moyer,  Mrs.  Nancy  Cowher,  William  Kline,  Mrs. 
Catherine  Kline,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Wise;  and  the  fol- 
lowing persons  were  elected  ruling  elders :  Robert 
Campbell,  John  I.  Thompson,  Samuel  McKean,  and 
William  Kline.  Rev.  Samuel  M.  Moore  was  unani- 
mously chosen  pastor,  and  his  election  confirmed  by 
the  Presbytery,  which  met  in  Bellefonte,  October, 
1859,  and  which  fixed  his  salary,  at  three  hundred 
dollars  per  year,  for  term  of  two  years,  commencing 
October  1st,  of  which  salary  Presbytery  paid  one- 
third.  At  a  congregational  meeting  in  1859,  Robert 
Campbell,  Robert  D.  Cumniings,  and  John  I.  Thomp- 
son were  appointed  trustees  to  procure  a  lot  of 
ground,  "  at  or  near  Port  Matilda,"  for  church  pur- 
poses. Accordingly,  in  August,  1859,  they  purchased, 
for  the  consideration  of  one  dollar,  a  lot  of  ground  in 
the  eastern  part  of  the  villiige,  fronting  on  the  plank- 


WORTH  TOWNSHIP. 


4G5 


road,  apd  containing  one  acre,  more  or  less.  This  lot 
they  procured  from  Peter  Woodring.  These  same 
gentlemen  wore  then  elected  as  the  building  commit- 
tee. The  clearing  off  of  the  ground  was  let  to  Jacob 
Cowher  and  E.  P.  Jones,  and  proposals  having  been 
received  and  all  rejected,  J.  I.  Thompson  and  R.  D. 
Cummings  resigned,  and  Jesse  Cowher  and  Dr.  F.  H. 
Moyer  were  cliosen  in  their  places.  Messrs.  Cum- 
mings and  Thompson  then  made  a  proposal  for  build- 
ing the  church,  which  was  accepted.  The  new  build- 
ing was  completed  and  dedicated  Aug.  10,  1860.  It 
is  a  two-story,  commodious  frame  edifice,  contains  a 
lecture-room,  audience-room,  and  a  choir-gallery.  A 
large  Sunday-school  meets  here  every  Sunday,  and  is 
in  a  flourishing  condition.  A  series  of  meetings  were 
held  in  this  church  in  the  winter  of  1862,  when  the 
following  persons  were  added  to  the  church  :  Aaron 
Woodring,  Margaret  Woodring,  Sally  Woodring, 
William  Adams,  Mrs.  Woodring,  Anne  E.  Campbell, 
Jennie  B.  Campbell,  Elias  Turner,  Catherine  Turner, 
James  Cannon,  Elizabetli  Cannon,  David  H.  Canan, 
Eliza  Ingram,  John  Q.  Adams,  Esther  Cummings, 
Elvise  Cummings,  Robert  D.  Cummings,  John  H. 
Coolf,  J.  William  Johnson,  Mary  Johnson,  Mary 
Spotts,  Jennie  Thompson,  and  Jesse  Cowher. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  pastors  from  I860'  to 
the  present :  Revs.  S.  M.  Moore,  W.  B.  McKee,  W. 
O.  Wright,  James  P.  Hughes,  J.  V.  R.  Hughes,  W. 
W.  Campbell,  L.  T.  Burbanlc,  and  since  July,  1880, 
Rev.  W.  C.  Kuhn  has  served  as  pastor. 

At  present  tlie  membership  numbers  seventy,  and 
the  church  is  in  a  prosperous  condition.  The  follow- 
ing are  the  present  church  officials:  Elders,  Elias 
Turner,  John  I.  Thompson,  and  John  A.  Hunter; 
Deacons,  Alexander  Chaney,  Benner  Turner. 

Manufactures. — The  present  flouring-mill  was 
erected  by  Beckwith  &  Humes;  is  situated  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  village,  and  is  supplied  with 
water-power  by  tlie  waters  of  a  mountain  stream.  It 
was  purchased  in  1874  by  Hoover  &  Reese,  and  has 
been  operated  by  them  since. 

The  first  tannery  was  built  in  1865  by  Thomas 
Weston;  burned  in  February,  1874,  and  was  rebuilt 
on  a  more  convenient  site  during  the  same  year.  It 
is  now  owned  by  J.  G.  L.  Myers,  M.D. 

The  first  steam  saw-mill  in  the  village  was  erected 
in  18G4  by  John  I.  Thompson.  This  mill  was  oper- 
ated till  1877,  when  it  was  abandoned,  and  lie  pur- 
chased the  saw-mill  which  had  been  erected  near  the 
depot  by  Hoover  &  Reese  in  1874.  A  large  engine 
furnishes  power  to  the  saw-mill,  shingle-mill,  and 
lathe-mill.  The  slabs  and  remnants  not  used  for  fuel 
are  coaled  a  few  rods  from  the  mill,  making  this  mill 
a  model  of  economy  in  the  manufacture  of  lumber. 
It  is  owned  at  present  by  Chaney  &  Thompson.  The 
shipments  of  lumber  during  the  year  ending  Sept.  1, 
1881,  were  five  hundred  cars  of  pine,  oak,  hemlock, 
poplar,  and  linn,  averaging  about  eight  thousand  feet 
per  car,  or  a  grand  total  shipment  of  about  four  mil- 
30 


lion  feet,  the  greater  part  of  which  comes  from  this 
mill. 

A  planing-mill  establishment  was  erected  by  A. 
W.  Reese  in  1875.  It  is  a  two-story  frame  building, 
size  fifty  by  fifty  feet.  It  is  situated  on  the  left  bank  of 
the  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  opposite  the  saw-mill,  and  is 
furnished  with  water-power  by  that  stream.  It  is 
fitted  with  improved  machinery,  and  annually  uses 
about  two  hundred  thousand  feet  of  lumber. 

Chaney  &  Thompson  manufacture  charcoal.  They 
had  three  coalings  in  1881,  one  being  in  the  village. 
They  shipped  during  the  year  ending  Sept.  1,  1881, 
about  two  hundred  thousand  bushels  of  coal. 

A.  W.  Reese,  during  the  year  ending  Sept.  1,  1881, 
manufactured  and  shipped  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand  bushels  of  charcoal. 

Chaney  &  Thompson,  during  the  year  ending  Sept. 
1,  1881,  shipped  about  six  hundred  cords  of  bark.  The 
same  firm  have  about  three  hundred  acres  of  cleared 
land  in  this  vicinity,  and  give  employment  to  a  con- 
siderable number  of  men  in  cultivating  it. 

The  furniture  manufactory  of  David  Canan  is  lo- 
cated about  one  mile  west  of  the  village.  It  consists 
of  a  w'ater-power  saw-mill,  on  which  the  lumber  to 
be  used  is  sawed,  a  turning-lathe,  and  all  necessary 
machinery  for  the  manufacture  of  furniture.  All  kinds 
of  furniture  are  supplied,  but  a  specialty  is  made  in 
the  manufacture  of  chairs. 


TAX-PATERS  OF  WOKTII   IN  ISJO. 


Names.  Acres. 

.Tames  Arilry luo 

Micllael  Brown 388 

William  liennet 5 

Cliiirles  Bciilty 60 

Cuinpbell,  Stevens  &  Co 000 

John  II.  Cook 2(i0 

Adiim  Cowher 107 

Frederick  Cowher 114 


Jesse  Cowher 20U 

J.  *  C,  Curliu 608 

Levi  Dixon 100 

John  Elder loo 

Robert  Elder 200 

George  li.  Engles 30 

Itenben  Frantz 40 

Daniel  Frantz 270 

Humes,  Deckwithi  Co.(saw- 

and  grist-mill) 1554 

John  Jarrett 440 

J.  II.  Jones  100 

Jolin  Jones,  Jr 

William  Kelly 100 


Acre 


Names. 

Robert  Kelly 100 

William  Laird,  Sr 200 

William  Lewis M 

Stephen  McGonigle 100 

Terence  McUarney lOn 

Elizabeth  MoirisOQ .50 

George  Koto lou 

Ehenezer  Record* 1011 

Abel  Ueese 100 

William  Spencer  and  Jesse 

Itichards 200 

George  Smith 100 


Elias 
Andr. 


wWattman 100 

James  Woodring li  0 

George  Williams 320 

Job  Williams so 

Joseph  Williams,  Sr 4011 

John  Wakefield 50 

Peter  Woodring 150 

Samuel  Woodring,  Jr lOti 

Samuel  Woodring,  Sr 150 


TENANTS. 
Henry  Arnold,  Edward  Beckwith,  Clement  Beckwith,  John  Beatly,  An- 
drew Brown,  Thomas  Cowher,  Jacob  Cowher,  Joseph  Garver,  John 
Goss,  John  Hilard,  Samuel  Huttons,  John  King,  Jonathan  Laird, 
William  Laird,  Jr.,  David  McMullen,  John  Neal,  Philip  Pensler, 
Thomas  Richard,  Aaron  Woodring,  Joseph  Williams,  Jr.,  Philip 
Williams. 

The  total  amount  of  valuation  was  §33,832. 

Township  Organization. — Certain  inhabitants  of 
the  township  of  Taylor  having  at  the  April  sessions, 
1847,  presented  a  petition  for  the  division  of  the  town- 
ship, because  of  the  inconvenience  resulting  from  the 
great  extent  of  territory  therein  contained,  the  court 
appointed  John  Thompson,  Robert  Elder,  and  Henry 
P.  Treziyulny  as  commissioners  to  view  aud  report  to 
the  next  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions.  Aug.  25,  1847, 
the  commissioners    reported   as   follows:    "We,  the 


4GG 


HISTORY   OF   CENTRE  COUxNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


commissioners  appointed  to  view  and  make  a  division 
line  through  the  township  of  Taylor,  do  report  that 
being  present  and  duly  sworn  orafBrnied  in  pursuance 
of  the  annexed  order  of  court,  we  have  viewed  and 
marked  the  said  division  line  as  follows,  to  wit:  Be- 
ginning at  a  small  maple  on  the  summit  of  Muncy 
Mountain,  thence  north  tifty-two  degrees  west  four 
miles  and  one  hundred  and  sixty  perches  to  the  Rush 
township  line  on  the  summit  of  Allegheny  Mountain." 
Jan.  27,  1848,  the  court  confirmed  the  report,  and 
ordered  a  new  township  to  be  created  to  be  called 
Worth.' 

1  In  bonor  of  Gen.  Wortli,  one  of  Ibe  heroes  of  the  war  with  Mexico. 


Com'ahle>.—lSi8,  Henry  S.  Cowher;  1850,  Williiim  Wiilker;  1851,  Sam- 
iiel  Stevens;  185-2,  H.  S.  Cowher;  18.13,  Elias  Turner;  1854,  Ellas 
Turner;  186.5,  J.  H.  Cowher;  18.i(i,  Elias  Turner;  18.">7,  J.  H.  Cow- 
her; 1858,  E.  P.  Joiies;  1859.  E.  P.  Jones;  1800,  E.  P.  Jones;  18CI, 
Alexander  Cooli ;  1862,  J.  II.  Cook;  ISO:!,  George  Kelley;  18C+, 
Ahrahani  Fninty, ;  1805,  William  Young;  1806,  J.  C.  Crocker:  1867, 
E.  P.  Jones;  1808,  E.  P.  Jones;  1809-70,  Levi  Jones;  1871.  E.  P. 
Jones;  1872,  E.  P.  Jones;  1873,  E.  P.  Jones ;  1874,  Aaron  Woodring; 
1875,  A.  R.  Woodring;  1870,  A.  Woodring;  1877,  J. T.  Marks;  1878, 
J.  T.  Marks;  1879,  J.  T.  Marks;  1880,  J.  Wiser;  1881,  Martin 
Fnnk. 

Justices  of  the  Peace.. — Michael  Brown,  Clement  Beckwith,  March  14, 
1848;  Micliael  Browji,  March  10,185:!;  Clement  Beckwith,  Michael 
Brown,  May  5,  1858  ;  Clement  Beckwith,  May  6, 1803;  Philip  Wil- 
liams, April  19,  1804;  C.  Beckwith,  March  21,  1808;  J.  G.  Jones, 
March  22,  1809  ;  Thomas  Weston,  April  2U,  1S72  ;  J.  G.  Jones,  March 
11,  1871;  Thorn  15  Weston,  March  28,  1877:  J.  G.  Jones,  April  5, 
1879. 


CLINTON     COUNTY. 


CHAPTER    XCI. 

NOTICES    OF    PATHS    AND    INDIAN    CHIEFS. 

From  the  earliest  period  to  whicli  historical  knowl- 
edge of  the.  valley  of  the  West  Branch  extends,  it 
was  the  great  thoroughfare  of  the  Delaware  Nation. 
The  Delawares  styled  themselves  "  Lenni  Lenape," 
original  people, — that  is,  an  unchanged  people.  The 
eastern  division  of  this  people  was  divided  into  three 
tribes,  tlie  Turtles  (in  their  own  language,  the  Una- 
mies),  or  Delawares  of  the  sea-shore,  lowlanders  ;  the 
Turkej's  (Unachlactgos),  or  Delawares  of  the  woods, 
uplauders ;  and  the  Wolves  (Monseys),  or  Delawares  of 
the  mountains.  From  the  time  of  Penn's  arrival,  in 
1682,  the  Delawares  were  subject  to  the  Iroquois, — who 
"had  been  made  women  of,"  as  it  was  expressed  in 
their  communications.  Shamokin,  situate  at  the 
mouth  of  the  North  Branch,  the  present  site  of  Sun- 
bury,  was  the  most  important  Indian  town  in  the 
province  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  Six  Nations  held 
it  as  a  stragetic  point  at  an  early  day,  and  made  it  the 
seat  of  a  viceroy,  who  ruled  for  them  the  tributary 
tribes  that  dwelt  along  the  waters  of  the  "  Winding 
River."  As  early  as  1687,  Governor  Dongan,  of  New 
York,  speaking  of  the  Six  Nations  (then  Five),  says, 
"  they  are  the  most  warlike  people  in  America,  and 
a  bulwark  between  us  and  the  French." 

From  Shamokin  one  path  started  at  the  little  run 
in  the  gap  of  the  hill  opposite  the  sally-port  of  Fort 
Augusta,  as  Maj.  Bard  describes  it,  meaning  the  ravine 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  a  short  distance  be- 
low the  site  of  the  Northumberland  bridge,  passed 
across  Buffalo  valley  by  the  old  Muncy  town,  three 
miles  above  Lewisburg;  thence,  after  rounding  the 
mountain,  passed  up  White  Deerhole  valley  to  where 
Elimsport  now  stands,  and  over  the  mountain  around 
the  head  of  Nippenose  valley,  reached  the  Great 
Warriors'  path  from  the  Great  Island,  at  the  mouth  of 
Bald  Eagle.  The  other  crossed  from  Shamokin  to 
the  island,  and  thence  to  the  main  land,  passed  up 
the  north  or  left  bank  of  the  West  Branch,  crossing 
Chillisquaque  Creek,  where  there  was  an  Indian  vil- 
lage called  Chillisquaque,  signifying  the  place  of  seven 
birds.  The  earliest  traveler  of  whom  we  have  any 
record,  Conrad  Weiser,'  in  1736,  gives  the  name  as 

1  Cunrail  Weiser  was  in  1732,  liy  special  request  of  the  deputies  of  the 
Six  Nations,  appointed  by  Governor  Gordon  interpreter  for  that  nation. 


Yelly-Squachue,  where  he  found  Shawanese  Indians  ; 
thence  it  passed  through  Warrior's  Camp,  so  named 
by  Spangenberg  in  1745,  on  Warrior  Run  ;  thence 
through  Muncy  hills  to  Muncy  Creek,  called  by 
Spangenberg  Conachrisage,  on  Scull's  map  (1759), 
Scochpwheney.  Zinzendorf  and  his  companions 
were  the  first  Moravians  to  cross  Muncy  Creek.  It 
was  in  September,  1742.  The  Shawanese  had  a  small 
village  just  below  Muncy  Creek  when  Mack  and 
Grube  were  there  in  1753.  The  Shawanese  had  lately 
left  Wyoming.  Weiser  speaks  of  this  village  in 
1755  by  the  name  of  Conasoragy,  "  where  an  Indian 
town  now  is,  inhabited  chiefly  by  Shawanese  and 
Chickasaws  ;"  thence  the  path  led  to  Otstonwakin,or 
Frenchtown,  a  village  which  lay  on  both  sides  of  the 
mouth  of  the  Loyal  Sock.  The  name  Loyal  Sock, 
according  to  Reichel,  is  corrupted  from  words  in  the 
Delaware  language.  Law  i  Saquick,  signifying,  "the 
middle  creek," — that  is,  a  creek  flowing  in  betweeu 
two  others.  Weiser,  who  visited  Otstonwakin  (or 
Otstuacky,  as  he  writes  it)  for  the  first  time  in  1737, 
says  it  is  so  called  from  a  high  rock  which  lies  oppo- 
site, adding,  "  We  quartered  ourselves  with  Madame 
Montour,  a  French  woman  by  birth,  of  good  family, 
but  now  in  mode  of  life  a  complete  Indian."  The 
village  lay  upon  both  sides  of  the  Loyal  Sock. 
Weiser's  last  visit  there  was  in  June,  1755,  when  the 
village  was  at  that  time  almost  deserted.  It  is  not 
noted  in  Scull's  map  (1759).  Montoursville,  iu  Ly- 
coming County,  occupies  its  site,  and  perpetuates  the 
name  of  Madame  Montour.  The  next  post  on  the 
path  was  at  the  mouth  of  Lycoming  Creek.  Lycom- 
ing is  also  a  Delaware  name  corrupted  from  Legaui- 
hanne,  signifying  sandy  stream.  Here,  in  1753, 
French  Margaret,  a  niece  of  Madame  Montour,  was 
residing  in  a  village  of  her  own.  Scull's  map  notes  it 
as  French  Margaret's  town,  site  of  Newbury.  Post, 
in  his  journal  (1758),  designates  it  as  "  Weheeponal, 
where  the  road  turns  off"  to  Wyoming."  The  "  War- 
rior's path,"  at  the  mouth  of  Lycoming  Creek,  was 
tapped  by  the  Sheshecanunk  path,  as  Col.  Hartley 
calls  it,  to  Tioga,  now  Athens,  Bradford  County,  or 
perhaps  better,  the  Sheshequin  path,  as  stated  by 
Meginness.  Post  says,  then,  he  slept  at  Quenischas- 
chackki.  There  was  an  Indian  village  of  that  name 
where  Linden,  in  Lycoming  County,  now  stands. 
This  was  the  name  given  by  the  Delawares  to  the 
"long  reach"  or  expanse  of  level  country  bordering 

467 


468 


HISTORY  OF  CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  river  from  that  point  up  towards  the  Great  Island, 
Qiiin  long,  Schaschack-ki  Straight.  Hence  the  Dela- 
wares  called  the  West  Branch  Quenischachachyek- 
hanne,  which  word  has  been  corrupted  into  Susque- 
hanna. The  path  passing  Long  Island,  now  Jersey 
Shore,  crossed  Pine  Creek,  called  by  the  Indians  Tya- 
dagaton  in  the  treaty  of  1768.  It  was  uncertain 
whether  they  meant  by  this  Lycoming  or  Pine  Creek. 
Spangenberg,  in  his  notes  of  travel  to  Onondaga,  calls 
Lycoming  Diadachton,  or  •'  the  limping  messenger," 
Creek.  To  prevent  controversy  with  the  Indians,  no 
lands  were  permitted  to  be  surveyed  to  the  west  of 
Lycoming  Creek.  At  the  purchase  treaty  of  1784 
inquiry  was  made  of  the  Indians  what  stream  they 
meant  by  it,  and  they  said  Tiadaghton  was  the  same 
we  called  Pine  Creek.  Great  Island,  Mecheek-Men- 
atey,  as  it  was  called  by  the  Delawares,  was  the  next 
post  on  the  path,  and  a  favorite  resort  of  the  Indians. 

After  the  treaty  made  by  Sir  William  Jolinston 
with  the  Delawares  June  7,  1765,  Governor  John 
Penn  ordered  the  evacuation  of  Fort  Augusta.  The 
Delawares  and  Shawanese  then  returned  into  the 
valley  of  the  West  Branch,  occupying  the  old  vil- 
lages and  points  along  the  river  not  included  in  the 
treaty  of  1758.  With  them  came  Logan  and  others 
of  the  Six  Nations  who  had  always  remained  friendly 
to  the  English. 

In  January,  1768,  Newahleeka  was  the  chief  of  the 

Delawares  at  Great  Island.    He  sent  Billy  Champion 

to  Philadelphia  to  complain  to  Governor  Penn 

1768.  that  five  white  men  had  lately  been  marking 
trees  and  surveying  land  on  the  forks  of  the 

Susquehanna  as  yet  not  purchased  from  the  Indians. 
Newahleeka  also  appeared  with  some  forty  of  his  fol- 
lowers at  a  conference  Col.  Francis  was  holding  with 
some  of  the  Six  Nations  at  Fort  Augusta  in  August, 

1769.  But  the  Six  Nations  did  not  allow  them  to  come 
into  the  conference,  showing  that  they  still  considered 
the  Delawares  their  subjects.  Indeed,  it  was  not  until 
after  Wayne's  defeat  of  the  Indians,  and  the  conse- 
quent treaty  of  Aug.  3,  1795,  that  the  Iroquois— i.e. 
Six  Nations — formally  released  them  from  their  posi- 
tion as  women.  Joseph  Brant  w.as  the  master  spirit 
on  the  occasion,  inaugurating  ceremonies  and  caus- 
ing a  war-club  to  be  presented  to  them  with  the  words, 
"Go  forth  now  in  the  fashion  of  a  man."  Shawana 
Ben  was  in  January,  1768,  chief  of  the  Shawanese 
Indians  at  Great  Island,'  and  replied  officially  to  the 
message  sent  in  reference  to  the  murder  by  Stump  of 
some  of  the  Iroquois  and  Shawanese  women  on  Mid- 
dle Creek.  As  the  letter  of  Shawana  Ben  is  the  only 
one  extant  from  the  Great  Island  at  this  early  period, 
and  a  good  example  of  an  Indian's  method  of  ex- 
pressing his  thoughts,  it  is  quoted  in  full  from  the 
Colonial  Records,  vol.  ix.  p.  480.    Redmond  Cuning- 


ham's  copy  furnished  the  Historical  Society  of  Penn- 
sylvania in  1826,  and  published  among  their  collec- 
tions, is  abbreviated  and  somewhat  altered  from  the 
original.  It  is  addressed  to  Capt.  William  Patterson 
at  the  Juniata. 

"FEDnuAKT  17,  1708. 

"  Loving  Brother, — T  received  your  speech  by  Geraliom  Ilicjcs,  and 
have  sent  one  oF  my  relatives  to  you  with  a  string  of  wampum  and  the 
fullowiiii;  answer: 

"  LoviNO  Brother, — I  am  glad  to  hear  from  you.  I  understand 
that  you  are  very  much  grieved,  and  that  tears  run  from  your  eyes. 
Witli  both  liands  I  now  wipe  away  tliose  tears,  and  as  I  don't  doubt 
but  your  lieart  is  disturbed,  I  remove  all  sorrow  from  it,  and  make  it 
as  easy  as  it  w.os  before.  T  will  now  sit  down  and  sniulce  my  pipe. 
I  have  taken  fast  liold  of  the  cliain  of  friendsliip,  and  when  I  give  it  a 
pull  if  I  And  my  bretliren,  tlio  English,  have  let  it  go,  it  will  then  be 
time  for  me  to  let  it  go  too,  and  take  care  of  my  family.  There  are 
four  of  my  relations  murdered  by  Stump,  and  all  I  desire  is  that  he  may 
sutTer  for  his  wicked  action.  I  shall  then  think  that  your  people  have 
the  same  good  news  in  their  hearts  as  formerly,  and  intend  to  keep  it 
there.  As  it  was  the  evil  spirit  who  caused  Stump  to  commit  this  bud 
action  I  blame  none  of  my  brothers,  the  English,  but  him. 

"  T  desire  that  the  people  of  the  Juniata  may  sit  still  on  their  places, 
and  not  put  themselves  to  any  hardships  by  leaving  their  habitations 
whenever  danger  is  coming.    They  shall  know  it  before  it  comes  on 


;  Brother, 


1  A  surveyor's  notes  dated  Nov.  G,  17G9,  standing  on  the  south  side  of 
the  river  opposite  the  lower  end  of  the  Great  Island,  the  point  above 
the  mouth  of  Bald  Eagle,  bears  south  si.vty-four  and  a  lialf  west,  Slia- 
wtuia  Bun's  house  bears  north,  seven  west. 


On  the  24th  of  September,  1771,  Shawana  Ben  and 
Newahleeka  appeared  before  the  Governor  and  Coun- 
cil in  Philadelphia,  and  informed  them  that  they 
had  an  inclination  to  remove  from  the  Great  Island, 
and  desired  to  dispose  of  it. 

The  answer  of  Governor  Hamilton  was : 

"We  desire  that  you  will  coutinne  on  this  Island,  and  consult  your 
uncles,  the  Six  N.ations,  when  you  find  any  inclination  to  remove.  They 
will  give  you  good  advice.  You  know,  brethren  of  tlie  Big  Island, 
that  neither  y(»n  or  we  can  agree  to  buy  or  sell  lands,  or  do  anything  in 
that  matter  without  your  uncles,  the  Si.x  Nations,  are  present  in  Coun- 
cil, and  they  give  their  full  consent  to  it." 

The  tradition  related  by  Mr.  Meginness  that  the 
first  white  settler  on  Great  Island,  William  Dunn, 
purchased  it  from  the  Indians  for  a  barrel  of  whiskey, 
a  rifle,  and  a  hatchet,  may  very  well  be  true,  for  Ne- 
wahleeka and  Shawana  Ben,  finding  they  could  not 
sell  to  the  proprietaries,  may  have  surrendered  their 
tenancy  to  Mr.  Dunn  upon  the  terms  stated ;  but  Mr. 
Dunn's  title  could  not  become  absolute  but  by  pur- 
chase from  the  Commonwealth  subsequent  to  Oct.  23, 
1784,  as  the  line  of  the  purchase  of  1768  was  on  the 
south  side  of  the  river. 

Territorial  History. — No  portion  of  the  territory 
of  Clinton  County  being  included  in  the  purchase  of 
1754,  as  defined  by  the  treaty  of  1759,  there  could  be 
no  lawful  settlements  within  it  prior  to  Nov.  5,  1768, 
and  then  only  in  that  part  of  the  country  south  of  the 
river.  The  law  passed  in  1760  prohibited  under 
heavy  penalties  even  the  hunting  of  deer  or  wild 
beasts  on  lands  not  purchased  from  the  Indians,  and 
that  of  Feb.  18,  1769,  prohibited,  under  a  penalty  of 
five  hundred  pounds  and  twelve  months'  imprison- 
ment, the  making  of  a  survey  or  the  marking  or  cut- 
ting down  of  a  tree  with  design  to  settle  or  appropri- 
ate the  land. 

The  lands  south  of  the  river  were  first  thrown  open 


f' 


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m  the 
s  and 
Belle- 
ch21, 

ty- 
ing of 
8)  on 
)n  the 
made, 
tained 
jver  a 


Coun- 
of  the 


1769. 


3f  the 
■r  No. 
as  di- 
3d   bv 


eom- 
in  the 
ingto 
inty," 
v-niil! 
ty  de- 
<t  one 
hence 
along 
ix  de- 
'  river 
,  a  lot 
ice  up 

This 
d  and 
[aniil- 
along 
s,  was 
which 


468 


HISTORY   OF  CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  river  from  that  point  up  towards  the  Great  Island, 
Qiiin  long,  Schaschack-ki  Straight.  Hence  the  Dela- 
wares  called  the  West  Branch  Quenischachachyek- 
lianne,  which  word  has  been  corrupted  into  Susque- 
hanna. The  path  passing  Long  Island,  now  Jersey 
Shore,  crossed  Pine  Creek,  called  by  the  Indians  Tya- 
dagaton  in  the  treaty  of  1768.  It  was  uncertain 
whether  they  meant  by  this  Lycoming  or  Pine  Creek. 
Spangenberg,  in  his  notes  of  travel  to  Onondaga,  calls 
Lycoming  Diadachton,  or  ''the  limping  messenger," 
Creek.  To  prevent  controversy  with  the  Indians,  no 
lands  were  permitted  to  be  surveyed  to  the  west  of 
Lycoming  Creek.  At  the  purchase  treaty  of  1784 
inquiry  was  made  of  the  Indians  what  stream  they 
meant  by  it,  and  they  said  Tiadaghton  was  the  same 
we  called  Pine  Creek.  Great  Island,  Mecheek-Men- 
atey,  as  it  was  called  by  the  Delawares,  was  the  next 
post  on  the  path,  and  a  favorite  resort  of  the  Indians. 

After  the  treaty  made  by  Sir  William  Jolinston 
with  the  Delawares  June  7,  1765,  Governor  John 
Penn  ordered  the  evacuation  of  Fort  Augusta.  The 
Delawares  and  Shawauese  then  returned  into  the 
valley  of  the  West  Branch,  occupying  the  old  vil- 
lages and  points  along  the  river  not  included  in  the 
treaty  of  1758.  With  them  came  Logan  and  others 
of  the  Six  Nations  who  had  always  remained  friendly 
to  the  English. 

In  January,  1768,  Newahleeka  was  the  chief  of  the 

Delawares  at  Great  Island.    He  sent  Billy  Champion 

to  Philadelphia  to  complain  to  Governor  Penn 

1768.  that  five  white  men  had  lately  been  marking 
trees  and  surveying  land  on  the  forks  of  the 

Susquehanna  as  yet  not  purchased  from  the  Indians. 
Newahleeka  also  appeared  with  some  forty  of  his  fol- 
lowers at  a  conference  Col.  Francis  was  holding  with 
some  of  the  Six  Nations  at  Fort  Augusta  in  August, 

1769.  But  the  Six  Nations  did  not  allow  them  to  come 
into  the  conference,  showing  that  they  still  considered 
the  Delawares  their  subjects.  Indeed,  it  was  not  until 
after  Wayne's  defeat  of  the  Indians,  and  the  conse- 
quent treaty  of  Aug.  3,  1795,  that  the  Iroquois— i.e. 
Six  Nations — formally  released  them  from  their  posi- 
tion as  women.  Joseph  Brant  was  the  master  spirit 
on  the  occasion,  inaugurating  ceremonies  and  caus- 
ing a  war-club  to  be  presented  to  them  with  the  words, 
"Go  forth  now  in  the  fashion  of  a  man."  Shawana 
Ben  was  in  January,  1768,  chief  of  the  Shawauese 
Indians  at  Great  Island,'  and  replied  officially  to  the 
message  sent  in  reference  to  the  murder  by  Stump  of 
some  of  the  Iroquois  and  Shawauese  women  on  Mid- 
dle Creek.  As  the  letter  of  Shawana  Ben  is  the  only 
one  extant  from  the  Great  Island  at  this  early  period, 
and  a  good  example  of  an  Indian's  method  of  ex- 
pressing his  thoughts,  it  is  quoted  in  full  from  the 
Colonial  Records,  vol.  ix.  p.  480.    Redmond  Cuning- 

1  A  survej'or'ij  notes  dated  Nov.  C,  17G9,  atanding  on  the  south  side  of 
tlie  viver  opposite  the  lower  end  of  the  Great  IshuiO,  the  point  ahove 
the  nioutli  of  Bald  Eagle,  bears  sontli  Bixtj-foni-  and  a  half  west,  Sha- 
vana  lien's  house  bears  north,  seven  west. 


ham's  copy  furnished  the  Historical  Society  of  Penn- 
sylvania in  1826,  and  published  among  their  collec- 
tions, is  abbreviated  and  somewhat  altered  from  the 
original.  It  is  addressed  to  Capt.  William  Patterson 
at  the  Juniata. 

"Februakt  17,  1708. 
"  Loving  Brother, — I  received  your  speech  Ity  Gershom  Hicjcs,  and 
have  sent  one  of  my  relatives  to  j'ou  with  a  string  of  wampum  and  the 

"  Loving  Brother, — I  am  glad  to  hear  from  you.  I  understand 
that  yon  are  very  much  grieved,  and  that  tears  run  from  your  eyes. 
With  both  hands  I  now  wipe  away  those  tears,  and  as  I  don't  doubt 
but  your  heart  is  disturbed,  I  remove  all  sorrow  from  it,  and  make  it 
as  easy  as  it  was  before,  t  will  now  sit  down  and  smoke  my  pipe. 
I  have  taken  fast  hold  of  the  chain  of  friendship,  and  when  I  give  it  a 
pull  if  I  find  my  brethren,  the  English,  have  let  it  go,  it  will  then  be 
time  for  me  to  let  it  go  too,  and  take  care  of  my  family.  There  are 
four  of  my  relations  murdered  by  Stump,  and  all  I  desire  is  that  he  may 
suffer  for  his  wicked  action.  I  shall  tlien  think  that  your  people  have 
the  same  good  news  in  their  hearts  as  formerly,  and  intend  to  keep  it 
there.  As  it  was  the  evil  spirit  who  caused  Stump  to  commit  this  bad 
action  I  blame  none  of  my  brothers,  the  English,  but  him. 

"t  desire  that  the  people  of  the  Juniata  may  sit  still  on  their  places, 
and  not  put  tliemselves  to  any  hardships  by  leaving  their  habitations 
whenever  danger  is  coming.  They  shall  know  it  before  it  comes  on 
them. 


I  your lo 


othe 


On  the  24th  of  September,  1771,  Shawana  Ben  and 
Newahleeka  appeared  before  the  Governor  and  Coun- 
cil in  Philadelphia,  and  informed  them  that  they 
had  an  inclination  to  remove  from  the  Great  Island, 
and  desired  to  dispose  of  it. 

The  answer  of  Governor  Hamilton  was  : 

"  We  desire  that  you  will  continue  on  this  Island,  and  consult  your 
uncles,  the  Six  Nations,  when  you  find  any  inclination  to  remove.  Tliey 
will  give  you  good  advice.  You  know,  brethren  of  the  Big  Island, 
that  neither  you  or  we  can  agree  to  buy  or  sell  lands,  or  do  anything  in 
that  matter  without  your  uncles,  the  Si.x  Nations,  are  present  in  Coun- 
cil, and  they  give  their  full  consent  to  it." 

The  tradition  related  by  Mr.  Meginness  that  the 
first  white  settler  on  Great  Island,  William  Dunn, 
purchased  it  from  the  Indians  for  a  barrel  of  whiskey, 
a  rifle,  and  a  hatchet,  may  very  well  be  true,  for  Ne- 
wahleeka and  Shawana  Ben,  finding  they  could  not 
sell  to  the  proprietaries,  may  have  surrendered  their 
tenancy  to  Mr.  Dunn  upon  the  terms  stated ;  but  Mr. 
Dunn's  title  could  not  become  absolute  but  by  pur- 
chase from  the  Commonwealth  subsequent  to  Got.  23, 
1784,  as  the  line  of  the  purchase  of  1768  was  on  the 
south  side  of  the  river. 

Territorial  History. — No  portion  of  the  territory 
of  Clinton  County  being  included  in  the  purchase  of 
1754,  as  defined  by  the  treaty  of  1759,  there  could  be 
no  lawful  settlements  within  it  prior  to  Nov.  5,  1768, 
and  then  only  in  that  part  of  the  country  south  of  the 
river.  The  law  passed  in  1760  prohibited  under 
heavy  penalties  even  the  hunting  of  deer  or  wild 
beasts  on  lands  not  purchased  from  the  Indians,  and 
that  of  Feb.  18,  1769,  prohibited,  under  a  penalty  of 
five  hundred  pounds  and  twelve  months'  imprison- 
ment, the  making  of  a  survey  or  the  marking  or  cut- 
ting down  of  a  tree  with  design  to  settle  or  appropri- 
ate the  land. 

The  lands  south  of  the  river  were  first  thrown  open 


Map  on/u-  officers  Survey' 
fit  ■  I  '/iiir/rs  LnUens 

S.SgO  Jens 

Engraved    Expressly   for  this   Work. 


puin  J""-'"-! 


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Down  3tibl  Eni/k   Civck 


"^'""- franr,,  j/„^,„ 


468 

the  rivei 
Qiiin  loi 
wafes  c; 
lianne,  \ 
hanna. 
Shore,  c 
dagaton 
whether 
Spangeii 
Lycomii 
Creek, 
lands  w( 
Lycomii 
inquiry 
meant  b 
we  calle 
atey,  as 
post  on 

After 
with  th 
Penn  or 
Deiawai 
valley  c 
lages  ai 
treaty  o 
of  the  S 
to  the  I 

In  Ja 
Delawa 

1768. 

Susquel 
Newahi 
lowers  i 
some  of 
1769.  ] 
into  the 
the  Del 
after  'W 
quent  ■ 
Six  Na 
tion  as 
on  the 
ing  a  \v 
"  Go  fo 
Ben  w 
Indian 
inessag 
some  o 
die  Cn 
one  ex 
and  a 
pressin 
Coloni 


NOTICES   OF   PATHS   AND   INDIAN    CHIEFS. 


4C0 


to  settlement  by  an  advertisement  dated  Feb.  23, 1769, 
stating  that  the  hind-office  would  be  opened  on  the 
3d  of  April  of  that  year,  for  application  from  all  per- 
sons who  wi.shed  to  take  up  land  in  the  "New  Pur- 
chase," as  it  was  called.  No  person  was  allowed  to 
take  up  more  than  three  hundred  acres  except  by 
special  license. 

The  territory  of  Clinton  County,  north  of  the  river 
and  westward  from  Pine  Creek,  was  purchased  from 
the  Indians  Oct.  23,  1784,  and  was  thrown  open  for 
purchase  on  the  1st  of  May,  1785,  and  one  applica- 
tion could  embrace  a  thousand  acres,  but  no  more. 
This  will  explain  the  difference  in  size  of  the  survey 
north  and  south  of  the  river  in  the  same  county. 

A  good  title,  therefore,  to  any  land  in  Clinton  County 
from  the  river  on  the  north  to  the  southern  limits  of 
Greene  and  Logan  township  cannot  date  prior  to  the 
year  1769.  Prior  to  the  opening  of  the  land-office,  on 
the  3d  of  April  in  that  year,  two  special  applications 
were  allowed  which  require  description.  The  first 
was  by  the  officers  who  had  served  in  the  Pennsylva- 
nia battalions  under  Col.  Bouquet.  Ou  this  applica- 
tion Order  No.  1  was  granted,  dated  Feb.  3,  1769  ;  the 
second  was  by  Dr.  Francis  Allison,  on  which  Order 
No.  2  was  granted,  dated  Feb.  4,  1709. 

The  officers  of  the  Pennsylvania  regiment  which, 
with  Col.  Bouquet,  dictated  terms  of  peace  with  the 
Indians  on  the  banks  of  the  Muskingum,  on  their 
return,  in  December,  1764,  at  Bedford,  Pa.,  made  an 
agreement  with  each  other  in  writing  to  apply  to  the 
proprietaries  for  a  tract  of  land  sufficiently  extensive 
and  conveniently  situated  whereon  to  erect  a  compact 
and  defensible  town,  and  to  accommodate  them  with 
reasonable  and  commodious  plantations,  the  same  to 
be  divided  according  to  their  several  ranks.  In  their 
application  to  the  proprietaries,  which  is  dated  April 
30,  1765,  they  proposed  to  embody  themselves  into  a 
compact  settlement,  at  some  distance  from  the  inhab- 
ited part  of  the  province,  where  by  industry  they 
might  procure  a  comfortable  subsistence  for  them- 
selves, and  by  their  arms,  union,  and  increase,  be- 
come a  powerful  barrier  to  the  province. 

Upon  this  application  Order  No.  1  was  issued,  to 
survey  for  their  use  twenty-four  thousand  acres,  eight 
thousand  of  which  the  officers  determined  among 
themselves  should  be  surveyed  on  Bald  Eagle  Creek, 
and  Capts.  Hunter,  Brady,  and  Piper  were  selected  to 
oversee  it  surveyed.  Charles  Lnkens  was  the  deputy 
surveyor,  under  an  appointment  dated  Nov.  29,  1764, 
of  that  portion  of  Berks  County  which  included  the 
territory  of  Clinton  County.  The  Berks  County  line 
of  1752,  north  forty-five  degrees  west  from  a  point 
ten  miles  southwest  from  the  western  bank  of  the 
Schuylkill  River,  opposite  the  mouth  of  Monocacy 
Creek,  crossed  the  Susquehanna  five  miles  below 
Selinsgrove,  passed  through  about  the  middle  of 
Sugar  valley,  again  crossing  the  river  near  the  mouths 
of  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  Quinn's  Run,  and  Paddy 
Run.    The  assumed  purchase  line  of  1754  (also  north 


forty-five  degrees  west),  from  a  mile  above  the  month 
of  Penn's  Creek,  crossed  the  Bald  Eagle  at  the  mouth 
of  Beech  Creek,  and  the  West  Branch  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Sinnemahoning.  The  hitter  line  becoming  the 
assumed  boundary  between  Berks  and  Cumberland,  all 
the  territory  of  Clinton  eastwardly  of  it  was  in  Berks, 
and  within  Charles  Lukens'  district. 

On  the  22d  of  May,  1769,  Charles  Lukens  was  ap- 
pointed surveyor  "  of  that  part  of  the  lands  lately 
purchased  of  the  Indians  at  Fort  Stanwix,  bounded  to 
the  northwestward  by  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susque- 
hanna, westward  by  a  north  line  drawn  from  the  head 
of  Shaver's  Creek  to  the  said  West  Branch,  to  the 
southward  by  William  Nebday's  district  and  the  line 
of  the  former  purchase,  and  to  the  eastward  by  the 
ridge  on  the  west  side  of  Buffalo  Creek  and  the  West 
Branch  aforesaid."  This  appointment  gave  him  the 
territory  watered  by  Beech  and  Marsh  Creeks  and 
the  Bald  Eagle  for  .?ix  or  eight  miles  above  Bellc- 
fonte.  These  surveys  will,  therefore,  up  to  March  21, 
1772,  be  found  returned  as  made  in  Berks  County. 

Officers'  Survey. — .ludge  Huston,  in  speaking  of 
the  officer's  survey  ("Land  Titles,"  page  318)  on 
Bald  Eagle  Creek,  says  tlae  work  was  done  on  the 
ground  by  Levi  Stevens,  and  inaccurately  made. 
"  When  divided  into  tracts,  many  of  them  contained 
(as  appears  by  resurveys  since)  an  excess  of  over  a 
hundred  acres  of  the  quantity  called  for." 

Charles  Lukens'  draft  has  this  indorsement: 

"  A  draught  of  a  tract  of  land  situated  in  the  Coun- 
ties of  Berks  and  Cumberland,  the  South  side  of  the 
West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna  River,  Sur- 
veyed the  30th  and  31st  days  of  March,  and  1769. 
the  first,  third,  and  fourth  days  of  April,  1760, 
for  the  officers  of  the  1st  and  2d  Battalions  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Regiment,  in  pursuance  of  Order  No. 
1,  3d  February,  1709,  and  divided  among  them  as  di- 
rected by  Lieut.  Wiggens,  who  was  appointed  by 
them  to  see  it  done. 

"  Charles  Lukexs." 

The  first  survey.  Ensign  William  McMeen's,  com- 
menced at  an  ash  on  the  river-bank  (now-  within  the 
limits  of  the  city  of  Lock  Haven),  which,  according  to 
Mr.  Maynard  ("Historical  View  of  Clinton  County," 
page  35,  1875),  stood  just  above  where  the  saw-mil! 
of  Sampson  &  Martin  now  is,  and  ran  south  sixty  de- 
grees west  one  mile  to  a  white-oak  ;  thence  west  one 
hundred  and  twenty-seven  perches  to  a  post ;  thence 
south  one  hundred  and  fifteen  perches  ;  thence  along 
the  trajt  surveyed  to  Dr.  Allison,  south  sixty-six  de- 
greeswest  five  hundred  and  eighty  perches  to  the  river 
to  a  post  on,  according  to  the  same  authority,  a  lot 
owned  by  Messrs.  Snyder  on  Water  Street ;  thence  up 
the  river  one  hundred  and  thirty-two  perches.  This 
survey  was  returned  as  containing  two  hundred  and 
sixteen  acres,  and  was  patented  to  Alexander  Hamil- 
ton, May  3,  1774.  On  the  4th  of  April  a  tract  along 
the  river,  immediately  north  of  the  McMeen's,  was 
surveyed  to  William  Glass   (that  tract  upon  which 


4T0 


HISTORY   OP   CLINTON    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Cleary  Campbell  squatted),  and  west  of  Glass  was  the 
John  Boyd  warrantee,  and  west  of  Boyd  the  David 
Finlcy  warrant  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-three  acres 
of  July  13,  1703.  On  these  warrantees  and  the  Dr. 
Francis  Allison  the  city  of  Lock  Haven  is  (1882)  lo- 
cated. 

The  next  officers'  survey  west  of  William  McMeen 
was  the  Lieut.  Daniel  Hunsicker,  two  hundred  and 
ninety-two  acres,  running  from  the  northwest  corner 
of  McMeen  three  hundred  and  nineteen  perches; 
thence  south  fifty  degrees  west  to  an  iron  ;  and  then 
south  twenty-six  degrees  east  ninety-three  perches  to 
a  hickory  on  the  bank  of  the  creek.  The  Hunsicker 
tract  was  patented  to  Rev.  John  Hoge,  March  8, 1774. 
South  of  the  Hunsicker,  and  embracing  the  mouth  of 
Fishing  Creek,  was  the  Capt.  Timothy  Green,  five 
hundred  and  forty-two  acres,  William  Sanderson,  etc., 
farms.  South  of  Timothy  Green  and  up  Fishing 
Creek  was  the  Capt.  John  Brady  tract,  which  ex- 
tended up  Bald  Eagle  Creek  to  a  locust,  whence  its 
south  line  ran  south  eighty-five  degrees  east  two  hun- 
dred and  thirty-eight  perches  to  a  white-oak.  The 
Brady  tract  was  returned  as  containing  three  hundred 
and  ninety-three  acres. 

Leaving  the  officers'  survey  for  a  moment  to  de- 
scribe the  southeast  adjoiner  of  John  Brady,  the 
next  tract  up  Fishing  Creek  is  the  Whitehead 
Jones,  surveyed  March  24,  1773  ;  it  contained  two 
hundred  and  seventy-six  acres,  and  is  named  in  the 
return.  Mill  Hall,  and  on  it  the  town  of  Mill  Hall  was 
many  years  after  located.  Mill  Hall  can,  therefore, 
boast  of  having  the  oldest  name  of  any  town  in  the 
purchase.  Indeed,  I  can  recollect  of  no  other  town 
anywhere  which  kept  tlie  baptismal  name  of  the  tract 
on  which  it  was  located.  The  triangle  east  of  Tim- 
othy Green  and  south  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek  was  taken 
up  by  Levi  Stephens.  South  of  Stephens'  is  John 
Brady's  tract-warrant  of  April  27,  1793,  surveyed  by 
J.  J.  Wallis,  Sept.  12,  171)4,  on  the  southwestern  por- 
tion of  which  William  Fearon's  old  still-house  was 
erected. 

Resuming  the  description  of  the  officers'  tracts:  the 
next  tract  southwesterly  of  the  Hunsicker  (and  west 
of  the  Green  and  Brady  surveys)  was  the  Capt.  James 
Irvine,  the  north  line  of  which  began  at  the  iron- 
wood  of  the  Hunsicker,  and  ran  crossing  a  small  run 
south  fifty  degrees  west  four  hundred  and  ninety- 
three  perches  to  a  white-oak,  from  the  white-oak 
south  forty  degrees  cast  tliree  hundred  and  eighty 
perches  to  the  locust  of  the  Capt.  John  Brady,  on 
Bald  Eagle  Creek.  This  tract  contained  five  hundred 
and  forty-seven  acres,,  and  was  patented  to  Capt. 
James  Irvine  (afterwards  Gen.  James  Irvine  of  the 
Revolution)  March  17,  1794.  Near  the  north  line  of 
this  tract,  and  on  it  midway,  was  a  spring  which 
Lukcns  calls  "  Hicks'  Spring."  Culbertson  was 
Gen.  Irvine's  tenant  when  he  (Culbertson)  was  killed 
by  the  Indians.  West  of  the  Irvine  tract  was  another 
of  Capt.  John  Brady's,  the  south  line  of  which,  along 


Bald  Eagle  Creek,  was  sixty-seven  perches  to  a  linn, 
north  line  sixty-five  and  a  half  perches  to  a  post; 
north  and  south  lines,  north  forty  degrees  west  three 
hundred  and  eighty  perches.  Contents,  one  hundred 
and  forty-four  and  a  half  acres. 

West  of  Brady  was  Ensign  James  Morrow's  tract, 
about  whose  right  there  was  so  much  litigation,  con- 
sequent upon  the  refusal  of  the  proprietors  to  patent 
it  to  him.  Morrow,  or  Murray,  was  charged  with 
being  with  the  party  which  rescued,  Jan.  29,  1768, 
Stump  and  Ironcutter  (who  had  killed  some  Indians 
on  Middle  Creek),  and  the  proprietary  vacated  Mur- 
ray's right.  Ross  vs.  Eason,  4  Yates,  p.  54,  is  a  report 
of  a  case  which  arose  upon  Murray's  right  (part  of  the 
officers'  survey  on  the  Chillisquaque),  which  was  de- 
cided in  favor  of  Murray.  Whether  any  diflSculty 
arose  about  this  Bald  Eagle  tract  I  am  not  certain. 
It  was,  however,  patented  to  John  Mnsser  March  17, 
1774.  The  Morrow  tract  ran  along  Bald  Eagle  south 
fifty-five  degrees  west  one  hundred  perches  from  tlie 
line  of  Brady  to  a  hickory,  course  and  distance  of  its 
western  boundary,  north  forty  degrees  west  three  hun- 
dred and  seventy-six  perches  to  a  white-oak.  Con- 
tents, two  hundred  and  seventeen  and  a  half  acres. 
The  Capt.  William  Plunket  tract  was  the  next,  survey 
of  the  late  Andrew  White  ct  al.  fiirms.  It  ran  up  the 
creek  two  hundred  and  forty-one  perches,  crossing  a 
small  stream  to  another  hickory.  It  was  patented 
March  8,  1772. 

The  next  survey  west  was  the  Capt.  James  Hen- 
drick  five  hundred  and  twenty-two  acres.  It  ran  up 
the  creek  two  hundred  and  fifty-eight  perches  to  an 
ironwood  ;  at  the  ironwood  a  small  island  in  the  creek 
is  noted  on  the  original  survey,  the  west  line  of  Capt. 
Hendrick's  tract  north  forty  degrees  west  two  hundred 
and  forty -six  perches  from  the  ironwood  to  a  hickory. 
This  tract  was  patented  to  Maj.  John  Philip  deHaas, 
and  in  his  will  he  devises  it  to  his  wife. 

Adjoining  the  Hendrick's  tract  was  the  Maj.  John 
Philip  de  Haas'  eight  hundred  and  nine  acres,  pa- 
tented to  Maj.  De  Haas  May  31,  1774.  It  extended 
up  the  creek  four  hundred  and  eighty-four  perches  to 
a  locust.  The  west  land  ran  from  the  locust  north 
forty  degrees  west  three  hundred  and  sixty-two 
perches  to  an  ironwood.  The  Fearon  farm,  etc.,  are 
on  this  tract. 

Next  above  was  the  Lieut.  James  Hayes'  tract, 
three  hundred  and  three  acres,  patented  March  7, 
1774.  He  was  the  only  officer,  except  Lieut.  Thomas 
Askey  (or  Erskine,  as  he  wrote  the  name  himself) 
who  complied  with  the  original  proposition  of  the 
officers,  that  they  were  to  settle  upon  their  lands. 
This  survey  ran  up  the  creek  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
two  perches  from  the  locust  to  a  hickory,  and  is  the 
tract  in  which  the  Hayes'  graveyard  is  located,  Samuel 
Hayes'  house,  etc. 

The  next  tract  west  was  the  Lieut.  Thomas  Wig- 
gens',  including  the  moutii  of  Beech  Creek,  its  width 
along  Bald  Eagle  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  and  a 


FITHIAN'S   JOURNAL. 


471 


lialf  perches  to  a  hickory ;  from  this  hickory  the  west 
line  ran  north  forty  degrees  west  crossing  Beecli  Creek, 
four  luaulrt'd  and  sixty-eiglit  perches  to  Beecli  Creek, 
now  within  tlie  limits  of  Beecli  Creek  town. 

At  the  mouth  of  Beech  Creek  the  limits  of  Clinton 
County  are  reached,  and  for  a  further  description  of 
the  officers'  surveys  reference  is  made  to  the  general 
history  of  Centre  County. 

North  of  the  Thomas  Wiggen,  James  Hayes,  etc., 
lie  the  Reed  and  Ford  surveys  made  Nov.  18,  1794, 
or  warrants  of  the  4th  of  Febru;iry,  1794,  embracing 
over  twelve  thousand  acres  of  land.  The  western 
warrants  of  which  Benjamin  W.  Morris,  Casper  W. 
Haines,  adjoin  the  John  Robinson  and  Sarah  Robin- 
son's (which  lie  north  of  Wiggens').  The  Benjamin 
W.  Morris'  is  retained  as  attaching  the  officers'  sur- 
veys as  the  James  Hayes  of  south  seventy-five  degrees 
west  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  perches,  tlie  course 
of  the  B.  W.  Morris,  and  distance  to  that  ndiite-oak, 
being  north  seventy-three  degrees  east  one  hundred 
and  thirty-four  and  a  half  perches.  The  southern  tier 
of  this  survey  of  1794,  Philip  Bentz,  east,  and  adjoining 
B.  W.  Morris,  Anthony  Morris,  John  Jones,  Zaccheus 
Collins,  B.  Wistar,  and  Casper  W.  Morris,  consecu- 
tively run  east  as  far  as  a  hickory  on  a  John  Boyd's 
survey.  The  northern  surveys  of  this  1794  survey 
are  James  Glentworth  and  Joseph  Graisbury  on  the 
waters  of  Tanquascatack  and  Sugar  Run.  Tanquas- 
catack  Creek  runs  through  the  northern  portions  of 
Rachel  Reed,  Standish  Ford,  and  John  Reed,  the 
first  tier  of  tracts  south  of  Glentworth  and  Graisbury, 
near  the  centre  of  this  large  survey  of  1794  is  what 
is  known  as  the  Dowdel  survey. 

The  First  Settler. — Cleary  Campbell,  who  died  in 
Howard  township  in  1809,  was  the  first  settler  without 
doubt  in  the  territory  of  Clinton  County.  He  squatted 
on  the  Charles  Glass  warrantee  tract,  which  was  the 
tract  immediately  north  of  the  officers'  tract,  in  the 
name  of  Ensign  McMinn,  and  surveyed  by  Charles 
Lukens  for  William  Glass  Nov.  9, 1769,  and  on  which 
the  northern  portion  of  the  city  of  Lock  Haven  is 
located.  In  a  trial  at  Sunbury,  in  1776,  Lukens  tes- 
tified that  w  hen  he  went  up  to  make  the  officers'  sur- 
veys he  found  Cleary  Campbell  living  on  this  land 
with  his  family.  Mr.  John  Hamilton  in  his  "Early 
Times  on  the  West  Branch,"  published  in  the  Lock 
Haven  Eepublican,  April  17,  1875,  says,  "There  must 
have  been  sotnething  in  the  character  of  the  man  that 
was  not  generally  seen  by  his  neighbors.  What 
should  induce  liim  to  venture  among  the  first,  or 
rather  ahead  of  the  first,  settlers  in  this  then  remote 
region  was  a  mystery,  for  he  was  regarded  as  the 
laziest  man  to  be  found.  The  houses  of  that  day  were 
cabins  with  one  room  that  served  for  parlor,  kitchen, 
and  bedroom.  It  was  invariably  the  practice  of 
Cleary  Campbell,  being  too  lazy  to  sit  up,  to  throw 
himself  down  upon  a  bed.  This  habit  must  have 
drawn  to  it  universal  attention,  as  the  following  story 
will  show,  whether  founded  on  fact  or  only  as  a  speci- 


men of  the  rugged  wit  of  backwoods  civilization. 
As  the  story  ran,  he  entered  a  neighbor's  house,  one 
day,  and,  as  usual,  tlircw  himself  down,  and  on  a  cat 
that  lay  asleep  on  the  bed.  The  cat  began  to  make 
piteous  complaints,  but  there  was  no  help  for  it. 
"  Poor  pussy,  I  pity  you,  but  I  cannot  help  you,"  was 
his  only  remark.  He  was  very  frequently  assessor  of 
his  township,  and  wrote  a  very  plain,  good  hand,  and 
the  fact  that  in  September,  1792,  he  took  up  the  most 
elevated  farm  in  Centre  County,  on  the  top  of  Muncy 
Mountain,  within  siglit  of  Bellefonle  (known  as  the 
Perdue  farm),  seems  to  indicate  he  was  not  lazy  alter 
locations. 

In  1774,  the  bulk  of  population  being  about  the 
Great  Island,  the  township  officers  of  Bald 
Eagle  were  William  McElhattan,  constable;     1774. 
Samuel  Horn  and  William  McElhattan,  super- 
visors ;  Robert  Love  and  William  Read,  overseers. 


CHAPTER    XCIL 

FITIIIAX';^   JOURN.AL. 

The  following  extracts  from  a  diary  kept  by  Rev. 
Philip  V.  Fithian,  wdio  was  authorized  to  visit  and 
preach  to  the  Presbyterian  congregations  who 
were  without  stated  preaching  by  the  Presby-  1775. 
tery  of  Donegal,  which  met  at  Upper  West 
Conneguague  Church  (near  where  the  village  of  Mer- 
cersburg  now  stands),  on  the  20th  of  June,  1775, 
afford  a  delightful  glimpse  of  the  region  of  country 
whose  history  we  are  attempting  to  recall  in  its  primi- 
tive state  of  improvement,  as  well  as  pleasant  remi- 
niscences of  some  of  the  early  settlers: 

"Jiihj  24,  17T.5.— I  arrived  ,it  Mr.  Crownover's  on  tlic  banlc  of  llie 
river  [iit  Loyal-Suck  Creek,  where,  according  to  Mr.  Mejiiiini'ss,  llie 
fullior,  tlie  noted  Eol.elt  Coveiilioven  settled].  Tliis  gcullemnii  can.e 
fjoni  Stony-Brook,  near  Princeton,  in  Jersey,  and  is  intin;utely  iic- 
quiiintcd  witli  many  there.  Ho  has  here  a  large  and  most  e.icellent 
farm.  Is  bnsy  with  his  harvest.  Seems  to  be  a  moderate,  pleasant 
person,  and  wliich  I  \\  ill  always  after  this  voyage aduuie,  lie  has  a  clever, 
neat  woman  for  a  wife. 

"  Jahj  25. — A  very  f'ggy  nioriiing.  I  drenched  myself  with  a 
most  Slinging  bitter,  and  left  BIr.  Crownover'a  by  8  o'clock.  I  rode 
up  the  river,  course  west  and  to  the  southward  of  west  to  Lycoming 
creek.  All  this  way*  is  a  good  wagon-bealcii  road.  Here  the  Penn- 
sylvauin  '  Kew  Purcliaso'  ends  and  tlio  Indian  land  begins.  On  I 
rode,  however,  in  a  worn  path  over  tlie  enemies  countiy  with  much 
leverence,  and  am  now  at  one  Ferguson's  on  the  bank  of  the  Uiver, 
scribbling  this,  while  iny  hoi^e  oats  a  sheaf  of  wheat.  Since  I  left 
lliincy  there  is  on  the  other  si  lo  of  the  river,  and  to  the  very  edge  a 
high  lidge  of  hills  which  makes  that  side  nniuhabitable.  [He  here  iv- 
fel-s  to  the  Muncy  Mount.iin,  which  to  him  would  appear  to  come  down 
to  the  river's  edge]  I  rode  on  to  Pino  Creek,  on  bolli  sides  of  which  i< 
a  large,  long  clearing  said  to  be  anciently  an  Indian  town,  clear,  level, 
and  unbroken,  without  even  a  stiiuip  or  hillock,  only  high,  tliick  gra.ss. 
On  this  common  I  saw  many  cattle  and  di*oves  of  horses,  all  very  fat, 
wantonly  grazing.  In  passing  over  this  creek  I  met  au  Indian  trader 
with  his  retinue.  Himself  first  on  hoi-seback  armed  with  a  blight  lifle 
and  apparatus,  then  a  lioi-se  with  packs,  last  his  man  witli  luggage. 
Meeting  these  in  a  dark  part  of  a  lonely  road  startled  me  at  fii-st.  On 
I  rode  over  part  of  the  River  to  the  Great  Isl.md,  and  thence  over  the 
other  Branch  to  Esfi-  Fleming's.    [John  Fleming,  whose  house,  accoul^ 


472 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ing  to  Tiinison  Coryell,  Esq.,  stood  on  the  bank  of  tho  river  close  to  tlie 
ponlli  abutment  of  the  present  dum  at  Lock  H'lvm,  wliere  be  died  in 
1777.]  Ho  was  out,  but  liis  dangbter,  Miss  Betsey,  was  at  home;  slie 
was  minting;  slie  was  cliaritable,  and  I  was  soon  entered  on  useful 

''  Wednesdait^  JiiJy  26. — A  most  excellent  spot  of  clear  level  land, 
sixl.v-fivo  miles  computed,  I  call  it  seventy  fium  Sunbury.  It  is  tbe 
site  of  an  lud  an  lowu.  Tbere  are  more  than  one  hundred  acres 
cleared  so  long  ago  that  every  stump  is  w.isted  away.  The  natnral 
situation  of  this  estate  of  the  Esq.'s  i.i  much  similar  to  the  spot  on 
which  Norlhumberland  is  building  The  river  here  makes  an  acute 
angle.  It  is  somolhing  reaiarkalde  that  they  have  not  yet  fluislied 
taking  down  their  harvest.  Many  have  their  grain  yet  ill  tho  field.  "  I 
saw  to-day  two  Indians,  yonng  fellows  about  eighteen.  They  had  nont 
clean  rifles  and  woie  going  downwnid  wilh  their  skins.  The  Sqnire'a 
house  stands  on  tbe  river  bank,  two  miles  above  the  mouth  of  Bald  Eagle 
Creek.  He  lells  mo  it  stands  nearly  in  the  centre  of  his  land,  and  he 
owns  all  between  tho  creek  and  river  this  far  up.  Indeed  he  will  be  able 
to  settle  all  his  sons  and  his  fair  daugliier  Betsey  on  the  fat  of  the  earth. 
lie  took  mo  a  long  and  tiresome  round  down  the  Susquehanna  and  on 
tho  other  side  up  Bald  Eagle  many  miles,  I  gathered  a  garland  of  wild 
flowers,  and  when  I  got  back  counted  thirly  different  and  distinct  kinds, 
and  most  of  them  heautirul  and  many  fragiant  flowers. 

"Mr.  Fleming  tells  me  this  settlement  is  yet  small;  yet  he  thinks  it 
growing  fast  and  will  foon  form  a  society.  We  dined  near  tbe  Point 
with  a  brother  of  the  Sipiire's.  lie  lives  well  and  is  busy  reaping.  Ue 
has  two  fair  daughters,  one  of  them  was  reaping. 

"  rimnday,  Jubj  27  —A  very  rainy  morning,  I  slept  until  7,  and  was 
then  'lang  lill  get  up'  when  the  two  Miss  Flemings  were  in  the  same 
roi  m.  I  re\iewed  the  Esq',  library  and  fixed  on  Ibe  Farmer's  Memor- 
able letters'  for  perusal.  We  have  this  morning  a  great  and  general  fog. 
There  is  .along  tlio  whole  course  of  thi.5  river,  but  chiefly  between  these 
Branches  the  main  river  and  Bald  Eagle  creek  every  morning  gieat 
fogs;  these  seldom  go  ofT  nniil  the  sun  has  been  np  for  two  hours. 
Another  inconvenience  is  tho  want  of  cool  water.  All  the  water  they 
drink  is  brought  from  the  springs  on  the  other  side  of  the  river.  Tho 
land  between  those  rivers  is  a  fliit  unla-oken  level,  mellow  ground,  with- 
out a  stoue.  But  along  the  south  side  of  B.  E.  Creek  and  on  the  north 
side  of  tbe  river  are  high  riilges  of  mountains,  and  they,  I  am  inclined 
to  think, occasion  tlie  fogs.  Squire  Fleming  has  104O  acres  of  laud  with 
allowance  [Ho  owned  the  Dr.  Francis  Allison  tr.act  1020  and  allowance 
on  the  norlhern  portion  of  which  tlie  city  of  Lock  Ilaven  now  stands] 
all  rich  and  all  level.  Timber  for  fencing  is  scarce.  Tiiese  level  bottoms 
Hbonnd  most  in  "Walnut,  Ash  and  Locust. 

"The  Esq.  tells  me  I  am  the  first  orderly  preacher:  or  that  has  come 
by  appointment  ever  to  this  settlement.  Mr.  Page,  a  church  clergyman, 
was  here  all  last  month.  Mr.  Huge,  of  Virginia,  was  once  here  to  view 
some  land,  but  none  ever  by  appointment  of  Synod  or  Presbytery. 
Miss  Jeiiuio  Itecd^  i-  a  rural  lass  who  lives  up  the  river  about  a  halt  a 
mile.    I  will  venture  to  call  her  a  Nymph  of  these  waters. 

"  Satiudai/,  Jtdii  20.— I  drank  cofl'ee  last  evening  at  Mr.  Pieed's.  They 
are  a  sociable,  kind,  neat  family.  ludeed,  I  have  not  seen  domestic 
affa'rs  adjusted,  making  allowance  for  the  earlh-floored  hou  e,  any 
where  in  the  purchase  more  to  my  minil.  They  treated  me  with  a  clean 
dish  of  Uiie  huckleberries  and  witli  a  disli  i.t  well-made  coffee.  Before 
dark  I  was  snmmoHed  home  to  see  Jlr.  Gilles|jie  wlio  is  arrived  from 

Ni.rlluinilieil I.  IMM'd  wilh  a  i\lr.  Wagoner,  of  Philadelphia;  be  is  going 

np  the  river  hi^h.T  u  itli  a  soneyor.  I  liad  a  long  walk  and  enlertain- 
ingchat  wilh  l.ii.i;  he  aeeuis  lo  lie  a  young  gentleman  of  ease  and  pleas- 
antry. Five  o'clock  arieriioon  Willi  Miss  Betsey  Fleming,  Miss  Jenny 
Heed,  and  Mr.  Gillespie  I  crossed  the  river  in  a  canoe  and  went  np  a  very 
high,  steep  mountain  to  gather  huckleberries.  On  the  lopof  the  hill  we 
(mind  them  in  I  he  greatest  of  plenty.  Low  bushes  bending  to  the  ground 
with  their  weight  of  berries.  On  our  return  we  bad  rare  diversion.  Tlie 
water  is  in  all  parts  shallow.  Gillespie  was  helmsman  and  overturned 
tho  canoe.  I  discovered  my  little  water  nymph,  Miss  Reed,  was  more 
fearful  in  the  water  and  less  de.\terou3  in  it  than  myself.  Miss  Fleming 
stood,  the  beautiful  current  gliding  gently  by,  and  squalled  and  begged 


1  "  Letters  of  a  PennBylvania  Farmer,"  first  published  in  the  rmmtijl- 
rania  Chronicle  in  1707,  written  by  .John  Dickinson,  which  had  such  a 
wonderful  efl'ect  in  forming  and  controlling  the  opinions  of  llie  people 
in  opposition  to  thc^actsof  the  British  ministry. 

2  Daughter  of  William  Reed,  whoso  house  was  known  as  Reed's  Foil 
during  the  Indian  troubles  of  the  Revolution.  She  lived  to  extreme  old 
age  unmariied. 


like  ft  distressed  female.  The  water  was  near  waist  high  and  our  canoe 
was  filled.  I  stood  almost  spellbound  with  laughter,  though  in  a  worse 
case  than  they.  Many  were  standing  on  the  shore.  We  lost  all  our  fruit, 
and  with  the  empty  cups  the  girls  drenched  and  bespattered  Gillespie  till 
the  poor  Irishman  was  entirely  wetted,  and  we  then  waded  dripping  to 
the  shore. 

"  Sunday,  Julij  30. — Bald  Eagle  congregation .  I  rose  early  and  walked 
down  to  the  bank  of  the  river  with  my  Bible  and  sermons.  At  eleven  I 
began  service.  We  crossed  over  to  the  Indian  land  3  and  held  worship 
on  the  bank  of  the  river,  opposite  to  the  Great  Island,  about  a  mile  and 
a  half  below  Squire  Fleming's.  Tliere  were  present  about  one  hundred 
and  forty.  I  stood  at  the  foot  of  a  great  tree,  the  people  sitting  in  the 
bushes  and  green  grass  around  me.  They  gave  good  attention,  and  I 
had  the  eyes  of  all  upon  me.  I  recommended  to  them  earnestly  the  re- 
ligious observance  of  God's  Sabbath  in  this  remote  place  where  they  have 
tho  gospel  seldom  preached  to  them,  that  they  should  attend  with  care- 
fulness and  reverence  upon  it. 

"Monday,  July  31. — A  clear,  cool  day.  I  have  company  to  the  end  of 
this  day's  ride,  Mr.  Gillespie  is  going  np  Bald  Eagle  Creek  as  far  as  the 
Nest.  Farewell  Susquehanna.  Farewell  these  level  plains.  Farewell 
good  sensible  Esq.  Fleming.  Farewell  Betsey  and  Jenny.  Now  I  am 
bending  towards  huine,  having  arrived  at  the  full  end  of  my  appoint- 
ments.    Tho  Squire  paid  me  for  my  supply  £1. 

"  At  seven  we  took  our  leave.  We  rode  through  a  wild  wilderness  up 
Bald  Eagle  creek  twenty  miles  without  the  sight  of  a  single  house. 
We  saw  many  *  Indian  camps,'  small  crotehed  sticks  covered  with  thick 
bark.  Some  of  them  were  lately  left.  On  the  bank  of  a  brook  which  ran 
into  the  creek  at  length  we  came  toa  fire,  where  some  Indians  or  others 
had  encamped  last  night.  Near  .the  fire  over  the  very  road  hung  half  a 
deer.  The  two  hind  quarters  were  yet  warm.  Mr.  Gillespie  alighted  and 
wrapped  them  wilh  some  green  boughs  in  his  suitout.  I  was  fearful 
that  it  belonged  to  somo  Indians  lying  in  ambush  to  shoot  us  when  we 
disturbed  their  pr.qierty.  We  rode  with  our  venison  a  Utile  farther. 
Whoop!  whoop!  cry  two  Indians.  I  was  very  much  terrified.  We 
must  ride  up  to  them.  Brother!  and  brntlier  passed  between  them  and 
Mr.  Gillespie.  They  were  very  kind.  We  left  them  and  rode  through 
the  brush  to  Bald  Eagle's  nest." 

In  accordance  with  an  order  issued  at  August  ses- 
sions, 1775,  Henry  Antes,  Cooksou  Long,  Samuel  Har- 
ris, Samuel  Howard,  Alexander  Hamilton,  and  Jona- 
than Ashbridge  laid  out  a  bridle-road,  as  it  was  called, 
on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  from  the  mouth  of  Bald 
Eagle  Creek  to  Sunbur^'.  Ten  years  later,  at  August 
session,  178.5,  Charles  Stewart,  John  Chattam,  Clay 
Cami^bell,  Thomas  Wilson,  Joseph  Westbrook,  and 
John  Read  were  appointed  to  lay  out  the  road  from 
the  Great  Island  to  Bald  Eagle's  Nest,  or  through  the 
gap  of  Bald  Eagle  Hill  (Muncy  Mountain),  where 
Spring  Creek  comes  through  ;  and  at  November  ses- 
sions Thomas  Wilson,  William  Saunsey,  Joshua  Wil- 
liams, Thomas  Askey,  and  John  Keed  were  appointed 
to  lay  out  the  road  beginning  at  the  road  just  men- 
tioned, about  one  mile  above  the  Great  Island,  and 
extending  into  Nittany  valley  as  far  as  Thomas  Wil- 
son's. 

In  1775  the  officers  of  Bald  Eagle  township  were 
j  Adam  Carson,  constable;  Robert  Love  and  William 
Reed,  supervisors;  Samuel  Horn  and  William  Mc- 
Elhattan,  overseers. 

Fithian  in  his  manuscript  journal,  under  date  of 
Wednesday,  June  28, 1775,  says,  "About  twelve  o'clock 
marched  into  this  town  [Northumberland]  from  the 
'Great  Island,'  or  Indian  land,  fifty  miles  up  tliis 
river,  thirty  young  fellows,  all  expert  riflemen,  with 


'  That  part  of  Clinton  County  norlh  of  tho 
)ni  the  Indians  until  Oct.  23, 1704. 


r  was  not  purchased 


COMMITTEE   OF   SAFETY. 


473 


a  drum  and  fife,  under  Capt.  Lowdon;  they  passed  on 
to  Sunbiiry,  where  they  remain  until  Monday."  From 
a  roll  of  Lowdon's  company  some  of  the  names  can 
be  picked  out  with  certainty  as  belonging  to  the  Bald 
Eagle  region : 


Ciu-son,  Jamea,  corpuriil 
Evans,  .John. 
Iliilnilton,  Tliomiia. 
Leml.er.Williiim. 
Blalone,  Julin. 
BIcCorniick,  AloxanJer, 
McMaslcrs,  Edward. 


Ponce,  Peter. 
Saltzni.au,  George. 
Shaivnee,  Jolni  (a  Sliawnce  Indian, 
who  died  at  Milesblirg  after  tlie 


aut.       Ydiing, Robert,  wbo  died  in  Wallier 
township, 

Sept.  12, 1775,  when  the  associators  were  organized, 
the  neighborhood  of  Great  Island  was  embodied  (that 
is,  from  sixteen  to  sixty  years  of  age)  in  the  Fifth 
Company, — Cookson  Long,  captain;  William  Mc- 
Elhattan,  first  lieutenant;  Robert  Fleming,  second 
lieutenant;  Robert  Fleming,  Jr.,  ensign  ;  and  fifty- 
nine  privates.  Nippenose  and  mouth  of  Pine  Creek 
settlers  were  embodied  in  Company  Eight, — Captain, 
Henry  Antes;  First  Lieutenant,  Thomas  Brandon; 
Second  Lieutenant,  Alexander  Hamilton ;  Ensign, 
Simon  Cole;  with  fifty-eight  privates.  In  1775  the 
civil  officers  of  Bald  Eagle  township  were  Constable, 
Adam  Carson  ;  Supervisors,  Robert  Love  and  Wil- 
liam Reed;  Overseers,  Samuel  Horn  and  William 
McElhattan. 


CHAPTER  XCIIL 

COMMITTEE     OF     S.AFETY— REVOLUTIONARY     SOL- 
DIERS, ETC. 

Committee  of  Safety.— The  Committee  of  Safety 
of  Northumberland  County,  which  met  at  Northum- 
berland on  the  8th  of  February,  1776,  had  as  members 
from  Bald  Eagle  township  William  Dunn, 
1776.  Thomas  Hughes,  and  Alexander  Hamilton. 
A  return  made  to  that  committee  March  13th 
has  for  second  major  of  Col.  Plunket's  battalion, 
Cookson  Long. 

First.  Company. — Henry  Antes,  captain  ;  Thomas 
Brandon,  first  lieutenant;  Alexander  Hamilton, 
second  lieutenant;  John  Morrison,  first  ensign ;  Jas. 
Alexander,  second  ensign. 

Fourth  Companij, — William  McElhatton,.  captain  ; 
Andrew  Boggs,  first  lieutenant;  Tliomas  Wilson, 
second  lieutenant;  John  McCormick,  ensign.  ' 

At  the  meeting  of  the  committee  on  the  13th  of 
August,  Robert  Fleming,  Thom.as  Kempling,  and 
John  Sutton  represented  Bald  E.igle.  Feb.  13,  1777, 
John  Fleming,  James  Hughes,  and  John  Walker 
were  of  the  committee.  The  minutes  of  March  11th 
contain  the  following:  "  Where.as,  This  committee  has 
received  a  letter  from  the  committee  of  the  township 
of  Bald  Eagle,  together  with  a  resolve  of  tlieir  com- 
mittee about  the  selling  of  grain,  etc.,  in  their  town- 
ship, craving  advice  before  they  should  carry  their  re- 
solve into  execution,  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy  : 


" '  Feb.  2G,  1777,  we,  the  committee  of  llic  townnhip  of  Bald  Eagle  met 
and  aa  complaint  was  made  to  ns  by  a  ntimber  of  the  inhabitantt)  that 
there  is  a  quantity  of  rye  that  Is  going  to  be  carried  out  of  the  township 
for  stilling,  and  that  Iheie  are  some  of  the  inh.iliitants  which  have  not 
sold  their  grain  as  yet,  nor  will  sell  without  tliey  get  eighteen  pence  or 
two  shillings  per  bushel  above  the  highest  market  price  that  grain  is 
getting  in  the  county,  but  will  keep  it  up  and  carry  it  olT,  and  as  it  ap- 
pears to  us  that  a  great  number  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  township  will 
suffer  if  such  a  practice  is  allowed  to  go  on,  therefore  we 

"^  Resolved^  That  no  stiller  in  tliis  township  shall  buy  any  more  grain 
this  season  for  to  still,  or  still  any  more  than  he  hath  already  by  him. 
And  further,  we  resolve,  that  no  grain  be  carried  out  of  this  township 
till  the  necessity  of  the  poor  is  supplied,  or  till  the  first  day  of  May  next; 
and  any  person  having  any  grain  of  any  kind  to  dispose  of,  and  will  not 
take  the  market  price  at  Sunbury,  redncting  a  reasonable  carriage  on 
the  highest  price,  that  it  will  be  there  when  the  grain  is  wanted,  we 
allow  to  seize  ou  it,  and  take  it  by  force,  and  pay  them  their  money, 
(Signed)  "'John  Dickso.n, 

"'KOBKRT  LoVK, 

"•  .Tames  Erwix.' 
" '  Resoleei,  That  the  committee  of  Bald  Eagle  is  the  most  competent 
judges  of  the  circumstances  of  the  people  of  that  township;  that  there- 
fore the  affair  be  referred  Lack  to  them,  to  act  as  they  shall  see  just,  but 
in  tho  mean  time  that  they  be  cautioned  against  using  too  much  rigor 
in  tlieir  measures,  and  study  a  medium  between  seizing  of  property  and 
supplying  the  wants  of  the  poor. 

"'WitEnEAS,  Report  has  been  made  to  tliia  committee  of  a  cert.iin 
Henry  Storrett  profaning  llie  Sabbath  in  an  unchrislitm  and  scandalous 
manner,  causing  Ills  servants  to  make  rails,  etc.,  on  that  day,  and  beat- 
ing and  abusing  them  if  they  offered  to  disobey  such  his  unlawful  com- 
mands. 

"  * /?eso?i;e(f,  That  the  committee  of  Bald  Eagle  township,  where  he 
now  resides,  be  recommended  to  suppress  such  like  practices  to  tho  ut- 
most of  their  power.' " 

April  17,  1777,  William  Read  was  brought  before 
the  county  committee.  The  entry  is  as  follows: 
"Whereas,  a  certain  William  Reed,  of  Bald  Eagle 
township,  has  been  taken  into  custody,  and  carried 
before  this  committee  to  answer  for  his  conduct  in 
refusing  to  associate  and  bear  arms  in  behalf  of  the 
States;  and  being  asked  his  reasons  for  so  refusing, 
his  answers  were  as  follows:  That  he  was  once  con- 
cerned in  a  riot  in  Ireland,  commonly  known  by  the 
name  of  the  Hearts  of  Steel  riot,  and  was  taken  pris- 
oner, tried,  and  acquitted  upon  his  taking  an  oath  of 
allegiance  to  the  king,  and  coming  under  solemn 
obligations  never  to  lift  arms  against  him  for  the 
future.  H«,  therefore,  looked  upon  it  as  a  breach  of 
his  oath  to  muster  or  bear  arms  in  behalf  of  the  States, 
as  the  arms  of  the  State  were  now  employed  against 
the  king  to  whom  he  had  sworn  allegiance. 

"  Being  further  asked  if  he  had  any  objections  to  the 
cause  the  United  States  were  now  engaged  in,  he  said 
he  had  not  any,  and  would  be  as  Ibrward  and  willing 
as  any  to  engage  in  it  could  he  do  it  without  breach 
of  his  oath.  Being  asked  if  he  would  take  an  oath 
of  allegiance  to  the  United  States,  he  said  he  would 
if  it  did  not  oblige  him  to  take  up  arms.  Accord- 
ingly the  following  oath  was  administered  to  him : 

'"I  do  swear  to  bo  true  to  tlie  United  States  of  America,  and  do  re- 
nounce and  disclaim  all  allegiance  to  the  King  of  Great  Britain ;  and  I 
promise  that  I  will  not,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  speak  or  act  any- 
thing in  prejudice  to  the  cause  or  safety  of  the  States,  or  lift  arms  against 
them,  or  be  in  any  way  assistant  to  their  declareJ  enemies  in  any  case 
whaiso3ver.  William  Read.'" 

The  exact  date  of  the  disappearance  of  the  Indians 
as  residents  is  fixed  by  a  letter  from  John  Harris,  at 


47-1 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Paxtang  (Harrisburg),  dated  July  29, 1776.  Two  men 
caine  here  last  week  from  Sunbury  for  gunpowder  for 
Northumberland  County.  They  stated  that  about 
two  weeks  ago  two  Seneca  Indians  (Six  Nations)  came 
to  the  Great  Island,  on  the  West  Branch  of  the  Sus- 
quehanna, and  the  next  day  after  these  Indians  ar- 
rived the  Indians  in  that  neighborhood  moved  off 
with  their  families  and  effects,  having  cut  down  some, 
if  not  all,  of  their  corn.  It  appears  as  if  they  de- 
signed to  join  the  Canada  Indians,  or  such  of  the  Six 
Nations  as  may  choose  to  take  an  active  part  in  the 
war  against  us. 

In  1776  the  officers  of  Bald  Eagle  township  were: 
Constable,  Abram  Dewitt;  Supervisors,  Robert  Love 
and  William  Read ;  Overseers,  Robert  Fleming  and 
James  Hughes. 

Revolutionary  Soldiers. — In  the  fall  of  1776,  Col. 
William  Cook's  TweUth  Pennsylvania  Regiment  was 
enlisted  partly  along  the  West  Branch,  and  embraced 
a  number  of  men  from  the  "  Indian  land"  and  about 
the  mouth  of  Bald  Eagle.  The  rolls  of  this  regi- 
ment are  lost,  and  the  names,  for  the  most  part,  have 
perished  from  history,  but  the  roster  of  officers  re- 
mains. James  Crawford,  of  Pine  Creek  township, 
was  the  major.  He  represented  Northumberland 
County  in  the  Constitutional  Convention  of  1776, 
which  framed  the  State  Constitution  of  that  year, 
which,  among  its  last  acts,  September  28th,  commis- 
sioned him  major  of  the  Twelfth.  He  came  from 
Hanover  township,  Lancaster  Co.,  and  was  one  of  the 
earliest  settlers  on  Pine  Creek  lands.  He  served  gal- 
lantly in  the  campaign  in  New  Jersey  in  1777,  at 
Bound  Brook,  Bonumtown,  and  Piscataway,  where 
his  regiment,  being  composed  of  good  riflemen,  was 
always  on  picket  or  the  skirmish  line,  and  he  him- 
self exposed  to  constant  peril.  He  was  in  the  hottest 
of  the  fire  at  the  battle  of  Brandywine,  and  was 
wounded.  He  was  also  in  the  action  atGermantown, 
Oct.  4,  1777.  He  resigned  Oct.  12,  1777,  on  account 
of  an  arrangment  which  deprived  him  of  his  rank, 
but  patriotically  proposed  to  serve  through  the  con- 
test at  his  own  expense.  The  Twelfth,  however,  was 
so  badly  used  up  that  it  was  merged  into  other  regi- 
ments in  the  winter  of  1777-78.  Maj.  Crawford  came 
home,  and  was  elected  sheriff  of  Northumberland 
in  the  fall  of  1779,  after  which  he  returned  in  1782 
(being  succeeded  by  his  neighbor,  Henry  Antes).  He 
returned  to  his  home  March  30,  1797.  He  was  ap- 
pointed a  justice  of  the  Fourth  District,  composed  of 
Wayne,  part  of  Mifflin,  and  Pine  Creek  townships, 
which  office  he  held  for  life.  He  died  about  1817, 
and  is  buried  in  Pine  Creek  graveyard.  Of  his 
son  Robert's  grandchildren,  William  H.  resides  at 
Chatham  Run,  and  Hon.  George  A.Crawford  at  Fort 
Scott,  Kansas. 

William  McElhatton  was  a  first  lieutenant  in  the 
Twelfth  Regiment,  commissioned  Oct.  16,  1776.  He 
was  wounded  by  ball  and  buckshot  in  the  shoulder, 
and  lost  the  use  of  his  arm  ;  he  was  transferred  to  the 


Sixth  Pennsylvania,  but  his  wound  troubling,  he  was 
transferred  to  the  Invalid  Corps  July  1,  1779.  He 
was  discharged  Dec.  3,  1784;  removed  to  Kentucky, 
where  he  died  April  26,  1807. 

John  Harris  (known  then  aa  Maj.  Harris),  son  of 
Samuel  Harris,  who  made  an  improvement  as  early 
as  1772,  opposite  the  Great  Island,  was  a  captain  in 
the  Twelfth  Pennsylvania,  commissioned  Oct.  14, 1776. 

Lieut.  Thomas  Brandon,  an  early  associator,  was 
commissioned  first  lieutenant  in  the  Twelfth  Pennsyl- 
vania Oct.  4,  1776.  Samuel  Quinn,  October  16th  ;  his 
name  is  forever  associated  with  Quinn's  Run. 

No  courts  were  held  in  Northumberland  County 
from  February,  1776,  to  November,  1777. 

The  condition  of  the  country  in  October,  1777,  may 
be  judged  from  a  letter  of  Col.  Hunter's  dated  October 
27tli.  "Col.  John  Kelly  commands  on  the  Iron- 
tiers  of  this  county,  with  a  party  of  fifty  men  1777. 
and  an  Indian,  Job  Chilloway,  to  reconnoitre 
for  enemy  Indians  within  fifty  miles  of  Great  Island. 
If  his  report  is  favorable,  it  will  be  the  means  of  en- 
couraging the  poor  settlers  to  go  back  to  their  habita- 
tions. Since  the  first  alarm  upwards  of  five  hundred 
men,  women,  and  children  are  assembled  at  three 
different  places  on  the  West  Branch, — at  the  mouth  of 
Bald  Eagle,  Antes'  Mill,  and  Lycoming.  There  are 
some  friendly  Indians  with  their  families  come  in  to 
our  people,  whom  1  allow  provisions  while  they  stay." 
November  11th,  Col.  Hunter  states  the  first  class  of 
militia  have  come  off  from  service  on  Bald  Eagle,  with 
the  loss  of  two  men  drowned  in  the  river  on  their  re- 
turn, and  that  he  had  put  two  classes  of  Col.  Cook- 
man  Long's  battalion  in  service  in  their  place  to  en- 
courage the  people  to  return  to  their  homes. 

Van  Campen,  in  his  narrative,  states  that  his  first 
service  was  in  the  year  1777,  when  he  served  three 
months  under  Col.  John  Kelly,  ''  who  stationed  us  at 
Great  Island,  but  that  nothing  particular  transpired 
during  that  time." 

The  following  letter  from  Col.  Samuel  Hunter  to 

Gen.  James  Potter,  who  was  then  in  command  of  a 

brigade  in  Gen.  John   Armstrong's  division  of  the 

Pennsylvania  militia,  with  Gen.  Washington's  army, 

in  Montgomery  County,  immediately  preceding  the 

battle  of  Germantown  (Oct.  4,  1777),  will  throw  some 

light  upon  the  disturbed  condition  of  affairs  at  Great 

Island : 

"  Fort  Augusta,  Sept.  20, 1777. 

"In  consequence  of  ofders  from  tlie  E.veciilive  Council  forlhe^tl  class 
of  tlioniililiiiof  tliis  county  to  nnilcli  immediately  to  the  Swedes' Fort.l 
on  llic  Schuylliill.  Those  is  .all  that  conid  ho  collected  out  of  three  hut- 
tulions,  thut  i3  if  the  2d  cl.tss  sots  off  tliw  day  under  the  command  ol' 
Lient.-i;ol.  Hugh  Whitu  to  join  the  iiiililiit  of  the  State. 

"  The  fii-st  class  had  aseeuihled  agreeable  to  iustrnctiims  received  from 
the  Council,  hut  I  received  an  o.xinvss  from  Col.  Coolisou  Long,  at  tlio 
Uald  Eajjle,  of  his  discovery  of  a  party  of  Indian  vvaniors  about  forty  nules 
above  the  Great  tsl.inil,  and  upon  hi.-i  niaUiug  tliis  liuo«n  to  the  inhab- 


itants there 
order  up  tin 


■  pla 


cooraselh.'  people  there 
■tl.  Two  of  the  inhabit- 
ed liv  the  Indians." 


INDIAN   TROUBLES. 


475 


CHAPTER    XCIV. 

INDIAN  TROUBLES-GREAT  RUNAWAY— RETURN 
OF  TIIE  INHABITANTS— LAND  TITLES— RESI- 
DENTS IN  17S5. 

Indian  Troubles. — The  winter  of  1777  was  gloomy 
enougli.  Some  of  the  people  were  in  camp  at  Valley 
Forge,  and  the  few  that  remained  about  the  Bald 
Eagle  were  constantly  harassed  by  inroads  of  the  In- 
dians. In  December  two  men  were  killed  near  Great 
Island,  and  on  the  22d  one  man  near  the  mouth  of 
Pine  Creek.  This  again  occasioned  the  people  to  as- 
semble at  the  appointed  places  for  protection.  An- 
other of  the  inhabitants  was  killed  on  the  1st 
1778.  of  January,  177S,  two  miles  above  Great 
Island.  Eleven  Indians  were  seen,  our  peo- 
ple pursued  them,  and  killed  two  of  them.  May  14th, 
Col.  Hunter  ordered  the  sixth  and  seventh  classes  of 
Col.  Murray's  and  Col.  Hosterman's  battalion  towards 
Great  Island  to  cover  the  frontiers  there.  On  the  16th 
there  were  three  men,  who  were  putting  on  a  spring 
cap  near  the  mouth  of  Bald  Eagle,  killed  and  scalped, 
and  on  the  18th,  near  Pine  Creek,  a  man,  woman,  and 
child  were  taken  prisoners,  and  on  the  20th  two  mOn 
and  seven  women  and  children  taken  from  a  house  on 
Lycoming  Creek.  These  raids  produced  a  panic,  and 
Col.  Hunter  writes.  May  31st,  that  all  his  people  be- 
tween Muncyand  Lycoming  were  gathered  at  Samuel 
Wallis',  and  those  above  at  the  mouth  of  Bald  Eagle 
Creek  and  at  Antes'  mill,  and  Indians  were  seen 
across  the  river  opposite  Antes' mill  and  at  the  Great 
Island.  On  the  10th  of  June  they  attacked  Thonip- 
son's  house,  one  mile  above  Loyal  Sock,  killed 
Thompson,  and  a  man  named  Shoefeld.  And  the 
same  day,  at  John  Wall's  foundry,  now  in  Williams- 
port,  Peter  Smith  and  a  party  of  six  men,  who,  with 
two  women  and  eight  men,  were  going  from  Coven- 
lioven's  to  Lycoming  (Newburg),  killing  Campbell, 
Suodgrass,  and  some  of  the  women  and  children. 
Four  men,  two  women,  and  a  boy  and  girl  were  killed, 
and  five  missing,  and  on  the  14th  of  June  Col.  Hun- 
ter writes  that  communication  between  Antes'  mill 
and  the  Great  Island  is  cut  off. 

July  3d  occurred  the  massacre  at  Wyoming,  and  the 
news  received  on  the  8th  turned  the  panic  into  a 
stampede  of  the  settlers  of  the  West  Branch  valley. 
On  the  9th,  according  to  Col.  Hunter,  both  the  North 
and  West  Branches  of  the  Susquehanna  were  nearly 
evacuated.  This  was  called  the  "Great  Runaway," 
and  still  lingers  in  the  traditions  of  the  country. 

Robert  Covenhoven  (Crownover),  who  lived  at  the 
mouth  of  Loyal  Sock,  describing  the  scene,  says, 
'"I  took  my  own  family  safely  to  Sunburj',  and  came 
back  in  a  keel-boat  to  secure  my  furniture.  Just  as 
I  rounded  a  point  above  Derrstown,  now  Lewisburg, 
I  met  the  whole  convoy  from  all  the  forts  above. 
Such  a  sight  I  never  saw  in  my  life.  Boats,  canoes, 
hog-troughs,  rafts  hastily  made  of  dry  sticks,  every 


sort  of  floating  article,  had  been  put  in  requisition, 
and  were  crowded  with  women,  children,  and  plun- 
der. There  were  several  hundred  people  in  all. 
Whenever  any  obstruction  occurred  at  any  shoal  or 
ripple  the  women  would  leap  out  into  the  water  and 
put  their  shoulders  to  the  boat  or  raft  and  launch  it 
again  into  deej)  water.  The  men  of  the  settlement 
came  down  in  single  file  on  each  side  of  the  river 
to  guard  the  women  and  children.  The  whole  con- 
voy arrived  safely  at  Sunbury,  leaving  the  entire 
range  of  farms  along  the  West  Branch  to  the  ravages 
of  the  Indians." 

The  territory  of  Clinton  County  was  entirely  de- 
serted, the  people  retiring  to  Cumberland  County  and 
the  lower  townships  of  Northumberland.  Clary 
Campbell  appears  on  the  a.-sessment  list  of  Penn 
township.  Tliere  are  no  returns  of  officials  of  Bald 
Eagle  from  1777-1784 ;  and  the  assessment  for  1782 
shows  not  a  single  settler  in  this  place  that  year. 
Col.  Hartley,  writing  from  Sunbury,  Aug.  10,  1778, 
says  he  had  been  up  the  West  Branch,  and  found 
all  the  settlements  above  Wallis',  who  lives  near 
Muncy,  evacuated. 

Fort  JIuncy  had  Ijeen  built  by  order  of  Col.  Hart- 
Icy  on  the  Hale  farms,  two  miles  above  Muncy,  aftet 
the  Runaway  in  1778;  finished  on  the  18th  of  Sep- 
tember, but  was  evacuated  and  destroyed  when  3Ic- 
Donald,  with  his  Indian  allies,  took  Fort  Freeland,  in 
July,  1779,  and  ravaged  the  country,  and  the  Muncy 
hills  became  the  frontier.  Col.  Adam  Hubley  had 
garrisoned  it  with  a  company  of  his  regiment  in  June, 
but  it  was  withdrawn  to  join  Gen.  Sullivan's  expedi- 
tion up  the  North  Branch  in  July.  The  latter  expe- 
dition, by  destroying  all  the  Indian  towns  westward 
to  Cayuga  Bridge,  deprived  the  Indians  of  their  sub- 
sistence, and  they  were  compelled  to  withdraw  to  Ni- 
agara for  supplies.  This,  in  connection  with  Col. 
Brodhead's  activity  at  Pittsburgh,  saved  the  West 
Branch  from  Indian  raids;  and  in  the  fall  of  1779 
hunters  who  had  gone  far  up  the  West  Branch  re- 
ported seeing  no  Indians  after  July.  Memminger's 
place,  however,  about  seventeen  miles  above  Sunbury, 
was  the  outpost,  guarded  by  Capt.  Thomas  Campletou 
and  his  rangers  during  the  winter  of  1779-80. 

In  April,  1780,  however,  Indian  troubles  were  re- 
newed, and  they  struck  the  West  Branch  at  Col. 
Hunter's  farm,  opposite  Warrior  Run,  killing  a 
man  and  child,  and  carrying  oft'a  woman  ;  then  1780. 
swept  on  down  the  river,  killing  the  Couples 
family,  near  White  Deer  Mills,  and  one  man,  wound- 
ing three  others  at  Peter  Swartz's,  three  miles  above 
where  Lewisburg  now  stands.  The  raids  continued 
until  August,  1782,  preventing,  of  course,  the  return 
of  the  inhabitants  of  Bald  Eagle. 

In  July,  1780,  the  savages  made  inroads  into  Buffalo 
valley,  penetrated  as  far  as  Penu's  Creek  (at  New 
Berlin),  and  Col.  Hunter  selected  a  party  consisting 
of  Peter  and  Michael  Grove,  Lieut.  Jacob  Kramer, 
William  Campbell,  and  Moses  Van  Campen,  to  pursue 


476 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


them.  Joseph  Groninger  accompanied  them.  The 
following  account  is  taken  from  Mr.  Meginness'  "  His- 
tory of  the  West  Branch  Valley,"  page  293:  "The 
third  or  fourth  day  after  they  left  they  came  in 
sight  of  the  Indians  between  Great  Island  and  Young 
Womanstown,  and  ascertained  their  numbers  to  be 
between  twenty-five  and  thirty.  Van  Campen  says 
they  passed  the  Indians  and  went  up  Sinnemahoning 
some  miles,  and  finding  no  tracks,  returned  and  dis- 
covered the  Indians  below  the  creek.  This  will  ex- 
plain Michael  Grove's  statement  of  the  length  of 
time  before  tliey  encountered  their  foes.  Not  con- 
sidering themselves  safe  in  making  the  attack  the 
first  night,  they  followed  them  the  next  day  twelve 
miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  creek,  where  the  In- 
dians encamped.  They  waited  until  they  were  all 
asleep.  One  old  Indian  annoyed  them  very  much. 
He  was  troubled  with  a  cough,  and  frequently  rose  up 
and  looked  carefully  around,  seeming  from  his  pecu- 
liar actions  to  anticipate  danger.  At  length  the  old 
man  fell  asleep,  and  they  commenced  creeping  up, 
intending  to  use  their  tomahawks  first.  One  of  them 
unexpectedly  crawled  over  an  Indian,  who  lay  some 
distance  from  the  rest,  and  the  old  man  rose  up  at 
this  moment.  Michael,  with  a  powerful  blow  with 
his  hatchet,  clove  the  old  man's  skull,  and  striking  it 
into  the  back  of  another,  could  not  withdraw  it,  when 
the  Indian  drew  him  over  the  bank  into  the  creek, 
■where,  however,  he  succeeded  in  killing  him.  Some 
of  the  Indians  got  on  to  the  other  side  of  the  creek 
and  commenced  firing,  and  they  had  to  retire.  They 
waded  down  the  creek,  taking  to  the  hills,  and  thence 
over  to  the  Bald  Eagle." 

In  the  State  treasurer's  account,  under  date  Sept. 
30,  1780,  is  an  item,  "  Cash  paid  Robert  Martin  for 
Jacob  Kramer,  Peter  Grove,  William  Campbell,  and 
Michael  Grove,  for  two  Indian  scalps,  £1875."  Our 
currency  had  immensely  depreciated  at  that  time. 
Same  account,  September  22d,  ten  head  of  cattle  for 
the  commissioners  of  purchase  are  put  in  at  £10,400. 
Michael  Grove  died  in  1827,  while  on  a  visit  to  his 
daughter,  Mrs.  Samuel  Lutz,  and  Jacob  Smith  in 
Nippenose  valley. 

Capt.  Thomas  Robinson,  who  commanded  a  rang- 
ing company,  was  an  exceedingly  valuable  officer 
upon  the  frontier.  He  was  commissioned  Feb.  10, 
1781.  His  lieutenant  was  Moses  Van  Campen.  His 
company  had  the  sharp  engagement  with  the  Indians 
on  Bald  Eagle  Creek  hereinafter  referred  to.  He 
built  a  block-house  on  the  site  of  Fort  Muncy  in 
April,  1782.  In  March,  1783,  he  was  placed  in 
charge  of  the  fort  at  Wyoming,  and  was  of  great  ser- 
vice in  quieting  disturbances  among  the  inhabitants 
there  consequent  upon  conflicting  claims  in  land 
titles.  He  served  there  until  after  the  regular  army 
was  discharged,  in  Noveiuber,  1783.  Capt.  Henry 
McHenry  (father  of  A.  H.  McHenry,  Esq.),  Second 
United  States  Infantry  under  Gen.  Wayne,  in  the 
Indian  war  of  1794,  when  a  boy  fifteen   years  old, 


served  under  Capt.  Robinson  at  Fort  Rice,  which 
now  is  in  Montour  County.  Capt.  Robinson,  after 
the  war,  settled  at  Robinson's  Island,  east  side  of  Pine 
Creek,  one  and  one-half  miles  from  its  mouth.  He 
bought  part  of  the  John  McEwen  warrantee,  one 
mile  below  where  the  Walkers  murdered  the  Indians. 
One  morning  Mrs.  Robinson  went  out  to  the  creek 
for  water,  the  body  of  the  big  Indian  had  raised,  and 
lay  on  the  upper  side  of  their  canoe. 

After  the  war  Capt.  Robinson  engaged  in  the  land 
business.  The  tract  of  land  on  which  Young  Womans- 
town is  situated  was  surveyed  on  a  warrant  in  his 
name  Oct.  6,  1786.  He  was  up  the  North  Branch  on 
land  business  when  he  took  sick,  and  coming  down 
the  river  in  a  boat  exposed  to  the  rays  of  the  sun, 
being  greatly  neglected  by  the  people  with  him,  his 
disease  was  aggravated,  and  he  died  at  Wyoming  in 
August,  1792.  His  daughter  Mary  married  John 
Cook,  of  Pine  Creek  township,  father  of  Robert  G. 
Cook,  of  the  firm  of  Pardee  &  Cook,  of  Lock  Haven. 
Mrs.  Cook  was  still  living  in  Lock  Haven  in  1856  ; 
recollected  seeing  her  father's  horse  brought  home 
after  his  death. 

Lieut.  Moses  Van  Campen,  in  his  narrative,  gives  an 
account  of  the  severe  engagement  which  Robinson's 
company  had  on  Bald  Eagle  Creek.  He  says, 
"  About  the  10th  or  11th  of  April,  1782,  Capt.  1782. 
Robinson  came  with  Squire  Culbertson,  James 
Dougherty,  William  McGrady,  and  a  Mr.  Barkley  to 
the  block-house  at  Wallis',  above  Muncy,  and  I  was 
ordered  to  select  twenty  or  twenty-five  men,  and  with 
these  gentlemen  proceed  up  the  West  Branch  to  the 
Great  Island,  and  thence  up  Bald  Eagle  Creek  to  the 
place  where  a  Mr.  Culbertson  had  been  killed."  [This 
was  on  the  Capt.  James  Irvine  tract,  a  mile  west  of 
the  present  limits  of  Lock  Haven,  on  which  there 
was  a  spring  called  in  the  survey  of  1769  "  Hicks' 
Spring."]  "  On  the  15th  of  April  we  reached  the  place 
at  night  and  encamped.  On  the  morning  of  the  16th 
we  were  attacked  by  eighty-five  Indians.  It  was  a 
hard-fought  battle.  Squire  Culbertson'  and  two 
others  made  their  escajie.  I  think  we  had  nine  killed, 
and  the  rest  of  us  were  made  prisoners.  We  were 
stripped  of  all  our  clothing  except  our  pantaloons. 
When  they  took  off  my  shirt  they  discovered  my 
commission.  Several  got  hold  of  it,  and  one  fellow 
cut  the  ribbon  with  his  knife,  and  succeeded  in  ob- 
taining it.  They  took  us  a  little  distance  from  the 
battle-ground,  and  made  the  prisonei's  sit  down  in  a 
small  ring,  the  Indians  forming  around  us  in  close 
order,  each  with  his  rifle  and  tomahawk  in  his  hand. 
They  brought  up  five  of  the  Indians  we  had  killed, 
and  laid  them  within  the  circle.  I  thought  of  the 
party  I  had  killed  in  1780,  and  if  I  was  discovered  to 
be  the  person  ray  case  would  be  a  hard  one.  Their 
prophet  made  a  speech.     As  I  was  informed  after- 


1  Andrew  Cull  ortson,  of  Matthew  Palmer's  company,  commissioned 
Jan.  8, 1T7S. 


RETURN   OF   INHABITANTS— LAND   TITLES. 


477 


wards  by  a  British  lieutenant,  who  belonged  to  the 
party,  he  was  consulting  the  Great  Spirit  what  to  do 
with  the  prisoners,  wliether  to  Icill  us  on  tlie  spot 
or  spare  our  lives.  He  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
there  had  been  blood  enough  shed,  and  as  to  the 
men  they  had  lost,  it  was  the  fate  of  war,  and  we 
must  be  taken  and  adopted  into  the  families  of  those 
who  had  been  killed.  We  were  then  divided  among 
them.  Packs  were  prepared  for  us,  and  tlicy  returned 
across  the  river  at  Great  Island  in  bark  canoes.  They 
then  made  their  way  across  the  fields  and  came  to 
Pine  Creek,  above  tlie  first  forks,  which  tliey  followed 
up  to  the  third  fork,  and  took  the  most  northerly 
branch  of  it,  and  thence  to  the  waters  of  the  Gen- 
esee River."  Van  Campen  makes  no  mention  of  the 
rest  of  the  prisoners,  but  after  varied  experiences  he 
was  exchanged  in  March,  1783.  He  married  Miss 
Margaret  McClure,  an  aunt  of  A.  H.  McHenry,  Esq., 
and  moved  to  Allegheny  County,  N.  Y.,  wliere  he  was 
for  thirty-six  years  county  judge.  He  died  at  Dan- 
ville, Livingston  Co.,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  15,  1849,  aged 
ninety-three  years. 

Return  of  Inhabitants.— In  1783  the  inhabitants 
commenced  returning.  Among  the  first  were  Rich- 
ard Manning  (who  lived  oh  Long  Island), 
1783.  David  McKinney  (who  lived  opposite  Great 
Island,  on  Indian  land;  member  of  the  As- 
sembly in  1780),  John  Price,  John  Hamilton,  Britton 
Caldwell ;  Thorp  and  others,  who  lived  on  the  Indian 
land.  Robert  Fleming,  however,  appears  to  have  been 
the  only  one  from  Bald  Eagle  tliat  voted  at  the  elec- 
tion held  in  October,  1783,  at  Aminah  Sutton's.  The 
Muncy  election  district  was  composed  of  Muncy  town- 
ship and  Bald  Eagle. 

Land  Titles. — As  stated,  the  northern  portion  of 
Clinton  County  was  not  purchased  from  the  Indians 
until  1784.  The  land-office  was  opened  for 
1781.  the  sale  of  this  purchase  July  1, 1785,  at  thirty 
pounds  per  hundred  acres.  The  price  was  too 
high  for  extensive  speculations,  and  such  portions 
only  were  selected  and  purchased  as  were  considered 
worth  the  thirty  pounds,  and  the  balance  rejected. 
In  1792  the  Legislature  perceived  the  fact  that  "  the 
vacant  lands  were  so  high  as  to  discourage  settlers 
from  purchasing  them,"  and  the  price  was  reduced  to 
five  pounds  per  hundred  acres.  Much  of  the  moun- 
tainous region  of  Clinton  and  Centre  Counties  was 
applied  for,  but  much  was  still  deemed  too  high  at 
the  reduced  price,  and  remained  uncalled  for.  The 
act  of  1792  was  short-lived  in  its  ofter  of  the  vacant 
lands  indiscriminately  to  applicants.  In  1794  an  en- 
tire change  in  the  system  took  place.  The  supple- 
ment, passed  Sept.  22,  1794,  to  the  act  of  April  22, 
1794,  granted  the  vacant  lands  of  the  commonwealth 
only  to  actual  resident  settlers.  This  thoroughly  ar- 
rested speculation,  and  the  state  of  things  continued 
in  regard  to  the  purchase  of  1784  until  1817,  the 
vacant  lands  of  the  commonwealth  being  granted 
only  to  actual  settlers. 


The  act  of  March  10,  1817,  opened  the  office  at 
twenty-six  dollars  and  sixty-six  cents  the  hundred 
acres,  freed  from  the  conditions  of  settlement ;  yet 
vacant  lauds  were  open  to  the  settler,  and  his  right« 
held  sacred.  In  the  long  interval  from  1794  the  spirit 
of  speculation  had  subsided,  tracts  were  abandoned 
by  distant  owners  as  not  worth  keeping,  and  the  an- 
nually accruing  charges  overlooked  and  forgotten  by 
them,  and  sold  by  thousands  for  taxes.  On  the  13lh 
of  March,  1815,  the  Legislature  made  every  eflbrt  to 
confer  good  titles  on  purchasers  at  tax  sales,  allowing 
a  period  of  two  years  for  redemption  on  tender  of 
taxes  and  costs,  with  twenty-five  per  cent,  on  the  same, 
and  with  no  inconsiderable  aid  from  the  Supreme 
Court  the  object  has  been  pretty  fully  attained. 

Thus  encouraged,  adventurers  became  numerous  in 
a  new  mode  of  laud-jobbing.  Instead  of  resorting  to 
the  land-office  for  rights  at  twenty-six  dollars  and 
sixty-six  cents  the  hundred  acres,  they  applied  to  the 
commissioners  of  counties  or  attended  sales  of  the 
treasurers,  where  they  procured  the  article  in  any 
quantity  at  less  than  that  sum  by  the  thousand.  Va- 
cant mountain  land  was  suffered  to  remain  vacant, 
even  if  the  fact  of  its  vacancy  were  generally  known, 
when  plenty  of  the  same  sort  and  size,  and  patented  in 
the  bargain,  were  offering  at  the  court-house  doors  at 
greatly  inferior  prices.  The  act  of  1815  thus  nullified 
the  act  of  1817  at  its  birth,  and  eff'ectually  turned  the 
eyes  of  adventurers  from  the  land-office  to  the  com- 
missioner's office. 

The  vacant  lands  of  the  commonwealth  in  Centre 
and  what  is  now  Clinton,  at  the  passage  of  the  act  of 
1817,  were  thus  generally  permitted  to  remain  vacant, 
though  it  is  more  than  probable  that  few  had  knowl- 
edge of  any  considerable  body  of  land  thus  situated. 
It  was  not  until  coal  was  ascertained  to  pervade  this 
region,  and  until  the  rage  for  coal-lands  had  excited 
the  community,  and  the  great  public  improvement 
(the  canal)  was  seen  advancing  towards  the  Bald 
Eagle,  that  the  prying  eyes  of  interest  ferreted  out 
the  vacancies,  and  it  was  considered  safe  to  risk 
twenty-six  dollars  and  sixty-six  cents  per  hundred 
acres  upon  it.  In  1829  grants  from  the  common- 
wealth were  first  made  for  these  vacant  lands,  and  ap- 
plications have  been  continued  at  intervals  ever  fince, 
until  in  1882  very  little  can  be  said  to  exist,  unless 
made  for  the  occasion  by  the  clever  invention  of  our 
latter-day  surveyors  exercised  in  the  dislocation  of 
blocks  of  surveys. 

In  accordance  with  a  petition  presented  at  the  No- 
vember sessions,  1785,  the  court  annexed  the  lower 
end  of  Bald  Eagle  township  (from  opposite 
Lycoming  Creek,  and  extending  up  the  south  1785. 
side  of  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna 
as  fijr  as  opposite  Pine  Creek,  to  include  Nippenose 
valley)  "  to  Lycoming  township  ;  and  from  the  mouth 
of  Pine  Creek,  extending  up  the  Bald  Eagle  valley  as 
far  as  the  mouth  of  Beech  Creek,  up  the  south  side 
of  said  branch  as  far  as  inhabited,  and  from  Beech 


478 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Run  a  southerly  course  until  it  joins  Potters  township, 
to  Pine  Creek  township." 

Residents  in  1785. — An  assessment  for  the  whole 
township  of  Bald  Eagle  was  made  Jan.  4,  1786,  by 
Cleary  Campbell,  Robert  Fleming,  and  Robert  Love, 
which  indicates  the  residents  of  that  part  of  Bald 
Eagle  township  which  is  now  Clinton  County,  as  fol- 
lows : 


Aslibridge,     Jonathan 

dead). 
Bennet,  James. 
Bennet,  William. 
Bower,  Danfuilli. 
Campbell,  Cleaiy. 
Campbell,  William,  Jr.  { 

pensburji:). 
Carson,  Jolin. 
Clark,  rrank. 
Clark,  William. 
Crawford,  Robert. 
Davis  William. 
Donnel,  John. 
Fleming, .lohn,  Jr. 
Fleming,  Robert. 
Gliormeley,  Joseph. 
Gillmore,  John, 
namilton,  Hugh. 
Horn,  SHnniel. 
Horn,  William. 
Johnston,  William. 
King,    Robert    (tenant 

Fleming,  deceased). 


Bennet,  John. 
Bower,  Danforth. 
Campbell,  William. 
Carson,  James. 
Clark,  Thomas. 
Clark,  William. 
Cleodennin,  John. 
Fleming,  John. 
Gillmore,  Richard. 


(marked 


King,  Joseph. 
Lewis,  Bennet. 
Limber,  James. 
Love,  Robert. 
McGrady,  William. 
McMichael,  John. 
Mahon,  William. 
Milligan,  John. 
Murdoch,  William. 
Ricliey,  Robert. 
Richards,  Casper. 
Richards,  Frederick. 
SUidman,  Joseph. 
Smith,  Abi*aham. 
Stewart,  Charles. 
Thonipson,  Howel. 
AVestbrooke,  Joseph 

Weslbrooke,  Ricliard 
Whitman,  Jacob. 
Wilson,  Tliomas. 
Wilson,  William. 


Single  Men. 

Horn.  Andrew. 
Limber,  Richard. 
McGiiiley,  Hugh. 
Slalion,  Ale.\ander. 
Murray,  William. 
Ealeigh,  David. 
Richards,  Frederick. 
Bichai'ds,  Matthias. 


CHAPTER    XCV, 

OFFICERS  OF  BALD  EAGLE  IN  1785— JAiMES  HARRIS' 
JOURNAL— ASSESSMENT  OF  PINE  CREEK  IN  17Sfi 
—BALD  EAGLE  IN  1787— RESIDENTS  OF  NIPPENOSE 
IN  1787— LOWER  BALD  EAGLE  IN  1788-92. 

In  1785  the  officers  of  Bald  Eagle  township  were : 
Constable,  Robert  Love  ;  Supervisors,  Cleary  Camp- 
bell and  Joseph  King  ;  Overseers,  John  Carson  and 
Frederick  Richards ;  Fence-viewers,  Robert  Ritchie 
and  William  McGrady. 

From  James  Harris'  journal.  "  June  8,  1786,  left 
the  Juniata  with  John  Stewart,  James  Cowan,  and 
Ebenezer  Larimer.  Friday,  arrive  at  Gen. 
1786.  Potter's  [then  just  below  White  Deer  Mills, 
in  Union  County].  Left  ISIonday  with  canoe 
and  provisions;  arrived  above  Muncy,  Tuesday. 
Wednesday  evening,  arrive  at  Clary  Campbell's, 
above  the  Great  Island.  John  Wilson  comes  to  us. 
Friday,  leave  Campbell's,  and  lodge  about  two  miles 


above  Baker's.  Saturday,  pass  Young  Woman's 
Creek  about  twelve  o'clock.  Kettle  Creek,  on  Sun- 
day morning.  Kill  a  deer  on  the  creek,  salt  it,  and 
push  up  to  Sinnemahoning.  We  meet  Gen.  Potter 
with  his  party  on  their  return.  We  encamp  up  the 
creek  about  one-half  mile.  The  land  on  each  side  of 
the  river  from  Great  Island  up  to  Sinnemahoning  is 
very  mountainous,  some  small  tracts  of  bottom  land ; 
no  settlers  above  Baker's.  Gen.  Potter's  tract  is  about 
fifteen  miles  from  the  mouth  of  Sinnemahoning.  July 
4th,  we  embark,  leaving  at  the  stone  house  a  barrel 
with  flour;  the  stone  house  is  about  two  hundred 
yards  above  the  Potter  Forks  of  Sinuemahoning.  On 
the  east  side  of  the  North  Branch  an  axe  is  hid  in  a 
hollow  birch  about  three  perches  north  of  stone  house. 
We  come  down  to  the  mouth  of  Sinnemahoning  and 
encamp.  A  hunter  is  here  encamped  on  the  point, 
who  lives  on  Larry's  Creek  ;  has  been  out,  he  says, 
three  months.  5th,  leave  mouth  of  Sinnemahoning 
and  go  down  to  Young  Womanstown.  We  meet  two 
hunters  going  up, — William  Doyle  and  William  Id- 
dings.  6th,  go  down  to  Baker's,  where  we  meet  Esq. 
Fleming.  7th,  we  go  down  the  river  below  the  Great 
Island  to  Maj.  Chatham's.  8th,  go  down  below  Wal- 
lis'  to  Mr.  Hall's  (Muncy  farms).  9th,  to  Gen.  Potter's. 
12th,  arrive  at  home." 

In  1785,  Bald  Eagle  township  was  recognized  as 
extending  from  the  mouth  of  Lycoming  Creek  (New- 
berry) to  the  Moshannon,  circling  around  the  end  of 
Nittany  Mountain  to  the  bounds  of  Bedford  County, 
over  seventy  miles,  and  at  November  sessions  of  that 
year  the  lower  end,  from  opposite  Lycoming  Creek's 
mouth  to  opposite  Pine  Creek,  including  Nippenose 
valley,  was  annexed  to  Lycoming  township,  and  the 
part  as  far  up  as  the  mouth  of  Beech  Creek  was  an- 
nexed to  Pine  Creek  township.  This  arrangement, 
however,  was  superseded  at  May  sessions,  1786,  by  the 
erection  of  that  part  of  Bald  Eagle  between  the  mouth 
of  Bald  Eagle  and  the  line  of  Washington  township 
(erected  in  August,  1785)  into  a  township  to  be  called 
Nippenose ;  and  that  portion  south  of  the  river,  from 
the  mouth  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek  up  to  Beech  Creek 
and  south  to  Potter  township  (otherwise  Nittany 
Mountain)  into  a  township  to  retain  the  name  of  Bald 
Eagle;  the  remaining  portion  (now  altogether  within 
the  bounds  of  Centre  County)  into  a  township  called 
"  Upper  Bald  Eagle." 

From  an  assessment  of  Pine  Creek  township 
dated  April  28,  1786,  we  cull  the  following    1786. 
names  of  residents : 


Baker,  John. 

Barnett,  Joseph. 

Brooks,  Thomas. 

Band,  William. 

Chaltam,  John  (distillery). 

Depugh,  David. 

Dewitt,  Daniel. 

Dewitt,  Joseph. 

Dunn,  .Tames. 

Dunn,  William. 

Fleming,  John. 


Gallagher,  Thomas. 
Grove,  Peter. 
Hannah,  David. 
Hamilton,  John. 
Jackson,  John. 
Irvine,  Janies. 
Kichhiger,  Andrew. 
McCormiel;,  John. 
McDowell,  Matthew, 
McFaddin,  Angus. 
McFaddin,  Widow. 


ASSESSMENT  LISTS. 


479 


MiKinnoy,  Jnlin. 
3Ic-Kiii;;lit,  Juriiitlmn. 
McKniglit,  Snniuel. 
McMustrrs,  EilwarJ. 
McMlclmel,  Jolin. 
Mills,  Julin, 
Jlonison,  Willhmi. 
PiiraiiiB,  Diirirnhns. 
Pollacli,  Jiimes. 


Price,  Jiilin. 
Beed,  Willilim,  I 
Uepcl,  Williimi, . 
Tluilgeis,  Jiimes, 
Stills,  .Incob. 
While,  Hugh. 
WiUkcr,  Benjair 
Williimis,  Aiidn 


James  Dunn,  William  Morrison,  and  James  Bar- 
nett,  assessors. 

In  1786  the  officers  of  Bald  Eagle  were:  Constable, 

Joseph  King;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  Thomas  Wilson 

and  Cleary  Campbell;  Fence-viewers,  Joseph  Carson 

and  John  Fleming. 

The   Lower  Bald   Eagle  assessment  has  the 

1787 

following  names  of  residents  : 

Black,  Ji.lin.  Limber,  .lames. 

Bowen,  Danforil.  Louglire.v,  William. 

Burke,  Jitlin.  McCloskey,  James. 

Burney,  James.  McKee,  David. 

Barr,  Philip.  Malion,  William. 

Campbell,  Cleary.  Ma.son,  Martha. 

Campbell,  William.  Marsdeu,  John. 

Currey,  James.  Murdoch,  Alexander. 

Davis,  William.  Phips,  Samuel. 

Donnell,  John.  Eee.l,  William. 

Fleniing,  Juhn.  Bichards,  Casper. 

Fleming,  Robert.  Bicliards,    Frederick     (grist-    and 

Hayes,  P>ol.ert.  saw.niill). 

Hayes,  William.  liichards,  Matthias. 

Hays,  James  (Went.).  Eicliey,  Kobert. 

Hemphill,  James.  Bichey,  Joseph. 

Joice,  Charles.  Rickey,  Jolin. 

King,  Joseph.  Saltzman,  Anthony. 

Knapp,  Ebcnezer.  Williams,  Andrew. 


Black,  Juhn. 
Campbell,  William. 
Fleming,  John. 
Hemphill,  James. 


Single  Men. 

Limber,  Richard. 
Murray,  William. 
Richards,  Fl-ederick. 


Robert  Ritchey,   assessor;    Cleary   Campbell   and 
John  Donnel,  assistants. 

In  1787,  Nippenose  had  the  following  residents : 


Antes,  Henry  (grist-mill). 
Bennett,  William  (grist-mill). 
Bennett,  James. 
Bennett,  John. 
Bennett,  William. 
Buchanan,  William. 
Carson,  John. 
Chirk,  Juhn. 
Clark,  Francis. 
Clendcnin,  John. 
Crane,  George. 
Crawford,  Robert. 
Dickson,  Catherine. 
Kvans,  John. 
Gilmore,  John. 


Carson,  James. 
Clark,  Francis. 


Holden,  Jacob. 
Holujan,Eli. 
Holmes,  John. 
Huff,  Benjamin. 
Love,  John. 
Love,  Robert. 
McDowell,  William. 
McKuight,  John. 
Milligan,  John. 
Pence,  Peter. 
Quiggle,  Michael. 
Stewart,  Charles. 
Simonton,  Thomas. 
Whitman,  Jacob. 
Winland,  Dolly. 

Toung  Men. 

Clark,  Williiim. 


Charles  Stewart,  Robert  Love,  and  Robert  Craw- 
ford, assessors. 

In  Pine  Creek  township  there  were,  in  1787,  of 
settlers : 


Barefleld,  John,  Sr. 
Barefleld,  John,  Jr. 
Barefleld,  George. 
Barnot,  Andrew. 
Boreland,  Ludwig. 
Beatty,  Robert. 
Bruce,  Archibald. 
Custard,  Richard. 
Dougherty,  John. 


Egan,  Patrick. 
Rough,  Liudsay. 


Dunn,  Patrick. 
Dunn,  William,  Jr. 
EvanH,  Natlian. 
Herrington,  James. 
Gamble,  James. 
Long,  James. 
Relige,  David. 
Walker,  Adam. 
Welsh,  Gerard. 


Lower  Bald  Eagle,  1788 : 


Bald,  John. 

Barelielil,  Jolin  (llireemi 

Young  Womanstowii). 
Black,    Robert   (aJjoiniUi 

Fleming). 
Carpenter,  Samuel. 
Wall,  Hugh. 
Jackson,  John. 


Barefleld,  George. 
Boyd,  James 
Bruce,  ArcliiUjild. 
Limber,  John. 

Pine  Creek,  1788 : 


Adair,  John. 
Barnett,  Joseph  (saw-r 
Chaltam,  John  (grist-i 
Cole,  Chri.stopher. 
Fulton,  Henry. 
Grove,  Widow. 
Holmes,  William. 
Miller,  Daniel. 
Quinn,  Samuel. 


Barnett,  Joseph. 
Campbell,  Hugh. 
Eyei-s,  Tliomas. 


1788. 

King,  Robert  (above  the  head  of 

Great  Island,  on  Parr's). 
Lusk,  David. 
McCloskey,  Felix. 
McCormick,  John. 
McDonell,  James. 
Blclvibben,  Joseph. 
Murray,  James. 
Reed,  John. 


Single  Men. 

Robinson,  John. 
Rickey,  Cornelius, 
Smith,  Cliristophe 
Tliomas,  William. 


Lytle,  Peter. 
Scott,  John. 
Isherwood,    Francis    (nine 

above  the  Great  Island). 
James  Morris  (at  Shinlowi 

miles    above    Young    W' 

town). 
Jolm  McCormick   (at  Blue 

opiwsite  Great  Islaod). 

Single  Men. 

Hannah,  John. 
Jameson,  John. 
McDauiel,  James. 


Hugh  White,  D.  Hannah,  and  Samuel  Quinn,  as- 
sessors. 

In  Lower  Bald  Eagle  the  following  appear  1789. 
as  additional  residents  in  1789: 


Brown,  Moses. 
Duffield,  William. 
Evans,  Nathan. 
Kcason,  John. 
Ft-ason,  William. 
Hayes,  Dickey. 
Leech,  Matthew. 
Lowery,  William. 
Loudeiislager,  Georg 
Louge,  Hugh. 

Graham,  Francis. 
Feason,  Juhn. 


Lucas,  Charles. 

McCormick,  Bernard. 

Motz,  Jacob. 

Richards,  Jasper   (two   stills   and 

tan-yard). 
JRodgers,  James. 
Sterling,  John,  Sr. 
Sterling,  John,  Jr. 
Thompson,  William. 

Single  Men. 

Miller,  Peter. 


In  Pine  Creek  in  1789: 

Aekin,  James. 

Bowman,  James. 

Conway,  Juhn. 

Chaltam,  Col.  John  (assessed  with 

a  distillery  in  addition  to  mills 

this  year). 


Gihbs,  Samuel,  Sr.  and  Jr 
Grahnin,  John. 
Ross,  Jacob. 
Stevenson,  George. 
Tyler,  William. 
Williams,  William. 


480 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Single  Men. 
Boyil,  Robert.  Patterson,  James. 

Gjiiley,  James.  Poller,  James. 

HuDiilton,  Rice. 

James  Crawford,  assistant  assessor. 

In   1790  the  following  were  the   officers  of  Bald 
Eagle:  Constable,  John  McCormick ;  Super- 

1790.  visors,   David   Lusk,   John    Donnell ;    Over- 
sers,  John  Sterling,  Jr.,  and  Frederick  Rich- 
ards ;    Fence-viewers,   John    McKibben   and    John 
Fleming. 

1791.  Additional  resident  taxables  in   Lower  Bald 

Eagle  in  1791 : 


Brown,  James, 
Brownlee,  John. 
Biirclifield,  James. 
Donald,  Jolin. 
Hannali,  David. 
Humes,  Archibald. 
Hunt,  Richard. 
McCrosky,  James. 

Boal,  Thomas. 
Bouster,  Alexander. 
Coulter,  Thomas. 
Donnel,  Henry. 
EvauB,  Abner. 

Pine  Creek,  1791 : 

Andrews,  Hugh  (store). 
Bowman,  James. 
Ciirtz.  Thomas  (distillery). 
Cookin,  John. 
Dillon,  Arlliur. 
Frederick,  Henry. 
Gamble,  John. 
Gamble,  3Iary. 
Lowrey,  James. 
Myers,  Manin. 


McCrosky,  William. 
McGill,  Arthur. 
McKibben,  David.    ' 
Martin,  Thomas. 
Potter,  Andrew. 
Starr,  John. 
Witbiuger,  Barnard. 

ngle  Men. 

Hunt,  Benjamin. 
Hunt,  Jesse. 
McGill,  Patrick. 
Saltzman,  George. 
Sterling,  James. 


Mason,  M'illiam. 
McCliiitock,  Bryan. 
Klacklin,  James  (store). 
Rohrav.aiigh,  Simon. 
Shoup,  Honry. 
Shaffer,  Frederick. 
Sutton.  Lewis. 
Zimmerman,  Christophe 
Wiight,  Auroli. 


1792. 


Additional  resident  taxables  of  Lower  Bald 
Eagle,  1792: 


Andrews,  Robert,  Sr. 
Butler,  William. 
Ellis,  Henry. 
Friedly,  Daniel. 

McClosky,  David. 


Lindsay,  Mnngo. 
Mahon,  William  (si 
Snowmen,  Tbeodon 

Single  Men. 

McClosky,  Joseph. 


CHAPTER    XCVI. 

RESIDENT.-;  OF  B.\LD  EAGLE  IN  179,'.  (NOW  CLIN- 
TON COUNTY)— BALD  EAGLE  SINGLE  MEN  IN 
179.3— AS.SESSMENT  OF  PINE  CREEK  TOWNSHIP 
IN    1799. 

A  COMPLETE  list  of  the  resident  tax-payers  of 
1793.         Bald  Eagle  township  (now,  18S2,  in  Clinton 
County)  : 


.\rmstrong,  John. 
Bait,  John. 
Bauglier,  Henry. 
Bearfleld,  John. 
Black,  John. 
Black,  Peter. 


Bodle,  Robert. 
Brown,  Moses. 
Brownlee,  John. 
Britton,  William, 
Burchfield,  Jamvi 
Barney,  James. 


Campbell,  William. 
Carpenter,  Samuel. 
Clements,  John.. 
Coulter,  Thomas. 
Craig,  James. 
Cniiik,  Matthew. 
Coulter,  Thomas. 
Davis,  William. 
Donnell,  John. 
DnffleM,  William. 


,  AVi 


,  Sr. 


Dunn,  William,  Jr. 
Dunn,  Joshua. 
Duffield,  William. 
Evans.  Abner. 
Evans,  Nathan. 
Fearon,  Joseph. 
Gondley,  David, 
Fleming,  John. 
Fleming,  Robert. 
Greer,  John. 
Hannah,  David. 
Hale,  Hugh. 
Hayes,  James. 
Hayes,  Robert. 
Hayes,  William. 
Ileniphill,  James. 
Heninglou,  James. 
Hicks,  John. 
Humes,  Archibald. 
Hunt,  Joseph. 
Jackson,  John. 
Johnston,  Archibald. 
King,  Robert. 
Leach,  Matthew. 
Limber,  Thomas. 
Limber,  Richard. 
Lindsay,  Mungo. 


el,  P. 


Lou 


,  Hu 


Louge,  Thomas. 
Loughery,  James. 
Lusk,  D.avid. 
McClosky,  James. 
McClosky,  Joseph,  Sr. 


McClosky,  Joseph,  Jr. 

McCh.sky,  Felix. 

McCoiinel,  John. 

McDowell,  James 

McDowell,  Robert. 

McFaddin,  John. 

McFaddin,  William. 

McGill,  Arthur, 

McKee,  David. 

McKibben,  Jo'ieph. 

McKibben,  William. 

Mahon,  William. 

Mentor,  Thomas. 

Miller,  William. 

Mocker,  William. 

Moore,  William. 

Motz,  Jacob, 

Murdoch,  Alexander. 

Murray,  James. 

Murray,  William. 

Phips,  Samuel. 

Potter,  Andrew. 

Quay,  Archibald. 

Reed,  John. 

Reed,  William. 

Reed,  Casper. 

Rickey,  John. 

Rickey,  Joseph, 

Ritche.v,  Thomas. 

Richard,  Frederick  (two  mill;'). 

Roland,  William. 

Siiowden,  Tbeodorns. 

Starr,  John. 

Sterling,  John,  Sr. 

Sterling,  John,  Jr. 

Stoner,  Henry. 

Sutton,  Lewis. 

Taylor,  John. 

Thompson,  William. 

Vance,  George. 

Vincent,  Peter. 

Wittiiiger,  Bernard. 

Whitman,  Jacob. 

Williams,  Amos. 

Youst,  John. 


Bald  Eagle  single  men  in  1793  : 


Andrews,  Robert. 
Campbell,  William 
Carr,  George. 
Carr,  Giifflth. 
Doctor,  Leonard. 
Donnel,  Henry. 
Evans,  Abner. 


,  Join 


Fleming,  David. 
Wall,  Hugh. 
Herrington,  Daniel. 


Hunt,  Benjamin. 
Limber,  John. 
Limber,  Thomas. 
Quay,  John. 
Richards,  Frederick. 
Richey,  Thomas. 
Sterling,  James. 
Warren,  Thomas. 
Williams,  Wallace. 
Winters,  Ellas. 
Wittinger,  Thomas. 


Pine  Creek  additional  residents  in  1793 : 


Barr,John. 
Boysel,  Daniel. 
Bridgens,  Robert. 
Buckley,  John. 
Cl.ark,  William. 
Cole,  John. 
Cryder,  William. 
Dale,  Joshua. 
Foutz,  John. 


Fotz 


,  Join 


Holdeu,  Jacob. 


Irvin,  Christopher. 

Lowery,  James. 

Lytle,  Edward. 

McCrea,  Thomas. 

Shover,  Frederick. 

Shirk,  Joseph. 

Tomb,  Jacob  (lately  come  to  the 

setllemeiit). 
Updegraff,  Marlin. 
Wilcox,  Jos. 
M'ilson,  Robert. 


Additional    resident    tax-payers    in    Bald     ,„qe 
Eagle  township  : 


PINE   CRP:EK  assessment,  1799— geological  and   TOI'OGHAPIIICAL.         481 


Davis,  Branson 
Delung,  .lulin. 
Dunalil9<in,  Jiill 
yriie,  Jml. 


Stcpliens,  Liiko. 
SlL-wnit,  Ardiibnld. 
SlewHit,  Tiioniiis. 
WiUuii.Sanuiel. 


Lii 


I'lih. 


Simjle  Frecit 


ASSESSMENT   OF   PINE   CUEElv   TOWNSHIP    FOR  1709. 

Amlnws,  Ililgli,  liousc  nn.l  lot. 

Alilcy,  Anclii'W,  tlireo  liiiM.lreJ  acres;  saw-mill. 

BailJ,  William,  nrty  acres. 

Baiiil,  Zl-LuIoh,  foity  acres. 

Baker.  Joliii.  one  Unndred  and  tliirly-one  acres. 

BucUley,  .Tohnston,  two  hundred  acres. 

Black,  William. 

llnird,  Ren.jan)in,  fifty  acres. 

Beam,  Lewis,  skin-dresser. 


Boh 


,  Jan 


Burns,  Tljom:is. 
Barrett,  James. 
Bcrryhill,  William,  di^liller. 

Barni'lt,  .Iose|)li,  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  acres. 
Cook,  William,  three  hundred  acres. 
Conawaj,  John,  one  hundred  acres. 
Challiam,  William. 

Ohatham,  ,Iohn,  three  hundred  acres;  grist-  and  saw-uiill. 
Crawford,  Uobert,si.\ty  acres;  tannery;  tanner. 
Crawforil,  James,  one  hundred  acres. 
Cais-'ii,  John,  one  hnndred  and  fifty  acres. 
Custard,  William,  thirty-three  acres;  blacksmith. 
Custard,  Al'iaham. 
Dunn,  William  J.,  forty  acres. 
Dale,  Spiniuel,  Esq.,  one  hundred  and  forty  acres. 
Dunn,  William,  four  hundred  and  sixty  acres  ;  still-house  (one  slave). 
Dunn,  John,  fifty  acres;  taveru-keelier. 
Dunn,  James. 

De  Fnince,  Charles,  two  hundred  and  eighty  acres;  stillhouso  and 
aiv-mill. 
Duncan,  Stephen,  three  hundred  acres;  store-keeper. 
J'razer,  lluj;li. 

Ferry,  Franci.<,  five  acres  ;  store-keeper. 
Fullon,  Henry,  three  hundred  acres. 
Ferron,  Joseph,  one  bundled  acres. 
Gardner,  Cornelius. 
Grove,  Peter. 

Gamble,  J.jhn,  two  hundred  acres. 
Gamble,  BLiry,  two  hundred  and  fifty  acres. 
Gallagher,  William,  four  hundred  anil  thirty-five  .-icros. 
Gallagher,  Thomas,  one  hnndred  and  sixty  acres. 
Hanua,  David,  two  hundred  and  eighty  acres. 
Hanna,John. 

Hill,  Frederick,  shoemaker. 
Uaniilton,  Sampson,  forty  acres;  carpenter. 
Hamilton,  Robert,  ninety  acres. 
Hamilton,  John,  sevcnty-tivc  acres. 
Iticks,  Edwald,  cooper. 
Irwin,  J.imes,  two  hundred  and  eighty  acres. 
Isluirwood,  Fiancis,  one  hundred  acies. 
Jackson,  William,  seventy-five  acres. 
Jackson,  John,  seventy-live  acres. 
Johnston,  Alexander. 

Kerr,  Andrew,  two  hundred  and  forty  .acres. 
Kno.\,John. 

Knight,  Jonathan,  one  hundred  and  fifty  acies. 
Lea,  Zaechens,  three  hundred  acrc.'i;  weaver. 
Montgomery,  William,  three  hundred  acres. 
McNanl,  John,  weaver. 

McKiuney,  John,  one  liundred  and  fifty  acres  ;  tavern-keeper. 
McCormick,  John,  two  Iruudrcd  and  twenty  acres. 
Myers,  Jacob,  Jr.,  shoemaker. 
Mann,  William,  weaver. 

Myers,  Jacob,  Sr.,  three  hundred  acres;  shoemaker. 
Mason,  James. 
McAdanis,  James. 
Masters,  Edward,  sixty-five  acres. 
31 


McFadden,  Samuel. 

Myers,  Philip. 

SIorris<ni,  William, seventy-five  acres. 

Montgomery,  William,  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres. 

Myers,  Mailin. 

Morrison,  James,  one  hundred  acres 

McGiiiley,  John,  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres. 

Oliver,  Stephen. 

Proctor,  Frincis,  two  hundred  and  fifty  acres. 

Pisel,  Mary. 

Price,  John,  fifty  acres. 

Porter,  William,  fifty  acres. 

Porter,  Moses. 

n..eil,  James,  one  hun.lrod  acres. 

Reed,  William,  two  hundred  acres. 

Ross,  Jacob. 

Richards,  Jane,  three  hundred  acres. 

Saltsman,  George,  sixty-five  acres. 

Smith,  James,  three  hnndred  and  fifteen  acres  (one  slave). 

Shaffer,  Frederick,  t.iilor. 

Slurgis,  Amos,  forty  acres. 

Shaw,  Robert. 

.Simmons,  Samuel,  one  hnndred  and  seventy  acres;  batter. 

Strain,  R.d.ert,  saddler. 

Shade,  Sebastian,  seven  acres. 

Tomb,  Jacob,  Jr.,  four  hundred  acres;  saw-mill. 

Welch,  Jeriard. 

Walker,  Adam. 

Woodard.  Willi  ini,  three  hundreil  .acres. 

Wihon,  Robert,  one  hundred  ami  twenty-fmir  acre". 

White,  Hugh,  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres;  mercbant-mill. 

Walker,  Jonathan,  twenty  acres. 

Walker  &  Hamlin,  four  hundred  acres;  i.aw-mill. 

Robert  Hamilton  was  the   assessor   for   the  year 
1799. 

POPUtiATION    I\    ISOO. 

White.        Cob.red.  Slaves.  T..lal. 

Pine  Creek IS-i               24                  .i  711 

Nijipenose  :5l,7                :tn                    B  41-2 

Bald  Eagle  (iUJ                W                    1  li'JS 


CHAPTER  XCVIL 

GEOLOGICAL   AND   TOPOGRAPHICAL. 

In  the  territory  now  before  ns  ne.irly  all  tlie  forma- 
tions occur  on  a  very  extended  scale.  Indeed,  this 
region,  and  its  extension  southward  through  Blair 
and  Huntingdon  Counties,  presents  with  all  the  three 
lower  paleozoic  series — the  auroral,  malinal,  and 
Levant — in  greater  thickne-'s  and  diversity  of  com- 
position, and  in  more  satisfactory  exposures,  than  any 
other  quarter  of  Pennsylvania. 

The  Auroral  and  Matinal  Rocks  undergo  no 
material  changes  within  tlic  limits  of  the  counties  we 
are  considering,  nor,  indeed,  is  there  any  very  es.sen- 
tial  in  their  composition  or  dimensions  when  they 
are  compared  with  the  same  formations  exposed  to 
the  Great  Kittatinny  valley.  Consisting  for  the  most 
part  of  oceanic  precipitates,  we  ought  not  to  look  for 
any  very  marked  differences  within  a  space  which, 
after  all,  constitutes  so  small  a  p;irt  of  the  vtist  area 
over  which  those  deposits  are  spread.  As  might  be 
anticipated,  the  coarser  rocks  of  mechanical  origin — • 
the   matinal  slates — exhibit  the  greatest  amount  of 


482 


HISTORY   OF  CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


apparent  cliange  as  we  trace  them  towards  the  north- 
west, as  this  district  is  tlie  only  portion  of  Tenr.- 
sylviinia  where  all  the  strata  of  the  auroral  and  mat- 
inal  series  are  clearly  presented  for  study,  undisguised 
by  that  excessive  amount  of  folding  and  cross-cleav- 
age which  so  obscure  their  order  of  superposition, 
and  their  fossils,  in  the  Kittatinny  valley. 

As  our  space  is  limited,  we  sliall  not  enter  into  a 
general  description  of  the  several  formations  as  they 
occur  here;  but  endeavor  to  give  somewhat  of  an  in- 
telligent outline  of  the  geological  formation  of  a  por- 
tion at  least  of  the  two  counties. 

The  Auroral  Magnesian  Limestone  is  the  lowest 
exposed  formation  in  this  region  ;  occupies  by  far  the 
greater  part  of  the  surface  of  all  the  principal  val- 
leys, extending  from  the  anticlinal  axis  in  Kishaco- 
quillas,  Nittany,  and  the  other  valleys  to  within  a  few 
hundred  yards  of  the  base  of  the  encircling  ridges. 
It  is  a  formation  of  amazing  thickness,  though  the 
whole  mass  lias  not  been  measured. 

The  underlying  primal  rocks  not  appearing  along 
any  of  the  anticlinal  belts,  we  remain  uncertain  as  to 
how  much  of  the  magnesian  limestone  lies  beneath 
the  lowest  outcrop  upon  each  axis.  Judging  from 
the  external  signs  of  the  presence  of  extensive  sub- 
terranean caves  in  these  situations,  the  unexposed 
thickness  of  the  rock  is  probably  many  hundred  feet. 
The  line  along  which  the  formation  has  been  most 
fully  brought  to  tlie  day  is  the  great  anticlinal  belt 
of  Nittany  valley  and  Morrison's  Cove. 

In  Nittany  valley  the  auroral  magnesian  limestone 
consists,  as  usual,  of  an  alternation  of  thick  bodies 
of  two  principal  varieties  of  magnesian  limestone. 
One  of  these  is  a  rock  of  a  rather  dark,  dull-gray  as- 
pect, and  a  crystalline  or  granular  internal  structure. 
Its  weathered  surface  is  jieculiarly  harsh  and  sandy 
to  the  touch,  not  so  much  from  the  presence  of  sili- 
cious  sand  as  from  the  disintegration  of  the  minute 
crystals  which  compose  it.  This  variety  is  decidedly 
ferruginous  iron,  in  the  condition  probably  of  a  car- 
bonate, existing  in  it  very  usually,  and  manifesting 
itself  in  the  ochreous  soil  which  very  generally  over- 
lies the  rock.  To  this  portion  of  the  limestone  is 
traced  much  of  the  iron  ore  of  these  great  calcareous 
valleys. 

The  other  portion  of  the  formation  is  a  remarkably 
smooth  and  finer-grained  rock  of  a  very  pale  blue, 
or  rather  of  the  tint  called  French  gray.  It  is  very 
uniform  in  its  texture,  and  consists  apparently  of  ex- 
cessively comminuted  particles  that  have  cohered 
into  rock  from  the  condition  of  an  impalpably  fine 
pulp.  It  is  highly  magnesian,  the  weathered  surfaces 
being  coated  with  a  white  crust  composed  of  car- 
bonate of  magnesia  and  lime.  Some  of  the  beds 
contain  numerous  small  white  knots  of  crystallized 
dolomite,  another  proof  of  the  abundance  of  the  car- 
bonate of  magnesia  in  its  composition. 

Besides  these  two  varieties,  there  alternate  with 
them  in  the  upper  part  of  the  formation  some  thin- 


ner masses  of  a  non-magnesian  limestone  of  a  clear 
and  rather  dull-blue  color.  Of  the  two  chief  rocks 
described,  the  darker  and  more  crystalline  sort  con- 
stitutes much  the  largest  portion  of  the  whole  forma- 
tion, predominating  greatly  in  the  middle  and  lower 
strata. 

The  total  thickness  of  the  formation  visible  in  the 
Nittany  valley,  in  the  vicinity  of  Bellefonte,  consid- 
erably exceeds  five  thousand  feet. 

A  careful  examination  discloses  the  following  sub- 
divisions in  .ascending  order: 


(.,)  Gray  cryshil 
slill   l.iw.i-  ! 

(10   l'''iil-M'i.    II 


-Nox-FoSSILlFEnOUS  roRTION. 

Siios'an  limestone,  wliicli,  tliougli  expos- 
ix  lniii(lri-d  Ici-t,  is  evi.lfiilly  thklicr,  tlie 
n-iin-r  lilt*  iixis  being  badly  exposed  fur 


K,   A1..M..III..II 

,r  iUKill, 

II.'.  fine  giiiin 

d,  and  dark  Kiaj 

ciystal- 

(/)  LiKlit-bliu-  1 

(1,)  AlfnMtb.n 

unigiiesMU 

Thickness.. 

iKMe^i>ln    lime 
eeuus  blue  lini 

tune;  m.  f..^>ilB  . 

olalTme 

Sf.coxd.— FossiLiFERors  Division  (Black  Eivcr  gionp  of  New  York). 

(/;)  Bine  ntasive,  and  tliin-bedded  limestone;  some  layers  speckled 
with  spar  and  filbd  villi  lii.les  eansed  bv  the  removal  of  a 
ci.ial  ;  lias  many  of  tlie  fossils  of  Ilie  fiinnaliiMi 4O0 

(A  Li"liler  bhie,  tine-craiiied  roek,  idenlieal  in  lextiiio  w  ilh  tlie 
•■liird's-eve"  liuieslui.e  of  tlie  Mohawk,  Cvlberina,  and  other 
f^,^siN....; 15t 

(j)  Uliissive  fine-Kiained  blue  roek:  weathers  in  holes  IVom  an  ob- 


al 

(l)  Thin-bedded  ene 


aland  coralline  rock. 


Organic  remains  in  this  prodigiously  expanded 
portion  of  the  auroral  series  are  extremely  rare,  and 
better-defined  forms  are  all  restricted  to  the  upper 
half  of  the  mass.  The  most  distinctive  form  is  a 
cor.iUine  of  obscure  structure,  which  abounds  in  some 
of  the  finer-grained  strata,  imparting  to  the  more 
weather-eaten  surfaces  a  pitted  structure  resembling 
worm-holes.  Two  or  three  univalve  shells  h.ave 
likewise  been  met  with,  many  hundred  feet  below  the 
highest  beds  of  the  formation.  These,  which  are 
chiefly  specimens  of  Pkurolomaria,  being  abundant 
in  the  next  superior  subdivision  of  the  formation, 
serve  sufficiently  to  lie  together  the  upper  and  lower 
members  of  the  mass.  At  the  same  time,  the  abrupt 
appearance  of  a  great  variety  of  genera  for  the  first 
time,  as  we  ascend  above  the  horizon  of  the  non-fos- 
siliferous  division,  and  the  striking  and  permanent 
change  of  lithological  and  chemical  characters  in  the 
rocks,  are  ample  reasons  for  subdividing  this  enor- 
mous mass  of  strata.  The  transition  from  the  almost 
non-fossiliferous  portion  of  the  magnesian  limestone 
to  the  overlying  fossiliferous  rock  is  well  seen  in  the 
bank  of  the  Bald  Eagle  Cantvl,  about  half  a  mile  from 
the  town  of  Bellefonte,  and  also  in  Kishacoquillas 
valley,  near  the  head  of  the  dam  at  Brown's  Mills. 

Matinal  Limestone  (Trenton  limestone  of  New 
York). — This  muss,  while  it  demands  insulation  from 
the  other,  or  auroral  limestone,  in  consideration  of 
its  organic  remains,  is  yet  not  very  clearly  separable 


REGION   OF   THE   SEVEN    MOUNTAINS. 


4S3 


in  these  counties.  It  is  not  practicable  to  discover  a 
sliarp  line  of  division  between  the  two  groups,  either 
by  the  fossils  which  respectively  characterize  them 
or  by  tlieir  lithological  features,  and  to  attempt  arbi- 
trarily to  fix  their  limits  would  therefore  be  worse 
than  idle.  This  rock,  which  is  certainly  the  typical 
deposit  of  the  formation,  alternates  throughout  with 
light  blue  and  gray  thin-bedded,  very  fossiliferous 
layers,  and  in  the  middle  and  liigher  portions  con- 
tains some  thin  seams  of  dark  blue  shale.  The  entire 
formation  measures  in  Kishacoquillas  valley  about 
five  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  and  in  Nittany  and  Nip- 
penose  valleys  from  three  hundred  to  four  hundred 
feet.  In  some  places  the  passage  from  limestone  to 
the  overlying  matinal  black  slate  is  very  abrupt,  but 
in  Penn's  and  Nittany  valleys  it  is  less  so,  and  in 
Nippenose  it  is,  indeed,  rather  gradual. 

Matinal  Shales  (Hudson  River  slate). — Through- 
out this  entire  region  this  uppermost  of  the  matinal 
formations  maintains  its  prevailing  Northern  type, 
consisting  of  blue  and  greenish-gray  shale,  alternat- 
ing with  gray,  calcareous,  and  argillaceous  sandstone 
in  their  beds,  in  which  are  characteristic  fos- 
sils. The  sandstone  layers  grow  progressively  more 
abundant  as  we  ascend  in  the  formation.  It  is 
worthy  of  remark  that  high  in  the  mass  we  find, 
among  many  fossils  restricted  to  this  formation,  quite 
a  number  of  species  which  are  common  in  the  mat- 
inal limestone,  and  which  elsewhere  are  even  charac- 
teristic of  that  rock.  These  species,  therefore,  after 
having  vanished  for  a  time  from  this  part  of  the  bed 
of  the  ancient  ocean,  which  was  in  possession  of  the 
races  contemporaneous  with  the  black  slate  deposits, 
reappeared,  and  rapidly  multiplied  as  soon  as  the 
period  of  that  sediment  was  over. 

Levant  Gray  Sandstone.— This  formation  in 
the  Bald  Eagle  Mountain,  near  Bellefonte,  includes 
two  somewhat  different  rocks.  The  lower  of  these 
is  the  characteristic  bard  gray  sandstone  with 
yellow  specks.  This  lias  a  thickness  of  about  one 
hundred  and  seventy  feet,  and  from  its  superior 
hardness,  compared  with  the  adjoining  strata,  is  the 
rock  which  forms  the  edge  of  the  bench  or  terrace 
in  the  Bald  Eagle  and  .other  similar  ridges  enclos- 
ing the  limestone  valleys.  The  upper  member  is 
a  rather  more  argillaceous  rock,  being  a  greenish 
and  gray,  slightly  micaceous  sandstone,  marked 
like  the  other  with  ochreous  yellow  specks.  Be- 
tween some  of  the  beds  are  thin  layers  of  fissile 
yellow  slate.  This  part  of  the  formation  is  about 
three  hundred  and  eighty  feet  thick.  The  total 
tliickness  of  the  Levant  gray  sandstone  along  this 
line  is  thus  about  five  hundred  and^  fifty  feet.  It 
would  seem,  therefore,  to  augment  in  thickness  as  it 
crosses  the  region  towards  the  nortliwcst.  It  con- 
tains no  fossils  except  the  marine  plants  commonly 
called  fuQoids,  and  but  very  few  of  those. 

Levant  Red  Sandstone.— In  the  Bald  Eagle 
Mountain,  its  most  northwestern  outcrop,  the  Levant 


red  sandstone  consists  exclusively  of  thin-bedded 
gray  and  red  argillaceous  sandstone,  alternating  willi 
about  one-fourth  of  its  amount  of  red,  gray,  and 
greenish  shale.  It  imbeds  few  or  no  pebbles,  and  is 
not  associated  with  any  conglomeritic  strata,  such 
as  underlie  it  in  the  ridges  farther  to  the  southeast. 
It  is  to  be  considered,  therefore,  as  the  extension  of 
the  upper  member  only  of  tlie  formation.  A  verti- 
cally-placed stem-like  fossil,  resembling  an  irregular 
scolUhus,  is  the  only  organic  form  discoverable  in 
this  rock.  The  total  thickness  of  the  formation  in 
the  Bald  Eagle  Mountain,  at  Bellefonte,  is  five  liun- 
drcd  feet.  Thus  we  see  that  its  dimensions  grow 
less  in  crossing  the  district  northwest,  chiefly  by  the 
thinning  out  of  its  lower  conglomerate  division, 
and  as  the  resistance  which  that  massive  rock 
opposed  to  the  water  is  one  principal  cause  of  the 
prominency  of  the  terraces  in  Kishacoquillas  valley, 
so  its  absence  farther  northwest  is  manifestly  con- 
nected with  the  inferior  distinctness  of  tliis  feature 
in  the  Nittany  and  Bald  Eagle  ridges. 

Levant  White  Sandstone. — In  the  region  before 
us  this  well-characterized  rock  experiences,  perhaps, 
less  variation  in  its  composition  and  thickness  than 
any  other  of  the  formations.  With  the  exception  of 
its  terminating  layers,  it  consists  of  massive  beds  of 
hard  white  and  greenish  silicious  sandstone.  It  is 
firm-grained  and  more  compact  and  homogeneous 
rock  than  the  Levant  gray  sandstone,  and  contains 
few  or  no  pebbles,  such  as  impart  to  some  portions  of 
it  the  structure  of  a  silicious  conglomerate.  The  up- 
permost beds  very  generally  constitute  a  well-defined 
subordinate  group  of  alternating  sandstones  and  ar- 
gillaceous slates,  the  sandstones  being  hard,  thin- 
bedded,  and  mottled  red  and  gray,  and  often  covered 
with  a  network  of  the  impressions  of  obscure  marine 
plants,  especially  the  Arlhophi/cus  Haslani,  the  slates 
being  soft  and  greenish,  and  destitute  of  organic  re- 
mains. The  main  body  of  formation  is  a  massive, 
fine-grained,  bard,  white  and  gray  sandstone,  some- 
times yellowish,  and  thinly  specked  with  ferruginous 
spots.  The  usual  thickness  of  the  whole  formation  is 
between  four  hundred  and  five  hundred  feet,  the  up- 
per complex  division  measuring  only  thirty  or  forty 
feet.  The  great  hardness  of  the  mass  has  placed  it 
in  the  crests  of  all  the  monoclinal  mountains  of  this 
district,  and  preserved  it  in  the  synclinal  plateaus, 
where  it  forms  very  lofty  summits,  surrounded  by  ter- 
races of  the  Levant  red  sandstone. 


CHAPTER    XCVIIL 

REGION'    OF    THE    SEVE.V    MOCXTAIX.'^. 

Several  parallel  ridges  of  the  outcropping  Le- 
vant white  and  gray  sandstone  formation,  forming 
together  an  elevated  table-land  of  complicated  topo- 
graphical structure,  separate  the  limestone  valley  of 


484 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  Kishacoquillas  on  the  southeast  from  the  limestone 
valley  of  I'ine  Creek  on  the  northwest.  It  is  the 
shallowed  portion  of  thatgreat  geological  hasin  which 
deepens  eastward  through  Buffalo  valley,  and  finally, 
far  to  the  east,  receives  the  Wyoming  coal-basin. 
Westward  it  deepens  still  more  rapidly  through  Stone 
valley,  until  it  holds  the  coal-measures  of  the  Broad 
Top  Basin.  Where  the  Lewistown  and  Bellefonte 
turnpike  crosses  these  ridges  they  number  seven.  The 
relations  they  bear  to  each  other  and  to  tlie  two  chief 
anticlinal  flexures  that  longitudinally  traverse  the 
general  basin  here  will  be  apparent  when  the  geo- 
logical map  is  consulted. 

Four  of  the  depressions  or  valleys  between  these 
ridges  will  be  seen  to  contain  rocks  of  the  Levant  red 
sandstone  formation.  A  broad  and  gentle  anticlinal 
flexure  brings  up  material  slates  between  the  fifth  and 
sixth  ridges,  while  the  Surgent  slate  and  shale  groups 
lie  synclinally  between  the  second  and  third.  Here, 
then,  close  by  the  south  margin  of  this  district,  runs 
the  deepest  line  or  true  cynclinal  axis  of  the  whole 
geological  basin  considered  as  one,  the  rocks  on  the 
south  side  of  this  central  line — that  is,  those  com- 
jiosing  the  mountain  overlooking  Christman's  valley 
and  the  one  next  north  of  it — being  not  only  steeply 
inclined,  but  overthrown.  This  same  feature  will 
hereafter  be  found  prominent  in  the  basin  when  ex- 
amined in  the  valley.  In  traversing  the  mountains 
near  the  line  of  our  section,  tlie  turnpike  winds  round 
the  end  of  the  third  mountain,  keeping  upon  the  red 
sandstone  formation. 

Traced  east  from  the  turnpike  the  first  mountain 
is  the  terrace  that  encircles  and  fills  the  upper  por-  | 
tion  of  Christman's  valley.     The  second  and  tliird 
mountains  include  a  deep,  narrow,  folded,  synclinal 
valley  of  higher  surgent  slates  and  shales  and  other 
sr)ft  rocks,  which,  by  the  shallowing  and  unfolding 
of  the  synclinal  trough,  come  gently  to  a  head,  the  i 
two  rhountains  forming  but  one,  which  is  broad  and  I 
level  on  its  surface,  and  still  of  synclinal  structure.      ' 

The  synclinal  of  this  broad  mountain-top  deepens 
again,  however,  as  we  continue  east,  and  two  moun- 
tains, almost  imperceptibly  diverging  east,  result  as 
before,  the  one  on  the  south  forming  the  north  side 
of  Christman's  valley,  and  uniting  with  the  prolonged 
ridge  of  the  Stewart's  Knob  Mountain,  and  ending  in 
White  Mountain,  the  other  running  forward  as  the  { 
north  barrier  of  the  upper  end  of  Buffalo  valley,  and 
called  Paddy's  Mountain. 

The  small  anticlinal  between  the  third  and  fourth  j 
mountains  may  possibly  expire  in  the  general  high  i 
land  into  which  the  third  mountain  flattens  out  at 
the  head  of  Po  valley,  or,  more  probably,  it  suddenly 
increases  in  size,  and  becomes  the  anticlinal  of  that 
valley,  passing  out  from  its  head  through  the  end  of  I 
Paddy's  Mountain.     On  this  latter  supposition  the  I 
anticlinal   between  the   fifth   and   sixtli    mountains  { 
gradually  declines,  and  disappears  by  the  side  of  the 
other,  and  on  the  north  side  of  the  Po  valley,  long  I 


before  reaching  the  meridian  of  the  end  of  Big  Moun- 
tain. The  synclinal  valley  between  the  sixth  and 
seventh  mountains  continues  for  fourteen  miles  with 
great  regularity,  deepening  to  the  east,  and  then  re- 
ceives upon  its  included  formation  of  Levant  red  sand- 
stone the  synclinal  mass  of  white  Levant  sandstone  that 
forms  the  Big  Mountain.  This,  traced  east,  is  parted 
into  two  mountains  by  one  of  the  surgent  slate  and 
shale  valleys  that  run  up  from  Buffalo  valley,  the 
southern  mountain  helping  to  form  Paddy's  Moun- 
tain, while  the  northern — througli  which  are  the 
Seven-Mile  Narrows — goes  to  form  Brush  Mountain  ; 
this  omits  the  anticlinal  of  Penn's  valley,  and  returns 
to  form  the  adjacent  mountain. 

The  rocks  of  the  first  and  second  mountains  are 
overthrown,  and  dip  south  at  the  turnpike  line  of 
section.  When  traced  west  they  are  seen  to  be 
broken  by  a  transverse  north-and-soutli-running 
fault,  on  the  east  side  of  which  the  strata  dip  fifty  de- 
grees to  the  southeast,  being  folded  under  backwards 
by  pressing  against  the  more  upright  edges  of  their 
equivalents  composing  the  west  wall  of  the  fault. 
Beyond  the  fault  the  two  mountains  unite  with 
Baird's  Knob  terrace  and  Stone  Mountain  in  a  bold 
anticlinal,  projected  into  Stone  valley,  and  called 
Broad  Mountain.  The  third  and  fourth  mountains 
unite  west  in  a  similar  anticlinal  knob  and  spur,  pro- 
jected into  the  extreme  head  of  Stone  Mountain. 
They  are  unaffected  by  the  fault.  The  fifth  and  sixth 
mountains  also  unite,  and  thus  head  in  the  anti- 
clinal valley  of  matinal  slates  seen  in  the  turnpike 
section.  Outside  of  their  union  the  north  arm  of  tlie 
fourth  mountain,  which,  being  synclinal,  separates 
west  into  two,  unites  with  the  south  arm  of  a  similar 
synclinal  mountain,  which,  originating  between  the 
sixth  and  seventh  mountains  a  few  miles  west  of  the 
turnpike,  separates  west  in  like  manner  iuto  two. 
The  north  one  of  these  becomes  Bear  Meadows,  and 
afterwards  Tussey's  Mountain,  and  the  south  unites, 
as  was  just  said,  with  the  northern  end  of  the  fourth 
mountain  in  a  third  spur  projected  into  Stone 
valley. 

Seven  Mountains. — Tlie  Seven  Mountains  and 
Tussey's  Mountain,  as  their  continuation  towards  the 
southwest,  form  the  south  barrier  of  the  great  anti- 
clinal auroral  and  matinal  region,  of  which  the 
Bald  Eagle  Mountain  is  the  north  barrier,  and  which, 
subdividing  east  into  George's,  Penn's  Creek,  Brush, 
and  Nittaiiy  valleys,  is  headed  up  in  that  direction, 
and  walled  in  from  the  great  plain  of  the  Susque- 
hanna River  by  the  complicated  foldings  of  the 
Levant  sandstones  known  as  the  Buffalo  Mountains. 
These  may  be  considered  as  the  northeast  prolong- 
ation of  the  Seven  Mountains,  which  they  serve  to 
connect  with  the  Bald  Eagle  range. 


REGION   OF   NITTANY   AND   BALD  EAGLE   MOUNTAINS. 


485 


CHAPTER    XCIX. 

NITTANY   AND    BALD    EAQLE    MOUNTAINS. 

A  GLANCE  at  the  map,  better  than  any  descrip- 
tion, will  show  the  exact  concordance  between  the 
structure  of  the  mountains  here  and  those  which  pro- 
ject into  Kishacoquillas  valley. 

The  same  resemblance  to  the  keel  of  an  upturned 
boat  marks  the  long  ridges  of  white  sandstone  upon 
the  Short,  Brush,  and  Nittany  Mountain  terraces, 
and  constitute  an  analogy  between  these  and  Big 
Mountain. 

Short  Mountain  is  a  synclinal  triple  ridge  that 
rises  from  the  floor  of  Penn's  valley,  five  miles  east 
of  Aaronsburg.  It  has  the  long  anticlinal  vale  of 
Penn's  Creek  Narrows  on  the  south  between  it  and 
the  Sfven  Mountains,  and  the  narrow  Penn's  valley 
head  on  the  north  between  it  and  Brush  Mountain  ; 
its  north  terrace,  and  the  parting  of  its  central  ridge 
or  keel  eastwardly,  notched  deeply  by  denudation,  as 
seen  from  Brush  Mountain  summit. 

Brush  Mountain  is  similar  to  Short  Mountain  in 
structure  and  appearance,  being  a  long,  straight,  syn- 
clinal ridge  of  Levant  white  sandstone,  supported 
by  matinal  slates.  It  separates  Penn's  valley  from 
Brush  valley.  While  the  end  of  the  uppermost  ridge 
or  keel  is  opposite  Aaronsburg,  the  terrace  runs  on, 
broken  only  by  Elk  Creek,  at  Millheira,  in  a  double 
line  of  high  and  rugged  hills  as  far  southwest  as  op- 
posite the  east  end  of  Egg  Hill,  and  between  the 
two  lies  a  high  and  narrow  vale  of  Levant  red  sand- 
stone rocks.  Two  miles  from  its  southwest  end  the 
Terrace  Mountain  is  traversed  by  a  cross  ravine,  at 
which  its  division  into  two  mountains  seems  to  com- 
mence. East  of  Elk  Creek  Narrows  the  central 
mountain  is  not  affected  by  the  gorges  that  cut  the 
lateral  terrace-ridges.  The  north  terrace-ridge  at- 
tains, six  miles  from  Rebersburg,  such  an  altitude  as 
to  hide  the  central  keel  behind  it.  The  union  of  the 
south  terrace-ridge  of  Brush  Mountain  with  the  north 
terrace-ridge  of  Short  Mountain,  at  the  head  of  Pine 
Creek  Narrows,  forms  a  high  knob.  The  north  ridge 
of  Brush  Mountain  effects  a  similar  junction  with  the 
south  terrace  of  South  Nittany  Mountain,  and  closes 
up  Brush  Valley  Narrows.  The  central  mountain 
now  parts  into  two,  five  miles  east  of  Peterman's. 
The  north  member,  known  as  the  Notch  Mountain, 
sweeps  on  along  one  part  of  the  north  line  of  ButTalo 
valley,  and  forms  with  the  next  complementary  ridge 
to  the  north  the  long  declining  spur  by  which  the 
expiring  anticlinal  of  Brush  valley  issues,  running  on 
towards  New  Columbia,  on  the  Susquehanna  River. 

Plateau  of  Nittany  Mountain. — Between  Brush 
valley  and  Sugar  valley — which  differs  from  Brush 
valley  only  in  this  particular  :  that  it  is  headed  up  at 
both  ends  by  a  junction  of  its  anticlinal  walls — runs 
a  double  range  of  mountains,  composed  of  the  Levant 
gray  sandstone  formation,  supported  on  matinal  slates, 


the  high  trough  between  being  filled  with  red  sand- 
stone rocks.  This  double  range  of  mountains,  when 
traced  west,  becomes,  as  to  its  south  member  or  north- 
dipping  outcrop,  the  terrace  of  the  Nittany  Moun- 
tain, terminating  opposite  Boalsburg.  Its  north 
member  encircles  Sugar  valley  in  terrace  form.  It  is 
of  course  of  synclinal  structure,  ftexed  between  the 
continuous  anticlinal  of  Brush  valley  on  the  south 
and  the  anticlinal,  exposing  west,  of  Sugar  valley  on 
the  north.  Had  the  anticlinal  of  Sugar  valley  main- 
tained itself  west,  like  that  of  Brush  valley,  and  there- 
by opened  Sugar  valley  out  west  into  Nittany  valley, 
as  Brush  valley  opens  west  into  Penn's  valley,  this 
synclinal  terrace,  or  double  range  of  mountains  sepa- 
rating Brush  and  Sugar  valleys,  would  have  run  on 
west  without  material  alteration  of  form,  and  simply 
terminated  at  some  point  in  the  great  limestone  region 
determined  by  the  amount  of  resistance  its  line  af- 
forded to  the  universal  denudation,  as  the  Brush 
Mountain  does  near  Good  Spring.  But  by  the  anti- 
clinal of  Sugar  valley  exposing  west,  this  synclinal 
range  widens  and  deepens  for  a  space  in  this  direction, 
and  it  thereby  retains  a  remnant  of  Upper  Levant 
white  sandstone  rocks  in  the  normal  form  of  a  third, 
central,  higher,  keel-like  ridge, — the  true  Nittany 
Mountain.  This  central  synclinal  ridge,  rising  oppo- 
site Rebersburg,  soon  ceases,  and  while  the  southern 
(north-dipping)  crest  keeps  its  southwest  course, 
broken  by  gaps,  just  behind  the  terrace  of  Brush  val- 
ley, the  north  member  curves  round  the  end  of  Sugar 
valley,  back  of  its  terrace,  runs  along  its  north  border 
northeastward  as  a  north-dipping  monoclinal  ridge, 
as  far  as  one-half  the  length  of  Sugar  valley.  Be- 
hind its  terrace  it  sharply  recurves,  and  returns  along 
the  south  side  of  Nittany  valley,  back  of  its  terrace, 
and  finally,  in  unison  with  the  west  end  of  the  south 
member,  terminates  in  a  synclinal  central  ridge,  or 
keel,  at  the  Lewistown  and  Bellefonte  turnpike. 

Pheasant  Valley. — The  space  inclosed  by  this 
inner  mountain  of  Levant  white  sandstone  is,  with 
the  exception  of  a  few  gaps,  a  continuous  elevated 
valley  of  surgent  shales  and  slates,  called  Pheasant 
valley.  It  is  drained  by  streams  flowing  through  its 
north  barrier  into  Fishing  Creek.  Big  Fishing  Creek, 
which  flows  through  the  whole  length  of  Sugar  val- 
ley, makes  a  deep  traverse  of  the  north  synclinal 
portions  of  this  Pheasant  valley,  breaching  its  two 
outer  terraces  and  its  two  inner  crests. 

The  simple  synclinal  double  barrier  between  Brush 
and  Sugar  valle.vs,  when  traced  east,  receives,  by  the 
insertion  of  a  short  anticlinal  axis  from  the  east,  a 
complex  topographical  character.  Considered  as  a 
terrace,  it  divides  itself  into  two,  upon  each  one  of 
which  rises  a  central  ridge,  or  keel,  of  Levant  white 
sandstone.  Considered  as  a  double  synclinal  range 
of  mountains,  it  becomes  two  triple  synclinal  ranges 
of  mountains.  The  anticlinal  which  thus  parts  it 
forms  a  small,  narrow,  and  short  slate  valley,  with  a 
line  of  limestone  above  its  bed. 


486 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Like  Sugar  valley,  had  its  anticlinal  been  continued 
west,  it  would  have  opened  this  vale  out  into  Sugar 
valley.  As  it  is,  that  result  has  almost  been  attained. 
The  anticlinal  of  this  little  valley  expires  so  closely 
at  the  sontli  edge  of  Sugar  valley  that  tlie  barrier  ter- 
race is  almost  sundered  from  the  synclinal  between 
Brush  and  Sugar  valleys. 

The  central  keel  of  both  synclinal  sets  of  mountain 
— one  between  tlie  Little  valley  and  Sugar  valley  to 
the  soutli— terminates  in  bold  knobs  on  the  same 
meridian,  and  near  the  west  end  or  foot  of  the  Little 
valley. 

These  two  central  synclinal  crests,  or  keels,  sepa- 
rate; as  we  have  seen  Big  Mountain,  Short  Moun- 
tain, and  Brush  Mountain  recede,  and  from  their 
elevated  summits  descend  into  the  plain  of  the  Sus- 
quehanna two  additional  surgent  slate  and  shale  ra- 
vines, or  branch  valleys,  widening  into  Buffalo  valley. 
The  south  one  goes  out  between  the  declining  spur 
that  contains  the  Brush  valley  anticlinal  called  lo- 
cally the  Buffalo  Mountain,  and  that  which  has  the 
anticlinal  of  the  Little  valley,  just  described,  called 
locally  Nittany  Mountain. 

Little  Valley. — The  little  anticlinal  so  often  men- 
tioned as  lying  between  the  end  of  Sugar  valley  and 
the  head  of  Brush  valley  discloses  near  Grove's  Licks 
a  body  of  calcareous  niatinal  slates. 

Nittany  Mountain. — What  remains  to  be  noticed 
of  the  mountain  region  embracing  Pheasant  and  Su- 
gar valley  is  introduced  under  this  head,  because  the 
name  of  the  synclinal  keel-shaped  central  ridge  op- 
posite Bellefonte  not  only  extends  to  the  great  valley 
to  the  northwest  but  it  attaches  equally  to  the  quite 
distinct  range  along  the  north  side  of  Brush  valley. 
In  fact,  all  the  mountain-land  between  Brush  and 
Nittany  valleys  may  be  called  the  Nittany  Mountain, 
and  shut  within  it  are  Pheasant  and  Sugar  valleys. 

The  synclinal  termination  of  the  Levant  gray  sand- 
stone terrace  to  the  southwest  is  near  Centre  Furnace, 
eight  miles  south  of  Bellefonte.  Traced  east,  it  soon 
becomes  two  ridges,  with  an  elevated  red  sandstone 
vale  between  them.  A  gap  in  the  south  ridge  marks 
the  point  where  the  separation  begins.  At  the  turn- 
pike road  they  are  about  one  mile  asunder.  Here 
they  receive  between  them  the  central  ridge  or  keel  of 
Levant  gray  sandstone  rocks,  which  rises  to  twice  their 
height,  and  they  form  its  two  opposite  terraces. 

About  four  miles  east  of  the  turnpike  the  Central 
Nittany  Mountain  divides  to  enclose  Pheasant,  or 
"  Little  Sugar"  valley,  and  six  miles  east  of  this 
point  the  south  branch  makes  an  angle  with  the  east 
convex  wall  of  Pheasant  valley,  and  runs  on  a  little 
farther  east  until  swept  away,  opposite  Rebersburg.  . 
Anticlinal  Belt  between  Nittany  and  Nippe- 
nose  Valleys. — The  normal  inclination  of  the  rocks 
through  Nittany  and  Nippenose  valleys  is  anticlinal, 
but  this  anticlinal  line  is  not  geologically  horizontal, 
nor  even  of  one  regular  gentle  curve,  for  if  it  were 
no  reason  could  be  suggested  for  Nippenose  not  being 


continuous  with  Nittany  valley.  The  axis  of  flexure 
must  undulate  in  a  vertical  plane.  On  the  edge  of 
the  plateau  which  looks  down  upon  Nittany  valley  at 
its  head  the  dip  is  to  tl>e  east,  or  along  the  axis.  On 
the  other  side  of  the  same  plateau  the  dip  of  the 
rocks  at  the  southwest  end  of  Nippenose  valley  is 
also  along  the  axis,  but  in  the  opposite  direction,  and 
stronger, — fifteen  degrees  to  south  sixty  degrees  west. 
The  oval  form  of  these  valleys  would  have  been 
more  perfect  but  for  local  deflections  of  the  denuding 
currents  to  certain  points.  The  top  of  the  matinal 
series  just  reaches  the  surface  on  McElhattan  Run. 

Nittany  Valley  Anticlinal  Axis.— The  sinking 
and  flattening  down  of  the  great  Nittany  or  Muncy 
anticlinal  towards  the  east  is  well  shown  in  the  double 
ridge  of  the  Bald  Eagle  Mountain,  which  is  remark- 
ably regular,  and  free  from  interfering  flexures  or  off- 
sets, while  the  numerous  breaches  in  its  wall  reveal 
the  finest  sections.  In  the  southwest  its  strata  ex- 
hibit a  very  steep  inclination.  From  Birmingham  to 
Mill  Hall  the  dip  of  the  strata  is  often  vertical,  or 
even  overturned.  Of  course  both  the  main  north 
ridge  and  its  terrace  have  irregular  summit  lines ;  in- 
deed, the  latter  is  exceedingly  broken.  In  Fleming's 
Gap  the  anticlinal  has  so  flattened  as  to  allow  the  dip 
of  the  terrace  strata  to  be  but  thirty  degrees  and  that 
of  the  main  ridge  about  forty-five  degrees.  The 
latter,  therefore,  presents  an  appearance  very  differ- 
ent from  its  aspect  farther  west ;  its  crest  is  high  and 
very  even,  and  so  it  continues  past  Nippenose  valley. 
Nippenose,  or  the  Oval  Limestone  Valley.— This 
valley  is  about  eleven  miles  in  length,  north  seventy- 
eight  degrees  east,  and  three  and  a  half  in  breadth. 
Its  floor  of  auroral  limestone  extends  va  its  middle 
region  to  the  foot  of  the  mountain-wall  on  each  side; 
but  towards  its  ends  it  occupies  less  space,  because,  by 
a  necessary  law  of  denuding  action,  when  a  great 
anticlinal  flexure  declines  in  a  given  direction,  though 
it  retains  the  same  amount  of  wave  curvature,  yet, 
being  cut  down  to  a  higher  relative  level  in  the  wave, 
the  dips  at  the  surface  will  be  of  gentler  inclination, 
and  consequently  the  whole  outcrop  of  the  upper 
strata  broader.  Thus  at  Antis'  Gap  the  dip  is  thirty- 
five  degrees  north,  but  at  Love's  Gap  only  twelve  de- 
grees north  thirty  degrees  west;  at  Rattling  Run  Gap 
ten  degrees  south.  At  Antis'  Gap  the  limestone  comes 
quite  up  to  the  mountain,  into  the  very  side  of  which 
the  matinal  slates  ascend  two-thirds  its  height.  But 
at  Shaw's  Gap  the  fossiliferous  uppermost  layers  of 
the  matinal  limestone  occur  two  hundred  yards  east 
of  Mr.  Shaw's  house,  dip  five  degrees  south,  and  no 
limestone  can  be  found  any  nearer  the  mountain  op- 
posite Love's  Gap.  Limestone  has  been  opened  two 
miles  west  of  Shaw's,  and  within  one  mile  of  the  end 
of  the  valley.  At  Rattling  Run  Gap,  Mr.  Clark's 
house  is  very  near  the  highest  beds,  which  are  there- 
fore closer  to  the  mountain  at  this  than  at  the  west 
end  of  the  valley. 
Subterranean  caves  in  the  auroral  limestone  strata 


BRUSH  VALLEY. 


487 


must  be  numerous  and  extensive,  for  all  the  streams 
that  descend  from  the  mountains  around  sink  beneath 
the  surface  at  the  lower  margin  of  the  slate,  and  re- 
appear together  in  a  deep  blue  pool  of  water,  sur- 
rounded by  walls  of  the  limestone,  which  lies  within 
half  a  mile  of  Antis'  Gap,  through  which  the  whole 
drainai;e  of  the  valley  escapes  into  the  Susquehanna. 

Antis'  Gap. — Fossils  abound  in  the  matinal  black 
slate  in  Antis'  Gap.  The  slate  is  black,  weathering  a 
reddish  gray,  soft,  falling  into  pencil-shaped  frag- 
ments, and  interlaid  with  occasional  bands  of  slightly 
calcareous,  hard,  blue  sandstone,  which  multiply  on 
approaching  the  upper  limit  of  the  matinal  limestone 
formations. 

At  Bixler's  tavern,  in  the  eastern  end  of  the  valley, 
three  and  a  half  miles  from  Antis'  Gap,  there  is  a  so- 
called  "  marble  quarry,"  which  affords  a  hard,  solid, 
dark  blue  limestone,  variegated  by  thin  veins  and 
specks  of  yellow,  and  sometimes  white  spar,  and  sus- 
ceptible of  a  good  polish.  Its  dip  is  fifteen  degrees 
south  twenty  degrees  east.  The  same  rock  might  be 
traced  through  the  valley  near  its  centre  line.  It  ap- 
pears at  Epler's  Tavern,  a  mile  west  of  Bixler's,  on 
its  north  dip.  This  variety  of  limestone  is  not  unusual 
among  the  strata  of  Penn's  and  Nittany  valleys,  and 
something  like  it  occurs  in  the  Scalent  limestone 
group  outside  of  Antis'  Gap.  A  large  sink-hole  and 
cavern,  into  which  a  stream  of  water  dashes  and  dis- 
appears, may  be  seen  one  mile  south-southwest  of 
Bixler's. 

Sugar  Valley,  with  its  rich  limestone  floor,  averages 
one  and  a  half  miles  wide,  and  is  seventeen  or  eigh- 
teen miles  long.  The  limestone  extends  to  within 
three-fourths  of  a  mile  of  its  west  end,  and  as  far 
eastward  as  six  miles  beyond  Kleckuer's. 

On  the  road  from  Eebersburg  into  Sugar  Valley 
the  Levant  gray  sandstones  at  first  dip  forty-five  de- 
grees north  twenty-eight  degrees  west,  and  there,  in 
the  middle  of  the  synclinal,  we  find  the  complexly 
false-bedded  strata  of  the  argillaceous  (red)  sand- 
stone in  a  nearly  horizontal  position.  The  matinal 
slates,  on  entering  the  valley,  dip  forty-five  degrees 
south  thirty  degrees  east.  Pursuing  the  road  across 
the  valley  to  Washington  Gap,  the  limestone  strata 
incline  continually  less,  and  a  dip  is  perceived  length- 
wise of  the  anticlinal  as  the  latter  declines  westward. 
Before  making  the  saw-mill  the  dip  is  five  degrees 
south  forty  degrees  west.  At  the  saw-mill  it  is  fifteen 
degrees,  but  passing  the  axis  of  the  flexure  as  it  runs 
close  along  the  north  side  of  the  valley,  the  slate  and 
sandstone  in  the  gap  are  nearly  perpendicular,  and  a 
little  farther  on  overturned  to  seventy  degrees  south. 

Corresponding  with  this  position  of  the  anticlinal, 
the  curve  of  the  south  terrace  assumes  an  acute  angle 
with  the  straight  line  of  the  north  terraced  ridge. 

About  three  and  a  half  miles  from  the  west  end, 
upon  the  main  road  up  the  valley,  a  pale-blue  fetid 
limestone  in  the  creek  two  miles  farther  east  dips  fif- 
teen  degrees   north.     The  anticlinal  becomes  more 


regular  towards  the  middle  of  the  valley.  In  Kieck- 
ner's  Gap  the  dip  is  thirty  degrees  north. 

The  margin  of  the  limestone  recedes  a  little  farther 
from  the  foot  of  the  mountain  east  of  Kleckner's  Gap. 
At  the  furnaces  there  is  a  quarry  of  massive  strata 
dipping  ten  degrees  north  twenty  degrees  east,  making 
the  decline  of  the  anticlinal  in  that  direction. 

Numerous  streams  descend  through  the  high  north 
wall  to  feed  Big  Fishing  Creek,  the  head  of  which  is 
well  known  under  the  name  of  Tea  Spring,  separated 
only  by  a  swampy  patch  from  the  head  of  Whitedeer 
Creek.  The  Tea  Spring  is  so  called  from  the  abun- 
dance of  solida(jo,  or  golden-rod,  growing  near  it. 


CHAPTER   C. 

BRUSH  VALLEY— PEXN'S  VALLEY— GEOEGE'S  VAL- 
LEY—NITTANY  VALLEY  — SECTIONS  OPPOStTE 
MILL  HALL  GAP,  NEAR  JACKSONVILLE,  AND  AT 
BELLEFONTE  GAP. 

Brash  Valley. — This  beautiful  and  fertile  valley 
has  a  ver\'  level  limestone  floor  extending  to  the  foot 
of  the  mountain,  with  the  slate  rising  half-way  up 
the  side  thereof  The  limestone  ascends  the  valley 
lengthwise  to  a  point  eight  miles  above  the  town  of 
Eebersburg,  although  impure  calcareous  beds  appear 
one-half  a  mile  farther  east.  The  plain  at  the  mouth 
of  the  valley,  opposite  the  end  of  Brush  Mountain, 
is  about  one  mile  wide,  but  the  cultivated  land  rises 
high  upon  the  slaty  slope  of  the  mountain.  At  Madi- 
sonburg  the  plain  is  one  and  a  half  miles  wide,  and 
at  Eebersburg  nearly  two  miles  wide.  Its  wall  or  the 
north  terrace-ridge  of  Brush  Mountain  ranges  about 
north  seventy  degrees  east,  and  is  much  broken  by 
gaps,  through  which  the  mountain  brooks  descend 
until  they  sink  under  ground  at  the  margin  of  the 
limestone.  Attempts  to  supply  Eebersburg  by  wells 
have  revealed  the  fact  that  the  limestone  is  cavernous 
in  all  directions,  and  destitute  of  water. 

The  anticlinal  axis  runs  about  three  hundred  yards 
to  the  south  of  Eebersburg,  lifting  the  fine-grained 
blue  silicious  rock  to  the  surface.  The  dips  along  the 
main  road  are  from  ten  to  fifteen  degrees.  The  an- 
ticlinal flexure  is  perfectly  regular  in  a  section  made 
opposite  Elk  Creek  Gap,  where,  on  the  creek  and  two 
hundred  yards  from  the  mountain,  blue  limestone, 
with  calcareous  spar,  and  in  silicious,  black,  and  thinly- 
laminated  layers,  dips  forty  degrees  south  twelve 
degrees  east.  The  quarry  yields  good  building-stone 
in  square  fragments. 

One  of  the  most  natural  exhibitions  of  anticlinal 
flexures  to  be  met  with  is  aftorded  in  a  field  north  of 
the  main  road,  within  a  mile  of  the  village  of  Madi- 
softburg;  the  floor,  of  sandy  blue  limestone,  is  arched 
and  broken  by  longitudinal  fissures,  parallel  to  the 
axis  of  the  anticlinal  or  the  central  line  of  the  valley. 


4S8 


HISTORY   OF  CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


From  Madisonburg  west  the  anticlinal  becomes 
sharper,  the  side-dips  increasing,  and  the  lower  lime- 
stones are  disclosed  along  its  central  axis.  Thus, 
half  a  mile  from  the  village,  the  dip  is  only  eight 
degrees  north  tliirty-five  degrees  west  near  the  road. 
Three  miles  distant  it  is  twenty-five  degrees  north 
tli'irty  degrees  west;  two  miles  farther,  gray  crystal- 
linefetid  limestone  dips  fifty-five  degrees  north  twenty 
degrees  west  just  north  of  the  road,  and  within  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  of  Cook's.  At  the  mouth  of  the 
valley  the  dip  in  the  road  is  forty  degrees  north  twenty 
degrees  west. 

Penn's  Valley. — This  valley  is  divided  at  its  upper 
end  by  Short  Mountain,  and  its  middle  region  by  Egg 
Hill, — a  residual  mass  of  matinal  slates  capped  with 
Levant  gray  sandstone,  lying  in  the  same  synclinal 
trough  with  Sliort  Mountain  and  with  the  groat  spur 
of  Tussey's  Mountain.  Its  most  northern  anticlinal 
crosses  the  Aaronsburg  turnpike  three  and  a  half 
miles  from  the  "  Old  Fort,"  with  gentle  dips  seven 
degrees  north,  and  within  eight  hundred  or  nine  hun- 
dred yards  of  Egg  Hill.  Even  a  mile  north  of  the 
turnpike  the  dip  is  but  fifteen  degrees  nortL  at  the 
margin  of  the  slate. 

George's  Valley,  lying  between  Egg  Hill  and  the 
Seven  Mountain,  has  a  soil  dark  from  the  decomposi- 
tion of  argillaceous  limestones,  elevated  by  a  regular 
anticlinal  along  its  central  line.  Near  the  axis  the 
dip  is  thirty  degrees  south,  but  the  dips  along  Egg 
Hill  are  never  steeper  than  ten  degrees  north. 

It  is  remarkable  that  the  synclinal  flexures  are 
generally  gentle  and  broad,  but  the  anticlinal  ones 
abrupt  and  narrow.  The  dips  observed  along  the 
turnpike  belonging  to  the  Penn's  valley  anticlinal 
are  fifty-one  degrees  south  thirty-five  degrees  east  in 
blue  massive  limestone  at  the  tenth  mile-stone,  and 
thirty  degrees  and  then  twenty  degrees  north  in 
slightly  calcareous  sandstone  at  the  ninth  mile-stone, 
half  a  mile  south  of  Potter's  Fort.  At  the  fort  mas- 
sive pale-blue,  fetid  limestone  dips  twenty-seven  de- 
grees north  twenty-five  degrees  west,  and  half  a  mile 
to  the  north  pale-blue  black-speckled  limestone,  with 
encircling  rings  of  white  spar,  dips  thirty  degrees 
south  thirty  degrees  east.  Between  these  two  last 
dips  ranges  the  synclinal  of  Brush  Mountain.  The 
same  south  dip  thirty  degrees  is  seen  at  the  large  and 
beautiful  "fathomless  spring"  at  the  head  of  Penn's 
Creek,  in  its  encircling  walls  of  limestone. 

Nittany  Valley.— From  its  head  to  the  end  of 
its  soutliern  barrier  (Nittany  Mountain),  this  valley 
has  a  length  of  about  thirty-one  miles;  its  breadth 
varies  from  two  to  five  and  a  half  miles.  Its  central 
region  is  chiefly  uncultivated,  and  goes  by  the  name 
of  "The  Barrens,"  beneath  the  surface  of  which  lie 
enormous  accumulations  of  rich  iron  ore.  This  part 
of  the  valley  is  wholly  destitute  of  water.  The  soil 
is  susceptible  in  many  places  of  a  high  degree  of  cul- 
tivation. Two  miles  east  of  Bellefonte  "  The  Bar- 
Tens"  become  a  ridge,  marking  the  main  central  anti- 


clinal axis  of  the  valley,  and  attaining  at  some  points 
of  its  range  considerable  prominence,  but  it  is  every- 
where rather  an  irregular,  deeply-grooved  high  ground 
than  a  definite  ridge.  Hard  ribs  or  outcrops  of  im- 
pure limestone  make  its  contour  uneven. 

It  falls  away  and  disappears  within  five  miles  of 
Mill  Hall  Gap,  beyond  which  the  floor  of  the  valley 
is  gently  undulating,  except  near  the  bases  of  the 
mountains,  where  the  ravines  are  sharp  and  deep. 

The  great  anticlinal  flexure  of  this  valley  has  its 
southern  dip  gentler  than  its  northern  ones;  its  axis 
lies,  therefore,  nearer  to  the  northern  than  the  south- 
ern side,  ranging,  however,  into  the  central  line  to- 
ward the  head  of  the  valley.  Opposite  Mill  Hall  it 
runs  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards  farther  to  the  north- 
west than  the  centre.  Opposite  Jacksonville  it  is 
about  one  and  a  half  miles  from  the  base  of  Bald 
Eagle  Mountain,  and  it  is  not  much  farther  off"oppo- 
site  the  end  of  Nittany  Mountain. 

Section  opposite  Mill  Hall  Gap. — Big  Fishing 
Creek  issues  from  Nittany  valley  by  the  Mill  Hall 
Gap,  and  flows  into  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek.  Denuda- 
tion has  swept  away  the  first  or  inner  ridge  of  the 
mountain  for  three-quarters  of  a  mile  on  the  south- 
west side  of  the  gap.  The  lowest  surgent  rocks  are 
the  soft-green,  iron-speckled  sandstones  of  the  Levant 
red  sandstone.  At  the  Forge  the  rocks  dip  seventy 
degrees  north.  The  matinal  slates  are  not  seen  in 
places,  but  nearly  all  of  the  auroral  limestone  is  ex- 
posed along  the  east  side  of  tlie  creek  for  half  a  mile, 
with  a  general  dip  of  eight  degrees  north,  until  at 
the  south  side  of  the  village  of  Salona  it  is  reduced 
to  three  degrees  north,  which  continues  for  a  quarter 
of  a  mile.  The  surface  is  covered  with  chert.  The 
next  good  exhibition  of  limestone  is  one  mile  from 
the  base  of  Nittany  Mountain,  the  dip  being  twenty 
degrees  south  thirty  degrees  east.  In  Finley's  Gap 
the  Levant  sandstones  dip  fifteen  degrees  south  thirty- 
five  degrees  east.  The  matinal  black  slates  in  the 
gap  are  black,  calcareous,  and  fossiliferous,  mixed 
with  argillaceous  limestone  beds,  undulated  by  a 
great  thickness  of  the  matinal  limestone  in  the  form 
of  light-blue,  conchoidal,  fine-grained,  fossiliferous 
strata.  Beneath  this  last  named  are  the  auroral  lime- 
stones ;  these  are  bluish  white,  fetid,  semi-crystalline 
limestones,  weathering  rough,  succeeded  in  descend- 
ing order  by  pale-blue  limestone;  these  by  thin  beds 
full  of  white  calcareous  spar;  and  farther  down  sandy 
and  silicious  limestones  preponderate. 

The  pale-blue  variety  of  limestones  of  Mill  Hall 
Gap  is  recognizable  again  on  the  opposite  dip  eigh- 
teen degrees  south  thirty  degrees  east,  two  hundred 
yards  south  of  McRabin's  house,  and  outcropping 
over  cherty  calcareous  sandstones. 

At  Fleming's  Gap  in  the  Bald  Eagle  Mountains 
there  is  but  a  notch  or  terrace  ridge,  but  the  drainage 
between  the  ridges  flows  out  of  a  deeper  gorge  in  the 
outer  or  northern  one.  West  of  the  section  of  the 
silicious  band  of  the  auroral  limestone  series  forms  a 


ORGANIZATION,  CIVIL   LIST,  ETC. 


489 


hill,  extending  from  McRabin's,  on  the  south  side  of 
the  valley,  to  Riesman's  stone-quarry  on  Fishing 
Creek. 

Section  near  Jacksonville.— The  village  is  on  the 
north  road,  and  one-fourth  of  a  mile  from  the  Bald 
Eagle  Mountain  at  Howard's  Gap.  The  silicious 
strata  exhibit  themselves  just  south  of  the  tavern, 
dipping  sixty-five  degrees  south  forty  degrees  east, 
being  overthrown.  Near  the  tavern  pretty  good  pale- 
blue  fetid  limestone  outcrops,  with  inversions  dipping 
sixty  degrees  south.  Towards  the  Bald  Eagle  Moun- 
tain the  fossiliferous  matinal  limestone  appears,  and 
within  one  hundred  yards  of  the  mountain  there  is  a 
so-called  "coal-opening"  in  the  black  calcareous 
matinal  slates,  where  the  owners,  misled  by  slate 
beautifully  polished  by  a  sliding  movement  of  the 
strata  at  that  period  of  their  uplifting  and  bending, 
have  at  times  wasted  money  and  enterprise  in  a  vain 
search  for  coal. 

Section  of  the  Valley  at  Eellefonte  Gap. — The 
next  and  last  section  to  be  considered  in  the  brief 
space  allotted  for  this  part  of  the  work  is  the  one 
thus  named,  and  compiled  from  localities  opposite 
Milesburg  Gap.  It  crosses  very  uneven  ground,  but 
no  regular  ridge  like  that  of  "  The  Barrens,"  the  latter 
having  disappeared  with  the  feult  which  caused  it. 
Blue  fetid  limestone  interstratified  with  silicious  beds, 
and  dipping  forty-five  degrees  northwest,  crops  out 
on  the  creek  below  the  Bellefonte  bridge.  The  sili- 
cious formation,  so  often  mentioned,  rises  from  be- 
neath it  near  the  new  Presbyterian  Church,  and  may 
be  observed  in  the  lower  part  of  Main  Street  of  Belle- 
fonte. Small  angular  pieces  of  pale-red  flint  occur 
between  the  layers,  where  they  dip  sixty  two  degrees 
north  thirty-five  degrees  west,  opposite  the  large  mill 
on  the  creek.  The  rock  along  the  creek  becomes 
sometimes  a  coarse  blue  sandstone,  with  crystallized 
quartz.  The  limestone,  soon  appearing,  is  at  first 
blue  and  sandy,  but  increases  in  beauty  of  fracture 
and  clearness  of  color,  and  becomes  veined  with  cal- 
careous spar  as  we  proceed  upward  in  the  series  to- 
wards the  mountain  gap.  At  the  first  lock  it  has  be- 
come not  only  argillaceous,  but  slaty,' dips  eighty 
degrees,  and  is  full  of  fossils.  The  sandstone  iu  the 
gap  dips  seventy  degrees. 

From  Bellefonte,  going  south,  the  section  exhibits 
first  a  sandy  limestone  dipping  thirty-three  degrees 
north  thirty-five  degrees  west,  and  full  of  numerous 
small  cavities,  casts  of  shells,  and  fossil  corals.  One- 
fourth  of  a  mile  beyond  the  town  disturbances  in  the 
strata  and  numerous  cross-fractures  cover  a  zone  of 
three-fourths  of  a  mile  outcrop,  mostly  north-dipping, 
then  southeast-dipping  rocks  appear,  and  continue 
inclining  about  fifteen  degrees,  and  in  the  Nittany 
Mountain  even  less.  Cement  layers  occur  on  Spring 
Creek,  one'and  a  half  miles  from  Bellefonte,  and  when 
slowly  burnt  yield  good  hydraulic  lime.  Here  we 
must  close  this  part  of  the  work. 


CHAPTER    CI. 

ORGANIZ.\TI0X,    CIVIL    LIST,    ETC. 

By  act  of  March  21, 1772,  Northumberland  County 
was  formed,  and  included  what  is  now  Clinton,  and 
in  the  formation  of  Lycoming  County,  in  1795,  the 
territory  now  embraced  in  Clinton  was  thrown  into 
that  county,  and  in  1800,  when  Centre  County  was 
formed,  the  Clinton  territory  was  cut  in  twain,  leav- 
ing the  larger  portion  in  Lycoming,  and  the  balance 
going  into  Centre  County.  When  the  county  was  or- 
ganized, in  1839,  it  embraced  the  following  townships 
then  in  Centre  County,  viz.,  Bald  Eagle,  Lamar,  and 
Logan ;  and  from  Lycoming,  Allison,  Chapman,  Cole- 
brook,  Dunstable,  Grove,  Lumber,  Limestone,  Pine 
Creek,  and  Wayne. 

When  the  question  of  a  new  county  was  being  dis- 
cussed by  the  inhabitants  interested,  the  name  of 
"  Eagle"  was  proposed  and  adopted,  and  petitions 
with  that  name  ])resented  to  the  Legislature,  but  after 
several  unsuccessful  attempts  to  obtain  the  required 
legislation  the  name  was  dropped,  and  the  name  of 
Clinton  substituted  as  a  ruse  intended  to  mislead  the 
opponents  of  the  new  county  movement.  As  the  op- 
position in  the  Legislature  had  been  so  long  and  vig- 
orously made  against  the  forming  of  Eagle  County, 
when  that  name,  which  had  become  familiar  to  every 
member,  ceased  to  be  presented,  and  Clinton  ap- 
peared, the  required  act  was  passed  before  many  of 
the  members  knew  that  the  name  belonged  to  the 
same  territory  they  had  been  voting  against  for  sev- 
eral successive  winters.  The  following  is  the  act 
passed  creating  the  county  : 

**  Skction  1.  Be  it  enacted,  etc.,  That  aU  those  parts  of  the  counties  of 
Lycoming  and  Centre,  and  lying  within  the  following  boundaries,  \iz.: 
Beginning  at  Pine  Creelc,  where  tlie  nortli  line  of  Lycoming  County 
crosses  said  creek ;  thence  a  straight  line  to  the  house  of  William  Iler- 
rod;  thence  following  the  Coudersport  and  Jersey  Shore  turnpike,  the 
several  courses  and  distances  thereof,  to  the  middle  of  Pine  Creek ; 
thence  down  the  said  creek,  the  several  courees  thereof,  to  its  junction 
with  the  West  Branch  of  the  river  Susquehanna;  thence  a  straight  line 
to  the  northeast  corner  of  Centre  County;  thence  to  include  Logan, 
Lamar,  and  Bald  Eagle  townships,  in  Centre  County;  thence  along  the 
Lycoming  County  line  to  the  snuthwest  corner  of  said  county;  thence, 
by  the  lines  of  ClearBeld,  McKean,  Potter,  and  Tioga  Counties,  to  the 
place  of  beginning;  and  Iho  same  is  hei-eby  created  into  a  sepanite 
county,  to  be  called  Clinton,  the  seat  of  justice  to  be  fixed  by  commis- 
sioners hereinafter  appointed. 

"Section  2.  That  'William  Colt,  of  Columbia  County,  Joseph  Bressler, 
of  Dauphin  County,  and  John  Cresswell,  of  Huntingdon  County,  be  and 
are  hereby  appointed  commissioners,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  ascertain 
and  plainly  mark  the  boundary  lines  of  the  said  county  of  Clinttin,  and 
to  fix  upon  a  proper  and  convettieut  site  for  a  seat  of  justice  for  the  said 
county  of  Clinton,  and  for  a  court-house,  prison,  and  county  offices 
within  the  said  county,  as  near  the  centre  as  in  their  opinion  the  situ- 
ation thereof  will  warrant,  etc." 

According  to  the  first  census  taken  after  the  organ- 
ization of  the  county,  the  total  population  amounted 
to  only  8323,  an  increase,  however,  by  estimate,  of 
4429  in  twenty  years.  Ten  years  later,  1850,  the 
population  of  the  county  had  increased  to  11,207,  an 
increase  of  2864  in  the  first  decade  of  the  county's 
history.     In   1860   the    population  had    run   up   to 


490 


mSTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


17,723,  a  gain  of  6516,  while  the  next  decade  showed 
a  gain  of  only  5478,  the  population  was  23,211,  and 
in  1880  the  figures  pointed  to  a  population  of  26,278. 

The  pioneer  post-office  in  what  is  now  Clinton 
County  was  est.ahlished  at  Dunnstown  in  1800,  as  near 
as  can  be  ascertained.  Since  that  time  the  number 
has  increased  with  the  business  and  necessities  of  the 
inhabitants.  The  names  of  the  post-offices  in  the 
county  in  1882  were  Beach  Creek,  Boonville,  Carroll, 
Cedar  Springs,  Chatham  Run,  Clintondale,  Cross 
Forks,  Farrandsville,  Flemington,  Glen  Union, 
Hammersley's  Fork,  Hiner's  Eun,  Island,  Lamar, 
Lamar  Mills,  Leidy,  Lock  Haven,  Logan  Mills,  Mc- 
Elhattan  (Wayne),  Mill  Hall,  Nasby  (Keating  Sta- 
tion), Ranch's  Gap,  Renovo,  Ritchey,  Rosecrans, 
Round  Island,  Salona,  Sugar  Valley  (Logansville), 
Tylersville,  Westport,  Wistar,  Young  Womanstown. 

The  proceedings  looking  to  the  selection  of  officers 
for  the  new  county  of  Clinton  were  not  harmonious 
in  the  majority  party,  a  delegation  having  met  at 
Lock  Haven  and  nominated  a  ticket  with  W.  A. 
Kinsloe  for  prothonotary.  Following  the  example  set 
by  Miles  township,  in  the  parent  county,  a  meeting 
was  held  at  Mill  Hall,  at  the  Louse  of  Charles  D. 
Treziyulny,  on  the  7th  of  September,  1839.  Col. 
John  Smyth,  of  Lamar,  presided  ;  John  Kreider,  of 
Lamar,  and  George  Brown,  of- Bald  Eagle,  vice- 
presidents  ;  David  McCormick,  of  Bald  Eagle,  and 
James  J.  Hunt,  of  Lock  Haven,  secretaries.  The 
committee  on  resolutions  was  John  Brown,  Daniel 
Richards,  David  Fleming,  and  Levi  Packer,  of  Bald 
Eagle  ;  P.  Huling,  of  Lock  Haven  ;  Alexander  Mc- 
Naul,  Philip  Walker,  Samuel  Kreider,  and  Joseph 
F.  Quiiy,  of  Lamar.  Their  resolutions  objected  to 
the  ticket  formed  at  Lock  Haven  on  the  24th  of 
August,  particularly  the  nomination  of  a  commis- 
sioner in  place  of  John  Moorehead  and  a  sheriff 
after  part  of  the  delegation  had  retired. 

The  Mill  Hall  meeting  nominated  for  Prothono- 
tary, Philip  Krebs,  of  Mill  Hall,  who  had  been  pro- 
thonotary of  Lycoming  County  ;  John  P.  McElrath, 
of  Bald  Eagle,  for  sheriff;  for  Commissioners,  An- 
thony Kleckuer,  of  Logan,  Hugh  White,  of  Bald 
Eagle,  and  Joseph  Hanna,  of  Dunstable ;  Coroner, 
James  Carscadden,  of  Flemington  ;  Auditors,  John 
N.  Chatham,  of  Wayne,  Cephas  Bachelor,  of  Cole- 
brook,  Joseph  F.  Quay.  This  ticket  was  elected 
with  t\to  exceptions :  John  Miller  was  chosen 
sheriff,  and  Robert  Bridgens  one  of  the  county 
commissioners. 

The  next  political  meeting  of  which  we  have  a 
record  was  lield  in  the  court-house  at  Lock  Haven  on 
Saturday,  Jan.  25,  1840. 

"In  conformity  with  public  invitation,  the  Demo- 
cratic citizens  of  Clinton  County  assembled  in  the 
court-house.  Lock  Haven,  with  a  view  of  nominating 
a  candidate  for  the  Legislature,  to  fill  the  seat  of 
James  H.  Laverty,  resigned.  It  was  soon  ascer- 
tained that  there  would  be  some  difficulty  in  getting 


a  man  in  the  chair,  as  the  meeting  was  pretty  equally 
divided  in  regard  to  who  should  preside,  one  portion 
being  in  favor  of  Mr.  John  Fleming  and  the  other  in 
favor  of  Mr.  David  McCormick.  After  several  inef- 
fectual efforts  to  organize,  a  gentleman,  who  officiated 
as  temporary  chairman,  suggested  that  those  com- 
posing the  meeting  should  go  out  into  the  street  and 
stand  in  single  file,  so  that  it  might  be  ascertained 
which  of  the  factions  was  the  most  numerous.  This 
was  accordingly  done.  Various  opinions  were  enter- 
tained respecting  the  numerical  strength  of  each. 
Some  stoutly  contended,  after  having  counted  them 
with  as  much  accuracy  as  possible  amidst  the  prevail- 
ing confusion,  that  the  Fleming  party  was  the  strong- 
est, while  others  as  strenuously  asserted  that  the  Mc- 
Cormick party  was  the  most  numerous;  and  thus 
matters  went  on  until,  finally,  Mr.  Fleming's  friends 
entered  the  court-house  and  placed  him  in  the  chair, 
declaring  that  they  outnumbered  their  opponents. 
They  immediately  proceeded  to  business  by  appoint- 
ing a  committee  of  fifteen  to  draft  a  preamble  and 
resolutions  expressive  of  the  sense  of  the  meeting. 
Conferees  were  appointed,  with  instructions  to  use 
every  effort  to  secure  the  nomination  of  John  Moor- 
head,  Esq.  Meanwhile,  Mr.  McCormick's  friends  re- 
paired to  the  hotel  of  J.  P.  Huling,  where  they  or- 
ganized, adopted  a  preamble  and  resolution.?,  and 
appointed  conferees,  instructing  them  to  vote  for 
George  Leidy.  So  terminated  Saturday's  proceed- 
ings." 

Of  the  McCormick  meeting,  David  McCormick  was 
president;  John  Kryder  and  J.  M.  Gallauher,  vice- 
presidents;  S.  H.  Fredericks  and  James  J.  Hunt, 
secretaries.  T.  Friend,  Esq.,  stated  the  object  of  the 
meeting,  and  submitted  the  resolutions.  This  meet- 
ing nominated  George  Leidy  for  Assembly,  and  ap- 
pointed T.  P.  Simmons  and  Col.  John  Smyth  con- 
ferees. 

On  the  following  Monday  the  conferees  fi-om  the 
several  counties  composing  the  district  met  at  the 
public-house  of  J.  P.  Huling,  Lock  Haven.  Two 
sets  from  Clinton  appeared  and  claimed  seats.  After 
an  investigation  into  their  several  claims,  it  was  de- 
cided that  one  of  each  set  be  permit;ed  to  take  part 
in  the  proceedings  of  the  meeting.  The  conferees 
then  proceeded  to  ballot  for  a  candidate  for  the  Leg- 
islature, when,  on  the  twelfth  ballot,  George  Leidy,  of 
Salona,  Clinton  Co.,  was  declared  duly  nominated. 

Clinton  County  Civil  List. 

ST.\TE   SENATORS. 
1843,  .losGpli  P.  Quay;  1846,  William  niinis  ;  1819,  William  F.  Packer; 
1802,  James   W.  Qiiiggle;   1855-58,   Andrew  Gregg;   1801,   Henry 
Johnson  ;  1805,  Warren  Cowles  ;  1808,  A.  G.  OlnistcJ ;  1871-74,  W. 
A.  Wallace. 

EEPRESENTATIVES. 
1839,  George  Leidy  ;  1840,  James  Gamble,  George  Leidy  ;  1841,  George 

E.  Barret;  1842,  George  B.  Barret,  George  K.  Boal;  1843,  John  T. 
Cook,  George  F.  Boal;  1844,  Jolin  Smith,  Andrew  A.  Stewart;  1845, 
Andrew  A.  Stewart,  Tinn.thy  Ives;   1840,  Timothy  Ives,  Beiijamitl 

F.  Pawling;  1S47,  William  F.  Packer,  Timothy  Ives;  1848,  William 


ORGANIZATION,  CIVIL   LIST,  ETC. 


491 


F.  Pntkcr,  John  Sm.vtli;  1849-50,  Willinni  Punn, 'Willhim  Biindk'; 
1851,  JoBejili  B.  Toibelt,  John  M.  Kilbuini' ;  1852,  JoBpph  B.  Toibert, 
John  M.  Kilhuru;  1853,  George  J.  Eldrorl,  John  B.  Beck;  1864, 
William  Fenron,  Tlionina  Wood ;  1855,  Jolin  C.  M.Ghco,  Suniuel 
Ciildwell;  1850,  Henry  L.  Driffenbiich,  J.  W.  B.  Petrikin;  1857, 
Thomas  W.  Llojd,  Dnvid  K.  Jucknian  ;  1858,  Liiulsey  Mchnffy,  Wil- 
liiira  Feiiron ;  1859,  George  A.  Achenbiieh,  liohort  Crane ;  1800,  U. 
C.  Bressler,  William  H.  Armstrong;  18CI,  William  II.  Armstrong, 
James  Chatham;  1802-03,  Amos  C.  Noye.i,  John  B.  Bock ;  1864-05, 
E.  B.  Eldred;  1860-07,  G.  0.  Deise;  1808,  W.  J.  Davis;  1809,  A.  B. 
Armstrong;  1870,  Amos  0.  Noyes;  1871,  Amos  C.  Noyes,  Samuel 
Wilson  ;  1872,  Amos  C.  Noyes;  1873,  II.  W.  Petrikin,  Itidmrd  Bed- 
ford; 1874,  George  A.  Achenbach;  1870,  A.  J.  Qnigley  ;  1878, George 
J.  Eldred  ;  1880,  J.  C.  C.  Whaley,  died  in  office ;  1881,  S.  Woods  Cald- 
well, elected  vice  Whaley,  died. 

DELEGATE   TO   THE   CONSTITUTIONAL   CONVENTION,  1873. 
George  A.  Achenbacb. 

PRESIDENT  JUDGES, 
rhomas  Burnside,  1839-11 ;  George  W.  Woodward,  1841-51 ;  James  T. 
Hale,  1851,  two  terms;  Alexander  Jordan,  1851-53;  James  Burn- 
side,  18.53-59 ;  Jamea  Gamble,  1859,  one  term;  Sauiuel  Linn,  1869- 
68  ;  J.  B.  McEually,  1808,  one  term  (unexpired  term  of  S.  Linn)  ; 
Charles  A.  Mayer,  1803  to  the  present  time. 


John  H.  Or 


ADDITIONAL   L.\W  JUDGE. 
,  1874. 


ASSOCIATE   JUDGES. 

George  Ciawford,  John  Fleming,  Oct.  19,  1839  ;  George  Crawford,  John 
Fleming,  March  20,1840;  George  Leiuy,  John  M.  Gallanher,  Fob. 
10,  1845;  John  Graflus,  George  Bressler,  Feb.  12,  185U;  George  Har- 
vey, John  Grafius,  Nov.  10, 1851 ;  Nathaniel  Hanna,  tirst  Monday  of 
December,  1856,  for  ten  years;  Anthony  KIccknerl;  William  Par- 
sons, until  tirst  Mond.iy  in  December,  1800;  William  Parsons,  Joseph 
F.  Quiiy,  Cephas  Batcheller,  until  first  Monday  in  December,  1861 ; 
William  Parsons,  George  Warrick,  until  first  Monday  in  December, 
1806;  William  Dunn,  Coleman  Grugar,  until  first  Monday  in  De- 
cember, 1871 ;  John  W.  Smith,  Cline  Quigley,  until  first  Monday  in 
January,  1877;  William  W.  Rankin,  Isaac  Frantz,  until  first  Mon- 
day in  January,  1882. 

SHERIFFS. 

John  Miller,  Nov.  2,1839;  John  P.  McElrath,  Oct.  21,1842;  Jared  P. 
Huling,  Oct.  29, 1845 ;  James  Chatham,  Oct,  30, 1818  ;  Robert  Irwin, 
Nov.  11,  1851  ;  M.  Q.  Stewart,  Dec.  19,  1854;  Thomas  McGhce,  Oct. 
23,  18.57;  Robert  Ilanna,  Dec.  3, 1800  ;  John  W.  Smith,  Oct.  27, 1863; 
A.  S.  Fleming,  Nov.  30,«1866  ;  John  W.  Smith,  Nov.  16,  1869 ;  J.  W. 
Fleming,  Dec.  21,1869;  John  Wister  Fleming,  Oct.  25, 1872 ;  .lohn 
Candor,  first  Monday  of  January,  1876  ;  Robert  S.  Barker,  first  Mon- 
day of  January,  1879;  Peter  B.  Smith,  first  Monday  of  January, 
1882. 

DISTRICT    ATTORNEYS. 

James  W.  Qniggle,  elected  in  1850;  Tobias  T.  Abram':,  1853;  Charles  A. 
Mayer,  1850;  G.  Oinet  Dcise,  1850  and  1862 ;  C.  S.  McCormick,lS05; 
James  M.  Deise,  1808;  William  Parsons,  Jr.,  1875;  William  S. 
Clongh,  1S78  ;  George  A.  Brown,  1881. 

COUNTY  COMMISSIONERS. 
Hugh  While,  Robert  Bridgens,  Anthony  Kleckner,  elected  in  1839;  An- 
thony Kleckner,  Hugh  White,  1840;  Robert  McCormick,  Hugh 
White,  1841;  Joseph  Ilanna,  Hugh  White,  1842;  John  Rich, 
1843;  John  Dornblnzer,  John  Rich,  1844,  Christian  Grieb,  John 
Eich,  1845;  Joseph  F.Quay,  1846;  Thomas  Bridgens,  Joseph  F.  Quay, 
1847  ;  Ce  irge  Walker,  Joseph  F.  Quay,  1848  ;  Daniel  Shadle,  elected 
in  1849  for  three  years;  William  Myers  for  two  years;  Adam 
Smith,  Joseph  F.Quay,  elected  in  1850;  James  Jefl'ries,  Joseph  F. 
Quay,  in  1851 ;  George  Hartman,  James  Jefl'ries,  in  1852 ;  John 
Heckman,  James  Jeifries,  in  1853;  David  Baird,  James  Jeffries,  in 
1854;  George  Furet,  David  Baird,  in  1855;  Griflin  Bote,  David 
Baird,  in  1856  ;  Isaac  Rauiage,  David  Baird,  in  1857  ;  Jacob  Getz,  in 
1868;  James  Welsh,  in  1859;  Gi.Ieon  Dornblazer,  in  1860;  Jacob 
Stamm,  in  1861 ;  James  Welsli,  Jacob  Stamm,  in  1862 ;  George 
Gramley,  Jacob  Stamm,  in  1803;  Jacob  Qniggle,  in  1864;  James 
Welsh,  in  1805;  A.  J.  Quiggle,  in  1800;  John  Rishel,  in  1807; 

»  Died  Sept.  1, 1860. 


Thomas  M.  Wolf,  in  1808  ;  Valentine  Ilanna,  in  1869  ;  Samuel  Kahl, 
in  1870;  Wallace  Gakle,  in  1871 ;  .Jacob  Getz,  in  1872;  William  A. 
While,  1873  ;  James  David,  W.  A.  White,  in  1874  ;  Hugh  Shaw,  Jacob 
Getz,  W.  A.  White,  1875;  N.  L.  Sleincr,  1876-78;  Patrick  Kane, 
John  R.  Price,  J.  A.  McCloskey,  1878;  James  A.  McCloskey, 
1879-81,  and  Daniel  M.  Morris,  Michael  B.  Rich,  and  John  W. 
Hubbard  for  1882;  David  M.  Morris  and  Josepli  W.  Hubbard,  1881. 

COUNTY  TREASURERS. 
Robert  Irwin,  appointed  in  1839;  Thomas  P.  Simmons,  elected  1840; 
Robert  E.  Carson.  1813  ;  James  II.  Chatham,  1845  ;  James  H.  Hunt, 
1847;  Daviil  Carskndden,  1849;  S.  Slontgomery  Quiggle,  1851  ;  Ly- 
ons Mussina,  1853;  Job  W.  Packer,  1855;  Andrew  J.  Quiggle,  1857  ; 
John  II  Chatham,  1850;  Joel  Karstetter,  1861;  J. F.Batcheler,  1803; 
Erasmus  Whitman,  1865;  Piatt  Hitchcock,  1807;  Peter  W.  Keller, 
1809;  Joseph  F.  Hayes,  1871;  John  Q.  Welsh,  1873;  Lucien  W. 
Dunn,  1875  ;  A.  H.  Strayer,  1878;  Wallace  Gakle,  1881. 

REGISTER  AND  RECORDER  AND  CLERK  OF  ORPHANS'  COURT. 

Philip  Krcbs,  Nov,  15,  1852;  Isiiac  N.  Loomis,  Nov.  10,  1855;  William 
H.Smith,  Dec.  1,  1858;  H.  M.  Bossert,  Dec.  1.  ISOl ;  Samuel  B. 
Snook,  Dec.  1,  1804-73;  James  W.  Clark,  fiist  Monday  of  January, 
1877-80. 

PBOTHONOTARIES. 
Philip  Krcbs,  Oct,  19,  1S39,  to  Nov,  12,  1840;  William  Fearon,  Dec,  1, 
1843;  John  B.  Wagner,  Nov.  13,  1846;  Thomas  McGhee,  Nov.  26, 
1849 ;  Thomas  McGhee,  Nov.  15,  1852 ;  Robert  Irwin,  Nov.  10, 1855  ; 
Jonathan  Moyer,  Dec.  1, 1858;  William  L,  Hamilton,  Dec,  1, 1801 ; 
William  n.  Brown,  Dec.  1, 1804-73;  George  W,  Batcheler,  first  Mon- 
day of  January,  1S77-S0. 

CORONERS. 
James  Carskaddcn,  Dec.  3, 1839;  Joseph  T.  Hunt,  Jan.  4,  1843  ;  John  C. 
King,  March  4, 1846;  David  Allen,  Jan.  11,  1849;  Edwin  C.  Gorgas, 
Dec.  19,  1854;  William  Earle.v,  Dec,  11, 1801  ;  John  Bridgens,  June 

13,  1805  ;  John  J,  Kelly,  Oct,  8,  1807;  Ira  D.  Canfield,  Jan,  9,  1809  ; 
George  Y.  Beatlie,  Nov.  14,  1871 ;  John  C.  Richards,  June  2,  1873  ; 
Adolph  Prieson,  Dec.  8, 1873  ;  John  S.  Mader,  first  Monday  of  Jan- 
uary, 1877. 

DEPUTY  SURvlhrORS  OF  CLINTON  COUNTY. 
Michael  Sour,  Nov.  9, 1839 ;  Benjamin  W.  Morrison,  Oct.  30, 1840 ;  Mi- 
chael Sour,  Jr.,  May  14,  1845;  Benjamin  W.  Morrison,  April  12, 
1817  ;  James  David,  Oct.  11, 18.53 ;  William  P.  Baird,  Oct,  14, 1850  ; 
James  David,  Oct,  14,  1802 ;  John  L,  Eckel,  Oct,  10,  1865 ;  Flavins 
J,  David,  Nov.  6,  1877. 

COUNTY  AUDITORS. 
Joseph  F.  Qua.v,  Cephas  Batcheler,  John  H.  Chatham,  elected  in  1839; 
John  H.  Chatham,  1840;  William  Dunn,  1841;  George  Walker, 
1842;  William  A.  Wycoff,  1843;  Hugh  Wliite,  Jr.,  1844;  James 
Shaffer,  Jr.,  1845 ;  John  Graflius,  1840 ;  Isaac  Eamage,  1847  ;  Samuel 
Barnes,  1848;  George  Hartman,  1849;  G.  W.  Haleubake  (for  three 
years),  1860  ;  John  L.  Eckel,  1350-51 ;  Nathaniel  Hanna,  1852  ;  Jo- 
seph Milliken,  1853;  C.  C.  McClelland,  18.55;  William  Dunn,  1866; 
John  W.  Smtth,  1857 ;  John  Dornblazer,  1858 ;  Joseph  H.  Rich, 
1859  ;  R,  Kleckner.  1800 ;  Nathaniel  Hanna,  1801 :  George  A,  Achen- 
bacli,  1802  ;  James  R,  Couley  (for  three  years),  Benjamin  Wheaton 
(for  three  years).  1803;  A.  McCloskey,  1804;  G,  A,  Achenbach, 
1805;  George  J.  F,  Ranim,  1860;  David  Majies,  1807;  George  A, 
Achenbacb,  1868 ;  J.  F.  Eanim,1869;  Jacob  A.  Bitner,1870;  Wil- 
liam A.  Cook.  1871 ;  W.  H.  Clough,  1S72  ;  J.  H.  Chatham,  1S73  ;  John 
P.  Anthony,  1874 ;  John  H.  Chatham,  D,  M,  Slorris,  1S75 ;  W,  T, 
Young,  1881 ;  William  T.  Young,  Levi  E.  Paup. 

NOTARIES. 
Joseph  E.  Monaghan,  May  6, 1852 ;  (Charles  A.  Mayer,  March  1, 1854  ; 
Cline  G.  Furst,  Feb.  27,18.55;  Charles  A.  Mayer,  Feb.  28, 1857 ;  T. 
Hood  McCormick,  July  3, 1857 ;  N.  L,  Atwood,  Marcli  s,  185S ;  John 
Orth,  June  11,1858;  Charles  A,  Mayer,  Feb.  22, 1800 ;  John  Orth, 
Jan.  5, 1801;  Philip  Krebs,  Jan.  8,1801;  C.  W.  Wingard,  July  19, 
1801 ;  John  B.  Wagner,  Sept.  19,  180.1;  Edward  P.  McCormick,  Jan. 

14,  1804;  W.  C.  Kress,  Jan.  30,1800;  John  B.  Wagner,  Sept.  8,1866; 
Edward  P.  McCormick,  Jan.  7,1807;  W,  C.  Kress,  Jan.  30, 1869; 
John  B.  Wagner,  Oct,  4, 1869  ;  Jesse  Merrill,  Dec,  4, 1869 ;  Torrence 
C.  Hippie,  Jan,  14,  1870 :  Edward  P,  McCormick,  Feb.  26,  1870 ; 
Forsyth  Petrikin,  March  28, 1871 ;  John  Eeilly,  June  5, 1871 ;  W.  a 


492 


HISTORY   OF    CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Kress,  Jan.  30, 1872;  Josse  Mfirill,  Dec.  4, 1872;  Henry  T.  Harvey, 
Dec.  IG,  1872;  Eilwiird  P.  McCorniick,  Feb.  20,  1873 ;  Fors.vth  Pet- 
rikin,  Sept.  9,  lS7:i;  Thomas  B.  Holahan,  Sov.  G,  187.3;  W.  C.  Kress, 
Jan.  30,1875;  S.  M.  McCormick,  Jan.  23,  1875;  Samuel  A.  Melny, 
Jan.  12,  1870;  Henry  T.  Harvey,  Jan.  13,  1870;  Josse  Merrill,  Jan. 
13, 1870;  E.  P.  McCormick,  Jan.  15,  1870  ;  J.  R.  Youngman,  Jan.  17, 
1870 ;  S.  Miller  McCormick,  Jan.  25,  1878 ;  W.  C.  Kress,  Jan.  30, 
187S;  0.  S.  Houiz,  Jan.  22,  1878;  E.  P.  McCormicl;,  Jan.  15,  1870; 
J.  B.  Ycrangman,  Jan.  17, 1879;  Jesse  Menill,  Jan.  24, 1870;  H.  T. 
Harvey,  Feb.  5,  1879;  W.  0.  Clawater,  March  5,  1879;  John  T. 
Beardsle.v,  June  3,1879;  Paul  S.  Merrill,  July  2H,  1880;  S.Miller 
McCormick,  Jan.  25,  1881;  Edgar  R.  Geary,  Jan.  28,  1881;  J.  K. 
Youngman,  Jan.  0, 1882. 

SEALER  OF   WEIGHTS  AND   MEASURES. 
James  W.  lliitcliijison,  Aug.  15,1877,  and  May  24,  1878. 

AUCTIONEER.S. 
Robert  Crawford,  June  15,  18S4 ;  James  Hemphill,  June  28,  1859  ;  John 
L.  Doty,  Aug.  29,  1805;  John  D,  Stratton,  Sept.  22,  1870. 

JUSTICES  OF  THE  PEACE  FOR  CLINTON  COUNTY.i 
nanna,  John,  March  15, 1797;  Crawford,  James,  March  30, 1797;  Mc- 
Cormick, John,  Feb.  20, 1799  ;  Richards,  Matthew,  March  9,1799; 
Hamilton,  Robert,  Jan.  14,  1801;  McCormick,  Alexander,  July  4, 
1800. 

Fonrlh  Vtslricl. 
John  M.  Floyd,  Oct.  21, 1839 ;  William  Walker,  Dec.  2,  1839 ;  Michael 
Quigley,  Dec.  10, 1839. 

Fi/lh  Dislikl. 
David  Allen,  Oct.  21, 1839;  Joseph  F,  Quay,  Oct.  21,  1839;  James  Cars- 
kadden,  Oct.  21, 1830;  John  Delany,  Oct.  23,  1839;  Thomas  P.  Sim- 
mony,  Dec.  2, 1839. 

AUUon  Township. 
John  C.  Irvin,  Isaac  Lush,  April  13,  1841;  James  Carskadden,  March 

14,  1843;  *Ji.hn  Flemming,  March  10,  1840;  *William  Carskadden, 
March  9, 1847;  *Harman  Starn,  James  Carskadden,  March  7, 1848; 
Charles  S.  Berkley,  March  C,  1849;  *Johu  C.  Irvin,  March  6, 1850; 
C.  S.  Berkley,  March  11,  1851;  James^.  Councel,  March  9,  1852; 
James  Carskadden,  David  BIcCurmiai,  March  9, 1853  ;  J,  D.  Councel, 
March  4,  1854;  J.  Slenker,  March  0,  1855;  J.  0.  Tracy,  March  5, 
1860  ;  James  Carskadden,  March  23, 1858;  Jefferson  Chatham,  April 

15,  ISCl ;  Joseph  0.  Tracy,  April  28,  1S02  ;  Hugh  Devling,  April 
27,  1805 ;  Henry  S.  Mitcliel,  March  25, 1878. 

Eaid  Eaijle  Township, 

J.  H.  Smith,  David  Allen,  April  14, 1840;  .lohn  Smith,  March  14, 1843; 
George  Piatt,  March  12,  1844;  Henry  M.  Bossert,  March  0,1849; 
tJohn  F.  Packer,  Andrew  White,  Marcli  5,  1850;  Solomon  Salmon, 
March  11, 1851 ;  *H.  A.  Foresman,  »H,  M.  Bossert,  March  4, 1854  ; 
H.  M.  Bossert,  March  0, 1855  ;  *J.  D.  L.  Smith,  March  5,  1850  ;  John 
Hailiman,  March  10, 1667  ;  David  Allen,  H.  M.  Bossert,  Marcli  20, 
1800;  William  H.  Brown,  April  28,  1862:  Andrew  White,  John 
Rearville,  April  0,1806;  John  Salmons,  March  20,  1800;  Charles 
Salmons,  Marcli  10, 1870;  C.  W.  Walker,  March  30, 1880;  Henry  M. 
Bossert,  April  9,  1881. 

Beech  CreeJc. 

William  Quay,  March  9, 1852 ;  John  McGhee,  March  0,1855;  William 
Quay,  March  10, 1857 ;  George  W.  Sterling,  March  20,  1860  ;  James 
Clark,  April  24,  1802;  Jolin  McGhee,  April  0,  1805 ;  James  Clark, 
April  20,  1SC7;  Beech  Creek  Boro',  James  David,  James  R.  Quay, 
March  II,  1870;  James  Clark,  John  McGhee,  Nov.  G,  1800  ;  James 
Clark,  Nov.  0,1874;  John  McGhee,  Nov.  24,1874  (until  election); 
John  McGhee,  Nov.  18,  1875;  James  Clark,  Nov.  0,  1879;  James 
Clark,  John  McGhee,  March  30,  ISSO. 

Colebrook  Township. 
William  Walker,  *Davis  Young,  April  14, 1840;  James  Farewell,  March 
12,  1844;  *David  Herron,  March  10,1840;  *DanieI  Rose,  *Henry 
Black,  March  9,  1847 ;  *George  W.  Holenbake,  «Henry  Sperring, 
March  7,  1848;  Robert  B.  Herd,  Henry  Sperring,  March  0,  1849; 
•Robert  Heard,  *John   Calvert,  March    6,  1850;    *John    Hogue, 


'Names  marked  thus  *  refused  to  accept;  names  marked  tliusf  i 
3Ved  from  township. 


*Georgo  W.  Frederick,  March  9,1852,  "Charles  Kichell,*SaniueI  P. 
Smith,  March  9, 1S53  ;  *Daniel  Rose,  *William  Moreland,  March  4, 
1854;  *Jacob  Portner,  "Platl  Hitchcock.  March  6,  1855;  »William 
H.  Moorland,  March  0,  1850;  *IIenry  A.  Clark,  *George  Armstrong, 
March  10,  1837;  *George  Armstrong,  David  Rose,  March  23,  1858; 
T.  T.  Reeves,  April  2, 1859 ;  Jeremiah  Lynch,  April  0, 1805  ;  Thomas 
I.  Herbert,  March  13, 1875. 

Chapman  Toirmhip. 
Michael  Quigley,  April  14,  1840;  *Williiim  Baird,  March  1.3,  1841; 
fJaines  C.  Walton,  April  15,  1842;  *Abner  McCloskey,  Michael 
Quigley,  March  11,  1845;  *Washington  White,  March  10,  1840; 
"Joseph  T,  Weiitz,  March  9,  1847;  "Benjamin  Baird,  March  7, 
1848;  Jlichael  Quigley,  March  5,  1830;  *Amos  C.  Noyes,  March  II, 
1851 ;  "Newton  Wells,  March  9,  1853;  Abner  McCluskey,  March  4, 
1854;  Michael  Quigley,  March  5, 1860  ;  Abraham  Kepner,  April  2, 
1859;  Abner  McClusky,  March  20,1800;  Michael  Quigley,  April  9, 
1801;  William  P.  Baird,  April  0,  1805;  Michael  Quigley,  William  P. 
Biiird,  Marcli  20, 1800  ;  Abner  McCluskey,  Marcli  25,  1807  ;  Michael 
Quigley,  March  10, 1871 ;  William  C.  Ke|iler,  March  29, 1872;  Robert 
S.  Condon,  Marcli  13, 1875;  Jlichael  Quigley,  March  11,  1870  ;  N.  C. 
McCloskey,  March  30,  1880;  Michael  Quigley,  Ajiril  9, 1881. 

Crawford  Township. 
Samuel  Buflinglon,  Daniel  Sheadle,  March  11,1845;  Philip  Siiowers, 
March  10,  1840;  Samuel  Buffiugtoii,  March  5, 1850;  Philip  Showers, 
March  11,  1851;  Daniel  Sheadle,  March  4,  1854;  Philip  Showers, 
March  0,1855;  David  Allen,  April2,  1S59;  Philip  Showers,  March 
20, 1800;  Daniel  Sheadle,  March  20,  1804  ;  Philip  Showers,  April  0, 
1805;  Daniel  Sheadle,  March  25,  1809;  Peter  E.  Irvin,  March  10, 
1S7U;  Philip  Showers,  Aug.  29, 1874;  Peter  E.  Irvin,  March  13,1875; 
W.  B.  Bockey,  March  25,  1878 ;  Peter  E.  Irvin,  March  30,  1880. 


John  S.  Packe 


Clinton  Township, 
,  Andrew  White,  March  11, 1846. 


Dunstable  Township. 
Thomas  B.  Bailey,  Washington  Dunn,  April  14,  1840;  "John  Graflus, 
March  14,  1843 ;  »Hugh  Penny,  March  12, 1844 ;  Washington  Dunn, 
tCharles  B.  Langdon,  March  11,  1845;  fJanies  Innis,  March  10, 
1840;  fMatlhias  Miller,  March  9,  1817;  Tench  C.  Kintziiig,  March 
0,  1849;  tPeter  Dory,  fBenjaniin  Baird,  March  7,  1848;  Jeptha 
Moore,  March  11,  1851;  John  A.  Pearce,  March  9,  18.52;  James 
Innis,  March  1,  1853;  Philip  Sheaffer,  March  4,  1854;  Tench  C. 
Kiiitziug,  March  4,  1854;  tBonjamin  U.  Baird,  March  5,  1850; 
'Roland  R.  Proctor,  March  23,  1858;  R.  C.  Reely,  April  2,  1859; 
Tench  C.  Kintzing,  March  20,  1800;  David  Shaffer,  April  13,  1801; 
Tench  C.  Kintzing,  April  0,1805;  Geofge  Couser,  March  20,1800; 
George  Coliser,  March  29,  1872;  N.  N.  Merrill,  March  13,  1875. 

East  Keating  Township. 

Christopher  C.  McClelland,  March  13,  1875;  James  S.  Merry,  April  9, 
1881. 

Flrniington  Eoroiigh. 

Joseph  McNaughton,  March  27,  1800;  Hugh  Devling,  March  10,  1870. 
Greene  Township. 

Jonathan  Moyer,  March  14,  1843 ;  Levi  Consor,  March  11,1845;  "Jon- 
athan Moyer,  March  7,  1848;  James  M.  Weiler,  March  0, 1849  ;  Levi 
G.  Consor,  March  II,  1851 ;  George  Douty,  May  21, 1851 ;  James  F. 
Bony,  Marcli  4,  1854;  John  Price,  March  6,  1850;  James  F.  Berry, 
April  2,  1859;  John  F.  Rice,  April  9,  1801;  Moses  G.  Whitman, 
March  29,  1804  ;  James  F.  Berry,  J.ilin  F.  Price,  March  20,  1800  ; 
John  L.  Eckel,  John  F.  Price,  March  20, 1871 ;  John  V.  Price,  John 
L.  Eckel,  March  20,  1870;  Johu  L.  Eckel,  George  Wagner,  April  9, 
1881. 

Galkmher  Townsliip. 

"Chauury  Gb.ver,  "Samuel  Mapes,  March  12,  1830;  ^Stephen  W.  May, 
March  9,  1852;  Thomas  Craig,  March  1,1853;  "Marcellus  Elliot, 
March  6, 1855 ;  Stephen  W.  May,  "Charles  Underwood,  March  5, 
1850;  "A.  J.  Laughery,  March  10,  1857;  "Chauucy  Glover,  March 
23,  1868;  Valentine  Cryder,  April  27,  1803;  C.  W.  Glover,  March 
20,  1800;  Chauncey  W.  Glover,  Aug.  19,  1872;  Matthias  Ilarher, 
March  17, 1877. 

Grvfjan  Township. 

"John  Defrance,  "Washington  White,  March  9, 1853 ;  Thomas  Yardlcj', 
"Samuel  Defrance,  March  4,  1864 ;  "G.  E.  Wills,  March  6,  1856 ; 


ORGANIZATION,  CIVIL  LIST,  ETC. 


493 


*C.  C.  Grngiin,  Mulcli  6,  1850;  »F.  S.  Johnston,  Mnrcli  in,  18f)7; 
•Siinuifl  Di^fcuncc,  Mm-cli  23,1S68;  *I)avKl  Slmffcr,  April  2,  1859; 
*J<ilin  Gnigan,  Miuch  20, 1800 ;  Thomiis  Slone,  April  C,  1805  ;  Julin 
C.  Piist,  Jliircli  25,  1807;  *Jubn  Grugan,  March  11,1870;  Charles 
McGliee,  Murcli  30,  1880. 

Grove  Toiimhi,,. 
Jaincs  Eailoy,  Juhn  M.  Fl.iy.l,  April  14,  ISW ;  John  M.  Flojd,  James 
Shaffer,  March  11,  1S15;  John  M  Flo.vd,  James  Shaffer,  March  11, 
1845;  ■\Villiani  A.  Wykoff,  John  M  Floyil,  March  5,  1850;  Isaac 
Raniage,  M^.nh  4,  1804;  *James  Bailey,  March  5,  1850;  «Jame8 
Slmffcr,  Jr.,  Mitrch  10,  1857;  I^aac  Eamage,  Moses  Walker,  April 
2, 18;9  ;  J.iseph  Mason,  April  15,  1801. 

Kealiiig  Toicnehip, 
*Jolin  Eahone,  »Jalin  Perry,  March  10,  1840;  *Jame3  Wilson,  Kohert 
Lusk,  March  9,  1847;  John  Wykoll,  March  7,  1848;  *John  Wykoff, 
March  9,  1853;  RoLert  Lusk,  March  4,1854;  Cornelins  Conoway, 
March  4,1854;  «David  C.  Nelson,  March  5,  1850;  *U.  C.  Kaylor, 
March  23,1858;  U.  C.  Kajlor,  tMortimer  1'.  Aton,  April  2,1859; 
Abel  Farwell,  Sept.  10,  1802;  James  Ganne,  April  G,  1805;  Christo- 
pher C.  McClelland,  James  Ganoe,  March  2S,  1808  ;  Joseph  \V. 
Merry,  March  25, 1873. 

Lamar  Toictuln'ji, 
George  Olil  (elected  to  Senate),  Joseph  F.  Qnay,  April  14,  1840;  Thomas 
McGhee,  April  13,  1S41  ;  Jacob  Walkey,  March  12,  1844;  Thomas 
McGhee,  March  10,  1840 ;  David  Heller,  March  7,  1848 ;  John  C.  Sig- 
monJ,  March  0,  1849;  Joseph  F.  Quay,  March  9,  1853;  John  C.  Sig- 
uiond,  March  4, 1S51 ;  Joseph  F.  Quay,  March  23,  1858 ;  John  Sig- 
mond,  April  2, 1850;  Thomas  Quay,  April  28,  1S02;  J.  C.  Signioud, 
March  2(1,  1804;  HiilesStoner,  April  0, 1805;  Joseph  F.  Quay,  Ajiril 
0, 1800;  John  C.  Sigmond,  March  25, 1809;  John  P.  Heard,  March 
25,  1873;  John  C.  Sigmond,  March  14,  1874;  John  P.  llurd,  March 
25,  1878;  J.  C.  Sigmond,  March  27,  1878.  • 

Leitti/  ToinisJdp. 

John  McCleary,  John  J.  Walton,  March  0,1849;  *  Benjamin  Wheaton, 
March  11,  1851  ;  *Jacob  Miller,  March  9,  1852 ;  J.  J.  Walton,  Benja- 
min Wheaton,  March  4,  18.54;  Benjamin  Wheaton,  «John  Whalton, 
April  2, 1859;  f  John  I.  Wlialtou,  March  20, 1800;  Nicholas  Watls, 
April  28,  1802;  Michael  11.  Campbell,  April  0,  1805;  Nicholas  Walt, 
March  22, 1807  ;  A.  K.  Clement,  March  10, 1870 ;  Nicholas  W.  Watt, 
March  29,  1872;  Uamillon  Fish,  March  11,  1876;  Nicholas  Watt, 
March  17, 1S77. 

Logan  Townxliijj. 

John  Shitz,  George  Paul,  April  14,1840;  Michael  Kitner,  April  13,1841  ; 
«  William  Jackson,  March  12,  1844  ;  John  Sliilz.  John  Ilgeii,  March 
11, 1845 ;  Michael  D.  UocUy,  March  C.  1849;  John  Shitz,  March  11, 
1851;  M.  D.  Rocky,  March  4,  1854;  M.  J.  Weaver,  March  5,  1850; 
M.  D.  Rocky,  April  2,  18."/J;  John  L.  liickle,  April  9,  1801;  M.  D. 
Rockey,  March  20, 1SG4  ;  John  U.  Row,  March  20, 1800  ;  M.  P.  Rockey, 
Blarch  25,  18C9 ;  John  li.  Rowe,  March  10, 1671 ;  Isaac  Frautz,  March 
27,  1870;  Johu  H.  Boone,  April  9,  ISSl. 

Logansi'iUe  Dorotigh. 

James  F.  Berry,  March  20,  18G6;  Baniel  BI.  Morris,  March  in,  1870; 
James  F.  Berry,  March  10,  1871;  Isaac  Frautz,  March  14,  1874; 
Daniel  M.  Morris,  March  9, 1876;  Johu  J.  Herlacker,  March  13, 1875; 
John  B.  Eowe.March  20,1870;  D.M.Morris,  James  F.  Beiry,  March 
30,  1880. 

Lmnlier  Tmiimhip. 

♦William  Sterling,  *John  Strawbridge,  April  14, 1840;  William  Ni-lson, 
'Stephen  Hamilton,  April  13, 1841 ;  Elijah  Cripper,  March  12, 1844; 
•Chatham  Devling,  March  9, 184"  ;  George  Chapnnin,  Starch  5, 1850 ; 
M.  C.  Lucore,  March  11,  1851;  James  A.  Gellem,  March  9,  1862;  *J. 
P.Wood,  March  4,  18.54;  «Samncl  Smilli,  *Chalham  Derby,  March 
0, 1855;  John  A.  Kldred,  C.  G.  Taylor,  March  5, 1860;  David  Chap- 
man, July  17,  1Sj7;  John  A.  Eldred,  April  2,  1859;  P.  W.  Wliitiug, 
March  2(1,  ISCO. 

Limestone  Tmcnship. 

•Samuel  Bufflngtou,  Philip  Showers,  April  14,  1840. 

LocJc  Haven  Borough. 
•John  Harlan,  'Robert  Irwin,  April  3, 1841 ;  William  Morrison,  March 
15,  1842;  Philip  Krebs,  March  12,  1844;  E.  H.  Plait,  March  10,1840; 
John  F.  Sloan,  Philip  Krebs,  March  6, 1840  ;  John  B.  Wagner,  March 


9,  18.53;  .John  F.  Sl.pan,  March  4, 18.54;  William  S.  Cile,  »I  irch  0, 
1856;  John  B.  Wagonor,  March  8,1858:  Orin  T.  Noble,  SInrch  2i|, 
1860;  William  W.  Rynder,  March  23,  1803;  Orin  T.  Noble,  April  0, 
1805;  G.  W.  Batcheler,  March  20,  ISCO;  Oriii  T.  Noble,  March  21, 
1S70. 

Locic  Haven  Citij. 

Firsl  IFnrd.— Benjamin  F.  Winters,  Nov.  5,  1870,  March  11, 187G,  April 
9,1881. 

Second  It'arJ.— John  G.  Fox,  Nov.  5, 1870;  John  Calvert,  Jlai  ch  14, 1874  ; 
Joseph  Parsons,  Aug.  25, 1874;  Paul  S.  Merrill,  March  13,  1S75;  II. 
L.  Dicffenbach,  March  I,  1880,  March  30,  1880. 

niril  iriirrf.— George  W.  Batcheler,  March  20,  1806,  March  10,  1871, 
ilarch  1 1, 1870;  William  Fearon,  Dec.  21, 1S70,  March  17, 1881 ;  Wil- 
liam K.Feal April  1I,1SS1. 

Fourlh  IFiirrf— Orin  T.  Noble,  March  10,1870,  March  13,  1875,  March 
21.1880,  March  30.  1880. 

n/lh  Ward.—UuBli  Devling,  JIarch  21, 1870;  William  F.  Uarter,  March 
21,1875. 

Hill  H.ill  Borough. 

George  Piatt,  Samuel  R.  Stoever,  May  23,  1849;  Samuel  It.  Stocver, 
•Gilbert  M.  Hill,  Maich  4,  IS54;  *Samilcl  Ciilderwood,  March  6, 
1855;  Samuel  B.  Stoever,  March  4,  1854;  John  S.  Rodgers,  March 

10,  1857;  *Archibald  Allison,  March  .5,1850  ;  Francis  Plait,  April  2, 
1859;  John  L.  Rodgers,  April  24.  1S02;  Francis  Plait,  Jlarch  20, 
1804;  John  Weaver,  April  6,  1805;. Mm  H.  Wilson,  March  28,  1808; 
Fiancis  Piatt.  March  26,  1809;  William  II.  Rosser,  Jlarcli  2.-|,  1873 ; 
Francis  Plait,  March  14,  1874;  S.  R.  Stover,  April  3,  1S7S ;  Francis 
Piatt,  S.  R.  Stover,  March  27,  1879. 

Koij<'3  Township. 
William  C.  Kepler,  March  10,  1872;  John  S.  Bailey,  March  13,  1875; 
Abner  McClaskey,  March  25,  1K78 ;  Johu  S.  Bailey,  Jlaicli  30,  1880. 

Pine  Creek  Township. 

James  J.  Hunt,  Thomas  P.  Simmons  (elected  county  Irc.isurei),  April 
14,  1840;  Josejih  Walters,  April  13,  1S41  ;  »Josepli  McCuiie,  March 
11,1845;  «Johu  Crist,  Henry  Garman,  March  In,  1840 ;  *Daniel 
Belz,  March  0, 1847;  James  II.  McKinncy,  March  7,  1.S4S ;  *Gc.TBe 
Ciawford,  March  0,  1849;  *Elislia  B.  Parker,  March  5,  1850;  'Jo- 
seph M.  Qni^-gle,  March  11,  1861;  *James  H.  McKijiney,  *Daniel 
Quiggle,  March  9,  1852;*Jolin  Uamiltou,  Samuel  Geise,  March  0, 
1853;  *Johii  C.)0k,  March  4,  1854;  *Charies  Baird,  March  0,  1855; 
*Robeit  M.  Shaw,  March  5,1850;  *J.H.  McKinuey,  Maicli  10,1857;' 
«A.  C.  Kissell,  *Samu(  I  Geise,  Apiil  13, 1858;  Thomas  Chirk,  April  2, 
1850  ;  Samuel  Wilson,  Maich  20,  1800;  Samuel  Geis,  April  14,  IS(«  ; 
A.  C.  Kissel,  April  0,  1805;  G.  W.  Garman,  Nov.  9,  1809;  A.  C.  Ki- 
sell,  March  10,  187(1;  Robert  A  Shaw,  March  13,  1S7.-';  Andrew  C. 
Kissell,  March  21,  1875;  P.obelt  A.  Shaw,  A.  C.  KisscU,  March  30, 
1880. 

Porter  Townsliip. 

George  M.  WaEson,  George  Ohl,  April  13, 1841;  George  Olil,  March  11, 
1845;  George  M.  Wasson,  March  10,  1840;  Joseph  Milliken,  March 
5, 1860  ;  Archibald  Allison,  March  11, 1851 ;  Joseph  Milliken,  Jlarch 
G,  1855  ;  Archibald  Allison,  March  10, 1857;  Joseph  Milliken',  March 
20,  18G0 ;  Joseph  Devling,  April  24,  1802  ;  Archibald  Allison,  Slarcli 
29,1804;  Jose|h  Milliken,  April  0,  1805;  Archibald  Allison,  Nov. 
9, 1^70;  Joseph  Milliken,  March  21,1870;  William  .M.  .Allison,  March 
19,  1872;  Joseph  Milliken,  March  21,  1875;  William  M.  Allison, 
March  19,  1877;  Josejih  Milliken,  March  30,  1S8U;  J.  S.  Halter', 
April  9,  ISSl. 

Jienovo  Borongh. 

John  Reilly,  June  20,  1800;  William  P.  Baird,  March  20, 1800;  George 
Hawkesworth,  March  25,  1869;  Joseph  Whitby,  March  10,  1870; 
John  Reilly,  June  13,1871;  John  Smith,  March  14, 1S74;  William 
Kipp  Chestnut,  March  11,1876;  John  Smith,  Nov.  0,  1879;  W.  K. 
Chestnut,  April  29, 1881 ;  John  Smith,  March  30,  ISSO. 

Wagne  Tounshfp, 
♦William  Chatham,  Samuel  Love,  April  14, 1840;  S.  Montg.imery  Quig- 
gle, Samuel  Love,  April  13,1841;  *Joseph  Montgomery,  March  11, 
1845;  S.  Montgomery  Quigley,  March  10, 1846;  'Daniel  Schneider, 
March  10,  1846;  *Joliii  Slabley,  March  9,  1847;  *Jolin  Slableyi 
S.  M.  Quiggle,  March  11, 1851 ;  J.  B.  Deis,  March  9, 18,52;  William 
Chatham,  March  6,  1850;  S.  M.  Quiggle,  March  10, 1857;  William 
('hatham,  April  0,  1801;  S.  M.  Quiggle,  April  24,  1862;  William 
Chatham,  March  20,  UGC;  S.  M  Quiggle,  March  2 2, 1SC7 ;  Daniel 


494 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


:ngg,  March  12, 
Alexander  Ma- 
miDiiiigs,  March 


Quiggle,  March  10,  1871 ;  Samuel  Wilson,  March  19,  1872,  March 
10,  1877;  \V.  M.  Quiggle,  March  17,  1877;  James  C.  Quiggle,  March 
27,  1879. 

M'oodward  ToiaisJiip. 

*Kobert  Jf.  Hanna,  March  14,  1843;  Thomas  Cumm 
1844  ;  II.  F.  Schulzc,  R.  M.  Ilanna,  March  11,  1845 
lion,  *Thonia8  B.  Bailey,  Marcli  7, 1848 ;  *Thomas  C 
5,  1830;  *Josepli  Hanna,  March  11,  1861;  *Thomas  Cummings, 
March  9, 1852;  *John  Harescunc,  *Kobert  C.  Boss,  March  9,  1853; 
*E2ra  Roily,  *J.  E.  King,  March  4,  1854;  J.  F.Brobst,  C.  C.  McClel- 
land, March  6,  1855;  lolin  II.  Laverty,  April  13,  1858;  John  W. 
Smith,  April  2,  1859;  Joseph  E.  Ulluian,  March  20,  18G0;  B.  M. 
Hanncr,  April  9, 1861 ;  Joseph  E.  Ulliuan,  Slarch  22, 1804;  William 
A.  Packer,  April  C,  ISGb. 

Wfsl  Keating  Tomnship. 
oe,  March  13, 1575 ;  George  Morrissey,  March  30, 


M.  P.  AtoD,  Janr 
1880. 

VOTES  FOR  GOVERNOR. 

The  following  .shows  the  votes  east  in  Clinton 
County  for  Governor  at  each  general  election  held 
since  tlie  organization  of  tlie  county,  also  the  relative 
strength  of  each  party,  and  increase  of  the  voting 
population  since  1841 : 

1841— David  R.  Porter,  780;  John  Banks,  003. 

1844 .—Francis  R.  Sliunk,  925;  Joseph  Markle,  S07. 

1847.— Francis  R.  Shunk.  9G0  ;  James  Irvine,  085. 

1848  —Morris  Longstrclh,  10U4  ;  William  K.  Jolinson,  SOS. 

1851.— William  Bigler,! 200;  WilliiUu  F,  Johnson,  081. 

1S54.— William  Bi^'ler,  9:15;  James  Pollock,  1493. 

1837.- William  F.  Packer,  1404;  Dinid  Wilnu.t,  1083. 

ISliO— Henry  V.  Foster,  170:l ;  Andrew  G.  Curtin,  1730. 

1803.— Georgo  W.  Woodward,  1911  ;  Andrew  G.  Cnrliu,  1007. 

1800.— Hiester  Clymcr,  2337  ;  John  W.  Geary,  1754. 

1809.- Asa  Packer,  230il;  John  W.  Geary,  1830. 

1872. — lohu  F.  Ilarlranft,  2018  ;  Charles  R.  Buckalcw,  2032. 

1875.— Cyrus  W.  Pershing,  239S;  .lolin  F.  Hartrautt,  1771 :  Brown,  91. 

1878.— A.  H.  Dill,  2099  ;  11.  M.  Hoyt,  1814;  Mason  (Greenback),  347. 

1882.— E  E.  Pattison,  2001 ;  J.  A.  Beaver,  1730;  Jno.  Stewart,  218. 


CHAPTER    CII. 

CLINTOX    COUNTY    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

The  patriotism  of  Clinton  County  was  foreshad- 
owed in  a  speech  made  in  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives at  Harrisburg  by  H.  C.  Bressler,  tlie  member  from 
Clinton  County,  in  February,  1861,  and  is  a  proper 
prelude  to  the  introduction  of  its  services  in  the  war 
of  the  Kebellion. 

"  I  have  no  sympathy,  sir,  with  South  Cai-idina  or  any  of  her  sister 
States  who  have  insulted  our  citizens,  outl-aged  Iniinaiiity.  and  dishon- 
ored the  flag  of  our  country,  trampling  it  in  the  dnsl  beneath  their 
feet.  I  aiu  not  disposed  to  give  the  sliglitest  countenance  to  any  such 
proceedings.  I  have  no  feeling  for  the  tiaitors  who  have  instilled  into 
the  Southern  niiinl  that  seditious  and  treasonable  spirit  which  is  shak- 
ing the  foundations  of  our  government.  While  1  hold  these  sentiments, 
there  are  no  jiarty  ties  that  could  render  me  unwilling  to  offer  the  olive 
branch  of  jieace.  God  fol'bid  tiiat  1  should  ever  be  influenced  by  any 
such  ignoble  epirit.  If,  by  any  word  or  deed  of  mine,  I  can  do  anything 
to  st:iy  the  fralriciilal  hands  that  would  deluge  this  land  of  outs  with 
t!ie  mingled  blood  of  kindred,  I  will  sacrifice  party  ou  tlie.alt!ir  of  peace 
for  union,  for  liberty,  and  for  law. 

"  I  shall  vote  fur  this  resolution,  sir,  when  it  shall  come  properly  be- 
fore the  House,  but  I  woulil  not  embarrass  our  commissioners.  I  shall 
vote  for  the  repeal  of  the  9olh  section  of  the  Penal  Code.  I  shiill  do 
anything  honorable  in  order  to  preserve  peace.  But  if  we  cannot  have 
peace  on  any  fair  and  honorable  terms,  I  would  arm  the  Federal  gov- 
ernment, and  stliko  down  every  traitor  who  would  obliterate  one  star 
from  our  blight  constellation  of  liberty." 


Eleventli  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Volunteers. — 

This  regiment  was  made  up  of  detached  companies 
from  different  parts  of  the  State,  Clinton  County 
furnishing  two  of  them,  viz.,  B  and  C  companies. 
The  regiment  was  rendezvoused  at  Camp  Curtin, 
and  was  organized  April  26,  1861,  by  the  choice  of 
the  following  officers  :  Pharou  Jarret,  of  Lock  Haven, 
Clinton  Co.,  from  captain  of  Company  B,  colonel ; 
Richard  Coulter,  of  Greensbnrg,  Westmoreland  Co., 
lieutenant-colonel ;  William  D.  Earnest,  of  Harris- 
burg, major:  F.  Asbury,  assistant  adjutant. 

Soon  after  its  organization  Col.  Jarrett,  by  order  of 
tlie  Governor,  was  placed  in  command  of  Camp  Wil- 
kins,  near  Pittsburgh.  May  4,  1861,  the  regiment  was 
transferred  by  rail  to  Camp  Wayne,  near  West  Ches- 
ter. Here  it  rejnaiued  about  three  weeks,  and  regu- 
larly drilled  in  Scott's  tactics. 

M.ay  27th  the  regiment,  having  been  partially  uni- 
formed and  equipped,  was  ordered  by  the  commanding 
general  to  move  and  take  position  on  the  Phila- 
delphia, Wilmington  and  Baltimore  road.  At  Phila- 
delphia the  command  received  forty  thousand  rounds 
of  fi.xed  ammunition,  and  the  following  disposition 
of  Companies  B  and  C  was  made  :  Company  C  with 
Company  D,  under  command  of  Capts.  Bossert  and 
Sharet,  were  stationed  at  Perryville,  Maj.  Earnest 
commanding  detachment.  Companies  B  and  A,  under 
command  of  Capts.  Jackman  and  Dodge,  were  sta- 
tioned at  regimental  headquarters  at  Havre-de-Grace. 
At  the  end  of  three  weeks  the  regiment  was  relieved 
by  the  First  Delaware,  and  concentrated  at  Havre- 
de-Grace.  Tents  were  supplied,  and  the  men  fur- 
nished with  overcoats,  belts,  and  cartridge-boxes, 
which  to  this  time  had  been  wanting. 

June  18th  orders  were  received  to  march  via  Balti- 
more and  Harrisburg  to  Chambersburg,  and  join  Gen. 
Patterson's  column. 

Remaining  a  few  days  at  Chambersburg,  it  was  or- 
dered to  Hagerstown,  Md.,  where  it  was  attached  to 
Gen.  Nogley's  brigade  of  Gen.  Keim's  division.  On 
the  night  of  June  IStli  the  long  roll  was  beaten,  and 
being  quickly  in  column,  the  regiment  was  hurriedly 
marched  to  AVilliamsport,  where  an  apprehended  at- 
tack did  not  occur,  and  late  the  next  day  the  regi- 
ment marched  back  to  camp  at  Hagerstown. 

June  20th  the  regiment  was  translerred  to  the  Sixth 
Brigade,  Col.  (since  Gen.)  Abercrombie.  June  28th 
it  moved  to  Darnestown.  On  the  following  day  the 
regiment  moved  to  Williamsport,  where  the  army 
iiad  principally  concentrated,  and  where  prepara- 
tions were  made  for  crossing  the  river.  At  two 
o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  2d  of  July  a  scout- 
ing party  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  of 
the  Eleventh  forded  the  river,  and  pushed  forward 
into  the  enemy's  country.  Col.  Abercrombie,  with 
the  remainder  of  the  brigade,  advanced  to  its  support, 
followed  by  the  whole  army.  As  the  head  of  the 
column  approached  the  ford,  firing  was  heard  on  the 
Virginia  side,  Coulter's  detachment  having  come  in 


CLINTON   COUNTY   IN   THE  WAR  OF  THE   REBELLION. 


495 


contact  with  a  body  of  rebel  scouts,  who  were  quickly 
put  to  flight. 

Abercrombie  having  cro.ssed,  immediately  put  his 
brigade  in  motion,  and  proceeded  about  two  miles  in 
the  direction  of  Holce's  Run,  better  known  as  Falling 
Waters,  when  day  began  to  dawn,  and  the  detach- 
ment rejoined  the  brigade.  It  was  reported  that  a 
strong  body  of  the  rebel  army  was  posted  at  Falling 
Waters.  Advancing  to  within  a  mile  of  this  point, 
being  several  hours  in  advance  of  the  main  column, 
the  brigade  halted,  and  a  detachment  was  again  sent 
forward  to  reconnoitre,  but  no  enemy  was  encount- 
ered. On  arriving  at  the  stream,  the  troops  refreshed 
themselves  and  filled  their  canteens.  Upon  resuming 
the  march,  the  regiment  had  not  proceeded  far  before 
the  enemy  was  discovered,  posted  in  a  wood.  The 
Eleventh  immediately  formed  on  the  right  of  the  road, 
in  the  edge  of  the  wood,  and  awaited  his  advance. 

At  this  time  a  section  of  Capt.  Perkins'  battery, 
consisting  of  tliree  pieces,  under  command  of  Lieut. 
Hudson,  moved  up  the  pike,  and  immediately  after 
Gen.  Patterson  and  staff  arrived  and  moved  to  the 
front.  The  Eleventh  was  ordered  back  from  its  first 
position,  and  advanced  on  the  pike.  A  heavy  fire 
was  opened  in  front  of  the  First  Wisconsin,  and  the 
Eleventh  was  ordered  to  move  by  a  road  leading  to 
the  north,  and  to  form  on  the  right  of  the  First  Wis- 
consin. 

The  enemy,  under  command  of  Col.  ("Stonewall") 
Jackson,  were  strongly  posted  behind  fences  and 
buildings,  and  as  soon  as  the  Eleventli  emerged  from 
the  wood  it  encountered  a  heavy  fire  of  musketry  and 
artillery,  the  shots,  however,  passing  overhead  and 
doing  little  injury.  The  line  now  advanced  to  within 
two  hundred  yards  of  Jackson's  front,  when  Perkins' 
battery  opened  on  Porterfield's  barn  and  buildings, 
setting  them  on  fire,  and  driving  the  enemy  from 
their  shelter.  The  Eleventh  now  opened  fire,  and 
the  engagement  became  general ;  the  enemy's  guns 
were  silenced,  and  his  line  fell  back  in  confusion. 

la  this  engagement  the  Eleventh  lost  one  killed 
and  ten  wounded,  Clinton  County  having  one 
wounded,  viz.,  Marion  F.  Hamaker,  of  Company  B. 

July  3,  1861,  the  brigade  proceeded  to  Martins- 
burg,  where  it  went  into  camp.  On  the  following 
day  tlie  Eleventh,  with  the  First  Wisconsin,  was  de- 
tached to  escort  a  wagon-train  from  Williamsport  to 
Martinsburg. 

While  stationed  at  JIartinsburg  a  stand  of  National 
colors  was  presented  by  the  Union  ladies  of  the  place, 
at  the  hands  of  Miss  Miller.  The  regiment  prior  to 
this  had  carried  no  colors.  This  flag  was  subsequently 
borne  in  the  three  years'  service,  in  the  battles  of 
Cedar  Mountain,  the  operations  on  Rappaliannock 
River,  and  at  Thorouglifare  Gap.  In  the  second 
battle  of  Bull  Run,  where  the  command  was  warmly 
engaged,  the  color-bearer,  William  Feightner,  was 
severely  wounded,  and,  with  the  flag,  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  enemy. 


July  15th  the  regiment  moved  to  Bunker  Hill  and 
occupied  the  rebel  camp,  and  July  17th,  Abercrom- 
bie's  brigade  marched  to  Charlestown,  where  it  re- 
mained several  days. 

The  terms  of  the  three  months'  men  had  now  nearly 
expired,  and  Gen.  Patterson  made  an  earnest  appeal 
to  these  regiments  to  remain  a  week  or  ten  days  be- 
yond their  period  of  enlistment,  to  enable  him  to  hold 
his  position  until  fresh  troops  arrived. 

The  Eleventh  was  drawn  up  in  front  of  Gen.  Pat- 
terson and  his  staff  for  its  decision.  He  proposed 
that  those  who  were  willing  to  stay  with  Iiim  should 
bring  their  arms  to  a  shoulder.  At  the  command 
"Shoulder  arms!"  every  musket  went  up  with  a  will, 
to  the  great  satisfiiction  of  the  general,  wdio  rode  for- 
ward and  exclaimed,  "  With  you,  my  brave  blue- 
jackets, I  can  hold  the  place  alone!" 

July  21st  the  regiment  moved  to  Harper's  Ferry, 
and  on  the  24th  forded  the  Potomac  and  marched  to 
Sandy  Hook.  On  the  26th  the  following  order  was 
received  : 

*' nEADQUARTERS    DePARTMRNT   OF    PfNNSVI.VANIA, 

"  Uaei'ek's  FERny,  Va.,  July  24,  ISOl. 
"  (Speciiil  Order  No.  127  ) 

*'Tlie  Eleventh  llpgiment  Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  Colonel  Jarrelt 
comniaudiiig,  ^vill,  tu-Jsiy,  take  rail  transportation  from  this  place  to 
Baltimore,  en  route  fur  Uarrisburj;,  where  they  will  bu  mustered  out  of 


*'  It  gives  the  commanding  general  great  satlsraction  to  say  that  the 
conduct  of  the  regiment  has  merited  his  higliesl  approljalinn.  It  had 
tlie  fortune  to  be  in  the  advance  at  the  affa  r  at  Hukc"»  linn  (Falling 
Watc^^),  where  the  steadiness  and  gallantry  of  both  offiiere  ajid  men 
came  under  lis  pereonal  obseivalion.  They  have  all  merited  his  thanks. 
"  By  order  of  General  Patterson, 

*'  F.  J.  Porter, 
"  Assiataui  Atljutunt-Getieral." 

On  the  19th  of  July,  prior  to  the  muster  out  of  the 
regiment,  the  necessary  measures  were  taken,  with 
the  approval  of  the  commander  of  the  department, 
to  have  it  remustered  for  three  years'  service,  and  on 
the  25tli  it  was,  by  an  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War, 
accepted.  It  was  permitted,  by  a  general  order  of  the 
Governor  of  Pennsylvania,  to  retain  its  original  num- 
ber. Hence  the  Eleventh  became  the  first  regiment 
for  three  years'  service. 

The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  Company  B, 
recruited  at  Lock  Haven,  Clinton  Co.,  and  Company 
C,  recruited  at  Mill  Hall,  Clinton  Co.,  and  both  mus- 
tered into  service  April  25,  1861 : 

COMP.\NY  B. 
Capt.,  Benjamin  K.  .I.acknian ;  1st  Lieut.,  William  Slianks;  2J  Lieut., 
Thom.as  C.  Lebo ;  1st  Sergt..  Edward  D.  Williams;  2d  Sergt.,  John 
11.  Davis;  3d  Sergt.,  George  II.  Dickinson;  4lh  Scrst ,  Flavins  J. 
Cross;  1st  Corp,  Anthony  W.  Sallitman;  2d  Corp.,  Il.nry  F.  Tam- 
many; 3d  Coqi.,  Alexander  S.  Ennis;  4lli  Cor]!.,  Joseph  Jlercdilli ; 
Musicians,  Cliarles  W.  Ilousel,  George  M.  Beiass. 


riU-alrs. 


Charles  W.  Adams. 
Thomas  Agnew. 
Tluuuas  B.  Bisldng. 
George  W.  Bntterbaugli. 
Joseph  M.  Burse. 
Geoigu  W-.  Bsel. 
James  F.  Becker. 


Alexander  Black 
James  A.  Canflel. 
Michael  Cammai 
Benjamin  F.  Clal 
Palrick  Condon. 
Ilinim  X.  Unl.lis. 
William  A.  Davis 


496 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Ambrose  B.  Dcwees. 

Villiiini  II.  Fiiiney. 

William  I'lirl. 

Hf  nr.y  I).  Fajxus. 

William  A.  Fl.;li.ing. 

Calvin  r.  Oibbs. 

Isaiah  Gray. 

Samuel  C.  Guodwin. 
^  William  H.  Gralialu. 
'  UmilesF.  M.Hustou. 

Mariun  F.  Ilamakcr. 

Jovl  Iluuglitalhig. 

Belijaniill  F.  Haines. 

Daviil  r.  Ilanrin, 

DeWitt  C.  Juliiisou. 

riawl  G.  JuJoii. 

Kolicrt  L.  Kiiine. 

Hciiry  J.  KiiJt. 

Charles  l-iiiil. 

John  G.  Lilio. 

James  Li.gne. 

Gilbert  II.  Lane. 

Charles  F.Miller. 

William  Blorrison. 

li.  njaminF.  Midary. 

Francis  WcMahou. 


Peter  MeMiilion. 
Hurace  P.  Jlorris. 
Mifflin  R.  Moyer. 
George  E.  M.iuier. 
George  W.  Ncwbniy. 
William  P.  IVlinger. 
Th< 
Hci 


mas  A.  Poorman. 

ry  W.  Peters. 
George  W.  Parsons. ' 
Joseph  Enell. 
William  II.  Kowland. 
James  H.  Scott. 
Charles  H.Sayors. 
John  p.  Shafler. 
Charles  Tola  n. 
Maglory  Thibaiilt. 
John  Tracey. 
George  Tapp. 
Harrison  Truosdell. 
AIe.\alider  Thom]tson. 
Frederick  B.  Winter. 
Albert  H.  Wheelock. 
Clement  Walters. 
John  Williams. 
Beverly  W.  White. 


COMPANY  C. 

Cnpt.,  Ilonry  M.  Bossert ;  1st  Lieut  ,  William  F.  Ciispin  ;  2d  Lieut.,  Dan- 
iel Wolt;  1st  Sergt.,  John  G.  Wesncr  ;  2d  Sergt.John  Curran  ;  3d 
Sergt.,  John  S.  Snodgra.'s;  4th  Sergt ,  John  J.  Bressler;  Ist  Corp  , 
John  T.  Hunter ;  2d  Cinp.,  Solomon  S.  Blown ;  ad  Corp.,  James  E. 
Caldevvjod  ;  Musician,  Joseph  M.  Liner. 


John  E.  Ammerman. 

William  Ilollingsv 

Irwin  Botlorf. 

William  P.  Jones. 

Enos  Bartholomew. 

William  Jones. 

Henry  Bottorf. 

DeWilt  C.  Kessin,!: 

Andrew  J.  Biewer. 

Francis  M.  Kessin 

Andrew  J.  Bowe.s. 

Henry  Kabler. 

Jacob  Brown. 

Jacob  Kessinger. 

Greenbury  B.  Biewer. 

Andrew  Lee. 

William  G.  Butcher. 

William  McCormi 

Aquilla  Lartholoinew. 

Mark  Mincer. 

Michael  D.  Boylen. 

Samuel  Mahen. 

John  W.  Crispin. 

Thomas  A.  Miller. 

William  Callaliau. 

William  McCanu. 

John  W.  Carter. 

Albert  Martin. 

Alexander  Chatham. 

John  Pickering. 

John  F.  Caatlebuiy. 

William  N.  Kiclia 

William  Ciidler. 

Jerome  Repass. 

Abraham  Cridler. 

William  Solleis. 

Jarob  B  Clay. 

Philip  1).  Stover. 

James  Dehaas. 

Joseph  C.  Swartz. 

CharbsDnnla]!. 

Joseph  Sjiook. 

Williiii.  1>.  llanali. 

AdamShiley. 

Wil>"ii  EMer. 

Matlhow  Smith. 

James  Fhinaghan. 

Andrew  P.  Stewar 

John  S.  Flaiiaghan. 

James  Shiik. 

John  Ferry. 

Oscar  Tobey. 

Daniel  Grass. 

Samuel  JI.  Taylor 

William  P.  Grove. 

Robert  Vennatta. 

David  A.  Ghear. 

David  Wagner. 

Albert  H.  Ilunler. 

John  Walkins. 

James  \V.  Hutchinson, 

John  11.  Wilson. 

Thirty-sixth  Kegiment  (Seventh  Reserve).— 
There  \v;i.s  but  one  Cdiiipaiiy  (D)  in  this  regiment 
from  Clinton  County  ;  liowever,  we  give  a  brief  sketch 
of  the  regiment,  extracted  from  "  History  of  Penn- 
sylvania Volunteers,"  by  Samuel  P.  Bates. 

Tlie  companies  composing  the  Seventh  Reserve  were 
recruited  in  several  counties  lying  cast  of  the  Alle- 


gheny Mountains,  rendezvoused  .at  Camp  Wayne, 
near  West  Chester,  early  in  June,  1861,  and  were  or- 
ganized June  26th  with  the  following  field-officers: 
Colonel,  Elisha  B.  Harvey,  of  Wilkesbarre;  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel, Joseph  Totten,  of  Mechanicsburg; 
Major,  Chauncey  A.  Lyman,  of  Lock  Haven. 

July  21,  1861,  the  Seventh  was  ordered  to  Wash- 
ington via  Harrisburg  and  Baltimore.  Before  start- 
ing it  was  supplied  with  forty  rounds  of  ammunition 
per  man,  and  before  passing  tlirough  Baltimore  they 
left  the  cars  and  loaded  their  muskets,  and  thus  pre- 
pared for  any  emergency  that  might  present  itself. 

On  its  arrival  in  Washington  the  regiment  went  into 
camp  at  Meridian  Hill,  and  July  27,  1861,  was  mus- 
tered into  the  United  States  service  by  Maj.  Elwood, 
after  which  the  arms  received  from  the  State  of  Penn- 
sylvania were  exchanged  for  muskets  from  the  Wash- 
ington Arsenal. 

Aug.  2, 1861,  the  regiment  broke  camp  and  marched 
to  Tenallytown,  the  point  of  general  rendezvous  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Reserves.  The  division  was  soon 
after  organized,  and  the  Seventh  was  assigned  to  the 
Second  Brigade,  commanded  by  Gen.  George  G. 
Meade.  Here  was  performed  the  first  picket  duty, 
and  here  too  the  smooth-bore  muskets  of  the  right 
and  left  companies  were  exchanged  for  Springfield 
rifles. 

August  24th  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  march 
to  Great  Falls,  on  the  Potomac,  where  it  remained 
two  weeks.  September  4th,  while  here,  it  encountered 
the  enemy,  who  came  down  on  them  upon  the  oppo- 
site shore,  and  opened  fire  from  a  battery  of  five  guns, 
two  howitzers  and  three  rifled  pieces,  and  a  brisk  fire 
of  shot  and  shell  was  kept  up  for  three  hours. 

October  9th  the  Seventh,  together  with  the  divis- 
ion, broke  camp,  and  moved  to  near  Langley,  Va., 
and  foriued  the  extreme  right  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac.  In  this  camp  the  regiment  remained  inac- 
tive during  the  winter  of  1861-62,  but  the  time  was 
spent  in  preparing  for  future  and  more  brilliant  opera- 
tions. 

March  10,  1862,  the  Seventh,  with  the  rest  of  the 
division,  broke  camp  and  moved  to  Hunter's  Mills. 
The  men  were  here  supplied  with  shelter  tents,  which 
they  continued  to  use  during  the  remainder  of  the 
war.  The  regiment  broke  camp,  and  in  the  midst  of 
a  deluge  of  rain  the  men  marched  to  Alexandria, 
and  here  the  Seventh  was  assigned  to  the  First  Army 
Corps  under  Gen.  McDowell.  The  Seventh,  however, 
went  into  camp  at  Fairfax  Station,  where  it  remained 
four  weeks.  April  9,  1862,  it  moved  with  the  divis- 
ion to  Manassas  Junction,  where  it  went  into  camp. 
On  tlie  17lh  of  April  it  marched  to  Catletfs  Station, 
and  May  11th  to  Falmouth.  June  9th  the  regiment 
embarked  on  transports  and  went  to  White  House, 
on  the  Pamunkey  River,  thence  along  the  line  of  the 
West  Point  Railroad  to  the  front.  Halting  within 
six  miles  of  Richmond,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Cliick- 
ahominy,  the  division   was   placed  on  the  extreme 


CLINTON    COUNTY    IN   THE  WAR   OF   THE    REBELLION. 


497 


right  of  tlie  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  attached  to 
the  Fiftli  Corps  under  Gen.  Fitz  John  Porter. 

June  26th  the  enemy  was  encountered  by  the 
"  Bucktails"  near  Mechanicsville.  By  direction  of 
Gen.  McCall  tlie  Seventh  was  posted  on  the  left  of  the 
line.  During  an  engagement  that  followed  the 
Seventh  held  the  left  of  the  line,  near  the  open 
ground  stretching  out  to  the  Chickahoniiny.  Its  po- 
sition was  several  times  changed  during  the  engage- 
ment, and  entirely  separated  from  the  division.  The 
regiment  was  taken  to  the  left  of  the  line,  where  it 
assisted  in  repulsing  a  charge  of  the  enemy,  and 
again  changed  to  the  centre,  where  it  performed  a 
similar  act  in  reinforcing  Butterfield's  brigade. 

After  the  Seven  Days'  fight  had  ended,  and  the 
smoke  of  battle  cleared  away,  only  two  hundred 
out  of  that  J'ull-ranked,  well-disciplined  body  of  men 
who  embarked  upon  the  Rappahannock  less  than  a 
month  before  were  fit  for  duty. 

July  4, 1862,  Col.  Harvey  resigned,  and  Lieut. -Col. 
Bolinger  was  promoted  colonel.  Several  promo- 
tions were  made  among  the  line-officers,  and  several 
meritorious  non-comniissioned  officers  were  promoted 
to  be  lieutenants.  On  the  Slst  the  camp  was  shelled 
by  the  enemy,  and  soon  after  the  Seventh,  under 
command  of  Lieut. -Col.  Henderson,  marched  with 
the  brigade  to  dislodge  them  and  protect  the  camp 
and  shipping  from  further  annoyance. 

Sharpshooters  taking  refuge  in  the  house  of  Ed- 
mund Ruffin,  who  boasted  that  he  fired  the  first  shot 
at  Fort  Sumter  upon  the  United  States  transports. 

The  purpose  of  the  expedition  was  accomplished 
on  the  lotli  of  August,  when  the  brigade  was  relieved 
and  embarked  for  Acquia  Landing,  which  place  it 
reached  on  the  17th,  and  marched  to  Kelly's  Ford, 
on  the  Rappahannock.  This  movement  united  the 
Reserves,  now  commanded  by  Gen.  Reynolds,  with 
the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  under  Gen.  Pope. 

At  the  close  of  Pope's  campaign  the  Seventh  went 
into  camp  at  Munson's  Hill,  where  it  remained  till 
September  7th,  when  with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
it  went  to  Meridian  Hill,  encamping  upon  the  same 
ground  that  it  did  in  18G1. 

Two  days  later  the  regiment  marched  through 
Maryland  to  Frederick  City,  and  to  the  foot  of  South 
Mountain,  where  it  met  the  enemy's  skirmish  line, 
and  soon  met  the  enemy  in  force,  drove  him  up  the 
rugged  mountain-side,  and  just  at  the  summit  a  rebel 
soldier  turned  and  deliberately  fired  at  Col.  Bolinger, 
who  was  in  the  front  urging  on  his  men,  the  ball  enter- 
ing and  tearing  the  flesh  of  his  right  arm,  passing 
through  his  right  breast,  inflicting  a  dangerous  wound. 
The  command  then  devolved  upon  Maj.  Lyman. 

The  regiment  participated  in  the  battle  of  Antietam, 
on  the  16th  and  17th  of  September,  and  October  3d 
the  division  was  reviewed  by  the  President,  and  on 
the  12th  the  Seventh  was  detailed  as  a  part  of  a  force 
sent  out  to  meet  the  rebel  cavalry  on  its  raid  under 
Stuart.  On  the  26th  it  moved  by  way  of  Berlin  across 
32 


the  Potomac  to  Warrenton,  arriving  November  6t!i, 
and  was  immediately  placed  upon  the  picket  line. 
The  regiment  remained  in  camp  here  until  the  ICth, 
when  it  moved  with  Burnside  in  the  direction  of 
Fredericksburg,  and  after  three  days'  march  en- 
camped at  Belle  Plain. 

The  regiment  participated  in  the  eventful  battle  of 
Tredericksburg,  where  the  old  Seventh  added  new 
laurels  to  its  already  shining  crown.  In  Gen.  Meadc'^^ 
report  of  the  battle  he  says,  "  The  Seventh  engaged 
the  enemy  to  the  left,  capturing  many  ])risoners  and 
a  standard,  driving  them  from  their  rifle-pits  and 
defenses,  and  continuing  the  pursuit  till,  encountering 
the  enemy's  reinforcements,  they  were  in  turn  driven 
back." 

December  15th,  the  Seventh,  with  the  rest  of  the 
army,  recrossed  the  river  and  went  into  camp  at  Belle 
Plain.  Nothing  of  interest  occurred  during  the  win- 
ter other  than  the  historic  "  mud  march." 

Feb.  8,  1863,  the  Reserves  were,  by  order  of  the 
War  Department,  transferred  from  active  service  in 
the  field  to  duty  in  the  Department  of  Washington. 
Embarking  at  Belle  Plain  February  7th,  the  regiment 
proceeded  to  Alexandria,  and  on  the  11th  marched 
to  Upton's  Hill,  where  it  remained  in  cam)5  till  April 
14th,  and  was  then  for  a  time  on  duty  at  Camp  Con- 
valescent. 

June  18th  it  returned  to  Alexandria,  and  was  as- 
signed to  duty  in  the  command  of  Gen.  Slough. 
i  Various  changes  took  place  here,  among  which  Maj. 
Lyman  became  lieutenant-colonel.  During  the  sum- 
mer and  fall  of  1863  the  regiment  remained  at  Alex- 
andria. 

In  the  latter  part  of  April,  1864,  the  regiment  was 
directed  to  prepare  again  for  active  operations  iii  the 
field,  and  on  the  18th  the  boys  again  took  up  the  line 
of  march  to  join  the  grand  army  through  the  Wilder- 
I  ness.  It  halted  several  days  at  Manassas,  and  was 
attached  to  the  Fifth  Corps,  under  Gen.  Warren. 
May  2d  the  Seventh  broke  camp  and  advanced  along 
the  Rapidan,  and  encamped  at  night  near  the  Chan- 
cellorsville  battle-ground,  the  Reserves  occupying  the 
centre  of  the  line.  On  the  following  morning,  quite 
early,  the  line  was  advanced  about  three  miles,  when 
the  regiment,  through  no  i'ault  of  its  officers,  was  led 
into  a  skillfully-laid  ambuscade,  from  which  it  was 
useless  to  try  to  escape,  and  two  hundred  and  seventy- 
two  officers  and  men  were  captured  and  immediately 
marched  to  the  rear  of  the  rebel  army  at  Orange 
Court-House,  and  thence  to  Lynchburg,  Va.  The 
enlisted  men  were  speedily  sent  to  the  rebel  prison- 
pens  at  Audersonville,  while  the  officers  were  sent  to 
Macon,  and  subsequently  placed  under  fire  of  our 
guns  at  Charleston,  for  the  protection  of  the  city. 
The  cruelties  inflicted  upon  our  men  in  these  rebel 
hells  were  too  horrible  to  relate  at  this  time.  The 
surviving  members  of  the  regiment  were  mustered 
out  at  Philadelphia,  June  16,  1864. 

The  following  is  the  roll  of  Company  D,  the  Clin- 


493 


HISTORY   OF    CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ton  County  company,  as  found  in  Bates'  History,  all 
being  mustered  in  at  the  dates  named  for  three  years: 

COMMISSIONED. 
Clmimcpy  A.  Lylnun,  rapt  ;  April  24,  1801 ;  pro.  to  maj.  June  26,  1801 ; 

lolicut.-col.  Juui',  1803. 
Henry  C.  Bolinger,  ciipt. ;  April  24,  ISOl  ;  pio.  to  capt.  June  20, 1801 ;  to 

lieilt.-col.  Miiy  a,  1«0J  ;  to  col.  July,  1802. 
Jesse  Men  ill,  ciipt.;  April  24,  ISM  ;  pro.  to  1st  lient.  Jnne  20,1861;  to 

Ciipt.  Slay  0,  1802;  trans,  to  Signiil  Corps  Sept.  12,  180:!. 
George  B.  Dimahiiy,  capt. ;  April  24. 1801 ;  pro.  to  2J  lieut.  Dec.  7, 1801 ; 

lo  let  lieut.  May  0,  1802;  to  capt.  Sept.  12,  1863  ;  to  Uvt.  maj.  March 

13, 1805  ;  (lisch.  March  26,  1805. 
John  S.  Ilaynes,  1st  lieut  ;  April  24,  ISOI ;  pro.  to  1st  sergt  Jan.  1,1862; 

to  2d  lient.  May  9,  1862;  to  1st  lieut.  Sept.  12,  1803;  must,  out  with 

company  Jnne  10,1804. 
■\Villiam  W. 'White,  2a  lieut.;  April  24,  1801;  pro.  from  private  to  2d 

lieut.  June  20,  1801;  to  capt.  Co.  0  Nov.  11,  1861. 

K0S-C03IMISSI0NKD. 
GeorgeW.  Fritz,  1st  sergt. ;  April  20, 1801 ;  pro.  from  private  to  1st  sergt. 

Feb.  1,1804;  to  2d  lieut.  Sept.  12,1863;  not  mustered;  missing  in 

action  at  Wilderness  May  5,  1804;  vet. 
■William  M.  Bultois,  sergt. ;  April  20,  1861  ;  pro.  to  sergt.  July  27, 1861 ; 

wounded  at  bJitlle  of  Fredericksburg  Dec.  13,  1862;  must,  out  with 

company  June  10,  1864. 
M.  S.  Fredeiick,  sergt.;  April  24,  1801;   prisoner  May  5,  1864;  disch. 

Feb.  25, 1865. 
William  T.  Ilatliurst,  sergt. ;  Api  il  24,  1861 ;  pro.  to  sorgt.  Nov.  4, 1863  ; 

missing  in  action  at  Wilderness  May  5, 1804;  vet. 
Reuben  W.  Shell,  sergt.;  April  24,  1801;  pro.  to  sergt.  Nov.  6,  1803; 

missing  in  action  at  Wilderness  May  5, 1864;  vet. 
Oerason  J.  Castello,  sergt.:  Ainil  21, 1801;  pro.  to  sergt.  June  26, 1861 ; 

killed  at  FreJe.icksburg  Dec.  13,  1862. 
Abram  R.  Kitchen,  sergt.;  Al)ril  24, 1861 ;  pro.  to  sergt. ;  died  of  wounds 

received  at  Gaines'  Mill  June  27,  1862. 
Michael  S.  EcUert,  corp. ;  April  20, 1801 ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Ilea.  Corps  Oct. 

7, 1803. 
Orange  Holmes,  corp. ;  July  10, 1801 ;  absent,  sick,  at  must,  out  of  corn- 


Samuel  Doan,  corp. ;  July  23,  1861 ;  absent,  sick,  at  must,  out  of 

pany. 
William  C.  Bn 


1802, 


p.;  May  20,  1861;    disch.  by  surgeon  Nov.  14, 
irp. ;  May  20,  1861  ;  disch.  for  wounds  received 
rp. ;  Ajiril  24,  1861 ;   pro.  to  sergt. -maj.  May  3, 
•gt.  Oct.  1,  1S62. 


Feb.  5,  1804; 


Kichard  Ilammersly 
Oct.  3,  1862. 

James  L.  Ilastiiigs, 
1863. 

John  C.  Stover,  corji.;  April  22, 1801 ;  pro.  to  com.-s 

Wilson  P.  Burnt-11,  Corp.;  Apiil  24,  1861;  pro.  to 
missing  at  Wilderness  May  6,  1804;  vet. 

Frank  II.  .lobson,  corp. ;  Apiil  24,  1801 ;  pro.  to  Corp.  Nov.  0,  1803 ;  miss- 
ing in  action  at  Wilderness  May  6,  1804;  vet. 

Beneville  Shell,  corp. ;  April  24,  1801  ;  pro.  to  Corp.  Nov.  4,  1803;  miss- 
in"  in  action  at  Wilderuess  May  5,  1804 ;  veteran. 

John  H.  Moon,  corp. ;  April  24, 1861  ;  pro.  to  Corp.  Nov.  17, 1863  ;  miss- 
ing in  nclion  at  Wilderness  May  6,  1804;  veteran. 

Thomas  Uusslelon,  Corp.;  April  24,  1861;  pro.  to  corp.  Feb.  15,  1801; 
missing  in  action  at  Wilderness  May  5,  1804 ;  veteran. 

Joseph  M.  Canfield,  musician  ;  July  23,  1801 ;  must,  out  with  company 
June  11, 1804. 

PKIVATES. 

AinOB  T.  Bisel,  April  24,  1801 ;  trans,  to  navy  Feb.  10,  1862. 

James  Brooks,  Jr.,  May  23, 1801 ;  tians.  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Oct.  0,  1803. 

Andrew  Bottorf,  May  23, 1801 ;  disch.  on  surg.  cerlif.  May  28, 1862. 
'  Henry    Becker,   May   20,  1801 ;   trans,  to  lOOlh    P.  V.  May  31,  1864 ; 
veteran. 

.GeorgeW.  Brown,  July  16.1801;  pro.  to.  q.m.-sergt.  Oct.  1, 1802. 

William  Bauer,  May  20,  1801  ;  missing  at  Wilderness  May  5,  1864. 

Ale.\ander  Bain,  Blay  20,  1601  ;  missing  at  Wilderness  May  6,  1864; 
vetoian. 

Joseph  Brothers,  May  20,  1861 ;  died  of  wounds  received  at  Gaines'  Mill 
June  27,  1862. 

Andrew  J.  Brown,  July  10,  1861  ;  trans,  to  navy  Feb.  10,  1802  ;   died  at 
Cairo,  III.,  dale  unkuowu 


Josiah  Candor,  April  24, 1861 ;  must,  out  witli  company  June  16, 1864. 
Charles  W.  Consor,  April  24,  1861  ;  disch.  by  surg.  Oct.  24,  1862. 
John  Cohan,  Apiil  24, 1801  ;  disch.  by  surg.  Dec.  4, 1862. 
John  A.  Cogley,  April  24,  1861 ;  pro.  to  q.m.-sergt.  June  26, 1861. 
Allen  Crippen,  April  24,  1861;  missing  at  Wilderness  May  5,  1864; 

veteran. 
Uriah   Clark,   April   24,   1801;    missing  at   Wilderness   May  .1,   1804; 

veteran. 
Patrick  Cook,  May  20,  1861  ;  prisoner  May  5,  1864 ;  disch.  Jan.  23, 1865. 
James  L.  Crider,  April  24,  1861;  missing  at  Wilderness  May  5, 1804; 

veteran. 
Daniel  Clark,  April  30, 1861 ;  killed  at  Gaines'  Mill  Juno  27, 1862. 
Roland  Clark,  July  10, 1801 ;  killed  at  Gaines'  Mill  June  27, 1862. 
Aimer  L.  Crosby,  April  20,  1861. 
Daniel   W.  Doyle,  May  20,  1801;  trans,  to   190th  P.  V.  May  31, 1864; 


eteri 


iing  in  action  at  Wilde 


i  May  5, 


Oscar  Davenport,  May  20,  1801  ; 

1804;  veteran. 
Joseph  Duly,  April  24, 1861 ;  killed  at  Gaines'  Mill  June  27, 1802. 
Christopher  H.  Faunce,  April  24,  1801 ;  disch.  hy  general  court-martial. 
Michael  J.  Fought,  April  24, 1801 ;  killed  at  South  Mountain  Sept.  14, 

1802. 
Samuel  Gattshall,  April  24,  1801 ;  disch.  by  surg.  certif.  Jan.  19, 1863. 
Jamea  Gattshall,  Aug.  17,  1801  ;  trans,  to  190th  P.  V.  May  31,  1804. 
Charles  J.  Green,  May  27,  1801  ;  piisoner  May  5,  1864  ;  disch.  Jan.  23, 

1805. 
Frederick  Green,  June  1,  l.«61. 

James  A.  Hunt,  April  24,  1861  ;  di.sch.  on  surg.  certif.  March  15,  1863. 
John  Hilling,  July  16,  1801  ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Nov.  1802. 
Michael  Hal  ford,  July  21,  1801 ;  trans,  to  lOlltli  P.  V.  May  31,  1864  ;  vet. 
Jacob   llibler,  July  10,  1861;  missing  in  action  at  Wilderness  May  6, 

1804  ;  vet, 
Aug.  B.  Hathaway,  April  24, 1801 ;  died  of  wounds  received  at  Bull  Run 

Aug.  311,  1802. 
Milo  F.  Hills,  July  10,  1861 ;  died  in  Baltimore  Aug.  13,  1862. 
Ileury  R.  Jacoby,  April  24, 1S6I  ;  disch.  by  surgeon  Aug.  12,  1862. 
Andrew  0.  Jordan,  May  20,  1801 ;    disch.  Nov.  5,  1803,  for  accidental 

wounds. 
George  Kiiiley,  July  10, 1861 ;  wounded  in  action  ;  disch.  by  surgeon. 
Wiliianison  Kinley,  April  24, 1801 ;  mis.sing  in  action  at  Wilderness  May 

5,  1S64;  veteran. 
Willard  Logue,  July  10, 1801 ;  mnet.  out  with  company  Juno  16, 1864. 
William  L.  Locust,  May  20,  1861;  trans,  to  19uth  P.  V.  May  31, 1864; 

John  T.  Logue,  Feb.  1,1864;  missing  in  action  at  Wilderness  May  5, 

1804. 
Adam  Leslie,  May  28, 1861 ;  killed  at  Gaines' Mill  June  27, 1802. 
Joseph  B.  Marshall,  May  20, 1801 ;  disch.  Dec.  11,  1802,  for  wounds  re- 
ceived in  action. 
Tim.  J.  Murphy,  May  20, 1801;  di.'^ch.  on  surg.  cerlif.  Dec.  30, 1S62. 
Joseph  W.  McGee.  July  10,  1801 ;  prisoner  from  May  5,  ISOJ,  to  Feb.  28, 

1806;  disch.  Sept.  22, 1805;  veteran. 
William  F.  Marshall,  July  10,  1801;  missing  in  action  at  Wilderness 

May  5,  1S04  ;  veteran. 
Samuel  Maliaii,  Aug.  24,  1801;  died  at  Geor.jetown,  D.  C,  Oct.  20,  1802; 

buried  in  fllilitary  Asylum  Cemetery, 
.loseph  Nagle,  July  10,  1801 ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  Oct.  9,  1803. 
Richard  B.  Newbeiry,  April  24, 1801 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  March  31, 

1803. 
Robert  W.  Nolder,  May  20, 1801 ;  died  March  25, 1864,  of  wounds  received 

at2d  Bull  Run;  bulled  at  Alexandria,  grave  1614. 
Oscar  Owens,  Apiil  24,  Ifel ;  killed  at  Gaines'  Mill  Jnne  27, 1802. 
Thomas  T.  Peck,  July  26, 1801 ;  trans,  to  Vit.  Res.  Corps. 
John  Potter,  April  21, 1801 ;  trans,  to  Battery  C,  6tli  V.  S.  Art.,  Nov.  11, 

1802. 
Augustus  0.  Price,  April  24, 1801 ;  prisoner  May  5,  1804  ;  disch.  May  11, 

1805. 
George  M.  Pfoutz,  May  29, 1861 ;  missing  in  action  at  Wilderness  May 

6,  1864. 
John  T.  Ross,  April  24, 1801 ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps. 
Cummings  R.  Ross,  Sept.  10,  1801 ;  pro.  tocom.-sergt.  Nov.  28, 1861. 
Ellas  W.  Bolhrock,  April  10,  1801 ;  killed  at  Antietam  Sept.  17,  1862. 
Matthew  Roach,  May  24, 1861 ;  accidentally  killed  Sept,  9, 1861. 
Matthias  Reed,  April  24, 1801 ;  trans,  to  navy  Feb.  10, 1802 ;  died  at  Cairo, 

III. 
F.  G.  .Shauabrook,  April  24,1861;  tr 

IS  64. 


to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  March  10, 


CLINTON   COUNTY   IN    THE  WAR   OF   THE    REBEIXTON. 


499 


Jefferson  Sutiscr,  April  24, 1801 ;  trnns.  to  Batt.  A,  1st  Pu.  Art.,  April  3, 

1802. 
Weelpy  P.  Shaver,  July  10,  ISCl ;  must,  out  with  company  Juno  IC,  1SC4. 
Henry  II.  Springle,  April  24, 1801  ;  clisch.  for  wounJs  received  in  action. 
Ezeliiel  Smitliers,  July  10, 1801 ;  disch.  on  surg.  ccrtif.  July  10, 18C2. 
Charles  M.  Sloul,  July  27,  1801;  pro.  to  2d  lieut.  Co.  E  Aug.  1, 1802. 
James  Sheridan,  May  20, 1801 ;  missinK  in  action  at  Wilderness  May  5, 

1801;  veteran. 
Joseph  Slinffer,  April  24, 1801  ;  prisoner  from  May  5,  1SC4,  to  Feb.  20, 

1805;  disch.  June  20, 1865;  veteran. 
Simon  St  ne,  July  10, 18G1 ;  mi-sing  in  action  at  Wilderness  May  5, 1804  ; 

John  B.  Shannon,  Aug.  24, 1801;  missing  in  action  at  Wilderness  May 

6,  1804. 
Rob.  Snnimerson,  May  CO,  1801 ;  died  in  Washington  Jan.  3, 1803  ;  buried 

in  Military  Asylum  Cemetery. 
Tavid  Summerson,  May  20, 1801 ;  died  of  mounds  received  at  Bull  Run 

Aug.  3(1,  1602. 
Alfred  Summerson,  May  23,  ISCl ;  died  at  Camp  Wayne,  Va.,  June  17, 

1801. 
Joseph  Wilson,  May  20, 1801 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  Oct.  10, 18C2. 
Oliver  Whitesell,  April  24,  1801;  disch.  Feb.  7,  1802,  for  wounds  received 

in  action. 
William  Walker,  April  24, 1801 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  Jan.  28, 1803. 
Arthur  Wijihlman,  July  10,1801;  disch.  by  order  of  War  Department 

Nov.  3, 1801. 
Albin  White,  July  10, 1801 ;  trans,  to  Co.  G  Nov.  30, 1801. 
Thomas  Wintei-s,  April  24, 1801 ;  died  of  wounds  received  at  Charles  City 

Cross-Eoads  Juno  30,  1802. 

First  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  (Forty-fourth  Rea^i- 
ment). — Company  D  of  this  regiment  was  reernited  at 
Lock  Haven,  and  mustered  into  the  State  service 
during  July  and  August  of  1861,  at  Camp  Curtin, 
from  whence  the  several  companies  at  this  point 
moved  to  Camp  Jones,  near  Washington.  The  men 
were  well  formed,  hardy,  good  riders,  and  accustomed 
to  the  use  and  care  of  horses. 

Lieut.  George  D.  Bayard,  of  the  Fourth  Regular 
Cavalry,  was  placed  in  command  of  the  organization, 
and  became  the  Fifteenth  of  the  Reserve  Corps,  and 
joined  the  division  at  its  camp  at  Tenallytown, 
where  it  remained  till  October  10th,  when  it  moved 
to  Camp  Pierpont,  Va.  Plere  the  command  was  em- 
ploj'ed  in  doing  picket  duty,  waking  up  and  skirmish- 
ing with  the  enemy,  and  making  itself  useful  gener- 
ally till  the  next  spring,  when  Gen.  McDowell 
commenced  his  overland  movement  to  join  McClellan. 
The  regiment  crossed  the  Rappahannock  at  Freder- 
icksburg, and  entered  upon  its  future  brilliant  career. 

During  the  summer  of  1862  the  regiment  was  en- 
gaged a  large  portion  of  the  time  in  the  several 
battles  and  skirmishes  in  the  valleys  of  the  Rappa- 
hannock and  Shenandoah,  and  on  the  12th  of  Decem- 
ber was  engaged  with  the  enemy  at  Fredericksburg, 
from  which  place  it  moved  to  Belle  Plain,  where  it 
went  into  winter-quarters. 

Jan.  19,  1863,  the  regiment  turned  out  with  the 
army  to  make  another  attempt  to  cross  the  river  and 
give  battle  to  the  enemy.  After  three  days  of  failure 
and  disappointment  the  regiment  returned  to  camp, 
where  it  remained  till  April  12th,  when  it  again  broke 
camp  and  started  out  on  the  spring  campaign,  estab- 
lisiiing  headquarters  at  King  George  Court-house, 
where  for  some  time  it  was  on  picket  duty. 

During  that  summer  it  participated  in  the  battles 


of  Brandy  Station,  Aldie,  Uppervilie,  Beverly  Ford, 
St.  Mary's  Church,  Ream's  Station,  Shepherdstown, 
and  nearly  all  other  cavalry  engagements  of  the  Vir- 
ginia campaign  during  that  season. 

Besides  other  brilliant  achievements  the  regiment 
was  with  Sheridan  in  his  grand  raids,  having  been 
absent  from  the  army  on  the  last  raid  for  nineteen 
days. 

The  last  work  of  the  regiment  as  a  whole  was 
done  in  August,  1864,  in  front  of  Petersburg  and 
Richmond.  It  participated  in  a  severe  engagement 
at  Malvern  Hill,  also  at  Gravel  Hill,  and  August  29th 
went  into  camp  on  the  Jerusalem  plank-road.  The 
veterans  and  recruits,  four  hundred  and  one  in  num- 
ber, were  left  under  command  of  Maj.  Falls,  and 
were  consolidated  with  the  veterans  of  the  Sixth 
1  and  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  forming  the 
Second  Provisional  Cavalry. 

Sept.  1,  1864,  the  regiment  moved  to  Philadelphia, 
where  it  was  mustered  out  on  the  9th  of  September, 
1864. 

The  following  is  the  muster-roll  of  Company  D, 
First  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  all  being  mustered  in 
at  the  dates  named  for  three  years: 

COMMISSIONED. 

John  W.  Smith,  capt. ;  Aug.  11, 1801 ;  resigned  Sept.  20, 18G1. 

William  S.  Gile,capt,;  Sept.  20, 1801 ;  pro.  to  capt.  Sept.  21,  1801;  re- 
signed June  2,%  1802. 

Hugh  A.  McDonald,  capt.;  Aug.  11,  ISOl  ;  pro.  from  2d  lieut.  to  1st 
lieut.  Nov.  15,  1801  ;  capt.  June  25, 1802  ;  wounded  at  Cedar  Moun- 
tain Aug.  9,  1802 ;  trans,  to  Latt.  Sept.  0,  1804 ;  disch.  Dec.  4,  ISG4. 

Sylvester  D.  Barrows,  1st  lieut.,  Aug.  11,  1801;  pro.  to  major  Nov.  15, 
1861. 

W.  L.  Ilolbrook,  1st  lieut.;  Aug.  11,  1801;  pro.  from  qm-sergt.  to  2d 
lieut.  Nov.  18, 1801  ;  to  1st  lient.  June  25,  1802;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept. 
1,  1804 ;  pro.  to  capt.  Co.  D  Dec.  13,  1804 ;  trans,  to  2d  liegt.  Prov. 
Cav.  Juno  17,  18f5. 

Marcus  L.  French,  2d  lieut. ;  Aug.  11, 1801 ;  pro.  from  sergt.  to  2J  lieut. 
Co.  II  Nov.  15,  1801 ;  to  capt.  Co.  E  April  2,  1S02. 

William  F.  Butcher,  2d  lieut.  ;  Aug.  11,  1861 ;  pro.  from  1st  sergt.  July 
1,  1802;  killed  at  Cedar  Mountain,  Va.,  Aug.  9, 1802. 

Philip  II.  Walker,  2d  lieut.;  Aug.  1!,  1801;  pro.  from  sergt.  Sept.  9, 
1802;  disch.  on  surg.  cert  Feb.  23,  1804. 

Arch.  II.  McDonald,  2il  lieut.;  Aug.  11, 1801 ;  pro.  from  Corp.  to  1st  sergt.; 
to  2d  lieut.  July  12, 1804;  Mptured  August,  1802  ;  trans,  to  battalion 
Sept.  9,  1S04;  pro.  to  1st  lieut.  Co.  M  Dec.  13,  1SC4  ;  to  capt.  Jan.  23, 
1805;  disch.  June  20, 1805  ;  vet. 

NON  COMMISSIONED. 
Abraham  D.  Rocky,  1st  sergt. ;  Aug.  11,  1801 ;  pro.  to  Corp. ;  to  1st  sergt. 

Aug.  1,1804;  ti  ans.  to  Co.  D,  batt.,  Sept.  9,  1804;  pro.  to  2d  lieut. 

Dec.  13. 1804  ;  tians.  to  2d  Regt.  Prov.  Cav.  June  17,  1865;  vet. 
WiUiam  R.  Rodgei-s,  sergt. ;  Aug.  11,1801 ;  died  Sept.  19, 1862,  of  wounds 

received  Aug.  9, 1802;  buried  at  Ale.\andiia,  Va.,  grave  3u2. 
Gregor  McGregor,  sergt.;  Aug.  11,1801;  pro.  from  Corp.;  killed  at  Cedar 

Mountain,  Va  ,  Aug.  9, 1802. 
Orlando  II.  Emor.v,  sergt. ;  Aug.  11,1801;  pro.  to  sergt.  May  20,1862; 

wonuded  at  Shepherdstown,  Va.,  July  IG,  1803 ;  must,  out  with  com- 
pany Se|it.  9,  1804. 
Thomas  J.  Rocky,  sergt.;  Aug.  H,  1861;  pro.   to  sergt.  July  3, 1802; 

must,  out  with  company  Sept.  9, 1604. 
George  M.  Emory,  sergt. ;  Aug.  11,  1.801  ;  pro.  to  sergt.  Sept.  25,1862; 

must,  out  Willi  company  Sept.  9,  1864. 
Charles  H.  Stetson,  sergt. ;  Aug.  11,1801;  pro.  to  sergt.  Sept.  25,  18G2; 

wounded  May  28, 1804,  and  June  2,  1804;  must,  out  wilh  company 

Sept.  0,  1804. 
George  E.  Minnicr,  sergt. ;  Aug.  11,  1801  ;  pro.  from  corp  ;  trans  to  batt. 

Sept.  0,  1804  ;  veteran. 


500 


HISTORY   OF  CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Thompson  Snjder,  sergt. ;  Aug.  11,1861;  pro.  to  seigt.;  wouiidedJune 
21,  1SC4;  trans,  to  butt.  Sept.  0,  18G4;  must,  out  as  lit  ecrgt.  Co.  D, 

June  20,  1803;  vet. 
Allen  II.  Geinmn,  sergt.;  Aug.  11,  1861;  pro.  to  sergt.;  trans,  to  lialt. 

Sept.  9, 1801;  must. out  as  1st  sergt.  Co.  D,  June  20,  I860;  Vet. 
Mortimer  Longwell,  Corp.;  Aug.  11,  1801 ;  discli.  on  Surg,  cerlil'.  March 

II,  18C:i. 
William  A,  Quiggle.corp  ;  Aug.  11, 1801 ;  disch.  for  wounds  rec.  at  Cedar 

Mountain  Aug.  0,  1S02. 
ItoUcrt  P.  IluliiJg,  Corp.;  Aug.  II,  1801  ;  killed  at  Cednr  Mountain,  Vii., 

Ang.  9,  1802. 
Alexander  Henderson,  corp. ;  Aug.  11, 1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certlf.  March 

26,  1863. 
John  R.  Itackard,  coip. ;  Aug.  11, 1861 ;  discli.  on  surg.  certif.  Nov.  18, 

1801. 
Benjamin  Emory,  Corp.;  Ang.  II,  IS61  ;  discli.  Dec.  24,  1862,  for  wounds 

rec.  at  Cedar  Mountain,  Va.,  Aug.  9,  1802. 
William  P.  Steward,  coip. ;  Aug.  11,  ISOl ;  died  at  Warreulon,  Va  ,  Sept. 

1:1,  ISO.'i. 
John  C.  Lewis,  Corp. ;  Aug.  11,1801;  pr.  to  Corp.  M.iy  25, 1803 ;  must,  out 

with  company  Sept.  9,  1804. 
rieming  W.  Lncore,  Corp.;  Aug.  11,  1861;  pro.  to  Corp.  May  25,  1863; 

wounded  June  21,  1804 ;  must,  out  Sept.  9,  1804. 
Charles  A.  Morse,  corp.;  Aug.  II,  1801;  trans,  to  hatt.  Sept.  9,1804;  vet. 
Uorace  Taylor,  Corp. ;  Ang,  11, 1801 ;  wounded  at  Cedar  Moun(ain,  Va  , 

Aug.  9,  1802,  and  June  9,  1804;  trans,  to  halt.  Sept.  9,  1804;  must. 

ont  as  sergt,  Co.  M,  June  20,  180.i ;  vet. 
Henry  Underheim,  Corp.;  Aug.  11,  1801 ;  captured  June  21, 1864;  trans. 

to  batt.  Sept.  9,  1804 ;  pro.  to  sergt.  Co.  D,  March  1,  1805  ;  must,  out 

June  28,  I860;  vet. 
William  F.  Moyer,  Corp.;  Aug.  11,  1861;  trans,  to  bait.  Sept.  9,  1864; 

must,  out  as  sergt.  Co.  D,  June  20,  1865 ;  vet. 
Alfred  II.  Lewis,  Corp.;  Aug.  II,  1861 ;  wounded  June  21, 1864;  trans,  to 

bait.  Sept.  9,  1804;  vet. 
Christopher  C.  Pfoutz,  bugler ;  Aug.  11, 1801  ;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9, 1864 ; 

vet. 
Henry  S.  Hoffman,  bugler ;  Aug.  11,  1861;  deserted  June  27,  1862. 

PRIVATES. 
Henry  R.  Aggy,  Aug.  11, 1801 ;  must,  out  with  company  Sept.  9, 1804. 
Charles  Amadon,  Aug.  1 1,  1801 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Nov.  18,  1801. 
Charles  Anderson,  Sept.  1,  1802;  disch.  on  anrg.  certif.  Jan.  9,  1803. 
James  R.  Anderson,  March  12,  1S04;  trans,  to  bait.  Sept.  9, 1804. 
Trank  H.  Butclier,  April  23,  1801;  captured  June  13,  1802;  released; 

absent  in  liosp.  at  must.  out. 
Zebnlon  M.  B.  P.  Baird,  Aug.  11,  1861  ;  disch.  Dec.  16,  1862,  for  wounds 

rec.  at  Cedar  Mountain,  Va.,  Aug.  9,  1802. 
Tobias  Barrett,  March  1, 1864;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9,  1864. 
Albert  Brand,  March  1,  1864;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9,  1864. 
Frank  Beck,  April  12,  1804;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9,  1804. 
Jacob  Beck,  Apiil  0,  1804;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9,  1804. 
James  Barr,  Aug.  27,  1861  ;  died  at  Alexandria,  Va.,  Oct.  17,  1863,  of 

wounds  received  on  picket ;  grave  ICOo. 
Abraham  It.  Brandt,  Aug.  II,  1801. 

1".  H.  Coykendale,  Aug.  II,  1801  ;  must,  out  with  company  Sept.  9, 1864. 
Almarin  Chapman,  Aug. 27,  1801;  twice  captured;  discli.  on  surg.  certif 

Sept.  13,  IS03. 
William  Cridler,  Aug.  27. 1801 ;  trans,  to  halt.  Sept.  9,  ISO) ;  veteran. 
Levi  T.  Carpenter,  Aug.  11,  1801  ;  trans,  to  liatt.  Sept.  9,  1804;  veteran. 
Henry  It.  Culby,  March  15,  1864;  trans,  lo  batt.  Se))!.  9,  1804. 
Valentino  U.  Clark,  March  13,  1804  ;  ti-ans.  to  bait.  Sept.  9,  1804. 
John  Cook,  April  1,  ISOt;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9,  1801. 
Ely  C.  Da^y,  Ang.  II,  1801  ;  must,  ont  Sept.  9,1804. 
Henry  Delany,  Aug.  11,  1801 ;  trans,  to  bait.  Sept.  9, 1864 ;  disch.  as  sergt. 

Co.  1),  June  2U,  1803;  veteran. 
William  D.laiiey,  Ang.  II,  1801  ;  wounded  June  28,  1864;  trans. to  batt. 

Sept.  9, 1864;  veteran. 
Reese  J,  Davidson,  Aug.  11,1861  ;  trans,  to  Co.C,42d  P.V.,  Dec  10,1801. 
Charles  C.Daniels,  Ang.  11,  1861;  died  Ang.  IS,  1802,  of  wounds  received 

at  Cedar  Mountain,  Va.,  Aug.  9,  1802.  I 

Dennis  Eagau,  March  23,  1804  ;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9,  1664. 
Levi  W.  Eisley,  Feb.  25,  1864;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9,  1804. 
Jacob  F.  Frniri,  Ang.  U,  1861  ;  trans,  to  bait  Sept.  9, 1864;  veteran. 
Charles  E,  Fosler,  Ang.  11,1801  ;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9,  1804;  veteran 
Saniu.d  D.  Fuller,  Ang.  II,  1861. 

Alexander  H.  Gabe,  Ang.  11,  1801 ;  discli.  on  surg.  certif.  Feb.  22,  I8O; 
Isaiah  Grey,  Aug,  11,  lEOl ;  Irans.  to  batt.  Sept,  9,  1S04  ;  veteran. 


to  halt.  Sept.  9,  1804. 

t.  out  Sept.  9,  1804. 

iiisoner  June  24,  1804;  trans,  to 


to  batt.  Sept.  9,  1864. 
10,  1862;  burial  record  March 
Cemetery,  D.  C. 


nt  with  I 


mipany  Sept.  9,1864. 
npany  Sept,  9,  1804. 
ith  comjiany  Sejit.  9, 


Joseph  Garman,  Ang.  11, 1801 ;  trai 

Henry  Hendricks,  Aug.  II,  ISIil  ;  n 

William  R.  Horton,  Aug.  II,  1801 
batt.  Sept,  9,  1804;  veteran. 

Bony  Heniian,  March  I,  1804;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept,  9,  1804, 

James  C,  Hunter,  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9,  1S6I, 

Joseph  Honglitaling,  Ang.  II,  1801  ;  died  Nov,  27,  1801,  of  wounds  re- 
ceived at  Dranesville,  Va.,  Nov,  2"i,  1801, 

Thomas  Ilarnian,  Aug.  11,  1801  ;  killed  at  Malvern  Hill  July  27,  1864; 
veteran. 

Joseph  K.  Ililcher,  Oct.  1,  1801. 

Willjam  Johnson,  Aug.  11,  1861;  disch.  Dec.  20,  1802,  for  wounds  re. 
ceived  accidentally. 

William  P.  Jones,  Aug.  11,  1861. 

Daniel  KeL^ster,  Aug.  11,  1801  ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  Jan.  13,  1803. 

William  II,  Kissel,  March  23,  1S04;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9,  1804. 

Patrick  J.  Keeley,  May  24,  1861;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9,  IS64. 

.lohrl  C.  Knight,  Aug.  11,  1801 ;  died  Oct  31,  1861. 

A.  D.  Liggett,  disch,  on  surg.  certif.  Oct.  2.5,  186). 

Charles  D.  Lord,  Aug.  11,  1801  ;  must,  out  with  company  Sept.  9,  1804. 
Lemuel  Lucore,  Sr.,  Aug.  11,  1861;  must,  out  with  company  Sept.  9, 1804. 
Fisher  D.  Liggett,  Aug.  II,  1801 ;  disch.  on  surg  certif  Oct.  2.5,  1802. 
John  Linch,  Ang,  11,  1801 ;  disch.  on  surg,  certif  Oct,  2.5,  1802. 
Charles  Lind,  Aug.  27,  1801 ;  trans,  to  bait.  Sept.  9,  1804;  veteran. 
Anson  W.  Lewis,  Aug,  11, 1861 ;  trans,  to  bait.  Sept.  9,  1861 ;  veteran. 
John  P.  Lehr,  March  15,  1864;  trans,  lo  batt.  Sept   9,  1864. 
Robert  C.  Lewis,  March  4, 1804 ;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9,  1804  ;  died  Oct. 

25,  1864;  bulled  in  Cav.  Corps  Cemetery,  Va. 
John  W.  Lewis,  May  24,  1804;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept,  9,  18(;4. 
Benjamin  F.  Lose,  April  4,  1804;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9,  1804. 
William  U.  Lyman,  Feb.  17,  1804;  tran 
R.  Loudenberg,  Feb.  3,1801  ;  died  Maj 

20,  1802;  buried  in  Military  Asylu 
Charles  Linn,  Ang.  11,1801. 
L.  D.  Liggett,  Aug.  II,  1801. 
Jacob  R.  Mizner,  Ang,  II,  1861 ;  must. 
William  Miller,  Aug.  11,  1801 ;  must,  out  with  ( 
Benjamin  C.Miller,  Ang.  11,1861;  must,  out 

1864. 
George  Blarshall,  Ang.  II,  1801 ;  mnst,  out  with  company  Sept.  9, 1804. 
James  W.  Mizner,  Aug.  II,  1801;  disch.  Jan  20,  1803,  for   wounds  re- 
ceived at  Cedar  Mountain,  in  Virginia,  Ang.  9,  1802. 
William  H.  Micheltree,  Aug.  II,  1801 ;  wounded  in  action  July  28,  1804  j 

trims,  to  batt.  Sept.  9,  1804;  veteran. 
Charles  H.  May,  Ang.  II,  1861  ;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9, 1804;  veteran. 
Charles  McKiuney,  Dec.  1,1801;  captured  November,  1802;  trans,   to 

batt  Sept.  9,  1S04  ;  disch.  as  Corp.  Co.  D  June  20, 1S05 ;  veteran. 
John  Miller,  July  2,  1802  ;  trans,  to  bait.  Sept  9,  1864  ;  must,  out  in  Co. 

D  May,  1805. 
John  F.  Miller,  March  1,  1804;  trans,  to  latt.  Sept.  9,  1804. 
Joseph  \V.  Mizner,  March  I,  1864;  trans,  lo  batt.  Sept,  9,  1864. 
Andrew  Myers,  March  13,  1864;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9,  18114. 
Thomas  H.  Miller,  March  IK,  1804;  trans,  to  batt.  Sent.  9,  1864. 
John  Merring,  trans,  to  batt.  Sept,  9,  1804. 
John  Maroney,  Maicli  31,1804;  prisoner  June  24, 1804  ;  trans,  to  batt.  j 

burial  record,  died  at  Andersonville  July  26,  1804,  grave  3031. 

B.  F.  Minard,  .\plil  5, 1804  ;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept,  9,  1864, 

Angus  McD..nald,  Aug.  II,  1861 ;  died  Nov.  I,  IS6>,  of  wounds  received 
Aug.  9,  1802. 

Warren  Mahon,  Aug.  II,  1861 ;  missing  in  action  at  Brandy  Station  Juno 
9,  1863. 

Russell  Miller,  Ang.  11,  I80I. 

Charles  McIiityre,.Ang,  11,  1861. 

John  Passall,  Aug,  II,  1801  ;  disch,  on  surg,  certif  May  TO,  1802. 

Ellis  Perry,  Aug.  II,  1801  ;  died  Oct.  16,  1863,  of  wounds  received  at  Au- 
burn, Va,;  burial  record,  died  at  Alexandria,  Dec  9, 1803,  gr.ave  1130. 

James  Porchctt,  Aug.  11,  1861  ;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9,  1804;  veteran. 

Calvin  P.  Russell,  Ang.  11,  1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  May  19,  ISU3. 

John  H.  Rimer,  Fob.  I,  1802;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  Jan.  II,  1803. 

Jeremiiih  Ragan,  Aug,  11, 1801 ;  disch,  on  surg.  certif  May  31, 1864. 

John  Roark,  Oct.  3,  1803  ;  trans,  to  batt,  Sept.  9, 1804. 

James  BI.  Riller,  March  20,  1864;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9,  1864. 

John  Rinehart,  Aug.  16, 1801. 

John  D.  Richardson,  Aug.  11,1801;  must,  out  Sept.  9,  1804. 

Ellas  Rassman,  Ang.  11, 1801 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  April  28,  1863. 

John  R.  Raker,  Ang.  27,  1801  ;  disch.  on  su-g.  certif  Nov.  18, 1861. 

John  H.  Ruir;  disch.  ou  surg.  certif  May  11, 1802. 


CLINTON   COUNTY   IN    THE  WAR   OF   THE   REBELLION. 


501 


Nelson  S)rrcl,  Aug.  11,1801;  mast,  out  Srpt:  9, 1804. 

Benjiiuiin  F.  Stniw,  Aug.  11,  18GI ;  (liscll.  Dec.  24,  1802,  for  wounds  re- 

cciveil  Rt  Cellar  M.uint«in,  Va.,  Aug.  9, 180i. 
Frederick  Saliidii,  Aug.  11,  1801 ;  trans,  to  liatt.  Sept.  9, 18G4;  must,  out 

as  Corp.  Co.  D  Juno  20, 1803;  veteran. 
Robert  Stevenson,  March  23,  1804;  wounded  May  28.  1804;  trans,  to 

bait.  Sept.  9,  1804. 
Derrick  U.  Shaffer,  May  ,5, 1804  ;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9,  1804. 
Ii..S.  Swartwood,  March  17,  1804;  trans  to  batt.  Sept.  9,  1804. 
Sjiniuel  Sunderland,  Aug.  11, 18G1 ;  died  at  Flemington,  Pa.;  veteran. 
Charles  D.  Thomas,  Aug.  11,  1801;  must,  out  with  company  Sept.  9, 

18G4. 
Henry  K.  Tobias,  Aug.  27, 1801 ;  nuisl.  out  with  company  Sept.  9, 18C4. 
David  W.  Tibbins,  Aug.  11, 1801 ;  disch.  on  surg.  cerlif.  Jan.  13, 1803. 
Henry  C.  Ta.vlor,  Aug.  25, 1803;  trans,  to  bait.  Sept.  9,  1804. 
John  A.  Tibbins,  Aug.  II,  1801;  killed  at  Brandy  Station,  June  9, 1803. 
WilliamT.  Williams,  Aug.  11,1801;  trans,  to  batt.Sept.  9, 1864;  veteran. 
Jonathan  Walizer,  Aug.  11,  ISOl ;  wounded  July  28,  1804 ;  trans,  to  batt. 

Sept.  9,1804;  must,  out  Corp.  Co.  D  June  20, 1865;  veteran. 
Joseph  Williams,  April  1,  1804;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9,  1804. 
Cline  Q.  Williams,  March  31,  18G4;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9, 1864;  must. 

out  in  Co.  D  by  G.  O.  May  30, 18G5. 
Thomas  Williams,  April  19,  1804;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  9,  1864. 
Matthew  E.  Wilson,  March  25, 1864 ;  trans,  to  bait.  Sept.  9, 1864. 
William  J.  Wilson,  March  25, 1804 ;  trans,  to  batt.  Sept.  il,  1SC4. 
John  Whitman,  Aug.  11,  ISCl  ;  disch.  on  surg.  cerlif.  April  10,  1863. 

Fifty-second  Regiment.  —  This  regimeot  was 
formed  under  a  call  of  the  President  for  sixteen  regi- 
ments, issued  in  July,  1861. 

Authority  to  recruit  was  granted  by  Governor  Cur- 
tin  Aug.  1,  1861,  and  October  7th  a  regimental  or- 
ganization was  made  by  the  selection  of  John  C. 
Dodge,  Jr.,  as  colonel,  Henry  M.  Hoyt  as  lieutenant- 
colonel,  Jolin  B.  Conyngham  as  major.  One  com- 
pany only  (C)  was  raised  or  recruited  in  Clinton 
County. 

November  8th,  the  regiment  left  Camp  Curtin,  and 
proceeded  to  Washington,  where  it  went  into  camp 
on  Kaloraina  Heights.  Here  camp  and  drill  duty 
was  vigorously  prosecuted  till  January,  1862,  when 
the  regiment  went  into  winter-quarters  on  Meridian 
Hill,  in  rear  of  Columbia  College. 

While  in  barracks  here  the  regiment  was  called  on 
for  ten  volunteers  for  gunboat  service  on  the  Western 
waters,  which  request  was  readily  complied  with. 
The  men  never  returned  to  the  regiment,  as  most  of 
them  were  killed  by  the  explosion  of  the  steamer 
"  Mound  City,"  while  in  action  on  White  River,  in 
June,  1862. 

Camp  life  becoming  rather  monotonous,  the  men 
impatiently  waited  for  orders  to  move,  which  came 
on  the  28th  of  March,  and  the  same  day  the  regiment 
with  the  rest  of  the  brigade  broke  camp,  inarched  to 
Alexandria,  where  it  embarked  upon  the  steamer 
"  Constitution,"  and  arrived  in  Hampton  Roads  on 
the  morning  of  April  1st,  and  the  Fifty-second  trans- 
ferred to  another  steamer,  and  landed  at  Newport 
News.  During  their  passage  up  the  men  got  their 
first  view  of  a  rebel  flag,  and  their  first  experience  of 
being  shot  at,  the  batteries  on  Craney  Island  giving 
them  a  passing  salute. 

April  17th,  the  regiment  advanced,  and  took  posi- 
tion in  front  of  the  enemy  at  Lee's  Mills.  May  20th, 
Keys'  corps  bivouacked  upon  the  left  bank  of  the 


Chickahominy,  opposite  Bottom's  Bridge.  On  this 
day  Gen.  Negley  organized  a  company  of  one  hun- 
dred sliarpshooters  from  the  Fifty-second,  which  he 
placed  under  command  of  Capt.  Greenland  P.  Davis. 

For  the  next  few  days  the  regiment  was  engaged, 
with  other  troops,  in  the  series  of  battles  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  theSeven  Pines,  and  on  the  night  of  the  26th 
of  May  went  into  camp  on  the  right  of  the  Nine- 
Mile  road,  half  a  mile  from  Fair  Oaks,  and  on  the 
30th  and  31st  was  engaged  in  the  historic  battle  of 
Fair  Oaks,  where  so  many  of  the  regiment  laid  down 
their  lives  for  their  country.  The  regiment  was  also 
in  the  battles  of  Mechanicsville,  Gaines'  Mill,  Savage 
Station,  White  Oak  Swamp,  and  otlier  places,  to  Har- 
rison's Landing. 

In  December  the  Fifty-second,  with  other  troops, 
reported  to  Gen.  Foster,  in  North  Carolina,  and  Jan. 
29,  1863,  the  Fifty-second,  witli  a  large  fleet,  sailed 
for  Port  Royal,  S.  C,  and  on  April  6th  the  Fifty- 
second  moved  up  the  Nortli  Edisto,  twelve  miles 
below  Charleston,  and  on  the  16tli  of  July  had  full 
possession  of  James  Island.  From  this  time  pn  the 
Fifty-second  performed  laborious  duty  in  the  Departr 
nient  of  the  South,  and  during  the  summer  of  1864 
remained  most  of  the  time  on  Morris  Island.  During 
this  time  the  men  became  quite  efiicient  in  the  use  of 
heavy  guns,  which  all  the  works  mounted.  During 
the  winter  the  regiment  performed  duty  as  boat  in- 
fantry, which  was  exceedingly  difficult  and  arduous, 
involving  great  hardship  and  exposure.  At  last 
Sherman's  march  to  the  sea,  and  the  surrender  of 
the  hot-bed  of  secession,  the  stronghold  of  treason 
surrendered,  and  the  work  of  the  Fifty-second  was 
accomplished,  except  a  few  weeks'  light  duty  at  Salis- 
bury, N.  C,  from  whence  the  regiment  moved  to  Har- 
risburg,  where  it  was  mustered  out  of  service,  July 
12,  1865. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  muster-out  roll  of 
Company  C,  recruited  at  Lock  Haven,  except  the 
names  of  drafted  men,  which  are  not  inserted  in  this 
work.  Except  where  otherwise  noted,  the  men  were 
mustered  in  at  the  dates  named  for  three  years. 

COMMISSIONED  OFFICERS. 
Walter  S.  Chatham,  capt.;  Sept.  12,  1861;  must,  out  Nov.  5,  1804.  ei- 

piralion  of  term. 
James  W.  Devling,  1st  lieut. ;  Sept.  12, 1861 ;  resigned  Jan.  20, 1802. 
Joseph  S.  Showers,  1st  Heat.;  Sept.  12,  1861;  pro.  from  2d  to  Ist  lient. 

Jan.  20, 1862  ;  resigned  June  21, 1802. 
C.  B.  Mathews,  1st  lieut. ;  Jnue  21, 1862;  resigned  Oct.  21, 1862. 
W.  V.  noUingsworth,  1st  lient. ;  Oct.  17, 1801 ;  pro.  frxjm  Corp.  to  sergt. 

Aug.  6,  1802;  to  1st  sergt.  Oct.  24,  1803;  to  Ist  lieut.  Nov.  22,  1SC3; 

disch.  Oct.  11, 1804. 
David  Haines,  2d  lieut.;  Oct.  17,1801;  pro.  to  scrgt.  Aug.  5, 1SC2;  to  2d 

lieut.  Dec.  2,  1803;  com.  1st  lient.  Oct.  22,  1804;  not  mustered; 

must,  out  Feb.  5, 1805,  expiration  of  term. 
Alexander  Blackburn,  2d  lieut  ;  Oct.  17,  ISOl;  pro.  from  1st  sergt.  to  2d 

lieut.  Jan.  21, 1862;  resigned  Dec.  25, 1862. 

NON-COMMISSIONED  OFFICERS. 

William  C.  nush,  1st  sergt.;  Oct.  17,  ISOl;  com.  2d  lieut.  Oct.  22, 1804, 
and  1st  lieut.  March  20,  ISOo ;  not  mustered;  must,  out  with  com- 
pany July  12,  1805;  vet. 

David  A.  Gheer,  1st  sergt.;  Oct.  17, 1861 ;  pro.  from  scrgt.  to  Isl  scrgt. 
March  1, 1802;  killed  at  Fair  Oaks  May  31, 1S02. 


503 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Amos  G.  Miller,  sergt.;  July  13, 18G3;  pro.  to  sergt.  Nov.  G,  1804;  com. 

2il  lieiit.  31arc)i  2G,  1805;  uot  mustered;  mu:it.  out  with  company 

July  12, 1805. 
Nathan  H.  Kusli,  sergt.;  Feb.  27, 18G4;  pro.  to  sergt.NoT.  6,1864;  must. 

out  Willi  company  July  12,  1865. 
Jesse  II.  Eippey,  sergt.;  Oct.  21,  ISCl  ;  pro.  to  Corp.  Aug.  5,  1802;  to 

sergt,  Dec.  1,  1803;  must,  out  Dec.  26,  1804,  expiration  of  term. 
Harvey  Farley,  sergt. ;  Oct.  17, 1861 ;  must,  out  Dec.  26, 1S64,  expiration 

of  term. 
Ferdinand  Kote,  sergt.;  Oct.  17,  1861;  must,  out  Dec.  26,  1804,  expira- 
tion of  term. 
William  Honsell,  sergt.;  Oct.  17,  1801 ;  pro.  to  sergt.  Dec.  1, 1S02;  must. 

out  Nov.  5,1864. 
George  Myers,  sergt. ;  Oct.  17, 1801 ;  discli.  on  surg.  certif.  Oct.  23,  1803. 
Rubert  S.  Rowe,  sergt.;  Oct.  17,  1861 ;  pro.  from  Corp.  to  sergt.  Aug.  5, 

1862  ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  March  22,  1803. 
James  Carroll,  sergt.;  Oct.  17.1801;  pro.  to  sergt.  Aug.  5,  1862;  disch. 

on  surg.  certif.  Oct.  30,  1802. 
Jobu  S.  Bitger,  sergt. ;  Oct.  17, 1801 ;  killed  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31, 

1802. 
Benjamin  F.  Clark,  sergt.;  Oct.  17, 1801 ;  died  July  2G,  1862,  of  wounds 

received  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va  ,  May  31, 1802;  buried  in  U.  S.  Gen.  IIosp. 

Cem.,  Annapolis,  Md. 
Frederick  Harmer,  Corp.;  Oct.  21,  1861;  pro.  to  Corp.  Sept.  17,  1864; 

must,  out  Dec.  26,  1S64,  expiration  of  term. 
John  T.  Venatta,  corp. ;  Oct.  17,  1861 ;  pro.  to  Corp.  Aug.  5,  18G2 ;  must. 

out  Nov.  5,  1864,  expiration  of  term. 
Samuel  B.  Shearer,  Corp. ;  Oct.  17,  1861 ;  pro.  to  Corp.  Aug.  5, 1862 ;  must. 

out  Nov.  5, 1S04,  expiration  of  term. 
Robert  F.  Curns,  Corp.;  Oct.  17,  1801 ;  pro.  to  Corp.  Dec.  1,  1803;  must. 

out  Nov.  5,  1804,  expiration  of  term. 
John  Lannan,  Corp.;  Oct.  17, 1801 ;  pro.  to  corp.  Dec.  1, 1863;  must,  out 

Nov.  5,  1804,  expiration  of  term. 
John  Shroat,  Corp.;  Oct.  17,  ISOl ;  pro.  to  Corp.  Dec.  1,  1803  ;  must,  out 

Nov.  5,  1864,  expiration  of  term. 
Joseph  Moran,  Corp. ;  Oct.  17,  1801;  pro.  to  corp.  Aug.  3,  1804;  must. 

out  Nov.  6,  1864,  expiration  of  term. 
John  0.  Day,  Corp.;  Oct.  17,  1861;  pro.  to  corp.  Aug.  3,  1864;  must,  out 

Nov.  5, 1864,  expiration  of  term. 
John  C.  Black,  Corp.;  Oct.  17,  1861;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  April  17, 

1862. 
Samuel  Bullock,  corp. ;  Oct.  17,  18C1  ;  pro.  to  corp.  Nov.  18,  1861 ;  disch. 

ON  surg.  certif  April  21,  1862. 
Robert  Jones,  Corp.;  Oct.  17,  1861;   pro.  to  corp    Aug.  5,  1802;  disch. 

March  29, 1863,  for  wounds  received  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31,1862. 
Henry  H.  Slenker,  corp.;  Oct.  17,  1861:  pjp.  to  corp.  Nov.  28,  1861; 

killed  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31, 1862. 
Henry  0.  Slenker,  musician;  Oct.  17, 1861;  must,  out  Nov.  5, 1864,  ex- 
piration of  term. 
Edward  Greenwood,  musician;  Oct.  17, 1861;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  Feb. 

21,  1862. 

PRIVATES. 

Samuel  Ackelberger,  Oct  17,  1861 ; 

term. 
Myron  i.  Bronson,  March  20, 18G4;  must,  out  with  company  July  12, 

1865. 
William  S.  Brown,  April  3, 1804 ;  must,  out  with  company  July  12, 1S05. 
Silas  Bellii,  Feb.  16, 1806;  one  year;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out. 
Charles  Billodo,  Oct.  17,  1861;   must,  out  Nov.  5,  1864,  expiration  of 

term. 
Samuel  Breever,  Oct.  17,  1861 ;  must,  out  Nov.  5,  1S64,  expiration  of 

term. 
John  D.  Bonsall,  Oct.  17, 1861 ;  must,  out  Dec.  20,  1804,  expiration  of 

term. 
James  Bounell,  Oct.  17, 1861 ;  discli.  on  surg.  certif  Jan.  3,  1862. 
Samuel  Blush,  Oct.  17,  1861 ;  disch.  June  2, 1863,  for  wounds  received  at 

Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31,  1862. 
James  Brennan,  Oct.  27, 1863;  drafted. 
Tliomas  Buckle,  Feb.  27, 1805;  one  year. 

James  B.Chatham,  Fob.  24, 1864;  must,  out  with  company  July  12, 1865. 
Nathan  Crandio,  March  30,  1804;  must. out  with  company  July  12,  1805. 
Jacob  M.  Corwin,  March  3,  1805;  must,  out  wilh  company  July  12,  1865. 
Joshua  II.  Corwin, March  3,1865;  must.outwith  company  July  12, 1865. 
William  G.  Caldwell,  Oct.  17, 1801 ;  must,  out  Nov.  6, 1864,  expiration 

of  term. 
George  C.  Curns,  Oct.  17, 1801 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Aug.  15,  1864. 


ut  Nov.  5, 1804,  expiration  of 


John  Corney,  Oct.  17,  1801 ;  trans,  to  navy  Fob.  21,  1802. 
James  S.  Dolan,  March  31,  1804;  must,  out  with  company  July  12, 1865. 
Myron  Doil,  March  29.  1864;  must,  out  with  company  July  12, 1865. 
James  A.  English,  Oct.  17, 1861 ;  died  June  17, 1802,  from  wounds  received 

at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31, 1802;  buried  iu  M.  A.  Cemetery. 
Jacob  P.  Fine,  Feb.  13,  1865;  must,  out  with  company  July  12,  1866. 
Balser  Fredel,  Oct.  21,  1861;  must,  out  Dec.  26,  1864,  expiration  of  term. 
Christopher  Floris,  Oct.  17, 1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  June  5, 1863. 
Thomas  Fox,  Oct.  17,  1801 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  May  9,  1863. 
Alfred  C.  Fleming,  Oct.  17,  1861  ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  March  20, 1803. 
Robert  Griffin,  March  29, 1864;  must,  out  with  coijipany  July  12, 1805. 
Isaac  B.  Greenwood,  Feb.  24, 1865  ;  one  year ;  must,  out  with  company 

July  12,  1805. 
William  R.  Gibson,  Oct.  17, 1861 ;  must,  out  Nov.  5, 1864,  at  expiration 

of  term. 
Andrew  W.  Huff,  Oct.  17,  1801;  must,  out  with  company  July  12, 1SG5; 

veteran. 
Samuel  G.  Hinkley,  Feb.  24,1865;  one  year;  must,  out  with  company 

July  12, 1865. 
John  C.  Henry,  Oct.  17,  ISOl ;  must,  out  Nov.  5,  1804,  at  expiration  of 

term. 
James  H.  Hulian,  Oct.  17, 1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  March  24, 1862. 
John  Ilcvner,  Oct.  17,  1801 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  Aug.  18,  1802. 
William  Ilenneasy,  Oct.  17,1801 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  Sept.  22,  1862. 
John  Howes,  Oct.  17,  1861  ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  June  9, 1802. 
William  Johnston,  Oct.  17, 1861 ;  must,  out  Nov.  6,  1804,  at  expiration  of 

term. 
Henry  Jackman,  Oct.  17, 1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  Dec.  11, 1862. 
Michael  Keller,  Jan.  24,1865;  one  year;  must,  out  with  company  July 

12,  1805. 
Abraham  Krider,  Oct.  17,  1801 ;  mnst.  out  Nov.  5,  1804,  exiiiration  of 

term. 
John  Klouae,  Oct.  18, 1801 ;  must,  out  Dec.  20, 1804,  expiration  of  term. 
Henry  E.  King,  Oct.  17,  1861 ;  died  at  Philadelphia  June  17,  1862,  of 

wounds  received  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31, 1862. 
John  Leaman,  March  7,1866;  one  year;  must,  out  with  company  July 

12,  1805. 
Thomas  W.  Lloyd,  Feb.  27, 1865  ;  one  year ;  must,  out  with  company  July 

12,  1865. 
Daniel  Lemon,  Oct.  17, 1801  ;  must,  out  Nov.  5, 1864,  expiration  of  term. 
James  Livingston,  Oct.  17, 1861 ;  mnst.  out  Nov.  5,  1864,  expiration  of 

term. 
H.  C.  Livingston,  Oct.  17,  1861;  must,  out  Nov.  6,  1864,  expiration  of 

term. 
Charles  E.  Lippincott,  Oct.  17,1861;  killed  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31, 

1802. 
John  Malouo,  Jan.  24, 1805  ;  one  year;  must,  out  with  company  July  12, 

1805. 
John  Maloy,  Oct.  17, 1861 ;  must,  out  Nov.  6, 1864,  expiration  of  term. 
William  Moore,  Oct.  17, 1861 ;  must,  out  Nov.  5, 1804,  expiration  of  term. 
David  Misener,  Oct.  17, 1801 ;  disch.  Aug.  8, 1802,  for  wounds  received  at 

Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31,  1802. 
Robert  Moore,  Oct.  17, 1801 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Sept.  18, 1862. 
William  J.  Moore,  Oct.  17,  1801 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  Aug.  29, 1862. 
David  R.  Mincer,  Oct.  17, 1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  April  17, 1862. 
Irvin  T.  McCloskey,  Oct.  17, 1861 ;  must,  out  Nov.  6,  1804,  expiration  of 

term. 
David  McDonald,  Oct.  17,  1801 ;  must,  out  Nov.  6,  1864,  expiration  of 

term. 
■William  G.  Newberry,  Oct.  17,  1801 ;  must,  out  Nov.  6,  1804,  expiration 

of  term. 
George  W.  Newberry,  Oct.  17, 1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  Dec.  8, 1862. 
Martin  Naylon,  Oct.  17,  1801 ;  disch.  on  surg.cerlif  Dec.  !),  1802. 
Morris  Pedigree,  Oct.  17, 1801 ;  must,  out  Nov.  6, 1864,  expiration  of  terra. 
James  Pedigree,  Oct.  17,  ISOl ;  absent,  sick,  at  expiration  of  term. 
Frederick  Propst,  Oct.  17, 1801 ;  killed  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31, 1862. 
Barney  Quigley,  Jan.  10, 1866  ;  one  year;  must,  out  July  12, 1866. 
William  H.  fiitchey,  Oct.  17, 1801;  must  out  Nov.  5, 1864,  expiration  of 

term. 
Oliver  Rosser,  Oct.  17, 1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Nov.  8, 1862. 
William  H.  Rosser,  Oct.  17,  1861 ;  disch  on  surg.  certif  Sept.  16, 1862. 
William  A.  Reed,  Oct.  17, 1861 ;  died  Aug.  IS,  1802  ;  burial  record  Oct. 

10,  1862. 
Michael  Riley,  Sept  24,  1803. 

Charles  A.  Stearns,  Feb.  15,  1805;  one  year;  must,  out  July  12, 1865. 
Frederick  Sjtes,  Oct.  17,  1861 ;  must,  out  Nov.5, 1864,  expiration  of  term. 
John  Smyth,  Oct.  17, 1801 ;  must,  out  Nov.  5, 1804,  e.\piration  of  term. 


CLINTON   COUNTY   IN  THE   WAR  OF  THE   REBELLION. 


503 


Willmm  Summorvillc,  OcM7, 1801  ;  discli.  on  surg.  certif.  Sopt.l7,18C2. 
Benjamin  F.  Stanli,  Oct.  17, 1801 ;  discli.  on  surg.  cerlif.  Aug.  16,  1802. 
John  H.  Slover.  Oct.  17,  1801 ;  discli.  on  snrg.  ceitif.  March  1, 1802. 
George  S.Smith, Oct.  17, 1801;  disch.on  surg.  certif.  Dec.  11,  1802. 
James  H.  Sharp,  Oct.  17,  1861  ;  disch.  on  surg.  cortif.  Oct.  16,  1862. 
George  Swynian,  Oct.  10, 1861 ;  died  at  Yorktown,  Va.,  June  20.  1862. 
Joseph  Shnfler,  March  31,  1603;  died  at  Morris  Islaud,  S.  C,  Aug.  1804. 
John  C.  Smith,  Nov.  20,  1803. 

John  Triiesdale,  Feh.  10, 1803  ;  must,  out  July  12, 1805. 
Edward  Tiffany,  Feb.  13,  1805;  one  year ;  must,  out  July  12, 1805. 
Eenben  Venatin,  Oct.  17, 1801 ;  must,  out  Nov.  5, 1804,  e.\piration  of  term. 
James  Wilkison,  Oct.  17, 1804 ;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out. 
Clement  Walters,  Oct.  16,  ISOl ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Dec.  11, 1802. 

Fifty-eighth  Regiment.  —  Recruiting  for  this 
regiment  commenced  in  tlie  autumn  of  1861,  and  the 
final  organization  was  effected  Feb.  13,  1862,  by  tlie 
choice  of  the  following  field-officers:  Colonel,  John 
Richter  Jones;  Lieutenant-Colonel,  Carlton  B.Cur- 
tis ;  Major,  Montgomery  Martin. 

Only  one  company  of  this  regiment  was  recruited 
in  Clinton  County.  The  regiment  first  rendezvoused 
at  camp  near  Huntingdon,  then  at  Camp  Curtin,  and 
finally  at  Camp  Curtis,  near  Philadelphia. 

The  regiment  broke  camp  March  8, 1862,  proceeded 
to  Fortress  Monroe,  and  encamped  at  Camp  Hamil- 
ton on  the  very  day  of  the  contest  between  the  iron- 
clad "  Merrimac"  and  the  "  Monitor.''  On  the  13th  it 
was  rumored  that  Gen.  Magruder  was  advancing  to  at- 
tack the  camp.  The  pickets  were  driven  in,  the  regi- 
ment ordered  out,  but,  fortunately  for  the  regiment, 
no  attack  was  made. 

May  10th,  the  Fifty-eighth,  with  several  other 
regiments,  together  with  a  battalion  of  mounted  rifles 
and  a  battery  of  artillery,  were  reviewed  by  President 
Lincoln,  and  sent  on  an  expedition  to  Norfolk,  under 
Gen.  Wool.  At  Tanner's  Creek  the  regiment  was 
ordered  to  the  front  and  deployed  as  skirmishers, 
when  the  enemy  discharged  their  pieces  and  fled. 
The  column  then  moved  by  the  flank  on  the  Princess 
Anne  road,  and  bivouacked  for  the  night  in  the  in- 
trenchments  the  enemy  had  deserted.  In  the  mean 
time  the  mayor  and  Common  Council  of  Norfolk 
surrendered  the  city,  and  the  flag  of  the  Fifty-eighth 
floated  from  the  custom-house  while  they  remained. 
From  Norfolk  the  regiment  moved  to  Portsmouth, 
and  finally  on  the  intrenched  lines  near  the  Marine 
Hospital,  where  it  was  engaged  in  guard  and  picket 
duty. 

August  18th,  Company  G,  Capt.  Winn,  proceeded 
to  Great  Dismal  Swamp,  to  South  Mills,  N.  C,  to 
break  up  a  rebel  recruiting  camp,  which  it  success- 
fully accomplished. 

On  the  11th  of  October  the  regiment  was  ordered 
to  Suflblk,  under  command  of  Gen.  Peck,  and  on  the 
24th,  with  other  troops,  made  an  expedition  to  the 
Black  Water,  and  again  on  the  12th  of  December  was 
on  a  like  expedition  to  same  place.  During  January, 
1864,  and  till  June  of  that  year,  the  regiment  was 
under  Gen.  Foster,  along  the  coast  of  North  Carolina. 
June  3,  1864,  a  part  of  the  regiment  participated  in 
the  battle  of  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  and  on  the  24lh  of 


that  month  the  veterans  of  the  regiment  were  sent  to 
Philadelphia  on  a  long-promised  furlough  and  to 
enjoy  a  brief  respite  from  duty.  August  25th  the 
regiment  arrived  at  the  front  again,  and  were  in  tlie 
thickest  of  tlie  many  engagements  in  front  of  Rich- 
mond and  Petersburg,  especially  at  Fort  Harrison, 
Spring  Hill,  Charles  City,  and  Williamsburg  roads, 
the  Star  Fort,  and,  in  fact,  all  along  the  line  till  the 
surrender  of  Lee's  army,  after  which  the  regiment 
did  duty  under  order.s  from  the  Freedmen's  Bureau 
in  the  lower  counties  of  Virginia  till  .January,  1866, 
and  on  the  24th  of  that  month  was  mustered  out  of 
service  at  City  Point,  Va. 

The  following  is  the  muster-out  roll  of  Company 
G,  except  the  drafted  men  and  substitutes.-  Except 
where  otherwise  noted,  the  men  were  mustered  in  at 
the  dates  named  for  three  years. 

COMMISSIONED  OFFICERS. 
Charles  A.Winn,  capt.:  Dec.  7, 1801 ;  pro.  from  1st  lieut.  to  Ciipt.  Feb. 

11, 1862;  to  niaj.  May  21, 1804. 
Thom.ts  Birmingham,  capt.;  Oct    29,1801;  pro.  from  1st  lieut.  Co.  I, 

March  1,  1805 ;  must,  out  with  company  Jan.  29,  1800. 
Francis  B.  Guthrie,  1st  lieut.;  Feb.  13,  1802;  res.  May  18,  1802. 
Edwar.l  Manahan.  1st  lieut.;  Feb.  11,1862;  pro.  from  2d  to  1st  lieut. 

May  18,  1862;  com.  capt.  April  6, 1864;  not  mustered;  res.  Dec.  29, 

1864. 
John  E.  Ault,  1st  lieut.;  Feb.  14, 1802;  pro.  to  sergt.  March  25, 1862; 

tolstsergt.  May  18, 1862;  to  1st  lieut.  Jail.  16, 1803 ;  res.  May  25, 

1805;  vet. 
Theodore  P.  Eynder,  2d  lieut.;  Sept.  23,  ISGl ;  pro.  to  sergt.  March  25, 

1802;  to  2d  lient.  May  18,  1802;  res.  Feb.  9,  1803. 
Olney  V.  Cotter,  2d  lieut.;  Oct.  7, 1861  ;  pro.  to  corp.  May  16.  1802;  to 

sergt.  June  9,1862;  to  1st  sergt.  Feb.  18,  1863;  to  2d   lieut.  May 

18,  1863;  to  capt.  Dec.  16,1864;  not  mustered;  must,  out  Jan.  31, 

1865. 

NONCOMMISSIONED. 

Leander  L.  Bradt,  Ist  sergt. ;  Sept.  30, 1801 ;  pro.  to  corp.  April  30, 1802 ; 

to  sergt.  Mayl1,lS03,  to  1st  sergt.  Jan.  10,  1805;  com.  1st  lieut. 

Jan.  23,1800;  not  mustered;  must,  out  with   company  Jan.  24, 

1806;  vet. 
Charles  Mitchell,  sergt.;  Oct.  3,  1801;  pi-o.  to  corp.  Jan.  13,1802;  to 

sergt.  Aug.  29, 1862  ;  must,  out  witli  company  Jan.  24, 1800 ;  vet. 
John  Chatham,  sergt. ;  Oct.  7,  1801  ;  pro.  to  sergt.  Nov.  16,  1804;  must. 

out  with  company  Jan.  24,  1800;  vet. 
James  Crowloy,  sergt.;  Feb.  9, 1802;  pro.  to  Corp.  Nov.  10,1801;  to  sergt. 

July  1, 1866;  must,  out  wilh  comp.any  Jan.  24,  1866;  vet. 
Abel  Stratton,  sergt.;  Dec.  7, 1861;  must,  out  Dec.  12, 1864,  expiralioa 

of  term. 
Francis  McMahon,  sergt.;  Sept.  24, 1861 ;  pro.  to  sergt.  April  in,  1S62. 
Warren  Evans,  corp  ;  Jan.  18, 1862;  pro.  to  Corp.  Nov.  10,  1804;  must. 

out  with  company  Jan.  24,  1866;  Tet. 
John  Flecker,  corp. ;  Oct.  14,  1861 ;  pro.  to  corp.  Jan.  10,  ISO.i ;  must,  out 

with  company  Jan.  24,  1806;  vet. 
George  Case,  corp. ;  Oct.  29, 1861 ;  pro.  to  corp.  Jan.  16,  1805 ;  must,  out 

with  company  Jan.  24,  1800;  vet. 
John  Evans,  corp. ;  Dec.  21, 1801 ;  pro.  to  corp.  July  1, 1S05;  must,  out 

with  company  Jan.  24, 1866;  vet. 
C.  W.  Dickinson,  corp. ;  Nov.  30, 1801 ;  pro.  to  corp.  July  1,  1805 ;  must. 

out  with  company  Jan.  24, 1866;  vet. 
John  B.  Carr,  corp. ;  Dec.  9, 1861 ;  pro.  to  cotp.  Feb.  11, 1802;  killed  at 

Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  June  3,  1864 ;  vet. 
Edwin  J.  Carter,  corp. ;  Sept.  9, 1861 ;  pro.  to  corp.  Feb.  13, 1863;  killed  at 

Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  June  3,  1864;  vet. 
C.  A.  Phillips,  Corp. ;  Dec.  4, 1801 ;  pro.  to  Corp.  Dec.  16,  1S02 ;  killed  at 

Fort  Harrison,  Va.,  Sept.  29,  1804;  vet. 
Francis  Johnson,  corp. ;  Dec.  7, 1801 ;  pro.  to  corp.  Feb.  11, 1862 ;  disch. 

on  surg.  certif.  Feb.  20, 1803. 
George  H.  Wilson,  corp. ;  Dec.  4,  1801 ;  pro.  to  corp.  Feb.  12, 1802;  disch. 

on  surg.  cerlif.  March  13, 1803. 
Edwin  R.  Lane,  Corp.;  Dec.  19, 1801  ;  pro.  to  corp.  Feb.  10, 1862;  disch. 

on  surg.  cerlif.  Oct.  29, 1802. 


SO-f 


IIISTOllY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Lponanl  J.  P.iicp,  coi]).;  Dec-.  7,  1801  ;  pro.  to  Corp.  June  9,  1802;  iliod 

lit  Ncul.eine,  N.  C,  July  14,  ISC:). 
Piuiiol  Iliiier,  Corp.;  Jim.  20,  l,si;2;  pro,  to  Corp.  Dec,  10,  18C4;  vet, 
I'.irter  Siirgenl,  cor]i.;  Oct.  17.  1801 ;  pro.  to  Corp.  FhIi,  Ifi,  1802;  vet, 
J..I1U  Sniicli,  Corp.;  Dec.  31,1801;  pro,  lo  Corp.  , I  lily  1,  1803  ;  vet, 
.lames  Siilliviin,  Corp.;  Se]it.  22,  1801  ;  pro,  to  corp,  Feb,  II,  1802;  vet, 
Harrison  Base Ii,  Corp.,  Feb,  25,  1802;  pro,  to  corp,  Feb,  28,  1862;  died 

at  Br.adford,  Pa,,  Nov.  12,  IS0:l. 
Jereiiiiiili  Sclircffler,  imisiciali ;  Nov.  1,1801;  must,  out  with  company 

,Iiin.24,  1800;  vet, 
Charles   D.  Bim-k,   niUMcian  ;  Nov,  1,  ISGl  ;   must,  out  wilb  company 

Jan.  24,  1800;  vet. 

rRlV.\TE3, 

Thomas  ArmslronR,  Pec,  19,  1804;  1  year;  di<ch,  by  G.  O.  June  12, 1805, 
James  Armstrong,  Sept.  3,  1801;  wounded  at  Fort  Harrison,  Va.,  Sept. 

29,  1804;  trans,  to  Vet.  lies.  Corps  April  18,  ISCS;  vet. 
Samuel  Bowman,  Feb,  11,  1802;  disch.  on  surg  certif.  April  28, 1802, 
Joseph  Urisas,  Dec.  0,  1801 ;  disch.  011  surK.  cerlit.  Jlay  2.i,  1800 ;  vet, 
James  Beniuitt,  Nov.  27,  1801 ;  disch.  May  25,  1805,  for  wounds  received 


Willi! 


ith 


pany  ,ran,  24,1800;  vet, 
surg.  certif.  Fob.  8,  1803. 
;,  certif  Jan,  1,  180:1, 
certif.  May  24,  1803, 


clioli;  vet, 
Bryant,  Oct,  29,  ISGl;  died  at  Portsmouth,  Va.,  May  9,1805; 

vet, 
William  U.  Burd,  Dec.  7,  1801, 
Francis  Bniiier,  Nov.  3,  1804;  1  year. 
Frederick  Buudell,  Nov.  18,  1804. 
James  Carroll,  Oct.  24,  1801;  must,  out  with  company  Jan.  24, 1800; 

vet. 
John  B.  Ci  ider,  Oct.  7, 1801 ;  must,  out 
Tobias  Cornelius,  Jan.  28,  1802  ;  disch. 
George  Colin,  Dec.  7,  1861;  disch.  on  e 
.John  Calden,  Due,  7,  1801 ;  disch.  on  si 
Henry  Cooper,  Feb.  24,  1802 ;  died  at  Norfolk,  Va.,  May  10,  1802. 
James  E.  Cross,  April  4,  1804. 
Amandus  Derr,  ilarch  7, 1805  ;  1  year;  must,  out  with  company  Jan.  24, 

1860. 
William  E.  Doming,  Oct.  9, 1801;  trans,  to  Co.  E  M  irch  1,1,S04;  vet, 
Thomas  Eddy,  Jan.  23,  1802;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  Dec.  2.',  1802, 
Joseph  Eliglert,  Dec,  7,  1801  ;  died  at  Portsmoutli,  Va.,  Oct,  20,  1802. 
John  EIrick,  Oct,  14,  1801  ;  killed  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va  ,  June  3,  1804  ;  vet, 
William  Feeiiy,  Oct  14,  1801;  disch,on  Burg.  certif.  May  18,  1804;  vet. 
Timothy  Filly,  Oct.  1,  1801;  disch.on  surg.  cerlif.  M.iy  18,  1804;  vet. 
David  Frederick,  Oct.  8,  1801  ;  died  Oct.  20,  1804,  from  wounds  received 

ill  action,  buried  at  Hampton,  Va;  vet, 
.Jacob  Fike,  Nov,  22,  ISOI, 
Miles  Fiiinegan,  Dec,  7,  1801. 

Anthony  Gates,  Dec.  22,  1801  ;  disch.  by  G.  O.  Nov.  7,  1SG5  :    vet. 
Charles  Han  well,  Dec.  30, 1801 ;  disch.  on  surg.  ceriif."  Aug.  1, 1803. 
Hiram  Howard,  Oct.  1, 1801  ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Oct.  1,  1805 ;   vet. 
John  Howard,  Sept.  25,1801 ;  discll.  on  surg.  certif.  May  25,  1865;   vet. 
William  E.  Kitchen,  Oct.  7,  1801  ;  died  March  11,  1864,  buried  in  Old 

Cemetery,  Newberne,  N,  C, ;  vet. 
George  Kisely,  Dec,  7,  1801 ;  disch,  on  surg.  certif.  May  20,  1802. 
Peter  Kiinhall,  Jan.  20, 1802  ;  disch.  on  snig.  certif.  Oct.  1,  1804;  vet. 
Mas.sey  KeeK-y,  Dec.  7, 1801 ;  must,  out  Dec.  8,  1804,  e.xpiialion  of  term. 
John  E.  Ke]der,  Aug.  2,  1804;  1  year;  wounded   at  Fort  Harrison,  Va., 

Sept  29, 1864  ;  disch.  by  G.  O.  ,Iune  12,  1865. 
John  J.  Kiliitz,  Dec.  7, 1861  ;  died  at  Newberne,  N.  C,  Sept.  21, 1804. 
W.  H.  Litzciiberger,   July  28,  1804;    must,  ont  with  company  Jan.  24, 

1860. 
Albert  Lyons,  Oct,  29, 1801 ;  disch.  May  27, 1805,  fur  wounds  received  in 

action ;  vet, 
John  A,  Lyons,  April  4,  1864  ;  died  at  Hampton,  Va.,  Aug,  31,1864, 
John  P,  Loneks,  Dec.  7,  1SG4. 
William  W.  Louden,  Nov.  2, 1864  ;  1  year, 

Henry  Mackey,  Feb.  11, 1804;  must,  out  with  company  Jan.  24, 1806, 
Samuel  Miles,  Pec,  7,1801  ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  May  20,  1802. 
Lewis  Mills,  Feb.  20,  1802;  discli.  on  surg.  certif.  May  20,  1802, 
Peter  Mur|diy,  Feb.  11,  1802;    disell.  Nov.  6,  1803. 

Jeremiah  McCartcy,  Feb.  21,  1862;  captured  Sept.  29, 1 804 ;  died  at  .Salis- 
bury, N,C.,  Nov.  30,  1804, 
Alphonzo  North,  Dec,  7,  1801  ;  disch.  on  surg,  cerlif,  Feb.  4, 1R03, 
Isiac  Newton,  Dec,  12,  1811, 
William  Neill,  Dec. 7,  1801. 

William  Oshorn,  Dec.  7,  1801;  disch.on  surg.  certif  July  1,  1662, 
Henry  Oakley,  Dec.  7, 1801 ;  must,  out  Pec.  12,  1S64,  atexpir.  of  term, 
Viall  A,  Putnam,  Feb,  20,  1802;  disch,  by  order  of  Secretary  of  War, 

Aug.  31,1862. 


Jerome  H.  Putnam,  Feb.  20,  1862  ;  discli.  on  surg.  certif.  Feb,  1.5,  18C.1, 

Jerome  Putnam,  Feb.  16,  1802;  disch,  on  surg.  cerlif  Ang.  20,1804. 

Michael  Pole,  Sent.  21,  1864  ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  12,  1803. 

William  E.  Peterman,  Oct.  30, 1804;  must,  out  Oct.  ,5,  1805,  at  the  expi- 
ration of  term. 

Thomas  E.  A.  Russell,  Dec.  2,  1801;  must,  out  wilh  company  Jan.  2, 
1806;  vet. 

S.  V.  E.  Robbins,  Dec,  7, 1801  ;  disch,  on  surg.  certif  June  1,  1803, 

George  Richler,  Dec.2,1801 :  disch.  on  surg.  cerlif  June  1,  1803. 

Adam  Rickter,  Jan.  22,  1802;  must,  out  Jan,  24,  1S05,  expiration  of 
term. 

Richard  V,  Robbins,  Jan.  3,  1S02  ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Sept.  11,  1S65  ; 
vet. 

E/.ra  Rolin,Dec.  7,  1801:  disch.  May  25, 1S05,  for  wounds  received  in 
action ;  vet. 

Patrick  Sullivan,  Jan,  23,1802;  must,  out  Jan,  24,  1S03,  expiration  of 

Charles  Stiies,  Jan.  23,  1802;   must,   out  Jan.  24,  1803,   expiration  of 

Davi.l  S.  Shearer,  Oct.  8, 1801 ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  Ang.  10, 1863;  vet. 
Jacob  SchuUz,  Oct,  31,  1864 ;  1  year  ;  must,  out  Nov,  9,  1805,  expiration 

of  term. 
Jacob  Schwenck,  Feh.  11, 1862;  trans,  to  Batt.  D,  U.  S.  Art.,  March  22, 

1862. 
Michael  Sullivan,  Jan.  13, 1802. 

Samuel  B.  Taylor,  Dec.  2, 1861 ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  Ang.  2, 1860;  vet. 
Sylvanus  Traverse,  Dec.  7, 1861 ;  died  at  Camp  Hamilloii,  Va.,  March  23, 

1802. 
Dauiel  Vannatta,  Jan.  1, 1802;  trans,  to  Co,  E  Oct.  1,  1802, 
Thomas  W,  Wisner,  Aug,  13,  1804;  must,  out  with  company  Jan.  24, 

ISOO. 
Alfred  Weed,  Feb.  II,  1862;  died  Feb.  3, 1S04;  buried  in  Old  Cemetery, 

Newberne,  N.  C. 
N.  B.  Wightmali,  April  14,  1864. 
John  Yost,  Sept.  24,  1861 ;  must,  out  with  company  June  24, 1860 ;  vet. 

Eightieth  Regiment  (Seventh  Cavalry).— This 

regiment  was  recruited  in  Centre  and  Clinton  Coun- 
ties. Tlie  men  were  mustered  in,  except  where  other- 
wise stated,  for  three  years. 


Cm 


COMPANY 

iimisumied  0 


Israel  B.  .Schaetfer,  capt. ;  Oct.  29,  1861;  must,  out  Nov.  10,  1804,  expi- 
ration of  term. 
Edward  P.  Iiihoff,  capt.;  Jan.  4, 1804;  pro.  from  2d  lieut.  Co.  B  Feb.  13, 

1805;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23,  1805. 
John  Leidy,  1st  lieut. ;  Oct.  23,  1861 ;  resigned  April  4,  1802. 
Jacob  Allison,  1st  lieut.;  Oct.  2,  1801;  pro.  from  qm.-sergt,  April  5, 

1802;  resigned  May  4,  1863, 
Jacob  Sigmond,  1st  lieut.;  Oct,  2, 1861 ;  pro,  from  1st  sergt,  to  2d  lieut. 

March  1,  1S63;  to  Ist  lieut,  Juno  24,1863;  killed  at  Selma,  Ala., 

April  2, 1865, 
William  E.  Hays,  1st  lieut.;  Oct.  2, 1801 ;  prisoner  from  Aug.  20,  to  Dec. 

15,  1S04;  pro.  from  q.m.-sergt.  to  2d  lient.  May  1,  1805;  to  1st  lieut. 

Aug.  10, 1803;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1805;  vet. 
Harvey  H.  Best,  2d  lieut.;  Oct.  29,  1801;  died  at  Barnardstown,  Ky., 

March  5,  1802. 
J.di  n  C.  McGhee,  2d  lieut. ;  Oct.  2, 1861 ;  resigned  Jan.  23,  1863, 
Edw,arJ  F,  Nixon,  2d  lieut.;  Oct,  2,  1861;  pro,  from  com,-sergt,  July  1, 

1S63 ;  disch,  Dec,  7,  1864, 

Non-Commissioned    Officers. 

Ilonry  L.  Bricker,  1st  sergt. ;  Oct,  2,  1801 ;  com.  2d  lieut,  July  24, 1805  j 
not  mustered ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23,  1805  ;■  vet. 

Wilbur  L,  Lovcland,  q.m  -sergt, ;  Oct,  20, 1801 ;  pro,  from  corp,  Nov.  28, 
180:i ;  must,  ont  with  company  Aug,  23, 1845:  vet. 

Samuel  B.  Darrah, sergt,;  Oct,  2, 1861 ;  pro,  to  sergt,  Nov,  28, 1863;  must, 
ont  with  company  Aug,  23,  1805 ;  vet, 

Samuel  Jobson,  sergt,;  Oct,  22,  1801;  pro,  from  corp,  Nov.  28,  1803; 
must,  out  with  company  Aug.  21,  I860;  vet. 

Samuel  Foster,  sergt. ;  Oct,  14, 1803 ;  pro,  from  corp,  March  1, 1864  ;  cap- 
tured Ang,  20,  1864;  vet, 

Thomas  F.  Dorubla/.er,  sergt.;  Oct.  14,  1861;  pro.  from  corp.  Jan.  1, 
1805;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23,  1805;  vet. 


CLINTON   COUNTY   IN   THE  WAR   OF   THE   REBELLION. 


505 


Aliraimm  J.  Best,  scrgt. ;  Oct.  14,  ISOl;  pro,  from  Corp.  May  1,  18G5 ; 

must,  out  with  company  Aug.  2:t,  1805  ;  vet. 
.lames  P.  Hughi'B,  sergt. ;  Kov.  20,  1801 ;  must,  out  Nov.  20, 1804. 
Henry  G.  Milzgiir,  sergl. ;  Oct.  14, 1801 ;  piisouor  from  Aug.  20, 1S04,  to 

Mnrcli  12, 18C5;  diach.  by  0.  0.  June  27, 1805;  vet. 
Henry  W.  «"as3on,  Corp.;  Oct.  14,  1801;  pro.' to  Corp.  March   I,  1804; 

must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23,  1805;  vet. 
Mclchor  Bechtol,  corp,;  Oct.  14,  ISOl ;  pro.  to  corp.  March  1,  1804  ;  must. 

out  with  company  Aug.  2^i,  1805;  vet. 
Peter  E.  Best,  corp.;  Oct.  14,  1801;  pro.  to  corp.  March  1,1804;  must,  out 

with  company  Aug.  23, 1805;  vet. 
John  Brungast,  corp. ;  Oct.  14, 1801 ;  pro.  to  corp.  Marcli  1,  1804  ;  must. 

out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1804;  vet. 
Henry  lIolTmaster,  Corp.;  Oct.  14,  18G1 ;  pro.  to  corp.  March  1,  1804; 

must,  out  witli  com]iany  Aug.  23. 1805 ;  vet. 
Jacob  Kliug,  Corp.;  Oct.  14,  1801 ;  pro.  to  corp   Jan.  1,  1805;  must,  out 

with  company  Aug.  23,  1805;  vet. 
William  Kister,  Corp.;  Oct.  14,  1801 ;  pro.  to  Corp.  Slay  I,  1805;  must. 

out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1806  ;  vet. 
George  W.  Krape,  Corp. ;  Oct.  14, 1801 ;  pro.  to  corp.  M,ay  1, 1805 ;  must. 

out  witli  comjiany  Aug.  23,  1805  ;  vet 
William  0.  Hughes,  corp.  ;  Oct.  20,  1802 ;  (iiscli.  l.y  G.  0.  June  23,  1805. 
Eicliiird  J,  Jones,  corp.;  Oct.  21,  1801 ;  disci.,  on  surg.  certif.  April  10, 

1803. 
John  Brown,  corp  ;  Oct.  20,  ISOl;  killed  at  Lavergne,  Tenn.,  Oct.  8, 

1802. 
John  J.  Eyer,  corp.  ;  Oct.  20,  1801  ;  died  near  Niisliville,  Tenn.,  Dec.  15, 

1802. 
John  Hull,  Corp. ;  Oct.  29,  ISOl  ;  died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Nov.  11,  1802. 
Nathan  Harvey,  corp. ;  Oct.  29, 1801 :  died  Sept.  20,  from  wounds  received 

near  Brentwood,  Tenn,,  Sept.  19,  1802. 
Thaddcus  Longwi-11,  corp. ;  Oct.  29,  1801 ;  died  near  Nashville,  Tenn., 

March  20, 1802. 
John  Rhoads,  Corp. ;  Nov.  30, 1801 ;  died  at  Indianapolis,  lud.,  Feb.  0, 

l!-04;  vet. 
George  Caldwell,  saddler;  Oct.  14, 1801;  pro.  to  saddler  Nov.  28,  1803; 

captured  Aug.  20,  1804;  vet. 
Charles  W.  Smith,  saddler;  Oct,  20,  ISOl ;  died  near  Nashville,  Tenn., 

June  0, 1802. 
Beverly  W.  Britain,  farrier;  Oct.  28,  1801;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Deo, 

22,  1802. 
Lewis Calherman,  farrier ;  Aug.  20,1802;  died  Oct.  15,  of  wounds  received 

at  Rome,  Ga.,  Oct.  14,  1804. 
George  Wagner,  blaclismilh  ;  Oct.  20, 1801 ;  pro.  to  blacksmith  Nov.  28, 

I8C3;  must,  out  wilh  company  Aug.  23, 1805;  vet. 
Alexander  Chatham,  blacksmith;  Oct.  20,  1801;  disch.  on  surg.  certif. 

June,  1802. 

Privates. 

George  W.  Adams,  Oct.  31, 1801 ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1805  ; 

vet. 
William  Allen,  Feb.  27, 1804;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1803. 
Joseph  M.  .\llisun,  Feb.  29,  1804;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 

1805. 
Samuel  Alley,  Feb.  29, 1804;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1805. 
Parker  Allen,  Oct.  30,  ISOl ;  must,  out  wilh  company  Aug.  23, 1805. 
Hiram  W.  Brilhnrt,  Oct.  14,  1601 ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 

1805;  vet. 
Jeremiah  A.  Blair,  Oct.  31, 1861 ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1805 ; 

vet. 
Jacob  Berry,  Oct.  20, 1801 ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1865 :  vet. 
John  H.  Bamer,  Feb.  29, 1804;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1005. 
Jeremiah  Beck,  Feb.  29, 1804  ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1805. 
James  P.  Boush,  Feb.  24, 1804 ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1805. 
John  Bitner,  Feb.  28, 1804;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23,  1865. 
Bowen  G.  Bennett,  Feb.  27,  1804 ;  absent  on  general  court-martial  at 

muster  out. 
Seneca  H.  Bennett,  Feb.  27, 1804 ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1865. 
Robert  M.  Bennett,  Feb.  27,  1864;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  April  21, 

1805;  dLsch.  by  G.  0.  Aug.  19,  1805. 
Isaac  A.  Brown,  Aug,  20, 1802;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  23, 1805. 
Samuel  F.  Best,  July  25, 1S04;  1  year;  disch.  by  G.  O.  June  23, 1803. 
George  W,  Bowers,  Sept.  10, 1864;  disch.  by  G.  O.  June  23, 1805. 
Charles  W.  Bricker,  Sept.  9,  1804  ;  1  year;  disch.  by  0.  0.  June  23, 1803. 
Robert  Bridgens,  Oct.  20, 1801 ;  died  Aug.  14,  of  wounds  received  at  At- 
lanta, Ga.,  Aug.  13,  1864  ;  veteran. 
Eblie  Brown,  Oct,  29, 1801 ;  died  at  Munfordville,  Ky.,  March,  1802. 


Gilbert  8.  Barndt,  Fob.  27, 1804. 

W.  W.  Caldwell,  Oct.  14, 1801 ;  must,  out  wilh  company  Aug.  23, 1801 ; 

veteran. 
William  Clark,  Feb.  27, 1804;  must,  out  willi  company  Ang.  23, 1801. 
John  W.  Crispin,  Sept.  10,  1804  ;  1  year;  disch,  June  2s,  180.5. 
George  Calhoun,  Oct.  20, 1801 ;  disch.  on  surg.  cerlif.  June  24, 1802. 
James  G.  Campbell,  Nov.  4, 1801 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  July,  1862. 
James  E.  Calderwood,  Sept.  16, 1864;  1  year;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  23, 

1865. 
Joseph  B.  Crispin,  Sept.  9, 1804;  1  year;  disch.  by  G.  O.  June  23, 1805. 
William  H.  Clough,  Oct.  29, 1861 ;  diach.  on  surg.  certif.  May,  1802. 
Benjamin  Catherman,  .\ug.  20,  1802;  died  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  Jan.l7, 

1804 ;  buried  in  National  Cemetery,  sec.  B,  range  17,  grave  37. 
Levi  Darrah,  Feb.  29, 1804;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  20, 1803. 
Arbre  Dimmick,  Ang.  2, 1804  ;  1  year;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  23, 1865. 
Jacob  Dachenbach,  Oct.  29,  1861  ;  died  at  Bardalown,  Ky.,  March,  1862. 
Thomas  R.  Dennis,  Aug.  20, 1802. 
James  C.  Edmiston,  Feb.  29,  1804 ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 

1805. 
William  E.  Else,  Feb.  23,  1804 ;  captured  Aug.  20,  1804. 
John  C.  Englebert,  March  4,  1804;  disch.  by  G.  0.  May  27, 1805. 
Charles  Else,  Sept.  9,  1804;  1  year;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  23, 1805. 
William  H.  Fite,  Nov.  30, 1801 ;  must,  out  with  company  Ang.  23, 1803; 

veteran. 
Alraham  Fite,  Nov.  30,  1801;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23,  1805; 

veteran. 
Thomas  J.  Faux,  Feb.  24,  1804;  must,  out  wilh  company  Aug. 23, 1805. 
Jesse  E.  Faux,  Feb.  24, 1804;  must,  out  with  company  Ang.  23, 1805. 
George  Fidler,  Feb.  29,  1804;  must,  out  wilh  comiKiny  Aug.  23,  1803. 
Samuel  Farrell,  Oct.  29, 1801  ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  June,  1862. 
William  H.  Fulton,  Feb.  20, 1804 ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  7,  1803. 
William  H.  Fearaon,  Sept.  9,  1804;  lyear;  ilisch.l.y  O.  0.  June  23,  I860. 
George  Grove,  Oct.  20,  1S61 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  May,  1862. 
John  11.  Gladfelter,  Feb.  29,  1864;  disch.  by  G.  O.  May  29,  1803. 
Edward  Gross,  March  1 ,  1864 ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  7,  1805. 
Daniel  B.  Hcrr,  Oct.  14,  1861 ;  must,  out  wilh  company  Aug.  23,1865; 

veteran. 
Elias  Uouts,  Feb.  29, 1804;  must,  out  with  comi^any  Aug.  23, 1805. 
Thomas  HoUingshead,  March  1, 1804;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 

1865. 
Samuel  R.  Heltman,  Feb.  27,1865;  1  year;  must,  otit  with  company 

Aug.  23, 1805. 
Jesse  P.  Haslett,  Aug.  20, 1862;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  21, 1863. 
Daniel  Hartzell,  Oct.  29,  1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  cerlif.  June,  1802. 
Daniel  H.  Herr,  March  18,1802;  disch.  on  snrg.  certif  November,  1802. 
John  G.  Harrison,  Feb, 27, 1864;  flscli,  by  G,  0.  M,iy  15,  I860. 
Jamea  W.  Uutohinson,  July  25,  1864;  1  year;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  4, 

1865. 
Edward  Haverly,  Feb.  25, 1804;  prisoner  from  Oct.  1,  1S64,  to  April  21, 

1805;  disch.  by  G.  0.  May  27,  1.805. 
Josejili  InhafT,  Feb.  20, 1804 ;  absent,  sick,  at  must.  out. 
George  N.  Jackson,  Feb.  29,  1804;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 

1865. 
John  A.  Jacoby,  March  1, 1804;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1865. 
Samuel  B.  Jobson,  Aug.  20, 1S62;  disch.  byG.  0.  June  23, 1863. 
John  M.  Johnson,  Sept.  6, 1864  ;  1  year;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  23, 1865. 
David  Knarr,  Oct.  14, 1861 ;  absent,  sick,  at  must,  out ;  vet. 
Rudolph  Karstetter,  Oct.  14,  1801 ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 

1805;  vet. 
Matthias  Knapp,  Nov.  30, 1801 ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1865  ; 

vet. 
Antis  Krape,  Feb.  20,1804;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1863. 
Jacob  M.  Knight,  Feb.  20, 1804 ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug  23,  1805. 
William  Kieff,  Feb.  28, 1804 ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1805. 
Henry  Kahler,  Oct.  29,  1801 ;  must,  out  November,  1804,  expiration  of 

term. 
Samuel  Kinney,March  1, 1864;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  7, 1805. 
John  E.  Larkins,  Feb.  27, 1804;  must,  out  with  company  .\ug.  33, 1805. 
Charles  E.  Larkins,  Feb. 27,1804;  uiust.outwilh  company  .^ug.  23,1865. 
Henry  Loveland,  March  1, 1804;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1803. 
Jonn  T.  Lee,  Sept.  10,  1804;  1  year;  diach.  July  13,  to  date  Juno  28, 

1805. 
Jeremiah  Logan,  March  20, 1864;  prisoner  from  Oct.  1, 1864,  to  April  21, 

1805  ;  disch.  May  20,  to  date  May  II,  1865 ;  vet. 
Lindsay  R.  Llewellen,  Sept.  16,  1864;  disch.  l.y  G.  0,  June  23, 1865. 
Andrew  Lavate,  Nov.  30, 1861 ;  killed  at  Missionary  Ridge,  Tenn.,  Sept. 

21, 1863. 


506 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Charles  A.  Minsker,  Oct.  H,  1801;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 

1865;  vet. 
Benjamin  Molter,  Oct.  14,  1801;  must,  cut  with  company  Aug.  23,1805; 

Yet. 
"Wilson  H.  Miller,  Oct.  14, 1801 ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1806; 


vet. 


ut  with 


npany  Aug.  23, 


rrederick  II.  Mantle,  Feh.  20,  1804; 

1865. 
Robert  Mills,  Feb.  24,1804;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23,1805. 
John  W.  Miller,  Feb.  10,  1804 ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23,  1805. 
Mark  Mincer.  Feb.  27,1804;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  2:i,  1866. 
Barnhart  Metzger,  Oct.  29,  1861 ;  must,  out  Nov.  2,  1SC4,  expiration  of 

Thomas  A.  Miller,  Feb.  29, 1S04;  discli.  by  G.O.  June  7, 1805. 

Robert  T.  Maurer,  Feb.  29,  1804;  died  June  12th,  of  wouu.ls  received 

near  McAfee  Cross-lloads,  Ga.,  June  11, 1304. 
Solomon  L.  Maurer,  Feb.  29, 1804;  died  at  Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  Juno  17, 

1804. 
Oliver  Mantle,  Oct,  29, 1801  ;  diod  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Nov.  8,  1862. 
Patrick  McCabe,  Nov.  30, 1801 ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23,  1805  ; 

vet. 
Robert  H.  McGhee,  Feb.  26, 1804;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out. 
David  U.  McDonald,  Feb.  20, 1864;  captured  Aug.  20, 1804;  absent,  sick, 

at  must.  out. 
Isaac  R.  McGhee,  Feb.  29,  1804;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1805. 
James  McKenn.i,  Sept.  19, 1803 ;  captured  near  Marietta,  Ga.,  July,  1804. 
William  S.  McGhee,  Oct.  29, 1861 ;  must,  out  November,  1804,  expiration 

of  term. 
Perry  McClintock,  Feb.  29, 1804 ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  7, 1865. 
Samuel  McGill,  Sept.  10, 1804:  1  year;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  23, 1805. 
William  D.  McCormick,  July  25, 1804  ;  1  year ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  23, 

1805. 
William  Neff,  Oct.  29,  1801 ;  died  at  Logansville,  Pa.,  Feb.  1, 1804. 
Henry  W.  OhI,  Oct.  29, 1801 ;  died  at  Nashville,  Tenci.,  May  C,  1862. 
George  W.  Paul,  Sept.  9, 1804  ;  1  year;  absent,  sick,  at  must.  out. 
David  Patton,  Nov.  10,  1863;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1805. 
William  Price,  Oct.  29,  1801 ;  disch.  on  snrg.  certif,  Oct.  25,  1802. 
Henry  Paul,  Oct.  14, 1801 ;  died  April  10th  of  wounds  received  at  Sclma, 

Ga.,  April  2,  1805;  vet. 
Jesse  K.  Robins,  Oct.  14, 1861 ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1805. 
Williamson  Rishel,  Feb.  29,  1804 ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 

1805. 
Justus  M.  Rossman,  Feb.  29, 1804 ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 

1805. 
John  W.  Reighard,  Feb.  29,  1801;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 

1805. 
Henry  G.  Royer,  Feb.  29, 1805  ;  must,  ont  with  company  Aug.  23, 1805. 
John  W.  Rolhrick,  March  1, 1864;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 

1865. 
Henry  Romig,  Oct.  29, 1801 ;  disch.  on  snrg.  certif.  April,  1802. 
Isaac  Rowland,  Aug.  30, 1864;  1  year  ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  23, 1805. 
William  S.  Rowland,  Aug.  30, 1864 ;  1  year ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  23, 1865. 
George  Royer,  Aug.  20, 1862;  died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Jan.  7,  1S63. 
Harvey  Rishel,  March  20, 18G4 ;  died  at  Columbia,  Tenn.,  June  14, 1804 ; 

vet. 
George  W.  Schell,  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1805 ;  vet. 
David  Stamni,  Feb.  29, 1864;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23,  1865. 
Darius  Sechrist,  Feb.  29, 1804;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1805. 
Samuel  C.  Struuk,  Feb.  29,  1804 ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 

1865. 
Irwin  StreflFer,  Feb.  29, 1864;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1805. 
James  I.  Smith,  Feb.  29, 1804  ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1865. 
John  W.  Stincr,  Fob.  29,  1804  ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1865. 
Edward  Shafer,  Feb.  29, 1804;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23,  1805. 
James  Starn,  Feb.  29, 1804 ;  must,  ont  with  comp.wiy  Aug.  23,  1805. 
David  Saxton,  Feb.  29, 1804;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23,  1805. 
Heury  Shaffer,  Oct.  29, 1804;  diach.  on  surg.  certif.  May,  1802;  re-enl. 

March  8,  1804;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23,  1865. 
George  W.  Smith,  Aug.  20, 1802;  absent  on  detached  service  at  must. 

out. 
William  W.  Snyder,  Oct.  iO,  ISCl ;  must,  out  Nov.  4,  1804,  expiration  of 

term. 
William  W.  Stevensan,  Nov.  1, 1801  ;  must,  out  Nov.  4,  1864,  expiration 

of  term. 
Isaac  Smith,  Aug.  20,  1802;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  23,  1865. 
William  I.  Shaffer,  Feb.  29,  1804;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  7,  1805. 
Ira  C.  Stoner,  Aug.  30, 1804 ;  1  year;  diach.  by  G.  0.  June  23, 1865. 


Isaac  Slenker,  Sept.  23, 1804:  1  year;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  23, 1805. 
John  C.  Sornberger,  Sept.  9,  1864;  1  year;  disch.  by  G.  0.  Juno  23, 1865. 
James  Strnnk,  Oct.  29, 1861 ;  died  at  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  Nov.  29,  1801. 
Daniel  Snyiler,  Oct.  29,  1861  ;  died  at  Logansville,  Pa.,  Nov.  30,  1801. 
Benjamin  Seylor,  Oct.  29, 1801 ;  died  at  Huntsville,  Ala  ,  Feb.  10,  1804. 
William  Swafford,  June  14,  1802;  deserted  Aug  1,  1862. 
George  W.  Scheffler,  Sept.  9,  1804 ;  1  year  ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  28, 1806. 
Thomas  J.  Tanner,  Oct.  2,  1801 ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  2.3, 1806; 

vet. 
Randall  Townsend,  Nov.  16, 1803;  died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  March,  1804. 
George  Troutncr,  Oct.  20, 1861 ;  deserted. 
George  H.  Wilson,  Oct.  14, 1861 ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1805  ; 

George  Wolf,  Oct.  14, 1861 ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23, 1865 ;  vet. 

John  Wolf,  Feb.  29,  1804;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23,  1805. 

George  Wolfort,  Feb.  29,  1804;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  23,  1805. 

Stephen  D.  Winn,  March  3,  1804  ;  absent,  sick,  at  must.  out. 

Thomas  R.  Watson,  Oct.  14,  1801 ;  trans,  to  Co.  D,  4th  Rcgt.  Vet.  Res. 
Corps,  April  2, 1805;  disch.  by  G.  0.  Aug.  10,  1805. 

Cyrus  M.  Walker,  March  18, 1802;  must,  out  March  30,  1805,  at  expira- 
tion of  term. 

George  Willow,  March  18,  1S02  ;  must,  ont  March  30,  1865,  at  expiration 
of  term. 

A.  Winklebeck,  Oct.  29, 1801 ;  died  May  0th  of  wounds  received  at  Leb- 
anon, Tenn.,  May  6,  1802. 

William  F.  Wilson,  March  16, 1804 ;  prisoner  from  Oct.  1, 1804,  to  April 
21,  1805;  disch.  June  21sf,  to  date  May  19, 1865. 

Henry  D.  Yearick,  Feb.  29,  1804 ;  must,  out  with  c(.mpany  Aug.  23, 1865. 

Henry  Yeager,  Oct.  29, 1861;  disch.  on  surg.  certif  May,  1802. 

Martin  ZinJel,  Feb.  24, 1864;  trans,  to  Co.  B,  4lh  Regt.  Vet.  Res.  Corps, 
Ajiril  2,  1SC5;  disch.  by  G.  0.  Aug.  18,  1805. 

J.  R.  Zimmerman,  Feb.  29,  1804;  disch.  by  G.  0.  Juno  7, 1S05. 

Ninety-third  Regiment.— Company  E  of  this 
regiment  was  recruited  in  Centre  and  Clinton.  Mus- 
tered in  for  three  years,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 


COMMISSIONED   OFFICERS. 
,  capt.;  Oct.  20, 1861 ;  killed  at  Willii 


I  May 


Green  D.  Shei 

5,  1802. 
Samuel  McCarter,  capt. ;  Oct.  28,  1801 ;  pro.  from  1st  lieut.  May  5,  1862 ; 

wounded  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31,  1802;  res.  Oct.  30,  1S02. 
Edward  H.  Rogers,  capt.;  Oct.  26, 1801 ;  pro.  from  Ist  sergt.  May  5, 1802, 

to  2d  lieut.;  to  capt.  Oct.  30, 1862;  killed  at  Wilderness  May  5, 1804. 
Edward  Trafford,  1st  lieut. ;  Sept.  18, 1801 ;  pro.  from  adjt.  Aug.  1, 1804 ; 

must,  out  with  company  June  27, 1805. 
William  W.  Rogers,  1st  lieut. |  Oct.  26,  1861;  pro.  to  1st  lieut.  May  6, 

1862;  res.  Doc.  13,  1862. 
William  Tate,  Ist  lieut. ;  Oct.  26, 1861 ;  pro.  from  corp.  to  sergt.  May  IS, 

1863;  to  1st  lieut.  May  26, 1863;  wounded  at  Opequan,Va.,  Sept.  19, 

1864  ;  must,  out  Nov.  14, 1804. 
Franklin  Phillippi,  1st  lieut. ;  Oct.  26,  1861 ;  pro.  from  private  to  1st 

lieut.  Jan.  3,  1805;  wounded  at  Peteisburg,  Va.,  March  26,  1805; 

disch.  Juno  13, 1S65. 
John  S.  Shultz,  1st  lieut. ;  Oct.  28, 1861 ;  pro.  to  q.m.  Oct.  28, 1861. 
John  S.  Snmlgrass,  2d  lieut.;  Oct.  26, 1801 ;  pro.  from  sergt.  to  1st  sergt. 

Oct.  .5, 1802 ;  to  2d  lieut.  Oct.  30,  1802  ;  must,  out  Nov.  14,  1804. 
David  E.  Beistel,  2d  lieut. ;  Oct.  20, 1801 ;  pro.  to  1st  sergt.  June  0,  1804; 

to  2d  lieut.  Jan.  2,  1805  ;  com.  1st  lieut.  June  13,  1805  ;  not  must. ; 

must,  out  with  company  June  27, 1805;  vet. 

NON-COMMISSIONED. 
William  Kreps,  1st  sergt;  Oct.  26,  1S61;  pro.  from  corp.  to  sergt.  May 

5, 1862;  to  1st  sergt.  Jan.  2, 1865;  must,  out  June  27, 1805;  vet. 
Thomas  C.  Crawford,  1st  sergt.;  Oct.  12,  1861;  disch.  by  G.  0.  Oct.  6, 

1862. 
William  Mower,  1st  sergt.;  Sept.  26, 1864;  lyear;  wounded  at  Peters- 
burg, Va.,  March  25, 1805  ;  disch.  by  S.  0.  June  20, 1865. 
Beverly  W.  White,  1st  sergt.;  Oct.  20, 1861 ;  killed  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va., 

June  0, 1864. 
Henry  Hoeck,  sergt. ;  Oct.  20, 1801 ;  pro.from  corp.  to  sergt.  Oct.  30, 1802 ; 

wounded  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31,  1802,  and  Oliecpiau,  Va,,  Sept. 

19, 1804 ;  must,  out  with  company  June  27, 1805  ;  vet. 
James  Brown,  sergt.;  Oct.  20, 1801 ;  pro.  to  Corp.  Oct.  30, 1862;  to  sergt. 

Jan.  1, 1863;  wounded  at  Gettysburg  July  2, 1863  ;  must,  out  with 

company  June  27, 1806. 


CLINTON   COUNTY   IN   THE   WAR   OF  THE   REBELLION. 


507 


Adam  Kreps,  sergt. ;  Fob.  25, 18G4 ;  pro.  to  corp.  March  2, 18G4  ;  to  sergt. 
Jan.  1, 1SC5;  must,  out  June  2.5, 18G5. 

Eugene  Cullnclier,  sergt.;  Oct.  12, 18G1;  trADB.  to  Western  guuLoat  ser- 
vice Fib.  9,  1802. 

Patrick  Minpy,  Corp. ;  Nov.  1, 1861 ;  pro.  to  corp.  Oct.  30, 1RC2 ;  prisoner 
from  May  6, 18G4,  to  April  18, 1865;  must,  out  witli  company  June 
27, 1865 ;  vet. 

Samuel  Fulton,  Corp. ;  Feb.  25, 1864;  pro.  to  corp.  April  1,1864;  must, 
out  with  comp,iny  June  27, 1865. 

George  Wyble,  corp. ;  Fob.  21, 1804  ;  wounded  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May 
6,1804;  pro.  to  corp.  Jan.  1,1865;  absent  on  furlough  at  muster 
out. 

Adam  Kreps,  Corp. ;  Oct.  12, 1861 ;  disch.  June  28, 1802,  for  wounds  re- 
ceived at  Fair  Oaka,  Va.,  May  31,  1802. 

Henry  Fishel,  corp. ;  Oct.  12,  1801 ;  discli.  by  G.  0.  Nov.  10,  1.S62. 

Walter  Salmon, Corp.;  Oct.  31, 1861 ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  Nov.  10,  1802. 

Robert  Tate,  Corp.;  Oct.  12, 1801 ;  disch,  on  surg.  certif.  April  26,  1863. 

John  D.  Repley,  corp. ;  Sept.  26, 1804 ;  1  year ;  disch.  by  S.  0.  June  25, 
1805. 

Jacob  Airsmau,  corp. ;  Sept.  22,  1804  ;  1  year ;  disch.  by  S.  0.  Juno  25, 
1805. 

Henry  H.  Gardner,  Corp. ;  Sept.  21, 1804 ;  1  year;  disch.  by  S.  0.  June 
25, 1865. 

George  Calhoun,  corp. ;  Oct.  26, 1801 ;  wounded  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May 
5,  1804 :  trans,  to  V.  K.  C.  April  17,  1805 ;  disch.  by  S.  0.  Aug.  25, 
1865;  veteran. 

Adam  Smith,  corp. ;  Oct.  12, 1861 ;  killed  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31, 1802. 

Charles  H.  Rubb,  corp. ;  Oct.  12,  1861 ;  died  July  10, 1802 ;  buried  at 
Portsmouth  Grove,  R.  I. 

William  E.  Bon  ner,  corp. ;  Oct.  12, 1861;  died  Aug.  23, 1802,  at  Phila- 
delphia, Pa. 

Frank  11.  Irvin,  Corp.;  Sept.  26, 1864;  1  year;  died  May  2d  of  wounds 
received  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  March  25,  1865;  buried  in  National 
Cemetery-,  Arlington. 

Charles  £.  Bressler,  musician  ;  Feb.  24, 1864 ;  must,  out  with  company 
June  27, 1865. 

PRIVATES. 

Benjamin  F.  Ash,  Feb.  19,  1864;  must,  out  with  company  Jan.  27,  1865. 

Ljmau  P.  Austin,  Nov.  10, 1861 ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  Nov.  10, 1862. 

Caleb  R.  Avis,  Oct.  26,  1861;  died  Nov.  1,  1862;    buried  in  Military 

Asylum  Cemetery,  D.  C. 
John  Bougbamer,  Oct.  26, 1861:  wounded  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  March  25, 

1865;  absent  at  muster  out ;  veteran. 
James  BairJ,  Nov.  1,  1803;  wounded  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  0,  1804; 

absent  at  muster  out:  veteran. 
Josiah  Breiniuger,  Feb.  29,  1SC4;  wounded  at  Opequan,  Va.,  Sept.  19, 

1804:  disch.  by  G.  0.  Aug.  23,  1865. 
Thomas  Bathurst,  Oct.  12,  1861 ;  disch.  by  G.  O.  Nov.  29, 1862. 
Joseph  Baird.Dec.  28,  1861 ;  disch.  March  13,  1S63. 
William  Bessinger,  Oct.  26,  1861 ;  prisoner  from  Oct.  19, 1864,  to  Feb. 

28, 18G5  ;  disch.  by  G.  O.June  19, 1865. 
Christopher  Beam,  Sept.  26,  1804;  lyear;  disch.byS.O. 
Israel  Ball,  Sept.  20, 1804  ;  1  year ;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
John  Brideman,  Sept.  24, 1864;  1  year;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
Isa.-ic  Ball,  Nov.  4, 1861 ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  Nov.  10, 1862. 
Philip  Banks,  Oct.  12,  1861 ;  died  Aug.  31, 1862  ;  burial  recorded  Aug.  8, 

1862  ;  buried  in  Cypress  Ilill  Cemetery,  L.  I.,  grave  236. 
John  Bowman,  Oct.  12,  1801 ;  died  Feb.  13,  1803. 
Stewart  Bowman,  Oct.  26,  ISOl ;  killed  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  1864 ; 

vet. 
John  J.  Bressler,  Oct.  12, 1801. 

Samuel  Culby,  Feb.  29, 1804;  must,  oot  with  company  June  27, 1805. 
Robert  Culby,  Oct.  26,  1861;  must,  out  with  company  June  27,1805; 

vet. 
Thomas  Cowlin,  March  29,  1804;  must,  out  with   company  June  27, 

1805. 
Andrew  Campbell,  Feb.  25, 1864  ;  trans,  from  Co.  B,  139tli  P.  V. ;  must. 

out  with  company  June  27, 1865. 
John  Cunningham,  March  17, 1864 ;  trans,  from  Co.  B,  139th  P.  V. ;  must 

out  with  company  June  27,  1865. 
James  S.  Craig,  Sept.  1,1802;  trans,  from  Co,  B,  139th  P.  V. ;  must,  out 

with  company  June  27,  1805. 
Elder  J.  Couser,  Nov.  1, 1861  ;  disch.  May  6, 1802. 
John  Crawford,  Oct.  12,  1861 ;  disch.  April  30,  1862. 
John  Costillo,  Oct.  12, 1861 ;  disch.  Oct.  18, 1862. 
Joseph  Contner,  Oct.  12, 18GI ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  Dec.  6, 1862. 


John  Croak,  Oct.  24,1801;  wounded  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  Hay  31,  18C2; 

must,  out  Oct.  28,  1864. 
Robert  R,  Camiibell,  Oct.  12, 1861 ;  di»ch.  by  0.  0.  Feb.  7, 1803. 
Daniel  Caton,  Sept.  20,1804;  1  year;  disch.  by  S.  O. 
David  Coleman,  Sejit.  20, 1864 ;  1  year  ;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
Henry  Culby,  Oct.  12, 1801 ;  discli.  on  surg.  certif.  Dec.  30, 1802. 
William  Callahan,  Oct.  12,  1861 ;  killed  at  Williamsburg,  Va.,  May  5, 

1802. 
William  Deter,  Oct.  28. 1801  ;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out;  vet. 
John  Deter,  Oct.  20,  1861 ;  must,  out  with  company  June  27,  1866;  vet. 
Augusta  Dia,  Oct.  14,1864;  1  year;  must,  out  with  company  Juno  27, 

180,5. 
Daniel  Dearing,  Jan.  16, 1805 ;  1  year;  trans,  from  Co.  B,  139th  P.  V.; 

absent  at  muster  <»ut  of  company. 
James  Dobbins,  Dec.  14, 1804;  1  year;  trans,  from  Co.  B,  139th  P.  V.; 

must,  out  with  company  June  27, 1805. 
James  Dunn,  Oct.  12, 1861 ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  Nov.  10, 1802. 
Robert  M.  Dunn,  Oct.  12, 1601 ;  must,  out  Oct.  25, 1864. 
William  Dively,  Sept.  24, 1864  ;  1  year ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  15, 1865. 
Robert  Darrah,  Oct.  26,  1861  ;  wounded  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5, 1864 ; 

prisoner  from  Sept.  10, 1804,  to  May  1, 1865  ;   disch.  by  G.  0.  July 

19,  1805 ;  vet. 
John  Evans,  Oct.  31, 1801 ;  must,  out  Oct.  14, 1804. 
Isaac  Elrick,  Sept.  24, 1864 ;  1  year ;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
William  French,  Feb.  25, 1804 ;  trans,  from  Co.  B,  139th  P.  V. ;  must. 

out  wilh  company  June  27, 1805. 
David  Fuller,  Sept.  19,1802;  trans,  from  Co.  B,  139th  P.  V.;  must,  out 

with  company  Juno  27, 1865. 
Elias  Fair,  Oct.  26, 1801 ;  disch .  by  S,  0.  Feb.  23, 1863. 
Llewellyn  Fulton,  Sept.  23,  1864  ;  1  year  ;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
Samuel  Fisher,  Sept.  24, 1864;  1  year;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
Nelson  Fearl,  Sept.  22,  1864;  1  year;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
Levi  Grubb,  Feb.  29, 1864;  wounded  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  June  19, 1864; 

must,  out  with  company  June  27, 1865. 
Isaac  Grub,  Feb.  27, 1805 ;  lyear;  must,  out  with  company  June  27,1805. 
John  Guthrie,  Feb.  25,  1804;  trans,  from  Co.  B,  139th  P.  V.;  wounded  at 

Wilderness,  Va,,  May  6, 1864;  absent  at  must,  out. 
Cliarles  W.  Grow,  Oct.  22, 1861 ;  disch.  May  8, 1862. 
Tobias  Green,  Oct.  12, 1801;  wounded  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31,  1862; 

disch.  Aug.  7,  1862. 
Levi  Griibb,  Oct.  17,  ISCl ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif,  Aug.  14, 1802. 
George  W.  Gray,  Oct.  12,'  1861 ;  disch.  by  G.  O.  Nov.  10, 1862. 
George  Golin,  Sept.  26, 1864;  1  year;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
JacobGrubb,  Oct.  12, 1861;  wounded  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31,  1862; 

died  Aug.  2, 1862;  buried  in  Mil,  Asy,  Cem,,  D.  C. 
Lewis  Gasto,  Oct.  12, 1861 ;  died  Aug.  3, 1803;  buiied  in  Nat,  Cemetery, 

Arlington,  Va,,  block  2,  sec.  E,  row  17,  grave  28. 
Andrew  Green,  Feb.  29, 1804  ;  died  June  6, 1864,  of  wounds  received  at 

Spottsylvania  Court-House,  Va.,  May  12,  1864;  buiied  at  Alexan- 
dria, Va.,  grave  2004. 
Antis  Harnisli,  Feb.  29,  1864;  wounded  at  Spottsylvania  Court-House, 

Va,,  May  12,  1864 ;  must,  out  June  27,  1805. 
Alfred  Hurlburt,  March  29,  1804;  wounded  at  Opequan,  Va.,  Sept.  19, 

1864;  absent  at  must.  out. 
Henry  F.  Herron,  Jan.  25,  1804;  trans,  from  Co.  B,  139th  P.  V.;  absent 

at  must.  out. 
John  Hutchinson,  Feb. 25, 1864;  trans. from  Co,  B,  139th  P.  V.;  wounded 

at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  June  5, 1864;  absent  at  must.  out. 
William  Hasbrand,  Oct,  12,  1861 ;  disch.  April  28,  1802. 
John  M.  Hagar,  Oct.  12,  1801 ;  disch.  by  G.  0,  Oct,  5, 1602. 
William  B.  Hannah,  Oct.  12,  ISCl ;  must,  out  Oct.  14, 1864,  expiration  of 

term. 
Jacob  Hoffman,  Sept.  26, 1864;  1  year;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
Isaac  Hoffman,  Sept.  26, 1864  ;  1  year;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
Israel  Heiner,  Sept.  26, 1804;  1  year;  disch.  by  S.  O. 
David  Herron,  Oct.  26, 1801 ;  killed  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31, 1862. 
Sylvester  Harrison,  Oct.  12, 1801 ;  died  Nov.  9th,  burial  recoi-ded  June  8, 

18G2,  of  wounds  received  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31, 1S62 ;  buiied  at 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 
Oliver  M.  Irvin,  Feb.  29, 1864 ;  must,  out  with  company  June  27, 1865. 
Henry  Irvin,  Oct.  12, 1861 ;  wounded  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31, 1862 ; 

discli.  ou  surg.  certif.  Oct.  24,  1862. 
Matthias  W.  Johnson,  Feb.  24, 1864 ;  must,  out  with  company  Juno  27, 

1865. 
Benjamin  F.  Kreps,  Oct.  26, 1801;  wounded  at  Wilderness,  Va,,  May  6, 

1864  ;  absent  at  must,  out;  vet. 
John  D.  Kreps,  Feb.  25,  1804  ,  must,  out  with  company  Juno  27, 1865. 


508 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


James  Krops,  Feb.  2.5, 18C4;  must,  out  witli  company  June  27, 18C.5. 
John  Kreps,  Oct.  12,  ISOl ;  discli.  by  G.  O.  Nov.  10,  1802. 
John  N.  Kcister,  Oct.  20,  1801;  disch.  on  siirg.  certif.  Sept.  17,  1802. 
John  KTiepley,  Oct.  12, 1801 ;  died  Nov  0, 1802 ;  buried  in  Military  Asy- 
lum Cemetery,  D.  C. 
Aaron  D.  Long,  Oct.  26, 1801 ;  must,  out  with  company  ,Iune  27,  1805; 

vet. 
Robert  Lannon,  Oct.  20, 1801 ;  wounded  at  Clianceilorevillo  May  3, 1803, 

at  Wilderness  May  5,  1804,  and  at  Opeqnan,  Va.,  Sept.  10, 1864 ; 

must,  out  with  company  June  27,  1805;  vet. 
John  Larliins,  Oct.  12,  1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  April  1,  1863. 
Jolin  Loclihart,  Oct.  26, 1801 ;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
Chancy  Long,  Sept.  24,  1804;  1  year;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  July  31, 

18C2. 
Aaron  Low,  Oct.  20, 1801 ;  trans,  to  Western  gunboat  service  Feb.  19, 

1802. 
Elijah  Myers,  Feb.  20, 1804;  must,  out  with  company  June  27,  1805. 
Isaac  Mil  ler,  Feb.  20, 1864;  trans,  from  Co.  B,  139th  Eogt.  P.  V. ;  wounded 

May  3,  1804  ;  absent  at  must.  out. 
Frederick  Myers,  Oct.  20, 1861 ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  Oct.  5, 1802. 
John  Meredith,  Feb.  1, 1802;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Jan.  1, 1803. 
Henry  Myere,  Oct.  20,  1801 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Dec.  29, 1862. 
Joseph  Meiedith,  Oct.  12,  1801 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  .\pril  1,  1803. 
James  Martin,  Oct.  20, 1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Sept.  22,  1863. 
John  Markley,  Sept.  27,  1804 ;  1  year ;  wounded  at  Petersburg,  Va., 

Maich  25,  1865;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  24, 1805. 
Jacob  Mishler,  Sept.  20, 1804 ;  1  year ;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
Joseph  J.  Mishler,  Sept.  20,  1S04  ;  1  year  ;  discli.  by  S.  0. 
Philip  P.  Mowrer,  Sept.  20, 1804  ;  1  year  ;  wounded  at  Petersburg,  Va., 

Ma.ch  25,  1805;  disch.  by  G.  O.June  25,  1803. 
Noah  Miller,  Sept.  26,  1864  ;  1  year;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
Josiiih  Miller,  Sept.  26,  1864;  1  year;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
John  Mosholder,  Sept.  26, 1804  ;  1  year  ;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
George  Markle,  Sept.  20,  1804 ;  1  year ;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
Henry  J.  Myers,  Feb.  24, 1804 ;  died  June  11,  of  wounds  received  at 

Petersburg,  Va.,  May  5, 1864  ;  buried  in  National  Cemetery  at  Ar- 
lington. 
James  McClierry,  Oct.  20, 1801 ;  must,  out  with  company  Juno  27, 1S65 ; 

vet. 
T.  McLaughlin,  Feb.  25,1804;  trans,  from  Co.  B,  139th  P.  V.;  must,  out 

with  company  June  27, 1805. 
W.  H.  McLaughlin,  Feb.  25,  1804;  trans,  from  Co.  B,  139tli  P.  V. ;  must. 

out  with  company  June  27, 1805. 
Solomon  McMullin,  Oct.  26,  1861 ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  Nov.  10,  1862. 
John  McGill,  Oct.  20, 1801  ;  disch.  on  Burg.^cerlir.  Dec.  2,  1802. 
Bobert  Nelson,  March  24,  1864;  must,  nut  with  company  June  27, 1805. 
John  A.  Oliver,  March  12,1804;  trans,  from  Co.  B,139tb  P.  V.;  must,  out 

Willi  company  June  27, 1866. 
Charles  Ortli,  Sept.  20,  1864 ;  1  year;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
Fredeiick  Ott,  Dec.  26, 1864  ;  1  year;  wounded  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  March 

25,1805;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
Charles  Ott,  Sept.  26,  1864;  1  year  ;  wounded  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  March 

25,  1805;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
Israel  Pitts,  Sept.  20, 1804;  1  year;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
JamesPoorman,  Oct.  12, 1801;  killed  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31, 1802. 
John  Poormau,  Nov.  5,  1801 ;  died  June  13,  1863. 
George  Robb,  Sept.  21, 1861 ;  wounded  at  Wilderness  May  6,1804,  and  at 

Petersburg,  Va.,  May  25, 1805  ;  must,  out  June  27, 1865 ;  veteran. 
JamcB  Reader,  Oct.  26, 1861 ;  wounded  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31, 1862, 

and  Opeijuan,  Va.,  Sept.  19, 1804;  must,  out  June  27, 1865;  veteran. 
Uriah  J.  Rupert,  Feb.  26, 1804;  trans,  from  Co.  B,  I39th  P.  V. ;  wounded 

at  Petersburg,  Va.,  April  2,  1805 ;  absent  at  muster  out. 
Salem  Rupert,  Feb.  27,  1804;  trans,  from  Co.  B,  139th  P.  V.;  wounded 

at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5, 1804;  absent  at  muster. 
Absalom  W.  Rupert,  Sept.  1, 1862;  trans,  from  Co.  B,  139lh  P.  V. ;  must. 

out  with  company  June  27,  1805. 
Leonard  Rearick,  Sept.  1, 1862  ;  trans,  from  Co.  B,  139th  P.  V. ;  must,  out 

with  company  June  27,  1805. 
Daniel  Ream,  Sept.  20,  1804;  1  year;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
William  Eubrrght,  Sept.  26, 1864;  1  year;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
David  Rubright,  Sept.  26,  1804;  1  year;  wounded  at  Petersburg,  Va., 

March  25,  1865;  disch.  by  S.  0. 
Abraham  Snyder,  Oct.  20, 1801 ;  must,  out  with  company  June  27, 1865. 
James  A.  Shawl,  Feb.  26, 1804;  trans,  from  Co.  B,  139th  P.  V.;  must. 

out  with  company  June  27,  1865. 
George  W.  Spoace,  Sept.  14,  1802 ;  trans,  from  Co.  B,  139lh  P.  V. ;  must. 

out  with  company  June  27, 1866. 


Daniel  B.  Snyder,  Oct.  12, 1661 ;  di^icli.  on  surg.  certif.  July  20,  1862. 

John  Smith,  Oct.  12, 1801 ;  disch.  by  O.  0.  Oct.  5,  1862. 

William  Simmonds,  Oct.  12, 1861  ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  Oct.  6, 1802. 

Theodore  Snyder,  Oct.  12, 1861 ;  disch.  Nov.  10, 1802. 

Henry  F.  W.  Shullz,  Nov.  1, 1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Feb.  23, 1863. 

Frederick  Slifer,  Oct.  26, 1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Feb.  23, 1863. 

Michael  SliealTer,  Sept.  20,  1864;  1  year;  must,  out  Oct.  14, 1864,  at  ex- 
piration of  term. 

Jeremiah  Sbeaffer,  Sept.  26,  1864  ;  1  year;  disch.  by  S.  0. 

Adam  Sheaffcr,  Sept.  26, 1804;  1  year;  disch.  by  S.  0. 

Abraham  Sivits,  sJpt.  20,  1804;  1  year;  disch.  by  S.  0. 

Henry  Smith,  Sept.  26, 1864  ;  1  year ;  discli.  by  S.  0. 

David  Salmons,  Oct.  12,  1801 ;  disch.  Dec.  25, 1802. 

Joseph  Shelby,  Oct.  12,  1801;  died  Sept.  28,1862;  buried  in  National 
Cemetery,  Antietani,  section  26,  lot  D,  grave  4U7. 

Samuel  Slahl,  Sept.  26,  1864 ;  1  year  ;  died  Feb.  26,  1865  ;  burial  record, 
March  26, 1865;  buried  iu  Poplar  Grove  National  Cemetery,  Peters- 
burg, Va. 

Joseph  Sbeaffer,  Sept.  26,  1864;  1  year;  killed  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  April 
2,  1864. 

John  Stuck,  Sept.  26,  1804;  1  year;  died  Nov.  12,  1804;  burial  record, 
Nov.  11, 1864  ;  buried  in  National  Cemetery,  Winchester,  Va.,  lot  18. 

Henry  Toy,  Sept.  20,1864;  trans,  from  Co.  B,  139lh  P.  V.;  must,  out 
wilh  company  June  27, 1865. 

Laird  Toy,  March  8,1804;  trans,  from  Co.  B,  130th  P.V.;  must,  out  with 
company  June.27,  1805. 

John  Tate,  Oct.  12, 1861 ;  must,  out  Oct.  14, 1864. 

Charles  Tobin,  Dec.  28, 1801;  wounded  at  Chancellorsville,  Va.,  May  3, 
1803;  must,  out  Oct.  28,  1804. 

George  Thomas,  Oct.  12, 1861 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  May  10, 1862. 

Charles  Wyber,  Feb.  25, 1864;  must,  out  wilh  company  June  27,  1865. 

F.  R.  Wattenbach,  Feb.  9, 1864  ;  trans,  from  Co.  B,  139th  P.  V. ;  must, 
out  with  company  June  27, 1805. 

Jonathan  Walker,  Oct.  12, 1301 ;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Nov.  15,  1861. 

Lemuel  Warner,  Ott.  12, 1801 ;  disch.  on  surg.  cortif.  Sept.  24,  1862. 

James  Wall,  Oct.  12,  1861 ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  Nov.  10,  1802. 

John  Wort;;,  Oct,  12,  1861  ;  must,  out  Oct.  14,  1804. 

Frederick  Yanzen,  Oct.  26,  1801;  died  June  27,  1805;  buried  in  National 
Cemetery,  Arlington,  Va. ;  veteran. 

Thomas  P.  Young,  Feb.  25, 1864;  wounded  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  6, 
1804 ;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out. 

Joseph  Yeomaus,  Sept.  22, 1804;  1  year;  disch.  by  G.  O.  June  10, 1805. 

One  Hundred  and  Thirty-seventh  Regiment.— 

Three  companies  of  this  regiment,  C,  E,  and  H,  were 
recruited  in  Clinton  County.  The  men  rendezvoused 
by  squads  and  companies  at  Camp  Curtin,  and  on  the 
25th  of  August,  1862,  a  regimental  organization  was 
effected  by  the  choice  of  Henry  M.  Bossert,  of  Clin- 
ton County,  as  colonel ;  Joseph  B.  Kiddo,  of  Alle- 
gheny, as  lieutenant-colonel ;  and  Charles  W.  Win- 
gard,  of  Clinton  County,  as  major. 

Soon  after  its  organization  the  regiment  was  ordered 
to  Washington,  and  upon  its  arrival  reported  to  Gen. 
Casey.  On  the  31st  of  August  it  was  assigned  to 
Gen.  Hancock's  brigade.  Smith's  division.  Sixth  Corps, 
then  marching  through  Washington  and  about  to 
enter  upon  the  Maryland  campaign.  At  Crampton's 
Gap,  in  the  South  Mountain,  the  corps  came  up  with 
the  enemy,  and  the  regiment  was  here  for  the  first 
time  under  fire,  though  not  in  the  front  line.  After 
crossing  the  mountain  Col.  Bossert  was  ordered  with 
a  detachment  from  the  different  regiments  of  the 
brigade  to  proceed  in  the  direction  of  PLirper's  Ferry, 
and  established  a  line  across  the  valley  to  guard 
against  surprise  from  that  direction.  As  the  battle 
of  Antietam  opened  Col.  Bossert  drew  in  his  detach- 
ment and  rejoined  the  brigade  on  the  field.  The  main 
body  of  the  regiment  was  held  in  reserve,  and  after 


CLINTON    COUNTY    IN    THE    WAR   OF   THE   REBELLIOxN. 


509 


the  battle  assisted  in  burying  the  dead,  and  subse- 
quently moved  to  Dam  No.  4  on  the  Potomac,  where 
it  was  engaged  in  guard  duty  and  drill.  It  remained 
here  till  Stuart  made  his  cavalry  raid  into  Pennsyl- 
vania, when  the  brigade,  then  commanded  by  Gen. 
Pratt,  was  sent  in  pursuit. 

Near  the  close  of  October,  when  the  army  returned 
into  Virginia,  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  the  de- 
fenses of  Washington,  and  encamped  south  of  the 
East  Branch  of  the  Potomac. 

When  the  army  reached  Fredericksburg,  under 
command  of  Gen.  Burnside,  the  regiment  was  again 
ordered  to  the  field,  and  crossed  the  river  opposite 
Acquia  Creek.  Here  Col.  Bossert  was  placed  in  com- 
mand of  the  post  with  a  brigade  composed  of  his  own 
regiment,  four  regiments  of  New  Jersey  troops,  and 
one  from  New  York,  and  was  charged  with  guarding 
the  landing  and  railroad  leading  to  Fredericksburg. 

The  regiment  remained  on  duty  here  until  Burn- 
side  opened  his  second  campaign  Jan.  20,  1S63,  when 
the  regiment  was  ordered  to  the  front  and  assigned  to 
the  Third  Brigade,  First  Division,  First  Army  Corps. 
Upon  the  abandonment  of  this  campaign  it  went  into 
camp  at  Belle  Plain. 

In  the  campaign  under  Hooker,  April  27,  1863,  the 
regiment  moved  out  with  the  corps  and  crossed  the 
Rappahannock  at  Franklin  Crossing,  under  a  heavy 
artillery  fire,  taking  position  on  the  south  bank.  Here 
it  remained,  under  the  fire  of  the  enemy,  till  May  1st, 
when  the  corps  was  ordered  to  Chancellorsville.  Ac- 
cordingly, it  recrossed  the  river,  marched  to  United 
States  Ford,  where  it  crossed  again  and  took  position 
on  the  right  of  the  corps,  where  it  encountered  no 
serious  fighting,  and  three  days  after  returned  to  its 
former  camp.  About  the  middle  of  May  it  was  or- 
dered to  Harrisburg,  where,  June  1,  1863,  it  was  mus- 
tered out  of  service,  its  term  of  enlistment  having  ex- 
pired. 

COMPAXY   c. 

(Mustei-ed  iu  for  one  year.) 

Coimnissionrd  OJicers. 

Piimuel  H.Brown,  capt. ;  Aug.  IG,  ISG'i ;  must,  out  with  company  June 

1,1863. 
William  T.  Crisl.in,  1st  liiut.;  Aug.  16, 1802;  pro.  to  ortjt.  Aug.  25,  18G2. 
■William  B.  KaulTiuan,  1st  licut. ;  Aug.  22,  18G2 ;  pro.  from  private  Co.  E 

Sept.  1,  18C2  ;  nlu^t.  out  with  company  June  1,  ISOIi. 
Amasa  K.  Shaw,  2d  lieiit. ;  Aug.  IG,  1802 ;  must,  out  with  company  June 

1,1803. 

Kon-Oimmissioiied. 
W.  A.  Calderwond,  1st  sergt.;  Aug.  12,  18G2;  must,  out  with  company 

June  1, 1803. 
John  T.  Hunter,  scrgt  ;  Aug.  12, 1802;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 

18G3. 
John  G.  Evans,  sergt.;  .\ug.  12, 1862  ;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 

1863. 
James  W.  Hutchison,  sergt.;  Aug.  12,  If 62;  must,  out  with  company 

June  1, 1803. 
W.  W.  S.  Shoddy,  sergt. ;  Aug.  12,  1802  ;  pro.  from  private  Dec.  5, 1802; 

must,  out  June  1,  1803. 
Solomcm  S.Brown,  sergt.;  Aug.  12,  1862;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C, 

Nov.  15,  1802. 
John  Y.  Gussler,^  Corp.;  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1862. 


t  All  Buccceding  i 


nuetered  io  Aug.  12, 18G2. 


John  L.  Ilnniilton,  Corp.;  mu^t.  out  u'ith  company  Juno  1, 18G2. 
Thomas  H.  Miller,  Corp.;  ju'c.  to  Corp.  Dec.  5,  1802;  mu-t.  out  June  1, 

1803, 
Andrew  J.  Brewer,  Corp. ;  pro,  to  Corp.  Dec.  5,  1802;  must,  out  June  1, 

1803. 
Thomas  M.  Reed,  Corp.;  pro.  to  coip.  Dec.  o,  1802;  must,  ont  June  1, 

1803, 
Wilbur  H.  Clark,  Corp.;  pro,  to  corp,  Dec,  5,  1802;  musl.  out  June  1, 

1803. 
William  M,  Qniggic,  corp,;  pro,  to  corp,  March  17, 1803;  must,  out  June 

1,1863. 
William  E.  Else,  Corp.;  pro.  to  corp.  March  17,  1803;  must,  out  June  1, 

1863. 
Matthias  Grow,  Corp.;  died  at  Washington,  Dec.  3,  1862. 
Charles  Shurth-fT,  coip, ;  died  at  Washington,  D,  C,  Feb.  5,  1863. 

Henry  II,  Boltorf,  must,  ont  with  company  June  1,4863. 

Gabriel  Belts,  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1803. 

Peter  Blake,  must,  out  with  comiiany  June  1,1803. 

Benjamin  Bottorf,  must,  ont  with  company  June  1, 1SG3. 

Iivin  Bottorf,  must,  out  wilh  company  June  1,  186:! 

Sylvester  Brady,  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1803. 

Reuben  II.  llradley,  must,  out  with  company  June  I,  1863. 

Green  B.  Brewer,  must,  out  with  comiiany  June  1, 180:1. 

Daniel  W.  Bresler,  must,  ont  willi  company  June  1, 18G3. 

Joseph  Barner,  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 186:1. 

John  W.  Carter,  must,  ont  with  company  June  1,  ISO  I. 

John  W.  Crispin,  must,  out  with  company  June  I,  1863. 

James  W.  Clark,  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 180:1. 

Henry  Claw,  must,  out  with  company  J"""  '.  '803. 

John  Conk,  must,  out  wilb  company  June  1,  180:1. 

John  Crummey,  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  186:1. 

Cornelius  Croniley.  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  18G3. 

Levi  W.  Clark,  died  at  Oak  Grove,  Md,,  Dec,  2,  1862. 

Hugh  Carlin. 

William  v.  Darrah,  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1803. 

Levi  Darnih,  must,  out  wiih  company  June  1,  180:1. 

Alsom  G.  Dyer,  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1803. 

John  Ealy,  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1803. 

Abn-r  Ediuiusou,  must,  ont  with  company  Juno  1, 1863. 

W.  L.  Eisenhower,  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1863. 

Benjamiu  W.  Foust,  must,  ont  with  company  June  1, 180:1. 

Fnink  Fenderson,  nuist.  ont  with  company  June  1, 1803. 

Daniel  Frank,  must,  out  with  conipany  June  1,  1803. 

Miclnu-1  Flavel,  must,  nut  with  conipany  June  1,  1804. 

T.  D,  Fenileison,  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  April  1,  1803;  buried  iu 

Military  Asylum  Cemetery,  D.  C. 
Charles  A.  Cast,  must,  otit  with  conipany  June  1, 18G3. 
Jacob  Grich,  must,  out  with  coniiiany  June  1, 1863. 
Joel  A.  Ilerr,  must,  out  with  conipany  June  1, 1863. 
David  Herman,  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1803. 
William  J.  Henry,  must,  out  willi  company  June  1, 1803. 
Nathan  Hou^h,  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1863. 
Albert  H.  Hunter,  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1863. 
William  F.  Hurtnian,  died  at  Acquia  Creek,  Va.,  Jan.  20,  1863. 
Jacob  G.  Kessinger,  must,  ont  with  roinpauy  Juno  1, 1863. 
De  W.  C.  Kessinger,  must,  ont  with  company  June  I,  IS03. 
Louis  Kit  timer,  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 180:1. 
William  II.  Killinger,  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1803. 
Benjamiu  F.  Krope,  disch.  on  surg.  ccrtif.  Jan.  10, 1803. 
Joseph  M.  Linn,  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 186:1. 
Samuel  Lowrey,  must,  out  witli  conipany  June  1, 180:1. 
Patrick  Maloney,  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1803. 
William  Minser,  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1863. 
John  L.  Myei-s,  must,  out  with  conipany  Juno  1, 1803. 
Henry  Myei-s,  musl.  out  with  comiiany  June  1, 1803. 
William  Morrison,  must,  out  with  company  Jnno  1, 1803. 
JanSes  W.  McGliee,  must,  out  with  conipany  Juno  1,  ISO:!. 
William  L.  McKibben,  must,  out  wtih  conipany  June  1, 180:1. 
David  II.  McDonaM,  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1863. 
Edmund  W.  Passoll,  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1803. 
Charles  A.  Qniggle,  must,  out  with  comimny  June  1,  lSC:t. 
Peter  Raali,  must,  out  with  conipany  June  1, 1S03. 
William  II.  Rowland,  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1863. 
David  Saxton,  must,  ont  with  company  June  1, 1801. 
Joseph  R.  Sands,  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1863. 


510 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Irwin  Scliefflf  r,  must,  out  witli  comimny  June  1, 1803. 

Fnink  P.  Smith,  must,  out  Willi  compiinj'  June  1, 1803. 

Williiim  Sipcs,  must,  out  with  coinpimy  June  1,  1803. 

William  W.  Stnhl,  must,  out  witb  company  June  1, 1803. 

Ira  C.  Stoner,  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1803. 

William  P.  Stewart,  must  out  wilh  company  June  1, 1803. 

Panl  Slaub,  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1803. 

D.  A.  Scliroverer,  died  at  Washington  Nov.  22, 1802;  buried  in  Military 
Asylum  Cemetery,  D.  C. 

■William  Treaster,  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1S63. 

Benjamin  F.  Troxell,  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1863. 

David  McM.  Toner,  disch,  on  Burg.  certif.  Nov.  27,  1362. 

James  Vaulew,  must,  out  wilh  company  June  1,  1803. 

Michael  Walizer,  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1803. 

George  W.  Welsh,  must,  out  witb  cnmpany  June  1, 1803. 

Anthony  Wiltbise,  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1803. 

John  G.  Wcssner,  pro.  to  Ist  sergt.  Co.  E,  Aug.  25,  1802. 

Aru'd  A.  Wheelock,  pro.  to  bosp.  stewnrd  Aug.  25,  1802. 

Asher  D.  Young,  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1803. 

John  C.  Young,  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  Dec.  5, 1802;  buried  in  Mili- 
tary Asylum  Cemetery,  D.  C. 

COMPANY   E. 

(Mustered  in  fur  one  year). 

Commissioned  Officers. 

Thomas  B.  Quay,  capt. ;  Aug  28,  1802 ;  must,  out  witb  comi'any  June  1, 

1S03. 
William  C.  Krrss,  1st  lieut. ;  Aug.  28,  1802;  must,  out  with  company 

June  1,  1803. 
James  E.  Conley,  2d  lieut.;  Aug.  28,  1862;   must,  out  witb  company 
June  1,  ISOJ. 

Non- Commissioned  Oj^ers. 

John  G.  Wcssner,  1st  sergt. ;  Aug.  12,  1 862 ;  pro.  from  private  Co.  C  Aug. 

25, 1862;  must,  out  witli  company  June  1, 1863. 
William  J.  Carver,  sergt. ;  Aug.  20,  1802  ;  must,  out  wilh  company  June 

1,1803. 
William  A.  Monroe,  sergt. ;  Aug.  23,  1SC2;  pro.  from  corp.  Aug.  24,1862; 

must,  out  June  1,  1803. 
William  M.  Eveihart,  sergt.;  Aug.  28,  1802;  must,  out  with  company 

June  1,  1803. 
John  J.  ShalTer,  sergt.;  Aug.  22, 1802;  pro.  to  corp.  Aug.  25,  1802;  to 

sergt.  Dec.  1, 1802;  must,  out  June  1, 1803. 
Origen  A.  lliirvoy,  sergt. ;  Aug.  20,  1802  ;  pro.  from  private  Dec.  1,  1802  ; 

discli.  on  snrg.  certif.  Dec.  1,  1802. 
Edward  P.  McClosky,  Corp. ;  Aug.  2 !,  1862  ;  pro.  to  corp.  Aug.  25, 1S02 

must,  out  witb  company  June  1,  1803. 
Jarcd  C.  Darner,  corp. ;  Aug.  23,  1802  ;  pro.  to  Corp.  Oct.  H,  1802 ;  must 

out  with  company  June  1, 1803. 
George  DcCarmo,  Corp.;   Aug    23,  1802;   pro.  to  corp.  Aug.  25,  1802 

must,  out  with  company  Juno  1, 1803. 
Andrew  Blair,  Corp. ;  Aug.  23,  1803  ;  pro.  to  Corp.  Aug.  25,  1802;  must 

out  with  company  June  1,  1803. 
Edward  L.  Moore,  Corp.;  Aug.  22,  1802;  pro.  to  corp.  Aug.  25,  ISOi 

must,  out  witb  company  June  1,  lS6i. 
Matth-w  A.  Eishel,  corp. ;  Aug.  22,  1802 ;  pro.  to  corp.  Dec.  1,  1802 

must,  out  witb  company  June  1,  1863. 
William  Wbiteflelil,  Corp.;  Aug.  22,  1802;  pro.  to  coip.  Jan.  1,  1863 

must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1863. 
James  BI.  Liiubach,  corp. ;  Aug.  22,  1862 ;  pro.  to  Corp.  Jan.  1, 1803  ;  must 

out  with  company  Juno  1, 1863. 
George  W.  Smith,  musician;  Oct.  20,  1802;  must,  out  with    company 

June  1,  1863. 
Henry  Ulricli,  musician ;  Aug.  26,  1802  ;  must,  out  wiib  company  Jn 

1,1803. 

PricaUs. 

CbaileB  J.  Allen,  Aug.  23,  1802;  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1803. 
Joseph  Bradiiey,  Aug.  23, 1862;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1803. 
Joseph  Brady,  Aug.  22, 1802;  must,  out  wilb  company  June  1,  1863. 
Josepb  Bitiier,  Aug,  22, 1862;  must,  out  wilh  company  Juno  1,  1863. 
John  Byle,  Jr.,  Aug.  20,  1862;  must,  out  with  company  Juno  1,  1863. 
Augustus  Behney,  Aug.  20, 1802 ;  must,  out  wilb  cuinpany  Juno  1, 1803. 
George  Bakeman,  Aug.  28,  1802;  must,  out  wilh  company  June  1, 1803. 
Ilemleisou  Bearfleld,  Aug.  28,1862;  must,  out  wilb  company  June  1, 

1803. 
Henry  Bnrgctt,  Aug.  22,1802;  died  at  W.ashington,  D.  C,  Nov.  30, 1802; 

buried  in  Military  Asylum  Cemetery. 
William  Clark,  Aug.  28, 1802  ;  must,  out  wilh  company  June  1,  1803. 


Henry  R.  Clark,  Aug.  22, 1862 ;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1863. 
George  Cornelius,  Aug.  22,  1802;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1863. 
Lebbeus  D.  Campbell,  Aug.  22, 1862  ;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 

1863. 
John  DeLong,  Aug.  22, 1862;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1803. 
Seba  Dearin,  .\ng.  28,  1862  ;  must,  nut  with  company  June  1,  1803. 
John  Edgar,  Aug.  28,  1802;  must,  out  with  company  Juno  1,  1803. 
Samuel  K.  Edgar,  Aug.  28,  1802 ;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1863. 
Aaron  Emlich,  Aug.  28, 1862  ;  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1803. 
Daniel  Embicli,  Aug.  23,  1802  ;  niu^t.  out  wilh  company  June  1,  1863. 
Sidwell  M.  English,  Aug.  23, 1862;  must,  out  with  company  June  1,1803. 
John  Eisenbour,  Aug.  28,  1862  ;  must,  out  wilh  company  Juno  1,  1803. 
M.  Fenderson,  Aug.  27, 1862;  must,  out  wilb  company  June  1,  1833. 
Italian  J.  Fox,  Aug.  26,  1862;  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1863. 
George  M.  Fleming,  Aug.  20,  1S02;  pro.  to  q.m.-sergt.  Aug.  30,  1802. 
Lam  Fenderson,  Aug.  22,  1802  ;  died  at  Belle  Plain,  Ya.,  Feb.  24,  ISC3. 
Henry  K.  Graham,  Aug.  22,  180i ;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1803. 
John  H.  Gladfeltcr,  Aug.  22, 1862;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1803. 
George  Gundrum,  Aug.  22, 1862;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1863. 
Pliilip  Geesy,  Aug.  22, 1802 ;  must,  out  witb  company  June  1,  1802. 
James  Ilasleman,  Aug.  24,  1862;  must,  out  witli  company  June  1,  1863. 
William  T.  Hunter,  Aug. 22, 1862;  mnst.outwith  company  June  1,  1863. 
C.  G.  Hirlinger,  Aug.  22, 1802;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 180.3. 
James  P.  Huling,  Aug.  23, 1802;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1803. 
John  Hughes,  Aug.  22,  1802;  disch.  on  Burg.  certif.  Jan.  20,  1863. 
H.  F.  Ilemerstine,  Aug.  22,  1803. 

Peter  Johnson,  Aug.  28,  1802  ;  must,  out  witb  company  June  1, 1803. 
Henry  Kling,  Aug.  22, 1802;  must,  out  witb  company  June  1,  1863. 
William  Keiser,  Aug.  22,  1802;  must,  out  wilb  company  June  1,  1863. 
John  Kissel,  Aug.  22,  1802;  must,  out  with  company  Juno  1,  1803. 
Martin  Kling,  Aug.  22,  1802;  ilisch.  on  surg.  certif.  Nov.  26,  1862. 
William  B.  Kauffman,  Aug.  22,  1862;  pro.  to  1st  lieut.  Co.  C,  Sept.  1, 

1862. 
William  n.  Lnsh,  Aug.  23, 1862;  must,  out  wilh  company  June  1, 1803. 
Jerry  JI.  Jlason,  Aug.  22,  1802  ;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1803. 
James  Miller,  Aug.  22, 1862;  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1863. 
Jacob  F.  Miller,  Aug.  22, 1862  ;  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1863. 
Elias  Mooie,  .\ug.  28, 1862;  must,  out  wilb  company  June  1, 1863. 
Theodore  BIyer,  Aug.  23,  1802. 

Anthony  McCabe,  Aug.  28, 1802;  must. out  wilh  company  June  1, 1803. 
James  Neslleroud,  Aug.  28, 1802;  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1803. 
Emmanuel  Neslleroud,  Aug.  28,  1802 ;  must,  out  wilh  company  June  1, 

1803. 
John  Pluff,  Aug.  22, 1863  ;  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1863. 
Benjaniiu  Patlorf,  Aug.  20, 1862;  must,  out  witb  company  June  1,  1803. 
Alphcns  Perry,  Aug.  28, 1802;  must,  out  witb  comp.\uy  June],  1S6D. 
John  Perry,  Aug.  28,  1802;  must,  out  witb  company  June  1,  1803. 
Daniel  J.  Price,  Aug.  27, 1862;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1863. 
Samuel  Palloif,  Aug.  22, 1862  ;  disch.  ou  surg.  certif.  Jan.  19, 1803. 
Samuel  Perry,  Aug.  28, 1802. 
Samuel  M.  Quiggle,  Aug.  2',  1862 ;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  Jan.  10, 

1803. 
George  W.  Quiggle,  Aug.  28, 1862. 

Thomas  H.  Red,  Aug.  25,  1802;  must,  out  witb  company  June  1, 1803. 
All.a  Uo'iencraus,  Aug.  28,  1802 ;  must,  out  wilb  company  June  1,  1803. 
David  Sliaffer,  Aug.  22,  1802;  must  out  witli  company  June  1,  1803. 
John  H.  Sexton,  Aug.  23,  1802;  must,  out  wilb  company  June  I,  1803. 
Hcuiy  Sends,  Aug.  20,  1802;  must,  out  witb  company  June  1, 1863. 
Elias  Sends,  Aug  20,  1802;  must,  out  witb  company  June  1,  1863. 
George  Trump,  Aug.  28,  1863 ;  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1863. 
Jack  E.  TibliMs,  Aug.  23,  1803;  must,  out  wilh  company  June  1,  1803. 
Jam'  s  Triester,  Aug.  21,  1803  ;  must,  out  with  company  Juno  1,  1863. 
W.  Mcll.  Tleziyulney,  Aug.  22,  1802;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 

1863. 
Henry  W.  Tobias,  Aug.  23, 1862 ;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1803. 
Jacob  Wagner,  Aug.  20, 1802 ;  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1803. 
David  Wagner,  Aug.  22,1802;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1803. 
Jeremiah  Waliza,  Aug.  2  i,  1802;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1803. 
John  Weaver,  Aug.  22, 1802;  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1863. 
Jacob  Wilson,  Aug.  22,  1802;  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1803. 


COMPANY  H, 


(Mustered  in  for  one  year.) 
Commissioned  OJicers. 
C.Wilson  Walker,  capt.;  Aug.  20,1802;  disch.  Nov.  10, 1802. 
R.  Stewart  Barker,  capt. ;  Aug.  28,  1862;  pro.  from  1st   lieut.  Nov.  16, 
1802;  must,  out  with  company  Juno  1, 1803. 


CLINTON   COUNTY   IN   THE   WAR  OF   THE   REBELLION. 


511 


Auslin  Stull,  Istlioiit.;  Aug.  28, 186'J ;  pro.  from  Ist  lieut.  Nov.  16,1862; 

must,  out  witli  company  June  1, 1863. 
Edmund  B.  Burnum,  2<l  licut.;  Aug  22,  180'2;  pro.  from  Bergt.  Nov.  16, 

1862;  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1863. 

Non-CommieBwiied  Officers, 
Daniel  Uptegraff,  1st  sergt.;  Aug.  22,  1862;  pro.   from  Corp.  Dec.    12, 

1862  ;  must,  out  June  1, 18C3. 
Thomas  W.  Crawford,  1st  sergt. ;  Aug.  22,  1802;  disch.  on  surg.  certif. 

Doc.  12,  186-2. 
Charles  J.  Wait,  sergt.;  Aug.  22, 1802;  must,  out  with  company  Juno 

1,1863. 
John  W.  llnnna,  sergt.;  Aug.  22, 1862;  must,  out  with  company  Juno 

1,1863. 
McKean  Smith,  sergt.;  Aug.  22,  1862;  pro.  fiom   Corp.  Nov.  16,  1862 ; 

must,  out  June  1,1863. 
Lewis  A.  Scolt,  sergt. ;  Aug.  22, 1862  ;  must,  out  witli  company  June  1, 

1863. 
■William  McKissic-k,  Corp.;  Aug.  28,  1862;  pro.  to  Corp.  Nov.  16, 1862; 

must,  out  June  1,  1863. 
George  Felil,  Corp.;  Aug.  25,  1802;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1863. 
AVilliam  J.  Browu,  Corp. ;  Aug.  22, 1862;  must,  out  with  company  June 

1,  1863. 
John  P.  Black,  Corp.;  Aug.  22, 1802  ;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 

1803. 
Charles  H.  Cliilson,  Corp.;  Aug.  22,  1802;  pro.  to  corp.  Nov.  10,  1862; 

must,  out  June  1,1863. 
Frank  Weymouth,  corp.;  Aug.  26,  1802;  pro.  to    Corp.  Nov.  16,  1862; 

must,  out  June  1,  1863.  , 

Thomas  Dalthy,  Corp. ;  Aug.  20, 1S02  ;  pro.  to  corp.  Nov.  16, 1862 ;  must. 

out  Junol,  1863. 
Daniel  Keltner,  corp. ;  Aug.  22,  1802  :  pro.  to  Corp.  April  19,  1863;  must. 

out  June  1,  1803. 
George  II.  Brown,  musician;  Aug.  26,  1862;  must,  out  wilh   company 

Junel,lS63. 
Milch.  W.  Chatham,  musician  ;  Aug.  22, 1862;  must,  out  with  company 

June  l,186i. 

Privates. 
Christian  Apple,  Aug.  22,1862;  must,  out  wilh  company  June  1, 1863. 
Charles  \V.  Bilman,  Aug.  20,  1862:  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 

IS&i. 
Henry  L.  Burns,  Aug.  22, 1862;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1803. 
Adam  F.  Bicrly,  Au-.  22,  1862;  must,  out  witli  company  June  1,  1863. 
Amos  Bywater,  Aug.  22,  1862  ;  mu-st.  out  with  comi.any  June  1,  186  1. 
Jonathan  F.  Bierly,  Aug.  22,  1802;  must,  out   with  couipaTiy  June  1, 

1SC3. 
Andrew  J.  Burtnett,  Aug.  22,  1802;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 

1863. 
Daniel  Barner,  Aug.  22, 1863;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1863. 
Benjamin  M.  Bierly,  Aug.  25,  1S02;  must,  out  with  couipany  June  1, 

1803. 
Franklin  Bierly,  .4ug.  25, 1862;  must,  out  with  company  Juno  1,1863. 
Frank  E.  Bickf.ird,  Aug.  26,  1802;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 

1803. 
S.   C.   Ba'rtliolumcw,  Aug.  22,  1802;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 

1863. 
Joseph  W.  Balksler,  Aug.  22, 1862;  disch.  on  surg.  certif.  Feb.  19, 1S03. 
John  G.  Culby,  Aug.  22,  1802;  must,  out  wilh  comjiany  June  1,  1803. 
Thomas  Caifl,  Aug.  22, 1862 ;  must,  out  with  company  Juno  1, 1863. 
John  Cimfair,  Aug.  22, 1862 ;  must,  out  wilh  company  June  1, 1863. 
John  Caris,  Aug.  25, 1802;  must,  out  with  company  June  I,  ISKJ. 
Jonathan  Cloutz,  Aug.  25, 1862;  must,  out  witli  company  June  1, 1803. 
George  Carter,  Aug.  26, 1862 ;  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1803. 
Lewis  M.  Ciurk,  Aug.  26,  1802. 
Samuel  Clark,  Aug.  23,  1S62. 

George  Everdale,  Aug.  22, 1802;  must,  out  with  company  Jttne  1, 1863. 
William  Evans,  Aug.  22, 1862;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1863. 
Stephen  H.  Ellis,  Aug.  20, 1862;  died  at  Cliambersl.urg,  Pa  ,  Oct.  8, 1802. 
John  A.  Franiz,  Aug.  22, 1862;  must,  out  v  ilh  company  June  1, 1863. 
William  Fri.7.,  Aug.  22,  1862;  must,  out  wilh  company  June  1,  1863. 
George  I.  Flue,  Aug.  26, 1862;  mun.  out  with  company  June  1, 1863. 
William  Fulker,  Aug.  28, 1802;  must.  oKt  wilh  company  June  1, 1S63. 
Jonathan  F.Creak,  Aug  22,1862;  must. out  with  company  June  1,  1863. 
Levi  Graugier,  Aug.  26, 1802;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1863. 
G.  M.  Ilullingsworth,  Aug.  22,  1802;  must,  out  with  company  Junel, 

1863. 
William  S.  Uamlin,  kxig.  22, 1802;  disch.  ou  surg.  certif.  Feb.  19, 1803. 


Isali  Isenhood.  Aug.  26, 1862;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1863. 
Uuvid  C.  Jennison,  Aug.  22,  1862;  must,  out  with  company  June  1,1803. 
John  M.  Johnson,  Aug.  22, 1862;  must,  out  with  company  Juno  1, 180.1. 
tlatthias  W.  Johuson,  Aug.  22,  1802;  must,  out  with  company  Juno  1, 

1863. 
Jacob  Kiltner,  Aug.  22, 1862  ;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1863. 
AVilliam  S.  Knepley,  Aug.  2-2,  1862;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 

1803. 
William  B.  Kauffman,  Aug.  22,  1802;  trans,  to  Co.  E  Aug.  31,  1802. 


Adam  Llewellyn,  Aug.  22,  1862 

Harry  E.  Moury,  Aug.  25,  1862; 

Lloyd  Mann,  Aug.  26,  1802;  mi 

James  M.uiroe,  Aug.  22,  1802. 

Thomas  Miller,  Aug.  22,  1862. 

John  Parker,  Aug.  26, 1862  ;  must,  out  with 

David  11.  Quigg,  Aug.  22, 1802;  must,  out  w 

William  H.  Rhim,  Aug.  25,  1802 ;  must,  out 

Thomas  W.  Eichey,  Aug.  22, 1862;  disch.  or 

John  M.  Stewart,  Aug.  22, 1862;  must,  out  i 

Thomas  Sholl,  Aug.  22,  1862;  n 

James  M.  Slocom,  Aug.  26, 186; 


t.  out  with  company  June  1, 1803. 
,.  out  with  company  June  1, 1863. 
t  with  corn|)any  June  1,  1863. 


npany  June  1,  1863. 

company  June  1,  1863. 

h  cumpany  June  1, 1863. 

rg.  certif.  Dec.  15,  1802. 
nust.  out  Willi  company  June  1,  ISO:!, 
t.  out  with  company  June  1, 1863. 
must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1863. 


Peter  Seyler,  Aug.  26,  1862  ;  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1863. 

James  Shepstone,  Aug.  25, 1862. 

John  Sullivan,  Aug.  28, 1S62. 

Joseph  C.  Treziyulny,  Aug.  22,  1862;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 

1863. 
Jacob  A.  Walisa,  Aug.  22, 1862 ;  must,  out  with  company  June  1, 1863. 
George  Walisa,  Aug.  22, 1862;  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1863. 
John  Walker,  Aug.  22, 1862  ;  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1803. 
James  B.  Wilder,  Aug.  22,  1862;  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1863. 
Lewis  Walter,  Aug.  28, 1862  ;  must,  out  with  company  June  1,  1863. 
Obadiah  Winters,  Aug  28,1862. 

Two  Hundred  and  Seventh  Regiment. — Com- 
pany C  of  this  regiment  wa.s  raised  in  Clintdn  County, 
and  with  the  b;ilance  of  the  regiment  rendezvoused 
at  Camp  Ciirtin,  where,  on  the  18th  of  September, 
1864,  it  was  organized  with  the  following  field-offi- 
cers: Colonel,  Robert  C.  Cox;  Lieutenant-Colouel, 
W.  W.  S.  Siioddy:  Major,  Victor  A.  Elliott. 

On  the  12th  of  September  the  regiment  started  for 
the  front,  and  upon  its  arrival  at  City  Point  was  as- 
signed to  the  Army  of  the  James,  and  after  four  days 
reported  to  Col.  J.  H.  Patton,  brigade  commander, 
and  was  assigned  to  picket  duty  on  the  Bermuda 
front,  between  the  James  and  Appomattox  Rivers. 

November  24th,  the  regiment  was  transferred  to  the 
Ninth  Corps,  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  made  a 
demonstration  upon  the  left  of  the  line,  and  subse- 
quently went  into  camp  upon  the  Army  Line  Rail- 
road, near  Fort  Prescott,  and  was  assigned  to  the 
Third  Division,  under  Gen.  Hartranft. 

The  regiment  was  engaged  in  the  battle  at  Hatch- 
er's Run,  Feb.  5,1865;  Fort  Steadman,  March  25, 
and  at  Fort  Sedgwick,  in  front  of  Petersburg,  April 
2,  1865.  It  was  also  in  at  the  capture  of  Richmond, 
and  after  the  surrender  of  Lee  returned  to  City  Point, 
and  thence  to  Alexandria,  where  it  went  into  camp 
near  the  city,  and  the  13th  of  May,  1865,  the  recruits 
were  transferred  to  the  Fifty-first  Pennsylvania,  and 
the  rest  of  the  regiment  mustered  out  of  service. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  muster-out  roll,  as 
found  in  Bates'  "History  of  Pennsylvania  Volun- 
teers" : 

COMMISSIONED  OFFICEP.S. 
James  W.  Frederick,  capt. ;  Aug.  24,  1S64  ;  pru.  from  prirnte  Sept.  10. 

1864;  must,  out  May  31,  1865. 
William  B   Kauffnian,  1st  licut.;  Aug.  19,  1801;  pro.  from  private  Sept. 

10,  1564  ;  uiust.  out  May  31,  IS65. 


51i 


IIISTOIIY   OF   CLINTON    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


David  P.  Ilnnna,  2(1  lioiit.:  Aug.  24,  1804;  pro.  from  priviite  Sept.  10, 

1804;  womicled  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  April  2, 18U5;  must,  out  May  31, 

1805. 

NON-COM  MISSIONED   OFFICEnS. 
J.  H.  Miles,  1st  sergt.;  Sept.  4,  18fi4;  not  nccounteil  for. 
George  W.  Newlien-.v,  sergt.;  Sept.  5, 1SC4  ;  not  accounted  for. 
William  II.  Kellinger,  sergt.;  Ang.  24,  1801;  not  accounted  for. 
George  Grow,  sergt. ;  Aug.  24,  1804  ;  not  accounted  for. 
li.  E.  Newl)err.v,  sergt.;  Sept.  6,  1804;  wounded  at  Petersburg  April  2, 

1805;  not  accounted  for. 
Thomas  Easton,  coi  p. ;  Aug.  29, 1604  ;  wounded  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  April 

2, 1805 ;  diech.  by  G.  0.  May  30, 1805. 

PKIVATES. 

John  W.  Allison,  Sept.  5,  1SC4;  died  at  City  Point,  Va ,  April  Otb,  of 
wounds  received  at  Petersburg  April  2,  1805. 

William  Atcheison,  Sept.  7, 1804;  not  accounted  for. 

Jacob  Blush,  Sept.  4,  1804 ;  not  accounted  for. 

M.  C.  Diige,  Sept.  5, 1804  ;  not  accounted  for. 

John  A.  Beantz,  Sept.  5, 1804  ;  wounded  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  April  2, 1805  ; 
iwt  accounted  for. 

Davirl  Dastian,  Aug.  15, 1804;  not  accounted  for. 

William  J.  liaxter,  Aug.  24,  1804;  diseh.  by  G.  O.  May  15,  1605. 

Benjamin  Brobst,  Sept.  Ill,  1804;  not  accounted  for. 

Christian  Bowman,  Sept.  4,  1804  ;  not  .accounted  for. 

James  Buller,  Sept.  5,  1804  ;  not  accounled  for. 

Thomas  Bartholomew,  Sept.  4,  1804;  not  accounted  for. 

Heni'y  Conistock,  Sept.  7, 1804;  not  accounted  for. 

William  J.  Curns,  Sept.  4,  1804;  disch.  by  O.  0.  June  10,  1605. 

Daniel  1!.  Curns,  Sept.  5,  18(14;  not  accounted  for. 

John  J.  Courtney.  Aug.  24,  1804;  not  accounted  for. 

J,.bM  Croniany,  Sept.  5,  ISCI;  notaeconnled  for. 

William  Croft.  Ang.  24, 1804  ;  wounded  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  Apiil  2, 1805  ; 
not  acconnt.d  for. 

Michael  C'alio,  Sept.  5,  1804 ;  not  accounted  for. 

William  Dougherty,  Sept.  5,  1804;  not  accounled  for. 

I'rederick  Dull,  Ang.  2'J,  1SC4;  not  accounled  for. 

Sti'phen  Everett,  S,pt.  5,  18G4 ;  not  accounted  for. 

George  E.lwin.^i,  Ang.  24,  l.^Ol;  not  accounted  for. 

William  Griitt,  Sept.  f,  1804;  not  accounled  for. 

JohuGreen,  Sept.  4,1804;  not  accounted  for. 

Matthias  W.  Harvey,  Aug. 31, 1801;  not  accounted  for. 

William  Hosier,  Ang.  15,  1804:  not  accounted  for. 

Jacob  Inhoff,  Sept.  5,  1804  ;  died  at  Alexandria,  Va.,  May  23,  1805  ;  grave 
3164. 

William  Johnsoi',  Sept.  7, 1801;  not  accounted  for. 

Charles  W.  Jones,  Aug.  20,  1804  ;  not  accounted  for. 

Robert  Jones,  Aug.  24,  1804;  not  accounted  for. 

A.  0.  Kauffinan,  Sept.  6,  ISOl ;  not  accounled  for. 

William  J.  King,  Aug.  HI,  1S04;  not  accounted  for. 

Thonuis  A.  Kic.  ben,  S.  pi.  .",,  1804;  died,  buried  in  9th  Army  Corps  Cem- 
etery, Meade  Slati.ni,  Va. 

James  1''.  liinley,  Sept.  5,  l,-<04;  not  accounted  for. 

Bcnjamiu  Keeler,  Sept.  6,  1S04;  not  accounted  for. 

Joseph  Lynch,  Sept.  4,  1804  ;  not  accounted  for. 

Abraham  D.  l.ylz,  Sept.  4,  1804;  not  accounted  for. 

Joseph  Jl.  Linn,  Sept.  5,  1804  ;  not  accounled  for. 

Joshua  Long,  Aug  19,  1804;  not  accounted  for. 

I'ry  Lynins,  Sept.  5,  1804  ;  not  acronnted  for. 

George  Mitclieltree,  Aug.  1.5, 1804;  not  accounted  for. 

J.  A.  Moore,  Ang.  27,  1804  ;  not  accounted  for. 

Adam  Mifcbeltree,  Aug.  15, 1804;  not  accounted  for. 

William  W.  Mahey,  Seiit.  5, 1804 ;  not  accounted  for. 

A.  B.  Manning,  Aug.  4,  1804  ;  not  accounted  for. 

William  Murphy,  Sept.  6, 1804  ;  not  accounted  for. 

Felix  F.  McCloskey,  Sept.  4,  1804  ;  not  accounted  for. 

Samuel  McElheny,  Sept.  7,  1804  ;  not  accounted  for. 

Williauj  C.  McUh'skey,  Seid.  4,  1804;  not  accounted  for. 

William  n.  McCloskey,  Sept  4,  1804;  not  accounted  for. 

Abraham  Kiclyils,  Sept.  4,  1804;  notaeconnled  for. 

Jiiums  II.  Nohm,  Sept.  4,  1804;  not  accounted  for. 

Samuel  Ore,  Aug.  29,  1804;  not  accounted  for. 

Ahrahnm  Preble,  Sept.  6,  1.-04;  not  accounted  for. 

Jacob  Pointer,  Sept.  5,  1804  ;  not  accounted  for. 

Peter  A.  PoornLan,  Sept.  6, 1804;  not  accounted  for.  _ 

Adam  liault,  Sept.  10, 1804;  not  accounted  for. 


Jacob  A.  Rorick,  Sept.  5, 1804  ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  Juno  13,  1805. 

John  A.  Rentz,  Sept.  10,  1804;  not  accounted  for. 

Jesse  E-eder,  Sept.  5, 1804 ;  not  accounted  for. 

Andrew  Reader,  Aug.  24, 1804 ;  not  accounted  for. 

Peter  r>eiggle,  Aug.  31, 1804  ;  not  nccouuted  for. 

William  R.  Ritcr.  Sept.  4,  1864;  not  .accounted  for. 

Frederick  Speaker,  Aug.  31,  1804;  not  accounted  for. 

John  E.  Schaeffer,  Sept.  6,  1804 ;  not  accounted  for. 

Luther  M.  Sigmund,  Sept.  5,  1864;  disch.  by  G  O.  June  13,  1805. 

George  M:  Stiihl,  Sept.  4,  1804  ;  not  accounted  for. 

John   n.  Stedman,  Ang.  19,  1S04;  killed  at  I'etersbnrg,  Va.,  April  2, 

1805;  buried  in  National  Cemetery,  City  Point,  sec.  C,div.  2,  grave 

135. 
Charles  Shoemaker,  Sept.  10,  1804  ;  not  accounted  for. 
William  11.  Snow,  Aug.  24, 1804  ;  wounded  at  Fort  Steadman,  Va.,  March 

25,  and  at  Petei-sburg,  April  2,  1805  ;  disch.  by  G.  6.  June  10,  1805. 
Fredei'ick  Sorgan,  Sept.  4, 1804;  not  accounted  for. 
John  R.  Shoemaker,  Sejit.  6,  1804  ;  not  accounted  for. 
C.  Schermerhoru,  Sept.  7,  1801  ;  not  accounted  for. 
Daniel  A.  Seward,  Aug.2l,  1804;  not  accounted  for. 
John  Showers,  Sept.  5,  1804  ;  not  accounted  for. 
Joseph  Sick,  Sept.  4,  1804;  not  accounted  for. 
John  H.  Sniilh,Sept.  5.  1804;  nut  accounled  for. 
George  Seyboll,  Aug.  24,  1801;  not  accounted  for. 
P.  J.  Shoemaker,  Sept.  4,  1804  ;  not  accounted  for.. 
Oliver  W.  Smith,  Sept.  4,  180 1 ;  not  accounted  for. 
Samuel  Shoemaker,  Sept.  4, 1801 ;  not  accounted  for. 
John  C.  Toot,  Aug.  24,  1S04;  not  accounled  for. 
John  Taylor,  Aug.*9,  1804;  not  accounted  f,.r. 
Jack.>on  Tibben.'i,  Ang.  24,    804;  not  accounted  for. 
John  Thompson,  Sept.  6, 1804  ;  not  accounted  for. 
Joseph  E.  Ulman,  Ang.  24, 1804  ;  not  acconiited  fur. 
Samuel  Wilson,  Sepl.  4,  1884  ;  not  accounted  for. 
Charles  Williiims,  Aug.  15,  1804;  n.d  accounted  for. 
Christian  Weaver,  Sept.  4,  1804 ;  wounded  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  April  2, 

1805;  notaeconnled  for. 
Rudolph  M.  Weaver,  S.pt.  4,  1604;  wounded  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  April  2, 

1805;  notaeconnled  for. 
Rudolph  Witty,  Sept.  10,  1804  ;  not  accounted  for. 
Harrison  Yost,  Sept.  4,  1804  ;  not  accounted  for. 
Henry  Yost,  Sr.,  Sept.  5,  1604;  not  accounted  for. 
Henry  Yost,  Jr.,  Sept  5,  1804  ;  not  accounted  for. 


CHAPTER    CIIL 

HISTORY    OF    TOWNSHIP   SCHOOLS    OF   CLINTON 
COUNTY.' 

Bald  Eagle  and  Mill  Hall  Districts.-  Biikl  Eagle 
township  derives  its  name  i'roin  the  mountains  of  tliat 
name  which  extend  across  it.  The  first  settlement 
within  its  present  limits  was  made  in  the  year  1770, 
and  not  until  forty  years  after  was  the  first  school  of 
the  township  established.  The  first  school-house  was 
located  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  a 
few  rods  above  the  bridge.  A  very  short  time  after 
the  erection  of  this  house,  perhaps  during  the  same 
year,  a  school  was  opened  in  the  vicinity  of  Mill 
Hall,  near  where  the  railroad  depot  now  stands,  and 
two  years  later  a  school  building  was  erected  about 
one-half  mile  cast  of  Mr.  Packer's  residence,  on  the 
site  now  occupied  by  the  Harleman  house. 

In  1834  a  school-house  was  built  in  Mill  Hall,  the 
only  collection  of  houses  entitled  to  the  name  of 
village   in   the   township.     This   house  was   located 

1  By  M.  W.  Hcrr. 


IIISTORY    OF   TOWNSHIP   SCHOOLS   OF   CLINTON    COUNTY. 


513 


about  the  centre  of  the  town,  on  or  near  the   spot  j 
where  the  scliool-house  now  stands. 

In  1839,  Mr.  Jacob  HoUibiisli  took  charge  of  the 
school  and  taught  it  one  term.  He  was  succeeded 
in  1840  by  Mr.  D.  B.  Wood. 

After  the  adoption  of  the  free  school  system  in 
1840,  the  schools  of  the  districts  were  for  some 
years  under  the  control  of  competent  teachers. 
Among  those  who  "  did  service  as  teachers"  in  the 
schools  west  of  the  Bald  Eagle  were  Jlessrs.  William 
Packer,  A.  H.  Berry,  and  Jesse  H.  Berry.  Mr. 
Packer  and  Mr.  A.  H.  Berry  taught  but  a  few  terms. 
They  were  well  qualified  for  the  work,  and  it  is  to  be 
regretted  tliat  they  retired  so  soon  from  the  profes- 
sion. Mr.  Je-ise  H.  Berry  taught  several  years  in  the 
public  schools  of  the  county,  and  then  was  elected  to 
the  office  of  county  superintendent,  which  position 
he  held  for  three  years.  Mr.  Berry  possessed  in  an 
eminent  degree  the  requisite  qualifications  of  a  suc- 
cessful teacher,  and,  by  his  scholarly  attainments 
and  gentlemanly  deportment,  was  admirably  adapted 
to  the  effective  discharge  of  the  duties  of  the  office  of 
county  superintendent. 

In  1848  a  second  school-house  was  erected  in  Mill 
Hall,  and  two  years  later  the  village  was  incorporated 
as  a  borough.  In  1871  the  old  school-houses  of  the 
borough  were  abandoned,  and  a  new  one  built,  so  ar- 
ranged as  to  accommodate  three  grades  on  the  same 
floor. 

After  Mill  Hall  became  a  separate  school  district, 
there  was  for  a  time  only  two  schools  within  the  limits 
of  Bald  Eagle  district,  but  between  IS.iO  and  1856 
four  other  schools  were  opened,  located  one  on 
Plunket's  Run,  one  on  Laurel  Run,  one  on  Sugar 
Run,  and  the  otlier  at  Revelsville. 

Beech  Creek  District. — This  district  was  separated 
from  Bald  Eagle  in  May,  1830,  and  was  named  Beech 
Creek  in  honor  of  a  fine  stream  of  water  bearing  that 
name  which  flows  through  it.  Tlie  first  school  was 
established  in  1810,  about  fifteen  years  after  the  first 
permanent  settlement  within  the  limits  of  the  district 
was  made.  The  house  in  which  this  school  was  held 
was  located  a  short  distance  northwest  of  the  public 
road  leading  from  Lock  Haven  to  Beech  Creek,  on 
tlie  Fearon  farm.  The  next  school-house  in  the  dis- 
trict was  built  in  1820.  It  stood  on  the  left  bank  of 
Beech  Creek,  a  short  distance  above  the  present 
limits  of  Beech  Creek  borough.  Beech  Creek  dis- 
trict was  a  part  of  Bald  Eagle  at  the  time  of  the  ac- 
ceptance of  the  common  school  system,  which  was  in 
1840,  as  stated  above.  As  in  other  parts  of  the 
county,  a  large  percentage  of  the  citizens  of  the  dis- 
trict opposed  the  system,  yet,  despite  the  croaking  of 
its  enemies,  it  provided  better  educational  facilities, 
wherever  adopted,  than  had  been  previously  enjoyed 
by  the  "  rising  generation"  under  the  old  regime. 

A  short  time  after  the  adoption  of  the  free  school 
system,  a  school-house  was  built  in  what  is  now- 
known  as  Bittner  sub-district,  about  a  half-mile  west 


of  where  the  residence  of  Mr.  John  Earou  now 
stands.  Tliis  house  being  too  small,  it  wiw  abandoneil 
more  than  twenty  years  ago,  and  in  its  stead  the 
house  wliich  is  in  use  at  the  present  time  was  erected. 

In  1851,  immediately  after  the  organization  of  the 
township,  the  Masden  sub-district  was  formed,  and 
the  house  erected  under  the  su])ervision  of  Mr.  Wil- 
liam Masden,  a  member  of  the  school  board,  was 
completed  in  time  to  ojjen  school  the  1st  of  July  of 
this  year.  A  few  years  later  a  school-house  was 
erected  in  the  Quay  district,  and  about  the  same  lime, 
or  a  year  or  two  subsequent,  a  school  was  opened  in 
the  Hubbard  district.  In  1869  a  new  di.strict  was 
formed,  and  a  house  erected  about  a  mile  north  of 
Beech  Creek  town,  near  Sugar  Run.  This  house  was 
built  to  accommodate  those  who  had  attended  the 
school  in  Beech  Creek  town  previous  to  its  incor- 
poration as  a  borougli. 

Beech  Creek  borough  became  a  separate  district  in 
1869.  Two  years  previous  there  had  been  built  within 
the  borough  limits  a  fine  two-story  frame  Iiotise 
containing  four  rooms,  two  on  each  floor.  Three  of 
these  rooms  are  used  for  school  purposes,  and  the 
other  is  occasionally  occupied  by  the  school  board. 

The  schools  of  the  borough  are  graded,  and  liave 
been  conducted  quite  successfully  ever  since  their 
organization. 

Chapman  District. — The  first  school  in  this  dis- 
trict of  which  we  have  any  knowledge  was  established 
at  Hyner's  Run  in  1806,  and  was  then  taught  by 
James  Hill.  About  the  year  1815  a  log  school  house 
was  built  at  the  mouth  of  Falling  Springs,  and  the 
same  year  another  was  built  near  the  bank  of  the 
river,  where  the  campus  of  the  Renovo  IIdusc  now 
is.  The  school  at  Falling  Springs  was  taught  at  dif- 
ferent times  by  AVilliam  Boyd,  Samuel  Graham,  and 
Alexander  Forgus,  of  Dunnsburg.  In  1816  a  school 
was  opened  near  where  the  residence  of  Mr.  Robert 
Bridgens  stands.  The  next  school-house  in  the  dis- 
trict was  built  by  Rev.  Daniel  M.  Barber  at  Young 
Womanstown  in  1831. 

In  1874  a  school-house  was  built  at  the  mouth  of 
Paddy's  Run,  and  in  the  summer  of  1876  another 
was  erected  at  Young  Womanstown,  to  take  the  place 
of  the  old  house,  which  '.'  had  become  too  small"  to 
accommodate  all  the  cliildren  of  school  age  in  the 
district.  The  school  affaire  of  this  district  have  al- 
ways been,  and  still  are,  in  capable  hands,  and  we 
are  satisfied  that  good  educational  facilities  will  be 
provided  so  long  as  there  are  children  in  the  district 
to  educate. 

Crawford  and  Gallauher  Districts.— Very  few- 
authentic  records  relating  to  the  early  schools  of 
these  districts  are  attainable.  About  twenty-five 
years  ago  a  school  was  established  at  Rauchtown,  in 
Crawford  tow-uship,  and  a  few-  years  subsequent 
another  was  opened  on  the  mountain,  about  two 
miles  east  of  the  Nittauy  road.  The  latter  was  dis- 
continued in  the  spring  of  1874,  and  since  that  time 


514 


HISTORY    OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


there  liave  been  but  two  schools  in  the  district,  one 
located  at  Rauehtown,  and  the  other  about  one  mile 
and  a  half  west  of  this  village.  Gallauher  is  divided 
into  three  sub-districts,  and  lias  three  schools  in  ses- 
sion five  months  of  each  year. 

Dunstable  and  Woodward  Districts.— The  first 
school  of  Dunstable  township  was  established  about 
the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  and  the  house 
in  which  this  school  was  "kept"  was  located  one-half 
mile  east  of  the  village  of  Liberty,  on  the  left  bank 
of  the  Susquehanna  River. 

There  were  two  other  schools  in  the  district  prior 
to  1834,  but  we  were  unable  to  ascertain  the  date  of 
their  establishment  or  their  exact  location.  This 
district  accepted  the  common  school  system  in  1837, 
and  immediately  after  it  was  divided  into  three  sub- 
districts,  viz. :  Liberty,  Decard,  and  Deise.  The 
school-house  in  the  Liberty  district  was  located  east 
of  the  village,  on  the  public  road,  and  in  1875  was 
replaced  by  the  present  building,  one  of  the  finest 
one-story  houses  in  the  country. 

The  school-house  in  the  Decard  district  w.<is  built 
in  1867,  and  seven  years  later  a  new  house  was  erected 
in  the  Deise  district. 

In  1873  the  geographical  limits  of  the  township 
were  changed  by  the  accession  to  its  territory  of  a 
part  of  Allison  township.  Out  of  this  addendum  a 
new  sub-district  was  formed,  and  the  next  year  a 
school-house  was  erected,  located  on  the  right  bank 
of  the  Bald  Eagle. 

Woodward  district  was  formed  in  1841  outof  a  part 
of  Dunstable,  and  named  in  honor  of  G.  W.  Wood- 
ward, then  president  judge  of  this  judicial  district. 
As  there  is  no  record  of  the  early  schools  of  this  town- 
ship, we  could  not  learn  ex.'jctly  when  the  first  school 
within  its  limits  was  established  ;  but  from  data  fur- 
nished us  by  Mr.  William  Reed  we  are  satisfied  that 
it  was  previous  to  1804.  The  first  school-house  was 
located  near  the  residence  of  Mr.  Ree's  father,  and 
was  used  for  school  and  church  purposes  until  the 
erection  of  the  little  log  house  which  stood  until  the 
middle  of  the  present  century  on  the  site  now  occu- 
pied by  the  residence  of  Mr.  Warren  Martin. 

As  stated  above.  Woodward  district  was  originally 
a  part  of  Dunstable,  and  its  the  common  school  sys- 
tem was  adopted  by  the  latter  in  1837,  it  is  very  prob- 
able that  free  schools  were  established  at  Dunnsburg 
and  Lockport  at  this  time.  In  1841  a  school  was 
opened  in  the  German  settlement,  near  where  B.  F. 
Brobst  now  lives.  Some  years  later  the  house  occu- 
pied by  this  school  was  abandoned,  and  a  new  one 
erected  about  one  mile  east  of  the  old  at  Churchville, 
this  being  a  more  central  location.  Soon  after  the 
organization  of  the  township  a  school  was  established 
at  Queen's  Run,  and  the  house  erected  at  this  time  is 
still  used,  although  badly  dilapidated.  In  the  sum- 
mer of  1854  a  school-house  was  built  on  the  public 
road  leading  from  Lock  Haven  to  Churchville,  and 
in  18G8  another  near  the  northeastern  boundary  of  the 


district.  In  1872  the  old  school-house  at  Lockport, 
wliich  on  account  of  the  great  number  of  children  of 
school  age  in  the  district  was  no  longer  adequate  to 
the  purpose,  was  razed  to  the  ground,  and  in  its  place 
a  more  commodious  and  withal  a  more  suitable  build- 
ing was  erected.  One  year  afterwards  a  new  house, 
similar  in  every  respect  to  the  one  built  at  Lockport, 
was  built  at  Dunnsburg.  It  is  the  intention  of  the 
liberal  and  eflicient  school  board  of  this  district  to 
replace  the  old  buildings  yet  standing  by  new  ones  as 
soon  as  their  financial  circumstances  will  justify  them 
in  doing  so. 

Grugan  District. — This  district,  which  was  named 
in  honor  of  the  Grugan  family,  was  formed  in  1851. 
The  first  school  in  the  district  was  established  in  1830 
by  Mr.  John  Taylor,  an  Englishman,  who  divided 
his  time  between  making  and  mending  shoes  and 
"imparting  instruction  in  the  three  R's"  to  the  chil- 
dren of  the  neighborhood.  Mr.  Taylor's  shop  was 
his  school-house,  and  his  knee  strap  served  the  two- 
fold purpose  of  "holding  his  work  in  position  and 
his  pupils  in  submission." 

Prior  to  the  formation  of  the  district  a  school  was 
opened  at  Ritchie  Station,  and  some  years  later 
schools  were  established  at  Whetham  and  Glen  Union 
Stations,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  river.  In  1868  a 
school  was  opened  at  Glen  Union,  on  the  right  bank 
of  the  river,  the  church  of  this  place  being  used  as  a 
school-house. 

The  Independent  Districts. — There  are  at  this 
time  three  independent  districts  in  the  county,  viz.: 
"  Barton,"  "  Jones,"  and  "  Woodward,  Colebrook, 
and  Gallauher."  Barton  is  formed  of  parts  of  Mc- 
Henry  township,  Lycoming  Co.,  and  Colebrook 
township,  this  county.  Jones  was  organized  in  the 
spring  of  1874,  and  includes  portions  of  Burnside 
township,  Centre  Co.,  and  Beech  Creek  township, 
this  county.  "  Woodward,  Colebrook,  and  Gallauher" 
was  formed  in  1874  out  of  parts  of  Woodward,  Cole- 
brook, and  Gallauher  districts  of  this  county. 

Keating  District. — Keating  district  was  formed 
in  1844,  and  in  1875  it  was  divided  into  East  and 
West  Keating.  The  first  school  within  the  limits  of 
East  Keating  was  established  in  1830,  and  the  house 
which  was  built  at  that  time  and  is  still  standing  was 
located  on  the  eastern  bank  of  Kettle  Creek,  opposite 
Keating  Station.  There  are  at  present  four  schools 
in  this  district,  located  respectively  at  Keating  Sta- 
tion, Wistar,  Round  Island,  and  on  the  mountain, 
three  miles  west  of  Keating  Station.  West  Keating 
supports  three  schools,  which,  owing  to  the  district 
being  sparsely  settled,  are  quite  small.  The  cost  of 
providing  school  facilities  for  the  children  of  these 
districts  is  greater  per  pupil  than  it  is  in  any  other 
district  of  the  county,  yet  the  average  length  of  the 
school  term  during  the  past  five  years  has  been 
greater  than  in  several  of  the  wealthy  and  more  pop- 
ulous districts. 

Lamar  and  Porter  Townships.— Lamar  township. 


HISTORY   OF  TOWNSHIP  SCHOOLS   OF   CLWTON   COUNTY. 


515 


before  the  formation  of  Clinton  County,  was  a  part  of 
Centre,  and  until  May,  1840,  included  the  present 
territory  of  Porter.  The  first  school-house  within  its 
present  limits  was  built  about  the  year  1806  on  a 
beautiful  eminence  one  mile  east  of  Salona.  It  was 
constructed  of  logs,  roofed  with  rude  clapboards, 
and,  instead  of  glass  windows,  the  light  of  day  was 
admitted  through  a  translucent  substance,  made  of 
white  paper  and  grease.  Some  years  later,  perhaps 
during  the  year  1810,  this  house  was  abandoned  and 
one  erected  at  Salona,  a  few  rods  east  of  where  the 
residence  of  J.  P.  Heard  now  stands,  and  about  the 
same  time,  or  a  year  or  two  subsequent,  another  was 
erected  in  the  east  end  of  Nittany  valley,  near  the 
western  boundary  of  a  farm  at  present  owned  by  C. 
G.  Furst,  Esq. 

For  several  years  the  educational  opportunities 
afforded  to  the  children  of  the  township  were  lirnited 
to  the  two  schools  above  mentioned,  in  which  instruc- 
tion in  the  simplest  elementary  branches  was  given. 
Between  1820  and  1830  two  other  schools  were  estab- 
lished, one  on  Fishing  Creek,  near  Hamburg,  and  the 
other  on  Cedar  Run. 

Until  the  acceptance  of  the  common  school  system, 
which  occurred  in  1834,  the  schools  were  maintained 
by  subscription,  each  patron  paying  in  proportion  to 
the  number  of  pupils  he  sent. 

The  first  school-house  of  which  we  could  obtain 
any  authentic  information  in  that  part  of  Lamar 
now  embraced  within  the  territorial  limits  of  Porter 
township  was  located  near  Clintondale,  on  the  farm 
of  Mr.  John  Watson.  It  was  bnilt  in  1808,  and,  like 
all  other  primitive  buildings,  was  made  of  logs. 

The  first  term  of  school  in  this  house  was  taught 
by  Andrew  Ackens,  who  did  good  service  here  in  the 
capacity  of  teacher  for  a  number  of  years. 

A  year  or  two  after  the  establishment  of  the  school 
near  Clintondale  a  school  was  opened  by  Mr.  Patrick 
Hughs  in  a  house  located  on  Cedar  Bun,  near  the  res- 
idence of  Mr.  David  Allison.  Mr.  Hughs  was  a  native 
of  Ireland  and  a  man  of  fine  scholastic  attainments  ; 
he  did  valuable  service  in  the  school-room,  besides  do- 
ing much  in  the  community  to  promote  the  cause  of  ed- 
ucation, by  enlisting  public  sentiment  in  favor  of  pro- 
viding better  educational  facilities  for  the  children  of 
the  neighborhood.  The  thirdschool  building,  erected 
about  1820,  was  located  west  of  Cedar  Run,  on 
the  farm  of  James  McKibben.  This  was  a  frame 
house,  and  a  slight  improvement,  in  several  essential 
particulars,  on  those  previously  built  in  the  district. 
No  material  changes  in  the  affairs  of  the  township 
occurred  during  the  next  decade;  but  about  1830  a 
fourth  school  was  established  near  the  public  high- 
way leading  to  Bellefonte.  The  question  of  accept- 
ing or  rejecting  the  system  of  instruction  provided  by 
law  was,  as  intimated  above,  submitted  to  the  people 
some  time  during  the  spring  or  summer  of  1834 ;  and 
although  the  verdict  pronounced  at  the  ballot-box 
was  in  favor  of  accepting,  yet  the  system  met  with  a 


strong  and  bitter  opposition,  wliich  did  not  wholly 

subside  for  many  years  after. 

In  the  autumn  of  this  year  (1834)  seven  free  schools 
were  opened  in  the  township  and  placed  under  the 
control  of  the  following  teachers:  Mrs.  J.  W.  Ferree, 
George  Furst,  Samuel  Hartman,  James  Stephenson, 
John  Brady,  James  Crawford,  and  Ezra  G.  Bartram. 
It  was  here,  and  at  this  time,  that  Prof.  J.  W.  Fer- 
ree began  his  career  as  a  teacher.  He  labored  a  few 
years  in  the  public  schools  of  the  county  with  good 
success,  and  then  accepted  a  professorship  in  Dickin- 
son Seminary,  at  Williamsport.  After  severing  his 
connection  with  this  institution  he  accepted  the  chair 
of  natural  sciences  in  the  Bloomsburg  Normal  School, 
which  position  he  holds  at  the  present  time.  Prof. 
Ferree  has  devoted  more  than  forty  years  of  his  life 
to  the  work  of  teaching  and  training  tlie  young,  and, 
perhaps,  no  teacher  in  the  State  has  rendered  more 
effective  service. 

Porter  township  was  separated  from  Lamar  in  May, 
1841,  and  at  this  time  comprised  four  school  districts, 
viz.:  Washington,  Cedar  Springs,  Union,  and  Clin- 
ton. During  the  next  decade  three  new  districts  were 
formed,  and  the  old,  dingy  houses  of  "  ye  ancient 
times"  abandoned  and  more  suitable  ones  erected. 
Soon  after  the  erection  of  Porter  township,  Lamar 
was  divided  into  five  districts, — the  East  End,  Salem, 
Salona,  Hamburg,  and  Brown's.  Two  years  later  two 
otlier  districts  were  formed,  viz.,  the  Ridge  district 
and  Burrell's.  By  the'  1st  of  November,  1843,  the 
houses  in  these  newly-formed  districts  were  completed, 
and  soon  after  school  was  begun  in  both.  In  1849 
the  "  little  eight-cornered"  house  in  Salona  was  re- 
placed by  a  commodious  two-story  frame  building, 
the  lower  part  being  used  for  school  purposes,  and 
the  upper  as  a  public  hall.  In  1859  an  addition  was 
built  to  this  house,  and  the  school  graded.  During 
the  summer  of  1865  a  two-story  building  was  erected 
at  Hamburg.  For  several  years  previous  to  this  time 
the  district  had  been  divided,  but  after  the  completion 
of  the  new  building  the  old  houses  were  abandoned, 
the  school  graded,  and  the  children  all  accommodated 
in  the  new.  The  school  buildings  of  Lamar  are  good, 
and  well  adapted  to  school  purposes,  but  several  of 
them  are  not  provided  with  suitable  furniture. 

Logan  and  Greene  Townships  and  Logansville 
Borough.— Greene  district  was  formed  from  part  of 
Logan  in  1840.  The  first  settlement  in  the  district 
was  made  by  Mr.  Rudolph  Karstetter  in  the  vear 
1800,  and  about  twenty  years  after  this  event  the 
first  school  in  the  district  was  opened  in  a  house  lo- 
cated about  one-half  mile  southeast  of  Centreville. 
The  same  year  (1820)  a  school  was  established  within 
the  present  limits  of  Logan  township. 

The  next  school  in  the  valley  Wiis  organized  at  Lo- 

gansville  in  1827,  by  Col.  Anthony  Kleckner,  who 

was  in  some  respects  quite  a  remarkable  man,  and 

did  much  towards  the  improvement  of  the  locality  in 

;  which  he  lived.     Among  the  most  capable  and  sue- 


516 


niSTOUY    OF    CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


cessful  of  the  early  teachers  who  held  pedagogic 
sway  in  these  districts  were  Walter  Chatham,  Frank- 
lin Auchenbach,  and  Dr.  Jonathan  Mover.  The  lat- 
ter was  the  pioneer  physician  of  Sugar  valley,  having 
begun  the  practice  of  medicine  at  Logansville  in 
1842,  immediately  after  the  village  was  started.  In 
1828  a  school  was  opened  at  Tylersville,  a  little  village 
located  in  tlie  west  end  of  the  valley,  near  the  moun- 
tain pass  through  which  the  road  to  Brush  valley  ex- 
tends. 

About  1835  aschool  wasstarted  atDeborah  Furnace, 
five  miles  east  of  Logansville.  For  a  number  of  years 
this  school  wastaughtby  Mr.  Adam  Wolf,  who,  accord- 
ing to  tradition,  was  rather  illiterate.  It  is  related  of 
him  that  when  a  word  a  little  difficult  to  pronounce  oc- 
curred in  the  reading  lesson,  he  politely  requested  his 
pupils  to  "skip  the  devil  and  go  on."  About  1 836  or  1 837 
two  other  houses  were  erected,  one  a  few  miles  west 
of  Tylersville,  and  the  other  two  and  one-half  miles 
east  of  Logansville,  on  the  present  site  of  Brumgard's 
church.  The  latter  school  was  taught  for  some  time 
by  Samuel  Bower,  who,  although  an  eccentric  genius, 
was  a  skilled  penman,  and  while  teaching  here  intro- 
duced free-hand  drawing  into  the  school,  thus  adding 
an  important  branch  to  those  already  taught.  Prior 
to  1844  repeated  efforts  were  made  by  Hon.  George 
A.  Achenbach,  Col.  Kleckncr,  and  others  to  secure 
the  acceptance  of  the  common  school  system,  but 
without  avail.  In  1844,  however,  such  measures  were 
taken  by  these  friends  of  the  system  as  to  secure  the 
passage  of  a  special  act  of  the  Legislature  forming  an 
independent  school  district.  This  district  comprised 
Logansville  and  vicinity,  extending  east  about  two 
miles  along  the  main  thoroughfare  of  the  valley,  to 
where  the  residence  of  John  Womelsdorf,  Jr.,  now 
stands,  north,  south,  and  west  to  about  the  present 
borough  limits. 

Outside  of  this  district  popular  sentiment  was  de- 
cidedly unfavorable  to  the  common  school  cause,  but, 
after  a  number  of  trials,  the  system  was  accepted  by 
Greene  in  1848,  and  finally  by  Logan  in  1849.  About 
1854  the  Logansville  independent  district  was  abol- 
ished, and  it  became  a  part  of  Greene,  as  shown  by  the 
following  extract  from  the  minutes  of  a  meeting  of 
the  school  board  held  at  Logansville,  Feb.  27,  1854: 
"  As  the  act  forming  Logansville  into  a  separate  dis- 
trict has  expired,  said  district  is  declared  to  be  dis- 
solved, and  hencelbrth  to  constitute  part  of  and  to  be 
incorporated  with  the  district  of  Greene." 

An  important  auxiliary  to  the  cause  of  education  in 
the  valley  was  the  founding  of  Clinton  Seminary 
by  Professor  Biddle  in  18G2.  This  institution  was 
located  at  Logansville,  and  after  Professor  Biddle  re- 
tired from  its  management,  was  carried  on  for  a  short 
time  by  Rev.  W.  H.  Gotwald. 

Leidy  District. — The  first  school-house  in  Leidy 
district  was  built  about  the  year  1845,  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Kettle  Creek,  near  where  the  residence 
of  David  Walters  now  stands,  and  some  years  later  a 


school  was  established  on  the  western  bank  of  this 
creek,  directly  opposite  tlie  point  where  the  Boone 
road  reaches  it.  There  are  at  present  five  schools  in 
tlie  district,  which  are  kept  in  session  five  months 
during  the  summer  of  each  year. 

Noyes,  Keating,  and  Leidy  Districts.— Noyes 
district  was  formed  from  part  of  Cliapman  in  1875, 
and  named  in  honor  of  Col.  A.  C.  Noyes,  a  resident 
of  the  district.  The  first  school  within  its  limits  was 
establislied  almost  half  a  century  ago,  and  the  house 
in  which  this  school  was  "  kept"  was  located  on  the 
left  bank  of  the  river,  about  two  miles  above  the 
mouth  of  Kettle  Creek.  The  next  school  was  built 
at  Westport,  a  thriving  little  village  at  the  mouth  of 
Kettle  Creek,  and  in  1854  a  school-house  was  erected 
at  Cook's  Run.  The  school  at  Cook's  Run  and 
Westport  were  the  only  "institutions  of  learning" 
w'ithin  the  present  territorial  limits  of  Noyes  town- 
ship until  18(J7,  when  a  school-house  was  erected  at 
Shintown,  a  little  village  about  three  miles  above 
Renovo.  The  old  school-house  at  Cook's  Run  was 
replaced  by  a  new  one  in  1873,  and  during  the  present 
year  a  new  house  was  erected  to  take  the  place  of  the 
old  house  at  Westport. 

Pine  Creek  District. — This  district  was  settled 
previous  to  the  Revolutionary  war  by  Scotch-Irish 
Presbyterians,  who  came  with  their  preachers  and 
teachers  prepared  to  establish  churches  and  schools, 
that  the  moral  and  intellectual  development  of  their 
children  might  not  suffer  on  account  of  their  isola- 
tion from  civilization.  The  first  school-house  was 
built  about  the  year  1774,  on  or  near  the  river-bank 
opposite  Sour's  ferry.  About  1820,  Rev.  J.  H.  Grier 
opened  a  school  in  the  district,  which  was  attended  by 
young  men  from  Jersey  Shore,  Dunstable,  and  Nip- 
penose,  as  well  as  from  the  immediate  vicinity  in 
which  the  school  was  located.  Prominent  among 
those  who  studied  the  classics  at  this  school  were  R. 
G.  White,  late  president  judge  of  Tioga  County ;  Drs. 
Hunt  and  Gallagher,  and  several  divines,  among 
them  Rev.  William  Hamilton,  who  some  years  later 
established  a  select  school  on  Pine  Creek  near  the 
canal.  Pine  Creek  was  one  of  the  first  districts  to 
accept  the  school  system,  and  notwithstanding  the 
fact  that  the  cause  of  education  had  received  a  more 
liberal  support  from  the  early  settlers  of  this  district 
than  was  accorded  it  in  any  other  part  of  the  county 
yet  the  adoption  of  the  system  was  opposed  by  almost 
one-half  of  the  voting  population  of  the  district.  The 
first  house  erected  within  the  district  after  the  accept- 
ance of  the  free  school  system  was  a  brick  structure, 
located  in  the  Duncan  sub-district,  a  short  distance 
from  the  Pine  Creek  bridge.  This  house  was  used 
for  school  purposes  until  1871,  when  it  was  replaced 
by  the  present  building.  The  Garmon  sub-district 
was  formed  about  1840,  and  the  house  erected  at  this 
time  was  used  for  school  purposes  until  1875,  when  a 
neat,  comfortable  building  was  erected  on  the  site 
which  it  formerly  occupied.     In   18()3  a  substantial 


HISTOIir   OF  TOWNSHIP  SCHOOLS   OP   CLINTON   COUNTY. 


517 


•two-story  frame  house  was  built  at  Charlton.  It  was 
the  intention  of  the  school  board  at  the  time  this 
liouse  was  erected  to  grade  tiie  scliool  as  soon  as  there 
was  a  sufficient  number  of  pupils  in  the  sub-district  to 
justify  the  opening  of  two  schools.  The  school,  how- 
ever, was  not  graded  until  the  autumn  of  1875.  Oak 
Grove,  the  sixth  sub-district  of  the  townsliip,  was 
formed  in  1869.  The  school-house  is  located  near  the 
centre  of  the  district,  in  a  beautiful  grove  of  oak-trees, 
hence  the  name  Oak  Grove. 

Renovo  District. — Renovo  borough  is  situated 
within  the  limits  of  Chapman  township,  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  Susquelianna.  It  is  the  largest  town  in 
the  county  (Lock  Haven  excepted),  and  was  incor- 
porated as  a  borough  in  the  year  1860.  The  first 
public  schools  in  the  town  were  established  in  1864, 
and,  in  the  absence  of  more  suitable  houses,  the  two 
temporary  places  of  worship  erected  by  the  Presby- 
terian and  Jlethodist  denominations,  together  with  a 
small  school  building  located  at  the  mouth  of  Drury's 
Run,  were  used.  The  schools  at  this  time  were  not 
graded.  Prominent  among  the  teachers  of  this  date 
wasS.  M.  McCormick,  Esq.,  who  taught  for  some  time 
the  school  held  in  the  old  Presbyterian  Church,  and 
then  resigned  to  attend  the  State  Normal  School  at 
Millersville.  During  the  summer  of  1868  a  two- 
story  brick  school-house  was  built  on  Seventh  Street, 
near  the  river-bank.  This  house  contains  four  rooms, 
two  on  each  floor,  was  well  adapted  to  school  pur- 
poses, and  it  is  due  to  the  capable  and  liberal  school 
board  under  whose  supervision  it  was  constructed  to 
say  that  at  that  time  it  was  the  best  school  building 
in  the  county.  In  September  of  this  year  six  schools 
were  opened  (four  in  the  new  building,  one  in  the 
old  Methodist  Church  in  Seventh  Street,  and  one  in 
the  house  at  Drury's  Run),  and  M.  W.  Herr,  the 
present  county  superintendent,  was  elected,  teacher 
of  the  first  grade,  and  Mr.  J.  S.  Kupp,  now  a  clerk 
in  the  motive  department  of  the  Philadelphia  and 
Erie  Railroad  at  Renovo,  was  placed  in  charge  of  the 
second.  In  1869  the  schools  were  placed  under  the 
management  of  H.  S.  Edson,  formerly  a  teacher  in 
Dickinson  Seminary,  Williamsport,  who  served  one 
year,  and  was  then  succeeded  by  M.  W.  Herr. 

In  the  autumn  of  1872,  C.  S.  Webner,  a  graduate 
of  Millersville  Normal  School,  was  chosen  principal, 
which  position  he  held  until  1874,  when  A.  M.  Sny- 
der, also  a  graduate  of  Millersville,  was  elected  to 
succeed  him.  In  the  spring  and  summer  of  1873  the 
fine  two-story  brick  school-house  on  Fourteenth 
Street  was  erected,  at  the  cost  of  fifteen  thousand 
dollars.  This  building  contains  six  large  pleasant 
rooms,  which  are  well  lighted  and  ventilated,  neatly 
finished,  and  furnished  with  the  best  furniture  that 
could  be  procured.  For  beauty,  substantial  character 
of  erection,  and  adaptation  for  its  purpose,  this  house 
has  no  superior  in  this  part  of  the  State. 

At  the  opening  of  tlie  term  in  the  fall  of  1875,  Pro- 
fessor J.  S.  Reed,  former  superintendent  of  Lycoming 


County,  was  made  principal,  and  Professor  A.  W. 
Brumgard,  a  graduate  of  Bloomsburg  Normal  School, 
was  chosen  teacher  of  the  first  grammar  school  and 
placed  in  charge  of  the  Seventh  Street  building. 
Professors  Reed  and  Brumgard  are  teachers  of  un- 
questionable ability,  and  under  their  skillful  manage- 
ment the  schools  of  the  borough  have  maderapidand 
substantial  progress. 

Up-River  Districts. — The  first  school  within  the 
limits  of  tlie  up-river  districts  (viz.,  Colebrook,  Chap- 
man, Grugan,  Keating,  Leidy,  Noyes,  and  Renovo) 
was  established  in  Colebrook  at  an  early  day.  The 
house  was  located  near  the  Susquehanna  River,  on 
the  Saltzman  property.  About  1836  a  school  was 
opened  at  Farrandsville,  and  some  years  later  an- 
other was  established  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river, 
near  where  Mason's  mill  now  stands.  The  school  at 
Farrandsville  was  graded  a  few  years  ago,  and  since 
that  time  two  schools  have  been  maintained  in  the 
village. 

Wayne  District. — To  Mr.  Robert  Montgomery  be- 
longs the  honor  of  opening  the  first  school  in  Wayne 
township  in  the  year  1795.  This  school  was  held  in 
an  old  abandoned  dwelling-house,  located  on  the  Sus- 
!  quehanna  River,  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  north- 
east of  Wayne  Station.  At  this  time  there  were  only 
eight  voters  in  the  district. 

Another  school  was  established  in  the  eastern  part 
of  the  township  in  the  year  1803.  The  house  occu- 
pied by  this  school  was  located  on  Kurtz's  Run,  be- 
tween Hill  Cemetery  and  Ebenezer  Church,  and  was 
likewise  an  old  dwelling-house.  These  were  the  only 
schools  in  the  district  prior  to  1830,  and  were  wholly 
supported  by  subscription,  the  teachers  being  paid  in 
corn-meal,  wheat,  and  such  other  farm  produce  as 
they  might  need.  The  only  branches  taught  at  this 
time  were  reading,  writing,  and  the  elements  of  arith- 
metic, and  the  pupils  who  could  "do  the  sums"  to 
the  "  rule  of  three"  were  considered  unusually  pro- 
ficient. 

Among  the  prominent  teachers  of  these  schools 
were  Robert  Montgomery,  Stephen  Powell,  Walter 
J.  Chatham,  and  Miss  Nancy  McDonald.  In  1807, 
Walter  Chatham  took  charge  of  the  school  at  Kurtz's 
Run,  and  continued  to  teach  it  for  twenty  years. 

About  1830  a  school-house  was  built  on  the  road 
leading  from  AVayne  township  to  Sugar  valley,  artd 
was  used  as  church  and  school-house  for  many  years. 
In  this  house  "  their  Honors"  Jane  Chatham,  G.  O. 
Deise,  and  J.  W.  Quiggle  received  their  rudimentary 
education.  The  question  of  accepting  or  rejecting 
the  free  school  system  was  decided  by  an  election 
held  in  the  year  1835,  which  resulted  in  favor  of  ac- 
cepting by  a  majority  of  one  vote. 


518 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


CHAPTER    CIV. 

STATISTICS,    AGRICULTURAL    SOCIETY,    ETC. 

POPULATION   OF   EACH   TOWNSHIP    AND    KESOUIi^ES   OP 
CLINTON    COUNTY   IN   1S40. 

Total 
TownsliipB.  Mules.  Fomnlea.  Colored   Total. 

Pop. 


Allis 


3.5:i 


279 


Bald  Kiigli- fil3 

Cha].niaii 3:i2  2110  0  622 

Colebrook 309  245  10  S64 

Dim^talile 451  372  18  841 

Grove 128  lU  0  239 

Luml.er (32  53  12  127 

laniar 042  931  0  1873 

Limpstone lol  !I9  0  200 

Logan C07  678  5  1190 

Pino  Creek. 294  2(18  10  678 

Waj-ne 167  140  0  307 

Total 4359        3915  80        8354 

There  were  at  that  time  two  furnaces  in  the  county 
that  produced  663  tons  of  bar-iron ;  capital  employed 
in  the  manufacture  of  iron,  $80,000.  Bituminous 
coal  mined,  400,000  bushels.  The  live-stock  of  the 
county  was  as  follows:  horses  and  mules,  1803;  neat 
cattle,  5867;  sheep,  6806;  swine,  9316;  value  of  poul- 
try of  all  kinds,  $3330;  wheat,  150,3.54  bushels;  bar- 
ley, 700;  oats,  223,373;  rye,  44,975;  buckwheat, 
11,603;  corn,  66,552;  pounds  of  wool,  11,314;  pota- 
toes, 60,464  bushels ;  hay,  4576  tons ;  value  of  the 
products  of  the  dairy,  $2905;  of  orchards,  $3468;  of 
family  goods,  $3040.  Stores  in  county,  20;  capital, 
$91,100.  Six  tanneries  tanned  775  sides  of  sole  and 
605  of  upper  leather.  One  distillery  produced  4000 
gallons;  saw-mills,  28;  othermills,ll.  Totalamount 
invested  in  all  kinds  of  manufacture,  $47,435.  Aggre- 
gate amount  of  property  taxable  in  1840,  $1,588,628. 
At  the  census  of  1850  the  twelve  original  townships 
had  been  subdivided  into  nineteen  townships  and  two 
boroughs,  with  an  increase  in  the  total  population  of 
2853.  The  following  is  a  list  of  townships  and  bor- 
oughs, with  population  of  each : 


Townships  and  Boroughs 
Alii! 


Total   Aggre- 

Colored    gate 

Pop.       I'op. 


Bald  Eagle  .. 
Beech  Cieek. 

Chapman 

Colehrook.... 

Crawford 

Bniistahle.... 
Gallanliei- 


Mill  Hall  (borough). 


Porter 

Wayne 

Woodward.. 


The  following  statistics  of  the  population  of  Clin- 
ton County  in  1860  are  important  for  comparison  of 
the  proportion  of  its  able-bodied  men  who  were  en- 
gaged in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  ; 


White  Free       .„„.„.,. 

Females.   Colored.    Aggregate. 


Allii 


378 


Bald  Eagle 660 

Beech  Creek 494 

Chapman 401 

ColeUiook 248 

Crawford 223 

Dunstable 228 

Gallauher 165 

Greene 029 

Grove 202 

Orugan 100 

Keating 114 

Lamar 614 

Leidy 286 

Lock  Haven 1731 

Logan 418 

Lumber 127 

Mill  Hall 216 

Pine  Creek 628 

Porter 033 

Wayne 299 

Woodward 560 

9210 


CENSUS   OF   1870. 


Bald  Eagle 950 

Beech  Cieek 887 

Beech  Creek  borough 384 


Leidy.... 
Lock  Ha 


Gallauher 252 


Keating 439 

Lamar 1,391 


Mill  Hall  borough 4.52 

Pino  Creek 970 

Porter 1,101 

lienovo  borough 1,940 


Woodward 1,061 

Total 23,211 


The  census  report  for  1880  gives  the  following  pop- 
ulation of  townships  and  towns  in  Clinton  County, 
except  the  town  of  Flemington,  which  was  returned 
with  the  township  of  Allison  : 

Allison  township,  including  Flemington 930 

Bald  Eagle  townsljip 939 

Beech  Creek  borough 400 

Beech  Creek  township 80O 

Castanea  township 343 

Chapman  township 938 

Colebrook  township, inrlii.lii^  In  i.iiMi-Mll,.. 431 

FarM.),  :.•,    1',    Mll.i^,. 273 

Crawford  township,  incluiliii-  K;,ii.  l,t"«  ii 463 

Ranchl.iwn  villase 152 

Dunstable  township,  including  New  Liberty 576 

New  Liberty  village 75 

East  Keating  township,  including  Wistar 245 

Wlstar  Village 3Y 

Gallauher  township 385 

Greene  township 1,263 

Grugan  township 291 

Lamar  township,  including  Mackeyville 1,624 

Mackeyville  village 134 

Leidy  township 683 

Lock  Haven  City 5,845 

First  Ward 1690 

Second  Ward 1417 

Third  Ward 1302 

Fourth  Ward 1430 

Logan  township,  Boonville  and  Tylersville  villages 959 

Boonville  village 131 

Tylersville  village 108 

Logansville  borough 423 

Mill  Hall  borough 398 

Noyes  township,  including  Westport 696 

Westport  village 248 

Pino  Creek  township,  iuclnding  Charlton 1,078 

Charlton  village 134 

Porter  township,  including  t'lintondalo 1,056 

Clintoudale  village ~ 150 

Renovo  borough 3,708 

First  Ward 19.59 

Second  Ward 1749 

Wayne  township,  including  two  villages 742 

Pine  Station  village 93 

Wayne  Station  village 78 

West  Keating 273 

Woodward  township,  includiiig  thiee  villages 1,099 

Duiinstown  village 214 

Lockport  village 242 

Queen's  Kuu  village 109 

Total 20,278 


h'ac  sunlit  o-f  originaL  pJat 
Eneraved  Expressly  for  this  Work. 


CITY  OF  LOCK  HAVEN. 


519 


Clinton   County   Agricultural   Society.— This 

society  was  organized  March  12,  1881,  at  which  time 
a  constitution  was  adopted  for  the  government  of  the 
society,  the  first  article  of  wliicli  reads  as  follows : 

"The  object  of  this  society  shall  be  the  diffusion  of 
a  greater  linowledge  of  agriculture,  horticulture,  me- 
chanics, and  the  domestic  arts." 

The  officers  of  the  society  were  to  consist  of  a  presi- 
dent and  one  vice-president  from  each  city,  borougii, 
and  township  in  the  county ;  secretary,  treasurer,  and 
executive  committee  of  nine  members,  who  shall  be 
elected  by  ballot,  and  hold  office  for  one  year,  and  the 
presideut  of  the  society  to  be  an  advisory  member  of 
the  executive  committee. 

The  original  members  of  the  society  were  J.  H. 
Herr,  William  H.  Smith,  Charles  S.  McCormick, 
Alva  S.  Grow,  Barnard  Rupert,  E.  D.  Peck,  James 
H.  Porter,  W.  S.  Clawater,  Patrick  Kane,  W.  H. 
Brown,  J.  N.  Bitner,  William  .Struuk,  Seymour  D. 
Ball,  John  Hoagland,  J.  J.  Croter,  A.  B.  Hanna,  W. 
H.  McCormick,  W.  H.  Everhart,  J.  E.  McDowall,  L. 
A.  Maibery,  C.  Kyle,  John  W.  McClintock,  J.  L. 
Taylor,  J.  F.  Frane,  F.  P.  Ball,  John  Smith,  L.  W. 
Dornblazer,  Hugh  W.  Brown,  A.  Allison,  Jr.,  James 
David,  and  D.  K.  Heckman. 

The  officers  for  the  first  year  were  Joel  A.  Herr, 
president;  W.  S.  Clawater,  secretary;  S.  D.  Ball, 
treasurer.  The  meeting  was  then  adjourned  to  Marcli 
23d,  when  the  constitution  was  read,  and  signed  by 
the  above-named  persons,  and  the  following  vice- 
presidents  elected : 

Allison  township,  John  N.  Bitner;  Beech  Creek 
township,  James  David;  Beech  Creek  borough,  John 
Meghen  ;  Bald  Eagle  township,  C.  R.  Gearhart ;  Cas- 
tanea  township,  John  Ingram ;  Crawford  township, 
Samuel  Dunlop ;  Greene  township,  D.  Stamm  ;  Logan 
township,  Isaac  Freutz ;  Lamar  township,  James  T. 
Taylor;  Porter  township,  John  W.  McClintock;  Mill 
Hall  borough,  Minor  Hill;  Leidy  township,  John 
Gortsa;  Noyes  township,  John  W.  Robbins  ;  Dun- 
stable township,  J.  N.  Getz,  Jr. ;  Pine  Creek  town- 
ship, John  R.  Gallaher;  Wayne  township,  John 
Stamm;  Woodward  township,  W.  A.  Hanna;  Chap- 
man township,  James  A.  Williamson  ;  Grugan  town- 
ship, W.  C.  Weaver;  Renovo  borough,  R.  M.  Messi- 
mer;  Logansville  borough.  Judge  Frantz ;  Lock 
Haven  City,  W.  C.  Kress;  Colebrook  township,  Henry 
S.  Ewan ;  Gallauher  township,  Matthias  Harber; 
East  Keating  township,  J.  W.  Merry;  West  Keating 
township,  John  McGonigal. 

The  executive  committee  appointed  at  this  meeting 
were  A.  Allison  and  Hugh  Brown,  of  Porter;  Hon. 
L.  A.  Mackey,  Charles  S.  McCormick,  and  R.  D. 
Peck,  of  Lock  Haven ;  Isaac  A.  Packer,  of  Wood- 
ward ;  James  H.  Porter,  of  Lamar ;  and  Hugh  Shaw, 
of  Pine  Creek. 

The  officers  for  1882  were:  President,  J.  A.  Herr; 
Vice-Presidents,  James  T.  Taylor,  W.  H.  Brown,  and 
James  David ;  Secretary,  Alva  S.  Grow ;  Treasurer, 


S.  D.  Ball;  Executive  Committee,  C.  S.  McCormick, 
James  H.  Porter,  Hugh  W.  Brown,  R.  D.  Peck,  and 
A.  Allison,  Jr.;  delegates  to  annual  meeting  of  Penn- 
sylvania State  Agricultural  College,  Hugh  W.  Brown, 
Hon.  L.  A.  Mackey,  and  Joel  A.  Horr. 

Post-Offices  in  Clinton  County  in  1882.— Beech 
Creek,  Booneville,  Caldwell,  Carroll,  Cedar  Springs, 
Chatham  Run,  Clintondale,  Cro.ss  Fork,  Fearonville, 
Flemington,  Glen  Union,  Greenburr,  Hammersley's 
Fork,  Haneyville,  Hyner,  Keating,  Island,  Lamar, 
Leidy,  Lock  Haven,  Logan's  Mills,  McElhattan, 
Mackeyville,  Mill  Hall,  Jlountain  Spring,  North 
Bend,  Pine  Station,  Ranch's  Gap,  Renovo,  Rosecrans, 
Rote,  Salona,  Sugar  Valley,  Tylersville,  Westport, 
Wistar. 


CHAPTER   CV. 


CITY    OF    LOCK    HAVEX.i 


The  city  of  Lock  Haven  is  pleasantly  situated  upon 
an  extensive  undulating  plain  upon  the  south  bank 
of  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna  River,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  and  upon  its  north 
bank.  It  is  also  upon  the  line  of  the  Philadelphia 
and  Erie  Railroad,  and  is  the  eastern  terminus  of  the 
Bald  Eagle  Valley  Railroad. 

The  distance  from  Lock  Haven  to  Erie  is  222  miles; 
to  Philadelphia,  223;  to  Harrisburg,  115;  to  New 
York,  313;  to  Chicago,  674  ;  to  Pittsburgh,  186;  to 
Bellefonte,  26.8 ;  and  to  Tyrone,  55  miles.  The  cen- 
tral point  between  Philadelphia  and  Erie  is  within 
the  city  limits.  The  elevation  of  Lock  Haven  above 
the  level  of  the  sea  is  552  feet;  above  Harrisburg,  284 
feet;  above  Sunbury,  129  feet;  and  above  Williams- 
port,  46  feet.  It  is  1454  feet  lower  than  Kane,  the 
highest  point  on  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  Railroad; 
13  feet  below  the  level  of  Lake  Erie ;  334  feet  lower 
than  Tyrone ;  148  feet  lower  than  Pittsburgh  ;  and  309 
feet  lower  than  Elmira,  N.  Y. 

The  latitude  of  Lock  Haven  is  41°  5'  30"  north, 
longitude  west  of  Greenwich,  77°  30',  and  west  of 
Washington,  0°  28'  12".  The  mean  temperature  in 
summer  is  67 .v°;  in  winter,  47.5°;  for  the  year,  48°. 
The  fall  of  rain,  which  includes  the  water  in  snow- 
falls, averages  forty  inches  per  year. 

The  location  of  the  plain  upon  which  Lock  Haven 
is  situated,  at  the  confluence  of  the  silvery  waters  of 
Bald  Eagle  Creek  with  those  of  the  once  Indian 
"  Otzinachson,"  guarded  on  all  sides  by  a  chain  of 
lofty  old  mountains,  standing  as  so  many  verdure- 
capped  sentinels,  ever  watchful  of  the  movements  of 
the  busy  occtipants  of  the  plain,  might  justly  be 
termed  the  "Gem  of  the  Valley." 

There  exists  not  a  doubt  of  this  plain  being  once 

1  By  W.  n.  Shaw. 


520 


HISTORY   OF   CLTXTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  site  of  an  Indian  village  or  town,  though  not  from 
any  elaborate  earthworks  as  are  often  found  in  other 
places,  buc  from  Indian  mounds  that  yet  remained 
long  after  its  occupancy  by  the  "  pale-face."  These 
moun.ils  were  the  burying-places  of  the  Indians,  and 
one  o^th'em  was  located  on  the  bank  of  the  river  at 
the  outlet  of  tlie  canal,  and  was  removed  when  that 
improvement  was  made.  In  these  mounds  were  found 
layer  upon  layer  of  Indian  bones,  as  the  bodies  had 
been  buried  from  time  to  time. 

It  is  no  wonder  that  the  Indians  were  very  reluctant 
to  leave  this  beautiful  valley,  for,  though  savages,  they 
had  become  attached  to  their  favorite  hunting-  and 
fishing-grounds,  and  upon  their  departure  cast  behind 
them  looks  of  sorrow  and  regret,  then  sadly,  silently 
took  their  course  towards  the  setting  sun,  never  more 
to  return. 

Pioneer  Land  Locators. — While  the  council  fires 
of  the  departing  red  man  were  yet  burning  and  min- 
gling their  vapory  mists  with  the  ethereal  blue,  the 
vanguard  of  the  advancing  hosts  of  civilization  came 
marching  in  upon  the  plain  like  the  skirmish  line  of 
a  great  army,  looking  carefully  to  the  right  and  left, 
and  selecting  the  most  favorable  spots  upon  which  to 
lay  claim  as  purchaser  or  otherwise;  and  most  for- 
tunate was  Rev.  Dr.  Francis  Allison  in  the  selection 
of  this  plain,  as  one  of  the  pioneer  land  locators.  Ilis 
grant  or  patent  was  bounded  as  follows,  and  called 
"Allison,"  though  he  never  settled  here  himself: 
"  Beginning  at  a  marked  hickory  on  the  north  side  of 
Bald  Eagle  Creek,  a  corner  of  the  ofHcers'  survey; 
thence  down  along  the  north  side  of  said  creek,  on 
the  several  courses  thereof,  1338  perches  to  the  mouth 
of  said  creek;  thence  up  along  the  south  side  of  the 
■west  branch  of  Susquehanna,  on  the  several  courses 
thereof,  700  perches  to  a  post  at  the  side  of  said 
branch,  a  corner  of  the  land  surveyed  to  the  oflScers; 
thence  by  the  same  south  66'  west  580  perches  to  a 
'post,  and  south  116  perches  to  the  place  of  beginning, 
containing  1620  acres,  and  the  usual  allowance  of  six 
acres  for  roads  and  highways." 

The  corner  of  the  Allison  tract,  described  as  being 
at  "  a  post  at  the  side  of  the  said  branch,"  is  within  a 
few  feet  of  Miss  Snyder's  lot  on  Water  Street,  and 
runs  diagonally  across  her  lot,  across  AVater  Street, 
and  diagonally  across  the  several  lots  to  Main  Street, 
and  in  a  straight  line  up  Clinton  Avenue  to  a  corner 
near  the  residence  of  S.  Clark,  on  Brcsler  Street; 
thence  to  the  point  mentioned  on  Bald  Eagle  Creek, 
near  the  Flemington  bridge  ;  therefore  all  the  land 
south  or  .southeast  of  this  line,  upon  which  Lock 
Haven  is  situated,  was  in  the  Allison  tract. 

A  few  years  after  Mlison  located  his  grantor  patent, 
he  sold  to  John  Fleming  all  his  purchase,  and  in 
1773  Fleming  took  possession,  and  located  on  the 
lower  end  of  the  tract,  where  he  died  in  1777.  After 
his  death,  in  accordance  with  his  will,  the  estate  was 
divided  among  his  heirs. 

That  portion  which  forms  the  "  Point,"  as  it  was 


called,  between  the  river  and  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  was 
surveyed  to  Joseph  Fleming;  the  next  tract  lying 
north  of  it,  and  extending  from  the  river  to  the  creek, 
to  Rosanna,  who  was  married  to  a  Jamison,  and  after- 
wards to  a  Mr.  Graham  ;  the  next  tract  to  David 
Fleming  ;  the  next  to  Robert ;  the  next  to  John  ;  the 
next  to  Ezekiel  ;  the  next  to  Mary  Lowrey  ;  the  next- 
to  Elizabeth  McCormick.  Joseph  Fleming  sold  his 
share  to  John  JlcCormick,  who  had  married  Flem- 
ing's sister.  John  and  David  Fleming  sold  their  in- 
terests to  Joseph  Hunt,  and  Ezekiel  sold  his  to  Jacob 
Cook. 

In  1800,  Dr.  John  Henderson,  of  Huntingdon,  mar- 
ried Margaret  Jamison,  and  through  her  came  into 
possession  of  the  tract  surveyed  to  Robert  Fleming, 
containing  two  hundred  acres,  on  which  the  town  of 
Lock  Haven  was  laid  out  by  Willard  and  Jeremiah 
Church,  all  of  which  the  latter  soon  became  po.ssessed. 

A  portion  of  the  territory  on  the  north  side  of 
Clinton  Street,  or  Allison's  tract,  was  included  in 
what  is  known  as  the  "  officers'  survey." 

Feb.  3,  1769,  a  number  of  the  officei's  of  the  First 
and  Second  Battalions  of  the  Pennsylvania  regiments 
applied  for  2400  acres  of  land  within  the  last  Indian 
purchase,  under  which  application  a  survey  of  8380 
acres,  located  on  the  south  sideof  the  AVest  Branch  of 
the  Susquehanna  River,  on  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  was 
made  by  Charles  Lukens,  deputy  surveyor,  and  at  the 
same  time  made  a  separate  survey  of  each  officer's  part, 
whereby  a  tract  of  216  acres  and  allowances  was  laid 
out  to  Ensign  William  McMeen.  This  McMeen  tract 
extended  along  the  north  side  of  the  Allison  tract 
from  the  river  to  the  creek.  In  177-1,  McMeen  sold 
his  tract  to  Ruth  McCoskrey,  widow  of  William 
McCoskrey,  deceased.  In  1806  the  McCoskrey  heirs 
sold  to  David  Lusk. 

April  4, 1769,  William  Glass  applied  for  three  hun- 
dred acres  of  land  on  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susque- 
hanna, above  the  mouth  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  in 
pursuance  of  which,  Nov.  9,  1769,  his  three  hundred 
acres  was  surveyed  next  north  of  McMeen's,  running 
from  the  river  to  what  is  now  Highland  Cemetery. 
These  two  tracts,  after  passing  through  various  hands 
by  actual  purchase,  came  into  the  possession  of  the 
late  Philip  M.  Price,  who  also  purchased  the  John 
Boyd  tract,  lying  west  of  and  adjoining  the  Glass 
property.  Highland  Cemetery  and  the  Normal  School 
are  located  on  the  John  Boyd  tract. 

Thus  we  have  given  a  brief  outline  of  the  original 
locators  of  the  land  upon  which  the  city  of  Lock 
Haven  is  situated. 

Prominent  among  the  surveyors  in  the  earlier  part 
of  this  century  was  David  Carskaddon,  notice  of 
whose  death  is  here  given. 

Pioneer  Settlers, — The  pioneer  settler  of  wdiat  is 
now  the  city  of  Lock  Haven  was  Clary  Campbell, 
who  came  here  just  previous  to  1769,  and  located  on 
the  William  Glass  tract.  His  log  cabin  was  located 
about  where  the  greenhouse  of  W.  H.  Coe  now  stands,- 


CITY   OF  LOCK   HAVEN. 


521 


at  the  upper  end  of  Main  Street.  His  title,  however, 
was  not  good,  as  the  case  was  decided  by  the  courts 
in  favor  of  Glass,  and  Campbell  remained  but  a  short 
time. 

John  Fleming,  son  of  John  Fleming,  one  pf  the 
earliest  settlers,  came  here  in  1773.  The  following 
was  said  of  him  in  the  Lycoming  Gazette  of  Dec.  4, 
1867  :  "The  Hon.  John  Fleming,  one  of  the  associate 
judges  of  Lycoming,  was  appointed  in  1798  by  Gov- 
ernor MifHiii.  He  was  a  native  of  Chester  County, 
Pa.,  and  born  in  1760,  near  London  Cross-Roads. 
His  father,  John  Fleming,  was  a  descendant  of  the 
'  Earl  of  Wigton,'  of  Scotland,  and  in  the  year  1770 
purchased  a  tract  of  laud  of  Dr.  Francis  Allison, 
containing  sixteen  hundred  and  fifty  acres,  situated 
between  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek  and  the  West  Branch 
of  the  Susquehanna  River,  on  which  tract  is  the 
borough  of  Lock  Haven  and  part  of  the  town  of 
Flemington,  now  in  the  county  of  Clinton.  John, 
the  father,  built  a  liouse  on  the  bank  of  the  river  close 
to  the  south  abutment  of  the  present  dam,  where  he 
died  in  1777,  and  it  was  said  that  in  the  excavation 
of  the  abutment  were  found  several  hearthstones  of 
the  old  chimney." 

John  McCormick  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1748. 
When  he  was  twelve  or  fourteen  years  of  age  his 
parents  emigrated  to  this  country,  leaving  him  in 
care  of  his  grandparents,  who  intended  to  educate 
him  ;  but  after  the  departure  of  his  parents,  brothers, 
and  sisters  he  became  dissatisfied  and  uneasy,  and  re- 
solved to  follow  them.  To  do  this  it  was  necessary 
for  him  to  run  away,  which  he  did,  and  secreted 
himself  on  board  a  vessel  which  was  to  sail  for 
America,  and  after  many  haps  and  mishaps  managed 
to  reach  this  country  safe  and  sound,  and  landed  in 
Philadelphia  without  a  cent  in  his  pocket.  He  ob- 
tained employment  until  he  earned  money  enough  to 
pay  his  expenses  to  where  his  parents  had  located  in 
Chester  County,  Pa.  On  arriving  at  his  parents' 
house,  and  when  about  to  enter,  he  was  met  by  his 
mother,  who  failed  to-  recognize  him,  little  thinking 
that  her  son  was  ou  this  side  the  Atlantic.  His  re- 
quest to  stay  overnight  was  met  with  the  reply  that 
they  did  not  keep  stragglers,  and  that  he  must  go  to 
the  "  tavern."  He  finally  convinced  her  by  ft  scar 
on  his  forehead  that  he  was  her  sou,  when  he  was 
admitted  to  the  house.  He  subsequently  married' a 
daughter  of  Robert  Fleming,  and  purchased  of  Josepli 
Fleming  the  tract  forming  the  "  Point"  between  the 
river  and  Bald  Eagle  Creek. 

William  Reed  was  born  in  Donegal,  Ireland,  in 
the  year  1730.  When  he  was  seven  years  old  he 
was  brought  to  this  country  by  liis  widowed  mother, 
who  settled  first  at  Wilmington,  Del.,  and  afterwards 
near  the  London  Cross-Roads,  Chester  Co.,  Pa.,  where 
W^illiam  grew  to  manhood,  married  Jane  Mitchell, 
and  in  1773  located  on  the  present  site  of  Lock  Haven. 
His  cabin,  which  was  of  hewn  logs,  was  on  or  near 
the  site  of  the  present  "Montour  House,"  and  was 


connected  with  or  surrounded  by  a  strong  stockade, 
and  known  as  "  Reed's  Fort,"  commanded  by  Col. 
Cookson  Long.  Tliis  fort  was  the  last  of  a  chain  of 
stockades  extending  along  the  West  Branch  from 
Sunbury,  consequently  was  an  important  post.  Being 
on  the  extreme  border  of  civilization,  it  was  the  first 
to  be  attacked  by  invading  Indians  in  their  descent 
upon  the  infant  settlements  of  the  West  Branch  re- 
gion. During  the  year  1778  the  Indians  became  very 
troublesome,  and  killed  a  number  of  the  settlers. 
From  various  indications  it  was  evident  that  a  gen- 
eral invasion  of  the  white  settlements  was  imminent, 
and  preparations  were  made  to  repel  any  attack  that 
might  be  made.  A  council  of  war  was  held,  however, 
and  it  was  decided  to  evacuate  the  fort,  and  with  all 
the  inhabitants  go  to  Fort  Augusta  (now  Sunbury) 
for  protection.  After  an  absence  of  five  years  the 
people  returned,  and  went  to  work  fitting  up  their 
homes  for  their  future  residence,  where  they  remained 
till  death  called  them  away,  leaving  descendants 
whose  succeeding  generations  are  still  residents  of 
Lock  Haven. 

Immediately  after  the  restoration  of  peace  in  1783, 
a  number  of  families,  in  addition  to  those  who  had 
been  driven  away  b)'  the  Indians,  came  to  the  West 
Branch  valley  and  settled,  the  lands  between  the 
river  and  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek  being  especially  de- 
sirable, owing  to  their  fertility  and  favorable  location, 
and  by  the  beginning  of  1800  quite  an  extensive  and 
prosperous  settlement  had  sprung  up.  At  that  time, 
and  even  down  to  1825,  a  large  part  of  what  is  now 
Lock  Haven  was  covered  with  a  heavy  growth  of 
pine  aud  oak,  and  the  now  venerable  surveyor,  James 
David,  Esq.,  has  assisted  in  cutting  large  oak-  and 
pine-trees  along  where  the  railroad  is  now  located. 

Old  Towx. — Just  how  or  why  we  have  not  been 
able  to  learn,  but  the  territory  embraced  in  the  Al- 
lison tract  was  called  "  Old  Town,"  probably  from 
the  fact  of  its  being  settled  prior  to  the  Revolutionary 
war ;  however,  it  went  by  this  name  for  many  years. 

In  1804,  Roger  Devling  came  to  Old  Town,  and 
located  on  the  Henderson  tract  as  tenant.  He  was 
a  native  of  Ireland,  and  was  the  father  of  twelve 
sons.  The  first  house  occupied  by  the  Devling  family 
stood  near  the  present  residence  of  H.  T.  Beardsley, 
on  the  bank  of  the  river.  This  was  a  log  house,  and 
was  occupied  by  the  family  several  years,  when  the 
brick  house  now  owned  and  occupied  by  Hon.  Sey- 
mour D.  Ball  was  built,  and  in  this  house  John  Dev- 
ling, son  of  Roger,  kept  a  tavern.  The  house  has 
been  modernized,  and  is  now  a  beautiful  residence. 
Some  of  the  descendants  of  Roger  Devling  remain 
in  and  around  Lock  Haven,  and  Hugh  has  been  an 
alderman. 

Joseph  Hunt,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  what  is  now 
Lock  Haven,  came  here  in  1790,  and  located  on  lands 
purchased  of  Fleming,  where  he  remained  till  his 
death,  in  1804.  The  old  homestead  of  the  Hunt 
family  stood  near  the  present  site  of  Augustus  Jones' 


522 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


furniture-store,  on  Vesper  Street.  Two  of  his  sons, 
Jesse  and  Asher,  kept  possession  of  their  shares  of 
the  Hunt  property  for  several  years,  Jesse  occupying 
the  old  Hunt  liouse  till  1831,  when  he  died.  Several 
of  the  descendants  of  Jesse  and  Asher  Hunt  are  still 
living  in  Lock  Haven.  Dr.  Joseph  T.  Hunt,  son  of 
Asher,  was  a  successful  physician  in  this  town  for 
several  years,  and  died  in  1862.  Dr.  Hunt  was  a 
public-spirited  man,  taking  great  interest  in  all  pro- 
gressive movements,  and  was  a  member  of  the  "  Thes- 
pian Society." 

David  Lusk  came  here  in  1806,  and  purchased  and 
located  on  the  "  Glass  tract."  His  house  stood  on 
the  site  of  the  present  residence  of  Mrs.  R.  W.  Petri- 
kin.  He  was  of  Irish  parentage,  and  born  in  Cum- 
berland County  in  this  State.  Two  of  his  sons,  Isaac 
and  John,  occupied  the  property  after  their  father's 
death,  Isaac  keeping  the  old  farm-house,  and  John 
occupied  the  place  subsequently  owned  by  G.  G.  Ir- 
win, deceased.  Many  of  Mr.  Lusk's  descendants  are 
still  living  in  and  near  Lock  Haven. 

Andrew  Irwin  came  from  Northumberland  County 
in  1810,  and  located  on  what  is  known  as  the  Bloom 
dairy  farm.  He  was  the  father  of  Robert  and  G.  G. 
Irwin,  both  deceased. 

Peter  Grove,  the  Indian  hunter,  was  in  the  pioneer 
days  of  Old  Town  bottoms  an  occupant  of  the  Har- 
man  Starns  residence  for  several  years.  This  place 
is  on  the  Flemington  road. 

James  Carskaddon  was  an  Irishman  by  birth  and 
education,  and  came  to  Old  Town  before  it  was  re- 
christened  Lock  Haven,  and  located  on  the  Thomas 
Bridgens  property  on  Main  Street,  just  above  the 
canal. 

William  Carskaddon  was  born  Sept.  10,  1795,  on 
the  property  where  he  spent  his  entire  life,  about  two 
miles  west  of  Lock  Haven.  His  fiither,  James  Cars- 
kaddon, moved  to  the  place  in  1794  from  near  the 
present  location  of  Lewisburg,  Union  Co.,  Pa.  His 
mother,  who  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  came  to  this 
country  at  the  age  of  fifteen  with  her  father,  whose 
name  was  John  Murphy,  who  lived  to  be  over  a  hun- 
dred years  old.  He  was  a  tailor  by  trade,  and  it  is 
said  that  he  made  a  coat  without  the  use  of  .eye-glasses 
the  year  before  he  died. 

The  only  school  ever  attended  by  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  in  the  old  log  school-house  near  the  Great 
Island  cemetery.  During  his  early  life,  when  the 
country  was  new  and  thinly  settled,  he,  with  the  rest 
of  the  inhabitants,  endured  many  privations  and 
hardships. 

Mr.  Carskaddon  was  twice  married,  first  to  Miss 
Annie  Condon,  by  whom  he  had  several  children,  all 
now  dead.  After  her  death  he  married  Miss  Jane 
Leech.  During  his  whole  life  he  was  engaged  in 
farming,  and  was  always  a  hard-working  man  and 
much  respected  by  his  neighbors.  His  death  occurred 
on  the  11th  of  April,  1877,  after  a  few  months  of 
failing  health.     As  death  approached  he  quietly  and 


peacefully  .sank  into  sleep,  and  soon  breathed  his  last. 
His  funeral  took  place  on  Saturday,  the  14th  of  April, 
the  sermon  being  preached  by  Rev.  L.  L.  Haugha- 
wout,  of  Mill  Hall,  from  2  Cor.  x.  15.  The  remains 
were  deposited  in  the  old  Lock  Haven  cemetery,  near 
the  spot  where  three-quarters  of  a  century  ago  he 
attended  school. 

Judge  AVilliam  Dunn,  of  Lock  Haven,  one  of  the 
oldest,  most  beloved,  and  popular  citizens  of  that 
place,  died  suddenly  on  Friday,  Sept.  7,  1877,  from  a 
stroke  of  paralysis.  He  was  sitting  in  the  Opera- 
House  restaurant  at  the  time,  conversing  with  several 
gentlemen,  having  just  partaken  of  a  hearty  supper, 
when  he  suddenly,  without  any  warning,  fell  to  the 
floor.  Dr.  Larimer  was  at  once  called  in,  but  death 
was  before  the  man  of  medicine,  and  the  good  old 
"  Farmer's"  life  had  fled. 

Judge  Dunn  was  born  on  the  Ist  of  December, 
1811,  and  was  the  son  of  Washington  Dunn,  one  of 
the  early  settlers  of  the  West  Brancli  valley.  He  was 
an  ardent  Democrat  in  politics,  and  an  eminently 
social  and  agreeable  gentleman.  Everybody  liked 
him,  and  he  was  a  great  hand  to  amuse  a  crowd. 
The  name  of  "  Farmer"  was  given  to  him  because 
of  the  interest  he  took  in  agriculture,  and  he  had  a 
very  fine  farm  on  Great  Island  just  below  Lock  Ha- 
ven. He  was  not  an  educated  man  exactly,  but  had 
great  intelligence,  and  always  kept  himself  read  up  on 
all  the  events  of  the  day.  He  filled  several  important 
oflices  during  his  life,  having  been  county  auditor 
twice,  member  of  the  Legislature  for  two  terms,  and 
associate  judge  in  1871.  Judge  Dunn  was  nearly 
sixty-six  years  old. 

Robert  Stewart  came  from  Chatham's  Run  in  1816, 
and  settled  on  the  Valentine  Hanna  property,  near 
the  Bald  Eagle  Creek.  He  had  formerly  lived  at  the 
mouth  of  Young  Woman's  Creek.  He  was  of  Scotch 
descent,  and  was  the  father  of  eight  children, — four 
sons  and  four  daughters, — all  of  whom  possessed  en- 
ergy, and  were  very  remarkable  for  their  powers  of 
endurance. 

David  Carskaddon,  Esq.,  an  old  and  much  respected 
citizen  of  Lock  Haven,  died  very  suddenly  on  Thurs- 
day, Nov.  10,  1870,  of  heart-disease,  while  out  in  the 
woods  running  the  lines  of  some  of  his  lands,  ac- 
companied by  his  son  Frank  and  a  Mr.  Shank.  The 
sad  occurrence  took  place  on  Wallace's  Run,  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  Gum  Stump,  this  county,  im- 
mediately after  Mr.  Carskaddon  had  alighted  from 
his  carriage  preparatory  to  entering  the  forest.  The 
only  words  he  said  were  "  Call  Frank,"  and  at  once 
expired.  The  remains  were  taken  to  Lock  Haven  on 
the  Tyrone  train,  and  there  interred,  being  attended 
to  the  grave  by  oue  of  the  largest  processions  ever 
seen  in  Lock  Haven. 

Mr.  Carskaddon  was  an  active  and  prominent  Dem- 
ocrat, and  has  been  twice  mentioned  in  Democratic 
State  conventions,  in  connection  with  the  surveyor- 
generalship.    Had  he  lived,  he  would  no  doubt  have 


CITY   OF  LOCK    HAVEN. 


523 


been  placed  in  distinguished  political  position  by  his 
party.  Mr.  Carskaddon  was  a  man  of  great  moral 
worth,  and  was  universally  esteemed.  His  death 
leaves  a  great  void  in  society,  and  his  virtues  will  long 
be  held  in  cherished  remembrance. 

Mr.  Carskaddon  was  born  near  Fleniington  in  1817, 
and  was,  consequently,  about  fifty-three  years  of  age 
at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  leaves  a  wife  and  three 
interesting  children. 

Pioneer  Incidents. — Jane  Reed  and  the  In- 
dians.— Jane  was  a  daughter  of  William  Reed,  pro- 
prietor of  "  Reed's  Fort,"  and  is  remembered  by  some 
of  the  older  inhabitants  of  Lock  Haven.  She  lived 
to  a  good  old  age,  and  often  delighted  her  visitors 
with  incidents  in  her  experience  of  frontier  life. 
During  times  of  comparative  peace  the  Indians  often 
visited  the  Reed  family,  by  whom  they  were  always 
kindly  treated  by  gifts  of  food,  such  as  bread,  milk, 
butter,  etc.  Time  after  time  Miss  Jane  (who  seems 
to  have  been  the  baker  not  only  of  the  family,  but 
also  for  others)  exhausted  her  entire  supply  of  bread 
in  feeding  her  visiting  "  red-skins."  As  it  always  gave 
offense  to  the  Indians  if  they  were  not  all  treated  alike, 
Jane  was  often  puzzled  to  know  how  to  make  her 
bread  "'reach  'round,"  especially  when  her  supply 
was  scanty  and  her  visitors  numerous. 

Miss  Jane  had  not  a  very  exalted  opinion  of  her 
copper-colored  visitors,  at  least  as  far  as  their  stom- 
achs were  concerned.  One  morning  she  found  a 
dead  mouse  in  her  cream-pot,  and  with  a  twinkle  in 
her  eye  exclaimed  that  she  would  give  the  cream  to 
the  Indians,  for  "it  was  good  enough  for  them." 
She  accordingly  made  it  into  butter,  and  upon  the 
next  visit  of  the  scamps  she  had  the  peculiar  satis- 
faction of  seeing  them  feast  upon  her  mouse-seasoned 
butter  and  buttermilk  to  their  hearts',  or  rather  stom- 
achs', content. 

Upon  another  occasion,  Jane  was  adjusting  a  new 
hat  to  her  head,  when  suddenly  a  band  of  savages 
entered  the  cabin  and  gazed  with  astonishment  at 
what  they  considered  a  "  new-fangled"  head-gear. 
At  length  one  of  them,  more  bold  than  the  rest,  de- 
liberately walked  up  to  Miss  Jane  and  took  the  hat 
from  her  he.ad,  and  after  giving  it  a  thorough  exami- 
nation handed  to  his  companions,  each  of  whom 
closely  scrutinized  it,  and  then  replaced  it  upon  the 
head  of  its  owner,  and  then  departed  without  seem- 
ing inclined  to  appropriate  it  to  their  own  use,  as  she 
thought  they  probably  would  do. 

Pioneer  Weddings.— Sept.  6,  1814,  the  two 
churches,  Great  Island,  now  Lock  Haven,  and  Pine 
Creek,  united  in  calling  Rev.  J.  H.  Grier,  who  con- 
tinued to  serve  the  two  churches  faithfully,  though 
they  were  located  fifteen  miles  apart,  till  1827,  when 
he  resigned  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  former,  but 
continued  to  serve  the  latter,  in  connection  with  the 
Nippenose  Valley  Church,  until  forced  by  ill  health 
to  retire  from  active  duty,  still  officiating,  however,  at 
weddings.    His  services  were  in  great  demand  on 


such  occasions,  as  his  books  show  that  he  has  united 
"for  better  or  fbr  worse"  over  six  hundred  couples, 
having  received  fees  for  the  same  ranging  all  the  way 
from  forty  dollars  down  to  the  merest  trifle.  In  many 
instances,  when  he  thought  the  groom  had  offered 
more  than  his  means  would  justify  or  the  bride  was 
worth,  he  would  return  a  portion  or  all  to  the  bride. 
On  one  occasion  the  reverend  was  called  upon  by  a 
rather  superannuated-looking  party,  who  joined  in 
asking  to  be  made  one  flesh.  As  there  seemed  to  be 
no  good  reason  why  their  natural  requests  should  not 
be  granted,  the  knot  was  tied,  when  the  happy  groom, 
with  an  air  of  seeming  satisfaction,  presented  a  one- 
dollar  bank-note,  with  the  modest  request  for  fifty 
cents  in  return.  Of  course  the  good  old  preacher 
gave  him  the  fifty  cents  and  a  nice  marriage  certifi- 
cate costing  thirty-five  cents,  leaving  only  a  margin 
of  fifteen  cents  for  the  obliging  old  dominie. 

Mike  Swaetz  and  the  Bear. — A  tame  bear 
belonging  to  the  family  of  Robert  Stewart  was  miss- 
ing one  morning,  whereupon  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Mike  Swartz  and  Mr.  Stewart  went  in  pursuit  of  him. 
After  a  while  he  was  discovered  in  a  tree  a  short  dis- 
tance from  the  house.  One  of  the  men,  who  had  a 
gun,  fired  at  the  bear,  and  succeeded  in  bringing  him 
to  the  ground,  but  slightly  wounded.  In  order  to 
prevent  Bruin  from  escaping  Mike  ran  up  and  caught 
hold  of  the  bear,  when  in  turn  Bruin  caught  Mike 
by  the  hand  with  his  mouth,  at  the  same  time  giving 
him  a  hug  such  only  as  bears  can  give ;  at  which 
Mike  called  out  to  his  companion,  who  was  at  a  safe 
distance,  to  come  to  his  assistance,  but  Stewart,  who 
no  doubt  thought  "  self-preservation  the  first  law  of 
nature,"  coolly  replied,  "  Mike,  if  you  were  my  own 
born  dear  brother  I  could  do  nothing  for  you  under 
the  circumstances." 

A  Reverend  Patriot. — One  of  the  preachers 
who  had  charge  of  the  Great  Island  Church  (now 
Lock  Haven)  at  the  opening  of  the  present  century 
was  the  Rev.  J.  H.  Grier,  who  was  still  living  but  a  few 
years  ago  at  Jersey  Shore,  in  this  State.  He  was  born 
in  Bucks  County,  Pa.,  on  what  was  called  the  "cold 
Thursday,"  in  1788.  During  the  war  of  1812  he  often 
mingled  with  the  soldiery,  administering  to  both  their 
spiritual  and  temporal  wants,  often  preaching  in  the 
vicinity  of  both  friends  and  foes.  On  one  occasion  he 
preached  in  a  certain  church  on  Sunday,  and  the 
church  was  burned  by  the  British  troops  on  the  next 
Wednesday.  After  peace  was  declared  he  mentioned 
the  fact  to  a  neighbor  who  sported  the  title  of  colonel, 
who  said  rather  gruffly,  "  Well,  what  have  we  gained 
by  the  war?"  and  was  met  by  the  patriotic  reply, 
which  may  be  imagined  was  somewhat  emphasized, 
"  We  have  gained  this  much,  England  can  no  longer 
boast  that  she  is  inistrcss  of  the  seas." 

Lost  Treasure  Found. — During  the  five  years' 
absence  of  the  settlers,  from  1778  to  1783,  their  build- 
ings, though  left  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the  savages, 
were  not  molested,  except  in  an  isolated  instance  or 


524 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


two,  and  while  the  men  were  engaged  in  repairing  the 
floor  of  the  house  of  William  Reed  they  discovered 
what  they  pronounced  "  hidden  treasure?," — a  crock  of 
silver.  The  result  of  the  "  find"  was  quite  an  excite- 
ment among  the  people  for  a  time,  till  Jane  Eeed  put 
in  her  appearance  and  claimed  her  "pewter  sand," 
as  it  was  called,  which  she  had  hidden  under  the 
floor  five  years  previous. 

That  identical  crock,  now  over  one  hundred  years 
old,  is  in  possession  of  Alexander  Keed,  grandson  of 
William  Reed,  of  Reed's  P^rt,  and  has  been  in  con- 
stant use,  and  is  still  in  a  perfect  state  of  preserva- 
tion. 

Reed's  Fort.— In  1778,  William  Reed's  log,  or 
block-house,  stood  on  or  near, the  present  site  of  the 
"Montour  House,"  and  from  its  position  and  pecu- 
liar build  was  dubbed  "  Reed's  Fort,"  for  as  such  it 
was  of  great  service  to  the  pioneer  settlers.  At  that 
time  it  was  garrisoned  by  a  fearless  few  of  the  brave 
volunteers,  made  up  almost  entirely  from  the  fami- 
lies living  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  It  is  said  that 
William  Reed  and  his  five  sons  made  up  one-third  of 
the  fighting  strength  of  the  fort,  and  that  the  Reeds 
and  Flemings  were  a  majority  of  the  whole. 

Be  that  as  it  may,  it  is  well  known  that  both  fami- 
lies possessed  sufficient  pluck  and  determination  to 
render  themselves  formidable  Indian-fighters. 

During  the  year  1778  the  Indians  became  very 
troublesome,  and  killed  a  number  of  settlers.  From 
various  indications  it  was  evident  that  a  general  in- 
vasion of  the  white  settlements  was  imminent,  and 
accordingly  preparations  were  made  to  repel  any 
attack  that  miglit  be  made.  Considering  the  scarcity 
of  fire-arms  and  military  equipments  generally,  and 
the  thinly  settled  condition  of  the  country,  it  is  a 
wonder  tliat  the  inhabitants  entertained  the  least 
hope  of  successfully  opposing  a  horde  of  blood- 
thirsty savages ;  but,  strange  as  it  may  appear,  a  num- 
ber of  the  settlers,  among  them  the  Flemings,  held  out 
to  the  last  against  abandoning  the  fort.  Early  in 
1778,  a  lone  Indian  appeared  on  the  bank  of  the 
river,  opposite  Reed's  Fort.  He  made  various  signs 
for  some  one  to  come  with  a  canoe  and  take  him  over. 
The  occupants  of  the  fort  being  rather  suspicious  that 
his  object  was  for  the  purpose  of  betraying  them  into 
the  hands  of  confederates,  who  might  be  concealed 
near  at  hand,  hesitated,  still  he  insisted,  and  to  show 
his  good  intentions  waded  out  into  the  river. 

Seeing  that  none  of  the  men  would  venture,  Mrs. 
Reed  jumped  into  a  canoe,  crossed  over  alone,  and 
brought  liim  witli  safety  to  the  fort. 

On  being  taken  into  the  fort  the  strange  Indian 
proved  to  be  friendly,  and  had  come  a  great  many 
miles  to  warn  the  settlers  of  the  approach  of  a  large 
and  powerful  band  of  warriors,  who  were  preparing 
to  make  a  descent  upon  the  valley  for  the  purpose  of 
exterminating  tlie  settlements. 

Being  very  much  fatigued  after  his  long  journey, 
and  feeling  perfectly  safe  in  the  hands  of  those  to 


whom  he  had  just  rendered  such  important  service, 
the  Indian  lay  down  to  rest,  and  soon  fell  asleep. 

A  number  of  men  about  the  fort  were  shooting 
at  a  mark,  one  of  whom,  named  Dewitt,  was  slightly 
intoxicated.  Loading  his  rifle,  he  observed  to  some 
of  them  standing  by  that  he  would  make  the  bullet 
he  was  putting  in  kill  an  Indian.  Little  attention 
was  paid  to  the  remark  at  the  time.  He  made 
good  his  word,  however;  instead  of  shooting  at  the 
mark  he  fired  at  the  sleeping  Indian,  killing  him 
instantly.  A  baser  act  of  ingratitude,  says  Megin- 
niss,  in  his  narrative,  cannot  well  be  conceived. 
The  murder  was  unprovoked  and  cowardly,  and 
rendered  doubly  worse  from  the  fact  that  tlie  In- 
dian had  traveled  many  miles  to  inform  them  of 
their  danger. 

The  garrison  were  so  exasperated  at  this  inhuman 
and  ungrateful  act  that  they  threatened  to  lynch  him 
on  the  spot,  when  becoming  alarmed  he  fled,  and  was 
suffered  to  escape. 

Pioneer  Beginnings  in  Old  Town. — The  pioneer 
public-house  or  tavern  was  located  on  the  bank  of  the 
river,  just  below  the  dam.  This  old  hostelry  was  kept 
by  John  Myers,  who  also  owned  and  operated  a  ferry 
at  tliis  place.  Myers'  hotel  was  a  small  affair,  prob- 
ably not  much  smaller  than  the  St.  Cloud  of  the  pres- 
ent day,  or  many  more  of  the  same  unsightly  class. 
Although  the  accommodations  for  the  traveling  pub- 
lic were  rather  scanty,  yet  it  served  the  purpose  for 
which  it  was  intended.  The  property  is  now  owned 
and  occupied  by  John  Myers,  a  grandson  of  the  orig- 
inal settler. 

The  next  tavern  was  located  on  the  corner  of  what 
is  now  Clinton  Avenue  and  Jones  Street,  and  was 
kept  by  Alexander  Mahan.  This  was  a  much  more 
extensive  establishment  than  the  Myers  House,  and 
served  the  twofold  purpose  of  store  and  tavern.  This 
was  for  some  years  the  centre  of  attraction  for  hotel 
business,  as  well  as  that  of  merchandise. 

The  third  tavern  in  Old  Town  was  kept  by  John  and 
Walter  Devling,  in  the  brick  liouse  now  the  residence 
of  S.  D.  Ball,  on  Water  Street  below  the  canal.  This 
tavern  was  kept  for  several  years  by  one  or  both  of 
the  Devling  brothers. 

The  next  tavern  was  the  old  Clinton  House,  then 
standing  on  the  site  of  the  present  court-house,  and 
built  by  Caldwell  in  1828  or  1829,  and  removed  when 
the  new  court-house  was  built. 

W.  W.  Barker  was  another  of  the  pioneer  landlords. 
His  tavern  was  on  the  lot  now  owned  by  J.  B.  Quig- 
ley,  below  the  Montour  House  on  Water  Street.  In 
Barker's  tavern  the  first  courts  of  Clinton  County 
were  held,  and  the  cellar  was  used  as  a  jail.  The  first 
prisoner  incarcerated  in  this  novel  jail  was  William 
A.  Wyckoff'.  The  Lock  Haven  Hotel,  a  large  brick 
building,  long  known  as  the  Stage  House,  was  kept 
by  Algernon  S.  Fleming. 

Burnside  &  Morris  kept  a  store  in  the  early  part 
of   this  century  on  Water  Street  below  the   canal. 


CITY    OF   LOCK    HAVEN. 


525 


This  Burnside  was  a  son  of  Hon.  Thomas  Burnside, 
and  brother  of  Hon.  James  Burnside,  who  married  a 
daugliter  of  Simon  Cameron. 

There  were  also  several  small  stores  along  Water 
Street  in  the  vicinity  of  the  canal. 

The  old  road  ran  along  the  bank  of  the  river  from 
near  the  outlet  of  the  canal,  and  in  rear  of  tlie  build- 
ings on  Water  Street  to  rear  of  Fallon  House,  to  a 
point  on  a  line  with  what  is  now  Clinton  Avenue, 
thence  up  the  avenue,  which  was  tlien  known  and 
designated  as  "  the  great  road."  When  the  town  was 
surveyed  into  streets  and  lots  "the  great  road"  was 
obliterated  between  Main  Street  and  the  river. 

Public  Improvements. — Early  in  the  summer  of 
1833  the  ciiiitractors  undi/r  the  State  authorities  com- 
menced work  on  the  dam  at  this  place,  which  is  a 
part  of  the  West  Branch  Division  of  the  Pennsylva- 
nia Canal,  or  rather  a  link  between  that  and  the  Bald 
Eagle  Cross-Cut.  and  in  the  latter  part  of  the  summer 
of  1834  the  dam  was  completed  and  the  water  let 
into  the  canal.  The  length  of  the  dam,  including 
the  width  of  the  chute,  is  eight  hundred  and  fifty  feet, 
and  the  chute  is  six  hundred  feet  long.  I 

Upon  the  completion  of  the  canal  and  dam  an  im-  | 
petus  was  given  to  the  town,  and  it  began  to  put  on  a 
more  life-like  appearance,  yet  lacked  the  bold  enter-  i 
prise  necessary  to  build  up  a  thriving  business  place.  ' 
During  the  construction  of  these  works  large  num- 
bers of  speculative  adventurers  came  here  from  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  country,  some,  liowever,  remaining,  i 
and  in  after-years  took  part  in  the  affairs  of  the  com- 
munity.    Several  of  the  laborers  on  the  canal  and 
dam  finally  located  here,  and  became  honest,  indus- 
trious, and   honored   citizens  of  Lock  Haven.     The 
Bald   Eagle  branch  of  the   canal  was  extended  to 
Bellefonte   in   1848.     After   the   construction  of  the  i 
canals  they  became  the  great  thoroughfare  not  only 
for  freight,  but  for  passengers  as  well,  who  considered 
themselves  highly  favored  when  they  had  the  privi- 
lege of  riding  in   a  packet-boat  drawn  by  horses  or 
mules  at  the  rate  of  five  or  six  miles  per  hour. 

When  the  Sunbury  and  Erie  Railroad  (now 'Phila- 
delphia and  Erie)  was  completed  to  Lock  Haven,  in 
1859,  it  gave  another  fresh  impetus  to  the  town,  and 
was  the  beginning  of  a  new  era  in  the  march  of  enter- 
prise, and  on  the  completion  of  the  Bald  Eagle  Val- 
ley Railroad,  in  1864,  another  fresh  impetus  was  given 
the  business  of  Lock  Haven,  which  greatly  enhanced 
the  value  of  real  estate.  With  all  these  improve- 
ments, and  the  rapid  transit  provided,  Lock  Haven 
was  given  a  first  place  among  the  inland  cities  of  the 
State,  and  made  the  dwellers  of  the  plain  feel  some- 
thing as  Jerry  Church  did  when  perched  upon  his 
elevated  country-seat. 

Among  the  important  improvements  which  brought 
business  and  population  to  Lock  Haven  was  the 
building  of  the  West  Branch  Boom  in  1849, — a  struc- 
ture for  the  stoppage  of  saw-logs  in  their  course  down 
the  river  in  freshets.     lu  this  way  over  oue  hundred 


million  feet  of  saw-logs  are  secured  and  manufac- 
tured into  lumber  and  timber  at  Lock  Haven,  giving 
employment  to  several  hundred  men  during  the  year. 

A  traveler  passing  through  the  West  Branch  val- 
ley Oct.  25,  1833,  remarks,  "  I  entered  a  .short  distance 
above  Dunnstown,  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  big 
dam.  The  dam  is  at  the  head  of  canal  navigation, 
and  its  height  and  location  have  made  no  small  noise 
in  the  newsjiapers.  Some  say  its  location  is  judicious, 
others  hold  a  contrary  opinion.  I  cannot  help  be- 
lieving there  was  wisdom  in  placing  it  where  it  is. 
The  iron  of  Bald  Eagle,  the  wheat  of  Nittany  and 
Brush  valleys,  and  the  coal  of  Centre  and  Clearfield 
must  supply  the  canal  with  business,  and  its  termina- 
tion will  accommodate  all  those  interests.  If  it  had 
been  higher  up  or  farther  down  some  of  them  could 
not  have  used  the  canal. 

"  Lnmediately  above  the  dam,  on  the  southern  side, 
a  town  has  just  been  laid  out  by  the  Messrs.  Church, 
which  must  soon  rise  into  importance.  The  whole 
trade,  commencing  at  the  dividing  ridge  of  the  Juni- 
ata and  Susquehanna,  must  find  an  outlet  at  this  new 
town,  called  Lock  Haven.  I  rode  along  the  base  of 
the  mountain  up  to  the  Boston  Coal  Company's  works, 
where  I  saw  some  thousands  of  tons  of  the  best  qual- 
ity of  bituminous  coal  ready  to  take  the  canal  as  soon 
as  completed.  Going  down  the  river  in  a  canoe,  the 
precise  spot  where  the  coal  ce.ases  is  designated  by 
the  position  of  the  rocks.  On  the  western  summit  it 
exists  in  horizontal  layers,  on  the  east  the  rocks  dip 
at  a  greater  or  less  angle  to  the  north,  east,  etc. 

"November  30th.  The  completion  of  the  feeder 
dam  across  the  river  above  the  Great  Island  was  cele- 
brated. People  assembled  from  Centre,  Lycoming, 
and  Union  Counties,  and  the  party,  consisting  of 
sixty  ladies  and  gentlemen,  met  at  the  house  of  John 
and  W.  Devling,  and  going  on  board  of  a  boat  und-.-r 
the  direction  of  Maj.  Colt,  passed  through  the  chute 
of  the  dam  in  perfect  safety.  The  company  returned 
to  Messrs.  Devling's  house,  where  they  had  a  sump- 
tuous dinner." 

Canal  Riot. — The  following  account  of  this  riot 
is  extracted  from  a  letter  from  James  D.  Harris,  Esq., 
the  engineer  to  John  Mitchell,  Esq.,  canal  commis- 
sioner, dated  Jersey  Shore,  Sept.  1,  1833:  "We  have 
had  one  or  two  riots  among  the  hands  about  the  dam. 
They  originated  in  this  way:  On  Friday,  23d,  two 
Irish  hands,  working  at  the  lockpit  of  McMurtree 
(outlet),  were  pulling  some  apples  in  Mrs.  Hunt's 
orchard.  Jesse,  a  son  of  the  widow,  shot  one  of  them 
with  some  small  shot  and  wounded  him  slightly. 
This  exasperated  the  Irish  generally  in  the  pit,  and 
they  soon  formed  the  idea  that  the  boatmen  who  are 
boating  stone  to  the  dam  took  part  with  Hunt,  and 
as  the  shanty  of  the  boatmen  is  contiguous  to  that  of 
the  Irish,  threats  were  very  soon  passed  from  the 
Irish.  The  boatmen  took  it  up,  and  prepared  them- 
selves with  some  arms.  The  Irish  commenced  the 
attack  with  spades  and  picks.    In  the  affray  one  Irish- 


526 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


man  was  shot  and  stabbed.  His  wounds  are  not  likely 
to  prfive  mortal.  One  boatman  had  his  chin  split  with 
a  spade.  He  is  on  the  recovery.  On  Saturday  morn- 
ing the  Irish  had  returned  to  their  work  in  the  pit, 
when  the  boatmen  collected  and  raised  a  flag,  marched 
past  the  pit,  and  drove  out  the  Irish  laborers,  then 
marched  down  to  the  dam  with  the  view  of  driving 
the  Irish  out  of  the  foundation  of  the  abutment ;  they 
failed  on  seeing  the  contractors  take  a  firm  stand. 
All  was  quiet  through  the  day  until  about  dark  in  the 
evening,  when  thehandsbelongingto  Miles  &  Packer's 
job  collected  near  the  shanty  of  the  chute  contract- 
ors, and  whilst  Colt,  Shriver,  and  about  ten  or  twelve 
men  were  at  supper,  an  attack  was  made  by  about 
fifty  Irish.  They  succeeded  in  tearing  down  the 
shanty  and  clearing  it  of  its  inhabitants.  Tiiey  se- 
verely beat  Mr.  Colt  and  one  of  the  hands,  and  chased 
Shriver  over  the  steep  bank  of  rock  into  the  canal,  and 
finally  into  the  river.  After  leaving  the  shanty  they 
attacked  indiscriminately  all  Americans  they  met. 
Notice  having  been  sent  to  Capt.  S.  H.  Wilson,  he 
reached  the  dam  on  Sunday  morning,  with  about 
forty  men,  just  at  the  moment  when  the  boatmen 
had  commenced  tearing  down  the  Irish  shanties, 
which  lie  prevented,  vritli  the  exception  of  a  few.  I 
was  at  Jersey  Shore,  and  got  a  considerable  force  to 
go  up  on  the  evening  of  Saturday.  We  took  be- 
fore twelve  P.M.  twenty-five  prisoners,  after  a  tedious 
examination  ;  on  the  next  day  tliey  were  committed. 
Two  have  been  taken  up  since,  and  things  are  quiet 
now  and  the  work  going  on  as  usual.'' 

List  of  volunteers  under  my  command  at  Dunns- 
town  on  the  24th  and  25th  of  August  in  subduing  a 
riot  that  took  place  among  the  canalmen. 

Samuel  H.  Wilson. 

Capf.  Wilson's  Troop. — Robert  Beck,  Samuel  Brady, 
John  Devling,  John  Enierick,  N.  F.  Epig,  James 
Hale,  Joseph  Harmand,  Bartley  H;irvey,  Samuel 
Harvey,  William  Hunter,  Matthew  Johnston,  Jacob 
Minicli,  Thomas  Mitchell,  Daniel  Richards,  William 
Richards. 

Capt.  Jolm  Smilh's  Infanirij. — Capt.,  John  Smith  ; 
1st  Lieut.,  John  Elder;  2d  Lieut.,  Henry  F.  Shultz; 
Sergts.,  George  Waters,  John  Elder;  Privates,  Simon 
Best,  Joseph  Brown,  Ira  D.  Canfield,  James  Cunning- 
ham, Isaac  Dittsworth,  James  Elder,  James  W.  Gam- 
ble, John  Gillespie,  John  S.  Johnston,  William  Reed, 
John  Robb,  William  Robb,  William  Robb,  Jr.,  David 
Smyth,  William  Smyth,  Jr.,  Robert  C.  Williamson. 

Capt.  Snyder's  Riflemen. — Capt.,  George  Snyder; 
2d  Lieut.,  Henry  McEwen  ;  Samuel  Bartholomew, 
Charles  Beck,  Daniel  Beck,  John  Beck,  Simon  Beck, 
Peter  Fisher,  Peter  Foot,  Matthias  Green,  David  Hag, 
George  Klepper,  Henry  Klepper,  John  Mitchell,  John 
Ranch,  Charles  Snyder,  Simon  Snyder,  Jacob  Krider, 
John  Swain,  Abraham  Swartz,  John  Swartz,  David 
Swartz. 

I  certify  the  above  to  be  a  correct  return. 

Samuel  H.  Wilson. 


Dear  Sir, — To  encourage  the  above  men  to  turn 
out  again  I  wish  your  department  to  notice  them  in 
the  papers,  as  they  were  all  ordered  in  the  night  from 
their  beds. 

Addressed  to  James  D.  Harris,  Williamsport,  Pa. 

In  a  letter  to  William  F.  Packer,  superintendent  of 
West  Branch  Division,  incloses  a  bill  of  expense  of 
one  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  for  rations,  sixty 
men  and  sixty  horses,  two  days,  saying,  "  I  was  called 
upon  for  a  military  force  to  subdue  a  riot  at  Great 
Island  on  Saturday  evening,  the  24th.  I  got  out  of 
my  bed,  and  by  Sunday  morning  about  ten  o'clock  I 
had  sixty  volunteers  upon  the  ground,  and  retained 
them  two  days,  until  we  subdued  the  riot  and  appre- 
hended some  of  the  ringleaders." 

Jerry  Church's  Purchase.  — The  Rise  and 
Growth  of  Lock  Haven. — We  have  thus  far  given 
a  brief  sketch  of  the  land-locators  of  this  city,  the  pio- 
neer settlers,  and  the  public  improvement  that  led  to 
the  building  up  of  the  town,  and  as  the  name  of  Jerry 
Church  is  inseparably  connected  with  the  birth  and 
development  of  Lock  Haven,  a  brief  sketch  of  his 
eccentricities,  as  far  as  they  are  connected  with  the 
early  history  of  the  place,  would  be  appropriate  just 
here.  In  1845,  Church  published  a  little  book  enti- 
tled "Journal  of  Travels,  Adventures,  and  Remarks 
of  Jerry  Church." 

In  this  little  volume  he  tells  us  that  he  was  born 
in  1796,  in  the  town  of  Jericho,  now  Bainbridge,  N.  Y., 
and  that  his  parents  were  formerly  from  Vermont, 
and  they  sent  him  to  school  when  he  "thought 
proper  to  go"  till  he  was  twelve  or  thirteen  years 
old.  Passing  over  a  large  portion  of  his  travels,  we 
find  that  lie  purchased  of  Dr.  John  Henderson,  of 
Huntingdon,  two  hundred  acres  of  land  lying  mostly 
east  of  the  canal,  in  what  is  now  Lock  Haven,  for 
which  he  was  to  pay,  and  did  pay,  twenty  thousand 
dollars,  and  took  possession  April  1,  1834.  His 
"sleeping  partner,"  who  was  to  furnish  the  money, 
deserted  Iiim  before  the  first  payment  became  due, 
and  his  brother  Willard,  who  was  also  to  furnish 
some  money,  married  and  went  to  Missouri.  He  says, 
"  I  undertook  to  manage  the  town  of  Lock  Haven  my- 
self. All  my  'sleeping  partners'  had  left  me,  and  I 
had  to  be  all  the  society  there  was  in  town.  If  there 
was  any  music  to  be  played,  I  had  to  be  a  full  band 
myself,  having  no  person  to  assist  me.  I  now  under- 
took to  divide  the  counties  of  Lycoming  and  Centre, 
and  make  a  new  county  to  be  called  Clinton.  I  had 
petitions  printed  to  that  effect,  and  sent  them  to  Har- 
risburg  to  have  them  presented  to  the  Legislature, 
and  then  went  down  myself  to  have  the  matter  rep- 
resented in  good  order.  My  friend  John  Gamble 
was  our  member  from  Lycoming  at  that  time,  and  he 
reported  a  bill.  The  people  of  the  town  of  Williams- 
port,  the  county-seat  of  Lycoming  County,  and  Belle- 
fonte,  the  county-seat  of  Centre  County,  then  had  to 
be  up  and  doing  something  to  prevent  the  division; 
and  they  commenced  pouring  in  their  remonstrances. 


J.&  W.CHU I^CH,Propriito!\&. 

L  0  c f\-H  /^v  e:  a/ 


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ORIGINAL    PLAN 

—  OF  — 


AB   LAID   OFT    BT 


JERRY  AND  WILLARD  CHURCH, 

OCTOBMJt,    1833. 


CITY   OF  LOCK   HAVEN. 


527 


and  praying  aloud  to  the  Legislature  not  to  have  any 
part  of  either  county  taken  ofT  for  the  purpose  of 
making  a  new  one,  for  it  was  nothing  more  or  less 
than  some  of  Jerry  Church's  Yankee  notions.  How- 
ever, I  did  not  despair.  I  still  kept  asking  every  year 
for  three  successive  years,  and  attended  the  Legisla- 
ture myself  every  winter.  I  then  had  a  gentleman 
who  had  become  a  citizen  of  the  town  of  Lock  Haven, 
by  the  name  of  John  Moorliead,  who  harped  in  with 
me, — a  very  large,  portly-looking  man,  and  rather  the 
best  borer  in  town,  and,  by  the  by,  a  very  clever 
man.  We  entered  into  the  division  together.  We 
had  to  state  a  great  number  of  facts  to  the  members 
of  the  Legislature,  and  perhaps  something  more,  in 
order  to  obtain  full  justice.  We  continued  on  for 
nearly  three  years  longer  knocking  at  the  mercy- 
seat,  and  at  last  we  received  the  law  creating  the 
county  of  Clinton.  In  the  year  18.39  the  county  was 
organized  by  the  Hon.  Judge  Burnside. 

"  We  had  three  commissioners  appointed  to  locate 
the  county-seat, — Col.  Cresswell,  Maj.  Colt,  and  Jo- 
seph Brestel."  These  gentlemen  met  at  Lock  Haven, 
viewed  the  different  places  that  were  offered  for  the 
county-seat,  but  there  was  none  to  be  compared  to 
Lock  Haven.  So  they  made  up  their  minds  that 
Lock  Haven  should  be  the  place,  and  selected  the 
square  now  occupied  by  the  old  court-house,  for  the 
public  buildings.  My  friend  Moorhead  was  dis- 
pleased with  the  location,  and  had  a  special  law 
passed  allowing  the  commissioners  to  alter  the  loca- 
tion, for  his  own  interest  and  others,  without  my  knowl- 
edge, and  offered  a  bonus  to  the  county  to  have  it 
moved  into  another  part  of  the  town,  where  the  Irvin 
House  now  stands.  But  it  would  not  do;  the  people 
sustained  me,  and  the  square  I  had  located  in  the 
first  place  was  retained.  We  went  on  and  built  the 
court-house,  as  good  a  one,  perhaps,  as  any  in  Nortli- 
ern  Pennsylvania.  The  inhabitants  numbered  about 
seven  hundred  at  this  time, — viz.,  1844.  Ten  years 
ago  (1834)  there  was  but  one  house,  and  probably 
about  a  dozen  inhabitants,  in  the  place,  and  now  it  is 
a  beautiful  village  and  a  place  of  considerable  busi- 
ness. It  has  seven  retail  stores  and  groceries,  one 
drug-  and  two  candy-shops,  tliree  preachers,  two 
meeting-houses  (and  one '  Jerry  Church'),  six  lawyers, 
two  doctors,  and  two  justices  of  the  jieace,  and  the 
balance  of  the  inhabitants  are  what  I  call  a  fair  com- 
munity." 

Jerry  Church's  Folly. — "  In  order  to  carry  out 
my  originality  I  built  an  office  in  the  town,  standing 
eight  feet  above  the  ground,  on  thirteen  large  posts  or 
pillars,  to  represent  our  thirteen  Continental  States. 
In  the  first  place,  it  is  made  by  placing  thirteen  large 
pine-trees  five  feet  in  the  ground  and  thirty  feet  long, 
in  their  natural  state,  with  the  exception  of  taking 
the  bark  off,  and  painting  tliem  in  imitation  of  marble, 
with  a  fourteen-ibot  room  formed  inside  of  the  posts 
so  as  to  form  a  balustrade  all  around  it,  and  the  roof 
projecting  over  so  as  to  protect  the  building.     I  con- 


cluded when  I  was  making  it  tliat  it  was  an  odd- 
looking  office,  and  differing  from  any  one  I  had  seen 
in  this  country.  And  as  I  was  no  lawyer,  and  could 
not  expect  any  notice  or  business  in  that  way,  I  con- 
cluded that  I  would  build  my  office  so  that  clients 
might  look  at  it  without  expense.  If  1  am  not  very 
much  mistaken,  they  would  make  as  much  at  that  as 
they  would  if  I  had  been  a  lawyer  myself. 

"  I  had  a  summer-seat  built,  in  the  first  place,  at 
Lock  Haven,  so  that  if  I  got  tired  I  could  go  up  and 
take  a  rest.  It  was  formed  in  a  cluster  of  black- 
walnut  trees.  It  was  twenty-five  feet  from  the  ground, 
forty  feet  long,  and  seven  feet  wide,  placed  so  as  to  be 
supported  by  the  trees,  banistered,  and  a  seat  running 
all  around,  and  winding  stairs  up  one  of  the  trees.  I 
must  say  that  when  I  went  up  on  to  the  upper  seat  I 
felt  like  a  bird.  I  had  it  painted  by  a  German  painter, 
and  I  told  him  I  would  like  to  have  it  made  like 
marble;  but  as  he  did  not  understand  English  very 
well,  he  made  it  what  I  call  Dutch  marble,  all  full  of 
white  and  black  spots.  The  natives  of  that  county 
thought  it  was  a  wonderful  thing  that  I  should  throw 
away^my  money  so  to  make  a  nice  seat  to  sit  on,  and 
asked  me  why  I  did  so.  I  told  them  that  I  sat  far 
more  comfortable  on  that  seat  than  I  could  on  a  bag 
of  dollars.  So  they  gave  it  up.  It  has  ever  since 
gone  by  the  name  of  Church's  Folly.'  However,  all 
were  willing  to  take  a  seat  with  me  now  and  then." 

His  reasons  for  making  these  odd  structures  is  ex- 
pliiined  when  he  says  he  "  had  always  concluded  that 
there  was  no  chance  for  me  to  have  any  kind  of  a 
monument  erected  in  rememberance  of  me  unless  I 
should  place  some  of  my  odd  matters  a)id  things  be- 
fore the  public  myself,  so  that  they  could  not  pass  by 
without  observing  that  some  person  had  been  there 
before." 

Many  stories  have  been  told  regarding  the  eccen- 
tricities of  Jerry  Church,  but  what  he  says  of  himself 
in  his  "Travels"  arc  eccentric  enough  without  any 
exaggeration,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  foregoing.  In 
1842  he  had  a  little  of  the  political  fever  on  the  brain, 
and  ran  for  a  member  of  the  Legislature,  and  lacked 
only  eighty-six  votes  of  beating  his  highest  competi- 
tor, George  F.  Boal.  Logan  township  gave  him  one 
vote,  and  his  eccentricity  led  him  to  offer  the  man 
that  cast  the  vote  a  town  lot  in  Lock  Haven  ;  but  as 
the  right  man  could  not  be  identified,  the  lot  was  not 
deeded  to  Jerry's  best  friend  in  Logan  township. 

Lock  Haven,  Origin  of  Name  and  Original 
Survey.— The  circumstances  attending  the  origin  of 
Lock  Haven  were  such  as  to  render  its  inception 
almost  an  absolute  necessity,  and,  after  viewing  the 
location  and  its  surroundings,  it  did  not  take  the  ec- 
centric and  shrewd  Jerry  Church  long  to  determine 
the  matter.  The  influx  of  strangers  to  the  neighbor- 
hood, in  consequence  of  the  building  and  opening  the 
canal,  at  once  created  a  demand  for  business  i)laces 
of  various  kinds.  Hotels  and  stores  became  necessary 
to  accommodate  those   connected  with  and   having 


528 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTON  COIINTi',  PENNSYLVANIA. 


charge  of  the  works,  and  tlie  Datural  attractions  of 
the  location,  to  say  nothing  of  tliose  acquired,  all 
pointed  to  this  place  as  soon  to  become  a  large  busi- 
ness town. 

The  name  was  derived  from  the  lock  in  the  canal 
at  this  place  and  the  excellent  raft  harbor  or  haven 
in  the  river,  caused  by  building  the  dam,  hence  the 
name  Lock  Haven. 

Most  of  the  original  town  plot  lay  on  the  east  side 
of  the  canal,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  annexed  map,  and 
as  laid  out  by  .Terry  and  Millard  Church,  contained 
,  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  lots.  The  plot  had  a  front 
of  twenty-six  lots  on  the  river,  aggregating  about  fif- 
teen hundred  feet,  and  extended  back  to  where  the 
Philadelphia  and  Erie  Railroad  is  now  located. 

It  was  biiunded  on  the  west  by  the  alley  between 
Jay  and  Grove  .Streets;  on  the  east  by  what  is  now 
Hanna  Street,  then  Hanna  Alley.  The  first  street 
running  alongthe  bank  of  the  river  was  called  Water 
Street ;  the  next,  running  parallel  with  it,  was  Main  ; 
the  next  was  ndmed  Church  Street,  in  honor  of  Jerry 
Church,  and  the  next  was  Bald  Eagle,  after  the  creek 
and  mountain  beyond.  These  streets  were  crossed  at 
right  angles  by  Washington,  Henderson,  and  Jay. 
Immediately  after  the  town  was  hiid  out  lots  were 
offered  for  sale.  Nov.  4,  1833,  quite  a  number  of  lots 
were  sold  at  public  auction  to  the  "  highest  and  best 
bidders"  by  Thomas  McGhee,  Esq.,  as  auctioneer. 
The  lot  on  which  the  Montour  House  now  stands 
was  the  first  one  "  knocked  down,"  to  Frank  Smith, 
the  lucky  ])nrcliaser. 

It  was  not  long  after  Lock  Haven  was  laid  out  be- 
fore it  assumed  the  proportions  and  characteristics  of 
a  thriving  town.  The  impulse  given  to  its  growth, 
not  only  by  the  building  of  the  public  works,  but  by 
the  enterprise  of  the  eccentric  Jerry,  soon  caused  it  to 
rank  among  tlie  more  enterprising  and  prosperous  in- 
land towns  of  the  State. 

Lock  Haven  in  1838.— Soon  after  Lock  Haven  h.ad 
become  a  town  a  ferry  was  established  across  the  river 
from  the  Washington  House,  now  Montour,  to  Lock- 
port  on  the  opposite  side.  J.  P.  Huling,  proprietor  of 
the  hotel,  managed  tlie  Lock  Haven  end,  while  Judge 
Hanna  managed  the  Lockport  end  of  the  ferry.  The 
post-office  at  this  time  was  kept  in  the  Washington 
House  by  Mr.  Huling. 

For  quite  a  number  of  years  Water  Street  was  the 
principal  business  street  of  the  town.  Upon  it  were 
located  not  only  the  first  business  places  of  the  town, 
but  some  of  the  first  residences.  In  1838  we  find  the 
following  buildings  and  business  places:  Beginning  at 
the  west,  or  upper  end,  or  what  was  then  the  upper 
end  of  Water  Street,  we  find  the  residence  of  Willard 
Church,  brother  of  Jerry,  on  the  site  now  occupied  by 
the  residence  of  Mrs.  Shultz.  Jared  Irwin,  since  de- 
ceased, owned  the  next  building  below,  which  was  oc- 
cupied for  offices.  The  store  of  Moorhead  &  Irwin 
was  on  the  site  now  occupied  by  the  court-house.  Then 
came  the  Washington  House,  on  the  site  of  the  pres- 


ent Montour  House,  kept  by  J.  P.  Huling.  Between 
that  and  the  canal  was  the  canal  collector's  office. 
East  of  the  canal  was  a  tenement-house  occupied  by 
Daniel  Brown.  The  blacksmith-shop  of  Bartles  Ely 
was  next;  then  came  the  residence  of  Mrs.  Devling, 
widow  of  John  Devling,  who  had  kept  the  old  tavern 
just  below  (the  Mrs.  Devling  property  is  now  owned 
by  Mrs.  Hunt).  A  little  farther  down  was  the  Dr. 
Henderson  office,  now  owned  by  S.  D.  Ball.  The  next 
was  a  log  building  occupied  by  Roger  Devling  as  the 
firm-house,  on  the  Henderson  tract,  and  stood  on  the 
site  now  occupied  by  the  residence  of  H.  T.  Beardsly, 
Esq.  Matthew  Thompson's  house  was  on  the  site  now 
occupied  by  an  ice-house.  Mrs.  Henry  Silvas  lives 
where  she  did.  In  1838,  J.  &  A.  Grafius  opened  a 
store  on  Water  Street,  between  the  present  residence 
of  J.  Grafius,  Esq.,  and  that  of  Hon.  L.  A.  Mackey. 

Caldwell  had  a  store  on  the  site  now  occupied 

by  the  residence  of  J.  Grafius.  It  stood  up  from  the 
ground  on  posts.  D.  Sanderson  also  had  a  store  near 
Caldwell's. 

In  addition  to  the  places  named,  there  were  three 
or  four  on  Main  Street  near  the  canal,  which  consti- 
tuted the  whole  of  the  town  proper,  though  there  were 
a  few  families  living  in  the  suburbs,  more  or  less  dis- 
tant from  the  business  centre. 

Of  all  the  men  then  living  on  Water  Street,  but  one 
is  known  to  be  living  at  present,  and  that  is  Mr.  J. 
Grafius. 

Business  and  Prices  in  1844. — The  principal  busi- 
ness places  in  1844  of  which  Jerry  writes  were  those 
of  Moorhead  &  Irwin,  Grafius  &  Jefferis,  and  John 
Reed,  dealers  in  dry -goods,  groceries,  etc. ;  Alexander 
Sloan,  stoves  and  tinware;  John  F.  Sloan  and  Adam 
Kemmerdiner,  furniture  ;  J.  Bowers,  boots  and  shoes  ; 
Gustavus  Shultz,  clocks  and  watches;  A.  J.  Johnson, 
drugs  and  medicines;  Thomas  Walton,  livery-stable; 
White  &  Knecht,  blacksmithing.  Among  the  lawyers 
were  Hon.  L.  A.  Mackey  and  H.  T.  Beardsley.  J.  W. 
Eldred,  M.D.,  was  one  of  the  two  doctors.  The  two 
justices  of  Uie  peace  were  Robert  Irwin  and  John 
Harlan.  As  will  be  seen  by  the  following  list  of  prices, 
there  is  a  slight  difference  between  living  in  1844  and 
1882:  Flour  per  barrel,  $4;  wheat  per  bushel,  80 
cents;  corn,  50  cents;  oats,  31  cents;  rye,  50  cents; 
potatoes,  31  cents;  butter  per  pound,  12  cents;  eggs 
per  dozen,  12  cents. 

Additions  to  tlie  Original  Lock  Haven,— After 
the  laying  out  of  Lock  Haven  by  Jerry  Church,  ad- 
ditions were  made  to  the  original  plat  from  time  to 
time  as  the  demand  for  building  sites  required. 

In  February,  1841,  a  tract  of  land,  a  portion  of  the 
Hunt  property,  was  divided  into  lots  by  J.  &  A.  Hunt, 
and  called  the  "  Western  Additiox"  to  the  borough 
of  Lock  Haven.  It  was  of  triangular  shape,  and 
bounded  on  the  east  by  the  original  ])lat,  on  the 
south  by  Church  Street,  on  the  north  by  the  line  of 
tlie  Allison  tract  and  the  Susquehanna  River.  The 
residences  of  Hon.  L.  A.  Mackey  and  J.  Grafius,  Esq., 


CITY   OF   LOCK   HAVEN. 


529 


with  the  buildings  between  them,  occupy  all  that 
portion  which  fronted  on  the  river. 

Northwestern  Addition. — The  ne.xt  addition 
was  tluit  made  by  E.  Yardlcy,  in  July,  1841,  and 
known  as  the  Northwestern  Addition,  ajul  was  also  a 
triangular  plat;  it  was  bounded  on  the  southeast  by 
the  old  Allison  line,  on  the  west  by  what  is  now  Mill 
Street,  on  the  north  by  the  river.  Nearly  the  whole 
river-front  of  this  addition  is  now  occupied  by  the 
property  formerly  owned  by  Shaw,  Towns  &  Co. 

Another  addition  was  made  in  November,  1852,  by 
Fearon  &  Mackey.  This  tract  extended  from 
Church  Street  to  the  mill  property  owned  by  D. 
Blanchard  &  Co.  That  portion  south  of  the  Phila- 
delphia and  Erie  Kailroad,  extending  from  the  canal 
to  Vesper  Street,  and  the  part  lying  on  the  north  side 
of  the  railroad  was  bounded  on  the  east  by  the  Church 
tract,  and  extended  north  nearly  to  Liberty  Street. 

Quiggle's  Addition. —  In  June,  1853,  J.  W. 
Quiggle  laid  out  all  that  part  of  Lock  Haven  lying 
directly  west  of  the  Northwestern  Addition,  and  was 
bounded  on  the  east  by  Mill  Street,  on  the  south  by 
Jordan's  Alley  (between  Water  and  Main  Streets), 
on  the  west  by  Third  Street  and  a  line  running  in  a 
northeasterly  direction  to  the  river,  and  on  the  north 
by  the  river.  The  water-front  of  this  property  is 
occupied  by  the  mill  properties  of  Simpson  &  Martin 
and  of  Pardee  &  Son. 

Eastern  Addition. — In  1853  a  tract  of  land  ad- 
joining the  original  plot  on  the  east  was  laid  out  in 
lots  by  William  Fearon,  and  known  as  the  "  Eastern 
Addition."  It  was  a  little  more  than  a  square  in 
width,  and  extended  from  the  river  to  the  railroad. 

Price's  Addition. — In  July,  1859,  an  extensive 
addition  to  the  territory  of  Lock  Haven  was  made  by 
the  late  Philip  M.  Price,  which  comprised  nearly  all 
that  portion  of  the  town  lying  north  of  Bellefonte 
Avenue,  Clinton  Avenue,  and  Mill  Street. 

Irwin's  Addition  was  made  in  1859  by  Robert 
Irwin,  and  includes  all  that  part  of  the  town  bounded 
on  the  north  by  Clinton  Avenue,  on  the  east  by  the 
Western  and  Southern  Additions,  on  the  south  by 
Dudley  Blanchard  &  Co.'s  basins,  on  the  west  by  a 
line  running  from  the  junction  of  Clinton  Avenue 
and  the  railroad  to  a  point  on  Clinton  Street  near 
the  residence  of  S.  Carroll. 

Gill's  Addition  was  the  next  important  acces- 
sion to  the  town,  laid  out  in  1860  by  Alfred  Gill. 
This  addition  is  bounded  on  the  east  by  Irwin's  Ad- 
dition, Blanchard  &  Co.'s  basin,  and  East  Park  Street, 
on  the  west  by  High  Street,  on  the  north  by  Belle- 
fonte Aver.ue,  and  on  the  south  by  Linden  Street. 

Shaw,  Blanchard  &  Co.  laid  out  into  lots  in 
1863  a  tract  of  land  lying  between  their  mill  property 
and  Myrtle  Street,  and  bounded  on  the  west  by 
East  Park  Street,  and  on  the  north  by  the  Bald  Eagle 
Canal. 

Myers'  Addition  was  made  in  April,  1866,  by 
Proctor  Myers,  and  bounded  on  the  north  by  Gill's 
34 


Addition  and  lands  of  J.  G.  Brown,  on  the  we-t  by 
lands  of  Mrs.  McCormick,  on  the  south  by  the  Bald 
Eagle  Canal,  on  the  east  by  East  Park  Street. 

James  Jefferis'  Addition  was  laid  out  in 
March,  1868,  and  contains  that  ]>orti<)n  of  Lock 
Haven  lying  south  of  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie 
Railroad,  and  east  of  the  Bald  Eagle  Canal. 

Ball's  Addition  was  laid  out  in  1869  by  S.  D. 
Ball,  Esq.,  and  bounded  on  the  west  by  East  Park 
.Street,  on  the  north  by  Fern  Street,  south  by  the 
canal,  on  the  east  by  lands  of  W.  L.  Hawkins. 

These  are  all  the  additions  made  to  Lock  Haven 
while  it  was  a  borough. 

Court-Houses,  Jails,  Markets,  and  Public  Build- 
ings.— "  Barker's  Tavern"  Court  House.— This 
county  was  organized  in  1839,  and  the  first  court  held 
in  December  of  that  year.  That  court  and  the  courts 
for  the  years  1840  and  1841  were  held  in  a  part  of  a 
two-story  building  on  Water  Street  known  as  "  Bar- 
ker's Tavern."  This  old  tavern  was  destroyed  by  fire 
in  18.55.  It  was  a  double  front  frame  building, — that 
is,  two  rooms  in  front,  with  a  hallway  between.  The 
east  room  was  the  court-room,  and  was  in  size 
twenty-eight  by  sixteen  feet.  Over  this  room,  in 
the  upper  story,  were  the  two  county  offices,  each  four- 
teen by  sixteen  feet.  The  front  room  was  occupied 
by  the  county  commissioner  and  treasurer  as  their 
office,  and  the  room  in  rear,  of  the  same  size,  by  the 
prothonotary,  register,  recorder,  and  clerk  of  the 
courts,  one  man  easily  performing  the  duties  required 
of  all  these  officers.  "  Old  Sheriff  Miller"  discharged 
the  duties  of  sheriff  in  those  years,  and  a  more  fiiith- 
ful  servant  of  the  people  never  held  the  ])osition. 
His  office  was  a  portable  concern,  in  the  shape  of 
an  old-fashioned  "  bell  crown"  hat  which  he  invariably 
carried  upon  his  head.  What  few  writs  were  issued 
in  those  days  were  deposited  in  an  empty  cigar-box 
in  the  prothonotary's  office,  and  when  the  sheriff  came 
to  town  they  were  transferred  to  his  office,  ai:d  it  is 
said  that  some  of  the  papers  never  found  their  way 
back  to  the  court-house.  The  Barker  tavern  was  on 
the  site  of  the  present  residence  of  John  Quigley. 

The  Jerry  Church  Court-House. — Immedi- 
ately after  the  county  was  organized  the  commissioner 
appointed  for  that  purpose  located  the  county-seat, 
and  soon  after  the  contract  for  building  a  new  court- 
house was  awarded  to  John  Moorhead,  Robert  Irwin, 
and  George  Hoover.  The  building  was  built  of  brick 
in  a  most  substantial  manner,  with  massive  columns 
in  front,  and  on  a  lot  donated  by  Jerry  Church  for  that 
purpose  on  Church  Street,  between  Washiniiton  and 
Henderson  Streets.  The  old  court-house  was  com- 
pleted in  1842,  at  a  cost  of  only  twelve  thousand  dol- 
lars to  the  county.  The  building  is  still  as  good  as 
when  built,  and  is  now  owned  by  the  city  and  occu- 
pied for  school  purposes. 

The  New  Court-House. — As  the  population, 
business,  and  wealth  of  the  county  increased,  it  was 
thought  bv  some  that  the  old  court-house  built  in 


530 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


1842  was  inadequate  to  the  wants  of  the  community, 
tlierefore  it  was  decided  to  build  a  new  one.  After 
due  consultation  the  site  corner  of  Water  and  Jay 
Streets  was  selected,  and  the  present  commodious  and 
elegant  court  house  huilt.  The  contract  was  awarded 
to  Col.  A.  C.  Noyes,  J.  F.  Batcheller,  and  Dr.  Samuel 
Adams,  for  the  sum  of  ninety-three  thousand  dollars. 
The  building  was  formally  dedicated  Monday,  Feb.  8, 
1869,  Hon.  C.  A.  Mayer  and  H.  T.  Beardsly,  Esq.,  de- 
livering the  addresses  on  the  occasion. 

Jails. — The  pioneer  prison  for  this  county  was  the 
cellar  of  the  building  occupied  as  a  court-house.  By 
reference  to  "  Pioneer  Beginnings  in  Old  Town"  it 
will  be  found  where  the  jail  was  and  name  of  the 
pioneer  prisoner. 

Log  Jail. — The  first  prison  built  by  Clinton  County 
was  constructed  of  logs,  and  stood  near  the  site  of 
the  present  jail  on  Church  Street.  It  was  not  very 
large,  yet  it  had  accommodations  for  the  slieriff  and 
his  family,  besides  plenty  of  room  for  the  comfort 
and  convenience' of  transient  boarders,  who  had,  as  a 
rule,  no  particular  desire  to  escape  from  the  hospitable 
shelter  of  mine  host,  James  Chatham,  the  first  sheriff 
that  lived  in  the  jail. 

The  Present  Jail. — Oct.  1,  1851,  a  contract  was 
entered  into  with  Anthony  Kleckner  for  the  building 
of  a  new  jail,  which  was  completed  in  1852  at  a  cost 
of  five  thousand  five  hundred  and  seventy-five  dollars. 
The  front  of  the  building  was  of  brick,  and  contained 
apartments  for  the  sheriff  and  family,  while  the  rear 
was  built  of  stone,  with  apartments  for  prisoners. 

In  1871-72  tlic  building  was  remodeled  and  enlarged 
by  Brown,  Blackburn  &  Curtin,  contractors,  for  the 
sum  of  twenty-two  thousand  two  hundred  and  forty 
dollars.  The  edifice  is  a  substantial  building,  and 
contains  apartments  for  the  sheriff  and  family,  and 
twenty-three  strong  and  well-ventilated  cells  for  tlie 
prisoners.  It  is  surrounded  by  a  high  stone  wall 
extending  back  to  the  alley. 

Lock  Haven  Hall  and  Market  Company. — 
This  company  was  incorporated  in  18G8  witli  a  cash 
capital  of  thirty  thousand  dollars.  The  building 
is  located  on  Church  Street,  with  a  front  of  filty  feet, 
and  extends  along  Grove  Street  to  tlie  alley.  It 
is  of  Gothic  architecture,  built  of  brick,  contains 
fifty  stalls,  and  has  accommodations  for  a  large 
number  of  produce  dealers. 

The  present  owners  of  the  building  are  Moore, 
Simpson  &  Co.,  one  of  the  banking-liouses  of  the 
city. 

Opera-House. — Tlie  Lock  Haven  Opcra-House  is 
a  large  brick  building,  located  on  the  northeast  corner 
of  Main  and  Grove  Streets,  built  by  Farnsworth  & 
Mussina  in  1869.  The  first  floor  is  occupied  by 
stores  and  saloons.  The  second  floor  is  occupied  by 
the  auditorium,  stage,  ticket  office,  and  property-room, 
and  is  fifty  feet  wide,  one  hundred  feet  long,  with  a 
thirty-five-foot  ceiling,  and  will  seat  twelve  hundred 
persons. 


Academy  of  Music. — This  is  one  of  the  most  im- 
posing brick  structures  in  the  city,  located  on  the 
northeast  corner  of  Main  and  Vesper  Streets,  and  was 
built  by  Great  Island  Lodge,  No.  320,  L  0.  of  O.  F. 
It  was  formerly  known  as  "  Great  Island  Hall," 
and  the  name  subsequently  changed  to  Academy  of 
Music.  The  first  floor  is  occupied  by  stores,  the 
second  contains  one  of  the  most  complete  and  unique 
opera  auditoriums  and  stage  to  be  found  in  Central 
Pennsylvania.  The  third  floor  is  occupied  by  Great 
Island  Lodge,  No.  320,  I.  O.  of  O.  F.,  by  whom  the 
building  is  owned. 

Hotels  of  Lock  Haven. — Under  the  head  of  "Pi- 
oneer Beginnings  of  Old  Town"  will  be  found  some 
of  the  early  taverns  of  this  place.  The  following  is 
a  brief  sketch  of  the  hotels  found  in  Lock  Haven  in 
1882: 

Irvin  Holtse,  a  large  brick  building,  located  on 
the  northwest  corner  of  Main  and  Jay  Streets,  was 
built  in  1838  by  John  Moorhead,  with  the  view,  it  is 
said,  of  its  becoming  the  county-seat  or  court-house, 
but  Jerry  Church's  offer  of  a  lot  upon  which  to  build  a 
court-house  seemed  to  have  more  influence  with  "  the 
powers  that  be"  than  Moorhead's  court-house  already 
built.  William  Barker  purchased  of  Moorhead,  when 
it  was  known  as  the  "  Mansion  House."  Barker  sold 
to  Dr.  Irvin,  who  changed  the  name  to  Irvin  House. 
In  December,  1870,  he  sold  to  Hon.  S.  Woods  Cald- 
well, who  took  possession  April  1, 1871,  and  is  still  its 
popular  host. 

The  Fallon  House  is  a  large  brick  structure, 
located  on  the  north  side  of  Water  Street  above 
Grove,  and  was  built  in  1855  by  a  stock  company, 
and  after  passing  through  the  hands  of  several  own- 
ers was  purchased  in  1874  by  Hon.  J.  W.  Smith. 
The  "  Fallon"  is  now  under  the  management  of  that 
other  popular  landlord,  J.  Schuyler,  Jr. 

There  are  several  otlier  hotels  in  the  city,  a  few  of 
which  we  give  the  name  and  date  of  building : 

Montour  House  is  a  large  brick  structure,  located 
on  the  corner  of  Water  and  Jay  Streets,  opposite  the 
court-house,  and  was  originally  built  in  1834  by 
Frank  Smith,  and  destroyed  by  fire  in  1855,  and  the 
present  building  erected  in  the  same  or  following  year 
by  Proctor  Myers.  It  was  again  partially  destroyed 
by  fire  in  1873,  and  immediately  rebuilt  by  Mr.  Myers. 

The  GiRARD  House  is  a  frame  building,  corner  of 
Church  and  Grove  Streets,  built  in  1863  by  Jacob 
Smith. 

The  Eagle  Hotel,  a  frame  building,  corner  of 
Eagle  and  Vesper  Streets,  was  built  in  1859  by  Jacob 
Smith,  and  sold  to  J.  W.  &  K.  Smith,  and  now 
owned  by  K.  D.  Smith. 

National  Hotel,  a  brick  building  on  Clinton 
Avenue  above  the  railroad,  was  built  in  1869  or  '70 
by Hartranft,  and  now  kept  by  A.  H.  Strayer. 

There  are  several  other  buildings  within  the  city 
limits  that  are  dignified  by  the  title  of  "  hotel,"  where 
no  accommodations  whatever  are  provided  for  the 


CITY   OF   LOCK   HAVEN. 


531 


traveling  public,  yet  they  are  deemed  necessary  for 
the  better  working  of  political  machinery. 

Civil  Organization. — Lock  Haven  was  incorpo- 
rated as  a  borough  by  act  of  Assembly  approved 
May  2.5,  1840.  This  fact,  coupled  with  its  selection 
as  the  seat  of  justice  of  Clinton  County,  the  building 
of  the  court-house  in  1844,  the  extension  of  the  Bald 
Eagle  Branch  of  the  West  Branch  Canal  to  Bellefonte 
in  1848,  the  building  of  the  West  Branch  Boom  in 
1849,»the  advent  of  the  Sunbury  and  Erie  Railroad 
in  1859,  the  advent  of  the  Bald  Eagle  Valley  Rail- 
road in  1864,  all  conspired  to  give  Lock  Haven  a 
prominence  it  would  otherwise  not  have  possessed. 
Add  to  this  the  increase  of  wealth  and  population, 
and  one  would  not  wonder  that  the  small  cords  of  a 
borough  were  not  strong  enough  to  hold  the  people, 
and  nothing  short  of  the  strong  high  walls  of  a  city 
charter  would  keep  them  within  due  bounds  of  pro- 
priety, therefore  an  act  of  the  Assembly  w-as  passed 
and  approved  March  28,  1870,  making  Lock  Haven  a 
city. 

On  account  of  defective  records  we  can  only  give  a 
list  of  the  mayors  and  ])resent  Council:  1870,  Hon. 
L.  A.  Mackey;  1873,  Hon.  J.  W.  Smith;  1875  and 
1877,  R.  R.  Bridgens;  1879,  Samuel  Christ;  1881, 
W.  S.  Clawatcr,  who  resigned  April  8,  1882,  and  Sey- 
mour D.  Ball  was  appointed  by  the  Council.  His  ap- 
pointment will  expire  in  April,  1883.  Council  for 
1882:  First  Ward,  W.  C.  Kress,  Thomas  Reed,  S.  B. 
Snook ;  Second  Ward,  W.  H.  Brown,  E.  C.  Best,  A. 
S.  Grow;  Third  Ward,  G.  W.  Hippie,  Charles 
Kreamer,  W.  H.  Moore;  Fourth  Ward,  J.  H.  Agar, 
E.  L.  Moore,  M.  Flaig  ;  President  of  the  Council,  G. 
W.  Hippie;  City  Clerk,  S.  M.  McCormick;  City  So- 
licitor, H.  T.  Harvey. 

EXTR.iCTS  FKOJI  ACT  OF  IXC'OKrORATION. 

"Section  1.  Be  it  enacted,  etc.  That  the  present  and  fiitnre  inlialiit- 
ants  lesiJicig  williin  the  fulluwing  tenitorial  limits,  to  «il :  AH  the 
territoiijil  limits  of  the  borough  of  Lock  Haven  and  tho  borough  of 
Fleniiugton,  and  so  much  of  tlie  tcriitory  of  Allison  township  as  lies 
westward  and  nortliward  of  a  lino  commencing  at  a  point  at  low-water 
mark  on  the  south  bank  of  the  West  Branch  of  the  river  Susquehanna, 
iipposile  the  centre  of  tho  lane  between  the  lands  of  Thomas  Fleming 
and  F.  P.  Myers;  theuce  in  the  line  of  the  course  of  said  lane  south- 
ward to  the  Bald  Ea.s:le  Creek;  thence  westward  to  the  nearest  point  in 
the  centre  of  tho  Bald  Eagle  Cross-Cut  if  the  Pennsjivania  Canal; 
Ihence  westward  along  the  centre  of  said  canal  to  the  bridge  crossing 
said  canal  near  the  residence  of  Hugli  Devliug;  thence  southward  to 
the  nearest  point  on  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek  ;  thence  up  Bald  Ea-lu  Creek 
to  the  western  line  of  Allison  township,  in  the  county  of  Clinton,  are 
hereby  coustitnteci  a  corporation  and  body  politic,  by  the  name  and  style 
of  the  city  of  Lock  Haven. 

"  Sec.  2.  That  the  territory  included  within  the  boundaries  of  the  city 
of  Lock  Uuven,  as  described  in  the  preceding  section  of  th"s  act,  shall 
be  divided  into  five  wards  in  the  following  manner,  to  wit:  All  that 
part  of  Allison  township  and  the  east  and  middle  wards  of  the  borough 
of  Lock  Haven  lying  et\st  and  southeast  of  a  line  commencing  at  the 
West  Branch  Iliver  on  Jay  Street;  thence  along  Jay  Street  to  the  Phil- 
ailelphia  and  Erie  Railroad ;  thence  east  along  said  railroad  to  the  Bald 
Eagle  Cross-Cut  Canal;  thence  up  said  canal  to  its  intersection  with  East 
Park  Street,  to  be  one  wani  and  called  the  First  Ward.  All  that  part  of 
ihe  Middle  Ward  and  the  West  Wai-d  of  the  borough  of  Lock  Haven 
and  Allison  township  lying  east  of  a  line  commencing  at  the  West 
Branch  River  on  Mill  Street;  thence  south  along  Mill  Street  and  alloy 
to  the  Philadelphia  and  Eric  Railroad;  theuce  along  said  railroad  to 


Liberty  Street  ami  East  Park  Street  tn  the  Bald  Eagle  Cioes-Cut  Canal, 
and  west  to  the  west  line  of  tho  First  Ward,  to  be  one  ward  and  be  called 
the  Second  Ward. 

"All  that  part  of  the  West  Ward  of  the  linroiiEh  of  I/ick  Ifaven  and 
Allison  township  included  wilhin  Ihe  f.rllowiug  bcundariea,  to  wit: 
Commencing  at  the  West  Branch  River  on  Mill  .Street;  Ihence  along  ' 
said  Mill  Street  and  alley  to  the  Pliiladelphin  and  Erie  Railmad  ;  Ihence 
along  said  Philadelphia  and  Erie  Railroad  to  its  intersection  with  Fourth 
Street;  thence  westwurdly  along  Fourth  Street  to  Highland  Sireet;  Ihence 
northwardlv  along  Highland  Street  to  Sugar  Run,  down  Sugar  Run 
to  river,  and  down  Ihe  liver  to  the  place  of  lieginniug,  lu  be  one  ward, 
and  bo  called  the  Third  Ward.  All  that  part  of  the  West  Ward  of  the 
borough  of  Lock  Haven  ami  Allison  township  lying  west  of  the  west 
line  of  the  Second  Ward  aforesaid,  and  south  of  the  south  line  of  the 
Third  Ward  aforesaid,  and  east  of  a  line  running  in  a  sonlhwcstwardly 
direction  from  tho  intersection  of  Fourth  Street  with  Hamilton  Street, 
through  Hampton  Street  to  the  Bald  Eagle  Cross-Cut  Canal  to  be  one 
ward,  and  to  he  called  the  F.ninh  Ward.  All  that  part  of  Allison  town- 
ship and  tho  borough  of  Flemington  lying  west  and  north  of  the  west 
and  north  lines  of  the  First,  Second,  Third,  and  Fourth  Wards  aforesaid 
shall  be  one  ward,  aird  called  the  Fifth  Ward."  .  .  . 

Sec  4  provides  for  the  number  and  qualificalion  of  members  of  the 
Council. 

Sec.  8  relates  to  the  powers  and  duties  of  the  Council  in  preserving 
the  peace  and  good  order  of  the  city. 

Sec.  10  relates  to  powers  of  Council  in  relation  to  regulating  with  and 
gr-ading  streets  and  sidewalks. 

Sec.  11  relates  lo  the  sessions  of  the  City  Council. 

Sec.  12  defines  the  time  and  maimer  of  electing  the  mayor  of  the  city 
and  term  of  office. 

Sec.  21  gives  aldermen  the  same  power  as  justices  of  the  peace,  and 
defines  their  jnrisdictiori. 

Pec.  24  gives  the  Council  power  to  elect  one  solicitor,  engineer,  sur- 
veyor-, street  commissioner-,  police,  and  other  necessary  officers. 

Sec.  40  gives  the  mayor  of  the  city  power  to  appo'ut  e.\tra  jioHce  when 
necessary  for  ihe  preservation  of  peace,  togellier  with  various  other 
powers  and  duties  belonging  to  his  office. 

Press  of  Lock  Haven.'— The  Eagle  was  first 
issued  by  William  A.  Kinsloe,  in  August,  1838.  It 
advocated  the  formation  of  a  new  county  to  be  called 
"  Eagle."  When  the  county  of  Clinton  was  formed 
in  1839  the  name  of  the  paper  was  changed  to  The 
CUntoiiiati,  and  at  the  close  of  the  campaign  of  1840 
its  publication  was  suspended.  In  a  short  time,  how- 
ever, it  was  resuscitated  by  Robert  McCormick  and 
J.  B.  G.  Kinsloe,  brother  of  the  former,  and  the  name 
changed  to  Clinton  Vouniij  mig.  Kinsloe  soon  re- 
tired, and  was  succeeded  by  I.  B.  Gara,  who  remained 
but  a  short  time.  In  1843,  W.  P.  Coulter  and  John  W. 
Ross  became  the  publishers,  and  in  the  spring  of  1845 
Mr.  Coulter  retired.  About  May  1,  1845,  L  B.  Gara 
took  the  paper  again,  and  continued  it  till  November 
6th*  when  H.  E.  Shoemaker  became  the  publisher, 
and  continued  till  Oct.  17,  1847,  when  the  press  and 
material  were  taken  to  Jersey  Shore. 

The  Clinton  Tribune.  —  In  December,  1849, 
Adam  J.  Greer  purchased  new  press  and  material, 
and  on  the  26th  of  the  same  month  issued  the  first 
number  of  T/ie  Clinton  Tribune.  He  was  assisted  in 
its  publication  by  H.  E.  Shoemaker.  At  the  close  of 
a  year  Greer  sold  his  interest  to  E.  W.  Rothrock, 
who  continued  the  publication  of  the  paper  till  April 
6,  1852,  when  Col.  W.  T.  Wilson  became  a  partner. 
September  1st  following  R.  W.  Rothrock  retired, 
having  sold  his  interest  to  his  brother,  W.  P.  Roth- 

>  By  U.  L.  Dieffenbacli  and  A.  S.  Grow. 


53:; 


HISTORY   OF  CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


rock.  Col.  Wilson  conducted. the  paper  till  Feb.  15, 
1853,  when  he  sold  his  interest  to  Gather  Flint  and 
H.  M.  Flint,  but  the  name  of  the  former  only  ap- 
peared at  the  head  of  the  paper.  July  18, 1853,  C.  C. 
Flint  retired,  his  brother,  H.  M.  Flint,  continuing 
the  publication  of  the  paper  till  Oct.  10,  1854,  when 
he  was  succeeded  by  Daniel  Bower,  who  continued 
the  paper  a  short  time,  when  Thomas  INIartin  became 
the  publisher  of  the  paper,  and  changed  the  name  to 
The  Watchman.  Mr.  Martin  was  succeeded  by  D.  S. 
Dunham,  who  continued  the  paper  till  JIarch,  1861, 
when  the  publication  of  The  Watchman  was  sus- 
pended. 

Lock  Havex  News. — In  June,  1861,  Jesse  H. 
Berry  and  W.  C.  Kress  purchased  the  press  and  ma- 
terial of  the  defunct  Watchman,  to  which  they  added 
new  material,  and  issued  the  Lock  Haven  News,  a 
Republican  paper,  the  name  of  W.  C.  Kress  appear- 
ing as  editor.  Dec.  4,  1862,  the  office,  press,  and 
material  were  destroyed  by  fire,  and  the  publication 
of  the  paper  suspended. 

The  Clinton  County  Democrat  was  estab- 
lished in  1839  or  1840  by  Wilbur  &  Shriner,  and  con- 
tinued a  year  or  two.  In  1843  it  was  revived  by 
John  E.  Eck. 

The  Clinton  Democrat  was  published  till  the 
fall  of  1844  by  S.  S.  Seeley.  In  December  of  that 
year  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  H.  L.  Dieffenbach, 
who,  in  June,  1845,  united  the  two  rival  papers. 

On  the  1st  of  January,  1850,  he  sold  out  to  George 
A.  Crawford,  who,  at  the  end  of  one  year,  received 
Lyons  Mussina  as  a  partner.  At  the  end  of  two  years 
Crawford  &  Mussina  were  succeeded  by  Henry  Fry- 
singer,  who  continued  two  years,  and  then  gave  way 
to  Atwood  &  Wilson,  who  also  continued  two  years, 
and  were  succeeded  on  the  1st  of  January,  1856,  by 
James  W.  McEwen. 

McEwen  was  succeeded  by  Dieffenbach  &  Martin. 
Soon  after  the  firm  changed  to  Dieffenbach  &  Wilson. 
On  the  withdrawal  of  Wilson,  H.  L.  Dieffenbach  be- 
came the  sole  proprietor.  Dieffenbach  was  succeeded 
by  John  H.  Orth,  who  was  followed  by  J.  W.  &  W. 
P.  Furey  in  1867  ;  the  former  withdrawing,  the  busi- 
ness was  conducted  by  the  latter.  In  July,  1869, 
Whaley  &  Orth  became  the  proprietors.  Orth  dying 
in  1870,  J.  C.  C.  Whaley  became  editor  and  pub- 
lisher. Mr.  Whaley  died  Dec.  30,  1880,  leaving  his 
widow  proprietor,  who  is  still  pubjishing  the  paper, 
with  H.  B.  Marshall  as  business  manager.  At  the 
death  of  Mr.  Whaley,  H.  L.  Dieffenbach  again  be- 
came editor  of  the  paper,  and  was  succeeded  in  the 
editorial  chair  by  Mr.  E.  H.  Thielccke,  Feb.  9,  1882. 
The  Democrat  is  politically  what  its  name  indicates, 
and  is  a  thirty-two-column  paper,  ably  edited,  and 
devoted  to  local  and  general  news. 

The  Clinton  Republican  was  established  in 
March,  1803,  by  George  D.  Bowman,  and  in  March, 
1874,  was  sold  to  J.  B.  G.  Kinsloc,  the  present  pro- 
prietor and  publisher.     As  the  name  indicates,  it  is 


Republican  in  politics,  and  ranks  with  the  leading 
weekly  journals  of  the  State.  It  is  a  thirty-six-col- 
umn paper,  the  largest  published  in  the  county.  The 
oflice  is  furnished  with  the  latest  improved  presses, 
and  a  well-selected  assortment  of  job  and  newspaper 
material. 

Independent. — In  1869,  R.  A.  Kinsloe  &  Bro. 
started  a  daily  paper  called  the  Independent,  and  in  a 
short  time  sold  out  to  A.  B.  Henderson,  who  changed 
the  name  of  the  paper  to  Quid  Nunc.  This  paper 
existed  but  a  few  months. 

Evening  Express  is  a  small  twenty-column  daily, 
published  by  Kinsloe  Brothers,  from  the  office  of  -the 
Weekly  Republican.  The  paper  is  issued  every  after- 
noon, except  Sundays,  and  is  Republican  in  politics. 
The  first  number  was  issued  March  1,  1882. 

The  Enterprise  was  established  Oct.  10,  1873, 
by  H.  Byxbe  and  D.  S.  Maynard.  This  was  a  twenty- 
eight-column  paper,  Republican  in  politics,  and  espe- 
cially devoted  to  the  advancement  of  the  industrial 
and  manufacturing  interests  of  Clinton  County  and 
the  development  of  her  natural  resources. 

The  Daily  Journal  was  first  published  Oct.  15, 
1877,  by  "The  Journal  Association,"  composed  of 
H.  Byxbe,  John  Noble,  Ira  M.  Harvey,  and  A.  S. 
Grow.  Mr.  Byxbe  some  time  previous  had  leased  the 
defunct  Enterprise  material,  and  the  Journal  was 
issued  from  that  office.  Mr.  Grow  soon  retired  from 
the  association,  but  remained  in  its  employ  as  editor, 
and  Mr.  Byxbe  became  sole  publisher.  In  the  latter 
part  of  April,  1878,  Mr.  Grow's  term  as  editor  ceased, 
and  he  went  to  Bellefonte  and  became  editor  of  the 
Eepul)licaii.  On  the  28th  day  of  July,  1879,  Mr.  Grow 
purchased  the  Journal  office  material,  owned  by  a 
company,  and  assumed  entire  charge.  Since  that 
time  he  has  enlarged  the  paper,  purchased  a  Taylor 
newspaper  printing-machine,  and  was  the  first  to  in- 
troduce printing  by  steam-power  in  Clinton  County. 
The  ofiice  is  supplied  with  the  other  necessary  presses, 
and  is  stocked  with  the  latest  styles  of  job-printing 
material. 

The  Weekly  Journal  was  established  in  Jan- 
uary, 1879,  by  H.  Byxbe,  and  with  the  Daily  Journal 
passed  into  the  hands  of  A.  S.  Grow  on  July  28, 1879. 
It  was  originally  a  four-column  quarto,  but  has  since 
been  enlarged  to  a  five-column  quarto.  Both  editions 
of  the  Journal  are  independent  in  politics. 

Lock  Haven  Fire  Department. — The  first  fire 
company  in  Lock  Haven  was  the  old  "Good  Will" 
hand-engine  and  hose  company,  organized  Sept.  18, 
1857,  composed  of  forty  members.  The  first  officers 
of  the  company  were  James  Chatham,  president; 
H.  B.  Amerling,  vice-president;  Jacob  Bamberger, 
secretary;  R.  S.  Barker,  treasurer ;  William  Shauks, 
foreman  ;  Walter  Chatham,  assistant  foreman. 

This  company  was  furnished  with  a  crane-neck 
hand-engine,  purchased  by  Solomon  McCormick,  as 
a  committee  from  the  borough  council,  for  twelve 
hundred   dollars,  and   remained  in   existence,  doing 


CITY   OF  LOCK   HAVEN. 


533 


good  service,  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion, 
when  most  of  the  members  resolved  to  shoulder  the 
musket  instead  of  fightir)g  fire  in  Lock  Haven.  The 
company  was  disbanded,  and  the  engine  went  to 
decay. 

Tlie  town  was  then  without  any  organized  fire  com- 
pany for  more  than  two  years,  when  the  town  council 
appointed  N.  Shaw,  Rufiis  Reed,  and  George  Curts  a 
committee  to  purchase  a  steam  fire-engine,  and  in 
pursuance  of  their  authority,  in  August,  18G3,  they 
bought  from  Button  &  Blake,  of  Waterford,  N.  Y.,  a 
second-class  steam  fire  engine,  two  hose-carriages, 
and  one  thousand  feet  of  hose  for  the  sum  of  three 
thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  The  engine  received 
the  name  of"  Smut  Mill,"  a^iow"  Black  Maria."  Upon 
its  arrival  the  citizens  concluded  to  organize  a  fire 
company  by  the  name  of  "Cataract  Steam  Fire- 
Engine  Company,  No.  1,"  and  a  meeting  was  called 
at  the  oflice  of  N.  Shaw  on  Oct.  1,  1803,  which  was 
presided  over  by  Mr.  Shaw,  Thomas  Y'ardley  acting 
as  secretary.  An  adjourned  meeting  was  held  Nov. 
6,  1863,  at  N.  Shaw's  oflice,  when  a  constitution  and 
by-laws  were  adopted,  and  the  following  officers 
elected :  President,  N.  Shaw ;  Secretary,  Thomas 
Y'ardley;  Treasurer,  William  L.  Hamilton;  Fore- 
man, John  H.  Frank;  First  Assistaat,  John  W. 
Harris ;  Second  Assistant,  Orrin  Shaw ;  Third  As- 
sistant, George  S.  Berry  ;  Engineer,  Andrew  Gibbs ; 
First  Assistant,  P.  G.  Knights;  Second  Assistant, 
John  Seitz.  This  organization  "did  run  well  for  a 
season,"  and  finally  expired. 

The  town  was  again  at  the  mercy  of  the  fiery  ele- 
ments for  two  years  more,  when  another  committee, 
Jacob  Brown,  R.  H.  Boggis,  and  Rufus  Reed,  were 
appointed  a  fire  committee,  and  a  meeting  held  at  the 
court-house  April  24,  1866,  at  which  time  fort)'- four 
members  were  enrolled.  At  an  adjourned  meeting, 
held  three  days  after  at  the  council  rooms,  M.  B. 
Herring  was  elected  president,  and  John  W.  Harris 
secretary.  At  an  adjourned  meeting,  held  May  1, 
1866,  the  name  of  "  Cataract  Steam  Fire-Engiue  Com- 
pany, No.  1,"  of  Lock  Haven,  Pa.,  was  adopted,  and 
at  a  meeting  held  May  8,  1866,  the  following  officers 
were  elected:  M.  B.  Herring,  president;  W.  C.  Kress, 
secretary;  R.  H.  Boggis,  treasurer;  Orrin  Shaw, 
foreman ;  John  H.  Frank,  first  assistant ;  R.  S.  Barker, 
second  assistant;  Albert  Frank,  third  assistant; 
Robert  Easton,  engineer;  James  Walters,  first  assist- 
ant engineer.  The  steam  engine  purchased  by  the 
council,  and  known  as  the  "Smut  Mill,"  was  turned 
over  to  this  company,  and  for  a  time  rendered  valu- 
able service.  June  10,  1869,  the  company  was  char- 
tered by  the  State  Legislature,  which  gave  it  more 
prominence,  and  receiving  more  encouragement  from 
the  Town  Council,  it  became  quite  efiicient,  and  Jan. 
5,  1874,  the  old  "Smut  Mill"  was  exchanged  with 
the  Silsby  Manufacturing  Company,  of  Seneca  Falls, 
N.  Y'.,  for  a  new  and  elegant  steamer,  which  arrived 
in  May,  1874,  and  was  tested  to  the  satisfaction  of  all 


concerned,  and  turned  over  to  Cataract  Company, 
No.  1,  and  is  still  in  use  by  that  company. 

The  present  officers  of  Cataract,  No.  1,  are  as  fol- 
lows: President,  John  Schuyler,  Jr.;  Vice-President, 
J.  H.  Agar;  Treasurer,  J.  W.  Bridgens;  Secretary,  L. 
R.  McGill;  Trustees,  J.  H.  Hillier,  J.  N.  Farnsworth, 
N.  H.  Sloan  ;  Foreman,  N.  H.  Sloan  ;  First  Assistant, 
A.  L.  Merrill ;  Second  Assistant,  Albert  Brown  ;  En- 
gineer, Robert  Agar;  Teamster,  Adam  Kamp  ;  Stoker 
and  Superintendent  of  Engine-  and  Hose-House,  R. 
H.  McGhee. 

There  have  been  several  other  organizations,  mem- 
bers of  the  Lock  Haven  Fire  Department,  which  have 
existed  but  a  short  time  each,  and  are  known  only  by 
the  tombstones  that  mark  their  resting-places. 

Hope  Hose  Company  was  organized  May  21, 
1881,  with  thirty  members.  The  present  officers  are: 
President,  C.  H.  Shoemaker;  Vice-President,  John 
Halin;  Secretary,  J.  H.  Williams;  Financial  Secre- 
tary, John  T.  Zimmerman;  Treasurer,  E.  T.  Seltzer; 
Foreman,  Charles  F.  Keller;  First  Assistant,  William 
Smith  ;  Second  Assistant,  William  Baden  ;  Chief  En- 
gineer, A.  L.  Merrill;  Trustees,  John  Halin,  F.  W. 
Bitner,  C.  T.  Quigley.  Present  membership,  fifty- 
two. 

Industries  of  Lock  Haven.— Saw-  and  Planing- 
MiLLS,  Tanneries,  Machine-Shops,  etc.— Of  the 
various  industrial  establishments  now  in  successful 
operation,  those  for  the  manufacture  and  working  of 
lumber  are  among  the  most  important.  In  fact,  the 
growth  and  prosperity  of  the  town  has  heretofore  de- 
pended, and  still  depends,  mure  upon  its  lumber  in- 
terests than  upon  any  other  branch  of  business, 
though  there  are  others  that  contribute  largely  to  the 
wealth  and  prosperity  of  the  city. 

It  is  estimated  that  the  saw-mills  in  the  vicinity  of 
Lock  Haven  have  an  aggregate  cutting  capacity  of 
one  hundred  million  feet  of  lumber  per  year. 

As  Lock  Haven  is  the  centre  of  the  lumbering  in- 
terests of  Clinton  County,  a  large  proportion  of  the 
mills  are  located  in  its  vicinity.  The  following  ar 
all  within  the  city  limits : 

The  Saw-Mill  of  Pardee  &  Son  is  located  on 
the  river-bank,  a  few  squares  above  the  bridge,  and 
was  established  in  1852  by  Wing  &  Getchell,  who,  it 
is  said,  were  the  first  to  run  logs  down  the  West 
Branch.  After  passing  through  the  hands  of  several 
owners,  O.  D.  Satterlee  took  possession  in  1855.  The 
property  was  purchased  by  Pardee,  Cook  &  Co.  in 
1874,  and  in  1876  the  firm  became  Pardee  &  Cook,  and 
Jan.  1,  1882,  Pardee  &  Son  became  the  owners.  Ca- 
pacity of  the  mill,  fifty  thousand  feet  per  day.  Thirty- 
five  men  are  employed  in  and  around  the  mill. 

BiCKFOKD  &  Blackburn's  Saw-Mill  is  located 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  east  of  the  Philadelphia  and 
Erie  Railroad  depot,  between  the  Bald  Eagle  Valley 
Railroad  and  the  Bald  Eagle  Valley  Canal.  The 
mill  was  built  in  1866,  by  John  C.  Brown  &  Co.  In 
1869  it  was  sold  to  Brown,  Blackburu  &  Curt<u,  and 


534 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


in  1880  Messrs.  Bicbford  &  Blackburn  became  the 
owners  and  operators.  The  capacity  of  the  mill  is 
five  million  feet  of  lumber  per  year,  which  is  shipped 
by  railroad  and  canal.  Thirty  men  are  employed  iu 
the  mill. 

P.  H.  White's  Saw-Mill  is  located  near  the  foot 
of  Jones  Street,  between  the  Bald  Eagle  Valley  Canal 
and  Railroad,  and  was  built  in  1868  by  John  L. 
Cranston,  and  passed  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  White  in 
18(59.  The  capacity  of  the  mill  is  three  million  feet 
of  lumber  per  year. 

D.  Blanchard  &  Co.'s  Saw-Mill  is  located  on 
Walnut  Street,  two  squares  west  of  the  canal.  It  was 
built  in  1856  by  Blanchard,  Craig  &  Co.,  and  in  1865 
the  firm  became  Shaw,  Blanchard  &  Co.  In  1875  the 
firm-name  was  again  changed  to  D.  Blanchard  &  Co., 
as  at  present.  The  sawing  capacity  of  the  mill  is 
twelve  million  feet  per  year. 

Bald  Eagle  Saw-  and  Pla3siing-Mill,  located 
in  the  first  ward  of  the  city  of  Lock  Haven,  at  junc- 
tion of  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  Railroad  and  Bald 
Eagle  Cross-Cut  Canal,  was  first  built  by  Brawn, 
Phipper  &  Co.  in  1862,  and  subsequently  sold  to  J. 
W.  Strong,  Byers  &  Co.,  and  enlarged  by  them  in 
1873,  and  sash-,  door-,  and  blind-factory  added,  and 
after  passing  into  the  hands  of  Byers  &  Shaffer,  it 
was  destroyed  by  fire.  After  a  few  months  the  site 
was  purchased  by  R.  S.  Brawn,  who  erected  a  two- 
story  planing-  and  shingle-mill,  with  sash-  and  door- 
factory  attached,  at  a  cost  of  eighteen  thousand  dol- 
lars. The  mill  was  again  destroyed  by  fire  Nov.  13, 
1 879,  and  rebuilt  by  Brawn  &  Ely,  the  present  owners, 
in  the  fall  of  1880.  Steam  is  the  motive-power,  and 
the  mill  has  a  capacity  for  turning  out  twenty  thou- 
sand shingles  and  forty-five  thousand  feet  worked 
lumber  per  day,  with  a  force  of  thirty  men,  the  aver- 
age number  employed. 

HippLE  &  Wilson  Planing-Mill  is  located  on 
Bellefonte  Avenue,  near  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie 
Railroad,  and  was  built  in  1862  by  White,  Hippie  & 
Co.  In  1866  the  firm  changed  to  Hippie,  Wilson  & 
Hippie,  and  in  1874  to  Hippie  &  Wilson,  as  at  pres- 
ent. Capacity  of  planer,  thirty  thousand  feet  per 
day. 

Gosslee  &  Co.'s  Planing-Mill,  sash-,  door-,  and 
blind-manufactory,  located  on  Corning  Street,  near 
Clinton  Avenue,  was  built  in  1869.  The  building  is 
of  brick,  sixty-five  by  one  hundred  feet,  and  the 
machinery  driven  by  a  forty  horse-power  engine. 
The  capacity  of  the  mill  is  about  thirty  thousand 
feet  of  lumber  per  day.  J.  Y.  Gossler  and  T.  B. 
Loveland,  proprietors. 

There  are  also  several  dealers  in  lumber  who  are 
extensively  engaged  in  the  purchase  and  sale  of 
logs,  timber,  and  manufactured  lumber. 

Lock  Haven  Tannery,  located  on  the  east  side 
of  the  canal,  between  Main  and  Church  Streets,  and 
owned  by  Myers,  Herring  &  Co.,  was  built  in  1853, 
and  destroyed  by  fire  in  1875,  and  immediately  re- 


built of  brick,  two  stories  high,  and  is  seventy  by- 
one  hundred  and  thirty  feet,  and  the  machinery 
operated  by  a  fifteen  horse-power  engine.  The  leach- 
house  is  thirty-two  by  fifty-six  feet.  The  capacity 
of  the  tannery  is  three  hundred  sides  per  week,  and 
twelve  men  are  given  steady  employment. 

West  Branch  Tannery,  owned  by  Kestler  Bros., 
is  located  on  the  south  side  of  the  Philadelphia  and 
Erie  Railroad,  east  of  Clinton  Avenue,  and  was 
built  in  1870.  The  main  building  is  forty  by  four 
hundred  and  sixty  feet,  and  addition  twenty  by  two 
hundred  and  eighty-eight  feet;  a  beam-house  fifty- 
six  by  one  hundred  and  five  feet;  leach-house  thirty- 
eight  by  one  hundred  and  forty  feet.  The  machinery 
is  propelled  by  an  engine  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
horse-power,  and  constant  employment  given  to 
ninety  men  in  and  around  the  tannery.  Capacity  of 
tannery,  sixty  thousand  hides  per  year. 

Novelty  Iron- Works,  located  on  Clinton  Ave- 
nue, was  commenced  in  1879  by  Foust  &  Elliott. 
The  building  occupied  is  of  brick,  three  stories  high, 
seventy  by  one  hundred  and  ten  feet,  with  a  foundry 
forty  by  sixty  feet,  and  boiler-house  thirty  by  forty 
feet,  the  machinery  being  driven  by  a  twenty-five 
horse-power  engine,  and  steady  employment  given 
to  twenty  skilled  workmen.  Castings  of  all  kinds 
are  made  and  fitted  up  for  saw-mills,  steam-engines, 
and  in  fact  everything  in  the  line  of  mill  machinery 
and  general  machine-work. 

The  Lock  Haves  Iron- Works  are  located  on 
Walnut  Street,  near  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  Rail- 
road and  the  Bald  Eagle  Canal.  They  were  first 
erected  in  1854,  by  a  firm  consisting  of  G.  C.  Harvey, 
A.  H.  Best,  William  Fearon,  and  L.  A.  Mackey.     In 

1868,  J.  H.  Ricker  became  a  member  of  the  firm.     In 

1869,  S.  H.  Fredericks  purchased  an  interest,  and  in 
1871,  Charles  Kreamer  purchased  the  interest  of  G. 
C.  Harvey,  when  the  firm-name  became  Ricker, 
Fredericks  &  Co.  In  June,  1869,  the  entire  establish- 
ment was  destroyed  by  fire,  when  the  present  build- 
ings were  erected  with  as  little  delay  as  possible.  The 
machine-shop  is  of  brick,  fifty  by  one  hundred  and 
fifteen  feet,  one  story  high,  and  contains  some  of  the 
heaviest  and  most  perfect  machinery  in  Central  Penn- 
sylvania. All  the  machinery  is  driven  by  a  seventy 
horse-power  engine.  The  foundry  is  fifty  by  sixty- 
five  feet,  one  story  high,  and  is  furnished  with  a 
cupola  having  a  melting  capacity  of  five  tons  of  iron. 
The  brass  foundry  adjoining  contains  two  crucibles, 
with  capacity  to  melt  and  pour  five  hundred  pounds 
molten  brass  at  one  operation.  The  blacksmith-shop 
is  of  brick,  forty  by  fifty  feet,  contains  four  fires,  and 
a  thirty-inch  fan,  that  furnishes  the  blast. 

The  pattern-shop  is  also  of  brick,  forty  by  fifty  feet, 
and  in  rear  of  and  connected  with  the  works  is  the 
boiler-shop  of  Fisher  &  Allison,  forty-five  by  eighty- 
one  feet,  built  in  1871.  The  firm-name  remained 
Ricker,  Fredericks  &  Co.  till  1878,  when  it  became 
J.  H.  Ricker  &  Sons. 


CITY   OF   LOCK   HAVEN. 


535 


Eagle  Iron-Works. — In  1868  these  extensive 
works  were  founded  by  P.  G.  Knights,  John  Ag.ir, 
Robert  Agar,  and  John  Barnhart.  These  enterpris- 
ing gentlemen  make  all  kinds  of  steam-engines,  mill- 
gearings  and  fittings,  and  all  descriptions  of  castings. 
A  large  trade  is  done  all  over  the  adjoining  counties 
and  throughout  the  State.  The  foundry  covers  an 
area  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  by  sixty  feet.  There 
is  a  blacksmith-shop,  pattern-shop,  and  engine-house. 
The  machinery  is  of  the  latest  and  best  construction, 
and  is  propelled  by  a  steam-engine  of  twenty-five 
horse-power,  and  constant  employment  given  to  ten 
hands.  Every  fticility  for  shipping  is  possessed  for 
the  transportation  of  all  the  products  of  these  works. 

Lock  Haven  Pottery,  located  at  the  east  end  of 
Main  St«eet,  was  built  in  1847  by  George  Strayer,  and 
soon  sold  to  B.  Hofford,  and  subsequently  to  Strayer 
again,  and  then  it  was  purchased  by  Vandyke  & 
Christ,  who  now  own  it.  It  is  operated  at  present  by 
B.  Hofford. 

The  Scroll  and  Stair-Work  Manufactory  of 
J.  P.  Beck  is  located  on  Clinton  Avenue,  adjoining 
the  Novelty  Iron- Works,  and  was  establisjied  in  1881. 
Steam-power  is  used  for  driving  the  machinery  in  Mr. 
Beck's  factory.  He  gives  steady  employment  to  sev- 
eral hands  in  his  manufactory. 

There  are  several  other  small  manufactories  in  the 
city,  prominent  among  which  that  of  J.  Harder  & 
Son,  fire-arms,  two  or  three  marble-works,  and  several 
cigar  manufacturers.  There  are  also  two  or  three 
carriage  and  sleigh-shops,  and  other  shops  of  differ- 
ent kinds  usually  found  in  a  city  the  size  of  Lock 
Haven. 

Bar  of  Lock  Haven, — Among  the  number  of  gen- 
tlemen residents  of  Lock  Haven  who  have  attained 
to  the  higli  honor  of  a  prominent  position  among  the 
legal  fraternity  at  the  Clinton  County  bar  we  find 
the  names  of  F.  W.  Gwinner,  who  was  one  of  the 
pioneer  .lawyers  of  the  county,  now  deceased;  John 
Hoffman  and  T.  Friend,  attorneys.  William  M.  Pat- 
terson, another  of  the  old  guard,  is  now  out  of  prac- 
tice. George  W.  Carskaddon,  now  in  Mercer  County, 
this  State.  A.  White,  now  a  resident  of  Philadelphia. 
James  W.  Quiggle,  deceased.  H.  T.  Beardsley,  also 
one  of  the  pioneer  lawyers,  is  still  in  practice  in  Lock 
Haven.  Hon.  L.  A.  Mackey  is  one  of  the  two  old 
lawyers  left  that  were  practicing  here  when  the 
county  was  formed.  Of  the  above  we  have  been 
furnished  brief  sketches  of  only  a  few.  James  AV. 
Quiggle  was  born  Jan.  8,  1820,  on  the  banks  of  the 
West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna.  His  early  educa- 
tion was  obtained  at  wh.at  were  then  called  subscrip- 
tion schools,  and  afterwards  at  an  academy  at  Mifliin- 
burg.  Union  Co.  He  commenced  the  study  of  law  in 
1838,  under  the  tuition  of  James  Gamble,  of  Jersey 
Shore.  When  Clinton  County  was  organized  in  1839 
he  was  appointed  first  commissioners'  clerk.  He  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1841,  and  immediately  there- 
after appointed  counsel  for  the  commissioners  and  the 


sheriff,  and  in  1842  became  associated  in  the  practice 
of  law  with  Allison  White.  Mr.  Quiggle  was  ap- 
pointed deputy  attorney-general  by  O.  F.  Johnson, 
attorney-general  under  Governor  Porter.  He  waa 
elected  district  attorney  when  the  law  was  changed, 
and  in  1852  elected  State  senator.  He  also  held  other 
positions  of  honor  and  trust,  which  we  have  not  space 
to  recount.     Mr.  Quiggle  died  Nov.  28,  1878. 

Hon.  L.  A.  Mackey  was  born  in  White  Deer  town- 
ship, Union  Co.,  Pa.,  and  when  about  ten  years  of 
age  removed  with  his  parents  to  Milton,  Pa.,  where 
he  was  placed  in  a  Lancasterian  school,  and  soon  be- 
came the  principal  "monitor."  In  1835  he  entered 
Union  College,  at  Schenectady,  N.  Y.,  and  graduated 
in  1837,  and  1838  commenced  the  study  of  law  in  Mil- 
ton, Pa.,  with  ex-Governor  .lames  Pollock,  and,  after 
passing  through  Dickinson  College  at  Carlisle,  Pa., 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  that  place  in  1840.  In 
February,  1841,  he  came  to  Lock  Haven,  where  he 
practiced  law  till  1855,  when  he  was  elected  president 
of  the  Lock  Haven  Bank,  subsequently  the  Lock 
Haven  National  Bank.  He  was  elected  the  first 
mayor  of  the  city  of  Lock  Haven  in  1870,  and  in 
1874  was  elected  to  the  Forty-fourth  Congress,  and 
re-elected  in  1876.  He  has  also  held  other  minor 
positions  of  trust,  and  is  now  practicing  law  in  Lock 
Haven. 

Cfcarles  E.  Lyman,  now  deceased,  was  born  near 
the  town  of  Owego,  Tioga  Co.,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  27,  1824. 
He  received  his  education  at  the  common  district 
schools,  with  the  exception  of  one  term  at  the  Owego 
Academy  and  two  terras  at  Harford  Seminary.  He 
served  two  years  at  the  blacksmith's  trade  in  Bing- 
hamton,  N.  Y.  In  the  fall  of  1861  he  enlisted  as  a 
private  in  Capt.  Patterson's  cavalry  company  at 
Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  and  served  in  diflerent  capacities 
through  the  war.  In  October,  1864,  he  was  com- 
missioned as  captain  of  Company  H,  Two  Hundred 
and  Third  Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  and  was  in 
several  engagements  during  the  war.  After  the  war 
he  located  in  Lock  Haven,  where  he  worked  at  his 
trade  several  years,  and  finally  commenced  the  study 
of  law  with  T.  T.  Abrams,  and  in  September,  1875, 
was  admitted  to  practice  in  the  courts  of  Clinton 
County. 

Gen.  Jesse  Merrill  was  born  in  New  Berlin,  Union 
Co.,  Pa.,  March  28,  1836.  He  attended  school  at 
New  Berlin  till  he  was  sixteen  years  of  age,  when 
he  was  a  year  at  Tuscarora,  then  taught  school  four 
or  five  years,  and  then  began  the  study  of  law  with 
his  brother  at  New  Berlin.  The  following  year  he 
entered  the  law-office  of  Lawson  &  Brown,  Milton, 
Pa.,  where  he  remained  till  1859,  when  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  at  Sunbury,  Pa.,  and  soon  after 
located  in  Lock  Haven.  In  the  spring  of  1861  he  en- 
listed in  Company  D,  Pennsylvania  Reserves,  and 
went  to  the  front  under  Capt.  C.  A.  Lyman  as 
second  lieutenant.  He  was  on  the  staff  of  Gens. 
Buell,   Rosecrans,  and   Thomas,  and  served  through 


530 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTOX  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  war  with  honor.  In  April,  1871,  he  was  appointed 
liy  Governor  Geary  major-general  of  the  National 
Guard  of  Pennsylvania,  and  had  charge  of  the 
Eleventh   Division. 

Wilson  C.  Kress  was  born  in  Anthony  township, 
Lycoming  Co.,  Pa.,  .Tune  14,  18.36.  At  the  age  of 
seventeen  he  began  teaching,  and  by  his  savings  from 
that  source  paid  his  way  at  Williamsport  Dickinson 
Seminary  until  he  graduated  in  1859.  He  enlisted 
in  August,  1862,  in  Company  E,  One  Hundred  and 
Thirty-seventh  Eegiment  Pennsylvania  Volunteers, 
and  elected  first  lieutenant.  He  was  discharged  with 
his  regiment  in  June,  1863,  and  in  July,  1863,  he  was 
elected  captain  of  Company  K,  Thirty  seventh  Regi- 
mentPennsylvaniaMilitia,  andjoined  the  Army  of  the 
Cumberland  Valley.  After  the  discharge  of  that  regi- 
ment he  was  appointed  deputy  provost-marshal  of 
this  district,  in  which  position  he  served  till  the  close 
of  the  war.  While  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty  in 
Keating  township  he  was  shot  by  Isaac  Gaines,  Jr.; 
the  bullet,  entering  his  body  under  the  right  arm, 
passed  through  both  lungs.  Mr.  Kress,  having  nearly 
completed  his  preparation  for  the  bar  when  he  en- 
listed, finished  his  studies  after  the  war,  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  practice  at  May  term,  1866. 

Ira  Canfield  Mitchell  was  born  at  Howard,  Centre 
Co.,  Pa.  He  is  a  son  of  Rev.  Nathan  J.  Mitchell 
and  Mrs.  Sarah  B.  Mitchell,  who  was  a  sister  of  e.x- 
Governor  William  F.  Packer;  educated  at  the  public 
schools  of  his  native  township,  and  at  Dickinson 
Seminary;  admitted  to  the  bar  on  motion  of  e.x- 
Governor  Andrew  G.  Curtin,  at  Bellefonte,  Centre 
Co.,  April  28,  1854;  practiced  successfully  until  1862; 
went  to  the  West  and  had  a  successful  career  until 
1877,  when  he  returned  to  Lock  Haven,  where  he 
has  since  remained. 

Among  the  legal  gentlemen  of  this  city  we  also 
find  the  following  attorneys,  who  either  have  been  or 
are  at  present  practicing  in  Lock  Haven  : 

OrrinT.  Noble,  at  present  one  of  the  aldermen  of 
the  city  ;  G.  Omit  Deise,  deceased  ' ;  Seymour  D.  Ball, 
Esq.,  present  mayor  of  the  city ;  S.  Richard  Peale, 
Cline  G.  Furst,  James  M.  Deise,  deceased;  W.  A. 
White,  R.  J.  Armstrong,  William  Parsons,  Jr.,  now 
in  New  Haven,  Conn. ;  Edward  P.  McCormick,  now 
in  Ohio;  George  A.  Brown,  present  district  attorney; 


1  George  Omit  Deise,  Esq.,  died  at  his  resideuce  iu  tliis  city  on  the 
moiniog  of  Tliiirik8i;ivliig-diiy,  Nov.  28,  1872,  of  consumption.  Mr. 
Deise  was  at  one  time  a  iiieniber  of  llie  Pennsylvania  Legislature  for 
two  terms,  and  was  generally  considered  one  of  tlie  lea.ling  and  most 
influential  nienihers  on  the  Democratic  side.  As  a  spealier,  ho  was  elo- 
quent, forci tile,  and  amusing,  and  always  in  demand  by  an  audience. 
lie  was  ji  successful  lawyer  and  a  iiulitician  of  very  considerable  ability. 
Personally,  he  was  kind,  cordijil,  unassuming,  and  afTable.  He  was  gen- 
erous to  a  fault,  and  a  fi  ioiid  who  never  deserted.  Mr.  Deise  was  on  the 
State  Central  (Jomrnittee  during  the  Seymour  campaign,  and  stumped 
the  Slate  efl'ectivply.  As  l.mg  as  his  health  permittn.l  he  was  a  member 
of  the  Common  Council  of  Lock  Haven,  and  did  mncli  for  the  improve- 
ment and  standing  of  his  native  eily.  He  had  many  warm  friends,  to 
whom  his  I..S3  is  a  sore  at!liclion,and  wlio  will  often  recall  his  face  and 
ways  V  ith  tcar.dimnied  eyes. 


Edward  P.  Geary,  A.  F.  Ryan,  present  solicitor  for 
school  board  ;  W.  H.  Clough,  Paul  S.  Merrill,  T.  T. 
Abrams,  J.  R.  Youngman,  M.  C.  Lingle,  B.  F. 
Winters,  W.  Schroeder,  A.  S.  Furst,  T.  C.  Hippie, 
H.  A.  Childs,  Charles  S.  McCormick,  Charles  Corss, 
S.  Miller  McCormick,  present  treasurer  of  school 
board,  one  of  the  trustees  State  Normal  School,  and 
holding  other  positions  of  honor  and  trust. 

Henry  T.  Harvey  was  born  at  Salona,  Oct.  22, 1842, 
and  is  the  son  of  Dr.  George  C.  Harvey,  who  prac- 
ticed medicine  in  this  vicinity  for  twenty  years,  and 
who  was  an  associate  judge  from  18.50  to  1856.  Henry 
T.  attended  for  three  years  Lock  Haven  Academy, 
under  Professor  Rogers,  and  graduated  in  1862  at 
the  State  Agricultural  College,  near  Bellefonte.  He 
then  began  the  study  of  law  with  Orvis  &  Cpr.ss,  and 
completed  his  course  with  T.  T.  Abrams  in  1864,  and 
was  admitted  to  practice,  becoining  Mr.  Abrams'  part- 
ner. He  was  soon  after  nominated  by  the  Republi- 
cans for  district  attorney,  and  in  a  few  months  opened 
a  law-ofHce  of  his  own  in  Lock  Haven.  In  1872  he 
declined  the  county  nomination  for  Congress.  In 
1876  he  received  the  nomination  of  Clinton  County 
for  Congress,  but  refused  to  allow  his  name  to  appear 
before  the  district  nominating  convention.  In  1869 
he  was  admitted  to  practice  in  the  United  States 
courts.  In  1872  he  married  a  daughter  of  ex-Gov- 
ernor James  Pollock.  In  1876  he  was  a  delegate  to 
the  National  Republican  Convention  for  the  Twentieth 
District.  In  1877  he  was  the  Republican  nominee  for 
mayor  of  Lock  Haven  against  R.  R.  Bridgens,  who 
was  a  candidate  for  re-election,  and  ran  largely  ahead 
of  his  ticket,  but  was  defeated  by  one  hundred  and 
twenty-four  votes.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  State 
Normal  School  Board  of  Trustees  since  its  organiza- 
tion, and  is  also  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  State  Agri- 
cultural College. 

William  Parsons  was  born  at  Beech  Creek,  Aug.  19, 
1844.  In  1854  his  ftither  removed  to  Lock  Haven, 
where  William  was  educated,  first  in  the  Union  graded 
school,  and  then  under  Professor  Rogers  at  the  acad- 
emy. He  prepared  for  college  under  W.  F.  Weyers, 
at  the  West  Chester  Academy,  and  in  1864  entered 
Yale  College,  graduating  from  that  institution  in  1868. 
He  entered  the  law-school  at  Albany,  N.  Y.,  and  re- 
ceived the  degree  of  LL.B.  in  1869.  In  May  of  that 
year  he  was  admitted  to  practice  in  the  Supreme 
Court  of  New  York,  and  in  the  same  year  returned  to 
Lock  Haven,  where  he  was  admitted  to  the  Clinton 
County  bar.  During  1870  and  1871  he  acted  as  dep- 
uty mayor  under  Hon.  L.  A.  Mackey.  In  1872  he 
\vas  selected  as  attorney  for  the  county  commissioners, 
serving  till  1875,  when  he  was  appointed  by  the  court 
district  attorney  to  fill  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the 
death  of  James  M.  Deise.  At  the  ensuing  election  he 
was  chosen  district  attorney  by  the  voters  of  the 
county  for  a  tei-m  of  three  years.  He  delivered  the 
centennial  historical  address  at  the  Lock  Haven  cele- 
bration, July  4,  1876.     He  has  served  as  president  of 


CITY   OF  LOCK   HAVEN. 


537 


tlie  Dauntless  Hook-and-Ladder  Fire  Company,  as 
a  director  of  the  Lock  Haven  Library  Company,  as  a 
director  and  solicitor  of  the  Lock  Haven  Building 
Association,  and  as  superintendent  of  the  Sunday- 
school  of  St.  Paul's  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  of 
the  vestry  of  which  he  was  a  member  and  also  secre- 
tary of  that  body. 

AVilliam  Fearon  was  born  in  Beech  Creek  township, 
Dec.  15,  1816,  in  the  old  Fearon  stone  mansion-house. 
The  Fearon  farm  has  been  in  the  possession  of  the 
family  over  eighty-five  years.  He  received  a  good 
English  education,  including  mathematics,  and  was 
for  four  years  employed  in  civil  engineering  on  the 
public  works  of  the  State.  After  resigning  that  po- 
sition in  1840,  he  engaged  in  farming  in  Nitlany 
valley,  near  Salona.  In  1843  he  was  elected  pro- 
thonotary,  register,  recorder,  and  clerk  of  the  courts 
of  this  county.  He  married  in  1846,  and  in  the  fol- 
lowing spring,  at  the  expiration  of  his  office,  removed 
to  his  farm.  Here  he  resided  till  1S51,  when  he 
located  in  Lock  Haven,  engaged  in  the  real  estate 
business,  and  with  Hon.  L.  A.  Mackey  laid  out  the 
Southern  Addition  to  Lock  Haven.  Afterwards  he 
laid  out  two  more  additions,  one  at  the  east  end  of 
the  city  and  the  other  at  the  old  passenger  depot.  He 
also  engaged  in  the  lumber  business.  In  1854  he  was 
elected  to  the  Legislature,  and  again  in  1858.  In 
1862  he  was  appointed  assistant  United  States  rev- 
enue assessor  for  this  county,  which  office  he  held, 
with  the  exception  of  one  year  during  Johnson's 
administration,  until  the  office  was  abolished  by  law, 
in  all  about  ten  years.  Originally  a  Whig,  he  became 
subsequently  an  active  Republican.  He  has  been  a 
member  of  St.  Paul's  Episcopal  Church  since  its  or- 
ganization in  1855,  and  has  served  as  its  senior  warden 
for  over  twenty  years.  He  was  appointed  alderman 
for  the  Third  Ward  of  Lock  Haven  on  Dec.  21,  1875, 
to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  resignation  of  G.  W. 
Batcheler,  Esq.,  and  v<as  elected  to  the  same  office 
the  following  February  to  serve  five  years. 

Hon.  James  Chatham  died  Dec.  27,  1881,  from  the 
effects  of  paralysis.  He  was  born  in  what  is  now 
Wayne  township,  Clinton  County,  April  29,  1814. 
He  remained  with  his  parents  until  he  was  fifteen 
years  of  age,  at  which  time  he  was  apprenticed  as 
shoemaker,  at  which  trade  he  worked  about  two  years, 
then  worked  as  journeyman  for  five  years,  when  he 
married  Miss  Henrietta  C.  De  Haas.  For  nearly 
twenty  years  he  acted  as  river  pilot  between  Lock 
Haven  and  Marietta.  lu  1848  he  was  elected  sheriff 
of  Clinton  County,  serving  one  term,  then  for  two 
years  was  a  merchant  at  Beech  Creek.  At  forty  years 
of  age  he  commenced  reading  law  with  Hon.  Charles 
A.  Mayer,  and  was  admitted  to  practice  two  years 
later. 

In  1861  he  was  elected  to  the  Pennsylvania  House 
of  Representatives,  and  twice  afterwards  received  the 
nomination  from  the  Republican  party  for  State  sen- 
ator, and  once  for  member  of   Congress.    He  was 


emphatically  a  self-made  man,  and  by  his  unaided 
eflTorts  rose  from  an  humble  beginning  to  a  prominent 
and  honorable  place  among  his  fellow-men. 

He  was  an  active  member  of  the  Disciples'  Church 
of  Lock  Haven,  and  one  of  its  strongest  supporters. 
He  also  honored  the  Masonic  and  Odd-Fellows  organ- 
izations by  his  membership.  In  him  the  community 
lost  an  exemplary  citizen  and  a  Christian  gentle- 
man. 

Societies  and  Corporations.'  —  Washixgtox 
Camp,  No.  161,  P.  O.  S.  of  A. — This  camp  was  organ- 
ized at  Lock  Haven,  Pa.,  Jan.  18,  1872,  with  the  fol- 
lowing-named members:  J.  C.  White,  V.  V.  Aldrich, 
L.  Leeds,  T.  H.  Harmon,  G.  B.  Armstrong,  J.  N. 
Farnsworth,  T.  W.  Meckley,  J.  H.  Fishburne,  R.  N. 
Culby,  E.  Lake,  W.  B.  Drake,  Samuel  Tresher,  T.  S. 
Ryker,  A.  R.  Sloan,  Peter  Filmlee,  A.  D.  Smith,  E. 

B.  Howard,  W.  G.  Shuman,  E.  Knights,  P.  J.  Keller, 
J.  O.  Kinley,  A.  C.  Roate,  J.  R.  Kutz,  J.  W.  Darrah, 
A.  H.  Darrah,  J.N.  Heath, C.  V.  Pelton,  A.  D.  Mosher, 

C.  A.  Brown,  D.  L.  Bisel,  E.  Artman,  J.  H.  Williams, 
G.  W.  Harder,  W.  B.  Willow,  G.  W.  Shrote,  William 
M.  Carey. 

The  first  ofiicers  of  the  camp  were  as  follows :  J.  H. 
Fishburne,  P.  P. ;  J.  N.  Farnsworth,  P. ;  C.  H.  Meck- 
ley, V.  P. ;  L.  Leeds,  M.  F.  and  C. ;  D.  L.  Bisel,  R.  S. ; 
A.  R.  Sloan,  Treas. ;  J.  H.  Heath,  F.  S. ;  T.  H.  Har- 
mon, Con.;  P.  Shrote,  I.  G. ;  A.  D.  Smith,  O.  G. 

The  regular  meetings  of  the  camp  are  held  on 
Monday  evening  of  each  week,  in  Sons  of  America 
Hall,  Opera-House  Block.  Present  membership, 
sixty-two. 

The  officers  for  1882  are  J.  F.  Seibold,  P.  P. ;  J. 
N.  Farnsworth,  P. ;  B.  A.  Fahringer,  V.  P. ;  J.  H. 
Williams,  R.  S.;  A.  McClosky,  M.  F.  and  C. ;  J.  D. 
McClintock,  Trea^. ;  J.  T.  Zimmerman,  F.  S. ;  I. 
Crotzer,  Con. ;  A.  Sarba,  I.  G. ;  E.  Seltzer,  O.  G. 

Washingtox  Camp,  No.  195,  P.  O.  S.  of  A.-— This 
camp  was  established  in  Lock  Haven,  Pa.,  July  25, 
1873,  with  the  following-named  charter  members:  P. 
Krom,  N.  B.  Dorey,  John  McClure,  John  A.  Robb,  M. 
C.  Liugle,  George  H.  Basner,  John  L.  Klien,  C.  W. 
Lyman,  L.  M.  Schuyler,  A.  D.  Mellick,  E.  L.  Abrams, 
P.  P.  Ritman,  George  W.  Tucker,  William  Furl,  N. 
H.  Bennett,  L.  R.  McGill,  C.  Bingham,  M.  Sund- 
heim,  A.  S.  Hubbard,  J.  J.  Harman,  A.  M.  Turner. 

First  officers  were  A.  D.  Melick,  P.  P. ;  L.  R.  Mc- 
Gill, P.  ;  N.  B.  Dorey,  V.  P. ;  L.  M.  Schuyler,  M.  of 

F.  and  C. ;  D.  Bogenrief,  Treas. ;  M.  C.  Lingle,  R.  S. ; 
A.  M.  Thomas,  Con. ;  P.  Schroat,  I.  G. ;  E.  W.  Passel, 
O.  G. ;  G.  H.  Basner,  Fin.  Sec. 

The  following  are  the  past  presidents  of  Washing- 
ton Camp  :  A.  D.  Melick,  L.  R.  McGill,  N.  B.  Dorey, 

G.  W.  Tucker,  C.  W.  Lyman,  C.  E.  Lyman,  J.  K. 
Orr,  C.  E.  Withee,  A.  S.  Grow,  F.  A.  Rail,  James 
Till,  J.  Grier,  R.  T.  O'Neil,  I.  L.  Yost,  F.  Fillmee, 
and  L.  H.  Sweeley. 


1  By  J.  N.  Farnsworth. 


=  By  A.  S.  Grow. 


538 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


The  regular  meetings  of  the  camp  are  held  on  Wed- 
nesday evening  of  each  week  at  their  hall  in  Opera- 
House  Block. 

The  officers  for  1882  were  I.  L.  Yost,  P.  P. ;  D.  H. 
Sweeley,  P. ;  R.  T.  O'Neil,  V.  P. ;  S.  M.  Venatta,  M. 
of  F.  and  C. ;  G.  W.  Mason,  Treas. ;  J.  H.  Miller, 
Fin.  Sec;  J.  H.  Clymer,  E.  S. ;  H.  Venatta,  Con.; 
George  Fox,  I.  G. ;  S.  M.  Smith,  O.  G. ;  F.  A.  Rail, 

C.  E.  Withee,  James  Bird,  Trustees. 

Putnam  Cojimandery,  P.  O.  S.  or.  A.*— This 
commandery  of  Sons  of  America  was  organized  in 
Lock  Haven,  Pa.,  Sept.  6,  1878,  with  the  following- 
named  charter  members :  J.  N.  Farnsworth,  J.  H. 
Williams,  J.  T.  Zimmerman,  H.  S.  McCloskey,  Charles 
Sherer,  B.  A.  Faringer,  R.  J.  Henry,  S.  C.  Staver,  Eli 
Trine,  E.  S.  Koble,  R.  C.  Kennelly,  A.  M.  Thomas, 
Joseph  Grier,  F.  A.  Rail,  A.  S.  Grow,  James  K.  Orr, 
A.  D.  Melick,  S.  S.  Renner,  Eli  Confer,  Jacob  Ty- 
son, John  Herlacker,  F.  G.  Berry,  C.  W.  Conser,  W. 
J.  Henry. 

The  first  officers  of  the  commandery  were  J.  N. 
Farnsworth,  Commander ;  J.  K.  Orr,  Lieutenant- 
Commander;  Elias  Confer,  Purser;  J.  T.  Zimmer- 
man, Scribe ;  W.  J.  Henry,  Rector ;  R.  C.  Kennelh', 
Inspector;  S.  S.  Remer,  Guard;  James  Huston,  B. 

A.  Fahringer,  J.  H.  Williams,  Financiers. 

The  regular  meetings  are  held  in  Sons  of  America 
Hall,  Opera-House  Block,  on  the  third  Friday  evening 
of  each  month.  The  present  membership  is  thirty- 
four. 

Past  Commanders,  J.  N.  Farnsworth,  B.  A.  Fahrin- 
ger, James  H.  Williams,  J.  T.  Zimmerman. 

The  present  officers  are  :  Commander,  A.  S.  Grow  ; 
Lieutenant-Commander,  J.  T.  Farnsworth;  Scribe, 

B.  A.  Fahringer;  Purser,  C.  H.  Shoemaker;  Rector, 
J.  T.  Zimmerman ;  Inspector,  J.  H.  Williams  ;  Guard, 
R.  T.  O'Neal. 

John  S.  Bittner  Post,  No.  122,  G.  A.  R.— This 
post  was  organized  at  Lock  Haven,  Pa.,  May  27, 1879, 
by  Commander  H.  E.  Sprague,  of  Reno  Post,  No.  64, 
with  the  following-named  charter  members,  viz.  : 
0.  S.  Houtz,  J.  B.  Lesher,  George  W.  Cripps,  C.  M. 
O'Connor,  George  T.  Michaels,  Thomas  Donachy,  C. 

D.  Brunage,  D.  P.  Hanna,  W.  S.  Chatham,  Abron 
White,  W.  W.  Ritchie,  Charles  Bowers,  George  W. 
Reeder,  Montgomery  Brush,  John  G.  Harrison,  L.  B. 
Schuyler,  T.  J.  Fox,  R.  J.  Hutchinson,  J.  C.  Rich- 
ards, John  Barnhart,  Adam  Zeigler,  Samuel  Lowrey, 
John  Schuyler,  Jr.,  Jesse  Merrill,  R.  S.  Barker,  Jo- 
siah  Candor,  R.  B.  Watson,  J.  W.  Devling,  R.  W. 
Schell,  W.  C.  Kress,  and  S.  Woods  Caldwell. 

The  first  officers  of  this  post  were  George  T.  Mi- 
chaels, Commander ;  Thomas  Donachy,  Senior  Vice- 
Commander;  Reuben  Schell,  Junior  Vice-Com- 
mander; John  Schuyler,  Jr.,  Quartermaster;  Rev. 
L.  G.  Heck,  Chaplain  ;  and  O.  S.  Houtz,  Adjutant. 

The   regular   meetings  of   this    post  are   held   in 

1  By  A.  S.  Grow. 


"Grand  Army  Hall,"  Frederick  Block,  corner  of 
Main  and  Grove  Streets,  on  the  first  and  third  Mon- 
day evening  of  each  month.  Present  membership, 
one  hundred  and  thirty.  Post  Commander,  C.  M. 
O'Connor.  The  officers  for  1882  were  Elder  C.  S.  Long, 
Commander;  S.  B.  Jobson,  Senior  Vice-Commander; 
John  Schuyler,  Jr.,  Junior  Vice-Commander;  John 
Carter,  Chaplain  ;  J.  Candor,  Quartermaster;  T.  P. 
Meyer,  Adjutant. 

Clinton  Lodge,  No.  98,  I.  O.  of  O.  F.''— This 
lodge  was  instituted  in  the  Jerry  Church  court- 
house, Nov.  12,  1844,  by  District  Deputy  Grand  Mas- 
ter N.  B.  Leidy,  with  the  following-named  persons 
as  charter  members,  viz. :  James  W.  Quiggle,  B.  W. 
Morrison,  James  White,  Alexander  W.  Hunkle,  and 
Gideon  Hunt. 

The  pioneer  officers  of  the  lodge  were  as  follows: 
James  White,  N.  G. ;  James  W.  Quiggle,  V.  G. ;  B. 
W.  Morrison,  Sec. ;  A.  W.  Hunkle,  Asst.  Sec. ; 
Gideon  Hunt,  Treas. 

The  Past  Grands  of  this  lodge  have  been  James 
White,  J.  W.  Quiggle,  B.  W.  Morrison,  Daniel  Bit- 
ner,  George  Hoover,  Jr.,  Cephas  Batcheler,  E.  H. 
Piatt,  William  Allison,  Jr.,  H.  L.  Dieffenbach,  W.  W. 
Morrison,  James  Fearon,  John  H.  Chatham,  John 
Jones,  D.  K.  Jackman,  L.  A.  Mackey,  Thomas  McGhee, 
Philip  Krebs,  Lyons  Mussina,  Robert  Irwin,  J.  H. 
Batcheler,  Thomas  B.  Bailey,  George  W.  Curts,  T.  W. 
Caller,  A.  O.  Bruner,  N.  L.  Atwood,  William  E.  Curtis, 
M.  S.  Law,  G.  S.  Berry,  T.  C.  Page,  Peter  W.  Keller,  J. 
B.  Hopkins,  Isaac  A.  Parker,  Miles  Banes,  Orrin  T. 
Noble,  John  H.  Orth,  J.  W.  Chapman,  J.  B.  Wagner, 
T.  C.  Carsons,  William  Dunn,  C.  Shurtleff,  George  A. 
Miller,  Valentine  Scheid,  John  G.  Osner,  J.  Frederick 
Deitz,  William  E.  Shultze,  Samuel  Adams,  G.  W. 
Bathceler,  J.  S.  Mader,  Peter  Beck,  H.  T.  Harvey,  J. 
R.  Singly,  H.  R.  Saul,  John  McNally,  Daniel  Frank, 
Julius  Newman,  Robert  Barber,  Sr.,  Henry  Keller,  M. 
Messinger,  A.  R.  Shaw,  Edward  Fisher,  J.  H.  Weaver, 
Philip  Anthony,  F.  M.  Welsh,  J.  C.  C.  Whaley,  T.  H. 
Ross,  Robert  Barber,  Jacob  Dubler,  J.  F.  Bowers,  G. 
L.  Monlock,  E.  W.  Anthony,  W.  H.  Clough,  W.  J. 
McLees,  J.  K.  AVillianis. 

The  regular  meetings  of  the  lodge  are  held  on 
Tuesday  evening  of  each  week  in  Odd-Fellows'  Hall, 
Main  Street.  The  lodge  is  owner  of  the  brick  build- 
ing in  which  its  hall  is  located.  Thv  building  is 
sixty  feet  in  front,  with  the  lower  or  main  floor  occu- 
pied by  three  stores.  The  present  membership  is 
sixty. 

The  present  officers,  June,  1882,  are  James  McMur- 
trie,  N.  G.;  Louis  H.  Anthony,  V.  G. ;  George  A. 
Miller,  Sec. ;  John  P.  Anthony,  Asst.  Sec. ;  John 
McNally,  Treas. 

Clinton  Encampment,  No.  27,  I.  O.  of  0.  F.^— 
This  encampment  was  instituted  at  Lock  Haven,  Pa., 
March  2,  1846,  with  the  following  charter  members, 


2  By  John  G.  Anthony. 


8  By  G  r.  Shaffor. 


CITY   OF   LOCK   HAVEN. 


539 


who  were  also  the  first  officers  of  the  encampment: 
James  White,  C.  P. ;  J.  W.  Quiggle,  H.  P. ;  James 
Fearon,  S.  W.  ;  E.  H.  Piatt,  J.  W. ;  B.  W.  Morrison, 
S. ;  Allison  AVliite,  Treas. ;  J.  P.  McElrath,  I.  S. ;  T. 
W.  Caller,  0.  S. 

Past  Chief  Patriarchs,  S.  Miller  McCormick,  George 
P.  Shaffer,  John  McNally,  John  E.  Craninger,  Ed. 
Fisher,  Joseph  Paul,  Miles  Banes,  and  J.  N.  Farns- 
worth. 

The  regular  meetings  of  the  encampment  are  held 
on  the  second  and  fourth  Monday  evenings  of  each 
mouth  in  their  hall.  Academy  of  Music  building,  cor- 
ner of  Main  and  Vesper  Streets.  Present  member- 
ship, twenty  six. 

The  present  officers  of  the  encampment  are  W.  J. 
McLees,  C.  P.;  John  McNally,  S.  W. ;  J.  M.  Hink- 
sen,  J.  W. ;  George  P.  Shaffer,  S.  ;  S.  Miller  McCor- 
mick,  Treas. 

Geeat  Island  Lodge,  No.  320,  I.  0.  of  O.  F.— 
The  lodge  was  instituted  at  Lock  Haven,  Pa.,  June 
19,  1848,  with  the  following  charter  members,  who 
were  also  the  first  officers  of  the  lodge  :  Jared  B.  Ru- 
ling, N.  G.;  C.  J.  Housel,  V.  G. ;  Joseph  T.  Hunt, 
Sec. ;  R.  M.  Hanna,  Treas. ;  W.  W.  Rynder,  Asst.  Sec. 

The  present  Past  Grands  are  Joseph  Paul,  James 
F.  King,  I.  A.  Shaffer,  William  Galbraith,  John  E. 
Craninger,  Samuel  H.  Goodhart,  George  P.  Shaffer, 
H.  S.  Mitchell,  John  A.  Robb,  Rev.  U.  F.  Swingle, 
W.  H.  Vanatta,  George  H.  Earner,  I.  L.  McCloskey, 
H.  S.  Baker,  James  Bryerton,  J.  M.  Hinkson,S.  Mil- 
ler McCormick,  Joseph  H.  Ricker,  Thomas  B.  Meyer, 
J.  C.  Brown,  and  S.  A.  Newcomer. 

The  regular  meetings  of  the  lodge  are  held  on 
Thursday  evenings  of  each  week,  in  Academy  of 
Music  building,  corner  of  Main  and  Vesper  Streets. 
Present  membership,  seventy-five. 

The  present  officers,  June,  1882,  are  as  follows : 
Thomas  J.  Beck,  N.  G. ;  Daniel  Bogenrief,  V.  G. ; 
George  P.  Shaffer,  Sec. ;  A.  G.  Bloom,  Asst.  Sec. ;  H. 
S.  Baker,  Treas.;  I.  A.  Shaffer,  S.  M.  McCormick, 
George  P.  Shaffer,  Trustees;  S.  Miller  McCormick, 
District  Deputy  Grand  Master  of  Clinton  County. 

Lafayette  Lodge,  No.  199,  F.  and  A.  M.' — This 
lodge  was  instituted  at  Lock  Haven,  Pa.,  Nov.  20, 
184.5,  with  the  following  charter  officers:  Philip 
Krebs,  W.  M. ;  William  Morrison,  S.  W.;  John  P. 
McElrath,  J.  W. ;  William  Richards,  Treas.;  Henry 
L.  Dieffenbach,  Sec. 

The  following-named  persons  have  served  as  Wor- 
shipful Masters  of  this  lodge  : 

Harrison  T.  Beardslej',  William  Smith,  Joseph 
Harrison,  James  W.  Quiggle,  William  J.  Hender- 
son, William  H.  Smith,  William  Parsons,  Michael 
B.  Herring,  James  Hemphill,  Warren  Martin,  Oliver 
Donaldson,  Orrin  T.  Noble,  William  Reed,  John  L. 
Doty,  R.  Carlton  Brown,  William  H.  Brown,  Robert 
Easton,  John   C.  C.  Whaley,  Torrence   C.  Hippie, 


Lucas  B.  Schuyler,  Samuel  W.  Askey,  John  T. 
Beardsley,  Harry  O.  Chapman,  William  K.  Sedam, 
and  George  A.  Brown. 

The  regular  communications  of  the  lodge  are  held 
Thursday  evening  on  or  before  full  moon,  in  Ma-souic 
Hall,  Water  Street,  Lock  Haven,  Pa. 

Present  membership,  one  hundred  and  fifty. 

The  officers  for  1882  were  George  A.  Brown,  W.  M. ; 
Thomas  Reed,  S.  W. ;  Ellery  C.  Best,  J.  W. ;  William 
H.  Brown,  Treas. ;  William  H.  Smith,  Sec. 

Lafayette  Chapter,  No.  163,  R.  A.  M.' — This 
chapter  was  organized  Dec.  29,  1848,  with  the  follow- 
ing-named charter  members,  viz. :  Philip  Krebs,  Har- 
rison T.  Beardsley,  William  Smith,  William  Rich- 
ards, Charles  H.  Bressler,  and  James  Armor. 

The  first  officers  were  Philip  Krebs,  H.  P.;  Harri- 
son T.  Beardsley,  K. ;  William  Smith,  S. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  Past  High 
Priests  of  the  chapter:  Philip  Krebs,  Harrison  T. 
Beardsley,  William  Smith,  James  W.  Quiggle,  Wil- 
liam J.  Henderson,  William  H.  Smith,  Thomas  Mc- 
Ghee,  Constance  Curtin,  Michael  B.  Hering,  Frank 
P.  Green,  James  L.  Barkley,  William  H.  Brown, 
John  F.  Lindig,  Felix  I.  Troxell,  William  Reed, 
Orrin  T.  Noble,  Thomas  Reed,  Torrence  C.  Hippie, 
John  C.  Richards,  John  T.  Beardsley,  Harry  O.  Chap- 
man. 

The  regular  meetings  of  the  chapter  are  held  in 
Masonic  Hall,  on  Water  Street,  on  the  Thursday 
after  full  moon  in  each  month.  Present  membership, 
one  hundred. 

The  officers  for  1882  were  Harry  O.  Chapman, 
M.  E.  H.  P.;  John  Schuyler,  Jr.,  K  ;  William  K. 
Sedam,  S. ;  Jacob  Kamp,  Treas. ;  William  H.  Smith, 
Sec. 

Hospitaller  Commandery-,  No.  46,  M.  K.  T.- — 
Hospitaller  Commandery  was  instituted  Nov.  28, 1872, 
with  the  following-named  officers:  Harrison T. Beards- 
ley, E.  C. ;  Torrence  C.  Hippie,  G. ;  Thomas  Reed, 
C.  G. ;  George  K.  Tozer,  Treas. ;  William  H.  Smith, 
Recorder. 

The  Past  Eminent  Commanders  have  been  Tor- 
rence C.  Hippie,  Thomas  Reed,  Samuel  W.  Askey, 
William  H.  Brown,  John  C.  C.  Whaley,  John  T. 
Beardsley,  and  William  K.  Sedam. 

The  regular  meetings  of  the  commandery  are  held 
in  Masonic  Hall,  Water  Street,  Lock  Haven,  on  the 
first  Tuesday  evening  in  each  month.  Present  mem- 
bership, fifty. 

The  officers  for  1882  were  as  follows:  William  K. 
Sedam,  E.  C. ;  Harry  C.  Trump,  G. ;  Harry  O.  Chap- 
man, C.  G. ;  John  Schuyler,  Jr.,  Treas. ;  William  H. 
Smith,  Recorder. 

Temperance. — We  clip  the  following  from  the  Clin- 
ton Countij  Democrat  of  Jan.  4,  1842,  which  gives  the 
names  of  temperance  workers  in  the  then  small  vil- 
lage of  Lock  Haven  at  that  early  date  in  its  history  : 


1  By  William  H.  Smith. 


3  By  William  H.  Smith. 


540 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


"The  'Lock  Haven  Temperance  Society'  (so 
called)  was  organized  about  the  1st  of  June,  18-11, 
under  the  auspices  of  Mr.  James  Aikin,  a  distin- 
guished lecturer,  residing  at  Lewisburg,  Union  Co., 
Pa.  About  thirty  citizens  came  forward  and  signed 
the  total  abstinence  pledge  at  the  first  meeting.  So 
ready  and  uniform  has  been  the  increase  at  each  one 
succeeding  that  the  number  now,  as  will  be  seen, 
amounts  to  a  grand  total  of  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
eight  members.  Much  good,  it  is  believed,  has 
already  been  done,  and  as  our  principles  are  the  eter- 
nal principles  of  truth  and  morality,  there  is  every 
reason  to  anticipate  abundant  future  success.  A 
moral  and  religious  community  have  already  too  long 
tolerated  in  their  midst  the  corruptive  evil  of  intem- 
perance, and  it  is  only  necessary  that  society  be  in- 
duced to  look  upon  the  use  of  ardent  spirits  as  a 
drink  in  its  true  light  to  effectually  and  forever  dis- 
card it.  To  effect  this  great  end,  therefore,  we  resort 
to  the  natural  resource  of  forming  local  societies, 
which,  if  regularly  and  properly  kept  up,  will  exert 
such  an  influence  as  will  bear  down  all  opposition. 
Let  us  therefore  carry  on  the  war  with  renewed  vigor, 
not  as  a  confused  mass  in  a  wretched  state  of  an- 
archy, but  as  an  organized  and  well-disciplined  body 
moving  in  concert.  There  is  no  stopping-place :  We 
must  either  go  forward  in  the  work  or  go  back.  If 
we  go  back  '  the  last  error  is  greater  than  the  first,' 
and  to  go  forward  it  is  necessary  that  we  do  the  cause 
'  some  service.'  We  can  all  do  great  service,  and  that 
by  attending  the  regular  meetings  of  the  society,  and 
taking  with  us  our  family  and  friends. 

"  The  next  regular  meeting  of  the  Lock  Haven 
Society  will  be  held  at  the  school-house  on  New 
Year's  night.  What  a  glorious  occasion  this  to  offer 
up  a  sacrifice  for  past  errors,  and  to  begin  the  new 
year  a  new,  reformed,  and  moral  man.  Young  men 
and  women,  you  who  are  not  yet  victims  of  the  mon- 
ster Bacchus,  behold  your  perilous  situation,  and  by 
coming  forward  and  signing  the  annexed  pledge  put 
yourselves  effectually  without  the  pale  of  temptation. 
We  appeal  to  your  reason,  to  every  one's  sense  of 
propriety,  to  past  experience,  and  above  all  to  the 
offended  majesty  of  heaven,  to  influence  your  con- 
duct and  point  out  the  path  of  duty,  and  if  these 
fail  to  alarm  the  'still  small  voice'  of  conscience,  or 
to  sustain  the  cause  of  temperance,  we  at  once  yield. 

"  Foraiken  by  ttie  gods, 
By  men  despispd. 

"  The  Secretary. 
"Dec.  25,  1841." 

"  PLEDGE. 

"We,  whnsB  Uiimes  are  hereunto  nnnexed,  do  hereby  PLEDGE  OUR- 
SELVES not  towotc,  rell,  use,  or  traffic  in  any  kind  of  intoxicating  litjnora 
as  a  bevenige.  We  give  tliis  pledge  because  we  believe  tliat  llie  UBO  of 
intoxicitting  liquors  as  a  drink  is  wholly  unnecesBary,  and  very  injuri- 
ous to  the  welfare  of  our  country  and  mankind. 

"  In  order  to  prevent  misunderstanding,  we  distinctly  declare  that  we 
make  no  objection  to  the  sacramental  use  of  wine,  or  to  the  strictly 
medicinal  use  of  any  other  liquor,  neither  do  we  object  to  Ibe  use  of  al- 
coholic liquors  in  any  form  for  chemical  or  manufacturing  purposes. 


"  Tliomns  P.  Simmons,  C.  D.  Elilred,  Thomas  B.  Bailey,  Isaac  Lewis, 
Isaac  B.  Gara,  James  D.  Laird,  D.  R.  McCoy,  John  Straley,  William 
D  llazlett,  M.  A.  Henderson,  Daniel  N.  Smith,  R.  B.  Boyd,  Robert 
Irwin,  Proctor  Jlyres,  Louis  Uucknian,  Abraham  Kintzing,  Charles 
V.  Craven,  Thomas  H.  Ayers,  Joseph  Barrett,  J.  G.  Clawater,  John 
Delaney,  Peler  Snyder,  Samuel  Hartman,  James  W.  Hunt,  James 
W.  Quiglo,  Daniel  Livingston,  W.  B.  McCormick,  Richard  Martin, 
Alexander  Ghere,  John  Lusk,  Thomas  Shea,  S.  W.  Luilwig,  J.  C. 
Irwin,  Robert  F.  McCoiniick,  Alexander  McCormick,  Saul  Mc- 
Cormick, William  Snyder,  J.  F.  liatchelor,  John  Clawater,  C.  H. 
Clawater,  John  W.  IIofT[nan,  Samuel  Cliuc,  Hugh  Long,  Washington 
White,  William  Lusk,  James  Barker,  William  White,  Jr.,  John  Mc- 
Cormick, William  Clawater,  M.  H.  Mauck,  John  W.  Russ,  William 
S.  Baird,  James  Pollock,  William  Malum,  Benjamin  W.Morrison, 
James  L.  White,  William  Morrison,  E.  II.  Piatt,  Geoige  R.  Brown, 
James  Mcintosh,  John  T.  Calvert,  George  J.  Eldred,  John  F.  Hunt, 
C.  F.  Little,  M.  Doulton,  William  P.  Straub,  William  Nyhart,  Samuel 
Brewei",  .Toscph  Hoopes,  Benjamin  BIyres,  Thomas  Cnmmings,  Levi 
Livingston,  James  F.  Monison,  Daniel  Nyhart,  Jonathan  Magan, 
Thomas  Maban,  R.  C.  Ross,  Adaline  Buckman,  Margaret  Henderson, 
Amelia  Krebs,  Elizabeth  McCormick,  Mai'garet  Long,  Agnus  Krebe, 
Matilda  Wilson,  Mary  Wilson,  Amanda  Krebs,  Rosanna  Bridgens, 
E.  P.  Kintzing,  Harriet  H.  Barrett,  E.  II.  Ayres,  Emeline  Sloan,  M. 
Snyder,  Maria  Smith,  Elizabeth  Bender,  Harriet  Snyder,  Ann  Porter, 
Mary  Craven,  Mary  Eldred,  Sarah  Bailey,  Sarah  Cl.iwater,  Margaret 
Porter,  Abigal  Miller,  Martha  Miller,  E.  H.  Simmons,  Mary  Brad- 
ford, M.  A.  Harlan,  Crecy  Simmons,  Penelope  Irwin,  Jane  Irwin, 
Jane  Stewart,  Elniira  McDonnil,  A.  G.  Sloan,  Sarah  Snyder,  Esther 
Read,  Pliebe  Ann  Hess,  Alia  Boyd,  Elizabeth  Lusk,  Amanda  Irwin, 
Eliza  White,  Maria  Packer,  Nancy  Hanna,  Susan  Devling,  Nancy 
Smith,  Hai  rict  Bailey,  C.  A.  Browu,  Eliza  Miller,  Theona  Scrader, 
Maria  Scrader,  Rebecca  Myres,  Susanna  Cummings." 

"  Agreeably  to  the  constitution  and  pursuant  to 
public  notice  a  large  and  respectable  meeting  of  the 
members  of  the  'Lock -Haven  Temper&nce  Society' 
and  citizens  convened  at  the  Allison  school-house  on 
Saturday  evening,  the  1st  of  January  inst.,  and  was 
called  to  order  by  Thomas  P.  Simmons,  Esq.,  presi- 
dent. 

"  After  prayer  by  the  Rev.  Alexander  Boyd,  the 
constitution  and  pledge  of  the  society  was  read  by  the 
secretary,  C.  D.  Eldred. 

"  On  motion,  the  meeting  was  severally  addressed 
by  Rev.  Alexander  Boyd,  Dr.  Joseph  T.  Hunt,  John 
F.  Wilbur,  and  William  Morrison,  Esqs.,  with  much 
effect,  after  which  new  members  were  added  to  the 
total  abstinence  pledge,  as  follows:  John  F.  Wilbur, 
George  W.  King,  Thomas  McGhee,  B.  J.  Smith,  Gil- 
bert Laird,  W.  C.  Hunt,  John  White,  Jacob  Pretz- 
man,  W.  M.  McCormick,  George  W.  Grace,  R.  Welch, 
Rev.  J.  F.  Jones,  R.  M.  Craig,  J.  H.  McGill,  George 
Straub,  G.  G.  Irwin,  H.  W.  Hoff'man,  W.  Attinger, 
James  W.  Boyd,  D.  M.  Lusk,  J.  R.  Idle,  J.  B.  Hanna, 
John  Jones,  Joseph  F.  Hanna,  W.  W.  Rynder,  James 
Smith,  Jacob  Shaffer,  Alexander  Reed,  James  Baird, 
Francis  H.  Smith,  John  Thompson,  S.  S.  Baird,  S. 
Sylvester  Seely,  Francis  Watrous,  Eliza  Sloan,  Mary 
Sterling,  Elizabeth  Jones,  Catharine  Methoin,  Nancy 
Huff,  Mary  Ann  Straub,  Elizabeth  White,  Elizabeth 
Straub,  L.  Cake,  Fanny  Johnson,  M.  Nyhart,  Martha 
Martin. 

"  On  motion  of  I.  B.  Gara,  Esq., 

"  Kemhfd,  TlMt  T.  P.  Simmons,  C.  D.  Eldred,  John  F.  Wilbur,  and 
William  Morrison,  Esqs.,  be  and  are  hereby  appointed  delegates  to  the 
State  Convention,  which  is  to  assemble  at  Hairisburg  on  Ibe  second 
Wednesday  of  the  present  month  (January,  1842),  and  that  they  be  and 


CITY   OF   LOCK    HAVEN. 


541 


are  IiPreb.v  instructcil  to  tuko  with  them  a  report  containing  the  {ilcdge 
of  tliis  Bui-iety,  ttie  space  of  time  it  has  heeii  in  existence,  and  tlie  num- 
ber uf  nienil>ei's  uf  good  standing,  and  all  otiier  mattiTS  relative  to  the 
Iirogress  uf  the  tuniperauce  cause  in  this  place  whicli  may  prove  in- 
teresting. 


"On  motion, 


n,  and  Francis  H.  Smith 
'  Lock  Haven  Acailemy" 
laid  building  as  the  place 


"  Rrnnhed,  That  C.  D.  Eldred,  William  Morri 
he  a  commiltce  to  wait  U|>on  the  trustees  of  thi 
at  the  next  meeting,  to  endeavor  to  procure  tli 
of  holding  the  future  meetings  of  the  said  society. 

"On  motion, 

"BcWral,  Tli.lt  William  St raub,  Thomas  McGhee,  T.  B.  Bailey,  John 
Delany,  and  Samuel  Brewer  he  appointed  as  a  General  Committee  of 
Vigilance,  for  the  purpose  of  promoting  the  spread  of  the  cause  of  tem- 
perance. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting  be  signed  by  tlie  ofh- 
coi-s  and  published  iu  the  [tapers  of  this  borough." 

Lock  Haven  Gas-Works.— Feb.  11,  1844,  an  act 
of  the  General  Assembly  was  approved  incorporating 
the  Lock  Haven  Gas  Company,  composed  of  the  fol- 
lowing-named persons,  with  a  capital  of  twenty-five 
thousand  dollars :  H.  Q.  Hawley,  Allison  White,  Hon. 
L.  A.  Mackey,  D.  K.  .lackinan,  William  Fearon,  Jr., 
J.  W.  Quiggle,  B.  W.  Morrison,  James  JeflToris,  H. 
E.  Dieffenbach,  J.  H.  Irwin,  and  David  Carskaddon. 

The  gas-works  were  built  the  same  year,  and  located 
on  Church  Street,  with  a  capacity  of  thirty  thousand 
feet. 

After  passing  through  different  hands  the  gas- 
works became  the  property  of  Samuel  Christ,  T.  C. 
Kintzing,  Daniel  Rhoads,  John  W.  Harris,  and  John 
A.  Christ,  with  Samuel  Christ  as  president  and  T.  C. 
Kintzing  as  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  company. 

The  present  capital  stock  of  the  company  is  filty 
thousand  dollars. 

The  Lock  Haven  Bridge  Company.'— The  Lock 
Haven  Bridge  Company  was  organized  in  1849,  and 
a  charter  granted  by  the  Legislature,  and  act  ap- 
proved by  the  Governor  March  4,  1850.  The  capital 
stock  of  the  company  was  fixed  at  twenty-seven 
thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  and  the  commissioners 
named  in  the  charter  were  George  W.  Hallenbake, 
Jared  P.  Huling,  George  Schnavel,  Jacob  Grafius,  Na- 
thaniel Hanna,  Joseph  Hanna,  Edward  L.  Schullze, 
Jared  H.  Irvin,  Philips  Krebs,  and  L.  A.  Mackey. 

The  books  were  opened  for  subscriptions  to  stock, 
when  the  following-named  persons  subscribed  the 
number  of  shares  following  tlieir  nanjes :  G.  W. 
Hallenbake,  25;  Jacob  Grafius,  40;  Simon  Scott,  40; 
L.  A.  Mackey,  40;  W.  C.  Sanderson,  10;  William 
AVhite,  15;  J.  P.  Hulings,  20;  John  Fleming,  10; 
Philip  Krebs,  5;  Edward  L.  Schultze,  8;  Isaac  A. 
Packer,  5;  L.  C.  Packer,  5;  George  A.  Crawford,  5; 
Edward  Bowers,  5;  John  A.  Brutzman,  8;  J.  W. 
Quiggle,  5 ;  John  Reed,  4 ;  Thomas  Bridgens,  10 ; 
Daniel  Bittner,  5;  J.  W.  Packer,  2;  Joshua  Bowers, 
10 ;  S.  H.  Fredericks,  5  ;  N.  W.  Fredericks,  5  ;  David 
Herrin,  25;  Joseph  Whitefield,  25;  John  McDonald, 

1  From  records  of  company. 


25  ;  John  Smith,  5;  Wharton  Morris,  5;  A.  II.  Best, 
10;  John  S.  Furst,  10;  James  Brown,  4;  B.  H. 
Fredericks,  5;  J.  G.  Clawater,  5;  Levi  Livingston, 
5 ;  Jacob  Bower,  4  ;  Lewis  Stone,  4 ;  Jacob  Baugh- 
man,  5;  Benjamin  Baird,  4;  J.  A.  Crawford,  20;  J. 
G.  Brown  &  Bro.,  5;  John  Bridgens,  4;  John  H. 
Chatham,  2;  W.  W.  Barker,  5;  Robert  Stewart,  Jr., 
5;  Arch.  Johnson,  20;  "D.  K.  Jackman,  10;  J.  H. 
Irvin,  5 ;  Adam  Bigger,  4 ;  Joseph  H.  Quay,  5  ;  John 
King,  4;  Joseph  Hanna,  10. 

At  an  election  of  the  stockholders,  held  in  tlie 
court-liouse  July  12,  1850,  the  following  managers 
and  officers  were  elected  : 

Managers,  John  Fleming,  Thomas  Bridgens,  James 
W.  Quiggle,  William  White,  Edward  Shultze.  and 
.lacob  Grafius;  Pr^ident,  George  W.  Hallenbake; 
Treasurer,  L.  A.  Mackey;  Secretary,  Philip  Krebs. 

At  a  meeting  held  July  18,  1850,  it  was  decided  to 
build  the  bridge  opposite  Jay  Street,  across  the  pool 
of  the  Dunnstown  dam  ;  the  spans  of  the  bridge  to 
be  one  hundred  and  ninety  feet  each,  the  whole 
length  of  the  bridge  being  about  eight  hundred 
feet. 

Sealed  proposals  were  called  for,  for  building  the 
bridge  according  to  plans  and  specifications  prepared 
by  Robert  Fairris,  civil  engineer,  and  Aug.  8,  1850, 
they  were  opened,  and  bids  found  as  follows:  George 
Tomb  and  John  Jones,  $23,089.49  ;  Thomas  Passel 
and  J.  A.  Crawford,  $23,450;  Jackman,  Jeckel  & 
Co.,  §22,134.32;  J.  A.  Crawford  &  Co.,  $22,911.71 ; 
Samuel  Brady  &  Co.,  $21,475;  E.  Kirkbride, 
S21,500;  John  Fleming,  S21,382;  John  S.  Bitncr 
&  Co.,  $27,000.  The  contract  was  awarded  to  John 
Fleming  and  E.  Kirkbride  at  $21,500. 

Oct.  4,  1852,  the  bridge  was  declared  by  Robert 
Fairris,  civil  engineer,  to  be  complete  according  to 
previous  plans. 

In  1865  the  bridge'  w.'is  damaged  by  water,  the 
north  span  being  carried  away,  and  was  at  once 
repaired. 

The  bridge  in  1876  had  become  old,  and  thought 
to  be  unsafe;  the  piers  were  raised  four  feet  by  an 
addition  to  the  top,  and  the  whole  superstructure 
rebuilt,  at  a  cost  of  about  fifteen  thousand  dollars. 

The  managers  and  officers  for  1882  were  as  follows  : 

Slanagers,  John  S.  Furst,  A.  H.  Best,  Simon  Scott, 
John  Brutzman,  Samuel  Christ,  and  Alexander 
Sloan;  President,  Hon.  L.  A.  Mackey;  Secretary 
and  Treasurer,  J.  G.  Harris;  Collector,  Christian 
Leber. 

Banks  of  Lock  Haven.— The  First  National  Bank 
of  Lock  Haven  was  organized  and  chartered  in  1864, 
with  a  capital  stock  of  §100,000,  which  has  since  been 
increased  to  $180,000,  and  a  surplus  of  $40,000.  The 
banking-house  is  located  in  Exchange  Building,  north- 
west corner  of  Main  and  Vesper  Streets. 

The  present  board  of  directors  are  T.  C.  Kintzing, 
Samuel  Christ,  F.  S.  Johnson,  C.  G.  Deal  Furst,  W. 
A.  White,  John  Williams,  N.  W.  Fredericks,  Wilson 


542 


HISTORY  OF  CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Kistler,  and  A.  W.  Ferguson.  President,  T.  C.  Kint- 
zing;  Cashier,  G.  Kintzing. 

Moore,  Simpson  &  Co.'s  banking-house,  located  on 
Main  Street  between  Grove  and  Vesper  Streets,  was 
established  in  1867,  with  a  capital  of  $120,000.  W. 
H.  Moore  is  president,  and  E.  C.  McClure  cashier. 

We  find  in  the  Clinton  County  Democrat  of  Dec.  23, 
1841,  the  following  notice,  which  may  be  of  interest  to 
some  one,  and  recall  fond  recollections  of  long  ago  : 

"Nolice  is  lipreby  given  that  anpliration  will  be  m-irto  to  tlie  Logisla- 
till-e  of  lliis  Commonwealth,  at  its  next  screion,  for  a  body  corporate  to 
be  created,  with  banking  and  discounting  privileges,  to  be  called  and 
styled  the  CLINTON  BANK  ;  to  be  located  at  Lock  Haven,  Clinton 
Connty,  Pennsylvania,  for  the  specific  olijectof  banking  and  discount- 
ing, with  a  capital  of  two  hniulred  thousand  dollars.  (Signed)  Jere- 
miah Church,  Hugh  Long.  Robert  McCormick,  T.  C.  Kintzing,  Edward 
Yardly,  James  JefTci  is,  and  others.  * 

"July  10,  18il." 

The  Lock  Haven  Library  Company.— This  com- 
pany was  chartered  May  10,  18G6,  and  fully  organized 
in  July,  1868,  with  the  following  officers:  President, 
Rev.  G.  W.  Shinn  ;  Secretary,  F.  D.  Squire  ;  Libra- 
rian, Dr.  J.  H.  Barton  ;  Treasurer,  John  C.  Zellers. 

The  organization  owes  its  origin  to  that  public  ben- 
efactor, the  late  Philip  M.  Price,  Esq.,  who  provided 
in  his  will  for  the  maintenance  of  a  public  library  and 
reading-room.  The  object  of  the  company  is  to  pro- 
vide choice  reading  at  a  trifling  expense  for  all  who 
choose  to  avail  themselves  of  the  ojiportunity  thus 
afforded.  The  rooms  of  the  library  are  in  Mayer's 
Block,  Water  Street,  and  are  open  to  the  public 
every  day  (except  Sundays)  from  seven  o'clock  to 
half-past  ten  o'clock  p.m. 

The  officers  for  1882  are  Hon.  L.  A.  Mackey,  presi- 
dent;  Paul  S.  Merrill,  secretary  and  treasurer;  Dr. 
J.  H.  Barton,  librarian  ;  Mrs.  L.  S.  Carskaddon,  as- 
sistant librarian.  Jvumber  of  volumes  in  library, 
twelve  hundreJ. 

Lock  Haven  Water-Works. — Lock  Haven  is  sup- 
plied with  water  from  works  constructed  and  owned 
by  the  city.  The  water  is  obtained  in  the  gap  of  the 
Bald  Eagle  Mountain,  about  one  and  a  half  miles 
south  of  the  city,  where  the  city  constructed  two  res- 
ervoirs, having  a  capacity  of  twenty  million  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  thousand  gallons.  The  stream  from 
which  the  water  is  taken  is  fed  by  never-failing 
mountain-springs.  The  water  is  conveyed  to  the 
city  through  a  ten-inch  patent  wrought-iron  and  ce- 
ment pipe,  laid  in  the  ground  below  freezing-point,  and 
passes  under  the  bed  of  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek.  The 
distributing-pipes  are  eight-,  six-,  four-,  and  three- 
inch  pipes,  to  which  the  service-pipes  are  attached. 
The  larger  reservoir,  located  a  few  rods  above  the 
smaller,  has  an  average  depth  of  fifteen  feet  over  four 
acres  of  land,  and  its  elevation  above  the  city  is  one 
liundred  and  seventy-five  feet,  which  gives  a  force  suf- 
ficient to  throw  a  stream  from  the  fire-plugs  over  the 
highest  buildings. 

There  are  now  laid  in  the  city  fifteen  miles  of  pipe. 


which  supply  seven  hundred  and  twenty-five  patrons 
of  the  water  works,  also  sixty-four  plugs,  conveniently 
located  throughout  the  city.  Cost  of  the  works,  one 
hundred  and  twenty  thousand  dollars;  annual  re- 
ceipts, seven  thousand  dollars.  Superintendent  of 
water-works,  E.  A.  McGill. 

West  Branch  Boom  Company, — This  company 
was  chartered  in  1849,  and  the  following-named  per- 
sons were  the  first  officers:  President,  O.  Richards; 
Secretary  and  Treasurer,  L.  A.  Mackey. 

The  West  Branch  Boom  is  a  structure  for  the  stop- 
page of  saw-logs  in  their  course  down  the  river  during 
freshets.  It  is  composed  of  great  piers  of  timbers, 
piled  on  and  weighted  down  with  tons  of  stones. 
These  piers  are  forty  by  sixty  feet  at  the  base,  twenty 
feet  under  water,  and  taper  to  sixteen  by  twenty  feet 
at  the  top,  and  are  placed  at  intervals  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  for  about  three  miles  along  the  middle 
of  the  river,  and  are  connected  by  square  timbers  of 
large  size,  which  are  themselves  shackled  together 
with  large  iron  yokes,  rings,  and  clevises.  One-half 
of  the  river  is  left  entirely  open,  so  as  not  to  inter- 
fere with  navigation,  whilst  the  other  half  is  closed 
by  other  piers  and  other  timbers,  connecting  the 
shore  with  the  main  line  already  mentioned.  This 
connection  forms  an  inclosure,  into  which  the  float- 
ing logs  are  sheared,  and  by  force  of  the  current  are 
packed  confusedly  together.  Upon  the  subsidence 
of  the  water  the  jam  or  pack  is  broken  by  workmen, 
who  with  hand-spikes,  cant-hooks,  and  pike-poles 
pick  out  the  logs  one  by  one.  Each  log  has  upon  it 
a  distinct  mark,  and  by  means  of  which  all  confusion 
is  avoided  in  assorting  and  rafting. 

In  alluding  to  the  life  and  vigor  infused  into  the 
town  by  the  construction  of  the  boom,  H.  L.  Dieffen- 
bach  said,  in  an  article  published  a  few  years  ago, 
"From  this  period  the  rapid  growth  of  Lock  Haven 
commenced.  Property  doubled,  trebled,  and  quad- 
rupled in  value,  and  soon  the  fields  around  the  town 
were  dotted  with  houses  and  tlie  streets  filled  with  an 
industrious,  energetic,  and  prosperous  people." 

The  officers  for  1882  are  Hon.  L.  A.  Mackey,  presi- 
dent, and  Tliomas  Yardley,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

Great  Island  Presbyterian  Church.— This  was 
the  first  church  organized  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Great 
Island,  from  which  it  derives  its  name.  The  follow- 
ing is  an  ex^tract  from  the  history  of  the  church  by 
Rev.  Joseph  Nesbitt,  published  in  Maynard's  "  His- 
torical View  of  Clinton  County  :" 

It  appears  from  the  statement  of  an  old  resident  of 
the  West  Branch  valley  that  the  Rev.  Mr.  Kinkaid, 
a  Presbyterian  minister,  preached  in  the  bounds  of 
the  Great  Island  Presbyterian  Church  previous  to 
1778,  and  that  at  that  date  he  was  driven  away  by  the 
Indians  with  the  rest  of  the  inhabitants  and  never  re- 
turned. Mr.  Nesbitt  has  in  his  possession  a  subscrip- 
tion-paper showing  the  provision  that  was  made  for 
the  support  of  the  gospel  for  a  single  year.  This 
paper  carries  us  back  to  the  time  that  intervened  be- 


CITY  OF   LOCK   HAVEX. 


543 


tween   the  publication  and  ratification  of  our  civil 
constitution.   The  heading  of  the  paper  is  as  follows: 

"  We,  tli6  Biiliscribers,  Ao  proniiiie  to  deliver  at  the  house  of  Robert 
Fleming  or  David  HRnnali  the  quantity  of  wheat,  rye,  and  corn  that  is 
annexed  to  each  of  our  names  on  or  beftire  tlie  (ifst  day  of  Feliriinry 
next.  We  do  also  constitute  and  appoint  David  Lusli,  William  Ueed, 
Sr.,  and  James  lingers  to  nialie  sale  of  said  grain  in  whatever  manner 
they  shall  think  proper,  and  appropriate  the  money  tliat  arises  from  the 
sale  of  Biiid  grain  to  the  use  of  paying  tlie  Presio'terian  ministers  that 
come  to  pi-eucli  the  ensuing  year.  In  witness  whereof  wo  have  hereunto 
set  our  hands  this  first  day  of  December,  a.d.  1787."* 

Following  this  heading  were  forty-three  names  at- 
tached, some  of  which  are  still  borne  by  the  members 
and  adherents  of  Great  Island  Church,  and  opposite 
the  names  the  quantity  of  wheat,  rye,  or  corn  which 
they  respectively  contributed. 

Some  two  months  previous  to  the  date  of  this  paper 
Mi's.  Hettie  Reed  (who  died  in  1869),  then  a  girl  of 
eleven  years  of  age,  came  to  this  neighborhood  with 
her  father,  David  Lusk, — that  is,  near  the  spot  where 
the  house  of  Mrs.  R.  Petrikin  now  stands, — and  about 
two  weeks  after  her  arrival  heard  a  minister  of  the 
name  of  Johnston  preach  under  a  large  tree  in  the 
neighborhood  of  her  father's  house. 

In  1790,  as  appears  from  their  minutes,  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  appointed 
the  Rev.  Messrs.  Nathan  Kerr  and  Joshua  Hart  to 
labor  as  missionaries  in  this  region. 

April  9,  1794,  Rev.  Isaac  Grier  was  ordained  and 
installed  as  pastor  of  the  three  churches  of  Lycoming, 
Pine  Creek,  and  Great  Island.  This  pastorate  lasted 
twelve  years,  at  the  end  of  which  Mr.  Grier  removed 
to  the  village  of  Northumberland,  where  he  employed 
his  time  chiefly  in  qonducting  an  academy. 

Sept.  G,  1814,  a  call  of  the  church  was  extended  to 
Rev.  John  H.  Grier,  who  accepted,  and  remained 
till  towards  the  close  of  1827. 

The  first  ruling  elders  of  this  cluu-ch  were  John 
Fleming  and  James  Rogers.  The  latter  lived  on  a 
rented  iarm  on  the  island.  The  former  filled  the 
position  of  associate  judge,  and  was  distinguished  for 
his  intelligence  and  usefulness.  Shortly  afterwards 
Matthew  Allison,  James  Carskaddon,  William  White, 
John  Innis,  and  Nathaniel  Hanna  were  added. 

In  June,  1816,  the  number  of  communicants  was 
thjrty-two,  and  in  September,  1817,  they  numbered 
si.xty-eight. 

John  H.  Grier  was  succeeded  by  Daniel  ]\I.  Barber, 
who  was  in  turn  succeeded  by  Alexander  Boyd  in 
April,  1838,  and  remained  till  the  summer  of  1844. 
June  23d  of  this  year  he  asked  the  congregation  to 
unite  with  him  in  requesting  the  Presbytery  to  dis- 
solve the  relation.     He  died  June  1,  1845. 

The  next  pastor  after  Mr.  Boyd  was  Slater  C.  Hep- 
burn, brother  of  Mrs.  L.  A.  Mackey  and  Mrs.  E.  C. 
McClure.  He  first  came  to  Lot'k  Haven  in  August, 
1844,  having  engaged  to  supply  the  pulpit  for  two 
months.  At  the  end  of  that  time  a  call  was  made 
out  for  him.  Having  accepted  the  call,  he  returned 
in  November  of  the  same  year,  and  was  ordained  and 


installed  in  the  church  at  Mill  Hall,  which  had  been 
built  some  time  before,  and  which  was  then  within 
the  bounds  of  the  Great  Island  congregation.  He  was 
ordained  and  installed  Jan.  21,  1845.  He  remained 
till  June  11,  1850,  when  he  was  called  to  Orange 
County,  N.  Y. 

During  the  former  part  of  Mr.  Hepburn's  ministry 
here  the  congregation  worshiped  in  the  ujjper  room 
of  the  academy,  corner  of  Main  and  Vesper  Streets, 
and  during  the  latter  part  in  the  old  Methodist 
Church,  which  stood  on  the  east  side  of  the  canal,  on 
Church  Street,  which  was  rented  for  half  of  each 
Sabbath.  The  church  on  the  hill  towards  Flemington 
was  abandoned  as  a  place  of  public  worship  before 
Mr.  Hepburn  came,  and  the  church  on  Water  Street, 
below  the  canal,  was  not  completed  till  the  eve  of  his 
leaving,  and  in  it  he  preached  his  farewell  sermon. 

About  this  time  Alexander  McCormick,  by  his  last 
will,  bequeathed  five  hundred  dollars  to  the  Great 
Island  Church  for  the  use  of  the  pastors  of  said 
church,  to  whom  the  interest  should  be  paid  annually. 
Since  the  Bald  Eagle  and  Nittany  Church,  which 
worship  at  Mill  Hall,  was  constituted  into  a  separate 
charge,  half  the  sum  accruing  from  Mr.  McCormick's 
bequest  is  given  to  the  pastor  of  that  church. 

The  next  pastor  of  the  church  was  S.  A.  Gayley, 
who  was  called  in  January,  1851,  ordained  in  May, 
and  installed  on  June  3d.  On  the  same  day  Thomas 
Bridgens  and  J.  A.  Crawford  were  added  to  the  ses- 
sion. 

At  this  time  the  old  church  building  was  still 
standing  in  the  graveyard  on  the  liill,  though  for 
many  years  it  liad  not  been  occupied  except  on 
funeral  occasions.  Its  style  of  architecture  was  an- 
tique. Its  high  pulpit  and  sounding-board  and  pre- 
centor's desk  and  tall,  straight-backed  pews  were  no 
longer  in  harmony  with  the  tastes  of  the  people,  and 
it  was  sold  and  torn  down,  which  gave  great  offense  to 
some  of  the  older  people,  who  were  wedded  to  the 
old  church.  During  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Gayley, 
Mill  Hall  and  Lock  Haven  were  divided,  when  the 
pulpit  of  Great  Island  Church  was  vacant  for  over  a 
year.  Feb.  11,  1857,  James  H.  Baird  was  called,  and 
installed  May  6,  1857.  May  17,  1857,  Augustus 
Jones,  S.  H.  Frederick,  and  M.  J.  Reynolds  were  or- 
dained and  installed  as'  ruling  elders.  The  relation 
between  Mr.  Baird  and  this  church  was  dissolved  by 
Presbytery  Oct.  21,  1859,  and  announced  from  the 
pulpit  on  the  following  Sabbath  by  Rev.  Dr.  D.  K. 
Junkin. 

The  present  pastor.  Rev.  Joseph  Nesbitt,  was  called 
in  April,  1860,  and  installed  May  2(1,  same  year.  At 
the  installation  Henry  L.  Doolittle  presided,  Dr.  J. 
W.  Yeomans,  of  Danville,  preached  the  sermon,  and 
Dr.  J.  C.  Watson,  of  Milton,  delivered  the  cliarse  to 
the  pastor  and  people. 

In  the  early  part  of  1863  it  was  resolved  to  build  a 
more  spacious  church  edifice  in  a  more  Convenient 
locality.     With  this  view,  the  old  church  below  the 


544 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


canal  was  S(M  to  the  German  Lutherans,  agreeing  to 
give  tliem  possession  Dec.  1,  1863.  In  consequence 
of  the  continuance  of  tlie  war  and  the  high  price  of 
labor  and  material,  the  1st  of  December  came  and 
the  contemplated  building  was  not  commenced, 
■which  necessitated  the  renting  of  a  hall,  which  was 
occupied  for  twenty  months.  In  July,  1865,  the 
present  chapel  was  completed  and  dedicated.  In  the 
fore  part  of  1862,  Samuel  Hepburn,  Seymour  D.  Ball, 
Mathew  Barnum,  Robert  F.  McCormick,  and  J.  A. 
Crawford  were  added  to  the  session. 

In  June,  1SG9,  the  congregation  resolved  to  com- 
plete their  church  building  on  the  plan  already  par- 
tially executed,  and  at  the  same  time  a  committee  of 
ways  and  means  was  appointed,  consisting  of  Hon. 
C.  A.  Mayer,  Hon.  L.  A.  Mackey,  David  Carskaddon, 
and  Charles  Corss.  A  building  committee  of  three 
■was  appointed,  but  subsequently  tlie  ■whole  matter 
was  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  trustees,  consisting  of 
David  Carskaddon,  R.  H.  Boggis,  Charles  Corss,  J. 
G.  Harris,  J.  A.  Wilson,  and  C.  S.  McCormick. 
Subsequently  Judge  Mayer  was  elected  to  fill  the 
place  of  D.  Carskaddon,  deceased,  and  S.  H.  Freder- 
icks to  fill  the  place  of  J.  G.  Harris,  resigned. 

At  length  the  wislied-for  day  arrived,  and  the  build- 
ing was  occupied  by  the  congregation  Dec.  1,  1872, 
for  the  first  time.  The  cost  of  cliapel,  church,  and 
grounds  was  about  forty-two  thousand  dollars.  The 
Methodist  Episcopal  congregation,  with  their  pastor. 
Rev.  P.  Krohn,  met  with  the  Presbyterian  congrega- 
tion on  the  occasion.  Rev.  Nathaniel  W.  Conklin, 
D.D.,  of  New  York,  preached  the  sermon  and  offered 
the  dedicatory  prayer. 

In  September,  1872,  Charles  Corss  and  Dr.  Richard 
Armstrong  were  added  to  the  session,  and  Dec.  31, 
1874,  Thomas  B.  Loveland,  .1.  S.  Furst,  B.  G.  Per- 
kins, C.  S.  McCormick,  and  R.  H.  Boggis  were  added. 

The  ruling  elders  of  the  church  in  1882  were  Sey- 
mour D.  Ball,  Cliarles  Corss,  Charles  S.  McCormick, 
Thomas  B.  Loveland,  John  S.  Furst,  George  B.  Per- 
kins, and  Dr.  Richard  Armstrong. 

Trustees,  John  S.  Furst.  T.  B.  Loveland,  Dr.  R.  B. 
AVatson,  Joseph  Grafius,  Wilson  Kestler,  and  S.  Mil- 
ler McCormick,  who  is  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the 
board. 

Charles  S.  McCormick  issuperintendent  of  the  Sun- 
day-school, with  a  membership  of  two  hundred  and 
fifty. 

Trinity  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.— Early  in 
the  year  1790  it  was  found  that  west  of  the  Broad 
Mountain  and  north  of  the  Juniata  valley  there  was 
no  ministerial  work  of  any  kind  by  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  In  that  year  Richard  Purriott, 
without  asking  or  receiving  aiiy  remuneration,  ex- 
plored the  country  towards  the  middle  and  north  part 
of  the  State.  May  6,  1791,  the  Conference  held  at 
the  town  of  Baltimore  formed  a  new  circuit,  called 
Northumberland,  and  Richard  Purriott  and  Lewis 
Browning  were   appointed   preachers.      The   circuit 


extended  from  Wilkesbarre  via  Northumberland,  Ly- 
coming, and  Bald  Eagle  to  Potter's  Fort,  in  Penn's 
valley,  and  returned  through  Buffalo  valley.  This 
circuit  passed  through  a  number  of  charges,  and  was 
connected  with  different  districts  and  Conferences. 

In  1801  the  field  was  divided  into  regular  and  fixed 
districts,  and  embraced  in  the  Piiiladeljihia  district. 
In  1806  the  circuit  was  divided  at  Northumberland 
and  called  Lj'coming;  in  1808-9  in  Philadelphia 
Conference;  from  1810  to  1819,  Genesee  Conference. 
In  1825  a  new  circuit  was  set  off  from  the  West 
Branch  at  the  Great  Island  westward  and  called 
Bald  Eagle;  in  1826  the  name  was  changed  to  Belle- 
fonte. 

Lock  Haven  was  first  occupied  by  the  Jlethodists 
in  1833,  when  a  local  preacher  and  weaver  by  occu- 
pation came  from  about  Mill  Hall  and  preached  in  the 
house  of  Peter  Poorman,  who  then  lived  in  what  was 
then  and  for  many  years  known  as  the  "  Red  House," 
standing  on  East  Water  Street,  a  little  below  the  dam. 
The  house  is  still  standing,  where  services  were  kept  up 
till  1839,  when  the  regular  circuit  preachers  occupied 
Lock  Haven  and  held  services  in  the  school-house  at 
lower  end  of  Main  Street.  The  circuit  at  this  time 
embraced  Bellefonte,  Stormstown,  Boalsburg,  Mill- 
heim.  Kettle  Creek,  Young  Womanstown,  and  Lock 
Haven.  Tiie  preachers  for  1839  were  Rev.  T.  Taney- 
hill  and  G.  Berkstresser.  The  first  society  was  formed 
by  Rev.  William  Butler  in  1840.  S.  V.  Blake  was 
his  companion  this  year.  For  a  time  after  the  organ- 
ization was  effected  the  congregation  continued  to 
worship  in  the  school-house  on  Main  Street.  Then 
services  were  held  for  a  while  in  the  old  courthouse, 
and  afterwards  in  the  old  academy,  corner  of  Main 
and  Vesper  Streets.  This  continued  till  1843,  when 
they  completed  a  church  of  their  own,  on  Church 
Street  just  below  the  canal,  which  was  dedicated 
June  3d  of  that  year  by  Rev.  George  D.  Hildt,  pre- 
siding elder  of  the  district.  Simmons,  Bittner,  and 
Giflbrd  were  the  building  committee. 

After  occupying  the  new  church  for  a  few  years, 
there  was  manifested  considerable  dissatisfaction  in 
regard  to  its  location,  and  finally  it  was  decided  to 
sell  the  property,  and  build  another  edifice  on  a  more 
eligible  site. 

For  some  time  after  the  sale  of  their  building  the 
congregation  again  worshiped  in  the  old  academy  and 
the  old  court-house. 

During  the  year  1855  it  was  decided  by  the  con- 
gregation that  they  would  again  build  a  church  of 
their  own  ;  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  the  society 
justified  such  a  step,  and  accordingly  a  lot  was  pur- 
chased on  Main  Street,  just  north  of  Clinton  Avenue, 
and  the  work  of  building  a  house  of  worship  was  ac- 
tively commenced,  finished,  and  dedicated  in  May, 
1856,  by  Rev.  Henry  Slicer,  of  Baltimore,  assisted  by 
Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  Bowman,  now  bishop,  and  the 
Revs.  Downs  and  Britton.  The  cost  cf  this  church 
and  lot  was  about  seven  thousand  dollars. 


CITY   OF  LOCK   HAVEN. 


5-15 


At  the  session  of  Conference  held  in  1S61,  Lock 
Haven  was  made  an  independent  station,  and  in  1863 
the  society  buiit  a  parsonage  on  tlic  lot  adjoining  tlie 
church,  and  is  now  occupied  by  the  pastor. 

After  being  made  a  separate  station  the  Lock 
Haven  Church  rapidly  increased  in  strength  and 
importance,  and  soon  became  recognized  as  one  of 
the  leading  denominations  in  the  city.  Large  ac- 
cessions were  made  to  its  membership  every  year,  till 
finally  it  was  found  necessary  to  procure  a  larger 
house.  Therefore  a  lot  was  purchased  on  the  corner 
of  Main  and  Second  Streets,  at  a  cost  of  three  thou- 
sand dollars,  and  the  large  and  beautiful  structure 
now  occupied  by  the  congregation  was  built.  The 
entire  cost  of  lot  and  building  was  forty  thousand 
dollars,  and  was  dedicated  Feb.  18,  1872,  by  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Sims. 

The  following  are  the  preachers  and  time  of 
service  of  each  since  Kevs.  Butler  and  Black,  in 
1840: 

In  1841,  William  Butler  and  Elisha  Owens  were 
the  preachers;  F.  M.  Mills  aiid  W.  D.  T.  Clemm  in 
1842;  T.  M.  Mills  and  Ephraim  McCollum  in  1843. 

In  1844,  Bellelbnte  Circuit  was  divided  at  a  point 
in  Nittany  valley  three  miles  below  or  east  of  Wash- 
ington Furnace,  and  Bald  Eagle  valley  at  Beech 
Creek,  and  the  new  circuit  called  Lock  Haven.  This 
circuit  extended  up  the  West  Branch  to  Cook's  Run 
and  Kettle  Creek.  This  year  W.  R.  Mills  and  John 
W.  Elliott  were  the  preachers  in  charge,  and  at  the 
end  of  the  Conference  year  reported  two  hundred  and 
seventy-five  members. 

In  1845,  Pliilip  B.  Reese  was  in  charge,  and  John 
Stine  reported  three  hundred  and  fifty  members  at 
the  close  of  his  ministry  in  1846.  He  was  followed 
by  John  W.  Haughawaut,  who  served  two  years, 
1847-48.  In  1848,  Irvin  H.  Torrence  occupied  the 
field,  and  in  1850  he  had  as  his  colleague  A.  T. 
Ewing.  In  1851,  Joseph  G.  McKeehan  and  H.  W. 
Billman  ;  1852,  J.  G.  McKeehan  and  A.  G.  Menlatt; 
1853,  John  J.  Pearce;  1854-55,  Justus  A.  Melick ; 
1856.  Aleni  Brittian  and  Wesley  M.  Showalter.  The 
church  above  the  avenue  was  commenced  by  Rev. 
Brittian,  and  completed  under  the  ministry  of  Wilbur 
Do\yns,  who  had  charge  of  the  circuit  two  years, 
1857-58.  Richard  Hinkle,  the  presiding  elder  of  the 
Juniata  district,  served  the  people  of  Lock  Haven  in 
1859-60.  L.  M.  Gardner  was  next  assigned  to  this 
point,  and  it  was  during  his  ministry,  1861-62,  that 
Lock  Haven  was  made  a  station. 

D.  S.  Monroe  followed  in  1863-64,  with  E.  B.  Ham- 
lin as  presiding  elder,  and  reported  two  hundred  and 
thirty-eight  members  his  last  year.  Samuel  Creighton 
took  charge  in  1865,  and  was  returned  two  successive 
years.  In  1868,  M.  K.  Foster  was  appointed,  and  re- 
turned in  1869,  reporting  at  the  close  of  his  work  two 
hundred  and  seventy-four  members. 

Lock  Haven  was  assigned  to  the  Williamsport  dis- 
trict in  1870,  with  J.  W.  Langley  pastor,  who  served 
35 


two  years  I  members,  three  hundred  and  forty-six. 
In  1872,  Central  Pennsylvania  Conference  mot  in 
Lock  Haven,  and  P.  Khron  was  made  pastor, 
serving  two  years,  and  reported  three  hundred  and 
ninety  members.  In  1874-75,  S.  L.  Bowman  ;  four 
hundred  and  seventy  members  reported.  Samuel 
Creighton  is  returned  in  1876,  and  served  three  years, 
1876-78,  and  reports  f<jur  hundred  and  sixty-four 
members.  W.  A.  Houck,  1879,  to  March,  1882,  re- 
ports four  hundred  and  fourteen  members  for  1881. 
J.  Max  Lantz,  present  pastor.  The  <iftiecrs  for  1882 
are:  Stewards,  George  W.  Hippie,  Charles  Kreamer, 
J.  G.  B.  Kinsloe,  S.  R.  Compton,  Thomas  L.  Frymire, 
Dana  B.  Clough,  Joseph  J.  Everett,  John  G.  Evans, 
Dr.  E.  J.  Baird  ;  Trustees,  C.  Kreamer,  G.  W.  Hippie, 
W.  C.  Andrews,  J.  G.  B.  Kinsloe,  J.  N.  Welliver, 
James  C.  White,  S.  A.  Newcomer,  Alva  S.  Grow,  and 
S.  T.  Stephens(m. 

Baptist  Church..' — The  records  of  the  early  history 
of  this  church  are  very  scant.  The  church  was  gath- 
ered under  the  labors  of  Rev.  George  Higgins,  then 
pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  Jersey  Shore.  It  is 
probable  during  the  year  1836,  as  the  first  item  of 
church  record  states,  that  the  first  coinmunion  season 
of  the  church  occurred  December  loth  of  that  year. 
The  public  recognition  of  the  church  does  not  appear 
to  have  taken  i>lace  until  June,  1838.  The  services 
were  conducted  in  a  private  house  by  Revs.  George 
Higgins.  G.  M.  Spratt,  and  Charles  Tucker.  The 
record  does  not  inform  us  how  long,  or  with  what 
success  Mr.  Higgins  served  the  little  church. 

Dec.  1,  1841,  the  church  extended  a  call  to  Rev.  J. 
F.  Jones,  who  accepted,  and  labored  successfully  for 
two  years. 

Rev.  Charles  Tucker  having  succeeded  Mr.  Higgins 
at  Jersey  Shore,  began  to  supply  this  church  Jan.  4, 
1843,  and  continued  to  do  so  until  1844.  Some  thirty 
persons  were  added  to  the  church  as  a  result  of  a  meet- 
ing held  by  him  in  the  old  court  house  during  the 
winter  and  spring  of  1843. 

April  1,  1845,  Rev.  J.  G.  Miles  became  pastor  of 
the  church.  He  was  young,  eloquent,  and  ''mighty 
in  the  Scriptures." 

From  1851  to  1860  the  church  was  without  a  pastor, 
and  had  only  an  occasional  sermon  from  Rev.  G.  M. 
Spratt  and  others. 

In  the  spring  of  1860,  Rev.  A.  J.  Furnian,  then  a 
student  in  the  university  at  Lewisburg,  commenced 
supplying  the  pulpit  occasionally.  In  August  follow- 
ing he,  having  completed  his  studies,  was  ordained 
pastor  of  the  church.  He  remained  two  years,  and 
was  succeeded  in  October,  1862,  by  Rev.  J.  A.  Kirk- 
patrick,  who  served  the  church  till  May  1,  1864. 
Under  his  pastorate  the  old  lot  on  Jay  Street  was  ex- 
changed for  a  more  suitable  one,  where  the  church 
building  now  stands,  corner  of  Church  and  Vesper 
Streets.     There  were  also  added  to  the  church  Que 

1  By  John  Biirnhart. 


546 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Inindred  and  thirty-four  persons.  Mr.  Kirkpatrick 
was  succeeded  by  Rev.  S.  M.  Hubbard,  whose  pas- 
torate was  very  brief. 

From  November,  18G4,  to  December,  1865,  the 
church  was  without  any  reguhir  preaching.  From 
December,  186.'i,to  April  1,  ISUG,  the  cliurch  was  sup- 
plied Ijy  the  Missionary  Committee  of  tlio  Northum- 
berland Association. 

At  the  above  date  Rev.  J.  G.  Miles  was  again  in- 
duced to  take  charge  of  the  church.  The  church 
made  but  little  spiritual  advance  under  his  second 
ministry,  which  closed  in  the  fall  in  1868.  The  at- 
tention of  the  church  was  chiefly  given  to  the  erection 
of  the  present  house  of  worship,  which  was  begun  and 
so  far  completed  during  this  time  as  to  enable  the 
church  to  worship  in  its  basement.  Ui)  to  this  time 
the  progress  of  the  church  had  been  hindered  by  the 
want  of  a  house  of  worship,  being  compelled  to  meet 
in  private  houses,  school- houses,  the  court-house,  and 
public  halls,  as  circumstances  might  dictate. 

In  December  following  the  church  called  Rev.  A. 
B.  Runyon,  who  served  from  April  1, 1869,  to  Aug.  5, 
1871.  Rev.  G.  W.  Snyder  accepted  a  call  from  the 
church,  Oct.  21,  1871,  and  served  the  church  from 
Nov.  11,  1871,  to  October,  1873,  and  under  his  minis- 
try the  audience-room  of  the  meeting-house  was  fin- 
ished and  dedicated. 

Rev.  C.  E.  Barto  became  pastor  of  this  church  Jan. 
1,  1874,  and  remained  till  Jan.  1,  1875.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Rev.  R.  Dunlap  from  Oct.  17, 1875,  to  March 
3, 1877.  From  that  time  till  January,  1882,  there  ap- 
pears to  be  no  record.  At  this  date  Rev.  J.  M.  Scott, 
of  Jersey  Shore,  and  Rev.  George  Cooper,  of  Williams- 
port,  commenced  alternating  in  the  pulpit  of  this 
church,  and  during  this  time  Rev.  Frank  H.  Cooper 
was  called,  who  commenced  his  ministry  on  the  first 
Sunday  in  June,  1882. 

The  present  officers  of  the  church  (1882)  are  as  fol- 
lows :  Pastor,  Frank  H.  Cooper;  Deacons,  John 
McNeal,  Archibald  Munroe,  John  Williams;  Trus- 
tees, John  W.  Mader,  John  Williams,  and  John 
Hare  ;  Clerk,  John  Barnhart. 

Value  of  church  ])roperty,  seventeen  thousand 
dollars. 

First  German  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church.— 
We  cannot  ascertain  when  the  first  German  preach- 
ing occurred  in  Lock  Haven,  but  doubtless  it  was  be- 
fore 1850,  and  long  before  the  organization  of  the 
church  and  settlement  over  it  of  a  regular  pastor. 

The  first  regular  ministrations  in  German  were  by 
Rev.  Albert,  of  Salona,  who  in  1850  or  1851  instituted 
monthly  services  at  Lock  Haven.  He  was  followed 
by  Rev.  Shultz,  of  Lycoming  County. 

About  1855,  Rev.  Ziegler  supplied  the  Germans  with 
preaching  while  he  was  stationed  at  Salona. 

In  1859-60,  Rev.  Heidorn  was  ministering  to  a  con- 
gregation of  Germans  in  this  place  and  died  here. 
While  he' was  here  Rev.  D.  Sell,  who  was  sent  by  the 
Lutheran  Central  Synod  of  Pennsylvania  as  a  mis- 


sionary, entered  this  field  and  organized  a  German- 
English  Church  in  connection  with  that  bjdy.  Mr. 
Sell  preached  and  labored  faithfully  for  both  branches 
of  his  congregation,  so  that  when  he  left,  in  1862,  there 
was  sufiicient  material  to  build  up  two  churches. 

At  this  lime  begins  the  first  recorded  history  of  the 
"First  German  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  of 
Lock  Haven."  It  was  then  regularly  organized,  and 
Rev.  Grothe  took  charge  of  it  in  July,  1862.  The 
first  trustees  were  Henry  Frank,  George  Tressly,  and 
Charles  Heimer.  The  charter  of  the  congregation 
was  recorded  Dec.  31,  1863.  After  three  years  the 
church  was  a  self-sustaining  charge. 

Up  to  this  time  the  Germans  had  worshiped  in 
private  houses,  in  the  town  hall,  old  court-house, 
and  Odd-Fellows'  Hall.  But  they  wished  and  prayed 
for  an  "  own  sacred"  place  for  their  meetings,  and 
soon  found  one. 

In  December,  1863,  they  bought  the  Presbyterian 
Church  on  Water  Street,  below  the  canal,  for  the  sum 
of  three  thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  where  they 
now  worship.  The  building  has  been  enlarged  and 
the  basement  rooms  renovated,  in  which  for  some 
time  they  maintained  a  parochial  school. 

After  a  pastorate  of  seven  and  a  half  years,  Mr. 
Grothe  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  A.  Linsz,  who  was 
elected  March  7,  1870,  and  commenced  his  labors  on 
the  20th  of  the  same  month.  Mr.  Linsz  remained 
about.ten  years,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  F. 
T.  Hennicke,  the  present  pastor,  in  September,  1880. 

The  church  council  for  1882  were  George  Tressley, 
Plenry  Hillo,  John  Solgen,  John  Heinemann,  John 
Mossell,  John  Fox,  Christian  Fabel. 

Present  membership,  one  hundred.  Rev.  F.  T. 
Hennicke  is  the  present  superintendent  of  the  Sun- 
day-school, with  twenty  teachers  and  fin  average  at- 
tendance of  one  hundred  and  twenty  scholars. 

St.  Paul's  Protestant  Episcopal  Church.— This 
parish  was  formed  at  a  meeting  held  at  the  Clinton 
Hotel  on  the  evening  of  Sept.  19, 1855.  After  prayer 
by  the  Rev.  D.  S.  Miller,  of  Philadelphia,  twelve 
vestrymen  were  elected,  who  e.Ktended  a  call  to  the 
Rev.  R.  C.  Moore,  of  WiUiamsport,  to  give  one-fourth 
of  his  time  to  the  parish,  which  invitation  was  ac- 
cepted until  the  election  of  a  resident  rector.  The 
Rev.  Mr.  Moore  entered  upon  his  duties  at  Lock 
Haven  on  the  28th  day  of  October,  1855,  and  con- 
tinued to  hold  services  every  month  thereafter  until 
July,  1856.  On  the  third  Sunday  of  July  in  that 
year  the  Rev.  Samuel  B.  Dalrymple,  who  had  re- 
cently been  ordained  to  the  deaconate,  was  sent  by 
the  Rt.  Rev.  Alonzo  Potter,  bishop  of  the  diocese,  to 
take  charge  of  the  parish,  the  services  at  that  time 
being  held  in  Odd-Fellows'  Hall. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  vestry  on  Monday,  July  21, 
1856,  the  resignation  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Moore  was  pre- 
sented and  accepted,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Dalrymple 
elected  to  the  rectorship  of  the  parish.  Measures 
towards  the  erection  of  a  church  were  immediately 


CITY   OF  LOCK  HAVEN. 


547 


thereafter  taken,  and  in  the  following  autumn  the 
work  was  hegiin.  A  Sunday-school  was  organized 
August  3d  of  the  same  year,  witii  the  large  number 
of  one  hundred  and  eighteen  scliolars  and  sixteen 
teachers;  Mr.  Joseph  O.  Tracy  being  appointed  super- 
intendent. The  first  official  visit  of  ihe  bishop  was 
made  to  the  parish  on  Sunday,  Nov.  30,  185G,  when 
sixteen  persons  received  at  his  hands  the  apostolic 
rite  of  confirmation.  On  the  third  Sunday  in  July, 
1857,  precisely  one  year  from  the  time  of  the  first 
service  of  Rev.  Mr.  D.ilrymple,  services  were  held  for 
the  first  time  in  the  basement  of  the  new  church.  At 
this  time  the  number  of  communicants  had  increased 
from  six  to  thirty-one,  and  the  Sunday-school,  in- 
cluding teachers  and  scholars,  numbered  nearly  two 
hundred  members. 

Nov.  19,  1857,  the  second  visitation  of  the  bishop 
was  made  to  the  parish,  when  the  rector  was  ordained 
to  the  priesthood,  and  nineteen  persons  were  con- 
firmed. On  the  second  anniversary  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Dalrymple's  rectorship  services  were  held  for  the 
first  time  in  the  upper  part  of  the  new  church,  the 
building  being  very  nearly  finished.  During  this,  the 
second  year  of  Mr.  Dalrymple's  ministrations,  forty 
communicants  were  added,  the  Sunday-school  in- 
creased to  the  number  of  more  than  two  hundred, 
and  twenty  persons  were  baptized.  Jan.  24,  1859,  the 
Rt.  Rev.  Samuel  Bowman,  assistant  bishop  of  the 
diocese,  visited  the  parish  and  confirmed  twenty  per- 
sons. In  the  s[)ring  of  1861  the  Rev.  Mr.  Dalrymple 
resigned  the  parish  and  accepted  a  call  to  the  charge 
of  Grace  Church,  Honesdale,  where  his  earthly  life 
and  a  most  active  and  useful  Christian  ministry  were 
closed  together  on  the  27th  of  October,  1863.  On  the 
hill  which  overlooks  the  church  of  his  earliest  charge 
and  eminently  successful  ministry  his  mortal  remains 
now  repose,  in  the  hope  of  a  joyful  resurrection,  the 
place  marked  by  a  fitting  memorial  of  the  affection  of 
his  family  and  the  congregation. 

On  the  first  Sunday  in  June,  1861,  the  Rev.  J.  Liv- 
ingston Reese,  having  been  elected  rector  of  the  par- 
ish, entered  upon  the  duties  of  his  ministry.  On  the 
23d  of  June,  18G3,  the  Rt.  Rev.  Alonzo  Potter  conse- 
crated the  cliurch  to  the  service  of  Almighty  God. 
May  1,  1864,  Rev.  Mr.  Reese,  having  accepted  a  call 
to  St.  Paul's  Church,  Albany,  N.  Y.,  ceased  to  be  a 
rector  of  this  parish. 

The  Rev.  C.  W.  Kuauff,  previous  to  his  ordination, 
was  sent  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  W.  B.  Stevens,  bishop  of  the 
diocese,  to  perform  lay  services  in  the  parish,  begin- 
ning June  19,  1864.  On  the  12th  of  November  fol- 
lowing he  was  ordained  to  the  deaconate,  when  the 
vestry  called  him  to  the  rectorship  of  the  parish.  He 
entered  upon  Ids  dutiejs  as  rector  on  the  13th  of  No- 
vember, and  Nov.  5,  1866,  Mr.  Knauff  resigned  the 
rectorship  of  this  parish. 

The  Rev.  George  W.  Shinn,  having  been  elected  to 
the  rectorship  of  the  church,  entered  upon  his  duties 
on  the  24th  of  February,  1857.    In  the  autumn  of  the 


same  year  the  erection  of  a  rectory  was  begun  on  a  lot 
donated  by  Mr.  Philip  M.  Price,  and  the  next  spring 
the  building  was  completed,  at  a  cost  of  three  thou- 
sand five  hundred  dollars.  In  November,  1870,  Mr. 
Shinn  resigned  the  rectorship  of  the  parisli,  and  ac- 
cepted a  call  to  St.  Luke's  Church,  Troy,  N.  Y. 

After  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Shinn  the  parish  re- 
mained vacant  until  the  following  Easter,  when  Rev. 
George  S.  Teller  entered  upon  his  duties  on  the  first 
Sunday  after  Easter,  April  16,  1871.  Owing  to  ill 
health  Mr.  Teller  retired  from  the  rectorship  of  the 
church  Dec.  1,  1874.  The  parish  was  without  a  rec- 
tor from  Dec.  1,  1874,  until  the  first  Sunday  after 
Easter  in  1875,  when  Rev.  Milton  C.  Lightner  en- 
tered upon  his  duties  as  rector  of  the  parish.  Rev. 
Mr.  Lightnciiwas  succeeded  by  Rev.  Dr.  Osbourne, 
who,  after  a  vacancy  of  several  months,  was  succeeded 
in  April,  1881,  by  the  present  rector.  Rev.  C.  R.  Bon- 
nell.  The  present  wardens  are  Paul  S.  Merrill  and 
T.  C.  Hilton. 

Church  of  Christ  (Disciples).'— Church  of  Christ 
(Disciples)  organized  in  December,  1858,  with 
twenty-nine  members,  including  the  following  ofli- 
cers :  Elders,  A.  Sloan,  James  Chatham,  and  George 
C.  Harvey;  Deacons,  Isaac  Packer  and  Job  W.  Packer; 
John  H.  Orvis,  church  clerk.  Elders  Hyatt  and 
Mitchell  were  the  first  preachers,  and  were  followed 
by  R.  H.  Johnson,  J.  G.  Encell,  John  Darsie,  and  D. 
M.  Kinter.  The  last  named  served  the  church  near 
six  years,  and  resigned  in  July,  1876.  From  this 
time  until  July,  1877,  the  church  was  without  a 
preacher,  when  they  secured  the  services  of  Charles 
S.  Long,  who  has  since  labored  with  them  in  word 
and  doctrine.  The  following  members  now  constitute 
the  official  board:  Elders,  Miles  Towns,  Orriu  T. 
Noble,  and  Charles  S.  Long ;  Deacons,  Miles  Banes, 
A.  H.  Best,  Farley  Street,  George  Calhoun,  S.  M. 
Brickford,  John  N.  Bitner,  Thomas  Blackburn,  and 
Thomas  Veiiatta ;  Orrin  T.  Noble,  clerk.  Present 
membership,  three  hundred  and  three. 

Building,  brick,  forty-two  by  sixty-five,  erected  in 
1860,  at  a  cost  of  six  thousand  dollars.  Location, 
north  side  Church  Street  east  of  Clinton  Avenue. 

Sunday-school  organized  in  1859,  with  George  C. 
Harvey  as  superintendent.  Present  superintendent, 
Charles  S.  Long.  Average  attendance,  one  hundred. 
EUery  C.  Best,  secretary. 

First  Church  of  the  Evangelical  Association." — 
The  first  church  of  the  Evangelical  Association  at 
Lock  Haven,  Pa.,  was  organized  in  the  month  of 
March,  1867.  The  original  members  of  the  church 
were  James  W.  Barber  and  wife,  John  Willow  and 
wife,  and  S.  G.  Mingle  and  family.  For  five  years 
this  little  band  worshiped  in  a  hall  on  the  corner  of 
Grove  and  Main  Streets,  their  number  gradually 
increasing  until,  in  the  early  part  of  the  year  1872, 
steps    were    taken   towards    securing  a   more    suit- 


1  By  0.  T.  Nulile 


=  By  Rev.  J.  M.  Ettingci 


548 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


able  place  of  worship,  culiiiinating  finally  in  the 
erection  of  the  commodious  and  pleasant  church, 
located  on  Main  Street,  between  Clinton  Avenue 
and  First  Street.  Rev.  S.  W.  Seibert  was  the  first 
pastor  of  this  congregation,  serving  it  for  two  years, 
and  was  followed  successively  by  the  Revs.  George 
Hunter,  S.  F.  Buck,  U.  F.  Swingle,  P.  H.  Rishel,  J. 
J.  Lohr,  J.  Young,  and  the  present  incumbent,  J.  M. 
Ettinger.  The  membership  of  this  church  .at  present 
numbers  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven,  with  a 
church  property  valued  at  seven  thousand  dollars, 
free  from  all  incumbrance  in  tlie  shape  of  debts.  A 
flourishing  Sunday-school,  organized  in  1871,  is  con- 
nected with  the  church,  of  which  John  A.  Robb  is  su- 
perintendent. The  school  at  present  numbers  about 
one  hundred  pupils.  * 

St.  John's  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church.'— St. 
John's  Lutlieran  Church  (English)  is  located  in 
the  Third  Ward,  Lock  Haven,  corner  of  Church  and 
First  Streets.  It  is  a  handsome  brick  building,  forty- 
five  by  si.xty,  two  stories,  with  steeple,  built  in  1869. 
The  basement  was  finished  in  September,  1870,  in 
which  the  congregation  worshiped  four  years.  The 
church  building  was  then  finished,  and  dedicated  to 
God  July  5,  1874. 

Lutheranism  began  to  take  form  in  Lock  Haven 
Sept.  11,  18tj0,  the  date  of  the  first  organization. 
Previous  to  this  there  had  been  German  preaching 
by  Lutheran  ministers.  Rev.  Albert  (1850),  Rev. 
Shultz  and  Dr.  H.  Zieglar  (1855),  Rev.  Heidorn 
(1859-60),  and  a  few  others,  but  no  organization. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Central  Pennsylvania  Synod, 
May  9,  1860,  it  was  proposed  to  establish  a  mission  in 
Lock  Haven,  and  an  appropriation  made  toward  the 
support  of  a  minister. 

Rev.  D.  Sell  (1860-62)  was  chosen  to  commence  the 
work,  and  took  charge  of  the  mission  Sept.  1],  1860. 
There  being  no  organization  public  service  was  held 
in  the  old  court-house,  and  then  in  the  Odd-Fellows' 
Hall.  Late  in  the  fall  an  organization  was  effected 
with  one  hundred  and  thirty  members,  nearly  all  of 
whom  were  Germans.  Soon  after  a  lot  was  bought 
in  the  lower  part  of  the  city  and  paid  for  with  a 
view  to  putting  up  a  church  building.  Rev.  Sell 
preached  in  both  English  and  German  each  Sabbath, 
but  a  kind  of  jealousy  or  dissatisfaction  sprung  up 
between  the  German  and  English  portion  of  the  mem- 
bership which  could  not  be  subdued.  Finally  the 
pastor  advised  a  separate  English  organization,  which 
was  indorsed  by  the  Synod  at  its  meeting  in  Selins- 
grove  in  May,  18G2,  and  promptly  done  by  the 
people. 

Rev.  E.  Grothe  took  charge  of  the  German  portion 
in  July,  1862,  and  soon  after  succeeded  in  purchas- 
ing the  old  Presbyterian  Church  on  Water  Street, 
where  they  still  worship.  Being  first  to  organize 
they  received  the  entire  appropriation  made  by  the 


1  By  Rev.  V.  A.  Hciln 


Synod,  and  also  the  lot  purchased  for  a  building  in 
the  lower  part  of  the  city,  thus  leaving  the  English 
branch  so  weak  and  poor  tliat  they  were  scarcely  able 
t(J  offer  any  support  to  the  pastor.  However,  this 
little  band  of  twenty-three  members  secured  the 
services  of  Rev.  L.  K.  Secrist,  who  supplied  them 
with  preaching  for  a  few  months  in  the  summer  of 
1862.  He  organized  the  first  English  Lutheran 
Church  nf  Loch  Haven  in  the  old  academy,  which 
stood  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Vesper  Streets.  A 
Sabbath-school  was  established,  consisting  of  about 
thirty-five  scholars  and  a  few  faithful  officers  and 
teachers.  After  the  leaving  of  Rev.  Secrist  the  or- 
ganization was  broken  up  and  the  school  went  down. 
There  was  an  interim  then  until  April,  1864,  one  year 
and  eight  months,  in  which  there  is  an  unwritten  his- 
tory of  trials  and  disappointments,  hopes  and  fears. 

May  22,  1864,  Rev.  R.  B.  Whitehill  w.-is  called  to 
become  pastor  of  the  flock.  Worship  was  held  in 
Bergers'  Hall,  on  Main  Street,  between  Grove  and 
Vesper,  the  members  furnishing  the  hall.  The  fol- 
lowing were  the  members:  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jacob 
Bower,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nyhart,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Swavely, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edward  Dawson,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George 
Shaffer,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Isaac  Shaffer,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Daniel  Haline,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Howard,  Mr. 
Jared  Klapp,  Mr.  John  Gossler,  Mrs.  Kaufman,  Jlrs. 
Agnes  Bennage,  Mrs.  Regalia  Bowers,  Mr.  John 
Cryder,  Mr.  Anthony  Wilthes, — twenty-three.  Four 
months  later,  Sei>t.  1,  1864,  Rev.  Whitehill  resigned, 
thinking  the  outlook  too  unpromising,  and  being 
greatly  discouraged, — reason  assigned  by  himself,  the 
renting  of  the  hall  for  political  purposes  against  his 
protest. 

The  shepherdless  flock  then  removed  to  Odd-Fel- 
lows' Hall,  where  they  maintained  their  association 
alone  until  they  obtained  the  services  of  Rev.  P. 
Gheen,  who  took  charge  Oct.  9,  1864.  Under  his 
administration  the  cause  flourished,  revival  services 
were  held,  and  a  few  added  to  the  church.  The  in- 
crease, however,  was  small  and  the  progress  slow. 
Becoming  discouraged  he  resigned  April  1,  1866, 
after  a  service  of  one  year  and  a  half. 

Then  occurred  the  hardest  struggle  in  the  history 
of  the  church.  They  were  without  a  pastor  for  one 
year,  yet  the  faithful  few  sustained  the  Sunday-school 
and  prayer-meeting,  paid  eighty  dollars  hall  rent, 
and  lived  in  hope  and  prayed  for  a  pastor. 

Their  prayers  were  answered  by  the  coming  of  Rev. 
R.H.Fletcher,  April  16,1867.  He  found  some  thirty 
members  still.  They  continued  worshi|)ing  in  the 
hall,  preaching  every  Sabbath.  Revival  services  were 
held  during  the  winter,  resulting  in  the  conversion  of 
more  than  sixty  souls,  nearly  all  of  whom  united  with 
the  church.  Much  encouraged  by  the  recent  acces- 
sions, they  resolved  to  organize  anew,  and  proceeded 
to  elect  a  full  set  of  oflScers  in  the  spring  of  1868.  A 
church  home  was  then  desired  by  the  congregation, 
and  steps  were  taken  to  secure  it.     With  much  faith 


CITY   OF   LOCK   HAVEN. 


549 


in  God  and  little  money  in  the  treasury,  the  first 
steps  were  taken.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  se- 
cure a  lot,  and  finally  purchased  the  yet  vacant  lot 
on  the  corner  of  Church  and  Corning  Streets,  just  op- 
posite Loveland  &  Gossler's  planing-mill,  for  two 
thousand  dollars,  the  owner  subscribing  one  hundred 
dollars.  Money  was  soon  raised  to  pay  for  the  lot, 
and  steps  taken  towards  building.  Property  then  ad- 
vancing, and  the  location  being  considered  desirable 
for  business,  it  was  thought  best  to  sell  this  lot  at  a 
profit  and  purchase  another,  which  resulted  in  the 
sale  of  that  one  for  four  thousand  five  hundred  dollars 
and  the  purchase  of  the  present  one  for  the  same 
amount  in  March,  1869.  An  unusual  spirit  of  liber- 
ality possessed  the  new  church,  the  members  subscrib- 
ing liberally,  one  or  two  cases  being  remarkable. 
Much  sympathy  and  material  aid  was  given  by  the 
community,  and  the  church  was  begun.  On  the  9th  of 
August,  1869,  the  corner-stone  was  laid,  and  by  fall 
the  church  was  under  roof.  The  enterprising  build- 
ing committee  consisted  of  Messrs.  I.  A.  Shaffer,  John 
Furst,  and  William  Kessler. 

In  the  spring  of  1870,  Rev.  Fletcher  resigned,  after 
a  pastorate  of  three  years.  There  was  much  opposi- 
tion to  this  step,  but  it  was  thought  best  by  the  pastor, 
and  his  resignation  was  accepted. 

Rev.  J.  W.  Goodlin  was  invited  to  preach  a  trial 
sermon,  and  was  unanimously  elected.  He  assumed 
charge  in  July,  1870,  at  a  salary  of  eight  hundred 
dollars.  The  congregation  was  thus  without  a  pastor 
scarcely  three  months.  The  first  work  of  the  new  pas- 
tor was  to  press  forward  the  completion  of  the  base- 
ment, which  was  finished  at  a  cost  of  about  one  tliou- 
sand  dollars,  and  dedicated  in  September,  1870.  Soon 
after  Rev.  Goodiin  was  called  by  the  Board  of  Home 
Missions  to  become  its  secretary,  and,  after  a  very  suc- 
cessful year's  work,  resigned  the  pastorate.  Though 
the  congregation  was  very  loth  to  give  him  up,  the 
voice  of  the  church  must  be  obeyed.  Tiie  member- 
ship had  been  increased  by  thirty-one,  and  the  Sun- 
day-school raised  from  eighty  to  one  hundred  and 
thirty. 

On  Jan.  1,  1872,  Rev.  Criley  took  charge  after  an 
interregnum  of  a  few  months.  Feb.  5,  1872,  it  was 
decided  to  build  a  parsonage  to  cost  one  thousand 
dollars,  which  was  carried  out  at  a  cost  of  about 
twelve  hundred  dollars.  July  1,  1872,  it  was  decided 
to  finish  the  church  building;  and  a  contract  was 
entered  into  with  Messrs.  J.  C.  Brown  and  I.  A. 
Shafier  to  finish  the  church  for  eight  thousand  dol- 
lars, Oct.  29,  1872. 

The  church  was  completed,  and  dedicated  to  God 
on  the  5th  of  July,  1874,  Revs.  Conrad,  D.D.,  Criley, 
Fletcher,  and  Diven  participating.  It  was  tlien  stated 
that  the  church  cost  twenty-four  thousand  dollars, 
fourteen  thousand  dollars  of  which  had  been  paid, 
leaving  ten  thousand  dollars  yet  to  be  raised.  Eight 
thousand  dollars  was  pledged  on  the  day  of  dedica- 
tion, leaving  two  thousand  dollars  unprovided  for, 


which  was  promised  to  be  forthcoming  when  needed. 
Thus  the  house  was  dedicated  to  Almighty  God  for 
His  service  forever.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  many 
of  the  pledges  were  unkept.  The  financial  pressure 
coming  just  then  made  it  impossible  for  many  who 
had  promised  in  good  faith  to  redeem  their  promise. 
In  less  than  a  year  afterwards, — March  28, 1875,^Rev. 
Criley  resigned,  at  the  conclusion  of  a  spiritual  awak- 
ening, thinkinganotherraight  more  successfully  pros- 
ecute the  work. 

Rev.  M.  J.  Fiery  was  immediately  elected  pastor, 
and  the  following  Sabbath  preached  his  introductory 
sermon,  April  4,  1875.  The  financial  condition  of  the 
congregation  was  now  in  its  very  worst  condition. 
The  claims  soon  began  to  fall  due,  and  the  treasury 
was  unable  to  meet  them.  Interest  had  accrued,  the 
principal  had  not  been  reduced,  and  Rev.  Fiery,  to 
bis  astonishment, found  the  indebtednessof  the  church 
fourteen  thousand  dollars  (about).  It  was  then 
thought  prudent,  to  save  the  church  from  bankruptcy, 
that  Rev.  Fiery  should  travel  through  the  church  at 
large  and  solicit  help.  He  did  so,  and  accordingly 
started  out  May  28,  1877.  After  several  months'  can- 
vassing through  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio,  during 
which  time  the  pulpit  was  casually  supplied  by  the 
surrounding  ministers.  Rev.  Fiery  returned,  having 
secured  five  thousand  two  hundred  and  thirty-seven 
dollars,  one  thousand  and  twenty-five  dollars  being 
cash,  the  rest  notes,  nearly  all  of  which  have  been 
paid.  He  also  secured  about  five  thousand  dollars  in 
home  notes,  some  of  which  are  yet  unpaid.  The 
church  prospered  greatly  under  Rev.  Fiery,  both 
financially  and  spiritually,  and  we  would  now  and  ever 
most  gratefully  remember  his  persistent  toil  and  faith- 
ful service.  The  church  would  gladly  have  retained 
him  longer,  but  feeling  that  he  could  accomplish  more 
in  a  larger  congregation,  and  having  struggled  hard 
to  save  this  mission,  receiving  also  a  unanimous  call 
from  the  Lutheran  Church  of  Springfield,  Ohio,  he 
presented  his  resignation  Jan.  22,  1878,  to  take  place 
at  once.  After  much  deliberation  by  the  council  it 
was  resolved  to  accept  the  resignation,  and  highly 
favorable  resolutions  and  recommendations  were 
passed  concerning  him.  The  whole  indebtedness  of 
the  church  at  this  time,  March  5,  1878,  was  $6594.- 
17;  assets  (including  home  notes  unpaid,  subscrip- 
tions, etc.),  ^5788.44,  leaving  a  balance  of  $805.73. 

During  Rev.  Fiery's  administration  there  were  but 
few  additional  expenses,  the  principal  ones  being  re- 
pairs on  parsonage,  damaged  by  fire,  which  were 
covered  by  insurance,  and  the  substituting  of  iron  posts 
for  the  wooden  ones  in  the  Sunday-school  room  at  a 
cost  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  dollars.  On  the  whole, 
the  outlook  of  the  church  was  entirely  changed,  and 
though  embarrassed  by  the  resignation  of  Brother 
Fiery,  the  people  thanked  God  and  took  courage. 

After  a  vacancy  of  three  months,  during  which 
the  pulpit  was  supplied  occasionally,  on  Monday 
evening.  May  13,  1878,  Rev.  J.  A.  Hackenberg  was 


550 


HISTORY  OF  CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


elected  pastor  of  the  congregation.  He  served  them 
one  year  and  ten  months,  reducing  the  debt  nearly 
fifteen  hundred  dollars,  and  adding  quite  a  number 
to  the  church.  Feb.  29,  1880,  he  preached  his  fare- 
well sermon. 

Two  weeks  later,  Eev.  P.  A.  Heilman  was  chosen 
pastor  by  a  unanimous  vote,  and  preached  his  intro- 
ductory sermon  April  4,  1880.  The  indebtedness  of 
the  church  at  tliis  time  was  nearly  four  thousand 
dollars.  Special  efforts  were  made  to  reduce  the 
debt,  both  by  systematic  and  spasmodic  giving,  until 
Feb.  15,  1882,  when  it  was  found  the  debt  had  been 
reduced  to  $2057.89.  A  special  effort  was  then  made, 
which  resulted  in  canceling  the  entire  claim. 

Up  to  this  time  the  church  had  been  receiving  a 
small  amount  ($100)  each  year  from  the  "Home 
Mission  Board"  toward  the  support  of  its  pastor.  It 
was  thought  by  the  council  that  such  help  was  no 
longer  absolutely  necessary,  and  on  April  4,  1882, 
they  declared  themselves  self-sustaining. 

The  present  membership  of  the  church  is  two 
hundred  and  twenty-one.  Value  of  church  property, 
including  parsonage,  twenty-five  thousand  dollars. 

On  the  night  of  Dec.  21,  1881,  the  parsonage, 
which  was  a  frame  building,  was  burned  to  the 
ground,  the  fire  being  communicated  from  a  burning 
stable  across  the  alley.  Loss,  one  thousand  dollars; 
insurance,  six  hundred  dollars.  The  church  could 
ill  afford  this  loss  at  this  time,  but  with  much 
material  sympathy  from  the  community  they  went 
to  work.  A  new  and  elegant  brick  building  was 
erected  on  the  old  foundation,  and  finished  May  4, 
1882,  a  little  more  than  four  months  after  the  fire, 
at  a  cost  of  fourteen  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  all 
of  which  was  paid  when  the  building  was  finished. 

The  Hunday-school  has  kept  pace  with  the  church. 
When  organized  in  18(52  it  numbered  but  thirty-five 
members,  George  P.  Shaffer  being  the  first  superin- 
tendent. Since  then  it  has  steadily  grown  until  it 
numbers  now  three  hundred  and  forty-five  scholars 
and  teachers,  with  an  average  attendance  of  three 
hundred  and  two,  B.  F.  Marshall  being  superin- 
tendent. During  the  year  of  1881  its  contributions 
and  collections  amounted  to  $791.51,  and  its  disburse- 
ments $709.51. 

Immanuel's  German  Evangelical  Lutheran 
Church. — Jan.  30,  1870,  eight  members  of  the  Water 
Street  German  Lutheran  Church  withdrew  from  that 
organization,  owing  to  differences  of  opinion  in  re- 
gard to  doctrinal  points,  and  assembled  on  the  same 
day  for  the  purpose  of  founding  a  new  congregation 
under  the  name  of  "  The  Immanuel's  German  Evan- 
gelical Lutheran  Congregation,  Unaltered  Augsburg 
Confession."  A  committee  was  appointed  to  frame  a 
constitution,  which  was  adopted  by  the  congregation. 
A  call  was  then  extended  to  the  Rev.  E.  Grothe,  and 
in  August  of  the  same  year  the  pastor  and  congrega- 
tion united  with  the  Missouri  Synod.  During  the 
first  six  months  after  its  organization  the  congrega- 


tion held  services  in  Marshall's  Hall,  on  Grove  Street, 
and  removed  from  there  to  Odd-Fellows'  Hall,  on 
Main  Street. 

In  the  spring  of  1871  it  was  decided  to  build  a 
house  of  worship,  which  was  accomplished,  and  on 
the  fourth  Sunday  of  July,  1873,  a  brick  edifice, 
thirty-six  by  seventy-one  feet,  beautiful  in  design 
and  finish,  was  dedicated.  The  building  was  planned, 
and  plans  executed,  by  Jacob  Beerweiler,  G.  E.  Gulp, 
W.  Schaadt,  and  J.  L.  Thiele.  The  cost  of  the  prop- 
erty complete  was  seven  thousand  four  hundred  and 
ten  dollars;  less  than  two  hundred  dollars  was  con- 
tributed by  persons  not  members,  and  there  were  only 
fourteen  heads  of  families  members  of  the  church. 
Rev.  Grothe  resigned  the  pastorate  in  the  fiill  of  1874, 
and  was  succeeded  by  Eev.  H.  Bruer.  The  church 
property  was  sold,  and  the  congregation  now  worship 
in  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  Hall,  Ex- 
change Building.  President  of  the  congregation, 
Jacob  Beerweiler;  Secretary,  G.  E.  Gulp.  Present 
membership,  eight  families. 

St.  Agnes'  German  Catholic  Church.'— The  con- 
gregation now  forming  St.  Agnes'  Church  were  for- 
merly united  with  the  English  congregation.  The 
number  of  German  Catholics  having  very  much  in- 
creased, in  the  year  1870  they  got  permission  from 
the  Kt.  Rev.  Bishop  Jeremiah  Shanahan  to  build  a 
church  for  their  own  use,  in  which  all  the  German 
Catholics  should  worship.  In  order  to  get  the  neces- 
sary funds  they  started  a  society,  under  the  title  "  St. 
Franciscus  Society,"  and  collected  a  considerable 
amount  of  money,  to  which  a  great  many  citizens  of 
other  denominations  liberally  contributed.  Then 
they  bought  a  lot  on  Liberty  Street,  and  commenced 
building  in  the  year  1872;  a  great  part  of  the  work 
was  done  by  the  members  themselves.  The  structure 
is  partly  stone,  partly  frame ;  the  basement,  contain- 
ing three  rooms,  was  intended  for  a  parochial  school. 
The  church  was  finished  in  1873,  and  dedicated  in 
March,  1873,  by  the  right  reverend  bishop.  The 
first  pastor  was  Rev.  Louis  Grotemeyer,  a  native  of 
Westphalia,  Prussia.  Under  him  the  congregation 
flourished,  and  about  sixty  families  belonged  to  it. 
Rev.  Grotemeyer  was  very  anxious  to  liquidate  the 
church  debt,  which  amounted  to  more  than  five  thou- 
sand dollars.  He  succeeded  in  paying  off  the  larger 
part  inside  of  three  years.  He  also  established  a  pa- 
rochial school  under  the  care  of  a  lay  teacher.  Father 
Grotemeyer  remained  in  Lock  Haven  nearly  three 
years,  and  was  succeeded  by  Eev.  Henry  Kelt,  also  a 
native  of  Westphalia,  Prussia.  Under  him  the  panic 
broke  out  in  Lock  Haven,  which  forced  many  fami- 
lies to  leave  the  city  for  want  of  work.  Father  Kelt 
struggled  heroically  against  these  adverse  circum- 
stances, kept  up  the  school,  and  paid  off  nearly  all 
the  remaining  debt  and  interest.  In  the  beginning 
of  the  year  1881  lie  had  to  leave  the  place  on  account 

1  By  Kev.  Charles  Koch. 


CITY   OF   LOCK    HAVEN. 


551 


of  ill  health,  and  the  present  pastor,  Rev.  Charles 
Koch,  succeeded  him.  He  brought  the  Sister.'?  of  St. 
Francis,  who  have  their  mother-house  in  Philadel- 
phia, to  take  charge  of  the  school.  At  present  there 
are  three  sisters,  two  of  whom  teach  the  children. 
The  school  is  supported  by  the  contribution  of  the 
members.  English  and  German  is  taught ;  also  on 
Saturday  afternoon  there  is  instruction  given  in  all 
kinds  of  needle-work.  The  church  at  present  is  in 
better  state  than  before,  as  the  times  have  improved. 
The  number  of  families  belonging  to  the  church  is 
about  thirty;  the  number  of  children  in  school  about 
sixty. 

St.  Luke's  Reformed  Church.'— At  the  annual 
session  of  the  Classis  of  West  Susquehanna  of  the 
Reformed  Church,  held  in  May,  1874,  a  committee 
consisting  of  the  Revs.  H.  King,  D.  G.  Klein,  and 
Jonathan  Zellers  was  appointed  to  establish  a  mis- 
sion at  Lock  Haven.  The  work  of  canvassing  the 
city  was  undertaken  by  Kev.  Jonathan  Zellers,  a  resi- 
dent of  the  place.  After  it  was  decided  to  organize 
a  mission  the  first  services  were  held  on  the  2.3d  day 
of  August,  1874,  by  the  Rev.  H.  King,  in  the  Second 
Presbyterian  Church,  the  free  use  of  which  had  been 
secured  until  other  arrangements  could  be  made. 
Occasionally  services  were  subsequently  held  by 
Revs.  King,  J.  F.  DeLong,  and  H.  D.  Darbaker. 

The  organization  of  the  mission  took  place  Jan.  3, 
1875,  on  which  occasion  the  Rev.  King  preached  from 
Lev.  viii.  24.  About  thirty  members  were  enrolled, 
and  the  organization  effected  by  the  election  of 
Joseph  Eilert  and  William  Beck  as  elders,  and  A. 
Bittner  and  C.  Hineman  as  deacons. 

Jonathan  Zellers,  Jacob  Swope,  and  John  Dubler 
were  elected  a  committee  to  draw  up  a  constitution 
for  the  congregation.  At  the  same  meeting  the  Clas- 
sis of  West  Susquehanna  was  asked  to  confirm  the  or- 
ganization, and  recognize  it  as  a  congregation  in  full 
connection,  which  request  was  granted  at  the  session 
held  May  5,  187.5,  in  Mifflinsburg,  Pa.,  where  also  the 
Rev.  J.  W.  Pontius  was  appointed  to  take  charge  of 
the  mission. 

Rev.  J.  W.  Pontius  entered  upon  his  labors  June 
20,  1875.  He  labored  successfuly  until  May  15,  1876, 
when,  on  account  of  ill  health,  he  handed  in  his  resig- 
nation to  the  Consistory,  which  was  accepted,  and 
West  Susquehanna  Classis  dissolved  the  pastoral  re- 
lations between  him  and  the  congregation.  During 
the  pastorate  of  the  Rev.  J.  W.  Pontius  the  congre- 
gation flourished,  new  members  were  added,  and  the 
Sunday-school,  which  was  organized  soon  after  he 
became  pastor,  with  Mr.  T.  P.  Meyer  as  superintend- 
ent, continued  to  increase  in  numbers. 

The  congregation  at  first  worshiped  in  the  rooms  of 
the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  but  after- 
wards in  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church,  formerly 
the  old  Methodist  Church. 

J  By  Key.  I.  S.  Stahr. 


The  Rev.  J.  W.  Pontius  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev. 
F.  F.  Christine,  who  entered  upon  his  pastoral  labors 
immediately  after  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Pontius  went 
into  effect.  His  pastorate  promised  well,  and  some 
progress  was  made  at  first,  but  soon  difficulties  arose, 
which  continued  to  increase  until  the  pastor  handed 
in  his  resignation,  about  nine  months  after  he  com- 
menced his  labors.  During  the  pastorate  of  Mr. 
Christine  the  congregation  again  rented  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association  rooms,  and  the  services 
were  held  there  for  some  time. 

After  Mr.  Christine  resigned  a  vacancy  of  six 
months  occurred,  and  this,  in  connection  with  the 
existing  difficulties,  had  a  very  depressing  effect  upon 
the  congregation.  West  Susquehanna  Classis,  how- 
ever, at  its  annual  meeting  in  May,  1877,  formed  a 
pastoral  charge  of  Lock  Haven  Mission  and  the  St. 
John's  Church,  near  Charlton,  Clinton  Co.,  and  the 
Mission  Board  commissioned  tlie  Rev.  L  S.  Stahr  to 
take  charge  of  this  field  of  labor.  He  entered  upon 
his  duties  Oct.  1,  1877,  and  has  continued  to  serve  the 
charge  up  to  the  present  time.  When  Mr.  Stahr  en- 
tered upon  his  labors  the  congregation  was  in  a  most 
discouraging  condition.  The  members  were  disheart- 
ened, the  Sunday-school  disbanded,  and  the  difficulties 
which  had  disturbed  the  peace  of  the  congregation 
were  not  yet  forgotten,  and  in  addition  to  this  the 
financial'crisis  from  which  the  country  then  suffered 
made  matters  still  worse.  Some  of  the  most  influen- 
tial members  left  Lock  Haven  at  this  time,  and  but  a 
handful  remained.  Regular  services  were,  however, 
again  held,  the  Sunday-school  was  reorganized  under 
the  former  superintendent,  and  the  work  of  building 
up  the  congregation  was  once  more  commenced.  A 
few  months  after  Mr.  Stahr  had  entered  upon  his 
labors  the  congregation  returned  to  the  Second  Pres- 
byterian Church. 

In  the  spring  of  1878  steps  were  taken  by  the  con- 
gregation to  .secure  a  house  of  worship  of  its  own, 
and  West  Susquehanna  Classis  was  petitioned  for  as- 
sistance in  this  enterprise.  Classis  responded  favora- 
bly, and  appointed  a  committee  consisting  of  Rev.  G. 
E.  Addams  and  Elders  Kraram  and  Miller  to  visit 
Lock  Haven  and  confer  with  the  congregation  as  to 
the  most  feasible  plan  of  securing  a  house  of  worship, 
whether  to  erect  one  or  to  purchase  the  Second  Pres- 
byterian Church,  in  which  the  congregation  was  now 
worshiping.  It  was  decided  to  purchase  the  church, 
provided  it  could  be  obtained  at  a  suitable  price.  The 
purchase  was  finally  effected  at  two  thousand  two 
hundred  dollars,  and  on  the  23d  of  August,  1878,  the 
property  was  conveyed  to  the  Rev.  G.  E.  Addams, 
who  held  it  for  a  few  months  until  the  congregation 
became  a  chartered  body,  when  it  was  conveyed  to 
the  trustees  elected  by  the  congregation,  according  to 
the  provisions  of  the  charter. 

The  congregation  was  now  placed  on  a  better  foun- 
dation, and  since  then  it  has  slowly  increased  in  num- 
bers.    It  numbers  now  about  eighty  members,  and 


552 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the   Sunday-school   about   one  hundred   and   thirty 
members,  with  an  average  attendanceof  about  ninety. 
The  property  of  tlie  congregation  is  worth  about  three  I 
thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  on  which  a  debt  of  [ 
seven  hundred  and  thirty  dollars  remains.     Tlie  in-  j 
terior  of  the  church  is  at  present  undergoing  repairs, 
which  when  completed  will  greatly  improve  its  ap- 
pearance.    The  officers   of  the  congregation  are   as 
follows:    Elders,   William    H.  Beck,   A.  S.  Bittner; 
Deacons,  J.  H.  Swope,  C.  S.  Messerly  ;  Trustees,  Rev. 
I.  S.  Stahr,   William  H.  Beck,   A.  S.  Bittner,  J.  H. 
Swope,  C.  S.  Messerly,  T.  P.  Meyer,  Dr.  F.  W.  Van- 
dersloot. 

The  following  persons  were  the  original  members 
of  the  congregation  :  Joseph  Eilcrt  and  wife,  William 
H.  Beck  and  wife,  A.  S.  Bittner  and  wife,  D.  L.  Brown 
and  wife,  J.  H.  Swope  and  wife,  John  Dubler  and 
wife,  C.  Heineman  and  wife,  Henry  Yearick  and  wife. 
Rev.  Jonathan  Zeller,  R.  W.  Snook,  T.  P.  Meyer, 
Sarah  C.  Eilert,  Mrs.  Weymouth,  Mrs.  Lerch,  and 
Mrs.  Singley. 

The  Roman  Catholic  Church  is  located  on  Water 
Street,  and  is  under  the  care  of  Rev.  Father  Power,  who 
neglected  to  furnish  the  proper  data  for  a  historical 
sketch  of  his  parish.  The  church  edifice  is  a  substan- 
tial brick  structure,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  about 
five  hundred.  The  parish  is  one  of  the  best  in  this 
part  of  the  State. 

African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.— Several 
years  ago  the  colored  people  of  Lock  Haven  organ- 
ized a  society,  purchased  a  lot,  built  a  house  in  which 
to  worship.  Regular  services  were  held  for  some 
time,  but  owing  to  the  small  size  of  the  congregation 
and  society,  most  of  the  members  being  quite  poor,  it 
became  necessary  to  give  up  their  house  and  cease 
holding  meetings. 

Oct.  2-t,  1874,  Rev.  IMr.  Bronson,  of  Pittsburgh 
Conference  of  the  "  African  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,"  organized  a  society  in  Lock  Haven.  The 
first  meeting  was  held  in  the  old  white  school-house 
at  the  cast  or  lower  end  of  Church  Street,  and  con- 
tinued for  a  few  weeks  by  Mr.  Bronson.  During  his 
stay  several  officers  were  elected,  and  a  Sabbath-school 
organized,  with  Franklin  Brown  as  superintendent, 
and  Joseph  Davis,  librarian.  Mr.  Bronson  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Revs.  Green  Watson,  John  Coleman,  187G; 
William  Ross,  1877;  Charles  Hubbard,  1878;  Robert 
Henderson,  1879 ;  John  M.  Palmer,  1882,  present 
pastor. 

The  old  school-house  was  purchased  by  the  society 
in  18 — ,  and  fitted  up  for  church  purposes,  and  is  at 
present  a  neat  and  comfortable  place  in  which  to 
worship.  The  Sunday-school  was  reorganized  in 
1880,  with  B.  F.  Brown  as  superintendent,  who  still 
holds  the  same  position,  with  an  average  attendance 
of  forty  scholars. 

The  trustees  for  1882  were  William  Jackson,  Wil- 
liam Sage,  Robert  Butler,  James  Tyler,  and  B.  Frank 
Brown. 


Highland  Cemetery. — The  Highland  Cemetery 
Association  was  incorporated  May  1,  1861,  with  the 
following-named  incorporators:  Philip  M.  Price,  S. 
Hepburn,  L.  A.  Mackey,  H.  T.  Beardsley,  D.  K. 
Jackman,  George  C.  Harvey,  N.  Shaw,  Jesse  Merrill, 
C.  A.  Mayer,  Allison  White,  Charles  Blauchard, 
Thomas  Yardley,  J.  Hogan  Brown,  Simon  Scott, 
O.  D.  Satterlee,  and  C.  W.  Wingard. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  corporators  was  held  Oct. 
6,  1862,  and  at  an  adjourned  meeting  held  on  the  8tli 
of  the  same  month  tlie  first  board  of  managers  were 
elected,  viz.:  President,  Philip  M.  Price;  L.  A. 
Mackey,  R.  H.  Boggis,  Dudley  Blauchard,  and  S.  D. 
Ball. 

Soon  after  the  organization  was  fully  completed, 
Mr.  Philip  M.  Price,  by  deed  bearing  date  Dec.  1, 
1862,  donated  to  the  organization  twenty-three  acres 
of  land  on  "  the  fine  eminence  overlooking  the  town 
from  the  southwestward,"  as  he  described  it  in  an 
address  to  the  citizens  of  Lock  Haven.  The  condi- 
tions of  the  grant  were  that  the  company  should  lay 
out  the  land  for  the  purposes  of  a  burial-ground,  the 
proceeds  arising  from  the  sale  of  lots  to  be  appro- 
priated, one-half  to  the  maintenance  of  the  grounds 
in  good  order,  the  erection  of  necessary  fences,  build- 
ings, etc.,  the  other  half  to  be  paid  over  annually  to 
such  trustees  or  corporation  as  the  board  of  managers 
may  designate  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  in  the  estab- 
lishment and  maintenance  of  a  public  library  and 
reading-room  in  the  town  of  Lock  Haven. 

The  organization  was  also  required  to  "  set  apart  a 
lot  of  ample  dimensions  and  conspicuous  position"  for 
the  interment,  without  charge,  of  deceased  soldiers  of 
the  late  war,  and  to  allow  to  be  erected  on  said  lot  a 
suitable  monument,  to  be  built  by  voluntary  contribu- 
tions of  such  as  should  desire  to  contribute."  Other 
conditions  were  contained  in  the  deed,  all  in  the  same 
spirit  of  broad  philanthropy  and  benevolence  which 
characterized  the  donor  during  his  lifetime. 

Mr.  Price  subsequently  purchased  two  acres  of  land 
adjoining  his  first  donation,  and  at  a  meeting  of  the 
association  held  July  21,  1806,  presented  the  same  to 
the  organization,  subject  to  the  same  trusts  and  con- 
ditions. A  further  addition  of  sixteen  acres  was  pur- 
chased in  1874  by  the  following-named  gentlemen, 
and  by  them  placed  under  the  control  of  the  ceme- 
tery association  until  the  proceeds  of  sales  of  lots  in 
this  addition  shall  have  reimbursed  the  purchasers, 
when  the  land  should  become  the  property  of  the  as- 
sociation :  L.  A.  Jlackey,  S.  D.  Ball,  J.  H.  Barton, 
Thomas  Yardley,  N.  Shaw,  P.  S.  Merrill,  E.  P.  Mc- 
Cormick,  R.  H.  Boggis,  H.  T.  Beardsley,  George  G. 
Irwin,  Jacob  Brown,  J.  P.  Melick,  W.  H.  Brown,  and 
G.  Kintzing. 

The  cemetery  contains  at  present  forty  acres  of  land. 
The  first  interment  was  that  of  a  child  of  Joseph  Quig- 
gle,  having  been  made  Oct.  19,  1862.  The  officers  for 
1882  are:  President,  Thomas  Yardly  ;  Secretary  and 
Treasurer,  Paul  S.  Merrill ;    Superintendent,   Elam 


CITY   OF   LOCK    HAVEN. 


553 


Eastwood ;  Directors,  Thomas  Yardley,  Dr.  J.  H. 
Barton,  Hon.  L.  A.  Mackey,  S.  D.  Ball,  Esq.,  and 
Gen.  Jesse  Merrill. 

The  following  are  among  the  many  inscriptions 
upon  the  monuments  and  tombstones  in  Highland 
Cemetery  : 

Gporge  W.  Eaton,  died  Aug.  19, 167C,  ngcJ  75. 

Hun  ict  N.  Loiighry,  died  Marcli  10,  1874,  aged  45. 

IJii  Winnie,  died  Miireli  8, 1880,  aged  77. 

Siirali  II.  Pucker,  died  Aug.  13,  187:),  aged  58. 

Julin  I'lielver,  died  Jan.  17, 1881,  aged  71. 

Capt.  I.  L.  I'lalt,  lOjtli  P.  V. 

Hannali  Young,  died  Oct.  5,  1802,  aged  74. 

John  Kern,  born  Jan.  23, 1810,  died  Marcli  28,  1878. 

J.  Krider,  7th  P.  U.  V.  0. 

Richard  Snyder,  died  Feb.  20,  18G4,  aged  43. 

■William  Ilartralift,  died  Jan.  8,  1807,  aged  42. 

Philip  Krehs,  horn  Dec.  7, 1780,  died  June  25,  ISOl. 

B.  I!u8h  Petrikin,  horn  June  15, 1815,  died  March  18,  ISOO. 

Maggie  II.  Gi-afius  Petrikin,  died  Jnly  10,  1875,  aged  30. 

M.  Jennie  RaUh,  died  Sept.  17, 1870,  aged  30. 

Lieut.  John  P.  Straw,  killed  in  hatllo  near  Cold  Harbor,  Va,,  June 
2,  1804,  aged  27. 

Ezekiel  Fleming,  died  Jan.  0, 1871,  aged  42. 

S.  Drisher,  5Ctll  P.  V. 

Christian  A.  Schroeder,  died  April  18,  1875,  aged  67. 

Joseph  Hunt,  horn  Dec.  1,  1797,  died  Aug.  18,  1804. 

Dr.  John  W.  Peale,  born  June  13,  1800,  died  July  14,  1808. 

John  Orth,  printer  and  publisher,  born  Sept.  20,  1827,  died  Dec.  21, 
1870. 

Lieut.  B.  Colburn  Winslow,  U.S.A.,  died  May  10,  1SG2,  aged  40. 

Reuben  Wiiislow,  born  June  28, 1790,  died  Aug.  20,  1871. 

James  A.  Caniield,  died  May  24, 1864,  aged  32.  "  He  gave  his  life  for 
his  country." 

Susannah  Caniielil,  died  Feb.  13, 1870,  aged  G3. 

Ira  D.  Canfleld,  died  Sept.  3, 1807,  aged  03. 

Ann  Eliza  Shaw,  died  June  17,  18G8.  aged  44. 

Catharine  Lizette  Lambert,  born  Nov.  19, 1820,  died  May  28,  1873. 

James  Innis,  dfed  Sept.  20, 1869,  aged  03. 

John  Watson,  died  Fi-b.  20,  1870,  aged  31. 

Elizabeth  Watson,  died  May  15, 1873,  aged  72. 

John  C.  Irvin,  horn  Feb.  14, 1797,  died  June  25, 1863. 

Andrew  W.  Irwin,  died  Oct.  G,  1864.  aged  50. 

Penelope  Irwin,  born  Feb.  28, 1805,  died  May  7, 1870. 

George  6.  Irwin,  died  Juno  28,  1874,  aged  63. 

Robert  Irwin,  died  Oct.  24,  1874,  aged  77. 

John  Moorhead,  died  Dec.  21,185.3,  aged  51. 

Robert  Hauna,  born  Nov.  20,  1822,  died  Oct.  28, 1868. 

Joseph  W.  Hanna,  died  Nov.  4, 1875,  aged  35. 

William  Aveyard,  died  Oct.  7, 1865,  aged  46. 

Judith  Blanchard,  died  April  5, 18G6,  aged  74. 

John  Blancliard,  died  Oct.  14,  1857,  aged  07. 

Anthony  Saltsman,  born  Sept.  15, 1790,  died  July  6, 1871. 

J.  Montanye  Green,  31. D.,  died  Nov.  5, 1855,  aged  52. 

James  Snodgrass,  died  Aug.  10, 1870,  aged  05. 

Sarah  G.  White,  died  Sept.  19,  1864,  aged  42. 

Samuel  McCormick,  born  April  12,  179G,  died  March  2, 1857. 

Algernon  S.  Fleming,  died  Dec.  12,  1860,  aged  62. 

Rev.  Jacob  Mayer,  horn  Sept.  15,  1798,  died  Oct.  29, 1872. 

David  Carskaddon,  born  Nov.  6,  1817,  died  Nov.  10, 1870. 

Anne  Reiley,  died  Oct.  18,  1879,  aged  73. 

S.  H.  Fredericks,  died  Sept.  6,  1878,  aged  60. 

Sarah  K.  C.irss,  born  Oct.  8,  1837,  died  April  7, 1880. 

Emily  Conkling  McCalmont,  horn  Dec.  6, 1856,  died  May  30,  1875. 

John  McDonald,  died  Sept.  12,  1864,  aged  48. 

Julius  T.  Holmes,  born  May  13, 1832,  died  April  13,  1880. 

Robert  Crawford,  died  Sept.  29,  1878,  aged  50. 

Elizabeth  Jones,  died  Feb.  1,  1878,  aged  53. 
•     Thomas  Elott,  died  May  20,  1879,  aged  70. 

Abraham  Grafius,  born  Dec.  7,  1812,  died  Sept.  26,  1872. 

Rensselaer  Hull,  born  Sept.  7, 1830,  died  June  14, 1880. 

Joseph  Hanna,  died  May  8, 1879,  aged  81. 

Rev,  Samuel  B.  Dalrymple,  born  Oct.  21,  1833,  dieil  Oct.  27,  1863. 

Jane  M.  Burroughs,  July  24, 1778,  died  Dec.  30,  1878. 


Tench  C.  Kintzing,  born  May  8, 1794,  died  Jan.  27, 1848. 
James  A.  Hunt,  died  Oct.  20,  1871,  aged  62. 
Nathan  Ilaviland,  died  Nov.  4,  1853,  aged  78. 
Abigail  Haviland,  died  Nov,  4,  1863,  aged  03. 
Thomas  Welch,  died  April  11, 1854,  aged  70. 
Priscilla  Welch,  ilied  April  G,  185C,  aged  02. 
David  McCormick,  born  Sept.  20,  1787,  died  JLiy  7,  1858. 
Ira  Mason,  died  June  8, 1881,  aged  70. 
Mary  S.  Bradford,  died  Oct.  6,  1875,  aged  03. 
Susan  J.  Itradford,  dieil  April  26, 1870,  aged  62. 
John  P  Black,  died  Jan.  22, 1881,  aged  70. 
James  E.istwood,  born  Oct.  4,  1812,  died  Dec.  1,180!. 
John  Reaville,  died  Aug.  22, 1870,  aged  71. 

Rev.  Tliom:is  D.  Ootwalt,  of  the  E^ist  B.iltimoro  Conference  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  died  Dec.  3, 1801,  aged  33. 
Edward  L.  Sliulze,  died  Miiy  7, 1804,  aged  59. 
John  Keller,  born  May  20,  1830, died  Juno  22,  1807. 
John  Myers,  born  March  22, 1822,  died  Jan.  20,  1873. 
Amelia  Poorman,  died  Nov.  29, 1877,  ageil  54. 
Maranda  Reed,  died  March  14,  1877,  aged  44. 
Frederica  .V.  Kane,  born  May  19,  1829,  dio.l  June  18,  1873. 
Atwood  Barrows,  died  Dec.  2S,  1873,  aged  75. 
Joseph  W.  Bigony,  died  Aug.  10, 1807,  aged  40. 
Cbrislina  Barbara  Mal-shall,  died  April  15,  1877,  aged  CO. 
Sophia  E.  Frank,  born  Jan.  10,  1812,  died  July  27,  1807. 
Itobert  D.  Noiie,  died  Jan.  18,  1873,  aged  23. 
0.  F.  Anthony,  Eleventh  Pennsylvania  Volunteers. 
Nicholas  Anthony,  born  Sept.  1, 1792,  died  Dec.  31,  1865. 
Ann  Clay  Hepbuin, born  M.arch  16, 1788.  dieil  Dec.  5, 1855. 
Lieut.  J.  Hogan  Brown,  U.  S.  navy,  died  May  10,  ISCl,  aged  40. 
Henry  A.  Lichtentlialer,  died  May  5,  1872,  aged  4!. 
Sally  Ann  Abiams  died  Oct.  23,  1800,  aged  3(1. 
Mary  Eldred,  died  April  18, 1870,  aged  60. 
Johu  W.  Eldred,  M.D.,  died  July  0, 1800,  aged  55. 
Catharine  Caldwell,  born  April  28,  1813,  died  June  20, 1872. 
Maria  Welch,  born  Marcli  6, 1801,  died  Oct.  8, 1805. 
Amos  T.  Bisel,  died  Dec.  13,  1871,  aged  61. 
Morris  Messiftger,  died  Nov.  2,  1879,  aged  52. 
Peter  L-et,  born  May  1,  1790,  died  Sept.  2,  1871. 
Margaretha  Leet,  born  Nov.  15, 1707,  died  Feb.  8, 1862. 
Rebecca  Myers,  died  Dec.  25, 1800,  aged  00. 
Margaret  Snyder,  died  May  19, 187G,  aged  98. 
Rhoda  Baker,  died  Jan.  10,  1874,  aged  98. 
(The  two  last  named  were  sisters.) 

C.  A.  Minske,  Co.  E,  7th  Penna.  Cavalry. 

D.  B.  P.  Chatham,  Co.  K,  1st  Penn.  Rifles. 
James  Crider,  Co.  D,  7tll  Penn.  Reserve. 
Stephen  Dresher,  Co.  F,  5Glh  Peiin.  Infantry. 
Samuel  Farreld,  Co.  E,  7lh  Penn.  Cavalry. 
George  Eisenwind,  Co  F,  lOtli  N.  Y.  Infantry. 
Levi  Livings'on,  Co.  I,  34th  Penn.  Infantry. 
John  McGill,  Co.  E,  93d  Penn.  Infantry. 
John  Passcll,  Co.  D,  Ist  Penn.  Cavalry. 

F.  A.  Lias,  sergt.  Co.  H,  110th  Penn.  Infantry. 
J.  W.  Hanna,  sergt.  Co.  H,  137th  Penn.  Infantry. 
John  Bentley,  Co.  I,202d  Penn.  Infantry. 
Clement  Walters,  Co.  C,  62d  Peun.  Infantry. 

Educational.'— The  Public  Schools. — The  first 
school-house  of  which  there  can  be  any  authentic  in- 
formation obtained  was  located  on  the  bank  of  Bald 
Eagle  Creek,  near  the  north  end  of  the  present 
bridge.  Like  all  other  primitive  buildings,  it  was 
made  of  logs. 

As  nearly  as  can  be  ascertained,  it  was  built  about 
the  year  1800.  Usually  there  were  two  terms  of 
school  each  year  of  three  mouths  each,  one  in  the 
winter  and  one  in  the  summer.  The  principal,  and 
it  might  be  said  the  only,  branches  taught  were  read- 
ing, spelling,  writing,  and  arithmetic.  Grammar  and 
geography  were  almost  unthought  of,  to  say  nothing 

1  Extract  from  report  of  John  A.  Robb. 


554 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


of  the  many  other  studies  now  pursued  in  the  com- 
mon schools.  The  salaries  then  received  by  teachers 
were  meagre  as  compared  with  those  paid  at  the  pres- 
ent time.  Five  or  six  dollars  per  month  were  con- 
sidered good  wages,  and  eight  or  ten  dollars  was 
deemed  sufficient  for  a  "first-class"  pedagogue;  but 
then  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  teachers 
"boarded  'round,"  spending  a  week  at  a  time  with 
each  family  that  sent  children  to  school.  Among 
those  who  taught  in  this  honse  was  a  man  by  the 
name  of  Davis,  and  one  named  Dr.  Harrison.  The 
teachers  were  mostly  "  Yankees"  from  the  State  of 
New  York.     Female  teachers  were  then  unknown. 

About  the  year  1812  this  house  was  abandoned  for 
school  purposes,  owing  to  its  location,  being  too  far 
from  the  centre  of  the  community. 

School  was  then  "kept"  in  a  part  of  a  dwelling- 
liouse  which  stood  near  the  new  road  leading  from 
Lock  Haven  to  Flemington,  upon  lands  now  owned 
by  Mrs.  McCormick.  This  building  was  used  as  an 
"institution  of  learning"  a  few  years,  when,  in  1818, 
a  new  house  was  erected  upon  a  lot  adjoining  the 
Great  Island  Church,  near  the  old  cemetery. 

The  new  house  was  built  in  the  primitive  style  of 
architecture,  i.e.,  log  upon  log.  The  most  prominent 
teachers  employed  in  this  building  were  Livingston, 
Jones,  Price,  and  Berkley. 

About  the  year  1854  the  first  building  for  school 
purposes  was  erected.  It  is  the  building  on  Bald 
Eagle  Street,  known  as  the  "  Old  White  School-house." 
It  is  still  used  for  public  school  purposes,  and  is  now 
known  as  the  Second  Ward  school  building.  July 
16,  18.55,  school  was  opened  in  this  house  for  a  term 
of  ten  months,,  The  pupils,  numbering  about  one 
luindred  and  forty,  were  divided  into  three  gr.ades. 
A.  K.  Brown,  O.  T.  Noble,  and  Miss  Phoebe  Hitch- 
cock were  elected  teachers.  During  the  term  the 
number  of  pupils  increased  so  largely  that  it  was 
necessary  to  elect  two  more  teachers.  Miss  Sarah 
McElrath  (now  Mrs.  J.  N.  Welliver)  and  Hon.  John 
H.  Orvis  were  elected.  Among  the  first  school  direc- 
tors were  Hon.  H.  L.  Deifenbach,  A.  Sloan,  Hon.  A. 
White,  T.  T.  Abrams,  William  Fearon,  J.  F.  Batch- 
ele.r,  and  Dr.  Eldred.  Messrs.  Brown  and  Noble  con- 
tinued their  connection  with  the  schools  until  1858, 
when  both  were  admitted  to  the  Clinton  County  bar. 
Among  the  most  successful  teachers  up  to  the  year 
1867  were  J.  N.  Welliver,  afterwards  county  super- 
intendent, and  for  some  years  a  very  eSicient  school 
director,  also  J.  F.  Clark,  John  L.  Doty,  W.  A.  Wil- 
son, W.  G.  Lehman,  J.  G.  Lineaweaver,  and  George 
Wilson,  now  principal  of  a  grammar  school  in  Phil- 
adelphia. Following  these  gentlemen  in  the  manage- 
ment of  the  schools  came  A.  H.  Strayer,  who,  after 
some  years  of  successful  teaching,  filled  the  office  of 
county  superintendent  of  Clinton  County. 

Prominent  among  the  teachers  at  that  time  was  B. 
F.  Winters,  afterwards  alderman  of  the  First  Ward 
and  secretary  of  the  school  board. 


Among  the  most  successful  teachers  up  to  1867 
were  Miss  Phebe  Hitchcock,  Mrs.  J.  N.  Welliver, 
Miss  Celia  Elwood  (now  Mrs.  J.  F.  Clark),  Miss  Kate 
Reed  (now  Mrs.  Gucker),  and  Miss  Addie  Russell 
(now  Mrs.  L.  B.  Schuyler).  During  the  spring  and 
summer  of  1868  the  present  high  school  building  was 
erected.  Jan.  4,  1869,  four  schools  were  opened  under 
the  principalship  of  Prof.  A.  N.  Raub.  The  remain- 
ing three  positions  in  this  building  were  filled  by  A. 
D.  Rowe,  Miss  Sarah  A.  Chandler,  and  Miss  Amanda 
Watson.  H.  A.  Foresman  was  principal  in  the  old 
academy  building,  B.  F.  Winters  in  the  Bald  Eagle 
Street  building,  and  J.  T.  Shearer  in  the  Main  Street 
building,  First  Ward. 

At  the  opening  in  the  term  of  1869,  Prof.  Raub  was 
promoted  to  the  district  superintendency,  and  A.  D. 
Rowe  made  principal  of  the  boys'  high  school.  In 
January,  Mr.  Rowe  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Austin 
Leonard,  who  held  the  position  to  the  close  of  the 
term,  Mr.  Rowe  having  resigned  to  attend  the  State 
Normal  School  at  Millersville.  Mr.  Leonard  was  in 
turn  succeeded  by  Mr.  C.  Lenker,  a  graduate  of  Mil- 
lersville, as  principal  of  the  boys'  high  school,  which 
position  he  held  one  year,  being  promoted  to  the  dis- 
trict superintendency.  Professor  Raub  in  the  mean 
time  having  consented  to  act  as  county  superintend- 
ent during  the  unexpired  term  of  A.  D.  Rowe,  who 
resigned  Sept.  1,  1871. 

During  Mr.  Lenker's  term  as  district  superintend- 
ent, Mr.  S.  M.  McCormick,  of  Salona,  also  a  gradu- 
ate of  Millersville,  held  the  principalship  of  the  boys' 
high  school,  Miss  Agnes  Reiley,  a  graduate  of  Lewis- 
burg  Seminary,  having  been  elected  to  the  principal- 
ship  of  the  girls'  high  school.  Both  Mr.  McCormick 
and  Miss  Reiley  held  their  position  two  years.  Mr. 
Lenker,  at  the  close  of  the  year  1872,  accepted  the 
superintendency  of  the  public  schools  of  Northum- 
berland, Pa. 

In  the  spring  of  1872,  Professor  Raub,  who  had 
been  acting  as  county  superintendent,  was  recalled  to 
the  city  schools,  and  w.is  made  the  first  commissioned 
city  superintendent  of  Lock  Haven.  After  having 
filled  the  position  one  year,  the  board  of  directors 
combined  the  boys'  and  girls'  high  schools  in  one 
school. 

John  A.  Robb  was  called  from  the  principalship 
of  the  First  Ward  Grammar  School  and  was  made 
principal  of  the  high  school,  with  Miss  Reiley  as 
assistant. 

The  school  having  largely  increased  in  number,  in 
1874  a  second  assistant  was  added  to  the  corps  of  high 
school  teachers.  Miss  Sallie  E.  Rhoades,  a  graduate  of 
the  normal  school,  at  Kutztown,  being  selected  to  fill 
the  position. 

Immediately  after  the  election  of  Professor  Raub 
as  city  superintendent,  he  submitted  a  schedule  of 
study,  embracing  primary,  secondary,  intermediate, 
grammar,  and  high  school  courses,  which  were  adop- 
ted and  are  still  in  operation. 


CITY   OF  LOCK   HAVEN. 


555 


The  schools  of  Lock  Haven  have  grown  rapidly 
since  1855,  when  they  opened  with  three  teachers  and 
one  hundred  and  forty  pupils.  In  1868  the  number 
had  increased  to  twelve  teachers,  and  from  no  system 
the  schools  have  improved  to  the  most  perfect  system 
in  the  State. 

Lock  Haven  Academy. — This  institution  of  learn- 
ing was  founded  in  1840,  and  received  that  year  from 
the  State  two  thousand  dollars.  For  three  years  after 
it  received  four  hundred  dollars  annually,  and  one 
year  only  two  hundred  dollars.  After  the  State  ap- 
propriation was  withheld,  it  became  involved  in  debt 
and  was  finally  sold  by  the  sheriff.  It  was  bought  by 
a  number  of  citizens  and  continued  as  an  academy  for 
a  number  of  years.  In  1870  it  was  again  sold,  and 
the  site  is  now  occupied  by  the  "  Exchange"  building. 

Parochial  School  of  the  Immaculate  Con- 
ception.—This  school  is  located  on  Water  Street, 
and  is  conducted  by  the  Sisters  of  Mercy.  It  is  a 
German  Catholic  school  of  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  scholars.  The  buildings  are  of  brick,  and  of 
the  most  approved  plan  of  architecture  for  school 
purposes. 

Present  officers  of  Lock  Haven  school  district: 
President,  George  T.  Michaels ;  Secretary,  J.  N.  Wel- 
liver;  Treasurer,  S.  M.  McCor.mick  ;  Solicitor,  A.  F. 
Eyon  ;  Collector,  Basil  Reinached. 

Central  Normal  School.' — Of  all  who  a  few 
years  ago  were  interested  in  the  educational  question, 
no  one  gave  more  time  and  labor  towards  its  solution 
than  Kev.  G.  W.  Shinn,  who  from  1866  to  1870  was 
rector  of  St.  Paul's  Episcop.al  Church,  Lock  Haven. 
He  was  a  frequent  visitor  of  the  public  and  private 
schools  of  Lock  Haven,  encouraging  and  assisting 
teachers,  lecturing  to  classes  on  various  subjects,  and 
in  some  instances  voluntarily  taking  charge  of  special 
branches.  Being  a  gentleman  of  very  fine  scholar- 
ship, his  work  in  the  schools  was  valuable  to  the 
pupils.  His  experience  served  to  deepen  his  sense  of 
the  need  of  better  schools.  It  was  natural  that  he 
should  discuss  with  all  who  were  likely  to  be  inter- 
ested a  matter  which  he  had  so  much  at  heart,  and  it 
was  in  the  course  of  such  a  discussion  with  Professor 
Raub  that  the  latter  suggested  the  idea  of  making 
Lock  Haven  the  site  of  the  school  for  the  Eighth 
Normal  School  District. 

Mr.  Raub  was  at  that  time  principal  of  the  Lock 
Haven  High  School,  and  it  is  hardly  nece.ssary  to  say 
that  Mr.  Shinn  received  the  suggestion  not  merely 
with  satisfaction,  but  with  enthusiasm,  and  from  that 
time  he  and  Professor  Raub  worked  together,  and 
worked  hard,  to  evolve  a  State  Normal  School  for 
Lock  Haven. 

One  of  the  requirements  of  the  act  of  the  Legisla- 
ture regarding  normal  schools  is,  "An  area  of  ground 
of  not  less  than  ten  acres  is  one  tract,"  and  this  nat- 
urally became  one  of  the  first  matters  for  the  consid- 

^  Extracts  from  reports  of  Professor  A.  N.  Baub. 


eration  of  the  two  gentlemen  who  were  sitting  on 
this  normal  school  egg,  and  it  was  not  surprising,  at 
least  to  those  .who  knew  Mr.  Philip  M.  Price,  that 
very  early  in  the  history  of  this  institution  the  minds 
of  Mr.  Shinn  and  Professor  Raub  turned  in  this  di- 
rection, not  only  in  regard  to  the  land  question,  but 
also  in  the  whole  matter. 

The  assurance  was  soon  given  by  Mr.  Price  that 
any  ten  acres  of  land  belonging  to  him  were  at  the 
service  of  the  State  Normal  School.  Mr.  Price's  land 
was  all  in  the  city  limits,  and  much  of  it  at  that  time 
worth  twelve  hundred  dollars  per  acre.  The  sixteen 
acres  which  were  finally  presented  by  him  would 
have  brought  at  least  five  hundred  dollars  per  acre. 
The  foundation  of  the  scheme  being  thus  laid,  it  was 
worked  upon  rapidly. 

Money  being  the  next  consideration,  a  subscription 
was  started,  with  Hon.  L.  A.  Mackey  at  the  head  with 
one  thousand  dollars,  and  witii  this  impulse  it  went 
forward  with  spirit,  and  in  a  short  time  the  friends  of 
the  project  found  that  organization  was  necessary, 
and  a  meeting  of  the  subscribers  was  called,  and  the 
articles  of  association,  under  the  corporate  title  of 
"  The  Central  Normal  School  Association  of  the  State 
of  Pennsylvania,"  were  adopted.  These  articles  and 
application  for  incorporation  were  filed  Dec.  22, 1869, 
in  the  prothonotary's  office,  and  Feb.  14,  1870,  it  was 
declared  and  decreed  by  the  court  "  that  the  persons 
so  associated  under  said  articles  shall  become  and  be 
a  corporation  or  body  politic  in  law."  By  the  articles 
of  association  a  board  of  trustees  was  named,  to  serve 
until  an  election  should  be  held  by  the  stockholders. 
At  a  meeting  held  Feb.  17,  1870,  the  subscription  was 
found  to  amount  to  about  twenty-nine  thousand  dol- 
lars, and  it  was  decided  that  as  soon  as  the  sum  should 
reach  thirty-five  thousand  dollars  work  on  the  build- 
ing should  be  commenced.  At  this  meeting  also, 
Hon.  L.  A.  Mackey  was  elected  president  of  the 
board  of  trustees,  and  has  held  that  position  ever 
since.  In  the  late  autumn  of  1871,  the  walls  being 
sufficiently  advanced  to  give  a  clear  idea  of  the 
ground  plan,  it  was  thought  advisable  to  invite  the 
State  superintendent,  Dr.  J.  P.  Wickersbam,  to  visit 
Lock  Haven  and  examine  the  location  and  plans  of 
the  new  normal  school.  That  gentleman  came,  and 
in  the  words  of  the  secretary  who  reported  at  the 
meeting  of  the  board  Dec.  3,  1872,  "  Dr.  Wickersham 
said  that  he  highly  approved  of  both  plans  and  loca- 
tion, and  cheerfully  gave  his  certificate  for  the  first 
installment  of  five  thousand  dollars  of  the  appropri- 
ation from  the  State  treasury." 

The  corner-stone  of  the  school  building  was  laid 
July  4,  1873,  with  the  usual  ceremonies,  and  were 
participated  in  by  many  of  the  friends  of  the  insti- 
tution. Of  the  original  board  of  trustees  two  had 
died,  viz.,  Mr.  Price  and  Judge  Parsons. 

The  location  of  the  school  building,  the  elevated 
position  it  occupies,  the  formation  of  the  ground,  the 
picturesqueness  in  scenery  gives  the  place  a  peculiar 


056 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


cliarm  and  attractiveness  seldom  found  in  this  or  any 
other  country.  If  it  has  not  already,  it  will  soon  be- 
come the  great  educational  institution  of  Central 
Pennsylvania,  and  the  educational  centre  of  a  vast 
territory,  not  only  for  training  teachers,  but  offering 
advanced  education  in  all  departments. 

The  board  of  trustees,  as  constituted  at  the  time  of 
organizing  the  school,  consisted  of  Hon.  L.  A.  Mackey, 
president;  S.  D.  Ball,  Esq.,  secretary;  Professor  A. 
N.  Kaub,  A.  H.  Best,  Kev.  Joseph  Nesbitt,  Robert  E. 
Cook,  Samuel  Christ,  G.  Kintzing,  Col.  A.  C.  Noyes, 
John  S.  Furst,  Dr.  J.  H.  Barton,  Hon.  J.  W.  Smith, 
Jacob  Brown,  W.  W.  Rankin,  and  Wilson  Kistler, 
with  Thomas  Yardley  as  treasurer. 

A  successful  preliminary  term  of  the  school  was 
opened  in  the  City  High  School  building  May  14, 
1877,  \yith  the  following  faculty  :  Principal  and  Pro- 
fessor of  Theory  and  Practice  of  Teaching,  A.  N. 
Raub,  A.M. ;  Professor  of  Mathematics,  John  A.  Robb, 
A.M.;  Professor  of  Drawing,  Penmanship,  and  Book- 
keeping, M.  W.  Herr;  Professor  of  English  Language 
and  Literature,  I.  A.  Harvey,  A.B. ;  Teacher  of 
Geography  and  History,  Miss  Agnes  Reilly ;  Teacher 
of  Reading  and  Elocution,  Miss  Dora  E.  Merrill, 
M.E. 

The  school  was  recognized  as  a  State  institution  on 
the  14th  of  September,  1877,  the  following  gentle- 
men constituting  the  committee  of  inspection  :  Hon. 
James  P.  Wickersham,  State  superintendent ;  Hon. 
William  Bigler,  Hon.  C.  R.  Earley,  C.  B.  Gould,  Esq., 
Gen.  James  A.  Beaver,  and  the  following  superin- 
tendents:  George  R.  Dixon,  superintendent  of  Elk 
County ;  Henry  Meyer,  superintendent  of  Centre 
County;  N.  H.  Schenck,  superintendent  of  Cameron 
County;  J.  A.  Gregory,  superintendent  of  Clearfield 
County ;  J.  W.  Allen,  superintendent  of  Potter  County ; 
M.  W.  Herr,  superintendent  of  Clinton  County;  and 
John  A.  Robb,  superintendent  of  Lock  Haven  City, 
who  unanimously  recommended  to  the  State  superin- 
tendent of  public  instruction  the  recognition  of  the 
school  as  a  Slate  institution. 

On  the  17th  of  September  the  school  was  opened  in 
the  new  building  with  a  total  of  forty-eight  pupils,  in 
charge  of  the  following-named  persons  as  the  faculty  : 
Albert  N.  Raub,  A.M.,  Principal  and  Professor  of 
Theory  and  Practice  of  Teaching,  Mental  and  Moral 
Science,  and  English  Grammar;  John  M.  Peoples, 
M.S.,  Professor  of  Mathematics,  Book-keeping,  and 
Penmanship  ;  J.  H.  Barton,  A.M.,  M.D.,  Professor  of 
Natural  Science  and  History ;  James  W.  Bright,  A.B., 
Professor  of  Ancient  and  Modern  Languages;  Miss 
Dora  E.  Merrill,  M.E.,  Teacher  of  Elocution,  Or- 
thography, and  Geography ;  Miss  Rose  Coggeshall, 
Teacher  of  Vocal  and  Instrumental  Music ;  Mrs. 
Emma  Forsythe,  Teacher  of  Painting  and  Drawing ; 
and  Miss  Nancy  Corss,  Superintendent  of  the  Model 
School.  Professor  Philip  H.  Bentz  was  added  to  the 
faculty,  Jan.  1,  1878,  as  teacher  of  rhetoric  and 
grammar.    At  the  close  of  the  first  year  the  school 


graduated  a  class  of  sixteen,  consisting  of  three  ladies 
and  thirteen  gentlemen.  The  second  year  of  the 
school  opened  with  Miss  Nannie  E.  Hampton  as 
teacher  of  vocal  and  instrumental  music,  and  Miss 
Annie  M.  Snyder  as  teacher  of  painting  and  draw- 
ing, in  place  of  Miss  Coggeshall  and  Mrs.  Forsythe, 
who  resigned  at  the  close  of  the  first  year.  The 
school  during  this  year  made  substantial  progress, 
and  at  the  annual  commencement  in  July,  1879, 
graduated  a  class  of  twenty-eight,  consisting  of  six- 
teen ladies  and  twelve  gentlemen.  At  the  close  of 
this  school  year  Professors  Bentz  and  Bright  retired 
from  the  faculty,  and  Miss  Harriet  B.  Swineford, 
A.B.,  was  elected  to  the  chair  of  grammar,  rhetoric, 
and  English  literature,  while  that  of  ancient  and 
modern  languages  was  assigned  to  Miss  Nancy  Corss. 
Miss  Rose  Morgan,  a  gr.aduate  of  the  class  of  1879, 
was  elected  as  superintendent  of  the  model  school. 

The  prosperity  of  the  school  in  no  way  abated 
during  this  year,  and  at  the  annual  commencement  a 
class  of  forty-six  was  graduated,  the  largest  class  ever 
sent  out  from  any  of  the  State  Normal  Schools  of 
Pennsylvania. 

From  the  beginning  of  the  third  school  year,  July, 
1879,  but  one  change  has  been  made  in  the  faculty  of 
the  institution.  Miss  Dora  E.  Merrill  resigned  in 
the  summer  of  1882,  and  Miss  Laura  J.  Harvey,  a 
graduate  of  the  National  School  of  Elocution  and 
Oratory,  Philadelphia,  was  made  her  successor,  and 
the  department  of  geography,  elocution,  and  drawing 
assigned  to  her. 

The  graduating  class  of  1881  numbered  forty-two, 
of  whom  three  were  graduates  in  the  scientific  or 
higher  course  of  the  institution,  but  the  school  sur- 
passed itself  and  surprised  the  State  in  presenting  for 
graduation  in  the  summer  of  1882  not  only  the 
largest  class  ever  known  in  the  normal  school  history 
of  Pennsylvania,  but  also  one  of  the  very  largest  ever 
known  in  the  normal  school  history  of  the  United 
States.  This  class,  which  was  composed  of  exception- 
ally good  material,  consisted  of  seventy-eight  mem- 
bers, two  of  whom  were  members  of  the  scientific 
course.  The  progress  and  advancement  of  the  school 
have  been  phenomenal.  It  began  its  work  with  but 
few  students  in  prospect,  and  without  a  dollar  in  the 
treasury.  Indeed,  the  indebtedness  of  the  school  at 
the  time  of  opening  was  almost  fifty  thousand  dollars. 
More  than  half  this  indebtedness  has  been  paid 
during  the  first  five  years,  and  the  school  has  risen  to 
the  first  rank  among  the  normal  schools  of  the  State. 

The  present  board  of  trustees  is  as  follows : 

Stockholders'  Trustees,  A.  H.  Best,  W.  H.  Brown, 
Esq.,  J.  F.  Clark,  Professor  A.  N.  Raub,  T.  C.  Hip- 
pie, Esq.,  G.  Kintzing,  Jacob  Brown,  S.  M.  Bickford, 
Hon.  Samuel  Christ,  George  W.  Hippie,  J.  B.  G. 
Kinsloe,  Hon.  W.  W.  Rankin  ;  State  Trustees,  Hon. 
C.  A.  Mayer,  Hon.  L.  A.  Mackey,  Gen.  Je-ise  Merrill, 
Col.  E.  A.  Irvin,  Col.  W.  H.  Moore,  S.  Millar  Mc- 
Cormick,  Esq. 


■':^£'yAH.fiitJ:^^'' 


CITY   OF  LOCK   HAVEN. 


557 


Officers,  Gen.  Jesse  Merrill,  president,  Lock  Haven, 
Pa. ;  Jacob  Brown,  vice-president,  Lock  Haven,  Pa.; 
S.  Millar  McCormick,  secretary.  Lock  Haven,  Pa.  ; 
Thomas  Yardley,  treasurer,  Lock  Haven,  Pa. 

The  buildings  are  con.structed  on  the  latest  im- 
proved plans.  Steam  radiators  are  placed  in  every 
room,  and  in  some  of  the  halls.  Water  is  supplied 
from  a  reservoir  on  the  mountain  back  of  the  build- 
ing, and  the  chapel,  the  dining-room,  and  the  halls 
are  lighted  with  gas.  Much  has  been  done  to  im- 
prove and  beautify  both  the  building  and  the  grounds. 
The  school  is  filled  with  earnest  students,  and  it  has 
before  it  a  most  brilliant  and  promising  future. 

Albert  N.  Raub,  A.M.,  Ph.D.,  was  born  in  the 
county  of  Lancaster,  Pa.,  March  28,  1840.  His  early 
educational  advantages  were  such  only  as  were  af- 
forded by  the  common  country  schools  of  the  times. 
At  the  age  of  si.xteen  he  became  a  student  at  the 
State  Normal  School  at  Millersville,  Pa.,  then  a  local 
normal  school  under  the  charge  of  Hon.  J.  P.  Wick- 
ersham,  the  present  efficient  superintendent  of  pub- 
lic instruction  of  that  State.  The  school  became  a 
State  institution  in  1859,  and  Professor  Raub  grad- 
uated in  the  scientific  course  in  1860,  being  one  of 
the  leading  members  of  the  first  class  which  grad- 
uated from  the  institution  as  a  State  Normal  School. 
Soon  after  graduating  he  was  made  principal  of  the 
Bedford  Union  School,  from  which  position  he  was 
called  a  year  later  to  act  as  principal  of  the  public 
schools  of  Cressona,  Schuylkill  Co.  He  remained  in 
this  position  three  years,  when  he  was  called  to  the 
town  of  Ashland,  in  the  same  county,  to  reorganize 
the  schools  and  act  as  town  superintendent.  Here  he 
systematized  the  whole  school  machinery,  and  putthe 
schools  on  an  efficient  working  basis,  which  has  pro- 
duced excellent  results.  In  addition  to  his  school 
work  while  in  Ashland,  he  wrote  and  published  two 
spellers,  which  have  had  an  extensive  sale  in  Pennsyl- 
vania and  neighboring  States.  He  also  acted  as  edu- 
cational editor  of  a  county  paper,  usually  writing  two 
editorials  a  week. 

On  the  1st  of  April,  1866,  he  was  called  to  the 
chair  of  English  literature,  rhetoric,  and  English 
grammar  in  the  State  Normal  School  at  Kutztown, 
Pa.,  holding  the  position  until  the  fall  of  1868,  when 
he  accepted  the  principalship  of  the  Lock  Haven 
public  schools,  with  the  view  of  establishing  a  State 
Normal  School  at  that  point.  In  1869  he  reorgan- 
ized the  schools  of  the  city,  and  was  made  city  superin- 
tendent. In  the  summer  of  1870  he  was  made  presi- 
dent of  the  Pennsylvania  State  Teachers'  Association, 
at  whose  sittings  lie  presided  in  their  meeting  atWil- 
liamsport  in  July,  1871.  In  the  summer  of  1871  he 
was  appointed  county  superintendent  of  Clinton 
County  by  the  State  superintendent,  and  in  the 
spring  of  1872  was  recalled  to  act  as  city  superin- 
tendent of  Lock  Haven  for  a  term  of  three  years. 

Beginning  with  the  year  1865,  Professor  Raub  has 
been  continuously  a  teacher  of  teachers.     He  has  at- 


tended county  in.stitutes  as  a  lecturer  and  instructor 
for  the  past  fifteen  years,  spending  from  six  to  ciglit 
weeks  each  year  in  that  work.  He  lias  been  a  worker 
all  liis  life.  In  the  spring  of  1869  he  wrote  and  pub- 
lished a  work  entitled  "  Plain  Educational  Talks  with 
Teachers  and  Parents."  In  1865  he  planned,  and  in 
1878  published,  a  series  of  school  readers.  In  1877 
he  wrote  and  published  a  series  of  arithmetics,  in 
two  numbers,  on  the  union  plan,  combining  oral  and 
written  arithmetic  in  the  same  book,  and  in  the  spring 
of  1880  published  two  works  on  the  English  language, 
entitled  "Lessons  in  English"  and  "Practical  Eng- 
lish Grammar."  All  of  these  books  are  practical,  and 
they  have  met  with  the  highest  commendations  from 
progressive  teachers.  Their  sale  and  introduction 
has  been  rapid  and  extensive.  For  the  past  ten 
years  Professor  Raub  has  worked  continuously  with 
the  object  of  establishing  a  State  Normal  School  at 
Lock  Haven.  Success  crowned  his  effi)rts  in  the 
summer  of  1877.  In  September  of  that  year  the 
school  was  opened  with  Professor  Raub  as  principal, 
and  recognized  officially  by  the  State  superintendent 
as  a  State  institution.  It  has  grown  rapidly  under 
Professor  Raub's  management,  and  now  it  ranks 
second  to  none  in  the  State.  Though  but  three  years 
old,  its  number  of  graduates  already  reaches  ninety. 
The  last  class,  graduated  July  1,  1880,  numbered 
forty-six,  and  was  pronounced  by  Mr.  Wickcrsham 
one  of  the  strongest  he  ever  had  helped  to  examine. 
It  was  also  the  largest  class  ever  graduated  by  any 
State  Normal  School  in  Pennsylvania. 

One  who  has  been  associated  in  work  with  Professor 
Raub  says  of  him,  "As  a  teacher  in  the  class-room 
he  has  frequently  and  justly  been  compared  with  that 
teacher  among  teachers,  Louis  Agassiz."  A  promi- 
nent point  of  similarity,  and  one  often  commented 
tipon,  is  his  xcant  of  eyotism.  The  great  Agassiz  de- 
sired that  the  word  "  Teacher"  should  be  the  only 
inscription  upon  his  tomb.  The  modesty  which 
prompted  that  request  had  been  a  leading  princijile 
in  his  life-work.  This  same  spirit  of  humility  is 
manifest  in  the  daily  intercourse  of  Professor  Raub 
with  his  pupils,  and  so  apparent  is  its  influence  that 
they  not  only  delight  to  speak  of  it  as  an  estimable 
quality,  but  they  endeavor  constantly  to  emulate  his 
worthy  example.  Another  equally  prominent  point 
of  resemblance  is  Professor  Raub's  efficient  work  in 
the  class-room.  Professor  Raub  always  descends  to 
the  level  of  his  pupils'  ability,  and  leads  them  step  by 
step,  round  by  round,  up  the  educational  ladder  until 
they  are  able  to  discern  for  themselves  the  heights 
already  scaled  by  him. 

As  a  disciplinarian.  It  is  difficult  to  put  into  words 
the  peculiar  power  exerted  by  Professor  Raub  in  the 
matter  of  discipline.  It  might  be  considered  para- 
doxical to  say  that  his  discipline  is  the  absence  of  all 
discipline.  But  for  a  solution  of  this  apparent  incon- 
sistency we  have  but  to  add  that  he  makes  no  display 
of  governing,  offers  no  threats,  imposes  no  penalties ; 


558 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


his  presence  alone  is  sufficient  to  insure  order  and 
attention.  Principles  of  manly  self-respect  are  in- 
stilled, h.ibits  of  order  and  industry  are  acquired,  until 
the  student  unconsciously  disciplines  himself,  which 
is  the  perfection  of  all  discipline.  Professor  Raub's 
theories  of  discipline  are  based  upon  the  gratifying 
results  of  daily  experience.  His  colleagues  as  well  as 
his  students  recognize  this  wonderful  power  of  govern- 
ment without  control,  and  to  it  they  ascribe  his  remark- 
able success  in  school-work. 

Professor  Raub  enjoys  an  enviable  reputation  as  an 
institute  lecturer.  For  fifteen  years  he  has  been  en- 
gaged in  this  field  of  school-work,  and  his  popularity 
has  never  abated.  During  the  winter  of  1872  he  was 
employed  as  institute  lecturer  by  the  State  superin- 
tendent, and  served  in  that  capacity  as  his  deputy. 
His  success  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  year  after 
year  he  is  recalled  to  the  same  counties,  that  he  is 
frequently  employed  a  year  previous  to  the  fulfillment 
of  an  engagement,  and  that  he  has  never  been  obliged 
to  attach  himself  to  any  lecture  bureau,  having  more 
engagements  than  he  can  fill.  One  of  the  highest 
school  officials  in  the  State  has  said  of  Professor  Raub's 
institute-work,  "  He  is  one  of  the  hardest  and  most 
efficient  workers  we  have  in  the  field;  he  works  right 
along  without  any  show  or  excitement,  but  gives  the 
teachers  just  what  they  most  need."  Teachers  say  of 
him  in  the  institute,  "  We  like  his  instruction,  for  at 
the  end  of  the  week  the  teacher  feels  that  he  has  some- 
thing that  he  can  carry  away  with  him  and  apply  in 
his  own  work." 

As  an.  aut/ior.  In  comparing  the  text-books  written 
by  Professor  Raub  w'ith  the  m.njority  of  those  of  the 
present  day,  the  harsh  critic  as  well  as  the  unbiased 
mind  will  acknowledge  that  in  two  respects  at  least 
these  books  defy  competition  :  First,  for  their  si/ste- 
matic  arrangement ;  and,  secondly,  for  the  clearness  of 
rhetorical  construction  and  the  purity  of  grammatical 
expression  employed  in  their  treatment  of  the  various 
subjects. 

In  1866,  Professor  Raub  received  the  degree  of  A.M. 
from  Princeton  College,  and  Lafayette  College  con- 
ferred the  degree  of  Ph.D.  in  1879. 

In  the  foregoing  we  have  given  a  brief  history  of 
the  educational  work  of  Professor  Raub.  We  feel, 
however,  that  we  have  given  to  our  readers  more  than 
a  mere  statement  of  facts,  for  to  every  earnest  young 
student  these  pages  will  be  an  inspiration,  urging  him 
on  in  his  eftbrts,  and  encour.aging  him  with  the  hope 
of  attaining  equal  excellence. 

Lock  Haven,  Past  and  Present.— Lock  Haven 
was  not  settled,  as  many  suppose,  by  Germans.  The 
first  inhabitants  were  what  are  called  Scutch-Irish. 
The  native  American  portion  of  the  people  were 
drawn  from  various  parts  of  the  country,  many  from 
contiguous  counties,  many  more  from  distant  parts  of 
the  State,  some  from  New  England,  and  some  from 
the  State  of  New  York.  Centre  County  contributed 
quite  largely  to  the  population,  most  of  whom  were 


Germans,  speaking  the  dialect  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Germans.  The  improvements  that  have  been  made 
and  are  continually  going  on  within  the  limits  of  tlie 
city  prove  that  want  of  energy  and  public  spirit  can- 
not be  charged  against  its  citizens. 

The  flourishing  public  schools  and  the  State  Nor- 
mal School  in  the  city  show  that  intellectual  culture 
is  not  neglected,  while  the  large  number  of  church 
organizations  speak  well  for  the  moral  and  spiritual 
status  of  the  city.  The  scientific,  literary,  and  pro- 
fessional men  of  the  city,  as  a  class,  rank  high  in  their 
several  branches. 

Taking  into  consideration  the  location,  surround- 
ings, natural  and  acquired  advantages,  and  the  public 
spirit  evinced  by  many  of  its  citizens,  there  is  no 
doubt  that  its  future  prosperity  will  be  commensurate 
with  its  past  growth. 

In  1840  the  population  of  the  township  of  Allison, 
from  which  Lock  Haven  was  taken,  was  643.  In 
1850  the  population  of  the  borough  of  Lock  Haven 
had  reached  839,  and  in  1860  it  had  gone  up  to  3.349, 
and  in  1870  up  to  6986,  and  in  1880  to  the  pleasing 
figure  of  5847,  after  taking  off  Flemington  and  Cas- 
tanea. 

While  looking  with  pride  as  the  citizens  of  the 
"  Gem  of  the  West  Branch"  well  may  upon  their 
beautiful  city,  with  its  creditable  record  of  the  past 
and  its  bright  prospects  for  the  future,  may  they  not 
forget  the  eccentric  but  noble-hearted  Jerry  Church, 
its  founder,  and  may  his  memory  be  honored  as  one 
who,  through  the  long  years  of  an  active  life,  ever 
had  a  heart  to  feel  for  the  woes  of  others,  though  he 
often  had  cause  to  regret  "  man's  inhumanity  to 
man." 

There  are  at  present  more  than  three  hundred  busi- 
ness and  manufacturing  establishments  within  the 
city  limits,  besides  various  corporations  and  secret 
societies.  There  are  about  seventy  different  streets, 
having  an  aggregate  length  of  over  thirty  miles,  besides 
about  fifty-five  alleys.  In  the  early  history  of  the  town. 
Water  Street  was  the  principal  business  thorough- 
fare, while  at  present  the  business,  or  stores,  banks, 
opera-houses,  etc.,  are  located  on  Main  Street.  The 
present  postmaster  is  Jesse  Merrill. 

Police  Department.— The  police  department  of 
the  city  goverjiment,  under  the  management  of  Mayor 
Ball,  is  no  doubt  one  of  the  most  eflFective  police 
forces  of  its  size  in  the  State.  Chief  of  police,  W.  J. 
Westbrook  ;  sergeants,  A.  M.  Fowler,  John  Shafer, 
Miller  Gibson,  and  Jacob  Strunk,  on  extra  duty. 

Medical  Profession. — Clinton  County  having  no 
medical  society  from  whose  records  we  might  ex- 
tract interesting  sketches  of  the  profession,  we  are 
therefore  enabled  to  give  only  the  names  of  physi- 
cians now  in  practice  in  Lock  Haven  : 

R.  Armstrong,  A.  G.  Walls,  J.  H.  Hays,  R.  B.  Wat- 
son, J.  F.  Larimer,  F.  S.  Smith,  C.  W.  Musgrove,  A. 
Pricson,  F.  P.  Ball,  H.  C.  Lichenthaler,  J.  Harry 
Fishburn,  and  Bnel  S.  Derby. 


<C,  Cc .  ^<^^^i^<^-^yy^^ 


SttffhyAHnAtdOf 


'^  /,^t^-^^7'//^-  -^^y^'^-^''- 


CITY  OF  LOCK  HAVEN. 


559 


For  mucli  of  tlie  material  for  the  history  of  Lock 
Haven  we  are  indebted  to  D.  S.  Maynard,  from 
whose  "  Historical  Views  of  Clinton  County"  we  have 
made  heavy  drafts  ;  also  to  H.  L.  Dieflfenbach,  A.  S. 
Grow,  S.  Miller  McCorniick,  J.  G.  B.  Kinslow,  Hon. 
S.  Woods  Caldwell,  and  many  other  gentlemen  of 
Lock  Haven,  who  have  very  kindly  furnished  material, 
and  especially  to  the  press  and  clergy  of  the  city  we 
make  our  humble  acknowledgment. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


HOX.  CHARLES   A.  MAYER. 

Judge  Mayer  was  born  in  York  County,  Pa.,  on  the 
15th  day  of  December,  1830.  While  yet  a  small  child 
his  parents  removed  to  Chambersburg,  Franklin  Co., 
Fa.,  where  he  received  his  early  education,  taking  an 
academical  course  in  the  academy  of  that  town,  then 
an  educational  institution  of  considerable  repute  in 
charge  of  Professor  W.  V.  Davis.  After  a  thorough 
course  young  Mayer  entered  Franklin  and  Marshall 
College,  then  located  at  Mercersburg,  in  Franklin 
County,  where  he  graduated  in  1848,  after  which  he 
entered  upon  the  study  of  medicine,  which  he  pur- 
sued for  about  two  years,  when  he  determined  to 
change  his  profession  to  that  of  the  law.  He  came 
to  Lock  Haven  in  January,  1852,  and  entered  the 
office  of  White  &  Quiggle  as  a  student  at  law.  Pursu- 
ing his  studies  with  great  diligence,  he  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  of  Clinton  County  in  1854,  and  at  once  en- 
tered upon  a  lucrative  practice  as  the  successor  of  his 
preceptors.  He  was  soon  afterwards  elected  district 
attorney  of  the  county,  and  served  two  full  terms  in 
that  position  with  credit  to  himself,  and  to  the  full 
satisfaction  of  the  public. 

Li  1808,  Mr.  Mayer  became  a  candidate  for  presi- 
dent judge  of  the  Twenty-fifth  Judicial  District, 
composed  of  the  counties  of  Centre,  Clearfield,  and 
Clinton.  His  competitors  were  the  present  addi- 
tional law  judge,  Hon.  J.  H.  Orvis,  presented  by 
Centre  County,  and  ex-Judge  George  R.  Barrett,  pre- 
sented by  Clearfield  County.  Alter  a  tedious  struggle, 
in  which  he  was  sustained  by  friends  and  supporters 
in  all  tlie  counties.  Judge  Mayer  was  nominated  and 
elected  by  a  large  majority  over  Hon.  J.  B.  MeEnally, 
then  the  president  judge  of  the  district  by  appoint- 
ment. In  1878  he  was  renominated  by  the  concur- 
rence of  his  party  conventions  in  all  three  of  the 
counties,  and  was  re-elected  over  Charles  S.  McCor- 
mick,  Esq.,  a  member  of  the  bar  of  Clinton  County, 
who  announced  himself  as  an  independent  candidate. 

Judge  Mayer  is  now  in  the  discharge  of  his  official 
duties  for  a  second  term.  With  a  natural  adaptation 
to  the  law,  a  close  student,  an  extraordinarily  reten- 
tive memory,  with  intellectual  qualities  of  a  high 
grade,  his  strict  impartiality  is  remarkable,  and  his 
integrity  of  purpose  and  devotion  to  duty  properly 


place  him  in  tlie  front  rank  of  the  president  judges  of 
tlie  State.  His  name  has  frequently  been  suggested 
as  a  candidate  for  a  seat  on  the  supreme  bencli  of  the 
State;  but,  strongly  attached  to  liis  family  and  the 
friends  of  his  youth,  he  has  heretofore  steadily  de- 
clined the  honor  of  a  nomination. 

Judge  Mayer  is  pleasantly  and  comfortably  situ- 
ated, so  far  as  sublunary  affairs  are  concerned,  and 
being  naturally  of  a  cheerful  disposition,  his  "  ways  are 
ways  of  pleasantness,  and  all"  his  "  paths  are  peace." 


IIOX.  WILLIA.M    DUXN. 

William  Dunn  was  born  on  Great  Island,  about  one 
mile  below  the  present  city  of  Lock  Haven,  on  the 
first  day  of  December,  1811,  and  died  very  suddenly 
in  that  city  on  Sept.  7,  1877.  His  grandfather,  Wil- 
liam Dunn,  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  in  that 
portion  of  the  valley  of  the  West  Branch  of  the  Sus- 
quehanna. He  purchased  the  Great  Island  first  from 
the  Indians  and  then  from  the  State,  and  passed  it  by 
will  to  his  son,  Washington^  Dunn,  Esq.,  who  was  for 
many  years  one  of  the  leading  and  most  intelligent 
and  reputable  citizens  of  his  locality,  and  father  of 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  to  whom  he  transmitted  a 
portion  of  his  homestead,  including  his  residence. 

Ou  the  day  of  his  deafli  Judge  Dunn,  as  he  fre- 
quently did,  came  to  Lock  Haven  to  transact  some 
business  and  greet  some  of  his  many  friends  and 
associates.  Just  after  partaking  of  a  social  supper 
with  several  of  his  friends.  Judge  Dunn  remarked  to 
them  that  he  felt  chilly,  and  at  once  drew  his  chair 
nearer  to  the  stove.  In  a  moment  or  two  he  fell  from 
the  chair  in  a  helpless  state.  Dr.  Larimer  quickly 
responded  to  the  call  for  medical  aid,  and  other  physi- 
cians soon  came  to  his  assistance.  The  attack  proved 
to  be  a  severe  form  of  paralysis,  and  all  efforts  to  pro- 
duce a  reaction  of  the  system  failed.  In  less  than  an 
hour  all  hope  of  restoring  life  was  given  up,  as  death 
had  evidently  occurred.  His  son,  an  only  child,  en- 
gaged in  building  railroads  in  the  Western  Territories, 
was  at  once  telegraphed  for,  and  returned  in  time  to 
attend  the  funeral  on  the  following  Saturday,  at  the 
family  burying-place  at  Dunnsburg,  on  the  northern 
side  of  the  river  from  Great  Island.  From  the  time 
he  was  able  to  road.  Judge  Dunn  had  the  advantage 
of  his  father's  extensive  and  well-selected  library,  and 
not  being  at  any  time  under  the  necessity  of  or  much 
disposed  to  manual  labor,  he  devoted  a  great  part  of 
his  time  to  reading,  and  in  history,  philosophy,  and 
poetry  he  had  scarcely  a  peer  in  the  county.  When 
yet  quite  a  young  man  he  was  unanimously  presented 
by  the  Democracy  of  Clinton  County  for  Congress, 
but  failed  to  obtain  the  nomination.  Always  an  ac- 
tive politician,  he  was  in  a  few  years  thereafter  twice 
nominated  and  elected  to  the  State  Legislature  from 
the  district,  then  composed  of  the  counties  of  Clinton 
and  Lycoming,  each  time  largely  leading  his  party 
ticket  in  the  popular  vote,     lie  was  an  industrious 


560 


HISTORY  OF  CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


and  faithful  representative,  and  besides  discharging 
his  general  duties  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  his  dis- 
trict, also  accomplished  all  the  local  legislation  de- 
sired at  the  time.  In  1802  he  w.as  again  presented  by 
the  Democracy  of  Clinton  County  for  Congress,  but 
again  failed  to  obtain  the  district  nomination.  In 
1871,  Mr.  Dunn  was  nominated  by  his  party  for  the 
office  of  associate  judge,  and  was  elected  by  a  credita- 
ble m.njority.  After  the  expiration  of  his  term  he  de- 
voted himself  mainly  to  his  farm.  He  had  had  an 
attack  of  paralysis  a  few  years  before  his  death,  but 
it  was  thought  had  fully  recovered  from  it.  His 
worthy  and  respected  father  died  of  the  same  disease. 
In  his  religious  views  Judge  Dunn  may  be  described 
as  a  theoretical  moralist.  He  was  a  kind  man,  and 
his  temper  was  rarely  if  ever  seriously  disturbed.  He 
was  very  charitable  in  sentiment  and  with  his  means, 
and  none  more  sincerely  regretted  his  death  than  his 
poor  neighbors.  He  was  tbnd  of  social  enjoyment 
and  of  the  company  of  the  intelligent,  and  we  are  no 
doubt  safe  in  saying  that  he  died  without  an  enemy. 
His  character  for  integritv  and  honor  stands,  as  it  al- 
ways stood,  unimpeached.  He  was  public-spirited 
and  always  gave  a  helping  hand  to  all  enterprises 
that  promised  to  benefit  the  public.  His  acquaint- 
ance was  very  extensive,  and  there  were  few  in  his 
county  who  did  not  know  him.  He  was  of  a  quiet, 
unassuming,  and  unobtrusive  disposition,  and  never 
crowded  himself  into  ]>i'ominence.  Few  there  are 
who  will  be  more  kindly  and  generally  remembered 
after  death,     j       

JUSTIN  J.  PIE. 

Justin  J.  Pie  was  born  in  Courfaiver,  Switzerland, 
Feb.  2,  1832.  Up  to  1815  the  place  belonged  to 
France,  but  treaties  of  that  time  changed  the  bor- 
der line  so  that  it  was  brought  within  the  boundaries 
of  Switzerland. 

Mr.  Pie  was  the  fourth  in  a  family  of  si.x  children 
of  Josei)h  and  Mary  (Citherlet)  Pie. 

On  the  paternal  side  the  family  are  of  Italian 
origin,  coming  from  Italy,  and  settling  in  France 
in  the  fourteenth  century,  during  the  reign  of 
Cliarles  VIII.;  on  the  maternal  side  the  family  are 
French,  the  "Citherlet"  being  among  the  most 
prominent  families  of  France.  His  mother  died  in 
France  in  1838.  In  1844  his  father  came  from 
France,  and  settled  in  Crawford  County,  Pa.,  on  a 
farm  near  Meadville,  where  he  died  Aug.  1,  1852. 

The  brothers  and  sisters  are  all  married  and  have 
families,  and,  with  the  exception  of  Justin  J.,  live 
in  Crawford  County. 

At  the  age  of  sixteen  Justin  J.  was  apprenticed  to 
learn  the  blacksmith  trade  with  Henry  Rush,  of 
Meadville,  with  whom  he  remained  four  years.  In 
1852,  through  the  solicitation  of  Francis  Barthot,  he 
came  to  Frenchville,  Clearfield  Co.,  Pa.,  with  whom 
he  remained  one  winter,  at  the  end  of  which  time, 
through  the  aid  of  August  Le  Contc,  he  put  up  a 


blacksmith-shop  of  his  own,  where  he  carried  on  his 
trade  till  1861.  Prior  to  this,  in  1857  he  had  pur- 
chased a  farm  near  Jleadville,  upon  which  he  built 
a  saw-mill,  which  he  ran  for  two  years.  This  was 
Mr.  Pie's  first  operation  in  the  lumber  business.  In 
18(jO  he  bought  a  saw-mill  on  Sandy  Creek,  Clear- 
field Co.,  where  he  continued  in  the  manufacture  of 
lumber  till  1874. 

In  the  fall  of  1870  he  was  elected  sheriff  of  Clear- 
field County,  and  after  the  expiration  of  his  term  of 
office  (three  years),  he  built  a  foundry  and  machine- 
shop  at  Osceola  Mills,  Centre  Co.,  which  business 
he  is  still  carrying  on.  In  1880  he  built  a  saw-mill 
in  McKean  County,  which  he  operated  for  two  years, 
and  then  sold. 

Mr.  Pie  has  operated  quite  extensively  in  timber 
lands.  In  1881  he  moved  his  family  to  Lock  Haven, 
with  the  object  principally  of  affording  his  children 
a  better  opportunity  for  school  privileges. 

Mr.  Pie  has  been  twice  married.  His  first  wife 
was  Rosalie,  daughter  of  John  and  Catherine  Risser, 
who  was  born  in  France,  Sept.  G,  183'3,  and  whom  he 
married  September,  18.53.  Eight  children  were  the 
issue  of  this  marriage,  viz. :  Joseuh  F.,  Justin,  George, 
Rosalie,  Ida,  Jlary,  Emma,  and  Ernest,  the  two  latter 
twins,  all  living  except  Joseph  F. 

Mrs.  Pie  died  Oct.  28,  1869. 

Sept.  29,  1872,  he  married  Mary  M.,  daughter  of 
Landon  and  Catharine  (McCoy)  Reeve.  She  was 
born  in  Blair  County,  Pa.,  Sept.  16,  1843. 

The  children  by  the  latter  union  are  Blair,  Dean, 
Regina,  Reeve,  Catharine,  and  Paul. 


T.  C.  IIIPPLE,  E-^JQ. 

Torrence  C.  Hippie  was  born  near  Jersey  Shore,  in 
Lycoming  County,  Pa.,  on  Dec.  13,  1846.  After  at- 
tending the  common  schools  of  that  locality  during 
his  early  boyhood,  he  entered  Dickinson  Seminary, 
at  Williamsport,  and  graduated  in  1865,  with  first 
honors  in  a  large  class.  Immediately  alter  gradu- 
ating he  entered  the  office  of  Mayer  &  Ball,  in  Lock 
Haven,  Clinton  Co.,  Pa.,  as  a  law  student.  After 
reading  law  with  this  firm  for  several  years,  he 
entered  the  Law  Department  of  the  University  at 
Albany,  N.  Y.,  where  he  graduated  most  creditably 
in  a  class  of  over  one  hundred  of  high  standing. 
After  a  subsequent  examination  (of  which  Mr.  Hippie 
availed  himself),  those  who  chose  were  permitted  to 
practice  in  the  various  courts  of  the  State  of  New 
York;  but  he  returned  to  Clinton  County,  Pa.,  where 
his  family  resided,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
1868.  Though  yet  young,  he  stands  in  the  front  rank 
of  the  bar  of  that  county. 

In  June,  1863,  against  the  protests  of  his  family, 
when  only  half-way  between  sixteen  and  seventeen 
years  of  age,  young  Hippie  volunteered  for  "the 
emergency,"  and  was  attached  to  the  Tsventy-sixth 
Regiment,  which  was  sworn  into  the  United  States 


'^^tycJ^l^^  J^/ce^ 


^  C<^4C/yL^ 


^,  s,  ^^^^^-^-^^^^^ 


.^'^^^^/A-w/ 


CITY    OF    LOCK    HAVEN. 


561 


service,  and  was  discharged  with  his  regiment  during 
the  same  year.  This  regiment  fired  the  first  shot  at 
the  great  battle  of  Gettysburg.  Returning  to  tlie 
law,  Mr.  Hippie  soon  acquired  a  large  and  lucrative 
practice.  He  is  a  forcible  speaker,  and  argues  his 
cases  with  much  legal  acumen. 

An  active,  energetic,  and  aggressive  politician,  Mr. 
Hippie  has  so  far  declined  public  office,  but  is  fre- 
quently called  to  the  forum  and  the  stump  by  his 
party,  and  in  that  range  gives  more  than  common 
satisfaction. 

THE  Mccormick  family. 

The  Scotch-Irish  race  are  numerously  represented 
in  the  United  States,  and  have  contributed  largely  to 
its  stability  and  prosperity.  To  this  intelligent,  en- 
terprising, honorable  race  belong  the  McCormicks  of 
Clinton  County.  The  great-grandfather  of  the  present 
generation  emigrated  to  this  country  about  the  year 
1761,  leaving  one  of  his  sons  behind  him  to  be  edu- 
cated by  his  grandparents.  John,  the  one  left  behind, 
was  then  about  thirteen  years  of  age,  having  been 
born  in  1748.  Being  of  an  enterprising  disposition 
and  having  a  natural  longing  to  see  again  his  parents 
and  brothers  and  sisters,  he  resolved  to  follow  them. 

After  much  anxiety,  toil,  and  hardship,  he  reached 
at  length  the  home  of  his  parents  in  Chester  County, 
Pa.  Arriving  in  the  evening,  he  thought  he  would 
play  a  joke  upon  his  mother.  Pretending  to  be  a 
stranger,  he  asked  her  to  give  him  a  night's  lodging. 
Not  believing  all  strangers  to  be  angels  in  disguise  she 
refused,  telling  him  he  must  go  to  the  tavern.  After 
he  had  had  his  fun  he  made  himself  known  as  the 
balance  of  the  family  which  had  been  left  in  the 
Green  Isle,  and  then  the  fatted  calf  was  killed,  and 
there  was  a  season  of  general  rejoicing. 

In  1772,  the  year  in  which  Northumberland  County 
was  organized,  he  removed  to  Loyalsock,  Lycoming 
Co.,  and  in  the  following  spring  to  Great  Island, 
where  he  built  the  house  familiarly  known  as  the 
"Sassafras  Cabin." 

Prominent  among  the  early  settlers  of  the  West 
Branch  valley  was  John  Fleming.  He  was  a  de- 
scendant of  the  Earl  of  Wigton,  a  Scottish  noblenian. 
The  ftimilies  descended  from  him  still  prize  and  use 
the  earl's  coat  of  arms,  an  engraving  of  which  is  here 
given.  This  very  year  (the  year  that  John  McCor- 
mick  came  to  the  neighborhood)  he  entered  on  the 
posse.ssion  of  the  large  tract  of  land  lying  between 
the  Susquehanna  River  and  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek, 
on  which  the  city  of  Lock  Haven  now  stands  and 
part  of  the  borough  of  Flemington,  which  he  had 
purchased  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Francis  Allison.  After 
his  demise,  which  occurred  in  1777,  his  land,  con- 
taining over  sixteen  hundred  acres,  was  divided 
among  his  five  sons  and  three  daughters.  John 
McCormick,  who  had  married  his  daughter  Eliza- 
beth,  subsequently  purchased    the   part   that  fell  to 


her  brother  Joseph.  This  was  the  part  commonly 
known  as  the  "Point,"  lying  immediately  west 
of  the  junction  of  the  Su.squehanna  with  the  Bald 
Eagle.  Here  he  lived  the  rest  of  his  earthly  life,  and 
here,  too,  he  died  at  the  good  old  age  of  ninety-six 
years. 


Among  the  eventful  scenes  in  which  he  partici- 
pated was  the  "  Big  Runaway,"  which  occurred  in 
June,  1778.  In  due  time  the  fugitives  returned,  and 
Mr.  McCormick  returned  with  them.  From  this  to 
its  close  his  life  was  smooth  and  tranquil,  and  adorned 
with  uprightness  and  usefulness.  A  family  of  five 
sons  and  two  daughters  grew  up  around  him. 

The  Great  Island  Presbyterian  Church  of  Lock 
Haven,  of  which  he  was  a  member,  has  still  in  its 
possession  a  subscription  paper,  showing  the  provision 
that  was  made  for  the  support  of  the  gospel  in  the 
year  1788.     The  heading  of  it  is  as  follows : 

"We,  the  subscribers,  do  promise  to  deliver  at  the 
house  of  Robert  Fleming,  or  David  Hannah,  the 
quantity  of  wheat,  rye,  and  corn  that  is  annexed  to 
each  of  our  names  on  or  before  the  1st  day  of  Feb- 
ruary next.  We  do  also  constitute  and  appoint  Da- 
vid Lusk,  William  Reid,  Sr.,  and  Janie?  Rodgers  to 
make  sale  of  said  grain  in  whatever  manner  they  shall 
think  proper,  and  appropriate  the  money  that  arises 
from  the  sale  of  said  grain  to  the  use  of  paying  the 
Presbyterian  ministers  that  come  to  preach  the  ensu- 
ing year.  In  witness  whereof  we  liave  hereunto  set 
our  hands  this  1st  day  of  December,  a.d.  1787." 

Following  this  heading  is  a  list  of  names,  thirty- 
three  in  all,  and  opposite  them  the  quantities  of  wheat, 
rye,  or  corn  which  the  subscribers  agreed  respectively 
to  give.  In  this  honorable  list,  along  with  the  names 
already  mentioned,  is  that  of  John  McCormick,  with 
his  full  share  of  contribution.  The  names  of  Mr. 
McCormick's  children  were  Alexander,  Benjamin, 
John  Fleming,   Joseph,   David,   Mollie,   Elizabeth, 


5R-2 


HISTORY    OF  CLINTON    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Robert,  and  Saul.  They  are  all  deceased.  Eliza- 
betli,  the  last  survivor,  died  in  1868.  Benjamin  was 
drowned  in  early  life  in  the  river  at  the  head  of  the 
Island.  David  and  Saul  were  both  ruling  elders  in  the 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Lock  Haven.  Alexander 
bequeathed  to  the  same  church  the  sum  of  five  hun- 
dred dollars,  and  the  interest  of  it  has  been  paid 
annually  since  April,  1850,  as  a  small  but  welcome 
addition  to  the  pastor's  salary. 

His  children  are  all  deceased,  but  numerous  grand- 
and  great-grandchildren  perpetuate  his  name  and 
cherish  his  memory,  one  of  whom,  William  D.,  now 
occupies  a  prominent  place  in  the  construction  of  the 
railroad  system  which  is  now  rapidly  connecting  our 
Southern  frontiers  with  the  interior  of  Mexico.  One 
of  Saul  McCormick's  daughters  still  resides  in  Lock 
Haven,  the  estimable  wife  of  the  Hon.  C.  A.  Mayer, 
president  judge  of  this  judicial  district;  the  other 
surviving  one  is  the  wife  of  D.  M.  Rech,  Esq.,  of 
Williamsport.  His  son  Edward  is  practicing  law  in 
Philadelphia. 

One  of  Joseph  McCormick's  sons,  J.  Fleming,  is  a 
resident  of  Nittany  valley,  and  one  of  Alexander's 
grandsons,  S.  Miller,  is  a  member  of  the  Clinton 
County  bar. 

The  farm  purchased  by  John  McCormick  from 
Joseph  Fleming  was  called  the  "  Point,"  or  the 
"  Sycamore  Point,"  from  a  large  sycamore-tree  that 
grew  upon  it,  and  was  devised  by  will  to  three  of  his 
sons,  Robert,  Saul,  and  David.  The  tract  of  land 
thus  devised  contained  about  two  hundred  acres. 
In  1831  he  deeded  one  hundred  acres  of  this  tract  to 
his  son  Robert,  with  whom  he  made  his  home,  and 
afterwards  Robert,  at  different  times,  purchased  the 
shares  of  Saul  and  David.  In  1849,  Robert  still 
further  enlarged  his  farm  by  the  purchase  of  one  hun- 
dred acres  on  the  west  end  of  the  Great  Island. 

The  manner  of  Robert  McCormick's  death  was  very 
mournful.  As  he  was  returning  from  taking  a  load 
of  wheat  to  a  mill  a  few  miles  distant,  his  wagon  was 
struck  by  an  engine  on  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie 
Railroad,  and  he  was  thrown  violently  to  the  ground, 
fracturing  his  skull  and  one  of  his  thigh-bones.  He 
was  carried  to  the  residence  of  his  son  Charles  S.  at 
Lock  Haven"  and  physicians  were  called,  but  it  was  of 
no  avail ;  he  died  the  following  Sabbath  morning, 
Oct.  20,  1867. 

The  community  felt  the  shock  and  gave  free  vent 
to  the  expression  of  its  sympathy.  A  valuable  citizen,  ■ 
and  one  extensively  connected  and  universally  re- 
spected, had  been  stricken  down  with  fearful  sudden- 
ness, and  the  consequence  was  that  the  stoutest  hearts 
were  touched,  and  eyes  unused  to  weeping  wept. 
For  a  great  number  of  years  he  had  been  a  consis- 
tent member  and  liberal  supporter  of  the  Great  Island 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Lock  Haven.  His  character 
was  bright  and  beautiful.  While  unswervingly  up- 
right, he  was  in  an  unusual  degree  kind  and  cour- 
teous, and  while  his  moral  perception  was  clear  and 


keen,  he  was  remarkable  for  his  equanimity  and 
suavity.  His  was  an  eminently  successful  life,  a  con- 
tinuous growth  in  all  that  tends  to  complete  manhood. 
Unambitious  of  applause  or  the  honors  of  ofBcial  posi- 
tion, he  never  sought  either,  but  rather,  as  a  citizen 
faithful  in  the  discharge  of  every  duty  and  liberal 
towards  every  public  charity,  as  a  friend  sincere,  as  a 
man  charitable  towards  his  fellows,  and  as  a  neighbor 
hospitable  and  kind,  generous  towards  those  in  want, 
he  preferred  to  live  out  in  the  fear  of  God,  quietly  and 
peacefully,  the  life  that  was  given  him. 

In  February,  1821,  Robert  McCormick  was  happily 
married  to  Miss  Mary  White,  the  daughter  of  Col. 
John  White,  of  Pine  Creek  township,  a  lady  who 
possessed  in  an  eminent  degree  the  qualities  of  wife- 
hood and  motherhood,  and  who  survived  her  husband 
several  years.  She  died  in  Lock  Haven,  at  the  resi- 
dence of  her  son,  W.  Henry  McCormick,  on  Main 
Street,  Nov.  12,  1878. 

They  had  nine  children, — one  daughter  and  eight 
sons.  The  daughter,  Elizabeth,  became  the  wife  of 
Robert  McGowan,  of  Jersey  Shore,  but  died  a  good 
many  years  ago.  Of  the  sons,  James,  George,  and 
Alfred  are  deceased  ;  John  became  a  physician,  and 
for  the  last  twenty  years  has  been  practicing  medi- 
cine successfully  in  Leavenworth  City,  Kan. ;  Saul 
is  in  Winona,  Minn.  The  other  three — Robert  W., 
W.  Henry,  and  Charles  S. — reside  in  Lock  Haven. 
Each  of  them  has  a  farm,  but  Robert  W.  is  a  lum- 
berman, and  Charles  S.  a  lawyer. 

Of  the  last  mentioned  an  engraving  is  here  given. 
He  was  born  in  1835.  In  1854  he  entered  Lafayette 
College,  and  was  graduated  in  1858.  After  this  he 
studied  law  in  the  office  of  C.  G.  Furst.  Esq.,  of  Lock 
Haven,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Clinton  County  bar 
in  1860.  In  1862  he  married  Sue  C,  daughter  of  Al- 
gernon S.  Fleming,  who  for  twelve  years  was  deputy, 
and  for  the  last  three  years  of  his  life  high  sheriff  of 
Clinton  County.  He  was  one  of  the  trustees  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  Lock  Haven,  and  conse- 
quently one  of  its  building  committee  during  the 
erection  of  its  present  church  edifice,  which  was  com- 
j)leted  in  1872.  In  1874  he  was  elected  one  of  its 
ruling  elders,  and  for  several  years  past  he  has  been 
superintendent  of  its  Sabbath-school.  In  the  fall  of 
1878  he  was  an  independent  candidate  for  the  bench 
in  this  judicial  district,  and,  considering  all  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  case,  received  a  highly  re.spectable 
vote. 

Of  all  his  father's  children,  he  possesses  most  emi- 
nently his  father's  distinguishing  characteristics.  He 
has  his  father's  equable  temperament  and  affable 
manner,  and  quiet  humor  and  solid  sense,  and  in- 
dustrious habits  and  moral  worth,  along  with  his 
own  superior  training  and  wider  range.  He  is  be- 
coming well  known.  Those  who  know  him  trust  him, 
and  those  who  both  know  and  trust  him  predict  in  no 
hesitating  tones  that  he  is  in  the  direct  road  to  all  the 
success  which  is  worthy  of  the  name. 


I 


'r-c 


d^^\yz^^:C^-^^^J^ 


CITY   OF  LOCK   HAVEN. 


503 


CHARLES   KREAMER. 

Charles  Kreamer  was  born  near  Whitehall,  Colum- 
bia Co.,  Pa.,  May  26,  1830.  His  father,  Coonrod 
Kreamer,  emigrated  from  Germany  and  settled  in 
Philadelphia,  where  for  fifteen  years  he  carried  on 
his  trade  as  a  baker.  He  married  Catharine  Rum- 
well,  who  was  also  a  native  of  Germany.  Four  chil- 
dren— viz.,  Coonrod,  Catharine,  Margaret,  and  John 
— were  born  in  Philadelphia.  About  the  year  1829 
he  moved  from  Philadelphia  and  settled  in  Columbia 
County,  where  he  purchased  and  carried  on  a  farm  to 
the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1850.  His 
wife  survived  him  many  years.  She  died  in  Jersey- 
town,  Columbia  Co.,  in  1879,  at  the  residence  of  her 
son,  Coonrod  Kreamer.  Si-'c  of  their  children — viz., 
Charles,  Joseph,  William,  Christiana,  Frederick,  and 
Jacob — were  born  in  ColumbiaCounty.  Allthechil- 
dren  were  married  and  raised  families  except  Wil- 
liam. All  are  living  (1882)  except  Christiana  and 
Margaret. 

Charles  Kreamer  spent  his  boyhood  on  the  home 
farm.  His  opportunities  for  education  were  ex- 
tremely limited.  When  seventeen  years  of  age  he  left 
home  and  worked  for  two  years  at  a  neighbor's  at  eight 
dollars  per  month.  In  1849  he  was  employed  by  Ben- 
nett, Vanderbilt  &  Parsons  in  the  construction  of  a  dam 
across  the  North  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna  River  at 
Towanda.  He  was  thus  employed  about  three  years. 
Returning  home,  he  commenced  his  first  operations 
in  the  lumber  business.  From  1853  to  1857  he  was  in 
the  employ  of  O.  P.  Wilder  and  Fredericks,  Mackey 
&  Co.  in  their  lumber  operations.  In  1857  he  pur- 
chased the  interest  of  Edward  Mackey  in  the  latter 
firm,  and  was  connected  with  the  firm  until  1861, 
when  he  sold  his  interest  to  Simon  Scott,  of  Lock 
Haven.  For  the  next  eight  years  he  managed  the 
lumber  interests  of  George  Hopson  &Co.  at  Farrands- 
ville.  In  1869,  in  company  with  Newton  Fredericks 
and  his  brother,  Frederick  Kreamer,  under  the  firm- 
name  of  Fredericks,  Kreamer  &  Brother,  he  purchased 
the  lumber  interests  of  George  Hopson  &Co.,  includ- 
ing their  two  mills  and  extensive  timber  lands.  This 
partnership  continued  to  May,  1881,  when  he  sold  his 
interest  to  his  brother  and  Mr.  Frederick.?.  He  moved 
from  Farrandsville  to  Lock  Haven  in  1874.  In  1877 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  R.  R.  Bridgens  and  A. 
H.  Mann,  under  the  firm-name  of  Kreamer,  Bridgens 
&  Mann.  The  mills  of  the  firm  were  in  Flemington. 
After  about  two  years  the  firm  changed  to  Kreamer, 
Mann  &  Fleming,  afterwards  and  at  the  present  time 
(1882)  to  Kreamer,  Mann  &  Co.,  the  company  con- 
sisting of  William  and  Gravenstine  Kinsing.  For 
the  last  two  years  (1881-82)  the  operations  of  the 
latter  firm  have  been  very  extensive,  cutting  the  for- 
mer year  twenty-five  and  the  latter  year  thirty-two 
million  feet  of  lumber.  About  one-eighth  of  the 
entire  run  of  logs  in  the  river  belonged  to  the  firm. 

Mr.  Kreamer  married,  April  20,   1857,  Vesta  L., 


daughter  of  George  W.  and  Susan  Eaton,  of  Wool- 
wich, Me.  Their  children  are  Clara,  Adda,  Hattie, 
Frederick,  and  George. 


HOX.  S.  WOODS  CALDWELL. 
Mr.  Caldwell  was  born  in  Limestone  township, 
Montour  Co.  (then  Columbia  County),  Pa.,  on  May 
18,  1845.  His  father  was  of  Irish  and  his  mother  of 
German  descent.  His  father  was  a  large  and  pros- 
perous farmer,  and  reared  his  sons  to  that  business. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  attended  the  common 
schools  of  the  locality  in  his  boyhood,  and  finished 
his  school  education  at  the  Limestone  Academy,  of 
the  vicinage.  In  1865,  in  connection  with  his  brother, 
of  Titusville,  Pa.,  he  engaged  in  the  oil  business  in 
Western  Pennsylvania,  and  encountered  its  ups  and 
downs  for  three  years.  In  1868  he  came  to  Lock 
Haven,  and  for  about  three  years  was  engaged  in 
clerking  in  large  dry-goods  establishments,  when, 
in  1871,  in  conjunction  with  J.  R.  Schmucker,  he 
purchased  the  Irvin  House,  one  of  the  principal 
hotels  in  Lock  Haven.  Mr.  Schmucker  sold  his  in- 
terest in  the  hotel  a  few  months  afterwards,  since  which 
time  the  business  has  been  solely  conducted  by  Mr. 
Caldwell.  The  hotel  is  one  of  the  best  and  most  pop- 
ular in  the  city. 

In  1878,  Mr.  Caldwell  entered  political  life  very 
actively,  and  became  an  irregular  candidate  for  State 
senator  in  the  district  composed  of  the  counties  of 
Centre,  Clinton,  and  Clearfield,  against  Hon.  C.  T. 
Alexander,  the  Democratic  nominee.  The  earnest- 
ness of  the  political  contest  of  that  year  centred  upon 
candidates  for  other  offices,^and  though  Mr.  Caldwell 
was  defeated,  he  reduced  the  majority  of  Mr.  Alex- 
ander fully  one-half  below  his  party's  strength.  In 
the  winter  of  1880,  Mr.  Caldwell  was  nominated  for 
the  Legislature  by  the  Democrats  of  Clinton  County 
by  a  large  majority  over  Judge  Rankin,  after  an  ac- 
tive and  exciting  contest,  to  fill  a  vacancy  occasioned 
by  the  death  of  Hon.  J.  C.  C.  Whaley.  At  the  ensu- 
ing election  he  was  elected  over  Gen.  Jesse  Merrill, 
the  Republican  nominee,  by  seven  hundred  and  fifty- 
one  majority.  In  1882,  Mr.  Caldwell  was  presented 
by  the  Democracy  of  Clinton  County,  with  rare 
unanimity,  for  State  senator.  The  other  counties  of 
the  district  (Centre  and  Clearfield)  also  each  pre- 
sented a  candidate.  After  protracted  ballotings  and 
several  adjournments  from  place  to  place,  Sir.  Cald- 
well withdrew  from  the  conference  because  of  at- 
tempts to  corrupt  his  conferees,  and  the  exposure  of 
this  circumstance  put  an  end  to  that  conference. 
The  county  committees  of  the  several  counties  then 
appointed  a  new  conference,  which  set  aside  all  can- 
didates and  nominated  Hon.  William  A.  Wallace,  of 
Clearfield,  who  had  several  times  represented  his  dis- 
trict in  the  State  Senate  (part  of  the  time  including 
the  same  counties),  and  served  one  term  with  great 
distinction  iu  the  Senate  of  the  United  States.    Mr. 


564 


HISTORY  OF  CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


AVallace   was    subsequentl.v   elected    by   over    three 
thousand  majority. 

In  person,  Mr.  Caldwell  is  rather  above  the  me- 
dium height,  well  forn>ed,  muscular,  of  light  com- 
plexion, smooth  face,  and  of  active  temperament.  As 
indicated  by  his  successes,  he  stands  well  with  the 
people  of  his  adopted  county,  and  is  energetic  in 
furthering  all  schemes  of  public  improvement. 


U.  L.  DIEFFENBACH. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  emigrated  from  Eppingen,  in  Baden,  Germany, 
about  1850,  and  settled  in  Montgomery  County,  Pa., 
pursuing  the  occupation  of  a  farmer.  There  he 
reared  a  large  family,  and  with  them  removed  to 
Derry  township,  Columbia  Co.  (now  Montour),  Pa., 
where  he  continued  to  reside  until  his  death,  at  an  ad- 
vanced age.  The  maternal  grandfather,  James  Le- 
wars,  was  born  in  the  city  of  London,  of  Dutch 
parents,  and  immigrated  to  Berks  County,  Pa.,  in 
1779. 

Henry  Lewars  DiefTenbach  was  born  in  Derry  town- 
ship (above  referred  to)  on  March  2,  1821.  He  was 
the  sixth  child  of  Conrad  DiefTenbachcr,  the  youngest 
son  of  the  foregoing,  and  was  educated  in  the  "  day 
schools"  of  fifty  years  ago  (taught  by  Yankee  and 
Irish  schoolmasters,  a  race  of  pedagogues  for  whom 
this  subject  has  no  particular  reverence),  at  the  Dan- 
ville, Pa.,  academy,  and  in  sundry  printing-offices  in 
Central  Pennsylvania.  Commencing  his  editorial 
career  at  eighteen  years  of  age,  he  has  all  "his  life 
since  then  been  an  editor,  publislier,  or  writer  for 
newspapers,  though  occasionally  following  other  oc- 
cupations for  brief  periods.  While  one  of  the  editors 
and  proprietors  of  the  Harrisburg  Keystone  in  1852, 
at  Governor  Bigler's  solicitation,  he  took  charge  of  the 
Common  School  Department  of  the  State,  and  was 
the  framer  of  the  most  successful  common  school  law 
this  State  ever  had.  This  was  the  act  of  May  8, 
1854,  and  was  the  origin  of  the  county  superintendency 
in  this  State.  Retiring  from  office  in  1855  with  Gov- 
ernor Bigler,  who  had  been  defeated  for  re-election, 
the  subject  of  this  notice  was  appointed  superintendent 
of  common  schools  for  Clinton  County,  without  solici- 
tation, by  Governor  Curtin,  then  ex-officio  State  su- 
perintendent. He  held  this  appointment  for  about 
fifteen  months,  until  a  competent  teacher  could  be 
induced  to  take  it,  and  then  resigned.  In  1858  he  ac- 
cepted the  position  of  Deputy  Secretary  of  the  Com- 
monwealth, at  the  earnest  solicitation  of  Governor 
Packer,  and  held  it  to  the  close  of  that  administra- 
tion. In  1880  he  was  elected  alderman  of  the  Second 
(central  and  business)  Ward  of  Lock  Haven  by  a 
unanimous  vote,  and  he  is  at  present  engaged  in  the 
discharge  of  the  duties  of  that  position.  Death  has 
dealt  heavily  with  his  family,  depriving  him  of  two 
partners  of  his  joys  and  sorrows  and  of  six  children. 


Of  the  eight  members  of  his  father's  family  who  at- 
tained maturity  all  are  still  living,  the  youngest 
being  over  fifty  years  of  age.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  is  the  sixth  of  these  in  the  order  of  age. 


COL.  PIIAON  JAKRETT. 
Col.  Jarrett  was  born  on  the  9th  day  of  February, 
1809,  at  Lower  Nazareth,  Northampton  Co.,  Pa.,  and 
died  at  Lock  Haven  on  Saturday,  Sept.  16, 1876.  He 
was  one  of  the  most  honored,  useful,  and  widely 
known  of  the  citizens  of  Lock  Haven,  and  the  an- 
nouncement of  his  sudden  death  was  a  surprise  and 
shock  to  all.  For  several  months  past  he  had  suffered 
some  inconvenience  from  rheumatic  pains  in  the 
knees,  which  seemed  to  have  no  other  material  effect 
than  to  circumscribe  his  usual  activity,  and  for  some 
days  immediately  preceding  his  death  he  had  been 
confined  to  bed  with  a  low  form  of  malarial  fever. 
No  apprehensions  of  a  serious  turn  of  his  disease 
were  felt,  however,  until  Friday  morning,  when  con- 
gestion of  the  brain  occurred.  Every  eflbrt  to  relieve 
this  difficulty  proved  abortive,  and  at  the  end  of  about 
twenty-four  hours  he  breathed  his  last.  Born  of  in- 
telligent and  well-to-do  parents,  youth  was  passed  in 
acquiring  the  rudiments  of  a  good  education  at  a 
Moravian  school  in  Bethlehem,  Pa.  At  an  age  as 
early  as  the  law  would  permit,  he  was  appointed  a 
cadet  at  the  National  Military  Academy  at  West 
Point,  where  he  stood  liigh  in  all  his  classes,  but  was 
compelled  to  resign  at  the  end  of  about  three  years, 
and,  of  course,  before  graduating,  to  take  cliarge  of 
his  father's  estate.  His  father  died  of  the  same  dis- 
ease, but  yet  more  suddenly,  that  carried  him  off. 
Young  Jarrett  shortly  after  read  law  in  the  office  of 
Hon.  John  S.  Gibbons,  a  man  of  great  ability  and 
considerable  note  in  political  affairs,  and  was  in  due 
time  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Lehigh  County.  Soon 
after,  however,  he  turned  his  attention  to  civil  engi- . 
neering  and  surveying,  and  in  very  brief  time  won 
distinction  in  both  lines.  As  a  mathematician  he  had 
few  equals,  and  his  clear  and  thorough  knowledge  of 
the  various  branches  of  that  science  was  very  com- 
prehensive and  complete.  His  recollection  was  ex- 
traordinary, and  his  keen  perceptions  brought  great 
profit  to  him  from  all  he  read.  He  was  not  stilted  of 
his  acquirements,  and  imparted  his  extensive  knowl- 
edge with  freedom  and  intelligence  to  his  friends,  ac- 
quaintances, and  the  public.  But  he  devoted  himself 
mainly  to  civil  engineering,  and  in  that  branch  of 
science  won  most  particular  distinction.  Never  am- 
bitious of  personal  honors,  and  quite  unselfish,  he, 
perhaps  too  freely,  permitted  others  to  carry  off  en- 
comiums due  to  himself;  but  many  railroads  and 
other  triumphs  of  professional  skill  in  Pennsylvania, 
New  York,  and  New  England  remain  as  lasting  tes- 
timonials of  his  great  ability  in  the  line  of  his  prin- 
cipal profession,  and  his  intelligence  and  integrity  as 
a  director  of  jiublic  works.     The  public  is  more  in- 


Ck^ 


"^^c/^^^ 


;^<C 


'k/^yld^^'--^ 


ALLISON   TOWNSHIP. 


/ 


5C.» 


debted  to  liis  scientific  skill  for  the  construction  of 
the  Philadclphiii  and  Erie  Railroad  than  to  any  other 
man,  living  or  dead,  and  many  of  the  structures  on 
its  line  command  the  admiration  of  all  the  engineers 
and  master-mechanics  who  see  them. 

Col.  Jarret  was  as  ardent  in  his  patriotism  as  ho  was 
thorough  in  hisscientific  Icnowledge.  Asa  politician, 
he  was  an  earnest  and  sincere  Democrat  through  all 
his  life,  and  therefore  had  little  sympathy  for  either 
side  of  the  political  phase  which  induced  the  war  be- 
tween the  States  in  ISOl,  but  the  moment  the  integ- 
rity of  the  Union  was  attacked  he  proceeded  to  or- 
ganize a  company  of  three  months'  men,  under  the 
call  of  the  President  limiting  the  service  to  that 
period,  and  promptly  marched  his  company  to  Har- 
risburg.  He  was  unanimously  elected  colonel  of  the 
regiment  then  forming,  the  distinguished  Eleventh, 
and  was  at  once  detailed  to  instruct  the  camps  at 
Harrisburg,  Pittsburgh,  and  West  Chester  in  military 
tactics,  which  duty  he  performed  with  much  success 
and  honor  to  himself.  His  regiment  was  one  of  the 
first  ordered  to  the  field  where  active  operations  were 
expected  to  commence.  The  skill  with  which  he 
handled  and  posted  his  men  soon  attracted  the  atten- 
tion of  the  commanding  general,  and  he  was  there- 
after constantly  kept  in  the  |)ost  of  apprehension  and 
danger.  When  Gen.  Patterson  took  up  his  line  of 
march  into  Maryland,  Col.  Jarrett  was  placed  in  com- 
mand of  the  advance,  and  at  Falling  Waters  was  the 
first  to  meet  the  afterwards  celebrated  "Stonewall" 
Jackson  in  battle  array.  The  wily  Confederate,  how- 
ever, soon  discovered  that  although  the  troops  before 
him  were  raw  recruits  taken  from  the  peaceful  avoca- 
tions of  life,  they  were  handled  with  great  skill  and 
military  precision,  and  he  therefore  declined  serious 
battle.  As  immediate  danger  of  attack  still  threat- 
ened at  the  time  of  the  expiration  of  the  enlistment 
of  his  regiment,  Col.  Jarrett  induced  his  force  to  re- 
main in  the  field  until  all  apprehension  had  subsided. 
He  then  Veturned  with  his  regiment  to  Harrisburg. 
Here  he  found  the  streets  filled  with  mobs  of  dis- 
charged soldiers  clamoring  for  their  pay,  which  was 
being  withheld  from  them  by  corrupt  paymasters  who 
were  present  with  abundajit  funds,  but  which  they 
were  slow  .ab6ut  paying  out,  hoping  to  buy  the  claims 
.of  soldiers  through  confreres  at  ruinous  rates.  Col. 
Jarrett,  however,  knew  how  to  manage  rascally  pay- 
masters as  well  as  the  more  manly  enemy  in  the  open 
field.  He  therefore  declined  to  permit  his  regiment 
to  be  disarmed  until  paid,  and  the  result  was  their 
prompt  payment  in  full  and  honorable  discharge.  In 
consequence  of  his  pronounced  and  unwavering  po- 
litical opinions  and  attachments,  no  future  appoint- 
ment to  military  position  was  conferred  upon  Col. 
Jarrett,  though  he  was  several  times  approached 
with  insidious  offers  of  preferment  involving  change 
of  political  action.  j 

Decided  in   his  political  convictions,  Col.  Jarrett 
was  yet  not  a  politician,  and  usually  contented  him- 


self with  simply  casting  his  vote  and  giving  iii.'i  per- 
sonal friends  the  benefit  of  his  cimnse!s.  Jfe  was, 
however,  years  ago  twice  a  Democratic  candidate  for 
Assembly  in  Lehigh  and  Carbon  Counties,  but  was 
defeated  because  of  differences  arising  out  of  the 
formation  of  the  latter  county. 

Of  late  years  Col.  Jarrett  devoted  himself  mainly 
to  his  personal  and  domestic  a.Tairs,  though  occa- 
sionally doing  some  work  in  the  line  of  his  profes- 
sion. He  was  one  of  the  kindest  and  most  affectionate 
of  husbands  and  fathers,  a  most  pleasant  and  com- 
panionable friend  and  associate,  earnest, sincere,  truth- 
ful, upright,  and  frank;  a  public-spirited  citizen,  who 
would  have  been  a  loss  to  any  community,  a  man  of 
the  highest  and  most  exalted  patriotic  aspirations,  a 
lover  of  his  country  and  of  his  kind,  active,  gener- 
ous, and  always  brave,  singularly  without  malice, 
readily  overlooking  wrongs  or  injury  to  himself;  un- 
selfish, a  lover  of  justice,  a  true  friend.  In  his  death 
the  city  of  Lock  Haven  lost  one  of  its  very  best  and 
most  respected  and  honorable  citizens,  and  few  there 
are  among  us  who  have  not  shed  an  afiectionate  tear 
to  his  memory.  At  his  own  request  his  remains  were 
taken  to  Allentown  for  interment,  "  to  be  buried  by 
the  side  of  his  mother."  He  left  a  widow,  two  sons, 
and  a  daughter  (Mrs.  Howard  Olto,  of  Williamsport), 
a  whole  community  where  he  resided,  and  thousands 
of  scattered  friends  to  mourn  his  departure  from 
earth.  That  he  rests  in  the  eternal  peace  which  is  the 
just  reward  of  all  who  act  well  their  part  we  doubt 
not  is  the  hope,  the  belief,  and  the  earnest  prayer  of 
every  soul  that  enjoyed  his  acquaintance. 


CHAPTER    CVL 


ALLISON    TOWNSHIP. 


Allison  was  one  of  the  twelve  original  townships 
of  Clinton  County  on  its  erection  in  1839.  It  received 
its  name  in  honor  of  Rev.  Francis  Allison,  D.D.  The 
township  as  first  erected  was  bounded  on  the  north 
by  Woodward  and  Dunstable,  on  the  east  by  Wayne, 
on  the  south  by  Lamar  and  Bald  Eagle,  an.l  on  the 
west  by  Bald  Eagle  township.  March  28,  1870,  the 
Legislature  incorporated  Lock  Haven  as  a  city  by  an 
act  consolidating  the  borough  limits  of  Lock  Haven 
and  Flemington  and  so  much  of  the  territory  of  Al- 
lison township  "as  lies  westward  and  northward  of  a 
line  commencing  at  a  point  at  low-water  mark  on  the 
south  bank  of  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna 
River,  opposite  the  centre  of  the  lane  between  lands  of 
Thomas  Fleming  and  F.  P.  Myers,  thence  in  the  line 
of  the  course  of  said  lane  southward  to  the  Bald 
Eagle  Creek,  thence  westward  to  the  nearest  point  in 
the  centre  of  the  Bald  Eagle  Cross-Cut  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania Canal,  thence  westward  along  the  centre  of 


566 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA, 


said  canal  to  the  bridge  crossing  said  canal  near  the 
residence  of  Hugli  Devling,  thence  southward  to  the 
nearest  point  on  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  thence  up  Bald 
Eagle  Creek  to  the  western  line  of  Allison  township." 

Section  3  of  said  act  put  "  the  remaining  portion 
of  Allison  township  not  included  in  the  boundaries 
of  said  city  of  Lock  Haven"  into  Lamar  township, 
and  thus  was  blotted  from  the  county  map  the  town- 
ship of  Allison.  In  1872  an  act  was  passed  repeal- 
ing the  third  section  of  the  act  of  1870,  annexing 
the  "remaining  portion"  to  Lamar,  and  this  part, 
which  formed  a  neck  between  Lock  Haven  and  Lamar 
township,  was  in  1873  added  to  Dunstable  township, 
where  it  remained  until  1877,  when  it  and  other  parts 
of  Dunstable  were  erected  into  Castanea  township. 

July  15, 1878,  the  court  re-erected  Allison  township, 
and  gave  it  political  life  and  a  place  on  the  county  map, 
to  be  composed  of  all  that  part  of  the  original  Alli- 
son township  and  the  borougli  of  Flemington  lying 
west  and  north  of  the  west  and  north  lines  of  the 
First,  Second,  Third,  and  Fourth  Wards  of  Lock 
Haven, — that  is,  the  new  Allison  township  to  com- 
prise what  was  the  Fifth  Ward  of  Lock  Haven. 
Thus  Allison  township  lives,  but  is  sadly  shorn  of 
the  original  territory  that  marked  its  limits  when 
first  erected  in  1839. 

It  is  now  bounded  on  the  north  by  Woodward,  West 
Branch,  and  Lock  Haven  City,  on  the  east  by  Casta- 
nea, on  the  west  by  Bald  Eagle,  and  on  the  south  by 
Bald  Eagle  and  Lamar  townships. 

Early  Settlers.— Among  the  early  settlers  were  the 
Carskaddons  and  Patrick  Moore,  who  came  i'rora  Ire- 
land before  the  Revolution,  and  Squire  Devlin,  who 
settled  on  the  Hunt  farm.  John  Mader,  who  was 
born  at  Paxton,  Dauphin  Co.,  came  before  1800,  and 
married  here  Sarah  Logue,  whose  father's  family  were 
early  settlers  in  this  region.  John  Counsil  married  a 
Miss  Rhoda  David,  whose  family  came  originally 
from  Berkshire  County,  Mass.,  to  Wilkesbarre,  from 
whence  they  removed  to  Beech  Creek,  then  to  Oil 
City,  then  to  French  Creek,  and  finally  came  back  to 
this  region.  Accounts  of  the  other  e;irly  settlers  are 
in  the  chapters  on  Lock  Haven  and  Bald  Eagle  town- 
ship. 

riemington.— This  village  is  situated  one  mile  and 
a  half  west  of  Lock  Haven,  and  on  the  Bald  Eagle 
Valley  Railroad.  It  is  located  partly  on  the  Allison 
survey,  and  partly  on  the  tract  of  two  hundred  and 
eighty-two  acres  p.atented  to  Lieut.  Daniel  Hunsicker, 
as  per  survey  made  for  him  in  March,  1769.  The  vil- 
lage was  first  laid  out  by  Mr.  Houston,  and  called 
Flemington  in  honor  of  Hon.  John  Fleming,  whose 
lather  purchased  the  Allison  tract,  and  who  was  ap- 
pointed one  of  the  associate  judges  of  Lycoming 
County  in  1798.  He  died  in  1817.  Afterwards  Gen. 
E.  W.  Sturdivant  and  Mr.  Bressler,  sons-in-law  of  Mr. 
Houston,  laid  out  additional  lots.  The  last  addition 
to  the  village  was  made  by  W.  S.  Woods  at  its  eastern 
end.     The  oldest  house  here  is  that  of  Israel  Osman, 


a  frame  structure.  The  next  two  houses  erected  were 
those  now  occupied  by  John  Berry  and  Ira  C.  Stone. 
The  next  built  was  the  Carskaddon  brick  residence. 
In  1848  there  were  but  six  dwellings  in  the  place. 
Charles  Else  had  the  first  shoe-shop,  which  he  sold 
to  Charles  S.  Buckley,  who  in  1848  was  succeeded  by 
James  C.  .Counsil  in  the  same  building.  Of  late 
years,  however,  Mr.  Counsil  and  his  son  have  fol- 
lowed extensively  the  manufacture  of  axe-handles. 

The  first  tavern  was  kept  by  John  Stover,  where 
Frank  Waitman  has  his  hotel,  but  the  building  has 
been  remodeled. 

The  first  store  was  kept  by  Henry  Essjck,  who  was 
succeeded  prior  to  1848  by  John  Chatham  &  Bro. 

Dr.  A.  W.  Heilman  was  the  first  resident  physician. 

In  1858,  Hyatt,  Jenkins  &  Stover  established  and 
built  the  foundry  now  operated  by  O.  A.  Harvey  & 
Bro. 

The  old  hotel-stand  was  built  by  William  B.  Cars- 
kaddon. 

The  first  settlers  in  the  village  were  James  Moore, 
Abraham  Slinker,  John  Larkins,  Charles  S.  Burkley, 
John  McGregor,  William  Laverty,  C.  S.  Porter,  John 
Stover,  James  Chatham,  and  Harmon  Starn. 

The  village  was  incorporated  as  a  borough  in  1864, 
and  continued  so  till  March  28,  1870,  when  by  legis- 
lative act  the  borough  was  annexed  to  Lock  Haven 
City.  Among  its  chief  burgesses  during  its  living 
municipality  were  John  Jones,  James  Moore,  and 
John  S.  Logue. 

July  15,  1878,  by  order  of  court,  Allison  township 
was  recreated,  and  Flemington  detached  from  Lock 
Haven  and  put  back  into  the  township.  But  it  has 
never  been  incorporated  again  as  a  borough. 

Eeformed  Cemetery. — About  1840  members  of 
the  Reformed  Church  living  in  this  section  began  the 
erection  of  a  church,  and  went  so  far  as  to  put  it 
under  roof,  when  owing  to  a  fatal  accident  of  one  of 
the  workmen  the  house  was  abandoned,  and  after- 
wards its  materials  removed.  Tiie  lot  remained,  and 
has  been  since  used  as  a  cemetery.  Among  the  inter- 
ments in  it  are  those  of  Mary  B.  Jodon,died  Feb.  14, 
1874,  aged  sixty-two;  Jane,  daughter  of  W.  and  S. 
Bartholomew,  died  Dec.  4;  1868,  aged  forty -two ;  Sarah 
K.,  wife  of  David  Jodon,  died  April,  1869,  aged  forty. 
Also  the  following  soldiers:  N.  B.  Trude,  57th  Pa; 
Vols. ;  John  A.  Calvin,  137th  Pa.  Vols. ;  James  Bon- 
nell,  52d  Pa.  Vols. ;  Isaiah  Gr.ay,  1st  Pa.  Cavalry;  G. 
W.  Crow,  93d  Pa.  Vols. ;  and  Balser  Freidel,  52d  Pa. 
Vols.  The  grounds  are  still  held  by  an  organization 
of  Reformed  families, — the  Bartholomews,  Aarons, 
etc.  On  this  was  the  first  school-house  built  in  this 
region,  but  even  its  foundation  has  long  ago  dis- 
appeared. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church.'— The  Flemington 
Methodist  Church  was  organized  in  1867,  during  the 
ministrations  in  the  Salona  district,  to  which  it  be- 

1  From  D.  S.  Mnjnard'a  "  Ilistory  of  Olintou  Countj." 


ALLISON   TOWNSHIP. 


5C7 


lonj;ed,  of  Rev.  Mr.  Hartman.  Among  the  nio.st 
active  and  influential  members  at  the  time  of  organi- 
zation were  David  Leilzel,  B.  F.  Troxell,  and  J.  Chat- 
ham. For  gome  time  the  congregation  struggled 
along,  without  owning  a  place  in  which  to  worship, 
and  though  the  membership  was  very  small,  it  was 
found  very  inconvenient  and  unsatisfactory  to  have 
no  place  of  their  own  in  which  to  meet,  therefore  it 
was  resolved  to  make  an  effort  to  build  a  structure  for 
that  purpose.  A  building  committee  consisting  of 
B.  F.  Troxell,  David  Leitzell,  and  J.  Chatham,  who 
secured  a  lot  on  the  corner  of  High  and  Sturdevant 
Streets.  The  work  on  the  building  began  in  1S70, 
and  the  basement  was  completed  and  dedicated  in 
1871.  The  audience-room,  owing  to  the  financial  de- 
pressions that  soon  swept  over  the  land,  remained 
unfinished.  The  membership  being  small,  and  the 
church  in  debt,  the  edifice  was  fiually  sold  by  order 
of  court,  and  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Disciples' 
denomination.  Mr.  Hartman's  successors  up  to  1876 
were  Revs.  Stine,  Crossthwaite,  Cuddy,  and  Taylor, 
of  the  Salona  Circuit.  David  Leitzel  was  for  many 
years  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school.  Services 
are  now  held  in  the  store-room  of  John  S.  Furst. 

Disciples'  Church  Congregation  worship  in  the 
old  Methodist  Church  edifice,  which  it  purchased. 
Before  buying  this  building  it  had  had  occasional 
preaching  in  the  school-house  for  twelve  or  fifteen 
years.  Its  preacher  is  Rev.  C.  S.  Long,  pastor  of 
Lock  Haven  Disciples'  Church. 

The  Independent  Order  of  Good  Templars  was 
instituted  in  1876,  and  has  maintained  its  organiza- 
tion intact  to  the  present  time.  Its  membership  is 
large. 

Business  Industries.— The  chief  exports  are  lum- 
ber, flour,  and  feed.  Besides  its  railroad  communica- 
tion it  has  a  daily  stage  to  Lock  Haven. 

A.  J.  Moore  is  postmaster.  O.  A.  Harvey  &  Bro. 
run  the  foundry.  Hiram  Mason,  Alfred  Mann, 
Charles  Kreamer,  and  T.  C.  Kintzing  &  Co.  each 
operate  a  saw-mill.  Frank  Hayes  &  Co.  conduct  the 
flouring-mill.  The  only  stores  are  those  of  G.  W. 
Fredericks  and  J.  H.  Long. 

The  carpenters  are  John  P.  Bressler,  James  E. 
Moore,  William  and  B.  F.  Fidlow,  Joel  and  P.  J. 
Keller. 

The  blacksmiths  are  E.  H.  Palmer,  B.  F.  Hursh, 
and  David  Flavus. 

The  shoemakers  are  James  D.  Counsil  and  James 
H.  Moore. 

A.  J.  Moore  is  a  dealer  in  tobacco. 

The  wagon-makers  are  Isaac  Abler  and  Joseph 
Romig. 

Frank  Waits  keeps  the  hotel  and  drug-store.  Dr. 
Frederick  Vandersloot  is  the  resident  physician. 

James  Welsh  was  the  son  of  Jared  Welsh,  and 
the  youngest  of  twelve  children.  He  was  born  March 
8,  1802,  on  what  was  then  known  as  "  Monseytown 
Bottom,"  about  a  mile  above  Lock  Haven,  on  the  op- 


posite side  of  the  river.  His  early  and  only  educa- 
tion was  obtained  at  Dunnstown,  with  the  exception 
of  a  few  terms  at  the  old  log  school-house  that  stood 
near  the  old  Lock  Haven  burying-ground.  Up  to 
1841  he  was  engaged  in  lumbering  on  the  West 
Branch.  At  that  date  he  located  on  what  was  called 
the  Reichard  fiirm,  across  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek  from 
Flemington.  Still,  in  connection  with  farming,  he 
carried  on  the  lumbering  business  to  a  certain  extent. 
In  1837  he  was  married  to  a  daughter  of  Nathan  Mc- 
Closkey,  by  whom  he  had  eleven  children.  After  her 
death  he  married  the  widow  of  Nathan  Shank,  of 
Howard,  by  which  union  two  children  were  born. 
Mr.  Welsh  was  for  many  years  a  pilot  on  the  Susque- 
hanna, and  was  thoroughly  acquainted  with  every 
part  of  the  stream  from  Lock  Haven  to  tide-water. 
He  served  nine  years  as  county  commissioner,  and 
held  almost  all  the  township  offices. 

William  Carskaddox  was  born  Sept.  10,  1795, 
on  the  property  where  he  spent  his  entire  life,  two 
miles  west  of  Lock  Haven.  His  father,  James  Car- 
skaddon,  moved  to  the  place  in  1794,  from  near  the 
present  location  of  Lewisburg,  Union  Co.  His 
mother,  who  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  came  to  this 
country  at  the  age  of  fifteen  with  her  father,  whose 
name  was  John  Murphy.  The  only  school  Mr.  Car- 
skaddon  ever  attended  was  the  one  near  the  Great 
Island  Cemetery.  He  was  twice  married, — first  to 
Miss  Annie  Condon,  by  whom  he  had  several  chil- 
dren, all  deceased.  After  her  death  he  married  Miss 
Jane  Leech.  During  all  his  life  he  was  engaged  in 
farming.  He  died  April  11,  1877,  and  was  buried 
in  the  old  Lock  Haven  Cemetery,  near  the  spot  where 
three-quarters  of  a  century  before  he  had  attended 
school. 

Adam  Gast. — Christian,  grandfiither  of  Adam 
Gast,  was  a  native  of  Odowalt,  Germany,  where  he 
married,  and  immediately  set  sail  for  this  country, 
and'located  in  the  interior  of  Pennsylvania.  He  had 
two  sons  and  one  daughter,  and  John  N.,  the  eldest 
of  the  former,  married  Catherine  Nipe,  of  Penn's 
valley,  and  had  four  sons  and  six  daughters,  of  whom 
two  were  Mrs.  ex-Sheriff  Tate  and  Mrs.  Crotzer,  of 
Centre  County.  The  youngest  daughter,  Mrs.  Wolf, 
was  the  mother  of  the  late  Hon.  S.  S.  Wolf,  of  Centre 
County.  Adam  Gast  was  born  in  1791  in  the  east 
end  of  Penn's  valley,  but  soon  afterwards  his  father 
removed  to  Brush  valley.  In  1819  he  married  Cath- 
arine, daughter  of  Paul  Wolf,  who  had  emigrated 
from  Lebanon  County  and  located  in  Brush  valley, 
where  he  first  met  his  wife.  She  was  then  but  eleven 
years  old,  and  he  only  eighteen,  but  he  agreed  to 
wait  for  her,  which  he  did  until  she  was  twenty, 
when  they  were  married.  He  raised  a  very  large 
family.  During  the  summer  of  1876  he  cleared,  when 
eighty-five  years  old,  seven  acres  of  timber  land  with 
his  own  hands,  his  sole  object  being  to  have  exercise. 
When  a  young  man,  and  on  returning  home  from  a 
visit  to  his  intended,  he  broke  off  a  small  willow  twig 


5G8 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


to  touch  lip  his  horse  with.  On  arriving  at  home  he 
ptuclc  the  sprout  in  the  ground,  and  it  is  now  a  tree  ! 
ten  feet  in  diameter.  It  stands  on  the  old  homestead 
in  Brush  valley,  now  owned  by  his  nephew,  John 
Wolf.  The  last  few  years  of  his  life  he  lived  with  his  i 
son  .Toseph  and  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Sarah  S.  Allen,  in 
Bald  Eagle  valley.  j 

Great  Island  Cemetery.— Although  this  ancient  j 
landmark  of  the  Bald  Eagle  valley  lies  in  the  limits  [ 
of  Lock  Haven  Oity,  being  on  Clifton  Avenue,  and  j 
on  the  original  general  thoroughfare  up   the   Bald 
Eagle  valley  to  Bellefonte,  on  the  hill  going  to  Fleni- 
ington,  still,  it  being  the  oidest  burial-ground  of  this 
valley,  it  is  given  a  place  in   Allison   township,  in  j 
which  it  was  originally  located  on  the  organization  I 
of  the  county.     But  few  remain  of  the  buri.als  in  its 
limits,  most  of  those  buried  having  been  removed  to  I 
"  Highland  Cemetery."    But  of  those  remaining  may  i 
be  mentioned  the  Flemings,  Reeds,  McCormicks,  and  ' 
Carskaddons,  the  very  earliest  settlers  in  this  region,  j 
Of  ths  old  and  prominent  persons  whose  dust  yet  re- 
mains in  this  old  Presbyterian  churcliyard  we  give  1 
the  following : 


JnJge  John  Fleming,  died  Feb.  17,  1 8 IT,  aged  00;  bis  wife  S 
died  Ni.v.  20,  1S24,  aged  61, 

Jolin  McCormicl;,  died  May  22,  1S44,  aged  90;  Ids  wife  EliziibetU  died 
Oct.  10,  1804. 

Robert  McCormick,  died  Oct.  20, 1807,  aged  71. 

Elizabelli  McConiiick,  died  July  8,  1849,  aged  27. 

Allied  JlcCorniick,  died  Feb.  1,  1855,  aged  10. 

.Tames  II.  McCormick,  died  July  14, 1808,  aged  44. 

Alexander  McCormick,  died  June  10,  ISIO,  aged  09;  liis  wife,  Eleanor 
McCurmick,  died  J.<in.  4,  1848,  aged  00. 

John  McCormick,  died  Jan.  28, 1857,  aged  40. 

Jane  H.  JlcCoiniick,  died  Jlay  29, 1849,  aged  28. 

John  F.  McCormick,  died  Oct.  14, 1850,  agod  08  ;  his  wife,  Agnes  Mc- 
Cormick,died  Dec.  10,  1861,  aged  77. 

Alfred,  youngest  son  of  Robert  aLd  M.  McCormick,  died  Feb.  1,  1855,   { 
aged  15. 

Thomas  Reed,  died  Sept.  5, 1851,  .iged  83 ;  his  wife  Jane  died  May  16, 
1851,  aged  9;i. 

Susanna  Iteed,  died  Aug.  20,  ISO;),  aged  00.  •  i 

Elizabeth  A.,  wife  of  Rufus  Beed,  died  Sept.  7, 1853,  aged  33.  j 

Mary  E  ,  wife  of  Daniel  Nyhart,  died  Jan.  8,  1842,  aged  54.  I 

John  Madder,  died  March  1, 1851,  aged  54  ;  bis  wile  Sarah  died  Sept. 
28,  1855,  aged  57.  I 

Francis  II,  Smith,  died  Nov.  28, 1844,  aged  65.  j 

Rev.  Ale.xander  Boyd,  died  Juno  1,1845,  aged  05;  pastor  of  Bedford    j 
Presbyterian  Church  eight  years,  of  Newtown  21,  and  of  Great  Island  7.   I 

Genrgo  Hastings,  died  Nov.  29,  1850,  aged  21.  | 

Catharine,  wife  of  Caspar  Richards,  died  March  27, 1825,  aged  01.  1 

Nancy,  wife  of  Alexander  Mahcm,  died  April  IS,  1833,  aged  39.  j 

William  Richards,  died  July  20, 1850,  aged  02. 

William  Iludsiui,  died  March  25, 1814,  aged  35.  I 

William  II,  Hood,  died  May  20,  1S49,  agod  37. 

S.iiah,  wifeof  Williiim  Clawater,  died  Sept.  1,3, 1844,  aged  55. 

John  Scheid,  born  April  24,  1777,  died  July  13,  1854.  | 

Marllia,  wife  of  Rev.  D.  B.  Carrier,  died  July  23,  1850,  aged  23. 

Barbara  A.,  wife  of  John  Delaney,  died  Dec.  11,  1850,  aged  37. 

Mary,  wife  of  .\bsalom  Shade,  died  Aug.  20, 1791  (Srst  interment  in  the 
cemetery). 

John  Harleman,  died  Jan.  23, 1800,  aged  57;  his  wife  Margaret  died 
Aug.  31,  1851,  aged  44. 

James  Carskaddon,  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  died  Aug.  15,1830,  aged  73. 

Mary,  wife  of  William  Chatham,  died  Aug.  10, 1851,  aged  31. 


Alexander  McNaul,  died  July  5,  1800,  aged  03. 

Robert  Quay,  died  Jan.  29,  1830,  aged  05  ;  his  wife  Sarah  died  Feb.  5, 
1844,  aged  70. 

Sarah,  wife  of  John  Fearon,  died  Oct.  30, 1801,  aged  82. 

Rebecca,  wife  of  John  Reeder,  Sr,,  died  May  28,  1854,  agod  58, 

John  Fredericks,  Sr,,  died  April  20,  1845,  agod  75;  his  wife  Elizabeth 
died  Fob,  10, 1S50,  aged  7.i. 

John  Fredericks,  Jr,,  died  May  15, 1842,  aged  32, 

Abraham  Slonkor,  died  Feb,  21,  1852,  aged  54  ;  his  wife,  Mary  C ,  died 
Sept,  19,  1878,  aged  79, 

Joseph  Harrison,  died  Oct.  4.  1858,  aged  50. 

Sarah  A.,  wife  of  Michael  Roach,  died  March  10,  1879,  aged  48. 

David  Johnson,  died  May  15, 1802, .aged  52, 

George  W.  Cnmmings,  died  Feb.  1, 1850,  aged  25. 

Joshua  Bowers,  died  Fi-b,  3,  1856,  aged  42. 

Daniel  E.  Shaw,  died  May  29,1857,  agod  40, 

James  White,  died  March  5,  1855,  aged  30. 

Arista  R,  White,  died  Jan.  20, 1849,  aged  28. 

Samuel  Welsh,  died  Nov,  28, 1806,  aged  73. 

Andrew,  son  of  A.  and  M,  A.  Brown,  killed  at  Gaines'  Mills,  July  27, 
1802,  aged  21. 

Rosina,  wife  of  Thomas  Bridgens,  died  March  2, 1858,  aged  71. 

Capt.  Jacob  Schied,  died  Sept.  21,  1869,  aged  59, 

Catharine,  wife  of  William  llutters,  died  July  10, 1800,  aged  41. 

Emoline,  wife  of  John  Jones,  died  Dec.  1,  1801,  aged  52. 

John  B,  McGregor,  died  Aug,  30,  1854,  aged  35. 

Catharine,  wife  of  Adam  Cast,  died  Sept.  12, 1854,  aged  54. 

Dr.  Charles  Taylor,  died  Aug.  14, 1856,  aged  40. 

Nathan  Welsli,  died  Aug.  11,  1830,  agod  37. 

Nancy,  wife  of  James  Welsh,  died  July  2, 18,55,  aged  40. 

Frederick  Iloydan,  died  Dec.  27,  1805,  ageil  59. 

Nancy  Crawford,  wilo  of  Hugh  White,  died  Dec.  17, 1871,  aged  74. 

Elizabeth,  wife  of  George  Ciawford,  died  March  19,  1803,  aged  02. 

Kathariua  Margaret  Kabel  (born  Weighand),  wife  of  John  Martin 
Kahel,  born  June  24,  1792,  died  June  21, 1857. 

Jane  Johnston,  died  Sept.  7, 1855,  aged  78. 

Mary,  wife  of  Samuel  Reed,  died  Jan.  3, 1871,  aged  02. 


Lewis  and  Conly  were  two  notorious  desperate 
characters  who  infested  this  region  of  country  at  an 
early  day.  Lewis  was  a  native  of  Centre  County  ; 
Conly  was  an  Irishman  of  powerful  stature.  Their 
deeds  of  daring  lawlessness  were  numerous,  and  to 
such  an  extent  liad  their  robberies  been  carried  on, 
that  the  government  offered  a  reward  of  six  hundred 
dollars  for  their  bodies,  dead  or  alive. 

During  their  excursions  down  Bald  Eagle  valley 
they  robbed  a  peddler  at  some  lonely  place,  and 
brought  the  spoils  down  the  creek  in  a  canoe,  and 
landed  near  where  Flemington  is  situated,  and,  load- 
ing themselves  with  their  ill-gotten  booty,  they  car- 
ried it  to  a  place  just  above  the  old  cemetery,  not  far 
from  where  the  toll-gate  now  stands,  which  was  tlien 
in  a  wilderness ;  there,  finding  that  they  had  more  than 
they  could  conveniently  carry,  or  fearing  that  it  might 
lead  to  their  detection,  they  built  a  fire  and  burned 
some  portion  of  it.  Some  of  the  citizens  then  living 
in  Lock  Haven,  seeing  the  smoke,  and  knowing  that 
Lewis  and  Conly  were  in  the  neighborhood,  surmised 
its  origin  and  made  an  effort  to  capture  the  robbers. 
The  effort  was  ineffectual,  and,  thinking  the  locality 
a  little  too  warm  for  them,  the  desperadoes  left  for  new 
fields  of  operation,  and  were  soon  after  heard  from 
on  the  waters  of  the  Sinnemahoning. 


BALD   EAGLE   TOWNSHIP. 


509 


CHAPTER    CVIL 

BALD    EAGLE    TOWNSHIP— MILL    HALL    BOROUGH.' 

In  the  forming  of  Lycoming  from  Nortliumberland 
in  1795,  and  Centre  (in  part)  from  Lycoming  in  1800, 
and  Clinton  (in  part)  from  Centre  in  1839,  and  the 
subsequent  establishment  of  other  counties,  the  town- 
ship of  Bald  Eagle  was  allowed  to  retain  its  identity. 

When  Clinton  County  was  erected  Bald  Eagle 
township  was  one  of  the  twelve  townships  into  which 
it  was  divided.  Since  that  time,  by  the  organization 
of  additional  townships  in  the  county,  its  limits  have 
been  reduced  until  as  at  present  it  contains  but  a  very 
small  proportion  of  its  original  territory.  It  is  now 
bounded  on  the  south  by  Lamar  and  Beech  Creek,  on 
the  west  by  Beech  Creek,  on  the  north  by  Grugan 
and  Colebrook,  on  the  east  by  Allison  and  Lamar 
townships. 

The  surface  of  this  township  is  diversified  by  moun- 
tains, hills,  and  streams,  and  to  the  casual  observer  a 
large  portion  of  it  presents  an  appearance  of  wild 
ruggedness,  but  closer  examination  shows  that  much 
of  the  land  that  appears  to  be  utterly  worthless  for 
agricultural  purposes  may  really  be  converted  into 
productive  farms.  This  is  especially  the  case  with 
the  broad  scope  that  lies  between  the  Allegheny  ridge 
and  the  western  bouudarj'  of  the  township. 

The  highest  lands  in  the  township  are  the  Bald 
Eagle  Mountain,  a  portion  of  which  lies  across  the 
south  end,  and  a  spur  of  the  Allegheny  which  crosses 
the  township  from  west  to  east  near  the  centre.  The 
only  "  bottom"  lands  or  flats  lie  along  the  Bald  Eagle 
Creek.  They  are  of  a  rich  sandy  loam,  very  fertile, 
and  adapted  to  the  cultivation  of  corn,  wheat,  tobacco, 
and  vegetables,  and  might  be  profitalsly  used  for  gar- 
dening purposes.  Extending  along  the  north  side  of 
the  creek  the  whole  width  of  the  township  there  is  a 
strip  of  undulating  land  inclining  slightly  towards 
the  stream.  This  tract  is  about  a  mile  in  width,  and 
is  all  very  fine  farming  land,  the  soil  being  a  light 
shale  combined  with  loam  and  sand  intermixed  with 
gravel,  and  especially  favorable  for  growing  cereals. 
This  land  is  comprised  ou  what  is  known  as  the 
"  officers'  survey."  Lying  between  this  tract  and  the 
Allegheny  range  is  a  region  locally  known  as  "the 
Ridges."  This  section  is  two  or  three  miles  in  width, 
and  also  extends  the  entire  distance  across,  and,  like 
the  tract  just  described,  continues  beyond  the  limits 
of  the  township  up  the  Bald  Eagle  valley.  "The 
Ridges"  are  hills  of  different  sizes  and  shapes,  varying 
in  height  from  one  hundred  to  three  or  four  hundred 
feet.  They  are  separated  froni  each  other  by  valleys 
or  passes,  through  most  of  which  small  streams  are 
flowing.  Very  few  of  these  hills  have  abrupt  or  pre- 
cipitous sides;  many  of  them  are  tilled,  and  most  <5f 
them  tillable  to  their  summits.     Tlie  individual  hills 

1  From  D.  S.  Maynard's  *'  Ilistorical  View  of  Clinton  County." 


constituting  "  the  Ridges"  really  form  a  general  ridge 
or  raiige,  the  centre  or  highest  line  of  which  is  about 
midway  between  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek  and  the  Alle- 
gheny. As  the  elevations  on  the  south  side  of  this 
range  diminish  in  height  as  they  recede  from  its 
centre,  so  also  do  those  on  the  north  side,  thereby 
forming  between  the  so-called  Bald  Eagle  "  Ridges" 
and  the  Allegheny  Mountain  a  trough  or  valley,  the 
general  appearance  of  which  indicates  its  adaptation 
to  agricultural  purposes.  Protected  as  it  is  from  the 
northern  winds  by  the  mountain  at  whose  base  it  lies, 
and  being  abundantly  supplied  with  the  best  of  water 
from  living  springs,  it  is  certainly  highly  favored, 
and  the  soil  is  all  that  could  be  desired  for  the  growth 
of  corn,  potatoes,  wheat,  clover,  etc.,  it  being  a  red 
shale  and  sandy  loam. 

The  Allegheny  ridge  itself  may  be  cultivated  some 
distance  up  its  southern  slope,  as  it  now  is  in  many 
instances;  but  as  the  summit  is  approached  the  con- 
glomerate rock  appears,  cropping  from  the  sides  and 
lying  in  loose  fragments  on  the  surAice,  though  when 
the  top  is  reached  there  are  many  places  where  the 
surface  is  comparatively,  free  from  rock  or  stones  of 
any  kind,  and  good  farms  might  be  made  and  profit- 
ably cultivated  on  the  dividing  line  between  the  Bald 
Eagle  and  Tangascootac  valleys.  There  is  even  now 
a  farm  in  good  state  of  cultivation  in  Beech  Creek 
township,  near  the  Bald  Eagle  line,  which  lies  on  the 
very  summit  of  the  range.  Another  farm  is  also  being 
successfully  cultivated  by  Mr.  John  Reaville,  on  the 
northern  slope  of  this  mountain,  at  an  elevation  of 
over  eight  hundred  feet  above  Lock  Haven. 

Lying  on  the  north  side  of  the  Allegheny  ridge  is 
the  Tangascootac  region,  a  scope  of  several  thousand 
acres,  extending  to  another  spur  of  the  Allegheny, 
which  forms  the  western  bouudary  of  the  township. 
This  region  is  drained  by  the  Tangascootac  Creek 
and  its  tributaries,  which  flow  into  the  West  Branch 
above  Farrandsville.  This  part  of  the  township  may 
literally  be  termed  a  "howling  wilderness,"  it  being 
almost  entirely  covered  with  timber,  consisting  of 
pine,  oak,  and  other  indigenous  varieties.  Originally 
the  pine  greatly  predominated,  but  the  operations  of 
lumbermen  have  nearly  exhausted  the  supply.  This 
tract,  which  lies  generally  several  hundred  feet  above 
the  river,  occupies  about  one-half  of  the  area  of  the 
township.  The  soil  of  this  region,  as  a  general  thing, 
is  susceptible  of  cultivation;  in  some  places  it  is 
quite  sandy  and  gravelly,  as  the  result  of  the  disinte- 
gration of  the  sandstone  and  conglomerate  which 
abound  more  or  less  abundantly  throughout  the  tract. 
The  water-courses  of  the  township  are  the  Bald  Eagle 
Creek,  crossing  it  near  the  east  end  ;  Fishing  Creek, 
which  empties  into  the  former  near  Mill  Hall ;  Lusk's 
Run  and  Sugar  Run,  both  of  which  rise  among  the 
"  Ridges"  and  flow  into  the  Susquehanna  a  short  dis- 
tance above  Lock  Haven  ;  the  Tangascootac,  east  and 
west  branches,  in  the  western  part  of  the  township; 
and  Plunket's  Run,  which  empties  into  Bald  Eagle 


570 


HISTORY  OF  CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Creek  near  the  farm  of  Andrew  White.  At  one  time 
the  entire  surface  was  covered  with  a  dense  growth 
of  trees,  consisting  of  pine,  oak,  chestnut,  walnut, 
etc.,  the  best  quality  of  which  has  long  since  been 
manufactured  into  lumber.  At  present  there  is  but 
little  done  in  the  lumbering  business  in  the  township. 

Pioneer  Settlement. — The  first  regular  authorized 
settlement  made  in  Bald  Eagle  township  under  an 
actual  government  grant  was  soon  after  the  survey 
of  the  officers'  tract  along  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek  in 
1769,  though  previous  to  that  date  squatters  had  taken 
possession  of  different  tracts  in  the  Bald  Eagle  val- 
ley, and  perhaps  elsewhere.  The  first  survey  on  the 
west  side  of  the  Allegheny  ridge  was  made  in  1769  or 
1770  to  George  Cooper.  The  land,  however,  was  never 
settled  upon. 

In  1782  a  tract  containing  several  hundred  acres, 
lying  on  the  south  side  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  at  the 
mouth  of  Fishing  Creek,  was  granted  to  Samuel  At- 
lee.  This  tract,  wiLh  a  considerable  more  land,  was 
purchased  in  1796  by  George  Bressler,  who  came 
from  Lancaster  County.  Bressler's  purchase  included 
nearly  all  tlie  land  now  occupied  by  the  village  of 
Mill  Hall,  and  the  flats  extending  to  the  bridge  across 
the  Bald  Eagle  near  the  residence  of  Col.  Bossert. 
At  the  time  Bressler  took  possession  of  his  purchase 
there  was  a  small  mill  upon  it,  situated  upon  the 
ground  now  occupied  by  Sanderson's  mill.  This  was 
the  only  mill  within  a  scope  of  many  miles  around, 
and  was  built  by  a  man  named  Frederick  Richards  in 
1787,  who  at  that  time  had  possession  of  tlie  property. 
In  1800,  Mr.  Bressler  erected  near  the  original  one  a 
more  extensive  mill,  which  continued  in  operation 
till  1815,  when  George  Bressler,  Jr.,  wlio  had  come 
into  possession  of  the  property  by  the  death  of  his 
father,  built  another  mill  much  larger  than  either  of 
the  others,  connected  with  which  it  was  located. 
About  the  time  this  mill  was  completed,  in  fact,  be- 
fore the  finishing  blow  was  struck,  it  was  destroyed 
by  fire.  It  seems  that  the  mill  had  been  set  in  mo- 
tion, and  the  grinding  of  grain  had  commenced,  when 
the  regularly-employed  miller  made  arrangements 
one  evening  with  one  of  the  millwrights  by  the  name 
of  Lenhart  to  attend  the  mill  until  midnight,  as  be 
wished  to  sleep  until  that  time,  the  mill  then  being 
run  day  and  night.  But  Lenhart  fell  asleep,  and  the 
hoppers  becoming  empty  the  friction  of  the  machinery 
caused  it  to  heat  to  such  a  degree  that  the  wooden 
portion  of  the  structure  ignited,  and  the  whole  was 
consumed  in  a  -short  time,  poor  Lenhart  perishing  in 
the  flames.  Immediately  after  the  destruction  of  the 
mill  Mr.  Bressler  erected  another  on  the  same  foun- 
dation, which  still  remains,  and  is  now  owned  by  Mr. 
William  Sanderson. 

In  1840,  Mr.  John  Snodgrass,  who  now  lives  a  short 
distance  bqlow  Mill  Half,  while  cutting  down  a  large 
oak-tree,  found  imbedded  in  the  wood  a  leaden  bul- 
let having  eighty  layers  or  growths  over  it,  which 
would  prove  that  the  ball  had  been  shot  into  the  tree 


about  the  year  1760.  Whether  it  was  done  by  a  white 
man  or  an  Indian  it  is  impossible  to  say.  It  is  evi- 
dent, however,  that  at  that  date  fire-arms  were  used 
in  the  Bald  Eagle  valley.  A  man  by  the  name  of 
Richards,  probably  the  same  one,  or  one  of  the  same 
family,  who  built  the  first  mill  on  the  Bald  Eagle, 
built  the  house  across  the  B.ald  Eagle  bridge  oppo- 
site Flemington.  Previous  to  1800,  Samuel  Patterson 
(colored),  living  in  Lock  Haven  in  1876,  was  held  by 
Richard  as  a  slave.  Patterson  was  born  on  the  pro- 
perty about  the  year  1800,  his  mother  being  at  that 
time  also  in  the  possession  of  Richard  as  a  slave. 

In  1795,  James  Carskaddon  came  from  Washing- 
ton township,  Northumberland  Co.,  and  settled  upon 
a  tract  of  land  just  west  of  Flemington,  and  now  oc- 
cupied by  his  son,  the  worthy  and  venerable  William 
Carskaddon,  Joseph  Bridgens,  and  others.  This  tract 
lies  partly  within  the  limits  of  Allison  township, 
and  partly  in  Bald  Eagle  township.  It  was  pur- 
chased by  Mr.  Carskaddon  from  the  Rev.  John  Hoge, 
assignee  of  Lieut.  Daniel  Hunsicker,  to  whom  the 
tract  was  granted  as  his  portion  of  the  officers' 
survey. 

When  Centre  County  was  struck  off  from  Lyco- 
ming, in  1800,  the  dividing  line  ran  through  the 
house  of  Mr.  James  Carskaddon,  but  he  was  allowed 
the  privilege  of  choosing  in  which  county  he  would 
hold  citizenship,  and  selected  Lycoming,  as  it  was 
more  convenient  for  him  to  attend  to  his  business  at 
Williamsport,  the  county-seat  of  Lycoming,  than  at 
Bellefonte. 

John  Murphy,  James  Carskaddon's  f:ither-in-law, 
came  to  Bald  Eagle  at  the  same  time,  and  lived  with 
him  many  years,  being  over  a  hundred  years  old  at 
the  time  of  his  death.  He  was  a  tailor  by  trade,  and 
not  long  before  he  died  made  a  coat  for  his  grandson, 
John  Carskaddon. 

During  the  "  Indian  war"  the  Bald  Eagle  valley 
was  the  scene  of  many  thrilling  encounters  between 
the  whites  and  their  savage  foes.  At  one  time  a  party 
of  scouts  were  surprised  by  Indians  in  a  cabin  which 
stood  near  where  the  house  of  J.  H.  Berry  now  is,  and 
one  of  their  number  killed,  supposed  to  have  been  a 
Mr.  Culbertson.  Afterwards  another  party  of  twenty- 
five  or  thirty  men  were  attacked  near  the  same  place 
by  eighty-five  Indians,  and  nine  of  their  number 
killed  and  the  remainder  taken  off  as  prisoners. 
Mary,  a  sister  of  James  Carskaddon,  and  for  some 
time  a  member  of  his  household,  previous  to  which, 
while  living  in  Buffalo  valley,  not  far  from  where 
Milton  is  located,  was  caught,  with  her  sister  Fietitia, 
by  the  Indians  and  taken  into  captivity.  During 
one  night  when  in  camp  she  managed  to  release  her- 
self and  escape.  She  proceeded  through  the  forest  a 
short  distance,  and  secreted  herself  beneath  a  log. 
In  a  short  time  she  was  missed  by  her  captors,  who 
immediately  began  search  for  her.  One  of  the  In- 
dians, going  in  the  precise  direction  she  had  taken, 
mounted  the  log  under  which  she  was  lying,  and, 


BALD  EAGLE   TOWNSHIP. 


571 


thinking  to  make  it  appear  tliat  he  knew  where  she 
was  hidden,  called  out  to  her  to  come  back  and  they 
would  not  hurt  her;  that  he  knew  where  she  was,  at 
the  same  time  looking  off  in  the  depths  of  the  forest. 
Mary,  being  aware  that  he  was  only  "making  be- 
lieve," remained  quiet  till  the  savage  went  back  to 
camp,  when  she  continued  her  flight  till  she  reached 
her  home.     Her  sister  afterwards  escaped  also. 

Many  instances  have  been  related  of  the  cruel 
treatment  received  by  the  early  settlers  of  the  Bald 
Eagle  valley  at  the  hands  of  the  Indians.  Often  they 
were  surprised  at  night,  their  houses  plundered,  and 
their  cattle  and  other  live-stock  driven  off.  The  lives 
of  the  settlers  were  endangered,  and  in  some  instances 
were  taken.  John  Murdock,  who  settled  at  an  early 
day  on  the  farm  now  owned,  partly  by  David  Allen 
and  in  part  by  L.  Mosher,  became  a  victim  to  the 
bloodthirstiness  of  the  savages,  being  killed  by  them 
near  his  own  home.' 

The  principal  object  of  the  Indians,  however,  was 
plunder.  This  they  would  obtain  it  mattered  little 
how,  having  no  scruples  about  taking  innocent  life  if 
by  so  doing  they  could  the  more  easily  accomplish 
their  purposes  and  gratify  their  thieving  propensities. 
This  was  the  case  except  during  hostilities  between 
the  two  races,  when  murder  and  destruction  of  pro- 
perty was  their  aim  and  object. 

In  early  days  wild  animals  of  various  kinds  were 
abundant,  and  at  times  very  impudent.  On  one  oc- 
casion, on  Sunday,  while  the  Carskaddon  family,  ex- 
cept the  younger  children,  were  attending  church  at 
the  original  "  Great  Island  Church,"  an  animal  of 
some  kind  deliberately  and  coolly  entered  the  yard 
surrounding  the  house  and  seized  a  chicken  and  un- 
ceremoniously walked  off  with  it  before  the  eyes  of 
the  children,  the  oldest  of  whom,  a  mere  lad,  not 
liking  the  appearance  and  audacity  of  the  thief,  de- 
termined that  he  should  pay  for  his  impudence  with 
his  life,  and  accordingly  ran  into  the  house  and  got 
the  gun,  which  he  fired  at  the  unwelcome  visitor, 
whereupon  he  dropped  his  "  game"  and  ran  howling 
to  the  woods.  The  report  of  the  gun  having  been 
heard  by  the  boy's  parents  while  on  their  way  home, 
they  were  prepared  on  arriving  to  give  the  boy  a  rep- 
rimand for  shooting  on  Sunday.  On  investigating 
the  matter  the  father  was  convinced  that  the  animal 
at  which  his  son  had  shot  was  no  insignificant  fox  or 
"  small  game,"  but  something  the  shooting  of  which 
was  a  justifiable  act  even  on  Sunday.  Search  being 
made,  a  trace  of  blood  was  found,  which  on  being 
followed  a  short  distance  into  the  forest  led  to  the  ob- 
ject of  pursuit,  which  proved  to  be  a  huge  panther. 

On  one  occasion,  as  John  Carskaddon  was  on  his 
way  to  a  neighbor's,  a  distance  of  a  mile  or  two,  he 
was  attacked  by  a  pack  of  wolves.    Their  appearance 


1  Casper  Reichart  died  Aug.  17, 1832,  aged  eiglity-tliree  years.  He  was 
one  of  the  first  settlers  upou  the  Bald  Ejgle,  and  took  part  iu  the  Rev- 
olutionary struggle. 


was  so  sudden,  and  they  assailed  him  so  furiously, 
that  he  barely  had  time  to  take  his  position  against  a 
tree,  when  he  killed  several  of  them  with  his  gun, 
which  he  happened  to  have  with  him,  before  he  suc- 
ceeded in  escaping  to  the  house. 

The  first  settlers  of  Bald  Eagle  township  were 
mostly  from  the  southeastern  part  of  the  State,  sev- 
eral families  coming  from  Lancaster  County  and  a 
number  from  Chester.  Among  the  pioneers  was  Wil- 
liam Reed,  who  settled  on  Plunket's  Run,  several 
miles  back  from  the  "flats,"  because  the  latter  were 
too  heavily  timbered.  He  was  known  as  "  Hickory" 
Reed,  on  account  of  his  physical  "  toughness."  He 
located  about  the  year  1776.  He  was  grandfather  of 
Comtnissioner  James  David. 

Others  of  the  original  settlers  along  the  Bald  Eagle 
were  David  Wilson  and  Job  Packer,  who  located  on 
the  farm  now  owned  by  his  grandson,  William 
Packer;  Peter  Spangler,  who  lived  on  the  farm  now 
owned  by  J.  D.  L.  Smith,  and  built  the  stone  house 
occupied  by  Mr.  Smith  in  180.5;  John  Fredericks, 
George  and  John  Brown,  Edward  Ritchie,  John  Huff, 
Hugh  and  William  White,  and  J.  T.  McCorraick. 
The  farms  belonging  to  these  persons  were  in  a  con- 
tinuous line  along  the  north  side  of  the  Bald  Eagle. 

During  the  primitive  days  of  the  Bald  Eagle  set- 
tlement a  case  occurred  which  not  only  shows  how 
neighbors  may  act  the  parts  of  "  Kilkenny  cats,"  but 
illustrates  the  saying  that  "the  less  you  have  to  do 
with  the  law  the  better."  It  seems  that  one  of  the 
settlers  was  accused  of  picking  the  goose  of  another, 
which  led  to  a  suit  at  law  that  continued  till  each 
party  was  obliged  to  sell  his  farm  and  expend  the 
proceeds  in  feeing  lawyers  and  paying  costs.  It  is 
said  that  the  lawyers  had  the  most  profitable  geese  to 
pick  of  any  connected  with  the  case. 

The  pioneers  of  Bald  Eagle  township,  like  those  of 
other  localities,  encountered  many  hardships,  and 
were  subject  to  many  privations.  Economy,  in  some 
cases  the  most  rigid,  had  to  be  practiced ;  privileges 
now  so  common  in  every-day  life  in  the  country  were 
then  unthought  of;  luxuries  such  as  are  now  enjoyed 
by  the  masses  were  out  of  the  question.  In  tact,  the 
ingenuity  of  the  parents  was  often  severely  taxed  to 
provide  food  and  clothing  for  their  children.  It  has 
been  said  that  the  matrons  of  the  Bald  Eagle  valley 
in  early  times  employed  themselves  during  the  win- 
ter in  spinning  and  weaving  linen  and  "  tow"  cloth 
for  summer  use,  and  in  the  summer  in  manufacturing 
woolen  fabrics  for  winter  wear. 

At  the  first  election  held  in  Bald  Eagle  township 
after  the  organization  of  Clinton  County  the  follow- 
ing officers  were  elected :  J.  M.  Miller,  justice  of  the 
peace ;  William  Fisher,  constable  ;  George  Soder  and 
William  Huft',  supervisors ;  Levi  Packer  and  George 
Williams,  overseers  of  the  poor ;  Benjamin  Freder- 
icks and  David  Logan,  auditors ;  A.  Harleman,  as- 
sessor; William  Fearon  and  John  Smith,  assistant 
assessors;    Saul    McCormick,    Asher    Packer,    and 


512 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


George  Bressler,  school  directors;  Thomas  A.  Smith, 
judge  of  elections;  William  C.  Sanderson  and 
Samuel  Hayes,  inspectors;  George  W.  Fredericks 
and  William  Clark,  fence-viewers ;  William  L. 
Hoover,  township  clerk.  At  this  time,  March  20, 
1840,  the  population  was  estimated  to  be  1178,  which 
included  the  present  territory  of  Beech  Creek,  that 
township  having  been  taken  from  Bald  Eagle  in  May, 
1850.  The  boundary  between  the  two  townships  now 
runs  along  the  east  line  of  the  farm  of  John  Welsh, 
about  three  and  a  half  miles  below  the  mouth  of 
Beech  Creek. 

The  settlement  of  the  "Ridges"  and  the  country 
along  the  base  of  the  Allegheny  ridge  occurred  sev- 
eral years  after  the  part  of  the  township  along  the 
Bald  Eagle  valley  was  settled.  Previous  to  1840  that 
region  was  thinly  populated.  At  that  date  Mr.  John 
Salmon  located  on  Plunket's  Kun,  four  or  five  miles 
above  the  river,  after  which  others  settled  at  differ- 
ent points,  till  all  the  land  along  the  run  was  "  taken 
up"  and  converted  into  farms.  The  Yosts  had  set- 
tled lower  down  the  stream  before  Mr.  Salmon  came 
to  the  place. 

The  valley  of  Sugar  Run  is  now  thickly  settled 
along  nearly  its  entire  length,  and  affords  many  de- 
sirable farms.  The  prosperity  of  the  farmers  and 
citizens  generally  of  the  township  has  been  and  is 
sufScient  to  justify  the  assertion  that  they  have  been 
equally  favored  with  their  neighbors  of  adjoining 
townships,  nothing  more,  nothing  less.  No  great 
calamities  have  befallen  them,  neitherhave  they  been 
superabundantly  blessed  with  Providential  fixvors. 
One  instance,  however,  did  occur  in  the  history  of 
the  township  that  partook  very  much  of  the  nature 
of  a  phenomenon.  In  1845,  J.  D.  L.  Smith  sowed  a 
field  of  oats  on  that  part  of  his  farm  which  lies  next 
to  the  canal.  After  they  had  nearly  reached  full 
height  they  were  attacked  on  the  edge  along  the 
canal  by  legions  of  army  worms,  which  proceeded  to 
devour  every  blade  of  grain  with  a  greediness  and 
voracity  that  knew  no  bounds.  After  marching  in 
"solid  phalanx"  through  the  entire  field,  destroying 
everything  in  their  advance  that  could  be  eaten, 
they  besieged  a  corn-field  which  lay  next  in  their 
course,  and  would  have  destroyed  the  entire  crop  as 
they  did  the  oats  had  not  Mr.  Smith  stopped  their 
progress  by  digging  a  ditch,  into  which,  as  they  were 
pushing  forward  in  their  mad  career,  they  plunged  in 
wriggling,  crawling  masses.  They  were  then  killed 
by  filling  the  ditch  with  straw  and  setting  it  on  fire. 
It  is  said  that  millions  and  millions  of  them  were 
thus  destroyed,  no  further  damage  being  done. 
Strange  as  it  may  appear,  no  other  farm  in  the 
vicinity  was  visited  by  the  army  worm  that  season. 

The  mineral  wealth  of  Bald  Eagle  township  is 
confined  almost  entirely  to  the  Tangascootac  basin. 
Coal  was  discovered  there  in  1826  by  James  David, 
then  a  boy,  subsequently  one  of  the  county  commis- 
sioners.    When  he  first  found  the  coal  he  was  not 


aware  of  its  nature,  but  supposed  it  to  be  "black 
lead"  (plumbago),  and  submitted  it  to  older  and 
wiser  persons  for  examination,  when  its  character 
was  readily  determined.  Further  explorations  proved 
the  existence  in  that  locality  of  three  workable  veins, 
varying  in  thickness  from  eighteen  inches  to  three 
feet;  one  of  them,  however,  was  found  to  contain  so 
much  sulphur  that  it  was  not  marketable.  Many  tons 
of  it  were  taken  out  and  shipped  to  distant  points, 
but  it  was  so  liable  to  ignite  when  exposed  to  the  sun 
in  bulk  that  the  mining  of  it  was  abandoned  as  haz- 
ardous and  unprofitable. 

Not  long  after  the  discovery  of  coal  on  the  Tangas- 
cootac slope  a  company  was  formed  and  commenced 
mining  operations.  It  was  called  the  "  Jersey  Shore 
Company,"  and  was  composed  of  the  following  gen- 
tlemen, citizens  of  Lycoming  County  :  J.  S.  Wilson, 
William  Morrison,  Mark  Slonaker,  and  Boyd  Smith. 
The  operations  of  this  company  did  not  long  con- 
tinue. Other  companies  were  afterwards  organized 
and  operated  at  different  points  to  a  greater  or  less 
extent,  —  the  Eagleton  Company,  at  Eagleton,  the 
Rock  Cabin,  at  the  mines  of  that  name,  then  the 
Tangascootac  Company,  made  up  of  gentlemen  from 
New  York.  Two  railroads  were  built  from  the  mines 
to  the  Sunbury  and  Erie  (now  Philadelphia  and  Erie) 
Railroad,  one  by  the  Eagleton  Company,  the  other 
by  the  Rock  Cabin  Company.  The  Tangascootac 
Company  made  a  road  two  miles  in  length  from  their 
mines  to  connect  with  the  Eagleton  Branch.  The 
Rock  Cabin  Company  sold  out  to  the  Farrandsville 
Company,  and  that  company  sold  to  the  McHenry 
Company,  of  which  it  is  said  Sir  Morton  Peto  is  a 
member.  The  property  is  still  held  by  that  company. 

The  Tangascootac  Company  merged  into  the  Black 
Heath  Company,  which  operated  the  original  Tangas- 
cootac mines,  and  also  leased  a  part  of  the  Jersey 
Shore  Company's  mine,  in  the  edge  of  Beech  Creek 
township,  now  held  by  the  Peacock  Coal  Company. 
Notwithstanding  the  large  amount  of  capital  that  has 
been  expended  in  mining  operations  in  the  Tangas- 
cootac region,  the  efforts  to  make  the  business  profit- 
able have  thus  far  been  unsuccessful,  and  to-day  the 
mines  and  extensive  works  connected  with  them  are 
in  a  neglected  and  dilapidated  condition.  Whatever 
may  have  been  the  cause  of  failure  on  the  part  of  the 
different  companies  to  make  their  operations  profit- 
able, it  certainly  was  not  because  of  the  quality  of  the 
coal,  for  that,  two  veins  at  least,  was  all  that  could  be 
desired ;  neither  was  it  owing  to  an  insufficient  quan- 
tity or  any  great  difficulty  in  mining  it,  for  the  supply 
is  inexhaustible  and  easily  worked.  It  is  claimed  by 
those  who  are  supposed  to  possess  the  means  of  know- 
ing that  the  operations  failed  through  mismanage- 
ment; others  say  that  tlie  exorbitant  rates  charged 
by  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  for  shipping 
their  coal  over  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  road  com- 
pelled the  different  companies  to  suspend  mining 
operations.    Be  that  as  it  may,  there  is  no  doubt  that 


BALD  EAGLE  TOWNSHIP. 


573 


coal  may  be  profitably  inined  in  the  Tangascootac 
region. 

Iron  ore  of  a  good  quality  exists  in  various  parts  of 
the  township,  but  to  a  greater  extent  in  the  Tangas- 
cootac region  than  anywhere  else.  In  1857  the  Tan- 
gascootac Coal  Company  erected  a  furnace  and  man- 
ufactured iron  from  the  hematite  and  "  white"  ores 
found  on  its  lands,  but  a  suspension  of  operations 
ensued  soon  after,  as  was  the  case  with  coal  mining, 
yet  sufficient  was  done  to  demonstrate  the  fact  that  an 
abundance  of  ore  existed  from  which  could  be  made 
a  good  quality  of  iron. 

Timber  is  found  in  various  parts  of  the  township, 
especially  in  the  region  just  described. 

The  principal  public  impiovements  of  the  township 
are  the  Bald  Eagle  Valley  Railroad  and  the  Bald 
Eagle  Canal,  both  of  which  run  along  the  Bald  Eagle 
Creek.  The  population  of  the  township  was  five  hun- 
dred and  fifty  in  1870. 

Mill  Hall  Borough.— The  only  village  in  Bald 
Eagle  township  is  Mill  Hall  borough,  which  is  situ- 
ated near  the  end  of  the  township,  on  Fishing  Creek, 
about  one  mile  above  its  confluence  with  the  Bald 
Eagle.  It  was  started  in  1806  by  Nathan  Harvey, 
■who  came  from  the  vicinity  of  Philadelphia  and 
erected  a  stone  grist-mill,  which  is  still  standing 
at  the  upper  end  of  the  village,  and  a  saw-mill,  black- 
smith-shop, store,  hotel,  and  a  dwelling.  The  name 
of  Mill  Hall  is  derived  from  the  name  of  the  original 
survey. 

In  1831,  George  Bressler,  in  company  with  Messrs. 
Harvey,  Wilson,  and  Kinney,  erected  a  furnace  at  the 
place,  the  ruins  of  which  still  remain  on  the  elevation 
just  north  of  the  village.  The  ore  was  procured  from 
the  Bald  Eagle  Slountain  near  at  hand.  The  under- 
taking proved  unsuccessful  financially,  and  the  prop- 
erty was  sold  by  the  sheriff.  In  1837  the  iron-works 
were  revived  by  Tammany  &  Mitchell,  but  operated 
by  them  only  a  short  time  before  they  were  compelled 
by  adverse  circumstances  to  abandon  the  enterprise. 
In  1844,  Jlessrs.  Reynolds  &  Morris  took  possession 
of  the  furnace  and  commenced  operations.  Reynolds 
soon  sold  his  interest  to  David  McCormick,  and  again 
the  works  failing  to  be  profitable  were  abandoned,  but 
subsequently  revived  by  a  Philadelphia  firm  and  suc- 
cessfully operated  for  a  time,  and  finally  permanently 
abandoned.  The  property  is  now  owned  by  Furst, 
Long  &  Co.,  of  Flemington.  At  an  early  day  a  forge 
was  built  on  the  creek  just  above  the  village,  and 
was  operated  for  a  time  in  connection  with  the  fur- 
nace, and  sold  with  it  by  the  sheriff.  It  was  after- 
wards purchased  by  Mr.  Mann  and  converted  into  an 
axe-factory,  which  proved  successful,  and  is  now- 
operated  by  R.  Mann  &  Co. 

Mill  Hall  was  decidedly  a  manufacturing  town  in 
its  earlier  days,  and  was  considered  an  important 
point.  About  the  time  the  furnace  was  built  Saul 
McCormick  erected  a  saw-mill  near  the  forge,  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  creek.    About  the  same  time  he 


built  a  starch-factory  on  the  hill  back  of  where  the 

house  of  S.  R.  Stover  now  stands.  In  1852  it  was 
converted  into  a  tannery.  A  woolen-factory  was  es- 
tablished at  an  early  period  on  the  creek,  just  above 
the  stone  mill.  It  was  burned  down  and  another 
built  in  its  place,  which  was  also  burned  and  replaced 
by  another,  which  still  remains. 

A  saw-mill  was  built  by  George  Bressler  about  the 
year  1815,  near  the  present  residence  of  Jlr.  John 
Snodgrass.  Afterwards  a  clover-mill  was  built  near 
it  by  Saul  McCormick,  and  then  a  foundry  was  erected 
on  the  same  property.  The  site  is  now  occupied  by 
works  of  the  Diamond  Cement  Company,  which  is 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  cement  from  stone 
brought  from  Nittany  valley. 

The  first  school-house  in  the  vicinity  of  Jlill  Hall 
was  built  about  the  year  1815.  It  was  located  be- 
tween where  the  railroad  depot  now  stands  and  the 
turnpike.  The  next  school-house  w.is  built  in  1837 
or  1838.  The  present  school  building  was  erected  in 
1871.  The  first  public  school  in  the  place  was  taught 
by  Jacob  Hollo\vbush,in  1837,  in  a  little  log  building 
which  still  stands  just  south  of  Mr.  Gearheart's 
residence. 

The  first  Sabbath-school  established  in  Mill  Hall, 
and  said  to  have  been  the  first  in  the  county,  was  or- 
ganized by  Joseph  Bartlcs  in  a  building  which  stood 
just  above  where  Mann's  axe-factory  now  stands. 

The  first  physician  was  Dr.  Noah  F.  Essig,  who 
came  to  the  place  in  1815.  The  first  saddler's  shop 
was  started  in  1825,  by  Armstrong  Smith,  with  whom 
the  present  saddler,  Mr.  Clark,  learned  his  trade  in 
1828.  The  first  tailor-shop  was  opened  by  J.  P.  ■ 
McElrath,  in  1822. 

Other  Pioneer  Industries  of  Mill  Hall. — Robert 
Mann,  the  youngest  of  the  family  and  only  survivor 
of  them  all,  settled  in  Mill  Hall  in  1848. "  The  first 
factory  was  erected  by  Saul  McCormick,  who  in  con- 
nection with  Mr.  Mann  conducted  the  business  until 
the  former's  death  in  1857.  After  Mr.  McCormick's 
death  the  property  was  purchased  by  Mr.  Mann,  and 
enlarged  in  1863  and  1876  (it  had  been  in  1854),  until 
from  the  small  beginning  of  twenty  axes  per  day  the 
trade  and  reputation  were  increased  to  over  four  hun- 
dred axes  per  day  in  1877.  From  the  start  the  busi- 
ness never  stopped,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  weeks 
at  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion,  and  was  worked 
to  its  full  capacity  until  Sept.  11,  1877,  when  the  en- 
tire works  were  destroyed  by  fire,  throwing  out  of  em- 
ployment a  large  number  of  hands  and  causing  the 
first  suspension  of  operation  since  its  establishment. 
Mr.  Mann  immediately  perfected  plans  for  rebuilding 
his  factory,  and  by  April  of  1878  the  new  factory  was 
in  full  operation,  with  a  greater  capacity  than  before. 
The  new  building  was  a  frame  structure  with  slate 
roof,  and  had  a  total  length  of  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
five  feet.  The  forging-shop  was  built  eighty-five  by 
fifty  feet,  and  contains  six  large  hammei's,  one  set  of 
immense  rolls,  thirteen  fires,  a  tempering  furnace,  a 


574 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


pressure  blower  for  the  fires,  and  a  large  furnace  for 
heating  the  iron  in  the  first  process.  In  the  polish- 
ing-room  are  eight  stones,  and  in  the  grinding-rooin 
are  ten  immense  grindstones,  operated  by  an  equal 
number  of  men.  Since  that  time  further  additions 
have  been  made,  and  in  1880  a  complete  new  factory 
was  erected  below  Mill  Hall.  This  factory  makes  ex- 
clusively "double  bit  axes,"  and  is  the  only  one  in 
America  making  this  kind  of  an  axe  solely.  It  em- 
ploys twenty-five  men,  and  turns  out  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  axes  per  day.  The  upper  and  main  fac- 
tory of  E.  Mann  &  Sons  (A.  C,  J.  R.,  and  T.  R.) 
makes  "single  bit  axes"  only,  employs  one  hundred 
men,  and  has  a  capacity  for  the  production  of  eight 
hundred  axes  daily.  The  power  is  furnished  by  six 
Bellefoute  turbine-wheels,  manufactured  by  William 
P.  Duncan  &  Co.  The  Mann  family  are  now  the 
most  extensive  manufacturers  of  axes  in  the  world, 
making  at  their  various  factories  two  thousand  eight 
hundred  axes  per  day,  or  eight  hundred  and  forty  thou- 
sand per  year,  and  their  trade  and  reputation  extends 
around  the  globe.  The  success  of  the  Mann  axe  is  due 
to  close  attention  to  one  business  and  constant  care 
to  keep  their  goods  up  to  the  highest  point  of  excel- 
lence. The  process  of  the  axe's  manufacture  is  very 
much  the  same  it  was  fifty  years  ago,  excepting  in  the 
formation  of  the  poll. 

Many  improvements  in  the  tools  and  machinery 
have,  of  course,  been  made  from  time  to  time,  but  it 
cannot  be  said  that  the  axe  is  made  by  machinery. 
Attempts  have  been  made  at  various  times  to  con- 
struct machinery  to  perform  the  work  in  some  of  the  de- 
partments, but  the  successful  genius  has  not,  and  in  the 
opinion  of  those  best  able  to  judge  never  will  appear 
on  the  arena.  Machines  have  been  made  for  hammer- 
ing the  head,  and  others  to  take  the  place  of  the 
grindstone,  but  every  effort  has  been  a  comparative 
failure,  and  served  only  to  illustrate,  or  rather  to  con- 
firm, the  opinion  that  the  skilled  hand  of  the  me- 
chanic is  inimitable. 

Articles  of  regular  formation  can  be  made  more 
cheaply,  rapidly,  and  uniformly  by  mechanical  pro- 
cess, but  the  manufacture  of  axes  requires  so  many 
distinct  movements  and  so  much  care  in  the  treat- 
ment of  the  steel,  and  are  of  so  many  sizes  and  pat- 
terns that  nothing  but  the  skill  and  intelligence  of 
the  mechanic  can  produce  them  successfully. 

The  iron  is  received  by  the  manufacturer  in  bars 
about  fifteen  feet  long,  and  an  average  width  and 
thickness  of  three  by  seven-eighths  inches.  It  is  then 
cut  in  pieces  or  patterns  from  five  to  eight  inches 
long  (according  to  the  size  of  the  axe  to  be  made)  by 
means  of  an  immense  pair  of  shears  constructed  for 
this  purpose.  These  patterns  (about  two  hundred  at 
a  time)  are  cast  into  a  furnace  and  heated  to  a  white 
heat,  when  they  are  taken  out,  one  at  a  time,  and 
passed  through  the  rolls.  This  process  converts  the 
patterns  into  a  poll,  and  constitutes  one  of  the  most 
important  and  interesting  departments  of  the  factory. 


Under  the  old  process,  which  is  still  adhered  to  by 
some  of  the  smaller  factories,  the  poll  was  formed 
under  a  hammer.  The  rolls  are  a  comparatively  new 
and  very  valuable  invention.  After  leaving  the  rolls 
the  poll  is  reheated  and  finished,  or  welded  under  a 
hammer.  It  is  now  ready  for  the  steel,  which  is  now 
got  ready  for  the  poll.  The  steel  used  is  of  two  kinds  in 
formation,  the  "  old"  and  the  "  new,"  or,  in  words  more 
descriptive  of  their  difference,  "inserted"  and  "over- 
laid." The  latter  is  tlie  invention  of  Harvey  Mann, 
and  is  used  extensively  by  most  of  the  factories  in  the 
United  States.  The  steel,  like  the  iron,  comes  to  the 
manufacturer  in  bars,  and  is  cut  in  suitable  pieces,  and 
goes  through  a  process  of  heating  preparatory  to  its 
union  with  the  poll.  The  steel  and  poll  are  brought 
together,  heated  carefully,  fluxed  with  borax,  skill- 
fully manipulated  under  a  powerful  trip-hammer,  and 
the  twain  are  one.  After  careful  inspection  the  bits 
are  passed  in  the  head  department,  where  after  being 
heated  the  poll  is  hammered,  and  the  result  is  an  axe 
in  forged  condition.  After  another  critical  inspection 
the  axe  is  passed  in  the  hands  of  an  edger,  who  by 
friction  with  an  immense  grindstone  perfects  the  out- 
line. The  axe  then  goes  through  the  grinding  pro- 
cess. The  operator  is  mounted  on  a  horse  over  the 
grindstone,  the  axe  is  held  under  the  "  horsehead"  by 
the  rider,  and  when  brought  in  contact  with  the  re- 
volving stone  the  sparks  of  fire  which  are  thrown  in  all 
directions  are  indicative  more  of  the  spirit  of  the  rider 
than  of  the  animal.  It  is  here  that  the  axe  begins  to 
assume  a  finished  appearance.  The  dull  oxide  of  iron 
is  removed  and  the  bright  metal  exposed  to  view. 
After  another  careful  inspection  the  axe  is  taken  to 
the  tempering  department,  where  in  the  hands  of  in- 
telligent and  experienced  workmen,  hy  a  very  inter- 
esting process,  the  steel  is  properly  hardened.  The 
treatment  of  steel  is  full  of  wonders,  and  every  change 
of  temperature  is  a  change  in  the  construction  of  its 
particles,  and  its  successful  treatment  requires  great 
experience  and  constant  care.  The  axe  is  now  ready 
for  the  finishing  stone.  The  edger  is  here  perfected, 
and  the  entire  surface  made  ready  for  the  polishing 
process.  This  is  done  on  small  wheels  dressed  with 
leather  and  emory,  and  consists  of  four  distinct  pro- 
cesses. The  axe  is  now  subjected  to  a  final  exami- 
nation, and  if  satisfactory  is  stamped  according  to 
its  quality,  painted,  and  packed  in  boxes  containing 
one  dozen,  ready  for  shipment.  If  it  is  not  satisfac- 
tory it  becomes,  in  the  words  of  the  workmen,  a  "sol- 
dier," and  is  drafted  back  into  the  service  as  a  reserve. 
The  axe  is  now  finished,  and  wherever  it  finds  its  way, 
among  the  mountains  of  this  State,  or  in  the  forests 
of  the  far  West,  or  across  the  wide  ocean  to  another 
land,  it  bears  the  name  of  Robert  Mann,  and  reflects 
credit  on  the  skill  and  enterprise  of  the  American 
people. 

The  Wooleh-Mill. — The  first  one  was  built  in 
1833,  and  burned  down  in  1845,  when  owned  by  S. 
McCormick,  and  by  him  leased  to  William  Lee  and 


BALD  EAGLE  TOWNSHIP. 


575 


David  McCormick.  The  latter  two  gentlemen  rebuilt 
it  and  leased  it  (o  Hudson  Williams,  who  operated  it 
ten  years,  when  W.  C.  Sanderson  and  R.  G.  Hutchin- 
son became  proprietors,  F.  M.  Welsh  taking  the 
latter's  place  a  year  or  two  afterwards.  H.  P.  Cad- 
waldcr  became  the  third  partner  in  18(j3.  In  this 
year  S.  R.  Stover  and  Robert  Harvey  purchased 
Hutchinson's  interest,  W.  C.  Sanderson  having  bought 
McCormick's  interest  some  years  before.  The  build- 
ing erected  in  1845  burned  in  December,  1863,  and 
was  rebuilt  by  the  owners  above  named  in  1864,  and 
leased  to  Cadwalader,  Welsh  &  Co.,  the  former  going 
out  in  1870,  since  which  F.  M.  Welsh  has  been  the 
lessee,  with  whom  R.  R.  Wilt  was  for  a  time  partner. 
It  burned  down  on  the  morning  of  June  24,  1882, 
having  been  found  on  fire  at  1  a.m.,  supposed  to  have 
been  the  work  of  an  incendiary.  The  entire  ma- 
chinery was  lost.  The  building  and  lot  was  owned 
by  R.  Mann.  Mr.  Welsh  was  working  some  fifteen 
hands  up  to  the  time  of  its  destruction. 

The  Grist-Mill,  a  large  stone  structure,  is  the 
property  of  the  Manns,  but  is  operated  by  Mr. 
AV'eaver. 

Borough  OflBcers.— The  town  was  incorporated  as 
a  borough  by  the  court  Feb.  16,  1849,  and  the  first 
municipal  election  held  on  April  28th  following. 
The  officers  for  1849  were  :  Chief  Burgess,  William 
Smith;  Council,  John  C.  King,  H.  R.  Williams, 
S.  H.  Hunter,  Jonathan  Bennison,  Robert  Hurd ; 
Assessor,  David  McCormick ;  Assistant  Assessors, 
George  Ferree,  John  Leatherman  ;  High  Constable, 
Isaac  Dittsworth  ;  Borough  Constable,  David  Logan  ; 
Overseers  of  Poor,  James  Coffee,  Samuel  Calder- 
wood  ;  Treasurer,  David  Clark  ;  Clerk.  John  Weaver. 

Since  then  the  chief  burgesses  and  clerks  have 
been  : 

1850.— Burgess,  John  Snodgrnss  ;  Clerk,  F.  Piatt.  , 
1S51.— Biirgres,  Duvid  Chirk;  Clerk,  G.  M.  Ilillrt. 
185'i.— ISnrgi'Ss,  Wharton  Morris;  Clerk,  G.  M.  Hills. 
1853.— Burgc-s,  Abralmm  Shilff :  Clerk,  G.  M.  Hills. 
1854.— Bnrgesf,  Wondcl  Burtholomew;  Clerk,  W.  H.  Smith. 
1855.— Burgess,  W.  H.  Hurd ;  Clerk,  F.  Thitt. 
1856 —Burgess,  John  U.  Wilson  ;  Clerk,  J.  II.  Berry. 
1857. — Burgess,  WlKirton  Morris;  Clerk,  J.  L.  Rogers. 
1858.- Burgess,  S.  II.  Hunter  ;  Clerk,  J.  H.  Berry. 
1859.- Burgess,  SHmilel  Caldernood ;  Clerk,  J.  H.  Berry. 
1860.— Burgess,  Abraham  SUuff;  Clerk,  J.  W.  Walker. 
ISOI.— Burgess,  Peter  Heller;  Clerk,  J.  W.  Walker. 
1862.— Burgess,  John  Suodgrnss ;  Cleik,  J.  W.  Walker. 
1863.— Burgess,  Daniel  Wolf;  Clerk,  J.  E.  Calderwood. 
1864.- Burgess,  David  Clark  ;  Clerk,  J.  E.  Ciildervvood. 
18C5.— Burgess,  Freeman  Brady;  Clerk,  IS.  Hurd. 
18CC.— Burgess,  Samuel  Calderwood  ;  Cleik,  E.  BHilholomew. 
1807.- Burgess,  Andrew  White;  Clerk,  E.  Barlhuloniew. 
1808.— Burgess,  Dr.  J.  McMiekcii  ;  Clerk,  J.  E.  Calderwood. 
18ca.— Burgess,  W.  T.  Crispen  ;  Clerk,  J.  E.  Caldernood. 
1870— Burgess,  Charles  Stuart ;  Clerk,  J.  E.  Calderirood. 
1871.— Burj-ess,  George  W.  Winner;  Clerk,  F.  JI.  Welsh. 
1S7>.— Burgess,  George  W.  Winner  ;  Clei  k,  F.  M.  Welsh. 
1873.— Burgess,  Philip  Berry  ;  Clerk.  F.  51.  Welsh. 
1874.— Burgess,  George  Swilzcr  ;  Clerk,  F.  M.  Welsh. 
1875.- Burgess,  George  S\v.\7."T;  Clerk,  F.  M.  Welsh. 
ls7fi.— Burgess,  George  W.  Winner;  Clerk,  W.  11.  Rosser. 
1877.— Burgess,  S.  R.  Stover ;  Clerk.  George  Brossler. 
1878.— Burgess,  James  Hiekoff ;  Clerk,  F.  M.  Welsh. 


1870— Burgess,  W.  S.  Beck  ;  Clerk,  George  Bressler. 
1880. — Burgess,  George  Switzer;  Clerk,  George  Bressler. 
1881.— Burgess,  F.  Piatt;  Cleik,  J.  I.  S'jreffler. 

Officers/or  1882. — Chief  Burgess,  E.  Bartholomew; 
Council,  S.  G.  Clark,  J.  I.  Shrefflcr,  D.  H.  Stover,  J. 
ICckley,  Elmer  Flanigan  ;  Clerk,  J.  I.  Sheffler ;  Street 
Commissioner;  William  Harleman  ;  High  Constable, 
J.  W.  Crispin. 

Business  Industries,  1882,— General  stores,  R. 
Mann  &  Sons,  Freeman  Brady;  postmaster,  C.  L. 
Calderwood  ;  furniture  manufacturer,  E.  H.  Bartholo- 
mew ;  foundry.  Berry  &  Bro. ;  harness-makers,  Clark 
Brothers;  wagon-maker,  G.  S.  Garth;  tinner,  A.  C. 
Kaufman  ;  physician.  Dr.  J.  B.  McCloskey ;  wagon 
manufacturers,  G.  O.  Stiver  &  Bro,;  grocers,  J.  W. 
Stover  tt  Co. ;  coal,  S,  R.  Stover. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  the  first 
religious  denomination  organized  here,  and  its  con- 
gregation erected  its  church  in  1831,  on  the  hill 
south  of  the  borough.  Its  second  edifice,  built  of 
frame  and  stone,  was  erected  in  1854.  and  is  located 
on  Fishing  Creek.  It  was  connected  with  and  part 
of  Salona  Circuit  until  1871,  and  a  list  of  its  pastors 
will  be  found  in  the  history  of  Salona.  In  1881  it 
and  Beech  Creek  became  a  separate  circuit,  and  this 
circuit's  first  pastor  was  Rev.  Faws,  and  the  present 
one  is  Rev.  Crosswaite. 

Its  trustees  are  John  Snodgrass,  George  W.  Winner, 
S.  D.  Hunter,  J.  I.  Shreffler,  W.  H.  Clark,  Elmer 
Flanigan,  and  .Marcelus  P.  Stiver,  and  the  Sabbath- 
school  superintendent  is  J.  I.  Shreffler. 

Mr,  John  Snodgrass  is  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Meth- 
odism in  this  place.  He  was  born  in  West  Hanover 
township,  Dauphin  Co.,  and  removed  to  Mill  Hall  in 
1833,  when  it  had  but  a  few  straggling  houses.  He 
was  a  wagon-maker  by  trade,  which  he  followed  until 
1873,  when  he  settled  on  his  farm  adjoining  the  bor- 
ough. His  wife  was  Harriet  Piatt,  who  died  in  1873, 
and  his  second  and  present  wife  was  Is.abella  Stoner, 
of  the  Stoner  family,  so  early  settled  in  this  region. 

Bald  Eagle  and  Nittany  Presbyterian  Church 
is  a  brick  structure  erected  in  1840.  Until  1850,  when 
it  was  organized  as  a  separate  congregation  on  May 
7lh  of  that  year,  it  was  a  part  of  "Great  Island 
Church"  at  Lock  Haven. 

Its  pastors  have  been  :  1840  to  1844,  Alexander 
Boyd  ;  Jan.  21,  184.5,  to  June  11, 1850,  Slater  C.  Hep- 
burn ;  June  3,  1851,  to  April  16,  1856,  Samuel  A. 
Gayley;  January,  1857,  to  May  23,  1860,  Henry  L. 
Doolittle;  October,  1862,  to  Oct.  2,  1872,  Wiliiani  G. 
E.  Agnew;  Sept.  2,  1873,  to  Oct.  23,  1874,  George 
Warrington  ;  June  7,  1875,  to  date,  L.  L.  Haugha- 
wout,  the  present  pastor.  He  was  born  in  Juniata 
County;  was  educated  at  Jefferson  College  and  Prince- 
ton Theological  Seminary,  and  entered  upon  the  min- 
istry in  1867. 

In  1882  its  ruling  elders  were  Andrew  White,  Ar- 
chibald Allison,  William  Hays,  Charles  Kyle,  and  C. 
E.   Gearhart;    trustees,  James   T.   Taylor,    William 


576 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Allison,  A.  V.  Garth,  Robert  K.  White,  and  C.  E. 
Gearhart,  the  latter  being  also  Sabbath-school  su- 
perintendent. 

The  Christian  Church  (Disciples)  organized  its 
congregation  here  in  1878,  and  has  as  yet  erected  no 
edifice,  but  worships  in  the  public  hall  (Brady's). 

Societies  and  Postmasters.— The- Inpependent 
Order  of  Good  Templars  lodge  was  instituted 
in  1862,  and  has  never  surrendered  its  charter,  and 
maintains  a  flourishing  membersliip. 

A  camp  of  the  Patriotic  Order  of  Sons  of 
America  was  instituted  here  a  few  years  ago,  but  is 
not  now  in  existence. 

The  Knights  of  Labor  have  an  organization 
here. 

The  post-office  was  established  in  1810,  and  the 
first  postmaster  was  Nathan  Harvey,  the  founder  of 
the  town.  Since  1845  the  postmasters  have  been  : 
1845-49,  James  Stuart;  1849-53,  Samuel  Calder- 
wocd;  1853-61,  David  Clark;  1861-63,  A.  C.  KauflT- 
man  ;  1863-68,  Freeman  Brady.  Since  1868  the  post- 
oflBce  has  been  in  the  Calderwood  fiimily,  held  by 
Samuel,  then  in  1873  by  his  daughter.  Miss  C.  L. 
Calderwood,  and  now  by  J.  E.  Calderwood.  It  is 
one  of  the  oldest  offices  in  all  this  region,  and  was  a 
great  centre  for  mail  a  quarter  of  a  century  before 
Lock  Haven  was  founded. 


CHAPTER   evil  I. 

DEECII     CREEK     TOWNSHIP— BEECH     CREEK     BOR- 
OUGH.' 

Beech  Creek  Township  was  separated  from  Bald 
Eagle  in  May,  1850.  It  has  an  average  width  of  about 
six  and  a  half  miles,  and  is  more  than  twenty  miles 
long,  the  northwestern  corner  extending  to  the  Sus- 
quehanna River,  whicli  it  reaches  at  a  point  opposite 
the  mouth  of  the  Sinneniahoning  Creek. 

Geographical. — The  geographical  features  of  the 
township  correspond  in  a  marked  degree  with  those 
of  Bald  Eagle,  the  general  topographical  appearance 
of  the  two  townships  being  very  much  alike,  par- 
ticularly in  their  eastern  portions.  Each  is  flanked 
in  its  southern  border  by  the  Bald  Eagle  range ;  each 
is  crossed  by  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek  ;  and  the  Bald 
Eagle  "  bottoms"  and  "ridges"  and  the  Allegheny 
range  are  common  to  both,  and  need  not  again  be 
described  in  detail,  as  the  view  of  them  presented  in 
the  sketch  of  Bald  Eagle  township  will  appropriately 
apply  to  this  township,  save  only  that  the  Allegheny 
ridge  is  broken  at  the  south  side  of  the  township, 
forming  a  jtass  through  which  Beech  Creek  flows. 
Then  along  this  creek  are  flats  more  or  less  extensive, 
whereas  Bald  Eagle  has  no  bottom-land  except  along 
its  principal  stream. 

1  From  D.  L.  Mnjiiard's  "HistuiiL-al  View  of  Clinton  Count}-.'' 


The  entire  western  portion  of  the  township,  con- 
stituting nearly  four-fifths  of  its  territory  and  con- 
taining thousands  of  acres,  is  a  vast  unbroken  forest, 
where  to-day  the  wild  deer  browses  undisturbed,  save 
by  an  occasional  hunter,  and  bruin  revels  in  undis- 
puted freedom.  This  wild  region,  which  is  elevated 
several  hundred  feet  above  the  river,  is  traversed  in 
various  directions  by  streams,  and  rendered  uneven 
by  depressions  and  elevations  of  various  heights. 
Along  the  streams  the  timber  is  mostly  hemlock,  in- 
termixed with  white-pine.  On  the  tops  of  the  high- 
est lands  yellow-  and  white-pine  exist.  From  that 
portion  of  the  tract  which  lies  nearest  Beech  Creek 
large  quantities  of  timber  have  been  taken  down 
during  the  past  twenty-five  or  thirty  years;  but  a 
great  part  of  the  original  forest  remains  undisturbed. 
The  following  is  a  description  of  the  central  part  of 
the  township,  as  given  in  1801  by  Henry  Donnel  and 
John  Rees,  deputy  State  surveyors : 

"We  are  acquainted  with  and  have  surveyed  the 
annexed  fifty  tracts  of  land,  and  do  certify  that  they 
arc  well  watered  and  timhei-ed,  and  more  than. one- 
half  can  be  rendered  fit  for  cultivation,  and  would 
produce  good  wheat  and  rye.  They  are  about  seven 
miles  from  Richard's  mill,  on  Fishing  Creek,  and 
sixteen  miles  from  Patten's  (near  Bellefonte).  It  is 
generally  hilly,  but  of  a  kindly  soil." 

Soil,  Creeks, — Besides  Bald  Eagle  and  Beech 
Creeks,  already  mentioned,  the  latter  has  several  trib- 
utaries which  originate  in  or  flow  through  Beech 
Creek  township.  "Big  Run,"  so  called  because  of  its 
being  one  of  the  largest  branches  of  Beech  Creek, 
enters  that  stream  about  nine  miles  from  its  mouth. 
"Monument  Run,"  which  takes  its  name  from  a  large 
rock  somewhat  resembling  a  monument  which  stands 
in  the  stream,  empties  into  Beech  Creek  about  two 
miles  below  the  mouth  of  Big  Run.  About  one  mile 
farther  down,  "Twin  Run"  enters  that  stream  at 
two  diflerent  points,  it  being  divided  a  short  distance 
above.  Beech  Creek  itself  takes  its  rise  in  Centre 
County,  and  flows  along  the  line  of  the  township  for 
about  ten  miles.  It  derived  its  name  from  the  beech- 
wood  which  at  one  time  grew  along  its  course.  The 
soil  of  the  township  compares  favorably  with  that  of 
Bald  Eagle.  The  "bottoms"  are  exceedingly  icrtile. 
The  land  among  the  "  Ridges"  is  of  good  quality  and 
quite  easily  cultivated,  considering  its  unevenness. 
The  soil  of  the  unimproved  portion  of  the  township, 
as  has  been  attested  by  the  surveyors,  Donnel  and 
Rees,  is  well  adapted  to  the  production  of  grain. 

Minerals. — The  mineral  wealth  of  the  to\vnsliip 
remains  almost  undeveloped;  sufticient  explorations 
have  been  made,  however,  to  determine  the  existence 
of  not  only  limestone,  which  has  been  opened  in 
several  places,  but  iron  ore  and  coal,  tlie  latter  having 
been  mined  to  some  extent  at  the  Peacock  mines, 
which  were  alluded  to  in  the  description  of  the  Tau- 
gascootac  mining  operations.  Indications  favor  the 
supposition  that  both  iron  ore  and  coal  will  be  dis- 


BEECH    CREEK  TOWNSHIP. 


577 


covered  in  paying  quantities  along  Beech  Creek  and 
its  feeders.  Fine  specimens  of  eacli  liave  been  found 
cropping  out  on  tiie  slopes  of  tiie  liigliest  elevations, 
as  well  as  along  the  streams.  A  good  quality  of  clay 
for  the  manufacture  of  brick  has  been  found  in 
several  localities  and  thoroughly  tested;  it  is  prob- 
able, also,  that  fire-clay  exists  in  extensive  beds  in 
different  portions  of  the  township. 

Settlements. — Before  the  encroachment  of  civiliza- 
tion ujion  the  region  drained  by  Beech  Creek,  that 
territory  must  have  been  a  veritable  hunter's  paradise, 
its  wild  glens  and  dark  recesses  of  its  forests  affording 
shelter  and  retreats  for  deer,  bears,  panthers,  wolves, 
etc.,  which,  with  the  streams  abounding  with  fish, 
rendered  the  country  all  that  any  sportsman  could 
desire. 

Along  Beech  Creek  at  diflTerent  places  there  exist 
unmistakable  evidences  that  the  Indians  used  to  fre- 
quent this  region,  and  probably  made  the  valley  of 
that  stream  their  general  thoroughfare  in  crossing 
over  from  the  Bald  Eagle  to  the  upper  waters  of  the 
West  Branch.  A  few  years  ago  a  singular  specimen 
of  Indian  pottery  was  found  on  one  of  the  tributaries 
of  Beech  Creek  by  W.  P.  Mitchell,  Esq.  It  was  a  ves- 
sel nearly  complete,  and  had  the  appearance  of  beins: 
composed  of  ordinary  potter's  clay,  intermixed  with 
small  pieces  of  silica  or  flint,  and  was  ornamented 
with  figures  of  different  kinds.  Other  relics  have 
been  found  at  difterent  times  along  the  stream,  which 
strengthen  the  opinion  advanced  that  along  the  course 
of  Beech  Creek  was  a  favorite  Indian  route  of  travel. 

It  cannot,  of  course,  be  definitely  ascertained  when 
the  upper  Beech  Creek  country  was  first  explored  by 
whites,  but  it  is  certain  that  at  quite  an  early  day  that 
region  was  penetrated  for  some  purpose  by  civilized 
beings,  for  in  1873  Mr.  Mitchell,  mentioned  above, 
found  plainly  cut  on  the  wood  of  a  hemlock-tree  on 
Big  Run  the  letters  "  W.  P."  and  "  F.  M.,"  over 
which  had  formed  eighty-six  growths  of  wood,  from 
which  it  appears  that  the  spot  was  visited  by  ex- 
plorers or  hunters  previous  to  1788.  That  portion  of 
the  present  township  bordering  on  the  Bald  Eagle 
Creek  was  probably  first  examined  with  a  view  to  its 
settlement  at  the  same  time  the  "  officers"  made  their 
selections,  for  their  survey  extends  along  the  west  side 
of  the  Bald  Eagle,  entirely  across  the  township  as  it 
now  exists. 

The  largest  tract  included  in  the  oflficers'  survey, 
and  lying  within  the  present  limits  of  the  township, 
was  granted  to  Maj.  John  P.  DeHaas ;  it  contained 
eight  hundred  acres,  and  was  located  near  what  is 
now  the  east  side  of  the  township.  Maj.  DeHaas  came 
from  Philadelphia  previous  to  or  about  the  year  1800 
and  settled  upon  the  tract,  but  it  was  not  improved 
to  any  great  extent  till  1843,  when  the  estate  was 
divided  into  two-hundred-acre  tracts  and  sold  to  G. 
W.  Hollenback,  David  Herron,  Joseph  Whitefield, 
and  John  McDonald.  The  original  tract  is  now 
owned  by  P.  B.  Cryder,  Nelson  Devling,  and  others. 


The  next  tract  adjoining  the  DeHaa-s  property  on 
the  west  was  surveyed  by  Capt.  Piper,  by  whom  it 
was  transferred  to  William  and  John  Fearon,  who 
settled  upon  it  not  far  from  1800.  The  tract  is  now 
owned  by  William  H.  Fearon  and  John  T.  Fearon 
and  George  G.  Haagen's  heirs. 

The  next  tract  was  surveyed  to  Lieut.  James  Hayes. 
It  was  located  in  the  angle  formed  by  the  junction  of 
Beech  Creek  with  the  Bald  Eagle.  The  house  origi- 
nally built  and  oceu|)ied  by  Lieut.  Hayes  is  still 
standing  on  the  nortli  side  of  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek, 
opposite  Beech  Creek  station.  It  was  constructed  of 
hewn  logs,  and  was  lathed  and  plastered  both  outside 
and  in.  The  Hayes  tract  is  now  owned  and  occupied 
by  John  S.  Fearon,  J.  D.  Engle,  and  Benjamin  Clark. 
It  is  not  known  when,  where,  or  by  whom  the  first 
permanent  settlement  was  made  on  Beech  Creek,  but 
it  is  certain  that  in  119?,  Matthew  Smith  lived  on  the 
creek  about  three  miles  .above  its  mouth  ;  iirubiibly  he 
was  one  of  the  first  settlers  in  that  neighborhood. 

About  the  year  1800,  John  Quay,  Isaac  David, 
James  David,  and  Daniel  David  located  above  the 
present  borough,  upon  the  flats  along  Beech  Creek, 
which  had  been  previously  surveyed  to  other  indi- 
viduals, but  as  the  squatters  were  allowed  to  remain 
in  peaceable  possession  twenty-one  years  ihey  re- 
ceived valid  titles.  The  titles  thus  obtained  included 
all  the  tillable  land  lying  along  Beech  Creek  between 
the  borough  and  the  mouth  of  Monument  Run,  none 
of  which  is  owned  at  present  by  the  heirs  of  tlie  squat- 
ters, except  a  small  lot  in  the  possession  of  James 
Quay,  sou  of  John,  who  first  settled  upon  it. 

About  the  same  lime,  or  soon  after  Quay  and  the 
Davids  took  possession  of  the  Beech  Creek  flats, 
William  Huff  settled  upon  a  three-hundred  acre  tract 
adjoining  the  Davids'  lands  on  the  nortli,  and  also 
gained  a  title  by  right  of  i)ossession.  This  property, 
too,  passed  into  the  hands  of  strangers. 

The  remaining  imjiroved  part  of  the  township  lying 
north  of  the  "  officers'  survey,"  and  east  of  the  squat- 
ters' tract,  was  purchased  at  an  early  day  by  two 
Germans,  natives  of  Leipsic,  who  divided  that  tract 
into  farms  and  sold  them  off,  between  the  years  1788 
and  1795,  to  different  individuals,  through  their  agent, 
Joseph  F.  Quay,  Esq. 

The  pioneers  of  this  township  had  hardships  and 
privations  to  encounter  in  common  with  the  first  set- 
tlers of  other  localities.     In  fact,  pioneer  life  is  about 
the  same  the  world  over.     "  First  settlers,"  those  who 
prepare  the  way,  lay  the  foundation  for  a  more  ad- 
vanced civilization,  always  have  to  endure  toils,  un- 
dergo trials,  and  submit  to  perplexing  inconveniences 
from  which  their  more  favored  successors  would  scorn- 
fully shrink. 
j       Incidents  of  pioneer  life  are  generally,  if  not  alwavs, 
<  read  with  interest  by  those  who  have  never  had  pio- 
[  neer  experiences.     The  early  history  of  Beech  Creek 
affords  many  instances  of  personal  courage  and  hair- 
'  breadth  escapes,  and  many,  indeed,  are  the  thrilling 


578 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


tales  the  first  settlers  could  tell  were  they  living  to- 
day. Among  the  notable  events  that  have  happened 
in  the  township,  the  following  created  much  excite- 
ment at  the  time  of  their  occurrence: 

Murder  of  Reuben  Giles.— About  the  year  1816,  a 
man  by  the  name  of  James  Munks,  who  was  employed 
at  one  of  the  mills  on  Beech  Creek,  made  a  trip  to 
Clearfield  County,  and  returned  with  a  horse,  saddle 
and  bridle,  and  a  new  suit  of  clothes.  Soon  after  it  was 
discovered  that  a  man  by  the  name  of  Reuben  Giles 
had  been  murdered,  and  suspicion  rested  upon  Munks 
as  being  the  perpetrator  of  the  deed,  whereupon  he  was 
arrested  and  taken  to  jail,  tried,  convicted,  and  sen- 
tenced ;  after  his  sentence  he  made  a  full  confession, 
saying  that  he  met  Giles  riding  along  in  the  woods, 
and  when  he  got  a  short  distance  past  he  leveled  his 
gun  and  shot  him  through  his  back.  Giles  fell  from 
his  horse,  and  when  Munks  came  up  to  him  he  said, 
"My  friend,  you  have  killed  me." 

The  Hollands  Mystery.— In  1820  a  family  by  the 
name  of  Hollands  lived  on  tlie  run  about  two  miles 
above  where  John  B.  Welsh  lives.  One  afternoon 
Mrs.  Hollands  went  to  a  neighbor's  house,  about  a 
mile  down  the  run,  and  was  seen  in  the  evening  on 
her  way  home ;  but  she  did  not  arrive,  and  search 
was  made  for  her  all  through  the  woods  for  weeks, 
but  she  was  never  found.  Her  fate  remains  a  mys- 
tery to  this  day. 

The  great  "  Ring  Hunt." — Probably  no  event  ever 
occurred  in  Beech  Creek  township  that  caused  greater 
excitement  than  did  the  great  "  Ring  Hunt"  that  took 
place  in  the  fall  of  1849.  It  was  well  known  that  the 
woods  abounded  with  game  of  various  kinds,  and  ex- 
tensive preparations  were  made  to  capture  it  by  whole- 
sale. Accordingly  a  force  of  three  hundred  men  from 
all  parts  of  the  surrounding  country  assembled  at 
Beech  Creek  village.  The  eager  hunters  were  armed 
with  various  implements  of  warfare  and  husbandry; 
some  had  pitchforks,  others  had  hickory  poles  with 
bayonets  attached,  some  had  pike-poles,  and  some 
even,  it  is  said,  were  armed  with  fishing-spears.  All 
things  in  readiness,  the  "hunt"  was  organized,  and 
the  party  divided  into  two  columns,  James  McGhee 
taking  cliarge  of  one  and  James  Linn  the  other.  None 
of  the  men  were  to  carry  guns  except  six  of  the  most 
expert  marksmen.  The  place  selected  for  the  hunt 
was  what  was  known  as  the  "  David  improvement," 
in  Tangascootac  valley,  about  five  miles  northwest  of 
Beech  Creek.  According  to  the  programme,  the  two 
divisions  were  to  keep  together  till  they  reached  a 
point  about  a  mile  from  "  the  improvement,"  when 
they  were  to  separate  and  encircle  or  surround  the 
"  clearing,"  which  consisted  of  ten  acres.  Thus  a 
circle  of  hunters,  armed  as  described,  was  formed,  in- 
closing an  area  of  two  miles  in  diameter.  At  the 
sound  of  a  bugle,  as  the  flanks  of  the  two  divisions 
met,  all  advanced  towards  the  cleared  field  in  the 
centre,  where  the  deer,  bears,  panthers,  wolves,  etc., 
were  to  be  driven  and  shot  by  the  "  six  expert  marks- 


men." As  the  line  "  closed  in"  the  men  yelled  and 
shouted  and  flourished  their  pitchforks  and  pike- 
poles  enough  to  frighten  every  wild  animal  in  Tan- 
gascootac valley.  Many  deer  and  other  kinds  of  game 
were  in  the  circle,  but  in  consequence  of  a  want  of 
system  in  approaching  the  centre,  breaches  were 
made  in  the  line,  through  which  the  game  fled  in 
terror  and  dismay.  Seven  deer  were  seen  to  escape 
from  a  single  opening,  and  by  the  time  the  clearing 
was  reached  by  the  hunters  not  a  wild  animal  was  in 
the  circle,  and  none  having  been  captured,  the  whole 
party  returned  to  their  homes  fully  convinced  that 
they  did  not  understand  "ring  hunting." 

Other  Hunting  Scenes.— Hunting  in  the  region  of 
Beech  Creek  is  still  practiced  to  a  considerable  extent, 
but,  of  course,  no  one  is  willing  to  admit  that  he  ever 
killed  deer  out  of  season.  Sometimes,  however,  hunt- 
ers say  they  find  them  sick  and  "  bleed  them,"  and  that 
the  deer  get  frightened,  start  to  run,  and  fall  down 
and  break  their  necks,  and,  of  course,  it  would  be  a  sin 
to  let  the  meat  spoil,  so  they  dress  it  and  take  it  home. 

Hunting  has  not  only  its  pleasures,  but  it  also  has 
its  pains,  as  many  an  unfortunate  Nimrod  can  testify. 
Accidents  often  occur  even  to  those  who  are  experi- 
enced in  the  chase.  About  the  year  1860,  William 
Counsil  and  James  Clark  went  together  on  a  hunting 
excursion,  and  when  on  their  way  home,  as  they  were 
walking'  along,  each  carrying  his  gun-muzzle  fore- 
most, Clark's  musket,  which  was  loaded  with  buck- 
shot, was  discharged  by  the  lock  striking  the  limb  of 
a  tree,  and  shooting  off  one  of  his  fingers,  the  charge 
struck  Counsil  in  the  back,  he  being  a  few  feet  ahead; 
a  frightful  wound  was  made,  of  which  he  died  the 
next  day,  leaving  a  large  family.  During  1874,  John 
Liggett,  having  the  same  gun  with  which  Counsil  was 
killed,  was  hunting  in  the  woods,  when  a  shower 
came  on,  and  in  crawling  under  a  hastily  constructed 
shelter  his  gun  was  accidentally  discharged,  the  shot 
taking  efliect  in  one  of  his  knees,  which  disabled  him 
for  many  months,  and  permanently  crippled  his  leg. 

In  hunting  bears  large  iron  traps  with  grapple- 
hooks  attached  are  frequently  used.  These  traps  are 
placed  in  bruin's  favorite  haunts,  and  it  occasionally 
happens  that  when  a  bear  has  been  caught  in  one  of 
them,  if  the  grapple-hook  breaks,  he  will  seek  a  rock, 
upon  which  he  beats  the  trap  till  it  is  broken  in 
pieces  and  comes  off. 

One  of  the  largest  bears  ever  seen  in  the  township 
was  caught  in  the  spring  of  1875,  by  Mr.  James  Mc- 
Ghee, on  Monument  Run.  He  had  set  a  large  trap 
a  few  days  previous,  and  sent  his  two  boys  to  see  if  it 
had  been  disturbed.  When  within  about  fifty  yards 
of  the  place  they  discovered  a  bear  in  the  trap,  with 
the  grapple-hook  fast  to  a  tree,  in  such  a  shape  that 
he  could  not  get  the  trap  to  the  ground.  The  boys 
each  having  a  gun,  fired  at  the  bear,  killing  it  in- 
stantly; they  then  rolled  it  down  the  hill  upon  which 
they  found  it.  In  so  doing  they  got  it  into  the  creek, 
but  could  not  get  it  out  until  it  was  skinned  and  quar- 


BKECII    CREEK   TOWNSHIP. 


579 


tered.  They  then  procured  a  wagon  and  took  the  car- 
cass home,  and  found  that  it  weighed  over  four  hun- 
dred pounds,  and  was  very  fat. 

Some  time  during  the  year  1871,  George  Hastings 
and  James  David,  wliile  liunting  on  Big  Run,  dis- 
covered signs  of  some  wild  animal,  and  setting  their 
dogs  on  the  trail,  soon  found  themselves  face  to  face 
with  two  large  panthers  upon  a  tree;  being  armed 
with  good  guns,  the  game  was  soon  killed,  and  their 
scalps  taken  off,  for  which  the  county  paid  twelve 
dollars  each. 

Pioneer  Schools,  Pioneer  Election,  Pioneer 
and  later  Mills,  etc. — The  first  school-house  in  tlie 
township  was  built  of  logs,  as  was  the  case  with  nearly 
all  the  buildings  at  that  time,  and  stood  back  of  the 
Fearon  property.  It  was  erected  about  the  year  1810. 
At  one  time  a  school  w^s  taught  in  it  by  "Buck" 
Claffin,  the  father  of  Victoria  Woodhull. 

The  next  was  built  in  1820.  It  stood  on  Beech 
Creek,  about  one  mile  above  the  present  borough 
limits.  The  next  was  built  under  the  public  school 
law  in  1838  or  1840,  on  land  then  owned  by  Robert 
Fearon.  The  next  was  built  about  the  same  time, 
and  stood  just  above  the  village  of  Beech  Creek. 

There  are  now  seven  public  school  buildings  in  the 
township,  all  good  structures,  well  painted,  and  in 
good  condition. 

The.  first  officers  elected  in  Beech  Creek  township 
were  as  follows :  Justices  of  the  Peace,  John  T.  Packer 
and  Andrew  White ;  Constable,  Thomas  Crispen  ; 
Supervisors,  Thomas  Crispen  and  Joseph  Linn  ;  Over- 
seers of  the  Poor,  Robert  Irwin  and  Cliiie  Quigley  ; 
Auditors,  J.  McGhee,  J.  M.  Smith,  and  G.  W.  Hal- 
lenback ;  Assessor,  Thomas  Crispen  ;  School  Direc- 
tors, C.  Bolinger,  A.  Leonard,  A.  Bitner,  T.  Crispen, 
William  Reed,  and  William  Massden. 

The  population  of  the  township  in  1870  was  nine 
hundred  and  fifty  ;  in  1880,  eight  hundred. 

For  many  years  during  the  early  history  of  the 
county  the  principal,  and  it  might  be  said  the  only, 
business  engaged  in  by  the  people  living  in  the  vicinity 
of  Beech  Creek  was  lumbering.  After  the  lands  along 
the  Bald  Eagle  began  to  be  settled  it  was  soon  ascer- 
tained that  Beech  Creek  afforded  facilities  possessed 
by  few  streams  in  the  country  for  conducting  exten- 
sive lumbering  opeuations,  it  having  sufficient  volume 
and  fall  to  afford  water-power  for  driving  the  heaviest 
machinery,  and  its  banks  and  the  region  lying  adja- 
cent for  its  entire  length  being  covered  with  a  heavy 
growth  of  pine. 

The  first  mill  on  the  creek  was  built  by  Henry 
James  in  1818.  It  was  located  about  a  mile  above 
where  Beech  Creek  borough  now  is.  The  mill  con- 
tinued in  operation  many  years,  and  finally  passed 
into  the  hands  of  Cline  Quigley,  Esq.  It  was  burned 
a  few  years  ago  and  not  rebuilt. 

Soon  after  the  James  mill  was  built,  Christian  Nes- 
tlerode  constructed  one  a  short  distance  below,  on  the 
Centre  County  side  of  the  creek.  This  mill  remained 
37 


until  it  was  torn  down  by  John  Nestlcrode,  grand.soii 
of  Christian,  who,  in  18G5,  erected  oti  its  site  a  gang 
water-mill,  which  is  now  in  successful  oper.ition. 

A  few  years  after  the  construction  of  the  mill  just 
mentioned,  George  Carr  built  one  about  five  mile< 
above  the  mouth  of  the  creek.  In  1845,  Carr  died, 
and  the  mill  was  allowed  to  go  to  ruin. 

In  1832,  Joseph  M.  Smith  built  a  mill  on  the  creek, 
at  the  mouth  of  Monument  Run,  about  seven  miles 
from  the  Bald  Eagle.  About  the  time  this  mill  was 
built,  Beech  Creek  was  cleared  so  that  sawed  lumber 
could  be  rafted  out  of  it.  One  of  the  first  bills  sawed 
by  Smith  was  timber  for  tlieHarrisburg  bridge.  This 
timber  was  three  by  twelve  inches,  thirty-two,  thirty- 
four,  and  thirty-six  feet  long,  and  was  rafted  at  the 
mill,  and  after  being  taken  to  its  destination  was 
sold  for  about  one-fourth  what  the  same  quality  would 
bring  now.  Smith's  mill  was  burned,  and  afterwards 
rebuilt,  but  finally  a'lowed  to  "run  down." 

The  four  mills  just  described  were  the  pioneer 
lumbering  establishments  of  Beech  Creek  township. 
They  were  all  of  the  kind  known  as  the  English  gate- 
mill,  single  saw,  and  of  course  run  by  water-power  ; 
their  average  capacity  was  probably  about  one  thou- 
sand feet  per  day.  They  were  the  only  mills  in  that 
part  of  Bald  Eagle  valley  for  many  years,  and  fur- 
nished all  the  building  material  that  was  used  for 
miles  up  and  down  the  valley. 

In  1842,  Daniel  Crouse  built  a  mill  about  three 
miles  up  Beech  Creek.  This  mill,  which  did  a  good 
business  for  many  years,  is  now  owned  by  Brown, 
Hastings  &  Co.  It  is  out  of  repair  and  idle.  In 
1845,  George  Furst  and  L.  G.  Andrews  erected  a 
good  substantial  mill  on  the  creek  just  above  the 
present  borough  line.  In  1863  this  mill  was  aban- 
doned. 

In  1850,  Samuel  A.  Cook  built  a  mill  on  the  Bald 
Eagle  Creek,  immediately  below  the  mouth  of  Beech 
Creek.  He  purchased  his  water-power  from  the  Bald 
Eagle  and  Spring  Creek  Navigation  Company.  About 
the  same  time  another  mill  was  built  on  Beech  Creek, 
about  one-half  mile  from  its  mouth,  by  Housel  & 
Miller.  This  mill  and  Cook's  were  decided  improve- 
ments on  the  ones  formerly  built  in  the  vicinity, 
having  circular  saws  and  edger  and  much  greater 
capacity. 

In  1852,  Housel  &  Miller  failed,  and  the  mill  prop- 
erty was  sold  to  B.  Clapp.  In  1854,  Clapp  sold  to 
the  firm  of  Shouse,  Saylor  &  Co.,  said  firm  being 
composed  of  the  following  gentlemen,  residents  of 
Lehigh  and  Northampton  Counties :  Jacob  A.  Shouse, 
Samuel  Saylor,  Israel  L.  Day,  and  Lewis  A.  Buckley. 
In  1855  or  1856  this  firm  built,  in  addition  to  the  one 
purchased,  a  large  gang  water-mill,  having  a  capacity 
of  four  millions  per  year.  In  a  few  years  they  added 
a  planing-mill,  to  which  they  attached  steam-power. 
These  mills  were  operated  till  March,  1SG4,  when 
they  were  destroyed  by  fire.  The  work  of  rebuild- 
ing on  the  same  ground   immediately  commenced. 


580 


HISTOrvY  OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


and  though  it  was  necessary  to  hew  and  haul  most  of 
tlie  timber  for  the  structure  from  some  distance  up 
the  creek,  the  mill  was  in  operation  in  ninety  days 
after  the  conflagration  with  three  gangs  of  saws,  a 
muley  saw,  oue  edger,  and  lath-  and  planing-mill,  all 
complete,  the  whole  driven  by  an  eighty  horse-power 
engine.  About  two  years  after  the  mill  was  rebuilt 
two  planers  were  attached.  During  the  season  of 
1868,  11,000,000  feet  of  lumber  was  manufactured  by 
this  mill,  besides  lath,  paling,  etc. 

It  is  estimated  that  not  less  than  150,000,000  feet  of 
lumber  have  been  manufactured  in  the  Beech  Creek 
region,  two-thirds  of  which  was  sawed  by  the  above 
firm.  This  mill  is  still  in  operation,  with  a  sawing 
capacity  of  2,500,000  per  month,  but  owing  to  the 
dullness  of  the  lumber  trade  it  is  not  run  to  the  full- 
est extent.  The  name  of  the  firm  as  now  constituted 
is  Saylor,  Day  &  Morey.  A  mill  was  built  at  the 
mouth  of  Beech  Creek  in  1843,  by  William  Parsons. 
It  was  afterwards  sold  to  Valentine  &  Milligan,  who 
ran  it  successfully  till  about  the  year  1859,  when 
they  sold  out  to  Saylor,  Day  &  Morey. 

Of  all  the  thirteen  different  mills  that  have  been 
built  on  Beech  Creek  only  two  are  in  operation,  the 
one  owned  by  Saylor,  Day  &  Morey  and  that  of  John 
Nestlerode. 

During  the  year  1853,  Cline  Quigley  and  Andrew 
White  erected  a  saw-mill  near  the  present  site  of  the 
grist-mill  now  owned  by  Quigley  &  Nestlerode.  It 
was  allowed  to  get  out  of  order  a  few  years  ago,  and 
was  not  repaired. 

The  next  mill  was  built  by  Samuel  and  Johnson 
Hall  about  1853.  It  was  located  on  the  creek  about 
three  miles  above  its  mouth.     It  is  now  in  ruins. 

The  next  was  built  the  following  year  by  Joseph 
Hall,  on  the  Centre  County  side  of  the  creek,  near  the 
latter.  In  1856,  Hall  died,  and  the  mill  passed  into 
the  hands  of  P.  Shaffer  &  Co.,  of  Pottsville,  by  whom 
it  is  still  owned,  but  it  has  ceased  to  be  operated. 

Much  of  the  lumber  manufactured  on  Beech  Creek 
was  obtained  on  lands  lying  on  the  tributaries  of  that 
stream  in  Centre  County.  Of  the  amount  actu- 
ally cut  in  Beech  Creek  township,  fifty  million  feet 
would  be  a  fair  estimate,  and  it  is  also  estimated  that, 
including  white-  and  yellow-pine,  hemlock,  etc.,  there 
is  not  less  than  fifty  million  feet  remainingon  the  land. 

Beech  Creek  Borough. — Nearly  all  the  land  now 
occupied  by  the  borough  of  Beech  Creek  belongs  to 
what  was  known  as  the  "Lieut.  Wiggins  tract,"  a 
part  of  the  "officers'  .survey."  It  is  located  on  the 
right  bank  of  Beech  Creek,  about  one  mile  above  its 
mouth.  The  ground  is  gently  sloping  towards  the 
south,  and  was  originally  covered  with  a  heavy  growth 
of  the  best  quality  of  oak,  interspersed  with  pine, 
hickory,  and  poplar. 

The  creditof  starting  the  village  belongs  to  Michael 
Quigley,  who  about  the  year  1812  bought  thirty  acres 
of  land  off  the  "  Wiggins"  tract,  and  constructed  a 
grist-mill,  which  is  still  in  operation  and  now  owned 


by  Cline  Quigley  (son  of  Michael)  and  John  Nestle- 
rode. At  or  about  the  same  time  Quigley  built  a 
dwelling  for  himself  a  short  distance  south  of  the 
mill,  one  room  of  which  was  used  as  a  store.  The 
first  person  using  it  for  that  purpose  was  "Buck" 
Claflin.  Afterwards  it  was  occupied  for  some  time 
by  George  Furst  and  Henry  Cast.  The  latter  finally 
sold  his  interest  to  Cline  Quigley  and  Andrew  White. 
After  continuing  in  business  together  a  short  time 
the  firm  was  dissolved,  and  Furst  purchased  a  lot  of 
Michael  Quigley  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Harrison 
Streets,  upon  which  he  built  a  store,  which  he  has  oc- 
cupied ever  since.  Quigley  &  White  remained  in 
partnership  for  a  while,  doing  business  in  a  building 
erected  by  Quigley,  a  few  rods  west  of  the  grist-mill. 
Then  they  dissolved,  and  White  built  and  occupied 
a  store  a  few  rods  west  of  the  one  built  by  Quigley. 
Thus  each  one  of  the  former  partners  was  engaged  in 
business  for  himself. 

In  1835,  Michael  Quigley  sold  five  acres  off  the 
north  end  of  his  tract  to  Matthew  Leitch,  who  sold 
dwelling  lots  for  twenty-five  dollars  each,  that  being 
the  price  in  1848.  Leitch's  tract  was  soon  sold  out 
and  built  upon.  About  the  time  of  Leitch's  pur- 
chase Quigley  sold  lots  to  Asher  Packer,  Hayes 
Packer,  John  Baker,  and  others,  which,  with  the  five 
acres  sold  to  Leitch,  included  all  that  part  of  the 
borough  on  Water  Street. 

About  the  year  1840,  John  T.  Packer  purchased  a 
lot  of  M.  Quigley,  on  the  southwest  corner  of  Main 
and  Harrison  Streets,  upon  which  he  erected  a  dwell- 
ing, and  then  built  a  shoe-shop  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  street. 

About  the  year  1856,  Andrew  White  quit  the  mer- 
cantile business,  and  Silas  Hess  occupied  the  room 
he  vacated  till  about  1868,  when  the  building  was 
sold  to  Thomas  &  M.ason,  who  finally  sold  it  to  R. 
Berryhill,  by  whom  it  was  converted  into  a  wagon- 
shop,  for  which  purpose  it  is  now  used. 

In  1866,  Silas  Hess  and  S.  Mobley  bought  out 
Cline  Quigley,  and  remained  in  business  together  till 
1871,  when  they  sold  to  Henry  Berry,  Charles  Cade, 
and  Daniel  Bitner,  who  conducted  the  business  till 
the  spring  of  1875,  when  they  were  succeeded  by  Cline 
Quigley,  who  filled  up  with  a  stock  of  groceries,  and 
is  now  conducting  that  trade  in  connection  with  the 
flour  and  grain  business. 

In  1830,  John  Kirk  built  a  dwelling  on  what  was 
called  "  the  Island,"  a  part  of  the  original  tract  bought 
by  Quigley. 

In  1852  "the  Island"  was  divided  by  Michael 
Quigley  between  his  son,  Cline,  and  his  daughter, 
Eliza  White,  wife  of  Andrew  White.  Afterwards 
White  sold  his  portion  to  Hugh,  his  brother.  In 
1871  the  house  built  by  Kirk,  which  was  on  this  part 
of  the  property,  burned  down,  but  was  immediately 
replaced  by  another.  In  1872,  John  McGhee  pur- 
chased ten  acres  from  White,  which  he  now  holds. 
Cline  Quigley  still  owns  his  portion. 


BEECH   CREEK   BOROUGH. 


581 


About  the  year  1810,  a  small  log  house  was  built  by 
William  Clark,  on  Main  Street,  on  a  lot  now  owned 
by  John  McGliee,  Esq.  That  building  was  occupied 
by  different  persons,  among  them  "  Buck"  Claflin, 
and  is  said  to  have  been  the  birthplace  of  Ulaflin's 
daughter,  the  present  Mrs.  Victoria  WoodhuU. 

In  1814,  Michael  Quigley  built  a  carding-  and  full- 
ing-mill a  short  distance  south  of  the  grist  mill.  It 
was  run  by  water-power,  as  also  was  the  grist-mill 
before  mentioned.  These  mills  were  the  only  manu- 
facturing establishments  in  the  place  for  a  long  time. 

What  now  comprises  the  eastern  portion  of  the 
territory  of  the  borough  was  owned  by  Solomon 
Strong,  and  remained  uncleared  till  about  18-14,  when 
the  principal  part  of  the  most  valuable  oak  was 
taken  off  by  William  Parsons  and  others,  an  1  after 
being  properly  sawed,  was  sold  to  the  government  to 
be  used  in  the  cons'.ruotion  of  artillery-wagons,  etc. 
The  land  was  then  laid  out  into  streets  and  lots  and 
sold  to  different  persons. 

About  the  year  1852,  Solomon  Strong  laid  out  the 
western  portion  of  his  farm  into  town  lots.  The  first 
one  on  the  north  side  of  Main  Street  below  the  grist- 
mill was  purchased  by  John  McGhee.  The  same 
year,  on  this  lot,  McGhee  erected  three  dwellings, 
store-house,  shoe-shop,  wagon-shop,  and  an  office. 

In  1869,  B.  &  J.  Liggett  purchased  the  lot  adjoin- 
ing the  McGhee  property  on  the  east,  and  built  a  large 
store,  in  which  they  conducted  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness till  1873,  when  they  dissolved,  B.  Liggett  retiring, 
and  Edward  K.  Parsons  and  S.  Mobley  each  taking 
an  interest,  the  firm-name  becoming  J.Liggett  &  Co., 
under  which  the  business  is  at  present  conducted. 

A  short  distance  east  of  the  Liggett  property  the 
Presbyterians  purchased  a  lot  in  18G5,  and  in  a  few 
years  completed  an  elegant  brick  church.  In  182G, 
J.  Rockwell  started  the  first  shoe-shop,  and  made  the 
first  pegged  shoes  worn  by  the  inhabitants.  In  1830, 
Simon  Liiigle  started  another  in  an  old  building  which 
stood  on  ground  now  occupied  by  John  McGhee's 
store  building.  About  six  years  later  John  Baker 
established  a  blacksmith-shop  near  the  site  of  W.  C. 
Bullock's  residence.  Two  years  later  a  tannery  was 
built  at  the  east  end  of  the  Beech  Creek  bridge,  by 
Asher  Packer.  It  long  since  went  to  ruin.  The  land 
on  which  it  was  located  is  now  cultivated.  About  the 
same  time  Solomon  Strong  came  from  the  State  of 
New  York  and  established  a  fauning-mill  manufac- 
tory ;  it  was  located  nearly  opposite  where  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  stands.  Strong  conducted  the  busi- 
ness quite  extensively  for  many  years,  and  finally  sold 
out  to  Stillman  Keyes,  also  from  New  York,  who  still 
carries  on  the  business.  In  1846,  George  Furst  and 
L.  G.  Andrews  commenced  the  manufacture  of  fan- 
ning-mills  in  a  building  on  the  north  end  of  the  lot 
occupied  by  Furst's  store  ;  they  continued  the  busi- 
ness fur  many  years,  finally  dissolving  partnership. 
Andrews  retired  to  a  farm,  and  the  business  was 
abandoned. 


In  1838,  J^hn  Orner  started  the  first  tailor-shop  in 
the  place.  The  building  in  which  he  worked  is  lo- 
cated on  the  bank  of  the  creek  on  Water  Street,  and 
is  now  owned  by  Gottlieb  Keller.  That  same  year  Dr. 
Roberts,  the  first  phy^-ician,  located  in  the  village; 
he  remained  till  184.5,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Dr. 
W.  P.  Rothrock,  who  was  the  only  practicing  phy- 
sician in  the  place  for  many  years.  He  was  succeeded 
in  1875  by  Dr.  Tibbins,  who  is  now  there. 

The  first  permanent  dentist  in  the  place  was  W.  C. 
Van  Valin,  who  came  in  1865  and  still  remains.  In 
1868,  M.  L.  McKean  came  from  Zion,  Centre  Co.,  and 
established  an  extensive  steam  tannery  in  the  borough  ; 
it  is  located  on  Main  Street,  nearly  opposite  the  Pres- 
byterian Church.  It  is  now  in  successful  operation, 
and  consumes  about  five  hundred  cords  of  bark  per 
year. 

Berry  &  Cade  erected  a  building  in  the  east  end  of 
the  borough  in  the  spring  of  1875  for  their  dry -goods 
and  grocery -store. 

In  1874,  J.  S.  Hale  &  Co.  started  their  mercantile 
establishment. 

In  1875,  Bickel  &  Lose  established  a  planing-mill, 
located  east  of  McKean's  tannery  on  Main  Street. 

Borough.  Officers. — The  town  was  incorporated  as 
a  borough  and  called  "  Quiggleyton"  at  the  February 
term  of  court,  1869,  but  at 'the  following  term  of  Au- 
gust its  corporate  name  was  changed  to  "Beech 
Creek."  The  first  election  was  held  on  the  fourth 
Friday  of  August,  1869. 

The  officers  for  1869  were:  Chief  Burgess,  James 
Clark;  Council,  Asher  Packer,  George  Furst,  A.  H. 
Knecht,  John  Liggett,  C.  R.  Keyes;  Secretary,  A.  H. 
Knecht;  Judge  of  Election,  Asher  Packer  ;  Inspectors 
of  Election,  J.  W.  Grays,  George  Wensel ;  Constable, 
Hugh  White;  Auditors,  George  Furst,  George  Wil- 
liams, H.  Miller;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  John  Mc- 
Ghee, John  S.  Mason  ;  Assessor,  Asher  Packer ;  As- 
sistants, George  Furst,  S.  Strong;  Justices  of  the 
Peace,  John  McGhee,  James  Clark. 

The  chief  burgesses  since  have  been :  1870-71, 
James  Clark ;  1872,  S.  H.  Brown  ;  1873,  John  Mc- 
Ghee; 1874,  George  Furst;  1875,  James  McGhee; 
1876,  John  Liggett;  1877,  Dr.  H.  H.  Mothersbaugh ; 
1878,  Daniel  Lose;  1879,  John  McGhee;  1880,  Geo. 
Furst ;  1881,  James  Clark. 

The  officers  in  1882  are:  Chief  Burgess,  E.  H. 
Hastings;  Secretary,  Samuel  W.  Gardner;  Council, 
Samuel  A.  Hall,  Samuel  W.  Gardner,  G.  W.  Lingle, 
D.  M.  Longshore,  A.  K.  White,  W.  D.  W.  Dunkle; 
Street  Commissioner,  George  Wensel ;  Treasurer, 
George  Williams;  Constable,  Hugh  White;  Assessor, 
John  Liggett ;  Assistants,  John  G.  Wale,  James  I. 
Gardner;  Judge  of  Election,  L.  Hall. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  in 
1833,  and  the  church — the  first  erected  in  the  town- 
ship— was  built  in  1834.  It  was  located  just  bcvond 
j  the  limits  of  the  borough,  at  the  west  end.  Services 
I  were  held  in  it  regularly  by  the  Methodists  and  oc- 


582 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


casionally  by  Presbyterians  until  1868,  when  it  was 
sold,  and  afterwards  burned  down.  Its  site  is  now 
occupied  by  the  dwelling  of  Frank  Wallace.  Of  the 
early  Methodist  circuit  riders  who  preached  in  it  were 
Revs.  Timothy  Lee,  Fern  Brown,  James  Hunter, 
James  Sanks,  Switzer  Paulsgrove,  John  Anderson, 
Gutwald,  Maclay,  Craig,  Abraham  Britten,  J.  S.  Mc- 
Murray,  and  Ball. 

In  1868  the  congregation  purchased  for  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars  the  second  lot  south  of  the 
school-house,  and  built  a  very  fine  two-story  brick 
edifice,  at  a  total  cost  of  some  nine  thousand  dollars, 
which  was  completed  in  1873. 

Since  then  the  pastors  have  been  :  1868-70,  Thomas 
F.  McClure;  1870-73,  J.  W.  Buckley;  1878-75,  J. 
Foster  Bell ;  1875-76,  John  Z.  Lloyd ;  1876-78,  Elisha 
Butler;  1878,  Bruno  Graham,  Charles  Buck;  1879- 
82,  T.  S.  Faws;  1882,  M.  P.  Crosthwaite. 

The  trustees  are  John  Liggett,  Samuel  Hall,  Wil- 
liam Trexler,  Daniel  Lose,  J.  D.  Ingler,  Abraham 
McCloskey,  G.  W.  Wensel ;  Sunday-school  superin- 
tendent, G.  W.  Wensel.  This  place,  with  Mill  Hall, 
forms  one  circuit. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  held  services  at  various 
times  in  the  old  Methodist  Cluirch  until  1868.  In  1865 
the  congregation  purchased  a  lot  cast  of  the  Liggett 
property,  and  in  a  few  years  completed  its  elegant 
brick  edifice. 

Since  then  its  pastors  have  been  Revs.  Agnew,  War- 
rington, Van  Sickle,  Bunsteen,  and  Hawthorn.  The 
latter  left  in  1881,  and  at  present  it  has  no  pastor. 

The  church  oflicials  in  1882  are:  Elders,  James  A. 
Quigley,  George  Furst,  Hugh  White ;  Trustees,  George 
B.  Hess,  S.  Mobley,  Dr.  H.  H.  Mothersbaugh,  B.  Ru- 
pard,  Samuel  Glostner. 

Cemeteries. — In  its  cemetery  are  buried  : 

Michael  Quigley,  died  June  13,  1S68,  aged  81;  liis  wife,  Mary,  born 
July  22. 1792,  died  Sept.  10,  18G4. 

Margaret  C  ,  wife  of  T.  L.  C.  Shearer,  died  Oct.  15,  1^62,  aged  20. 

Elizabeth  R.,  wife  of  Albert  0.  Evmis,  died  May  12,  1S77,  aged  21. 

Li/.zie  Morris,  died  April  20,  1S79,  aged  24. 

Harriet,  wife  of  J.  W.  Hubbard,  died  Dec.  10, 1881,  aged  52 ;  her  daugh- 
ter, Kliza  L  ,  died  Dec.  16,  1S77.  aged  10. 

Margaret  Hays,  died  Feb.  8,  1S50,  aged  04. 

William  Clark,  died  April  13, 1831,  aged  05 ;  his  » ifc,  Sarah,  died  Sept. 
20,  1853,  aged  00. 

The  Old  Hays  Cemetery  is  situated  between 
the  borough  and  the  railroad  station,  three-fourtlis  of 
a  mile  from  the  former.  It  was  originally  the  Hays 
family  burying-ground,  to  which  an  addition  was 
made  by  John  T.  Fearou.  Among  its  interments 
are  those  of: 

James  Hays,  born  Feb.  20,  1740,  died  Feb.  14,  1817;  his  wife,  Sarah, 
biu-n  Feb.  15,  1745,  died  May  5,  l.S2:i. 

Samuel  Hays,  died  Aug.  7,  1872,  aged  SO;  liis  wife,  Susan  S.,dicd  Jan. 
IS,  1848,  aged  54. 

George  Brown,  born  Oct.  ■^,  1704,  died  Marcli  2,  1801 ;  his  wife,  Elea- 
nor, born  July  4,  1785,  died  Jan.  31, 1809. 

Klizabelh,  first  wife  of  George  Brown,  died  Marcli  12,  1823,  aged  32. 

Gideon  Smith,  died  March  31,  1841,  aged  88;  his  wife,  Elizabeth,  died 
May  22,  1830,  aged  78. 

Andrew  McGhee,  died  Aug.  31,  1S47,  aged  21. 


Margaret  N.,  wifa  of  Jacob  Cooke,  and  daughter  of  Dr.  W.  P.  and  J.  L. 
Eothiock,  died  March  15,  1S72,  aged  25. 

Robert  Stewart,  died  March  31, 1801,  aged  17. 

Nathaniel  Johnson,  died  May  2,  1847,  aged  50;  his  wife,  Sarah,  died 
May  27,  1873,  aged  70. 

■William  F.,  son  of  William  and  C.  Uolden,  died  May  19, 1850. 

David  Leggett,  died  Feb.  22, 1843,  aged  72. 

Slartha  P.,  wile  of  Andrew  Linn,  died  March  9,  IS.W,  aged  8G. 

Jolinsoii  Hall,  died  March  3,  1850,  aged  :i7. 

Betty,  wife  of  Jesse  Hall,  died  Aug.  2n,  1854,  aged  05. 

Joseph  Hall, died  Maich  5,  1857,  ageil  34. 

James  Wright,  died  May  0, 1834,  aged  25. 

Clara  B.,  wife  of  Fleming  Trexler,  die.l  Dec.  20,  1807,  aged  20. 

Quigley  Hes^  died  Sept.  13,  1878,  aged  20. 

Sdas  Hess,  died  May  20,  1874,  aged  40. 

Sarah  P.,  wife  of  Benjamin  Leggclt,  and  daughter  of  Matthew  ard 
Elizabeth  Adams,  died  Jan.  4,  1873,  aged  41. 

C.  W.  Hallenbake,  died  March  27, 1805,  aged  59. 

Maiia  J.,  daughter  of  J.  W.  and  M.  E.  Johnson,  died  Oct.  7, 1804,  aged 
21. 

William  Fearon,  b^rn  Aug.  20,  1775,  died  March  23,1850;  his  wife, 
Anna,  daugliter  of  William  and  Beulah  Teinplelon,  born  Jan.  20, 17S2, 
died  Nov.  4,  1S70;  their  daughter,  Sarah,  born  Dec.  7,  1813,  died  Aug. 
10,  1850. 

Schools. — Tiie  first  school-house  erected  in  the 
town  was  built  in  1856,  on  a  lot  on  Main  Street  pur- 
chased from  Austin  Leonard.  In  1867  a  two-story 
frame  school-house  was  erected,  containing  four 
rooms,  two  on  eacli  floor.  Three  of  these  are  used 
for  school  purposes,  and  the  other  is  occasionally  oc- 
cupied by  the  school  board. 

In  1869  the  borough  became  a  separate  school  dis- 
trict, with  the  following  directors:  John  McGhee, 
John  J.  Shaffer,  George  A.  Hess,  George  Q.  Williams, 
William  W.  Clark,  H.  Miller. 

In  1882  the  directors  were  Samuel  Hall,  Andrew 
White,  Dr.  H.  H.  Mothersbaugh,  H.  H.  Berry, 
James  McGhee,  George  W.  Wensel.  The  teachers 
for  term  ending  May,  1882,  were:  Principal,  James 
Wensel ;  Secondary,  James  Stoughton ;  Primary, 
Miss  Amanda  Mothersbaugli. 

Orders. — In  1850  a  lodge  of  Independent  Order  of 
Odd-Fellows  was  organized  in  a  building  erected  for 
the  purpose  by  Cline  Quigley,  near  the  site  of  gro- 
cery. It  burned  down  March  5,  1855,  and  the  lodge 
was  soon  after  disbanded. 

The  Good  Templars  organized  a  lodge  in  1854,  and 
held  their  meetings  in  the  Odd-Fellows'  Hall,  but 
when  that  was  destroyed  they  ceased  to  meet. 

The  grange  of  Patrons  of  Husbandry,  instituted 
in  1874,  and  a  camp  of  Patriotic  Order  of  Sons  of 
America,  organized  soon  afterwards,  have  both  dis- 
banded. 

For  many  years  the  Washingtonians  kept  up  an 
organization  in  the  place,  and  made  strong  opposi- 
tion to  the  sale  of  intoxicating  liquors.  Except  dur- 
ing the  exciting  limes  of  the  late  civil  war,  no  alco- 
holic liquors  have  ever  been  illegally  sold  within  the 
limits  of  Beech  Creek  township,  which  has  a  thrifty, 
intelligent  population  hardly  surpassed  in  the  State 
for  their  energy  and  steady  habits. 

Professions  and  Business  Industries  in  1882. 
—  Physicians,  Drs.  Joseph  Tibbens,  H.  H.  Motliers- 
baugb  ;  merchants,  George  Furst  &  Son,  S.  Mobley, 


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CASTANEA  TOWNSHIP.— CHAPMAN  TOWNSHIP. 


583 


George  Williams,  Jr. ;  surveyor,  A.  K.  White ;  jus- 
tices of  the  peace,  James  Clark,  Jolin  McGhee ; 
flour-mills,  Cline  Quigtey,  George  Furst  &  Son; 
tinner  and  confectioner,  C.  R.  Keyes  ;  fanning-mill 
and  straw-cutter  manufacturers,  S.  C.  Keys  &  Son  ; 
saw-mills,  John  Nestlerode,  John  Rickle  ;  wagon- 
makers,  Richard  Berryhill,  W.  P.  Bullock,  William 
Rupert;  lumber,  John  Leggett,  A.  Clark;  axe- 
handle  manufacturer,  Joseph  Linn  ;  cigar  manufac- 
turer, George  McGhee ;  slioemakers,  Frank  Berry, 
H.  H.  Berry,  Nelson  Caldwell,  William  McKane, 
William  Trexler ;  carpenters,  John  Bickle,  Samuel 
Dunkle,  John  Kunes,  James  McGhee,  Wilson  Wil- 
liams; milliner,  Mrs.  C.  R.  Keyes  ;  foundry,  Daniel 
Lose ;  railroad  and  express  agent,  O.  Rothwick ; 
postmaster,  C.  R.  Keyes ;  blacksmiths,  John  I. 
Shearer,  Lemuel  Shearer ;  harness-maker,  John 
Watts;  barbers,  James  A.  Williams,  William  Mc- 
Kane ;  carpet-weaver,  John  Yondas. 


.      CHAPTER   CIX. 

CASTANEA    TOWNSHIP. 

At  the  February  term  of  the  Clinton  County  Com- 
mon Pleas  Court  a  petition  was  presented  by  a  num- 
ber of  the  inhabitants  of  Dunstable  township,  praying 
for  the  erection  of  a  new  township  by  the  division  of 
Dunstable,  which,  on  account  of  its  great  length  and 
ill-shaped  size,  was  inconvenient  to  a  large  number 
of  its  inhabitants.  The  petitioners  asked  for  a  di- 
vision of  said  township  by  a  line  commencing  at  a 
point  on  the  northern  bank  of  the  West  Branch  of  the 
Susquehanna  River  where  the  southern  end  of  the  di- 
vision line  between  Woodward  and  Dunstable  town- 
ships came  to  the  river;  thence  in  a  southern  direc- 
tion through  Great  Island  to  low-water  mark  on  the 
southern  side  of  Great  Island  ;  thence  down  the  river 
to  the  northwestern  corner  of  Wayne  township.  March 
1, 1877,  the  court  appointed  George  J.  Eldrech,  Jacob 
Quiggle,  and  John  Earon  to  inquire  into  the  propri- 
ety of  granting  the  said  prayer.  May  19,  1877,  the 
commissioners  made  their  report  recommending  the 
division  by  the  following  line :  "  Commencing  at  the 
point  of  rocks  on  the  northern  bank  of  the  Susque- 
hanna River  (West  Branch)  where  the  southern  end 
of  the  division  line  between  Woodward  and  Dun- 
stable townships  comes  to  the  river;  thence  across 
said  river  south  621  degrees  west  to  low-water  mark  ; 
thence  up  southern  bank  of  river  at  low-water  mark, 
north  71 2  degrees  west  22  perches  to  division  line  of 
landsofRobertMcCormick  and  Richard  Dery;  thence 
along  said  line  between  Dery  and  McCormick  to  pub- 
lic road  leading  from  bridge  through  Great  Island, 
south  711  degrees  east  102  perches ;  theuce  up  centre 
of  said  road,  south  75..  degrees  west  3  perches,  to  di- 
vision line  of  lands  belonging  to  Henry  McCormick 


and  estate  of  the  late  John  Myers;  thence  along  the 
above-named  division  line  of  McCormick  and  Myers' 
heirs  south  90  degrees,  east  to  the  northern  bank  of 
the  Susquehanna  River  at  low-water  mark,  81/^ 
perches;  thence  down  said  river  by  its  various 
courses  82  perches;  thence  across  the  river  to  the 
northwestern  corner  of  Wayne  township,  soutli  161 
degrees  east." 

The  voters  of  Dunstable  township,  on  Dec.  1,  1877, 
by  a  majority  vote,  consented  to  said  division,  and  on 
Dec.  10,  1877,  court  approved  the  division,  and  gave 
to  the  western  part — the  new  township — the  name  of 
Castanea. 

It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Woodward  township 
and  Lock  Haven,  on  the  east  by  Wayne  township,  on 
the  south  by  Lamar  township,  and  on  the  west  by  Al- 
lison township.  It  derived  its  name  from  the  village 
of  Castanea,  within  its  limits,  signifying  chestnut  in 
Latin,  there  being  trees  of  that  variety  in  abundance 
near  the  village. 

In  1871,  Jacob  Brown  and  P.  W.  Keller  purchased 
the  farm  of  Joseph  Hamberger,  near  Harvey's  Gap, 
on  the  south  side  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  and  laid  out 
the  town  of  Castanea.  Soon  after  their  purchase 
they  began  selling  lots,  which  were  improved  upon, 
and  now  the  place  presents  quite  a  town-like  appear- 
ance. It  has  a  good  school-house,  some  forty  dwell- 
ings, several  groceries,  shops,  stores,  etc.  It  is  within 
a  mile  of  Lock  Haven,  and  offers  pleasant  and  cheap 
homes  for  mechanics  and  others  who  prefer  to  live 
outside  of  the  city  limits. 

Charles  P.  Framble  operates  an  extensive  brewery 
in  a  two-story  frame  building  erected  in  1868. 

The  Lock  Haven  Wood  and  Pulp  Manufactory  is 
in  this  township,  and  is  conducted  by  Dickson  & 
Armstrong. 


CHAPTER    ex. 


CUAPMAN    TOWNSHIP.' 


Chapman  Township  was  formed  while  the  terri- 
tory now  contained  in  Clinton  belonged  to  Lycoming 
County,  since  which  time  its  area  has  been  greatly 
diminished  by  the  successive  organization  of  other 
townships.  A  portion  was  taken  off  in  the  formation 
of  Grugan  in  1855,  and  in  1875  the  remainder  was 
divided,  and  the  western  portion  formed  into  the 
township  of  Noyes. 

Notwithstanding  the  diminution  that  has  taken 
place  in  its  area.  Chapman  is  still  a  large  township, 
being  eight  miles  wide  and  about  twelve  long.  Its' 
surface  partakes  of  the  uneven  character  of  the 
other  portions  of  the  county,  and  is  covered  with  a 
heavy  growth  of  timber, — pine,  oak,  hemlock,  etc. 

'  Fiom  D.  S.  Maynard's  "  Historical  View  of  Cliuton  County." 


584 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Young  Woman's  Creek. — The  West  Branch  flows 
through  the  southern  part  of  the  towuship,  and  in  its 
course  receives  the  waters  of  several  streams,  the 
largest  and  most  important  being  Young  Woman's 
Creek,  which,  with  its  brandies,  drains  nearly  the 
whole  township,  reaching  the  river  at  North  Point 
(Young  Womanstown).  Various  opinions  have  been 
expressed  in  regard  to  the  origin  of  the  name  of  tliis 
creek.  In  relation  to  the  matter,  H.  L.  Diefenbach, 
Esq.,  long  a  resident  of  Clinton  County,  and  lately 
editor  of  the  Bloomsburg  Columbian,  says, — 

"  This  creek  is  said  to  have  received  its  name  from 
the  fact  that  the  dead  body  of  a  young  woman  was 
found  in  it  near  the  point  where  it  enters  the  river. 
Others  say  the  Indians  scalped  and  then  murdered  a 
young  woman  there  and  then  threw  her  body  into 
the  creek,  hoping  it  would  float  off'  into  the  river 
and  their  act  would  thus  be  concealed.  A  legend- 
ary tale  is  that  the  Indians  there  killed  a  young 
woman  prisoner  who  could  walk  no  farthei-,  that  it 
was  a  famous  and  most  desirable  camping-ground, 
but  that  ever  after  this  murder,  if  Indians  encamped 
there  at  night,  her  ghost  would  appear,  gliding  over 
the  surface  of  the  stream  and  about  the  camp,  and 
that  they  were  sure  to  be  fired  upon  by  unseen  faces 
if  they  remained  a  second  night.  There  are  also 
numerous  other  legends,  but  all  begin  with  the  state- 
ment that  the  dead  body  of  a  young  woman  was  found 
in  the  creek.  The  Indian  town  at  that  point,  of  which 
many  remains  were  formerly  found,  and  some  still 
are,  was  called  Young  Womanstown  ;  but  whether  it 
derived  its  name  from  the  creek  or  the  creek  from 
the  town  is  doubtful,  and  both  sides  have  had  cham- 
pions. It  was  once  a  great  rallying-poinl  for  Indians 
from  all  points,  and  perhaps  the  Indian  belles  gath- 
ered there  in  large  numbers  to  charm  and  entrap  the 
young  hunters  and  warriors  whose  paths  led  that  way, 
and  hence  that  name.  If  this  answer  is  not  satisfac- 
tory to  inquirers,  they  are  at  liberty  to  get  up  a  better 
one." 

A.  J.  Quigley,  Esq.,  an  old  and  prominent  citizen 
of  Young  Womanstown,  published  an  article  in  the 
Eenovo  Record  in  1875,  in  which  he  says, — 

"  It  is  said  that  a  )-oung  Indian  squaw  of  rare 
beauty,  the  hand  of  whom  had  been  sought  by  a 
young  chief  of  another  tribe,  and  whose  advances 
had  been  forbidden  by  the  father  of  the  young  girl, 
and  after  all  efforts  on  her  part  to  soften  his  feelings 
towards  the  young  chief  had  proved  ineffectual,  she 
deliberately  cast  herself  into  the  turbid  current  near 
the  mouth  of  the  stream,  and  was  never  more  heard  of. 
The  stream  was  ever  after  called  Young  Woman's 
Creek,  from  which  the  town  has  taken  its  name." 
■  Whatever  may  have  been  the  real  origin  of  the 
name,  it  is  certain  that  it  was  conferred  by  the  In- 
dians, for  when  the  region  was  first  visited  by  the 
whites,  the  appellations  "Young  Woman's  Creek" 
and  "  Young  Womanstown,"  as  applied  to  the 
stream  and  the  vicinity  of  its  mouth,  were  familiar 


terms  among  the  natives.  The  only  other  streams  in 
the  township  worthy  of  mention  are  Hyner's  Run,  said 
to  have  been  called  after  a  hunter  by  that  name; 
and  Paddy's  Run,  so  called  because  of  an  Irish  settle- 
ment near  its  mouth.  The  former  empties  into  the 
river  about  three  miles  below  the  mouth  of  Young 
Woman's  Creek,  and  the  latter  about  two  miles  above, 
both  flowing  from  the  north.  Drury's  Run  empties 
into  the  river  just  above  Renovo,  and  for  a  short 
distance  forms  the  boundary  between  Chapman  and 
Noyes  townships.  Many  of  the  mountain  peaks  of 
this  township  are  grand  and  lofty,  especially  those 
bordering  on  the  river,  some  of  which  reach  a  height 
of  twelve  or  fourteen  hundred  feet ;  the  one  opposite 
the  mouth  of  Young  Woman's  Creek  towering  four- 
teen hundred  and  twenty  feet.  In  shaping  the  hills 
and  mountains  along  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susque- 
hanna, nature  seems  to  have  modeled  after  the  most 
symmetrical  and  pleasing  designs,  but  in  no  place  has 
she  displayed  her  creative  powers  in  grander  attrac- 
tiveness than  in  the  picturesquely  beautiful  verdure- 
covered  hills  of  this  region. 

With  the  exception  of  the  river  bottoms.  Chapman 
has  very  little  level  land  ;  back  from  the  river  the 
country  lies  high,  and  though  considerably  broken 
is  susceptible  of  improvement  and  cultivation. 

Though  a  vast  amount  of  timber  has  been  taken 
from  the  lands  of  this  township,  a  large  quantity 
still  exists.  As  is  the  case  generally  in  lumber 
regions,  the  best  quality  along  arid  near  the  streams 
was  taken  first,  while  extensive  tracts  in  the  interior 
remained  untouched  by  the  woodman's  axe. 

The  most  extensive  lumbering  operations  in  the 
township  have  been  conducted  on  Young  Woman's 
Creek,  Hyner's  Run,  and  Paddy's  Run  ;  large  quanti- 
ties of  timber,  however,  have  been  cut  all  along  the 
river  and  upon  the  smaller  runs.  The  operations  at 
present  are  confined  almost  entirely  to  the  three 
streams  mentioned. 

Though  coal,  iron  ore,  fire-clay,  etc.,  are  known  to 
exist  in  this  township,  they  remain  entirely  undevel- 
oped, except  on  Drury's  Run,  near  Renovo,  where 
coal  has  been  mined  to  some  extent. 

A  thorough  geological  survey  of  the  township  has 
never  been  made,  therefore  it  is  impossible  to  say 
definitely  what  may  be  the  character  and  extent  of 
its  mineral  resources.  Indications,  however,  seem  to 
justify  the  conclusion  that  coal  will  yet  be  found 
within  the  township  in  workable  quantities.  The 
rocks  of  the  region  are  principally  sandstone,  with  oc- 
casional fragments  of  conglomerate  scattered  over  the 
surface  of  the  higher  lands. 

Precisely  when  the  first  settlement  in  what  is  now 
Chapman  township  was  made  is  uncertain.  From 
the  most  authentic  information  that  can  be  obtained 
it  appears  that  a  clearing  of  a  few  acres  was  made  at 
the  mouth  of  Young  Woman's  Creek  previous  to  1780, 
and  occupied  by  a  man  by  the  name  of  William  Reed, 
who  had  no  title.     Reed  sold  his  improvements  to 


CHAPMAN   TOWNSHIP. 


585 


Samuel  Campbell ;  he  conveyed  the  same  to  Thomas 
Robinson,  who  obtained  a  pre-emption  warrant,  dated 
Oct.  1,  1785,  for  "  three  hundred  and  seven  acres  and 
allowances,"  described  as  follows :  Situated  "  on  the 
north  side  of  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna, 
known  by  the  names  '  Young  AVomanstown'  and 
'William  Reed's  Improvement,'  beginning  at  the 
upper  end  of  the  narrows  in  the  lower  ends  or  sides, 
and  extending  up  the  said  river  to  tlie  head  wing  of 
a  fish-dara,  and  adjoining  John  Fleming's  improve- 
ment." The  entire  tract,  which  included  nearly  all 
the  flat  land  adjacent  to  the  mouth  of  Young  Woman's 
Creek,  was  conveyed  by  Robinson  to  Andrew  Epple, 
of  Philadelphia,  ijy  deed  dated  Jan.  10,  1787. 

On  April  12,  1787,  Epple  obtained  a  patent  for  the 
whole  tract  from  the  Commonwealth,  said  patent 
having  the  signature  of  Benjamin  Franklin  as  presi- 
dent of  the  Supreme  Executive  Council. 

Andrew  Epple,  by  deed  dated  Aug.  20,  1799,  con- 
veyed the  same  to  Andrew  Epple,  Jr.,  who  sold  to 
Joseph  Reed ;  the  deed  of  conveyance  dated  March 
9,  1802.  On  June  3,  1805,  Andrew  Epple,  Jr.,  con- 
veyed the  tract  to  John  Philip  De  Haas.  In  May, 
1810,  De  Haas  sold  the  entire  tract  to  John  Quigley, 
by  whom  it  was  divided  and  conveyed  to  different 
persons,  his  son,  Michael  Quigley,  coming  in  posses- 
sion of  the  larger  portion,  which  he  now  holds,  the 
balance  of  the  original  tract  being  principally  owned 
at  present  by  Robert  Bridgens,  Esg.,  and  Hawley, 
Matthews  &  Quigley. 

While  the  "  Young  Woraanstown  farm"  was  in 
the  possession  of  Andrew  Epple,  it  was  rented  for 
a  time  by  William  Bennett,  who  paid  for  the  use 
thereof  five  pounds  a  year.  It  appears  from  a  letter 
written  in  1798  by  Bennett  to  the  owner  of  the  land 
that  even  at  that  early  day  there  were  from  thirty  to 
forty  acres  of  the  farm  under  cultivation.  The  fol- 
lowing is  a  correct  copy  of  the  letter  : 

"  Yonxo  WOMANSTOWN,  Jan  19th  1708 
"  Sir  I  take  this  opportunity  to  lot  you  Icnowthat  I  am  agoing  to  Move 
of  your  Place  in  the  spring:  my  suns  has  been  out  at  Frencli  Creelv  and 
they  have  a  Mind  to  Move  out  their  in  the  spring  Anil  I  would  be 
glade  you  would  take  this  place  of  my  hands  and  seud  some  Man  to  it 
a  Cording  to  your  one  Mind  that  you  could  be  shoure  of  paying  the  rent 
I  can  get  men  a-nauf  here  that  would  take  it  But  I  would  rather  you 
■would  satisfy  you  Self  I  have  a  very  good  fall  crop  in  the  ground  thir  is 
20  acres  of  "Wheat  and  11  of  Ry  and  land  fit  for  a  prime  Crop  corn  oats 
or  fla.x  all  fit  for  the  plough  and  they  can  have  all  the  grane  if  them 
and  me  can  agree  there  is  men  anof  her  that  would  Be  glad  of  it  but  I 
would  be  glad  yon  would  Send  Some  Man  to  it  that  would  pay  you  tlie 
Rent  and  give  mo  no  more  troubel  a  Bout  it  Sir  please  to  Send  mean  ancer 
by  Mr.  Trances  Fargy  for  I  would  be  glad  to  know  as  quick  as  possabel 
and  so  I  Remain  your  Hum  Ser't. 

"  William  Bennett. 
"  To  Andrew  Epple." 

Soon  after  Young  Womanstown  was  settled,  other 
settlements  were  made  at  the  mouth  of  Hyner's  Run, 
at^Paddy's  Run,  and  at  other  points  on  each  side  of 
the  river,  and  it  was  but  a  few  years  before  all  of  the 
flat  lands  along  tlie  river  were  converted  into  farms. 

The  pioneers  of  Chapman  had  their  full  share  of 
adventures  and  narrow  escapes. 


Pioneer  Hunting  Scenes. — The  following  inci- 
dents are  taken  from  the  article  previously  referred 
to,  written  by  A.  J.  Quigley,  Esq. : 

"  We  knew  of  an  instance  in  which  two  of  our 
citizens  engaged  in  subduing  the  fore.st  wounded  a 
large  bear,  but  not  mortally;  they  were  afterwards 
pursued  so  closely  as  to  only  escape  by  the  miracu- 
lous intervention  of  a  fallen  tree,  the  roots  of  which 
enabled  them  to  jump  behind  and  elude  pursuit,  the 
bear  passing  on,  being  blinded  by  rage  and  pain. 

"On  another  occasion,  a  citizen  who  once  owned 
the  lands  on  which  Renovo  now  stands  was  attacked 
by  a  large  buck,  and  would  have  been  killed  by  the 
thrusts  of  the  buck's  horns  but  for  their  being  so 
wide  between  the  beams  as  to  admit  his  body  between 
the  prongs,  he  holding  himself  fast  to  the  beams  so 
as  to  not  allow  the  prongs  to  enter  his  body,  until  he 
was  relieved  by  the  timely  arrival  of  another  hunter, 
who  dispatched  the  buck  and  rescued  him  from  cer- 
tain death. 

"  Another  incident  of  a  similar  character  occurred 
not  far  above  where  the  North  Point  depot  now  stands. 
The  dogs  had  closed  in  upon  a  buck,  but  not  being 
able  to  master  him,  a  workman  on  the  farm  undertook 
to  assist  the  dogs,  when  he  received  such  a  thrust 
from  the  buck  as  to  produce  a  wound  in  his  hand  that 
disabled  him  for  work  for  several  weeks. 

"  On  another  occasion,  that  can  be  proven  by  one 
of  the  oldest  and  most  respectable  inhabitants  of  this 
county,  a  bear  of  almost  fabulous  size  was  seen  to  at- 
tack and  kill  a  very  large  cow,  and  when  the  citizen 
attempted  to  drive  the  monster  away,  he  also  made 
an  attempt  to  attack  him,  and  would  have  succeeded 
only  for  his  athletic  agility  on  foot. 

"  On  one  occasion,  in  the  early  settlement  of  this 
country,  a  large  bear  came  in  the  night  and  took  a 
fat  hog  from  the  pen  and  carried  it  for  a  considerable 
distance,  and  only  let  it  down  when  pursued  by  the 
owner  with  his  dogs  so  closely  as  to  be  compelled  to 
do  so,  after  which  this  citizen  continued  the  pursuit 
for  several  miles  until  the  bear  was  safely  treed  on  a 
large  oak.  The  above  incident,  the  father  of  our 
mighty  Nimrod,  Jacob  Hammersley,  if  he  were  yet 
living,  could  testify  to,  and  that  it  occurred  on  a  cold, 
frosty  morning  in  November. 

"  On  another  occasion  the  writer  knew  of  an  ox 
having  been  killed  and  devoured  by  a  panther,  and 
recently,  in  constructing  the  present  State  road  from 
this  place  to  Germania,  the  bones  of  a  man  were  found 
who  no  doubt  had  been  killed  and  devoured  by  these 
wild  inhabitants  of  the  forest. 

"In  1857  a  man  by  the  name  of  Samuel  Snyder, 
in  the  employ  of  Joseph  Beidler,  while  hunting  deer 
one  day  on  what  is  usually  termed  by  hunters  a  good 
tracking  snow,  came  across  what  he  judged  to  be  the 
track  of  a  large  panther,  and  having  long  desired  to 
capture  one  of  those  formidable  inhabitants  of  the 
forest,  with  two  trusty  dogs  that  he  had  wilh  him 
took  the  trail.     After  following  the  track  about  two 


586 


IIISTORY   OF   CLINTON    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


miles,  which  seemed  to  be  very  fresh,  he  espied  a  fox 
lying  dead  in  his  trail,  and  upon  examination  found 
that  the  fox  had  been  following  in  the  walk  of  the 
panther,  instinctively  expecting  to  participate  in  what- 
ever booty  the  pantlier  might  obtain.  But  the  pan- 
ther, no  doubt,  thinking  his  proximity  might  jeopar- 
dize his  success,  and,  like  the  calculating  McDonald, 
allowed  his  shadow  to  approach  near  enough  to  dis- 
patch him  with  one  backhanded  stroke  of  his  paw. 

"Snyder,  continuing  the  pursuit,  liad  not  gone 
very  far  until  he  came  upon  the  remains  of  a  deer 
that  had  just  been  killed  by  the  panther  ;  the  distance 
from  where  the  last  tracks  of  the  panther  were  to  be 
seen  in  the  snow  to  where  the  deer  was  lying  was  just 
twenty-three  feet. 

"Just  at  this  instant  he  heard  fierce  barking  a  lit- 
tle over  the  declivity,  and  evident  indications  that  a 
contest  was  raging.  Arriving  at  the  brow  of  the 
hill  he  perceived  some  distance  down  from  him  a  very 
large  animal  that  he  presumed  to  be  a  panther;  the 
dogs  had  closed  in  upon  him,  and  to  escape  their  an- 
noyance he  had  sprung  upon  the  trunk  of  a  leaning 
tree.  Approaching  as  near  as  he  thought  it  practi- 
cable under  the  circumstances,  he  leveled  his  trusty 
rifle  at  his  head,  but  the  shot,  on  account  of  the  dis- 
tance, fell  below  the  mark  and  wounded  him  in  the 
neck.  He  then  leaped  to  the  ground  and  the  dogs 
closed  upon  him,  when  one  of  them  received  such  a 
severe  blow  from  the  panther  as  to  disable  him  from 
renewing  the  attack;  in  the  meanwhile  Snyder  re- 
loaded, the  other  dog  keeping  up  the  attack,  when  ho 
discharged  another  load  with  like  efl^ect.  By  this 
time  he  was  within  about  twenty-five  feet  of  the  mon- 
ster, and  getting  a  favorable  opportunity  took  deadly 
aim  at  the  animal's  head  which  brought  him  to  the 
ground.  The  writer  has  often  heard  Snyder  say  that 
had  he  not  dispatched  him  at  Ihe  last  shot  the  pan- 
ther would  have  attacked  him,  and  dogs  and  all  would 
have  been  compelled  to  succumb  to  his  immense 
power.  The  length  of  the  panther  from  tip  of  nose 
to  end  of  tail  was  nine  feet  and  two  inches.  This 
measurement  was  made  by  your  correspondent,  and 
had  any  one  told  him  that  so  formidable  an  animal 
inhabited  our  woods  he  would  not  have  believed  it. 

"  Snyder  was  a  man  of  great  physical  endurance 
and  knew  nothing  of  fear,  but  he  said  that  after  this 
huge  monster  lay  prostrate  at  his  feet,  he  could  not 
help  but  trembleatthe  thought  of  his  imminent  peril, 
and  thank  God  for  his  deliverance." 

Pioneer  Settlers,  how  they  lived  and  how  they 
built. — The  primitive  settlers  of  a  community  have 
experiences  which  never  fall  to  the  lot  of  succeeding 
generations,  and  it  is  diflicult  for  those  living  in  long- 
established  communities  to  realize  just  how  their  an- 
cestors did  live.  It  is  generally  supposed  that  "first 
settlers"  are  of  necessity  scantily  supplied  with  the 
"necessaries  of  life;"  such  is  not  the  case  as  far  as 
eating  is  concerned,  for  as  a  rule  they  have  an  abund- 
ance of  substantial  and  wholesome  though  plain  food. 


At  all  seasons  of  the  year  wild  game  and  fish  form  a 
large  share  of  the  table  supplies.  With  this  kind  of 
fare  the  pioneers  of  Chapman  were  especially  favored, 
as  there  was  no  region  of  country  that  afforded  a 
greater  abundance  of  all  kinds  of  game.  As  to  the 
products  of  the  soil,  a  mere  "  patch"  of  a  few  acres, 
which  was  frequently  all  that  the  settlers  had  cleared, 
was  capable  of  producing  suflicient  wheat,  rye,  corn, 
potatoes,  etc.,  for  the  support  of  a  large  family,  and 
the  land  first  settled  upon  along  the  West  Branch  was 
especially  adapted  to  the  growth  of  those  crops.  In 
a  new  country  the  raising  of  livestock  is  attended 
with  less  trouble  and  expense  than  might  be  sup- 
posed; for  a  great  part  of  the  year,  like  the  deer, 
cattle  maintain  themselves  by  "browsing"  upon  the 
wild  herbage  of  the  forest,  and  swine  have  been  known 
to  live  and  thrive  the  year  round  on  "  mast,"  which 
is  generally  abundant  among  beech,  oak,  and  chest- 
nut timber.  So,  really,  actual  and  absolute  want  is 
not  necessarily  attendant  upon  pioneer  life.  People 
living  in  newly-settled  districts  remote  from  stores 
experience  considerable  inconvenience  in  obtaining 
supplies  of  groceries,  dry-goods,  etc.,  but  generally 
trips  are  made  to  the  nearest  town  or  "  place  of  busi- 
ness" at  certain  seasons,  when  sufBcient  merchandise 
is  procured  to  last  till  the  next  trip.  In  case  the  tea, 
coffee,  or  any  other  luxury  should  run  out,  the  family 
managed  to  get  along  without  it  till  an  opportunity 
was  offered  to  lay  in  a  stock.  In  converting  his 
grain  into  flour,  the  hardy  pioneer  was  generally 
equal  to  the  emergency,  and  if  at  too  great  a  dis- 
tance from  a  mill  he  constructed  one  for  himself  and 
his  neighbors.  Fifty  or  seventy-five  years  ago  it 
was  no  unusual  thing  to  see  what  was  called  a  "  tub- 
mill"  in  nearly  every  neighborhood  in  the  West 
Branch  region.  The  mill  was  of  very  simple  con- 
struction, having  but  a  single  run  of  stone  and  very 
little  machinery,  and  was  driven  by  water-power. 
During  the  time  William  Bennett  occupied  the 
"Young  Womanstown  fiirm"  he  built  a  tub-mill  at 
the  mouth  of  Young  Woman's  Creek,  for  which,  with 
other  improvements  he  had  made  on  the  property,  he 
was  allowed  ihirltj-three  pounds,  which  amount  was 
deducted  from  his  rent-bill.  A  few  years  later  a  mill 
of  the  same  kind  was  built  at  the  mouth  of  Hyner's 
Run,  on  the  site  of  the  mill  now  owned  by  Lemuel 
Farwell,  and  also  one  at  the  mouth  of  Paddy's  Run. 
These,  with  a  mill  of  similar  construction  at  the  mouth 
of  Tangascootac  Creek,  were  the  first,  and  for  a  long 
time  the  only,  "  manufacturing  establishments"  on  the 
West  Branch  above  the  "  Big  Island." 

About  sixty  years  ago  a  man  by  the  name  of  Boggs 
bored  a  salt  well  on  the  south  side  of  the  river  above 
the  mouth  of  Boggs'  Run,  which  flows  into  the  river 
near  Paddy's  Island.  He  sank  it  to  the  depth  of 
ninety  feet,  when  water  strongly  impregnated  with 
salt  was  found,  but  for  some  reason  nothing  was  done 
in  the  way  of  manufacturing  salt. 

The  first  buildings  of  the  settlers  were  of  course 


Kl@iaTKl    ©litGE),   (BMraT@lKI    ©@.,   IPft. 


KISOISBIKI©!   ©1?    Kl.   m.  WEBSYEM., 
3©ISTH    B1(M©,    @ILaKlT®IKI    ©©.5    1?^. 


CHAPMAN   TOWNSHIP. 


587 


constructed  of  logs,  and  were  long  since  in  ruins;  in 
many  instances  not  a  vestige  remains  to  mark  their 
locations.  As  improvements  advanced  and  the  set- 
tlers became  more  prosperous,  they  very  naturally  de- 
sired to  "put  on  style"  and  live  in  frame  houses, 
which  necessitated  the  building  of  mills  for  sawing 
their  lumber.  The  first  ones  used  in  Chapman  town- 
ship, like  the  "tub-mills,"  were  small  affairs,  but 
admirably  served  the  purpose  for  which  they  were 
intended.  Ir)  the  course  of  time,  however,  they  gave 
way  to  larger  and  more  substantial  structures,  which, 
though  run  by  water-power,  were  supplied  with  many 
improvements.  Aa  the  demand  for  lumber  increased, 
these  in  turn  yielded  to  the  steam-mills  now  in  use. 

About  the  year  1830  a  modern  water-power  saw- 
mill was  built  on  Hyner's  Run,  about  two  miles  above 
the  mouth,  by  Leonard  and  Michael  Bradney,  and 
after  passing  through  the  ownership  of  several  differ- 
ent parties  was  finally  purchased  in  1852  by  T.  B. 
Loveland  and  Isaac  Shaffer,  who  operated  it  till  1855, 
when  they  sold  out  to  Hansel  &  Brother.  In  1862 
the  Hansels  built  another  mill  about  one-half  mile 
farther  down  the  run,  and  soon  after  sold  their  prop- 
erty to  Kolter,  Hoshour  &  Co.,  of  York  County,  the 
present  proprietors,  who  now  own  in  all  about  five  thou- 
sand acres  of  timber  land  lying  upon  Hyner's  Run.  In 
1872  this  firm  built  a  steam-mill  in  connection  with 
the  original  or  upper  mill,  since  which  time  the  lower 
one  has  stood  idle.  The  sawing  capacity  of  the  mill 
now  operated  is  about  five  million  per  year.  The 
supply  of  logs  is  brought  down  the  run  from  a  dis- 
tance of  four  or  five  miles. 

In  1854,  R.  K.  Hawley  &  Co.  erected  a  saw-mill  on 
Young  Woman's  Creek,  about  one-fourth  of  a  mile 
from  its  mouth.  At  present  it  is  owned  in  part  and 
operated  by  A.  J.  Quigley. 

About  three-fourths  of  a  mile  farther  np  the  creek 
Messrs.  Mensch  &  Lowenstein,  of  Wilkesbarre,  built 
a  large  steam  saw-mill  in  1872.  In  1875,  Mensch  re- 
tired from  the  firm,  and  the  business  at  present  is 
conducted  solely  by  Mr.  Lowenstein.  This  mill  has 
a  capacity  of  six  million  feet  per  year,  the  logs  being 
brought  to  the  mill  from  the  tract  on  which  they  are 
cut,  a  distance  of  four  or  five  miles,  on  a  narrow-gauge 
railroad  constructed  for  the  purpose.  The  property 
connected  with  this  mill  consists  of  six  thousand  six 
hundred  acres  of  land,  a  large  portion  of  it  well  tim- 
bered, and  eight  or  ten  houses  for  employes. 

In  1863,  Joseph  and  George  Parsons  and  Henry 
Clark  constructed  a  large  steam  saw-mill  at  the 
mouth  of  Paddy's  Run.  This  firm  sold  out  to  Wil- 
liam Parsons  and  James  Clark,  by  whom  the  mill  was 
operated  till  1868  or  '69,  when  Clark  sold  his  interest 
to  Lawshe.  Then  Parsons  &  Lawshe  sold  to  Gamble, 
White  &  Co.,  the  owners  in  1876. 

The  history  of  North  Point,  the  pleasant  little  vil- 
lage at  the  mouth  of  Young  Woman's  Creek,  is  iden- 
tical with  that  of"  Young  Womanstown  farm,"  upon 
which  it  is  built.     Facts  in  relation  to  the  first  settle- 


ment of  the  locality  having  already  been  given,  it  is 
now  in  place  to  speak  of  its  more  recent  history  and 
present  condition. 

Villages. — The  nucleus  of  a  village  or  town  is  gen- 
erally formed  by  the  establishment  of  a  post-office,  the 
erection  of  a  school-house,  store,  etc.  In  1 827,  a  build- 
ing which  served  the  twofold  i)urpose  of  church  and 
school-house  was  built  at  the  mouth  of  Young  Wo- 
man's Creek,  under  the  supervision  of  the  Rev.  Daniel 
Barber,  who  at  that  time  was  stationed  at  the  place  by 
the  Northumberland  Presbytery. 

Though  the  name  "Young  Womanstown"  was  ap- 
plied to  the  place  at  a  very  early  day,  even  before  it 
was  occupied  by  the  whites,  and  letters,  legal  and 
other  papers  were  dated  "  Young  Womanstown" 
from  the  period  of  its  first  settlement,  it  is  believed 
that  no  regularly  authorized  post-office  was  estab- 
lislied  there  till  about  the  year  1830,  when  John 
Quigley  was  commissioned  postmaster.  About  the 
same  time  or  soon  after  his  son  Michael,  a  young  man 
twenty- years  of  age,  was  appointed  justiceof  the  peace, 
which  office  he  has  held  ever  since,  with  the  exception 
of  one  year.  He  was  the  first  commissioned  "Squire" 
on  the  West  Branch  west  of  Lock  Haven.  During 
this  long  term  of  service  he  has  married  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  couples,  and  always  made  it  a  point 
to  kiss  the  bride. 

He  also,  in  1844,  started  the  first  store  in  the  place, 
there  being  no  other  at  the  time  nearer  than  Lock 
Haven.  In  1859  a  new  Presbyterian  Cluirch  was 
built,  in  which  religious  services  are  now  held  every 
alternate  week  by  the  Presbyterian  and  Methodist 
denominations.  This  is  the  only  church  at  present  in 
the  place. 

The  following  episode  in  the  history  of  North 
Point  was  furnished  by  A.  J.  Quigley,  Esq.,  of  that 
place : 

"  In  1837,  at  the  gubernatorial  election,  every  effort 
was  made  to  re-elect  Joseph  Ritner.  Thaddeus  Ste- 
vens had  designed  the  Gettysburg  tape-worm,  and  put 
in  course  of  construction  the  West  Branch  Division  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Canal.  The  workmen  on  the  canal 
were  anxious  to  have  the  work  continue,  and  nothing 
but  his  re-election  would  in  any  event  continue  the 
work.  The  Democratic  party,  headed  by  David  R. 
Porter,  was  opposed  to  internal  improvements  by  the 
State,  believing  that  all  such  enterprises  could  be 
managed  safer  by  private  corporations.  Many  be- 
lieved that  the  construction  of  a  canal  to  Erie  was  a 
stake  of  rather  questionable  policy.  But  the  country 
being  in  the  midst  of  a  financial  crash  and  hard  times, 
the  workingmen  were  looking  to  their  own  interest, 
and  Thaddeus  Stevens,  a  wily  politician,  seized  the 
opportunity  to  take  advantage  of  the  manifest  will  of 
the  laborers  on  the  canal,  and  came  up  to  Young 
Womanstown  and  devised  a  plan  with  the  workmen 
to  'vote  early  and  often.'  The  election  board  was 
manipulated  to  make  the  oath  easy  and  bear  lightly, 
and  Young  Womanstown,  hitherto  unknown  in  his- 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


tory,  only  for  its  Indian  tradition,  became  the  noto- 
rious birtliplace  of  ballot-box  stuffing,  carried  on  to 
the  present  day  in  Philadelpbia  and  other  cities  of 
the  Union. 

"  Chapman  township,  which  at  that  time  had  about 
fifty  legal  voters,  polled  over  seven  hundred  votes  for 
Joseph  Ritner.  The  return  judge,  who  is  still  living 
and  almost  a  centenarian,  in  carrying  the  returns  to 
Williamsport  (this  being  then  Lycoming  County), 
and  who  also  was  an  untiring  friend  of  Ritner,  showed 
the  open  returns  so  often  that  they  became  sadly  de- 
faced, after  which,  to  satisfy  his  many  inquiring 
friends,  he  opened  the  sealed  report,  which  act  for- 
feited the  legality  of  the  report,  and  the  board  of  re- 
turn judges  rejected  it,  and  so  saved  Young  Womans- 
town  the  first  and  last  illegal  returns  ever  sent  from 
that  stronghold  of  Democracy. 

"  We  have  heard  it  said  that  it  was  dangerous  to 
get  to  the  window  unless  you  could  exhibit  a  ticket 
with  the  name  of  Joseph  Ritner.  Patrick  O'Flaherty 
would  vote  and  then  go  away  and  take  a  drink,  and 
return  to  the  window  with  other  tickets  and  vote  the 
name  of  John  Dougherty  without  a  question  from  the 
board,  except  a  significant  nod  from  the  '  boss,'  who 
stood  at  the  window  indicating  that  all  was  right,  and 
so  they  continued  repeating  all  day." 

In  1866  an  act  was  passed  by  the  Legislature  au- 
thorizing the  construction  of  a  State  road  from  North 
Point  up  Young  Woman's  Creek  to  Germania,  in  Pot- 
ter County,  a  distance  of  twenty-six  and  a  half  miles. 
By  a  supplement  to  the  act  passed  in  1867,  Joseph 
Schwartzenbach,  Joseph  H.  Bailey,  John  White,  and 
A.  J.  Quigley  were  appointed  commissioners  to  lay 
out  and  open  the  road,  which  Was  accomplished  in 
1874,  and  the  road  is  now  in  good  condition. 

In  1868  an  act  was  passed  incorporating  the  Clinton 
and  Potter  County  Navigation  Company,  the  object 
of  which  corporation  was  to  improve  and  clear  Young 
Woman's  Creek  for  running  down  logs. 

The  post-office  at  North  Point  still  retains  the  name 
of  "Young  Womanstown,"  owing  to  the  fact  that 
there  is  another  "  North  Point"  in  the  State.  The 
railroad  company  adopted  the  name  the  village  now 
bears  when  they  located  a  station  there.  It  was  sug- 
gested by  Messrs.  A.  J.  Quigley  and  W.  T.  Lesher,  as 
it  is  the  most  northerly  point  on  the  West  Branch. 

This  place  is  the  centre  of  a  community  of  some 
fifty  families,  and  is  the  point  where  the  township 
elections  are  held.  It  has  three  stores,  kept  by  Glea- 
son  &  Irvine,  Warren  Summerson,  and  H.  C.  Stoner. 

It  has  a  good  hotel,  built  in  1872.  It  was  once 
owned  by  Mrs.  T.  J.  Black,  and  leased  by  H.  C.  Stover, 
but  is  now  kept  by  A.  M.  Marshall.  There  is  a  shoe- 
shop  and  blacksmith-shop  iu  the  village.  The  rail- 
road company  has  a  good  passenger  and  freight  depot 
and  telegraph-office.  Robert  Bridgens,  one  of  the 
first  three  commissioners  of  the  county,  resides  near 
the  place.  Among  the  fine  residences  erected  here 
within  the  past  few  years  are'  those  of  Hon.  A.  J. 


Quigley,  Squire    Quigley,    Robert   Bridgens,  J.  W. 
Crawford,  and  J.  H.  Bailey  &  Co. 

Hyner. — This  village,  atthemouth  of  Hyner's  Run, 
dates  its  origin  back  to  quite  an  early  period,  having 
been  first  settled  about  1800.  A  school-house  was 
built  at  an  early  day,  and  the  Methodist  Church  in 
1815.  It  contains  some  forty  families,  including  those 
living  within  a  mile  or  so  of  the  post-office.  The  only 
store  here  is  kept  by  Hon.  Coleman  Grugan,  one  of 
the  associate  judges  of  the  county  from  .1871  to  1876, 
who  also  has  charge  of  the  post-office.  The  flouring- 
mill  of  Lemuel  Farwell  occupies  the  site  of  the 
original  "  tub-mill"  of  the  neighborhood.  Among 
the  fine  residences  of  the  place  are  those  of 
Judge  Grugan,  Theo.  Johnson,  Jlichael  Bradney, 
Lemuel  Farwell,  Cline  Farwell,  and  James  A.  Mc- 
Closkey.  Religious  services  are  held  every  Sunday 
in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  the  village 
is  noted  for  its  quiet  and  good  order. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


HON.    AMOS   C.   NOYES. 

Among  the  names  of  the  men  who  have  been  prom- 
inent in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  who  have  held 
positions  of  great  responsibility  and  honor,  we  find 
the  name  of  Hon.  Amos  C.  Noyes.  Born  in  Grafton 
County,  N.  H.,  Sept.  18,  1817,  he  grew  to  man's  es- 
tate therein,  developing  into  a  manhood  as  firm  in  its 
integrity,  as  grand  in  its  conceptions  of  nobleness 
aud  generosity  as  the  granite  rocks  of  his  native 
State.  His  ancestors,  as  set  forth  in  the  biography 
of  his  brother  Charles,  were  of  Scotch-Irish  descent, 
and  resided  in  New  Hampshire  from  its  earliest  set- 
tlement. Until  he  had  attained  his  majority  he  was 
occupied  in  agricultural  pursuits  connected  with  his 
father's  farm,  acquiring  meanwhile  the  rudiments  of  a 
useful  and  practical  education.  He  was  then  actively 
engaged  for  a  few  years  in  general  mercantile  pursuits, 
meeting  with  varying  success.  Removing  to  Em- 
porium, Cameron  Co.,  Pa.,  in  1847,  he  occupied  him- 
self in  the  lumbering  trade.'  In  this  business  he 
continued  until  his  death,  which  occurred  Sept.  3, 
1880.  In  1849  he  moved  from  Cameron  County  to 
Westport,  in  Clinton  County,  Pa.,  where  he  continued 
to  reside  until  his  death.  In  the  lumbering  business 
he  met  with  great  and  merited  success.  He  was  at 
the  head  of  the  firm  of  Noyes,  Bridgens  &  Co.,  who 
were  at  that  time  the  largest  square-lumber  dealers  on 
the  West  Brand),  and  for  many  years  his  time  was 
engrossed  by  the  cares  incident  to  so  large  and  ex- 
tensive a  business,  also  by  a  growing  interest  in  the 
momentous  public  and  political  questions  then  agi- 
tating the  country,  and  whicli  culminated  ultimately 
in  the  civil  conflict.  During  the  Rebellion  he  was  an 
active  and  warmly-interested  LTnionist,  and  exerted 


(2  .  &,  J^ 


/ 


CHAPMAN  TOWNSHIP. 


589 


himself  to  the  utmost  in  aiding  to  uphold  the  rights 
and  honor  of  his  State  and  country.  In  politics, 
Col.  Noyes  (taking  that  title  from  a  militia  colonelcy 
which  he  held  some  years  before)  was  a  Democrat, 
and  during  the  civil  war  a  war  Democrat.  In  1862 
his  legislative  district,  then  composed  of  Clinton  and 
Lycoming  Counties,  nominated  him  as  the  Demo- 
cratic candidate  for  the  House  of  Representatives. 
Hon.  James  Chatham  was  the  Republican  nominee 
for  re-election.  The  previous  year  Mr.  Chatluim  had 
carried  the  district  by  four  hundred  majority.  This 
Col.  Noyes  not  only  reversed,  but  added  twelve  hun- 
dred to  it,  making  a  change  of  sixteen  hundred  votes. 
His  term,  for  which  he  had  made  such  a  gallant  fight, 
was  filled  with  such  honest  fidelity  to  his  section  and 
State  that  he  was  ag.ain  put  forward  by  his  friends  for 
the  same  position  and  was  again  elected.  In  1864, 
observing  the  two  consecutive  term  rule,  he  was  not 
a  candidate.  In  1868  he  was  a  Presidential  elector  on 
the  Democratic  ticket. 

In  1870  his  legislative  district,  which  had  been  by 
the  apportionment  changed  to  embrace  Clinton,  Cam- 
eron, and  McKean  Counties,  again  nominated  him 
for  the  Legislature.  Cameron  was  a  Republican 
County,  and  gave  Schofield,  the  Republican  candidate 
for  Congress,  forty-five  majority,  while  it  gave  Col. 
Noyes  three  hundred  and  fifty-eight  Democratic  ma- 
jority, and  he  was  for  the  third  time  elected.  In  1871 
his  district  was  again  changed  to  comprise  Clinton, 
Lycoming,  and  Sullivan  Counties,  and  was  entitled 
to  two  members,  and  Col.  Noyes  was  one  of  those 
elected  to  represent  this  district.  In  1872  he  was  for 
the  fifth  time  elected  to  the  Legislature.  While  act- 
ing in  this  capacity  he  served  on  several  prominent 
committees,  viz.,  the  Committee  on  Ways  and  Means, 
on  Corporation  and  Education,  besides  others  of  less 
magnitude  and  importance.  While  engaged  in  these 
responsible  positions  he  evidenced  at  all  times  and 
under  all  circumstances  the  possession  of  many  needed 
and  admirable  qualities.  When  the  internecine  strug- 
gle was  at  its  fullest  and  most  menacing  development 
he  was  bold  and  fearless  in  speech  and  action,  while 
he  labored  incessantly  to  increase  the  means  and  re- 
sources of  the  government,  and  effectively  denounced 
the  trickery  of  faithless  partisans  and  officials.  Al- 
though devoted  to  the  interests  of  his  party,  and  an 
energetic  and  able  ally  and  leader,  he  always  sternly 
refused  to  use  his  talents  in  serving  it  when  conscien- 
tiously opposed  to  its  measures  and  operations.  In 
1875,  at  the  Democratic  State  Convention  held  at  Erie, 
Col.  Noyes  was  one  of  the  most  prominent  candidates 
for  the  office  of  Governor.  After  a  warm  contest  of 
many  ballotings  between  his  friends,  Bigler  and  Barr, 
a  compromise  was  finally  made  by  nominating  Judge 
Pershing.  In  1877  he  was  nominated  by  the  Demo- 
cratic State  Convention  as  its  candidate  for  State 
treasurer,  to  which  office  he  was  elected,  and  which 
he  filled  with  credit  to  himself  and  his  State.  He 
was  also  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Public  Charities, 


and  was  tireless  in  his  efforts  to  make  that  organiza- 
tion prompt  and  effectual  in  its  workings.  Generously 
interested  in  all  matters  of  progress,  im])rovement, 
and  philanthropy,  he  did  much  to  ameliorate  the 
condition  of  the  poorer  classes  in  the  section  of 
Pennsylvania  where  he  resided,  and  was  always 
ready  to  co-operate  vigorously  in  all  charitable  enter- 
prises. As  an  orator.  Col,  Noyes  was  curt,  incisive, 
logical,  and  convincing,  wliile  his  plain  and  unlabored 
delivery  was  forcible  and  impressive.  He  died  in  the 
prime  of  life,  honored  and  esteemed  by  all  who  knew 
him,  and  still  missed  by  his  friends  and  neighbors  as 
few  men  are.  He  was  married  July  30, 1854,  to  Miss 
Rebecca  J.,  daughter  of  Charles  and  Hannah  (Salt- 
man)  Stewart.  She  was  born  Sept.  10,  183.3,  in  West- 
port,  Pa.,  and  came  of  an  old  and  honorable  Scotch 
fiimily.  The  funeral  of  Col.  Noyes  took  place  Sept. 
7, 1880.  Rev.  J.  J.  Pearce,  an  old  and  esteemed  friend, 
preached  the  sermon,  paying  a  glowing  tribute  to  the 
memory  of  the  deceased,  and  attesting  to  his  moral 
worth  and  stainless  character.  After  the  sermon  John 
S.  Bailey,  Esq.,  read  a  biographical  sketch  of  his  life 
from  boyhood  to  the  time  of  his  death.  The  body 
was  then  taken  in  charge  by  the  Masonic  order,  and 
proceeded  to  the  place  of  burial,  which  had  been  se- 
lected a  few  days  before  by  the  deceased.  The  hearse 
was  preceded  by  Renovo  Lodge,  No.  495,  of  which  he 
was  a  member.  A  number  of  other  lodges  were  in 
the  procession,  as  were  many  of  the  most  prominent 
men  in  the  State,  and  hundreds  of  the  hardy  lumber- 
men, who  came  many  miles  to  attend  the  burial  of 
their  deceased  friend.  It  was  the  largest  funeral  ever 
held  in  Northern  Pennsylvania,  and  well  attested  the 
love  and  respect  felt  for  him  by  all  classes. 


CHARLES  R.  NOYES. 
Prominent  among  the  representative  families  of 
Clinton  County  we  find  the  name  of  Noyes.  Their 
ancestors  were  Scotch-Irish,  and  came,  it  is  supposed, 
from  the  north  of  Ireland,  and  settled  prior  to  the 
Revolutionary  war  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State 
of  New  Hampshire,  where  Nathaniel  Noyes  (the  first 
of  the  family  of  whom  definite  knowledge  is  had) 
was  born.  Soon  after  the  war  for  independence  he, 
with  his  family,  moved  to  Grafton  County,  N.  H.,  where 
he  bought  a  farm,  on  which  he  remained  until  his 
death.  His  wife  was  Miss  Mary  Harriman,  and  to 
them  were  born  six  sons  and  two  daughters,  all  of 
whom  grew  to  man  and  woman's  estate.  The  seventh 
of  these  was  Rufus,  who  was  born  in  1789.  He  grew 
to  manhood  in  his  native  county,  and,  like  his  father, 
turned  his  attention  to  farming.  He  married  Miss 
Hannah  Clark,  who  was  of  English  extraction.  Their 
children  were  Amos  C,  James  C,  Hannah  M.,  Rufus 
H.,  Charles  R.,  and  Jennie,  all  of  whom  are  still 
living,  except  Amos  C.  and  Rufus  H.  Mrs.  Noyes 
died  in  1846,  at  the  age  of  fifty-three,  and  in  August, 
1862,  Mr.  Noyes  was  thrown  from  a  load  of  hay  and 


590 


HISTORY   OF  CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


killed.  Charles  R.  Noyes,  our  subject,  was  born  in 
Grafton,  Jan.  5,  1829.  He  grew  to  manhood  on  the 
home  farm,  going  to  the  district  school  winters  and 
two  terms  at  the  Newbury,  Vt.,  Methodist  Seminary. 
Arrived  at  maturity,  he  started  out  in  life  for  himself, 
his  first  work  being  on  a  farm  at  twelve  dollars  per 
month.  In  1850,  Mr.  Noyes  joined  his  brother  Amos, 
who  was  keeping  a  general  store  in  what  is  now  West- 
port,  Clinton  Co.,  Pa.  He  clerked  for  his  brother 
until  1854,  when  he  became  a  partner.  In  1859  they 
partly  closed  out  the  mercantile  business,  and  we 
next  find  the  brothers  grading  and  building  the 
mason-work  for  the  bridges  of  nine  miles  of  the  Phila- 
delphia and  Erie  Railroad.  Their  contract  was  com- 
pleted in  two  years.  The  brothers  then  devoted  their 
energies  mainly  to  lumbering,  which  has  been  Mr. 
Noyes'  principal  calling  ever  since.  He  has  an  in- 
terest in  many  thousand  acres  of  pine  lands.  In 
Cameron  County  the  firm  is  known  as  the  "  Hunt's 
Run  Lumbering  Company."  In  Clearfield  and  Clin- 
ton Counties  he  is  one  of  the  firm  of  Carskaddon  & 
Co.  at  Three  Run.  He  is  also  owner,  or  nearly  so,  of 
the  Noyes'  mill  near  Westport,  a  water-mill  which  he 
runs  about  nine  months  in  thfe  year.  Mr.  Noyes 
handles  principally  square  timber,  round  logs,  and 
sawed  lumber,  and  in  a  skilled  way  as  his  success 
attests.  He  has  always  been  a  Democrat  in  politics, 
but  never  an  office-holder,  save  in  his  township, 
where  he  has  been  school  director  for  nine  successive 
years,  and  has  also  been  Westport's  postmaster  since 
1854.  By  his  neighbors  and  associates  he  is  spoken 
of  as  a  business  man  of  sound  judgment  and  sterling 
integrity,  and  whose  word  is  as  good  as  his  bond.  July 
4,  1865,  he  was  married  to  Mary  A.,  daughter  of 
Michael  and  Christina  Herman.  She  was  born  June 
6, 1842.  Their  children  are  Hattie,  Martha,  Edward, 
Nellie,  Harry,  Bessie,  Hannah  V.,  and  Daisy. 


ROBERT    BRIDGENS,  ESQ. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  Robert  Bridgens,  Esq., 
was  born  at  Young  Womanstown,  Clinton  (then  Lyco- 
ming) Co.,  Pa.,  on  June  14,  1796,  where  he  died  on 
the  morning  of  the  31st  day  of  May,  1882,  having  re- 
sided all  his  life  at  the  place  of  his  birth.  Young 
Womanstown  is  a  beautiful  plat  of  level  land  situ- 
ate on  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna,  about 
twenty-five  miles  west  of  Lock  Haven,  immediately 
above  the  point  where  Young  Woman's  Creek  empties 
into  the  river.  The  name  of  the  locality  is  of  Indian 
origin,  and  was  once  the  seat  of  an  Indian  village,  at 
which  frequent  gatherings  of  the  aborigines  occurred, 
the  traditions  of  which  are,  however,  clouded  in  more 
or  less  obscurity  and  doubt. 

Mr.  Bridgens  belonged  to  a  family  of  old  settlers, 
nearly  all  of  whom  lived  to  reach  an  age  far  beyond 
the  usual  number  of  years  accorded  to  man.  He  was 
by  occupation  a  farmer  during  all  his  life,  but  was 
sometimes  also  largely  engaged  in  the  business  of 


manufacturing,  buying,  and  selling  square  timber.  In 
1838,  when  Muncy  was  the  head  of  canal  navigation ,  he, 
with  others,  had  a  steamboat  built  for  the  purpose  of 
towing  arks,  etc.,  from  that  point  to  localities  "  up  the 
river,"  and  of  this  propeller  he  accepted  the  cap- 
taincy. The  enterprise,  however,  did  not  prove  a 
practical  or  remunerative  one,  and  after  a  thorough 
trial  was  abandoned. 

When  Clinton  County  was  formed  in  1839,  Mr. 
Bridgens  was  elected  one  of  its  first  county  commis- 
sioners. By  the  act  of  Assembly  erecting  the  county 
it  was  provided  that  the  person  having  the  highest 
vote  for  commissioner  should  serve  for  three  years, 
the  second  highest  for  two  years,  and  the  third  high- 
est for  one  year.  The  vote  stood:  for  Hugh  White, 
560 ;  for  Robert  Bridgens,  555 ;  and  for  Anthony 
Kleckner,  540.  The  record  declares  these  to  have 
been  the  three  highest  in  the  vote,  but  does  not  give 
the  vote  cast  for  other  candidates.  In  1841,  Mr. 
Bridgens  was  re-elected  for  a  full  term  of  three  years 
by  a  vote  of  725  to  640  for  Robert  McCormick,  a 
worthy  man,  whose  family  connection  in  the  new 
county  was  very  large.  This  result  clearly  shows  the 
public  confidence  in  Mr.  Bridgens  at  the  time,  for  in 
addition  to  the  fair  personal  standing  and  large  family 
connection  of  his  opponent  in  nearly  every  part  of  the 
county,  Mr.  Bridgens  was  forced  to  contend  with  the 
questions  of  the  plans,  location,  cost,  and  building  of 
the  new  court-house  and  jail,  as  well  as  other  an- 
noying issues  (hat  naturally  accompany  the  organi- 
zation of  a  new  county.  This  was  the  last  jjublic 
office  Mr.  Bridgens  filled,  or  was  a  candidate  for, 
though  he  ever  retained  his  personal  influence,  and 
it  is  believed  never  missed  an  election. 

In  1846,  Mr.  Bridgens  joined  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  of  which  he  remained  an  active,  con- 
sistent, and  leading  member  uutil  death  severed  his 
connection  with  it.  All  his  life  he  was  distinguished 
for  acts  of  benevolence,  good  will,  and  hospitality, 
and  friends,  acquaintances,  and  even  strangers  were 
always  cordially  received  or  kindly  treated  when  they 
called  upon  visits  or  for  food  and  shelter.  Mr.  Brid- 
gens ever  retained  the  friendship  and  respect  of  all 
who  knew  him,  and  he  died  without  an  enemy.  He 
was  a  successful  business  man,  a  kind  parent,  a  be- 
nevolent neighbor,  an  ardent  friend,  upright,  truthful, 
generous,  and  an  honest  man.  A  widow  and  seven 
children  survive  him,  the  latter  being  J.  Warren 
Bridgens,  a  prominent  merchant  of  Lock  Haven ; 
John,  Thomas,  and  Robert  Bridgens,  who  follow  the 
occupation  of  their  father;  Nancy,  wife  of  John 
Quigley,  of  Young  Womanstown;  Melissa,  wife  of 
D.  M.  May,  Esq.,  of  Renovo ;  and  Miss  Sade  Bridgens. 


JOHN   SCOTT    BAILEY. 
John  Scott  Bailey  is  by  birth  a  Pennsylvanian,  and 
of  Scotch-Irish  and  English  descent.     His  grandpa- 
rents on  the  paternal  side  came  from  England  and 


^^^aJU^-  f^o-^^^P^^ 


L^/a.c>^^■ 


1 


CHAPMAN   TOWNSHIP. 


591 


Scotland  (the  grandfather  from  England,  the  grand- 
mother from  Scotland),  and  settled  near  Ken  net  Square, 
in  Chester  County,  Pa.,  prior  to  the  Revolution. 
Their  families  participated  in  the  war  for  independ- 
ence on  the  side  of  the  colonies.  The  grandparents, 
Elisha  Bailey  and  Elizabeth  Scott,  were  married  in 
Chester  County  in  1794.  The  result  of  this  union 
was  three  sons  and  one  daughter,  viz. :  Thomas, 
James,  Elisha  H.,  and  Ellen.  Thomas,  the  eldest, 
and  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Chester 
County  July  20,  1795.  Elisha,  Sr.,  was  a  shoemaker 
by  trade, — poor,  but  honest  and  industrious.  In  1800 
he  moved  to  MitHin  County,  where  he  died  in  1808, 
leaving  a  widow  and  four  small  children.  Although 
in  limited  circumstances.  Mrs.  Bailey  kept  her  family 
together  until  they  reached  the  years  of  maturity, 
raising  them  up  to  ways  of  industry  and  economy. 
During  this  time  they  had  removed  to  Kishacoquillas, 
where  the  eldest  boys  struggled  to  keep  the  family 
together.  The  widow  kept  her  children  in  the  sub- 
scription schools  all  the  time  they  could  be  spared 
from  their  work  on  the  farm.  They  thus  helped  earn 
their  living,  and  at  the  same  time  acquired  a  liberal 
education  in  the  common  branches. 

The  farm  on  which  the  widow  and  her  children 
struggled  and  toiled  was  finally  bought  by  James,  the 
second  son,  who  became  one  of  the  wealthy  farmers 
of  the  valley.  Elisha  H.  learned  the  trade  of  carding 
wool  and  fulling  cloth,  and  removed  to  the  western 
part  of  the  State,  on  the  Allegheny  River,  where  the 
city  of  Parker  now  stands.  He  married  a  lady  of 
good  family,  and  raised  a  large  family  of  children. 
He  served  as  justice  of  the  peace  for  many  years,  and 
in  the  oil  excitement  of  1869  had  several  good  paying 
wells  developed  on  his  property.  Ellen,  the  daughter, 
was  married  to  Maj.  William  Wilson,  a  well-to-do 
farmer  of  Kishacoquillas  valley.  He  was  elected  as 
a  Democratic  member  of  the  Legislature  of  Penn- 
sylvania in  1853.  Violet  Hunter,  the  mother  of  our 
subject,  was  born  in  County  Tyrone,  nine  miles  from 
Londonderry,  Ireland,  March  3,  1802.  When  sixteen 
years  old  she  sailed  from  Londonderry,  and  after  a 
long  and  stormy  passage  of  six  weeks  landed  in  New 
York,  where  she  remained  some  two  months,  then 
came  to  Philadelphia  by  steamboat,  thence  to  her 
uncle  Houston's,  iu  Shafferstown,  Lebanon  Co.,  by 
stage,  where  she  arrived  Oct.  31,  1818.  She  remained 
with  her  uncle  nine  months,  then  came  to  Lewistown, 
Mifflin  Co.,  where  she  resided  a  short  time,  doing 
work  in  a  hotel.  From  there  she  went  to  the  Kisha- 
coquillas valley,  where  she  met  with  Thomas  Bailey, 
to  whom  she  was  married  on  the  31st  day  of  August, 
1824. 

John  Scott,  their  third  child  and  eldest  of  six  sons, — 
the  two  firstborn  being  daughters, — first  saw  the  light 
of  day  March  3, 1830,  at  a  place  called  Brown's  Mills, 
now  Heedsville,  Mifflin  Co.,  situated  on  the  Kishaco- 
quillas Creek,  five  miles  from  Lewistown,  also  near 
the  famous  Logan  Spring,  near  the  banks  of  Tea 


Creek,  wliere  Logan,  the  historical  Mingo  chief,  once 
lived.  AVhile  still  in  infancy  his  parents  crossed  over 
the  Seven  Mountains  into  Pcnn's  valley,  (.'entre  Co., 
and  located  on  a  farm  belonging  to  John  Irvine,  near 
the  head-waters  of  Spring  Creek.  Here  his  father 
for  years  followed  the  occupation  of  husbandman, 
and  here  John  Scott's  first  recollections  of  life  are 
centred.  His  earliest  recollections  are  associated  with 
this  beautiful  valley. 

Between  the  ages  of  four  and  live  he  was  sent  to 
school,  and  was  taught  to  read  at  so  early  an  age  that 
he  can  scarce  remember  when  he  could  not  read.  In 
the  spring  of  1835  the  fiimily  moved  to  Richland 
township,  in  Venango  County,  near  the  east  bank  of 
the  Allegheny  River,  and  located  on  a  farm,  where 
they  remained  two  years,  making  some  substantial 
improvements  in  the  way  of  buildings,  etc.  They 
then  ascertained  that  the  party  of  whom  they  bought 
could  not  give  a  good  title,  so  they  rented  an  adjoin- 
ing farm,  which  was  beautifully  located  on  a  bluff 
overlooking  the  Allegheny  River.  This  was  in  the 
spring  of  1837.  This  farm,  on  which  the  father  and 
sons  labored  and  struggled  for  many  years,  was  finally 
bought  and  paid  for.  In  the  start  it  was  almost  a 
wilderness,  but  the  toil  of  strong  and  willing  arms 
made  it  blossom  like  the  rose.  There  Mr.  Bailey 
passed  his  youth  in  the  healthful  employment  of 
farming,  going  to  the  common  schools  during  the 
winter  months.  Arrived  at  man's  estate,  and  being 
of  a  somewhat  roving  turn  of  mind,  he  bid  adieu  to 
home  and  friends  and  started  out  on  foot  for  the 
pineries  of  Warren  County.  His  guiding  star  led 
him  to  Tidioute,  where  he  arrived  Aug.  31,  1850,  and 
resided  most  of  the  time  for  four  years,  engaged  in 
lumbering, — cutting  logs,  making  square  timber, 
rafting  boards  and  timber,  and  running  rafts  to  Pitts- 
burgh and  Cincinnati.  The  trip  to  the  last-named 
place  was  made  in  three  weeks,  a  distance  of  seven 
hundred  miles  being  traversed,  and  was  accompanied 
with  hardships  and  dangers,  both  by  day  and  night, 
on  account  of  high  winds.  The  most  of  the  distance 
on  the  Ohio  River  had  to  be  made  at  night.  Wages 
were  low  and  employment  scarce,  and  he  found  it  a 
poor  field  for  making  money,  but  a  good  one  for  sow- 
ing wild  oats. 

On  the  10th  day  of  June,  1855,  he,  with  a  friend, 
started  on  loot  for  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susque- 
hanna. The  first  day  they  reached  Warren,  the  next 
went  by  stage  to  Mountniorencie.  The  next  day  on 
foot  they  passed  through  Ridgway  and  Centreville  to 
Caledonia.  At  that  date  there  were  no  railroads  con- 
structed between  Erie  and  Harrisburg,  and  various 
were  the  modes  of  travel  ;  the  cheapest  and  most 
popular  was  by  foot.  The  next  day  footed  it  down 
Bennet's  Branch  to  Driftwood  ;  thence  to  Keating; 
thence  on  a  raft  to  Lock  Haven,  where  they  arrived 
June  14th.  The)'  found  labor  in  about  the  same 
condition  here  as  iu  Warren  County.  Mr.  Bailey's 
friend,  James  Stewart,  became  homesick  and  dis- 


592 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


gusted  with  the  turn  matters  had  taken  and  returned 
to  the  western  part  of  the  State,  and  tried  hard  to  in- 
duce his  friend  to  do  likewise.  They  never  met  af- 
terwards. Mr.  Bailey  then  applied  to  the  county 
superintendent  of  schools,  Mr.  Alfred  Taylor,  for  a 
certificate  to  teach  school.  He  was  successful  and 
obtained  a  provisional,  which  bore  date  of  June  15, 
1855,  good  for  one  year.  Armed  with  this  sesame 
and  with  but  five  dollars  in  his  pocket,  he  started  on 
foot  up  the  West  Branch  with  a  light  heart,  if  he  w-as 
a  stranger  in  a  strange  land.  The  morning  was  hot 
and  sultry,  still  he  heeded  it  not,  but  tramped  along. 

During  the  forenoon  he  was  overtaken  by  a  couple 
of  lumbermen,  one  of  whom  proved  to  be  a  school 
director  of  one  of  the  up-river  districts,  the  other  was 
a  relative  of  the  president  o.f  the  school  board  of  an 
adjoining  district,  twenty-five  miles  above  Lock  Ha- 
ven. He  succeeded  in  getting  a  school  at  sixteen 
dollars  per  month  and  board  around,  and  opened  the 
school  June  19,  1855.  The  school-house  is  standing 
yet  iu  the  upper  end  of  Renovo.  Finished  the  school 
successfully  and  went  to  Leidy  township,  where  lived 
the  director  whom  he  met  on  'his  way  up  tlie  river. 
He  engaged  to  teach  four  months  and  board  around 
at  twenty  dollars  per  month.  In  1856  he  attended 
the  Slate  Normal  School  at  MillersviUe,  and  again 
taught  where  he  first  taught.  In  the  winter  of  1857 
he  taught  near  the  old  homestead  in  Venango  County, 
the  following  summer  in  Leidy.  Spring  and  summer 
again  taught  his  first  school.  In  August,  1858,  he 
entered  Dickinson's  Seminary  at  Williamsport,  where 
he  remained  until  the  close  of  the  year.  The  follow- 
ing year  again  took  his  old  school,  but  was  compelled 
bv  disease  to  leave  it,  and  he  then  hired  to  Stephen 
Werts,  at  Westport,  as  clerk  in  his  hotel  and  store. 
He  remained  with  Mr.  Werts  until  the  spring  of  1864, 
when  he  engaged  with  A.  C.  Noyes  &  Bro.  as  clerk 
and  acting  agent  for  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  Rail- 
road. 

During  tiie  war  he  was  drafted  twice.  The  first 
time  put  in  a  substitute,  and  the  .second  time  was 
not  wanted,  as  the  war  had  ended.  In  the  fall  of 
1865  we' find  Mr.  Bailey  acting  as  ticket,  freight,  and 
express  agent  in  the  new  depot  at  Westport;  also 
acting  postmaster  and  selling  merchandise,  using  tlie 
depot  as  a  store,  all  of  which  he  conducted  until 
spring  of  1870. 

In  May  following  he  resigned  his  position  at  West- 
port,  and  during  tlie  summer  traveled  in  the  South. 
In  the  fall  he  returned  and  purchased  the  Stephen 
Werts  properly,  opposite  the  depot.  The  same  fall 
was  appointed  by  the  court  one  of  the  commissioners 
of  the  Kettle  Slate  road,  Hon.  A.  C.  Noyes  resigning. 
He  was  elected  treasurer  of  the  commission,  and 
served  as  such  until  1882,  handling  many  thousands 
of  dollars,  and  at  the  expiration  of  the  committee 
was  honorably  discharged  by  the  court.  He  was 
united  in  marriage  at  Jersey  Shore,  Oct.  25,  1870,  to 
Miss  Beulah  G.  Blackwell,  and  in  the  following  No- 


vember commenced  the  mercantile  business  in  his 
new  building,  opposite  the  depot  at  Westport,  and  in 
connection  with  his  store  again  took  charge  of  the 
railroad  offices,  and  continued  to  have  charge  of  them 
down  to  1873.  His  wife  died  Feb.  19,  1872,  seven- 
teen days  after  the  birth  of  their  son,  Willie  B.,  and 
at  Jersey  Shore,  July  7lh  following,  of  cholera  in- 
fantum, Willie  followed  his  mother.  These  were 
severe  aiHictions,  but,  aided  by  a  philosophical  mind 
and  true  heroism,  he  bore  up  under  them.  Soon  after 
the  death  of  his  wife  he  was  called  to  the  death-bed 
of  his  venerable  father,  who  departed  this  life  June 
2,  1872,  after  a  short  illness,  at  the  advanced  age  of 
nearly  seventy-nine  years.  The  predominant  traits 
of  his  life  were  honesty  and  industry.  He  loved  phys- 
ical labor,  and  before  it  he  never  quailed.  He  was  a 
man  of  modest  and  retiring  habits,  and  though  well 
qualified  to  fill  many  public  positions  he  declined  all 
positions  and  honors.  He  was  for  more  than  half  a 
century  a  consistent  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church.  He  was  buried  in  the  Presbyterian  cemetery 
at  Richland.  His  wife,  now  past  eighty  years  of  age, 
is  still  living  with  her  son  Thomas,  who  owns  the  old 
homestead,  for  which  he  was  offered  a  large  sum 
during  the  oil  excitement,  as  two  or  three  paying 
wells  were  struck  on  it.  James  M.,  the  third  son, 
who  married  Jennie  Stout,  of  Renovo,  is  a  well-to-do 
fanner  near  Minneapolis,  Kan.  Samuel  H.,  the  fourth 
son,  after  making  and  losing  thousands  in  the  oil 
regions,  became  disgusted  and  went  to  California  in 
1875,  and  has  never  returned.  David,  the  fifth  son, 
died  in  the  army  at  Frederick  City,  Md.,  Dec.  18, 
1862.  He  was  a  non-commissioned  oflScer  in  the 
Fourth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry.  He  was  in  the  seven 
days'  fighting  in  front  of  Richmond  and  at  Antietam, 
which  was  his  last  battle.  He  was  buried  in  the  old 
family  burying-ground  at  Richland.  William  H., 
the  sixth  son,  died  at  the  old  homestead  in  April, 
1870.  Ellen,  the  oldest  daughter,  died  July  21, 1825, 
and  Jennie  E.,  who  married  James  Rickey,  died  Oct. 
1,  1862.  In  July,  1875,  John  S.  sold  out  his  store  to 
James  Ryan  and  0.  M.  Montgomery,  and  retired 
from  the  business. 

During  the  fall  and  winter  of  1875-76  he  wrote  up 
the  history  of  Noyes  township  for  D.  S.  Maynard's 
"History  of  Clinton  County."  When  Noyes  town- 
ship was  cut  off  from  Chapman  township,  he  was  by 
Judge  C.  A.  Mayer  appointed  the  first  judge  of  the 
election  board,  and  at  the  first  election  held  in  the 
township  was  elected  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  five 
years. 

Ryan  &  Edgcomb  having  closed  out  their  store 
at  Westport,  Mr.  Bailey  in  December,  1877,  occupied 
the  same  room  he  formerly  did,  and  again  embarked 
in  the  mercantile  business,  which  he  still  follows. 

In  1880  he  was  .again  elected  justice  of  the  peace, 
which  office  he  fills  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  people, 
and  is  and  has  been  acting  postmaster  for  more  than 
twelve  years. 


,^   ,.^,.     CJl^tjUJ,^ 


RENOVO   BOROUGH. 


593 


Mr.  Bailey  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
of  whicli  he  is  an  elder.  He  has  been  Sunday-school 
superintendent  for  many  years. 

During  the  troubles  in  the  school  board  in  1877, 
when  the  treasurer  could  not  get  a  bondsman,  Mr. 
Bailey  was  by  the  board  elected  a  director  and  made 
treasurer,  Hon.  A.  C.  Noyes  going  on  his  bond, 
thereby  saving  the  State  appropriation,  which  the 
township  came  near  losing.  He  has  twice  since  been 
elected  director,  and  is  still  serving  as  one,  and  since 
1877  has  served  as  treasurer  and  collector  of  school 
taxes  most  of  the  time.  He  also  served  as  one  of  tlie 
overseers  of  the  poor  for  1880,  and  collected  the  poor 
taxes. 

Mr.  Bailey  is  a  hard  student,  and  spends  all  his 
spare  time  reading  history  and  scientific  works.  He 
is  thus  qualified  to  discuss  intelligently  and  well 
ii'early  any  subject  that  may  come  up.  He  has 
written  for  the  papers  under  an  assumed  name,  and 
at  the  funeral  of 'the  Hon.  A.  C.  Noyes  he  read  a 
sketch  or  eulogy  on  the  life  and  character  of  his 
lamented  friend  and  neighbor. 

Mr.  Bailey  is  not  what  might  be  called  a  politician, 
but  is  and  has  been  a  consistent  Democrat.  There 
being  no  Presbyterian  Church  in  AVestport,  he  has 
co-operated  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
He  is  broad  and  liberal  in  his  religious  views,  and 
believes  there  is  good  in  all  the  churches,  and  that 
an  honest  man  is  the  noblest  work  of  God,  and  that 
religion  without  this  is  a. sham  and  a  fraud. 


W.  T.  McCLOSKEY. 

W.  T.  JlcCloskey,  one  of  the  enterprising  young 
business  men  of  Clinton  County,  was  born  on  the  8th 
day  of  April,  a.d.  1840,  at  Bakerstown,  in  said 
county.  He  is  of  Scotch-Irish  extraction,  his  great- 
grandfather on  the  paternal  side  having  been  born  in 
the  Emerald  Isle.  His  grandfather,  James  McClos- 
kcy,  W.1S  drafted  during  the  war  of  1812,  but  the  end- 
ing of  the  war  prevented  him  from  taking  any 
part  therein.  He  became  a  resident  of  Bakerstown, 
and  married  a  Miss  Susan  Fergundus,  by  whom  he 
had  ten  children.  Abner,  the  eldest  of  the  family 
and  the  father  of  our  subject,  married,  in  1838,  Nancy, 
daughter  of  John  and  Mary  Beard,  whose  family  was 
among  the  first  settlers  of  this  part  of  the  county. 
For  a  number  of  years  Mr.  McCloskey  farmed  and 
lumbered,  then  for  several  years  kept  a  hotel  below 
Westport.  His  children  were  William  T.,  Susan  E. 
and  Mary  E.  (twins),  John  B.,  Helen  S.,  Kate  I., 
Frank  P.,  fames  E.,  Sola  M.,  and  David  B.  and  Nan- 
nie B.,  also  twins.  All  of  these  children  grew  to 
manhood  and  womanhood.  William  T.  grew  np  at 
Cook's  Run,  attending  the  schools  of  his  district 
during  his  childhood,  and  graduating  in  the  com- 
mercial course  at  Dickinson's  Seminary,  Williams- 
port,  Pa.,  in  the  spring  of  1860.    On  the  9th  day  of 


June,  1864,  he  was  joined  in  marriage  to  Sallie  A., 
daughter  of  Rlioda  and  Ellen  (Patterson)  Logan, 
whose  ancestors  were  from  Ireland,  and  were  among 
the  first  settlers  of  Howard,  in  Centre  County,  Pa., 
and  were  iron-workers.  The  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
McCloskey  has  been  blessed  with  five  children,  viz. : 
Lorena  M.,  born  April  21,  186.5;  .'Vnnie  B.,  Feb.  7, 
1867,  died  June  17,  1868;  Herbert  N.,  born  April  8, 
1870;  Edward  L.,  born  Sept.  24,  187.3;  Debbie  N., 
born  Nov.  12,  1878.  Mr.  McCloskey's  first  work  for 
himself  was  school-teaching,  but  two  months  of  it 
satisfied  him,  and  he  never  tried  it  again.  His  mar- 
riage found  him  poor  in  purse,  but  endowed  with 
health,  strength,  and  an  energetic  industrious  disposi- 
tion. He  has  worked  at  carpenter-work,  blacksmith- 
ing,  and  farming,  but  his  principal  business  has  been 
milling  and  lumbering.  In  1868  he  built  on  the 
water-power  known  .as  the  old  Caldwell  power,  and 
now  owned  by  C.  R.  Noyes;  a  shingle-mill  followed, 
in  1879  by  a  grist-mill  in  which  he  placed  two  run  of 
stone,  and  the  most  improved  machinery  for  making 
flour.  The  capacity  of  his  mill  is  one  bushel  of  corn 
per  minute.  In  politics  a  Democrat,  though  not  a 
politician.  He  has  been  school  director  six  years, 
and  during  that  time  secretary  of  the  school  board, 
which  position  he  has  filled  to  the  entire  satisfaction 
of  the  board.  He  is  also  district  school  superinten- 
dent. Mr.  McCloskey  is  liberal  in  all  his  views,  and 
a  believer  in  and  supporter  of  any  policy  which 
means  progress  and  advancement,  especially  to  the 
laboring  classes  ;  in  fact,  a  man  whose  motto  is  "  do 
unto  others  as  you  would  have  them  do  unto  you." 


CHAPTER   CXI. 


REXOVO    BOROUGH. 


This  pretty  railroad  town  is  emphatically  in  the 
mountains,  and  all  who  visit  it  are  charmed  with  its 
picturesque  surroundings.  The  West  Branch  of  the 
Susquehanna  River  runs  through  a  narrow  valley, 
and  there  are  tall  mountain  on  both  sides,  north 
and  south.  The  mountain  on  the  south  rises  almost 
perpendicular  from  the  water's  edge  to  a  height  of 
eight  hundred  feet.  As  it  is  heavily  wooded  from  base 
to  summit,  and  the  foliage  full  and  luxuriant,  the  ap- 
pearance is  decidedly  beautiful.  The  hills  on  the 
north  side  are  more  broken,  which  give  them  a  still 
wilder  appearance.  Renovo  is  the  creation  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company,  as  the  great  shops 
of  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  Division  are  located 
here.  The  little  valley  or  pocket  in  the  side  of  the 
mountain  in  which  it  is  built  is  entirely  occupied 
with  the  town  and  the  machine-shops  of  the  railroad ; 
and  as  lots  for  building  purposes  are  scarce,  a  new 
town  has  been  laid  out  on  the  south  side  of  the  river 
on  a  level  plot  of  land  formerly  cultivated  as  a  farm. 


594 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


The  ground  has  been  surveyed  by  the  "  Improvement 
Company,"  and  on  the  completion  of  the  bridge  across 
the  river  the  building  will  commence.  The  popula- 
tion of  the  town  is  over  four  thousand,  and  is  rapidly 
increasing.  It  is  supplied  with  pure  water  brought  from 
the  mountain  on  the  south  side  in  pipes  laid  in  the 
bed  of  the  river.  The  reservoir  is  so  high  up  in  the 
mountain  that  the  pressure  from  the  head  is  sufficient 
to  send  the  water  over  the  highest  buildings  in  the 
town  ;  no  steam  engines  being  therefore  needed,  hose 
and  ladders  are  only  used. 

In  1825  that  part  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains  lying 
west  of  Lock  Haven  along  the  West  Branch  of  the 
Susquehanna  and  its  tributaries  was  sparsely  settled, 
only  here  and  there  at  the  mouths  of  the  streams  was 
erected  a  small  log  tenement,  as  the  humble  home  of 
the  hardy  woodsman.  Deer  and  elk  were  daily  seen 
pasturing  in  the  swamps  and  lowlands  along  the  river, 
while  the  howl  of  the  wolf,  the  scream  of  the  panther, 
wild-cat,  and  catamount  were  nightly  heard  from  every 
mountain-top. 

About  this  time  one  William  Baird  left  Jersey  Shore, 
and,  with  canoe  loaded  with  provisions  and  some 
household  goods,  pushed  his  way  twenty-eight  miles 
west  of  Lock  Haven,  and  settled  on  the  banks  of  the 
Susquehanna  River  in  a  small  cabin  that  had  been 
built  in  180G  by  a  squatter  named  Price,  with  the  in- 
tention of  clearing  up  a  farm.  This  land,  upon  which 
Renovo  is  built,  was  sold  in  182.5  by  Thomas  and 
Augustus  Price,  sons  of  the  first  settler  and  squatter, 
to  Baird,  who  moved  upon  the  tract  of  one  hundred 
and  six  acres  from  his  birthplace,  just  below  the  "  Big 
Island."  A  few  years  afterwards  he  married  Miss 
Margaret  Stout,  and  the  fruits  of  tlieir  marriage  were 
several  sons  and  daughters.  By  their  untiring  indus- 
try on  reaching  manhood  they  made  the  spot  selected 
by  their  father  a  beautiful  and  fertile  farm,  and,  de- 
spite the  want  of  educational  advantages,  by  study 
became  quite  a  family  of  scholars.  They  continued 
to  cultivate  and  beautify  the  farm,  nothing  occurring 
of  note  to  cliange  the  monotony  of  farm  life  until  the 
lumbering  interests  of  the  region  became  a  source  of 
profit.  This  business  the  young  men  engaged  in 
heartily,  and  every  year  were  well  rewarded  for  their 
hard  labor.  By  a  subsequent  purchase  Mr.  Baird  ac- 
quired possession  of  several  liundred  acres  of  moun- 
tain land  adjoining  his  river  farm.  During  1821  and 
1822,  John  Stout,  whose  daughter  Baird  afterwards 
married,  lived  upon  his  farm  as  a  tenant. 

The  Railroad. — As  the  valuable  resources  of  this 
region  became  known  to  men  of  capital,  they  con- 
ceived the  idea  of  constructing  a  railroad  through 
this  valley.  The  preliminary  surveys  were  made 
about  1847,  and  some  ten  years  thereafter  the  pro- 
jected road  from  Sunbury  to  Erie  was  put  under  con- 
tract, the  work  commenced  in  the  east  and  gradually 
pushed  westward.  In  1862  the  first  whistle  of  the 
locomotive  was  heard  entering  what  is  now  Renovo, 
engineered  by  John  Tomlinson.     This  brought  the 


construction  train  with  material  for  the  road  and  sup- 
plies for  the  workmen.  The  old  inhabitants  of  the 
place  hailed  this  new  element  with  joy  and  gladness 
as  a  harbinger  of  prosperity  and  comfort,  inasmuch 
as  it  would  enable  them  to  obtain  not  only  the  neces- 
saries but  also  the  luxuries  of  life,  while  heretofore 
only  the  former  could  be  procured  by  the  slow  wagon 
by  land  or  the  primitive  canoe  on  the  Susquehanna, 
requiring  days  of  patient  toil  to  visit  the  nearest 
market  town  and  return.  The  railroad  now  being  a 
fixed  fact  and  a  grand  success,  the  laying  of  the  track 
was  pushed  on  towards  Erie,  the  western  terminus  of 
the  road;  and  though  this  enterprise  was  yet  in  its 
infancy',  it  required  no  hoary  prophet  to  foretell  its 
rapid  strides  to  wealth  and  power.  As  trade  and 
travel  sought  the  convenience  of  this  thoroughfare 
east  and  west,  the  people  in  this  region  were  greatly 
exercised  with  the  pleasing  thought  that  future  de- 
velopments would  exhibit  sources  of  untold  wealth, 
much  of  which  has  been  realized,  indeed,  far  beyond 
their  most  sanguine  expectations. 

Laying  out  the  Town.— Tlie  Philadelphia  and 
Erie  (old  Sunbury  and  Erie)  Railroad  Company,  after 
a  thorough  canvass  of  this  portion  of  the  line  of  the 
road,  concluded  to  locate  their  machine-shops,  etc., 
on  this  plateau,  on  which  was  the  farm  of  William 
Baird.  Several  influential  men  at  this  juncture  or- 
ganized the  "Philadelphia  and  Erie  Land  Company," 
and  purchased  Mr.  Baird's  flats  and  his  twelve  hun- 
dred acres  of  mountain  land  in  October,  1862.  This 
company  transferred  to  the  railroad  company  all  that 
part  of  its  purchase  lying  north  of  the  railroad  track 
for  the  erection  of  car-shops  and  other  necessary  rail- 
road buildings. 

The  land  company  laid  out  the  balance  of  the 
Baird  farm  into  streets  and  lots.  The  latter,  twenty- 
five  by  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet,  were  rap- 
idly sold  off"  at  prices  ranging  from  one  hundred  to 
fifteen  hundred  dollars,  and  it  was  not  long  before  a 
town  of  over  two  thousand  inhabitants  sprang  into 
existence.  The  "  Renovo  House"  and  depot  .stand  on 
ground  set  apart  for  the  purpose  by  the  land  company 
when  the  town  was  laid  out.  They  are  located  at  the 
west  end,  south  of  the  railroad,  and  the  inclosure  con- 
tains several  acres,  including  the  ground  on  which 
the  old  Baird  mansion  stood. 

The  streets  are  broad,  straight,  and  level ;  those 
running  parallel  with  the  river  are,  beginning  at  the 
railroad,  Erie,  Huron,  and  Ontario  Avenues.  These 
are  crossed  at  right  angles  by  seventeen  others,  which 
are  numbered  in  regular  order  from  west  to  east,  the 
course  which  the  river  flows  in  passing  the  town. 
The  land  upon  which  Renovo  is  built  is  nearly  level, 
and  lies  mostly  above  high-water  mark. 

Renovo  borough  lies  on  the  West  Branch  of  the 
Susquehanna  River  and  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie 
Division  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  distant  fifty- 
three  miles  from  Williamsport,  twenty-eight  from 
Lock  Haven,  and  is  one    hundred   and   ninety-five 


RENOVO   BOROUGH. 


505 


east  of  Erie.  The  scenery  of  the  grand  hills  and 
river  here  is  of  a  sublime  and  picturesque  character, 
the  town  lying  in  the  valley,  surrounded  by  the  hills, 
with  the  most  majestic  of  all  American  rivers  flowing 
at  their  base.  It  has  an  elevation  of  twelve  hundred 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  its  lovely  position 
and  most  healthful  location  have  made  it  a  popular 
summer  resort. 

On  the  laying  out  of  the  town  in  1862,  the  railroad 
company  at  once  set  to  work  in  erecting  their  shops 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  growing  interests  of 
the  road.  The  round-house  was  the  first  building 
commenced,  and  its  corner-stone  laid  in  August,  1863. 
This  work  was  carried  on  under  the  supervision  of  H. 
R.  Campbell.  At  this  time  skillful  and  energetic 
mechanics  and  laborers  were  in  demand.  They  came 
from  all  parts  of  the  country,  and  thus  the  work  went 
on  until  the  machine-shops,  store-house,  offices,  and 
wood  department  were  completed.  These  buildings 
are  built  of  brick,  almost  all  of  which  were  made  on 
the  ground  near  the  works. 

About  the  time  the  railroad  was  completed  to  Erie, 
the  site  on  which  Renovo  stands  was  made  the  east- 
ern terminus  of  the  Middle  Division,  and  J.  J.  Law- 
rence was  made  superintendent,  who  resigned  in  1865. 
A.  M.  Cleveland  was  the  first  train-master  here  ;  Wil- 
liam H.  Ginter  the  first  dispatcher,  and  F.  Petrikin 
the  first  express  and  station  agent.  Harry  Alford, 
as  engineer,  brought  the  first  passenger  train  from  the 
east,  and  W.  L.  Forster  from  the  west.  The  latter 
also  ran  the  first  engine  into  the  round-house,  and 
was  subsequently  general  foreman  of  all  the  railroad 
shops  here. 

The  depot  was  finished  in  the  latter  part  of  1865, 
is  one  hundred  and  twelve  by  seventy-five  feet,  and 
is  built  of  brick.  lu  1869  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad 
Company  began  the  erection  of  the  Renovo  House,  a 
large  brick  hotel  seventy-two  by  one  hundred  and 
eighty  feet,  attached  to  the  depot,  and  three  stories 
high.  The  interior  is  finished  and  furnished  in  the 
most  modern  style.  The  grounds  around  it  are 
adorned  with  choice  trees  and  shrubbery  and  three 
attractive  trout-pools,  all  gotten  up  with  rare  taste 
and  skill.  It  was  first  kept  by  Capt.  W.  H.  May,  who 
had  kept  the  Otzinachson,  the  first  hotel  and  board- 
ing-house in  town.  Early  in  1864,  Maj.  G.  J.  Ball,  a 
member  of  the  land  company,  was  made  its  agent, 
and  under  his  able  management  the  lots  were  quickly 
sold. 

Travelers  passing  through  the  township  by  rail  are 
surprised  at  the  magnitude  of  the  railroad  shops 
which  suddenly  loom  up  as  the  train  dashes  around 
a  curve  and  quickly  halts  in  front  of  an  attractive 
station  and  inviting  hotel.  The  rattle  and  the  roar 
of  the  machinery  are  sufficient  to  awaken  the  echoes 
of  this  mountain  region,  whilst  a  tall  and  graceful 
chimney  sends  forth  clouds  of  black  smoke  of  suffi- 
cient density  to  darken  the  sky.  The  extent  of  these 
shops  is  shown  by  the  subjoined  table : 
38 


Emptny^B. 

BljickBniilh-sliop 2"3 

lluilii-Bhnp 09 

I'att'M'h-aliop 4 

MoiiMirig-i^liop 4<1 

Miicliirn-Blu.p 171 

C'ar-l.uildere 171) 

raiiitprs :U 

Total 7U-! 


In  this  number  are  included  laborers,  helpers,  and 
apprentices.  The  total  number  of  men  employed  on 
the  Middle  Division, — including  the  shop-hands, — 
which  runs  to  Kane,  one  hundred  miles,  is  nine  hun- 
dred and  thirty. 

E.  B.  Westfall,  a  practical  railroad  man  of  long 
experience,  is  the  superintendentof  the  division.  His 
position  is  a  very  onerous  one,  but  he  manages  the 
trust  confided  to  him  most  successfully.  The  pay- 
ments to  his  employes  amount  to  about  forty  thou- 
sand dollars  monthly.  This  money  is  forwarded  to 
him  from  the  main  office  of  the  railroad  company  in 
Philadelphia,  and  each  man  is  paid  the  amount  due 
him  by  check.  W.  L.  Holman  is  the  master-me- 
chanic of  these  shops,  which  rank  next  in  size  to 
those  of  the  company  at  Altoona,  and  are  supplied 
with  all  the  requisite  machinery  and  modern  mechan- 
ical appliances  for  the  rapid  execution  of  work.  Lo- 
comotives and  cars  of  all  kinds,  including  Pullmans, 
can  be  built  here.  Two  engines  are  used  to  produce 
thirty  electric  lights  when  working  the  shops  at 
night.  These  lights  have  proved  a  success,  and 
although  it  cost  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company 
some  ten  thousand  dollars  to  put  them  in,  they  cost 
less  than  oil  and  give  greater  satisfaction  to  the  work- 
men, as  they  are  able  to  work  to  a  better  advantage. 
There  are  fourteen  electric  lights  in  the  machine- 
shop,  four  in  the  boiler-sliop,  two  in  the  moulding- 
room,  and  ten  in  the  car-shops.  More  will  be  put  in 
as  they  are  required.  The  lights  make  the  shops  as 
brilliant  as  day,  and  as  ground-glass  globes  are  used 
the  light  is  soft  and  not  injurious  to  the  eyes.  The 
great  round-house  describes  half  a  circle,  and  has 
stalls  for  twenty-two  locomotives.  These  finely- 
equipped  shops  in  this  mountain  region  surprise 
strangers,  and  it  is  safe  to  sar  that  not  less  than  one 
million  dollars  is  invested  there. 

Renovo  is  two  hundred  and  fifty-two  miles  north- 
west of  Philadelphia,  on  the  line  of  the  Philadelphia 
and  Erie  Railroad;  two  hundred  and  twenty-eight 
from  Baltimore,  fifty  west  of  Williamsport,  one  hun- 
dred and  ten  east  of  Kane,  and  one  hundred  and 
ninety-six  east  of  Erie. 

Early  Stores  and  Industries. — Almost  every  house 
in  town  was  a  boarding-house  as  late  as  1865,  when 
Jacob  von  Ulrich  built  the  United  States  Hotel, 
where  many  of  the  mechanics  and  roadmen  were  ac- 
commodated with  board  and  lodging.  In  1865  the 
railroad  company  erected  a  row  of  double  dwelling- 
houses  on  Sixth  Street,  and  as  late  as  the  close  of 
that  year  there  were  less  than  a  dozen  house*  east  of 
that  street.     The  following  year  they  put  up,  princi- 


596 


HISTORy   OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


pally  for  the  officers  and  foremen  of  the  shops  and 
road,  a  number  of  fine  and  commodious  dwellings  in 
that  romantic  glen  north  of  the  railroad,  at  the  base 
of  the  mountain,  beside  the  still  waters  of  "Swamp- 
poodle." 

The  first  merchants  were  Lowe  &  Munday,  who 
commenced  business  in  1863,  and  soon  afterwards 
sold  out  to  Newton  Wells  and  Z.  M.  P.  Baird.  The 
latter  gentleman  erected  in  1863  a  store-house  on  the 
bank  of  the  river,  and  subsequently  removed  it  to 
Erie  Street.  In  186-1  the  firm  changed  to  Wells, 
Murphy  &  Co.,  and  afterwards  to  James  Murphy  &  Co. 

J.  B.  Givin  &  Son  began  business  in  1865.  In  1867 
a  co-operative  store  was  started  in  the  name  of  G.  W. 
Sapp  &  Co.,  who  in  1872  occupied  the  room  under 
the  I.  O.  O.  F.  Hall. 

The  first  drug-store  was  established  in  1865  by 
E.  T.  Swain,  who  built  the  first  brick  store-room  and 
residence.  The  first  and  only  bank  was  organized  in 
1871  by  R.  B.  Caldwell  &  Co.,  and  continued  business 
until  February,  1876. 

Z.  M.  P.  Baird  was  the  first  postmaster,  and  was 
succeeded  by  William  Dwyer,  and  he  in  1870  by 
Newton  Wells,  the  present  incumbent.  The  oflice  is 
now  a  Presidential  appointment. 

Borougrh  Incorporation— Officials.— The  borough 
of  Reuovo  was  incorporated  in  1866,  and  on  May  26th 
of  that  year  the  first  election  was  held,  when  the  fol- 
lowing officers  were  chosen  :  Chief  Burgess,  J.  S. 
Hall;  Council,  Jacob  Givler,  Patrick  Shelly,  J.  Y. 
Rothrock,  W.  H.  May,  Peter  Quinn ;  Constables, 
William  Hartig,  D.  M.  May;  Justices,  W.  P.  Baird, 
John  Reilly  ;  Overseers  of  Poor,  Dr.  S.  Reynolds,  R. 
Walthall ;  School  Directors,  P.  C.  Moyer,  James 
Murphy,  J.  S.  Hall,  W.  P.  Baird,  Joseph  Whitby, 
M.  Forbes  ;  Election  Judge,  Joseph  Whitby  ;  Elec- 
tion Inspectors,  J.  D.  Glenn,  A.  S.  Shenefelt,  J.  B. 
Kendig. 

Since  then  the  burgesses  and  Council  have  been  : 

1SC7.— Cliief  Burgess,  Owen  Itaysor;  Council,  John  B.  Given,  George  11. 

nockwoitli,  E.  T.  Swain,  Charles  T.  Moore,  R.  G.  Hiinna;  Clerics, 

W,  B.  Quigle.v,  J.  B.  Keiidig. 
18C8.— Chief  Bnrgess,  William   Barkla;  Council,  N,  L.  Irvin,  Jesse 

Slun.ller,  James  I).  Glenn,  W'illiam  T.  Uall.Johii  Duffy;  Clerk,  P. 

C.  Mo.ver. 
1809.— thief  Burgess,  Thomas  L.  Chapman;  Council,  Jiimes  S.   Hall, 

James  Murphy,  Patrick  Kane,  Edward  McCarthy,  B.  J.  Smith; 

Clerk,  G.  H.  Hockworth. 
1870— Chief  Bnrgess,  Dennis  W.  May ;  Council,  William  E.  Hall,  James 

Murphy,  K.  A.  Beck,  J.  Y.  Kothrock,  J.  M.  Bailey ;  Clerk,  George 

H.  HocksKorth. 
871.— Chief  Bnrgess,  A.  S.  Crawford;  Connci),  John  Smith,  John  A. 

Travis,  George  Fesler,  Anthony  Dwyer,  W.  B.  Jordan ;  Clerk,  J.  H. 

Craig. 
872.— Chief  Burgess,  A.  S,  Crawford;  Conncil,  Matthew  Dean,  H.  E. 

Jacobs,  Joseph  Whitby, Stephen  Rider,  U.  M.  Messiner,  N.S.  Given; 

Clelk,  J.  U.  Shaffer  (and  in  office  frcni  that  to  present  time). 
1873.— Chief  Bnrgess,  A.  S.  Ciawfiud ;   Council,   Matthew  Dean,  J.   S. 

Hall,  R.  M.  Messiner,  Stephen  Rider,  K.  T.  Swain,  Joseph  Whitby. 
187J  —Chief  Burgess,  Frank  Harvey  ;  Cminril,  J.  S.  Hall, .Joseph  Wliitby, 

P.  II.  Sullivan,  S.  S.  Ellioit,  James  O'llag^in,  K.  T.  Swain. 
187.5.— Cliief  Burgess  Frank  Harvey  ;  Council,  J.  S.  Hall,  E.  T.  Swain, 

Andrew  Booney,  S.  M.  Elliott,  P.  H.  Sullivan,  George  Pierce,  James 

O'Hagan,  vice  Pierce,  resigned. , 


1870.— Chief  Burgess,  Frank  Harvey;  Council,  E.  T.  Swain,  P.  II.  Sulli- 
van, S.  II.  Elliott,  A.  J.  Roouey,  William  C.  Holohau,  William  H. 
Thomas.  ' 

1877.- Chief  Biirge=s,  Georgo  W.  Fesler;  Council,  E.  T.  Swain,  W.  C. 
Holohan,  W.  H.  Thomas,  A.  J.  Kooney,  William  E.  Hall,  B.  J. 
Smyth. 

1878.— Chief  Burgess,  George  W.  Fesler ;  Council,  W.  II.  Thomas,  A.  J. 
Rooney,  B.  J.  Smyth,  W.  E.  Hall,  James  Murphy,  A.  N.  Stevenson. 

1879— Chief  Burgess,  George  W.  Fesler;  Council,  W.  E.  Hall,  A.  N. 
Stevenson,  B.  J.  Smyth,  James  Murphy,  Malcolm  McCallum,  E.  P. 
Darling. 

1880.— Chief  Burgess,  Henry  K.  Stout ;  Conncil,  A.  N.  Stevenson,  E  P. 
Darling,  Malcolm  McCallum,  James  Murphy,  John  Ward,  A.  M. 
Hursh. 

1881.— Chief  Burgess,  Henry  K.  Stout ;  Council,  M.  McCallum,  E.  P. 
Darling,  John  Ward,  A.  M.  Hursh,  George  K.  McCrea,  George  W. 
Fesler. 

1882.— Chief  Burgess,  Benjamin  F.  Kumherger;  Conncil,  John  Ward 
(president),  Georgo  B.  McCrea,  A.  M.  Hnreli,  Georgo  W.  Fesler, 
Daniel  F.  Spangler,  Lewis  Pult;  Clerk,  John  U.  Shaffer;  Treas- 
urer, John  Smyth  ;  Street  Commissioner,  William  Ki.\oii;  Collector 
Water  Renls,  James  H.  Ferguson  ;  Board  of  Health,  Dr.  W.  C.  Wey- 
mouth (president).  Dr.  W.  E.  Hall,  and  John  Duffy  ;  Fire  Wardens, 
William  M.  Kniver  (chairman),  J.  R.  Deckard,  John  Reilley;  Con- 
stable, Godfrey  Beerwiler.    ' 

For  the  year  ending  March  31,  1882,  the  bonded 
debt  for  water-works  was  $55,400;  the  liabilities  of 
borough  in  full,  $58,300;  the  assets  of  borough, 
$62,684;  the  expenditures,  $11,071.09. 

Presbyterian  Church. — The  earliest  settlers  who 
made  permanent  lodgment  in  t'tiis  region  along  the 
river  were  for  the  most  part  of  English  and  Scotch- 
Irish  descent,  who  brought  with  them  the  customs 
and  manners  of  their  ancestors.  The  first  regularly- 
ordained  minister  that  ever  preached  in  this  county 
was  Rev.  Mr.  Thompson,  sent  as  a  missionary  by  the 
Presbytery,  who  went  as  far  up  as  Pine  Street,  on 
the  Bennett's  Branch  of  Sinnemahoning,  where,  ac- 
cording to  a  poetical  description  printed  in  the  Mil- 
(oniaii  in  1828,  and  supposed  to  have  been  written  by 
Rev.  Daniel  M.  Barber, — 

"  There's  a  place  called  Sinnenialiono, 
Of  which  but  little  good  is  known. 
For  sin  and  ill  must  be  its  lame, 


Since  iiii  beg 


its  1 


Mr.  Thompson  was  bid  see  them 
To  the  conversion  of  the  heathen. 
And  his  black  coat's  unusual  hue 
Caused  an  old  hunter  to  pursue 
And  cock  his  gun  to  blow  him  through. 
Believing,  as  I've  heard  him  swear. 
The  mi>sionaiy  was  a  bear." 

Mr.  Thompson  also  preached  in  1818  at  or  near  the 
mouth  of  Young  Woman's  Creek,  under  the  branches 
of  a  walnut-tree  which  is  still  standing,  and  near 
which  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  Railroad  runs. 

In  1828,  Rev.  Daniel  M.  Barber  was  sent  here,  and 
remainedasamissionary  among  t!ie  people  three  or  four 
years,  two  of  which  he  resided  here  with  his  family 
in  a  log  lionse  which  stood  at  the  mouth  of  Young 
Woman's  Creek,  and  which  was  swept  away  by  the  ter- 
rible ice. )am  of  Feb.  12, 1881,  which  also  took  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  off  its  foundation.  The  first  school- 
house  and  churches  were  erected  by  him  out  of  hewn 
logs  and  boxed  in  at  the  ends  or  corners,  chinked  and 


i;exovo  borough. 


so- 


daubed  with  clay  between  the  logs  to  fill  up  the  in- 
terstices and  keei)  out  the  cold.  The  interior  was 
arranged  so  as  to  answer  for  both  church  and  school- 
liouse,  with  high  puljjit  and  place  in  front  for  the 
chorister  or  clerk,  after  the  fashion  of  the  old  Scot- 
tish kirk.  He  was  the  means  of  erecting  a  number 
of  these,  even  as  high  up  as  Mason's,  on  Driftwood. 
During  or  shortly  after  Mr.  Barber  was  jiere,  Phineas 
B.  Marr,  a  licentiate  of  Pre.sbytery,  and  at  a  later 
day  pastor  of  the  church  at  Lewisburg,  also  visited 
this  region  and  preached.  Tlie  next  preacher  who 
came  was  Rev.  John  H.  Grier,  who  visited  several 
years.  In  1858,  through  the  instrumentality  of  A.  J. 
Quigley,  Presbytery  was  induced  to  send  supplies 
again  into  this  section,  and  in  1859  a  new  Presbyterian 
Church  was  built  just  alongside  of  the  old  one 
erected  by  iMr.  Barber  at  Young  Woma'nstown.  Some 
dozen  persons  were  added  to  the  church,  and  Rev. 
James  D.  Reardon  was  sent,  half  his  time  to  minis- 
ter in  this  field.  He  preached  also  at  Hyncr  and 
Drury's  Run.  In  the  mean  time  the  railroad  was 
completed  to  this  point,  and  Presbytery  secured  the 
services  of  Rev.  Isaac  N.  Rendal  in  place  of  Mr. 
Reardon,  called  to  Bufl^alo  valley.  He  took  measures 
to  erect  an  improvised  churcli  at  Renovo,  to  be  used 
preparatory  to  the  erection  of  a  better  building.  He 
remained  a  year  and  a  lialf,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  S.  S.  Sturges,  and  his  successor  was  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Life.  Tlien  followed  Revs.  A.  C.  Campbell, 
Thaddeus  McRea  (the  first  regularly  installed  pastor), 
S.  H.  Reed,  and  J.  Cook,  the  present  pastor,  who  was 
installed  in  1879.  A  Sabbath-school  was  organized 
in  the  improvised  church,  and  carried  on  at  first 
under  the  supervision  of  Rev.  I.  N.  Randall,  and 
finally  by  W.  R.  Forsyth.  The  church  was  organized 
Dec.  19,  1805.  The  new  cluirch  edifice  was  dedi- 
cated April  3,  1SG9. 

St.  Joseph's  Catholic  Church  is  a  handsome  and 
commodious  two-story  brick  structure,  erected  in 
1868.  Mass  and  services  had,  however,  been  had 
from  the  very  start  of  tlie  town,  in  1863  and  1864,  and 
were  conducted  in  temporary  buildings.  The  pres- 
ent pastor.  Father  Igo,  came  in  1878.  The  residence 
is  attached  on  one  side  of  the  cl.urch,  while  on  the 
other  is  the  "Convent  of  Mercy,"  a  neat  two-story  i 
frame  building.  This  church  has  double  the  mem- 
bership of  all  the  churches  here,  and  has  in  connec- 
tion with  it  a  flourishing  ])arochial  school. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church.— In  1831  preachers 
came  from  the  Genesee  Conference  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  to  expound  the  gospel  as  mission-  1 
aries  in  these  parts,  among  whom  were  Rev.  John 
Demmings  and  Lorenzo  Whipple.    This  whole  region 
was  called  the  Sinnemahoning  Circuit.    In  1838,  Rev. 
William  Gaire  came  to  this  region  to  see  if  these  I 
settlements  could  not  be  better  reached  for  religious  I 
purposes  by  being  attached  to  the  Baltimore  Confer- 
ence.    In  Jlarch,  1857,  "  North  Lock  Haven  Circuit  ! 
of  East  Baltimore  Conference"  was  formed,  and  ex-  ' 


tended  from  Quinn's  Run  to  Cook'.s  Run,  including 
Kettle  Creek.  The  preaching  app'pintnients  of  this 
large  circuit  were  Ilyner's  Run,  (iuijin's  Run,  Far- 
randsville,  Young  Womanstown,  Drury's  Run,  \\'est 
Centre  school-house  on  Kettle  Creek,  and  Beaver  D.ini 
on  Kettle  Creek. 

The  first  class-leaders  were:  Ilyner's  Run,  T.  B. 
Loveland,  Frederick  ShafTer ;  Qiinn's  Run,  Samuel 
Knepley  ;  Farran<lsville,  Charles  Kitchen;  Drury's 
Run,  Samuel  Kelly;  Centre  school- house,  Jedediah 
Page;   Beaver  Dam,  David  Walters. 

The  preachers  on  this  circuit  were  :  1857,  C.  B.  Tip- 
pett  (P.  E.),  A.  Hartman,  J.  H.  McCord  ;  1858,  James 
Sanks  (P.  E.).  A.  Hartman,  S.  McWiUiams;  1859, 
.Tames  Sanks  (P.  E.),  A.  R.  Reilley,  J.  P.  C.le;  1860, 
James  Sanks  (P.  E.),  B.  P.  King"  H.  M.  Ash  ;  1861, 
James  Sanks  (P.  E.),  B.  P.  King,  George  Leidy ;  1862- 
64,  J.  Y.  Rothrock  ;  1864,  J.  B.  Mann. 

In  1865,  Rev.  J.  B.  Mann  conceived  the  idea  of 
building  a  chapel  in  Renovo,  and  througji  his  instru- 
melitality  a  frame  edifice,  twenty-four  by  thirty  feet, 
was  erected  on  Seventh  Street.  The  same  year  this 
congregation  was  organized.  In  1868  the  present 
brick  church  was  built  on  Seventh  Street.  The 
church  here  now  is  a  station  under  the  Central 
Pennsylvania  Conference.  The  pastors  have  been 
here  :  1865,  Rev.  J.  B.  Mann  ;  1866-68,  Rev.  G.  W. 
FanfoBsen  ;  1868,  Rev.  Martin  L.  Drum;  1869-71, 
Rev.  A.  M.  Kester;  1871-74,  Rev.  A.'M.  Creighton  ; 
1874-76,  Rev.  George  Warren  ;  1876-79,  Rev.  James 
Hunter;  1879-82,  Rev.  B.  P.  King;  1882,  Rev.  W. 
A.  Stejihens. 

Before  this  congregation  was  formed  the  Methodists 
here  worshiped  at  Drury's  Run.  The  church  otficials 
in  1882are:  Sunday-school  Superintendent.  J.  A.  Ker- 
lin  ;  Trustees,  Abram  Kupp,  Abraham  Brickard,  M.  C. 
Laff'erty,  R.  M.  Glenn,  E.  W.  Edmunds,  E.  M.  Beck,  P. 
C.  Moyer,  J.  C.  Statler,  I.  A.  Kerlin.  It  has  a  mem- 
bership of  two  hundred  and  thirty,  and  a  very  i>ros- 
perous  Sunday-school.  The  present  pastor,  Rev.  Ste- 
])hens,  was  born  in  Huntingdon  County,  and  has  been 
thirteen  years  in  the  ministry. 

Trinity  Protestant  Episcopal  Church.— Just  after 
the  laying  out  of  the  towji,  and  when  A.  J.  Cassatt 
was  superintendent  of  the  railroad  here,  Episcopal 
religious  services  were  introduced  and  held  in  the 
depot.  These  were  on  Mr.  Cassatt's  retirement  and 
removal  elsewhere  discontinued.  On  Mav  22,  1875, 
Rev.  J.  H.  Black,  of  Williamsport,  preached  and  or- 
ganized a  congregation  with  five  members, — R.  W. 
Flower,  Mr.  Petrikin,  Mi-s.  Charles  Richardson,  Mrs. 
McGili,  and  Mrs.  Clair.  Services  were  first  held  in 
the  I.  O.  O.  F.  Hall,  and  after  it  burned  down  in 
Selly's  Hall  (the  remaining  part  of  the  winter),  then 
in  I.  O.  R.  M.  Hall,  and  then  in  Sullivan's  Opera- 
House  on  the  river.  The  present  neat  and  tasteful 
frame  edifice  on  Third  Street  (opposite  the  "Renovo 
House")  was  completed  Jan.  11, 1881,  and  consecrated 
in  October  of  that  year  by  Bishop  Howe.    At  its  con- 


HISTORY    OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


secration  many  distinguished  clergymen  of  the  Pro- 
testant Episcopal  Ciiurch  were  present,  and  the  cele- 
brated choir  of  St.  James'  Church,  Philadelphia.  It 
is  a  mission  of  the  Central  Pennsylvania  Division.  It 
has  fifty  communicants  and  eighty-six  Sunday-school 
scholars.  Its  property  is  valued  at  four  thousand 
dollars.  Rev.  J.  H.  Black  has  preached  every  month 
since  1875.  The  confirmations  in  its  first  year  num- 
bered twelve. 

The  English  Lutheran  Church  organized  a  con- 
gregation in  1881,  which  holds  its  services  in  the  G. 
A.  R.  Hall.  Rev.  C.  S.  Semmes  is  pastor.  It  is  now 
arranging  to  erect  a  substantial  church  edifice. 

Societies. — Renovo  Lodge,  No.  59-5,  I.  O.  O.  F. 
— In  the  summer  of  186(j,  Dr.  J.  P.  Ashcom,  Charles 
T.  Moore,  and  P.  C.  Moyer  met  together  in  Joseph 
Whitby's  boarding-house  to  take  steps  for  the  organ- 
ization of  a  lodge  of  Odd-Fellows. 

On  Dec.  24,  1866,  Renovo  Lodge,  No.  595,  was  in- 
stituted, with  the  following  charter  members  :  A.  S. 
Crawford,  N.  L.  Sterner,  William  J.  Parsons,  Thoitms 
Dawson,  J.  Cottell,  A.  Weigart,  Peter  Weaver,  Dr.  J. 
P.  Ashcom,  P.  C.  Moyer,  C.  T.  Moore,  and  L.  D. 
Campbell.  The  first  meetings  were  held  in  a  build- 
ing on  the  rear  of  the  lot  upon  which  the  new  hall  is 
built,  known  as  the  Democratic  Club  Rooms.  Its 
membership  increased  rapidly.  In  the  spring  of 
1869,  Charles  T.  Moore  and  Robert  M.  Me.ssimer  con- 
ceived the  idea'of  purchasing  a  lot  and  building  a 
hall.  The  lot  was  purchased  of  a  Mr.  Pennypacker 
for  four  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  and  the  Odd-Fel- 
lows' Building  Association  was  chartered,  which 
issued  three  hundred  and  twelve  shares  of  stock,  at 
twenty  dollars  per  share,  to  erect  the  hall.  The  en- 
campment and  lodge  of  the  order  took  two  hundred 
and  twenty  shares,  and  the  balance  was  subscribed 
for  by  business  men  and  citizens  not  members.  In 
1870  a  contract  was  made  with  James  H.  Baird  and 
N.  L.  Irwin  to  erect  a  three-story  frame  hall  for  about 
seven  thousand  dollars.  The  corner  stone  was  laid 
in  October,  1870,  the  building  completed  May  4, 1871, 
and  dedicated  on  August  22d  following.  On  the 
night  of  Dec.  8,  1876,  the  building  was  burned. 
There  was  three  thousand  dollars  insurance  on  the 
property.  The  lodge  and  encampment  first  leased 
the  P.  O.  S.  of  A.  Hall,  on  Fourth  Street,  as  a  meet- 
ing-room, where  they  met  until  the  completion  of  the 
present  hall  in  February,  1882.  The  building  com- 
jnittee  under  whose  auspices  it  was  erected  were  R. 
M.  Messimer  (chairman),  P.  C.  Moyer  (secretary),  C. 
T.  Moore,  W.  K.  Chessnutt,  C.  J.  Bower,  and  Samuel 
Bennett.  The  corner-stone  was  laid  July  4,  1881, 
and  the  hall  dedicated  March  31,  1882.  It  is  a  three- 
story  brick  structure,  substantially  built  and  of  im- 
posing appearance.    Its  cost  was  six  thousand  dollars. 

The  first  officers  of  the  lodge  were :  N.  G.,  Thomas 
Dawson;  V.  G.,  P.  C.  Moyer;  Sec,  C.  T.  Moore; 
A.  S.,  Nathan  Sterner;  Treas.,  Dr.  J.  P.  Ashcom, 
who  were  installed  at  the  institution  of  the  lodge  by 


District  Deputy  Grand  Master  Piatt  Hitchcock,  of 
Lock  Haven. 

The  Past  Grands  yet  in  good  standing  in  the  lodge 
are  C.  T.  Moore,  Dr.  J.  P.  Aschom,  P.  C.  Moyer,  W. 
J.  Parsons,  B.  F.  Rumberger,  J.  R.  Shuster,  R.  M. 
Messimer,  F.  A.  D.  Hawksworth,  M.  D.  Fishel,  J.  D. 
Hasson,  H.  R.  Jacobs,  John  Dance,  D.  T.  Spangler, 
C.  J.  Bower,  Josiah  McManigal,  J.  T.  Messimer, 
William  H.  Habgood,  Godfrey  Beerweiler,  E.  A. 
Beck,  Abraham  Kupp,  Samuel  Bennett,  J.  H.  Van- 
etta,  J.  H.  Fox,  W.  H.  Clayberger,  J.  J.  Boyer,  Gust. 
Mellquist,  J.  R.  Deckard,  Henry  Rouch,  Asher  Dra- 
vensladt. 

The  officers  in  1882  are  (first  term) :  N.  G.,  W.  O. 
Adams;  V.  G.,  Philip  Stout;  Sec,  P.  C.  Moyer;  A. 
S.,  W.  T.  Kupp ;  Treas.,  E.  W.  Edmunds ;  Trustees, 
R.  M.  Messimer,  C.  J.  Bower,  Abraham  Kupp;  Rep- 
resentative to  Grand  Lodge,  P.  C.  Moyer. 

The  District  Deputy  Grand  Master  of  this  county 
is  8.  M.  McCormick,  of  Lock  Haven. 

Dexter  Encampment,  No.  163,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  was 
instituted  March  10,  1868.  Its  charter  members  were 
C.  T.  Moore,  P.  C.  Moyer,  William  Barkla,  Dr.  J.  P. 
Ashcom,  Nathan  Sterner,  B.  F.  Rumberger,  D.  J. 
Reese,  James  R.  Shuster,  Asher  Davenstadt,  F.  A.  D. 
Hawksworth,  A.  H.  Firoved,  George  W.  Given. 

The  first  officers  were :  C.  P.,  P.  C.  Moyer ;  H.  P., 
William  Barkla;  S.  W.,  Nathan  Sterner;  J.  W.,  B. 
F.  Rumberger;  Scribe,  C.  T.  Moore;  Treas.,  Dr. 
J.  P.  Ashcom ;  Trustees,  William  Barkla,  Nathan 
Sterner,  B.  F.  Rumberger.  The  encampment  was 
instituted,  and  officers  installed  by  District  Deputy 
Grand  Patriarch  J.  W.  Chapman,  of  Lock  Haven. 

The  Past  Chief  Patriarchs  in  good  standing  are  C. 
T.  Moore,  P.  C.  Moyer,  A.  H.  Firoved,  J.  B.  Shuster, 
R.  M.  Messimer,  A.  Davenstadt,  John  Dance,  G. 
Beerweiler,  C.  J.  Bower,  J.  McManigal,  J.  J.  Boyer, 
Abraham  Kupp,  J.  H.  Fox,  W.  H.  Clayberger,  George 
R.  McCrea,  Gust.  Mellquist. 

The  following  have  been  District  Deputy  Grand 
Patriarchs  for  the  county  :  C.  T.  Moore,  P.  C.  Mo/er, 
J.  R.  Shuster,  R.  M.  Messimer,  C.  J.  Bower. 

The  officers  for  1882  are :  C.  P.,  George  R.  McCrea ; 
H.  P.,  Gust.  Mellquist ;  S.  W.,  J.  H.  Fox ;  J.  W.,  P. 
W.  Carlson  ;  Scribe,  P.  C.  Moyer;  Treas.,  R.  M.  Mes- 
simer; Trustees,  A.  Kupp,  C.  J.  Bower,  John  Mc- 
Manigal. 

District  Deputy  Grand  Patriarch  for  Clinton  County, 
P.  C.  Moyer. 

Renovo  Lodge,  A.  Y.  M.,  No.  493,  was  chartered 
July  25,  1871,  with  the  following  charter  members  : 
James  S.  Hall,  Willie  F.  Beardsley,  William  B. 
Jordan,  Malcolm  McCallum,  Henry  C.  Alford,  Samuel 
M.  Elliott,  Thomas  I.  Chapman,  John  B.  Givin,  Wil- 
liam H.  Thomas,  Daniel  W.  Peirce,  George  R.  Mc- 
Crea, Amos  C.  Noyes. 

The  first  officers  were :  W.  M.,  J.  S.  Hall ;  S.  W., 
Thomas  I.  Chapman;  J.  W.,  Willie  F.  Beardsley; 
i  Treas.,  John  B.  Givin ;  Sec,  William  B.  Jordan. 


EENOVO  BOROUGH. 


509 


The  Worshipful  Masters  of  the  lodge  have  been: 
1871,  James  S.  Hall;  1872,  Thomas  L.  Chapman; 
1873,  Willie  F.  Beardsley ;  1874,  Samuel  M.  Elliott; 
1875,  Malcom  McCallum';  1876,  William  Irvin  ;  1877, 
Samuel  F.  Dedier;  1878,  William  H.  Habgood ;  1879, 
Robert  M.  Messimer;  1880,  Edward  W.  Edmunds; 
1881,  Neal  McCallum  ;  1882,  W.  K.  Chessnutt. 

The  officers  in  1882  are  :  W.  M.,  W.  K.  Chessnutt ; 
S.  W.,  William  Ginter;  J.  W.,  John  A.  Williams; 
Treas.,  Malcom  McCallum;  Sec,  Samuel  F.  Dedier. 
The  lodge  meets  the  first  Tuesday  in  each  month  at 
its  hall  on  Fourth  Street  and  Huron  Avenue,  and 
has  fifty-three  members. 

BucKTAiL  Post,  No.  142,  G.  A.  R.,  was  organized 
Sept.  24,  1879.  The  charter  members  were  J.  F. 
Simpson,  A.  N.  Stevenson,  U.  S.  N.  Crouse,  Philip 
Stout,  Joseph  Spencer,  W.  H.  Messinger,  H.  C.  Long, 
Samuel  F.  Dedier,  R.  W.  Flowers,  J.  J.  Billow,  J. 
R.  Class,  R.  N.  Martin,  J.  C.  Brown,  W.  K.  Chess- 
nutt, Francis  M.  Elliott,  G.  W.  Reiner,  C.  Linder- 
man,  W.  J.  McCrea,  E.  P.  Dowling,  J.  W.  String- 
fellow,  J.  J.  Koch,  W.  J.  Wickerman,  Z.  M.  P. 
Baird,  Samuel  McCaigue,  John  Allen,  Samuel  M. 
Elliott,  C.  W.  Gibbs,  Charles  F.  Ankle,  R.  M.  Mes- 
simer.    The  officers  have  been  : 

1879,  P.  C,  F.  M.  Elliott;  S.  V.  C,  Z.  M.  P.  Baird  ; 
J.  V.  C,  J.  F.  Simpson;  Q.  M.,  A.  N.  Stevenson; 
Surgeon,  R.  W.  Flower;  Chap.,  Philip  Stout;  O.  D., 
John  C.  Brown  ;  O.  G.,  H.  C.  Long ;  Adjt.,  U.  S.  N. 
Crouse;  Q.M.-Sergt.,S.  F.  Dedier;  Sergt.-Maj.,  J.  J. 
Billow. 

1880,  Acting  P.  C,  R.  N.  Martin ;  S.  V.  C,  J.  F. 
Simpson;  J.  V.  C,  R.  N.  Martin;  Chap.,  Philip 
Stout;  Q.M.,  A.  N.  Stevenson;  Surgeon,  R.  W. 
Flower;  Adjt.,  U.  S.  N.  Crouse;  O.  D.,  John  C. 
Brown;  O.  G.,  H.  C.  Long;  Q.M.-Sergt.,  S.  F. 
Dedier;  Sergt.-Maj.,  J.  J.  Billow. 

1881,  P.  C,  R.  N.  Martin;  S.  V.  C,  U.  S.  N. 
Crouse;  J.  V.  C,  John  C.  Brown;  Q.M.,  A.  N. 
Stevenson  ;  O.  D.,  S.  F.  Dedier ;  O.  G.,  G.  W.  Reiner  ; 
Chap.,  Philip  Stout;  Surgeon,  Samuel  Barr;  Adjts., 
C.  F.  Unkle,  F.  M.  Elliott;  Sergt.-Maj.,  Joseph 
Spencer;  Q.M.-Sergt.,  J.  J.  Billow. 

1882,  P.  C,  R.  N.  Martin ;  S.  V.  C,  W.  H.  Mes- 
singer; J.  V.  C,  F.  M.  Elliott;  O.  D.,  S.  F.  Dedier; 
O.  Ct.,  Edward  McCarty;  Q.M.,  A.  N.  Stevenson; 
Surgeon,  J.  J.  Billow  ;  Chap.,  Philip  Stout;  Adjt.,  C. 
F.  Unkle;  Q.M.-Sergt.,  U.  S.  N.  Crouse;  Sergt.- 
Miij.,  R.  W.  P'lower. 

The  post  musters  every  Wednesday  evening  in  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  Hall,  second  floor  of 
Odd-Fellows'  Building,  on  Sixth  Street.  Total 
number  of  comrades  mustered  to  date,  eighty-eight. 

P.  O.  S.  OF  A.,  Washington  Camp,  No.  88,  was 
instituted  Feb.  21,  1868.  The  charter  members  were 
George  H.  Hawksworth,  F.  A.  D.  Hawks  worth,  George 
R.  McCrea,  Thomas  L.  Chapman,  U.  S.  N.  Crouse,  S. 
O.  Malin,  D.  L.  McClure,  Asher  Dravenstadt,  William 
J.  McCrea,  J.  Frank  Davis,  Luther  Seidell,  John  S. 


Kupp,  Joseph  R.  Kendig,  Wilbert  Irvin,  R.  M.  Mes- 
simer, John  B.  Young,  D.  M.  May,  W.  H.  Thoma.s, 
W.  F.  Beardsley,  James  H.  Craig,  Conrad  Peters, 
George  W.  Given,  John  M.  Daugherty,  Charles  B. 
Ashcom. 

The  order  was  established  in  Philadelphia  in  1847, 
and  has  for  its  objects  the  preservation  of  the  Bible  in 
the  public  schools  and  opposition  to  a  union  of  Church 
and  State,  also  opposition  to  the  use  of  the  public 
moneys  for  sectarian  purposes.  It  was  first  called 
"The  Patriotic  Order  Junior  Sons  of  America."  It 
was  incorporated  in  1866,  and  in  1868,  at  the  annual 
convention  at  Altoona,  the  name  was  changed  to  "  Pa- 
triotic Order  Sons  of  America."  The  Legislature,  at 
its  session  of  1868-69,  sanctioned  the  change,  which 
was  approved  by  Governor  John  W.  Geary,  a  member 
of  the  order.  It  has  a  National  Camp,  and  State 
Camps  in  Pennsylvania^  Ohio,  California,  and  a  large 
number  of  camps  in  New  Jersey,  New  York,  Indiana, 
Maryland,  Illinois,  Kansas,  Colorado,  and  Oregon. 
It  is  divided  into  three  degrees,  the  Red,  White,  and 
Blue,  and  none  but  persons  born  on  the  soil  of  or 
within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  United  States  are  eligi- 
ble to  membership.  It  looks  after  the  sick  and  needy, 
and  pays  sick  and  death  benefits.  There  are  in  Penn- 
sylvania two  hundred  and  si-xty-two  camps,  with  a 
membership  of  fifteen  thousand.  The  Past  Presi- 
dents of  this  camp  have  been  : 

1868,  G.H.  Hawksworth,  William  H.Thomas;  1869, 
John  B.  Young,  Thomas  L.  Chapman ;  1870,  J.  Frank 
Davis,  John  S.  Kupp;  1871,  Joseph  R.  Kendig,  U.  S. 
N.  Crouse;  1872,  G.  C.  Wright,  C.  M.  Wells;  1873, 
T.  A.  Ashcom,  R.  D.  Simpson  ;  1874,  Wilbert  Irwin, 
G.  W.  Hnber;  1875,  H.  A.  Oster,  J.  F.  Simpson ;  1876, 
John  O.  Crites,  James  M.  Young;  1877,  S.  S.  Heller, 
A.  C.  Braden ;  1878,  F.  A.  D.  Hawksworth,  James  P. 
Beckley;  1879,  C.  H.  Welch,  Edgar  H.  Hall;  1880, 
James  A.  Elliott,  F.  A.  Given;  1831,  S.  S.  Heller, 
James  MacGill. 

Each  camp  is  called  "Washington  C^^iip,"  and  is 
distinguished  by  its  number  and  location.  The  offi- 
cers for  1882  are:  P.  P.,  James  MacGill;  Prest.,  Clark 
H.  Miller;  V.  P.,  Theodore  Shultz;  M.  of  F.  and  C, 
Thomas  M.  Murray;  Sec.,  U.  S.  N.  Crouse;  Treas., 
R.  D.  Simpson;  Fin.  Sec,  C.  J.  Andrus;  I.  G.,  L. 
E.  Chapman;  O.  G.,  C.  H.  Bowker;  Chap.,  V.  E. 
Cross;  R.  S.,  Arthur  Givens;  L.  S.,  Jared  Frabel ; 
Conductor,  Theodore'  Nicholas;  Trustees,  G.  R.  Mc- 
Crea, C.  H.  Miller,  U.  S.  N.  Crouse. 

Of  this  camp  G.  H.  Hawksworth  was  county  pres- 
ident in  1868-69;  R.  M.  Me.ssimer,  district  deputy  in 
1870-71,  Dr.  Charles  Reese  in  1872,  Dr.  Fisburn  in 
1873,  J.  H.  Ryan  in  1874,  J.  F.  Simpson  in  1875,  M. 
J.  B.  Books  in  1876-77,  U.  S.  N.  Crouse  in  1878,  R. 
D.  Simpson  in  1879,  F.  A.  D.  Hawksworth  in  1880, 
and  U.  S.  N.  Crouse  in  1881.  U.  S.  N.  Crouse  Was 
State  member  of  F.  and  C.  in  1873-74,  also  member 
of  State  Executive  Committee  of  Pennsylvania,  which 
had  the  chartering  power  for  all  camps. 


COQ 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Clinton  Lodge,  No.  114,  K.  of  P.,  was  instituted 
in  December,  1869,  but.ifter  its  lodge-room  w.as  burned 
out  in  187G  it  never  revived. 

Renovo  Jewell  Lodge,  No.  249,  I.  O.  G.  T.,  was 
instituted  Jan.  23,  1867.  W.  K.  Crites  was  its  first 
Cliief  Templar,  and  U.  S.  N.  Grouse  its  first  secretary. 
It  is  still  in  active  and  successful  operation. 

St.- Joseph's  Beneficial  Society  is  a  charitable 
organization  made  up  of  members  of  St.  Joseph's 
Catholic  Church,  and  has  a  large  membership. 

Otzinachson  Council,  No.  2.36,  0.  U.  A.  M.,  was 
several  years  a  flourishing  order  here,  but  is  no  longer 
in  existence. 

North  Star  Circle,  No.  76,  B.  U.  (IL  F.)  C.  of 
A.,  after  an  existence  of  some  years,  was  finally  aban- 
doned. 

Tangascootac  Tribe,  No.  25,  I.  0.  of  E.  M.,  was 
instituted  several  years  ago,  but  is  no  IdViger  in  oper- 
ation. 

Renovo  Bdilding  Association,  of  which  Wil- 
liam H.  Habgood  is  secretary,  is  a  flourishing  organ- 
ization on  the  popular  savings  plan. 

The  Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  in- 
stituted several  years  ago,  has  at  present  no  rooms, 
but  holds  its  meetings  in  the  churches. 

The  Water-Works  were  constructed  in  1873  for 
supplying  the  town  with  water,  which  is  brought  from 
the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  These  works  cost  over 
si.xty  thousand  dollars. 

Fire  Department.— Two  eflScient  fire  companies 
—the  Renovo  Hose  Company,  No.  l,and  West  Branch 
Hose  Company,  No.  2 — were  organized  in  the  spring 
of  1874;  they  are  both  fully  equip()ed,  and  each  has 
a  good  hose-carriage  and  house. 

soldiers  of  tub  union  residents  of  the  borough. 

t'ul.  M.  B.  Gist,  licut.-cul.,  4tli  Del.  V. 
JiiliiM  S.  Hull,  Ciipt.,  U.  S.  SigMiil  Coipj. 
E.hviiia  T.  SwiiiM,  c;ipt.,  Cii.  II,  40th  1\  V. 
Julm  H.  Dowliiij;,  ciipl.,  Co.  B,  4tli  Del. 
R.  M.  Mes»iincr,  sor;;!.,  SigiKil  Corjis,  U.S.A. 
W.  H.  Jlcssei.ger,  1st  scrgt.,  Co.  D,  2:)il  N.  T. 
I'.  H.  IlMfTinin,  od  sergt.,  Uo.  G,  131st  V.  V. 
Fred.  Slifi-r,  piiviilc,  Co.  E,  U3J  P  V. 

B.  F.  Bumbci-gei-,  private,  Co.  E,  84tli  P.  V. 
1'.  Wiigiier,  private,  Co.  G,  55tli  P.  V. 

T.  O'Luugliliii,  priv.ite,  Co.  F,  12»tli  N.  Y. 
Jiunes  Ilunuiaii,  private,  Co.  A,  102  1  P.  V. 
O.  S.  Garmiiig,  private,  Co.  B,  lolst  P.  V. 
A.  .1.  Smith,  private,  Co.  B,  lltli  P.  V. 
Philip  Stout,  privato,  Co.  A,  4ilh  P.  V. 
William  Louaeuslager. 
R.  W.  Flower,  l«t  MCrgt.,  Co.  E,  "Sth  N.  Y. 
W.  P.  Mack,  private,  Co.  E,  SOtli  P.  V. 
Joseph  Itliildleton,  private,  Co.  E,  74tb  P.  V. 
John  M.  Morris. 

C.  Linderman,  private,  Co.  K,  11th  Ind. 
Jacob  Sinicox,  private,  Co.  A,  8th  P.  V. 
George  W.  Reiner,  scrgt.,  Co.  F,  H'Jth  P.  V. 
Geolge  Uller.v,  1st  sergt,,  Co.  I,  l.i7tli  P.  V. 
James  P.  Green,  private,  Co.  D,  128th  P.  V. 
II.  K.  Stout,  private,  14th  Pa.  Cav. 
William  Kemuiey,  private,  Co.  G,  M  Pa.  Art. 
1).  P.  Scott,  2d  lieut ,  Co.  I,  16th  U,  S.  luf. 
Willnni  Ki]ip  Ohesiiutt,  private,  Co.  A,  Ist  Pa.  Car. 
Samuel  Gordon,  private,  Co.  E,  Ut  Ohio  Art. 


W.  C.  Welty.  private.  Co.  B,  7th  P.  V. 

Willinm  Rutledg.',  Ist  sergt.,  Co.  C,  5lh  U.  S.  Cav. 

C.  F.  Unkle,  piiviite,  C.i.  F,  9th  Pa.  Cav. 
B.  M.  Bierl.v,  piiviite,  Co.  II,  l:i7th  P.  V. 

A.  N.  Stevenscni,  chief  bugler,  Co.  G,  47lh  Vn.  Cav. 

Siiinoel  F.  De.lier,  U.  S.  gunboat  "Louisianii,"  second-class  fireman. 

George  C.  Bazziel,  private,  Co.  B,  17th  West  Va. 

Frank  H.  Elliott,  lat  li'ilt.,  Co.  II,  lS.3d  P.  V. 

J.  Forest  Sini|i6on,  private,  Co.  F,  1st  Pa.  Light  Art. 

II.  A.  Weiilzoll,  piivHte,  Co.  B,  lO.jtIi  P.  V. 

F.  A.  D.  Ilawksworlh,  piivnte,  Co.  D,  4i;tli  P.  V. 

P.  Minilian,  1st  Corp.,  Co,  E,  !)3d  P.  V. 

Fieilerirk  Iloffman,  private,  Co.  II,  14th  U.  S.  I. 

Finnklin  Gittner,  private,  Co.  F,  112th  P.  V. 

Edward  MeConnell,  musician,  C.>.  A,  84th  P.  V. 

J.  T.  Espeneha'le,  musician,  Co.  G,  13Ist  P.  V. 

Samuel  M.  Elliott,  Ut  sergt,,  Co.  B,  101st  P.  V. 

Charies  W.  Gilibs,  private,  Co.  K,  01st  P.  V. 

James  11.  Slinster,  private,  Co.  D,  ISnth  P.  V. 

Frederick  Ilitner,  fireman  U.  S.  gunboat  "  Wjoming." 

U.  S.  N.  Cronse,  Sr.,  steward. 

James  Adger,  U.S  N. 

Samuel  McCaigue,  1st  Corp,  Co.  II.  ISid  P.  V. 

D.  II.  Long,  piivate,  Co.  C,  213lh  P,  V. 

T.  M.  P.  Bainl,  private,  Co.  D,  1st  Pa.  Cjiv. 

Michael  llcvner,  private,  Co.  F,  30lli  P.  V. 

J.  S.  Nealy,  p  ivate,  Co.  1\I,  22d  Pa.  Cav. 

J.  R.  Allen,  col.  sergt ,  Co.  C,  143d  P.  V. 

Euninnel  Myeis,  private.  Co.  C,  1 13.1  P.  V. 

Williiilu  Edmondson,  2d  Army  Corps,  Co.  D,  49th  P.  V. 

D.  C.  Brown,  private,  Co.  II,  202d  P.  V. 
F.  J.  B.llow,  3d  selgt.,  Co,  G,  2IIStll  P.  V. 
S.  C.  Ban-,  private,  Co.  A,  84th  V.  V. 
James  C.  Stout,  teamster. 

William  Marshall,  priv.ite,  Co.  D.  3nth  P.  V. 

R.  N   Martin,  1st  lieut  ,  Co.  M,  02d  P.  V. 

J.  W.  Stringfellow,  Corp.,  Co.  F,  14Sth  P.  V. 

Charles  Foye,  4th  sergt  ,  Co.  II,  47tli  P.  V. 

William  Kohler,  corp.,  Co.  H,34th  I'.  V. 

Joseph  Spencer,  private.  Co.  A,  70tli  N.  Y. 

W.  J.  Parsons,  private,  Co.  E,  173d  P.  V. 

Jacob  Steiner,  private,  Co.  G,  .Mth  P.  V. 

II.  R.  Jacobs,  private,  Co.  D,  Ttli  P.  V. 

W.  D.  BIcGill,  music  an.  Co   B,  17th  West  Ta. 

Milton  Randels,  piivate,  Co.  D,  S7th  P.  V. 

Harry  Albright,  Gunboat  "  Cholton,"  U.S.N. 

J.  J.  Koch,  private,  Co.  E,  33d  P.  V. 

Thomas  Tyson,  Ist  class  fireman  gunboat  "  Richmond,"  U.S.N. 

E.  P.  Keifsnyder,  private,  Co.  B,  l(l7th  P.  V. 
Joseph  R.  Kenilig,  Co.  II,  107lh  P.  V. 

John  S.  Snodgrass,  2d  lieut.,  Co.  B.  93d  P.  V. 
W.  A.  Weiglniman,  dium-majol-,  llOlh  P.  V. 
Joseph  Rnj.le,  private,  Co.  D,  N.  Y.  Vets. 
Christ  Long,  private,  Co.  B,  192d  P.  V. 

These  all  participated  in  the  grand  parade  on  the 
celebration  of  Independence  day,  July,  1879.  When 
the  Rebellion  broke  out  in  1861,  Renovo  was  not  laid 
out  and  sent  no  soldiers,  but  the  above  list  gives  the 
names  of  the  Union  soldiers  now  or  lately  residing 
here,  only  a  few  of  whom  have  removed,  including 
Col.  Gist. 

The  "Renovo  Record."— On  Dec.  21, 1871,  John 
U.  Shaffer  issued  the  first  number  of  the  Renovo 
Record,  a  weekly  sheet  of  twenty-eight  columns,  and 
in  April,  1882,  enlarged  it  to  thirty-two  columns.  A 
superior  job-printing  ofiice  is  attached,  and  the  busi- 
ness office  and  press-rooms  are  the  best  evidence  of 
the  success  and  systematic  order  by  which  the  paper 
and  business  is  conducted,  the  area  of  the  ofiice  being 
twenty-five  by  twenty-five  feet.  The  Record  is  the 
only  independent  paper  in  the  county,  has  a  circula- 


^^y-^.^-r^    ^2yL  -  .-^^-i-^at-.y^U^^ 


COLEBROOK  TOWNSHIP. 


601 


tion  of  nearly  a  thousand,  and  is  an  ably-condiicted 
and  able  literary  journal,  and  a  first-class  advertising 
medium.  It  is  specially  devoted  to  local  news  and 
the  interests  of  Renovo.  It  is  published  Thursdays 
at  its  establishment  in  Erie  Avenue,  between  Third 
and  Fourth  Streets.  Its  editor,  John  U.  Shaffer,  was 
born  in  McConnellsburg,  Mnrch  27,  1843.  After  ob- 
taining a  common-school  education  he  was  appren- 
ticed to  the  printing  business  under  Col.  W.  W.  Sel- 
lers, of  the  Fulton  Republican.  In  the  winter  of  1860 
he  became  its  local  editor  and  business  manager 
until  December,  1861,  when  he  became  connected 
with  the  P'lttsburfjh  Evening  Chronicle  and  Johnson's 
job-printing  establishment.  In  January,  1862,  he 
returned  to  McConnellsburg,  Fulton  Co.,  and  in  the 
following  month  formed  a  partnership  with  Henry  G. 
Smith  in  the  publication  of  the  Fulton  Democrat.  In 
December,  1863,  he  married  Miss  Salinda,  daughter 
of  William  B.  Shaffer,  of  Huntingdon  County.  In 
August,  1864,  the  firm  of  Smith  &  Shaffer  sold  out 
their  paper,  Mr.  Smith  removing  to  Lancaster  to 
take  charge  of  the  Intelligencer,  while  Mr.  Shaffer  re- 
sumed the  printing  business  at  Pittsburgh.  In  1865 
he  was  on  the  Trenton  Bepublican,  and  from  March  to 
August,  1865,  on  the  Neio  York  World.  He  then  re- 
turned to  Pennsylvania,  and  with  William  Hetsel 
began  the  publication  in  Hanover,  York  Co.,  of  two 
newspapers,  in  German  and  English,  called  The  Citi- 
zen. After  a  few  months  he  sold  out  his  interest,  and 
accepted  a  position  on  the  Baltimore  Gazette,  which 
he  held  until  1869.  On  returning  to  Pennsylvania 
he  became  local  editor  and  business  manager  of  the 
Clinton  Republican,  then  owned  and  published  by 
George  D.  Bowman.  After  two  years  on  this  journal 
he  resigned  and  came  to  Renovo,  where,  Dec.  21, 
1871,  he  established  the  Record,  which  he  has  so  suc- 
cessfully conducted  for  eleven  years  to  the  best  in- 
terests of  the  borough,  whose  citizens  and  business 
men  have  ever  given  it  a  warm  and  liberal  support. 


CHAPTER  CXI  I. 


COLEBROOK    TOWXSHIP.i 


CoLEBROOK  Township  is  one  of  the  twelve  into 
which  the  county  was  first  divided,  and  when  formed 
covered  a  much  greater  area  than  at  present,  its  ter- 
ritory having  since  been  encroached  upon  in  the  or- 
ganization of  other  townships,  till  it  is  now  but  a 
fragment,  or  rather  two  fragments,  of  the  original 
township.  In  forming  the  townships  of  Gallauher 
and  Gnigan,  Colebrook  was  divided  into  two  parts, 
each  retaining  the  name.  The  township  proper,  or 
that  portion  in  which  the  elections  are  held,  lies  upon 
the  West  Branch,  a  few  miles  west  of  Lock  Haven. 

>  From  D.  S.  Miijnard's  " Historical  View  of  CliDtou  County,"  1870. 


It  is  about  four  and  a  half  by  five  or  six  miles  in  ex- 
tent, and  bounded  on  the  east  by  Woodward,  on  the 
south  by  Bald  Eagle,  on  the  west  by  Grugan,  and  on 
the  north  by  Grugan  and  Gallauher. 

Colebrook  township  is  mountainous  and  hilly,  and 
almost  entirely  unimproved,  except  that  portion  lying 
along  the  river,  which  crosses  it  near  its  southern 
boundary.  Several  streams  flow  through  this  town- 
ship and  empty  into  the  river.  Lick  Run  rises  among 
the  hills  in  the  northern  portion  of  the  county,  and 
unites  with  the  river  at  Farrandsville.  Ferney's  Run 
forms  the  boundary  between  Colebrook  and  Grugan 
townships,  and  reaches  the  river  at  a  point  about  five 
miles  farther  west.  The  Tangascootac  Creek  takes  its 
rise  in  Beech  Creek  township,  flows  through  Bald 
Eagle,  and  empties  into  the  river  about  two  miles 
west  of  Farrandsville.  About  a  mile  west  of  the  Tan- 
gascootac a  small  stream  called  Holland's  Run  flows 
into  the  river.  These  constitute  all  the  streams  in  the 
township  worthy  of  note.  Ferney's  and  Holland's 
Runs  received  their  names  from  individuals.  Lick 
Run  was  so  called  because  of  the  existence  of  "deer 
licks"  in  its  vicinity.  The  name  "  Tangascootac"  is 
of  Indian  origin. 

The  mineral  resources  of  this  township,  as  far  as 
developed,  consist  of  bituminous  coal  and  fire-clay, 
both  of  which  have  been  found  in  more  or  less  abun- 
dance along  and  near  the  river  on  the  north  side, 
where  thus  far  the  mining  operations  of  the  township 
have  been  entirely  confined,  though  coal,  iron  ore, 
and  iire-clay  are  known  to  e.x;ist  elsewhere  within  its 
limits.  Professor  Rogers,  in  his  "Fourth  Annual 
Geological  Report"  of  Pennsylvania,  gives  the  fol- 
lowing in  relation  to  the  mining  of  coal  and  the  man- 
ufacture of  fire-brick  and  iron,  then  going  on  at  Far- 
randsville. In  alluding  to  the  lowest  coal-bed  of  the 
basin,  he  says, — 

"  It  is  this  seam  which  has  been  principally  mined 
by  the  Farrandsville  Company  for  their  furnace 
and  other  works.  About  fifty  cubic  yards  are  mined 
daily,  costing  fifty-seven  cents  per  yard  for  the 
mining,  the  small  coal  not  being  counted.  The  coal 
is  coked  at  the  mouth  of  the  mine,  being  transferred 
immediately  from  the  cars  to  large  heaps,  where  it 
undergoes  the  coking  process  without  the  aid  of  ovens. 
It  is  then  sent  by  an  inclined  plane  and  a  railroad  to 
the  furnace  at  the  base  of  the  mountain.  The  second 
coal  seam  in  the  ascending  order  is  not  worked,  the 
coal  being  impure;  but  the  third,  where  the  ground 
is  sufficiently  elevated  to  embrace  it,  has  been  wrought 
to  some  extent,  yielding  a  better  coal  than  either  of 
the  other  two.  It  is  now,  however,  nearly  exhausted. 
This  upper  coal  seam,  lying  usually  near  the  surface 
of  the  highest  ground,  has  generally  an  unsound  roof, 
which  unfits  it  to  be  mined.  It  measures  commonly 
six  feet  in  thickness.  It  is  now  removed  to  expose 
the  fire-clay  which  lies  immediately  beneath  it,  found 
to  be  of  superior  quality  for  the  manufacture  of  fire- 
brick.    This  fire-clay,  from  six  to  seven  feet  thick,  is 


602 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


destitute  of  grit,  and  furnishes  an  admirable  fire- 
brick. They  are  manufactured  at  Farrandsville  on 
an  extensive  scale,  about  six  thousand  nine-inch 
brick  being  made  every,  week,  commanding  about 
forty-five  dollars  per  hundred.  These  are  at  present 
principally  used  on  the  spot  for  the  furnace  and 
other  works.  The  furnace  now  in  operation  is  built 
of  stone,  lined  with  the  fire-brick  ;  it  is  fifty-four  feet 
high.  The  diameter  of  the  bashes  was  originally 
seventeen  feet,  but  was  lately  reduced  to  thirteen. 
A  powerful  steam-engine,  having  ten  boilers,  and  es- 
timated at  one  hundred  and  seventy  horse-power 
when  all  are  in  action,  propels  the  blast.  From  the 
description  given  of  the  coal  measures  of  Farrands- 
ville, it  would  appear  that  they  furnish  neither  iron 
ore  or  limestone.  The  ore  used  in  the  large  and 
ably-constructed  furnace  is  brought  from  Montour's 
Ridge,  in  Columbia  County,  being  the  fossiliferous 
ore.  An  inferior  species  is  also  procured  on  Larry's 
Creek,  Lycoming  Co.;  the  former  is  transported 
about  one  hundred  miles,  the  latter  twenty-three 
miles.     The  limestone  is  from  Nittany  valley." 

Pioneer  Settlers. — As  nearly  as  can  be  ascertained, 
the  first  permanent  settler  of  this  township  was  George 
Saltzman,  whose  brother  Anthony  was  killed  by  the 
Indians  near  the  mouth  of  Quinn's  Run  in  the  fall  of 
1777.  Saltzman  located  on  a  tract  of  land  lying  on 
the  north  bank  of  the  river,  about  two  and  a  half  miles 
west  of  Lick  Run.  The  property  is  still  in  possession 
of  the  Saltzman  heirs. 

The  first  school-house  in  the  township  was  erected 
upon  this  property  at  a  very  early  day.  About  the 
time  Saltzman  settled  upon  his  tract  a  small  mill  was 
built  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tangascootac.  The  same 
year  that  Saltzman  was  killed,  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Daniel  Jones,  while  engaged  working  about  the  mill, 
was  also  killed  by  the  Lidians. 

Other  settlers  subsequently  located  along  the  river, 
wherever  the  flats  were  of  sufficient  exteftt  to  allow 
it,  till  all  the  "bottom  lands"  in  the  township  were 
"  taken  up." 

About  the  year  1825,  Christian  Earon,  a  native  of 
Germany,  purchased  and  settled  upon  a  tract  of  land 
situated  about  a  mile  above  the  mouth  of  Quinn's 
Run,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  When  Earon 
took  possession  of  the  land  it  was  occupied  by  a 
squatter,  to  whom  he  paid  twenty-five  dollars  for  his 
"  improvements,"  which  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose 
were  not  very  extensive.  The  tract  was  surveyed  in 
pursuance  of  a  warrant  granted  to  Edward  Burd, 
dated  June  13,  1774,  but  there  is  no  evidence  that 
Burd  ever  settled  upon  it.  It  was  known  as  "  Black 
Walnut  Bottom,"  and  described  as  "lying  about  five 
or  six  miles  above  the  Great  Island."  The  property 
is  now  owned  and  occupied  by  Henry  S.  Earon,  son 
of  Christian,  and  is  the  largest  cultivated  farm  in  the 
township. 

The  present  agricultural  resources  of  the  township 
are  exceedingly  limited,  there  being  probably  less  than 


six  hundred  acres  of  land  under  cultivation  within 
its  borders.  The  township  was  formerly  well  sup- 
plied with  timber,  the  best  quality  of  which  has  been 
removed  many  years. 

As  may  be  inferred,  the  township  is  still  a  com- 
paratively wild  region,  it  being  no  unusual  occurrence 
for  the  inhabitants  to  kill  deer  and  even  bears  on  or 
near  their  own  premises.  On  June  19,  1875,  two 
hunters,  C.  C.  Pfouts  and  William  Saltzman,  captured 
a  very  large  and  fat  bear  near  the  Saltzman  home- 
stead. A  few  years  ago  a  bear  was  caught  in  a  trap 
and  escaped  with  the  loss  of  two  of  his  toes,  which 
were  found  in  the  trap.  The  bear  killed  by  Pfouts 
and  Saltzman  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  same  one 
that  was  caught  in  the  trap,  for  he  had  been  deprived 
of  two  of  his  toes  corresponding  with  the  ones  "left 
behind." 

Manufactures. — Forty  years  ago  the  principal 
manufiicturing  enterprise,  notonly  of  Colebrook  town- 
ship but  of  Clinton  County,  was  located  at  Farrands- 
ville, which  at  that  time  had  acquired  considerable 
importance.  The  following  sketch  of  the  "  rise  and 
fall"  of  that  place  is  from  Sherman  Day's  "  Historical 
Collections :" 

"  Farrandsville  is,  or  was,  a  busy  manufacturing 
village,  nestled  among  the  mountains  at  the  mouth 
of  Lick  Run,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Susquehanna, 
seven  miles  above  Lock  Haven.  It  had  its  origin  in 
the  speculative  fever  of  1830-36,  and  is  but  one  of 
many  similar  monuments  in  Pennsylvania  of  the  mis- 
directed enterprise  of  those  times.  It  was  started  in 
the  winter  of  1831-32  by  Blr.  William  P.  Farrand,  a 
gentleman  from  Philadelphia  of  high  scientific  attain- 
ments, acting  as  agent  for  a  company  of  heavy  capi- 
talists in  Boston.  At  that  time  the  spot  was  only  ac- 
cessible by  a  horse-path  at  low  water.  Mr.  Farrand 
broke  a  path  into  the  mountains  through  snow  three 
feet  in  depth,  returning  every  night  nearly  three  miles 
to  a  cabin  for  his  food  and  lodging.  On  one  occasion 
he  was  shut  in  by  ice,  and  provisions  were  sent  to 
him  ;  he  passed  many  nights  in  the  hills  in  snow  and 
rain  without  shelter,  and  was  more  than  once  roused 
by  the  screams  of  a  panther.  The  object  of  Mr.  Far- 
rand was  to  discover  and  open  the  bituminous  coal- 
beds  at  this  point,  with  a  view  to  the  extensive  ship- 
ment of  the  article  to  the  lower  markets,  and  to  carry 
on  the  various  manufactures  of  iron,  lumber,  etc.,  ap- 
propriate to  the  location.  The  iron  ore  and  lime- 
stone, however,  had  to  be  transported  from  points  in 
the  lower  valley  of  the  Susquehanna.  A  little  steam- 
boat was  constructed  for  towing  the  coal  up  and  down 
the  river,  and  for  some  time  she  went  puffing  along 
the  valley.  Mr.  Farrand,  however,  having  other  en- 
gagements near  Williamsport,  left  the  establishment, 
and  other  agents  were  from  time  to  time  employed. 
A  visitor  to  the  place  in  1835  thus  describes  it: 

"'The  Lycoming  Coal  Company,  the  proprietors  of 
Farrandsville,  have  a  good  farm  of  two  hundred  acres 
a  short  distance  above  the  village,  and  progressing  up 


COLEBROOK   TOWNSHIP. 


603 


the  river  the  bottoms  are  more  extensive  and  settle- 
ments closer. 

"  '  Lick  Run  is  a  strong,  steady  stream.  On  it  is 
erected  a  large  nail  establishment,  capable  of  manu- 
facturing from  the  pig  metal  ten  ions  of  nails  per  day  ; 
an  air  and  cupola  furnace,  which  in  the  last  six  months 
have  turned  out  nearly  three  hundred  tons  of  castings; 
mills  for  sawing  different  descriptions  of  lumber,  shin- 
gles, lath,  etc.;  an  establishment  for  manufacturing 
railroad  cars  on  a  large  scale.  There  are  now  three 
veins  of  coal  opening  and  the  shutes  in,  fifty  coal-cars 
finished,  and  in  the  best  manner,  and  two  miles  of 
railroad,  communicating  with  the  different  mines  and 
the  basin,  finished.  One  track  of  the  road  leads  to 
the  nail-works,  which  are  calculated  to  consume  five 
thousand  tons  of  coal  per  year.  An  extensive  rolling- 
mill  is  in  progress,  and  a  furnace  for  smelting  iron 
ore  with  coke  will  be  erected  in  a  short  time  immedi- 
ately below  the  nail-works.  Farrandsville  proper  is 
situated  on  the  Susquehanna.  On  the  mountain 
where  the  coal-mines  have  been  opened  there  are 
a  number  of  buildings,  where  the  miners  and  their 
families  reside,  with  a  street  running  between  them, 
and  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  at  Lick  Run,  there 
are  also  large  boarding-houses  and  habitations  for 'ar- 
tisans and  their  families.  These  three  separate  towns, 
however,  all  belong  to  the  community  of  Farrands- 
ville, which  contains  a  large  hotel,  far  advanced  in 
the  erection,  two  reputable  taverns,  three  large  board- 
ing-houses, and  upwards  of  ninety  tenements,  each 
calculated  to  render  a  family  entirely  comfortable. 
Here  are  inexhaustible  mines  of  iron,  with  the  bitu- 
minous coal  for  smelting  it,  and  all  the  elements  for 
building  up  a  manufacturing  establishment  capable  of 
supplying  iron  in  all  its  forms  to  our  widely-extended 
and  populous  country.' 

"  Operations  were  driven  forward  with  great  ra- 
pidity, something  like  seven  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars having  been  expended  by  the  company ;  and  to 
those  who  regard  only  the  surface  of  things,  there  was 
something  surprising  and  gratifying  in  seeing  a  large 
manufacturing  village  spring  up  thus  in  the  wilder- 
ness. But  whether  all  this  could  be  done  with  profit 
to  the  owners  does  not  seem  to  have  been  considered. 
The  proprietors  in  Boston  at  length  turned  the  key  on 
their  money-box  and  sent  out  a  keen  Yankee  iron- 
master, whose  science  was  ballasted  with  practical 
experience  and  strong  common  sense,  to  take  charge 
of  the  works.  He  looked  over  the  grounds,  examined 
everything  carefully,  took  his  slate  and  pencil  and 
commenced  ciphering.  He  soon  reported  to  the  pro- 
prietors that  there  was  no  money  to  be  made,  and 
that  their  best  course  was  to  quit  at  once  and  pocket 
the  loss.     They  took  his  advice." 

The  failure  of  the  works  at  Farrandsville  has  been 
attributed  to  various  circumstances,  but  probably  the 
real  causes  which  led  to  their  abandonment  were  these : 
Lavish  and  injudicious  expenditure  in  the  outset; 
inferior  transportation  facilities ;  the  great  distance 


whence  a  supply  of  ore  was  obtained  ;  and,  finally, 
disagreement  among  the  members  of  the  company  in 
regard  to  the  manner  of  conducting  operations. 

Soon  after  suspending  operations  the  Lycoming  Coal 
Company  sold  the  property  to  John  O.  Stearns,  who, 
in  1845  or  1846,  sold  an  interest  to  George  Hopson  ; 
the  firm  then  sold  the  furnace  property  and  part  of 
the  lands  to  D.  K.  Jackman  and  others,  who  sold  to 
C.  &  J.  Fallon.  The  Fallons  sold  to  James  Mc- 
Henry,  who  sold  a  portion  of  the  lands,  including 
Minersville  and  the  property  where  the  rolling-mill 
stood,  to  Fredericks,  Munro  &  Co.  McHenry  still 
retains  the  balance  of  his  purchase. 

In  November,  1873,  Fredericks,  Munro  &  Co.  com- 
menced the  erection  of  extensive  fire-brick  works, 
which  were  completed  in  the  spring  of  1874,  and  were 
in  successful  operation  in  1880. 

The  main  building  of  the  works,  which  is  con- 
structed of  wood,  is  eighty  feet  long  by  fifty  wide, 
with  a  wing  twenty  by  twenty  feet;  the  kilns,  three 
in  number,  are  each  twenty-five  feet  long,  twelve  feet 
wide,  and  twelve  feet  high  inside,  and  capable  of  con- 
taining forty  thousand  bricks. 

The  clay  used  at  these  works  is  of  two  kinds,  hard 
and  soft,  and  obtained  on  the  mountain  about  one 
mile  northwest  of  the  works.  The  soft  clay  exists  in 
an  extensive  vein  several  feet  below  the  surface,  is 
without  grit,  and  easily  reduced  to  powder;  it  is  used 
in  the  manufacture  of  large  bricks  for  the  lining  of 
blast  furnaces,  for  walks,  and  other  surfaces  exposed 
to  the  action  of  the  weather.  The  hard  clay  is  found 
in  a  vein  of  eight  feet  thickness  about  ninety  feet 
below  the  soft,  is  obtained  by  blasting,  it  being  too 
hard  to  remove  from  the  bed  by  any  other  process. 
It  is  used  in  making  all  kinds  of  brick  employed  in 
rolling-mills,  etc.,  where  there  is  exposure  to  intense 
heat.  Overlying  the  bed  of  hard  clay  is  a  four-foot 
vein  of  bituminous  coal,  which  is  used  at  the  works 
for  fuel.  After  the  clay  is  taken  from  the  bed  it  is 
hauled  to  the  works  by  teams,  and  after  being  broken 
to  a  convenient  size  is  placed  in  a  large  circular, 
revolving  cast-iron  pan  and  crushed  to  powder  by  two 
huge  cast-iron  rollers,  each  weighing  three  thousand 
five  hundred  pounds.  The  frame  in  which  the  rollers 
and  pan  are  set  is  massive,  and  made  of  solid  cast  iron 
by  Ricker,  Fredericks  &  Co.,  machinists,  of  Lock 
Haven,  and  is  one  of  the  best  specimens  of  workman- 
ship ever  turned  out  of  any  machine-shop  in  the  West 
Branch  valley.  The  crushing-machine  is  driven  by 
the  water  of  Lick  Run,  the  force  being  equal  to  thirty- 
seven  horse-power.  When  ground  the  clay  is  of  the 
consistency  of  thick  mortar  and  is  ready  for  mould- 
ing, which  is  done  by  placing  it  in  wooden  moulds  of 
the  proper  size,  which  are  emptied  on  a  fire-brick  floor, 
which  is  kept  heated  to  the  proper  temperature  by 
means  of  flues  running  underneath  the  entire  length 
of  the  building.  When  partially  dried  the  bricks  are 
each  subjected  to  a  pressure  of  about  forty  tons,  after 
which  they  are  again  placed  in  their  former  position 


604 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


on  the  floor  and  remain  till  thoroughly  dried,  when 
they  are  removed  to  the  kiln  and  arranged  in  rows 
upon  each  other,  with  spaces  between  for  the  circula- 
tion of  heat,  to  which  they  are  exposed  for  six  days 
and  nights;  during  the  last  forty-eight  hours  an  in- 
tense heat  is  kept  up,  which  gives  to  the  bricks  the 
proper  harduess  and  color,  as  they  appear  when  ready 
for  use. 

In  1870,  Stearns  &  Hopson  sold  the  balance  of  their 
purchase  to  Fredericks,  Kreamer  &  Bro.,  who  con- 
structed a  large  saw-mill,  having  a  sawing  capacity 
of  twenty-five  thousand  feet  per  day,  and  employing 
thirty  men.  The  mill  is  located  on  Lick  Run,  about 
one-fourth  of  a  mile  above  the  fire-brick  works,  and 
is  furnished  with  logs  from  up  the  run. 

In  1853  or  1854,  C.  &  J.  Fallon  built  a  bridge 
across  the  river,  a  short  distance  above  Farrandsville, 
to  connect  the  Rock  Cabin  Coal  Company's  Railroad 
with  the  Sunbury  and  Erie  (now  Philadelphia  and 
Erie).  The  bridge  was  completed  ready  for  the  track, 
when  the  Rock  Cabin  Company  ceased  operations, 
and  the  bridge  was  abandoned.  The  piers  are  still 
remaining,  though  badly  damaged  by  floods. 

In  18GG  the  Alumina  Fire-Brick  Company  com- 
menced operations  on  quite  an  extensive  scale  at  the 
mouth  of  Ferney's  Run.  The  manufacture  of  fire- 
brick was  conducted  for  some  time,  after  which  the 
works  were  destroyed  by  fire  and  have  not  been  rebuilt. 

In  1864,  Ira  Mason  built  a  large  saw-mill  on  the 
Tangascootac  Creek,  just  above  the  mouth,  for  the 
purpose  of  manufacturing  lumber  from  logs  to  be 
brought  down  the  creek.  This  mill  employs  twenty- 
five  men,  and  has  a  sawing  capacity  of  thirty-five 
thousand  feet  per  day.  In  1867  the  two  sons  of  Mr. 
Mason  became  partners  with  him,  since  which  time 
the  firm  has  been  known  as  Ira  Mason  &  Sons.  The 
entire  amount  of  lumber  manufactured  at  this  mill 
since  it  was  started  is  not  less  than  twenty-seven  mil- 
lion feet.  A  water-power  shingle-mill  has  been  con- 
structed in  connection  with  the  saw-mill,  and  annually 
manufactures  a  large  number  of  shingles.  The  com- 
pany has  constructed  upon  the  creek,  within  ten  miles 
of  the  mill,  six  extensive  dams,  at  a  cost  of  not  less 
than  twenty-five  thousand  dollars.  The  mill  and 
improvements  connected  with  it  have  cost  in  the 
aggregate  nearly  one  hundred  thousand  dollars.  Mr. 
Hiram  Mason,  one  of  the  firm,  who  is  a  practical  and 
thorough  lumberman  and  a  first-class  mechanic,  has 
the  general  supervision  of  the  mill.  It  is  estimated 
that  there  are  from  ten  million  to  thirteen  million 
feet  of  timber  yet  to  be  brought  down  the  creek  and 
sawed  at  the  mill. 

The  name  of  this  township  was  originally  spelled 
Coalbrook,  and  was  derived  from  the  discovery  of  coal 
on  one  of  the  streams. 

There  are  in  all  about  sixty-five  families  in  the 
township,  about  half  of  which  live  at  Farrandsville. 
There  is  one  school  house  and  a  store  at  that  place, 
the  latter  owned  by  Messrs.  Fredericks,  Munro  &  Co. 


A  public  school  is  kept  open  a  good  part  of  the  year, 
and  religious  services  held  occasionally  on  Sunday  by 
the  minister  located  at  Hyner's  Run.  There  is  but 
one  hotel  in  Colebrook  township,  the  Mountain  House. 
It  is  located  on  the  river-bank  a  short  distance  above 
Farrandsville,  and  at  present  is  under  the  proprietor- 
ship of  Mr.  T.  J.  Herbert. 


CHAPTER    CXIIL 


CRAWFORD    TOWNSUIP.i 


Previous  to  the  formation  of  Clinton  County, 
what  is  now  Crawford  township  was  included  in 
Limestone  township,  Lycoming  Co.,  after  which  it 
was  comprised  in  Wayne  township  till  it  was  sep- 
arately organized  in  1841.  As  it  is  now  bounded, 
about  one-third  of  Nippenose  valley  lies  within  its 
limits,  the  other  portion  being  in  Lycoming  County. 

As  the  history  of  the  township  under  considera- 
tion is  inseparably  connected  with  the  history  of  that 
beautiful  valley,  a  general  view  of  it  will  be  in  place. 
The  following  is  the  description  given  by  Meginness 
in  1857: 

"  A  few  miles  south  of  Jersey  Shore  is  a  very  pecu- 
liar valley  called  Nippenose.  It  is  an  oval  basin 
surrounded  by  a  chain  of  high  mountains,  contain- 
ing about  thirteen  thousand  acres.  The  land  is  good, 
and  produces  heavy  crops  of  wheat.  Limestone 
abounds  in  great  quantities,  and  the  valley  under- 
neath is  evidently  filled  with  fissures  and  caverns 
to  a  great  extent.  The  name  is  corrupted  from  an 
old  Indian  called  Nippenucy,  who  had  his  wigwam 
there,  and  in  the  bottom  of  the  same  name,  where 
he  lived  and  hunted  alternately.  This  is  the  true 
origin  of  the  present  title. 

"The  first  improvement  was  made  in  1776  by 
John  Clark,  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  David  Shaw. 
He  was  driven  off  with  his  family  during  the  war, 
but  returned  in  1784. 

"John  and  William  Winlin  lived  in  the  valley  in 
1790.  They  commenced  to  sink  a  well,  and  after 
digging  some  distance  came  to  a  flat  rock  that  re- 
sisted all  further  progress.  One  of  the  workmen 
commenced  striking  upon  it  with  a  sledge,  when  a 
hole  was  broken  through,  and  there  appeared  to  be 
a  large  cavern  underneath.  A  plummet  thirty  feet 
in  length  was  let  down  without  finding  bottom. 
They  became  alarmed  and  filled  it  up  again. 

"  The  valley  is  very  thickly  populated,  and  con- 
tains several  villages  and  hamlets,  with  stores,  hotels, 
churches,  mills,  etc. 

"  Most  of  the  streams  running  down  from  the 
mountains    sink    and    disappear  under   the   valley. 

1  From  D.  S.  Miijnard's  "  Historical  View  of  CliiitoD  County,"  1876. 


CRAWFORD  TOWNSHIP. 


605 


There  appears  to  be  only  one  place  of  outlet,  called 
Amis  Creek,  tliroiigh  the  gnp  of  the  same  name.  It 
is  a  small  stream,  abundantly  filled  with  trout;  not- 
withstanding they  are  constantly  fished  for,  and  great 
numbers  caught,  yet  the  supply  seems  inexhaustible. 
It  is  sujiposed  they  multiply  in  great  numbers  under 
the  valley,  and  come  forth  in  tlie  creek.  The  theory, 
it  must  be  admitted,  looks  plausible." 

About  one-third  of  the  territory  of  the  northern 
part  of  Crawford  township  is  included  in  Nippe- 
nose  valley  ;  the  remaining  portion  of  the  township  is 
mostly  unimproved  andunsettled.  However,  there  are 
several  fiimilies  living  upon  well-cultivated  farms  in 
the  southeastern  corner,  where  the  land,  though 
lying  high,  is  well  adapted  to  agricultural  purposes. 

There  are  public  roads  leading  out  of  the  valley  to 
Jersey  Shore  through  Antis   Gap,   to   Pine   Station  i 
through  Love's  Gap,  and  to  Sugar  valley. 

The  principal  timber  of  the  mountain  portion  of 
the  township  is  pine,  oak,  chestnut,  etc.  The  valley 
is  almost  entirely  cleared,  except  an  occasional  small 
tract  that  has  been  reserved  for  ordinary  home  uses. 

The  entire  Nippenose  valley  appears  to  be  under- 
laid with  limestone,  as  mentioned  by  Meginness. 
What  is  pronounced  by  competent  judges  to  be  a  fine 
quality  of  black  marble  has  been  found  in  large 
quantities  on  the  farm  of  Daniel  Shadle.  Indica- 
tions of  coal  exist  in  various  places  along  the  base 
of -tlie  mountain  which  surrounds  the  valley. 

Very  few  authentic  records  relating  to  the  early 
history  of  this  township  are  obtainable,  but  it  is  well . 
known  that  among  the  first  settlers  were  a  number  of 
individuals  who  figured  conspicuously  as  great  Indian 
hunters.  One  of  them,  Peter  Pence,  settled  upon  the 
farm  now  owned  by  Thomas  Gheen,  who  is  a  grand- 
son of  Pence.  Of  this  once  noted  character  Meginness 
says,— 

"There  was  another  remarkable  hunter  and  Indian 
killer  in  this  valley,  named  Peter  Pence,  of  whom 
many  wonderful  stories  are  related.  He  is  described 
by  those  who  remember  him  as  being  a  savage-looking 
customer,  and  always  went  armed  with  his  rifle,  toma- 
hawk, and  knife,  years  after  peace  was  made. 

"  The  accounts  of  his  adventures  with  the  Indians 
being  in  such  a  vague  and  unsatisfactory  form,  I  have 
concluded  to  omit  them  altogether  rather  than  detail 
them  incorrectly.  I  much  regret  this,  since  I  made 
some  effort  to  get  a  correct  sketch  of  them.  It  is  said 
that  an  account  of  his  life  was  published  some  thirty 
years  ago,  and  is  remembered  by  some,  but  the  most 
careful  research  has  failed  to  develop  it." 

Nathan  Gheen,  who  came  from  Chester-  County, 
was  also  one  of  the  early  settlers.  He  occupied  a 
farm  now  owned  by  Mr.  Leonard,  of  Williamsport. 
About  the  year  1815,  Charles  McElhaney  settled  on 
lands  now  owned  by  Daniel  Stiadle ;   William  Shaw 


located  on  the  tract  now  owned  by  George  and  Jesse 
Gheen.  The  farm  on  which  George  Gheen  lives  was 
first  settled  by  a  man  named  Fullerton.  The  Wil- 
liam McKeague  farm  was  settled  by  John  Stine,  and 
Christian  Showers  first  occupied  the  land  now  owned 
by  Jesse  Showers,  his  son.  Michael  Shadle  came 
from  Dauphin  at  quite  an  early  day,  and  settled  on 
land  now  owned  by  his  son,  Daniel  Shadle.  At  one 
time  Michael  Shadle  was  collector  for  the  township 
of  Wayne,  previous  to  the  organization  of  Crawford, 
and  for  his  services  in  traveling  over  the  mountains 
and  through  the  valleys  to  gather  the  taxes  his  com- 
mission amounted  to  about  seven  dollars  at  the  end 
of  the  year,  having  worn  out  ten  dollars'  worth  of 
shoe-leather,  as  he  claimed,  in  the  discharge  of  his 
oflBcial  duties. 

Crawford  township  was  erected  by  act  of  Assembly, 
Jan.  14,  1841,  and  named  in  honor  of  the  Hon.  George 
Crawford,  one  of  the  first  two  associate  judges  of  the 
county,  and  member  of  the  Legislature  from  the  dis- 
trict of  which  Clinton  formed  a  part.  The  first  con- 
stable for  the  township  was  Jacob  Stein. 

Crawford  is  bounded  on  the  south  by  Green,  on  the 
west  and  north  by  Wayne,  and  on  the  east  by  Lycom- 
ing County. 

According  to  the  census  of  1870,  the  township  had 
a  population  of  four  hundred. 

There  is  but  one  church  in  the  township.  It  is  lo- 
cated near  the  property  owned  by  Mr.  John  Getgen. 
It  was  built  by  the  Evangelical  denomination.  At 
present  there  are  four  school-houses  in  the  township, 
and  they  are  not  in  the  best  condition. 

The  only  village  in  Crawford  township  is  Rauch- 
town,  located  near  Rauch's  Gap.  This  place  was 
started  about  the  year  1850,  by  Peter  Ranch,  who 
previously  came  from.  Union  County,  and  purchased 
a  tract  of  over  two  hundred  acres,  including  a  mill 
property,  the  building  being  of  logs.  Afterwards  the 
mill  became  the  property  of  his  son,  Tillman  Ranch, 
who  built  a  new  mill  on  the  site  of  the  old  one.  It 
afterwards  passed  into  the  hands  of  D.  H.  Shale  & 
Co. 

Although  the  name  of  the  village  is  Rauchtown, 
the  post-oftice  is  called  Rauch's  Gap.  The  name,  as 
is  evident,  was  given  in  honor  of  the  founder  of  the 
place.  The  first  store  was  started  about  1860,  by 
George  Ranch  ;  the  next  was  started  in  1870,  by 
Gheer  &  Burrows  ;  it  is  now  owned  by  Jesse  Bowers. 

There  are  now  two  wagon-shops,  three  blacksmith- 
shops,  two  shoe-shops,  one  hotel,  and  about  thirty 
dwellings  in  the  place.  The  hotel  was  first  opened  to 
the  public  in  1873,  by  John  Metzger.  Peter  Irwin  is 
at  present  justice  of  the  peace,  and  George  Ranch 
postmaster.  There  is  one  school-house  at  Rauch- 
town, in  which  religious  services  are  occasionally 
held  by  various  denominations. 


606 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


CHAPTER    CXIV. 


DUNSTABLE   TOWNSHIP.' 


This  township  derived  its  name  from  William 
Dunn,  one  of  its  first  settlers.  It  was  taken  from 
Bald  Eagle  township,  and  organized  while  its  terri- 
tory was  a  part  of  Lycoming  County.  Since  its 
formation  its  geographical  limits  have  been  somewhat 
changed  by  the  organization  of  other  townships  and 
the  accession  to  its  territory  of  a  portion  of  Allison 
township,  which  forms  a  neck  between  Lock  Haven 
City  boundary  and  Lamar  township. 

Dunstable  is  about  three  and  a  half  by  four  miles 
in  extent,  and  bounded  on  the  west  by  AVoodward, 
on  the  south  by  Wayne  and  the  West  Branch  of  the 
Susquehanna,  on  the  east  by  the  West  Branch  and 
Pine  Creek  township,  and  on  the  north  by  Gallauher. 
The  surface  of  this  township  is  diversified  by  moun- 
tain, hill,  and  plain,  a  portion  of  the  Bald  Eagle 
Mountain  being  just  within  its  southern  limits,  and 
its  northern  portion  is  broken  into  hills,  while  that 
part  lying  along  the  Susquehanna  is  spread  out  into 
a  broad  and  beautiful  plain. 

The  township  is  well  supplied  with  water,  not  only 
from  the  river  but  by  numerous  smaller  streams,  the 
most  important  of  which  is  the  Big  Plum  Run,  which 
rises  in  Woodward  and  flows  through  the  township 
in  a  southeasterly  direction  and  empties  into  Chat- 
ham's Run  a  short  distance  above  the  river. 

There  is  very  little,  if  any,  unseated  land  in  Dun- 
stable township,  nearly  the  whole  of  its  area  being 
divided  into  farms  varj^ng  in  size  from  a  few  acres  to 
two  or  three  hundred,  the  "  wild"  land  of  the  town- 
ship being  less  in  proportion  to  the  cleared  than  is 
the  case,  probably,  in  any  other  township  in  the 
county.  The  price  of  land  is  about  the  same  as  in 
adjoining  townships,  ranging  from  twenty-five  dol- 
lars to  two  hundred  dollars  per  acre,  according  to 
location,  soil,  etc. 

The  hilly  portion  of  the  township  is  especially 
favorable  for  stock-raising,  it  having  an  abundance  of 
pure  water,  and  the  soil  is  well  adapted  to  grass,  it 
being  composed  of  light  shale  intermixed  with  clay. 
The  river  bottoms,  to  the  extent  of  three  or  four 
square  miles,  including  the  "  Big  Island,"  are  prob- 
ably as  productive  as  any  lands  in  Clinton  County. 
The  soil,  as  a  general  thing,  is  deep  and  very  strong,  it 
being  a  clayey  loam  slightly  mixed  with  sand,  and 
containing  a  large  proportion  of  decomposed  vege- 
table matter  deposited  by  the  overflowing  water  of 
the  river.  This  combination  renders  the  land  suscep- 
tible of  the  highest  cultivation,  and  adapts  it  to  the 
growth  of  corn,  wheat,  vegetables,  and  especially  to- 
bacco. The  cultivation  of  the  latter  has  become, 
during  the  past  few  years,  an  important  and  profit- 
able branch  of  agriculture,  and  already  the  product 


I  From  D.  S.  Maynard's"  Uistoricnl  View  of  Clinton  County." 


of  these  plains  has  gained  the  reputation  in  eastern 
markets  of  being  of  a  superior  quality,  generally 
commanding  the  highest  market  price. 

No  particular  attention  has  been  given  to  the  de- 
velopment of  the  minerals  of  this  township,  though 
iron  ore  is  known  to  exist  in  various  places,  and  there 
are  also  evidences  of  the  existence  of  coal,  slate  be- 
ing found  at  several  different  points.  Recently  ex- 
tensive beds  of  potter's  clay  have  been  discovered, 
and  pronounced  by  competent  judges  as  affording  in- 
exhaustible supplies  of  very  fine  materials  for  stone- 
ware, etc.  On  the  east  end  of  David  Baird's  farm 
the  clay-bed  has  been  opened,  also  on  the  adjoining 
farm  of  Mr.  McCloskey. 

The  "  Great  Island,"  containing  about  two  hundred 
and  eighty  acres,  is  located  within  the  limits  of  Dun- 
stable township.  A  hundred  years  ago  this  island 
was  an  important  point,  serving  as  a  general  "  land- 
mark" during  the  early  military  operations  on  the 
West  Branch.  Nearly  all  the  valuable  and  interest- 
ing records  relating  to  the  early  history  of  the  Island 
were  unfortunately  destroyed  by  fire  a  few  years  ago, 
therefore  it  is  difficult  to  give  anything  like  an  ac- 
curate and  complete  sketch  of  its  settlement.  It  is 
known,  however,  that  previous  to  its  occupation  by 
the  whites  it  was  a  rallying-point  and  council-ground 
for  the  Indians.  History  records  a  meeting  of  rep- 
resentatives of  several  different  tribes  on  the  island 
in  October,  1755.  This  meeting  was  held,  it  seems, 
to  consider  the  propositions  that  had  just  been  made 
to  some  of  the  tribes  by  the  French. 

In  May,  1778,  Col.  Hunter  wrote  to  the  president 
of  the  Executive  Council  of  the  province  that  he 
had  "  ordered  some  people  that  live  nigh  the  Great 
Island  to  preserve  shad  and  barrel  them  up  for  the 
use  of  the  militia  that  will  be  stationed  there  this 
summer." 

About  the  year  1768  a  party  of  surveyors  visited 
the  upper  portion  of  the  West  Branch  valley  for  the 
purpose  of  running  off"  the  Allison  tract,  and  prob- 
ably other  tracts  in  the  vicinity.  They  were  accom- 
panied by  William  Dunn,  a  native  of  York  County, 
Pa.,  who  acted  in  the  capacity  of  hunter  for  the 
party,  it  being  his  business  to  furnish  the  company 
with  wild  game  for  food.  Dunn  carried  a  splendid 
rifle  and  other  equipments  to  correspond,  which  at- 
tracted the  especial  attention  and  admiration  of  an 
Indian  chief,  the  owner  of  the  Great  Island.  The 
chiefs  admiration  for  Dunn's  accoutrements  grew 
into  a  determination  to  possess  them,  but  the  owner 
declined  to  part  with  them  till  the  chief,  being  nat- 
urally more  inclined  to  follow  the  war-path  than  the 
jj/ow,  offered  to  give  his  Island  for  Dunn's  rifle  and 
trappings  and  a  keg  of  whiskey  which  the  surveyors 
had  with  them.  Dunn  having  an  eye  to  business  ac- 
cepted the  offier,  and  took  po.ssession  of  the  Big  Island, 
as  it  was  generally  called  at  that  time.  After  having 
drank  the  whiskey  the  Indian,  boy-like,  wished  to 
"  trade  back,"  but  Dunn  held  fast  to  his  purchase. 


Indian  Land  Improvements 


Engraved  Expressly  for  this  Work. 


DUNSTABLE  TOWNSHIP. 


607 


It  is  no  wonder  the  Indian  regretted  his  bargain,  and 
wished  to  again  get  possession  of  his  island  liome,  for 
it  was  one  of  the  most  delightful  spots  in  the  West  I 
Brancli  valley,  and  had  long  been  a  favorite  resort  ' 
for  the   red   men.     There  they  had  met  in  solemn  i 
council  in  times  of  war,  and  there  they  had  rested  ' 
beneath  the    tall   elms  when   peace  prevailed.     No  ' 
wonder  the  Indians  were  loth  to  give  up  and  depart 
forever  from  a  place  which  had  been  held  sacred  by 
them  from  childhood,  a  place  where  their  fathers  had  i 
trod  long  years  before,  and  where  their  children  had 
sported  in  their  innocent  glee.     Indeed,  home,  with 
its  surroundings  aud  associations,  has  its  attractions 
for  even  a  savage  humanity. 

The  Island  was  owned  by  Mr.  Dunn  for  many 
years,  and  at  his  death  was  divided  among  his  heirs. 
The  eastern  end  is  still  in  the  family,  being  now 
owned  by  the  Hon.  William  Dunn,  grandson  of  the 
original  settler.  The  remainder  is  owned  by  Henry 
and  Robert  McCormick,  John  Myer's  heirs  and  Rich- 
ard Dorey.  It  is  all  under  cultivation  and  highly 
productive. 

William  Dunn,  the  elder,  took  an  active  part  in  the 
war  of  the  Revolution,  being  one  of  the  Committee  of 
Safety  for  Northumberland  County,  of  which  the 
Island  was  then  a  part.  At  the  time  of  the  "  Big 
Runaway,"  in  July,  1778,  he  was  forced,  like  his 
neighbors,  to  leave  his  house  and  fly  to  a  place  of 
safety.  He  found  his  way  to  York,  which  place  he 
had  left  a  few  years  before,  and  enlisted  in  the  army. 
He  participated  in  several  battles,  among  others  those 
of  Gerniantown  and  Trenton.  After  the  latter  the 
government  pressed  all  teams  into  the  service  that 
were  available.  Mr.  Dunn  was  surprised  one  day  to 
see  his  own  horses  and  wagon  brought  into  camp,  and 
immediately  asked  permission  to  take  charge  of  them, 
which  was  granted,  so  he  liad  the  satisfaction  of 
driving  his  own  team  if  he  was  a  soldier. 

Besides  William  Dynn,  among  the  early  settlers 
and  landholders  of  Dunstable  were  Thomas  Proctor 
and  William  Baird.  Thomas  Proctor  was  captain  of 
the  first  Continental  company  of  artillery  raised  in 
Philadelphia.  He  was  afterwards  promoted  to  the 
position  of  general  and  his  brother  Francis,  who  was 
lieutenant  of  the  same  company,  became  captain. 
The  Proctors  had  at  one  time  possession  of  several 
hundred  acres  of  land  on  the  flats,  just  below  the 
Island,  but  for  some  reason  or  other  they  failed  to 
hold  it,  probably  for  want  of  means  with  which  to 
make  their  payments,  and  it  finally  passed  into  the 
hands  of  others.  About  1800,  William  Baird  received 
a  patent  for  a  tract  of  two  hundred  and  eighteen 
acres  east  of  the  Proctor  tract.  This  is  now  owned  by 
his  grandsons,  David,  who  has  about  three-fourths  of 
the  original  tract,  and  Benjamin,  one-fourth.  Others 
settled  upon  the  lands  in  the  neighborhood,  and  it 
was  not  long  before  the  vicinity  of  Big  Island  was 
thickly  settled.  The  hills  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
township  were  cleared  of  their  pine  and  oak  forests 


and  converted  into  profitable  farms,  and  now  produce 
large  crops  of  corn,  oats,  potatoes,  etc.,  and  usually 
furnish  Lock  Haven  market  with  supplies  of  vege- 
tables and  fruit. 

Village  of  Liberty. — This  village,  located  just  east 
of  the  Island  on  the  mainland,  was  started  at  quite 
an  early  day,  and  at  one  time  was  an  important 
point  from  which  the  up-river  people  obtained  their 
supplies  of  merchandise.  Its  name  is  the  offspring 
of  patriotism  and  love  of  freedom  that  prevailed 
among  the  settlers  at  the  time  it  was  commenced.  In 
1812,  William  Tweed  had  a  store  where  Hays  Stewart 
and  A.  W.  Ferguson  live,  and  George  Quiggle  kept 
the  only  tavern  in  the  place.  Afterwards  D.  Maran 
kept  a  store  where  the  east  abutment  of  the  river 
bridge  now  stands.  The  only  place  of  business  now 
in  Liberty  is  the  store  of  R.  H.  Quigley,  at  which 
the  township  elections  are  held.  A  good  public  road 
crosses  the  Island  by  means  of  two  substantial  bridges, 
and  connects  the  village  with  Lock  Haven,  the  dis- 
tance being  four  miles.  In  1855  the  post-office  at 
Lockport  was  removed  to  Dunnsburg  and  called  the 
Dunnsburg  office,  with  Jacob  Myers,  postmaster;  was 
afterwards  removed  to  Liberty,  then  back  to  Dunns- 
burg, and  finally  back  to  Liberty  again,  aud  the  name 
changed  to  Island  post-office. 

The  first  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  a  brick 
structure,  was  built  in  1825,  and  the  present  brick 
edifice  was  erected  in  1870,  but  years  before  build- 
ing the  former  circuit  riders,  among  whom  was 
Rev.  Peter  Owens,  came  and  preached  the  gospel  at 
the  houses  of  Zebulon  and  Benjamin  Baird.  The 
first  school-house,  a  rude  log  structure,  stood  on  the 
farm  of  Mrs.  Mary  Ann  Stewart,  widow  of  Alexander 
Stewart,  and  youngest  daughter  of  the  late  Rev.  John 
H.  Grier.  In  this  school  Walter  S.  Chatham  was  an 
early  teacher. 

George  Quigley,  at  Liberty,  made  the  first  plows 
manufactured  in  all  this  region  between  Williams- 
port  and  Bellefonte,  and  people  came  from  afar  to 
get  them,  as  well  as  his  cradles  and  harrows. 

A  half-mile  east  of  Liberty,  in  the  hollow  near 
David  Baird's,  was  the  site  where  horse-races  were 
run  over  a  century  ago,  at  one  of  which  those  assem- 
bled were  surprised  by  the  Indians,  and  two  whites 
were  killed  by  the  savages. 

The  Quigley  Family.— John  Quigley  and  his 
wife  Margaret  (Baird)  were  born  in  Cumberland 
County,  but  first  located  in  Northumberland,  from 
whence  they  came  in  1813  to  this  neighborhood. 
They  settled  on  the  farm  where  Edwin  Bartholomew 
now  lives.  Mr.  Quigley  died  at  the  advanced  age  of 
eighty-seven  years.  His  children  were  James  P., 
Hugh,  Mariah,  John  and  William  (l;wins),  Ann,  Rob- 
ert, Reese  H.,  and  Margaret. 

The  last  two  have  been  keeping  store  at  Liberty 
some  thirty  years.  Reese  H.  Quigley  has  served  a 
long  time  as  township  clerk  and  postmaster.  Wil- 
liam Quigley  formerly  kept  a  hotel. 


608 


HISTORY  OF  CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


John  Innis  came  from  Northumberland  County  in 
1813,  and  settled  on  a  farm  between  Liberty  and  Da- 
vid Baird's  place,  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  A.  W. 
Ferguson.  His  only  descendant  living  hereabouts  is 
a  granddaughter,  Mrs.  Margaret  Fleming,  of  Lock 
Haven. 

The  Baied  Family.— Oct.  24,  1785,  William 
Baird,  of  New  Jersey,  laid  a  warrant  on  two  hundred 
and  eighteen  acres  and  forty-two  perches  of  land 
just  east  of  Liberty.  This  tract  was  called  "  Partner- 
ship," and  was  east  of  the  Proctor  tract.  He  came 
out  and  settled  on  it  prior  to  1797.  On  May  9,  1809, 
a  patent  for  this  tract  was  issued  to  his  four  sons, — 
William,  Zebulon,  Benjamin,  and  Joseph, — to  whom 
by  his  will  of  Aug.  1,  1789,  he  had  divided  it  equally. 
Besides  these  four  sons,  William  Baird  and  his  wife 
Tabitha  had  four  daughters — Lydia  (married  to  Wil- 
liam Dunn),  Mrs.  Arthur  Dillon,  Mrs.  McGill,  and 
one  whose  name  is  not  remembered.  The  Bairds 
were  Scotch-Irish,  who  came  frojn  North  Ireland  to 
New  Jersey  in  the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury. Of  the  four  sons,  Zebulon  married  Martha, 
daughter  of  William  Brown,  an  early  settler,  who 
came  from  South  Carolina.  Zebulon  and  his  wife 
both  died  in  1847.  Their  children  were  William, 
Benjamin,  Joseph,  David,  Zebulon,  Annie  (married 
to  Jacob  Miller),  Mary  (to  Andrew  White),  Jane  (to 
Jacob  Peppernian),  Sarah  (to  Joseph  Pepperman), 
and  Eliza  (never  nuirried). 

Of  these  children,  David  Baird  was  born  in  1806, 
and  married  in  1837  Tabitha,  daughter  of  John  and 
Tabitha  (Baird)  Quigley.  Their  children  are  Ar- 
villa  (married  to  Samuel  Hartzel),  Virginia  (married 
to  Richard  Dorey),  John  Quigley,  Martha  Jane  (mar- 
ried to  A.  Farewell),  MoUie  (married  to  K.  J.  Fare- 
well), Anna  Blanche  (single,  and  living  at  home). 

At  the  seventy-fifth  natal  anniversary  of  David 
Baird,  June  2G,  1881,  there  were  present  his  si.x  chil- 
dren and  twenty-one  grandchildren.  He  owns  three- 
fourths  of  the  original  Baird  patent  tract,  the  remain- 
ing fourth  being  owned  by  his  cousin,  Benjamin 
Baird,  who  married  Miss  Frances  M.  Hartman,  of 
Salona. 

David  Baird,  in  1838,  was  the  first  man  in  this  val- 
ley to  introduce  the  culture  of  tobacco,  which  has 
now  become  one  of  the  main  productions  in  all  this 
region. 

His  farm  and  residence  are  among  the  finest  in  the 
West  Branch  valley. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH. 


DAVID    BAIRD. 


In  the  year  1785,  William  Baird,  with  his  wife  and 
children  and  all  their  worldly  possessions,  emigrated 
from  New  Jersey  into  Central  Pennsylvania,  and  in 
what  is  now  the  township  of  Dunstable  boughtby 


warrant  from  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania 
two  liundred  and  eighteen  acres  of  wild  land.  Born 
of  Scotch-Irish  parents,  Mr.  Baird  was  just  the  man- 
for  a  pioneer.  Among  the  trees  on  the  banks  of  the 
river  he  built  a  log  house  of  the  most  primitive  kind, 
and  at  once  commenced  the  work  of  making  for  him- 
self and  his  posterity  a  home.  The  country  was  still  oc- 
cupied by  the  Indians,  who  at  times  became  very  war- 
like. To  David  Baird,  grandson  of  William,  named 
above,  it  was  related  that  once  when  the  four  sons  of 
Mr.  Baird  (William,  Zebulon,  Benjamin,  and  Joseph) 
were  following  through  the  woods  one  of  the  jiaths 
which  were  then  the  only  road,  they  were  fired  upon 
by  the  Indians,  and  one  of  them  shot  through  the 
arm.  David's  father  often  spoke  of  the  fear  they  then 
had  of  the  Indians,  and  that  while  plowing  near  the 
woods  they  were  ever  on  the  alert,  and  when  follow- 
ing after  the  plow  as  they  went  from  the  woods,  they 
expected  every  moment  to  hear  the  crack  of  the  red 
man's  rifle.  But  their  lives  were  spared,  and  Mr. 
Baird  lived  to  see  the  wilderness  blossom  like  the 
rose.  Mr.  Baird  died  at  his  home,  thus  made  by  him 
and  his  sons,  18     .      Before  his  death  he 

willed  to  his  four  sons,  hereinbefore  named,  each  an 
equal  share  of  his  land,  and  they,  on  the  15th  day  of 
May,  1789,  procured  a  patent  therefor.  Zebulon,  the 
second  son,  was  born  Feb.  19,  1762,  in  New  Jersey. 
Arrived  at  maturity,  he  married  on  the  1st  day  of 
January,  1789,  Miss  Martha  Brown.  To  them  were 
born  ten  children,  viz.:  Annie,  born  Oct.  12,  1790; 
William,  Feb.  11,  1792;  Benjamin,  Nov.  26,  1793; 
Polly,  Aug.  24,  1795;  Jeanny,  Nov  21,  1797;  Sally, 
June  25,  1800;  Rebecka,  March  24,  1802;  Joseph, 
Feb.  7,  1804;  David,  June  24.  1806;  Elizabeth,  April 
12,  1809;  and  Zebulum,  April  17,  1811.  After  his 
marriage  he  built  a  house  on  the  bank  of  the  river  on 
his  part  of  the  homestead,  which  was  the  finest  in  all 
the  country  around,  and  which  still  stands  near  the 
residence  of  John  Q.  Baird.  In  the  home  then  built 
he  lived,  and  here  he  reared  his  large  family  of  chil- 
dren. In  1795  the  Methodist  Church  sent  into  this 
part  of  Pennsylvania  the  pioneer  preachers,  who  did 
so  much  towards  spreading  the  religious  sentiment, 
the  effects  of  which  is  still  seen  and  felt.  Under  their 
teachings  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Baird  became  converted,  and 
from  thenceforth  their  house  became  the  home  of  tl;e 
itinerant  preachers  of  the  times.  In  1847,  Mr.  Baird 
and  his  wife  both  passed  away,  and  were  laid  at  rest 
in  the  Dunn  cemetery.  David  Baird,  the  seventh  son 
of  Zebulum,  was  born  in  the  log  shanty  first  occupied 
by  his  parents  on  the  2Gth  day  of  June,  1806.  His 
early  life  was  passed  in  the  home  of  his  father,  and, 
like  the  boys  of  the  pioneers  of  those  days,  was 
taught  that  one  of  God's  laws  was  to  earn  liis  bread 
by  the  sweat  of  his  brow.  His  education  was  obtained 
at  the  first  school-house  of  that  period,  which  was 
built  of  round  logs,  and  stood  near  where  Mrs.  Alex- 
ander Stewart  now  resides,  and  his  school  days  were 
days  when  there  was  no  work  to  do.     Such,  as  his 


^^;J^j\yu-L.-(k-^    /^d  (\~a^^~<K- 


GALLAUIIER  TOWNSHIP. 


COD 


chances  were  he  made  the  most  of  them,  and  acquired 
an  education  whicli  fitted  him  for  any  ordinary  busi- 
ness. 

On  the  31st  day  of  January,  1837,  he  married  Miss 
Tabitha  Quigley,  who  was  born  at  what  is  now  known 
as  North  Bend,  in  Clinton  County,  Sept.  11,  1818. 
Her  fatlier,  Jolin  Quigley,  was  of  German  origin,  and 
was  born  Marcli  14,  1775.  Her  mother.  Miss  Tabitha 
Baird,  was  born  Nov.  5, 1787.  Tlie  union  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Baird  has  been  blessed  with  seven  children, 
namely,  Arvilla  E.,  born  Sept.  5,  1838;  Verginia  C, 
Aug.  7,  1840  ;  John  Q.,  Dec.  18,  1842  ;  Martha  J., 
Nov.  24,  1844;  Robert  S.  Q.,  May  4,  1847,  died  April 
10,  1859;  Mollie  F.,  born  July  21,  1853;  and  Annie 
B.,  Sept.  29,  1860.  Mr.  Baird's  first  business  venture 
was  getting  out  lumber  near  where  Renovo  now 
stands.  We  next  find  liim  lumbering  on  Chess  Creek, 
in  Clearfield  County,  shipping  his  lumber  to  Marietta 
and  other  points.  For  two  years  he  ran  a  saw-mill 
near  Larris  Creek,  and  was  very  successful.  In  1833 
he  ran  .stone  on  flat-boats  for  the  canal  which  was 
being  built  near  his  home.  After  the  completion  of  the 
canal,  he  boated  stone  to  Farrandsville  and  coal  back 
to  Williamsport,  and  with  success  beyond  his  expecta- 
tions. In  1831  he  bought  the  farm  his  father  inherited, 
and  later  the  ones  owned  by  William  and  Joseph, 
which  he  still  owns,  and  to  which  he  has  since  added 
until  he  owns  over  two  hundred  acres  as  fine  land  as 
the  sun  shines  upon,  and  which  lie  has  farmed  in  a 
model  manner.  In  1838  he  raised  the  first  tobacco 
raised  in  the  county  as  a  business.  His  neighbors 
predicted  the  ruin  of  his  farm,  and  for  several  years 
be  was  virtually  alone  in  the  business,  but  has  lived 
to  see  it  one  of  the  principal  products  of  this  section. 
His  orchards  have  over  sixty  varieties,  and  for  years 
his  fruit  took  the  premium  at  the  county  fairs.  In 
politics,  Mr.  Baird  was  formerly  a  Whig,  then  a  Re- 
publican, to  which  party  he  still  loyally  belongs.  In 
1854,  when  his  county  gave  a  Democratic  majority  of 
three  hundred,  he  was  against  his  wishes  nominated 
for  county  commissioner,  and  was  elected  by  six  hun- 
dred majority,  andjilled  the  office  for  three  years, 
bringing  to  it  the  business  experience  of  a  su-ccessful 
business  man.  He  has  held  different  township  offices ; 
was  also  vice-president  of  the  agricultural  society, 
and  once  elected  president,  but  resigned.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Baird  have  been  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  over  forty  years,  and  he  was  for 
years  a  class-leader. 

The  farm,  which  is  one  of  the  best  in  the  county, 
he  has  ceased  to  work,  and  has  turned  it  over  to  his 
son  John,  who  manages  it  in  an  able  manner.  Along 
the  southern  line  of  the  farm  rolls  the  river;  on  the 
north  it  is  bounded  by  the  mountain,  which  stretches 
away  in  a  grand  panorama  of  cleared  fields  and  for- 
ests, while  between  the  river  and  the  mountains  lie 
the  broad  acres  of  level  fields  which  would  be  the 
pride  of  a  king,  all  under  the  highest  state  of  culti- 
vation, and  with  buildings  that  are  models  of  conven- 


ience and  elegance.  On  another  page  of  this  work 
appears  a  landscape  view  of  the  farm,  showing  the 
present  home  of  Mr.  Baird  in  the  main  view,  in  tlie 
upper  right-hand  corner  a  view  of  tlie  residence  of 
his  son  John,  and  opposite  a  view  of  the  old  home, 
where  he  and  his  brothers  and  sisters  grew  to  men's 
and  women's  estate.  John  Q.  Baird,  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  was  anxious  to 
shoulder  his  musket  and  go  forth  to  fight  for  the  prin- 
ciples he  deemed  to  be  right,  but  was  kept  back  from 
a  .sense  of  duty  to  his  parents  until  Feb.  24,  1865, 
when  he  enlisted  in  Company  I,  Twenty-eighth 
Pennsylvania  Veteran  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  served 
therein  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  joined  Gen. 
Sherman  at  Newberne,  N.  C,  and  participated  in  the 
capture  of  Johnson  and  the  march  to  Washington, 
which  ended  in  the  grand  review  in  that  city  May 
23  and  24,  1865.  He  was  discharged  with  his  regi- 
ment July  18,  1865. 


CHAPTER    CXV. 


GALLAUIIER  TOWNSllII',' 


Gallauher  Township  was  erected  Sept.  18, 1849. 
It  is  bounded  on  the  south  by  Pine  Creek,  Dunstable, 
and  Woodward;  on  the  west  by  Woodward,  Cole- 
brook,  and  Grugan ;  on  the  north  by  Grugan  ;  and 
on  the  east  by  Lycoming  County.  It  is  about  twelve 
miles  long  from  northwest  to  southeast,  by  four  wide. 

The  surface  of  this  township  is  quite  uneven,  being 
broken  by  hills  and  water-courses.  As  there  are  no 
large  streams  within  its  limits,  of  course  it  has  no 
"bottom  land,"  though  there  is  much  that  is  level  or 
nearly  so. 

Gallauher  township  is  well  supplied  with  water, 
having  within  its  territory  the  tributaries  of  Rattle- 
snake, Lick,  Quinn's,  Plum,  and  Chatham's  Runs. 
Although  the  township  is  generally  considered  too 
hilly  and  mountainous  for  agricultural  purposes,  such 
is  not  the  case.  The  soil  upon  the  highlands  is  well 
adapted  to  the  cultivation  of  not  only  grass,  oats,  and 
potatoes,  but  corn,  wheat,  and  rye  may  be  profitably 
cultivated. 

Originally  there  was  considerable  white-pine  in  the 
township,  but  it  has  nearly  all  been  taken  off,  especi- 
ally along  the  streams.  The  timber  now  remaining 
is  principally  hemlock,  oak,  and  chestnut. 

Gallauher  township  undoubtedly  possesses  much 
mineral  wealth,  though  examinations  have  not  been 
carried  sufficiently  far  to  determine  its  extent.  Re- 
cently, however,  an  extensive  deposit  of  fire-clay  has 
been  discovered  on  the  farm  of  John  Nolan,  which 
lies  on  a  tributary  of  Chatham's  Run.  Iron  ore  has 
been  found  in  various  places,  and  coal  is  also  known 
to  exist. 

*  From  D.  S.  AlnyuarU'^  "  Historical  View  of  Cliatou  Couut}'.** 


610 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


But  a  small  proportion  of  the  land  of  this  township 
is  improved,  though  there  are  hundreds  of  acres  that 
are  most  desirable  for  farms  awaiting  the  pioneer's  axe. 

Probably  the  first  actual  settler  in  what  is  now 
Gallauher  township  was  John  Gotschalk,  who  located 
on  the  turnpike  leading  from  Jersey  Shore  to  Cou- 
dersport,  about  the  year  1835.  The  region  at  that 
time  was  a  wilderness,  inhabited  only  by  wild  ani- 
mals, but,  with  the  energy  and  perseverance  that  char- 
acterizes the  pioneer,  Mr.  Gotschalk  cleared  a  patch 
and  built  a  log  house.  Not  long  after  he  took  posses- 
sion of  his  forest  home,  probably  the  ensuing  winter, 
there  was  a  heavy  fall  of  snow,  which  covered  the 
ground  to  such  a  depth  that  it  was  impossible  for  him 
to  get  out  to  obtain  supplies,  and  he  with  his  family 
would  certainly  have  perished  had  it  not  been  that 
James  McKinney,  Esq.,  of  Pine  Creek,  suspected  his 
condition,  and  with  his  team  attached  to  a  sled  broke 
a  road  a  distance  of  nine  miles  to  his  dwelling,  and 
assisted  him  in  getting  food  for  his  family  and  live- 
stock. 

After  the  completion  of  the  West  Branch  Canal  to 
Lock  Haven,  many  of  the  laborers  employed  in  its 
construction  settled  in  Clinton  County.  Among  them 
were  John  Lovett,  George  Lovett,  Andrew  Nolan, 
John  Hennessey,  and  Michael  Welsh,  who  selected 
farms  in  that  portion  of  the  present  Gallauher  town- 
ship lying  between  Quinn's  and  Plum  Runs,  forming 
a  community  which  is  known  as  "The  Irish  Settle- 
ment," the  persons  named  all  being  of  that  nation- 
ality. 

At  the  time  this  settlement  was  formed  there  was 
not  a  road  within  five  miles,  and  the  forest  was  un- 
broken for  a  great  distance  in  each  direction.  Not 
even  a  tree  had  previously  been  cut  on  their  posses- 
sions. The  region  was  indeed  wild,  and  might  truth- 
fully have  been  termed  a  "  howling  wilderness,"  for 
the  howls  of  the  wolf,  the  screech  of  the  panther,  and 
the  cry  of  the  wild-cat  were  heard  on  every  hand, 
but  the  sturdy  settlers  braved  all  dangers,  and,  perse- 
vering in  their  efforts  to  procure  homes  for  their  fam- 
ilies, succeeded  in  "  clearing  up"  farms  that  compare 
favorably  with  those  in  more  ftivored  regions.  In  a 
few  years  other  settlers  followed  the  pioneers,  and  now 
the  "Irish  Settlement"  is  a  flourishing  community. 

As  may  be  supposed,  the  first  settlers  of  Gallauher 
township  had  many  adventures  with  wild  animals, 
which  were  quite  numerous.  As  late  as  1867,  Mr. 
Patrick  Douling,  who  lives  near  Mr.  Lovett's,  drove 
a  bear  out  of  his  hog-pen.  Bruin  had  gone  there  to 
select  the  finest  shoat,  but  was  forced  to  leave  with- 
out it.  Bears  were  quite  common,  and  are  occasion- 
ally seen  even  at  this  day.  It  frequently  happened 
that  half  a  dozen  deer  were  seen  at  one  time.  Only 
a  few  years  ago  Mr.  James  Hennessey  was  attacked 
by  a  wild-cat.  It  seems  that  with  a  companion  he  was 
passing  along  the  road  through  the  woods,  when 
without  any  premonition  he  was  nearly  thrown  to  the 
ground    by   the  animal   springing  from   a   tree  and 


alighting  upon  his  neck  and  shoulders.  With  some 
difficulty  they  succeeded  in  frightening  him  off,  and 
he  escaped  in  the  woods.  During  the  fall  of  1875  a 
man  by  the  name  of  Lovett,  a  grandson  of  John 
Lovett,  the  pioneer,  was  chased  by  a  wild-cat.  At 
the  present  time  the  most  troublesome  animals  in 
the  region  are  foxes,  which  often  make  sad  havoc 
with  the  poultry. 

Many  were  the  hardships  endured  by  the  pioneers 
of  Gallauher.  Such,  of  course,  is  always  the  case  in 
newly-settled  regions,  but,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the 
first  settlers  of  this  township  located  a  considerable 
distance  from  the  river  or  any  line  of  travel,  they 
necessarily  had  more  difficulty  in  procuring  supplies 
than  was  experienced  by  those  who  settled  in  places 
mote  easy  of  access.  For  quite  a  number  of  years 
after  the  first  settlement  was  made  in  the  township 
the  people  were  compelled  to  carry  their  grain  to  mill 
on  their  backs.  This  was  done  not  only  by  the  men, 
but  in  many  instances  by  women.  The  nearest  point 
where  they  could  get  their  corn  and  wheat  ground 
was  Chatham's  Run,  a  distance  of  four  or  five  miles. 

In  1845,  Mr.  William  Cryder  moved  from  Pine 
Creek  and  settled  near  the  Irish  Settlement,  not  far 
from  one  of  the  branches  of  Quinn's  Run.  He  is 
still  living  there,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-seven 
years,  having  raised  to  manhood  and  womanhood  a 
large  family  of  children.  Among  them  is  P.  B.  Cry- 
der, Esq.,  of  Lock  Haven.  Though  having  lived 
some  years  beyond  the  time  allotted  man,  Mr.  Cryder 
is  still  in  quite  good  health,  with  faculties  unim- 
paired, and  takes  pleasure  in  talking  of  his  pioneer 
experience  in  Gallauher  township.  As  was  the  case 
with  most  of  the  early  settlers,  he  was  a  good  marks- 
man, and  delighted  in  the  chase.  The  first  year  he 
lived  in  the  township  he  killed  five  bears,  and  the 
next  year  six,  to  say  nothing  of  the  deer  and  other 
smaller  game.  Among  the  early  settlers  of  the  Irish 
Settlement  was  one  Thomas  McCann,  a  bachelor, 
who  lived  by  himself,  and  cleared  and  cultivated  a 
little  farm,  apparently  taking  considerable  comfort, 
but  one  morning  he  was  found  degd  in  his  bed,  from 
what  cause  is  not  known. 

The  settlers  of  Gallauher  township  certainly  de- 
serve great  credit  for  the  energy  and  perseverance 
they  displayed  in  plunging  into  the  wilderness,  where, 
surrounded  by  wild  animals,  they  have  cleared  farms 
and  established  homes  for  themselves  and  their  pos- 
terity. Many  of  the  farms  in  the  township  are  in  a 
good  state  of  cultivation,  and  show  evidence  of  thrift 
and  agricultural  skill  on  the  part  of  their  owners. 
1  One  of  the  largest  and  best  cultivated  farms  in  the 
township  is  owned  by  John  Nolan.  This  farm  con- 
tains nearly  two  hundred  acres,  and,  like  most  of  the 
others  in  the  vicinity,  is  especially  adapted  to  stock- 
raising,  being  well  supplied  with  the  purest  water  and 
capable  of  producing  abundant  pasturage.  Although 
most  of  this  land  is  elevated  several  hundred  feet 
above  the  West  Branch,  it  has  been  demonstrated 


GREENE  TOWNSHIP. 


CU 


that  fruit-trees,  especially  apple,  flourish  there  to 
perfection,  and  produce  abundantly  in  protected  or 
sheltered  locations.  Even  the  grapevine  thrives  and 
yields  largely. 

Of  the  original  settlers  of  the  township  there  are 
now  but  very  few  living,  probably  less  than  half  a 
dozen,  among  them  John  Lovett  and  wife,  now  more 
than  seventy-five  years  old.  This  couple,  perhaps,  in 
their  pioneer  life  endured  greater  privations  and 
hardships  than  usually  fall  to  the  lot  of  first  settlers. 
When  they  first  took  possession  of  their  forest  home 
they  had  six  children,  some  of  them  quite  small. 
With  wild  animals  to  contend  with  on  one  hand  and 
the  labor  of  clearing  land  to  perform  on  the  other,  it 
may  be  supposed  they  iiad  their  hands  full ;  but  they 
persevered,  and  now  as  a  result  have  the  satisfaction 
of  knowing  that  their  declining  years  will  be  spent, 
if  not  in  luxury,  in  comfortable  circumstances. 

Among  the  other  early  settlers  of  the  township  not 
already  mentioned  were  the  Glovers  and  J.  Focht, 
who  located  on  or  near  the  Jersey  Shore  and  Couders- 
port  turnpike.  Focht  had  been  a  soldier  under  Na- 
poleon, and  was  in  the  battle  of  Waterloo.  It  is  said 
that  he  was  required  to  work  two  years  to  pay  his 
passage  to  this  country. 

The  Jersey  Shore  and  Coudersport  turnpike  forms 
the  boundary  between  this  township  and  Lycoming 
County,  and,  as  its  name  indicates,  connects  Jersey 
Shore,  in  Lycoming  County,  with  Coudersport,  the 
county-seat  of  Potter  County.  This  is  the  principal 
thoroughfare  from  the  West  Branch  to  the  State  of 
New  York,  and  affords  a  very  desirable  outlet  for  the 
people  living  in  the  northern  and  eastern  portions  of 
the  township.  At  present  there  are  four  school-houses 
in  the  township ;  the  first  one  was  built  about  the  year 
1850;  it  was  located  near  John  Lovett's. 

The  manufacture  of  lumber  is  still  carried  on  to 
some  extent,  there  being  half  a  dozen  or  more  mills 
now  in  operation  in  different  parts  of  the  township. 

The  township  derived  its  name  from  Judge  Gal- 
lauher,  of  Pine  Creek  township,  who  was  instrumen- 
tal in  its  organization. 

There  is  no  church  in  the  township,  but  religious 
services  are  occasionally  held  in  the  different  school- 
liouses.  Nearly  all  the  dwellings  are  the  original  log 
structures. 


CPIAPTER  CXVL 

GREENE  TOWNSHIP.i 

This  township  was  organized  in  February,  1840. 
It  is  located  in  the  southeast  corner  of  the  county, 
and  bounded  as  follows :  On  the  east  by  Lycoming 
County,  on  the  north  by  Crawford  and  Lamar  town- 
ships, on  the  west  by  Lamar  and  Logan,  and  on  the 

1  From  D.  S.  Maynard's  "  Historical  View  of  Clinton  County." 


south  by  Centre  County,  and  averages  about  four  and 
a  half  miles  in  width  by  ten  or  twelve  in  length. 

About  one-half  of  this  township  lies  in  Sugar  val- 
ley, one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  attractive  vales  in 
Central  Pennsylvania.  This  valley  is  about  twenty 
miles  in  length,  and  has  an  average  width  of  about 
two  miles.  It  is  bordered  on  each  side  by  verdure- 
covered  mountains,  and  checkered  throughout  its 
entire  length  with  well-cultivated  fields  and  groves 
of  original  forest-trees,  presenting  a  grand  and  beau- 
tiful view.  Fishing  Creek,  which  takes  its  rise  in  the 
extreme  eastern  end,  at  what  is  called  the  "Tea 
Spring,"  flows  its  entire  length,  and  breaks  through 
the  mountain  range  and  emerges  into  Nittany  valley 
at  Washington  Furnace. 

That  portion  of  Greene  township  lying  in  Sugar 
valley  is  about  eight  hundred  feet  higher  than  the 
West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna  at  Lock  Haven. 
The  remainder  of  the  township  is  several  hundred 
feet  higher  still,  occupying  the  highlands  which  lie 
south  of  the  Nittany  and  Bald  Eagle  mountains. 

The  timber  of  the  entire  township  originally  con- 
sisted of  heavy  growths  of  pine,  oak,  chestnut,  maple, 
etc. ;  the  elevated  portions  still  afford  a  large  amount 
of  choice  varieties,  which  each  season  is  being  re- 
duced by  the  operations  of  lumbermen. 

The  soil  of  the  region  compares  favorably  with  that 
of  other  portions  of  the  county.  In  certain  localities 
it  is  composed  of  loam  intermixed  with  sand  and 
gravel;  this  is  the  case  in  the  valley.  In  other  places 
red  shale  predominates.  The  principal  stream  is 
Fishing  Creek,  already  mentioned.  Other  smaller 
ones  take  their  rise  in  the  elevated  parts  of  the  town- 
ship and  flow  in  various  directions,  affording  sufficient 
water  for  the  use  of  live-stock,  etc. 

Fishing  Creek  is  a  remarkable  stream.  It  origi- 
nates in  the  gap  between  Sugar  and  White  Deer  val- 
leys, near  the  head-waters  of  a  tributary  of  White 
Deer  Creek.  The  spring  by  which  it  is  mainly  fed 
has  been  called  for  many  years  the  "Tea  Spring," 
because  of  the  existence  in  its  vicinity  of  the  plant 
called  golden-rod,  the  leaves  of  which  have  valuable 
medicinal  properties,  and  were  used  by  the  first  set- 
tlers as  a  substitute  for  the  herb  of  China;  even  at 
this  day  it  takes  the  place,  with  many,  of  the  im- 
ported article.  lu  its  action  on  the  system  it  is  said 
to  be  diaphoretic  and  carminative. 

Near  the  spring  there  has  lived  for  many  years  an 
old  German  by  the  name  of  Zimmerman.  He  is  one 
of  the  oldest  citizens  in  that  region.  He  keeps  a 
public-house  for  the  accommodation  of  people  pass- 
ing through  the  gap  between  Sugar  and  White  Deer 
valleys.     His  place  is  quite  a  resort  for  hunters. 

About  five  miles  from  its  source  Fishina:  Creek 
I  sinks  into  the  ground,  and  flows  underneath  the  sur- 
face for  a  distance  of  four  or  five  miles,  when  it  again 
appears  in  the  form  of  springs,  and  continues  in  its 
channel  to  Nittany  valley.  The  average  fall  per  mile 
in  this  stream  is  about  thirty-three  feet,  which  would 


612 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


make  the  "  Tea  Spring"  something  over  eleven  hun- 
dred feet  higher  than  Lock  Haven,  or  about  sixteen 
liundred  and  fifty  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 
Logansville  is  about  seven  hundred  feet  higher  than 
Lock  Haven,  and  more  than  twelve  hundred  feet 
above  the  sea. 

Greene  township  contains  considerable  mineral 
wealth.  It  remains  undeveloped  as  yet,  however, 
with  the  exception  of  iron  ore,  which  was  mined  and 
smelted  to  some  extent  many  years  ago,  a  furnace 
having  been  erected  for  that  purpose  on  land  now 
owned  by  Philip  Cromley.  This  ore  was  taken  from 
the  ground  at  a  depth  of  seventy-five  or  eighty  feet, 
and  is  of  a  superior  quality  of  hematite,  yielding  over 
sixty  per  cent,  of  metal  through  the  furnace.  Fine 
specimens  of  marble,  suitable  for  statuary  and  like 
purposes,  have  been  found  at  various  places  through- 
out Sugar  valley,  but  thus  far  no  extensive  deposits 
have  been  discovered,  though  it  is  believed  immense 
beds  exist.  Quite  recently  the  attention  of  the  pub- 
lic has  been  directed  to  what  is  pronounced  zinc  ore 
of  good  quality,  found  on  the  Price  farm,  about  two 
miles  east  of  Logansville.  Clay  from  which  "red- 
ware"  is  made  is  extensively  found  and  manufactured 
into  ware  at  Logansville. 

At  several  points  in  Sugar  valle)'  there  are  indica- 
tions of  coal.  None  has  yet  been  actually  found  in 
Greene  township.  Probably  no  other  portion  of 
Clinton  County  is  as  liable  to  periodical  attacks  of 
mineral  fever  as  this  valley.  During  the  past  eight  or 
ten  years  numerous  "  companies"  have  prospected 
through  the  valley  and  leased  land  for  a  term  of 
years,  but  have  failed  to  find  anything  of  value. 
There  is  no  doubt,  however,  that  systematic  and  thor- 
ough explorations  would  reveal  extensive  deposits  of 
mineral  wealth.  Underlying  the  valley  its  entire 
length  are  inexhaustible  beds  of  limestone,  which 
afford  to  the  fiirmers  of  the  surrounding  country  an 
ample  supply  of  lime  for  agricultural  and  other  pur- 
poses. 

The  first  settlement  in  Greene  township  was  made 
about  the  year  1800  by  Rudolph  Karstetter.  During 
the  following  twenty  years  quite  a  number  of  the 
citizens  of  Brush  and  Pcnn's  valleys  moved  into  Sugar 
valley.  Among  them  were  John  Schrack,  grand- 
father of  the  present  Schracks,  living  south  of  Lo- 
gansville, and  Martin  Brumgard,  Sr. ;  John  and  Jacob 
Kahl  came  from  Sunbury,  and  John  Kleckner  from 
LTnion  County.  The  other  early  settlers  in  the  east 
end  of  the  valley  were  John  Brown,  father  of  Sam- 
uel Brown,  Jacob  Franck,  Henry  Price,  Daniel  Crom- 
ley, Jacob  Snyder,  Maj.  Philip  Wohlfart,  Philip 
Cromley,  John  Brumgard,  Francis  Cromley,  David 
Stamm,  and  a  family  by  the  name  of  Beaver. 

Previous  to  1830,  a  man  by  the  name  of  Frederick 
Friedley  purchased  a  large  tract  of  land  in  the  ex- 
treme eastern  end  of  the  valley  of  Joseph  Simms,  a 
Philadelphia  Quaker,  and  cleared  quite  a  number  of 
acres  on  what  is  now  Samuel  Brown's  farm.     During 


the  season  of  1829,  being  convinced  that  there  was 
ore  of  a  good  quality  on  his  farm,  Friedley  com- 
menced the  construction  of  a  furnace  on  the  right 
bank  of  Fishing  Creek,  and  had  it  ready  for  blast  the 
following  season.  Friedley  himself  not  being  a  prac- 
tical iron  manufacturer,  of  course  had  to  depend 
upon  others  to  superintend  his  operations;  as  a  con- 
sequence it  proved  almost  impossible  to  obtain  ex- 
perienced and  trustworthy  men  who  would  manage 
the  business  to  his  entire  satisfaction  ;  this  was  all 
the  more  difficult  owing  to  Friedley's  irritable  and 
petulant  disposition.  After  employing  and  discharg- 
ing a  number  of  different  managers,  he  finally  decided 
to  take  charge  of  the  furnace  himself,  as  he  claimed 
he  had  sufficient  experience  to  enable  him  to  do  so. 
Accordingly,  with  the  assistance  of  Jacob  Franck, 
who  was  then  in  his  employ,  he  proceeded  to  charge 
the  furnace,  but  before  the  metal  could  be  drawn  out 
it  had  chilled,  which,  of  course,  was  no  trifling  affair, 
as  its  removal  was  a  very  difficult  matter,  and  could 
not  be  accomplished  except  by  a  person  of  skill  and 
experience.  At  this  stage  of  affairs  John  Fluff  (then 
living  at  Hyner)  came  along  and  gave  Friedley  to  un- 
derstand that  he  could  clear  the  furnace  and  again 
get  it  in  blast,  whereupon  he  was  employed  to  take  it 
in  charge,  and  soon  had  it  in  working  order.  Under 
Fluff's  supervision  considerable  iron  of  the  very  best 
quality  was  manufactured,  but  through  general  mis- 
management Friedley  became  heavily  involved  in 
debt,  and  abandoned  his  property,  which  was  after- 
wards sold  by  the  sheriff.  The  ruins  of  "  Deborah 
Furnace"  (such  it  was  called)  may  be  seen  at  the  pres- 
ent time,  a  portion  of  the  stack  still  standing. 

About  the  year  1800,  John  Kleckner,  father  of  Col. 
Anthony  Kleckner,  built  the  first  grist-mill  in  what 
is  now  Greene  township.  It  stood  on  the  site  of  the 
mill  at  Logansville,  now  owned  by  Henry  Wirth. 
The  present  mill  was  built  by  Col.  Kleckner.  About 
the  same  time  the  grist-mill  was  built  John  Kleckner 
also  erected  a  saw-mill  about  three  miles  farther 
down  the  valley. 

The  first  school-house  was  built  in  1824,  a  short 
distance  south  of  where  John  Schrack  now  lives.  At 
present  it  is  used  as  a  Union  Church.  The  next  was 
built  a  few  years  after  and  occupied  the  site  of 
Stamm's  store;  it  was  made  of  logs. 

The  first  justice  of  the  peace  in  the  valley  was 
Samuel  McKesson,  who  dispensed  justice  for  some 
years,  quite  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  settlers. 

About  the  year  1820,  Henry  Barner,  grandfather  of 
the  present  generation  of  Barners,  came  from  Perry 
County  and  settled  on  the  mountain  about  a  mile 
north  of  where  Logansville  now  is;  he  preferred  lo- 
cating there  because  he  thought  the  soil  was  much 
better  than  that  of  the  valley  ;  he  afterwards  discov- 
ered his  mistake. 

Mr.  Jacob  Karstetter,  son  of  the  first  settler  of  the 
township,  Rudolph  Karstetter,  was  a  peculiar  case;  he 
was  born  in  the  vallev  and  continued  to  live  there  till 


GREENE  TOWNSHIP. 


CIS 


his  death,  which  occurred  when  lie  was  about  seventy 
years  old.  Tlie  following  from  the  Clinton  Democrat  of 
Jan.  2,  1873,  gives  an  interesting  sketch  of  his  life: 

"  In  the  cool,  sequestered  vale  called  Sugar  valley, 
in  Clinton  County,  resides  an  old  man  with  his  family 
named  Jacob  Karstetter.  He  is  now  sixty-seven  years 
of  age,  stout  and  rugged  yet  for  a  man  of  his  age,  and 
for  one  who  has  roughed  it  as  he  has.  In  the  earlier 
days  of  Clinton's  history,  and  even  before  she  had  a 
history,  "Jake"  Karstetter  was  one  of  the  strongest 
among  the  strong,  a  splendid  shot, — so  good,  indeed, 
that  he  was  ruled  out  of  the  shooting-matches  because 
he  was  dead  sure  for  the  '  bull's  eye,' — and  he  was 
never  willing  to  stand  back  if  a  little  scrimmage  was 
going  on,  but  ready  and  willing  to  take  a  hand.  But 
few  cared  to  tackle  Jake  Karstetter;  those  who  did 
generally  came  off  second  best,  and  it  was  seldom,  if 
ever,  that  any  one  cared  to  try  it  over  again.  Wc  are 
not  advised  that  he  was  a  quarrelsome  or  meddlesome 
man, — on  the  contrary,  we  are  led  to  suspect  he  was 
jiot, — but  the  above  were  some  of  his  physical  quali- 
ties, and  from  what  follows  it  will  be  seen  that  he  had 
in  him  the  ring  of  the  true  metal. 

"  He  lived  among  and  shared  up  to  the  beginning  of 
the  war,  and  does  now,  the  life  of  the  sturdy  yeomanry 
of  Sugar  valley.  At  this  time  he  was  fifty-four  years 
of  age  and  '  eager  for  the  fray,'  but  he  was  too  old  to 
get  mustered  in.  To  overcome  this  he  reported  his 
age  as  forty-four,  entered  Company  C,  Seventh  Penn- 
sylvania Reserves,  Col.  Harvoy,  afterwards  Col.  Bol- 
inger,  and  served  two  years.  In  the  Seven  Days'  fight 
he  was  injured  by  being  trodden  upon  on  the  breast 
by  a  horse  of  one  of  Gen.  Meade's  aides.  While  lying 
tvounded,  to  escape  capture  he  rolled  into  a  muddy 
ditch,  and  there  lay  twenty-six  hours  in  the  hope  of 
escaping  detection  ;  but  he  was  nabbed  and  sent  to 
Libby.  After  confinement  for  a  week  or  so  he  was 
offered  a  parole,  but  refused  to  take  the  oath  obliga- 
ting him  not  to  take  up  arms  till  regularly  exchanged. 
He  told  his  captors,  he  says,  he'd  '  be  (cussed)  if  he'd 
take  any  such  oath.  When  he  got  out  of  there  he 
was  going  to  fight  them  ;  he  wasn't  going  to  be  lying 
round  doing  nothing,  and  if  he  couldn't  do  that  if  he 
went  then,  he'd  stay  there  till  he  could  !'  Having 
served  two  years,  he  returned  home  and  resumed  his 
peaceful  avocations,  intending  to  remain  home,  at  the 
earnest  request  of  his  family.  But  before  long  some- 
thing offended  him,  and  off  he  put  to  enter  the  army 
again.  Persuasions  were  in  vain  ;  go  he  would.  He 
went  to  Harrisburg  and  called  on  Governor  Curtin, 
with  whom  he  was  acquainted,  and  told  him  he  was 
going  again  to  fight  for  the  Union.  The  Governor 
told  him  that  was  right,  and  directed  him  by  a  mes- 
senger where  to  go,  and  he  went  and  was  examined  by 
the  surgeon,  who  refused  him  on  account  of  age.  Go 
he  swore  he  would.  He  was  told  on  the  sly  that  if 
he  insisted,  he  could  be  put  through  for  two  hundred 
and  sixty  dollars.  He  d.id  pay  two  hundred  dollars  to 
get  in. 


"  Instead  of  paying  to  get  in,  tradition  says  that 
some  paid  much  more  than  this  to  stay  out.  But  the 
hero  of  our  story  wasn't  of  tlie<e.  He  would  go,  and 
if  he  couldn't  go  any  other  way,  he  would  pay  to  go. 
He  served  till  the  battle  of  Cedar  Creek,  or  Fisher's 
Hill,  the  occasion  when  Sheridan  made  his  famous 
ride,  rallied  the  army,  and  turned  defeat  into  victory. 
Some  time  afterwards  he  wasdiscliargcd  for  disability. 
Altogether  ho  was  in  twenty  or  more  fights. 

"  From  the  peculiarities  of  our  su'oject  it  will  be 
readily  believed  that  he  was  somewhat  erratic  and  a 
little  hard  to  keep  to  company  duty.  He  yearned 
for  sharpshooting  duty,  and  was  disposed  to  and  did 
go  off  now  and  then  to  have  a  few  shots  all  to  him- 
self. On  picket  duty  he  lost  two  fingers,  taken  off  by 
a  shot  from  one  of  Mosby's  men.  Such  is  a  brief 
sketch  of  what  was  related  to  us  about  Jake  Kar- 
stetter." 

The  mountain  portion  of  the  township  was  not 
settled  till  quite  a  number  of  years  after  the  valley. 
Among  the  first  to  penetrate  the  highland  wihls  and 
make  permanent  improvements  was  Jacob  Frantz, 
who  constructed  a  saw-mill  upon  the  head-waters  of 
McElhattan  Run  about  1830  or  1835.  After  the 
death  of  Frantz  the  jiroperty  passed  through  the 
hands  of  several  different  owners,  among  others  J. 
R.  Fredericks,  now  of  Pine  Station,  and  A.  T.  Nichols, 
of  WiUiamsport.  At  present  the  entire  tract  owned 
by  Frantz,  which  contained  seven  or  eight  hundred 
acres,  and  about  a  thousand  acres  additional  is  owned 
by  Jamison  &  Co.,  and  is  under  the  management  of 
Mr.  Andrew  Jamison,  one  of  the  firm.  The  original 
mill,  which,  of  course,  was  run  by  water,  has  been 
replaced  by  a  good  substantial  structure,  with  steam- 
power  attached. 

A  mile  or  so  below  Jamison's  mill,  on  the  same 
stream,  J.  Herman  has  a  saw-mill,  and  on  Ling  Run, 
near  the  northwest  corner  of  the  townshij),  is  what  is 
called  the  "  Philadelphia  mill."  It  was  built  by 
Thomas  Furst  about  the  year  1845.  A  post-office, 
called  "Rosecrans,"  has  been  established  at  this  mill, 
it  being  located  ou  the  stage-route  from  Lock  Haven 
to  Logansvillc. 

Hoffa's  mill  is  located  near  the  northeast  corner  of 
the  township,  on  a  tributary  of  Fishing  Creek,  It 
is  now  in  operation.  The  other  principal  mills  are 
Murray's,  at  Carroll,  and  Kemerer's,  located  about 
one  mile  and  a  half  northwest  of  Logansville. 

After  the  first  settlement  was  made  upon  the  moun- 
tain lands  of  Greene  township,  it  was  not  long  before 
they  were  "  taken  up"  by  hardy  and  industrious  Ger- 
mans from  the  neighboring  counties  and  the  result 
is  to-day  there  are  many  as  finely  cultivated  and 
highly  productive  farms  on  what  is  called  Sugar 
Valley  Mountain  as  there  are  in  any  other  part  of 
the  county,  and  more;  the  general  improvements, 
such  as  roads,  fences,  buildings,  etc.,  compare  favor- 
ably with  those  of  localities  that  have  been  settled 
much  longer.     Upon  the  "mountain"  there  are  al- 


6U 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTOX  COUNTY,  TENNSYLVANIA. 


ready  several  school-houses  and  three  churches;  the 
latter  are  called,  respectively,  "Mount  Pleasant 
Church,''  "Mount  Zion  Church,"  and  "Green  Grove 
Chapel."  The  following  are  the  names  of  some  of 
the  prominent  settlers  of  the  mountain  lands:  J. 
Schitze,  M.  G.  Wismer,  P.  Wert,  J.  Herman,  on  the 
western  end,  and  F.  Stark,  lamp-black  manufacturer, 
J.  Henninger,  J.  Bickster,  and  J.  Am  big,  on  the  east 
end. 

The  township  has  ten  school-houses,  in  which  school 
is  kept  open  five  months  each  year,  the  teachers  re- 
ceiving the  meagre  salary  of  from  twenty-seven  to 
thirty  dollars  per  montli,  and  pay  their  own  board. 

Near  the  east  end  of  Sugar  valley  is  the  little  vil- 
lage of  Carroll.  It  contains  one  store,  owned  by  D. 
A.  Clark,  but  now  in  charge  of  G.  C.  Righter ;  one 
blacksmith-shop,  owned  by  Mr.  Knauff;  I.  D.  Ear- 
ner's carpenter-sliop,  and  a  saw-mill  owned  by  Hiram 
Murray  and  J.  P.  Earner,  and  a  post-office  kept  by  I. 
D.  Earner.  In  all  the  place  contains  a  dozen  or  so 
dwellings,  most  of  which  have  been  recently  built. 
In  time  Carroll  will  be  a  prominent  business  point 
f(jr  the  people  of  the  east  end  of  the  valley. 

About  a  mile  west  of  Carroll  is  Eastville,  a  collec- 
tion of  twelve  or  fourteen  dwellings,  two  or  three  saw- 
mills, a  blacksmith-shop,  and  a  church  (United 
Erethren)  in  course  of  construction. 

Extending  the  entire  length  of  Sugar  valley,  on 
the  north  side  of  Fishing  Creek,  is  the  "  Sugar  Valley 
and  White  Deer  turnpike."  This  road  is  the  main 
thoroughfare  leading  from  AVhite  Deer  valley  to  the 
Bald  Eagle  Creek.  Owing  to  its  position  on  the  south 
slope  of  the  mountain,  it  is  exposed  nearly  the  whole 
len"-th  of  the  valley  to  the  rays  of  the  sun,  which  in 
winter  cause  the  snow  to  melt  more  readily  than  it 
does  in  more  shaded  places,  rendering  the  sleighing 
poor  oftentimes  when  it  is  good  in  other  localities; 
in  consequence  of  the  fact  the  road  is  called  the 
"summer-side  road,"  being  used  more  in  the  summer 
and  less  in  the  winter  than  a  parallel  road  running 
along  the  shady  side  of  the  valley,  which  is  kuown 
as  the  "\v1nter-side  road."  These  two  roads  run 
about  one  mile  apart  nearly  the  whole  length  of  the 
valley,  and  are  connected  every  mile  or  so  by  cross- 
roads. 

John  L.  Eckel,  Esq.,  the  present  county  surveyor 
(having  previously  served  four  terms),  resides  in  this 
township,  a  short 'distance  east  of  Logansville,  and  is 
a  prominent  and  substantial  citizen. 

The  principal  village  in  the  township  is 

Logansville  Borough,  located  on  the  north  side 
of  the  valley,  about  half-way  between  the  eastern  and 
western  ends. 

The  land  on  which  Logansville  is  situated  was 
originally  surveyed  to  Dr.  Casper  Wistar,  the  first 
Professor  of  Anatomy  in  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. The  tract  contained  several  thousand  acres, 
and  was  bounded  on  the  east  by  the  David  Stamm 
farm   a  portion  of  the  Anthony  tract ;  on  the  south 


by  lands  surveyed  to  Nicholson,  McPherson  &  Co. ; 
on  the  west  by  the  Morgan,  Sergeant  &  Ash  tract ; 
and  on  the  north  by  the  mountain  survey  of  William 
Steadman.  The  farmof  William  Strohecker  occupies 
the  extreme  western  end  of  the  Wistar  purchase. 
Dr.  Wistar  had  an  agent  to  look  after  his  interests  in 
Sugar  valley,  but  occasionally  visited  the  region  him- 
self As  there  were  no  railroads  at  that  time,  he  usu- 
ally made  the  journey  in  his  own  conveyance,  accom- 
panied by  his  colored  servant.  Just  previous  to  one  of 
his  visits,  Henry  Earner,  who  has  been  mentioned  as 
having  settled  on  the  mountain,  was  startled  one  day 
by  hearing  his  pigs  squeal.  On  going  to  the  door  he 
saw  a  huge  panther  trying  to  get  one  out  of  the  pen 
through  a  hole  in  the  fence.  On  being  discovered 
tlie  panther  skulked  under  some  laurel  bushes  near 
by.  Earner  followed  with  his  gun  in  hand  and  shot 
the  beast  just  as  itwas  about  to  spring  upon  him.  It 
was  found  to  measure  more  than  eleven  feet  from  tip 
to  tip;  it  was  the  largest  animal  of  the  kind  ever 
seen  in  that  part  of  the  country.  Upon  reaching 
the  neighborhood  the  doctor  soon  learned  that  an  un- 
usually large  panther  had  been  killed  by  Mr.  Earner, 
and  immediately  proceeded  to  the  house  of  the  settler 
to  ascertain  the  particulars  of  the  capture.  As  he 
approached  the  dwelling  he  saw  lying  in  the  yard  the 
grinning  head  of  the  panther  in  an  advanced  stage 
of  decomposition,  but,  being  prompted  by  an  extreme 
devotion  to  the  cause  of  science,  he  desired  to  procure 
it  for  dissection  regardless  of  its  condition.  Accord- 
ingly he  ordered  his  servant  to  place  tlie  head  in  his 
carriage  that  he  might  take  it  to  Philadelphia.  This 
the  negro  did,  but  said  to  himself,  "  Bad  smell !  bad 
smell !" 

The  Wistar  lands  were  eventually  sold  to  different 
individuals,  the  portion  on  which  Logansville  stands 
being  purchased  by  John  Kleckner,  fiither  of  Col. 
Anthony  Kleckner,  into  whose  hands  it  finally  passed. 

Col.  Kleckner  was  born  Jan.  5,  1793,  died  Sept.  1, 
18G0.  He  was  a  remarkable  man  in  many  respects, 
and  did  very  much  toward  the  improvement  of  the 
locality  in  which  he  lived.  Logansville  owes  much 
to  his  energy  and  public-spiritedness.  Though 
plain  and  oftentimes  blunt  in  exi)ression,  no  one  will 
say  that  he  was  not  kind-hearted  and  mindful  of  tlie 
interests  of  others,  especially  the  poor  and  afHicted. 
It  is  said  that  when  Capt.  Anthony  became  so  bur- 
dened with  debt  that  a  sheriff's  sale  of  his  lands  was 
inevitable,  certain  capitalists  of  Bellefonte  questioned 
Col.  Kleckner  (who  was  at  that  time  a  commissioner 
for  Centre  County,  of  which  Clinton  then  iormcd  a 
part)  as  to  the  value  of  those  lands ;  but  he  invariably 
answered  evasively,  or  at  least  gave  no  definite  infor- 
mation on  the  subject,  being  aware  that  the  object  of 
his  Bellefonte  friends  was  to  purchase  the  tract  if  it 
proved  valuable,  and  dispossess  the  few  squatters  who 
had  already  settled  upon  it,  or  make  them  pay  wiiat- 
ever  price  should  be  demanded.  This  was  just  what 
Col.  Kleckner  wished  to  prevent.     Therefore  he  gave 


GREENE  TOWNSHIP. 


615 


the  would-be  land  speculators  no  satisfaction,  and 
saved  the  settlers  their  homes.  Running  through  his 
niatter-of-fact  nature  there  was  a  manifest  vein  of 
humor  which  occasionally  cropped  out.  After  the 
organization  of  Clinton  County  he  was  elected  one  of 
its  first  commissioners.  Soon  after  his  election,  it  is 
said,  he  rode  to  Lock  Haven,  the  place  at  that  time 
being  very  small,  and  halting  his  horse  on  the  bank 
of  the  river  said  to  a  bystander  that  "  he  had  been 
elected  county  commissioner,  and  had  been  directed 
to  go  to  Lock  Haven,  the  county-seat,  and  would  be 
very  much  obliged  if  some  one  would  tell  him  where 
Lock  Haven  was  located."  Col.  Kleckner  served  the 
public  honestly  and  faithfully  during  his  term  of  ser- 
vice as  commissioner,  and  was  subsequently  elected 
associate  judge,  which  position  he  filled  with  honor 
till  the  time  of  his  death. 

Of  the  prominent  citizens  of  Logansville,  the  Hon. 
George  A.  Achenbach  has  occupied  a  conspicuous  po- 
sition, not  only  in  Clinton  County,  but  before  the 
citizens  of  the  State.  He  was  elected  to  the  Legisla- 
ture in  1S69.  He  served  a  second  term  of  the  Leg- 
islature in  1874-76.  He  was  also  a  delegate  to  the 
State  Constitutional  Convention  of  1873,  and  had  the 
honor  of  voting  first  on  all  measures  as  they  were  pre- 
sented for  consideration,  his  name  being  first  on  the 
list  of  delegates.  In  giving  sketches  of  the  members 
of  the  convention,  the  Philadelphia  Press  says  of  Mr. 
Achenbach, — 

"  A  man  of  square  mould  and  frame,  with  a  well- 
balanced  head  and  good-natured  face,  is  the  Hon. 
George  A.  Achenbach,  of  Clinton  County.  He  is  not 
over  five  and  a  half  feet  in  height,  but  is  compactly 
put  up,  and  weighs  nigh  unto  one  hundred  and 
ninety.  He  was  born  in  Columbia  County,  Oct.  22, 
1815,  before  the  birth  of  the  common  school  system, 
consequently  was  educated  at  the  subscription  schools 
in  vogue  in  his  early  days.  At  the  age  of  twelve  or 
thirteen  he  found  himself  a  clerk  in  a  store,  and  in 
1830  moved  to  Sugar  valley,  then  Centre,  but  now 
Clinton  County,  and  was  engaged  to  manage  the  mer- 
cantile interests  of  a  furnace  company.  In  1860  he 
was  elected  to  the  Legislature  from  Clintou  and  Ly- 
coming Counties,  aud  he  served  his  people  with  such 
pronounced  intelligence  and  integrity  that  they  sent 
him  as  their  delegate  to  this  convention,  where  he 
faithfully  serves  them  on  the  two  important  commit- 
tees of  legislature  and  industrial  interests  and  labor. 
He  never  assumes  to  be  anything  but  just  plain, 
honest  George,  and  his  compeers  always  know  exactly 
where  to  find  him, — at  the  post  of  duty.  He  has  a 
large  head,  gray  hair,  face  cleanly  shaven,  and  he  sils 
on  the  opposite  extreme  from  Mr.  Lamberton.  So- 
cially he  is  every  inch  a  man,  and  although  he  takes 
no  talking  part,  he  is  morally  and  mentally  a  match 
for  the  mightiest  in  voting  for  measures  of  substantial 
reform." 

The  village  of  Logansville  was  laid  out  in  1840. 
It  derived  its  name  from  Logan  township,  which  for- 


merly included  what  is  now  Greene.  It  was  incor- 
porated as  a  borough  in  1864.  At  present  it  has  two 
churche-,  a  German  Reformed  and  Lutheran  com- 
bined and  an  Evangelical,  a  good,  substantial  school 
building  with  graded  school,  one  hotel  (the  Logan 
House),  which  at  one  time  was  a  popular  resort  for 
health-  and  pleasure-seekers.  Within  a  short  dis- 
tance there  is  a  mineral  spring  possessing  valuable 
medicinal  properties. 

There  were  in  1876  three  general  merchandise  es- 
tablishments in  the  place,  owned  respectively  by  I. 
C.  Smith,  Levi  Conser,  and  Samuel  Stamm,  and  one 
hardware-store,  owned  by  Daniel  Morris.  The  usual 
supply  of  shoe-shops  and  blacksmith-shops  are  found 
in  the  village. 

Borough  Officers. — The  village  was  incorporated 
as  a  borough  by  an  act  of  the  grand  jury  Sept.  17, 
1869,  which  was  confirmed  by  the  court  Jan.  18,  1870. 
The  first  election  was  held  Feb.  12,  1870. 

1870— Cliicf  Burgess,  Dr.  Jonathiin  Mo.ver;  Council,  .1.  L.  Cole,  Daniel 
Kiirstelter,  Aa.ini  Hulier,  Samuel  Stamm,  J.  F.  Berry ;  Cleili,  George 
A.  Aclienbacb;  Justices  of  the  Peace,  D.  M.  Mon is,  T.  J.  Berry  ; 
Cunstalilc,  Roliert  Karstetter;  High  Cuiistahl.-,  George  W.  Shively; 
Assessor,  Cornelius  Karstetter;  Auditors,  George  A.  Achenbach, 
Emanuel  Heller,  C.  W. Conser ;  Judge  of  Election,  George  C.  Brcon ; 
Inspectors  of  Election,  Jacob  Kister,  Henry  Wi-en. 

1871.— Chii-f  Burgess,  J.  Kleckner;  Cl.-rli,  0.  A.  Achenbach;  Council, 
Samuel  Stamm,  Jonathan  Snyder,  J.  L.  Cole,  Adam  Huber,  Robert 
Karstetter. 

1872.— Council,  George  C.  Breon,  Robert  Karstetter,  Adam  Huher,  Jona- 
than Snyder,  Samuel  Stamm. 

1873.- Council,  H.  Kleckner,  Jonathan  Snyder,  George  C.  Breon,  Robert 
Karstetter,  Samuel  Stamm  ;  Clerk,  George  A.  Achenbach. 

187-1.- Chief  Burgess,  J.  Kleckner;  Council,  Emanuel  Ueller,  J.  F. 
Berry,  R.  Kleckner,  Robert  Karstetter,  George  C.  Breon,  John  Mor- 
ris, vice  Bieon ;  Clerk,  D.  M.  Morris,  who  has  held  this  position  to 
the  present  time. 

1875. — Chief  Burgess,  J.  Kemmerer;  Council,  George  C.  Breon,  J.  F. 
Berry,  John  Morris,  R.  Kleckner,  Samuel  Sturam. 

187G.— Chief  Burgess,  Samuel  Stamm;  Council,  R.  Kleckner,  George  C. 
Breon,  John  Morris,  Emanuel  Heller,  D.  M.  Morris. 

1877.— Chief  Burgess,  Isaac  C.  Smith ;  Council,  George  C.  Breon,  \V.  F. 
Moyer,,Emanuel  Heller,  R.  Kleckner,  John  Morris. 

1878.— Chief  Burgess,  H.  L.  Munay  ;  Council,  George  C.  Breon,  Eman- 
uel Heller,  W.  F.  Moyer,  John  Morris,  R.  H.  Karstetter. 

1870.— Chief  Burgess,  H.  L.  Murray  ;  Council,  R.  H.  Karstetter,  George 
C.  Breon,  W.  F.  Moyer,  Emanuel  Heller,  John  Morris. 

1880.- Chief  Burgess,  Dr.  J.  A.  Honis;  Council,  Ellas  Zellers,  W.  F. 
Moyer,  George  C.  Breon,  R.  H.  Karstetter,  John  Morris. 

ISSl.— Chief  Burgess,  Joel  Kleckner;  Council,  J.  Karstetter,  Elias  Zel- 
lers, George  C.  Breon,  W.  F.  Moyer,  R.  II.  Karstetter. 

1882.— Chief  Burgess,  George  A.  Achenbach;  Clerk,  D.  M.  Morris; 
Council,  Joel  Karstetter,  Jonathan  Giiimly,  Levi  Conser,  W.  F. 
Moyer,  Elias  Zellere. 

Sugar  Valley  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company, 
—The  first  preliminary  meeting  looking  to  the  organ- 
ization of  this  compauy  was  held  March  18,  1861,  at 
Logansville,  at  which  John  B.  Schrack  presided,  and 
J.  E.  Roush  was  secretary.  A  charter  was  soon  ob- 
tained, and  Joseph  Snook  appointed  temporary  treas- 
urer. At  first  its  operations  were  confined  to  Greene 
and  Logan  townships,  but  in  1862  were  extended  to 
Porter  and  Lamar,  shortly  afterwards  to  Wayne, 
Crawford,  and  Dunstable  townships,  and  iu  1872  to 
Lycoming,  Union,  Snyder,  and  Centre  Counties. 

Its  presidents  have  been:  1861,  Philip  Wohlfart; 


G16 


HISTORY  OF  CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


1862-73,  W.  A.  Murray;  1873-83,  Gen.  T>.  K.  Heck- 
mm;  Vice-Presidents,  1862-73,  Gen.  D.  K.  Heck- 
maii;  1873-83,  James  F.  Berry;  Secretaries,  1861-63, 
J.  E.  Roush  ;  1863-83,  George  A.  Aclienbach ;  Treas- 
urers, 1861-77,  Joseph  Snook;  1877-83,  David  M. 
Morris. 

Tlie  first  board  of  directors  in  1861  were  Joseph 
Caldwell,  Joseph  Snook,  Gen.  D.  K.  Heckman,  John 
B.  Schrack,  Robert  Kleckner,  Philip  Wohlfart,  Wil- 
liam Bartges,  John  Heckman,  Jr.,  Jacob  Kahl,  H.  H. 
Fessler,  George  Brumgard,  Jacob  Sauky. 

The  second  board  in  1862  were  Daniel  L.  Reber, 
William  A.  Murray,  Philip  Wohlfart,  Joseph  Snook, 
Jacob  Kahl,  Gen.  D.  K.  Heckman,  John  Heckman, 
Jr.,  George  Brumgard,  John  B.  Schrack,  Robert 
Kleckner,  Jacob  Sanky,  Joseph  Caldwell. 

The  board  in  1882  consists  of  Judge  Isaac  Frantz, 
John  Kleckner,  A.  N.  Heckman,  James  T.  Taylor,  J. 
P.  Heard,  Gen.  D.  K.  Heckman,  Philip  Gramly, 
Jacob  Getz,  D.  M.  Morrif,  J.  F.  Berry,  Benaville 
Zerbe,  Elias  Nyhart. 

Its  fires  have  been  : 

ISTO.— Mrs   McCliiitock,  Clinton  County SI 

John  liiilrii-ard,           -            "       1,6UU 

I87-2.— Jacoli  Kiilil,                   "            "       18 

1874.— Daniel  Karstelter,       "            "       10 

Is.iiio  R..liUii.s,               "            "       8 

KliiisZellerK,                 "            "       1,950 

187o.— Bii.lgetO'Biian,          "           "      i:lO 

John  .4  Jacob  Engle,  "            "       1,8110 

.Min  S,  Fiirst,               "             "       3,000 

lli-iirvStablv,               "            "       375 

Mrs.  Snsan  ilutton,    "            "       200 

.lai-iih  Shiblv,                  "             "       : 40U 

J.  J.  llainiT,                  "            "       5110 

187S.— Jacob  Manoh,               "            " 20 

1871).— D.  A.  Clark,  Lycoming  Connty 1,025 

Jacob  SIniille,         "               "       30 

1877.— Pbcanna  Brown,  Centre     "       18 

Itobert  Holms,            "        "       COU 

Total $11,733 

In  1882  there  were  two  small  losses  in  Lycoming 
County,  and  one  heavy  one  in  Logansville,  in  the 
burning  of  Hon.  George  A.  Achenbach's  residence. 

At  the  end  of  the  year,  Dec.  31,  1881, 

Its  rrcmlura  notes  were 5215,553.06 

•'  '■  "      ruceiveil  ill  1881 44,011.74 

Amount  injured  in  force  Dec.  .'iO,  1880 054,832  00 

written  up  in  1881 153,1.50.00 

expired  in  1881 25,254.00 

John  L.  Eckel  was  its  first  general  agent,  and  its 
two  general  agents  now  are  M.  D.  Rockey  and  Ellis 
Douty. 

Centeeville,  a  hamlet  lately  sprung  up,  is  located 
about  one  mile  west  of  Logansville. 

A  few  rods  south  of  this  hamlet  is  the  old  log  {now 
weather-boarded)  church, — Reformed  and  Lutheran, 
— the  Jirst  built  in  the  valley.  It  is  yet  in  a  good  state 
of  preservation,  with  its  old-fashioned  high-backed 
wooden  seats.  It  was  also  long  used  as  a  school- 
house.  In  the  cemetery  adjoining  the  following  old 
settlers  are  buried  : 

John  Schrack,  died  Ang.  18,  1840,  aged  03;  his  wife,  Ann  Catharine, 
diedNov,  1,1835,  aged  42. 

Jolin  Heckman,  died  April  24,  1870,  aged  83 ;  his  wife,  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  Johannes  Kleckner,  boi-n  Blarch  3,  1787,  married  Jan.  25, 
3807  (had  10  children,  4  sons  and  C  daughters),  died  Jan.  8,  1833. 

Sumucl  Karstetter,  born  Nov.  30, 1790,  died  1832. 


Israel  Nehf,  born  April  17, 1S3G,  died  Oct.  4, 1838. 

Dani.l,  son  of  Martin  and  Barbara  Brumgard,  born  Sept.  21,  1S2I, 
died  Oct.  C,  1834. 

Cliristian  liiech,  born  Oct.  5,  1780,  died  March  11,  1844:  his  wift-, 
Magdalena,  born  April  24.  1791,  died  Nov.  20,  1838;  their  daughter, 
Henrietta,  born  Nov.  30,  1830,  died  June  18,  1843. 

Susanna  Halm,  born  Jan.  10,  1801,  died  May  20,  1880. 

Peter  Kahl,  died  Deo,  9,  1873,  aged  83;  his  wife,  Sarah,  born  Nov.  9, 
1794,  died  April  11,1872. 

Michael  Kahl,  died  Oct.  19, 1850,  aged  68. 

Lurelta,  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Sara  Kelcli,  born  Jan.  14, 1834,  died 
Nov.  11,1850. 

Peter  Heckman,  born  Dec.  28,  1S20,  died  Nov.  5,  1850. 

John  Philip  Hahn,  died  Jan.  31,  1870,  nged  70. 

Catliarino,  diiugliter  of  Hinrich  and  Barbara  Hahn,  born  Jan.  18, 
1787,  died  Jan.  ID,  1854. 

John  Lame,  born  April  20,  18.31,  died  July  10, 18.50. 

Beuben,  sun  of  J.  an.l  JI.  Karstetter,  died  April  1, 1850,  aged  17. 

Jesse,  son  of  same,  died  Jan.  17, 1850,  aged  18. 

Jacob,  son  of  same,  died  Jan,  14, 1850,  aged  15. 

Daniel,  son  of  S.  and  G.  Karstetter,  Jan.  18,  1850,  aged  20. 

John  G.  Hulier,  born  March  29,  1787,  died  Jan.  6,  1850. 

John  Moyer,  Jr.,  died  Feb.  18, 1848,  aged  26. 

Eslher,  wile  of  William  Z  mmerman,  and  daughter  of  John  and  Eve 
Hiniley,  born  Oct.  20,  1805,  died  Feb.  3, 1S45. 

Maria  Christina,  wife  of  Matthias  Schnook,  born  Oct.  19, 1785,  died 
Feb.  12,  1845. 

Sugar  Valley  Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  No.  829,  was 
instituted  March  1,  1873,  with  the  following  charter 
members:  H.  R.  Achenbach,  A.  B.  Conser,  John 
Morris,  Samuel  Rahl,  William  F.  Moyer,  L.  W.  Dunn, 
D.  M.  Morris,  B.  F.  Klepper,  J.  B.  Barner,  Daniel 
Mark. 

Its  Past  Noble  Grands  have  been  H.  R.  Achenbach, 
John  Morris,  William  F.  Moyer,  H.  L.  Murray, 
Samuel  Wohlfart,  W.  R.  Goodman,  Samuel  Stamm, 
D.  P.  Kline,  J.  B.  Barner,  L.  W.  Dunn,  B.  F.  Klep- 
per, S.  R.  Boone,  W.  L.  Gramley,  H.  B.  Kleckner, 
Reuben  Young,  A.  W.  Brungard,  D.  M.  Morris. 

The  officers  for  second  terra  of  1882  are :  N.  G., 
John  Esterline;  V.  G.,  D.  L.  Stamm;  P.  S.,  John 
Morris;  R.  S.,  William  F.  Moyer;  Treas.,  Samuel 
Wohlfart. 

Its  present  membership  is  thirty-three.  Since  its 
institution,  on  March  1,  1873,  to  April  1,  1882,  fifty- 
nine  persons  have  been  initiated. 

Its  first  Past  Grand,  H.  R.  Achenbach,  has  served 
as  district  deputy. 

Washington  Camp,  No.  202,  P.  0.  Sons  of 
America,  was  instituted  in  1857,  and  rechartered  in 
1881.  Its  Past  Presidents  are  A.  W.  Berry,  R.  H. 
Karstetter,  D.  L.  Stamm,  W.  C.  Weaver,  J.  J.  Har- 
locher.  It  has  twenty-six  members,  and  meets  every 
Saturday  night  at  Morris'  Hall.  Its  officers  in  1882 
are:  President,  Jacob  S.  Tyson;  Vice-President, 
Anthony  Heggenstaller ;  Master  of  Forms,  J.  P. 
Condo  ;  Secretary,  F.  G.  Berry  ;  Financial  Secretary, 
I.  S.  Duck;  Treasurer,  W.  C.  Weaver;  Conductor, 
Joseph  Roudeback;  Trustees,  J.  E.  Wise,  S.  W. 
Snyder. 

St.  Paul's  Church,  Lutheran  and  Reformed.— 
This  brick  edifice  was  erected  in  1851,  but  before  that 
time  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  congregations  had 
worshiped  for  many  years  in  an  old  log  weather-board 
house  a  mile  and  a  half  west  of  town,  which  was 


U.    A.ACHENHAVa. 


- 


GREENE  TOWNSHIP. 


CI- 


originally  a  school-bouse.  The  Reformed  pastors 
since  1851  have  been  Revs.  Jacob  Zebring,  Daniel 
Tobias,  J.  F.  Hoffmyer,  W.  H.  Eugle,  and  W.  M. 
Landers. 

Since  1864  the  Lutheran  pastors  have  been  :  1864- 
68,  Peter  Gheen  ;  1868-70,  J.  H.  Davidson  ;  1870-77, 
W.  H.  Gutwald ;  1877-80,  J.  K.  Bricker ;  1880,  J.  K. 
Miller. 

The  Lutheran  officials  in  1882  are :  Elders,  C.  W. 
Conser,  Henry  Wirth ;  Deacons,  D.  K.  Heckman, 
George  Brown  ;  Sunday-school  Superintendent,  C.  W. 
Conser. 

In  the  cemetery  of  this  church  the  following  old 
citizens  are  buried : 

Anthony  Klockner,  bnni  in  Union  County,  July  5, 1793,  died  Sept.  1, 
1800;  his  wife,  Sarah,  died  July  1,  1805.    • 

Martin  Brunignrd,  died  March  3, 183!),  aped  80. 

Elizabelli,  wife  of  Ahralinm  Stuck,  died  Oct.  30,  I8.5(i,  aced  VI. 

George  N.  Moore,  died  March  3,  18G5,  aged  G3;  his  wife,  Pliebe,  died 
Nov.  8,  18.W,  aged  64. 

Elizahetli  Overpeck,  died  Feb.  3,  1870,  aged  08. 

William  W.,  son  of  Henry  and  S.  Wirth,  of  Co.  G,  21Cth  Pa.  Vols.,  died 
Nov.  2,1 8r4,  aged  20. 

George  Troutncr,  died  Juno  10, 18C8,  aged  72. 

John  Brown,  died  Dec.  27, 1860,  aged  80  ;  liis  wife,  Kegina,  died  June 
24, 1870,  aged  85. 

Henry  Johnson,  died  June  6, 1869,  aged  09. 

Sarah  Jane,  wife  of  W.  H.  Stover,  and  daughter  of  W.  and  N.  Kleck- 
ner,  torn  June  18, 1845,  died  Jan.  30, 1S68. 

John  Frank inberger,  died  Aug.  13, 1807,  aged  74  ;  his  wife,  Elizabeth, 
died  Feb.  28, 1802,  aged  70;  his  wife,  Eebecca,died  May  7, 1873,  aged  GO. 

Daniel  Iteiglmrd,  born  March  29, 1811,  died  May  3,  1871. 

Catharine,  wife  of  John  Heckman,  died  Dec.  24, 1873,  aged  75. 

liway,  son  of  Michael  and  Mary  A.  Karstetter,  died  March  20, 1881, 
aged  33. 

Robert  Kleckner,  died  Aug.  12, 1878,  aged  03. 

Christiann,  daughter  of  Elias  and  Elizabeth  Kleckner,  and  wife  of 
Joseph  Kleckner,  born  May  25, 1828,  died  Jan. 29, 1852. 

Barbara  Conser,  died  Feb.  1, 1800,  aged  44. 

Curtis  W.  Cabe,  died  May  1,  1802,  aged  53. 

Sarah,  wife  of  Joel  Karstetter,  died  April  5, 1873,  aged  40. 

Eliza,  wife  of  George  C.  Breon,  died  March  13,  1879,  aged  55. 

Eve  Troutner,  born  Nov.  2, 1790,  died  April  11,  1875. 

Jacob  Karstetter,  born  Oct.  22, 1805,  died  Aug.  22, 1874. 

Samuel  Lupoid,  died  April  G,  1874,  aged  50. 

Matthias  Schnook,  born  Aug.  10,  1775,  died  Oct.  2,  1852;  his  wife, 
Maiy,  died  June  23,  1803,  aged  00. 

Elizabeth  Huber,  died  July  23,  1803,  aged  41, 

Philip  Wohlfart,  died  Feb.  20, 18G4,  aged  69. 

Michael  Stover,  horn  Aug.  2, 1785,  died  June  15, 1854. 

Catherine,  wife  of  Daniel  Etinger,  died  Jan.  22, 1855,  aged  52. 

Jacob  Frantz,  died  Oct.  27,  1S55,  aged  54. 

Maria  H.,  wife  of  D.  P.  Thomas,  died  Oct.  29, 1855,  aged  43. 

Salem  Evangelical  Association  Church.  —  Its 

frame  edifice  was  built  in  1852,  before  which  time 
preaching  was  held  at  Francis  Craraly's  residence,  at 
the  old  shingle-mill,  and  in  the  old  school-house.  An 
addition  was  made  to  it  in  1874.  For  the  following 
years  the  pastors  have  been,  since  the  organization  of 
the  congregation  on  March  4,  1844,  viz. :  1844-46, 
John  M.  Sindlinger;  1846-48,  Daniel  Kehr;  1848, 
Rev.  Lindemann  ;  1863,  M.  Zuloup;  1864-66,  Philip 
Wagner  ;  1866-68,  Philip  Graham  ;  1868-70,  J.  Horn- 
berger;  1870,  John  Heller;  1871-73,  A.  Langsdorf; 
1873,  E.  Stambach;  1874,  D.  P.  Rumberger;  1875- 
78,  R.  Young;  1878-81,  D.  P.  Kline;  1881,  J.  G.  M. 
Swengle,  present  incumbent. 


The  trustees  in  1882  are  W.  F.  Moyer,  John  Wise, 
Emanuel  Heller,  Samuel  Stamm,  of  whom  the  last 
is  Sunday-school  superintendent.  The  pastor  also 
preaches  at  Price's  chapel.  Mount  Pleasant,  Tylers- 
ville,  Booneville,  Mount  Zion,  Mount  Union,  and 
below  Greenville. 

In  its  cemetery  arc  buried  the  following  old  citi- 
zens : 

Mary  Mark,  died  Aug.  27,  1809,  aged  ,57. 

JIary  M.,  wife  of  Henry  Wise,  died  Feb.  13, 1870,  aged  65. 

William  II.  Berry,  died  Juno  2,  1803,  aged  40. 

George  Cnimly,  died  March  14,  1870,  aged  63;  his  wife,  Mary,  died 
Feb.  IS,  18G9.  aged  62. 

David  Stauim,  died  Oct.  14, 18G2,  aged  CO;  his  wife,  Elizabeth,  died 
July  11,  18S0,  aged  70. 

Francis  Cramly,  died  Aug.  21,  1855,  aged  CO;  his  wife,  Mary,  died  May 
29, 1801,  aged  G3. 

George  Neff,  died  June  20,  1875,  aged  65;  his  wife,  Margaret,  died 
March  7,  1838,  aged  47;  his  wife,  Sarah,  died  Nov.  8,  1870,  aged  4G. 

Elizabeth,  wife  of  Johauue^  Brumgard,  born  June  27, 1803,  died  Jan. 
31,  1860. 

William  NefT,  of  7th  Pa.  Cavalry,  died  Feb.  8, 1804,  aged  29. 

John  Brumgard,  born  Aug.  21,  1794,  died  Feb.  11,  1873. 

Henry  Price,  burn  Sept.  27, 1708,  died  Aug.  1,1870;  hia  wife,  Barbara, 
born  May  8,  1805,  died  Jan.  14,  1878. 

John  Esterline,  died  Dec.  1, 1857,  aged  44. 

David  E.  Morris,  died  Feb.  1, 1850,  aged  47;  his  wife,  Appolona,  died 
July  14,  1807,  aged  07. 

Daniel  R.  Reber,  born  Aug.  14,  1812,  died  Feb.  28, 1874. 

Lydia  Mark,  died  March  10,  1881,  aged  74. 

John  Womeldorf,  born  March  26,  1813,  died  Oct.  26,  1879. 

Eosanuft,  wife  of  William  F.  Prank,  born  Sept.  15, 1818,  died  Dec.  27, 
1870. 

Hannah,  wife  of  Jacob  Frank,  died  May  23, 1870,  aged  77. 

John  Augenstine,  died  July  14,  18C2,  aged  78. 

The  pioneer  physician  of  Logansville  was  Dr. 
Jonathan  Moyer,  who  died  in  1880,  having  also 
served  as  prothonotary  of  the  county  from  1855  to 
1858. 

The  present  physicians  of  Logansville  are  Dr.  J.  A. 
Houtz,  who  located  here  in  1871,  and  is  now  a  partner 
of  Dr.  W.  A.  Goodman,  who  is  a  native  of  this  vicinity, 
and  commenced  the  practice  of  medicine  here  in  1880. 
Dr.  J.  C.  Thomas  also  located  here  in  1880. 

The  Logansville  flouring-mills  were  erected  in  1824 
by  John  and  Anthony  Kleckner,  and  are  now  operated 
by  Johu  Morris. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


HON.  GEORGE  A.  ACHENBACII. 
Mr.  Achenbach  was  born  in  Fishing  Creek  valley, 
Columbia  Co.,  Pa.,  on  Oct.  22,  1815,  and,  as  his  name 
indicates,  is  of  German  blood,  though  his  ancestry 
came  to  America  at  a  very  early  period.  He  was 
educated  in  the  "subscription  schools"  in  vogue  in 
his  early  days,  the  State  then  having  no  school 
system  as  now.  At  the  age  of  twelve  or  thirteen 
years  he  became  a  clerk  in  a  country  store,  and  in 
1836  moved  to  Sugar  valley,  then  Centre,  but  now 
Clinton  County,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the  man- 
agement of  the  mercantile  interest  of  a  furnace 
company.      When   the   iron   company   discoutiuued 


618 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


business  Mr.  Achenbach  took  up  the  commercial 
business  for  himself,  and  continued  in  it  for  many 
years.  In  1860  he  was  elected  to  the  Legislature, 
and  served  his  constituents  with  ability  and  no  little 
distinction,  though  not  a  "talking"  member.  In 
1872  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Constitutional 
Convention  that  assembled  in  the  following  year.  In 
that  body  he  won  new  honors,  gaining  the  confidence 
and  respect  of  all  its  members,  numbering  among 
them  many  of  the  brighest  intellects  of  the  State. 
In  1875  he  was  again  elected  to  the  Legislature,  and 
served  two  sessions,  reinspiring  the  public  and  his 
associates  with  his  ability,  integrity,  and  unerring 
accuracy  of  judgment.  During  both  his  terms  in  the 
Legislature  and  in  the  Constitutional  Convention 
his  initials  made  it  necessary  that  his -name  should 
be  called  first.  Always  at  his  post  of  duty,  and 
always  responding  promptly  to  the  call  of  his  name, 
he  never  cast  a  vote  that  he  afterwards  changed, 
withdrew,  or  regretted.  His  accuracy  was  proverbial, 
and  became  the  object  of  many  a  friendly  jest.  He 
was  an  exceedingly  serviceable  man  on  committees 
and  in  rallying  his  fellow-members  to  the  support  of 
particular  measures  of  public  utility. 

Mr.  Achenbach  is.of  medium  height,  firmly  built, 
robust  in  health,  affable,  pleasant,  unassuming,  and 
strongly  disposed  to  good  will  and  happy  cheer.  He 
enjoys  the  confidence,  respect,  and  friendship  of  his 
fellow-citizens  to  an  extent  that  few  men  ever  attain. 
But  for  the  office-hunting  fever  of  the  age  and  his 
own  modesty  and  unassuming  disposition,  Mr.  Achen- 
bach would  no  doubt  have  been  kept  in  public  life 
from  the  time  he  entered  it  to  the  present,  but  as  he 
would  neither  stoop  t(i solicit  support  nor  "  bend  the 
pliant  hinges  of  the  knee  that  thrift  might  follow 
fawning,"  nor  yet  resort  to  the  popular  arts  of  the 
politician  and  beg  for  votes,  nor  do  aught  else  that 
should  not  characterize  a  proper  man,  he  has  been 
left  in  the  quiet  enjoyment  of  a  happy  domestic  life, 
honored  and  respected  by  all.  In  politics  he  is  a 
Democrat  that  never  wavers,  and  he  is  a  patriot  and 
citizen  without  reproach.  Locally,  Mr.  Achenbach 
is  a  most  useful  citizen  to  the  people  of  the  valley  in 
which  he  resides,  taking  a  prominent  part  in  all 
enterprises  of  value  to  the  public,  filling  township 
offices  as  required,  conducting  a  fire  insurance  com- 
pany that  is  limited  in  its  operations  to  six  townships, 
and  costs  its  members  but  little,  and  in  gratuitously 
attending  to  much  of  his  neighbors'  private  business 
as  called  upon. 


LEVI    COXSER. 


Levi  Conser,  born  in  Washington  township,  Ly- 
coming Co.,  Pa.,  July  28,  1819,  spent  the  days  of  his 
childhood  and  youth  in  Rebersburg,  Centre  Co.,  to 
which  place  his  father,  John  G.  Conser,  removed  in 
1822.  Here  he  received  such  an  education  as  the 
times,  place,  and  his  father's  limited  means  afforded. 


Attending  school  one  winter  under  what  is  now  called 
the  common  school  system,  then  called  free  school, 
because  all  who  desired  might  attend,  even  those  above 
the  age  of  twenty-one  years. 

At  the  early  age  of  nineteen  he  left  home  to  en- 
gage in  business  for  himself, — as  he  expressed  it,  "  to 
paddle  his  own  canoe."  He  accordingly  established 
himself  in  Logansville,  then  of  Centre,  now  Clinton 
County,  as  a  tailor.  Being  quite  successful  here,  he, 
after  a  number  of  years,  found  himself  possessed  of 
some  surplus  capital,  which  he  thought  might  be 
l)rofitably  invested  in  the  mercantile  trade.  An  appar- 
ently promising  opportunity  having  arisen,  he  bought 
a  half-interest  in  two  country  stores,  one  at  Logans- 
ville, the  other  at  Logan  Mills,  five  miles  distant. 
Two  years'  experience,  however,  was  sufficient  to  con- 
vince him  that  the  high  hopes  of  success  he  had  pic- 
tured to  himself  on  entering  the  business  were  not  to 
be  fulfilled  under  the  then  customary  system  of  credit. 
To  -sell  goods  on  a  year's  time,  after  which  to  await 
the  customer's  decision  as  to  whether  the  bill  should 
be  paid  or  not,  was  the  system  of  credit  at  the  time ; 
certainly  not  well  calculated  to  enrich  the  merchant 
nor  make  his  vocation  pleasant.  Disgusted  with  the 
business  he  thought  on  entering  to  be  profitable  and 
pleasant,  no  longer  warranted  in  his  hopes  of  amass- 
ing money  readily  by  its  continuance,  L.  Conser 
gladly  sold  his  interest  in  the  store  business,  soon 
thereafter  embarking  in  another  business,  which,  too, 
proved  no  stepping-stone  to  wealth,  the  departure 
being  in  the  lumber  trade. 

Having  bought  from  his  brother,  Rev.  S.  L.  M. 
Conser,  a  third-interest  in  a  steam  saw-mill  located 
at  Dunnsburg  and  all  the  timber  on  two  thousand  four 
hundred  acres  of  land  at  Furney's  Run,  he,  in  the 
fall  of  1853,  with  high  hopes  and  bright  expecta- 
tions, entered  upon  his  new  duties.  But,  like  many 
others  entering  upon  a  business  without  any  previous 
knowledge  concerning  it,  he  found  himself  unable  to 
successfully  master  the  situation.  Inexperience  and 
a  poor  mill  constantly  needing  repairs,  thereby  caus- 
ing much  detention,  were  two  impediments  in  the 
way  of  success,  and  the  firm  of  Conser  &  Brother 
was  obliged  to  sell  lumber  at  less  than  the  cost  of 
manufacture  in  order  to  compete  with  contemporaries 
in  the  trade.  These  evils  were  being  gradually  sur- 
mounted when  a  mid-winter  ice-flood  carried  with  it 
about  three  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  saw-logs  be- 
longing to  the  firm,  of  which  loss  it  never  recovered 
a  dollar.  Soon  thereafter  followed  the  financial  crisis 
of  1857,  an  especially  distressing  panic  to  lumbermen. 

Conser  &  Bro.,  seeing  themselves  drifting  towards 
bankruptcy,  determined  to  retire  from  the  business 
honorably,  and  at  once  did  so,  leaving  all  to  meet  the 
demands  of  their  creditors,  all  of  which  claims  were 
thereby  fully  satisfied.  Thus  L.  Conser  retired  from 
his  second  unsuccessful  business,  wiser  and  more 
prudent  for  the  instruction  he  had  received  in  the 
expensive  school  of  experience. 


JOHKPH    SNOOK. 


GREENE   TOWNSHIP. 


C19 


Financially  poor,  health  shattered,  and  discour- 
aged, he  removed  to  Logansvillc,  and  armed  with 
the  integrity  of  character  he  had  always  preserved 
he  determined  again  to  battle  adversity.  H-ere  he 
began  as  a  farmer,  working  some  of  the  lands  of  his 
father-in-law,  Hon.  Anthony  Kleckner.  While  thus 
employed  one  year  rapidly  passed,  and  another  dark 
cloud  gathered  on  the  horizon  of  our  subject's  life. 
On  Feb.  3,  1860,  his  wife  was  taken  sick  with  g.is- 
tralgia,  or  cramp  in  the  stomach,  and  suddenly  died, 
leaving  to  his  care  a  family  of  nine  children.  This 
trying  time  was  soon  followed  by  the  death  of  Hon. 
Anthony  Kleckner,  which  at  once  ended  L.  Conser's 
life  as  a  tiller  of  the  soil.  He  was  now  confronted 
with  the  question,  "What  shall  I  do?"  No  time 
dared  be  lost  in  the  decision,  and  he  at  once  con- 
tracted for  the  mail  route  from  Salona  to  Sugar  val- 
ley, the  surplus  income  of  which  he  soon  invested  in 
a  confectionery,  which,  proving  quite  profitable,  was 
continued  until  1863,  when,  with  his  stock  fully  paid, 
he  had  six  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  in  money,  with 
which  he  visited  Philadelphia  with  the  purpose  of 
investing  in  something  certain  to  yield  a  fair  profit. 
Looking  up  his  friends  he  found  a  hearty  welcome, 
friends  who  were  willing  and  anxious  to  sell  him 
goods.  Eeturning  home,  he  found  the  bills  of  his 
purchased  general  merchandise  to  exceed  three  thou- 
sand dollars,  but  placing  the  goods  on  sale  he  was  able 
to  meet  the  payment  of  his  bills  promptly,  and  has 
continued  as  a  dealer  in  general  merchandise  ever 
since. 

It  has  often  been  a  question  with  the  successful 
merchant  as  to  why,  with  so  little  money  and  no 
special  recommendation,  he  became  intrusted  to  such 
an  amount,  much  of  which  was  from  strangers.  But 
his  business-like  principles  had,  when  in  the  mercan- 
tile trade  before,  won  for  him  many  friends  who  at 
this  time,  without  his  knowledge,  extended  his  repu- 
tation among  the  business  firms  from  whom  he  bought. 
In  business  as  in  social  affairs  he  has  ever  kept  as  a 
rule,  strictly  observed,  that  no  old  and  tried  friend 
shall  be  sacrificed  for  a  new  one,  still  buying  from 
many  of  the  same  firms  he  dealt  with  in  1848. 

Politically,  Levi  Conser  was  not  radical,  rather 
liberal ;  though  for  fourteen  years  a  Democrat,  he 
never  agreed  with  his  party  on  the  subject  of  tariff^ 
He  continued  a  protective  tariff'  Democrat  until 
slavery  became  a  political  question,  when,  failing  in 
this  to  agree  with  the  party,  he  joined  the  Republican 
ranks.  He  never  aspired  to  office.  Seeing  the  cor- 
ruptions in  strictly  party  lines,  he  often  remarked 
that  the  political  stream  was  too  dirty  for  a  clean 
man  to  bathe  in. 

Though  always  an  arduous  temperance  worker,  he 
did  not  consider  the  establishing  of  a  prohibition 
political  party  the  best  for  the  cause  at  the  time.  He 
aided  materially  to  the  furtherance  of  temperance 
principles,  believing  the  cause  worthy  of  support. 

Having  made  an  open  profession  of  religion  at  the 


age  of  twenty,  he  ever  after  maintained  his  Christian 
character  and  integrity,  being  well  known  as  an  es- 
pecial friend  of  the  Sunday-school  cause,  establishing 
in  May,  1840,  the  first  Sunday-school  of  Sugar  valley 
in  Logansville,  over  which  he  presided  as  superin- 
tendent for  many  years,  of  which  school  he  is  yet  a 
member  in  active  service  as  teacher,  manifesting 
great  love  for  children,  and  taking  a  deep  interest  in 
their  moral  training.  With  delight  he  looks  upon 
the  school  of  his  youth,  to  which  he  points  his  friends, 
saying,  "See  what  the  Lord  hatli  done  for  us." 

He  was  justice  of  the  peace  for  a  number  of  terms 
in  his  younger  days,  being  elected  to  the  office  before 
twenty-five  years  of  age.  While  acting  in  this  capa- 
city he  acquired  a  wide-spread  reputation  for  his  mag- 
nanimity of  disposition.  As  a  mark  of  the  justice  he 
exhibited,  it  may  be  here  cited  that  never  was  a  case 
of  his  decision  appealed  to  court  for  higher  authority. 
These  marks  of  character  continue  with  him  as  a  citi- 
zen. His  counsel,  especially  in  legal  matters,  is  in 
constant  demand,  and  always  kindly  given.  Hon- 
ored and  respected,  he  aids,  according  to  his  ability, 
every  benevolent  cause.  Of  late  years  he  has  paid 
special  attention  to  matters  of  education  pertain- 
ing to  his  family,  a  boon  to  his  children  which  the 
income  of  former  years  did  not  permit.  He  is  success- 
ful in  business,  having  acquired  by  the  varied  expe- 
rience in  business  relations  of  former  years  a  far-seeing 
tact  which  greatly  aids  in  furthering  the  success  of 
his  business  as  a  merchant. 


JOSEPH   SNOOK. 

Joseph  Snook  was  born  in  West  Buflfalo  township, 
Union  Co.,  Pa.,  Nov.  30,  180.5,  the  eldest  in  a  family 
of  eleven  children  of  Matthias  and  Christina  (Kleck- 
ner) Snook.  His  great-grandfather  emigrated  from 
Germany,  and  settled  in  the  State  of  New  Jersey. 
His  grandfather,  William  Snook,  moved  from  New 
Jersey  and  settled  in  Union  County,  Pa.,  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  last  century.  His  family  consisted  of  three 
sons,  John,  Henry,  and  Matthias,  and  one  daughter. 
John  and  Henry  married  and  moved  to  Ohio.  The 
daughter  married  a  Mr.  Gast,  and  settled  near  Mid- 
dleburg.  Pa.  Matthias  married  Christina  Kleckner, 
and  lived  at  West  Buffalo,  Union  Co.,  Pa.  Here  were 
born  their  three  eldest  children,  viz.,  Joseph,  Levi,  and 
Sophia. 

In  1811  he  moved  to  Sugar  valley,  where  he  settled 
on  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres,  just  west  of 
the  present  village  of  Logansville.  On  this  farm  he 
lived  about  fifty  years,  and  here  the  following  chil- 
dren were  born,  viz. :  George,  John,  Barbara,  Eliza- 
beth, Delia,  Sarah,  Amelia,  and  Christina.  All  the 
children  were  married  and  raised  families. 

William  Snook,  his  grandfather,  died  at  the  resi- 
dence of  his  son  Matthias  in  1812. 

Matthias  Snook,  born  Aug.  16, 1775.  was  by  trade  a 
blacksmith,  and  for  a  short  time  after  settling  in  the 


620 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


valley  followed  his  trade,  but  afterwards  made  farm- 
ing bis  cliief  calling,  and  became  one  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful farmers  in  Sugar  valley.  At  the  time  of  his 
death  he  was  the  owner  of  four  farms  situated  near 
Logansville.  About  four  years  prior  to  his  death  he 
moved  into  the  village  of  Logansville,  where  he  died 
Dec.  2, 1852.  His  wife,  Christina,  died  some  six  years 
before  liim,  and  he  subsequently  married  the  Widow 
Sellers,  who  survived  him.     She  died  June  16,  1863. 

Joseph  Snook  was  six  years  old  when  the  family 
moved  to  Sugar  valley,  and  has  been  a  resident  there 
ever  since  ;  education  limited  to  attendance  upon 
the  common  school  of  his  neighborhood  ;  lived  on 
the  home-farm  until  twenty-four  years  of  age  ;  mar- 
ried, March  26,  1829,  Mary  Nichel,  who  was  born  in 
Union  County  Sept.  18,  1809.  After  marriage  settled 
on  the  farm  wliere  he  has  ever.since  resided,  situated 
one  mile  south  of  the  village  of  Logansville.  To  the 
original  farm  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  purchased 
of  his  father  he  has  added  other  lands  adjacent,  until 
at  the  present  time  he  owns  four  hundred  and  thirty- 
six  acres  in  a  body. 

Mr.  Snook  has  been  a  member  of  the  German  Lu- 
theran Church  at  Logansville  for  fifty-three  years. 
In  politics,  a  lifelong  Democrat.  Has  been  called 
to  fill  various  town  offices,  as  overseer  of  the  poor, 
supervisor,  etc.,  and  was  in  the  first  traverse  jury 
summoned  in  the  county. 

The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Snook  are  as  follows : 

William  Alexander,  born  Feb.  19,  1830  ;  married 
Anna  Hoffman.  Farmer  in  Stephenson  County,  111. 
Three  children. 

Samuel  Benjamin,  born  March  8,  1832  ;  married 
Sarah,  daughter  of  the  Hon.  George  A.  Achenbach. 
Two  children  living.  For  twelve  years  recorder  of 
Clinton  County,  and  at  the  present  time  deputy 
sheriff. 

Caroline,  born  Nov.  28,  1833. 

Joseph  W.,  born  Feb.  7,  1836 ;  married  Louisa 
Gabe.     Eleven  children  living. 

Rebecca,  born  March  27,  1838 ;  wife  of  David 
Stamm.     Eight  children  living. 

Sarah  SFaria,  born  July  5,  1840  ;  wife  of  Michael 
FetterhofT.     Three  children  living. 

John,  born  Dec.  13,  1842,  died  Sept.  27,  1850. 

Deiilah  M.,  born  May  2,  1845;  wife  of  Frederick 
Wonieldorf 

David  Shaffer,  born  Feb.  1,  1848,  died  Sept.  8, 1850. 


CHAPTER    CXVIL 

GRUGAN  TOWNSHIP.i 

This  township  was  formed  in  1851  from  Colebrook 
and  Chapman,  and  named  in  honor  of  one  of  its 
most  prominent  families.  It  is  situated  on  the  West 
Branch,  by  which  it  is  divided  into  two  nearly  equal 

1  From  D.  S.  Maynai(l'8"IIistorical  View  of  Clinton  County." 


parts,  and  occupies  the  geographical  centre  of  the 
county.  It  is  bounded  on  the  east  by  Colebrook 
and  Gallauher,  on  the  north  by  Gallauher,  Cole- 
brook, and  Chapman,  on  the  west  by  Noyes,  and 
on  the  south  by  Bald  Eagle  and  Beech  Creek.  It  is 
about  six  by  eight  miles  in  area.  In  general  features 
the  surface  of  Grugan  corresponds  very  nearly  with 
Colebrook  and  Chapman  townships.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  a  few  hundred  acres  of  "  bottoms"  along 
the  river,  the  entire  township  is  composed  of  lands 
elevated  several  hundred  feet  above  the  West  Branch. 

Originally  the  timber  consisted  largely  of  pine,  but 
the  operations  of  lumbermen  have  nearly  exhausted 
the  best  quality ;  oak,  however,  of  the  choicest  kind 
still  exists  throughout  the  township  in  great  quanti- 
ties. 

Besides  having  the  waters  of  the  West  Branch 
flowing  through  its  territory,  the  township  is  sup- 
plied with  several  other  water-courses,  the  principal 
ones  being  Rattlesnake  Run,  which  flows  from  the 
northeast  and  empties  into  the  river  at  Whetham, 
and  Baker's  Run  and  Baker's  Mill  Run,  both  of 
which  flow  from  the  southwest  and  empty  into  the 
river  at  Glen  Union. 

The  mineral  wealth  of  Grugan  township  consists 
of  coal,  iron  ore,  and  fire-clay  ;  as  yet,  however,  very 
little  has  been  done  towards  its  development.  In 
18G4  a  corporation  called  the  West  Branch  Coal, 
Iron  Ore,  and  Lumber  Company  purchased  over 
fifteen  thousand  acres  of  land,  all,  or  nearly  all, 
within  Grugan  township,  upon  the  waters  of  Baker's 
Run,  for  which  seventy-five  thousand  dollars  was 
paid.  According  to  the  articles  of  association  of 
that  company, — 

"The  purposes  for  which  the  said  corporation  shall 
be  established  shall  be  the  mining  of  coal  and  iron 
and  other  ores  and  the  manufacturing  of  lumber 
upon  certain  tracts  of  land  situate  in  the  county  of 
Clinton,  State  of  Pennsylvania,  described  in  a  certain 
indenture  bearing  date  the  31st  day  of  March,  a.d. 
1864,  recorded  in  the  recorder's  office  of  said  county 
in  Deed  Book  N,  page  443,  etc.,  from  William  D. 
Lewis  and  wife,  Thomas  Kimber  and  Thomas  Kim- 
ber,  Jr.,  to  C.  P.  Bayard  and  J.  Hillborn  Jones,  and 
of  selling  and  shipping  to  a  market  the  said  coal, 
ores,  and  lumber  mined  or  manufactured  on  said 
lands." 

According  to  a  report  on  the  above  lands  made  by 
J.  Peter  Lesley,  Professor  of  Mining  in  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania,  there  are  extensive  deposits  of  each, 
iron  ore,  coal,  and  fire-clay,  underlying  nearly  the  en- 
tire tract. 

William  F.  Roberts,  a  practical  geologist,  who  has 
thoroughly  explored  the  tract,  says, — 

"The  principal  ])ortion  of  this  body  of  land  con- 
tains a  large  amount  of  bitumious  coal  and  several 
strata  of  iron  ore.  They  are  in  the  eastern  part  of 
the  Snow  Shoe  coal  basin,  on  the  waters  of  Baker's 
Run,  and  near  the  Susquehanna  River. 


GRUGAN  TOWNSHIP. 


621 


"The  basin  contains  three  principal  veins  of  coal. 
Tlie  bottom  vein  has  not  yet  been  worked  in  this  part 
of  the  coal-field,  and  the  second  or  middle  vein,  al- 
tliough  it  is  a  coal  of  superior  quality,  has  not  been 
so  extensively  mined  as  the  upper  one.  This  is  the 
nearest  bituminous  coal  basin  to  the  cities  of  Phila- 
delphia and  New  York,  and  it  has  railroads  and 
canals  built  and  in  operation,  connecting  it  with 
the  best  markets. 

"A  recent  discovery  was  made  of  a  vein  of  iron  ore 
which  underlies  a  very  large  proportion  of  this  prop- 
erty, four  and  a  half  feet  in  thickness.  This  has  been 
fairly  opened  and  proved,  and  its  outcropping  may  be 
traced  for  long  distances.  It  yielded  by  analysis  more 
than  fifty  per  cent,  metallic  iron.  Another  vein  of 
iron  ore  has  also  been  found  occupying  a  position  in 
the  red  sandstone  formation,  some  distance  below  the 
one  just  described.  Another  vein  of  iron  ore  also 
proved  in  this  coal-field  immediately  underlies  the 
conglomerate, — the  bed-rock  of  the  coal  formation. 
This  is  locally  known  as  the  'white  iron  ore.' 

"  Thus  the  lands  contain  a  large  amount  of  coal  and 
an  abundance  of  iron  ore  of  several  varieties,  and  they 
contain  also  large  seams  of  fire-clay  and  sandstone 
for  manufacturing  glass." 

George  Armstrong,  Esq.,  of  Lock  Haven,  also  a 
practical  geologist,  and  well  known  in  Clinton  County, 
reports  over  eleven  feet  of  good  quality  of  coal  under- 
lying a  large  portion  of  the  tract;  also  immense  quan- 
tities of  iron  ore,  fire-clay,  and  sand  suitable  for  the 
manufacture  of  glass. 

It  was  the  intention  of  the  West  Branch  Coal,  Iron 
Ore,  and  Lumber  Company  to  commence  the  mining 
of  coal  and  ore  ere  this  when  they  purchased  the  prop- 
erty, but  the  late  financial  depression  rendered  exten- 
sive operations  in  that  line  inexpedient,  therefore 
the  manufacture  of  lumber  has  been  the  only  branch 
of  business  conducted  thus  far  on  the  property. 

Other  portions  of  the  township,  no  doubt,  are  as 
bountifully  supplied  with  minerals  as  the  Baker's  Kun 
region  ;  but  as  thorough  and  complete  explorations 
have  not  elsewhere  been  made,  it  is  impossible  to  state 
with  any  degree  of  accuracy  where  it  exists,  except 
by  outcroppings  and  surface  indications,  which  in 
many  places  are  too  manifest  to  admit  of  any  doubt, 
which  is  the  case  on  Rattlesnake  Run,  where  it  is  said 
a  good  vein  of  coal  of  workable  thickness  crops  out 
of  the  mountain-side  on  the  south  side  of  the  run  at 
a  height  of  one  thousand  and  forty-two  feet,  and  about 
three-eighths  of  a  mile  up  the  run  ;  outcroppings  of 
iron  ore  and  fire-clay  are  also  found  at  various  points 
on  the  property  owned  by  the  Price  heirs. 

The  following  facts  in  relation  to  the  history  of 
Grugan  were  furnished  by  the  Hon.  Coleman  Grugan, 
associate  judge  of  Clinton  County,  who  was  born  in 
the  township,  and  has  ever  since  lived  in  the  neigh- 
borhood : 

"  Grugan  township,  in  point  of  wealth,  is  among 
the  poorest  in  the  county,  owing  to  its  unimproved 


condition.  Naturally,  however,  it  possesses  many  ad- 
vantages, it  having  water-power  sufficient  to  run  a 
vast  amount  of  machinery  at  least  six  months  of  the 
year.  Originally  the  whole  surface  of  the  township 
was  covered  with  a  great  variety  of  timber,  the  river 
bottoms  having  splendid  oak,  sugar-maple,  black- 
walnut,  locust,  etc.,  while  the  mountains  and  ravines 
were  clothed  with  white-pine,  oak,  chestnut,  etc. ;  but 
all  of  this  wealth  has  been  swept  away  by  the  hand 
of  the  lumberman,  and  no  man  in  the  township  is 
perhaps  any  the  richer. 

"  At  one  time  the  streams  abounded  with  trout,  but, 
alas!  since  the  government  has  been  so  unwise  as  to 
put  dams  across  the  river,  and  allow  the  floating  of 
logs  down  the  streams,  nearly  all  fish  have  disap- 
peared ;  but  it  is  said  the  Stale  is  making  an  effort  to 
stock  the  streams  with  bass.  It  might  as  well  attempt 
to  stock  the  mountains  with  archangels  after  the  deer 
are  all  killed  off. 

"By  whom  or  precisely  at  what  date  the  first  set- 
tlement was  made  in  Grugan  there  seems  to  be  no 
definite  information.  The  earliest  obtainable  record 
seems  to  be  of  a  tract  of  land  called  Indian  Coffin, 
surveyed  to  John  Baker  Atkins,  Oct.  S,  1785.  This 
tract  included  t!ie  lands  lying  about  the  mouth  of 
Baker's  Run. 

Incidents  of  Pioneer  Settlers.—"  Tlie  follow- 
ing incident  was  related  to  me  by  George  Saltz- 
man,  son  of  the  Saltzman  who  was  killed  by  the 
Indians,  and  father  of  Anthony  and  Robert  Saltz- 
man, now  living  in  this  vicinity:  About  the  time 
of  the  Revolutionary  war  this  man  Atkins,  or  Baker, 
as  he  was  called,  lived  on  this  tract,  which  was 
previous  to  the  date  of  his  survey.  When  the  war 
broke  out,  the  inhabitants  along  the  river  all  forsook 
their  homes  and  went  down  to  where  Lock  Haven 
now  stands,  for  protection  in  the  fort  that  had  been 
built  at  that  point.  Saltzman,  the  man  who  was 
killed,  lived  on  the  property  now  owned  by  William 
Bridgens,  Esq. ;  when  winter  came  on,  for  safety  he 
took  his  family  to  the  fort,  but  left  his  cattle  on  the 
farm,  where  he  went  once  every  day  to  feed  them. 
On  the  day  he  was  killed  he  was  accompanied  to  the 
farm  by  two  companions,  named  Armstrong  and  De- 
witt.  At  that  time,  as  at  present,  there  was  a  road 
running  from  the  river  up  past  where  Dr.  Barton  now 
lives.  This  road  they  followed  till  they  came  to  the 
river,  then  they  walked  upon  the  ice.  When  they 
reached  the  lower  end  of  the  flats,  now  owned  by  Mr. 
Bridgens,  they  were  surprised  at  seeing  something 
very  bright  ahead  of  them,  which  on  closer  inspec- 
tion proved  to  be  the  reflection  of  the  sun  shining 
upon  polished  gun-barrels,  which  a  party  of  Indians 
were  aiming  at  them  through  the  fence.  Saltzman 
and  his  comrades  immediately  wheeled  to  run,  at 
which  the  Indians  fired  upon  them,  but  without  eftect. 
The  ice  was  smooth  and  clear ;  Saltzman  had  on  shoes, 
but  Armstrong  and  Dewitt  wore  moccasins,  which 
enabled  them  to  outstrip  him  in  their  flight.    The 


622 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Indians  pursued  in  hot  haste,  and  soon  overtook  and 
killed  Saltzman  and  cut  him  in  small  pieces  on  the 
ice,  after  which  they  continued  in  pursuit  of  Arm- 
strong and  Dewitt;  the  former  jumped  into  an  air- 
hole in  the  ice  and  escaped,  though  several  shots  were 
fired  at  him  hy  his  pursuers.  Dewitt  continued  to 
run  with  all  his  might  in  the  direction  of  the  fort, 
still  retaining  his  musket,  which  he  turned  and  at- 
tempted to  discharge  at  a  big  tall  Indian  who  was 
close  behind  hi.ii,  but  the  piece  missed  fire,  and  the 
Indian  steadily  gained  upon  him  till  they  reached 
the  land.  As  Dewitt  attempted  to  run  up  the  bank 
the  Indian  was  so  close  to  him  that  he  was  forced  to 
turn,  with  the  intention,  no  doubt,  of  clubbing  his 
musket  and  closing  in  with  his  pursuer  in  a  hand-to- 
hand  conflict;  but  ere  he  did  this  he  thought  he 
would  snap  his  gun  once  more  at  the  Indian  ;  luckily 
for  him  it  went  oflT.  the  ball  taking  effect  in  the  In- 
dian's knee.  This  gave  Dewitt  the  advantage  over 
his  antagonist,  but  as  he  saw  the  other  Indians  near 
at  hand,  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  he  did  not 
remain  long  to  sympathize  with  his  fallen  foe,  or  in- 
quire about  his  ancestors,  or  the  number  and  age  of 
his  children,  but  made  for  the  fort  as  fast  as  possible, 
leaving  the  Indians  to  take  charge  of  their  wounded 
companion.  Fearing  Dewitt  might  return  from  the 
fort  with  reinforcements,  the  savages  hastily  took  up 
their  wounded  friend  and  carried  him  up  the  river  to 
where  Baker  had  his  cabin,  which  was  constructed, 
as  was  the  custom  in  those  days,  with  no  entrance  to 
the  attic  except  through  a  window  in  the  gable-end, 
which  was  reached  by  means  of  a  ladder  outside. 
This  ladder  the  Indians  took  possession  of  and  con- 
verted it  into  a  bier,  on  which  they  dragged  their 
dying,  or  perhaps  dead,  comrade  still  farther  up  the 
river  to  Young  Woman's  Creek,  where  they  had  a 
burying-ground. 

"  Wlien  times  became  more  peaceful,  Baker,  as  I 
shall  now  call  him,  returned  to  his  clearing  and  took 
out  a  warrant.  This,  as  before  stated,  was  in  the  year 
1785.  Baker  was  a  German,  and  seems  to  have  been 
very  industrious,  and  while  he  lived  upon  his  land  is 
said  to  have  prospered  so  well  that  he  received  from  his 
neighbors  the  title  of  '  King  of  the  Narrows,'  as  the 
valley  west  of  Lock  Haven  was  called,  but  was  a  man 
of  violent  temper.  On  one  occasion  he  had  a  cow 
that  had  become  injured  so  as  to  be  unable  to  get  up 
without  assistance.  Baker  got  tired  of  helping  the 
cow  up  every  morning,  and  one  morning  in  the  spring 
of  the  year,  when  the  river  was  high,  he  found  his  cow 
lying  on  the  bank  near  the  water's  edge.  He  declared 
he  would  lift  her  no  more,  but  rolled  her  into  the 
foaming  river;  the  cow,  struggling  to  keep  afloat,  was 
borne  by  the  current  some  distance  down  the  stream 
and  crawled  ashore,  after  which  she  could  get  up 
without  assistance  as  well  as  any  cow. 

"  It  was  from  this  man  that  Baker's  Run  derived  its 
name,  although  at  an  early  day  the  lower  stream 
was  not  so  called,  the  upper  or  smaller  one  being  the 


original  Baker's  Run,  upon  which  he  constructed  a 
mill  of  simple  though  rather  ingenious  mechanism. 
His  dam  was  thrown  across  the  stream  in  the  ordinary 
manner,  the  forebay  was  hewn  out  of  a  pine-tree,  some 
portion  of  which  remained  on  the  site  of  the  mill  in 
1830.  The  machinery  consisted  of  an  upright  shaft, 
having  flanges  upon  the  lower  end,  which  was  inclosed 
in  a  curb;  the  water  in  flowing  through  this  curb  ran 
against  the  flanges,  causing  the  shaft  to  revolve  and 
turn  the  stone  attached  to  the  top.  This  mill,  doubt- 
less, never  made  any  merchant  flour,  but  was  probably 
the  first  grist-mill  west  of  Sunbury,  and  certainly  was 
a  great  improvement  on  the  hand-mills  of  antiquity 
driven  by  woman-power. 

"Baker  finally  sold  out  and  moved  to  the  flat  now 
called  Bakerstown  in  his  honor.  It  is  said  that  here 
he  got  into  the  hands  of  sharpers,  and  that  disap- 
pointment and  poverty  came  upon  him  in  his  old  age, 
but  at  precisely  what  time  he  died  I  am  not  able  to 
say,  but  I  do  know  that  the  cold  sands  of  Bakerstown 
contain  all  that  was  mortal  of  John  Baker  Atkins. 
The  place  where  he  first  lived  has  changed  hands 
probably  oftener  than  any  other  farm  in  the  county, 
but  of  this  I  shall  speak  hereafter. 

"  The  next  settler  in  order  seems  to  have  been  James 
Burney,  who  located  upon  the  upper  end  of  the  farm 
where  John  Grugan  now  lives.  This  tract  was  called 
'Settlers'  Lick,'  on  account  of  the  great  deer-lick  upon 
it.  This  lick  was  in  a  kind  of  cove  with  large  trees 
growing  in  front  of  it.  In  later  times  all  the  cattle 
in  the  neighborhood  would  go  there  to  drink  the  salt 
water;  but  the  floating  of  logs  down  the  river  has  de- 
stroyed the  lick  and  much  of  the  land  along  the  banks. 
It  is  difiicult  to  tell  at  what  time  Burney  settled  upon 
his  land.  It  must  have  been  not  far  from  1770,  as  his 
warrant  was  taken  out  while  what  is  now  Clinton  was 
included  in  Berks  County.  He  was  of  Scotch  parent- 
age. As  far  as  I  know  he  had  three  sons,  Alexander, 
James,  and  William.  William  was  the  father  of  Mrs. 
William  Bridgens,  Mrs.  John  Reed,  Mrs.  Winchester, 
and  Mrs.  David  Shaffer.  He  had  one  son,  James,  who 
still  lives  above  Lock  Haven.  James,  the  son  of  the 
origin.al  James,  owned  the  farm  now  in  possession  of 
John  Q.  Welch,  just  above  North  Point.  Mrs.  Welch 
is  the  only  surviving  daughter  of  this  James  Burney. 
Three  of  his  sons  are  still  living.  Alexander,  the 
youngest,  was  killed  w-hile  a  young  man  by  a  stone 
rolling  upon  him  while  making  road. 

"  It  is  related  of  one  of  Burney's  daughters  that, 
when  about  fourteen  years  old,  one  evening  she  was 
sent  after  the  cows.  After  having  gone  about  two 
miles  up  the  river  a  heavy  rain  set  in,  night  came  on, 
and  being  unable  to  proceed  farther,  she  took  refuge 
under  a  projecting  rock,  where,  surrounded  by  wolves, 
panthers,  and  wild-cats,  she  passed  the  night. 

Grugan  Family. — "I  now  come  to  mention  our 
own  family,  from  which  the  township  takes  its  name. 
About  the  time  the  Grugans  came  to  this  neighbor- 
hood other  families  also  settled  here,  but  of  them  I 


GRUGAiV  TOWNSHIP. 


023 


know  but  little.  One  man,  however,  by  the  name  of 
Jackson  lived  on  the  Burneyfarm.  He  was  a  great 
hunter,  but  liad  no  gun  of  liis  own.  Jackson  borrowed 
an  old  flint-lock  from  Mr.  Burney,  and  one  beautiful 
Sabbath  morning  fired  at  a  large  buck  that  he  saw  on 
the  side  of  the  mountain.  The  buck  fell,  but  said 
Jackson  afterward,  'I  thought  the  gun  would  never 
cease  roaring.'  Burney,  being  a  strict  observer  of  the 
Sabbath,  would  never  lend  him  his  gun  again. 

"To  speak  of  self  is  not  an  agreeable  task,  but  I 
shall  tell  the  'whole  truth,'  and  hope  I  shall  not  be 
accused  of  vanity.  Of  my  ancestors  on  the  Grugan 
side  I  know  but  little,  except  that  my  grandfather, 
Charles  Grugan,  together  with  his  brother  John,  came 
from  somewhere  in  the  north  of  Ireland ;  probably  it 
was  about  the  year  1770  that  they  landed  at  New 
York  and  parted  company.  John  went  north  towards 
Canada,  and  my  grandfather  came  to  Pennsylvania. 
They  were  what  is  called  Scotch-Irish.  My  grand- 
father seems  at  least  to  have  been  a  good  penman, 
and  signed  his  name  Grogan.  He  died  while  his  chil- 
dren were  small,  and  the  school-teacher  spelled  the 
name  as  it  is  now  written.  Charles  Grugan  married 
the  sister  of  James  Burney,  already  mentioned,  and 
lived  in  Buffalo  valley,  this  State,  and  it  is  said  was 
doing  well  till  one  cold  winter  night,  in  returning 
home  from  a  wood-chopping  with  a  yoke  of  oxen 
(having  probably,  after  the  manner  of  his  countrymen, 
imbibed  too  freely),  the  drifting  snows  of  the  valley 
became  his  winding-sheet.  This  happened  about  five 
months  before  his  son  James  was  born,  consequently 
he  was  one  at  least  who  had  never  seen  his  father. 
After  some  years  the  widow  of  Charles  married  Henry 
Van  Gundy.  By  her  first  husband  she  had  two  sons 
— Alexander  and  James — and  two  daughters.  One 
of  them  died  while  yet  a  young  woman;  the  other 
married  Joseph  Mason,  known  as  Squire  Mason.  He 
lived  and  died  on  the  Driftwood  Branch  of  the  Sinne- 
mahoning;  he  was  a  man  of  considerable  ability,  and 
had  a  character  without  reproach.  He  raised  a  large 
family  ;  one  of  his  daughters  was  married  to  John 
Brooks,  or  '  Philosopher  Brooks,'  as  he  is  called. 

"  The  family  of  Henry  Van  Gundy  came  up  from 
Buffiilo  valley,  and  bought  of  Mrs.  Van  Gundy's 
brother,  James  Burney,  one-half  his  farm,  the  por- 
tion on  which  John  Grugan  now  lives.  Mrs.  Van 
Gundy's  two  sons  by  her  first  husband,  James  and 
Alexander,  became  the  heads  of  quite  large  families. 
James  was  married  to  an  English  lady  by  the  name 
of  Johnson,  whose  children,  those  now  living,  reside 
in  the  neighborhood. 

"  My  mother's  maiden  name  was  Coleman  ;  she  was 
a  daughter  of  Hugh  Coleman,  and  was  raised  in 
Black  Hole  v.alley,  opposite  Muncy  dam.  The  Cole- 
mans  came  from  England  about  one  hundred  years 
ago.  They  seem  to  have  spelled  their  name  different 
at  different  periods, — Colman,  then  Coalman,  and 
finally  Coleman.  The  family  seems  to  have  figured 
somewhat  conspicuously  in  the  old  country,  some  as 


generals,  priests,  bishops,  merchants,  musicians,  ora- 
tors, writers,  etc.,  but  doubtless  there  were  some  vaga- 
bonds among  tbem  of  which  we  have  no  account. 
James  and  Alexander  Grugan  were  great  hunters- 
this  caused  them  to  neglect  their  other  business,  as  is 
often  the  case ;  hence  they  never  obtained  a  surplus 
of  this  world's  goods.  My  father  killed  one  fall  fif- 
teen bears  at  sixteen  shots.  Though  this  region  in 
early  days  was  a  great  place  for  wild  game,  the  chances 
for  getting  an  education  were  very  poor.  I  heard  the 
father  of  Squire  Quigley,  of  North  Point,  say  that  it 
did  not  matter  where  a  man  was  born,  that  a  wolf 
would  kill  a  sheep  even  if  it  had  never  seen  one 
before.  This  is  true  of  the  wolf,  but  had  Napoleon 
been  born  in  Grugan  township,  I  doubt  if  he  would 
ever  have  ever  have  seen  the  throne  of  France.  It 
might  also  be  said  that  there  was  neither  'holy  dell 
or  pastoral  bleat'  within  the  vale;  yet  Mr.  Grier,  a 
Pi'esbyterian  minister,  did  come  up  about  once  every 
two  or  three  years  and  preach  a  sermon  and  baptize 
the  children.  An  account  of  one  of  these  meetings 
and  baptisms  may  be  interesting,  especially  to  those 
baptized  at  marble  fonts.  My  own  experience  on  such 
an  occasion  will  serve  for  all.  The  recollection  of 
the  event  rises  up  before  me  to  this  day  more  vividly 
than  any  other  experience  of  my  life.  At  the  time  of 
which  I  speak,  Mr.  John  White,  who  had  moved 
up  from  Dunnstown  to  Rattlesnake  Eun,  had  there 
erected  a  saw-  and  grist-mill  combined.  In  that  mill 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Grier  appointed  his  meeting  ;  there  my 
parents  took  my  younger  brother,  a  mere  infant,  and 
myself  to  have  us  baptized.  The  mill  was  surrounded 
by  woods.  It  was  a  beautiful  day  in  June,  the  low 
murmuring  of  the  water  as  it  passed  through  the  mill 
and  th.e  singing  of  the  birds  mingled  in  soft  cadence 
with  the  louder  anthems  of  human  jiraise.  After  ser- 
vice I  was  led  up  before  the  man  of  God,  and  received 
at  his  hand  a  sprinkling  of  water  upon  my  head  and 
face.  Being  unused  to  strangers,  and  supposing  I  was 
to  be  badly  dealt  with,  I  screamed  like  a  wild-cat,  and 
refused  to  be  comforted  till  a  young  lady  who  was 
present  took  me  in  her  arms  and  hushed  me  to  silence. 
It  seems  but  a  short  time  since  the  above  event  oc- 
curred, yet  few  who  stood  there  that  day  are  living, 
perhaps  not  ten,  but  sic  itiir  ad  astra.  My  brother 
John  and  myself  are  perhaps  the  only  living  men 
who  received  baptism  in  a  saw-mill.  My  father  re- 
mained on  the  old  homestead,  and  James  Grusan  pur- 
chased the  Baker  survey.  Tlius  they  lived  all  their 
days,  one  on  each  side  of  the  river,  opposite  each 
other. 

"The  Baker  tract,  as  stated  before,  passed  through 
the  hands  of  many  different  owners.  As  near  as  I 
can  recollect,  from  Baker  it  was  transferred  to  Elihu 
Chadwick,  from  Chadwick  to  Brooks,  from  Brooks  to 
Miller,  from  Miller  to  Thomas  Bridgens,  from  Bridffens 
to  William  Holden,  from  Huldcn  to  Buckman  Claflin, 
from  B.  Claflin  to  Robert  Claflin,  from  him  to  Jacob 
Coleman,  from  Coleman  to  Alexander  Grugan,  from 


624 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


him  to  Tliew  Grugan,  the  present  owner.  On  this 
land  tlic  first  school-house  in  the  township  was  built, 
under  the  supervision  of  the  Rev.  Daniel  Barber,  who 
furnished  the  nails  and  glass. 

Schools. — "  The  first  school  was  opened  in  1830, 
John  Taylor,  an  Englishman,  being  teacher,  at  the 
same  time  working  at  his  trade,  shoemaking,  the  pupils 
merely  going  up  to  him  to  recite  their  lessons,  or  re- 
ceive his  shoe-strap  over  their  backs  in  case  of  bad 
behavior.  When  Farrandsville  was  in  its  glory,  the 
Episcopalians  came  up  from  there  and  started  a  Sab- 
bath-school in  the  school-house;  but  the  ice  flood  of 
1837  swept  the  building  away.  At  the  same  time  the 
dwelling  of  Alexander  Grugan  was  also  carried  away 
with  all  its  contents,  the  family  barely  escaping  with 
their  lives. 

Claflin  Family. — "The  Claflin  family,  of  which 
mention  has  already  been  made,  consisted  of  Buck- 
man,  commoidy  called  '  Buck'  Claflin,  his  wife  and 
children,  among  the  latter  the  present  Mrs.  Victoria 
AVoodhull,  his  father  and  mother,  and  several  brothers 
and  sisters.  The  members  of  this  family  were  not,  as 
a  general  thing,  given  to  manual  labor,  but  what  lit- 
tle work  they  did  perform  was  usually  done  on  Sun- 
day. They  claimed  to  be  Connecticut  Yankees,  hav- 
ing moved  from  that  State  to  Bradford  County,  where 
they  owned  a  small  i'arin  on  Sugar  Creek.  They  evi- 
dently had  lived  a  considerable  time  in  Bradford, 
judging  from  their  '  peculiarities.'  '  Buck'  Claflin  was 
the  mainstay  of  the  family  ;  having  a  great  deal  of 
energy  and  a  liberal  education,  backed  by  a  full  stock 
of  genuine  Yankee  shrewdness,  he  was  qualified  to  do 
his  part  in  almost  any  position.  With  all  his  other 
qualifications  he  w.is  an  expert  marksman,  being  con- 
sidered the  best  shot  in  the  country.  In  boyhood, 
while  gratifying  his  propensity  for  shooting  at  a 
mark  with  a  cross-bow,  he  had  the  misfortune  to  loose 
"his  right  eye  by  the  rebound  of  an  arrow.  Such  was 
the  father  of  the  woman  who  aspired  to  be  President 
of  the  United  States. 

"  It  was  in  this  township,  it  is  said,  tliat  the  last  elk 
in  Clinton  County  lost  his  life,  and  it  will  probably 
be  here  that  the  last  deer  of  this  region  will  gaze 
upon  the  setting  sun.  What  locality  could  be  better 
suited  for  the  last  hiding  place  of  such  noble  ani- 
mals.'' 

Settlements  and  Improvements.— The  improve- 
ments of  Grugan  township  are  confined  almost  entirely 
to  the  river  flats,  there  being  very  little  cleared  land 
except  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  stream. 

The  most  extensive  settlement  in  the  township  is 
Glen  Union,  so  named  by  Mr.  J.  C.  Past,  formerly 
superintendent  of  the  W.  B.  C.  I.  &  L.  Company,  be- 
cause of  the  close  proximity  of  the  two  glens  or  valleys 
througli  which  Baker's  Run  and  Baker's  Mill  Run 
flow.  The  village  proper  is  located  on  the  west  side  of 
the  river,  where  there  is  a  store,  church,  blacksmith- 
shop,  saw-mill,  and  adozen  or  more  dwellings  belong- 
ing to  the  W.  B.  C.  I.  &  L.  Company.     The  railroad 


station,  with  ten  or  twelve  dwellings  near  it,  is  on  the 
east  side  of  the  river,  The  post-office  is  kept  at  the 
depot,  which  is  in  charge  of  Mr.  J.  M.  David. 

Ritchie  Station,  on  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  Rail- 
road, five  miles  north  of  Glen  Union,  is  the  centre  of 
a  pleasant  and  flourishing  communitx.  The  station 
derives  its  name  from  E.  H.  Ritchie,  Esq.,  who  owns 
and  cultivates  one  of  the  finest,  if  not  the  best-im- 
proved, farms  in  the  township.  Mr.  Ritchie  also  has 
charge  of  the  station  and  post-office.  Until  recently 
there  was  a  post-office  at  Whetham,  three  miles  south 
of  Ritchie. 

In  1850,  Mr.  James  D.  Whetham  purchased  of  Wil- 
liam McFadden  a  tract  of  land  on  Rattlesnake  Run, 
containing  six  thousand  acres,  Philip  M.  Price,  Esq., 
having  an  interest  in  the  purchase,  though  the  title 
was  vested  in  Whetham. 

In  1855,  John  De  France,  an  agent  for  Whetham  & 
Price,  constructed  a  water-power  saw-mill  a  short  dis- 
tance up  the  run.  At  that  time  the  locality  received 
the  name  of  "  DeFranceville,"  in  honor  of  the  agent, 
previous  to  which  it  was  called  "  Rattlesnake."  In  a 
few  years  De  France  was  succeeded  by  Thomas  Yard- 
ley,  Esq.,  under  whose  supervision  an  improved  steam- 
mill  took  the  place  of  the  one  built  by  De  France. 
Mr.  Yardley  was  succeeded  by  other  agents,  one  after 
another,  till  1860,  when  Mr.  William  E.  Hill  took 
charge  of  the  property  ;  about  that  time  Mr.  Price 
purchased  the  entire  tract.  During  Mr.  Hill's  man- 
agement the  firm  furnished  the  government  with 
large  quantities  of  yellow-pine  for  ship-building,  the 
quality  found  on  Rattlesnake  Run  being  nearly  as 
good  for  the  purpose  as  that  of  South  Carolina.  Mr. 
Hill  was  succeeded  by  Col.  Wilcox  as  lessee  of  the 
property,  who  operated  in  lumber  a  few  years,  which 
closed  the  business  on  that  tract. 

It  was  during  Mr.  Yardley's  suporiutendency  of 
the  property  that  the  six-foot  vein  of  coal  mentioned 
elsewhere  was  opened.  At  that  time  the  coal  was  used 
on  the  premises,  and  proved  to  be  a  good  quality  for 
blacksmithing  purposes,  as  it  contains  very  little  sul- 
phur. Other  veins  equally  good  are  known  to  exist 
on  the  property. 

In  1865  three  brothers,  David,  Charles,  and  James 
Carrier,  constructed  a  tannery  about  two  miles  up  the 
run,  intending  to  get  their  supply  of  bark  upon  the 
run  and  its  tributaries,  as  a  vast  amount  of  hemlock 
timber  exists  in  that  region  ;  but  through  an  injudi- 
cious expenditure  of  money  and  general  mismanage- 
ment the  project  failed. 

Of  the  Price  tract  there  are  probably  one  thousand 
acres  of  good  farming  lands  lying  upon  the  tops  of 
the  hills.  The  soil  is  pronounced  of  a  good  quality, 
and,  as  is  the  case  with  much  of  the  wild  land  of  the 
county,  easily  made  available  for  agricultural  pur- 
poses, especially  stock-raising. 

After  the  construction  of  the  Philadeljjhiaand  Erie 
Railroad,  a  station  was  established  near  the  month  of 
the  run,  and  given  the  name  of  Whetham,  in  honor 


KEATING  TOWNSHIPS  (EAST   AND   WEST). 


025 


of  James  D.  Wlietham,  Esq.,  one  of  the  owners  of  the 

property. 

At  ])resent  there  is  a  station,  telegraph-office,  and 
hotel  for  the  accommodation  of  the  public  at  the 
mouth  of  the  run,  all  in  charge  of  Mr.  J.  J.  Cum- 
niings.  Rattlesnake  Run  has  long  been  noted  as  a 
fine  trout-fishing  stream,  and  is  visited  every  season 
by  many  anglers  from  Philadelphia  and  elsewhere. 

The  property  is  still  in  possession  of  the  Philip  M. 
Price  heirs,  and  at  present  consists  of  the  original  pur- 
chase, a  saw-mill,  hotel,  and  ten  or  twelve  dwellings. 


CHAPTER    CXVIII. 

KE.4TING   TOWNSHIPS    (EAST    AND    WEST).i 

Keating  Township  occupies  the  e.xtrerae  south- 
western portion  of  the  county.  It  was  erected  Dec. 
21,  1844,  and  its  territory  enlarged  in  1860  by  the  ad- 
dition of  a  part  of  Grove  township.  In  1875  it  was 
divided  into  East  and  West  Keating.  East  Keating 
is  bounded  on  the  south  by  the  West  Branch  of  the 
Susquehanna  River,  which  forms  the  boundary  be- 
tween Clinton  and  Centre  Counties,  on  the  east  by 
Noyes  township,  on  the  north  by  Cameron  County, 
and  on  the  west  by  Cameron  County  and  West  Keat- 
ing, which  is  bounded  on  the  south  by  the  West 
Branch,  on  the  west  by  Clearfield  and  Cameron  Coun- 
ties, and  on  the  north  by  Cameron.  Before  the  divis- 
ion the  township  had  an  area  of  about  six  by  eleven 
miles,  and  a  pojiulation  of  nearly  five  hundred. 

Almost  the  whole  surface  of  the  two  townships  lies 
several  hundred  feet  higher  than  the  river,  and  is 
rendered  uneven  by  numerous  elevations  and  depres- 
sions, and  traversed  by  various  streams,  which  find 
their  way  to  either  the  Sinnemahoning  Creek  or  the 
West  Branch,  between  which,  in  the  angle  formed  by 
their  union,  most  of  the  territory  of  the  townships  is 
situated.  The  principal  streams  flowing  into  the 
Sinnemahoning  are  Round  Island  Run,  Grass  Flat 
Run,  and  Moccasin  Fall  Run.  Those  emptying  into 
the  West  Branch  are  Three  Run,  Loop  Run,  Baker's 
Run,  Leaning  Pine  Run,  Sugar  Camp  Run,  Birch 
Island  Run,  and  Grove  Run.  Thus  it  is  seen  that 
this  region  is  well  supplied  with  water-power  for 
driving  machinery,  etc. 

The  township  of  Keating  was  originally  bountifully 
supplied  with  choice  pine  and  oak  timber,  but  its  for- 
ests, like  those  of  the  West  Branch  country  generally, 
have  been  made  to  yield  to  the  lumberman's  axe,  and 
farms  and  farm-houses  have  taken  the  places  of  lum- 
bermen's camps.  Though  there  are  many  fine,  well- 
cultivated,  and  highly  productive  farms  in  both  East 
and  West  Keating  townships,  the  real  wealth  of  the 
region  consists  of  its  vast  deposits  of  coal,  iron  ore, 

'  From  D.  S.  Maynard'a  "  Historical  View  of  Clinton  County." 


and  fire-clay,  there  being  six  workable  veins  of  fine 
quality  bituminous  coal,  aggregating  a  thickness  of 
nearly  twenty-seven  feet,  in  addition  to  which  there 
are  seams  of  iron  ore  in  the  township  aggregating 
twenty  feet  thick,  and  an  extensive  bed  of  valuable 
fire-clay. 

The  following  historical  sketch  was  written  by  J. 
W.  Merrey,  Esq.,  of  Keating  Station  (Nasby  post- 
oflice) : 

Original  Surveys  and  Pioneer  Settlers.— "The 
first  survey  made  in  this  township  was  on  Aug.  13, 
1785,  and  was  made  by  John  Houston,  in  pursuance 
of  a  warrant.  No.  557,  dated  at  Philadel|)hia, 
the  17th  day  of  May,  1785,  for  John  Strawbridge, 
and  contained  two  hundred  and  eighty-five  acres  and 
allowances,  and  is  situated  on  both  sides  of  Sinne- 
mahoning Creek,  at  and  near  its  mouth.  John  Straw- 
bridge  soon  after  sold  it  to  Patrick  Lusk.  At  this 
time  this  was  in  the  county  of  Northumberland. 
After  the  purchase  he  sent  his  son  and  daughter, 
Robert  and  Martha  Lusk,  to  live  on  the  place,  and 
they  became  the  first  settlers.  The  same  parties  after- 
wards became  the  owners,  the  daughter  taking  the 
north  and  the  son  the  south  side  of  the  creek.  This 
occurred  in  the  year  1819.  The  property  on  the  north 
side  is  now  owned  by  Allison  Kryder,  a  grandson  of 
Patrick  Lusk,  and  Wallace  Gakle,  both  of  whom  live 
on  it.  The  south  side  is  now  owned  by  J.  W.  Merrev, 
who  also  resides  on  it. 

"The  next  settler  appears  to  have  been  John  Hil- 
debrand,,who  settled  on  the  place  now  owned  by 
.lames  Moore,  on  the  banks  of  the  West  Branch, 
about  two  miles  above  tiic  mouth  of  Sinnemahoning 
Creek,  about  the  year  1805.  Ilildebrnnd  sold  the 
farm  to  Thomas  Burges,  who,  in  the  year  1830,  sold 
it  to  James  Moore,  the  present  owner,  and  who  is 
now  the  oldest  living  settler.  About  this  time  John 
Conway  settled  on  a  piece  of  land  in  the  upper  part 
of  the  township  (now  West  Keating),  commonly 
called  Hickory  Hill.  John  Rohn,  Sr.,  from  Penn's 
valley,  also  bought  and  settled  in  the  same  neighbor- 
hood. His  sons,  George  and  John  Rolm,  at  the  pres- 
ent time  own  most  of  the  cleared  farms  in  that  sec- 
tion. In  the  year  1819  or  1820,  John  Kryder,  a  native 
of  the  village  of  Dunnstown,  near  Lock  Haven,  also 
settled  here.  This  old  settler  died  last  year,  leaving 
quite  a  number  of  grand  descendants.  The  following 
obituary  was  published  in  the  Clinton  Democrat  of 
MayC,  1875: 

'"On  Sunday  morning,  April  25th,  there  died  in 
this  township  (East  Keating)  one  of  the  oldest  settlers 
and  pioneers  of  the  West  Branch.  John  Kryder  was 
born  at  or  near  Chatham's  Run  in  the  year  1800,  and 
consequently  was  seventy-five  years  of  age  when  he 
was  gathered  to  his  fathers.  He  came  to  this  town- 
ship (then  Grove  township,  Northumberland  Co.) 
when  he  was  scarcely  nineteen  years  old,  and  being 
somewhat  of  a  genius  as  a  carpenter  and  worker  in 
wood  and  a  millwright,  soon  became  well  known  and 


626 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


respected.  He  lived  for  a  few  years  at  Cook's  Eun, 
on  tlie  farm  of  old  Johnny  Baird  (now  owned  by 
Squire  McCloskey),  but  finally  settled  down  on  the 
old  homestead  owned  by  Mattie  Lusk  (sister  of  Mrs. 
McBride,  who  was  murdered  by  Wade),  on  the  north 
side  of  the  mouth  of  Siunemahoning  Creek,  whom  he 
afterwards  took  "  for  better  or  for  worse,"  and  lived 
with  her  for  many  years  after.  In  1848  his  house 
was  swept  away  by  the  flood,  and  nearly  everything 
that  he  owned  was  also  claimed  by  the  raging  waters ; 
but,  nothing  daunted,  he  soon  set  to  work,  and  built 
himself  another  home,  which  still  stands  on  the  banks 
at  the  mouth  of  the  creek  as  a  monument  of  his  in- 
dustry and  handiwork.  Indeed,  there  is  scarcely  an 
old  house  or  mill  between  Lock  Haven  and  Keating 
but  that  was  partly  built  by  his  hands. 

"  '  In  his  younger  days  he  was  noted  as  a  great 
hunter  and  canoeman,  and  many  are  the  times  that 
the  writer  of  this  has  listened  to  his  stories  of  life  on 
the  Susquehanna  and  in  the  woods,  and  heard  him 
discourse  of  the  good  old  times  of  mush  and  venison, 
when  white  bread  was  a  luxury,  and  boots  of  the 
modern  style  a  curiosity. 

"  '  As  he  grew  up  in  years  he  became  famous  as  a 
river  pilot,  and  was  counted  one  of  the  best  on  the 
river.  During  the  last  few  years  of  his  life  he  devoted 
most  of  his  spare  time  to  fishing,  and  was  never  so 
happy  as  when  paddling  his  canoe  on  the  river.  Who 
of  the  old  settlers  on  the  river  did  not  know  and  re- 
spect old  Uncle  John  Kryder,  as  he  was  familiarly 
called?  Many  of  them  will  drop  a  tear  /"rom  their 
weather-beaten  cheeks  when  they  learn  of  the  death 
of  this  their  old  comrade,  who  hath  gone  to  his  long 
home.  But  few  are  left,  and  one  by  one  they  are 
quietly  "  passing  away." 

'"He  was  a  man  of  rather  eccentric  h.abits,  poor, 
yet  proud  in  his  way,  and  as  independent  as  a  mil- 
lionaire, scorning  to  eat  the  bread  of  charity  or  to  be 
beholden  to  any  one  as  long  as  he  could  earn  hii  living 
by  his  own  industry,  which  he  continued  to  do  up  to 
within  four  months  of  his  death.  A  man  whom  I  verily 
believe  never  told  a  willful  lie  in  his  life,  straight- 
forward and  honest  in  all  his  dealings,  he  was  noted 
for  his  probity  and  honesty.  He  would  have  made  a 
good  member  of  any  anti-tobacco  society,  for  he  never 
used  the  weed  iu  his  life  in  any  shape,  and  his  fine 
teeth  till  within  the  last  five  years  were  as  sound 
and  as  white  as  the  finest  ivory. 

"  '  He  was  the  father  of  quite  a  family,  all  of  whom 
he  has  gone  to  meet  but  three, — two  sons  and  one 
daughter.  Durell  and  Allison  Kryder  are  well  known 
to  many  of  your  readers,  while  his  only  daughter  is 
the  wife  of  our  late  commissioner,  Wallace  Gakle.' 

Pioneer  Schools. — "  The  first  school-house  was  built 
about  the  year  1830,  and  is  now  standing.  It  was  built 
of  logs,  and  stands  within  a  few  yards  of  the  present 
school-iiouse,  opposite  Keating  Station.  John  Kohn, 
Sr.,  was  president ;  John  Kryder,  secretary ;  and  James 
Moore,  treasurer  of  the  first  board  of  directors.     Rob- 


ert Lusk  was  the  first  justice  of  the  peace,  being  ap- 
pointed and  commissioned  by  the  Governor.  The 
first  election  for  justice  took  place  at  the  first  fork  of 
the  Sinnemahoning  (now  in  Cameron  County),  about 
twelve  miles  above  Keating  Station.  The  contest  was 
between  John  Floyd  and  the  incumbent,  Robert  Lusk, 
and  was  a  very  lively  one.  James  Moore  informs  me 
that  the  election  created  great  e.xcitement,  and  that 
he  himself  canvassed  the  county  from  Lock  Haven 
to  Sinnemaiioning  in  the  interest  of  Robert  Lusk. 
The  result  was  very  close,  as  Mr.  Floyd  was  elected 
by  only  one  majority.  About  this  time  Peter  Vin- 
cent, who  was  the  proprietor  of  the  farm  opposite 
Renovo,  now  owned  by  James  Colwell,  was  drowned 
in  the  river  near  the  farm  of  James  Moore.  His 
horse  was  found  about  three  miles  from  the  body. 

Pioneer  Taverns— Flood.— "  Tlie  first  tavern  was 
kept  by  Jacob  Berge,  in  the  house  now  owned  by  Caleb 
Cannon,  situated  about  one  mile  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Sinnemahoning  Creek,  and  bore  the  very  queer  name 
of  ■  Mad  House,'  by  which  name  the  building  is  known 
at  the  present  day.  Robert  Lusk  also  had  a  distillery 
(on  a  small  scale),  in  which  he  made  apple-jack  from 
the  large  orchard  on  his  farm.  In  the  year  1847  the 
great  flood  swept  away  nearly  every  improvement  in 
the  shape  of  buildings  in  the  township.  At  this  time 
Mr.  Peter  Laringer  was  keeping  tavern  on  the  farm 
of  Robert  Lusk,  in  a  house  near  the  junction  of  the 
Sinnemahoning  and  West  Branch.  The  river  and 
creek  both  raised  so  rapidly  that  none  of  the  family 
had  time  to  escape  before  the  house  was  surrounded 
with  water.  The  fiimily  all  crowded  to  the  garret  and 
shouted  lustily  for  assistance,  but  the  waters  raged  so 
furiously  that  no  one  seemed  willing  to  attempt  a 
rescue.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  at  a  dis- 
tance of  about  three  hundred  yar3s  from  the  tavern, 
John  and  William  Clawater  and  James  Wadsworth 
were  making  timber,  and  were  in  full  sight  of  the  dis- 
tressed family,  but  were  unable  to  render  any  assist- 
ance for  want  of  a  boat.  At  last  a  canoe  came  dashing 
along,  bottom  upwards,  and  struck  on  the  shore,  and 
was  quickly  secured  and  righted.  Into  this  frail 
vessel  James  Wadsv.'orth  and  John  Clawater  entered 
with  the  determination  to  save  the  now  entirely  help- 
less family.  .With  sticks  for  paddles  they  succeeded  in 
reaching  the  house,  which  was  now  only  held  from 
the  fury  of  the  flood  by  the  large  stone  chiumey,  and 
rescued  the  entire  family,  carrying  them  to  the  moun- 
tain. Five  minutes  afterwards  the  house  was  carried 
away  by  the  raging  waters.  Several  of  the  rescued 
are  now  alive,  and  one  of  them  is  the  wife  of  her 
noble  rescuer,  James  Wadsworth. 

"  A  few  miles  farther  up  the  river  the  angry  waters 
had  driven  James  Moore  and  his  family  to  the  moun- 
tains, where  they  formed  a  sort  of  shelter  of  hemlock 
boughs  and  saplings.  Mr.  Benjamin  Morrison  (now 
deceased),  a  surveyor,  resident  of  Lock  Haven,  was 
forced  to  seek  shelter  in  this  rude  shanty.  The  waters 
rose  so  fast  that  scarcely  anything  but  a  little  bed 


KEATING   TOWNSniI'S    (EAST   AND    WEST). 


C27 


linen  was  saved.  In  a  few  minutes  after  they  gained 
the  mountain-  a  woman  brought  the  news  that  a 
wliole  family  liad  been  swept  adrift,  and  tliat  some 
of  them  were  now  clinging  to  a  small  island  two 
miles  farther  up  the  river.  Mr.  James  Jloore  and  a 
settler  named  Samuel  Huling  quickly  gathered  to- 
gether some  dry  pine  and  chestnut  poles,  with  which 
they  made  a  light  raft,  which  they  pulled  up  to  the 
island.  On  their  arrival  they  found  that  one  of  the 
women  (Mrs.  Susan  Smoke)  had  reached  the  moun- 
tain by  floating  on  a  mattress,  which  she  had  pro- 
pelled vigorously  with  a  stick  for  a  paddle.  The  rest 
of  the  party,  by  means  of  the  small  raft,  were  soon 
saved  and  brought  from  their  perilous  position  by 
Messrs.  Moore  and  Huling.  The  house  on  the  point 
at  the  mouth  of  the  creek,  belonging  to  Mr.  Kryder, 
was  also  swept  away,  and  everything  that  belonged 
to  him.  A  small  log  house,  in  which  Mr.  Robert 
Lusk  '  kept  bachelor's  hall,'  was  also  swept  away,  and 
in  which  he  had  concealed  in  one  of  the  logs  a  large 
sum  of  money  in  gold.  He  followed  the  house  for 
miles  and  miles  down  the  river,  searching  in  vain  for 
the  log  which  contained  his  wealth,  and  which  he  de- 
clared he  could  tell  among  a  thousand. 

"A  good  deal  of  suffering  from  actual  want  of  food 
was  the  fruit  of  this  flood,  as  the  settlers  had  lost 
everything  in  the  shape  of  eatables.  The  few  settlers 
on  the  mountains  kindly  shared  with  the  sufferers 
what  little  they  had,  and  in  the  mean  time  canoes 
were  dispatched  to  Dunnstown  and  the  Long  Reach 
(below  Lock  Haven)  for  flour  and  other  provisions, 
which  in  due  time  arrived  and  relieved  their  suf- 
ferings-. 

Pioneer  Business  Experiences.— "  At  this  early 
period  very  little  business  of  any  kind  except  hunting 
and  some  little  farming  was  carried  on.  The  streams 
were  full  of  fish,  and  the  woods  full  of  game.  The 
skins  of  animals  furnished  shoes  and  the  greater  part 
of  their  clothing,  and  they  really  required  nothing 
but  a  few  lu.xuries  in  the  shape  of  groceries. 

"  Each  settler  would  cut  and  make  a  small  raft  of 
timber  near  to  the  water,  which  he  would  rait,  and 
with  a  hickory  halyard  for  a  rope,  start  on  his  jour- 
ney down  the  river.  First-class  pine  timber  in  those 
days  sold  for  three  to  five  cents  per  cubic  foot  in  Ma- 
rietta, and  even  less.  The  settler  having  disposed  of 
his  raft,  would  quickly  start  homeward,  and  with  the 
proceeds  lay  in  a  supply  of  necessaries  tor  the  coming 
year.  These  supplies  were  generally  pushed  up  in 
large  canoes,  and  it  very  often  happened  that  a  good 
part  of  the  cargo  would  be  rye  whiskey  of  excellent 
quality. 

"  An  old  resident  in  this  township  informs  me  that 
if  by  any  means  the  supply  of  goods  would  fail,  or  be 
likely  to  do  so  before  the  ensuing  spring,  then  he  would 
take  his  rifle,  traps,  and  canoe,  and  probably  be  gone 
six  or  seven  days,  when  he  would  return  loaded  with 
saddles  of  venison,  the  carcasses  of  bears,  and  the  skins 
and  furs  of  various  animals.  The  meat  would  be  dried 
40 


and  salted  and  packed  away  for  winter  use,  but  the 
skins  would  be  taken  to  Dunnstown  or  Jersey  Shore, 
there  to  be  disposed  of  for  other  good-".  The  flood  of 
1861  created  still  more  damage,  and,  like  its  prede- 
cessor, came  very  suddenly.  At  si.\  o'clock  in  the 
evening  John  Perry  forded  the  creek  on  horseback. 
A  log  drive  was  '  hung  up'  about  a  mile  below  the 
creek,  it  being  expected  that  the  previous  rain  would 
raise  the  stream  sufficiently  for  driving  purposes.  At 
eight  o'clock  p.m.  it  commenced  to  rain  very  fast,  by 
half-past  it  was  pouring  down  in  torrents,  by  half-past 
nine  the  Sinneniahoning  began  to  rise,  at  ten  o'clock 
the  banks  were  full  and  overflowing;  after  that  hour 
the  ffood  of  water  increased  very  rapidly.  Rafts  of 
limber,  immense  quantities  of  logs,  buildings  of  all 
descriptions  were  swept  continually  by  in  the  rushing 
waters.  At  last,  about  three  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
a  great  amount  of  rafts  and  logs  jammed  against  the 
railroad  bridge  and  swept  it  from  its  abutments. 
The  force  of  the  flood  was  such  that  the  graveyard 
at  the  first  fork  (now  Sinneniahoning)  was  forced  to 
give  up  its  dead,  and  its  tenants,  clad  in  their  last  gar- 
ments and  pine  coflSns,  swept  swiftly  by.  At  this  place 
the  store  of  C.  C.  McClelland,  the  house  of  Michael 
Bush,  a  blacksmith  shop,  a  slaughter-house  and  a 
stable,  the  house  of  Richantl  Reed  and  the  entire 
contents,  all  succumbed  to  the  terrific  waters  and 
were  carried  away.  During  that  eventful  night  Mr. 
John  Delaney,  who  then  kept  hotel  at  Keating,  made 
a  raft  of  boards  with  the  intention  of  escaping  to  the 
mountain  (his  boat  and  canoe  had  been  swept  away), 
and  succeeded  in  getting  his  wife,  family,  and  ser- 
vants on  it,  but  the  force  of  the  current  took  the 
raft  down  in  the  orchard  and  down-stream  instead  of 
to  the  other  side.  In  this  extremity  the  frail  raft 
struck  against  an  apple-tree,  and  Mr.  Delaney  was 
thrown  into  the  water.  To  his  great  joy  he  found 
that  the  water  was  not  yet  too  high  for  him  to  ford, 
and  he  succeeded  in  pulling  the  raft  back  again  to 
the  hotel.  In  the  morning  they  were  all  taken  in  a 
canoe  to  the  mountain. 

Flood  of  1865— Eelics,  Mining,  etc.—"  In  the 
year  18G5  the  country  was  again  visited  by  a  flood. 
This  time  jiart  of  the  railroad  bed  was  swept  away, 
but  the  damage  done  was  not  near  so  much  as  by  the 
flood  of  18GI.  This  time  the  flood  was  mostly  in 
the  West  Branch,  and  while  very  few  houses  were 
carried  away,  the  quantity  of  timber-rafts  and  logs 
taken  ofl' was  enormous.  In  the  immediate  vicinity 
the  loss  of  timber  was  very  heavy.  John  Rolin  lost 
eight  rafts,  J.  A.  Moore  two  raits,  C.  C.  McClelland 
lost  a  large  quantity  of  both  timber  and  logs.  Eld- 
ridge  &  Satterlee  lost  five  rafts,  and  Farwell  &  Mc- 
Closkey  five  rafts  ;  in  fact,  every  one  that  lumbered 
that  year  were  suflTerers,  as  the  flood  came  in  the 
spring,  on  the  17th  day  of  Miirch  (St.  Patrick's  Day), 
just  as  every  bod)'  was  getting  ready  for  rafting. 

"In  the  year  1858  an  engineer  employed  on  the 
Philadelphia  and  Erie  Railroad  found  a  very  curious 


C23 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


stone,  on  which  was  cut  some  very  singular  charac- 
ters. The  stone  was  flat,  and  was  found  under  the 
ledge  of  rocks  nearly  opposite  the  Keating  Hotel. 
On  it  were  many  images  of  various  birds  and  ani- 
mals, but  the  most  conspicuous  carving  was  a  rough 
draft  of  the  Sinnemahoning  Creek  and  the  West 
Branch  River.  The  head  of  the  creek  was  embel- 
lished with  the  likeness  of  an  elk,  and  the  source  of 
the  river  with  the  figure  of  a  deer,  seeming  to  point 
out  that  on  the  creek  the  elk  was  to  be  found,  but 
that  the  deer  most  abounded  on  the  river.  The  gen- 
tleman who  found  it  valued  it  very  highly,  and  had 
it  carefully  packed  an<l  forwarded  to  his  home. 

"  About  eight  years  ago  a  man  named  Grove,  ac- 
companied by  his  son,  paid  a  mysterious  visit  from 
one  of  the  Western  States  to  this  township,  and  ex- 
plored the  country  for  over  two  weeks.  Before  going 
away  he  related  the  following  story  : 

"Some  forty  years  ago  he  was  a  resident  of  this  town- 
ship, and  that  while  sojourning  at  the  house  of 
Thomas  Burns  (on  the  place  now  owned  by  James 
Moore),  a  party  of  Indians  with  knapsacks  and  other 
bags  passed  by,  and  went  on  up  the  river,  and  in  a 
day  or  so  they  returned  with  their  bags  heavily  laden, 
and  they  put  up  for  the  night  at  the  same  house. 
While  they  were  at  supper  he  (Groves),  from  curi- 
osity, examined  one  of  the  bags,  and  found  it  was 
filled  with  silver  ore  of  a  very  superior  quality.  The 
next  day  he  took  their  old  tracks  up  the  river  as  far 
as  Birch  Island  Run,  where  at  that  place  the  tracks 
led  into  tlie  river.  He  searched  long  and  faithfully 
for  the  coveted  mine,  but  was  unsuccessful.  A  few 
years  after  he  emigrated  to  the  West,  but  the  more  he 
thought  of  the  silver-mine  the  more  anxious  he  was 
to  again  visit  the  neighborhood.  At  lengtli,  accom- 
panied by  his  son.  he  made  the  visit  and  thoroughly 
searched  from  Birch  Island  to  Spruce  Run,  but  with- 
out discovering  the  mine.  The  first  store  in  this  town- 
ship was  built  by  C.  C.  McClelland,  on  the  banks  of 
the  Sinnemahoning,  near  the  mouth.  He  afterwards 
removed  to  Round  Island,  where  he  carried  on  an 
extensive  lumbering  and  mercantile  business  for  many 
years.  At  present  there  are  two  stores  in  this  town- 
ship. One  of  them  is  at  Wistar,  and  is  owned  by 
Eldridge  &  Averill,  the  proprietors  of  the  coal-mines 
and  coke-works.  The  other  is  situated  near  the  depot 
at  Keating,  and  is  owned  by  J.  W.  Merrey. 

Business  of  Keating^.— "The  Keating  Hotel  is  one 
of  the  handsomest  buildings  on  the  Philadelphia  and 
Erie  Railroad.  It  is  built  near  the  depot,  and  is  four 
stories  high,  including  the  basement.  It  was  built  by 
J.  W.  Merrey,  who  is  its  present  owner  and  proprietor. 
The  hotel  is  capable  of  entertaining  fifty  guests,  and  is 
a  great  resort  for  trout  fishermen  and  hunters,  for  the 
streams  near  this  point  are  well  stocked  with  the 
beautiful  members  of  the  finny  tribe,  and  is  not  for 
distant  from  the  best  hunting-grounds  in  tliis  county. 
"  The  first  blacksmith-shop  was  kept  by  Matthias 
Flaig,  now  of  Lock  Haven,  and  was  built  about  the 


year  1859.  Mr.  Allison  Kryder  has  now  the  only 
regular  blacksmith-shop  in  the  township,  which  is 
situated  on  his  farm,  about  half  a  mile  from  the 
mouth  of  the  creek. 

"On  Jan.  19,  1875,  an  election  was  held  on  the 
question  of  dividing  the  township,  and  was  unani- 
mous in  favor  of  a  division  ;  thereupon  the  court,  on 
petition  of  a  number  of  citizens,  appointed  C.  C.  Can- 
non judge  of  election,  Setli  J.  Nelson  and  James 
Thomas  inspectors  for  the  eastern  part  of  the  old 
township,  and  ordered  it  to  be  named  '  East  Keating,' 
and  the  western  part '  West  Keating.' 

"At  the  regular  February  elections  the  following 
officers  were  elected  to  fill  the  various  offices  in  East 
Keating  : 

"  Supervisors,  James  A.  Moore,  William  H.  De- 
laney  ;  School  Directors,  J.  W.  Merrey,  Wallace 
Gakle,  Allison  Kryder,  Seth  Nelson,  Peter  Chillson, 
Charles  Miller;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  C.  C.  Cannon, 
G.  Reed ;  Assessor,  Seth  I.  Nelson  ;  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  C.  C.  McClelland. 

"  In  West  Keating  the  officers  are  as  follows  : 
"  Justices  of  the  Peace,  M.  P.  Aton,  James  Ganoe  ; 
Supervisors,  George  Rhon,  Henry  Delaney ;  School 
Directors,  John  Rohn,  Henry  Delaney,  David  Jones, 
John  Co'nfare,  GeoB'ge  Rohn;  Assessor,  John  W. 
Chatham. 

"  There  is  a  good  saw-mill  in  West  Keating,  owned 
by  Noyes,  Bridgens  &  Co.,  and  the  principal  business 
is  lumbering  and  farming. 

"  John  Rohn  is  the  most  prominent  citizen  in  West 
Keating,  both  as  a  business  man  and  a  politician,  and 
has  the  handsomest  house  in  that  section  of  country. 
"  West  Keating  is  conspicuously  Democratic,  there 
being  only  three  Republican  votes  polled  at  the  last 
election.  It  has  three  schools,  which  are  generally 
well  conducted.  The  following  are  the  officers  of  the 
board :  President,  J.  W.  Cole ;  Secretary,  Henry  De- 
laney ;  Treasurer,  John  Rohn." 

It  has  no  post-oflice,  but  the  mail  is  carried  from 
Round  Island  and  distributed  by  a  route  agent.  East 
Keating  has  three  railroad  depots  and  three  post- 
offices.  Round  Island,  Wistar,  and  Nasby.  The  first 
two  are  named  after  their  respective  villages,  but  the 
last,  Nasby,  is  at  Keating  Station.  There  being  a 
Keating  post-oDBce  in  McKean  County,  some  other 
name  had  to  beselected  for  this  on  its  establishment. 
Some  were  in  favor  of  one  name  and  some  another, 
but  Col.  A.  C.  Noyes  happening  to  be  present  during 
the  discussion,  solicited  the  honor  of  naming  the  post- 
office,  which  was  immediately  granted  and  the  papers 
handed  him.  The  next  day  they  were  returned  with 
the  name  "  Nasby"  written  in  the  proper  place  on  the 
forms.  This  was  considered  a  capital  burlesque,  as 
the  place  is  intensely  Democratic,  scarcely  a  Repub- 
lican receiving  mail-matter  at  this  office.  The  three 
saw-mills  are,  one  owned  by  Durrell  Kryder,  on  Moc- 
casin Fall  Run;  one  by  Eldridge  &  Averill,  Wister; 
and  the  other  by  John  AV.  Clark,  near  Round  Island. 


LAMAll   TOWNSHIP. 


029 


The  projected  Keating  and  Karthaus  Railroad  will 
start  from  Keating  Station  and  open  the  vast  coal- 
fields of  the  township. 


CHAPTER    CXIX. 


LAIIAR    TOWNSHIP.' 


Before  the  formation  of  Clinton  County,  Lamar 
township  belonged  to  Centre,  and  then  included  the 
present  territory  of  Porter  township,  which  was 
stricken  off  in  May,  1840.  Lamar  lies  between  the 
Bald  Eagle  and  Sugar  Valley  Mountains,  and  is 
bounded  on  the  south  by  Greene,  Logan,  and  Porter 
townships;  on  the  west  by  Porter;  on  the  north  by 
Beech  Creek,  Bald  Eiigle,  Castanea,  and  AVayne;  on 
the  east  by  Crawford  and  Greene. 

The  name  Lamar  w.as  given  the  township  by  Judge 
Walker,  of  Bellefonte,  in  honor  of  Maj.  Lamar,  a  gal- 
lant Revolutionary  officer,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle 
of  Paoli. 

A  large  portion,  probably  one-half,  of  the  area  of 
this  township  lies  in  Nittany  valley,  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  and  productive  regions  in  Central  Pennsyl- 
vania. In  fact,  this  valley  has  been  called  the  "Gar- 
den of  Clinton  County,"  and  well  it  deserves  the 
name,  for  certainly  there  is  no  spot  of  the  same  ex- 
tent within  the  county  limits  that  is  so  fertile  and 
highly  cultivated. 

The  surface  of  Nittany  valley  is  undulating,  and, 
like  Sugar  and  Nippenose  valleys,  is  underlaid  with 
limestone,  and  also  like  those  valleys,  many  of  its 
streams  sink  and  disappear  beneath  the  soil,  and  after 
flowing  along  subterranean  channels  and  through 
rocky  caverns,  again  appear  eksewhere,  to  continue 
their  course  to  the  sea.  It  is  said  that  the  limestone 
of  this  valley  is  not  surpassed  by  that  of  any  other 
region  in  the  State  for  the  production  of  lime,  large 
quantities  of  which  are  made  every  year  and  shipped 
to  various  parts  of  the  country,  and  furthermore  the 
supply  is  inexhaustible.  The  soil  of  Xittany  valley, 
as  is  generally  the  case  with  limestone  districts,  is  well 
adapted  to  the  culture  of  wheat  and  corn,  extensive 
crops  of  each  being  produced  every  season.  The 
wheat  raised  in  the  valley  is  pronounced  first-class  by 
dealers,  and  always  finds  ready  market  at  the  highest 
prices. 

Water,  Minerals,  etc. — The  township  is  abund- 
antly supplied  with  water  for  all  ordinary  purposes. 
I'ishing  Creek  flows  for  a  distance  of  about  four  miles 
in  a  northerly  direction  across  the  western  portion, 
receiving  in  its  course  the  waters  of  several  smaller 
streams, — Cedar  Run,  at  Cedar  Springs  post-oflSce, 
and  Long  Run,  about  a  mile  farther  north.  The 
latter    stream    rises    in    Sugar    Valley    Mountain, 

•  From  D.  S.  MajnorJ's  "  Historical  View  of  Cliutou  County." 


and  flows  into  the  valley  near  the  east  end,  through 
what  is  called  Lamar  Gap,  and  is  one  of  the  water- 
courses, before  mentioned,  which  loses  itself  in  the 
rock-bed  and  afterwards  comes  to  the  surface  and 
flows  on,  none  the  worse  for  its  subterranean  mean- 
derings.  There  are  a  large  number  of  beautiful 
springs  in  the  valley,  some  of  which  also  discharge 
their  sparkling  waters  into  underground  passages. 
One  especially  deserving  mention  is  on  the  farm  of 
Austin  Brumsard,  near  the  line  of  George  Furst's 
farm.  Its  waters,  by  the  way,  are  strongly  impreg- 
nated with  sulphur  and  other  minerals,  and  are  said 
to  contain  valuable  medicinal  properties.  The  stream 
from  this  spring,  after  flowing  a  few  hundred  yards, 
suddenly  plunges  down  into  the  gloomy  depths  of  a 
yawning  abyss. 

As  far  as  known  Nittany  valley  possesses  more  val- 
uable mineral  deposits  than  any  other  first-class  farm- 
ing district  in  the  county.  Thus  fiir  no  coal  has  been 
discovered  within  the  limits  of  the  toft-nship,  though 
evidences  of  the  existence  of  that  mineral  are  said  to 
appear  in  different  localities,  particularly  along  the 
base  of  the  Bald  Eagle  Mountain.  Many  years  ago 
Samuel  Wilson  and  Dr.  Essig  attempted  to  find  coal 
at  the  east  end  of  the  valley,  but  the  project  was 
abandoned  before  a  sufficient  depth  was  reached. 

Iron  ore  of  a  good  quality  abounds  in  the  vallej'. 
Many  years  ago  the  furnace  at  Mill  Hall  was  sup- 
plied from  a  "  bank"  just  east  of  where  Salona  is  now 
located. 

AVithin  a  few  years  an  extensive  deposit  of  marble 
has  been  opened  on  the  farm  of  Mr.  Wallace  Brown. 
The  bed  consists  of  ten  or  twelve  distinct  strata,  each 
of  a  different  quality  and  shade  of  color,  white,  black, 
pink,  mottled  black  and  white,  and  various  other 
hues.  This  marble  is  pronounced  superior,  by  com- 
petent judges,  for  many  purposes.  It  is  susceptible 
of  a  very  high  polish,  and  several  of  the  seams  are 
very  beautiful.  The  corner-stone  of  the  Central 
Normal  School  building  at  Lock  Haven  was  taken 
from  this  quarry. 

Pioneer  Settlers,  Early  Schools,  etc. — Among 
the  very  first  settlers  in  what  is  now  Lamar  town- 
ship were  Darius  Cowden-  and  a  man  by  the  name 
of  Birchfield.  They  both  located  in  the  east  end  of 
Nittany  valley.  As  they  seem  to  have  acquired  no 
valid  title  to  the  land  on  which  they  squatted,  it  is 
presumed  they  did  not  remain  long.  The  time  they 
came  to  the  valley  is  not  definitely  known,  but  it  was 
previous  to  1800,  about  which  time  John  George 
Fur.st  came  from  near  Sunbury,  Northumberland  Co., 
and  obtained  a  patent  for  about  five  hundred  acres, 
also  near  the  east  end  of  the  valley.  This  purchase 
was  subsequently  divided  among  his  heirs,  five  in 
number,  one  of  whom,  Cline  G.  Furst,  Esq.,  of  Lock 
Haven,  now  owns  the  original  homestead.  The  farm 
now  owned  by  John  Snyder  was  settled  by  his  grand- 
father, who  purchased  two  hundred  acres.  The  farm 
now  owned  and  occupied  by  Austin  Brumgard  was 


630 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


first  owned  by  a  man  named  Hazlett,  and  the  George 
Brunigard  estate  was  formerly  owned  and  probably 
first  settled  by  a  man  by  the  name  of  Miller.  Be- 
tween the  years  1800  and  1820  quite  a  large  number 
of  families  came  to  Nittany  valley  from  various  parts 
of  the  country.  Though  the  early  settlers  of  the 
township  were  generally  of  German  descent,  there 
were  some  among  them  of  other  nationalities.  Be- 
sides those  already  mentioned  there  were  the  Wilsons, 
Herrs,  Leidys,  Hartmans,  McNauls,  Rishels,  Hoards, 
McGhees,  Kleckners,  McKinneys,  Browns,  Spanglers, 
and  Porters,  all  of  whom  were  permanent  and  sub- 
stantial citizens. 

The  first  school-house  in  Lamar  was  built  about  the 
year  1810.  It  stood  near  the  present  line  between  the 
farms  of  Austin  Brumgard  and  George  Furst.  It  was 
constructed  of  logs,  as  may  be  supposed,  and  at  one 
stage  of  its  existence  was  heated  by  a  large  stove 
which  projected  through  one  side  of  the  building  and 
received  its  supply  of  fuel,  in  the  shape  of  logs  of 
wood  four  feet  long,  from  the  outside.  It  is  said  the 
first,  or  one  of  the  first,  teachers  in  this  house  was  a 
man  named  Davidson. 

In  early  times  Nittany  valley  and  its  bordering 
mountains  was  a  veritable  hunter's  paradise.  Deer, 
bears,  wolves,  wild-cats,  and  foxes  were  numerous. 
Panthers  occasionally  made  their  appearance,  and 
wild  turkeys  were  plenty;  the  hunting  and  trapping 
of  them  afforded  amusement  for  the  hunters  and  food 
for  their  faniilies,  which  in  those  days  often  was  very 
acceptable.  Bears,  and  probably  other  wild  animals 
■were  irequently  caught  in  traps  constructed  of  logs, 
with  a  tra|)-door  at  the  top,  which  would  fall  when 
stepped  upon  by  the  animal  in  his  efforts  to  ob- 
tain the  bait  of  meat  placed  within.  In  the  year 
1812  a  man  by  the  name  of  La  Rue,  who  lived  on  the 
Furst  farm  as  tenant,  had  fifteen  hogs  killed  by  bears, 
which  it  is  well  known  have  a  special  fondness  for 
]iork. 

In  the  fallof  1819  the  inhabitantsof  Lamar  and  ad- 
joining townships,  having  been  very  much  annoyed 
by  the  depredations  of  wolves,  determined  to  rally  the 
entire  fighting  force  of  the  community  and  extermi- 
nate their  enemies.  Accordingly,  a  day  was  ap- 
pointed for  a  general  hunt.  When  the  time  arrived 
the  greatest  enthusiasm  prevailed ;  every  man  for 
miles  around  who  was  able  to  bear  arms  (clubs  and 
pitchforks)  was  i)romptly  on  hand,  with  his  weapon 
on  his  shoulder  and  vengeance  in  his  heart.  All  the 
assembled  bone  and  sinew,  under  efficient  and  deter- 
mined leaders,  were  foruied  into  a  huge  circle  of  sev- 
eral miles  in  diameter,  with  its  centre  at  the  farm  of 
Samuel  Brown,  towards  which  at  a  given  signal  all 
steadily  and  bravely  approached,  driving  the  game 
before  them  to  certain  destruction.  As  the  centre  or 
point  of  attack  was  neared,  every  man  in  line  pre- 
pared his  weapon,  whether  it  was  a  flint-lock  mus- 
ket or  pitchfork,  for  the  deadly  onslaught.  The 
game,  frightened  at  the  near  approach  of  such  an 


array  of  fearless  warriors,  crouched  in  abject  fear,  till 
Alexander  Mahan,  well  known  to  the  older  citizens 
of  Lock  Haven,  put  an  end  to  its  misery  and  exist- 
ence with  a  charge  of  buckshot  or  a  pitchfork  thrust. 
On  examinatiou  it  proved  to  be  a  rabbit,  the  sole  re- 
sult of  that  "  ring  hunt." 

Industries,  Villages,  etc.— In  1833  or  1834  a 
furnace  was  erected  just  within  Lamar  Gap  by 
Messrs.  Kurtz  and  Hepburn.  It  was  thought  that 
sufficient  ore  of  a  good  quality  could  be  obtained  in 
the  vicinity,  but  when  the  furnace  was  in  blast  the 
supply  of  material  at  hand  proved  to  be  unsuitable 
for  profitable  manufacture,  and  it  was  found  neces- 
sary to  haul  all  the  ore  used  from  some  distance  up 
the  valley,  which  made  operations  so  expensive  that 
the  enterprise  was  soon  abandoned. 

About  the  year  1824,  Samuel  Hepburn  &  Co.  started 
a  store  at  what  is  called  Cedar  Springs.  In  1833  they 
were  succeeded  by  John  S.  Furst,  Esq.,  who  still  owns 
the  property,  and  continues  the  mercantile  business, 
which  is  conducted  by  his  sons,  Mr.  Furst  himself 
residing  in  Lock  Haven.  At  quite  an  early  day 
Samuel  Brown  kept  a  tavern  at  or  near  the  place  now 
occupied  by  Furst's  store.  It  was  probably  the  first 
public-house  in  the  township.  Brown  also  had  the 
first  tan-yard  in  the  vicinity. 

In  early  days  Nittany  valley  was  well  supplied  with 
distilleries,  five  or  six  having  been  in  operation  at 
difl^erent  periods  within  Lamar  township,  and  it  is 
said  they  were  all  well  patronized  ;  whiskey  was  then 
a  common  beverage,  and  probably  drank  more  freely 
than  tea  or  coffee.  Social  gatherings  and  frolics  of 
various  kinds  were  much  in  vogue  with  the  early 
settlers,  and  on  all  festive  occasions  whiskey  was  dis- 
pensed with  the  greatest  liberality.  It  was  customary 
with  the  people  in  those  days  of  freedom  and  friend- 
liness to  feast  on  the  "fat  of  the  land"  whenever 
attending  a  corn-husking  or  log-rolling.  In  one  in- 
stance such  a  feast  resulted  in  the  sickness  of  a  large 
number,  and  death  of  one  or  two  of  the  participants. 
The  affViir  caused  great  consternation  in  the  com- 
munity, some  attributing  the  disorder  to  poison  con- 
tained in  the  tea  or  coflTee,  as  the  complaint  seemed 
to  be  confined  principally  to  persons  who  partook  of 
those  beverages.  On  investigation,  however,  it  was 
found  that  the  poisoning  was  caused  by  verdigris  that 
•had  formed  in  the  copper  tea-kettle,  which  had  been 
used  on  that  occasion  for  the  first  in  a  long  time. 

About  the  same  time  the  above  poisoning  occurred, 
an  event  transpired  which  proves  the  saying  that 
"  truth  is  often  stranger  than  fiction."  It  seems  that 
one  of  the  Porters,  who  was  a  very  tall  man,  over  six 
feet,  was  in  his  barn  throwing  down  hay  from  the 
mow,  when  he  espied  a  rat  and  immediately  gave 
chase.  In  his  evolutions  on  the  hay  he  lost  sight  of 
the  stairway,  and  in  making  a  plunge  for  the  rat, 
pitched  head  foremost  down  the  passage,  striking  his 
head  upon  the  ground  in  such  a  manner  as  to  turn  it 
to  one  side,  in  which  position  it  remained  till  just  one 


LAMAR  TOWNSHIP. 


03 1 


year  from  that  clay,  when  lie  was  again  taking  hay 
from  tlie  same  mow,  and  again  chased  a  rat  and  fell 
down  the  stairway  in  the  same  manner  as  before,  the 
second  time  striking  the  oilier  side  of  liis  head  upon 
the  ground,  by  which  it  was  again  made  straight.  The 
above  story  is  vouched  for  by  A.  H.  Best  and  J.  S. 
Furst,  Esqs.,  of  this  city. 

Lamar  township,  which  is  generally  thickly  settled, 
has  three  villages, — Salona,  Hamburg  (Lamar  Mills), 
and  Flat  Rock.  Salona,  the  largest  and  most  import- 
ant, is  thus  sketched  by  G.  L.  Morlock,  Esq. : 

Salona. — "  In  1769  a  Mary  Austin — whether  Miss 
or  Mrs.  we  have  been  unable  to  .iscertain — received  a 
grant  of  the  land  lying  on  the  north  side  of  tlie  vil- 
lage, known  as  the  '  Deep  Spring'  farm,  so  called  on 
account  of  the  beautiful  spring  of  clear  cold  water  on 
the  premises.  This  farm  was  sold  to  Joel  Ferree  in 
1794,  who  erected  the  house  now  occupied  by  Samuel 
Wilson.  About  1819,  Jacob  Hartnian,  Sr.,  purchased 
the  place,  and  at  once  began  to  lay  out  lots  on  the 
north  side  of  the  street.  About  the  same  time  James 
Thompson,  Sr.,  commenced  laying  out  lots  on  the. 
south  side. 

"  Previous  to  this,  about  1800,  Joel  Herr,  Sr.,  pur- 
chased laud  and  erected  a  grist-  and  saw-mill,  and  a 
carding-  and  fulling-mill,  the  grist-mill  standing 
where  the  old  plaster-mill  now  stands.  He  also 
erected  the  house  long  occupied  by  John  P.  Heard. 
Some  nineteen  years  after  this  John  McGhee,  Sr., 
came  to  the  place  and  built  the  stone  mill  now 
owned  and  run  by  John  P.  Heard  and  George  Herr, 
and  opened  a  store  in  the  house  of  Joel  Herr,  above 
mentioned.  Next,  in  1822,  comes  George  Leidy, 
better  known  as  Judge  Leidy,  who  built  a  house  and 
opened  a  cabinet-shop.  This  was  afterwards  changed 
to  a  grain-cradle  factory,  where  was  made  the  cele- 
brated Leidy  cradles.  About  the  same  time  George 
Smith  started  a  shoe-  and  Samuel  Sigmund,  Sr.,  a 
tailor-shop. 

"In  1826,  John  C.  Skinner  and  Nathaniel  Holcomb 
purchased  property,  and  built  a  foundry  on  the  site 
of  the  one  now  owned  by  Wilson  &  Wilt.  About 
three  years  later  John  Thomson  erected  a  tannery, 
and  commenced  operations.  Houses  now  began  to 
go  up  in  all  directions,  and  the  prospects  were  favor- 
able for  the  building  up  of  a  large  town,  and  a  name 
for  the  new  place  was  necessary.  It  was  known  as 
Mechanicsburg  for  some  time,  but  at  a  meeting  of  the 
citizens,  held  for  the  purpose  of  selecting  a  name,  it 
was  called  Salona.  The  origin  of  this  name  is  as 
follows : 

"  In  the  first  issue  of  the  Christian  Advocate  was  an 
article  on  foreign  missions,  in  which  the  name  of  Sa- 
lonica,  a  city  in  Turkey,  occurred.  This  was  seen  by 
Mrs.  Samuel  Wilson  on  the  day  preceding  the  meet- 
ingspoken  of,  and  she  suggested  the  propriety  of  giving 
the  town  this  n.ame.  Mr.  Wilson  proposed  the  name 
at  the  meeting,  and  it  was  unanimously  adopted,  with 
a  slight  modification.    We  cannot  give  the  exact  date 


of  this  meeting,  but  think  it  occurred  some  time  about 
1835  or  1840. 

"In  1832.  A.  H.  Best  built  a  house  and  opened  a 
store,  where  he  continued  doing  business  for  over 
thirty  years,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  George  Bress- 
ler,  Jr.,  who  was  again  succeeded  by  Andrew  and  E. 
C.  Best.  This  firm  did  business  for  several  year.?, 
when  E.  C.  Best  sold  out  to  his  partner  and  moved 
to  Lock  Haven." 

Hamburg. — The  village  of  Hamburg  is  located  on 
the  west  side  of  Fishing  Creek,  about  two  miles  south 
of  Salona.  It  was  started  in  1831  or  1832,  by  John  Rees- 
man,  who  at  that  time  there  erected  a  grist-  and  saw- 
mill. Soon  after  he  commenced  selling  lots  to  the  men 
in  his  employ,  and  it  was  not  long  before  several  dwell- 
ings were  constructed.  It  is  said  the  material  used  was 
principally  slabs,  which  gave  rise  to  the  name  of"  Slab- 
town,"  by  which  the  place  was  known  for  some  time. 
The  present  name  was  given  by  Judge  Quay,  who  had 
reason  to  believe  some  of  the  natives  stole  his  hams 
on  various  occasions.  The  present  population  of  the 
place  is  about  one  hundred  and  fifty.  It  has  thirty 
dwellings,  two  churches,  three  school-rooms,  one  store, 
one  machine-shop,  and  several  other  shops  common  to 
all  villages,  and  the  mills  first  mentioned,  which  are 
now  owned  by  Joseph  F.  Hayes  &  Co.  The  only 
store  in  the  village  is  owned  by  T.  J.  Smull,  Esq., 
who  is  also  postmaster. 

Flat  Rock. — Flat  Rock  settlement  is  located  at 
the  entrance  to  Lamar  Gap,  and  owes  its  origin  to  the 
erection  at  that  point  of  the  furnace,  previously  men- 
tioned, a  number  of  houses  for  employes  of  the  works 
being  the  first  dwellings  there  constructed.  A  few 
years  previous  to  the  building  of  the  furnace  a  saw- 
mill had  been  built  by  William  Robinson  a  short  dis- 
tance farther  up  the  run,  which,  as  well  as  the  fur- 
nace, has  long  since  disappeared. 

After  the  decline  of  the  furnace  there  was  nothing 
to  give  employment  to  laborers  at  that  place,  and 
nothing  to  induce  people  to  locate  there,  consequently 
the  settlement  remained  comparatively  dead  for  a 
number  of  years;  but  in  the  spring  of  1873  a  new 
life  was  infused  into  the  community  by  the  erection 
of  a  steam  saw-mill  just  below  where  the  old  furnace 
stood.  The  proprietors  of  the  mill,  Messrs.  Herr, 
Ricker  &  Co.,  displayed  much  enterprise  in  its  con- 
struction, and  soon  furnished  labor  for  a  considerable 
number  of  men.  New  houses  began  to  spring  up  in 
the  vicinity,  and  various  evidences  of  prosperity  were 
seen  all  round. 

On  the  9th  day  of  September,  1874,  the  saw-mill 
was  burned  to  the  ground,  by  which  the  owners  sus- 
tained a  loss  of  from  two  thousand  to  three  thousand 
dollars.  Another  mill,  however,  was  immediately 
built  on  the  same  site  at  a  cost  of  eleven  thousand 
dollars.  This  mill  has  a  sawing  capacity  of  five  mil- 
lion feet  per  year.  The  firm  own  fourteen  hundred 
acres  of  land  lying  southeast  of  the  mill. 

The  name  of  Flat  Rock  was  conferred  upon  the 


632 


HISTOrxY   OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


place  by  sportsmen  from  Lock  Haven,  who  used  to 
conceal  their  whiskey  and  other  refreshments,  while 
fishing,  beneath  a  flat  rock  situated  a  short  distance 
up  the  run.  This  rock  was  humorously  called  by 
them  "the  hotel,"  then  it  became  Flat  Rock  Hotel. 
Tlie  name  thus  given  to  the  rock  was  eventually 
applied  to  the  locality,  and  finally  the  ajipellation 
Flat  Rock,  by  general  consent,  was  bestowed  upon 
the  whole  settlement.  The  place  contains  at  present 
about  fifty  dwellings,  one  store,  two  blacksmith-shops, 
two  shoe-shops,  one  cooper-shop,  and  a  school-house. 

Prominent  Men  of  Lamar. — Lamar  has  probably 
produced  more  jjublic  men  than  any  other  township 
in  the  county.  One  of  the  most  prominent  and 
worthy  citizens  is  the  Hon.  Joseph  F.  Quay,  who 
served  as  State  senator  from  1843  to  1846,  and  so 
faithfully  and  acceptably  represented  his  district  that, 
at  a  Democrat-Whig  meeting  held  at  Lock  Haven, 
Sept.  17, 1844,  it  was  "Resolved,  That  Joseph  F.  Quay, 
senator  from  this  district,  by  his  strict  attention  to 
the  wants  of  his  constituents  and  untiring  efforts  to 
promote  the  public  good,  has  afforded  evidence  that 
the  confidence  reposed  in  him  has  not  been  misplaced." 
He  also  served  one  term  as  associate  judge  of  Clinton 
County,  one  term  as  county  commissioner,  and  one 
terra  as  county  auditor.  James  Gilliland,  Esq.,  says 
of  Joseph  F.  Quay,  he  was  a  native  of  Lycoming 
County,  and  married  a  daughter  of  Judge  Fleming. 
He  had  a  high  reputation  as  a  surveyor,  and  was  well 
qualified  by  education  and  physically  for  that  busi- 
ness. He  possessed  a  clear  mind,  good  common  sense, 
and  acquired  an  accurate  knowledge  of  the  land  laws 
of  Pennsylvania.  He  surveyed  and  ascertained  for 
the  owners  the  location  of  large  bodies  of  unseated 
lands  in  Centre,  Lycoming,  Clinton,  and  Clearfield 
Counties,  and  was  often  called  on  in  court  to  testify 
in  land  trials.  He  gave  his  testimony  from  notes  so 
carefully  and  accurately  taken  and  so  clear  that  coun- 
sel never  succeeded  in  confusing  him  on  cross-exami- 
nation. 

He  was  a  jovial  and  pleasant  companion,  a  warm 
and  reliable  friend,  upright  and  honest  in  all  of  his 
dealings  and  intercourse  with  his  fellow-men.  He 
was  a  prominent  politician  of  the  Whig  and  Repub- 
lican parties,  and  constant  attendant  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church.  He  lived  and  died  on  his  farm  in 
Lamar  township. 

John  Miller,  the  first  sheriff  of  Clinton  County,  was 
also  a  resident  of  this  township ;  so  also  was  George 
Leidy,  who  represented  the  county  two  terms  in  the 
Legislature,  and  served  one  term  as  associate  judge. 
George  C.  Harvey,  now  of  Lock  Haven,  but  for  many 
years  a  resident  of  Lamar,  served  one  term  as  associ- 
ate judge. 

Thomas  McGhee,  who  was  for  a  long  time  a  citizen 
of  that  township  but  now  of  Lock  Haven,  served  one 
term  as  sheriff  and  two  terms  as  prothonotary.  Geo. 
J.  Eldred,  living  near  the  west  end  of  the  township, 
represented  the  county  one  term  in  the  Legislature. 


Of  the  clergymen  who  were  born  and  raised  in  the 
township  the  most  prominent  is  the  Rev.  B.  B.  Ham- 
lin, D.D.,  who  is  now  a  presiding  elder  and  one  of  the 
leading  ministers  of  the  Central  Pennsylvania  Con- 
ference of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church ;  Revs. 
James  T.  and  Henry  Wilson,  Revs.  Jacob,  Albert, 
and  Leonard  Hartman,  now  preaching  the  gospel  in 
various  parts  of  the  United  States ;  Rev.  B.  B.  Else, 
who  for  a  number  of  years  held  the  position  of  Pro- 
fessor of  Mathematics  in  Dickinson  Seminary,  Wil- 
liamsport.  Pa.;  Rev.  Ugeu  Burrell,  now  a  prominent 
minister  in  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church;  and 
Rev.  W.  F.  Hamlin. 

The  present  justice  of  the  peace,  J.  C.  Sigmond, 
was  elected  to  that  office  when  but  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  and  has  served  in  that  capacity  ever  since,  a 
period  of  over  twenty  years. 

This  township  has  also  furnished  a  greater  number 
of  teachers  than  any  other  in  the  county. 

Among  these  are  Professor  M.  W.  Herr,  former 
county  superintendent;  S.  M.  McCormick,  Esq.,  of 
Lock  Haven  ;  Miss  Fannie  E.  Hamlin,  who  has  gained 
quite  a  reputation  on  the  lecture  platform,  and  pos- 
sesses marked  ability  as  a  writer;  Professor  Daniel 
Herr,  who  held  the  position  of  professor  in  the  pre- 
paratory department  in  Dickinson  Seminary  for 
several  years ;  Joel  Herr,  D.  H.  Herr,  Miles  Courter 
(now  dead),  I.  C.  Stoner,  and  many  others  who  have 
since  left  the  profession  and  engaged  in  other  business. 

Samuel  Porter  was  born  in  England  in  1748,  and 
in  October,  1776,  was  a  resident  of  Buffalo  valley 
(now  Union  County),  when  he  enlisted  in  Capt. 
Hawkins  Boone's  company  of  Twelfth  Pennsylvania 
Regiment,  Col.  William  Cooke.  In  June,  1777,  he 
was  detached  with  Capt.  Boone  and  selected  riflemen 
to  Col.  Daniel  Morgan's  rifle  command,  and  was  in 
the  several  engagements  preceding  Burgoyne's  cap- 
ture, and  at  his  surrender.  In  1778  the  Twelfth  was 
merged  in  the  Third,  Col.  Craig's  regiment,  and  other 
regiments,  but  Porter,  continuing  with  the  rifle  com- 
mand, participated  under  Maj.  James  Parr  in  Sulli- 
van's campaign  in  1779.  After  taking  part  in  twenty- 
two  engagements,  escaping  without  a  wound,  he  was 
discharged  after  the  revolt  of  the  Pennsylvania  Line 
from  service,  with  the  following  certificate: 

"  This  is  to  certify  that  the  bearer,  Samuel  Porter, 
soldier,  having  served  in  the  Third  Regiment  of  Penn- 
sylvania during  the  term  of  his  enlistment,  is  now 
discharged  the  service  of  the  United  States  of  America. 
Given  at  Teenton  this  21st  of  January,  A.D.  1781. 
"Anthony  Wayne,  .B.-G." 

Samuel  Porter  resided  in  Lamar  township,  and 
died  Jan.  10,  1825,  aged  seventy-nine  years,  and  was 
buried  the  next  day  in  the  old  graveyard  on  the  hill 
at  Lock  Haven.  He  left  four  children.  Mrs.  Martha 
Bridgens,  wife  of  Samuel  Bridgens,  is  his  grand- 
daughter. 

Benjamin  Perry  died  on  his  farm  in  Lamar  town- 


LAMAR  TOWNSHIP 


633 


ship,  Clinton  Co.,  June  1,  1870,  aged  seventy-two 
years.  He  was  born  in  Sliropsliire,  England;  was 
apprenticed  while  young  to  the  shoemaker  business, 
which  he  mastered,  but  could  not  find  in  it  sufficient 
scope  for  the  exercise  of  the  gigantic  energies  nature 
had  implanted  in  him.  He  resorted  to  the  iron  busi- 
ness, and  soon  became  a  marked  man  in  that  field  of 
enterprise.  In  1835,  Mr.  John  Salmon,  who  now  re- 
sides on  a  farm  in  this  neighborhood,  came  to  this 
country  from  England,  and  was  employed  in  the  con- 
struction of  the  iron-works  at  Farrandsville.  The 
object  of  those  works  was  to  employ  bituminous  coal 
in  the  manufacture  of  iron,  and  upon  the  failure  of 
the  first  experiment  to  that  end,  Mr.  Salmon,  at  the 
request  of  the  proprietors  of  the  works,  sent  to  Eng- 
land for  Mr.  Perry  to  come  over  and  superintend 
them.  In  a  short  time  Mr.  Perry  responded  to  the 
call  and  assumed  control  of  the  furnace.  He  imme- 
diately succeeded  in  the  use  of  coal,  and  was  the  first 
man  in  the  United  States  who  brought  our  mineral 
coal — both  anthracite  and  bituminous — into  use  for 
that  purpose.  He  subsequently  went  to  Allentown, 
Harrisburg,  Pottsville,  Johnstown,  Chester  County, 
and  Danville,  erecting  iron-works  in  each  of  these 
places,  and  residing  for  eight  or  ten  years  in  the 
last-named  place  in  general  superintendence  of  the 
large  establishments  there.  He  was  generally  known 
among  the  iron  men  of  the  country,  and  was  respected 
for  his  superior  intelligence  and  skill  in  the  construc- 
tion and  management  of  furnaces. 

The  Lutheran  Church  is  an  elegant  two-story 
brick  edifice,  erected  in  1857.  The  Lutheran  and 
Reformed  congregations,  in  1830,  built  a  log  church 
on  the  hill  north  of  the  town,  which  was  used  until 
the  erection  of  the  present  building. 

The  pastors  have  been :  1830-40,  H.  Eggers ;  1840-50, 
Jacob  Albert;  1850-56,  Henry  Zicgler,  D.D. ;  1856- 
60,  L.  K.  Sechrist;  1860-62, 1.  C.  Burkhatter ;  1866-70, 
W.  L.  Heisler;  1870-83,  W.  H.  Diven,  the  present 
incumbent,  who  was  born  in  Juniata  County,  gradu- 
ated at  Gettysburg  College  in  1858,  and  has  been 
twenty-four  years  in  the  ministry.  The  church  ofl5- 
cials  in  1882  are :  Elders,  George  W.  Krape,  S.  E. 
Walker ;  Deacons,  H.  J.  Brumgard,  Samuel  Brum- 
gard ;  Trustees,  D.  B.  Krape,  William  J.  Burrell, 
S.  M.  Bartges ;  Sunday-school  Superintendent,  D.  B. 
Krape. 

The  Reformed  Church  occupy  and  own  a  neat 
little  edifice  in  the  west  end  of  the  village,  built  by 
the  Disciples  in  1835.  Its  present  pastor  is  Rev. 
Shoemaker,  who  came  to  this  charge  in  June,  1882. 
Its  members  all  live  in  the.  country,  among  whom  are 
the  Kreider,  Reisch,  and  other  old  families. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  organized  its 
congregation  here  in  1826.  Among  the  first  preach- 
ers were  Revs.  John  Bowen,  James  Sanks,  and  

Bryson.  Its  first  church  was  a  frame  edifice,  built  in 
1828,  half  a  mile  east  of  the  town  proper,  where  its 
cemetery  is.     The  present  building  was  erected  in 


1860,  and  is  a  large  frame  structure.  The  present 
pastor  is  Rev.  David  B.  McCloskey,  and  the  Sunday- 
school  superintendent  Josiah  Miller. 

In  its  cemetery  the  following  old  citizens  are 
buried  : 

Georgo  Brcuslor  Ilcir,  dicj  Jlay  28, 1871,  aged  02. 

John  Caivosso,  died  Feb.  7,  187:t,  aged  33. 

JuniPS  Hiiiiley,  liuni  Dec  20,  179:!,  ilieil  March  27,  1874. 

Elizabeth  Schook,  died  Dec.  1,  1863,  aged  20. 

Racliel,  wife  of  Juilli  Lord,  died  Dec.  0, 180i,  aged  3:i. 

George  Hastings,  died  Sept.  2U,  1801,  aged  77;  bis  wife.  Eleanor,  died 
Sept,  17,  1873,  aged  83. 

Rev.  John  Thompson. 

Sarah  Hastings,  died  Oct.  10,  1804,  aged  20. 

Anne  Eckert,  died  April  0, 1852,  aged  08. 

John  Wilson,  died  Feb.  4, 1877,  aged  77;  his  ivifo,  Mary,  died  Oct.  24, 
1875,  aged  70. 

John  E.  Wilson,  died  AprillS,  1870,  aged  38;  his  wife,  Sarah,  died  Dec. 
1,1802,  aged  28. 

Amanda  Wilson  died  Feb.  22, 1854,  aged  24. 

Edmund  F.  Wilson,  died  June  26, 1847,  aged  20. 

Hon.  George  Leidy,  died  Sept.  25,  1S50,  aged  05;  his  wife,  Jane,  died 
Nov.  28, 1802,  aged  77;  tlieir  daughter,  Rebecca,  died  May  18,  1850,  aged 
38. 

Eleanor,  daughter  of  Peter  and  Sarah  FInll,  died  Jnly  0, 1842,  aged  22. 

Martha,  wile  of  Robert  Ross,  died  June  8, 1805,  aged  51. 

Anna  M.,  wife  of  John  Brumgard,  died  March  14, 1805,  aged  26. 

Caroline,  wife  of  John  Snodgrass,  died  Dec.  16, 1850,  aged  25. 

John  E.  Thompson,  died  Sept.  3,  1838,  aged  24. 

John  Elder,  Sr.,  died  Jan.  0, 1835,  aged  72. 

Rev.  Martin  Herr,  died  Nov.  24, 1843,  aged  39. 

Jane  Harlot,  died  Nov.  28,  1805,  aged  74. 

Margaret,  daughter  of  Rubert  and  Ann  Heard,  died  Sept.  3,  1 843,  aged 
20. 

Robert  Heard,  died  Feb.  28, 1843,  aged  54  ;  his  wife,  Ann,  died  Dec.  0, 
1841,  aged  53. 

John  Haslet,  died  Aug.  20, 1830,  aged  78. 

John  McGhee,  died  March  11, 1S31,  aged  50;  his  wife,  Mary  (Temple- 
ton),  died  Sept.  20, 1879,  aged  72. 

Elizabeth,  wife  of  D.  B.  Carrier,  died  April  29, 18.53,  aged  61. 

George  Harlman,  born  March  20, 1797,  died  Sept.  30, 1868;  his  wife, 
Sarah,  died  Dec.  2, 1877,  aged  75. 

Elizabeth,  wife  of  Thomas  McGhee,  died  June  19, 1859,  aged  41. 

Catharine,  wife  of  G.  Loder,  died  Nov.  11,  1850,  aged  00. 

Frances  A.,  wife  of  J.  W.  Ferree,  died  Aug.  13, 1855, aged  33. 

Catharine  Herr,  died  Aug.  21,1845,  ased  28. 

Joel  Herr,  died  Feb.  3,  1852,  aged  77;  his  wife,  Fanny,  died  Feb.  HI, 
1800,  aged  84. 

Sarah,  wife  of  John  0.  Skinner,  died  Nov.  28, 1845,  aged  29. 

James  Caldwell,  died  Jan.  0, 1853,  aged  04. 

Caroline  S.  Smith,  died  Nov.  23, 1855,  aged  25. 

Jacob  H.  Like,  died  May  9, 1848,  aged  20. 

Elizabeth  T.,  wife  of  Joha  Harvey,  died  Jnly  23, 1838,  aged  32. 

Barbara  Williamson,  died  May  12, 1843,  aged  75. 

James  Porter,  died  Nov.  15,  1852,  aged  68;  his  wife,  Margaret,  died 
March  10, 1801,  aged  73. 

Nancy  W.  Porter,  died  June  7, 1856,  aged  25. 

Margaret  Williamson,  born  1792.  died  March  10, 1866. 

Margaret,  wife  of  M.  Garmon,  died  Feb.  18, 1809,  aged  66 ;  Foster,  son 
of  M.  and  M.  Garmon,  died  Oct.  17, 1857,  aged  24. 

John  Garmon,  died  Dec.  20, 1861,  aged  19. 

William,  son  of  George  and  G.  Worrick,  died  March  8, 1S63,  aged  27. 

Amelia,  wife  of  David  M.  Tour,  died  Oct.  25, 1807,  aged  2S. 

Priscilla,  wife  of  John  Weaver,  died  March  14, 1855,  aged  25. 

Hettie,  wife  of  John  Conrtier,  died  April  27, 1870,  aged  54. 

Caroline,  wife  of  Charles  Gearch,  died  Dec.  26, 1850,  aged  25. 

Business  Industries.— Merchants,  J.  F.  Frain, 
Sarah  Quigley  ;  justices  of  the  peace,  J.  P.  Heard, 
J.  C.  Sigmund;  postmaster,  S.  W.  Sigmund;  physi- 
cian. Dr.  L.  M.  HoUoway  ;  flour-mill.  Heard  &  Herr ; 
foundry,  Samuel  Wilson  ;  furrier,  S.  W.  Sigmund  ; 
blacksmiths,  H.   L.  Bricker,  Simon  Bramgard  ;  car- 


034 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


riage  manufactory,  D.  B.  Krape ;  wagon-maker,  B. 
F.  Krapc ;  shoemaker,  S.  F.  Sigmond ;  harness- 
maker,  John  A.  Shearer. 

Cedar  Hill  Cemetery  is  located  about  one  mile 
south  of  Salona  on  a  beautiful  eminence,  from  which 
a  fine  view  of  the  surrounding  country  may  be  had. 
Tlie  cemetery  association  was  incorporated  and  the 
grounds  laid  out  in  1870,  since  which  time  great  im- 
provements have  been  made.  The  walks  have  been 
graded,  and  the  whole  inclosed  with  a  good  fence. 
Hugh  Conley  was  very  active  in  the  work  of  organ- 
ization of  the  association  and  laying  plans  for  its 
future  operations,  but  died  before  the  realization  of 
his  hopes,  and  was  the  second  person  buried  in  the 
grounds  he  was  so  actively  engaged  in  preparing. 

The  first  interment  was  that  of  H.  C  Allison's  little 
child.  Many  of  the  interments  here  are  of  remains 
transferred  from  other  burial-places,  quite  a  number 
being  from  Lock  Haven  and  neighboring  cemeteries. 

John  Miller,  elected  the  first  sheriff  of  the  new 
county  of  Clinton  in  1839,  finds  a  resting-place  in  its 
tastefully  laid  out  and  attractive  grounds. 

Among  the  old  settlers  and  prominent  persons 
herein  buried  are: 


.Tolin  Wckli,  Jierl  June  4,  ISJS,  aged  70  ;  lii»  wifo,  Kosannn,  divd  Feb. 
14,  1802,  aged  07. 

Gcoige  Biessler,  died  March  15,  ls04,  aged  70;  liis  wife,  Eliza,  died 
Jan.  ::l,lSj:i,  aged  CI. 

Saiiili  J.  Uai  ter,  died  Dec.  2, 1880,  aged  3S. 

Lyilia,  wile  .]f  Samuel  Dun-ell,  died  Oct.  23, 1SC2,  aged  52. 

Jacob  Striiiik,  died  Aug.  9,  1870,  aged  07. 

\Villiani  Stiuiik,  died  May  25, 1873,  aged  83;  his  wife,  Barbara  (Uiclj), 
died  Feb.  24,  1802,  aged  73. 

George  Suavely,  died  July  31, 1853,  aged  49. 

Samuel  Blown,  died  May  24, 1842,  aged  72. 

Sarah  V.  Jackson,  died  June  18,  1801,  aged  01. 

"William  Hays,  died  Jan.  30, 1838,  aged  50;  his  wife,  Mary,  died  Sept. 
10,  1S27,  aged  39. 

Elizabeth  Hays,  died  Nov.  27,  1837,  aged  81. 

Solomon  Palmer,  died  Feb.  1,  1876,  aged  29. 

William  Power,  died  Feb.  9, 1842,  aged  21. 

F.  Eutler,  died  May  2,  1804,  aged  32. 

John  E.  McGnire,  died  Jan.  5,  1803,  aged  20. 

Harriet,  wife  of  Joseph  Powers,  died  Jan.  23, 1872,  aged  37. 

Isaac  Lonrer,  died  Dec.  3, 1856,  aged  49. 

Susanna,  wife  of  John  Wagner,  died  June  5, 1864,  aged  20. 

John  Furst,  born  Aug.  18, 1785,  died  April  14,  1859  ;  his  wife,  Barbara, 
born  July  0,  1791,  died  Sept.  9,  1878. 

Lewis  S.  Furst,  died  Jan.  16,  1846,  aged  22. 

Samuel  Furst,  boin  April  29,  1793,  died  Nov.  7,  1872. 

Mary,  wile  of  Joseph  F.  Quay,  died  Jnly  2!,  18C2,  aged  05. 

Thomas  J.  Rote,  died  Sept.  0,  1878,  aged  42. 

John  A.  Shearer,  died  March  2, 1803,  aged  34 ;  his  w  ife,  Mary  J.,  died 
Sept.  5,  l>i72,  aged  41. 

James  Jackson,  died  July  8, 1871,  aged  80. 

Ellen,  wife  of  George  I.  Ferree,  died  June  5, 1873,  aged  28. 

James  Brown,  died  Aug.  l.S,  1854,  aged  70;  his  wile,  Sarah,  died  May 
25,  1808,  aged  83. 

Elizabeth  Brown,  died  Oct.  31, 1848,  aged  34. 

Lyon  Br.ady,  died  Aug.  11,  1853,  aged  .32. 

Elizabeth,  wife  of  John  S.  Furst,  died  March  0,  1848,  aged  30. 

Matthew  Brown,  died  Feb.  0,  1870,  aged  70;  his  wife,  Hebecca,  died 
April  2, 1870,  aged  64. 

Elizabeth  11.  Kyle,  wife  of  George  McDowell,  died  June  20,  1872,  aged 
49. 

Nancy  W.,  wife  of  Robert  W.  Brown,  died  Oct.  2, 1S72,  aged  50. 

Susanna  Ramsey,  died  April  17,  1871,  aged  55. 

Paul  Kraniz,  died  Jan.  2,  1871,  aged  68. 


John  H.  Wilson,  died  March  30, 1878,  aged  72;  his  wife,  Ilanna,  died 
Dec.  24,  ISSO,  ai;ed  74. 

Hugh  Conley,  died  Feb.  24,  1870,  aged  00. 

George  M.  Wasson,  died  Feb.  22,  1876,  aged  82;  his  wife,  Eliziibelh, 
died  Jan.  11,1874,  aged  72. 

Martha  V.,  wile  of  Thomas  J.  T.>ner,  died  July  21,  1803,  aged  68. 

Jonas  Grotzer,  died  April  22,  1870,  aged  70, 

George  Flanigan,  died  April  9.  1874,  aged  70. 

Elizabelh  Welper,  died  March  8, 1874,  aged  94. 

Michael  Blint,  died  Sept.  2, 1875,  aged  73. 

Peter  Best,  ilied  Sept.  20, 1857,  aged  79;  his  wife,  Mary  JI  ,  died  March 
10, 1805,  aged  80. 

David  Logan,  Sr.,  died  April  4, 1809,  aged  80;  his  wife,  Charlotte,  died 
May  8, 1861,  aged  02. 

John  Snodgrass,  died  Dec.  2, 1802,  aged  80;  his  wife,  Jane,  died  Sept. 
18,  1867,  aged  83. 

Harriet,  wife  of  John  Snodgrass,  Jr.,  died  Dec.  14, 1873,  aged  60. 

Rev.  W.  M.  Showalter,  died  Nov.  27, 1803,  aged  34. 

Mary  C,  wife  of  Rev.  J.  W.  Showalter,  died  April  18, 1877,  aged  47. 

Amanda,  wife  of  Joseph  Brown,  died  Dec.  7,  1874,  aged  26. 

JLary  A.,  wile  of  Jose[di  Edmistnn,  died  May  10,  1872,  aged  48. 

Rebecca,  wife  of  Joseph  Edmiston,  died  Dec.  15,  1874,  aged  38. 

John  D.  McCormiek,  died  March  22,  1848,  aged  33. 

Susanna  McCormiek,  died  Jnly  8, 1S79,  aged  63. 

■William  P.  Brady,  died  April  4, 1804,  aged  69;  his  wife,  Rachel,  died 
Dec.  8,  1 849,  aged  50. 

Henry  Bridgens,  died  Aug.  30,  lS55,agcd  40;  his  wife,  Jane,  died  Oct. 
0,  18.)4,  ngedSI. 

Samuel  Bnidy,  died  Nov.  i,  1803,  aged  48. 

Thomas  Fur.?t,  died  Aug.  0,  1858,  aged  08 ;  bis  wife,  Ann  M.,  died  May 
10,  1804,  aged  72. 

Agnes  L.  Furst,  died  July  3, 1870,  aged  48. 

Mary  C,  wife  of  Thomas  J.  Fox,  died  March  11, 1878,  aged  65. 

Salome  Wilt,  died  Sept.  20,  1S79,  aged  71. 

John  Lord,  died  July  15,  1870,  aged  84;  his  wife,  Jane,  died  Jan.  18, 
1865,  aged  70. 

George  Piatt,  died  June  1,  1800,  aged  78  ;  his  wife,  Jlarlha,  died  Feb. 
22,  1853,  aged  70. 

Charles  Pellm.-in,  died  May  21, 1858,  aged  00;  his  wife,  Elizabeth,  died 
May  2,  IfJCO,  aged  01. 

Maria  B.,  wife  of  Col.  John  Smyth,  died  Jan.  26, 1875,  aged  00. 

Charles  Else,  died  April  6, 1870,  aged  00;  his  wife,  Frances,  died  Aug. 
29,  1844,  aged  33. 

John  Miller,  died  May  31, 1850,  aged  71;  his  wife,  Catharine  C,  died 
Feb.  28,  1800,  aged  77. 

Robert  C.  Miller,  died  April  6,1805,  aged  54. 

Ann  Hunt,  died  Sept.  21,  1847,  aged  61. 

Sarah  A.  Hunt,  died  Dec.  21,  1846,  aged  35. 

James  J.  Hunt,  died  Oct.  3,  1860,  aged  37. 

Sarah,  wife  of  Jacob  Myers,  died  Aug.  II,  1866,  aged  03. 

Timothy  McFad.lcn,  died  Sept.  0, 1874,  aged  42. 

John  Brumgard,  ilicd  July  11, 185(1,  aged  41. 

Jacob  Krape,  died  Aug.  31,  1803,  aged  82 ;  his  wife,  Susanna,  daughter 
of  John  Braun,  born  Oct.  17S5,  died  Aug.  30, 1834. 

Samuel  Allison,  died  May  5, 1860,  aged  70. 

Ann,  wife  of  John  Cuplin,  died  Sept.  1, 1855,  aged  61. 

Susanna,  wife  of  William  Allison,  died  Jan.  9, 1877.  aged  03. 

William  Mantle,  died  M^y  23, 1867,  aged  71;  his  wife,  Elizabeth  Ann, 
died  Nov.  20,  1860,  aged  68. 

Catharine,  wife  of  Henry  Snyder,  died  May  22, 1807,  aged  03. 

David  Brown,  died  Jan.  24, 1878,  ageil  45. 

John  Rosser,  died  Aug.  1,  1874,  aged  02. 

Alexander  Chatham,  died  March  16, 1860,  aged  53 ;  his  wife,  Elizabeth, 
died  Aug.  25,  1870,  aged  00. 

G.  S.  Porter,  died  Dec.  29, 1875,  aged  60 ;  his  wife,  Jane  E.,  died  Jan. 
29,  1859,  aged  42. 

William  W.  Chisholm,  born  Dec.  6,  1830;  shot  in  Kemper  Conntyi 
Miss..  April  29,  1877.  died  May  13,  1877;  his  daughter,  Cornelia,  born 
Feb.  II,  IS58,  shot  Apiil  29,  1877,  while  defending  her  father,  died  May 
10, 1877;  his  son,  Johnnie  M.,  born  Oct.  5, 1862,  shot  and  killed  April  29, 
1877,  while  defending  his  father. 

The  soldiers'  monument  is  an  elegant  one,  erected 
in  1878  by  the  citizens  through  the  especial  labors  of 
John  C.  Sigmund,  Esq.,  of  Salona,  and  is  in  a  sepa- 
rate lot,  encircled  by  a  beautiful  iron  fence.     This 


LEIDY   TOWNSHIP. 


G35 


monument  commemorates  the  following  dead  heroes 
of  the  Union  army,  who  went  from  this  vicinity  and 
gave  their  lives  in  defense  of  the  Union  : 


Lieut.  Jacob  Sigmii 
Tlioiim!!  Hiuitliig9. 
John  Brown. 
C.  D.  EWred. 
Solomon  Brown. 
Williiun  H.  Feiiron. 
FrciliTk-k  Dontz. 
n.  Miinn. 
Lieut,  n.  II,  Best. 
Jucol)  Inlloof. 
Benjamin  Seyler. 
Jolin  G.  Knights. 
Terry  Mc  Cliuticlv. 
Nntlian  E.  Harvey. 
Henry  Paul. 
EJmonil  SliafTer. 
James  King. 


G.  AV.  Smith. 
Esley  F.  Brown. 
John  Ilnll. 
Oliver  Mantle. 
Alexander  Chatham. 
Samuel  Foster. 
Ilcniy  Olil. 
S  M.Quiirgle. 
George  Caldwell. 
Ailam  Winklebleck. 
Harvey  Hisliel. 
John  E.  Brnnigard. 
William  Allen. 
Lewis  Katerman. 
George  Piml. 
■William  E.  Else. 
W.  II.  Walker. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH. 

HON.  JOSEPH    F.  QUAY. 

Judge  Quay  was  born  in  Nittany  valley,  Centre 
Co.  (now  Clinton  County),  Pa.,  where  he  resided  all 
his  life.  His  parents  were  descendants  of  the  oldest 
settlers  of  Central  Pennsylvania,  and  were  of  the 
Scotch-Irish  race.  He  died  at  Salona,  Nittany  valley, 
on  the  23d  day  of  September,  1877,  aged  eighty-two 
years,  eleven  months,  and  nine  days,  after  a  lingering 
illness,  literally  worn  out,  though  retaining  his  full 
senses  in  vigorous  strength  to  the  last  moment. 

Judge  Quay  was  a  farmer  and  surveyor,  and  fol- 
lowed both  occupations  all  his  mature  life.  He  pos- 
sessed a  strong  mind,  a  retentive  memory,  and  a  will 
that  seldom  yielded  to  persuasion  or  opposition.  He 
read  much,  and  was  one  of  the  most  intelligent  of 
his  community.  A  lifelong  Whig  and  Republican, 
he  was  constantly  in  a  political  minority  in  the 
county  and  districts  of  his  residence,  yet  such  was 
his  personal  strength  and  such  the  public  confidence 
in  his  integrity  that  he  was  frequently  elected  to  office 
over  candidates  of  the  majority  party.  In  1843  he 
was  elected  to  the  State  Senate  from  the  district 
composed  of  the  counties  of  Centre,  Clinton,  and 
Lycoming.  In  1846  he  was  elected  a  county  com- 
missioner of  Clinton  County,  and  in  1861  an  asso- 
ciate judge.  He  filled  all  these  offices  with  ability, 
credit  to  himself,  and  to  the  advantage  of  the  public. 
When  not  holding  higher  incompatible  offices  he 
held  that  of  justice  of  the  peace  in  his  township  for 
most  of  his  life.  He  also  almo.st  constantly  held 
various  local  pffices,  and  frequently  several  at  a  time, 
and  was  a  predecessor  of  ex-Governor  Curtin  in  the 
colonelcy  of  a  militia  regiment  in  Nittany  valley,  and 
their  services  in  that  direction  were  about  equally 
distinguished. 

Judge  Quay  was  tall  and  rugged  in  form,  was  dis- 
tinguished for  frankness  and  directness  of  expression, 


and  was  ever  ready  to  extend  the  hand  of  kindness 

and  charity  to  those  in  need  of  such  offices,  and  at 
all  times  enjoyed  tlie  confidence  and  respect  of  those 
who  knew  him.  Though  not  given  to  attention  to 
religious  duties  during  the  greater  part  of  his  life, 
towards  the  end  he  followed  the  bent  of  his  ancestry 
and  became  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
in  the  full  faith  of  which  he  died,  full  of  honors  as 
he  was  of  years. 


CHAPTER    CXX. 


LEIDY    TOWXSIIir.i 


The  following  very  interesting  and  reliable  history 
of  Leidy  was  furnished  by  G.  W.  Botsford,  Esq.,  a 
citizen  of  that  township: 

"  Leidy  was  stricken  off  from  Chapman  township  in 
the  year  1847,  and  is  bounded  as  follows:  On  the 
north  by  Stewardson  township.  Potter  Co.,  on  the  east 
by  Chapman  township,  on  the  south  by  Noyes  town- 
ship, and  on  the  west  by  Grove  township,  Cameron 
Co.,  and  extends  north  from  Noyes  a  distance  of 
about  twelve  miles,  and  eastward  from  Cameron 
County  about  fifteen  miles,  crossing  on  the  east  some 
of  the  upper  branches  of  the  Shingle  Fork  of  Young 
Woman's  Creek.  The  township  is  of  very  uneven 
surface,  tlie  many  tributary  streams  of  Kettle  Creek, 
wdiich  wing  out  east  and  west,  forming  deep  hollows 
and  narrow  ridges,  with  here  and  there  on  the  sum- 
mits of  the  mountains  an  isolated  tract  of  land  suit- 
able for  farming  purposes.  Upon  the  table-lands 
around  the  Tamarack  Swamp  and  the  upper  and 
western  branches  of  Paddy's  Run  is  a  section  of 
country,  a  part  of  which  is  well  watered,  which  will 
at  some  future  day  be  settled  and  improved.  There 
are  at  the  present  time  nine  families  residing  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  swamp,  with  a  school-house  of  respec- 
table appearance,  and  a  school  five  months  in  the 
year.  This  land  is  very  fertile  and  productive,  but 
in  consequence  of  its  high  elevation  is  subject  to  late 
and  early  frosts.  The  Tamarack  Swamp  is  situated 
about  four  miles  east  of  Kettle  Creek,  at  the  base 
and  western  side  of  Boone  Mountain,  and  contains 
about  three  hundred  acres.  At  one  time  it  was  sur- 
rounded by  a  dense  forest  of  pine  timber,  encircling 
a  beautiful  and  thick  grove  of  spruce  of  large  size, 
tall  and  straight,  and  tamarack  and  balsam,  and  the 
interior,  com])rising  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres, 
is  covered  with  a  green  carpet  of  grass,  with  "  balsam 
of  fir"  bushes  standing  at  respectful  distances,  like  lone 
sentinels  watching  the  blooming  flowers  as  they  give 
beauty  to  a  landscape  but  seldom  seen  by  the  eye  of 
man.  This  swamp  is  fed  by  small  springs.  At  some 
period  far  back  in  the  past,  in  all  probability,  the 
beaverS  conceived  the  plan  of  enlarging  their  play- 


l  From  D.  S.  Maynard's  "  Historical  View  of  Cliutou  County." 


636 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


grounds  by  constructing  a  dam  and  flowing  the  water 
back,  forming  a  little  lake  in  the  wilderness.  Drury's 
Run  flows  from  this  swamp,  running  in  a  southwest 
direction  a  distance  of  seven  and  a  half  miles,  reach- 
ing the  river  one-half  mile  above  Renovo.  The  water 
is  of  a  lye  color,  and  abounds  with  trout. 

"  In  1826  or  1827,  or  about  that  time,  a  Mr.  Kelley, 
formerly  from  Ireland,  came  and  constructed  a  rude 
dwelling-house,  and  afterwards  cleared  and  improved 
quite  a  fine  farm  on  the  western  side  of  the  swamp, 
and  reared  a  family  of  children.  The  oldest  one, 
Samuel,  is  still  living,  far  advanced  in  years,  and  is  a 
respectable  citizen  of  Renovo.  Mr.  Kelley  was  the 
first  settler  between  the  river  and  Kettle  Creek,  and 
experienced  all  of  the  hardships  and  deprivations  at- 
tending a  pioneer  life.  He  received  a  patent  for  four 
hundred  acres  of  land  on  a  settler's  claim  in  the 
gloomy  solitude  of  the  mountain  forests.  Often 
would  the  still  hours  of  night  be  broken  by  the  fierce 
howling  of  wolves  and  the  panther's  loud  and  terrific 
yells.  Protected  by  the  darkness  of  night,  they  occa- 
sionally came  prowling  around  the  house,  passing 
over  the  door-steps,  and  making  night  hideous  with 
their  loud,  piercing  screams.  Mrs.  Kelley  died  some 
years  since.  She  was  ninety  years  of  age.  Kettle 
Creek,  the  principal  stream  that  passes  through  Leidy 
township,  takes  its  rise  north  of  Germania,  Potter 
Co.,  and  flows  in  a  southwesterly  direction,  passing 
through  Abbott  and  Stewardson  townships  of  Potter 
County,  and  Leidy  of  Clinton,  emptying  its  waters 
into  the  Susquehanna  at  Westport.  The  distance 
from  its  source  to  its  mouth  is  about  forty-seven 
miles. 

"Hemmed  in  by  lofty  mountains,  which  generally 
leave  a  flat  on  one  side  of  the  creek  of  sufiicient 
width  for  a  farm,  large  or  small,  until  within  a  few 
miles  of  Noyes  township,  where  the  flats  are  com- 
pletely crowded  out  and  the  mountains  come  down 
to  the  water's  edge  on  each  side,  the  stream  is  nav- 
igable for  arks  and  rafts  a  distance  of  twenty-five 
miles.  The  average  fall  of  the  stream  is  about  thirty 
feet  to  the  mile  through  Leidy  township,  which  gives 
its  watei's  a  rapid  current.  Its  main  branches  are 
Little  Kettle  Creek,  Cross  Forks  (these  are  in  Potter 
County),  and  Hammersley's  Fork,  which  empties  its 
waters  into  the  main  creek  about  four  miles  below 
the  Cross  Forks.  It  is  a  stream  of  good  size  for  miles, 
with  three  large  branches,  and  about  twelve  miles  in 
length,  running  nine  and  a  half  of  that  distance  in 
Potter  County.  It  derived  its  name  from  Jacob  Ham- 
mersley,  who  settled  at  its  mouth  in  1827,  or  near 
that  time.  This  stream,  for  one  of  its  length,  in  all 
probability  would  excel  any  other  creek  in  the  State 
for  trout.  The  average  number  annually  taken  from 
this  branch  during  the  last  fifteen  years  is  about  six- 
teen thousand.  The  writer,  many  years  since,  often 
left  home  in  the  morning  and  traveled  some  distance 
up  the  stream,  and  caught  from  two  to  three  hundred 
trout,  and  returned  the  same  evening.     At  the  pres- 


ent time  trout  are  not  so  plenty  as  formerly,  but  more 
fishing  is  done  by  people  from  various  parts  of  the 
country. 

"  This  is  a  lumber  stream,  the  business  being  car- 
ried on  principally  in  Potter  County.  The  next 
stream  below  of  note  is  Hevner's  Run.  It  is  said  that 
it  derived  its  name  from  a  man  by  the  name  of  Hev- 
ner,  who  was  lost  on  the  mountains,  and  in  the  night 
made  his  way  down  this  creek  to  the  mouth  ;  it  is 
about  four  miles  in  length,  and  abounds  with  trout. 
Opposite  the  mouth  is  what  is  called  the  "  Ox-Bow 
Bend,"  a  bend  in  the  creek  formed  like  an  ox-bow, 
three  miles  in  the  circle  and  eighty  rods  across. 
Then  the  creek  takes  another  turn,  forming  the  figure 
of  another  ox-bow  not  quite  so  perfect  as  the  first. 
Into  this  second  bow  Trout  Run  empties  its  waters. 
This  has  been  the  most  important  stream  for  trout  in 
the  township. 

"It  is  about  five  miles  in  length,  and  has  four 
branches.  It  derived  its  name  from  the  great  quan- 
tity of  trout  found  in  its  waters.  About  fifteen  years 
ago  it  was  said  by  Dr.  Green,  who  for  two  or  three 
years  was  engaged  in  manufacturing  shingles  on  the 
stream,  that  sixteen  thousand  trout  were  caught  out 
of  that  brook  in  one  season,  and  the  principal  part 
were  caught  by  his  own  men.  This  stream  takes  its 
rise  in  Potter  County,  and  the  course  of  the  main  run 
is  southeast,  and  in  all  probability  has  furnished  as 
much  lumber  for  market,  in  the  form  of  shingles, 
square  timber,  and  logs,  as  any  stream  of  the  same 
length  in  the  State.  Three  or  four  men  have  been 
killed  while  engaged  in  lumbering  on  this  stream. 
For  twenty-eight  years  the  heavy  blows  of  the  woods- 
man's axe  and  the  ringing  of  saws  has  told  of  the 
work  of  destruction  going  on  amid  that  dense  forest 
of  lofty  pines.  Amos  P.  Roberts,  that  prince  of  East- 
ern jobbers,  with  a  large  crew  of  Maine  Yankees,  did 
a  considerable  business  lumbering  on  this  stream. 
Jacob  Lock  was  another  champion  of  the  woods. 
His  operations  in .  lumbering  on  this  stream  were 
quite  extensive  for  several  years.  One  fall  he  could 
beat  the  morning  reveille  on  the  side  of  his  shanty, 
when  one  hundred  men  would  arise  to  answer  roll- 
call.  Munson  &  Co.  have  lumbered  on  this  stream 
for  twenty  years.  E.  M.  Fish  and  Clement  &  Mills 
took  their  lessons  in  lumbering  on  that  run.  Hamil- 
ton Fish  has  made  his  mark  in  those  woods.  Various 
other  parties  have  operated  in  the  region. 

"  Some  years  twenty,  and  one  year  twenty-five,  rafts 
of  square  timber  were  hauled  down  this  run,  and 
seven  million  feet  in  logs  were  floated  out  of  the 
stream. 

"The  land  on  this  run  was  surveyed  in  the  names 
of  Baughman,  Butlers,  and  Wilhelm  Willink  &  Co., 
two  tracts  in  the  name  of  Alva  Clement,  while  others 
were  warranted  in  the  names  of  Perry,  Sansom,  and 
others.  The  next  stream  of  consequence,  two  and  a 
half  miles  below,  is  'Beaver  Dam  Run,'  deriving  its 
name  from  a  small  beaver  dam  constructed  at  the 


LEIDY   TOWNSHIP. 


G37 


mouth.  This  creek  is  about  five  miles  in  length,  and 
contains  many  speckled  beauties.  It  was  well  tim- 
bered, but  the  principal  part  has  been  taken  off.  The 
lands  on  this  run  were  surveyed  in  the  names  of 
Baughman,  Butlers,  Charles  Lloyd,  and  D.  K.  Jack- 
man. 

"  Near  the  lower  end  of  the  township  are  many 
rocks  of  large  size  in  the  creek,  many  of  them  well 
known  to  the  raftsmen  by  their  names,  nearly  all 
being  named  after  the  pilots  who  stove  the  first  raft 
against  one  of  them.  Many  of  them  have  ducked 
their  heads  under  water,  through  the  powder  and 
drill ;  but  the  most  formidable  and  dangerous  rock  in 
the  stream  to  raftsmen  is  called  the  '  Gray  Rock.' 
Nature  in  some  of  its  wild  freaks  of  fancy  loosened 
a  huge  rock  from  its  moorings  away  upon  the  precip- 
itous slope  of  a  lofty  mountain  ;  it  tumbled  with 
lightning  velocity  down  the  mountain-side  into  the 
creek  at  a  short  turn,  where  the  stream  was  very  nar- 
row, where  it  has  stood  for  ages,  defying  alike  the 
action  of  the  elements,  the  hand  of  man,  and  the 
tooth  of  time. 

"For  nearly  a  half-century  the  pilots  of  Kettle 
Creek  have  kept  up  a  sort  of  bunting  fight  with  this 
rock  monster ;  broken  platforms  of  boards  and  de- 
tached sticks  of  timber  floating  upon  the  swift  cur- 
rent would  give  evidence  of  a  brush  with  old  Gray, 
which  would  remain  firm  and  immovable,  awaiting 
another  victim. 

"  Four  miles  east  of  Kettle  Creek  the  western 
branches  of  Paddy's  Run  take  their  rise,  flowing  in  a 
southwestern  direction  six  miles  to  Chapman  town- 
ship. This  was  formerly  a  great  trout  stream  ;  large 
sums  of  money  have  been  expended  in  constructing 
dams,  clearing  out  driftwood,  and  cribbing  its  banks, 
and  it  is  in  all  probability  in  as  good  condition  for 
log-floating  as  any  stream  of  its  size  in  the  lumbering 
districts.  The  right-hand  branch  of  Paddy's  Run 
takes  its  rise  in  Pfout's  valley.  This  branch  is  about 
eight  miles  in  length,  winding  itsTvay  around  through 
the  gaps  of  the  mountains,  and  its  waters  are  of  a  lye 
color.  Pfout's  valley  contains  about  seventeen  hun- 
dred acres,  hemmed  in  on  all  sides  by  mountains. 
The  larger  portion  of  this  valley  is  studded  with  the 
tallest  and  heaviest  growth  of  pine  timber.  The  axe 
of  the  lumberman  has  not  yet  made  its  marks  in  that 
dense  wilderness.  Only  surveyors,  land  speculators, 
stray  or  lost  hunters  have  made  their  footprints  upon 
the  mossy  carpet  of  the  valley.  This  valley  was  dis- 
covered by  Simeon  Pfouts  while  on  a  hunting  expe- 
dition, hence  the  name.  This  valley,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  a  part  of  a  large  tract  at  the  upper  end 
owned  by  Lentz  &  White,  is  owned  by  the  Paddy's 
Run  Lumbering  Company. 

"  Chatham,  Devling  &  Co.  carried  on  lumbering 
operations  near  the  head-waters  of  this  run,  getting 
out  spars  and  square  timber,  for  several  years,  and 
constructed  a  road  along  the  mountain-side  to  the 
distance  of  nine  or  ten  miles,  and  cleared  a  small 


farm  and  erected  a  large  and  commodious  hou.se.  By 
different  transfers  the  lands  fell  into  the  hands  of 
Gamble  Williamson,  Crawford  &  Co.  A  German 
land  company  was  organized  in  Germany,  Henry 
Drinker  being  one  of  the  company,  whose  agents  ex- 
plored these  mountain  wilds,  and  in  1792,  or  about 
that  time,  made  extensive  surveys  in  this  country,  lo- 
cating and  receiving  patents  for  many  thousand  acres 
in  Leidy  township,  including  the  best  farming  and 
timber  land  on  the  waters  of  Kettle  Creek.  Wilhelm 
Willink's  surveys  were  made  soon  after,  and  the  Nick- 
lin  and  Griffith  surveys  were  made  in  180.5.  The  offi- 
cial drafts  received  from  the  surveyor-general's  office 
imply  that  all  of  the  lands  situated  north  of  the  West 
Branch  of  the  Susquehanna  are  included  in  the  last 
purchase.  The  first  surveys  are  well  known  as  the 
Henry  Drinker  lands,  and  nearly  all  of  the  land  im- 
proved and  cultivated  in  Leidy  township  are  on  these 
surveys.  A  Mr.  Valentine,  of  Bellefonte,  a  gentle- 
man of  wealth  and  popularity,  was  appointed  a  gen- 
eral agent  of  the  Henry  Drinker  lands,  with  full  au- 
thority to  make  sales  of  the  same.  After  some  years 
had  passed,  and  the  lands  not  being  very  ready  sale, 
Mr.  Valentine  resigned  the  agency,  and  Mr.  Simeon 
Pfouts,  a  man  of  fair  talents  and  some  education,  suc- 
ceeded him,  and  in  order  to  make  the  business  profit- 
able as  possible,  took  his  axe  and  cut  down  the  corner 
trees,  tracing  out  the  lines,  cutting  down  the  line- 
trees  that  gave  evidences  of  landmarks,  committing 
all  to  the  flames.  When  this  work  was  accomplished 
to  his  satisfaction,  he  presumed  that  every  evidence 
of  the  boundaries  and  location  of  the  Drinker  lands 
had  been  completely  annihilated.  He  then  claimed 
the  ownership  of  the  lands,  and  ordered  some  of  the 
settlers  to  clear  out  and  leave  the  improvements  they 
had  been  making,  but  they  had  little  confidence  in 
his  titles.  The  company  learning  the  shrewd  game 
which  was  being  played  by  their  cunning  and  un- 
faithful agent,  brought  suit  against  him,  sending  on 
their  surveyors  to  hunt  for  lost  corners.  Some  one 
of  the  settlers  put  them  on  track  of  a  buttonwood 
corner  standing  at  the  mouth  of  Trout  Run  which 
had  escaped  the  eye  of  Pfouts.  This  corner  was  a 
starting-point,  which  gave  a  clue  to  all  of  the  rest. 
In  course  of  time  their  trial  came  off,  and  the  com- 
pany was  victorious. 

"  Mark  Slonaker  was  then  appointed  their  agent. 
He  divided  the  large  tracts  into  small  lots  to  suit  the 
wishes  and  convenience  of  purchasers,  and  retained 
his  agency  until  he  sold  all  of  their  lands.  These 
lands  were  sold  at  from  one  dollar  to  one  dollar  and 
fifty  cents  per  acre. 

"The  highest  mountain  in  Leidy  township  (as  it 
has  no  name)  we  will  call  'Dyke's  Peak.'  The  alti- 
tude of  its  summit  is  fourteen  hundred  and  forty-eight 
feet  above  the  creek,  and  is  two  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred feet  above  the  lev'el  of  the  ocean.  This  peak  is 
situated  three-fourths  of  a  mile  east  of  Hammersley's 
Fork,  on  the  east  side  of  Kettle  Creek.     The  climate 


638 


HISTORY   OF    CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


of  this  section  of  tlie  country  is  very  delightful  in 
summer.  The  warmest  day  known  here  was  during 
the  month  of  July,  18G3,  when  the  thermometer  went 
up  to  100°  in  the  shade.  Last  winter,  which  was  one 
of  the  coldest  known,  the  mercury  only  went  down  23° 
below  zero. 

"  Of  the  mineral  productions  of  the  township  but 
little  is  known  ;  there  has  been  no  geological  survey 
made  in  this  township.  Some  specimens  of  coal  have 
been  found  in  the  lower  end,  but  no  regular  working 
veins  have  as  yet  been  discovered.  It  has  been  found 
in  small  quantities  in  Stewartson  township.  Potter  Co. 
Geologists  say  that  coal  lies  above  the  red  sand-rock 
(this  is  the  salt-rock,  and  is  found  in  great  quantities 
here)  and  above  the  conglomerate  rock,  which  is  fre- 
quently found  scattered  over  the  summits  of  these 
mountains.  There  is  no  limestone,  only  as  rare  speci- 
mens are  discovered  mixed  with  the  gray  shale.  Iron 
ore  is  found  upon  the  surface  in  nearly  all  parts  of  the 
township.  Enough  of  this  ore  has  been  discovered  in 
certain  localities  to  give  the  assurance  that  it  does 
exist  in  large  quantities  upon  these  mountains. 

"  Simeon  Pfouts  was  the  first  white  man  that  settled 
upon  the  waters  of  Kettle  Creek.  He  was  a  man  who 
possessed  a  strong  physical  constitution,  reckless  of 
danger,  with  a  predilection  for  wild  adventure,  hav- 
ing previously  traveled  extensively  amid  the  wilds  of 
Southern  States.  In  the  year  1813  he  made  his  way 
up  the  West  Branch  as  far  as  the  mouth  of  Kettle 
Creek,  which  is  said  to  have  derived  its  name  from 
the  finding  of  a  kettle  in  it  near  its  confluence  with 
the  Susquehanna  by  some  one  of  the  white  settlers 
residing  within  the  vicinity  of  its  moutli.  Ascending 
that  stream  a  distance  of  about  eight  miles,  he  came 
to  a  bend  in  its  course,  and  on  the  eastern  side  was  a 
flat  of  rich  land  of  sufficient  length  and  breadth  for 
a  handsome  farm,  bounded  on  the  east  by  a  lofty 
mountain,  and  on  the  western  side  of  the  creek  the 
rock-crowned  summit  of  Savage  Mountain  shoots  up 
in  the  skies  to  the  height  of  twelve  hundred  feet. 
There,  amid  the  wildest  scenery,  the  huge  trees  of  the 
forest  soon  began  to  fall  before  the  steady  blows  of  his 
axe.  Tlie  game  in  the  woods  and  the  fish  in  the  creek 
furnished  the  largest  share  of  his  provision  stock. 
Passing  the  summer  engaged  in  clearing  land  and 
constructing  a  rude  dwelling,  in  the  fall  he  stepped 
into  his  canoe,  and  was  soon  moving  upon  the  rapid 
current  of  Kettle  Creek  in  the  direction  of  his  home 
in  Perry  County. 

"  In  the  spring  of  1814,  bidding  adieu  to  friends 
and  home  ami  the  scenes  of  earlier  days,  in  company 
with  his  wife  and  little  boy,  then  two  years  old,  and 
a  man  by  the  name  of  Paul  Shade,  made  their  way  to 
the  Susquehanna  Eiver,  and  packing  a  few  household 
goods  and  a  stock  of  provisions  into  a  keel-boat,  they 
started  up  the  river  for  their  new  home.  Arriving  at 
the  mouth  of  Kettle  Creek,  they  reshipped  their  goods 
into  a  large  canoe,  which  they  pushed  up  the  creek  to 
the  place  selected  the  year  previous  by  Pfouts.     The 


j  two  men  then  commenced  enlarging  their  improve- 
i  ment,  and  the  cultivation  of  the  land  already  cleared ; 
but  they  were  compelled  (o  realize  the  many  disad- 
vantages attending  a  pioneer  life.  Situated  many 
miles  beyond  the  confines  of  civilization,  where  the 
voice  of  a  white  man  was  seldom  heard,  not  a  road  or 
foot-path  gave  evidence  of  the  advance  of  civilization 
between  the  waters  of  the  Susquehanna  and  the  Alle- 
gheny,— that  is,  in  a  northern  and  western  direction. 
"The  streams  of  the  township  were  teeming  with 
trout,  deer  were  very  plenty  in  the  woods,  wolves 
roamed  through  the  forests  in  droves,  and  panthers 
were  numerous.  Mr.  Pfouts  was  an  expert  hunter, 
and  often  would  the  nimble  footed  deer  fall  before 
the  aim  of  his  rifle.  On  one  occasion  at  least  his 
life  was  in  great  peril.  He  was  traveling  down  the 
creek,  hunting  for  his  cows.  At  the  foot  of  Spice- 
wood  Island,  which  is  located  about  a  mile  below  his 
residence,  he  found  three  young  panthers  lying  in 
their  nest  of  leaves,  underneath  the  shelter  of  an  old 
root.  He  quickly  gathered  them  up  in  his  arms,  and 
started  for  home.  When  he  had  arrived  within  about 
one-fourth  of  a  mile  of  his  residence  the  sound  of 
panther  yells  fell  upon  his  ears.  Then  commenced  a 
race  for  life,  and  Pfouts  fully  developed  the  strength 
of  his  muscles.  Nearer  and  louder  were  the  terrible 
screams  of  that  huge  monster.  Pfouts  gained  the  race 
by  a  few  feet,  and,  rushing  into  the  house,  he  dropped 
his  young  panthers,  and  seizing  his  rifle  shot  the 
panther,  which  fell  dead  near  his  door.  At  another 
time,  in  company  with  Paul  Shade,  pushing  a  canoe 
up  from  the  river  laden  with  provisions,  when  within 
a  mile  or  two  of  his  home,  at  a  point  where  the  chan- 
nel of  the  stream  is  narrow,  suddenly  an  enormous 
panther  leaped  from  his  concealed  position  among 
the  rocks  at  the  form  of  Pfouts,  and  alighted  in  the 
water  close  to  the  stern  of  the  canoe,  the  rapid  cur- 
rent carrying  it  some  distance  down  stream  before  it 
reached  shore.  One  day,  while  out  hunting  with  his 
well-trained  dog,  he  killed  four  panthers,  and  the  fol- 
lowing day  he  killed  another.  Near  the  mouth  of 
Beaver  Dam  Run  he  caught  one  in  a  trap  which 
measured  eleven  feet  and  six  inches  in  length.  In 
1816  a  young  female  stranger  made  her  appearance, 
and  from  that  time  on  constituted  one  of  the  family 
circle,  the  first  white  child  born  on  Kettle  Creek,  still 
living  and  occupying  the  position  of  wife  of  Isaac 
Summerson,  being  in  comfortable  and  prosperous 
circumstances,  with  children  and  grandchildren  in 
sufficient  numbers  to  form  quite  a  colony.  They  were 
the  first  couple  married  on  Kettle  Creek.  Mr.  Pfouts 
erected  the  first  saw-mill  and  grist-mill  that  was  con- 
structed on  Kettle  Creek.  He  reared  a  family  of  nine 
children,  eight  of  whom  are  now  living.  He  died  on 
the  26th  of  August,  1856,  from  the  bite  of  a  rattle- 
snake which  he  held  in  his  hands  in  a  playful  man- 
ner, demonstrating  to  a  young  friend  the  harmless 
nature  of  those  venomous  reptiles. 
"  During  the  years  1817-19  several  men  came  up  the 


LEIDY   TOWNSHIP. 


G30 


creek  with  a  view  of  settling  upon  tlie  ricli  bottom  lands. 
A  man  by  tlie  name  of  Williamson  with  his  wife  and 
family  located  a  short  distance  below  the  Gray  Rock 
upon  a  small  flat,  and  made  some  improvements. 
Some  years  afterwards  he  sold  his  hinds  and  moved 
about  twelve  miles  farther  up  the  creek.  The  place 
he  at  first  selected  for  a  home  is  at  present  owned  and 
occupied  by  Halsey  Arnold,  a  noble-hearted  Yankee 
from  the  Empire  State.  For  several  years  past  Mr. 
Arnold  has  kept  a  hotel. 

"  Hoover  and  McEhvee  settled  upon  a  large  flat  near 
a  point  known  as  Hoover's  Turn,  a  short  bend  in  the 
creek.  After  making  some  improvements  during  the 
few  years  of  their  stay,  the  realization  of  their  former 
dreams  of  life  in  the  wilderness  did  not  meet  their  ex- 
pectations, and  they  left  for  other  parts.  That  flat  is 
now  owned  by  David  R.  Summerson,  M.  D.  Summer- 
son,  and  Mich.ael  Sullivan,  each  cultivating  a  fine 
farm.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Drake,  another  named 
David  Summerson,  and  a  Mr.  Bearfield  selected  'Big 
Bottom,'  on  the  northeastern  side  of  Beaver  Dam  Run, 
for  their  homes.  Bearfield  remained  but  three  or  four 
years.  Through  sales  the  whole  of  this  large  and 
beautiful  flat  passed  into  other  hands.  Joseph  Sum- 
merson and  John  Moore  made  the  principal  improve- 
ments, passing  from  the  prime  of  life  to  old  age,  each 
one  raising  a  large  family.  This  large  and  well- 
cultivated  flat  is  now  divided  into  two  farms,  and 
owned  by  George  Moore,  John  Summerson,  and  Mrs. 
Eepetto. 

"  On  the  eastern  side  of  the  creek,  at  Calhoun's 
Eddy,  is  located  a  handsome  farm,  with  quite  an  ele- 
gant residence,  owned  by  three  brothers,  David,  John, 
and  AVilliam  Calhoun.  Their  father  located  there  in 
the  year  1823.  He  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade.  In 
1824  he  erected  the  first  blacksmith- shop  that  made 
its  appearance  on  the  waters  of  Kettle  Creek. 

"  An  Englishman  by  the  name  of  Summerson  set- 
tled on  the  northeastern  side  of  the  OxBow  Bend. 
He  had  previously  occupied  a  farm  on  the  river, 
where  the  upper  part  of  the  town  of  Renovo  is  now 
located.  Mr.  Summerson,  following  the  example  of 
those  who  came  before  him,  shipped  his  household 
goods  up  the  creek  in  canoes,  bringing  with  him  also 
a  span  of  horses,  the  first  team  of  horses  that  was 
used  for  farming  purposes  on  Kettle  Creek.  Mr. 
Summerson  reared  a  family  of  ten  children,  all  but 
two  of  whom,  Isaac  and  Franklin,  are  dead.  Frank- 
lin's home  is  upon  a  prairie  in  the  distant  West,  while 
Isaac  is  the  owner  of  the  old  homestead,  and  now, 
at  the  age  of  threescore  and  ten,  his  eyes  will 
brighten  and  his  countenance  become  radiant  with 
the  smiles  of  pleasure  while  relating  his  huntins  ex- 
cursions of  earlier  days.  During  the  same  year 
(1824)  Jacob  Hammersley  and  Archie  Stewart  came 
on  the  creek  and  settled  at  the  mouth  of  the  first  fork 
of  Kettle  Creek,  each  one  making  an  improvement, 
Hammersley  locating  on  the  eastern  and  Stewart  on 
the  western  side  of  the  fork.     After  a  residence  of  a 


few  years  on  the  creek  they  erected  a  small  log  grist- 
mill on  the  western  side  of  the  fork.  Previous  to 
this  time  Mr.  Hammersley  had  carried  many  loads  of 
flour  on  his  back  from  the  river  to  his  home,  travel- 
ing the  old  Boone  road  over  the  mountains,  a  distance 
of  sixteen  miles.  The  groceries  and  dry-goods  so  essen- 
tial to  the  comfort  of  the  earliest  settlers  in  this  wild 
country  were  purchased  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Great 
Island  and  shipped  to  -their  place  of  destination  in 
canoes,  a  distance  of  forty  and  fifty  miles.  Mr.  Ham- 
mersley possessed  a  strong  and  vigorous  constitution, 
adequate  to  the  accomplishment  of  any  enterprise 
where  physical  strength  and  bold  and  reckless  daring 
were  requisite.  Mr.  Hammersley  was  a  great  hunter  ; 
he  frequently  shouldered  his  rifle  in  the  morning, 
and,  starting  for  the  woods,  in  a  three  hours'  hunt 
would  often  kill  from  two  to  three  deer.  He  caught 
a  great  many  bears  and  wolves,  and  killed  five  elks  in 
one  day  a  short  distance  up  the  Cross  Fork.  He  also 
killed  five  panthers.  He  reared  a  family  of  nine 
children,  of  whom  Jacob  Hammersley,  of  North 
Point,  the  champion  hunter  of  Clinton  County,  is  the 
oldest.  Henry,  his  second  son,  was  killed  at  the  bat- 
tle of  Gettysburg.  Uriah,  his  third  son,  runs  a  hotel 
at  the  mouth  of  Hammersley's  Fork;  and  Richard, 
his  youngest  son,  was  crushed  to  death  in  the  lumber 
woods  by  a  falling  limb  in  1873.  Mr.  Hammersley 
had  attained  the  age  of  ninety  years  when  he  died,  in 
the  month  of  February,  1873,  two  weeks  prior  to  the 
death  of  his  son  Richard.  For  years  his  friends  and 
neighbors,  who  were  the  first  settlers  upon  the  creek, 
lay  in  silent  repose  in  their  dusty  beds,  while  'Old 
Jake,'  as  he  was  familiarly  called,  remained,  a  mon- 
ument of  pioneer  lile.  Traveling  over  life's  checkered 
path,  but  little  scathed  by  the  storms  and  tempests 
which  so  often  shorten  the  period  of  man's  existence, 
a  witness  of  passing  events,  he  had  beheld  the  rising 
and  setting  of  the  sun  for  nearly  a  century,  and 
during  that  period  what  changes  had  taken  place  in 
the  world's  history  !  Empires  had  risen  and  fallen, 
and  the  eagles  of  liberty  had  built  their  nests  upon 
the  ruins  of  imperial  thrones.  Mr.  Hammersley's 
widow  is  still  living,  the  oldest  citizen  in  Leidy 
township.  She  has  been  sailing  upon  the  ocean  of 
time  for  more  than  three-fourths  of  a  century,  smart, 
active,  and  industrious,  and  the  short  space  of  time 
required  for  her  to  travel  on  foot  the  distance  of  five 
nules  might  cause  the  cheeks  of  many  of  the  f;ishion- 
able  ladies  of  the  present  age  to  mantle  with  a  blush 
of  shame. 

"In  1825,  Peter  Walters  and  two  other  men  with 
their  families  settled  upon  the  creek,  Walters  locating 
on  the  eastern  bank,  opposite  Brooks'  Riflles.  The 
farm  is  now  owned  by  Thomas  Brooks.  Mrs.  Wal- 
ters at  one  time,  while  standing  at  her  door,  counted 
one  hundred  deer  in  the  creek  during  one  dav.  A 
hunting  excursion  by  torchlight  occurred  during  the 
summer  of  1826.  Peter  Walters,  Isaac  and  Duke 
Summerson   started   out   late   in   the  evening,  each 


640 


HISTOllY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


armed  with  an  old  flint-lock  rifle  and  a  brilliant  torch. 
They  soon  made  their  way  to  the  southeastern  side  of 
the  Ox-Bow  Bend,  where,  emerging  from  a  thick 
growth  of  timber  that  skirted  the  banks  of  the  stream, 
their  wild  and  youthful  dreams  of  hunting  deer  by 
torchlight  were  fairly  realized.  The  bright,  flashing 
light  from  their  torches  displayed  to  their  wondering 
gaze  the  glittering  eyes  of  from  two  to  three  hundred 
deer,  filling  the  creek  from  bank  to  bank  in  one  solid 
mass  as  far  as  the  rays  of  light  extended  up  and  down 
the  stream.  Summerson  and  Walters  commenced  a 
brisk  firing  upon  the  deer.  Mr.  AValters  fancied  that 
his  gun  was  bewitched,  as  his  balls  did  not  seem  to 
take  effect.  The  rapid  firing  had  continued  about 
fifteen  minutes,  when  Summerson  got  a  ball  fast  in  his 
gun.  About  this  time  all  the  dogs  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, a^far  as  the  reports  of  their  guns  were  heard, 
took  the  hint,  and  on  they  came  with  loud  yells,  leap- 
ing into  the  crowd.  The  deer  up  to  this  time  stood 
the  deadly  fire  without  flinching,  but  on  being  at- 
tacked by  the  dogs  broke  ranks  and  fled.  Isaac  Sum- 
merson informed  the  writer  that  when  the  dogs 
plunged  into  that  mass  of  wild  animals  the  scene  of 
confusion  surpassed  everything  seen  or  realized  in  a 
hunter's  life, — the  yell  of  hounds,  the  snorting  and 
bleating  of  deer,  the  splashing  of  water,  the  racing 
up  and  down  the  creek  and  through  the  thick  woods, 
which  continued  for  nearly  half  an  hour  before  the 
dark  hours  of  night  resumed  their  usual  stillness.  In 
the  riffle,  a  short  distance  below,  they  found  two  deer 
that  had  fallen  victims  to  the  fire  of  the  hunters.  That 
point  has  ever  since  passed  by  the  name  of  the  '  Can- 
nonading.' 

"  Leidy  has  no  towns  or  villages.  At  the  mouth  of 
Trout  Run  we  have  the  evidences  of  the  commence- 
ment of  a  village  in  the  erection  of  a  hotel,  a  hand- 
some store-house,  erected  by  Clement  Mills  &  Co., 
and  a  wagon-  and  blacksmith-shop,  a  church,  a  shoe- 
shop,  and  a  number  of  private  dwellings.  One  mile 
above  Trout  Run,  on  tlie  eastern  side  of  the  creek,  is 
a  saw-mill  with  its  gang  of  saws,  which  is  fast  giving 
out,  the  only  saw-mill  in  the  township,  a  blacksmith- 
shop,  parsonage,  store,  and  two  handsome  residences, 
built  by  0.  Goodman,  with  a  number  of  dwelling- 
houses,  all  owned  by  Edgar  Munson.  There  is  but 
one  grist-mill  in  the  township;  it  was  constructed 
many  years  since  by  Jacob  Baughman,  and  is  at  the 
present  time  owned  by  his  heirs.  It  is  also  fast  going 
to  ruin.  Twenty-five  years  since,  Munson  &  Co.  built 
a  saw-mill,  which  they  afterwards  enlarged  and  con- 
verted into  a  gang-mill.  It  did  a  good  business  for  a 
number  of  years,  and  finally  burned  down.  This  mill 
was  located  about  one  mile  below  the  Potter  County 
line.  The  same  company  owned  a  gang-mill,  which 
was  located  a  short  distance  below  Trout  Run,  in 
which  Rumsey  and  Corbit  owned  an  interest.  Jacob 
Baughman  and  John  L.  Proctor,  during  the  year 
1848  or  1849,  had  constructed  a  saw-mill,  which  did  a 
very  good  business  for  several  years.     They  sold  it, 


with  several  tracts  of  valuable  timber  land,  to  Munson, 
Corbit  &  Co.  In  1842,  James  Brooks  constructed  a 
saw-mill  on  a  small  scale,  a  short  distance  below  the 
mouth  of  Bearfield  Run.  Some  time  between  1840 
and  1850,  Michael  Stout  and  his  son  Franklin  and 
Franklin  Summerson  purchased  several  tracts  of 
timber  land  on  Hevner's  Run,  and  built  a  log  grist- 
mill and  a  saw-mill  about  fifty  rods  above  the  mouth 
of  the  stream.  In  1851  they  sold  their  lands  and 
mills  to  G.  W.  Botsford,  and  in  1852  he  sold  to  a  com- 
pany from  the  northern  part  of  New  York,  and  they 
sold  to  Edgar  Munson  &  Brother.  Munson,  who  re- 
sided in  Williamsport,  formerly  from  Steuben  County, 
N.  Y.,  has  been  extensively  engaged  in  lumbering  on 
Kettle  Creek  for  thirty  years,  and  has  acquired  a  large 
fortune  by  his  operations. 

"  The  best  residences  in  Leidy  are  the  two  men- 
tioned, owned  by  Munson,  and  one  owned  by  the 
heirs  of  Jacob  Baughman,  one  by  Arthur  Clement, 
next  Hamilton  Fish  and  Edward  Fish,  Scott  Dickin- 
son, Joseph  Repetto;  William  Calhoun  and  brothers 
occupy  one,  and  last,  D.  R.  Summerson. 

"The  first  school-house  erected  in  Leidy  township 
was  built  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  creek,  on  the 
farm  now  occupied  by  David  Walters.  This  was 
about  thirty-eight  years  ago.  A  man  by  the  name 
of  Grimes  taught  the  first  school.  The  next  school- 
house  (a  log  one,  of  course)  was  located  on  the  western 
bank  of  the  creek,  opposite  the  point  where  the  Boone 
road  reaches  the  stream.  At  present  there  are  five 
school-houses  (not  one  of  which  is  elegant  or  stylish, 
but  commodious  and  comfortable),  the  townsliip  being 
divided  into  five  school  districts.  Twenty-five  years 
ago  literature  in  Leidy  was  at  a  low  ebb.  Many  of  the 
inhabitants  are  from  Yankee-land,  and  the  principal 
part  of  the  native  citizens  joined  with  them  in  the 
advancement  of  a  higher  and  more  refined  civiliza- 
tion. The  Leidy  schools  are  kept  open  about  five 
months  during  the  summer  season  of  each  year.  The 
central  and  lower  district  has  furnished  eight  female 
teachers. 

"At  the  present  time  there  are  but  two  mercantile 
establishments  in  the  township.  One  is  owned  by 
Edgar  Munson,  and  the  other  by  Hamilton  Fish. 
The  first  store  where  goods  were  offered  for  sale  was 
erected  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  David  Walters, 
owned  by  Theodore  Leonard.  This  was  in  1858. 
After  conducting  the  store  about  two  years,  he  dis- 
continued the  business  and  left  the  creek.  In  1860, 
or  about  that  time,  Hamilton  Fish  engaged  in  the 
mercantile  business.  lu  1862,  Edgar  Munson  and 
Truxton  Goodman  became  the  proprietors  of  a  store, 
which  they  managed  in  a  very  profitable  way  for  eight 
or  nine  years;  then  Munson  sold  out  to  Goodman  & 
Brother.  Clement  &  Mills  established  themselves  in 
the  mercantile  business  at  the  mouth  of  Trout  Run. 
After  continuing  the  business  about  five  years,  in 
January,  1874,  they  failed,  and  their  store  was 
closed  up. 


LEIDY   TOWNSHIP. 


C41 


"Leidy  post-office  is  located  on  the  eastern  bank  of 
Beaver  Dam  Run,  on  the  State  road,  and  was  hi  care 
of  John  Moore  in  1876. 

"There  are  four  hotels  in  tlie  township, — Uriali 
Hammersley's,  John  Gartsee's,  Andrew  Kimball's, 
and  Halsey  Arnold's.  Isaac  Bummenson  kept  a  hotel 
for  the  term  of  fifteen  years.  His  bar  was  the  first 
from  which  whiskey  was  sold  under  legal  authority 
in  the  township. 

"John  J.  AValton  served  one  or  two  terras  in  the 
capacity  of  justice  of  the  peace  in  the  township.  His 
literary  qualifications  were  quite  limited.  He  could 
read  some,  and  write  a  very  little,  but  he  aimed  to  be 
honest  in  his  official  acts.  Benjamin  Wheaton  served 
two  terms,  Michael  Campbell  one  term,  Arthur  Clem- 
ent one  term,  and  Nicholas  Watt  three  terms,  and  at 
present  is  the  only  acting  justice  in  the  township. 

"The  Paddy's  Run  road,  extending  from  the  river 
to  the  Cross  Fork,  in  Potter  County,  was  first  con- 
structed by  Devlin,  Chatham  &  Co.,  about  twenty-two 
years  since.  On  the  21st  of  March,  1865,  the  Legis- 
lature granted  a  charter  for  a  State  road  from  the 
river  up  Paddy's  Run,  to  be  constructed  at  the  expense 
of  Chapman  and  Leidy  townships.  This  road  follows 
the  track  of  the  first  road,  diverging  from  it  in  a  few 
places.  The  high  and  even  grade  of  the  road  are  good 
evidences  of  skillful  engineering.  The  first  road,  ex- 
tending from  the  river  to  Kettle  Creek,  was  constructed 
by  a  man  named  Boon,  who  was  chief  engineer.  This 
road  was  continued  on  up  the  creek  to  the  Cross  Fork, 
and  up  that  branch  to  its  head-wat^i's ;  then  ascend- 
ing to  the  summit  of  the  Alleghenies,  it  was  continued 
on  over  the  mountains  to  the  waters  of  the  Allegheny, 
and  down  that  river  to  its  terminus,  near  the  place 
where  Smethport  is  now  located.  This  is  called  the 
Boone  road,  and  was  constructed  many  years  before 
civilization  made  its  appearance  on  Kettle  Creek. 
This  road  was  designed  for  the  accommodation  of  a 
large  number  of  families  residing  in  the  eastern  part 
of  tins  State,  who  contemplated  moving  on  the  road 
and  settling  upon  the  flat  of  the  Allegheny. 

"In  the  fall  of  1850  a  road  was  constructed  from 
the  mouth  of  Sugar  Camp  Run  to  the  river,  the  dis- 
tance being  about  twelve  miles.  This  is  called  the 
Butler  road,  and  passes  over  the  highest  summit  of 
Savage  Mountain,  called  the 'Stony  Pinnacle.'  At 
this  point  the  mountain  attains  an  altitude  of  about 
fourteen  hundred  feet  above  the  creek,  and  is  about 
two  miles  west  of  the  same.  From  this  lofty  point 
may  be  obtained  a  view  of  grand  and  beautiful  moun- 
tain scenery  in  the  distance.  For  a  number  of  years 
this  was  the  main  road  leading  from  the  river  to  Leidy 
township.  Finally  there  was  a  road  constructed  up 
the  main  creek,  without  any  bridges  at  the  difterent 
fordings,  excepting  those  that  were  formed  by  a  cold 
winter's  atmosphere,  which  would  float  away  early  in 
the  spring.  March  24,  18()9,  the  Legislature  passed 
an  act  authorizing  the  construction  of  a  road  from 
Westport  to  the  Potter  County  line.     Following  the 


various  winding.s  of  the  creek,  graded  in  many  places 
high  up  on  the  liillsides,  where  the  mountains  are 
very  precipitous,  heavy  slides  freciuently  occur,  sweep- 
ing away  tlie  road  in  some  places  and  filling  it  up  in 
others.  A.  C.  Noyes,  Hamilton  Fish,  and  Nicholas 
Watt  were  appointed  commissioners  to  superintend 
the  construction  of  this  important  road.  That  por- 
tion which  was  to  be  constructed  through  (Jhapman 
township  progressed  rapidly  under  the  superintend- 
ence of  John  W.  Robhins.  During  the  same  time 
Hamilton  Fish  was  making  the  road  with  success  in 
Leidy.  Some  dissatisfaction  having  arisen,  Fish  re- 
signed, which  resulted  in  the  appointment  of  Truxton 
Goodman  to  take  his  place.  For  two  years  the  road 
progressed  slowly,  and  Mr.  Goodman  was  finally  re- 
moved. He  published  a  statement  showing  that 
nearly  thirteen  thousand  dollars  had  been  expended, 
and  the  road  is  not  yet  completed,  several  miles  still 
awaiting  the  introduction  of  the  pick  and  shovel. 
About  four  years  since,  on  the  28th  day  of  March,  Amos 
P.  Roberts  drove  from  Westport  to  the  Cross  Forks,  a 
distance  of  twenty-eight  miles,  on  the  ice. 

"  The  township  was  named  after  Judge  Leidy,  of 
Salona.  The  first  elections  in  the  township  were  held 
at  the  private  house  of  Alexander  Kelly,  near  the 
mouth  of  Hammersley's  Fork.  For  the  last  thirty- 
five  years  they  have  been  held  at  the  hous^e  of  Isaac 
Summerson.  The  number  of  votes  in  the  township  is 
about  one  hundred  and  forty.  The  greatest  vote  polled 
at  an  election  in  the  township  was  in  1864,  when  the 
vote  numbered  one  hundred  and  sixty-one.  At  that 
time  lumbering  was  carried  on  extensively,  and  the 
population  of  the  township  was  greater  than  at  present. 
The  political  atmosphere  is  and  has  been  decidedly 
Republican. 

"In  1864,  when  the  oil  fever  ran  high  upon  the  Al- 
legheny River,  several  companies  came  here  with  oily 
tongues,  leasing  a  large  quantity  of  land,  and  left  with- 
out again  making  their  appearance.  One  company 
irom  the  city  of  New  York  came  prepared  for  busi- 
ness;  they  put  down  a  well  about  one  hundred  rods 
east  of  the  Central  school-house  to  the  depth  of  eight 
hundred  and  eighty-eight  feet.  At  the  depth  of  ten 
feet  the  primitive  orbed-rock  was  struck;  at  two  hun- 
dred and  sixty  feet  they  found  salt  water;  four  hun- 
dred and  sixty-five  feet  below  the  surface  their  drill 
sti*uck  a  conglomerate  rock,  the  first  oil-bearing  rock 
reached  in  that  well.  As  their  drills  worked  their 
way  down  they  passed  through  a  great  depth  of  red 
sand-rock,  which  is  the  salt-rock;  at  six  lumdred  and 
thirty  feet  the  water  was  very  strongly  impregnated 
with  salt.  When  the  drilling  was  discontinued  thev 
had  passed  through  all  the  ditferent  species  of  stone 
that  are  found  on  the  mountains  and  in  the  valleys, 
including  twenty-eight  feet  of  the  conglomerate  rock, 
several  feet  more  than  is  generally  found  on  Oil  Creek. 
Three  months  after  the  drills  had  jierformed  their  part 
of  the  work  the  materials  were  brought  and  an  effort 
made  to  test  the  well,  but  such  a  strong  volume  of  oil- 


642 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


gas  issued  from  it  that  the  test  was  but  partial,  and  the 
well  was  pronounced  a  failure. 

"  High  up  on  the  summit  of  the  mountains,  in  the 
western  part  of  the  township,  large  quantities  of  white 
sand-rock  are  found,  of  an  excellent  quality  for  the 
manufacture  of  glass.  On  the  mountain  south  of 
Ham  i:ersley's  Fork  are  several  large  red  sand-rocks 
that  have  upon  their  surface  perforations  somewhat 
resembling  a  honey-comb,  from  two  to  four  feet  in 
depth,  presenting  the  appearance  of  having  at  one 
time  been  washed  by  the  ocean  waves.  Fire-clay  is 
found  in  these  hills,  and  quite  recently  coal,  said  to 
be  of  an  excellent  quality,  has  been  discovered  on 
Paddy's  Run,  in  this  township. 

"The  streams  in  Leidy  abound  with  water  privi- 
leges, affording  every  facility  for  the  erection  of  manu- 
facturing establishments.  The  extensive  forests  of 
hemlock,  the  bark  of  which  can  be  made  available  at 
several  points  on  the  main  creek,  may  at  some  time 
be  made  a  sufficient  inducement  for  the  erection  of 
tanneries  in  this  township.  In  the  fall  of  1851  the 
writer  was  shown  a  large  hemlock-tree  that  had  been 
cut  down  by  Jackson  Mayers,  on  land  now  owned  by 
John  S.  Clark,  bearing  the  mark  of  a  blow  from  a 
tomahawk  which  cut  into  the  heart  of  tlie  tree,  with 
two  hundred  and  twenty  years'  growth  of  timber  over 
it.  Fireplaces  built  of  stone  have  been  found  at  a 
depth  of  twenty  inches,  and  in  some  places  two  feet 
below  the  surface  of  the  ground;  and  pieces  of  stone- 
ware, pipes,  and  arrow-heads,  which  are  frequently 
found,  all  tell  the  story  that  these  hills  and  valleys 
were  once  the  home  of  the  American  Indian." 

Hammersley's  Fork  Post-Office  is  a  little  hamlet 
at  the  confluence  of  Trout  Hun  with  Kettle  Creek. 
Here  John  Gartsee,  a  native  of  Chenango  County, 
N.  ¥.,  keeps  hotel  and  the  post-office.  Hamilton 
Fish  and  Edgar  Munson  have  general  stores.  It  is 
pleasantly  located  in  sight  of  "Ox-Bow  Bend."  The 
Methodist  Church  is  a  neat  frame  structure  built  some 
fifteen  years  ago.  In  its  cemetery  are  buried  the 
following  : 

Coorgo  W.  BolzforJ,  died  Jan.  14, 1878.  aged  Gl, 

Mary,  «ifu  of  Sidney  B.  Wted,  born  Dec  18,  1852,  died  July  2:1,  1879. 

Kliziibetli,  wife  of  Hamilton  Fi,<li,  Uieil  Sept.  17,  1S7G,  aged  35. 

Maranville  K.  Nelson,  died  Jan.  3,  ISSO,  aged  40. 

Allen  Queen,  died  .Ian.  23,  18-0,  aged  48. 

James  Willsoii,  died  July  31,  1880,  aged  72. 

Margaret,  wife  of  John  S.  Clark,  died  Oct.  13,  1870,  aged  40  ;  liis  son, 
Hiram,  died  Jan.  28,  1877,  aged  '23. 

Susan,  wile  of  Ilalsey  Arnold,  died  Oct.  24,  1881,  aged  43. 

Mary  A.,  wife  of  Joseph  Herman,  burn  Ang,  8,  1843,  died  June  15, 
188U. 


CHAPTER    CXXL 

LOGAX   TOWNSHIP. I 

What  is  now  Logan  township  was  originally  in- 
cluded in  Miles  township,  Centre  Co.,  and  was  organ- 
ized previous  to  the  formation  of  Clinton,  in  1839. 

1  From  D.  S.  Mnynard's  "  Historical  View  of  Clinton  County." 


At  that  time  it  contained  tlie  territory  now  comprised 
in  Greene  township. 

The  township  is  bounded  on  the  south  and  west  by 
Centre  County,  on  the  north  by  Porter  and  Lamar 
townships,  and  on  the  east  by  Greene.  It  is  nearly 
nine  miles  in  length,  and  has  an  average  breadth  of 
two  and  a  half  miles.  Nearly  the  entire  township  lies 
between  what  are  called  Sugar  Valley  and  Brush  Val- 
ley Mountains,  those  two  ranges  really  forming  its 
northern  and  southern  boundaries,  therefore  it  in- 
cludes a  large  portion  (nearly  one-half)  of  Sugar 
valley.  (See  Greene  township.)  This  valley  was  so 
called  because  of  the  very  large  number  of  sugar- 
maple  trees  that  formerly  existed  within  its  limits, 
and  the  township  was  named  in  honor  of  that  noble 
Indian  chief,  Logan,  who,  according  to  tradition,  had 
a  path  across  the  valley,  which,  with  his  dusky  fol- 
lowers, he  used  to  tread  in  passing  to  and  from  the 
hunting-grounds  of  his  brother  chieftain,  the  noted 
Bald  Eagle.  The  place  where  he  crossed  Nittany 
Mountain  is  still  called  "Logan's  Gap."  As  having 
been  conspicuous  in  the  Indian  history  of  Central 
Pennsylvania,  as  well  as  giving  the  name  to  an  im- 
portant township,  Logan  is  certainly  entitled  to  espe- 
cial notice  in  this  sketch.  He  was  the  son  of  the 
Cayuga  chief,  Sliikellimy,  who  dwelt  at  Shamokin 
(now  Sunbury)  in  1742,  and  was  then  converted  to 
Christianity  by  the  Moravian  missionaries,  by  whom 
he  had  his  son  baptized,  giving  him  the  name  by 
which  he  was  ever  afterwards  known,  in  honor  of 
James  Logan,  atihat  time  secretary  of  the  province 
of  Pennsylvania. 

The  only  stream  of  any  importance  in  Logan  town- 
ship is  Fishing  Creek,  which  flows  through  nearly  its 
entire  length.  It  was  described  in  the  sketch  of 
Greene  township. 

The  original  timber  of  the  township,  consisting  of 
pine,  oak,  maple,  hickory,  chestnut,  etc.,  was  very 
fine,  but  the  principal  part  has  been  taken  off  by 
lumbermen,  yet  there  is  still  much  remaining  of  a 
good  quality.  Luiubering,  however,  as  a  prominent 
branch  of  business,  has  nearly  ceased  in  this  region. 

The  soil  of  this  township  is  of  the  same  character 
as  that  of  Greene,  a  mixture  of  sandy  loam  and  clay. 
When  Sugar  valley  was  first  cleared  the  surface  of  a 
large  portion  of  the  land  was  almost  literally  covered 
with  water-worn  sandstone,  but  these  have  nea.-ly  all 
been  gathered  into  immense  heaps,  which  may  be 
seen  here  and  there  throughout  the  entire  length  of 
the  valley. 

Limestone  abounds  in  large  quantities  beneath  the 
soil,  and  fragments  of  white  marble  have  been  found 
lying  upon  the  surface  of  the  ground  in  many  places. 
Efforts  are  now  (1876)  being  made  to  discover  coal, 
which  is  supposed  to  exist  on  the  farm  of  Peter 
Karstetter.  It  is  certain  there  are  evidences  of  coal 
in  the  vicinity,  but  as  to  the  precise  location,  the 
quantity,  quality,  and  depth,  further  examination  is 
necessary  to  determine. 


MAP    OK 

SUGAR  VALLEY  SURVEYS, 

MADE   IN   1814. 


Engraved  Expressly  for  this  Work 


.^S<'r40Ac' 


LOGAN   TOWNSHIP. 


C43 


The  surface  of  Sugar  valley  is  not  level,  but  undu- 
lating, and  in  many  places  depressed  by  what  are 
known  as  sink-holes. 

In  1769  a  warrant  was  issued  to  Morgan,  Sergeant 
&  Ash  for  a  large  tract  of  land,  which  extended  from 
just  west  of  the  present  village  of  Booneville  to  a 
point  about  one  mile  west  of  Tylersville.  This  tract 
included  the  central  and  most  valuable  portion  of 
what  is  now  known  as  Logan  township.  In  1787  a 
man  by  the  name  of  John  Friend  obtained  a  warrant 
for  a  tract  of  several  thousand  acres,  including  the 
Morgan,  Sergeant  &  Ash  survey.  Of  course,  upon 
examination  of  the  records  it  was  ascertained  that 
Friend  could  not  obtain  a  valid  title  to  that  part  of 
his  survey  which  had  been  previously  warranted. 

Pioneer  Settlers. — The  first  actual  permanent  set- 
tlement in  Sugar  valley  was  made  soon  after  the  Revo- 
lution by  John  Cliristopher  Culby,  who  had  been  a 
Hessian  soldier,  but  deserted  from  the  British  and 
joined  the  American  cause.  His  name  is  said  to  have 
been  Miller  previous  to  his  desertion.  He  located  on 
the  farm  now  owned  by  Mr.  Joel  Herb,  at  Logan  Mills. 
Soon  after  Culby  settled  others  joined  him,  among 
them  Samuel  Jones,  a  Revolutiouary  soldier,  and  the 
Groningers,  whose  descendants  now  live  at  Tylersville, 
Philip  Schreckengast,  John  Philips, Henry  Spangler, 
and  John  Strawculter.  Later,  others  moved  over  from 
Brush  valley.  Of  these  the  most  prominent  were  Fred- 
erick Womeldorf,  Philip  Glantz,  Michael  Bressler, 
Michael  Kettner,  and  Barnet  Rockey.  The  latter 
located  in  1826,  about  one-half  mile  east  of  where 
Tylersville  now  stands.  He  died  some  years  ago,  but 
his  widow  is  still  living,  at  the  advanced  age  of  one 
hundred  and  two  years.  Her  liome  at  present  is  in 
Stephenson  County,  111. 

About  the  time  Mr.  Rockey  settled  upon  his  farm, 
the  State  road,  running  from  Milton  to  Bellefonte, 
was  opened,  and  his  sou,  then  a  young  man,  now 
Squire  Rockey,  was  appointed  mail-carrier  from 
Jersey  Shore  to  Aaronsburg.  The  route  was  a  long 
one,  and  at  that  time  it  certainly  must  have  been  very 
lonely,  as  there  were  but  few  settlers  between  the  two 
places.  Only  one  school-house,  a  log  one,  then  ex- 
isted in  the  township.  It  stood  on  tlie  farm  of  Fran- 
cis Cromley.  In  his  younger  days  the  Squire  was  a 
great  runner.  On  one  occasion  while  carrying  the 
mail,  in  order  to  make  time,  he  ran  with  his  mail-bag 
on  his  back  from  Tylersville  to  Kleckner's  tavern,  a 
distance  of  eight  miles,  in  one  hour. 

About  the  year  1840,  or  soon  after,  Col.  Anthony 
Kleckner  built  a  grist-mill  at  what  is  now  known  as 
Logan  Mills.  The  mill  is  owned  at  present  by  J. 
Ilgen  &  Son.  Thomas  Ilgen  keeps  a  store  and  is 
postmaster.  About  the  same  time  Michael  Kettner 
also  built  a  grist-mill  about  three  miles  west  of  Ty- 
lersville. The  property  on  which  it  was  located  is  now 
owned  by  John  Ruhl.  The  original  mill  has  been  out 
of  use  for  some  time,  but  near  its  site  there  have  been 
more  recently  erected  a  saw-  and  shingle-mill,  both 
41 


of  which  are  in  running  order.  A  short  distance  be- 
low Ruhl's  mill,  on  Fishing  Creek,  Daniel  Moyer  h.as 
a  shingle-mill.  Tliere  is  also  a  shingle-  and  saw-mill 
combined  on  the  farm  of  the  late  Jacob  Spangler. 
Another  shingle-  and  saw-mill  just  north  of  Tylers- 
ville is  owned  and  operated  by  Isaac  Frantz.  Peter 
Emig  has  a  saw-mill  at  Logansville,  and  .Jonathan 
Stover  has  one  at  Booneville.  David  and  William 
Wolf  have  a  shingle-mill  in  Wolf's  Gap.  The  above 
constitute  the  manufacturing  establishments  of  Logan 
township. 

The  mountain  lands  of  the  township  have  been  but 
little  improved,  there  being  but  one  settlement  on 
those  lying  on  the  north  side  of  the  valley.  That  was 
m.ade  in  1829  by  John  Lamy.  It  has  been  known  for 
many  years  as  the  "John  Currin  Improvement."  It 
is  about  one  and  a  half  miles  north  of  Logan  Mills. 
The  mountain  on  the  south  side  of  the  valley  was 
settled  probably  about  1820,  or  earlier,  by  John 
Kitchen.  The  property  is  now  owned  by  Michael 
Snyder.  The  position  of  Sugar  valley  is  such  that 
the  west  winds  have  a  fair  sweep  its  whole  length, 
and  occasionally  overturn  trees  and  do  other  damage. 
On  one  occasion,  Samuel  Kahl,  while  plowing  in  the 
field,  had  both  his  horses  killed  by  having  a  tree 
blown  upon  them,  Mr.  Kahl  himself  having  a  narrow- 
escape. 

Of  all  the  early  settlers  of  Sugar  valley,  Philip 
Schreckengast  was  probably  the  greatest  and  most 
successful  hunter.  It  is  said  that  during  his  life  he 
killed  four  hundred  deer,  ninety-three  wolves,  seventy- 
four  bears,  and  a  large  number  of  dogs.  It  may  seem 
strange  that  a  hunter  should  intentionally  kill  what 
are  generally  considered  his  best  friends,  but  Schreck- 
engast did  not  believe  in  chasing  and  worrying  game 
with  dogs.  He  preferred  what  is  called  "  still  hunt- 
ing," and  therefore  every  dog  found  chasing  deer  he 
considered  "game."  On  one  occasion,  having  shot 
a  bear,  he  was  reloading  his  gun  to  shoot  another, 
which  was  being  hard  pressed  by  dogs,  when  the  ani- 
mal, in  his  endeavors  to  escape  from  his  tormentors, 
made  a  blundering  plunge  directly  towards  the  hunter 
and  attempted  to  pass  between  his  knees,  whereupon 
the  man  "closed  in"  upon  him,  and  drawing  his 
knife  stabbed  him  to  the  heart.  At  another  time, 
while  hunting,  he  came  to  a  hollow  tree,  in  which 
he  thought  there  might  be  a  bear;  on  examining  the 
tree  he  discovered  a  hole  in  the  trunk,  into  which  he 
thrust  his  hand,  which  was  instantly  seized  by  the 
jaws  of  the  invisible  bruin.  As  the  animal  loosened 
his  grip,  probably  for  the  purpose  of  getting  a  better 
hold,  the  hand  was  quickly  withdrawn,  and  Schreck- 
engast went  a  short  distance  from  the  spot,  with  gun 
ready,  to  await  the  result.  Soon  the  bear  made  his 
appearance  at  an  opening  high  up  iu  the  tree,  and 
was  immediately  shot. 

Villages  and  their  Churches.— Tylersville  is 
located  about  four  miles  west  of  Booneville,  near  the 
mountain  pass  through  which  the  road  runs  to  Brush 


644 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTOX  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


valley.  Its  founder,  M.  D.  Rockey,  E^q.,  was  a  son 
of  Barnet  Eockey,  who  moved  with  his  family  into 
Logan  township  April  2,  1S26,  from  what  is  now 
Gregg  township,  Centre  Co.  M.  D.'  Hockey  was 
twenty-five  years  a  justice  of  the  township,  who  built 
the  first  residence  here  in  1842,  now  occupied  by  A. 
T.  Greninger.  About  tliis  time  a  Union  Church  was 
erected.  There  had  been  a  school-house  erected  on 
the  site  of  the  village  in  182S.  The  name  "  Tylers- 
ville"  was  conferred  by  Squire  Hockey  and  his 
brother  in  honor  of  John  Tyler,  at  that  time  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States.  M.  D.  Rockey  bought  an 
acre  of  land  of  Paul  Frantz,  upon  which  he  built  his 
dwelling.  The  latter  was  the  father  of  Judge  Isaac 
Frantz,  of  this  village,  and  came  from  Bucks  County 
in  1833.  He  died  in  1864,  and  his  wife  in  1857.  He 
owned  a  large  tract  of  land  upon  which  the  village 
now  stands.  The  first  store  here  was  kept  by  Barnet 
Raff,  who  was  followed  by  Jacob  Spangler,  Jonathan 
Shaffer,  and  William  Harter,  the  present  store-keeper, 
who  located  in  business  here  in  1870. 

The  post-oflice  was  established  in  1849,  with  Barnet 
Raff  as  postmaster,  whose  successors  were  the  store- 
keepers succeeding  him.  The  first  tavern  was  kept 
by  Samuel  E.  Spangler,  and  the  present  one  by  David 
Gingerich,  a  one-armed  soldier,  wounded  in  front  of 
Petersburg  in  the  Rebellion. 

E.  M.  Grimes,  who  keeps  a  tailoring  establishment 
and  confectionery-shop,  was  born  in  Berks  County, 
raised  in  Centre,  and  came  here  about  1852.  He  mar- 
ried Mary,  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  C.  Bierly. 
His  assistant,  Mr.  Mechtley,  is  the  son  of  the  late 
Isaac  Bierly,  who  married  Sophia,  daughter  of  John 
Bierly,  and  died  in  1859. 

J.  E.  Bierly  carries  on  the  largest  cigar  manufac- 
tory in  the  valley,  and  employs  quite  a  number  of 
hands,  men  and  boys. 

Dr.  J.  D.  Hubler,  the  resident  dentist,  married  a 
daughter  of  Michael  D.  Rockey,  Esq.  Judge  Isaac 
Frantz  was  elected  in  1881  for  a  term  of  five  years 
one  of  the  associate  judges  of  the  Common  Pleas 
Court. 

In  1811  the  only  saw-mill  in  the  valley  was  that  of 
Henry  Spangler,  adjoining  what  is  now  this  village. 
The  second  oldest  house  is  that  occupied  by  John  M. 
Bierly. 

Reformed  and  Lutheran  Church.— This  neat 
frame  edifice  was  erected  in  1841-42,  on  a  lot  given  by 
Paul  Frantz,  on  which  the  burying  lot  and  old  school- 
house  stood.  Its  pastors  (Reformed)  have  been  Revs. 
Yarrick,  Jacob  Vehring,  Daniel  Tobias,  J.  F.  Hoff- 
myer,  W.  H.  Engle,  and  W.  M.  Landers,  the  latter 
since  1872.  The  Reformed  Church  officials  in  1882 
are:  Sunday-school  Superintendent,  Judge  Isaac 
Frantz;  Deacons,  J.  S.  Bierly,  William  Wolf,  Lewis 
Garret ;  Elders,  John  Greninger,  Judge  Isaac  Frantz, 
William  Caris.  The  Lutheran  pastors  have  been  the 
same  who  officiated  at  Logansville,  Rev.  J.  K.  Miller 
being  the  jiresent  incumbent. 


In  the  cemetery  surrounding  the  church  are  buried 
the  following  old  settlers  : 

Burnet  Rockej-,  boin  Aiuil  20, 1773,  dind  Jan.  20, 1847. 

Josepli  Conilo,  born  Dec.  27,  1S02,  died  Sc'pt.  20,  18U7. 

Biirbar.-i,  wife  of  Juliu  Beiry  (B.  S),  boiuMuy  7,  1815,  died  July  17, 
1S81. 

Snsiinna  Wbile,  died  June  21, 1875,  aged  71. 

George  Henry,  stin  c.f  C'hrisloiilier  and  Susanna  Wliite,  born  Feb.  27, 
1843,  died  May  27,  1858;  Samuel  Houston,  son  of  same,  born  Sept.  3, 
183(1,  dieil  July  23,  1855;  Frances  II.,  daughter  of  same,  b..rn  Feb.  19, 
1841,  died  July  2,  ISGU. 

Snaanna,  wile  of  Clirislian  Sliafer,  died  Aug,  3, 1805,  a^d  2i. 

Christoplier  White,  died  Jan,  6,  18(17,  aged  73. 

Elzabeth,  wife  of  John  Fiet/.,  died  Jan.  10,  18C3,  aged  58. 

Catherine,  daughter  of  Christian  and  Kmeline  Apple,  died  May  15, 
1870,  aged  24. 

Anna,  wife  of  Francis  Gramly,  died  Sept,  3,  18C2,  aged  34. 

Anna  W.,  wife  of  John  GreiiinRer,  died  Jan.  20,  IStiO,  aged  C4 ;  her 
busband,  born  June  20,  1797,  died  Nov.  :io,  1878, 

Harvey  B,,  son  of  Jobu  aud  Mary  Ilecliumn,  died  Oct,  14,  1808,  aged 
18, 

James  Degarmo,  died  March  9, 1800,  aged  21. 

Aarou  Grieb,  lorn  Sept,  1 ,  1826,  died  Uec,  15,  1875. 

William  Barlges,  died  Maicli  6,  1877,  aged  72. 

Mary  A,,  wife  of  Michael  Sehreolieligast,  died  .Ian,  11, 1800,  aged  30, 

Jolin  Cnlvey  (Culby),  died  March  13,  1845,  aged  100;  liis  wile,  Anna, 
died  July  15,  1844,  aged  103. 

Jacob  Culby,  born  Feb.  2,  1799,  died  Aug.  24,  1807;  bis  wife,  Mary, 
died  May  25,  1808,  aged  07;  their  dan^bter,  Elizabeth,  died  April  29, 
1858,  aged  28;  their  son,  Jacob,  died  May  21,  1858,  aaed  21  :  their  son, 
Andrew  James,  died  June  20,  1804,  aged  18;  (heir  daughter,  Caroline, 
died  Jan,  23,  1800,  ased  30. 

John  Bierly,  died  Aug,  27, 1870,  aged  92;  his  wife,  Mary  C,  died  Sept, 
18,  1801,  aged  60, 

John  Jacob  Bierly,  died  July  5, 1SS2,  aged  50, 

Michael  Keltner,  born  Jan.  18,  1786,  died  Marclf20,  1840;  bis  wife,  Su- 
sanna, died  July  7,  1871,  aged  78. 

PanI  Frant?.,  born  April  5, 17^9,  died  March  12,1804;  his  wife  Nancy, 
born  March  10,  1798,  died  July  9,  1867, 

Peter  Frees,  born  May  1,  1803,  died  Jan.  1,  1858, 

Leonard  Scbreckengast,  died  June  13,  1877,  aged  33. 

Susanna,  wile  of  Jacob  Hess,  born  Dec.  30,  1705,  died  Apiil  0,  1847, 

Elizabeth,  wife  of  John  Caiis,  died  May  15,  1807, 

Henry  Weber,  died  July  4,  1850,  aged  59. 

Isaac  Mechtley,  diid  July  0,  1859,  aged  30. 

Elizabeth,  wife  of  Peter  Scbreckengast,  and  formerly  wife  of  J.  L, 
Paul,  died  Aug,  14,  1854,  aged  44. 

Elizabeth,  wife  of  Johannes  Greninger,  born  July  0,  1819,  died  Oct. 
10,1841. 

Jacob  M.'yer,  died  Oct.  14,  1800,  aged  60;  his  wife,  Elizabeth,  died 
Feb.  1,  1800,  aged  44. 

Philip  Scbreckengast,  born  Jan.  2,  1779,  died  March  3, 1801. 

Rebecca,  wife  of  William  Caris,  died  Jan.  li,  1800,  aged  29, 

P.  ter  Krenniger,  born  Marcji  20, 1780,  died  April  20, 184s. 

Chiistian  Giieb,  born  June  10,1709,  died  March  29,1807;  his  wife, 
Catharine,  died  July  30, 1S78,  aged  75. 

Jacob  Grieb,  died  Mareli  20,  1800,  aged  31 ;  his  wife,  Lovina  B ,  died 
Jan,  12,  1808,  aged  37, 

Susanna  Margaret,  wife  of  Eli  Ocker,  born  Aug.  12,  1818,  died  March 
31, 1859. 

William,  son  of  Michael  Leidy,  died  April  14, 1850,  aged  18. 

John  Michael  Spangler,  born  Nov,  4,  1702,  died  June  25,  1855, 

Johannes  Bailey,  born  Oct,  17,  1797,  died  Sejit.  8,  ld50. 

Aaron,  son  of  Michael  and  I.ydia  Ockei-,  died  March  18,  1850,  aged  20. 

Samuel,  son  of  Michael  and  Lydia  Ocker,  died  March  18,  1850,  aged 
20. 

Michael  Ocker,  died  July  3, 18C3,  aged  09 ;  his  wife,  Lydio,  died  March 
6,  1877,  aged  76. 

Mary  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Cbristijia  Ocker,  died  May 
22,  1879,  aged  17. 

Jacob  Spaligler,  died  Deo.  21,  1809,  ttged  55  ;  his  daughter,  Mary  J,, 
died  Nov,  4,  1880,  aged  37. 

Anna  M.,  wife  of  Samuel  E.  Spangler,  died  April  4,  1S66,  aged  29, 

Evangelical  Association  Church. — This  one-story 
frame  structure  was  raised  June  16,  1871,  the  corner- 


O-AA^     (J^ 


^JUy^U^ 


LOGAN   TOWNSHIP. 


C45 


stone  laid  July  16,  1871,  by  Rev.  E.  Stamback,  and 
the  edifice  dedicated  May  19,  1872.  Belbrc  tliis  the 
preacliini;  was  lieUl  in  tlie  school-lioiise.  Tlie  build- 
ing stands  on  a  lot  purchased  of  Philip  Wolf.  The 
pastois  have  been  :  1803,  M.  Tuloiip  ;  18G4-6G,  Philip 
Wagner  ;  1866-68,  Philip  Graham  ;  1868-70,  J.  Horn- 
bergcr;  1870,  John  Heller;  1871-73,  A.  Longsdorf; 
1873,  E.  Stanibach;  1874,  D.  P.  Rumberger;  1875- 
78,  Reuben  Young;  187S-S1,  D.  P.  Kline ;  1881-83, 
J.  G.  i\l.  Swcngle. 

The  church  ofliciala  in  1882  are:  Trustees,  Isaac 
Miller,  president;  Michael  D.  Rockcy,  secretary; 
William  Nicholas,  treasurer;  Samuel  Wolf,  F.  K. 
Miller,. class-leaders  ;  Samuel  Wolf,  Jonathan  Lutz. 

In  its  cemetery,  recently  laid  out,  the  only  adult 
person  buried  is  Susanna,  wife  of  Adam  Miller,  born 
Aug.  2,  1830,  died  Sept.  25,  1881. 

PooNEVlLLE  is  situated  on  the  main  or  "Summer- 
side"  road  leading  through  the  valley,  about  two  and 
a  half  miles  west  of  Logansville,  on  the  north  side  of 
Fishing  Creek. 

The  land  on  which  it  is  located  originally  belonged 
to  the  Wistar  tract,  and  was  purchased  in  1834  by 
Dr.  Samuel  Stroheeker,  of  Rebersburg,  Centre  Co. 

Subsequently  it  was  divided  and  sold  to  different 
individuals,  that  portion  on  which  tlie  village  stands 
passing  into  the  hands  of  John  and  Ralph  Boone,  by 
whom  lots  were  first  laid  out  and  sold  in  1866.  Hence 
the  name  "  Boonevillc." 

The  place  now  contains  about  thirty  dwellings,  some 
of  them  fine  structures,  among  whicli  are  those  of 
Reuben  Moyer,  Samuel  Kahl,  John  B.  Sclirack,  D.  L. 
Bartges,  J.  L.  Boone,  William  Stroheeker,  and  B.  F. 
Klepper.  The  only  store  is  kept  by  Henry  Wolf,  who 
is  the  postmaster. 

The  Grangers,  in  1875,  erected  a  fine  hall  opposite 
Wolf's  store,  the  first  floor  of  which  was  used  as  a 
Btore-room.  The  grange  is  not  now  in  operation. 
A  shoe-  and  blacksmith-shop  comprise  the  shops  of 
the  place.  Surrounded  as  the  village  is  by  rich  farm- 
ing lands  and  pure  air  and  water  and  a  healthful 
climate,  it  aflbrds  a  most  desirable  place  of  residence, 
where  many  of  the  neighboring  fanners  have  settled 
on  retiring  from  their  farms,  and  erected  fine  houses 
in  which  to  spend  their  days. 

The  Lutheran  Church  is  a  neat,  one-story  frame 
edifice  built  in  1854.  Its  pastors  are  the  same  who 
officiate  at  Logansville.  In  the  cemetery  attached 
the  following  are  buried  : 

Anna  Maria,  wifu  of  Samuel  Woir,  born  Ang.  15, 1811,  dieJ  Feb.  28, 
1S81. 

Davi.l  Slirack,  died  Nov.  13,  1870.  ngert  62. 

llnrvej-  Sclirack,  ditd  April  12,  ISSI,  agfd  22. 

Martha,  wife  of  P.  T.  Karstutter,  died  Dec.  8,  1875,  aged  19. 

l.ydia  E.,  wife  of  Daniel  Long,  died  Dec.  15,  1871,  aged  29. 

J.  M.  Courtir,  died  Jan.  20,  1873,  aged  31. 

Sophia,  wife  of  BenuwcU  Bonne,  died  Jan.  S,  1872,  ngcd  .'iS. 

Harriet,  wife  of  Daniel  Wolf,  died  .Ian.  23,  1871,  aged  34. 

Mary  A.,  wile  of  B.  F.  Klepper,  died  Dec.  28,  1877,  aged  30. 

Irii  r.  Bechtol,  died  April  2,  1881,  aged  28. 

John  Sliivley,  died  Dec.  U,  1803,  aged  C8. 


.John  SheatB,  born  July  12, 178.«,iliu,l  Ocl.  13, 1805  ;  liia  »ic,  Eilzabeth, 
died  Nov.  24,  ISfti,  aged  78. 

This  church  was  originally  built  by  the  United 
Brethren  congregation,  who  used  it  a  few  years  and 
then  sold  to  the  Lutherans. 

Evangelical  Association  Church  is  a  one-story 
frame  structure  built  in  1862.  Its  pa-stors  are  the 
.same  as  at  Logansville  Church. 

In  its  cemetery  are  buried  the  following: 

Harriet,  wife  of  Slieliael  Stover,  died  Sept.  14,  1873,  age  I  80. 
M.  J.  L.  Weave]-,  died  Jniie  20,  1870,  nge.l  42. 
Aniel  a  li.  II.,  wife  of  .John  Solver,  died  June  1,  1871,  ageil  27. 
David    Mark,  died  Jnno  28,  1874,  aged  77 ;  bis  wife,  Calheriiie,  born 
July  27,  1803,  died  April  8,  18C4. 

Catherine  A  ,  wife  of  William  II.  Beck,  died  Jan.  14.  187C,  aged  31. 

Greenville  is  prettily  located  on  the  south  side 
of  Sugar  valley,  nearly  opposite  Booneville,  and 
owes  its  name  to  the  fact  that  its  houses  are  built 
among  the  green  tree.s.  It  has  about  fifteen  dwellings, 
a  Reformed  Church,  and  a  school-house.  It  is  the 
residence  of  J.  B.  Rowe,  many  years  justice  of  the 
peace,  and  father  of  Rev.  A.  D.  Rowe,  formerly  super- 
intendent of  Clinton  County  schools,  and  later  a  mis- 
sionary to  India. 

The  Lutheran  and  Reformed  Church  is  a  one- 
story  frame  edifice,  erected  in  1867,  under  the  auspice.s 
of  Rev.  W.  H.  Engle,  who  was  succeeded  as  the  Re- 
formed pastor  in  1872  by  the  present  incumbent,  Rev. 
W.  M.  Landers.     In  its  cemetery  are  buried  : 

Malia,  wife  of  Jaci>b  Bonver,  died  Nov.  3,  1S80,  aged  Go ;  her  liui!- 
band,  born  Ang.  0,  1310,  died  N..v.  22,  1870. 

Leonard  Heggenslaller,  born  Dec.  14,  18ln;  died  Jan.  13,  1870. 
Williiini  Tyson,  l.orn  May  in,  18;:G;  died  Nov.  2,  1S7:J. 
Emma,  wife  of  Sauiu.  1  W.  SlialTer,  died  May  13,  ISSl,  aged  25. 

The  Evangelical  Association  Church  is  situated 

one  and  a  fourth  miles  west,  on  the  "  Winter-side 
road,"  and  was  built  in  1877.  It  is  supplied  by  the 
Logansville  pastors.  It  is  the  second  church,  the  first 
one  having  been  a  log  structure  and  the  second  meet- 
ing-house built  in  the  valley. 

The  Post-Office  was  established  here  in  May,  1882, 
with  J.  B.  Rowe  as  postmaster,  and  is  kept  in  the 
store  of  George  Warts,  who  is  assistant  postmaster. 
The  Kale  family  were  among  the  earliest  settlers  in 
this  region,  of  which  Zwingle  Kale  is  superintendent 
of  the  Reformed  Sunday-school. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH. 


JUDGE  ISAAC  FRAKTZ. 
Judge  Isaac  Frantz  was  born  in  Hill  Town,  Bucks 
Co.,  Pa.,  Dec.  21,  1823,  the  third  in  a  family  of  four- 
teen children  of  Paul  and  Nancy  (Kline)  Frantz. 
His  grandfather,  George  Frantz,  married  Mary  Art- 
mah.  Two  sons  and  six  daughters  were  the  fruit  of 
this  union,  Paul  Frantz,  his  father,  being  the  eldest 
of  the  family.     He  was  born  April  5, 1789.     His  wife. 


646 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Nancy  Kline,  was  born  in  Montgomery  County, 
Pa.,  March  10,  1708.  Their  children  born  in  Hill 
Town,  Bucks  Co.,  Pa.,  were  as  follows:  Catharine, 
wife  of  Henry  Beek,  living  at  Logan's  Mills,  Clin- 
ton Co.,  Pa. ;  George,  born  Aug.  13,  1820,  a  farnfier 
living  in  Dakota,  Stephenson  Co.,  111. ;  Isaac,  subject 
of  this  sketch  ;  Tobias,  born  Jan.  2-5,  1825,  farmer, 
living  in  Sugar  valley,  Clinton  Co.,  Pa.;  Samuel, 
(lied  at  the  age  of  two  years  in  Bucks  County ; 
Anna,  born  Nov.  29,  1827,  wife  of  Francis  Gramley  ; 
Magdalena,  born  Jan.  22,  1829,  wife  of  Eli  Ocker, 
farmer,  living  in  Clayton  County,  Iowa  (Mrs.  Ocker 
died  there  in  1881) ;  Paul,  born  Oct.  3, 1830,  drowned 
in  Fishing  Creek,  April,  1834;  Daniel,  born  Aug.  3, 
1832,  farmer,  living  in  Stephenson  County,  111.  The 
following  were  born  in  Sugar  valley,  Clinton  Co.,  Pa. : 
Mary,  born  Jan.  1,  1834,  wife  of  William  Greninger, 
a  farmer  in  Greene  township,  Clinton  Co. ;  Sabilla, 
born  March  19,  1836,  wife  of  Thomas  Bierly,  a  stone- 
mason living  in  Centre  County,  Pa. ;  Elizabeth,  born 
July  26,  1838,  wife  of  Jacob  Greninger,  a  cabinet- 
maker, also  of  Centre  County  ;  John  A.,  born  Feb.  16, 
1840,  a  farmer  in  Logan  township,  Clinton  Co.; 
Amanda  J.,  born  Aug.  6,  1842,  wife  of  William  Tem- 
pleton,  a  fjirmcr  living  in  Stephenson  County,  111. 

The  father,  Paul  Frantz,  moved  from  Bucks  County 
and  settled  in  the  east  end  of  Sugar  valley  in  the 
spring  of  1833.  His  farm  of  four  hundred  acres  em- 
braced the  site  of  the  present  village  of  Tylersville, 
and,  with  the  e.\ception  of  the  village  plat,  is  still 
owned  by  the  judge  and  his  brother  Tobias.  The 
father  died  at  Tylersville  in  18C4,  his  wife  at  the  same 
place  in  1854.  They  are  buried  in  the  Tylersville 
burying-ground.  The  judge  w.as  ten  years  old  when 
the  family  moved  to  Clinton  (then  Centre)  County. 

His  education  was  limited  to  attendance  at  the 
common  school.  With  the  exception  of  one  year  in 
Stephenson  County,  111.,  the  judge  has  passed  all  his 
life  since  coming  to  the  county  on  the  homestead 
farm  in  Logan  township.  At  the  age  of  twenty-two 
he  commenced  to  learn  the  carpenter's  trade,  and  has 
followed  this  occupation,  besides  carrying  on  the 
farm,  up  to  1881.  A  saw-mill,  built  by  his  father, 
and  a  grist-mill,  built  by  himself,  are  still  carried  on 
by  him. 

The  judge  has  been  a  member  of  the  Tylersville 
German  Eeformed  Church  since  twenty  years  of  age, 
and  an  elder  for  the  last  eighteen  years.  In  politics 
he  is  a  Democrat;  has  filled  the  otfice  of  justice  of 
the  peace  seven  years,  which  position  lie  resigned 
when,  in  1881,  he  was  elected  one  of  the  associate 
judges  of  Clinton  County. 

He  married,  Aug.  21,  1849,  Fanny,  daughter  of  Mi- 
chael and  Susanna  (Kern)  Kettner.  Jlrs.  Frantz  was 
born  in  Logan  township.  Centre  Co.  (now  Clinton), 
Jan.  18,  1829.  Her  grandparents  on  her  mother's 
side  emigrated  from  Holland.  Her  father  was  twice 
married  ;  by  his  first  wife,  Eve  Bierly,  he  had  five 
children,  viz. :  John,  Michael,  Sarah,  Margaret,  and 


Eve.  By  his  second  wife,  Susan  Kern,  he  had  seven 
children,  viz.:  Catharine,  Susanna,  Andrew,  Daniel, 
Fanny,  Elizabeth,  and  Christina. 

The  children  of  Judge  and  Mrs.  Frantz  are  as  fol- 
lows: Isabella  J.,  wife  of  Philip  T.  Schreckengast,  a 
farmer  living  in  Greene  township.  Four  children 
are  living  and  two  deceased,  viz. :  Kline  R.  (deceased), 
Victor  A.,  Eda  D.  (deceased),  Irvin  W.,  Maggie  F., 
and  Anna  P.  Myra  K.,  widow  of  Harvey  Schrack 
(children,— Cordy"  M.,  Mary  V.,  and  Eda  F.)  ;  Wil- 
liam E.,  married  Harriet  Schrack  (one  child,  May 
A.)  ;  Pruella  S.,  Israel  R.,  and  Mary  A. 


CHAPTER    CXXII. 

^'OYES   TOWNSIIIP.i 

The  following  sketch  of  Noyes  township  was 
written  by  John  S.  Bailey,  Esq. : 

Descriptive— Minerals  and  Industries.—"  This 
township  was  cut  oft'  from  Chapman  in  1875,  and 
named  in  honor  of  the  late  Hon.  A.  C.  Noyes,  the  most 
prominent  citizen  residing  within  its  limits.  It  is 
about  eight  by  ten  miles  in  extent,  and  is  bounded  on 
the  e.ast  by  Chapman  and  Grugan,  on  the  south  by 
Beech  Creek,  on  the  west  by  East  Keating,  and  on 
the  north  by  Leidy.  Its  surface  presents  the  same 
general  appearance  and  characteristics  as  that  of  the 
adjoining  township  of  Chapman,  being  rendered  ex- 
ceedingly uneven  by  hills  and  mountains.  It  is  tra- 
versed its  entire  length,  from  southwest  to  northeast, 
by  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna,  which  re- 
ceives the  waters  of  Kettle  Creek,  one  of  its  principal 
tributaries,  at  Westport,  which  place  is  about  equi- 
distant from  the  eastern  and  western  boundaries  of 
the  township.  The  other  streams  of  the  township 
flowing  into  the  West  Branch  are  Cook's,  Milligan's, 
Dry,  Shintown,  and  Drury's  Runs  from  the  north, 
and  Smith's,  Fish  Dam,  McSherry's,  and  Hall's  from 
the  south,  and  the  Two-mile  Run,  which  flows  into 
Kettle  Creek  from  the  east.  This  stream  empties  into 
the  latter  stream  two  miles  from  its  junction  with  the 
river,  hence  its  name.  It  has  three  principal  branches, 
the  Main,  Middle,  and  Huling's,  all  of  which  are 
heavily  timbered.  Short  Bend,  Duck,  and  Saw-Mill 
Runs  are  small  streams  flowing  into  the  creek  from 
the  west,  the  two  former  are  heavily  timbered. 

"Bituminous  coal  abounds  in  the  mountains  in 
quantities  of  more  or  less  extent.  Beds  or  seams 
have  recently  been  opened  on  the  A.  C.  Noyes',  Kar- 
thaus  Co.'s,  and  Munson  &  Merriman's  lands,  from 
three  to  four  feet  thick.  Blunson  &  Merriman  have 
tested  their  coal  lands,  which  lie  in  the  vicinity  of 
Westport,  and  found  a  seam  of  four  feet  in  thickness 
and  of  good  quality,  also  a  seam  of  three  feet. 

^  From  Maj'nard's  "  llistorical  View  of  Cllaton  Coauty." 


NOYES  TOWNSHIP. 


G47 


"The  principal  industry  of  the  people  is  lumber- 
ing. Farming  is  beginning  to  receive,  however,  con- 
siderable attention,  as  the  price  of  lumber  lias  been  so 
low  and  sales  so  unreliable  that  its  manufacture  is  a 
very  uncertain  business  to  depend  upon.  The  flats 
along  the  river  are  well  adapted  to  growing  all  kinds 
of  grain,  and  back  from  the  river  and  smaller  streams 
we  have  some  fine  plateaus  of  land,  none  better  in 
the  county,  thousands  of  acres  in  extent.  Col.  Noyes 
cleared  up  several  farms  on  one  of  these  plateaus, 
equal  to  some  of  the  best  land  on  the  river  flats.  He 
has  quite  a  corps  of  men  employed  in  this  commend- 
able business.  Farming  is  a  more  safe,  reliable,  and 
independent  business  than  lumbering;  more  peace  and 
happiness  flows  from  planting  and  sowing,  particu- 
larly to  men  of  small  means  and  families,  than  any 
other  pursuit.  Many  of  our  citizens  are  beginning  to 
see  this,  and  have  acted  accordingly  within  the  last 
two  or  three  years.  There  is,  however,  one  prominent 
difficulty  in  the  way  of  obtaining  some  of  these  tilla- 
ble lands.  The  parties  owning  them,  who  generally 
live  at  a  remote  distance,  will  not  allow  them  to  be 
improved,  will  not  sell,  or  even  lease  them,  and  this 
to  the  great  detriment  of  the  people  who  reside  in  the 
township.  They  should  be  willing  at  least  to  have 
these  lands  improved,  or  pay  a  good  round  tax  for 
holding  them. 

Pioneer  Settlers,  where  they  lived,  and  Mills 
Built. — "  The  first  settlement  in  the  territory  now  em- 
braced in  Noyes  township  was  made  about  the  time  of 
the  Revolution,  or  shortly  afterwards,  on  the  lower  or 
north  side  of  Kettle  Creek,  and  near  its  mouth,  by 
Richard  Gilmore.  The  pre-emption  warrant  is  dated 
July  21,  1785,  in  Pine  Creek  township,  Northumber- 
land Co.,  for  three  hundred  acres,  more  or  less.  R. 
Gilmore  deeded  the  same  to  William  McCombe,  Oct. 
12,  1793,  in  Pine  Creek  township,  Northumberland 
Co.,  for  the  consideration  of  fifty  pounds  in  gold,  and 
William  McCombe  deeded  the  same  to  William  An- 
drews, dated  May  3,  1794,  for  the  consideration  of  two 
hundred  and  sixty  pounds  in  gold  and  silver;  and 
William  Andrews  deeded  the  same  to  James  Caldwell, 
dated  Jan.  23,  1796,  in  consideration  of  one  yoke  of 
three  years'  old  oxen,  one  milch  cow,  and  ninety-five 
pounds  of  gold  and  silver,  Pine  Creek  township, 
Northumberland  Co.,  Pa.  James  Caldwell  was  a 
Revolutionary  soldier,  who  remained  in  active  ser- 
vice till  peace  was  proclaimed  throughout  the  land. 
He  moved  up  to  the  mouth  of  Kettle  Creek  about  the 
year  1807,  having  purchased  the  above  tract  of  land 
of  Mr.  Andrews.  The  land  is  now  owned  by  the  estate 
of  Hon.  A.  C.  Noyes,  C.  R.  Noyes,  and  others.  Mr. 
Caldwell  was  born  in  Lancaster  County,  near  the  slate 
quarry,  and  removed  from  thence  to  Warrior's  Run, 
near  Watsontown,  in  Northumberland  County,  and 
from  thence  to  Young  Womanstown.  After  remain- 
ing at  the  latter  place  two  years,  finally  removed  to 
Kettle  Creek,  now  Westport. 

"Mr.  Caldwell  had  ten  children, — four  sons  and  six 


daughters, — viz.:  William,  James,  John,  Andrew, 
Polly,  Jane,  Nancy,  Betsy,  Sarah,  and  Hetty.  He 
died  about  the  year  1819,  and  the  children  are  all 
dead  but  James,  who  will  be  ninety  years  old  in 
March. 

"  James  Caldwell  stated, — '  We  moved  up  the  Kettle 
Creek  in  1807,  on  the  land  which  had  been  abandoned 
by  Gilmore.  Mr.  Gilmore  had  cleared  some  eight  or 
ten  acres,  which  was  now  mostly  grown  up  and  over- 
run by  elder-bushes.  The  land  on  both  sides  of  the 
creek  stood  thick  with  pine  timber  of  a  thrifty  growth ; 
all  was  a  dense  wilderness,  not  one  settlement  up  on 
Kettle  Creek,  now  Leidy  township.  Isaac  Herring- 
ton  had  cleared  some  five  acres  on  the  south  side  of 
the  creek,  near  the  upper  end  of  the  flat  on  which 
Mrs.  A.  C.  Noyes  now  lives.  The  first  house  or  shanty 
we  built  was  of  round  logs,  and  was  designed  rather 
for  a  boarding-house  for  the  hands  than  a  dwelling- 
house.  It  stood  near  the  bank  of  the  creek,  on  the 
ground  now  occupied  by  the  house  of  W.  T.  Mc- 
Closkey.  We  boarded  tlie  hands  in  this  while  build- 
ing the  saw-mill  and  grist-mill,  which  stood  where 
the  shingle-mill  of  Noyes  &  McCloskey  now  stands. 

"'The  stones  in  the  grist-mill  were  taken  out  of 
the  Kettle  Creek  Narrows  on  the  river  below.  They 
are  now  in  possession  of  C.  R.  Noyes,  and  are  in 
active  service,  same  as  three-quarters  of  a  century 
ago.  People  came  with  their  grists  to  grind  from  a 
great  distance,  from  Sinnemalioning,  Driftwood,  etc. 

"  '  The  origin  of  the  name  of  Kettle  Creek  is  legen- 
dary. A  party  of  Indians  were  coming  out  of  the 
creek  in  a  birch-bark  canoe  near  the  square  rock,  op- 
posite where  the  shingle-mill  now  stands,  when  the 
canoe  upset  and  tipped  out  their  kettles  and  imple- 
ments.    Hence  the  name. 

"'After  we  had  built  the  mill,  we  built  a  good 
hewed-log  house  below,  near  the  bank  of  the  creek, 
located  near  where  the  end  of  the  railroad  bridge  now 
is,  and  also  where  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  Railroad 
runs  on  the  lower  side  of  the  creek.  The  size  of  the 
house  was  thirty  by  twenty-five  feet,  two  stories  high, 
a  good  porch  and  kitchen  attached.  Here  we  lived 
for  many  years,  and  devoted  ourselves  to  clearing  the 
land  and  lumbering.  We  growed  more  corn  and  po- 
tatoes than  we  could  use,  made  or  manufactured  all 
our  clothing  out  of  flax  and  wool  which  we  raised; 
both  boys  and  girls  were  brought  up  to  toil,  in  and 
out  of  doors;  the  spinning-wheel  was  the  musical 
companion  of  the  girls.  Mother  and  I  planted  the 
orchard  iu  1807,  many  of  the  trees  of  which  are  now 
standing.  We  kept  a  nursery  of  small  trees,  from 
which  we  supplied  many  of  our  neighbors  in  after- 
years.  Deer  and  fish  were  very  plenty,  and  I  pre- 
sume, John,  you  would  hardly  believe  me  if  I  would 
tell  you  that  in  our  fish-basket  at  the  foot  of  the  tail- 
race  under  the  mill,  in  the  fall  of  the  year,  we  caught 
barrels  and  canoe-loads  of  fish  and  eels.  At  one  timg 
my  brother  William  came  up  on  a  visit  with  his 
cauoe.     We  blew  the  horn   for  the  dogs, — we  kept 


64S 


IirSTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


eight  or  ten.  We  started  them  and  had  four  deer 
killed  in  a  sliort  time,  loaded  his  canoe  down  with 
venison,  fish,  and  eels,  and  he  returned  the  same  day. 
We  generally  had  venison  hanging  up  in  the  house 
all  the  time.  Deer  were  almost  as  numerous  as  the 
trees  of  the  forest. 

"  '  Shortly  after  we  came  to  the  creek  I  called  on 
Levi  Hicks  to  go  with  me  to  kill  some  deer.  As  he 
had  not  time  then,  he  directed  me  where  to  go.  I 
went  up  the  creek  to  the  island  where  Noyes  & 
Bros,  saw-mill  now  stands.  The  grass  on  the  island 
and  banks  of  the  creek  was  nearly  as  high  as  my 
head.  Before  I  got  to  the  island  I  saw  the  deer  in 
the  creek.  I  shot  and  wounded  a  buck, — I  was  not 
much  of  a  marksman  at  that  time.  I  continued  up 
the  creek  some  farther,  and  one  of  the  grandest 
sights  burst  upon  me  I  ever  saw.  I  think  I  saw 
from,  well,  I  should  say  from  five  hundred  to  one 
thousand  deer  feeding  on  this  island  and  on  the 
banks  of  the  creek.  I  brought  down  a  large  buck, 
which  satisfied  me  for  that  time. 

Pioneer  Schools,  Meetings,  etc.—" '  We  had  no 
smith-shop  at  this  time  nearer  than  the  Big  Island, 
or  Dunnstown,  where  we  got  our  smithing  done. 
Our  nearest  school-house  was  Drury's  Run,  five  miles 
bslow.  The  first  organized  school  was  up  the  river 
above  the  mouth  of  the  Sinnemahoning,  nearly  oppo- 
site where  James  Bloore  now  lives,  which  was  eight 
miles  distant.  An  English  scholar  by  the  name  of 
James  Hill  taught  sometimes  in  the  former  and 
sometimes  in  the  latter  house.  Our  family  went  to 
these  schools,  and  generally  took  their  provisions  and 
bed-clothing  with  them  and  remained  to  the  end 
of  the  term,  the  distance  making  it  nece.ssary  for 
them  to  do  this.  The  teachers  were  all  paid  by  sub- 
scription, and  usually  taught  three  months  at  a  time. 

"'We  had  no  meeting-house  or  preaching  any- 
where along  the  river  at  this  time ;  had  no  doctors 
nearer  than  Dunnstown.  When  any  of  the  family 
needed  one  we  sent  to  that  place.  I  never  had  one 
come  to  see  me  but  twice  in  my  life,  and  then  he  was 
of  no  use  to  me.  The  first  road  made  along  the  river 
from  below  through  to  the  Allegheny  River  was  by  a 
man  by  the  name  of  Elicot,  about  the  year  1805  or 
1806.  It  was  a  poor  excuse  for  a  road  ;  the  brush 
was  cut  out  through  the  bottoms,  but  in  the  narrows 
it  ran  along  the  edge  of  the  water,  and  was  impas- 
sable in  ice  and  high  water.  We  carried  our  freight 
principally  in  canoes.  I  have  pushed  in  one  day 
from  Dunnstown  to  Kettle  Creek. 

" '  William  Caldwell  and  Jack  Lawson  made  the  first 
two  square-timber  rafts  on  Sinnemahoning,  on  the 
Driftwood  branch,  and  ran  them  to  Baltimore.  In 
those  days  we  had  no  ropes,  but  used  hickory  halyards 
instead.  These  rafts  were  one  hundred  feet  long  by 
twenty  wide.  I  made  the  third  raft  of  timber  the 
next  spring  and  ran  it  to  Baltimore.  I  made  staves 
at  the  mouth  of  Fish  Dam  Run,  which  I  sold  for  ten 
dollars  per  thousand,  and  for  pine  boards  we  got  six 


dollars  per  thousand.  We  had  no  looms  in  those  days 
nearer  than  Mill  Hall  and  Rich's,  where  we  got  our 
weaving  done.  I  was  up  on  Sinnemahoning  one  time 
in  company  with  Robert  Barr.  One  Jerry  Gaines 
who  lived  there  had  misused  a  sister  of  Barr's ;  he  met 
Gaines;  an  altercation  took  place,  and  resulted  in 
Barr  shooting  Gaines  in  the  leg.  By  advice  of  Barr's 
friends  he  gave  himself  up,  was  taken  to  jail,  and 
when  the  day  of  trial  came  Barr  had  hosts  of  friends ; 
he  was'cleared  without  any  trouble  and  came  home 
rejoicing. 

"'  We  had  to  go  to  the  Big  Island,  or  Dunnstown, 
to  vote.  My  father  was  a  strong  Democrat.  I  have 
rode  horseback  to  Muncy  in  one  day,  seventy-seven 
miles;  would  take  our  horse-feed  and  lunch  along, 
and  eat  whenever  we  got  hungry.  At  an  early  day, 
when  we  lived  at  Warrior's  Run,  near  Watsontown,  a 
Revolutionary  soldier  by  the  name  of  Nathaniel  Coul- 
ter, a  drunken,  dissolute  character,  came  up  to  Kettle 
Creek  and  made  the  acquaintance  of  an  Indian  who 
had  a  very  fine  horse.  They  were  traveling  together 
one  day,  sociably,  when  Coulter  murdered  the  Indian 
for  his  horse,  which  he  came  riding  home,  and  told  of 
his  adventure.  A  man  by  the  name  of  McKinley,  who 
claimed  to  be  a  wood-ranger  and  an  oflScer  having 
authority,  arrested  Coulter  for  murder,  and  was  taking 
him  to  jail,  when  Coulter  escaped,  as  he  no  doubt  in- 
tended he  should,  for  McKinley  kept  his  horse  and 
watch,  and  Coulter  ran  away  and  was  never  again 
heard  of 

"  Both  James  Caldwell's  parents  are  buried  in  the 
family  burying-ground  at  Westport. 

"James  Caldwell  stated, — 'At  the  time  of  our  set- 
tlement at  the  mouth  of  Kettle  Creek  I  was  about 
twenty-one  years  old.  The  country  was  nearly  one 
dense  wilderness,  save  a  few  small  farms  ten  and  fif- 
teen miles  apart,  occupied  by  settlers.  In  1815,  I 
married  Sheriff  McKissen's  daughter,  Rachel,  by 
whom  two  children  were  born.  In  1820  she  died,  and 
eight  years  afterwards  I  married  my  present  wife, 
Sarah  Ann  Stout. 

Hunting  Panthers. — "'During  my  residence  on 
Kettle  Creek  I  often  passed  my  spare  time  in  hunting 
and  fishing.  On  one  occasion  I  set  a  large  wolf-trap 
for  "  varmints."  After  visiting  iton  three  or  four  occa- 
sions and  finding  the  bait  had  been  taken  away  each 
time,  I  concluded  to  make  a  tour  of  inspection  through 
the  forest  and,  if  possible,  discover  the  cause.  I  had 
not  proceeded  far  until  I  saw  a  panther.  As  I  was  not 
prepared  to  meet  so  formidable  a  foe,  I  turned  my  steps 
homeward  for  my  gun  and  dogs  and  the  assistance  of 
those  residing  in  the  neighborhood.  As  soon  as  I 
could  get  the  dogs  together  I  started  with  them  to  the 
place  where  I  had  first  discovered  the  animal,  leaving 
the  men  to  bring  the  gun.  The  dogs  took  his  track 
at  once,  and  soon  came  upon  him.  A  terrible  battle 
ensued  between  them,  in  which  the  dogs  were  nearly 
worsted.  I  then  advanced  to  their  relief,  armed  only 
with  a  large  knife,  but  when  I  arrived  within  a  lew 


NOYES  TOWNSHIP. 


C49 


feet  of  the  monster  it  ran  some  distance  away ;  this 
gave  much  courage  to  tlie  clogs,  they  pursued  it  hotly, 
when  to  free  itself  the  panther  took  refuge  up  a  tree. 
I  remained  near  by  until  I  was  joined  by  the  men.  I 
was  handed  a  rifle  and  fired,  wounding  him  in  the 
shoulder,  but  not  fatally,  when  soon  another  ball  was 
sped  into  his  body  with  fatal  effect.  After  this  sliot 
he  lapped  his  tail  around  a  limb  of  the  tree  and  re- 
mained in  this  position  until  life  was  extinct.  The 
monster  measured  eleven  feet  three  inches  from  the 
tip  of  the  nose  to  the  end  of  the  tail. 

"  '  On  another  occasion  I  killed  a  young  panther, 
which  I  skinned  and  dressed.  Tlie  hind  quarters  I 
carried  home  for  food,  and  never  tasted  better  meat.' 

Shintown  Settlement. — "The  first  settlement  at 
Shintown  was  made  by  a  Mr.  Long  about  the  year 
1790,  and  after  he  abandoned  it  a  man  by  the  name  of 
George  Hunter  succeeded  him.  Hunter  lived  here  in 
1806  or  1807  at  the  earliest ;  he  had  two  sons  and  two 
daughters ;  lived  in  an  old  log  house  with  the  chimney 
built  on  the  outside.  Mr.  Caldwell  told  me  when  they 
were  on  their  way  up  to  Kettle  Creek  some  of  the  fam- 
ily stopped  at  Hunter's  overnight.  The  night  being 
cold  they  piled  so  much  wood  on  the  fireplace  that 
they  set  the  chimney  on  fire,  which  came  near  prov- 
ing disastrous  to  the  house.  Hunter  subsequently 
moved  West.  He  was  succeeded  by  David  Drake  aud 
David  Summerson.  Drake  also  moved  West  in  course 
of  time.  The  property  at  this  time  was  owned  by 
John  Caldwell.  It  was  sold  by  him  to  David  Sum- 
merson, and  was  afterwards  sold  out  by  the  sheriff' 
and  again  purchased  by  John  Caldwell,  and  finally 
by  sold  him  to  Jacob  Kepler  about  1831,  who  moved 
on  it  from  Drury's  Run.  Samuel  Kepler,  Jacob's 
father,  was  of  German  origin,  and  was  a  miller  by  oc- 
cupation and  lived  near  Philadelphia,  and  moved  from 
thence  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  below  Dunns- 
town,  remained  two  years,  and  moved  from  thence  up 
the  river  near  the  mouth  of  Drury's  Run,  about  the 
year  1801.  He  had  three  children, — sons, — Jacob, 
Samuel,  and  one  who  was  burned  to  death  when  a 
child  by  accidentally  running  into  the  fire.  Samuel 
is  still  living,  residing  at  Shintown.  Samuel  Kepler, 
Sr.,  built  a  saw-  and  grist-mill  at  the  mouth  of 
Drury's  Run,  and  improved  the  land  along  the 
river  from  the  Renovo  freight  depot  to  the  upper 
end  of  the  borough  limits.  One  of  the  first  organ- 
ized schools  was  at  the  mouth  of  this  run,  and  was 
taught  by  an  English  gentleman  and  scholar  by  the 
name  of  James  Hill.  Subsequently  a  man  by  the 
name  of  Austen  taught  the  school.  He  is  spoken  of 
as  being  an  excellent  mathematician,  understood  sur- 
veying and  navigation  ;  his  penmanship  was  very  fine. 

"Jacob  Kepler  raised  a  family  of  twelve  children, 
six  sons  and  six  daughters.  His  children  and  grand- 
children who  now  reside  in  Noyes  township  number 
some  sixty  or  seventy.  Jacob  lived  to  a  ripe  old  age ; 
he  died  about  three  years  ago,  and  was  buried  at 
Shintown. 


Pioneer  Land  Warrants. — "  The  warrant  for  the 
land  is  in  the  name  of  Shene,  and  d.ated  1785.  The 
land  on  the  south  side  of  the  river  now  owned  by 
E.  Hall  and  others  was  improved  by  Joseph  Corns 
and  John  Perry  about  the  years  180G  or  1807.  Corns 
had  built  a  house  and  made  a  small  improvement 
on  the  ffat  below,  now  owned  by  William  Stout 
He  abandoned  this  and  moved  up  to  the  lower  end 
of  the  flat  above,  built  a  house,  and  cleared  some 
ten  or  fifteen  acres  of  land.  The  house  stood  near 
where  the  house  of  David  Stout  now  stands.  John 
Perry  improved  on  the  upper  end  of  the  flat.  A 
man  by  the  name  of  Jesse  Hall  manufactured  a 
lot  of  staves  and  cut  a  lot  of  walnut  logs,  which 
Corns  refused  to  let  him  haul  in  and  raft.  It  seemed 
the  land  belonged  to  a  party  in  Philadelphia,  which 
fact  Mr.  Corns  was  apprised  of  by  Samuel  Kepler, 
who  lived  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  and  was 
urged  by  him  to  go  to  the  city  and  buy  the  land. 
Plall  being  offended  at  him  for  refusing  to  let  him 
haul  and  raft  his  lumber,  got  tlie  start  of  Mr.  Corns 
by  purchasing  the  land  from  the  owner  in  Philadel- 
phia. Corns  had  to  leave  the  property,  and  removed 
back  to  his  house  below,  where  he  lived  many  years, 
and  eventually  sold  his  purchase  to  John  Bridgens, 
who  also  lived  here  many  years,  and  afterwards  sold 
the  property  to  William  Stout,  who  lives  ou  it  at  the 
present  time.  John  Perry  did  not  persist  in  his  part 
of  the  claim,  but  after  the  purchase  by  Hall  aban- 
doned the  property.  Mr.  Jesse  Hall  is  still  living  in 
the  West,  over  a  hundred  years  old. 

"  The  land  on  the  south  side  of  the  river  at  the  mouth 
of  McSherry'sRun  was  settled  and  improved  by  Barney 
McSherry  about  1810  to  1815.  Mr.  McSherry  came 
from  Maryland,  and  married  a  sist<;r  of  James  Cald- 
well, Jr.  Mr.  Caldwell  informed  the  writer  that  he 
assisted  McSherry  to  buy  the  land,  for  which  fifty  dol- 
lars was  paid.  He  also  assisted  him  to  clear  the  land, 
taking  his  oxen  over  the  river  to  help  him  haul  the 
logs  otf.  The  land  is  now  owned  by  Samuel  Werts, 
and  part  of  it  by  George  Armstrong,  who  is  married 
to  a  daughter  of  Mr.  McSherry. 

"  A.  C.  Caldwell,  some  five  years  ago,  related  the 
following  incident  to  the  writer :  '  All  the  fiimily  were 
absent  from  home  but  myself  and  mother,  when  the 
Indians  very  suddenly  and  stealthily  presented  them- 
selves at  the  door  and  demanded  something  to  eat. 
Mother  was  much  frightened,  and  after  hiding  me  in 
the  closet  admitted  them  and  got  them  something  to 
eat;  she  then  slipped  me  out  of  the  closet,  and 
ordered  me  to  ride  to  John  Baird's  with  all  speed. 
The  grass  did  not  grow  under  the  horse's  feet.  I  soon 
gave  the  alarm,  and  returned  and  found  mother  safe 
and  alone,  the  Indians  having  gone.  They  proved  to 
be  friendly,  and  of  the  Seneca  tribe.' 

Cook's  Run  Settlement. — "  Cook's  Run  was  settled 
at  an  early  day  by  a  man  by  the  name  of  James  Me- 
Ginley,  perhaps  about  the  time  of  the  Revolution  or 
shortly  after.     It  was  known  for  many  years  as  JIc- 


650 


HISTORY  .  OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Ginley's  Bottom.  This  was  then  Pine  Creek  town- 
ship, Northumberland  Co.  This  land  was  clairped 
by  pre-emption  right,  and  the  warrant  dated  Aug.  2, 
1785,  and  patent  issued  in  the  name  of  William  Cook, 
under  Governor  Mifflin,  dated  May  26,  1795.  The 
land  was  purchased  by  William  Cook  of  the  McGinley 
heirs. 

"  William  Cook  subsequently  sold  this  property  to 
one  Samuel  Hains,  of  Loyalsock  township,  Northum- 
berland Co.,  and  in  time  he  sold  to  John  Carskaddon, 
May  6, 1795,  and  Carskaddon  sold  to  John  Baird,  May 
7,  1810,  both  of  Lycoming  County,  Pa.  John  Baird 
came  from  New  Jersey,  and  found  this  almost  a  wil- 
derness, only  a,  few  acres  cleared,  with  a  small  log 
hut  on  it.  He  was  a  remarkable  man,  a  man  of 
energy,  of  strong  physique,  distinguished  for  his  en- 
durance, perseverance,  and  firmness.  Intellectually 
he  was  a  strong  man,  of  iron  will,  full  of  courage. 
By  his  industry  he  made  this  wilderness  blossom  like 
the  rose.  He  lived  here  for  a  period  of  over  forty 
years,  and  raised  a  family  of  six  children,  all  daugh- 
ters. Shortly  after  Mr.  Baird  moved  here  he  built  a 
saw-mill,  and  subsequently  a  hewed-log  house,  which 
was  located  on  the  upper  side  of  the  run,  in  front  of 
where  Abner  McCloskey's  house  now  stands.  After- 
wards he  built  a  frame  addition  to  this,  having  the 
big  stone  chimney  in  the  middle  of  the  house.  Here 
was  meted  out  hospitality  to  all  friends  and  neighbors 
without  cost  or  price.  All  were  welcome  under  his 
roof,  and  none  sent  away  hungry. 

"  All  the  early  settlers  were,  as  a  general  rule,  noted 
for  their  hospitality.  As  there  were  no  hotels  at  that 
day,  they  fed  and  lodged  each  other  free  of  charge, 
and  with  no  begrudging  hand.  Mr.  Baird  was  also  a 
fisherman.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Tom  Burns  had 
a  fish-dam  and  basket  in  the  river  above,  which  Mr. 
Baird  purchased  the  property  right  of  by  giving  him 
a  dog  and  gun.  Some  nights  he  would  catch  such 
quantities  of  eels  and  fish  in  this  basket  that  when 
he  loaded  up  his  canoe  it  would  be  running  over  with 
them,  more  than  it  would  carry. 

"  During  the  first  years  of  Mr.  Baird's  life  at  Cook's 
Run  he  had  a  hard  struggle  to  pay  for  the  property, 
maintain  his  family,  and  make  the  necessary  im- 
provements. He  had  on  one  occasion,  in  one  week's 
time,  cut  and  hauled  one  hundred  saw-logs  to  the 
mill,  and  was  sawing  them  into  broad  fencing-rails, 
when  he  became  gloomy,  the  '  blues'  took  possession 
of  him,  he  sat  down  on  a  log  in  the  mill  and  pondered 
over  his  debts,  looked  on  the  dark  side  of  things,  and 
became  almost  discouraged.  When  in  this  reflective 
mood,  what  should  step  into  the  mill  and  hop  upon 
the  carriage  of  the  mill  but  his  big  rooster,  flopping 
his  wings  and  crowing  several  times,  and  stepped  near 
Baird;  he  interpreted  this  as  a  good  omen  and  went 
to  work.  He  went  down  to  Kettle  Creek,  saw  Mc- 
Kissen,  the  millwright,  whom  he  owed  for  labor,  and 
made  an  arrangement  with  him  and  his  other  credi- 
tors to  take  feucing-rails  for  what  he  owed  them. 


"Mr.  Baird  had  the  first  post-ofiice  established  at 
Cook's  Run,  and  he  also  got  the  mail-route  through 
from  Dunnstown  to  Coudersport.  He  was  appointed 
postmaster  at  Cook's  Run,  and  also  had  the  mail- 
route.  This  was  the  only  post-office  for  many  years 
in  what  is  now  Noyes  township.  The  office  and  the 
route  were  established  in  1830.  The  Cook's  Run 
post-office  was  abolished  by  the  department  in  1863. 
Mr.  John  Baird  closed  his  earthly  career  in  the  year 
1851.  His  property  at  Cook's  Run  was  divided  be- 
tween two  of  his  daughters, — Nancy,  who  is  married 
to  Abner  McCloskey,  and  Emily,  married  to  John 
McCloskey.  Each  of  these  have  raised  large  fami- 
lies. A.  O.  Caldwell,  late  of  Westport,  was  married 
to  Mary,  and  Mr.  Thomas  Loveland,  now  of  Lock 
Haven,  was  married  to  Sarah. 

"  A  man  by  the  name  of  Conaway  made  the  first 
improvement  on  the  flat  below  Cook's  Run  on  what 
is  known  as  the  Millegan  place,  and  subsequently 
John  Barr  came  in  possession  of  the  property,  and 
planted  an  orchard  and  made  most  of  the  improve- 
ments. This  was  in  an  early  day,  and  contempora- 
neous with  the  settlements  at  Kettle  Creek  and  Cook's 
Run.  Mr.  Barr  had  three  sons, — William,  Robert, 
and  James.  This  property  was  eventually  purchased 
by  Hugh  Millegan,  with  the  assistance  of  the  Cald- 
wells  at  Kettle  Creek.  Hugh  Millegan  had  four  chil- 
dren,— two  sons  and  two  daughters, — James,  Hugh, 
Margaret,  and  Jane.  Margaret  was  married  to  Jacob 
Smith,  and  Jane  to  Michael  Stout.  All  the  children 
are  dead.  The  property  is  now  owned  by  James 
Smith. 

"The  first  school-house  in  this  (now  Noyes)  town- 
ship was  built  about  the  year  1825,  on  the  lower  end 
of  the  Millegan  place. 

"  The  property  of  Mr.  Caldwell  at  Kettle  Creek  on 
his  decease  fell  into  the  possession  of  two  of  his  sons, 
John  and  Andrew.  John  owned  the  portion  on  the 
south  or  upper  side  of  the  creek,  and  Andrew  that  on 
the  opposite  side.  In  1848,  John  sold  out  to  Norman 
Butler,  of  Montgomery  County,  and  moved  West, 
and  in  1854,  Mr.  Butler  sold  to  Col.  A.  C.  Noyes,  of 
New  Hampshire,  who  came  to  the  State  in  1847,  re- 
sided at  Emporium,  now  Cameron  County,  two  years, 
came  to  Westport  in  1849,  following  the  lumber  and 
mercantile  business.  He  rented  a  room  from  Mr. 
Butler,  and  started  a  store.  C.  R.  Noyes  came  to 
Westport  and  joined  his  brother  in  1850. 

Post-Offices  and  Stores. — "The  first  post-office 
was  established  at  Kettle  Creek  about  1847  or  1848. 
A.  O.  Caldwell  was  appointed  postmaster.  The  name 
of  the  office  was  '  Kettle  Creek.'  This  office  was  event- 
ually discontinued,  leaving  the  place  without  any  for 
over  a  year  or  more,  the  nearest  office  being  Cook's 
Run,  over  three  miles  distant. 

"Mr.  Butler  had  the  Westport  office  established 
Oct.  22,  1850.  The  name  was  suggested  by  him,  as 
there  could  not  be  two  offices  of  the  same  name  in 
the  State,  and  '  Kettle  Creek'  was  the  name  of  the 


NOYES   TOWNSHIP. 


651 


office  at  the  head  of  the  creek.  The  name  was  con- 
firmed by  the  department,  and  Mr.  Butler  was  ap- 
pointed postmaster.  Hence  tlie  origin  of  the  name 
of  the  village  of  Westport.  The  first  mail-route  es- 
tablished, from  We-stport  up  Kettle  Creek,  to  connect 
with  the  Jersey  Shore  and  Coudersport  pike,  was  in 
1851,  by  the  influence  of  A.  O.  Caldwell,  who  had  the 
contract  for  carrying  it.  When  Mr.  Butler  sold  out 
to  Col.  Noyes,  C.  R.  Noycs  received  the  appointment 
of  postmaster,  April  1,  J855,  which  appointment  he 
has  held  for  over  twenty  years,  and  still  holds  it. 

"A.  0.  Caldwell  rented  his  property  to  John  Wert.s, 
of  Lewisburg,  Union  Co.,  in  1836,  for  a  period  of  five 
years.  Mr.  Caldwell  then  lived  in  the  old  hewed-log 
house  built  by  his  father.  John  Werts  moved  into 
this  with  his  family,  worked  the  form,  lumbered,  and 
sold  goods,  which  was  the  first  regular  store  kept  in 
the  place.  John  Caldwell  also  about  this  time  kept 
a  kind  of  store,  and  in  1838  to  1840,  Keber  &  Musser, 
of  Lewisburg,  kept  a  store. 

Pioneer  Taverns. — "After  Mr.  Caldwell  had  rented 
to  Mr.  Werts,  he  built  on  the  lower  end  of  his  place  a 
hotel,  or  rather  a  dwelling-house  in  the  first  place,  but 
subsequently  turned  it  into  a  hotel.  This  was  in  the 
years  1836  and  1837.  Mr.  Caldwell  rented  this  hotel  to 
Edward  Shults,  who  did  business  here  when  Governor 
Eitner  was  digging  the  old  canal  ditch.  John  Green, 
now  of  Lock  Haven,  kept  it  at  one  time;  and  Abner 
McCloskey,  Esq.,  from  the  year  1841  to  1844,  when 
finally  Stephen  Werts  purchased  the  property  from  Mr. 
Caldwell,  and  kept  one  of  the  best  hotels  on  the  river 
from  Lock  Haven  to  Emporium  for  a  period  of  twenty 
years.  Mr.  Werts'  wife  was  known  as  a  good  cook 
and  a  model  landlady  by  all  river-men  and  travelers. 
Nelson  George,  of  Lock  Haven,  had  his  stage-oflice 
here  for  several  years ;  and  when  the  railroad  was 
built  to  Westport,  in  the  foil  of  1862,  the  revolution 
which  followed  in  travel  rendered  it  necessary  to 
abandon  this  point  as  a  hotel-stand,  which  Mr.  Werts 
did  in  the  fall  of  1864.  The  old  hotel  was  laid  in 
ashes  in  February,  1870.  In  1857  and  1858,  John  L. 
Proctor  built  a  hotel  in  Westport  on  the  bank  of 
Kettle  Creek,  which  he  kept  for  two  or  three  years. 
He  rented  the  house  to  John  J.  Walton,  Esq.,  who 
kept  it  for  two  or  three  years.  When  Stephen  Werts 
left  the  old  hotel  at  the  foot  of  the  flat,  he  rented  this 
hotel  of  Mr.  Proctor,  and  kept  it  over  two  years.  In 
1866,  J.  W.  Eobbins  bought  the  property  of  Mr. 
Proctor,  and  moved  into  it  in  February,  1867,  and 
kept  it  till  the  time  it  was  fired  and  burned  by  an  in- 
cendiary, the  latter  part  of  September,  1873.  This 
was  a  great  calamity  to  Mr.  Robbins,  as  he  was  just 
completing  a  large  addition  to  his  hotel.  W.  C. 
Werts'  store  was  burned  at  the  same  time  ;  the  build- 
ing, however,  belonged  to  Mr.  Robbins.  He  has  since 
built  a  large  hotel  a  few  feet  back  from  where  the 
former  one  stood,  which  is  the  largest  in  the  place, 
and  one  of  the  largest  on  the  West  Branch.  It  is 
well  kept,  and  is  called  the  '  Westport  House.' 


"In  1866,  Mr.  Stephen  Werbs  built  a  commodious 
house  opposite  the  railroad  depot,  to  be  used  as  a 
hotel,  store-room,  and  dwelling-house.  Mr.  Werts' 
wife  died  in  this  house  in  September,  18C7.  In  1870, 
Mr.  Werts  rented  the  property  to  H.  Whitcomb  as  a 
hotel  and  moved  to  Charlestown,  W.  Va.  In  the  fall 
of  1870  he  sold  the  property  to  John  S.  Bailey.  Mr. 
Bailey  kept  store  in  it  for  over  three  years,  and  in 
July,  1875,  sold  the  property  to  J.  H.  Ryan  and  O. 
M.  Montgomery,  known  as  the  firm  of  O.  M.  Mont- 
gomery &  Co.,  who  are  now  doing  a  large  mercantile 
business.  These  parties  rented  the  hotel  part  of  the 
house  to  Mr.  Samuel  Kimbal,  who  has  it  well  fur- 
nished and  keeps  a  good  house.  It  is  called  the 
'  United  States  Hotel.' 

"  G.  W.  Drak:e  kept  the  '  Alpine  House'  for  about 
fifteen  years,  but  at  the  present  time  does  not  keep 
hotel. 

"  In  1865,  L.  G.  Huling  &  Son  built  a  store-house, 
and  were  engaged  in  the  lumbering  and  mercantile 
business  until  the  spring  of  1869,  when  they  sold  to 
Kepler  &  Brooks.  These  parties  carried  on  the  mer- 
cantile business  for  two  or  three  years ;  then  J.  D- 
L.  Smith  conducted  it  a  year  or  more,  and  at  present 
John  B.  Saltsman  is  doing  a  very  good  and  safe  busi- 
ness. 

"  Mr.  A.  O.  Caldwell,  in  1860,  had  a  portion  of  his 
farm  laid  out  in  lots, — that  part  adjoining  the  creek 
and  west  of  the  railroad.  The  Philadelphia  and  Erie 
Railroad  Company  commenced  negotiating  about  that 
time  for  the  purchase  of  the  property,  for  the  build- 
ing of  their  machine-shops.  The  company  and  Mr. 
Caldwell  failed  to  come  to  terms,  and  no  sale  was 
eflected.  It  is  alleged  that  they  offered  Mr.  Caldwell 
a  good  round  price.  They  subsequently  purchased 
William  Baird's  property,  where  Renovo  now  stands. 
In  1863,  Mr.  Caldwell  sold  his  Westport  property,  at 
a  less  figure  than  the  company  had  offered  him,  to  C. 
R.  Noyes,  who  owns  the  most  of  it  at  the  present 
time.  The  population  of  the  village  at  the  present 
time  is  two  hundred  and  twenty-six.  It  contains  one 
church,  Methodist,  which  was  built  in  1866.  The 
first  preacher  who  preached  in  the  new  church  was 
J.  L.  Chandler.  The  first  school-house  was  built  in 
1853 ;  the  first  teacher  was  a  Mr.  Shoemaker.  The 
first  shoe-shop  was  started  by  A.  McDonald,  about 
1860,  and  one  of  the  first  blacksmiths  was  old  Harry 
Bowman.  Norman  Butler  had  a  smith-shop  in  his 
time,  and  Charles  Crepps  did  the  smithing,  and  old 
Tom  Getter  the  tinkering.  Samuel  Kneply  at  the 
present  time  has  a  first-class  shop,  and  is  considered 
one  of  the  best  workmen  in  the  county.  A.  B.  Cald- 
well has  a  smith-shop  and  does  quite  a  business.  Mr. 
Caldwell  is  a  good  workman  in  wood,  and  has  a  car- 
penter and  wagon-maker  shop  connected  with  his 
business. 

"  In  1868,  Noyes  &  McCloskey  built  a  shingle-mill 
on  the  site  of  the  old  saw-  and  grist-mill  of  James 
Caldwell.     W.  T.  McCloskey  has  charge  of  this  mill, 


652 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


and  manufactures  about  five  hundred  thousand  shin- 
gles annually. 

Westport. — "  This  village  is  situated  on  the  West 
Branch  of  the  Susquehanna,  which  river,  bursting 
forth  from  the  mountain  gorges  from  the  southward, 
thence  following  in  a  due  north  course  for  a  distance 
of  two  miles,  wheels  around  at  almost  a  right  angle 
to  the  east  and  loses  itself  again  among  the  moun- 
tains. The  location  of  Westport  is  in  a  valley  from 
a  half  to  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  breadth.  The  moun- 
tains on  the  east  tower  to  an  altitude  of  almost  one 
thousand  feet,  presenting  an  almost  impassable  bar- 
rier to  its  approach.  The  mountains  on  the  west  are 
of  a  gentle  slope  and  moderate  height.  Kettle  Creek, 
the  famous  trout  and  lumber  stream,  flows  into  the 
river  at  this  point,  dividing  the  village  into  two  equal 
parts. 

"Westport  is  easy  of  access.  The  Philadelphia 
and  Erie  Railroad  traverses  the  village  at  right  angles 
with  Kettle  Creek.  The  company  has  a  good  depot, 
one  of  the  best  on  the  road.  The  distance  to  Phila- 
delphia is  2G4  miles;  to  Harrisburg,  152;  to  Wil- 
liamsport,  58 ;  to  Lock  Haven,  33  ;  to  Erie,  198 ;  to 
Emporium,  40;  to  Renovo,  6 ;  and  New  York,  354. 
The  creek  is  spanned  by  two  fine  bridges, — one  rail- 
road and  the  other  a  county  bridge. 

"The  election  to  divide  the  township  of  Chapman 
was  held  Jan.  19,  1875,  and  the  result  of  the  vote  at 
Westport  was  unanimous  for  a  division  ;  also  a  vote 
taken  for  the  name  Noyes. 

"  At  the  first  election  held  the  following  officers 
were  elected : 

"John  S.  Bailey,  justice  of  the  peace  (W.  C.  Kep- 
ler is  also  justice  of  the  peace,  who  holds  over  from 
Chapman  township);  John  Romey,  constable;  J.  W. 
Robbins,  judge  of  election  ;  E.  Hoyer  and  Samuel 
AVerts,  inspectors;  George  W.  McDowell,  Seymour 
Goodnoe,  Daniel  Smith,  A.  P.  Stewart,  W.  C.  Werts, 
and  M.  McCloskey,  school  directors;  A.  Kepler,  W. 
C.  Kepler,  and  J.  F.  Stewart,  auditors ;  James  Smith 
and  E.  Hoyer,  supervisors ;  James  Grace,  township 
clerk  ;  E.  Hall  and  H.  Denison,  overseers  of  the  poor. 
The  present  school  board,  G.  W.  McDowell,  presi- 
dent; Daniel  Smith,  treasurer;  and  W.  C.  Werts, 
secretary. 

"There  are  three  school-houses  in  the  township, — 
Cook's  Run,  Westport,  and  Shintown. 

"The  first  regular  smith-shop  which  was  built  to 
do  custorn-work  was  about  1820,  by  John  Baird,  of 
Cook's  Run,  and  the  Caldwells,  of  Kettle  Creek,  lo- 
cated near  the  river  below  Cook's  Run,  and  near  the 
old  Milligan  place.  Samuel  Conaway  was  about  the 
first  to  work  in  the  shop;  Jacob  Smith  also  did  work 
in  it.  It  was  afterwards  used  by  James  Barr  for  a 
dwelling-house,  and  lastly  for  a  school-house,  which 
was  really  the  first  in  the  township,  and  was  over  two 
miles  above  the  mouth  of  Kettle  Creek,  being  at  that 
time  near  the  centre  of  the  settlement.  The  first 
school-house  at   Cook's  Run  was  built  by  Newton 


Wells,  about  1854,  and  the  first  teacheraMiss  Rynder. 
The  present  school-house  at  the  same  place  was  built 
by  W.  T.  McCloskey,  1873.  In  1867  the  first  school- 
house  was  built  at  Shintown,  and  the  first  teacher. 
Miss  S.  E.  McCloskey,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Rev. 
Sturges,  of  Renovo,  a  Presbyterian  in  creed.  The 
first  church  was  built  at  Shintown,  in  1866  or  1867. 
It  is  now  under  the  control  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal denomination. 

"  The  first  bridge  that  spanned  the  creek  at  West- 
port  was  erected  by  the  county  in  1852,  and  the  first 
railroad  bridge,  within  a  few  feet  of  the  former,  was 
built  in  1809.  The  two  bridges  were  swept  away, 
simultaneously  almost,  March  17,  1865,  by  the  great 
flood,  which  did  immense  damage  to  the  people  of 
this  township  in  taking  timber  adrift.  Parties  lost 
whole  rafts,  all  their  winter's  labor  swept  away  in  a, 
few  moments  by  the  besom  of  destruction.  From 
this  calamity  they  were  never  able  to  recover.  The 
people  were  grateful,  however,  to  get  off  with  them- 
selves. 

"  The  above  bridges  were  replaced  in  a  short  time 
with  new  ones." 


CHAPTER  CXXIIL 

PINE   CREEK    TOWNSIIIP.i 

Pine  Creek  is  one  of  the  twelve  townships  into 
which  the  county  was  first  divided,  and  is  so  called 
from  the  creek  of  that  name  which  flows  along  its 
eastern  border.  It  is  bounded  on  the  south  by  the 
West  Branch,  on  the  west  by  Dunstable,  on  the  north 
by  Gallauher  and  Lycoming  County,  and  on  the  east 
by  Lycoming.  Its  surface  is  uneven,  except  the  por- 
tions lying  along  the  river  and  Pine  Creek,  which 
spread  out  into  quite  extensive  flats.  Lying  as  it  does 
in  the  angle  formed  by  the  junction  of  those  streams, 
the  township  is  essentially  well  supplied  with  water. 
At  one  time  the  region  through  which  Pine  Creek 
flows  was  bountifully  supplied  with  the  choicest  pine 
timber,  hence  the  name,  which  was  given  by  the  first 
settlers.  The  Indian  name  for  the  stream  was  "  Tia- 
daghton."  It  is  the  largest  tributary  of  the  West 
Branch. 

The  following  sketch  of  the  township  is  from  the 
pen  of  John  Hamilton,  Esq.  : 

Description,  Warrants,  Bridges,  Roads,  etc.— - 
"Most  of  the  thickly  settled  and  best  cultivated 
townships  of  this  county  were  not  settled  until  after 
their  territory  was  purchased  from  the  Indians  in 
1768.  It  was  not  so  with  Pine  Creek.  Its  beautiful 
and  rich  bottom  lands  were  tempting,  and  few  of 
them  were  not  entered  upon  by  settlers  and  claims 
marked  out  in  violation  of  law  and  treaties  with  the 

1  From  D.  S.  Maynaid's  "  Ilietorical  View  of  Clinton  County." 


PINE   CREEK   TOWNSHIP. 


C53 


Indians.  Generally  some  trifling  contract  was  made 
with  the  Indians.  The  '  fair  play'  system  was  one 
of  rigid  natural  justice,  tliough  the  settlers  who  en- 
forced it  were  in  a  sense  outhiws. 

"Our  township  has  an  e.xtent  of  five  miles  on  the 
river,  north  side,  from  Pine  Creek  to  Chatham's  Run. 
This  whole  extent,  as  far  as  I  am  able  to  ascertain,  was 
settled  upon,  under  claims  of  three  and  four  hundred 
acres,  before  it  was  purchased  from  the  Indians,  pre- 
vious to  the  Revolution  and  the  Big  Runaway  in  177S. 
It  was  purchased  at  the  treaty  of  peace  Oct.  23,  1784, 
and  most  of  the  warrants  were  laid  in  1785,  under  the 
claim  of  the  first  settlers,  the  Stale  honoring  and  se- 
curing their  claims,  on  account  of  the  noble  stand 
made  by  them  in  defense  of  the  country  against  Great 
Britain  and  her  allies,  the  Indians. 

"Tlie  first  settlers  who  got  back  after  the  war  set- 
tled on  their  improvements  and  took  out  warrants.  I 
have  no  evidence  tliat  Donaldson  got  back,  who  set- 
tled on  what  has  gone  by  the  name  of  the  Duncan 
farm,  now  owned  in  part  by  R.  Smith  and  Crawford. 

"Kincaid  did  not  get  back.  Alexander  Hamilton 
did  not  return, — he  was  killed  by  the  Indians  near 
Northumberland.  His  family  returned,  however, 
and  took  out  a  warrant  for  his  improvement.  An 
eagerness  to  get  possession  of  laud  showed  itself  in 
strong  colors.  Not  only  were  the  best  bottom  lands 
secured,  but  surveys  were  made  of  the  greater  portion 
of  the  hill  lands  in  1785.  Some  hill  land  was  taken 
up  and  surveyed  in  1792  and  1794. 

"  The  first  warrants  along  the  river  were  laid  in  the 
names  as  follows,  beginning  at  Chatham's  Run  and 
down  the  river:  John  Chatham,  on  Chatham's  Run  ; 
next  below,  Col.  William  Cook,  now  Condon  ;  then 
Jane  Richard,  now  Huling  and  Betts ;  then  McFad- 
den,  now  McGuire  and  Brown  ;  then  John  Jackson, 
now  Ferguson  and  McKinney;  then  Hamilton's 
heirs,  now  Hamiltons  and  Shaw ;  next  the  Duncan 
farm,  settled  on  before  the  war  by  Alexander  Don- 
aldson, now  owned  chiefly  by  Crawford  and  Smith. 
This  was  warranted  by  Benjamin  Walker,  deeded  to 
Stephen  Duncan.  Next  tlie  Love  improvement, 
owned  now  by  Cook  ;  then  tlie  McMasters  improve- 
ment on  the  Point,^the  Gallauher  farm ;  then  up  the 
creek  farther,  William  Plunkett,  now  Simmons  and 
Crist;  next  John  Scott,  now  McKinney;  then  Bar- 
nabas Parsons,  three  hundred  and  forty-six  acres  and 
allowance.  Phelps'  mills  are  on  this  tract.  Next 
above  is  Thomas  Proctor.  These  tracts  all  seem  to 
have  been  surveyed  in  1785. 

"  Though  Pine  Creek  has  only  five  miles'  front  on 
the  river,  it  must  have  had  at  one  time  a  stretch  quite 
a  distance  back,  perhaps  to  the  York  State  line,  it 
was  rich  in  unseated  land  lax,  and  built  four  large 
and  high  bridges,  level  with  the  road,  frame.  These 
were  built  a  short  time  before  tiie  flood  of  1810,  which 
swept  them  away,  since  wliich  time  our  bridges  are 
nothing  to  brag  of.  The  first  laid  out  road  througli 
the  township  was  a  bridle-path.     It  was  laid  out  in 


1775,  beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Bald  Eagle  and  end- 
ing opposite  Sunbury.  In  1797,  soon  after  Lycoming 
County  was  organized,  a  view  from  Pine  Creek  to  and 
through  the  Great  Island  laid  out  a  wagon-road  on  the 
same  ground. 

"  The  first  settlement  on  the  north  side  of  the  river, 
in  Pine  Creek  township,  commenced,  as  near  as  I  can 
make  out,  in  1772. 

Pioneer  Settlers,  Schools,  Preachers,  etc. — 
"The  first  settlers  were  not  tlie  only  ones  at  that 
time  who  were  eager  to  possess  tlieniselves  of  good 
lands,  or,  as  I  was  going  to  say,  eager  to  '  gobble  up' 
the  good  lands.  A  company,  consisting  of  John 
Reed,  of  Philadelphia,  and  John  Bull,  Esq.,  and 
Thomas  Proctor,  Esq.,  purchased  a  large  tract,  con- 
taining four  thousand  four  hundred  and  ninety-seven 
acres  and  allowances. 

"  The  first  settlers  were  Scotch-Irish  Presbyterians, 
not  only  those  of  Pine  Creek,  but  of  tlie  West  Branch 
generally.  They  did  not  think  of  making  settlements 
without  sustaining  thegospel  and  schools  among  them. 
The  first  school-house  for  the  purpose  was  made  of 
oak  logs,  opposite  Sour's  ferry.  I  have  seen  scholars 
attend  there  from  Chatliam's  Run  and  from  Pine 
Creek.  There  was  an  old  house  near  where  the  brick 
school-house  now  stands,  witliin  half  a  mile  of  Pine 
Creek,  on  the  main  road.  The  early  teachers  were 
Irish.  They  used  the  rod.  They  were  generally  old 
men,  and  notwithstanding  the  rod,  they  had  mis- 
chievous scholars.  Reading,  writing,  and  arithmetic 
were  the  branches  taught.  Surveying  was  as  thor- 
oughly taught  then  as  now.  Surveyors  were  in 
demand.  Grammar  was  not  thought  of  until  the 
'  Yankees'  began  to  come  among  us  as  teachers. 
They  professed  to  teach  it,  whether  they  knew 
much  about  it  or  not.  The  Assembly's  Shorter  Cate- 
chism was  taught  to  every  scholar.  The  children 
would  meet  at  least  once  a  year  to  recite  it  to  their 
minister.  Besides,  examinations  were  held  for  old 
and  young. 

"  Preacliers  visited  this  place  and  preached  before 
churches  were  built  or  congregations  organized.  They 
were  sent  as  missionaries.  Preachers  from  congrega- 
tions which  might  then  be  called  neighboring  occa- 
sionally visited  the  place.  Kincaid  taught  school 
and  preached  occasionally.  The  first  church,  a  frame 
structure,  was  built  on  the  west  bank  of  Pine  Creek, 
two  miles  west  of  Jersey  Shore  and  sixty-five  feet  due 
west  of  Pine  Creek  bridge.  John  Knox  was  the  car- 
penter who  took  the  contract.  There  was  a  dispute 
as  to  where  it  should  be  located.  Those  living  below 
the  creek  wanted  it  there,  those  above  wanted  it  there. 
The  timber  was  hewed  and  placed  above.  The  people 
from  below  came  at  night  and  hauled  it  over  on  their 
side.  Those  above  hauled  it  back,  and  there  it  was 
built.  It  was  a  church  of  good  size,  with  two  aisles 
and  two  front-doors  and  a  gallery.  It  remained  un- 
finished for  a  number  of  years,  and  was  preached  in 
during  the  winter  without  fire  for  nearly  twenty  years, 


654 


HISTORY  OF  CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


then  two  hearths  were  made  and  fires  of  charcoal  used, 
next  two  wood-atoves  were  put  in.' 

"  The  Rev.  Isaac  Grier  was  the  first  installed  pastor 
of  this  congregation.  He  was  the  father  of  Robert 
Grier,  judge  of  the  Supreme  Court. 

"  Several  years  passed  while  the  congregation  re- 
mained without  a  regular  pastor.  In  September, 
1814,  the  Rev.  John  H.  Grier  was  installed  in  this 
and  the  Great  Island  congregation.  He  officiated  at 
the  latter  place  eleven  years,  and  at  the  former  and 
at  Jersey  Shore  thirty-seven  years.  Rev.  D.  M.  Bar- 
ber was  a  co-laborer  with  him  nine  years  at  Jersey 
Shore  for  the  same  congregation.  They  both  were 
succeeded  by  the  present  pastor,  Rev.  Joseph  Stevens. 

"  Soon  after.  Rev.  J.  H.  Grier  came  to  the  place. 
He  purchased  a  small  farm  in  Pine  Creek  town- 
ship, a  mile  from  the  river,  upon  which  he  moved 
and  lived  the  greater  part  of  his  pastoral  life,  culti- 
vating it  with  more  care  and  judgment  than  was 
common  among  his  neighboring  farmers.'^ 

"  In  a  few  years,  less  than  twenty,  the  chief  part  of 
each  farm  was  cleared  ;  some  good  log  buildings,  cov- 
ered with  shingles,  were  built.  The  first  bank  barn, 
built  of  stone  from  bottom  to  top,  was  the  Duncan 
barn,  built  in  1810.  It  was  one  hundred  feet  long, 
forty  or  fifty  wide. 

Big  Runaway,  Indian  Massacre,  Hamilton's 
and  others'  Escape.—"  The  •  Big  Runaway'  of  July, 
1778,  and  the  great  sickness  of  1804  were  two  extra- 
ordinary occurrences,  and  were  remembered  and  talked 
of  for  a  long  time  in  the  homely  language  of  the  times. 
For  two  years  the  settlers  had  struggled  with  the  pecu- 
liar and  dreaded  warfare  of  the  Indians.  They  knew 
they  were  surrounded  by  the  enemy,  without  a  possi- 
bility of  knowing  their  hiding-places,  or  at  what 
moment  they  might  send  the  fatal  bullet.  Just  above 
the  mouth  of  Pine  Creek  was  the  scene  of  a  fearful 
tragedy.  Upon  the  alarming  news  of  the  massacre 
of  Wyoming,  the  settlers  prepared  at  once  to  aban- 
don the  settlement,  not  without  a  hope  of  returning, 
for  they  buried  some  articles  that  could  be  kept  in 
that  way.  They  made  preparations  for  starting,  gath- 
ering at  the  small  forts.  A  number  of  men  were 
sent  from  above  down  to  Antes  Fort  (at  Antes  Creek) 
for  canoes  and  a  flat ;  among  those  sent  were  Robin 
Donaldson,  Robert  Fleming,  James  Jackson,  and 
McCracken.  Four  of  the  company  had  pushed  their 
four  canoes  through  Pine  Creek  riffles,  and  were 
about  to  rest  and  wait  for  the  flat  which  was  behind, 
when  a  body  of  Indians  ran  up  from  behind  a  little 
bluff  near  the  bank  of  the  river  and  fired  on  them. 
John  Hamilton,  the  only  one  of  the  four  escaping. 


1  The  clmrch  was  dedicated  Oct.  14, 1798,  by  Eov.  Jolin  Bijson.  It 
burned  down  in  1842,  and  was  never  rebuilt.  Tlie  land  was  originally 
donatPdbyThoniasGnmt,  of  Suubury,  and  reveited  to  bis  heirs.  Henry 
Christ,  father-in-law  of  A.  H.  McHenry,  bonglit  the  farm  adjoining. 
John  Knox,  thenrchitect,  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  built  the  mill  at 
the  mouth  of  Gamble's  Run  in  1793. 

3  Rev.  John  U.  Grier  died  in  1880,  aged  aiDety.two  years. 


saw  the  Indians  rise.  Donaldson  jumped  out  of  his 
canoe  with  his  gun  and  fired,  hallooing,  '  Come  on, 
boys  !' the  blood  spurting  out  of  his  back.  He  gave 
his  canoe  a  shove  from  the  shore,  and  threw  himself 
flat  into  it,  the  bullets  flying  around  him  ;  he  gave 
himself  a  quick  whirl  over  the  side  of  the  canoe,  and 
kept  it  between  him  and  the  Indians,  and  paddled 
across,  landing  on  the  point  above  the  mouth  of  the 
creek.  He  had  woolen  clothes  on  and  they  were 
heavy  with  water,  so  he  stripped  to  his  shirt  and  ran. 
The  woods  were  open,  with  low  bushes,  and  perhaps 
a  path.  He  told  afterwards  that  every  flutter  of  a 
pheasant  he  thought  was  an  Indian,  and  he  could 
clear  the  bushes  every  spring.  He  ran  to  the  '  Point,' 
three  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  creek,  when  he 
met  the  refugees,  who  had  made  a  start  from  Horn's 
Fort  on  such  crafts  as  they  could  gather  up.  Robin 
Donaldson,  Joseph  Fleming,  and  James  McMichael 
were  killed.  The  men  in  the  flat,  Jackson,  Mc- 
Cracken, and  others,  crossed  over  from  the  mountain- 
side and  escaped.  Johnson  went  around  and  crossed 
the  creek  some  distance  up,  where  he  expected  to  find 
a  horse,  on  what  is  now  the  Simmons  farm.  He  found 
one  and  met  the  company  on  their  way.  Hamilton's 
story  was  no  doubt  incoherent.  Mrs.  Fleming,  whose 
husband  was  killed,  sat  quiet.  Mrs.  McCracken, 
whose  husband  was  in  the  flat  and  escaped,  raised 
the  cry  and  went  on  extravagantly. 

"  The  sad  occurrence  delayed  the  fugitives  for  a 
while,  but  they  went  on,  the  men  on  each  shore  with 
their  guns,  the  women  on  the  rafts  with  such  supplies 
as  could  be  taken,  and  when  their  rafts  grounded  the 
women  would  jump  out  and  push  them  off.  They 
gathered  up  the  bodies  of  the  men  that  were  killed 
and  took  them  as  far  as  Antes'  Fort  and  buried  them. 

"  It  seems  they  got  to  Northumberland  without  any 
further  attack  from  the  Indians,  when  they  were  met 
by  ten  or  fifteen  men  from  the  town,  who  with  Col. 
Hunter  made  the  most  urgent  appeals  for  their  help, 
urging  them  to  stop  and  make  a  stand  for  the  defense 
of  the  town,  which  most  of  them  did.  The  men  were 
enrolled  and  organized  by  the  orders  of  Cols.  Hunter 
and  Hartley,  under  Alexander  Hamilton,  who  was 
afterwards  killed  by  the  Indians  near  Northumber- 
land in  1781  or  1782. 

Declaration  of  Pine  Creek  Independence. — 
"The  territory  of  Pine  Creek  was  the  theatre  of 
another  remarkable  event.  Independence  w<as  thought 
of  and  talked  of  long  before  the  Fourth  of  July, 
1776 ;  it  was  debated  in  Congress,  and  the  people  were 
full  of  it,  and  no  doubt  the  'fair-play  men'  that  were 
intruding  on  Indian  lands  were  as  full  of  it  as  any- 
body else,  and,  it  may  be,  more  so.  This  is  a  well- 
authenticated  story :  On  the  Fourth  of  July,  1776,  a 
number  of  the  men  of  Pine  Creek  and  its  vicinity 
assembled  on  the  plains  of  Pine  Creek,  before  spoken 
of,  and  formally  declared  the  independence  of  the 
colonies.  No  doubt  they  passed  written  resolutions, 
but  they  have  not  been  preserved.     Many  of  the 


PINE   CREEK   TOWNSHIP. 


C55 


names  have  been  perpetuated,  handed  down  orally, 
among  them  Robert  Love,  Thomas  Nicols,  John  Jack- 
son, Thomas  Francis,  Alexander  Donaldson,  Alexan- 
der Hamilton,  John  Clark,  William  Campbell,  Adam 
Carson,  Henry  McCracken,  and  Adam  Dewitt. 

"The  mode  of  ingress  to  this  settlement  was  by 
canoes,  pack-horses,  and  sleds  made  of  saplings,  the 
ends  fastened  to  horses'  harness,  the  butts  framed  to- 
gether and  dragging  on  the  ground. 

Pioneer  Farming. — "  It  is  said  a  few  apple-trees 
were  standing  in  1815  or  1820  that  I  suppose  were 
planted  before  the  war.  After  the  war  orchards 
were  planted  on  every  farm,  many  of  them  of  the 
best   grafted   fruit,  got   from  a  nursery   near  Lock 

Haven,  raised   by  ■   Hunt.     Plums   and  grapes 

were  plenty.  Scraping  turnips  was  a  fashionable 
way  of  passing  the  evening  when  friendly  calls  were 
made  among  neighbors.  These  calls  were  more 
common,  and  perhaps  more  friendly,  than  at  the 
present  day.  Tea  and  '  short-cake'  were  the  enter- 
tainment among  visiting  old  ladies.  There  was 
scarcely  a  child  raised  that  could  not  read  and  write. 
Children  were  sent  to  school  young. 

"  Farming  was  carried  on  as  it  is  in  most  new  coun- 
ties,— plowing,  sowing,  and  reaping,  without  much 
extra  labor,  not  even  hauling  out  manure,  until  the 
Germans  and  otliers  from  the  lower  or  eastern  counties 
began  to  come  among  us,  whose  example  began  to  be 
followed.  John  Brown,  from  Northampton  County, 
was  the  first.  He  came  in  1809.  He  had  bought  out 
the  McFaddens, — James,  Samuel,  Edward,  and  Hugh 
— who  moved  West.  However,  they  were  not  the  first 
of  the  early  settlers  that  left  to  seek  a  better  country. 
James  Jackson  and  his  elder  sister,  who  married  a 
Fleming,  were  the  first.  They  went  to  Central  New 
York.  Some  of  the  Hamiltons  left  next.  They  went 
to  French  Creek  before  the  beginning  of  the  present 
century.  The  Ramseys  moved  from  James  JIcKin- 
ney's  place,  on  Pine  Creek,  to  the  West  in  1805  or 
1806.  Maj.  George  Williams  sold  out  to  Henry  Crist 
in  1813,  and  moved  to  Ohio. 

"About  this  time  the  Yankee  wagons  were  seen 
stringing  past  for  Ohio,  some  of  them  with 'Ohio' 
written  on  their  covers.  Soon  after  companies  of 
Mormons  could  be  seen  passing,  rather  illy  clad,  and 
begging  milk,  drinking  it  through  a  hollow  stick.  If 
I  remember  rightly,  they  were  dirty  in  their  appear- 
ance, with  towels  or  aprons  hanging  down  their  backs. 

"  Pine  Creek  contains  some  of  the  finest  flat  or 
bottom  land  on  the  Susquehanna.  Some  of  it  had 
a  depth  and  richness  of  soil  that  bore  a  succession  of 
crops  for  forty  years  without  manure;  other  parts 
were  suppo-ed  to  be  worked  or  worn  out  in  twenty 
years.  This  latter  kind  of  soil  is  much  better  now 
than  it  was  then. 

"  John  Cook  was  one  of  the  first  to  lime  his  laiid. 
He  and  Samuel  Simons  were  considered  the  best 
farmers  in  the  township,  and  Pine  Creek  at  that  time, 
if  not  now,  was  the  best  farmed  district  in  the  county. 


"  Water  is  obtained  by  digging;  to  a  depth  of  twenty- 
five  and  thirty  feet,  usually  a  few  feet  after  entering 
the  gravel. 

"  The  rock  underlying  the  southern  part  of  thi« 
valley  must  be  trough-like,  and  I  imagine  that,  bor- 
ing a  short  distance  into  the  rock,  water  could  be 
reached  that  would  be  forced  to  the  surface. 

Pioneer  Mills,  Wells,  etc.— "  Chatham's  mill,  a 
log  building  on  Chatham's  Run,  built  by  Col.  Chat- 
ham before  the  Revolution,  and  a  mill  built  on  Pine 
Creek,  the  building  of  which  was  superintended  by 
the  celebrated  Judge  Walker,  were  the  only  mills  we 
had  for  a  long  time.  j\Iills  built  near  the  same  local- 
ities are  the  only  ones  we  have  now.  There  has  been 
a  saw-mill  at  the  mouth  of  Chatham's  Run  doing  saw- 
ing as  far  back  as  my  memory  goes. 

"  Big  walnut  logs  were  sawed  in  the  neighborhood 
before  the  Big  Runaway,  perhaps  at  Henry  Antes' 
mill.  As  evidence  there  is  in  the  possession  of 
Misses  Hamilton,  of  this  township,  a  large  walnut 
meal-chest,  made  of  inch  and  a  quarter  boards,  hand- 
somely dove-tailed,  with  lid  and  turned  feet,  which 
oral  history  says  was  put  upon  two  canoes,  and  filled 
with  flour  made  from  forty  bushels  of  wheat,  and  taken 
as  far  as  Northumberland  with  the  flying  inhabitants. 
Their  old  split  bottomed  arm-chair  went  along  with 
the  crowd  and  returned. 

"  The  wells  in  this  township  are  from  twenty-five  to 
thirty  feet  deep.  One  of  the  first  in  the  township  was 
dug  by  John  Jackson,  one  of  the  first  settlers.  Dig- 
ging wells  was  not  well  understood  at  that  time.  A 
man  by  the  name  of  Diah  (Obadiah)  Hufl'  was  em- 
ployed to  dig  the  well,  having  men  to  draw  out  for 
him,  with  a  rope  and  windlass  and  a  large  bucket. 
He  had  got  down  to  a  depth  which  he  supposed  was 
not  far  from  water.  He  went  down  in  the  morning 
with  the  expression  that  he  would  have  water  before 
he  came  up,  if  he  had  to  dig  through  the  world  for  it. 
Before  he  came  to  water  the  sand  began  to  give  wav, 
sliding  in  at  the  bottom.  He  sprang  and  caught  hold 
of  the  rope  with  his  hands,  but  in  the  fright  forgot 
to  unhook  the  rope  from  the  bucket,  which  was  soon 
filled  and  held  fast.  He  was  seen  lifting  his  feet, 
trying  to  tramp  above  the  sand  as  it  flowed  in.  The 
men  pulled  till  they  straightened  the  hook,  but  too 
late.  He  was  held  by  the  sand  and  soon  covered. 
All  hands  went  to  work  to  dig  him  out,  and  dug  some 
distance  below  him  before  they  found  him,  having 
dug  at  one  side  of  him. 

'■  The  well  was  filled  up  and  no  attempt  made  to  dig 
another,  either  in  John  Jackson's  time  or  his  son  Wil- 
liam's. There  was  a  spring  at  the  river  shore  at  low 
water,  and  an  excellent  one  flowing  out  of  the  oppo- 
site bank  across  the  river,  at  which  they  often  got 
water. 

"Another  well  near  Pine  Creek,  on  the  Morrison 
farm,  the  wall  of  which  fell  in  on  a  man  who  went 
down  to  clean  it  out.  The  stones  arched  above  him. 
and  he  was  but  little  hurt.     They  had  given  him  up 


656 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


for  lost.  However,  they  had  not  worked  long  at  re- 
moving the  stone  until  they  heard  something  like 
distant  hallooing.  They  listened,  and  believed  it  was 
their  '  subeartlied'  man.  They  worked  with  a  will, 
and  when  they  had  got  his  head  clear  (it  was  no 
trifling  job)  they  gave  him  something  warm  and  in- 
vigorating to  drink  (no  doubt  a  little  whiskey,  which 
was  plenty  in  those  days,  and  would  be  good  in  such 
a  case),  and  soon  got  him  out  all  right.  The  first  wall 
of  my  father's  well  fell  in  one  spring  (or  summer). 
He  cleaned  out  nine  feet  of  sand  without  suspecting 
the  sand  had  left  a  hollow  behind  the  wall.  One  very 
dark  night  while  sitting  in  the  house  they  thought 
they  heard  thunder.  After  some  time  my  mother 
went  to  get  some  water;  she  thought  it  looked  un- 
usually dark  about  the  well,  and  could  see  no  sign  of 
curb  or  windlass ;  a  little  nearer  and  she  saw  the  dark 
gulf,  and  suspected  what  was  the  matter.  My  father 
took  out  the  stone,  and  found  a  great  vacancy  behind 
the  wall,  almost  big  enough  to  drive  a  wagon  around. 
He  rebuilt  the  wall  and  filled  in  behind  it  with  clay, 
stamped  in." 

Villages. — Charlton. — The  only  collection  of 
houses  in  I'ine  Creek  township  entitled  to  the  name  of 
village  is  Charlton,  situated  about  five  miles  east  of 
Lock  Haven,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Susquehanna. 

The  village  proper  is  built  on  a  tract  of  land  for 
which  Andrew  Kinkaid,  of  Philadelphia,  obtained  a 
warrant.  This  tract  was  bought  by  Thomas  Proctor, 
Sr.,  in  1785,  and  in  1792,  Thomas  Prootor,  Sr.,  "in 
consideration  of  the  love  and  affection  for  his  sister, 
Jane  Charlton,  widow,  and  the  sum  of  five  shillings 
lawful  money,"  deeded  a  small  tract  of  land,  upon 
whicli,  in  1839,  the  first  house  of  the  town  was  built, 
being  the  one  now  occupied  by  Squire  Kissell. 

From  18.39  to  1843  some  five  or  six  houses  were 
built,  and  it  was  agreed  to  name  the  town  "Charl- 
ton," in  honor  of  the  widow,  Jane  Charlton. 

There  was,  however,  a  house  built  a  little  north 
and  west  of  Charlton,  on  the  Cook  tract,  as  early  as 
1785  by  Robert  Crawford,  a  tanner,  and  the  following 
year  he  erected  a  tannery,  which  is  owned  and  oper- 
ated at  this  time  by  Squire  Kissell.  The  house  was 
torn  down  by  Mr.  Condon  about  fifteen  years  ago. 
In  May,  1844,  John  F.  Eamm,  of  Philadelphia, 
opened  a  store,  and  the  following  year,  with  a  few  other 
energetic  persons,  succeeded  in  getting  a  post-office 
established.  Mr.  Henry  Jlyer  was  made  postmaster. 
The  name  of  the  office  was  "  West  Branch"  till  1850, 
when  it  was  removed  to  Quiggle  &  Co.'s  store  at  the 
run,  about  a  mile  west  of  Charlton,  and  the  name 
was  changed  to  "  Chatham's  Run,"  which  name  it 
still  retains. 

The  business  men  of  the  place  are  as  follows :  Ramm 
&  Co.,  store  ;  E.  Cramer,  grocery  ;  J.  Lander,  black- 
smith ;  P.  Zahn,  blacksmith  and  wagon-maker;  G. 
S.  Farley  and  P.  Marks,  shoemakers  ;  Fred.  Strasser, 
undertaker  and  cabinet-maker;  E.  Herman,  carpen- 
ter;  T.  G.  Shurr,  tailor;   G.  M.  Betts,  postmaster; 


A.  C.  Kissell,  justice  peace ;  Louis  Schneider,  M.D. : 
D.  B.  McCloskey,  minister  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  There  are  a  few  fine  dwellings  and  a  sub- 
stantial two-story  frame  school-house,  in  which  a 
graded  school  is  maintained  four  months  in  the  year. 
The  people  are  intelligent  and  enterprising,  but  the 
place  has  not  improved  much  of  late,  owing  to  the 
general  prostration  of  business. 

'  RiCHViLLE. — The  village  of  Richville  is  in  the 
western  partof  Pine  Creek  township,  and  is  built  on  a 
tract  of  land  which  was  obtained  by  warrant  in  1786 
to  Felix  Christman.  By  him  it  was  conveyed  by  deed 
dated  Sept.  2,  1816,  to  C.  D.  Hepburn;  by  deed  of 
Hepburn  and  wife,  dated  June  18, 1834,  to  John  Rich  ; 
by  deed  of  Rich  and  wife,  dated  March  25,  lSl)4,  to 
J.  F.  and  C.  B.  Rich,  and  is  now  in  the  possession  of 
J.  F.  Rich. 

The  first  dwelling-house  built  in  Richville  was 
destroyed  by  fire  several  years  ago,  but  its  site  is  yet 
honored  as  being  the  birthplace  of  Rev.  James  Curns, 
an  earnest  and  respected  minister  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  The  largest  building  in  the  vil- 
lage is  a  woolen-factory,  which  was  erected  in  1843, 
by  John  Rich,  and  is  now  operated  by  J.  F.  Rich. 
The  next  building  of  importance  is  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  and  the  third  is  the  public  school- 
house.  Seventy-one  pupils  are  at  present  in  attend- 
ance at  this  school.  There  are  eight  dwelling-houses 
in  Richville  and  thirty-eight  inhabitants,  who,  with 
two  exceptions,  neither  drink  liquor  norc.he.w  tobacco. 

Chatham's  Run,  which  flows  through  Richville,  is 
a  clear  mountain  stream,  and  reaches  its  confluence 
with  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna  two  miles 
distant  f'rOni  the  village. 

Alexander  Hamilton  was  a  grandson  of  Alex- 
ander Hamilton,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Pine  Creek 
township,  learned  his  trade  in  Harrisburg,  and  es- 
tablished the  American  Patriot  at  Bellefonte,  Feb.  15, 
1814.  He  also  had  a  contract  for  carrying  the  mails 
on  horseback  through  some  of  the  western  counties. 
He  broke  up  and  returned  to  his  home.  He  was  the 
eldest  of  a  family  of  ten  children,  five  boys  and  five 
girls,  in  the  old  homestead  still  occupied  by  part  of 
the  family. 

The  family  were  Scotch  Presbyterian,  and  the  young- 
est was  the  first  to  make  a  profession  of  religion  and  to 
join  the  church.  He  has  been  a  missionary  among  the 
Indians  for  thirty-five  years.  Alexander  was  the  last 
to  join  the  church,  and  pretty  well  up  in  years.  He 
was  a  politician,  active  in  political  meetings.  He 
taught  school  from  necessity,  not  choice.  At  a  litter 
period  he  began  the  publication  of  an  anti-Masonic 
paper  at  Jersey  Shore,  but  not  succeeding  financially 
he  fell  back  on  school-teaching  as  a  means  of  sup- 
porting his  family.  He  was  always  ho])eful,  believ- 
ing that  there  was  something  better  in  store  for  him  ; 
and  perhaps  there  was,  but  it  was  beyond  the  borders 
of  this  life.  He  died  at  the  age  of  sixty,  of  inflamma- 
tion of  the  brain.     He  was  an  intelligent,  observing, 


PINE   CREEK  TOWNSHIP. 


C57 


and  reflecting  man.  He  remarked  to  me  some  years 
before  his  death  that  he  could  sec  that  it  was  a  good 
tiling  for  him  to  have  been  kept  poor  all  his  life;  that 
if  lie  had  had  his  wish,  and  been  wealthy  to  a  moder- 
ate extent,  he  could  not  tell  where  he  would  have  been 
led  to.' 

Phelps'  Mills. — Theso.  mills  are  on  Pine  Creek, 
two  miles  Iroiii  Jersey  Shore.  Jonathan  Walker  built 
the  original  grist-mill  in  1798.  It  was  a  large  struc- 
ture, had  four  runs  of  stone,  and  stood  sixty-five  rods 
above  the  present  Phelps  mill.  Walker  was  succeeded 
by  Blichael  Wolf,  who  sold  to  Conrad  Cook.  Cook 
gave  it  to  his  daughter  Catharine,  who  married  Henry 
Crist,  iiuhcr  of  Mrs.  A.  H.  McHenry.  The  Crists  sold 
it  and  the  land  thereto  attached  to  Anson  G.  Phelps, 
of  New  York,  in  1S47,  who  that  and  the  following  year 
erected  a  large  saw-mill,  began  operations  on  an  ex- 
tensive scale,  and  a  village  sprang  up  wearing  a  busi- 
ness aspect.  In  1856,  Phelps  &  Co.  put  in  operation 
a  large  steam  saw-mill  for  manufacturing  boards,  shin- 
gles, laths,  palings,  etc. 

These  two  mills  numbered  in  the  aggregate  sixty-four 
gang-  and  English  saws,  with  eight  circulars.  They 
were  capable  of  making  eight  million  feet  of  lumber 
per  year.  The  company  erected  a  large  flouriiig-niill 
juit  above  the  old  grist-mill,  and  two  miles  farther  up 
the  creek  it  had  another.  It  had  a  neat  store  in  the 
village,  and  a  substantial  church  built.  A  substantial 
bridge  was  built  across  the  creek  at  an  expense  of  five 
thousand  dollars,  which  was  borne  exclusively  by  the 
company  for  their  own  and  the  accommodation  of  the 
surrounding  country,  free  of  toll.  All  the  buildings 
erected  were  beautiful  frame  edifices.  This  was  the 
most  extensive  lumber  establishment  on  Pine  Creek, 
and  its  site  one  of  the  best  in  the  country.  They  had 
excellent  facilities  for  harboring  their  logs  in  extensive 
booms,  and  in  fact  every  natural  and  artificial  advan- 
tage to  be  desired.  A  railroad  was  built  to  the  canal, 
a  distance  of  two  miles,  where  their  lumber  was  trans- 
ported and  deposited  upon  the  wharf  ready  for  ship- 
ping. Their  sawing  department  was  under  the  super- 
vision of  J.  C.  Howard,  and  the  general  agent  of  this 
immense  establishment  was  E.  B.  Campbell.  The 
village  was  named  after  the  late  Anson  G.  Phelps,  of 
New  York,  well  known  throughout  the  country  for 
his  many  acts  of  public  and  private  benevolence, 
and  while  living  was  the  head  of  the  firm,  and 
after  his  death  was  succeeded  by  William  E.  Dodge, 
the  distinguished  philanthropist  of  New  York.  The 
present  owner  of  the  mills  is  Mr.  Wentz,  who  came 
here  from  McElhattan's  Run  mill,  but  was  originally 
from  Lebanon  County.  Henry  Crist,  the  fourth  owner 
of  the  original  mill,  came  from  Dry  valley,  Union  ■ 
county,  in  1814  ;  and  Conrad  Cook,  its  third  owner, 
was  a  native  of  Hesse-Cassel,  and  was  a  Hessian  sol- 
dier in  the  Revolution. 

A  mile  below  the  Phelps'  mills  property  was  an- 

.  '  John  Ilamilton,  "  Eurly  TinU'S  on  Uie  Wost  Branch,"  April  17, 1S75. 


other  large  mill  owned  by  McEldey,  Trump  &  Co., 
of  Baltimore.  It  ran  thirty-eight  saws,  and  had  a 
capacity  of  four  million  feet  per  annum.  Crist  was 
the  second  father-in-law  of  A.  H.  McHenry,  whose 
first  father-in-law  wa.s  William  Tackerberry,  who  wa-s 
born  twenty  miles  from  Dublin,  Ireland,  and  came  to 
America  in  1807.  He  moved  to  Larry's  Creek,  where 
he  purchased  two  hundred  and  nine  acres  of  land. 
Of  his  large  family,  one  daughter,  Mary  Ann,  was  the 
first  wife  of  A.  H.  McHenry,  of  Jersey  Shore. 

The  Coudersport  Road,— About  1803,  Francis 
King,  who  was  a  member  of  the  Society  of  Friends, 
located  on  the  Oswao  Creek,  within  a  few  perches  of 
the  northern  line  of  Pennsylvania,  the  present  site  of 
Cerestown,  twelve  miles  southeast  of  Olcan  Point, 
N.  Y.,  ninety-seven  miles  northwest  of  Jersey  Shore. 
He  reached  there  by  the  Pine  Creek  route.  The  os- 
tensible object  was  to  take  charge  of  the  lands  of 
John  Caten,  of  Philadelphia.  It  became  evident  that 
a  communication  must  be  opened  with  the  West 
Branch  of  the  Susquehanna.  Finally  the  available 
route  was  settled  upon:  after  leaving  the  waters  of 
the  Allegheny  at  the  jiresent  site  of  Lymansville,  to 
follow  the  summit  ridges  to  the  southwest  of  Pine 
Creek.  This  was  finally  succeeded  in  except  the 
crossing  of  Kettle  Creek  valley,  thirty-one  miles  from 
the  West  Branch.  Accordingly,  the  exploration  was 
begun  in  1806,  by  Francis  King,  with  two  .nssistants. 
After  approaching  Kettle  Creek  he  called  to  his  aid 
Jacob  Tomb,  who  had  settled  on  Pine  Creek,  twenty- 
nine  miles  from  its  mouth,  at  Slate  Creek.  He,  Jacob 
Tomb,  was  the  father  of  the  venerable  Henry  Tomb, 
now  residing  on  Pine  Creek,  six  and  a  half  miles 
from  Jersey  Shore. 

The  whole  of  the  year  1806  was  occupied  in  settling 
upon  the  route.  In  1807  the  road  was  opened  through 
from  Joseph  Burnett's,  west  and  opposite  (now)  Safe 
Harbor  mill.  It  was  opened  for  a  pack-horse  road, 
then  called  a  bridle- road,  until  it  intersected  Ellicott's 
road  at  the  Allegheny  River,  eight  miles  south  of 
Glean,  which  was  constructed  in  1806  and  1807,  from 
the  Great  Island,  West  Branch,  to  Glean  Point,  thus 
making  what  was  known  as  "King's  road,"  ninety- 
seven  miles  in  length.  As  the  necessities  required 
they  made  some  alteration  in  location  in  1811,  in 
which  year  and  in  1812  opened  a  "  wagon  road." 
Joseph  Williams  opened  a  part  of  this  road,  but 
Joseph  Whitacre,  an  eminent  surveyor,  was  the  chief 
superintendent.  He  made  two  clearings,  and  built  a 
house  at  each  one;  also  one  hundred  acres  was  do- 
nated or  set  apart  for  the  settler  or  occupant.  The 
first  location  was  thirty-three  miles  from  Jersey  Shore, 
now  known  as  the  Herod  place.  The  other  was  six- 
teen miles  farther,  at  the  present  site  of  New  Bergen. 
The  former  was  generally  kept  up  as  a  half-way  house. 
This  road  seemed  to  answer  until  1827,  when  the  lo- 
cation was  improved,  and  a  contract  was  entered  into, 
with  Purviance  Baldwin,  of  Troy,  Bradford  Co.,  for 
making  some  forty-four  miles  of  turnpike  road.     At 


65S 


HISTORY  OF  CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  close  of  1828  the  turnpike  was  completed  to  In- 
dian River,  a  distance  of  forty-two  and  a  half  miles. 
In  1832  it  was  resumed  by  several  contractors,  among 
whom  were  John  L.  Carter  (father-in-law  of  the  late 
Judge  Ross),  Ezra  Hitchcoclv,  and  Jonathan  Edge- 
comb.  It  was  finished  to  Coudersport  in  1833,  a  dis- 
tance of  sixty-five  miles  of  turnpike.  The  whole  cost 
of  construction  was  $49,400,  of  which  the  State  appro- 
priated $8000.  Considerable  stock  was  taken  in  and 
about  Jersey  Shore,  some  in  McKean  and  Potter 
Counties,  and  what  was  remaining  was  made  up  by 
Philadelphians  owning  lands,  such  as  James  Vause, 
Thomas  Stewardson,  John  Caton,  and  others.  This 
continued  to  be  the  outlet  of  McKean  and  Potter 
Counties  subsequent  to  the  construction  of  the  New 
York  and  Erie  Railroad.  It  was  eventually  aban- 
doned as  a  turnpike,  and  in  1860  was  located  as  a 
township  road.  From  1820  to  1824,  John  Murphy 
carried  the  mail  by  horse  from  Jersey  Shore  to  Olean, 
a  distance  of  one  liundred  and  nine  miles,  and  from 
1824  to  1828,  James  Collins  carried  it.  The  now  ven- 
erable Samuel  S.  Moss  carried  it  part  of  that  contract. 
He  was  succeeded  by  Moses  Hatsey,  from  1828  to 
1832,  when  Bernard  Dufley  contracted  by  horse  again 
for  two  terms,  extending  to  1840.  Four  years  ot  this 
a  two-horse  stage  ran  twice  a  week,  and  lour  years 
a  two-horse  stage  ran  once  a  week.  Others  followed 
more  irregularly  for  the  past  few  years.  The  settle- 
ments along  the  road  are  notsujiplied  by  mail  facilities, 
except  by  Kettle  Creek  post-office  at  Oleana.  The 
mail  is  now  carried  from  Westport  to  Oleana,  from 
tlience  by  Germania  to  West  Branch,  Pine  Creek. 

The  White  Family.— Hugh  White  resided  after 
the  Revolutionary  war  a  mile  below  the  mouth  of 
Chatham  Run.  He  was  a  captain  in  Col.  Hunter's 
battalion,  the  First  Battalion  of  Associates,  commis- 
sioned April  19,  1770,  before  he  moved  up  the  river. 
He  was  one  of  the  first  elders  in  tlie  Pine  Creek 
congregation.  He  was  six  feet  high,  straight  as  an 
arrow,  and  dignified  in  his  deportment.  He  rode  to 
church  in  his  gig,  a  carriage  of  two  wheels  very  fash- 
ionable in  those  days.  He  reared  a  large  and  highly 
respectable  family.  The  sons  were  fond  of  running 
their  horses,  and  one  w.is  killed  in  the  race.  He 
struck  against  a  tree.  Col.  White  was  injured  by 
being  thrown  irom  a  horse,  and  died  in  1822.  aged 
eighty-two  years. 

Col.  White  was  twice  married  :  First,  to  Margaret 
Allison,  daughter  of  John  and  Ann  Allison,  of  Lan- 
caster County  ;  second,  to  Charlotte  Weitzel. 
By  his  first  marriage  he  had : 

i.  Col.  Hugh,  who  m.  Nancy  Crawford,  d.  Robert 
and  Eliza  (Quigley)  Crawford,  and  gr.  dau.  of  Major 
James  Crawford  of  John,  of  the  Peun'a  Line.     She 
was  his  second  wife. 
ii.  James  W. 
iii.  Allison. 

Charlotte  Weitzel  White  had  issue  by  her  first  hus- 
band, James  White. 


i.  James,  d.  s.  p. 

12.  ii.  Elizabeth  Weitzel,  m.  James  White. 

iii.  Mary,  m.  Robert  McCormick.  He  died  in  1866. 
She  died  in  1878. 

13.  iv.  Robert  Gray. 

14.  v.  Tabitha,  m.  James  A.  Crawford. 

By  her  second  husband.  Colonel  Hugh  White,  she 
had: 

15.  vi.  Isabella. 

vii.  George,  lawyer,  of  Williamsport,  who  died  in 
December,  1876. 

ix.  John,  residing  at  Williamsport ;  a  lumber  mer- 
chant. 

X.  Henry,  d.  March  7,  1880,  at  Williamsport. 

She  died  in  November,  1854. 

Elizabeth  Weitzel  Wliite,  daughter  of  Charlotte 
Weitzel  and  James  White,  married  James  White,  son 
of  Col.  Hugh  and  Nancy  (Crawford)  White.  He  died 
and  she  married  secondly  George  Crawford,  son  of 
Robert  and  Elizabeth  (Quigley)  Crawford,  who  was 
the  son  of  Major  JamesCrawford,  of  the  Penn'aLine, 
and  a  member  of  the  Constitutional  Convention  of 
1776.     She  died  in  1862.     He  died  in  1876. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH. 


THOMAS  BROWN,  Sr. 
Among  the  names  of  the  successful  business  men 
of  Clinton  County  we  find  that  of  Thomas  Brown, 
Sr.  His  paternal  ancestor.  Christian  Brown,  came 
from  Germany  prior  to  the  Revolutionary  war,  and 
near  Nazareth,  in  Northampton  Co.,  Pa.,  bought  a 
farm,  on  which  he  resided  until  his  death.  John 
Brown,  son  of  Christian,  was  born  and  grew  to  man- 
hood on  the  home  farm  in  Northampton  County. 
Arrived  at  maturity  he  married,  and  in  1810  came 
witli  his  family  to  what  was  then  Lycoming  County, 
and  in  what  is  now  Pine  Creek  township,  Clinton  Co., 
bought  two  hundred  and  thirty  acres  of  land,  and 
where  Mrs.  Thomas  Brown  now  resides  built  the 
home  in  which  he  died  in  1843.  He  had  eleven  chil- 
dren,— seven  sons  and  four  daughters, — of  whom  all 
are  dead  but  Isaac  and  John.  Thomas,  the  subject  of 
our  sketch,  was  born  in  Northampton  County,  May 
22,  1797,  and  came  with  his  fiuher  to  the  new  home 
in  Pine  Creek  township,  where  he  grew  to  manhood. 
On  the  25th  day  of  June,  1825,  he  married  Miss 
Priscilla  Ferguson,  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Esther 
(Graham)  Ferguson.  Mr.  Ferguson  came  from  Dau- 
phin County,  Pa.,  in  1818,  and  settled  in  Lycoming 
County.  By  this  union  there  were  born  to  Mr.  Brown 
four  children,  as  follows:  Barbara  S.,  May  9,  1826; 
Andrew  C,  April  24,  1828;  John  L.,  Nov.  4,  1831; 
and  Priscilla  F.,  Feb.  23, 1834.  Mrs.  Brown  died  Feb. 
26,  1834.  After  his  first  marriage  his  fiither  located 
him  on  a  farm  near  Pine  Creek,  now  owned  by  John 
Brown.     On  this  farm  Mr.  Brown  got  the  start  in  life 


'/7t77/i^  '^/rPc^^- 


PORTER  TOWNSHIP. 


659 


which  resulted  in  so  successful  a  business  career.  For 
five  years,  besides  managing  his  farm,  he  was  general 
manager  of  Dixon  &  Co.'s  furnace,  which  he  carried 
on  successfully.  On  tlie  4th  day  of  March,  1835,  he 
was  again  married,  his  choice  being  his  first  wife's 
sister,  Miss  Eleanor  G.  Ferguson,  who  was  born  in 
Northumberland  County,  Pa.,  July  4,  1807.  Their 
union  was  blessed  with  five  children,  viz.:  Esther  G., 
born  Aug.  25,  1838,  died  June  15,  1875;  Thomas, 
born  Jan.  21',  1841,  died  Sept.  8,  1875;  Mary  Ann, 
born  Aug.  4,  1843,  died  June  4,  1856;  Jane  E.,  born 
Aug.  28,  1845,  died  April  6, 1875  ;  Susan  Emma,  born 
Dec.  26,  1847.  In  1857,  Mr.  Brown  moved  on  to  the 
farm  which  remained  his  home  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  Sept.  12, 1875.  After  moving  on  to  the  home 
farm  he  continued  to  increase  his  business.  Farm 
after  farm  was  bought  and  added  to  his  estate.  He 
owned  two  farms  on  Pine  Creek,  one  near  Williams- 
port,  and  the  home  farm,  which  is  one  of  the  finest 
in  Clinton  County.  All  of  these  farms  he  successfully 
managed,  and  eventually  became  one  of  the  most 
wealthy  men  of  the  county.  In  politics  Mr.  Brown 
was  a  Democrat,  and  before  his  township  became  a 
part  of  the  new  county  of  Clinton  he  was  elected 
county  commissioner,  which  oflSce  he  held  one  term. 
At  its  close  he  was  elected  county  auditor,  which  he 
held  one  term.  He  was  not  a  seeker  after  political 
offices,  and  had  no  time  to  spare  to  them,  as  his  large 
business  interests  needed  his  constant  attention.  Still 
he  at  different  times  held  minor  offices  in  his  town- 
ship, though  they  came  to  him  unsought. 

Both  Mr.  Brown  and  his  wife  were  for  many  years 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  By  his  neigh- 
bors and  those  who  knew  him  best,  Mr.  Brown  is 
spoken  of  as  a  large-hearted,  generous  man,  one 
whose  loss  was  keenly  felt  and  whose  place  was  hard 
to  fill.  To  the  writer  of  this  sketch  a  neighbor  said, 
"Mr.  Brown  was  one  of  our  best  citizens,  a  man  of 
sterling  integrity  and  of  splendid  business  attain- 
ments." His  widow,  Mrs.  Eleanor  G.  Brown,  still 
survives  him,  and  resides  on  the  homestead  farm,  as 
does  his  oldest  daughter,  Barbara.  On  another  page 
of  this  volume  they  have  caused  to  be  inserted  a  fine 
steel  portrait  of  Mr.  Brown  as  a  slight  token  of  their 
respect  and  love  for  him. 

The  following,  written  by  a  comrade,  we  feel  is 
justly  entitled  to  become  a  part  of  this  biography: 
"  Quartermaster-Sergeant  Andrew  C.  Brown,  Com- 
pany G,  Thirteenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  was 
wounded  at  Deep  Bottom,  Henrico  Co.,  Va.,  Aug. 
15,  1864,  and  died  Oct.  24,  1864,  at  Emory  Hospital, 
Washington,  D.  C,  from  a  wound  received  by  a 
conical  ball  in  the  leg,  shattering  the  bone,  causing 
amputation  below  the  knee.  After  the  Southern 
Rebellion  had  become  fully  developed,  and  the 
necessity  became  apparent  that  more  men  were 
wanted  to  replenish  the  army  in  the  field,  he  at  once 
laid  aside  a  lucrative  business,  left  a  home  of  plenty 
for  the  privation  of  the  field,  and,  without  any  ap- 
42 


parent  thought  of  remuneration  for  service,  enrolled 
himself  as  a  volunteer  in  the  company  which  he  sub- 
sequently served  in.  The  evening  he  presented  him- 
self to  be  enrolled,  the  writer  (being  a  recruiting 
oflicer  at  that  time)  commenced  e,xplaining  to  him 
the  terms  of  enlistment,  when  he  mildly  interrupted 
by  saying,  '  He  wished  to  go  to  serve  his  country  in 
its  time  of  need.'  After  about  two  years'  service  to- 
gether in  the  field,  we  found  him  to  possess  the 
requisite  which  but  few  men  possess, — ever  at  his 
post  at  the  right  time  and  place,  whether  in  the 
camp,  in  the  performance  of  his  official  duties,  or  at 
the  post  of  danger  in  the  face  of  the  enemy.  In  the 
performance  of  the  former  we  never  heard  of  a  com- 
plaint ;  as  to  the  latter,  the  animated  countenance  and 
tall  form  of  Sergt.  Brown  is  vivid  before  us  when  en- 
veloped in  the  smoke  of  battle  and  under  the  iron 
hail  in  some  of  the  severe  conflicts  on  Virginia  soil. 
We  never  heard  him  during  our  two  years'  association 
in  the  field  indulge  in  one  profane  word  or  use  one 
drink  of  intoxicating  liquor,  an  evil  prevalent  both 
in  military  and  civil  life,  but  honorably  served  his 
country,  died  honorably,  and  left  an  honorable 
record." 


CHAPTER    CXXIV. 

PORTER    TOWNSHIP.' 

Thi8  township  was  cut  off  from  Lamar  in  1841, 
and  named  in  honor  of  Governor  Porter.  It  is  about 
four  by  six  miles  in  extent,  and  is  bounded  on  the 
north  by  Beech  Creek,  on  the  east  by  Lamar,  on  the 
south  by  Logan,  and  oif  the  west  by  Centre  County. 
By  reference  to  the  following  aflidavit  of  Mr.  McKib- 
ben  it  will  be  seen  where  it  lies.  Mr.  McKibben  is  be- 
lieved to  have  been  the  first  settler  in  the  township  : 

"  Cenlre  Ccitnfy,  ss. 

"Before  William  Petrikin,  one  of  the  Justices  of  the  Peace  for  the 
Comity  of  Centre  nforesaiil,  personiilly  cjinie  Joseph  McKibben  who 
saitti  on  his  solemn  oatli,  tliat  in  the  fall  of  the  year  ouo  tlionsanJ  seven 
hundred  and  seventy  he  came  up  witli  his  Father  James  McKibben 
from  Lnrgan  Township  Cnmborhind  near  Shippeosbni-gli  where  he 
then  resided,  to  Nittany  valley  witliin  about  ten  miles  of  the  gi-eat  Is- 
land to  make  an  improvement  on  lands  then  owned  and  located  by  the 
said  James  McKibben — that  they  built  a  house,  roofed  ir,  chuncked  and 
daubed  it,  and  lived  in  it  seven  weeks  and  cleared  eight  acres  nf  land 
on  the  tract  called  the  big  spring  tnict  loaited  in  the  name  of  the  said 
James  McKibben,  to  wit,  James  McKibben — That  they  continued  work- 
ing on  it  until  the  snow  fell  when  they  returned  back  to  their  place  of 
Residence  in  Lurgan  Township  aforesaid  intending  to  have  returned 
again  in  the  spring  with  a  view  to  resume  and  continue  on  the  cultiva- 
tion and  improvement  of  the  said  land — That  for  this  purpose  they  left 
all  their  farming  utensils  and  snch  household  furniture  as  they  had 
taken  along  with  them,  behind  them  on  the  said  place — But  were  de- 
tered  as  deponent  believes  from  returning  through  doubts  and  fears  of 
the  Indians — That  the  said  James  McKibben  died  in  the  beginnin'rof 
the  year  1785  and  that  said  tract  nf  land  fell  to  his  804is  William  & 
David  who  were  then  minors  aud  wlio  settled  Uie  laud  before  they  were 
of  age. 

"Joseph  McKibsen. 

"  Sworn  to  and  subscribed  the  2:id  day  of  June  1S03  before 

"  Wm.  Petkikix." 

•  From  D.  S.  Maynard's  "  Historical  View  of  Clinton  Conntv,"  writ- 
ten by  W.  M.  Allison,  Esq. 


660 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTON  COUNTV,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


The  McKibbens  are  of  Scotch-Irish  descent. 

The  Bald  Eagle  Mountains  are  on  the  northern  end 
and  the  Nittany  Mountains  on  the  southern  end. 
Fishing  Creek  flows  in  from  Logan  township,  and 
runs  through  to  the  eastern  part  of  the  township, 
on  the  south  side  of  Nittany  valley.  Cedar  Run 
is  on  the  north  side  of  the  valley;  one  branch  rises 
in  Marion  township,  Centre  Co.,  about  one-half  mile 
west  of  the  county  line,  and  flows  east.  The  south 
branch  rises  on  the  farm  of  David  Allison,  and  flows 
cast;  they  unite  at  Cedar  Spring  Mills.  There  are  a 
number  of  splendid  springs  of  cold  sparkling  lime- 
stone water  on  these  streams. 

Pioneers  and  Schools. — That  part  of  the  town- 
ship in  Nittany  valley  is  as  good  farming  land  as 
there  is]  in  Pennsylvania,  though  at  an  early  day 
the  land  along  the  turnpike,  or  what  is  termed 
the  ridge,  was  not  considered  worth  anything.  I 
was  talking  to  old  Mr.  Thomas  Stephenson,  and  he 
told  nie  that  John  Watson,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Wil- 
liam Reed,  cleared  the  first  field  on  the  Custard  farm  ; 
when  he  was  a  boy  he  was  by  there  when  they  were 
cutting  the  first  crop,  and  it  was  poor.  Mr.  Stephen- 
son's father  came  to  the  township  in  April,  1795, 
when  he  (Thomas)  was  eight  years  old  (he  was  eighty- 
nine  years  old  the  3d  day  of  last  March).  They 
bought  the  land  and  settled  where  H.  C.  Allison  now 
lives.  He  is  a  pensioner  of  the  war  of  1812.  The 
warrants  for  the  farms  of  D.  Allison,  John  Best,  Wil- 
liam Strunk,  and  S.  B.  and  R.  Thompson  were  taken 
out  in  the  name  of  Mary  Pollock  and  William  Camp- 
bell, May  5,  1709.  Mr.  Stephenson  says  the  first  win- 
ter they  spent  here  was  a  vejy  hard  one.  Some  of  the 
settlers  near  Jacksonville  had  to  go  to  Penn's  valley 
for  a  little  straw  to  feed  their  cows  ;  he  also  said  that 
one  winter  Mr.  McKibben  had  some  turnips  that  he 
did  not  get  taken  in.  The  deerfound  them,  and  would 
come  and  paw  the  snow  away  and  eat  them.  Old  Mr. 
McKibben  used  to  keep  pet  deer  that  would  go  out 
into  the  woods,  and  the  wild  deer  would  follow  them 
close  to  the  house,  where  he  would  often  be  watching 
and  shoot  them. 

The  first  settlers  were  pretty  much  all  Scotch-Irish 
Presbyterians,  and  they  went  to  church  at  Jackson- 
ville. They  thought  it  no  trouble  to  ride  on  horse- 
back from  near  Hamburg  to  Jacksonville,  where  was 
the  only  church  in  this  part  of  the  country  for  a  long 
time.  Rev.  Mr.  Wilson  was  the  first  stationed 
preacher  at  that  place.  Then  came  James  Linn,  the 
father  of  Judge  Linn,  who  used  to  preach  in  this 
neighborhood,  sometimes  at  the  houses  of  James  Mc- 
Kibben, David  Allison,  and  others. 

According  to  Mr.  Stephenson's  recollection,  the 
first  school-house  of  which  he  has  any  knowledge  was 
situated  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  W.  M.  Allison, 
a  few  rods  south  of  the  spring  on  the  line  between  Al- 
lison's and  McKibben's.  A  man  by  the  name  of 
Lindsey  was  the  first  teacher  he  recollects. 

They  (the  Stcphensons)  moved  in  there  when  they 


first  came  here,  and  remained  about  two  months.  He 
further  says  that  when  they  came  here  the  McKib- 
bens were  here, — Joseph,  William,  and  David, — living 
on  the  farms  spoken  of  above,  and  the  Watsons, — 
John,  David,  and  William.  David  settled  where  the 
residence  of  David  Kaufman  is,  William  where  H. 
W.  Dornblazer  now  lives,  and  John  where  Clinton- 
dale  is  now  situated  ;  Joseph  Brownlee,  on  Fishing 
Creek,  where  Peter  Transue  now  lives;  Matthew  Al- 
lison where  A.  J.  McClintock  ;  Archibald  Steward 
where  James  Hays,  on  Cedar  Run  ;  Archibald  John- 
son where  John  Best;  James  McCloskey  where  James 
Stephenson  and  John  Yearick  now  live.  McCloskey 
afterwards  sold  those  farms  for  five  shillings  per  acre 
and  went  to  Kentucky.  John  Shield  came  shortly 
after  and  settled  on  the  property  on  which  Robert 
Heard,  William  Harris,  and  James  Nixon  now  live. 
There  was  a  man  by  the  name  of  Furey  settled  in 
there  somewhere;  a  William  Lamb,  spoken  of  in  Mr. 
Eagan's  sketch.  The  Williamsons  about  that  time 
lived  where  L.  AV.  Shuler  now  lives. 

There  was  a  school-house  at  an  early  day  near 
where  David  Emrick's  stable  now  stands  at  Clinton- 
dale,  and  one  was  afterwards  built  on  the  south  end 
of  John  Heckman's  farm,  and  one  on  the  farm  of  J. 
S.  Furst,  about  forty  rods  west  of  D.  Allison's  house. 
The  next  was  one  near  where  the  present  house  on 
Cedar  Run  is  standing;  one  about  sixty  rods  west  of 
J.  Bennison's;  one  which  is  still  standing,  between  the 
residence  of  Samuel  Allison  and  Richard  Krape,  on 
the  turnpike,  and  one  near  Washington  Iron-Works, 
since  converted  into  a  dwelling-house  for  the  hands 
to  live  in.  The  next  were  put  up  under  the  common 
school  system.  Thefirst  two  were  built  in  1839.  The 
house  at  Cedar  Springs  is  still  used;  it  was  repaired 
in  1873.  The  next  two  were  built  in  1840.  The  one 
at  Yankeetown  is  still  in  use,  and  the  other  near  J. 
Dornblazer's,  a  new  one,  was  built  in  its  place  soon 
after.  The  next  one  was  built  in  1849,  where  the 
poor-house  now  stands,  but  was  burned  down  in  1861. 
The  present  house  at  Washington  Furnace  was  built 
in  1859.  The  next  one,  on  the  farm  of  A.  Allison's 
heirs,  was  built  in  1860.  The  next,  at  Clintondale,  in 
1862.  The  next,  at  Cedar  Run,  near  Cedar  Spring 
mills,  in  1871,  and  the  last  one  on  the  farm  of  Peter 
Dornblazer,  on  the  Fishing  Creek  road,  in  1875.  The 
board  of  directors  for  1875  were  L.  W.  Shuler,  presi- 
dent; W.  M.  Allison,  secretary  ;  Charles  Beck,  G.  M. 
Ohl,  James  G.  Hays,  and  John  Yearick.  W.  A. 
White  is  treasurer.  Mr.  White  has  been  collector 
and  treasurer  of  the  school  tax  nearly  ever  since  the 
township  has  been  divided.  The  rest  of  the  officers 
in  1875  were  as  follows :  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  Rob- 
ert B.  Brown  and  J.  Cyrus  Kryder;  Supervisors,  John 
Yearick  and  Philip  Walker;  Assessors,  Solomon  Mau- 
rer;  Assistant  Assessors,  John  Dornblazer  and  Henry 
Ziegler;  Auditors,  Jacob  Voneida,  Joel  A.  Herr,  and 
Lewis  Dornblazer;  Judge  of  Election,  John  Heck- 
man:  Inspectors,  John  Dorman  and  Ira  Ohl;  Con- 


rORTEIl  TOAVNSHIP. 


CGI 


stable,  James  Eakins  (Mr.  Eakins  has  been  constable 
for  a  number  of  years) ;  Justices  of  the  Peace,  Joseph 
Millikeu  and  W.  M.  Allison  ;  Mr.  Millikcn  is  serving 
his  sixth  term  as  justice.  George  Ohl  (father  of  the 
present  G.  M.  Olil)  and  George  M.  Watson  were  the 
first  two  justices  of  the  peace  when  the  township  was 
organized.  Matthew  Allison,  the  father  of  Mrs. 
George  Rishel,  was  the  first  justice  in  tliis  part  of  the 
country.  The  first  board  of  school  directors  consisted 
of  the  following  persons  :  John  Dornblazer,  Sr.,  pres- 
ident; Joseph  Milliken,  secretary;  William  C.  Wil- 
son, Israel  Muffly,  David  Allison,  and  Valentine 
Meyer. 

I  will  here  give  the  minutes  of  their  first  meeting 
in  1841: 

"  At  a  meeting  of  the  Rchool  directors,  held  nt  Iho  house  of  Israel 
Miiffl.v  oil  tlie  ritli  diiy  of  Ap'il,  1841,  after  orKaniziiij:,  the  following 
officers  were  elected:  John  Dornblazer,  iiresident;  .Joseph  fililliken, 
secretary.  On  motion,  it  was  J^esoZicd,  That  the  presidt-nt  and  secretary 
he  authorized  to  levy  a  tax  on  the  taxable  inhal>itants  of  Porter  t..\vn- 
sliip  not  exceeding  three  hundred  and  nincty-fl\e  dollars. 

(Signetl)  "Joseph  Milliken, Sec." 

Porter  in  the  Rebellion. — The  following  soldiers 
of  the  late  Uebellion  are  credited  to  Porter  township  : 
James  Allison,  promoted  to  lieutnant,  had  to  resign 
on  account  of  ill  health  after  serving  eighteen  montlis; 
Joseph  M.  Allison,  A.  J.  Best,  Peter  Best,  S.  F.  Best, 
Thomas  Dornblazer,  William  Hays,  promoted  to  lieu- 
tenant, taken  prisoner  at ;  Nathan  E.  Har- 
vey, fatally  wounded  and  died  ;  George  Krape,  Antes 
Krape,  William  Keister,  Jacob  Kling,  Wilber  F. 
Loveland  ;  Perry  McClintock,  contracted  disease  in 
the  army  and  died   shortly  after  his  return  ;    S.  L. 

Maurer,  died  in  the  hospital  at ;    Robert 

Maurer,  fatally  wounded  and  died  ;  Edwin  F.  Nixon, 
promoted  to  lieutenant,  taken  prisoner;  Henry  Ohl, 
died  ;  Harvey  Rishel,  died  ;  Williamson  Rishel,  Wil- 
liam J.  SheafFer,  Benjamin  Sayler  (died),  Henry  W. 
Wa.sson,  Cyrus  Walker,  Thomas  Watson.  The  above 
were  members  of  Capt.  J.  P.  Sheaffer's  Company  E, 
Seventh  Pennsylvania  Cavalry.  Since  writing  the 
above  I  have  obtained  the  following  names  of  mem- 
bers of  the  company :  Samuel  Kinney  (contracted 
disease  and  died  after  discharge),  Jerry  Logan,  John 
H.  Gladfelter,  Samuel  Ferrel,  James  J.  Smith,  George 
Wolf,  Henry  Yearick,  John  Berry,  Samuel  Heltman, 
William  Clark,  John  Jacoby,  John  Wolf,  H.  D. 
Loveland.  In  the  Eleventh  Pennsylvania  Volun- 
teers, J.  P.  Straw,  promoted  to  lieutenant  (killed); 
Robert  Clair,  Frank  Walker  (died),  Charles  Eldred 
(died),  John  Moore.  First  Pennsylvania  Cavalry, 
Philip  Walker,  promoted  to  first  lieutenant;  Benja- 
min F.  Straw,  Jonathan  Wallizer.  Forty-ninth 
Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  S.  H.  Benison,  promoted 
to  captain;  H.  P.  Blair,  Thomas  Hutchinson,  Wil- 
liam Letterman  (died),  William  Gladfelter  (killed). 
Ninety-third  Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  known  as  G. 
B.  Shearer's  company  from  Washington  Iron-Works, 
William  Tate,  promoted  to  captain ;  John  Deter, 
William    Deter,   William    Billet,   George   Bowman, 


Steward  Bowman  (killed),  Jolin  Bowman,  Samuel 
Bowman  (killed),  George  Ammerman,  Thomas  Craw- 
ford, Henry  Fissel  (killed),  Tobias  Green  (wounded), 
George  Grey,  Levi  Grubb,  Solomon  Grubh,  Isaac 
Grubb,  William  Dusenberry.  John  Cosleila,  William 
Kreps,  Adam  Kreps,  John  Lockhard,  contracted  dis- 
ease and  since  died;  James  Lockard,  George  Mc- 
Mullen,  James  Robb,  contracted  diseiise  and  died 
since;  James  Reeder,  Adam  Smith  (killed),  Robert 
Tate,  John  Tate,  John  Wertz,  contracted  disease  and 
since  died;  Jonathan  Walker,  Andrew  Green,  Jacob 
Grubb,  John  Smith,  David  Hampton,  James  Brown, 
Thomas  Bathurst.  Fifth  Pennsylvania  Reserves, 
William  Watson  (died).  I  cannot  ascertain  in 
what  regiments  the  following  were  enlisteil :  Robert 
Krape,  Henry  Krape,  Jr.,  Jacob  Emert,  Joseph  Sey- 
ler,  Gabriel  Betz,  Henry  Heltman,  Samuel  Shilling, 
and  Andrew  .Shilling.  The  following  were  nine 
inonths' men  :  William  Losh,  ,Tohn  J.  Sheaffer,  Ed- 
ward Moore,  M.  A.  Rishel,  Joel  A.  Herr,  John  W. 
Gladfelter,  Henry  Kling,  Nathan  Hauch. 

Owners  of  the  McKibben  Tract.— The  tract  of 
land  referred  to  in  the  affidavit  of  Mr.  McKibben 
comprises  the  farms  of  William  L.  McKibben  and 
W.  M.  Allison.  The  farm  of  W.  L.  McKibben  has 
been  in  the  McKibben  family  all  the  while,  except 
four  years  that  John  Wagner  and  thirteen  years 
that  W.  W.  Brown  and  brotliers  owned  it.  The  farm 
of  \V.  M.  Allison  was  purchased  of  David  McKibben 
in  1805,  by  Archibald  Allison,  grandfather  of  the 
said  W.  M.  Allison,  who  is  also  a  grandson  of 
William  McKibben.  The  warrant  was  located  May 
5,  1769.  The  farms  of  Henry  Zigler  and  Joseph 
McKibben's,  Jr.,  heirs  (the  latter  occupied  at  present 
by  the  widow  of  Joseph  McKibben,  who  is  seventy- 
two  years  of  age,  and  her  son,  William  S.)  v.-ere  all 
taken  in  the  same  warrant;  the  farms  of  William 
Irwin,  P.  W.  McDowell,  and  D.  Moyer's  heirs,  in 
Centre  County,  were  also  taken  in  the  same  warrant 
by  James  McKibben. 

The  fiirm  of  Joseph  McKibben  has  never  passed 
out  of  the  family.  Joseph  McKibben,  Jr.,  was  born, 
raised,  and  died  (at  the  age  of  sixty-five)  on  this  place. 
His  son,  William  S.,  now  fifty-one  years  of  age,  was 
born,  raised,  and  has  lived  in  the  same  house  all  his 
life.  It  is  said  his  grandfather  brought  i he  orchard 
to  the  farm  in  his  shot-pouch,  and  it  is  still  in  good 
bearing  condition.  It  is  also  claimed  that  Joseph 
McKibben,  Sr.,  opened  the  first  wagon-road  through 
the  Mill  Hall  Gap,  from  Nittany  to  Bald  Eagle  val- 
leys. The  houses  that  W.  L.  McKibben  and  W.  S. 
McKibben  and  his  mother  now  live  in  are  the  oldest 
dwellings  now  standing  in  the  township.  The  barn 
of  William  L.  McKibben  was  the  first  frame  barn 
known  to  be  built  in  this  part  of  the  country.  It  was 
erected  about  the  year  1823. 

Industries— Churches— Mining.— The  improve- 
ments on  Fishing  Creek  are  the  Washington  Iron- 
Works  (furnace,  forge,  and  saw-mill),  Loveland's  axe- 


662 


IIISTOKY  OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


factory,  Clintondiile  grist-mill ;  and  on  Cedar  Run  are 
D.  Allison's  saw-mill  (on  the  North  Branch),  Cedar 
Spring's  gris.t  mill,  James  Snodgrass'  saw-mill,  and 
the  Diamond  Cement- Works  on  Mr.  Snodgrass'  farm. 

The  township  of  Porter  contains  four  churches, 
seven  school-houses,  two  grist-mills,  one  tannery, 
four  stores,  a  number  of  lime-  and  cement-kilns,  and 
a  sufficient  number  of  shops  to  meet  the  wants  of  the 
community.  There  are  about  nine  paupers  supported 
by  the  township.  The  tannery  spoken  of  was  built 
by  William  Watson,  and  is  now  owned  by  Joseph 
Mil  liken  &  Son. 

Iron  ore  has  been  taken  out  on  the  farms  now 
owned  by  Kev.  J.  B.  Polsgrove  (the  old  Devling 
farm),  R.  B.  Brown,  J.  S.  Furst  (where  Shilling  now 
lives),  and  David  Allison  (occupied  by  J.  W.  Mc- 
Clintick),  and  there  are  good  indications  of  iron  ore 
in  several  other  portions  of  the  township.  It  is 
claimed  that  cement-clay  exists  in  many  places.  A 
vein  of  fiint  runs  along  the  ridge,  which  was  much 
sought  after  by  the  Indians  when  they  had  possession 
of  the  country. 

In  early  days  families  living  within  two  miles  of 
one  another  were  considered  near  neighbors.  They 
would  go  that  distance  at  any  time  to  a  house-raising, 
wood-chopping,  stone-hauling,  or  log-rolling,  and  the 
women  to  quilting-  and  spinning-bees.  The  young 
folks  would  work  all  day  and  dance  all  night  without 
flagging.  It  is  said  of  one  young  lady,  that  on  a  cer- 
tain occasion  she  walked  from  Salona  to  within  one 
mile  of  Jacksonville,  with  her  wheel  on  her  back, 
spun  all  day,  danced  all  night,  and  carried  her  wheel 
home  the  next  morning.  What  young  lady  would 
undertake  such  a  feat  at  the  present  day? 

Lemuel  Watson  still  h.as  part  of  the  farm  on  which 
his  father  first  settled  when  he  came  to  this  valley  ;  it 
has  never  passed  out  of  the  Watson  name,  although 
Lemuel  did  not  live  there  all  his  life.  Their  nearest 
grist-mill  was  at  Milesburg. 

From  1800  to  1820.— From  the  year  1800  to  1820 
the  following-named  persons  came  to  this  township  : 
Andrew  Eakins,  father  of  the  present  James  Eakins; 
Philip  Walker,  father  of  the  present  Philip  and  John 
Walker;  Joseph  Gamble,  who  married  the  widow  of 
John  Watson  ;  Alex.  Robertson,  the  Moores,  Peter 
Smith,  George  OhI,  Esq.,  the  Millers,  Bechtols,  Wil- 
liam and  Thomas  Brown,  James  Nixon,  and  a  number 
of  others  whose  names  I  cannot  now  recall.  Between 
1820  and  1830  came  William  C.  Wilson,  David  Alli- 
son, Peter  Seyler  (who  had  a  large  family  of  boys  and 
girls),  William  Devling,  Valentine  Meyer,  Solomon 
Crotzer,  J.  P.  McElrath  (who  was  afterwards  sherifl' of 
the  county),  Martin  Long,  Robert  Tate,  John  Best, 
Jacob  Krape,  Sr.,  John  Solt,  John  Dornblazer  (father 
of  the  present  John  and  Peter  Dornblazer).  I  believe 
the  latter  came  in  1831. 

Octogenarians. — There  were  in  1875  living  in  the 
township  the  following  named  persons  between  the 
ages  of  eighty  and  ninety  years:  Thomas  Stephenson 


(pensioner),  James  Hays,  Slutterback   (an  old 

pensioner),  Mrs.  Susan  Soldt,  John  Best,  David  Alli- 
son, Mrs.  D.  Royer,  and  Mrs.  Sarah  Wilson,  sister  of 
Thomas  Stephenson.  Old  Mr.  Stephenson  said  that 
Joseph  McKibben  was  the  first  militia  captain  in  this 
section.  It  took  all  this  partofNittany  and  Bald  Eagle 
valleys  to  form  a  company.  He  was  captain  of  the  com- 
pany for  several  years,  and  was  very  popular  among 
the  men,  as  there  was  not  a  man  fined  while  he  had 
command.  His  brother  William  was  afterwards  pro- 
moted to  colonel.  A  man  named  Snyder  was  also 
captain  of  the  militia  for  several  years.  When  he 
took  them  out  to  drill  his  first  command  was,  "Them 
that  have  no  guns  need  not  shoot,  but  just  go  through 
the  m-o-t-i-o-n  !" 

It  was  stated  to  the  author  by  William  McKibben 
that  a  part  of  the  barn  now  standing  on  the  old  farm 
was  built  by  his  grandfather,  Joseph  McKibben,  who 
died  Feb.  20,  18-17,  aged  ninety  years,  leaving  two 
sons,  four  daughters,  and  a  large  number  of  grand- 
children, among  them  ex-Sheriff  McGliee,  J.  C.  Mc- 
Ghee,  Mrs.  I.  P.  Heard,  Mrs.  Thomas  Pollock,  Wil- 
liam S.  McKibben,  Mrs.  Mary  Manigal,  Mrs.  Amanda 
Hughes,  Mrs.  Emily  Holmes,  Mrs.  Sarah  Brady,  and 
Mrs.  Nancy  Jenkins. 

Incidents. — Among  the  professional  men  who  re- 
ceived their  early  education  in  this  township  were 
J.  M.  Whitman,  attorney-at-law,  Rev.  Thomas  Dorn- 
blazer, deceased,  and  Rev.  Hiram  Bower. 

The  following-named  persons,  then  residents  of  this 
township,  have  served  as  county  commissioners  :  John 
Dornblazer,  Gideon  Dornblazer,  John  Rishel,  William 
A.  White,  and  William  Moyer. 

During  the  great  flood  of  1833  on  Cedar  Run,  a 
small  fulling-mill  then  standing  on  the  north  side 
of  Mr.  Snodgrass'  saw-mill  dam  was  destroyed. 

James  Eakin,  who  was  born  about  the  year  1800, 
related  to  the  author  the  following  facts: 

Among  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Porter  township 
were  William  Lamb,  an  old  Revolutionary  soldier, 
David,  John,  and  William  Watson,  Andrew  Eakins, 
John  Shields,  and  Henry  McCormany.  Washington 
Iron-Works  were  built  in  1809  by  William  Beattie 
and  John  Dunlop.  The  latter  was  killed  in  the  ore- 
bank.  Beattie  carried  on  the  works  for  some  time 
and  failed,  and  left  the  countrj',  after  which  Mr.  Val- 
entine Showers  took  the  works  and  used  up  the  stock. 
The  works  were  then  out  of  use  for  fifteen  years, 
during  which  time  they  became  the  property  of  Mrs. 
Henderson,  mother  of  Mrs.  Calvert  and  Mrs.  Busier, 
of  Lock  Haven.  About  1825,  Irvin  &  Huston  took 
possession  and  operated  the  furnace  successfully  for 
about  ten  years,  when  Whitaker  &  Co.  became  oper- 
ators. After  the  death  of  Benjamin  Pyle,  one  of  the 
firm,  the  works  were  operated  by  McCormick  & 
Morris  and  James  Irvin,  and  finally  sold  to  Messrs. 
Fallon,  and  operated  by  them  during  the  war,  and 
since  then  by  Samuel  Watson,  Barlow  &  Day,  and 
later  by  Jacob  Yearick. 


WAYNE  TOWNSHIP. 


GG'i 


The  Cedar  Springs  mill  was  built  about  1827  by 
Nathan  Harvey,  of  Mill  Hall,  and  has  passed  through 
several  hands,  and  is  now  owned  and  operated  by 
W.  S.  Knecht. 

Villages. — Clintondale  is  a  pretty  village  of 
nearly  two  hundred  population,  pleasantly  located  on 
FishingCreelc,  near  the  centre  of  the  township.  It  con- 
tains one  church,  a  school-house,  post-office,  grist-mill, 
tannery,  store,  a  variety  of  mechanical  shops,  and  some 
twenty-five  dwellings.  A  short  distance  from  the 
village,  in  a  pleasant  grove  on  the  banks  of  the  creek, 
are  the  camp-meeting  grounds  of  the  Evangelical 
Association,  where  religious  encampments  are  held 
every  year. 

The  Clintondale  flouring-mill  was  built  in  1827  by 
John  McGhee,  fatjier  of  ex-Sheriff  Thomas  McGhee, 
and  was  sold  to  Andrew  Hepburn,  of  Williamsport, 
in  183.3.  It  was  again  sold  in  1855  to  Smyth  &  Steele, 
and  in  18G0  to  W.  A.  White,  by  whom  it  has  been 
since  operated. 

The  tannery  was  built  by  William  Watson,  and  is 
now  owned  by  Joseph  Milliken  &  Son. 

Yankeetowx  (Lamar  post-office)  is  located  on  the 
turnpike,  near  the  Washington  Iron-Works,  and  con- 
tains Loveland's  axe-foctory,  two  stores,  a  school- 
house,  about  twenty  dwellings,  and  has  a  population 
of  nearly  a  hundred. 

The  township  has  four  churches,  seven  school- 
houses,  and  several  lime-  and  cement-kilns,  besides 
the  other  industrial  establishments  before  mentioned. 
It  has  a  new  poor-house,  with  a  few  acres  of  laud 
attached,  which  is  cultivated  by  the  inmates. 

It  has  no  hotels  or  liquor  saloons,  and  its  citizens 
are  enterprising,  industrious,  and  intelligent. 


CHAPTER    CXXV. 

WAYNE   TOWNSHIP.l 

Wayne  Township  is  one  of  the  twelve  original 
townships  of  Clinton  County;  it  was  taken  from 
Nippenose  township,  Northumberland  County,  in 
1795,  when  Lycoming  County  was  organized.  It  was 
named  in  honor  of  Gen.  Wayne, — "  JIad  Anthony," 
the  great  Indian-fighter,  among  whom  it  was  said 
that  he  was  "  a  leader  that  never  slept."  William 
Williams  was  the  first  supervisor,  and  John  Stein  the 
first  tax-collector. 

Description. — This  township  is  located  in  the  east- 
ern part  of  the  county,  on  the  south  side  of  the  West 
Branch  of  the  Susquehanna,  and  is  bounded  on  the 
south  by  Lamar  township,  on  the  west  by  Castanea, 
on  the  north  by  Pine  Creek  and  Dunstable,  east  by 
Lycoming  County  and  Crawford  township.  Its  shape 
is  very  irregular,  the  northern  border  conforming  to 

1  From  D.  S.  Maynard's  "  Historical  View  of  Clinton  County,"  writ- 
ten by  George  W.  Twltmycr,  Esq. 


the  windings  of  the  river,  which  flows  in  a  north- 
westerly course  through  its  entire  length. 

About  two-thirds  of  the  surface  of  the  township  is 
elevijted  several  hundred  feet  above  the  river.  The 
Bald  Eagle  range,  running  parallel  with  the  stream 
across  the  township,  forms  the  northern  boundary  of 
the  elevated  portion.  The  township  is  well  supplied 
with  small  streams,  the  most  important  of  which  is 
McElhattan  Run,  named  in  honor  of  William  McEl- 
liattan,  the  pioneer.  It  rises  on  the  mountain  in  the 
northern  part  of  Greene  township,  at  what  is  called  the 
"  Big  Pond,"  and  flowing  about  eight  miles  in  a  north- 
erly direction,  empties  into  the  West  Branch  a  short 
distance  west  of  Wayne  Station. 

The  soil  of  the  highlands  of  the  township  is  gen- 
erally sandy,  and  in  some  places  contains  shale.  It 
is,  as  a  general  thing,  susceptible  of  cultivation.  The 
bottom  land  lying  along  the  river  is  composed  of 
sand,  loam,  and  the  deposits  common  to  surfaces  over- 
flown by  streams,  and  is  very  fertile.  Wayne  town- 
ship possesses  much  mineral  wealth,,  consisting  of 
iron  ore,  limestone,  fire-clay,  potters'  clay,  mineral 
paint,  building  stone,  etc.,  all  awaiting  development. 

Pioneer  Settlers. — The  first  white  man  that  settled 
in  the  township  was  William  McElhattan,  who  came 
to  Lancaster  from  Ireland  in  1760,  but  hearing  of  the 
fine  land  near  the  "  Big  Island,"  came  up  the  Sus- 
quehanna and  located  about  one  mile  west  of  where 
the  run  bearing  his  name  enters  the  river.  He  was 
only  a  "  squatter,"  as  he  never  obtained  a  warrant 
for  his  land. 

In  the  "  History  of  the  West  Branch"  he  is  accredited 
with  having  built  the  first  mill  in  the  township,  but 
this  is  clearly  a  mistake,  as  it  is  known  to  have  been 
built  by  a  widow  lady  named  Smith,  in  1778,  at  the 
mouth  of  McElhattan  Run,  where  Joseph  McK.ague's 
saw-mill  now  stands.  The  second  was  Richard  Mc- 
Cafferty,  who  settled  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  about 
a  mile  east  of  the  run.  He  made  some  few  improve- 
ments, and  on  his  land  was  buried,  in  1770,  the  first 
white  settler  of  the  township.  This  graveyard  con- 
tains about  fifty-two  or  fifty-three  graves. 

The  third  settler  was  Robert  Love,  who  located  on 
a  small  run,  now  Love's,  a  little  below  where  Pine 
Station  now  is.  He  built  a  mill,  which,  with  Smith's, 
was  kept  in  operation  till  within  the  remembrance  of 
some  of  the  present  inhabitants.  These  mills  were 
very  rudely  constructed,  one  story  high,  and  con- 
tained but  one  run  of  stone. 

Robert  Love  was  among  the  "fair  play"  men  who 
passed  the  "  Pine  Creek  Declaration  of  Independ- 
ence" on  the  Fourth  of  July,  177C.  Some  time 
during  the  summer  of  1776  intelligence  wa;5  received 
that  Congress  contemplated  declaring  the  independ- 
ence of  the  colonies. 

The  hearts  of  the  settlers  beat  with  gladness  on 
hearing  this,  and  to  give  the  intended  movement 
their  approval  they  met  near  Pine  Creek,  and  after 
some  discussion  passed  resolutions  "  absolving  them- 


G6-t 


HISTORY   OF  CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


selves  from  all  allegiance  to  Great  Britain,  and  hence- 
forth declaring  themselves  free  and  independent." 
These  resolutions  were  passed  without  any  knowledge 
of  what  Congress  was  doing.  How  reuiarkable  the 
coincidence  !  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  these  resolu- 
tions were  not  preserved. 

The  land  along  the  river  from  Kurtz's  Eun  to  about 
a  mile  west  of  McElhattan  was  taken  up  by  three 
different  persons.  The  warrant  for  the  western  part, 
known  as  the  "Monmouth"  tract,  containing  four 
hundred  acres,  was  taken  out  in  17G9  by  William  No- 
land.  It  embraces  the  McKague,  Throne,  and  Strayer 
farms.  The  warrant  for  the  central  part  was  taken 
out  by  Isaac  Webster  in  1770,  and  embraces  the 
Stabley,  Montgomery,  and  Gallauher  farms.  The 
eastern  tract,  by  warrant  of  John  L.  Webster  in  1769, 
and  embraces  the  Sleek,  Quiggle  (now  Stamni),  and 
Winchester  farms.  On  this  tract  was  built  Horn's 
Fort,  in  1774-75.  It  was  located  on  a  high  bluff  a 
little  west  of  Kurtz's  Run,  at  which  place  there  is  a 
short  curve  in  the  river,  giving  a  view  of  both  banks, 
east  and  west,  for  over  a  mile.  No  doubt  it  was  built 
there  so  that  the  approach  of  the  wily  Indian  could 
be  more  easily  seen,  and  give  the  settlers,  in  time  of 
danger,  time  to  flee  to  the  fort  for  safety. 

About  the  time  of  the  "  Big  Runaway,"  in  1778, 
Elizabeth  Carson,  on  coming  out  of  the  fort,  was  fired 
upon  by  an  Indian  lying  in  ambush;  the  bullet,  pass- 
ing through  the  folds  of  her  dress,  cut  fourteen  holes 
in  it,  and  left  her  uninjured.  About  the  same  time 
Jane  Annesley,  while  at  milking,  had  several  shots 
fired  at  her;  one  bullet  passed  through  her  clothes, 
grazing  her  person  so  closely  that  she  felt  the  sting- 
ing sensation  so  severely  that  she  thought  she  was 
shot. 

Horn's  Fort  was  only  a  stockade  fort,  and  was  not 
supplied  with  any  arms  hut  the  muskets  and  rifles  of 
the  settlers ;  it  was  tlie  most  advanced  on  the  frontier, 
save  Reed's  Fort,  near  where  Lock  Haven  now  is. 
The  remains  of  Horn's  Fort  could  be  seen  till  1856- 
58,  when,  by  the  building  of  the  Philadelphia  and 
Erie  Railroad,  the  last  vestiges  of  it  were  destroyed. 
The  land  east  of  Kurtz's  Run  was  taken  up  by  three 
warrants, — that  of  Robert  Love  in  1769,  containing 
the  lands  of  Jamison,  the  Quiggles,  and  the  land  on 
which  Pine  Station  is  built;  that  of  Samuel  Wallis, 
1770,  embracing  the  lands  of  Maj.  G.  W.  Sour  and 
Jacob  Stamm  ;  and  that  of  Elizabeth  Jarvis,  1769, 
embracing  the  land  of  Thomas  Quiggle,  Peter  Miller, 
Joseph  Percey,  Louis  Miller,  Chatham  heirs,  T.  J. 
Toner,  etc.  This  tract  was  first  called  "  Fairview," 
afterwards  known  as  the  "  Hollingsworth  Tract." 

The  mountain  tract  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-six 
acres  west  of  Noland's  was  settled  upon  after  the 
Revolution  by  Patrick  McElhaney,  who  sold  to  Jacob 
Whiteman.  The  next  spring  Whiteman  went  to 
Jliddletown,  and  sold  to  George  Fry,  upon  the  repre- 
sentation of  his  land  being  good  for  farming  and  well 
adapted  to  grazing,  and  that  he  had  a  large  number 

t    ■ 


of  cattle  on  it,  which  he  would  sell  with  the  land  for 
six  hundred  dollars,  one-half  to  be  paid  down,  bal- 
ance in  the  fall,  at  which  time  Fry  was  to  come  up 
and  see  the  land.  Fry  bought  the  land  without  see- 
ing it,  and  paid  three  hundred  down.  He  came  up 
in  the  fall,  and  while  walking  over  the  land,  appar- 
ently everything  satisfactory,  asked  Whiteman  to  see 
the  cattle.  Presently  they  came  upon  a  herd  of  deer, 
when  Whiteman  said,  "There  are  the  cattle."  Fry 
was  no  little  surprised,  and  turning  to  Whiteman 
rather  fiercely,  said,  "  Take  your  land  and  go  to  the 
d — 1,  and  I'll  go  to  Middletown !"  Fry  went  home 
and  never  returned  to  see  his  "  farm  and  pasture 
lands."  Whiteman  went  West,  and  was  never  heard 
from  afterwards.  Thus  was  the  land  along  the  river 
taken  up  and  settled  ;  the  mountain  land  was  not 
much  looked  after  till  about  1804  or  1805.  Among 
the  permanent  settlers  who  bought  land  and  im- 
proved it  were  the  Quiggles,  who  came  from  Lancas- 
ter in  1788,  and  the  Montgomerys  in  1790.  The  orig- 
inal Montgomery  farm  is  now  owned  by  Wilson, 
James,  and  Andrew  Montgomery.  The  Quiggle  farm 
was  owned  by  S.  N.  Quiggle  till  within  a  lew  years, 
when  it  was  bought  by  Charles  S.  Gallauher.  The 
last  payment  on  this  farm  by  the  Quiggles  is  ac- 
knowledged by  tlie  following  queer  receipt,  now  in 
the  hands  of  S.  N.  Quiggle : 

"June  llie  27t1i,  1S07.— Keccivt  by  the  Hand  of  George  Quickie  the 
Simi  of  Sixty-Two  rouiits  for  Johu  Qiiiclile  to  the  Yuse  of  Adam  and 
George  Wilt,  I  Say  Koccivt  by 

"HeNHY    S  lEAHMAN." 

There  were  two  Indian  towns  of  considerable  note 
within  the  limits  of  the  township.  On  the  Mont- 
gomery farm,  about  a  half-mile  northeast  of  Wayne 
Station,  was  a  town  called  "  Patterson,"  over  which  a 
chief  of  that  name  of  the  Shawanee  tribe  ruled.  In 
this  town  lived  the  famous  Cliinklacamoose,  prior  to 
going  to  "  Chinkhicamoose's  old  town,"  now  Clear- 
field. Tlie  other  was  called  "  Tucquamingy,"  and 
was  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Maj.  Sour. 

Pioneer  Schools  and  Teachers,  —  The  first 
School  in  the  township  was  taught  by  Walter  S. 
Chatham,  father  of  ex-Sheriff  Chatham,  in  an  old, 
abandoned  dwelling-house  near  Kurtz's  Run,  which 
was  prepared  for  school  purposes.  This  school  was 
opened  in  1807-8,  and  soon  gained  such  a  reputation 
that  it  was  attended  by  students  from  Jersey  Shore, 
Pine  Creek,  and  Nippenose,  among  whom  were 
Robert  G.  White,  afterwards  judge,  John  and  Isaac 
Brown,  men  of  character  and  distinction.  Though 
Chatham  made  no  pretensions  to  teach  anything  but 
reading,  writing,  arithmetic,  and  a  little  grammar, 
he  was  for  many  years  considered  the  best  teacher  in 
this  section.  He  continued  to  teach  in  this  old  house 
till  1813,  at  which  time  a  new  house  was  built  on 
the  Quiggle  (now  Gallauher)  farm.  This  house  was 
burned  in  1827,  on  account  of  a  man  having  in  a  state 
of  mental  derangement  committed  suicide  within  it. 
This  man  was  a  monomaniac  on  the  subject  of  relig- 


WAYNE  TOWNSHIP. 


605 


ion,  and  entertained  the  belief  that  there  could  be  no 
remission  of  sins  or  hope  of  salvation  without  the 
shedding  of  blood. 

In  1830  a  school-house  was  built  on  the  road  lead- 
ing to  Sugar  valley,  within  a  few  rods  of  the  river, 
and  was  used  for  school  purposes  till  1861,  and  as  a 
church  up  to  the  building  of  the  Union  Church  in 
18.53.  Hon.  James  Chatham,  Hon.  G.  O.  Deise,  Hon. 
J.  W.  Quiggle,  and  James  M.  Deise,  Esq.,  received 
their  early  education  in  this  house.  In  18G1  there 
were  two  new  houses  built,  and  the  old  one  vacated 
and  converted  into  a  blacksmith-shop  by  Samuel 
Snyder,  who  still  uses  it  as  such. 

The  progress  of  educational  affairs  has  been  truly 
wonderful.  From  one  school  in  1807-8  of  twenty 
pupils  in  an  old,  dilapidated  dwelling-house,  and 
teacher's  salary  ten  dollars  per  month,  to  four  schools 
in  1876  of  fifty  each,  first-class  houses,  and  teachers' 
salary  forty  dollars  per  month,  is  certainly  evidence 
of  substantial  progress. 

Wayne  is  noted  for  her  good  farmers,  skilled  me- 
chanics, excellent  tradesmen,  and  particularly  for  those 
who  have  played  an  important  part  in  public  affairs. 
From  this  township  many  young  men  have  started 
as  teachers,  clerks,  lawyers,  and  ministers,  and  to-day 
are  an  honor  to  their  native  place ;  but  we  would 
specially  note  the  course  of  those  who  have  held  pub- 
lic offices,  and  performed  their  duties  with  fidelity  and 
trust. 

Hon.  G.  O.  Deise,  deceased,  began  his  public  career 
as  a  school-teacher.  He  taught  three  months  in  1853 
and  one  month  in  1854,  at  the  expiration  of  which  he 
commenced  reading  law  with  C.  A.  Mayer,  Esq.,  of 
Lock  Haven.  He  applied  himself  diligently  to  the 
acquirement  of  a  knowledge  of  legal  matters,  and  in 
1856  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  He  was  successful  in 
practice,  and  in  1859  was  elected  district  attorney, 
and  continued  to  hold  this  office  till  1865.  In  1866 
he  was  elected  to  the  House  of  Representatives,  and 
re-elected  in  1867  by  a  large  majority.  Mr.  Deise  was 
an  uncompromising  Democrat,  and  was  noted  for  his 
inflexible  honesty.  He  was  a  fluent  and  energetic 
speaker,  but  had  not  a  very  melodious  voice,  nor 
graceful  manner.  He  was  rather  tall  in  person,  and 
always  wore  a  look  of  dignity  and  conscious  power. 
He  died  in  1873,  at  the  age  of  thirty-six  years,  la- 
mented by  all  who  knew  him. 

James  M.  Deise,  Esq.,  deceased,  brother  of  G.  0. 
Deise,  was  a  lawyer  of  considerable  ability.  He  was 
elected  district  attorney  in  1868,  re-elected  in  1871 
and  1874.  He  died  in  1875,  at  the  age  of  thirty-nine 
years. 

Hon.  James  W.  Quiggle  was  noted  as  a  citizen,  at- 
torney, and  politician.  He  commenced  the  study  of 
law  in  1838,  under  the  tuition  of  James  Gamble,  of 
Jersey  Shore,  now  judge  of  Lycoming  District  at 
Williarasport.  When  Clinton  County  was  organized 
in  1839,  he  was  appointed  clerk  to  the  commissioners ; 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in   1841,  and  immediately 


became  the  counselor  of  the  commissioners  and 
sherifT.  In  1842  he  became  associated  with  Allison 
White  in  the  legal  profession.  These  gentlemen  were 
among  the  foremost  of  the  bar,  and  (or  many  years 
had  a  large  and  lucrative  practice.  Mr.  Quiggle  was 
appointed  deputy  attorney-general  by  Ovid  F.  John- 
son, then  attorney-general,  and  successively  by  Kane, 
Reed,  and  Champney,  until  1850,  when  the  ofl^ice, 
under  the  title  of  district  attorney,  was  made  elective. 
He  was  then  nominated  by  the  Democratic  party  for 
this  office,  and  was  elected  by  the  largest  majority  of 
any  on  the  ticket.  In  1852  he  was  elected  State  sen- 
ator for  the  district  composed  of  Clinton,  Centre,  Ly- 
coming, and  Sullivan  Counties.  Previous  to  this 
Charles  A.  Mayer,  now  president  judge  of  this  dis- 
trict, became  a  student  at  law  with  him,  and  on  his 
admission  to  the  bar  became  a  partner,  under  the 
firm-name  of  Quiggle  &  Mayer.  In  1856  he  re- 
moved to  Philadelphia,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
banking  and  real  estate  business,  in  which  he  con- 
tinued till  1859,  when  President  Buchanan  appointed 
him  United  States  consul  at  Antwerp,  Belgium,  where 
he  resided  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties  for  nearly 
three  years,  and  prior  to  his  return  traveled  over  the 
principal  parts  of  the  continent. 

Religious. — The  people  of  this  township  are  pro- 
verbially a  religious  people;  the  two  large  camp- 
meetings  and  the  four  well-sustained  churches  fully 
attest  the  truth  of  this  statement,  and  are  an  excellent 
commentary  on  the  morals  of  the  people. 

The  Union  Church,  built  in  1853  at  a  cost  of  eight 
hundred  dollars,  was  the  first  and  the  only  church  in 
the  township  for  many  years.  This  church  is  open 
to  all  denominations. 

The  Wayne  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  built  in 
1873  at  a  cost  of  two  thousand  eight  hundred  dollars, 
is  a  substantial  frame  building,  handsomely  finished, 
and  will  comfortably  seat  five  hundred  people. 

The  Pine  Jlethodist  Episcopal  Church  was  erected 
in  1874,  at  a  cost  of  two  thousand  two  hundred  and 
thirty-five  dollars.  It  is  a  very  neat  little  church, 
and  much  resembles  the  Wayne  Church. 

The  Ebenezer  Church  of  the  Evangelical  Associa- 
tion was  built  in  1875,  and  will,  when  completed,  cost 
about  two  thousand  eight  hundred  dollars.  This  is  the 
largest  and  most  commodious  church  in  the  township. 

In  connection  with  the  churches  there  is  sustained 
a  Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  which  was 
organized  Oct.  11,  1875,  with  twenty-two  members. 
The  officers  elected  were  Thomas  McNarney,  presi- 
dent; S.  N.  Quiggle,  vice-president;  Nathan  Simeox, 
secretary;  Jacob  Stabley,  treasurer.  At  a  meeting 
held  April  1,  1876,  the  officers  were  re-elected  for 
one  year.  The  meetings  of  the  association  have  been 
the  means  of  much  good.  By  them  denominational 
barriers  have  been  broken  down,  diflerences  of  opinion 
harmonized,  and  the  various  branches  of  the  church 
unified  in  sentiment  and  feeling.  There  are  at  present 
eighty -six  members  in  good  standing. 


6G6 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


The  special  objects  of  attraction  in  this  place  are 
the  West  Branch  Camp-Meeting  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Chureli,  the  Pine  Station  Camp-Meeting 
of  the  Evangelical  Association,  and  the  MoElhattan 
Springs  on  McElhattan  Run. 

West  Branch  Camp-Meeting'  Association.— The 
following  coni))Iete  and  reliable  history  of  the  West 
Branch  Camp-Meeting  Association  was  written  by  J. 
N.  Welliver,  Esq. : 

"A  very  general  desire  had  been  expressed  by  the 
Methodists  of  the  West  Branch  valley,  soon  after  the 
close  of  the  war,  to  locate  a  camp-meeting  at  some 
eligible  point  along  the  Susquehanna.  Dr.  W.  Lee 
Spottswood,  then  presiding  elder  of  what  is  known  as 
the  Williamsport  district,  called  the  attention  of  his 
preachers  and  people  to  this  subject,  and  quite  a 
number  of  the  stations  and  circuits  appointed  dele- 
gates to  meet  on  a  certain  day  in  the  month  of  June 
on  the  banks  of  the  beautiful  McElhattan,  and  se- 
lected the  spot  on  which  the  present  encampment  is 
located. 

"It  was  then  decided  to  hold  a  meeting  in  August, 
1868,  and  a  committee,  composed  of  Rev.  M.  K.  Fos- 
ter, J.  N.  WelUver,  and  S.  M.  Quiggle,  now  deceased, 
was  appointed  to  carry  out  a  plan  there  suggested, 
and  erect  a  sufficient  number  of  buildings  to  meet  the 
public  demand.  Mr.  Quiggle,  not  feeling  like  as- 
suming so  much  responsibility,  retired  from  the 
active  duties  of  the  committee  before  the  work  began. 
Many  of  the  good  people  of  Wayne  met  and  assisted 
in  clearing  the  grounds.  The  committee  erected 
about  ninety  temporary  board  tents,  eighteen  by  six- 
teen feet,  with  board  roofs,  and  they  were  all  occupied. 
The  meeting  was  well  attended,  and  considerable  in- 
terest manifested.  Heavy  rains  occurred  at  different 
times  during  this  series  of  meetings,  and  the  board 
roofs,  not  proving  themselves  '  waterproof,'  demon- 
strated the  fact  that  the  times  demanded  better  ac- 
commodations and  a  superior  class  of  buildings.  The 
question  of  making  this  a  permanent  encampment 
was  being  agitated.  At  this  juncture  the  Hon.  J.  W. 
Quiggle  came  forward,  and  generously  offered  to  do- 
nate nine  acres  of  ground,  upon  which  the  temporary 
encampment  was  built,  as  a  nucleus  for  a  new  and 
permanent  association.  Soon  after  the  close  of  the 
meeting  a  survey  was  made,  and  a  deed  executed  to 
Hon.  C.  A.  Mayer,  J.  N.  Welliver,  Rev.  I.  H.  Tor- 
rence,  Hon.  G.  O.  Deise,  S.  N.  Quiggle,  and  Thomas 
Waddle,  trustees  for  the  above  land.  The  deed  con- 
tained several  provisions  or  conditions,  one  of  which 
provided  for  the  transfer  of  this  land  whenever  an 
association  for  the  purpose  of  holding  camp-meetings 
should  be  incori)orated. 

"Early  in  the  spring  of  1869  an  association  was 
formed,  and  a  charter  obtained  from  the  Court  of 
Common  Pleas  of  Clinton  County,  incorporating  the 
West  Branch  Camp-Meeting  Association,  and  a  few 
individuals,  principally  from  Lock  Haven,  under- 
took the  difficult    task  of  providing  ways  and  means 


in  order  to  carry  out  and  make  the  institution  a  suc- 
ce.ss.  A  board  of  nine  directors  was  elected,  and  or- 
ganized by  electing  J.  N.  Welliver,  president;  Rev. 
M.  K.  Foster,  treasurer;  and  Hon.  G.  O.  Deise,  secre- 
tary. Then  began  the  history  proper  of  the  present 
association,  the  pioneer  in  this  new  order  of  camp- 
meetings,  and  which  has  been  patterned  after  and 
largely  imitated  by  others.  Like  every  institution 
which  was  new  and  untried,  it  blazed  its  way,  solving 
difficult  problems  as  they  presented  themselves,  until 
its  founders  had  the  proud  satisfaction  of  seeing  it 
established  on  a  permanent  foundation.  It  is  situ- 
ated about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  from  Wayne  Sta- 
tion, on  the  line  of  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  Rail- 
road, and  is  very  easy  of  access  from  all  points.  Over 
four  hundred  comfortable  board  tents  with  shingle 
roofs  have  been  erected,  generally  sixteen  tents  iu  a 
block,  eight  on  the  first  floor  and  eight  on  the  second, 
j  each  tent  being  nine  by  sixteen  feet.  Besides  the 
tents  there  are  quite  a  number  of  other  buildings 
erected  on  the  grounds  well  adapted  to  the  purposes 
for  which  they  are  intended.  Among  the  most  prom- 
inent is  the  Tabernacle,  a  building  sufficiently  large 
to  seat  two  thousand  five  hundred  persons,  and  is 
used  principally  during  rainy  weather,  when  services 
cannot  be  held  in  the  main  auditorium.  Two  large 
boarding-houses  are  situated,  one  in  the  upper  and 
the  other  on  the  lower  part  of  the  ground,  that  will 
seat  nearly  five  hundred  people  at  one  time.  A 
restaurant  building,  with  boarding-house  attached, 
conducted  somewhat  on  the  European  plan,  stands 
on  the  right  of  the  main  avenue  as  you  enter  the 
grounds.  Near  the  Tabernacle  stands  the  'Preach- 
ers' Home,'  a  building  erected  for  the  occupancy  of 
the  preachers  during  'camping-time.'  The  office  of 
the  association  is  a  neat  building  near  the  opening  of 
the  main  auditorium,  and  is  used  by  the  officers  as 
their  place  of  business  during  the  sessions  of  the  en- 
campment. One  room  of  this  building  is  usually  used 
as  a  book -store.  Directly  across  from  the  office  is  a 
building  erected  for  storing  and  assorting  baggage. 
In  adflition  to  those  already  named  are  the  commis- 
sary buildings,  buildings  for  prayer-meetings,  etc. 
An  annual  insurance  is  kept  up  on  the  property, 
amounting  to  about  twelve  thousand  dollars. 

"  The  capital  stock  of  the  association  was  originally 
ten  thousand  dollars,  but  increased  by  various  amend- 
ments of  the  charter  to  fifty  thousand  dollars.  Of 
this  amount,  however,  only  about  twenty  thousand 
dollars  have  been  issued.  The  par  value  of  the  stock 
is  twenty-five  dollars  per  share.  It  is  held  principally 
by  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
there  being  about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  stock- 
holders. The  charter  originally  provided  that  the 
board  of  directors,  elected  yearly,  should  consist  of 
nine  persons;  two-thirds  of  the  number  must  be 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  This 
provision  was  also  amended  by  increasing  the  number 
to  fifteen.    The  meetings  are  iu  the  charge  aud  under 


WAYNE   TOWNSHIP. 


667 


the  control  of  the  presiding  elder  of  tlie  Williams- 
port  district.  They  have  always  been  of  a  very  high 
character.  The  best  of  order  has  prevailed,  and  the 
general  good  behavior  has  been  a  subject  of  favor- 
able comment  by  many  who  are  professedly  not  in 
harmony  with  the  doings  of  the  Methodist  people. 

"Tlie  auditorium,  which  seats  nearly  five  thousand 
people,  is  thickly  studded  with  young,  thrifty  timber, 
making  a  beautiful  grove.  It  is  lighted  with  gas, 
manufactured  on  the  ground,  which  adds  largely  to 
the  comfort  of  the  tent-holders  and  those  worshiping 
there.  One  of  the  finest  mountain  streams  on  this 
continent  washes  its  margin.  All  things  considered, 
it  is  one  of  the  most  desirable  places  for  camp-meeting 
purposes.  We  cannot,  in  this  brief  history,  refer 
individually  to  those  who  have  contributed  to  the 
success  of  this  association.  The  following  list  of 
gentlemen  have  served,  or  are  now  serving,  on  the 
board  of  directors,  beside  those  heretofore  named, 
and  have  labored  faithfully  and  efficiently  in  build- 
ing up  the  institution:  Hon.  L.  A.  Mackey,  W.  C. 
Kress,  J.  F.  Batcheler,  S.  N.  Quiggle,  J.  J.  Everett, 
G.  J.  F.  Ramra,  G.  S.  Snyder,  Charles  Kreamer, 
George  Slate,  O.  S.  Houtz,  ^V.  W.  Rankin,  Rev. 
James  Curns,  Joseph  Bird,  Rev.  B.  F.  Stevens,  David 
Baird,  John  Ransom,  Rev.  D.  S.  Monroe,  G.  W. 
Hippie,  S.  Q.  Mingle,  Dr.  S.  L.  Bowman,  Joel  A. 
Herr,  James  Williamson,  Hon.  Eli  Slifer. 

"  The  meetings  have  been  under  the  respective  con- 
trol of  Rev.  W.  L.  Spottswood,  Rev.  James  Curns, 
and  Rev.  Thompson  Mitchell,  the  last  named  having 
charge  of  the  district  in  1877.  Of  their  labor  it  can 
be  said,  'Well  done.'  The  ministers  of  the  Central 
Pennsylvania  Conference  deserve  much  credit  for  the 
interest  they  have  taken  in  this  enterprise.  Their 
influence  and  labor  in  the  cause  they  have  espoused 
can  only  result  in  much  good. 

"  We  would  be  doing  our  subject  injustice  if  we 
failed  to  call  special  attention  of  the  reader  to  one  of 
the  most  pleasing  as  well  as  the  most  interesting  and 
profitable  features  of  our  modern  camp-meeting.  We 
refer  to  the  children's  meetings  held  daily  in  the 
Tabernacle.  Ever  since  their  introduction  on  these 
grounds  they  have  been  under  the  special  supervision 
of  the  Rev.  I.  H.  Torrence,  a  man  eminently  fitted  for 
this  work,  and  he  certainly  is  to  be  congratulated  on 
his  success.  'Many  will  rise  up  and  call  him 
blessed.' 

"  The  streets  leading  to  the  grounds  are  owned  by  the 
association,  and  kept  in  the  best  condition.  Several 
very  neat  cottages  have  been  put  up  on  West  Branch 
and  Mountain  Avenues ;  prominent  among  them  are 
the  McElhattan  cottage,  Rev.  J.  W.  Langley's,  R.  G. 
Cook's,  David  Baird's,  Messrs.  Ranim's,  Joseph  Bird's, 
Bigony,  and  Rankin's,  etc." 

The  origin,  progress,  and  history  of  the  Pine  camp- 
meeting  is  as  follows : 

In  July,  1871.  Rev.  A.  L.  Reeser,  senior  preacher 
on  Jersey  Shore  Cifcuit,  suggested  to  Mr.  Jacob  Stamm 


the  propriety  of  holding  a  district  camp-meeting,  80 
that  the  members  of  the  various  congregations  might 
be  brought  into  closer  union  witii  eacli  other  and  be 
better  prepared  for  successful  work  in  the  Masler'.s 
cause.  Mr.  Stamm  believed  that  it  would  meet  an 
acknowledged  want,  and  offered  to  give  the  ground 
for  the  meeting.  Jacob  Stamm,  Robert  Johnson,  and 
Jacob  Quiggle  were  appointed  a  committee  to  select 
a  suitable  place  for  holding  the  meeting,  and  on  view- 
ing the  ground  the  present  location  was  chosen. 

It  was  not  at  first  designed  to  build  permanent 
tents,  such  as  are  now  on  the  grounds,  but  that  those 
desiring  to  attend  the  meeting  should  build  their  own 
trnts  according  to  their  individual  tastes;  but  on  the 
day  the  grounds  were  cleared,  the  people  turning  out 
en  masse,  it  was  decided  to  build  after  the  plan  of  the 
West  Branch  Association. 

The  building  of  seventy-two  board  tents  (nine  by 
sixteen  feet)  with  shingle  roofs,  in  blocks  two  stories 
high,  a  commodious  boarding-house,  and  the  preach- 
ers' stand,  and  the  walling  of  the  springs  was  the 
work  done  prior  to  the  holding  of  the  meeting. 

The  first  meeting  on  the  ground  opened  Sept.  6, 
1871,  under  the  most  favorable  circumstances,  and  all 
things  combined  to  make  it  a  success. 

To  insure  the  success  of  the  meeting  in  after-years, 
it  was  decided  by  those  interested  to  form  a  stock  as- 
sociation, and  before  the  close  of  the  first  session 
Jacob  Stamm  donated  six  acres  and  a  half  to  the  as- 
sociation for  camp-meeting  purposes. 

The  new  association  was  called  "  The  Pine  Sta- 
tion Camp-Meeting  Association."  The  next  year  an 
office  and  restaurant  were  built,  and  the  grounds 
generally  improved.  The  restaurant  was  burned  in 
May,  1875,  by  the  hand  of  an  incendiary,  and  but 
for  the  timely  discovery  of  the  fire  and  persistent 
eflx)rts  to  extinguish  it  these  beautiful  grounds  would 
have  been  desolated.  About  seven  thousand  dollars 
have  been  expended  in  beautifying  and  improving 
the  grounds. 

The  stock  is  mostly  owned  by  members  of  the 
Evangelical  Association,  and  the  meetings  are  en- 
tirely under  their  control. 

The  grounds  are  situated  on  Love's  Run,  about 
three-fourths  of  a  mile  south  of  Pine  Station,  on  the 
line  of  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  Railroad,  in  the 
midst  of  a  beautiful  grove,  surrounded  by  the  most 
picturesque  scenery,  and  are  well  supplied  with  water 
from  two  never-failing  springs.  This  is  truly  a  place 
where  the  worshiper  may  look  from  "  nature  up  to 
nature's  God."  The  officers  of  the  association  were 
in  1877  Rev.  S.  T.  Buck,  president;  II.  S.  Diflen- 
baclier,  secretary;  and  Jacob  Stamm,  treasurer. 

McElhattaii  Gap— Roads— Relics.— The  view  of 
McElhattan  Gap  from  the  north  is  unexcelled  for 
beauty  and  grandeur.  The  mountain  on  both  sides 
rises  precipitously,  forming,  as  it  were,  a  grand 
sluice-way  for  the  crystal  stream  that  flows  at  its 
base  I  in  this  gap  are  the  McElhattan  Springs,  the 


6G8 


HISTORY  OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


surroundings  of  which  are  picturesque  in  the  ex- 
treme. Tliese  springs  are  visited  annually  during 
the  session  of  the  camp-meeting  by  thousands  of 
people.  Near  them  is  Quiggle  &  Shoup's  fishery, 
in  which  there  were  at  one  time  about  ten  thousand 
trout.  This  fishery  was  established  in  1872,  under 
the  superintendence  of  Rev.  J.  W.  Shoup,  and  would 
have  been  a  paying  enterprise  but  for  some  wretch 
who  stole  a  large  number  of  the  fi^h,  and  to  prevent 
detection  turned  the  water  off,  and  before  it  was  dis- 
covered the  remainder  had  perished. 

This  is  practically  an  agricultural  district,  the  only 
manufacture  being  lumber  and  shingles  at  the  mills 
of  Joseph  McKague,  S.  N.  Quiggle,  J.  W.  Quiggle, 
and  Thomas  Gottshall,  and  flour  and  feed  in  the 
Rockville  mills  of  George  M.  Hoagland.  This  mill 
was  built  in  184."?,  by  Michael  Throne,  being  the 
second  on  the  same  foundation.  The  first  was  built 
in  1842,  and  put  into  operation  in  April,  1843;  it  ran 
until  the  Fourth  of  July,  when  it  was  burned. 

The  township  is  accessible  to  the  farmer  and 
trader  by  one  good  road  that  traverses  it  the  entire 
length,  from  east  to  west,  and  from  the  north  by 
three  ferries.  The  Philadelphia  and  Erie  Railroad 
also  passes  through  it  the  entire  length,  affording 
every  facility  for  travel.  There  are  two  stations  on 
the  road.  Pine  Station,  eight  miles  east  of  Lock 
Haven,  has  a  population  of  eiglity-five,  and  contains 
two  stores,  one  hotel,  and  a  post-office,  which  was  es- 
tablished through  the  enterprise  of  D.  A.  Cochrali  in 
ISfiG;  he  was  made  postmaster,  and  so  continued  till 
1876,  when  J.  R.  Fredericks  was  appointed. 

Wayne  Station,  five  miles  east  of  Lock  Haven,  con- 
tains a  school-house,  hotel,  store,  and  the  McElhattan 
post-office.  This  office  was  established  in  Rockville 
in  1858,  by  Jacob  Deise,  the  mail  being  carried  from 
Charlton,  in  Pine  Creek  township  ;  Ehud  Chatham 
was  the  carrier,  and  was  to  have  half  the  proceeds  of 
the  office,  which  when  paid  him  at  the  end  of  the 
year  was  just  enough  to  buy  his  wife  a  calico  dress. 
The  office  is  now  kept  by  A.  S.  Stably. 

A  few  relics  of  "  ye  olden  time"  are  still  to  be  seen 
among  the  older  citizens.  William  Chatham  has  in 
his  possession  a  mahogany  fife  that  was  brought  from 
Ireland  in  1769  by  Col.  John  Chatham.  It  was  used 
during  the  entire  Revolution,  and  also  the  war  of 
1812.  Patrick  McElhaney,  on  going  to  the  war,  bor- 
rowed this  fife  to  take  into  the  service;  he  returned 
it  in  1815  in  good  condition.  A  clock  a  hundred  and 
twenty  years  old,  in  running  order,  can  be  seen  here. 
Guns,  forks,  plates,  and  axes  that  were  brought  to 
this  country  are  by  no  means  rare.  Of  the  aboriginal 
relics  of  any  note  there  are  few,  consisting  mainly  of 
arrow-heads,  broken  tomahawks,  and  Indian  kettles. 
The  most  remarkable  is  the  "flint  god"  or  Indian 
idol,  cut  from  solid  flint.  It  represents  an  Indian  in 
full  costume.  It  was  picked  up  on  the  Steck  farm  a 
few  years  ago,  and  was  deposited  in  the  Smithsonian 
Institute,  at  Washington,  by  Dr.  Goddard. 


The  first  camp-meeting  in  the  township  was  held  in 
18.35,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Evangelical  Associa- 
tion, on  John  Stabley's  farm. 

National  Transit  Pipe  Line  Station.— The  Na- 
tional Transit  Pipe  Line,  generally  called  the  United 
Line,  has  one  of  its  largest  stations  at  Pine  Station, 
on  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  Railroad.  Its  buildings 
were  begun  July  4,  1881,  and  completed  that  season. 
They  consist  of  two  oil-tanks,  each  holding  thirty-five 
thousand  barrels  of  oil,  one  hundred  barrels  of  oil  to 
the  inch,  and  thirty-five  feet  in  height.  Through  the 
two  engines  this  oil  is  pumped  over  the  mountains  to 
Milton,  a  distance  of  twenty-seven  miles.  J.  C.  Rus- 
sell, of  Jersey  Shore,  is  superintendent  of  this  station 
and  line. 

There  are  two  large  buildings,  in  which  is  the  ma- 
chinery for  pumping,  etc.  There  are  employed  here 
two  engineers,  four  firemen,  two  telegraphic  operators, 
two  line-walkers,  and  one  extra  map.  This  line  ex- 
tends from  Coal  Grove  to  Milton,  and  passes  straight 
through  the  country,  crossing  the  highest  hills  and 
mountains. 

James  Chatham  was  born  in  this  township  April 
29,  1814,  and  remained  with  his  parents  until  he  was 
fifteen  years  old,  receiving  from  them  an  elementary 
knowledge  of  the  common  English  branches.  He 
was  then  apprenticed  to  the  trade  of  a  shoemaker, 
serving  in  that  capacity  for  two  years,  after  which  he 
worked  as  a  journeyman  five  years,  when  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Henrietta  C.  DeHaas,  and  continued  at 
his  trade  several  years.  For  nearly  twenty  years  he 
acted  as  river  pilot  between  Lock  Haven  and  Marietta. 
In  1848  he  was  elected  sheriff"  of  Clinton  County.  At 
the  age  of  forty  years  he  began  reading  law  with 
Judge  C.  A.  Mayer,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
two  years  afterwards.  In  1861  he  was  elected  to  the 
lower  branch  of  the  State  Legislature,  and  afterwards 
twice  received  the  nomination  of  his  party  for  the 
State  Senate  and  once  for  Congress.  For  several 
years  he  was  LTnited  States  commissioner  for  Clinton 
County,  in  the  Western  District  of  the  State. 

The  Chatham  family  came  from  near  Milton,  Pa., 
of  whom  its  head.  Col.  John  Chatham,  owned  a  large 
tract  of  land  on  Chatham's  Run,  on  which  he  erected 
a  mill  at  an  early  date.  His  daughter  Sarah  married 
Judge  John  Fleming,  who  died  in  1817.  Col.  Chat- 
ham's son,  Walter  S.  Chatham,  was  a  noted  educator 
in  early  times,  and  the  father  of  James  Chatham,  Esq., 
now  deceased. 


CHAPTER    CXXVI. 

AVOODWARD    TOWNSHIP.i 

Descriptive. — This  township  is  located  on  the  north 
side  of  the  West  Branch,  opposite  Lock  Haven.  It  is 
bounded  on  the  south  by  the  river,  on  the  west  by  Cole- 

1  From  D.  S.  Maynard's  "  Historical  View  of  Clintou  County." 


WOODWARD   TOWxVSUIP. 


CC9 


brook,  on  the  north  by  Gallauher,  and  on  the  east  by 
Dunsfable,  and  is  about  four  by  five  miles  in  extent.  It 
was  organized  in  1841,  and  named  in  honor  of  Hon. 
George  W.  Woodward,  tlien  president  judge  of  the 
district.  In  1844  a  portion  of  Dunstable  was  an- 
nexed to  the  township,  and  in  1853  a  part  of  Cole- 
brook  was  added,  so  that  now  its  area  is  considerably 
greater  than  when  it  was  forjned. 

Tlie  township  is  quite  hilly,  and  contains  very  little 
level  land,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  hundred  acres 
lying  along  the  river;  the  soil,  however,  is  generally 
productive,  and  especially  adapted  to  fruit-raising, 
and  is  favorable  to  the  production  of  grass,  grain,  po- 
tatoes, etc. 

The  West  Branch  flows  along  the  southern  border 
of  the  township,  forming  a  water-front  of  about  six 
miles;  the  other  "water  privileges"  of  the  township 
are  Quinn's  Run,  with  its  numerous  branches,  and 
several  other  smaller  streams,  all  of  which  furnish 
sufficient  pure  water  for  the  use  of  live-stock,  etc. 

Pioneers  and  Pioneer  Beginnings— Dunnsburg 
Village. — The  first  settlements  in  the  township  were 
upon  the  river  nearly  opposite  where  Lock  Haven  now 
stands.  The  following  sketch  of  that  portion  of  the 
township  in  which  the  pioneers  located  is  given  by 
Mr.  I.  L.  McCloskey  : 

"  A  patent  was  granted  William  Dunn,  grandfather 
of  Judge  Dunn,  for  the  land  where  Dunnsburg  now 
stands,  which  was  laid  out  by  him  in  1792,  and  called 
by  his  name.  It  was  intended  to  be  the  county-seat 
of  Lycoming  County,  but  afterwards  was  not  taken, 
consequently  has  not  made  the  improvement  it  other- 
wise would  have  done.  The  first  and  oldest  residents 
were  the  Myers,  Whites,  Curns,  Fargus,  Reeds,  and 
Hannas. 

"  The  first  post-office  established  here  was  the  first 
in  the  county  ;  the  date  is  not  known. 

■'  At  an  early  date  there  was  a  distillery  and  tannery, 
but  they  have  long  since  gone  to  decay,  and  not  a 
vestige  of  them  remains. 

"  Thomas  Cummings,  a  resident  of  this  place,  was 
a  cabinet-maker.  He  made  the  first  ballot-box  used 
in  Woodward  township  ;  it  is  a  very  fine  piece  of 
workmanship. 

"The  first  saw-mill  in  this  place  was  built  in  the 
year  1850,  by  Crowel  &  Burton,  two  Maine  Yankees, 
and  is  now  owned  by  Best,  Hopkins  &  Co.  Another 
saw-mill  was  built  in  1853,  by  S.  L.  M.  Conser  &  Co., 
but  it  was  not  a  success.  It  was  torn  down,  and  the 
mill  now  owned  by  S.  M.  Bickford  &  Co.  was  erected 
in  its  place.  The  first  store  was  kept  by  Francis 
Fargus,  who  also  kept  the  post-office  in  1800.  The 
first  meetings  were  held  by  Rev.  Jones,  a  Baptist 
minister. 

"The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  built  in 
1850.  Prior  to  this  religious  services  were  held  in  an 
old  log  school-house  about  sixteen  by  twenty  feet. 
A  protracted  meeting  was  held  in  Maj.  McCloskey's 
barn,  and  was  conducted  by  llev.  I.  H.  Torrence. 


It  was  a  success,  and  aroused  the  spirit  which  caased 
the  present  church  to  be  erected.  This  old  school- 
house,  spoken  of  before,  was  the  only  one  in  the 
township  at  that  time,  and  stood  where  Warren  Mar- 
tin's dwelling-house  now  stands,  and  from  that  old 
structure  went  forth  some  able  men, — three  ministers, 
two  or  three  teachers  of  music,  besides  a  number  of 
school-teachers.  At  this  house  an  Irishman  killed 
himself,  and  was  buried  in  the  corner  of  Hall's  field, 
and  his  body  was  stolen  away  at  night  by  the  doctors. 

"The  first  hotel  was  owned  and  kept  by  John 
White,  then  by  George  King  in  1828,  afterwards  by 
J.  Huling,  William  White,  David  McCloskey,  and 
last  by  Jacob  Myers.  A  ferry  was  kept  here  for  a 
number  of  years,  known  as  Myers'  ferry.  A  little 
incident  occurred  at  the  ferry  that  may  be  worth 
noting:  An  Irishman  came  riding  up  the  road  on 
horseback,  and  wanted  to  cross  the  river;  he  per- 
ceived the  sign,  and  not  waiting  to  inquire  he  plunged 
his  horse  into  the  water  ;  the  river  being  too  high  to 
ford,  the  result  was  that  his  horse  was  drowned,  but 
he  was  saved,  and  when  last  seen  he  was  going  up 
the  road  with  his  saddle  on  his  back  singing,  'Be 
jabers,  me  saddle  for  a  horse,  me  saddle  for  a  horse  I' 

"Many  Indian  relics  and  curiosities  have  been 
found  on  the  land  bordering  on  the  river.  I.  T.  Mc- 
Closkey and  Dudley  Martin  have  quite  a  collection 
of  curiosities,  different  articles  made  and  used  by 
the  aborigines  of  this  country. 

"  In  1855  the  post-office  at  Lock2)ort  was  removed 
to  Dunnsburg  and  called  the  Dunnsburg  oflSce,  with 
Jacob  Myers,  postmaster;  was  afterwards  removed  to 
Liberty,  then  back  to  Dunnsburg,  and  finally  back  to 
Liberty  again,  and  the  name  changed  to  Island  post- 
office. 

"  That  part  of  Woodward  township  lately  known 
as  Halltown  was  first  settled  by  Felix  McCloskey, 
Isaac  McCloskey,  John  Smith,  Coleman  Huling,  and 
Andrew  Litz.  This  land  was  first  taken  up  by  war- 
rant in  the  name  of  Peter  Grove,  said  to  be  soldiers' 
claim,  and  was  sold  at  from  two  dollars  to  four  dol- 
lars per  acre.  Only  two  of  the  old  settlers  remain 
here,  Isaac  McCJoskey  and  Felix  McCloskey,  the 
rest  having  moved  to  other  parts  of  the  county,  some 
having  exchanged  properties,  others  sold  out.  The 
farm  now  owned  by  W.  M.  Johnston  was  first  owned 
by  Thomas  Proctor,  afterwards  by  Hugh  Penny,  also 
by  Adam  Smith.  The  land  here  at  present  is  worth, 
on  an  average,  about  forty  dollars  or  fifty  dollars  per 
acre.  The  first  school-house  was  built  in  1854  by 
Felix  McCloskey ;  the  first  teacher  was  William 
Hawkman.  This  place  is  about  three  miles  from 
Lock  Haven,  on  the  public  road  leading  from  Lock 
Haven  to  Churchville. 

Lockport  Village. — "  Lockport  proper  was  a  part 
of  the  Nathaniel  Hanna  farm,  and  was  laid  out  by 
him  at  a  very  early  day  ;  the  date  cannot  be  ascer- 
tained, but  dates  about  the  same  as  the  city  of  Lock 
Haven.    There  was  a  distillery  located  in  1800  a  little 


670 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


distance  below  the  lock-house,  at  what  is  now  known 
as  Still  Hollow,  but  long  since  it  has  gone  to  decay, 
and  no  traces  of  it  are  to  be  seen  now. 

"  In  1834  the  hotel  known  as  the  Hanna  Hotel  was 
built  by  N.  Hanna,  and  kept  first  by  Jared  Huling, 
afterwards  by  Coleman  Huling,  Hoaglander,  Alex- 
ander Mahon,  Benjamin  Myers,  Vosburg,  and  last  by 
R.  M.  Hanna;  it  was  burned  down  in  1858.  The 
Woodward  House  was  built  in  1847,  and  was  first 
kept  by  Benjamin  Myers,  until  1852  ;  from  1852  to 
1858  by  William  Quigley,  afterwards  by  Sheriff 
Hanna.  In  1866  it  was  purchased  by  John  Ferguson  & 
Co.,  and  is  in  their  possession  at  this  date,  1876.  The 
first  school-house  was  situated  in  the  ravine  or  en- 
trance to  the  Mackey  property. 

"In  1853  a  post-office  was  established  and  con- 
tinued two  years,  with  Thomas  Bailey,  postmaster. 
It  was  afterwards  removed  to  Dunnsburg.  It  was 
called  '  Loveland.'  That  part  known  as  the  Western 
Addition  was  formerly  a  part  of  the  Joseph  Hanna 
farm.  In  1855  it  was  purchased  by  William  White 
and  laid  out.  At  present  the  town  consists  of  one 
street,  called  Water  Street,  and  is  built  up  its  entire 
length. 

"The  first  store  was  kept  by  William  Caldwell, 
afterwards  by  Hanna  &  Sons,  also  by  Henry  Schultze. 
Mrs.  A'gnes  Bigger  commenced  keeping  store  in  1842, 
in  the  store-room  now  occupied  by  Lewis  Hoover, 
and  continued  for  a  great  many  years.  Afterwards 
the  store  was  kept  by  Thomas  Blackburn. 

"The  first  brewery  was  built  in  1860  by  Baucher 
&  Garger;  was  burned  down  in  1863.  It  was  rebuilt 
by  Baucher  in  the  fall  of  1863.  In  1865  was  sold  to 
Widman  &  Pepper;  was  burned  in  February,  1876, 
and  was  rebuilt  by  Rudolph  Widman  in  1876. 

"  The  Mackey  property,  which  lies  on  the  hill  north 
of  the  town,  was  purchased  by  Hon.  L.  A.  Mackey, 
in  1854,  from  Nathaniel  Hanna,  being  about  fifty 
acres.  A  great  deal  of  money  has  been  expended  by 
Mr.  Mackey  in  making  this  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
places  in  the  county.  This  place  is  very  beautifully 
laid  out  and  tastefully  decorated  with  trees  and  ever- 
greens of  many  kinds.  There  is  a  grapery  of  about 
two  acres,  which  yields  from  two  to  four  hundred 
bushels  annually;  also  a  very  large  and  extensive 
hot-house,  which  yields  large  quantities  of  early 
plants  and  vegetables,  besides  flowers  and  fruits  of 
every  description,  all  under  the  skillful  management 
of  Mr.  Moses  Cummings. 

"  The  great  flood  of  1861  did  considerable  damage, 
destroying  the  canal  navigation.  Again,  the  flood  of 
1865,  which  was  fourteen  feet  high,  was  the  highest 
March  17th,  St.  Patrick's  day.  It  carried  away  part 
of  the  bridge  and  some  dwelling-houses,  destroying 
canal  navigation  again,  and  it  did  not  reopen  until 
the  following  October.  There  was  also  another  great 
flood  in  1868,  doing  much  damage. 

"  At  this  point  all  the  lumber  that  comes  down  the 
West  Branch  and  its  tributaries  stops,  this  being  the 


head  of  market  of  the  West  Branch.  The  greatest 
number  of  timber  rafts  that  has  come  down  in  one 
season  has  been  estimated  at  about  two  thousand 
eight  hundred.  In  1860  the  hotel  in  the  western  part 
was  built  and  kept  until  the  present  by  R.  M.  Hanna, 
lately  deceased.  This  is  a  large  four-story  frame 
building  with  basement,  and  has  entertained  in  one 
day  in  the  rafting  season  as  high  as  fourteen  hundred 
persons,  and  in  one  season  as  high  as  twenty  thou- 
sand. The  Woodward  House  has  also  entertained 
from  twelve  thousand  to  twenty-five  thousand  in  one 
season. 

"  At  the  present  time  there  are  forty-nine  dwelling- 
houses,  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  iniiabitants, 
two  hotels,  one  store,  kept  by  Lewis  Hoover,  formerly 
of  Clearfield  County,  one  brewery,  two  blacksmith- 
shops,  and  one  school-house. 

Woodward  in  the  War  of  1861-65.— "Dunns- 
burg at  present  has  about  forty-five  dwelling-houses, 
one  church,  two  saw-mills,  one  tannery,  one  school- 
house,  and  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  inhabitants. 
During  the  latter  part  of  the  war  this  township 
paid  a  bounty  of  four  hundred  dollars.  The  fol- 
lowing is  a  list  of  soldiers  who  served  in  the  war: 
Samuel  Shoemaker,  John  R.  Shoemaker,  Jacob  Shoe- 
maker, Jacob  Blush,  Samuel  Blush,  Christ.  Weaver, 
Rudolph  Weaver,  Peter  Weaver,  Frederick  Weaver, 
William  Reiter,  W.  O.  Smith,  William  Smith,  John 
Green,  Frederick  Sorger,  Abram  Litz,  Walker  Litz, 
Abram  Nichols,  Lyman  Fry,  James  F.  Kinley, 
Michael  Cohoe,  Christ.  Bi)wman,  F.  F.  McCloskey, 
W.  R.  McCloskey,  William  Clinc  McCloskey,  Irvin 
T.  McClo.skey,  Richard  Newberry,  Washington  New- 
berry, John  Showers,  Samuel  Wilson,  A.  G.  Fleming, 
George  Myers,  Frank  Bickford,  Frank  Weymoutli, 
William  Ritchey,  Ferdinand  Rote,  Charles  Rote, 
Thomas  Bartholomew,  Jesse  Reeder,  George  C. 
Curns,  Robert  F.  Curns,  Henry  King,  W.  J.  King, 
James  Butler,  Adam  Bentz,  Henry  Fargus,  James  F. 
Baker,  W.  P.  Burnell,  Thomas  W.  Burnell,  John 
Kneply,  James  Poorman,  Peter  Poorman,  Charles 
Shurtlifl^,  Edward  K.  Davis,  Robert  Moore,  John  S. 
Schultze,  William  Osbourne,  John  Batchalet,  John 
Slifer,  Frederick  Slifer,  John  McNall,  Joseph  Ul- 
man,  David  Hanna,  Wesley  Hanna,  William  B. 
Hanna,  Christ.  Force.  John  Cohan  and  Frederick 
Probst  were  killed  in  battle;  Henry  King  was 
wounded  at  the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks,  and  died  in  the 
hospital  at  Philadelphia;  William  Reed,  Jerry  Cohoe, 
John  Seybold,  and  Walter  Litz  died  from  diseases 
contracted  while  in  the  army." 

Indian  Relics. — The  river  flats  of  this  township 
seem  to  have  been  a  favorite  resort  of  the  Indians. 
Meginness  says, — 

"An  Indian  town  stood  on  the  site  now  occu- 
pied by  Dunnsburg;  another,  called  Pattersontown, 
was  located  opposite  the  mouth  of  Chatham's  Run. 
The  next  most  important  one  was  located  on  the 
level  bottom  a  short  distance  above  Lockport,  and 


WOODWARD  TOWNSHIP. 


671 


belonged  to  the  Monseys ;  they  .also  cultivated  corn 
here.  Traces  of  their  village  were  perceptible  long 
after  the  arrival  of  the  whites,  and  some  of  the  old- 
est inhabitants  remember  the  little  hillocks  where 
the  corn  grew.  The  place  is  known  at  this  day  by 
the  name  of  Monseytown  flats." 

Upon  the  farm  of  Isaac  A.  Packer  have  recently 
been  found  the  bones  of  two  Indians  buried  in  the 
soil.  In  the  mouth  of  one  of  the  skeletons  there  was 
a  well-formed  and  well-preserved  clay  pipe  which  is 
now  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Packer. 

In  regard  to  the  evidences  of  the  existence  and  oper- 
ations of  Indians  in  the  vicinity,  Meginness  further 
says, — 

"On  digging  the  canal  through  the  rocks  near 
Liberty  several  skeletons  were  discovered  in  a  toler- 
ably good  state  of  preservation. 

"In  1854,  James  Wilson  and  A.  H.  McHenry,  of 
Jersey  Shore,  discovered  what  was  evidently  an  ex- 
tensive Indian  pottery  about  five  miles  up  Quinn's 
Run.  A  large  detached  rock  stood  at  this  point,  and 
underneath  was  a  cave  sulBciently  large  to  shelter 
thirty  men.  It  contained  a  large  quantity  of  muscle- 
shells.  From  appearances  around  the  rock  the  people 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  some  kind  of  mineral 
had  been  taken  out.  These  gentlemen  examined  the 
ground  and  found  great  quantities  of  broken  pottery 
buried  in  a  heap,  and  unmistakable  evidence  of  a 
hearth  where  they  had  been  baked.  A  double  curbing 
of  stones  was  nicely  set  in  the  ground  in  the  form  of 
an  ellipsis,  about  ten  feet  in  diameter,  where  the  kiln 
was  erected.  Charcoal  and  otlier  remains  of  fire  were 
distinctly  visible.  The  muscle-shells  were  carried 
there,  pulverized,  and  mixed  in  the  clay  which  formed 
their  pots.  On  examining  broken  specimens  the  pul- 
verized shells  can  be  perceived  in  the  form  of  glisten- 
ing particles." 

Minerals  of  Woodward. — Woodward  township 
is  well  supplied  with  valuable  minerals,  the  principal 
ones  being  fire-clay,  potter's  clay,  coal  and  iron  ore. 
The  first  exists  in  large  quantities  on  Quinn's  Run, 
where  for  many  years  it  was  extensively  used  in  the 
manufacture  of  brick.  Coal  was  also  mined  on  quite 
a  large  scale  many  years  ago  at  the  same  place.  The 
iron  ore  still  remains  undeveloped.  Potter's  clay 
has  recently  been  found  on  the  farm  of  j\Irs.  Nancy 
McCloskey. 

Hollenback,  McDonnel  &  Co.  commenced  opera- 
tions at  Quinn's  Run  between  18.35  and  1840,  as  manu- 
facturers of  fire-brick  and  miners  of  coal,  and  con- 
tinued the  business  for  a  number  of  years,  then  sold 
out  to  Messrs.  Mackey,  Grafius  &  Scott,  of  Lock 
Haven,  by  whom  the  operations  were  continued  sev- 
eral years  longer;  then  the  firm  became  Mackey, 
Fredericks  &  Co.,  then  it  was  changed  to  John  Wil- 
liams &  Co.,  and  then  to  Fredericks,  Munro  &  Co. 
In  connection  with  the  manufacture  of  fire-brick  and 
the  mining  of  coal,  lumbering  was  carried  on  to  a 
considerable  extent.     The  fire  brick  made  at  Quinn's 


Run  were  in  great  demand,  being  of  a  good  quality, 
and  found  a  ready  market  wherever  such  articles 
were  needed.  The  coal  was  shipped  to  various  places 
down  the  river,  Columbia  being  the  principal  point. 
The  lumber,  of  course,  sought  a  market  at  the  usual 
places  down  the  river.  The  property  at  present  is 
owned  by  Hines,  May  &  Greenough,  but  the  works 
are  not  in  operation. 

At  one  time  Quinn's  Run  was  a  very  important 
business  point.  Besides  the  fire-brick  works,  saw- 
mill, store,  etc.,  there  were  not  less  than  sixty  dwell- 
ings, including  the  houses  occupied  by  the  miners  at 
the  mines,  two  miles  distant  from  Quinn's  Run  proper, 
nearly  all  of  which  are  now  in  ruins  or  very  much 
dilapidated. 

In  the  sjjring  of  1825,  John  Feller,  John  Witchey, 
and  Nicholas  Suter  came  from  Switzerland  and  moved 
into  what  is  now  the  "  German  Settlement,"  then  a 
dreary  wilderness,  without  a  house  or  hut,  or  even  a 
road,  except  a  few  hunters'  paths.  J.  Feller  built 
the  first  house,  or  rather  log  hut,  in  the  settlement. 
It  stood  on  the  land  now  owned  by  Jacob  Weise. 
It  was  made  of  round  logs,  built  to  a  point  and 
covered  with  slab-boards.  Mr.  Feller  and  seven- 
teen men  cut  and  hauled  the  logs,  put  up  the 
house,  split  the  boards,  put  on  the  roof,  and  put  in 
the  windows  and  door,  all  in  one  day.  The  next 
day  Mr.  Feller  and  family  moved  into  this  new  house, 
and  were  more  contented  and  happy  than  some 
people  that  live  in  splendid  mansions.  J.  Witchey 
and  N.  Suter  put  up  houses  soon  after,  and  began  to 
clear  up  small  patches  for  gardens,  potatoes,  etc.  This 
was  all  done  without  the  aid  of  a  team.  Within  ten 
years  after  the  first  settlers  located  quite  an  accession 
was  made  to  the  number  of  inhabitants  by  arrivals 
from  the  "  Faderland ;"  among  them  were  the  Swopes, 
Probsts,  Shoemakers,  and  Wenkers.  The  first  school- 
house  was  built  in  1841,  on  the  land  now  owned  by 
B.  F.  Probst.  The  first  teacher  was  William  Riley. 
This  school-house  was  afterwards  remodeled  and 
changed  into  a  church,  known  as  the  Evangelical 
Church,  and  used  for  that  purpose  until  18G9,  when 
the  new  church  was  built. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church  Cemetery,  or  the 
old  cemetery,  the  grounds  for  which  were  given  for 
burial  purposes  by  William  Dunn,  has  a  most  de- 
lightful location  on  a  very  beautiful  eminence  over- 
looking the  West  Branch  and  "  Great  Island."'  Among 
the  old  citizens  here  interred  are : 

Julm  Qiliijle.v,  lioni  March  14,  1770,  ilieil  Decemlior,  1817;  liis  wife, 
Tiil.itliii,  bom  Nov.  5,  1787,  (lied  M.ircli  2,  ISfti. 

Niilliimiel  Uiiiina,  boiii  Aug.  2,  1784,  died  Oct.  20,  1S73;  Iiis  wife, 
N»licy,  died  Feb.  2, 1S74,  aged  73. 

John  Sniilh,  horn  Sept.  28, 178:!,  died  Sept.  ao,  ISCO;  Lis  wif^-,  Eliia- 
helh,  died  July  14,  1858,  aged  C7. 

.\diiiii  Sniilli,  died  Aug.  2:!,  1S7C,  aged  7C ;  his  wife,  Ilanuah,  daughter 
of  Peter  Best,  died  Jan.  25, 18C7,  aged  03. 

William  Baird,  died  Sept.  21,  1702,  aged  79. 

Zehulon  Buir.1,  died  March  4, 1848,  aged  86;  his  wife,  Martha  BairJ, 
died  Jaii.3,  1848,  aged  70. 

Francis,  wife  of  Benjamin  Baird,  died  Nov.  15, 1S48,  agcvl  71. 

Beigauiiu  Baird,  died  Apiil  13, 18'^5,  aged  74. 


672 


HISTORY   OF   CLINTON   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Williiim  Bniril,  died  Sept.  23,  1854,  aged  03. 

Mary  Baild,  died  June  10,  1851,  aged  47. 

Elizabetli  Baird,  died  March  24,  18C4,  aged  Tn. 

William  Baird,  died  Nov.  2C,  1S13,  aged  GO. 

Mary  Baird,  died  July  24, 1818,  aged  72. 

ElizaUelll,  wife  of  Jolill  Wliitp,  died  Marcli  14, 184C,  ajred  08. 

George  W.  King,  died  July  9,  18J5,  aged  CO;  liis  wife,  Catharine,  born 
Feb.  4,  18C4,  di.'d  May  27,  1877. 

Julia  Ann,  wife  of  Rev.  Jusepli  King,  and  daughter  of  Kev.  T.  Henilt, 
born  July  25,  1841,  died  Deo.  2.->,  1S75. 

William  Wolsen,  of  Co.  B,  48tli  Pa.  Vols. 

Samuel  RofS,  died  Nov.  16,  1SC6,  aged  GO. 

Peter  Doroy,  liorn  Oct.  18,  1803,  died  Feb.  14,  1875;  bis  wife,  Susanna, 
died  June  21, 1807,  aged  03. 

William  Dcvliiig,  born  Doe.  21,  1780,  dii'd  April' 11,  1873;  bis  wife, 
Mary,  born  Apiil  23,  1797,  died  Ainil  22,  1S74. 

William  Cliflon,  died  April  12,  1879,  aged  Co. 

Kcv.  Samuel  Baird,  died  June  20,  16C8,  aged  49. 

Peler  Sutherland,  born  Dec.  2.5,  1791,  died  Jan.  25,  1840;  his  wife, 
Eli/Jlbcth,  died  Aug.  25,  1851,  aged  02. 

Catharine,  wife  of  Alex.  Mackliii,  died  Aug.  8,  1872,  aged  49. 

Sophia,  wife  of  John  J.  Miller,  ilied  April  5,  1879,  aged  53. 

John  Blackburn,  native  of  Fulkiik,  Scotland,  died  March  4,  1870, 
aged  74. 

Agnes,  wife  of  Adam  Bigger,  and  datlghter  of  A.  McDonald,  born  in 
Stevcnston,  Ayresliire,  Scotland,  April  28, 1801,  died  Jan.  2, 1875. 

Alex.  McDoiuild,  native  of  same  place,  died  Nov.  3, 1864,  aged  83. 

Elizabeth,  wife  of  John  Blackburn,  native  of  same  place,  died  Feb.  20, 
1842,  aged  27. 

Adam  Bigger,  died  Sept.  20, 1850,  aged  54. 

Kobert  Stewart,  died  April  13,  18.54,  aged  80. 

William  J.  Kiley,  burn  July  18,  1819,  died  Sept.  7,  1851. 

Roger  Devling,  died  Sept.  2,  1840,  aged  81 ;  his  wife,  Nancy,  died  Sept. 
2,  1844,  aged  78. 

Sarah  Proctor,  died  April  2,  1850,  aged  05. 

Catharine,  wife  of  Kobert  Lyie,  died  May  9,  1845,  aged  40. 

Michael  Bartholomew,  died  Nov.  17,  1841,  aged  03;  his  wife.  Eve,  died 
Dec.  20,  1863,  aged  8(1. 

George  Seybolt,  of  Co.  C,  201h  Pa.  Vols. 

William  Thomas,  of  Co.  A,  .Mil  Pa.  Vols. 

Flsey  Ross,  died  A|ilil  21, 1850,  agiHl  00. 

Juliiuis,  wife  of  Pliineas  I'elton,  born  in  1798,  died  1855. 

Isaac  A.  King,  dieil  March  3,  1871,  aged  70. 

Edward  ISichey,  died  Fob.  10, 1 867,  aged  78 ;  his  wife,  Letitia,  born  Juno 
9,  1789,  died  Sept.  20,  1805. 

Nathan  McCloskey,  died  Dec.  4, 1854, aged  78;  his  wife,  Ann, died  Juno 
2,  1859,  aged  07. 

David  MeClosUey,  died  Sept.  10,  1856,  aged  47. 

Catharine,  w  ife  of  Francis  Fargus,  died  Feb.  23,  1802,  aged  S5. 

Nancy,  wife  ol  Thomas  lluling,  born  Nov.  15, 1782,  died  Dec.  1, 1842. 

Joseph  M.  Dnnn,  died  Jan.  12,  1844,  aged  31. 

Washington  Dunn,  died  Jan.  13,  1848,  aged  02;  his  wife,  Elizabeth, 
died  Jan.  27,  1804,  aged  8(1. 

John  G.  Conser,  died  Dec.  10, 1854,  aged  72;  his  wife,  Elizabeth,  died 
Aug.  24,  1864,  aged  70. 

Thomas  Myers,  ilied  Slarch  7,  1872,  aged  01 ;  his  wife,  Caroline,  died 
July  14, 1859,  aged  31. 

Nancy,  wife  of  Jolin  Myera,  died  April  24, 1857,  aged  77;  her  husband 
died  March  3, 1840,  aged  77. 

Elizabeth,  wife  of  Proctor  Myere,  died  Aug.  24, 1852,  aged  30. 

John  Dick,  died  Sept.  17,  1819,  aged  23. 


William  Richie  was  born  July  28, 1806,  one  mile 
west  of  Ferney's  Run,  and  was  of  Scotch-Irisli  parent- 
age. His  father's  name  was  Eilward  Richie.  He 
was  educated  at  Welsh's  scliool-house,  on  the  Bald 
Eagle.  In  1832  he  began  business  on  his  own  ac- 
count at  North  Bend,  where  he  was  engaged  one  year 
in  farming  and  lumbering.  From  there  he  removed 
to  Burney's.  He  was  actively  engaged  in  lumbering 
operations  on  Ferney's  Run  from  1820  to  1862.  He 
served  for  fifteen  years  as  school  director,  and  for 
many  years  as  overseer  of  the  poor.  He  was  married 
in  1832  to  Mary  McCloskey,  of  Bakerstown.  He  has 
always  been  a  prominent  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church. 

John  W.  Smith. — Adam  Smith,  fiither  of  John  W. 
Smith,  was  born  in  Dauphin  County,  and  when  quite 
young  came  with  his  parents  to  the  West  Branch 
valley,  where  the  family  settled  upon  what  was  then 
known  as  the  "Monseytown  flats,"  of  this  township. 
Adam  Smith  s^ucceeded  his  father  as  owner  of  the 
Monseytown  property,  and  remained  upon  it  many 
years.  Here  John  W.  Smith  was  horn,  Sept.  26, 
1829.  He  remained  on  the  farm  until  1852,  when 
he  married  and  began  business  for  himself  as  owner 
and  proprietor  of  the  "  White  House,"  located  at  the 
upper  end  of  Monseytown  flats,  the  property  lately 
owned  and  occupied  by  Isaac  Packer.  While  acting 
as  landlord  he  commenced  dealing  in  square  timber, 
which  business  he  conducted  more  or  less  extensively 
until  very  recently.  After  remaining  in  the  hotel 
four  years  he  moved  to  Lockport,  where  he  resided 
three  years.  He  then  sold  out  and  purchased  the 
"  Eagle  Hotel,"  in  Lock  Haven,  which  he  conducted 
four  years,  then  sold  it  and  bought  the  old  home- 
stead, and  after  living  upon  it  two  years  sold  it  and 
moved  back  to  Lock  Haven,  and  took  possession  of 
the  brick  house  on  Main  Street,  which  he  had  previ- 
ously purchased  of  Isaac  Packer.     At  the  end  of  four 

I  years  he  purchased   the  "Fallon   House,"  in  Lock 
Haven,  where  with  his  family  he  has  since  boarded, 

{  and  which  is  now  kept  by  his  son-in-law,  J.  Schuy- 
ler, Jr. 

In  1857  he  was  elected  county  auditor ;  in  1863 
sheriff,  and  re-elected  in  1869,  serving  in  all  six 
years.  In  February,  1873,  he  was  elected  mayor  of 
Lock  Haven,  serving  two  years,  and  in  1876  was 
elected  associate  judge  for  a  term  of  five  years. 


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